I know Retrospace is typically the domain of the sixties and seventies, but The Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945) is just too good to pass up. All the groovy slang from that era is here. It's the lingo of Sinatra and Cab Calloway; a helluva lot cooler than the Urban Dictionary could ever hope to be. Here's a few examples:
MOO JUICE, milk
MARBLE TOWN, graveyard
LAUGHING SOUP, liquor
FAG HAG, girl chain smoker
CRUMB CRUSHERS, teeth
COKE FRAME, attractive body build
BROWN ABES, pennies
WHISTLE BAIT, gal on the make
COFFIN VARNISH, bad liquor
Granted, several of the words are incomprehensibly racist; but then, it was what it was. It's a pretty interesting read, and a wonderful slice of life back when Count Basie and Duke Ellington were the kings of cool. Enjoy.
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