Sweet Transvestite
Encyclopedia
"Sweet Transvestite" is a song from 1973 British musical stage production, The Rocky Horror Show
and its 1975 film
counterpart The Rocky Horror Picture Show
, of which the book, music and lyrics by Richard O'Brien
, and the musical arrangements by Richard Hartley
. It is in the key of C-sharp minor.
In numeric order this song originally came fourth, but was switched with the following number, "Time Warp", for the latter to come before Tim Curry's entrance.
, who performed in all of the original productions except Australia's. This includes the short lived first run on Broadway.
It introduces the character of Dr. Frank N. Furter to the audience and Brad and Janet. He openly boasts where he's from, what he is, what he's been doing and why he does it. The song is one of the film and stage show's most famous and includes one of the show's most notorious lines, "I'm just a sweet transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania".
, Mina
, Bates Motel, Ziggy Byfield, The Steve Whitney Band, and punk rock
band Apocalypse Hoboken
on the 2003 tribute compilation The Rocky Horror Punk Rock Show
.
For the 2000 Broadway revival, it was sung by Tom Hewitt
.
The song was sung by Mercedes Jones
(Amber Riley
) in the Season 2 episode of Glee
, "The Rocky Horror Glee Show
."
Tim Curry's version (the film recording) was remixed for club play in 2011 by Joel Dickinson
.
The Rocky Horror Show
The Rocky Horror Show is a long-running British horror comedy stage musical, which opened in London on 19 June 1973. It was written by Richard O'Brien, produced and directed by Jim Sharman. It came eighth in a BBC Radio 2 listener poll of the "Nation's Number One Essential Musicals"...
and its 1975 film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
counterpart The Rocky Horror Picture Show
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
The Rocky Horror Picture Show is the 1975 film adaptation of the British rock musical stageplay, The Rocky Horror Show, written by Richard O'Brien. The film is a parody of B-movie, science fiction and horror films of the late 1940s through early 1970s. Director Jim Sharman collaborated on the...
, of which the book, music and lyrics by Richard O'Brien
Richard O'Brien
Richard Timothy Smith , better known under his stage name Richard O'Brien, is an English writer, actor, television presenter and theatre performer. He is perhaps best known for writing the cult musical The Rocky Horror Show and for his role in presenting the popular TV show The Crystal Maze...
, and the musical arrangements by Richard Hartley
Richard Hartley
Richard Hartley is a British composer.His work is extensive and varied, including musical arrangement for theatre and many scores for television and film. In the 1970s he began a long association with Richard O'Brien. Hartley was originally part of the four-piece band for the Rocky Horror Show. ...
. It is in the key of C-sharp minor.
In numeric order this song originally came fourth, but was switched with the following number, "Time Warp", for the latter to come before Tim Curry's entrance.
Overview
The song is performed by the character, Dr. Frank-N-Furter, originated on stage and screen by actor Tim CurryTim Curry
Timothy James "Tim" Curry is a British actor, singer, composer and voice actor, known for his work in a diverse range of theatre, film and television productions. He currently resides in Los Angeles, California....
, who performed in all of the original productions except Australia's. This includes the short lived first run on Broadway.
It introduces the character of Dr. Frank N. Furter to the audience and Brad and Janet. He openly boasts where he's from, what he is, what he's been doing and why he does it. The song is one of the film and stage show's most famous and includes one of the show's most notorious lines, "I'm just a sweet transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania".
Covers
Cover versions have been recorded by Anthony Stewart HeadAnthony Head
Anthony Stewart Head , usually credited as Anthony Head, is an English actor and musician. He rose to fame in the UK following his role in television advertisements for Nescafé Gold Blend , and is known for his roles as Rupert Giles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and as Uther Pendragon in...
, Mina
Mina (singer)
Anna Maria Quaini, Grand Officer , known as Mina, is an Italian pop singer. She was a staple of Italian television variety shows and a dominant figure in Italian pop music from the mid-1960s to mid-1970s known for her three-octave vocal range, the agility of her soprano voice, and her image as an...
, Bates Motel, Ziggy Byfield, The Steve Whitney Band, and punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band Apocalypse Hoboken
Apocalypse Hoboken
Apocalypse Hoboken was an American punk rock band hailing from Chicago, Illinois which toured the US and Europe and released seven albums on various labels, including Rocco Records and Dyslexic Records...
on the 2003 tribute compilation The Rocky Horror Punk Rock Show
The Rocky Horror Punk Rock Show
The Rocky Horror Punk Rock Show is an album featuring the soundtrack of the 1975 cult film The Rocky Horror Picture Show as performed by modern punk rock bands...
.
For the 2000 Broadway revival, it was sung by Tom Hewitt
Tom Hewitt
Tom Hewitt is an actor and Broadway stage performer, and a native of Victor, Montana.-Life:After graduating from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee with the Professional Theatre Training Program's first class in 1981, Tom Hewitt worked with such regional powerhouses as Minneapolis's Guthrie...
.
The song was sung by Mercedes Jones
Mercedes Jones
Mercedes Jones is a fictional character from the Fox popular musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Amber Riley, and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Mercedes was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and...
(Amber Riley
Amber Riley
Amber Patrice Riley is an American actress and singer best known for her role on the series Glee as Mercedes Jones.-Early life and career:...
) in the Season 2 episode of Glee
Glee (TV series)
Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...
, "The Rocky Horror Glee Show
The Rocky Horror Glee Show
"The Rocky Horror Glee Show" is the fifth episode of the second season of the American television series Glee, and the 27th episode overall. It was written by Ryan Murphy, from a story by Murphy and Tim Wollaston, directed by Adam Shankman, and premiered on Fox on October 26, 2010...
."
Tim Curry's version (the film recording) was remixed for club play in 2011 by Joel Dickinson
Joel Dickinson
Joel Dickinson is a remixer, electronic music producer, recording engineer and DJ based in Minneapolis, MN. He has worked for Junior Vasquez on a number of projects in recent years. He is a founding member of the remix team Audio Assembly who have produced for artists such as Katy Perry and Lady...
.