Pynchon's rap

[Doug Millison]

Thanks to the person who sent this to me offlist, more light shed on 
who P might mean by those South Philadelphia Ballad-singers."


>Hey there!
>
>There may be one assumption that's being taken for granted. (Just for the
>record...an item that I sent to Otto off-list) and that's that the "South
>Philadelphia Ballad singers" is referring to the "Philadelphia Sound." Being
>a Philly kid myself (born and raised in Germantown-it was touching to see
>the short mention to my neighborhood in M&D) it may be possible that the man
>is referring to the doowop kids hangin' round da market (the Italian
>Market-9th & Washington). The Philly sound was in the west and north Philly,
>as were the jazz bars. I had understood that the term "Philadelphia sound"
>emerged from the landmark sound studio, Sigma Sound where many of those
>classics were recorded. (Later on, folks like David Bowie and Patti LaBelle,
>and more-but I don't work for the promoter any more.) If we want to drive
>the geography home, the studio is around 12th & Vine...just north of center
>city. That's not to say that south Philly didn't have it's share of Black
>talent...but much earlier. South St. (where the hippies meet) was the
>unofficial edge of Quaker influence. (At this point a somewhat dour group,
>certainly tolerant although not entirely consistent.) I'm talkin' mid
>nineteenth century here. The more raucous theater could be found on South
>Street. It was also a neighborhood where free blacks "owned" property. (I
>use quotes cuz a law was passed around 1854, I think, in PA restricting
>property rights to white males. Interestingly, one could vote if one owned
>property. No agenda there, huh?) The black folks held what I guess could be
>called "blind deeds" purchased through a third party. The documentation is
>scant so this history is sketchy. Anyway...the blues had a presence on South
>Street well into the 20th century. In fact Bessie Smith was born in that
>neighborhood.
>
>So...as cultural icons go, (at least in my geography) my vote is for the the
>Italian boyz. A smoother transition to surf musik. I would agree that this
>is a reference to rap music is a leap.
>
>On another note...gee I wish you guys would bury the hatchet. You fellas are
>so much more interesting without that stuff.
>
>Best, Judy
>
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