Greaser (subculture)
 | This article's lead section may be too short to adequately summarize the key points. (February 2024) |
Greasers are a
History
Etymology
The etymology for the term greaser is unknown.[1]: 109 By the time of the Civil War, the words "greaser" and "greaseball" were understood to carry racist and segregationist meanings.[2]: 31 It is speculated that the word originated in the late 19th century in the United States as a derogatory label for poor laborers, specifically those of Italian, Greek or Mexican descent.[3][4] The similar term "greaseball" is a slur for individuals of Italian or Greek descent,[4] though to a lesser extent it has also been used more generally to refer to all Mediterranean, Latino, or Hispanic people.[5][6][7] "Greaser" was later used to reference automotive mechanics.
Within Greater Baltimore during the 1950s and early 1960s, greasers were colloquially referred to as drapes and drapettes.[8][9][10]
It was not used in writing to refer to the American subculture of the mid-20th century until the mid-1960s, though in this sense it still evoked a pejorative ethnic connotation and a relation to machine work.[3][a] The name was also applied to members of the subculture partly because of their characteristic greased-back hair.[13]
Origins of the subculture and rise to popularity
The greaser subculture may have emerged in the post–
The weak structural foundation of the greasers can be attributed to the subculture's origins in working-class youth possessing few economic resources with which to participate in American consumerism.[16] Greasers, unlike motorcyclists, did not explicitly have their own interest clubs or publications. As such, there was no business marketing geared specifically towards the group.[17] Their choice in clothing was largely drawn from a common understanding of the empowering aesthetic of working-class attire, rather than a cohesive association with similarly dressed individuals.[17] Many greasers were in motorcycle clubs or in street gangs—and conversely, some gang members and bikers dressed like greasers—though such membership was not necessarily an inherent principle of the subculture.[18]
Ethnically, original greasers were composed mostly of
Decline and modern incarnations
Though the television show American Bandstand helped to "sanitize" the negative image of greasers in the 1960s and 1970s, sexual promiscuity was still seen as a key component of the modern character.[20] By the mid-1970s, the greaser image had become a quintessential part of 1950s nostalgia and cultural revival.[21]
Culture
Fashion
The most notable physical characteristic of greasers was the greased-back hairstyles they fashioned for themselves through use of hair products such as pomade or petroleum jelly, which necessitated frequent combing and reshaping to maintain.[12] Males sported coiffures adopted from early rock 'n' roll and rockabilly performers such as
Male greasers typically wore loose work pants such as cotton
Music tastes
In the early 1950s, there was significant greaser interest in
Portrayal in media and popular culture
- The first cinematic representation of the greaser subculture was the 1953 film The Wild One.[25]: 185
- The music group Sha-Na-Na, formed in the late 1960s, models their onstage presence on New York City greasers (the band members themselves were mostly Ivy Leaguers).[26]
- The 1967 critically acclaimed young adult novel The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton told the story of a gang of greasers, and was controversial upon release due to its depiction of gang violence. The film adaptation of The Outsiders was released in 1983 and directed by Francis Ford Coppola.[27]
- The 1971 American musical and subsequent 1978 film Grease centers around greasers.[28]
- The 1973 film American Graffiti by George Lucas has a greaser with the character of John Milner.[29]
- Character Fonzie from the American TV show Happy Days is a stereotypical greaser who was frequently seen on his motorcycle, wore a leather jacket, and typified the essence of cool, in contrast to his circle of friends.[30]
- Characters Leonard "Lenny" Kosnowski and Andrew "Squiggy" Squiggman from the American sitcom Laverne & Shirley, a spin-off of Happy Days.[31]
- The 1990 John Waters film Cry-Baby is a camp reminiscence of Baltimore greasers during the 1950s.[32]
- The 2006 video game Bully featured a social hierarchy that included a greaser clique.[33]
- The 2008 Steven Spielberg and George Lucas film Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull has the character of Mutt Williams who is portrayed a greaser.[34]
- In many Stephen King stories, members of the subculture are portrayed as bullies or psychopaths brandishing switchblades, such as in "Sometimes They Come Back" (1975).
Similar subcultures
- Rockers, in the United Kingdom
- Teddy Boy, a contemporary but different subculture in the United Kingdom
- Nozem, in the Netherlands
- Raggare, in Sweden
- Råner, in Norway
- Bodgies and widgies, in Australia and New Zealand
- Bōsōzoku, in Japan
- Halbstarke, in Germany, Austria and Switzerland
- Guido, similarly associated with Italian-Americans and featuring similar clothing signifiers
- Gadesh, in Baku, Azerbaijan
Notes
- ^ S. E. Hinton, author of the novel The Outsiders, an influential portrayal of greasers, knew the term from her youth in 1950s Tulsa, Oklahoma.[11][12]
- ^ Moore writes that there is ambiguity surrounding the birth of the defining greaser fashion and style, though the associated look is similar to the one displayed by post-war bikers.[3]
- ^ T-shirts with a contrasting neckband and armbands
Citations
- ^ FWP, New Mexico: A Guide to the Colorful State, American Guide Series (New York: Hastings House, 1940), p. 109.
- ^ Gutiérrez, R. A., & Almaguer, T., eds., The New Latino Studies Reader: A Twenty-First-Century Perspective (Oakland: University of California Press, 2016), p. 31.
- ^ a b c d e Moore 2017, p. 138.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-465-07073-2.
- ISBN 9781317372523. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
- ISBN 9780916500276.
- ISBN 9780252099496.
- ^ Silverman, C., Diner Guys (New York: Carol Publishing Group, 1989), pp. 28, 272.
- ^ Orser, W. E., Blockbusting in Baltimore: The Edmondson Village Story (Lexington: UPK, 1994), p. 81.
- ISBN 9780275999001.
- ^ Smith, D., "An Outsider, Out of the Shadows", The New York Times, September 7, 2005, pp. E1, E7.
- ^ a b c Moore 2017, p. 139.
- ^ Torres 2017.
- ^ Moore 2017, pp. 138–139.
- ^ Symmons 2016, p. 182.
- ^ a b c Tricario 2014, Section "Anticipating an Italian American Consumption Culture".
- ^ a b Moore 2017, p. 141.
- ^ Moore 2017, pp. 138, 141.
- ^ a b Symmons 2016, pp. 181–182.
- ^ Tricario 2014, Footnote #56.
- ^ Symmons 2016, p. 184.
- ^ Moore 2017, p. 140.
- ^ Blanco F. 2015, p. 137.
- ^ Moore 2017, pp. 139–140.
- ^ Gelder & Thornton 1997, p. 185.
- ^ Perrone, Pierre (April 10, 2010). "Danny McBride: Guitarist with rock'n' roll revivalists Sha Na Na". The Independent.
- ^ Roger Ebert (March 25, 1983). "The Outsiders". RogerEbert.com. Chicago Sun-Times.
- ISBN 978-1-78527-112-0. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
- ^ Ramirez, Carlos (2013-12-11). "See the Cast of 'American Graffiti' Then and Now". Diffuser.fm. Retrieved 2023-07-05.
- ISBN 978-0-313-32715-5. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
- ^ Introducing – Lenny & the Squigtones! (and the Amazing Pre-Spinal Tap TV Debut of Nigel Tufnel!)
- ^ Sprengler, C., "Grease, the Jukebox Fifties and Time's Percolations", in O. Gruner & P. Krämer, eds., Grease Is the Word: Exploring a Cultural Phenomenon (London & New York: Anthem Press, 2019), p. 125.
- ^ Slagle, Matt (October 21, 2006). "Video game creators defend 'Bully' tactics". The Des Moines Register. p. 36.
- ^ Staff, Motorcycle com (2010-01-01). "Featured Motorcycle Brands". Motorcycle.com. Retrieved 2023-07-05.
References
- Blanco F., José (23 November 2015). Clothing and Fashion: American Fashion from Head to Toe (illustrated ed.). ABC-CLIO. ISBN 9781610693103.
- Gelder, Ken; ISBN 9780415127271.
- Moore, Jennifer Grayer (2017). Street Style in America: An Exploration (illustrated ed.). ABC-CLIO. ISBN 9781440844621.
- Symmons, Tom (2016). The New Hollywood Historical Film: 1967–78 (illustrated ed.). Springer. ISBN 9781137529305.
- Torres, Lucia (January 12, 2017). "Pachucos and Teddy Boys: How Generations of Youth in the U.S. and U.K. Borrowed From Each Other". KCETLink. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
- Tricario, Donald (2014). "10. Consuming Italian Americans: Invoking Ethnicity in the Buying and Selling of Guido". In Cinotto, Simone (ed.). Making Italian America: Consumer Culture and the Production of Ethnic Identities. Fordham University Press. ISBN 9780823256266.