Check out the flophouses and destitution of New York City's Bowery in 1956

boing
1

Originally published at: Check out the flophouses and destitution of New York City's Bowery in 1956 | Boing Boing

…

3 Likes
2

Best bathtub gin I ever had was in a flophouse. The company was some what roguish.

2 Likes
3

at least it wasn’t pruno

1 Like
4

Or sterno, or …

2 Likes
5

Thank goodness we got rid of all the flophouses! Now the poor all sleep in spacious suburban single family homes instead.

3 Likes
6

Carla and I walked around the Bowery a couple of months ago and it is unrecognizable from the neighborhood depicted here.

The Bowery has changed, but the gentrification is very recent. The last of the flophouse SROs only started closing 40 years after this film was made.

1 Like
7

Very sad. All those lost lives. Still living, but lost.

1 Like
8

From Mad Magazine, a long time ago - I couldn’t find the artwork but here’s the lyrics:

(to the tune of the Caisson Song)

Over booze,
Over beer,
We will argue through the year
As the barflies go yapping along.

And it’s hi - hi - hee
Til some rummy don’t agree,
Then we shout out our answer loud and strong:
Sez You!

Then we’ll prove our point
While we’re bustin’ up the joint;
As the barflies go yapping along!

It popped into my head. Dunno why. There’s more to the song but that’s all I remember. I think Mort Drucker did the illustrations. Anyway - 1956 feels a lot like 2021.

2 Likes
9

This topic was automatically closed after 5 days. New replies are no longer allowed.