A Bald Man's Memories of Hair
When I was in high school (1977-1981), I swallowed the mythology of the 1960s whole. I loved old psychedelic art and music and hippie shit, including the musical Hair, which came out on Broadway in 1968. When Miloš Forman’s movie adaptation of Hair was released in 1979, I was a big fan. But I was aware that Forman was looking back on a historical era—not documenting a current cultural moment. 1979 was like a 100 years after 1968, after all.
I was a big reader of Rolling Stone in those days—news about rock music was about the only news I followed. The brainier writers for Rolling Stone looked down their noses at Hair. They thought the musical was just a bunch of Broadway showbiz types squeezing the last dollar they could out of the counterculture. Even the title of the musical “Hair” tells you that it was designed by people who found long hair (on men) strange and uncomfortable. By focusing on “hair” as the principal signifier of the counter-culture, the producers of Hair were basically telling the world how inauthentic they were. (The only legitimately counterculture artwork that was equally focused on hair as a hippie talisman was “Almost Cut My Hair” by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. At least, it’s the only one I can think of.)
For some reason, songs from the 1979 movie version of Hair have been rattling around my mind lately. One of Hair’s original missions was to bring rock music to the squares who went to broadway shows. But the songs still feel more like Broadway show tunes than rock anthems, full of clever word-play-filled lyrics. They are closer to Cole Porter than Jim Morrison. The song “Hair” is a perfect example.
They'll be ga ga at the go go
When they see me in my toga
My toga made of blond
Brilliantined
Biblical hair
The actor singing the song is Don Dacus, and according to IMDB, his appearance as “Woof” is his only acting roll. He was legitimately a rock musician, and had been briefly added to the band Chicago after the death of Terry Kath. He has an unexpected Houston connection, as well. Dacus was born in Galena Park.
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