Written by: Kara Kundert
I used to spend my nights out rollin' Sodom,
Pussy was the only home I've ever known,
But then I fell in love, oh yeah, with a big ole power bottom,
Now he's on his knees and he's slappin' on my dong -- Marlene Twitty-Fargo, "Tennessee Sissy"
If you've ever thought that the words to classic roots songs didn't quite fit with the melodies, you should give a listen to Marlene Twitty-Fargo's versions. According to her, they're actually the originals -- she was just ripped off by the stars.
Backed by a band of top-tier musicians dubbed the Twat Biscuits, Marlene puts on what she likes to call an "X-rated show for a Jesus-loving crowd". Raised in a musical household by her mother, Neldeen Finger, she got started singing gospel and bluegrass tunes from a very young age through her mother's family band, The Finger Singers. From there, she went on to write such famous songs as "Rose Garden" (later popularized with different lyrics by Lynn Anderson), "Delta's Dong" (which later became Tanya Tucker's "Delta Dawn") and "On My Knees Again" (which evolved into Willie Nelson's "On The Road Again"). When describing this, she shrugs and sighs, lamenting that she simply wasn't good at copyrights in her youth.
She later went on to play in a band with her sisters, The Dickson Chicks. When they decided to part ways, she found her fiddler and musical director, Cousin Vaseline, and her "drummer/clogger/life coach" Cousin Pussyfoot. Together, they formed Marlene Twitty-Fargo and The Twat Biscuits. Cousin Vaseline then recruited Cousins Butane and Acetane, the guitar and mandolin players of the Biscuits. Their newest member is Cousin Valvoline, who plays banjo. Together they make a show that will curl your hairs with racy lyrics and cramp your ribs with laughter.
But that's not all. Marlene adds:
"We feel like our show is a lot of fun and it's really raunchy, but the deeper meaning of Marlene and the Twat Biscuits is: there's nothing wrong with being different. And for those who have sometimes felt like outsiders, you can actually embrace that and totally enjoy your life. So, our deeper message is that you just gotta keep going because, even though you may feel a little different, life's a beautiful thing."
If you're finding yourself in the mood for some bawdy bingo and a truly unique bluegrass/country experience, Marlene Twitty-Fargo and the Twat Biscuits will be playing The SF Eagle on Saturday, June 24. The show starts at 12pm, and will feature an à la carte "Country Continental" brunch by Sugarfoot, San Francisco's southern food pop-up, including biscuit sandwiches, cornbread, and more.
For more on Marlene, check out this interview from The Bluegrass Situation.