Beat Words for Beatkels

Greenwich Village, 1958.

You want to know what the words are, and I don’t really think about it. But tourists sometimes even come over and ask questions when you’re, I don’t know, in the park or something.

“Is there a Beat language?”

“Why do you all sound the same?”

We don’t. But I put a list together with Sophie and Gordy the other day, just to entertain you. 
So:

Angel: one who pays the bill

Axe: musical instrument

Beat: out of the system, beaten down by the system, living a new life, beatitudes

Beatkel: tourist

Bread: money

Cat: cool musician (or guy)

Cave: office

Can the lip: stop talking

Chick: single woman

Cool it: slow down

Cooney roost: a library

Crazy: good

Daddy-o: a term of affection

Dig: understand

Dullsville: boring

The End: the best

Fuzz: cops

Galaxy: circle of friends

A gas: Something wonderful

Ginchiest: the greatest

Goat: Beard, goatee

Gone: really with it

Graveyard: a deadbeat

Groovie: one who gets the swing of things

Feeling hairy: feeling good

Handcuffs: parents

Headshrinker: psychoanalyst

Hip: to be with it, understand

Hipster: musician, someone who’s cool

Horn: phone

Hot iron: gun

Jazz: you know what that is, don't cha?

Juiceman: bartender

Kicksticks: cigarettes

Lama: leader of the group

Later: goodbye

Mazda: a really hip person

Mickey Mouse: a wristwatch

Moo juice: milk

Nadaville: nowhere, boring place

Off the wall: unusual, odd

Pad: apartment

Swinging: Hip

Shades: Sunglasses

Squaresville: boringly normal

Squaresville iron: jail

Stable: garage

Stable the iron: park the car

Tuned in: with it

Twin trees: high heels

A Washington: dollar bill

Wail: play a tune well, have fun

Way out: unusual

Wild: terrific

Wasteland: far away

You want to add some words to this list? Crazy. 

Dark eyed girl photo:  Rachel a. k.

Jazz: Jaime Oriz