Song Of The Day 6/8/2013: Marilyn Chambers - "Benihana"

Marilyn Chambers (1952-2009) was an adult film actress, about as big a superstar as one could be in the golden era of porn in the '70s. The former Ivory Snow Baby was discovered and recruited by San Francisco's renown, ill-fated Mitchell Brothers to appear in Behind The Green Door, a landmark X-rated film. This was one of the first porn movies that drew mixed-sex audiences, not just the low-profile male pervos huddled in raincoats. They were date movies. Probably not first date movies, but date movies nonetheless.

After fellow porn star Andrea True scored a #1 hit with the disco classic "More, More, More," Chambers thought she'd get in on the burgeoning trend of porn singing. She teamed with producer Michael Zager, a legitimate hit-maker in his own right, and recorded the single "Benihana," also the name of an upscale Japanese food chain. It is about Marilyn's tryst with a man from the land of the Rising Sun. As you can tell from the last 90 seconds or so of the song (which is probably NSFW, so get out your headphones if you're in that kind of situation), it, um, ends well, as Marilyn erupts in what is probably the porn disco equivalent of Roger Daltrey's scream at the end of "Won't Get Fooled Again."

But during this whole last part, I couldn't help imagining that Marilyn was experiencing her pleasure at a Benihana restaurant. Right there at the table-side preparation station. As they say, I'll have what she's having.


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