The Story Behind AWOL’s 1973 Soul Rarity "A Real Mama's Boy"
I'll cite the sources I've found. Now I will write the article. 1970s were a cinematic melting pot, giving rise to gritty New Hollywood, groundbreaking blaxploitation, and the so-called "Golden Age of Porn" that followed Deep Throat . Amidst this creative ferment, few films embody the decade's bizarre, boundary-pushing, and often problematic tendencies as perfectly as the obscure 1973 adult film , also known by its wonderfully transparent alternative title: A Real Mama's Boy . awol a real mamas boy 1973
Lenny Hart was never found.
The film focuses on Goldie, a pimp who returns to Oakland after serving time. While there is no "AWOL" plot, the film heavily features themes of family dynamics. The protagonist is fiercely protective of his mother and his brother (who is a "square" trying to be a "real man," often framed as the non-criminal "boy" of the family). The dynamic of the "Mama's Boy" versus the "Pimp" is a central conflict in the film. The Story Behind AWOL’s 1973 Soul Rarity "A
Throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s, desertion and AWOL cases spiked to record highs. Thousands of young American men, drafted into a war they didn't believe in, simply walked away. They went AWOL—not just from their units, but from society’s expectations of masculinity, duty, and patriotism. To call someone "AWOL" in the context of 1973 wasn't just a legal status; it was a cultural accusation. It meant you were fleeing responsibility, abandoning your post, and rejecting the rigid manhood of the Greatest Generation. Amidst this creative ferment, few films embody the
The result was ten tracks recorded at a flea market studio in Muscle Shoals over three manic days. And then… nothing. The master tape vanished. Virgil Ransom disappeared. Only a single promotional copy of AWOL: A Real Mama’s Boy has ever surfaced, changing hands among private collectors for sums that would make a major label weep.
📜 Draft Essay: Motherhood, Militarism, and the Oedipal Crisis in Anthony Spinelli's AWOL (1973) 📌 Introduction