The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #12708   Message #101479
Posted By: Joe Offer
02-Aug-99 - 04:12 AM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Long John, Chineeman
Subject: RE: old song: 'Long John was a chi-neee man'
Hmmm. I don't think you'll have much luck, Kris. It's the kind of song that makes a lot of us very uneasy. I suppose they're part of our history, but is there a value in preserving racists songs like that?
You have songs like "Old Black Joe" and others by Stephen Foster that speak in terms that are now considered racist. Those songs were not racist in their intent, and they're good music, so there's a value in preserving them. The song you cite may have sounded funny to another generation, but it's pure racism.
-Joe Offer-