The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #71726   Message #1229017
Posted By: Anglo
19-Jul-04 - 11:56 AM
Thread Name: Origins: Ching Chong Chinaman Song
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ching Chung Chinaman Song
This is a parody. The original song is from a musical, Chu Chin Chow, which enjoyed considerable success in London during WW1. As I recall the lyrics are about a Chinese laundry - the plot is based on a story from Scherezade. Since these days anything that refers to any sort of racial stereotype is offensive (simply defining a laundry as Chinese would get you into trouble) the words might be sonsidered rracist. At the time they were not. Unlike this parody.