The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #25394   Message #299246
Posted By: rabbitrunning
17-Sep-00 - 10:31 AM
Thread Name: Old Joe Clark. THE folk song/tune?
Subject: RE: Old Joe Clark. THE folk song/tune?
Hang on there! When discussing the history of a song, offensive lyrics are just "facts" not insults. Tracking variations is one of the joys of scholarship, and obliterating what is offensive at the moment makes it impossible for us to consider how attitudes have changed in the long run. I'm a lot more offended by bowdlerized lyrics to traditional songs, but I just put that sort of thing down to the folk process and figure the best changes will survive.

Personally, I don't think I know "Old Joe Clark", but an awful lot of the verses look familiar to me, so now I am off to listen to the midi and find out whether the tune is familiar, too.

And if I know any rude lyrics I fully intend to post them! -- Along with WHEN and WHERE and WHO I learned them from.