White women were also objectified (if thats a word) and stereotyped in the shanties, in fact the same shanties,(
them Liverpool girls'll rob you blind, and, theyre better than those Plymouth girls with their curled and knobby hair),so are Irishmen,(lousy sons of the wild goose nation) Englishmen,(limejuicers) Frenchmen,( Johnny Crapoe) and just about anybody else mentioned in the shanties.
Also, as an Englishman married to an "exotic" girl for going on 27 years I can tell you that it was my "exoticness" which attracted her to me at least as much as I to her and I can tell you she wouldn't appreciate being likened to a horse or a dog in my feelings for her.
That being said if the person in question had come to me in person, explained his personal problem and asked that I not sing those particular songs when he was around I would probably have agreed, no problem. Unlike some singers I know of,(not in the folk world) I don't sing songs with the intention of ofending people, but to entertain and educate them. He chose not to do that however, but without speaking to me wrote an official letter of complaint to the Park and now will have a fight on his hands.
Azizi, the songs do not refer to African-American women of any colour but specifically about the ladies of Peru and Chili and I find it interesting that you needed to change my "yellow girls' (see my first posting) to your "yella gals" in order to present your arguement. While appreciating your point of view I believe it to be specious in the specific circumstances. I do also welcome your not aiming to prevent me from singing what the hell I want (unlike our friend at the Park) but in pointing out how it might be construed in certain quarters and I will certainly take note of that as I do of other songs which while perfectly ok to sing in some circles can give offence in others. I do think however that we should keep our eye (and our energy) focused on what really matters eg at a song circle just today someone asked if some reference in a song (not mine ) wasn't ageism. My response as an old person (not a senior citizen perleese!) was "I don't care what you call me as long as you give me a job", thats where ageism really matters for me! If thats not the case for you I'll listen and take your point of view into account in my dealings with you, but not if you try to get all songs banned that offend your particular sensibilities, particularly if you don't tell me about it face to face first.
Ive now said my piece on the matter and will deal with it as it develops in reality.
Malcolm