This is a song I love. Let me ask a question: isn't the singer impersonating a black man, in this song ?? I would bet he IS black, and he is calling "darkies" the people of his own race and social condition. On the other hand, "gay" means joyful. I think that the use of euphemisms may be more offensive than the original lyrics, just because the differentiation is so visible.

I've sung this song always to white audiences (who love black songs here in Buenos Aires), should I be careful if some day I sing it for a black, or mixed audience ? Ok, probably I will not, not because of the color problem, but becasue of the quality. It would be the same as going to sing Neapolitan songs to people in Naples.

Un abrazo,
Andrés