I've been reading the "updated" Adventures of Brer Rabbit, as "told" by Julius Lester, as I await getting my collection of the stories in the original dialect. For me, the Lester re-telling completely destroys the stories. I just read one where Brer' Rabbit lives in a ranch house with a two car garage. Oh please, Brer Fox... you can skin me, or boil me alive, but puhleeeeeeeze don't throw me in my ranch hose with the two car garage.." (I haven't even found the briar patch story in the Lester book.. don't know if it got updated to the point where it made no sense.)
Have to see if the tar baby is there. Probably the velcro baby...
I think that all of us who love music... particularly from cultures other than our own, have picked up some speach patterns and dialect along the line. I find it much more comfortable if it's become part of someone's everyday conversation.. then hearing it in a song sounds more natural and part of who the person is..