Exactly. My reference to Shine is of an old folk hero first described to me by an african-american friend from Opalousas, Louisiana. He remembered an old song about a girl drowning who cries out, "Oh Shine, oh Shine, please save poor me." It has nothing to do with shoeshines or Chatanooga Choo-Choo. But, as I said, the character pops up again in Jimmie Rodgers "Muleskinner Blues" -- "Good morning, Shine.", where Jimmie reveals his 'source' -- and his plagerism.

Whoever said that the history of popular music in America is really the history of black music being appropriated and commercialized by whites is right on the mark. The progression goes through Stephen Foster to Al Jolsen, Paul Whiteman, Jimmie Rodgers, and Elvis, with plenty of other names along the way -- listen to early Bing Crosby, for instance.

I would never dither over tunes like "Black Gal", which clearly have very old roots -- "In the Pines" is another version. What I have no time for is the music that was the original subject here -- the so-called "coon songs" of 1890 - 1930 or so. I still consider them white exploitation of the worst kind. No matter what seemingly innocent ditties people learned at camp or wherever, I don't care if I never hear the likes of "Rufus, Rastus, etc." again. As history, I suppose they have some interest. As music -- with but very few exceptions -- they're trash.

James.