The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #26132 Message #2461077
Posted By: Uncle_DaveO
09-Oct-08 - 10:34 AM
Thread Name: Origins: Any history on Grandfathers Clock?
Subject: RE: Any history on Grandfathers Clock?
Work's song, variously called "Kingdom Coming" and "Year of Jubalo", is sometimes criticized as un-P.C. because of the "darky" dialect, and some don't think it should be sung for that reason. Two thoughts:
Actually it's an antislavery song, about the reaction of slaves when freedom appears imminent, and sardonic fun-making directed at "The Mastah" who ran away.
and
Although I don't think it's been mentioned above, Work was a northern free Negro. I'm not sure if he was born free or was a freed slave. In any case, the phonetic representation of "darky" dialect is from him, and it is perfectly appropriate in the context of the song, methinks. I think, though, that the dialect could and should be cleaned up some for modern audiences, mainly for understandability's sake.
Dave Oesterreich