IN 1907 Charles Badger Clark wrote his love song "Border Affair" (also know as "Spanish Is The Loving Tongue" (music by Billy Simon 1925). It's about a cross cultural love affair between a "Tex & a Mex", "Like as not it's better so". The feeling I get is that the affair was ok but the male recognizes (it is sung from the male's point of view) that it's not socially acceptable but that he's also ok with that as an excuse not to pursue the affair into a long lasting relationship but still "pines". But of course we read into any song what we'd like or can. The version I sing is not racist IMHO but lets it be known that racism does play a part in the affair there are stronger versions & versions that leave out the racism altogether

BORDER AFFAIR (also know as SPANISH IS THE LOVING TONGUE)
(Charles Badger Clark, Jr. 1907 & music by Billy Simon 1925)

Spanish is the loving tongue
Soft as music, light as spray;
'Twas a girl I learned it from
Living down Sonora way.
I don't look much like a lover,
Yet I hear her love words over.
Often when I'm all alone
"Mi amor, mi corazon"

On the nights that I would ride
She would listen for my spurs,
Throw them big door open wide,
Shine them laughing eyes of hers.
How my heart would nigh stop beating
When I heard her tender greeting,
Whispered soft for me alone ---
"Mi amor, mi corazon"

Moonlight on the patio,
Old senora nodding near,
Me and Juana talking low
So the Madre couldn't hear.
How the hours would go a-flyin!
And too soon I'd hear her sighin'
In her little sorry tone ---
"Adios, mi corazon."

I ain't seen her since that night,
I can't cross the line, you know.
She was Mex and I was white;
Like as not it's better so.
Yet I've always sort of missed her
Since that last wild night I kissed her;
She stole my heart, left her own
"Adios, mi Corazon"

As to Mitch Miller chaging the line to "the sweetest Rose in Texas", seems idiotic when the song title still remains "The Yellow Rose of Texas". It also seems that in such a loving song of fondness a cross cultural affair may have been more exceptable in the day when the song was sung as contemporary that in our present day of "PC enlightenment", same goes for the above "Border Affair".

Jed, your leaving the song intact with the exception of "Darkie" was the best opition IMHO, I use 'cowboy' or 'soldier' instead of 'fellow', but consider it to be a tender love song. The "Yellow Rose" is a hero to many in that part of the US & why wouldn't she be?

Barry

Barry