Another example of an issue which has been described on Mudcat on several occasions - how to approach a song which is problematic in today's context, but which was acceptable to many in its own day. If we perform it at all, do we preface the performance with a bit of chat which places the original song in context - or do we simply change the words.

I had to arrive some decision on this when I started performing Gus Elen's "The Postman's Holiday", which has the unfortunate first line:

"I works just like a nigger..."

In the end, I decided to abandon any sort of preliminary explanation/apology as it would simply draw more attention to the word and ultimately detract from the performance. So now I sing:

"I works just like the devil..."

which seems to work as many people don't know the original words anyway.

There's an interesting example of changing sensibilities over time in the words to "The Sum Has Got His Hat On", which has the line"

"Hes's been tanning niggers down in Timbuctoo" - this is sung on the original 1932 record by Ambrose and his Orchestra. In the 1960s Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band's version, I believe the word had softened into "darkies", and then into "Negroes" in the 1971 version by Nemo (aka Jonathan King). If you buy the sheet music today, it's "people".

I oncce had the embarassment, in my trad jazz days - when I often performed without specs on - of singing "Chinese Laundry Blues" at a lunchtime pub gig. When I'd finished, the band was in fits of laughter - there was a row of Chinese tourists in the audience. Luckily, they saw the humour of the situation, but I felt like a tit for some time afterwards...