What is a Whitewash Station?

Subject: What is a Whitewash Station?
From:
Date: 18 Mar 00 - 05:18 AM

I have a funny feeling that this has been discussed before; but I can't find the thread. The Memphis Jug Band has a song called "Whitewash Station". The first line is (seems to be)

I'll Build a whitewash station five miles from glory, so the jug band has a chance

It is a great song; but what is a whitewash station?

Murray

Subject: RE: What is a Whitewash Station?
From: katlaughing
Date: 18 Mar 00 - 06:10 AM

Here is the other thread, Murray. Looks like Whitewash Station was a town which is now a part of Memphis, "two miles from Glory and ten miles from hell." See the posting by Earl in that thread.

katlaughing

Subject: RE: What is a Whitewash Station?
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Apr 05 - 07:44 AM

Excellent question.

Subject: RE: What is a Whitewash Station?
From: GUEST,David James
Date: 27 Apr 16 - 11:25 AM

Three theories:

1) Jug band music, and it's companion, "Hokum" music, were/are considered sinful ("the banjo/fiddle is the 'devil's riding horse'" used to be a saying), and a whitewash station would be a place where your soul could be at least whitewashed and "hide" the sin of secular music long enough to sneak into "glory."

2) You can't get into heaven if you are a Black person, so you need to be "whitewashed"

3) "Whitewashing" is also a term for hiding disreputable behavior behind some cover-up explanation. Same deal: whitewashing your "sins" might at least get you into the door of heaven.