Would lyrics like this fly in this day & age

[LittleNipper]

Old Man River
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxEP5D58mK8

 

[wanderingone]

I don't see any lyrics there and can't see video here so fill me in? What is it about the lyrics makes you wonder if they would fly today?
Do you mean the original lyrics? The lyrics as they were sung by Robeson? As they were sung when Sinatra recorded it?

 

[cantata]

Well, if the song were written today, it probably wouldn't call black people "n*****s" (or "darkies", or "coloured folks"), but apart from that, sure. Songs are still written about race, and about fear of dying, for that matter.

 

[LittleNipper]

Well, if the song were written today, it probably wouldn't call black people "n*****s" (or "darkies", or "coloured folks"), but apart from that, sure. Songs are still written about race, and about fear of dying, for that matter.

What about this one?



Would you like to swing on a star
Carry moonbeams home in a jar
And be better off than you are
Or would you rather be a mule?

A mule is an animal with long funny ears
Kicks up at anything he hears
His back is brawny but his brain is weak
He's just plain stupid with a stubborn streak
And by the way, if you hate to go to school
You may grow up to be a mule

Or would you like to swing on a star
Carry moonbeams home in a jar
And be better off than you are
Or would you rather be a pig?

A pig is an animal with dirt on his face
His shoes are a terrible disgrace
He has no manners when he eats his food
He's fat and lazy and extremely rude
But if you don't care a feather or a fig
You may grow up to be a pig

Or would you like to swing on a star
Carry moonbeams home in a jar
And be better off than you are
Or would you rather be a fish?

A fish won't do anything, but swim in a brook
He can't write his name or read a book
To fool the people is his only thought
And though he's slippery, he still gets caught
But then if that sort of life is what you wish
You may grow up to be a fish
A new kind of jumped-up slippery fish

And all the monkeys aren't in the zoo
Every day you meet quite a few
So you see it's all up to you
You can be better than you are
You could be swingin' on a star

 

[jcook922]

Given our nation was alot more blanket racist then than it is now. I think now we're more racist about culture.

If I see two black men, one is dressed in regular casual attire, a t-shirt and jeans.. And the other is dressed in a jersey, with baggy pants and a dewrag or a hat turned the wrong way with the bill straight instead of bent and the sticker still on it, then I'm not too proud to admit I have a bias.

 

[cantata]

What about this one?

Why not?

Given our nation was alot more blanket racist then than it is now. I think now we're more racist about culture.

The song is not, in my view, particularly racist. It's true that black labourers worked for white overseers in the 1920s. Saying so is not racist.

If I see two black men, one is dressed in regular casual attire, a t-shirt and jeans.. And the other is dressed in a jersey, with baggy pants and a dewrag or a hat turned the wrong way with the bill straight instead of bent and the sticker still on it, then I'm not too proud to admit I have a bias.

What is your bias? What do you expect to be different about these two men?

 

[LittleNipper]

Why not?



The song is not, in my view, particularly racist. It's true that black labourers worked for white overseers in the 1920s. Saying so is not racist.



What is your bias? What do you expect to be different about these two men?

I would suspect that the one is unpretentious while the other is trying to fit in with a group...

 

[jcook922]

Why not?



The song is not, in my view, particularly racist. It's true that black labourers worked for white overseers in the 1920s. Saying so is not racist.



What is your bias? What do you expect to be different about these two men?

I would expect one to be a regular guy, and the other to have a pre-disposition towards crime and speaking a broken and unintelligible version of english despite knowing better.

 

[BobW188]

Robeson used the word intentionally, for shock value and to make a point. He himself knew that many in the audience believed it "unacceptable."

 

[jayem]

Treat Her Like a Lady, by the Cornelius Bothers and Sister Rose:
"You know a woman,
Is sentimental,
And so easy to upset..."


Johnny Get Angry, by Joanie Sommers:

"Every girl wants someone who
She can always look up to
You know I love you, of course
Let me know that you're the boss..."


and my personal favorite for most politically incorrect,


She's A Lady, by Tom Jones:

"Well, she's all you'd ever want
She's the kind I like to flaunt and take to dinner
But she always knows her place
She's got style, she's got grace--she's a winner
She's a lady
Oh, whoa, whoa, she's a lady
Talkin' about that little lady
And the lady is mine ..."

 

[cantata]

I would expect one to be a regular guy, and the other to have a pre-disposition towards crime and speaking a broken and unintelligible version of english despite knowing better.

Oh, please.

 

[Avatar]

Oh, please.

Oh please what? Come visit North america for a while. The saggy pants hat on backwards guy doesn't have to be black, heck he can be any race. But he's almost certainly an idiot for emulating what an idiot shiould be. He's almost always a teenager and almost always grows out of it.

 

[cantata]

Oh please what? Come visit North america for a while. The saggy pants hat on backwards guy doesn't have to be black, heck he can be any race. But he's almost certainly an idiot for emulating what an idiot shiould be. He's almost always a teenager and almost always grows out of it.

Excellent - so now we've moved from unabashed racism to contempt for teenagers who dress in a certain way. Words fail me.

 

[Avatar]

Excellent - so now we've moved from unabashed racism to contempt for teenagers who dress in a certain way. Words fail me.

That, undoubtedly, is due to your youth and lack of experience.

 

[cantata]

That, undoubtedly, is due to your youth and lack of experience.

Nice.

 

[Avatar]

Don't worry, time will cure that.

 

[cantata]

Don't worry, time will cure that.

You're just so funny.

 

[jcook922]

Excellent - so now we've moved from unabashed racism to contempt for teenagers who dress in a certain way. Words fail me.

I see nothing wrong with it. Because those types of folks always prove the stereotype true. I have a huge bias for anything "gangsta" out in our world. I don't like it, I don't like the things that are supported by the culture, so I don't feel strange thinking people that dress like that also buy into the culture of excess, crime, drug use, and objectification of women.

Yes, they dress like freaks, so I'm EXPECTING them to be freaks. It doesn't mean they are, but first impressions mean alot.

 

[cantata]

I see nothing wrong with it. Because those types of folks always prove the stereotype true. I have a huge bias for anything "gangsta" out in our world. I don't like it, I don't like the things that are supported by the culture, so I don't feel strange thinking people that dress like that also buy into the culture of excess, crime, drug use, and objectification of women.

Yes, they dress like freaks, so I'm EXPECTING them to be freaks. It doesn't mean they are, but first impressions mean alot.

It's not hard to find some very valid reasons for certain people wanting to dress in a way that they feel helps them belong to some group. The associations that you have with those clothes are not necessarily the same as those that they have. I don't think there's anything particularly freakish about wearing a hat one way rather than another, either.

It's not even as if popular culture is devoid of figures which smash your stereotype; of course, if you make your judgements having only bothered to be aware of hip-hop artists and other black pop culture icons who are deeply in the mainstream, it's not wholly surprising that your perspective is so skewed. But then, it's okay to be a casual racist in those areas, too, isn't it?

Frankly, I'm astonished that we're even having this discussion. It would appear that racism is still perfectly acceptable if it's covered with enough pretty bells and ribbons. "Those folks" dress like freaks, and they objectify women? You treat them like freaks, and you objectify, simplify, and denigrate them.

 

[Nathan45]

Excellent - so now we've moved from unabashed racism to contempt for teenagers who dress in a certain way. Words fail me.

Look, i realize you are from britain, but there are a lot of street gangs in the U.S, if you see someone dressed like jcook described and he isn't a young kid, you should probably avoid him. although if you were smart you could tell what gang, if any, he was in by the colors he was wearing.

If someone dresses like a punk, you can be sure they're either a punk or an idiot.

Just sayin' ...