[78-L] Stephen Foster

[Bud Black]

Perhaps he wrote this song in black dialect because, for whatever reason,
that's the way many of them spoke in those days.  Hey, how about all of the
Irish tunes that refer to "me mither?" Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loor-a?  And all the
references to "Micks?"  While we're at it, let's ban the playing of all Sir
Harry Lauder records.  My Gawd, call out the PC police.

Bud   
 
-------Original Message-------
 
From: Tom
Date: 1/23/2009 3:10:33 PM
To: 78-L Mail List
Subject: Re: [78-L] Stephen Foster
 
Alrighty, well since you asked for it, here it is. And I'd like an answer to
my previous question which you'll find at the end of this quoted section:
 
-------------------------------------------------
 
De Camptown Races, by Stephen Foster (aka Gwine To Run All Night)
 
De Camptown ladies sing dis song, Doo-dah! doo-dah!
De Camptown race-track five miles long, Oh, doo-dah day!
I come down dah wid my hat caved in, Doo-dah! doo-dah!
I go back home wid a pocket full of tin, Oh, doo-dah day!
 
Gwine to run all night!
Gwine to run all day!
I'll bet my money on de bob-tail nag,
Somebody bet on de bay.
 
De long tail filly and de big black hoss, Doo-dah! doo-dah!
Dey fly de track and dey both cut across, Oh, doo-dah-day!
De blind hoss sticken in a big mud hole, Doo-dah! doo-dah!
Can't touch bottom wid a ten foot pole, Oh, doo-dah-day!
 
Chorus
 
Old muley cow come on to de track, Doo-dah! doo-dah!
De bob-tail fling her ober his back, Oh, doo-dah-day!
Den fly along like a rail-road car, Doo-dah! doo-dah!
Runnin' a race wid a shootin' star, Oh, doo-dah-day!
 
Chorus
 
See dem flyin' on a ten mile heat, Doo-dah doo-dah!
Round de race track, den repeat, Oh, doo-dah-day!
I win my money on de bob-tail nag, Doo-dah! doo-dah!
I keep my money in an old tow-bag, Oh, doo-dah-day!
 
Chorus
 
-------------------------------------------------
 
So, again, here's the question:
 
What is it, exactly, about American art forms that depict African-Americans
in the most demeaning, pejorative, and degrading light possible that you
guys find redeeming and worthwhile?
 
TIA
 
 
--- On Fri, 1/23/09, Chris Zwarg <doctordisc at truesoundtransfers.de> wrote:
 
From: Chris Zwarg <doctordisc at truesoundtransfers.de>
Subject: Re: [78-L] Stephen Foster
To: "78-L Mail List" <78-l at klickitat.78online.com>
Date: Friday, January 23, 2009, 2:46 PM
 
At 20:17 23.01.2009, you wrote:
>Tom wrote:
>
>Stephen Foster) who made a career of sorts, by depicting African-Americans
as wide-eyed, lustful, disorganized, ignorant and inferior to whites.
>
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
>Maybe you  know different Foster songs than I do but I can't think of
one Foster lyric which is guilty of this observation.  In my experience,
Foster
always depicted blacks as hard working, God fearing, family devoted, honest,
fun-loving people.
 
I have already asked Tom in an earlier posting to quote actual examples that
prove his extravagant claim. Let's see what he comes up with - no answer
will be just as illuminating than any other in this case! I'd venture a bet
he not only will not be able and willing to quote any such Foster (or for
that
matter "coon song") lyric, but he has never actually listened closely
to any such songs, which by Oscar Wilde's definition naturally makes him the
ideal person to talk about the subject...!
 
Chris Zwarg
 
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