Gems like 'Henry Jones, Your Honeymoon is Over', racist

[CDBPDX]

I WANTS TO STAND ON DIXIE LAND by Al Bernard
AIN'T YOU COMING OUT TONIGHT by Collins & Harland
AN EASY JOB ON THE FARM by Golden & Hughes
AT THE VILLAGE POST OFFICE
I'D RATHER HAVE NUTHIN ALL OF THE TIME by Arthur Collins
MAKING THE FIDDLE TALK by Len Spencer
MY UNCLE'S FARM by Golden & Hughes

There are a lot more recordings using the C or N word. Generally Collins & Harlan, Golden & Hughes, Al Bernard, folks like that did a lot of 'darky' songs and vaudeville routines.

Have you ever heard the original version of POLLY WOLLY DOODLE?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgG1M0cqqLo

How about an original version of OH, SUSANNA by Stephen Foster?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nisao5tQb_c

A ton more racist songs out there...

Cliff

[fran604g]

I'll add another to the list, although it isn't associated with African-American parody.

51500-R How Do You Do Billy Jones and Ernest Hare. "How do you do John Chinaman, how do you do?" Then, has some obvious Chinese-like jiberish; pretty innocuous stuff, but...you know...

Fran

[Uncle Vanya]

I agree George, but in regard to the KKK records - the ones I have heard are simply boring - one in particular has a humorous title - "Daddy swiped the last clean sheet and joined the Ku Klux Klan".

About 12-15 years ago I occasionally wrote book reviews for the ARSC Journal. (Association for Recorded Sound Collections.) One of the oddest, yet most interesting books I reviewed was Ku Klux Klan Sheet Music, An Illustrated Catalogue of Published Music, 1867-2002 by Danny O. Crew. In addition to music written ridiculing the Klan, there are of course dozens and dozens of musical pieces meant to glorify the Klan and its activities. Some of these lyrics are reprehensible (a common theme was the fear struck into the hearts of blacks when the Klan came 'round. This fear was gleefully described much as you would expect from a cowardly bully). But as noted by Curt, most of these KKK songs were pretty boring. The book contains many illustrations of sheet music and includes the lyrics. After reading through it, one can only conclude that the KKK was not generally comprised of America's best and brightest.

George P.

Oh, so you also have a copy of "Long Klucker".

[marcapra]

It seems to me rather odd, since it is Democrats banning the very flag they created.

Wait a minute. It was Republicans mostly who banned the Confederate flag. South Carolina has a Republican governor and a majority Republican legislature. And they didn't ban it everywhere, just on government property.

[FellowCollector]

For those who may be interested, I just posted a video on my YouTube channel (see below) a very small subset of early 2 minute racial humor Edison cylinders from my collection played on my Columbia model BF with 2/4 minute gearing that I recently finished adjusting. It plays very nicely now with no flutter.

For those who may be interested in watching a different video that I posted earlier today of my Columbia BF 2/4 minute playing an Edison Blue Amberol cylinder it is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjQBC-8aFd4.

I hope that some of you will enjoy the video:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uckas5rPWU[/youtube]

Doug

[edisonplayer]

Those other songs really aren't a put-down.What would be is the Nat Wills record on Columbia called "Two Negro Stories".I'm thinking of the one where a Southerner goes to a hotel up in Canada.THAT would be a put-down.Anyone familiar with this record?edisonplayer

[Bobby]

Great thread.

[bhmack71]

A little perspective regarding 'racial' records and whether it's proper, as I've read in posts on this thread, to want to ban them or disregard them as racist. Consider that these records were cut in an era when blacks were just starting to see the earliest glimmers of popular acceptance of their presence in, and contribution to, mainstream culture. Prior to these records there was nearly nothing, artistically speaking, from blacks contributing to 'Pop' culture. Afterwards, there was jazz, gospel, blues, Will Smith, NWA, and everything else. These songs, acts, skits, etc. represent the newly shifting awareness of that era and the 'first steps' it represented. It was like the sexual revolution of the 60's. Whites were beginning to quietly, and soon to be openly, appreciate the music, the rhythm, the innate humor, the hilarity of under-educated southern speech patterns, the slightly foreign beliefs, the funny old black man yarns and the unique perspectives of this segment of the population. I submit these records represent the lessening of bias not the existence of bias. As with any new phenomenon, jokes about dress, how eyes and teeth contrast against different skin colors in low light, age old stereotypes with a little truth and a lot of exaggeration, and even huge and stubborn disdain is how shifting culture is incorporated by those who are shifted. It's a natural collective half resistance and half curiosity. When I listen to these records I hear the early days of a people coming out into the open, regardless of any thoughts on how far they've come or should have come in the last 100 years. I laugh at the off color jokes, sit silent and still, straining to hear every nuance of Roland Hayes singing "Go down Moses" or "Swing low, Sweet Chariot", I grin and shake my head or roll my eyes (still grinning) at the acts hopping around and mimicking this strange new popular phenomenon. Mainstream culture was just starting to raise an eyebrow and pay attention. These records, both positive and negative, represent that. They are priceless. And they are art.

[Wolfe]

Prior to these records there was nearly nothing, artistically speaking, from blacks contributing to 'Pop' culture.

Hmmmm, really ?

[bhmack71]

Prior to these records there was nearly nothing, artistically speaking, from blacks contributing to 'Pop' culture.

Hmmmm, really ?

Of course really.

I said 'nearly nothing, artistically speaking, to popular Culture'. (What I didn't say, as the 'Hmmmm' half of your response might suggest, "They had not contributed anything at all to American Culture'.) They were for the most part FULLY excluded from the popular arts and mainstream culture prior to this period. No secret there.