The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

DISCLAIMER: I think it’s safe to say that no one on this forum agrees or condones the messages and themes presented in these records. This is purely for educational purposes. This thread should be as non-political as possible. Obviously this is a touchy subject, but this isn’t meant to hurt anyone, just fulfill my curiosity.

That being said, in my time exploring this really old music, I’ve come across quite a bit of “offensive” content. Obviously, at a time when anti-Semitism and racism were widespread a lot of music was made that would be shunned today. The only one I have in this category is an Edison Cylinder of a “Coon Duet” from a minstrel show. I began to wonder how far these songs would go. So, what’s the worst one you’ve seen/heard?

As my late friend Arthur Pare told me,In those days that was the common thing.edisonplayer

Lily of Laguna, sung by Louis Bradfield on an English Berliner made in October 1900, includes two racially offensive terms in the first four lines. (Only the chorus, which is innocent in this regard, is remembered today.) It is an early wax-cut recording and unusually attractive for its age, with a spirited piano accompaniment. Moved by this, I have put a digitisation (with a prominent warning) on my web page http://www.horologia.me.uk/discs.html ; I hope it has not distressed anybody. I also have Little Alabama Coon by the Haydn Quartette (U.S. Berliner, June 1898), but I felt that it might be too much of a bad or at least questionable thing to add this to the same page. Rather surprisingly, there is at least one complete (later) recording of each of these songs on YouTube.

Frederick Bevan's song The Admiral's Broom (words by F. E. Weatherly) quite inadvertently strikes at modern sensibilities by applying two epithets in quick succession, in senses which are not now acceptable, to the great seventeenth-century Dutch admiral Tromp. Nonetheless, Peter Dawson's renderings on both cylinder and disc are still readily circulated.

Oliver Mundy.

"N****er Loves His Possum", "Rabbit Hash", "Bake Dat Chicken Pie" and many others.
"N****er Loves His Possum" - Collins & Harlan (1906) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6F_S4LbdpE
"Bake Dat Chicken Pie" - Collins & Harlan (1907) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIopyLEIbPM

Curt A wrote:"N****er Loves His Possum", "Rabbit Hash", "Bake Dat Chicken Pie" and many others.

Wow! That is a fascinating piece of history, never thought such a thing would have existed, however a staggering percentage of the US belonged to the KKK in the 20s and 30s.

Someone I have a real love for is Daryl Davis. He is a black man who since the 80s has become friends with and converted 200+ members of the KKK. I would recommend to people who are interested to listed to his episode of the Joe rogan podcast. He also has a documentary called "accidental courtesy".

Martin

For me, it's a tie:

"The Argentines, The Portuguese And The Greeks" by the no-talent Duncan Sisters -- https://www.discogs.com/The-Duncan-Sist ... se/9959161 The song laments the influx of immigrants from non-Northern European countries, but the last line conveys some irony: "When we sing 'My country 'Tis of Thee,' none of us knows the words but the Argentines, the Portuguese And the Greeks."

"Little Cotton Dolly" by the Shannon Quartet -- https://www.discogs.com/Shannon-Quartet ... se/9915284 in which a "mammy" quiets her baby by terrifying it: "hush, hush, my little cotton dolly, goblins am a commin' after you."

OrthoFan

Not a 78, but I once found a Johnny Rebel 45 from the 1960s... probably the most disgusting thing I’ve ever heard pressed on vinyl.

My contribution to the Talking Machine Forum Museum of Filth will have to be the delightfully happy "I Got Mine" from 1906, and there was another but I forgot what it was but it was basically a very indecent song from the 1950s on 78rpm record which was promptly destroyed. "I Got Mine" is full of racial slurs but still portrays a positive & cheerful image and is very good ragtime.

"The Colored Recruits" is pretty well up there...

- Bill

One of many cylinders I have in the collection with offensive lyrics (and in this instance...an offensive title). For what it's worth, this is a VERY difficult selection to find on Edison 4 minute wax Amberol so I'm presuming that even when new it was very unpopular with cylinder customers. This title was only released on Edison wax Amberol cylinder that I'm aware of.

Doug