Posted on 05/13/2014 10:13:35 AM PDT by Impala64ssa
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is about a virulently racist song. Read no further if you wish to avoid racist imagery and slurs.
“Ni**er Love A Watermelon Ha! Ha! Ha!” merits the distinction of the most racist song title in America. Released in March 1916 by Columbia Records, it was written by actor Harry C. Browne and played on the familiar depiction of black people as mindless beasts of burden greedily devouring slices of watermelon.
I came across this gem while researching racial stereotypes. I was a bit conflicted on whether the song warranted a listen. Admittedly, though, beneath my righteous indignation, I was rather curious about how century-old, overt racism sounded and slightly amused by the farcical title. When I started the song, the music that tumbled from the speakers was that of the ever-recognizable jingle of the . (For the record, not all ice cream trucks play this same song, but a great many of them do.)
(Excerpt) Read more at clashdaily.com ...
Dang. I thought there was a new ben and jerry’s flavor. Not that I would ever buy anything made by those two socialist P’sOS.
I guess they haven't seen the lyrics or titles of a lot of modern rap songs.
The tune is Turkey in the Straw. Is that offensive to Turks?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ebh6x6Bze_0
Actually it was just new lyrics to “Turkey in the Straw” from a century ealier.
I’ve never heard an Ice Cream truck around here play Turkey in the Straw.
this is ridiculous
We could wish that rap was no worse than this.
I bet in the day of that song a lot of, well, Negro people were less self conscious in spite of the unfair treatment (due chiefly to Democrats, by the way) and would laugh along with a song like this. They knew the difference between kidding and reality. But they also knew God a lot better too. Funny the God (or “God”) that a lot are hoping will damn America is busy damning them too.
What if you buy pot from the ice cream like we mostly did as teenagers?
It amazes me how history is so often viewed through the enlightened glasses of today, rather than the lens of the time.
The moral superiority is enough to gag a maggot.
Interestingly, in Queens, their’s an Italian ices place called the Ice King of Corona, it’s shown in the beginning credits on the show King of Queens, that’s been around for ages. They have the best watermelon Italian ice. Corona is one of the most (damn I hate this word) diverse areas on the planet, yet no one ever complained, in fact oftentimes people line up around the block at this place.
I have heard it in Illinois. Anyhow, it seems even Giles is infected a bit with knee-jerk-itis. He didn’t mention the original tune which is older than this parody. Turkey In The Straw is a simple, merry song and that’s probably why its use predates this parody.
Anyhow it would be cool to have watermelon offered by ice cream trucks (needing a refrigerator compartment of course). It would get scarfed up by folks of all colors. But the food regulations of today would kill you.
And virulently? This is kidding around.
So basically NPR dug up an old song from a very different era that nobody thinks anything of so they and scream racism.
Do your boobs hang low
Do they dangle to and fro
Can you tie them in a knot
Can you tie them in a bow
Can you throw them over your shoulder
Like a Continental soldier
Do your boobs hang low
Don’t suppose they’d like to dig up some old union literature and claim that being a union member makes you a racist?
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