Posted on 05/13/2014 10:13:35 AM PDT by Impala64ssa
EDITORS 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 ...
The ice cream truck in my neighborhood plays “Helter Skelter “
Steven Wright
The ice cream truck that comes through my area frequently plays “La Cucaracha.” I don’t find that very appetizing.
“The Cockroach”?
"Well I had a little chicken and she wouldn't lay an egg.
So I poured hot water up and down her leg.
Oh the little chicken cried and the little chicken begged,
And the little chicken laid me a hard boiled egg!"
Only the truly culturally ignorant would not know that it is folk song called Turkey in the Straw
wow
Brazil nuts |
Another story idea for Teddy Three-sticks: Check out the 1922 Stan Laurel film The Pest.
How many people are alive today who would have possibly heard those 1916 racist lyrics and who would associate the tune to them? The tune for our national anthem was an 18th century English drinking song so does that make playing the Star Spangled Banner offensive to recovering alcoholics?
Ice Cream!
You Scream!
We all scream, for racism!!!
OH! So it’s a song about animal abuse!
Uh, yuh.
I tell my children that it’s the “child catcher” when they hear that song.
Oh that's perfect. No kids running around yelling, "Ice cream!!!"
I am going to listen to my NWA cassette for some good old fashion non-pc rap music about pimpin’ hos, slingin’ dope and bussin’ caps.
The elites at NPR could have taken away from this something like, ‘wow, in contrast to today, that’s really racist - we’re far from that now’. But no. This.
How does buying ice cream from a truck “support” racism, exactly? How much of the revenue is earmarked to support racist endeavors? I would bet none
Why can’t they just make it real simple and come out and say what they really mean, “If you’re white, you’re racist.”
Neither have I. The usually play a tinkly, little, anemic bell tune. I usually associate "Turkey in the Straw" with fiddles. Just about any folk tune that's been around long enough could have been put to bad uses at one time or another.
I just wonder how many idiots are automatically going to assume that the music they heard coming from the ice creme truck just had to be "Turkey in the Straw" and just had to be racist because some idiot at NPR told them so.
Uh, Neanderthals with attitude? LOL!
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