[SmokingJoe]

What’s “controversial” about it?

[Vigilanteman]

It suggests African-Americans might be homosexual. But I thought that was a good thing.

[ConservativeStatement]

It is part of the attempt to change anything ivolving traditional values or traditions. They found flaw with Kate Smith, they will find flaws with almost anyone.

One quote:

“I find it very ironic that all these men and women in their lovely hats and fancy gowns are singing a song with adulterated lyrics,” Foster biographer and music critic Ken Emerson said of the song’s use during the Kentucky Derby in a 2014 interview with WNYC News, “and they think they are singing a song that is a celebration of the Antebellum South, with ladies in crinoline and dashing cavaliers.”

[KarlInOhio]

Original Lyrics (composed by Foster):

Verse 1:
The sun shines bright in the old Kentucky home,
‘Tis summer, the darkies are gay;
The corn-top’s ripe and the meadow’s in the bloom,
While the birds make music all the day.
The young folks roll on the little cabin floor,
All merry, all happy and bright;
By ‘n’ by Hard Times comes a-knocking at the door,
Then my old Kentucky home, goodnight.

Chorus:
Weep no more my lady
Oh! weep no more today!
We will sing one song for the old Kentucky home,
For the Old Kentucky Home far away.

Verse 2:
They hunt no more for the possum and the coon,
On meadow, the hill and the shore,
They sing no more by the glimmer of the moon,
On the bench by the old cabin door.
The day goes by like a shadow o’er the heart,
With sorrow, where all was delight,
The time has come when the darkies have to part,
Then my old Kentucky home, goodnight.

Chorus

Verse 3:
The head must bow and the back will have to bend,
Wherever the darky may go;
A few more days, and the trouble all will end,
In the field where the sugar-canes grow;
A few more days for to tote the weary load,
No matter, ’twill never be light;
A few more days till we totter on the road,
Then my old Kentucky home, goodnight.

Chorus

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

See the wikipedia article. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Old_Kentucky_Home

Some think the song sentimentalized slavery and the antebellum south. It was originally a minstrel song. The original opening lines were:

The sun shines bright in the old Kentucky home.
‘Tis summer, the darkies are gay,

Obviously gay did not imply anything to do with homosexuality. The modern lyrics replace “darkies” with people. The word darkies occurs several times, and the narrative voice of the original is clearly that of a slave sentimentally recalling his life in Kentucky.

[dfwgator]

I’ve been saying for years, that the greatest power the Left has is the power to declare things “Controversial”.

Businesses don’t want to be “Controversial” so they go along with the Left, even if only a very small minority believe something is “Controversial”.