[Dixielandjazz] Lyrics

[Gluetje1 at aol.com]

Hi Pat,
The banjo seems to have become very much an icon of the racial stereotyping  
that was done of African-Americans.  It did not stop with minstrel shows  and 
vaudeville, but apparently has been very much a part of at least some  
bluegrassers' behavior and attitudes in U.S. even in the present. (I  don't have 
direct experience, am relying on what I read.)  There is an  email list called 
"Black Banjo Then and Now" via Yahoo Groups which has a great  deal of this info, 
but finding it would be very challenging archive reading by  now.  The Black 
Banjo group emerged as part of the aftermath of research  into Old Time black 
five string playing.  I post there from time to time re  African American DL 
banjoists.  That group promotes both playing and  knowing the history of banjo 
as the antecedents of current banjo got to American  continents and islands 
via slaves.
 
But, yes, in the 80's, my experiences were that African-Americans  generally 
abhorred the banjo.  (Yes, I know I'm setting myself up for  the banjo jokes, 
etc.  Save your fingers--I probably heard them. LOL)   Anyhow, I am pleased to 
see this abhorrence gradually turn around.
 
Rainbow sheep seems likes another good example of things we humans do when  
we don't know history or how to use it.  Would not black wool be prized for  
it's scarcity?  The original messages of nursery rhymes are another  fascinating 
area as in "Ring Around the Rosy" being about bubonic  plague--similar to 
getting blue (from the treatment) when a naughty sweetie  gives one syphilis.
Ginny
  
In a message dated 7/26/2006 4:47:01 A.M. Central Daylight Time,  
pj.ladd at btinternet.com writes:

African-American responses to jazz  banjo and/or Tin Pan Alley  banjo bands; 
>>

Hi,
you mean that they object to  banjo`s?  That really is taking things to 
ridiculous  extremes.

In the UK the nursery schools are teaching Baa, baa rainbow  sheep` instead 
of `black sheep`in the old nursery rhyme. Are these fools  trying to wish the 
colour black out of existence so that they don`t offend  some imaginary 
audience?

No one wants to offend but this type of  nonsense should be stamped and 
exposed for the tripe which it  is.

Cheers

Pat