First Un-P.C. DD.

[neophone]

Gents,

I just got DD 51361. I really wanted to compare Dalhart's versions of "The Wreck On The Southern Old 97" with his Victor "The Wreck Of The Old 97"(I think it's called on Victor) Of course I can't find the Victor right now! It's very, very good, but I thought the Victor had a more comical ending if I remember correctly I know I have a version by somebody with a comical ending. Anyhow, the other side:"I Wasn't Scared, But I Just Thought That I Had Better Go"(Very proper grammer there. ) by Ernest Hare was, shall we say, rather interesting! Anybody have this one? I played it for a friend the other night, I thought his eyes were going to pop right out of his head! ;D

Regards,
J.

[Matt Brown]

Not familiar with that one - do tell what you mean by "rather interesting"...

Matt

[neophone]

Matt,

Now I haven't heard a lot of "coon" songs but this one was sort of more subtle than I'd expected-apart from the line about "...coons dying off fast enough...". I don't know how it was received when it was new, but everybody I've played it for sort of pauses, thinks then chuckles. I'll have to play it for you over the telephone some evening if you'd like.

Regards,
J.

[Matt Brown]

My guess is that it was received well, like most of the other ones - "Bake dat chicken pie" and "The merry whistling darky" come to mind, and I know I have a few others buried in the filing cabinets somewhere.

Certainly not PC/appropriate/acceptable by today's standards, but nevertheless an important part of our history - if for no other reason than a reminder of how far we've come as a culture.

Matt

[neophone]

Matt,

I enjoy the bits of humor that, I at least, think can be adapted, recycled or otherwise cleaned up in the ones I have heard. I won a set of Moran and Mack, Two Black Crows Columbias last month and there was a fair amount of "funny" in them other than the simply racist humor. To me it's less offensive than muck of the "F. U." humor of today.

Regards,
J.