That Familiar Ice Cream Truck Song? Yeah It’s the Most Racist Song Ever (Video)

[TexasTowelie]

With summer upon us and as we all look forward to that familiar sound of the friendly neighborhood ice cream man coming by to sell us overpriced dairy products–as we watch our children flock to him to satisfy their appetite for something to offset the blistering heat of the day and as that iconic tune plays…wait, what is that tune called, anyway?

Oh, that’s right–”N*gger Love A Watermelon Ha! Ha! Ha!” Wait, what? That’s right, folks–the song we all know and love–the one that signifies that frozen confections are on their way–is one of the most racist songs ever written! Released in 1916 by Columbia Records, the catchy tune plays on the “watermelon-eating” stereotype surrounding African Americans.

The melody itself is nearly as old as the country itself, adding racist lyrics to what was originally a 19th-century melody “Turkey in the Straw,” which was based on the traditional British song, “The Old Rose Tree.” In the late 1820s, lyrics were added and the song was retitled, “Zip Coon” and used in what right-wingers would call “traditional” blackface minstrel shows (because bigotry is a “traditional value, don’tchaknow?).

However, the new version of the song just wasn’t racist enough! New lyrics were written, incorporating the general theme of the wildly popular “Coon Cards,” seen below:

More at http://atlasleft.org/that-familiar-ice-cream-truck-song-yeah-its-the-most-racist-song-ever-video/ .

[JackRiddler]

1. Wait, this isn't the Mr. Softee song...

This is a different song, right? I've heard it, but I never heard it used to sell ice cream, guess that's true outside New York. I've also never heard it with the racist lyrics. It's not the tune's fault if racist lyrics were devised for it.

The melody itself is nearly as old as the country itself, adding racist lyrics to what was originally a 19th-century melody “Turkey in the Straw,” which was based on the traditional British song, “The Old Rose Tree.”

[notadmblnd]

4. The following are the lyrics that I learned to that tune

Do your boobs hang low? Do they wobble to and fro? Can you tie them in a knot? Can you tie them in a bow? and on.....

[Le Taz Hot]

11. Now those are the alternate lyrics

of which I am acquainted.

[frylock]

33. see also; do your balls hang low, can you swing them to and fro

[tinymontgomery]

46. Yep, Mr Softee song

That's the one I grew up with. 50 some odd years later the toon and a some of the lyrics are still in my head.

[notadmblnd]

2. I've heard ice cream trucks play a lot of songs over the years

But never, ever in my life have I heard an ice cream truck play that one. Could it just be a regional thing?

[Donald Ian Rankin]

3. Well I never. I've never associated "Turkey in the Straw" with either racism, lyrics or ice-cream.

On the other hand, it doesn't greatly surprise me either that people set words to it, or that those words were racist.

I'd propose the opposite course of action to the article linked: don't draw attention to it, let the racist associations fade into well-deserved obscurity, and go on using a perfectly good tune just as before.

[seaglass]

5. Ours plays "The Entertainer." I do remember the song "Turkey in the Straw" from gym class

when we had to do the dreaded square dancing. No racist lyrics. I think the racist songs were different versions of the original song and of course disgusting.

[bullwinkle428]

37. YES! I was just about to post that Scott Joplin's "The Entertainer" is the one

that the truck in my neighborhood plays ad nauseum for a good 5-6 months out of the year. If I happen to be outside for any length of time, that constant repeated jingle threatens to turn me into something just short of Michael Douglas' character in "Falling Down"!

[arely staircase]

6. so because someone at some point put racist words to

a tune that had been around forever the tune is now racist? That is silly. If I put anti-Chinese lyrics to Beethovans 5th amd start calling it "C/*@$ Cant Drive" does that make the symphony racist long aft er people have forgotten my racist lyirics? I think not.

[LanternWaste]

8. Much as many traditional English hymns were simply words set to popular British drinking songs

Much as many traditional English hymns were simply words set to popular British drinking songs (e.g., From Heav’n Above, We Thank Thee Our Father, and Amazing Grace)... but the tunes are now religious? That is silly...

[arely staircase]

10. they are if that is what they are currently associated with

But not after any religious connection is forgotten.

[jberryhill]

16. I'm sure you recognize this lovely melody as "Stranger In Paradise"....

[MineralMan]

7. Turkey in the Straw is Turkey in the Straw.

If someone wrote racist lyrics for that tune, it doesn't mean that the notes of Turkey in the Straw are racist.

There has to be some intent, and there is none in ice cream trucks playing Turkey in the Straw. I'm not seeing this at all.

[Orrex]

14. Whatever. You probably hate chocolate ice cream, you vanilla-ist.

[Le Taz Hot]

9. And 99.99% of the people who hear the song

know the title as "Turkey in the Straw." I was the buyer at a Sheet Music store for 9 years so have a pretty good knowledge of titles, composers and publishers. I've never heard of the "re-titled" version . . . until now. With this article and the reposting on DU, now lots more people will know the re-titled version along with some of the racist lyrics now where before, virtually no one knew. Good job!

[grasswire]

13. what a fun job

although it would have been more fun at the turn of the twentieth century. I collect vintage sheet music. Love the stuff.

[Le Taz Hot]

19. It was.

Have some great stories about weird requests. Now, mind you we only sold sheet music and folios, no records or cassettes (this was in the 1980's). But one of my favorites was a lady who came in and asked for, and I quote, "the original cast recording of Handel's 'Messiah.'" Some days it was hard as hell to keep a straight face.

[grasswire]

12. parse this

"adding racist lyrics to what was originally a 19th-century melody "Turkey in the Straw"

The song was parodied in minstrel shows. That means minstrel shows were racist, not "Turkey in the Straw".

[Brother Buzz]

15. I've got a religious war going on with my neighborhood ice cream truck

Our Sikh ice cream dude plays insipid electronic Christmas carols on his loudspeaker. I'm guessing he found his treasured tape in a bargain bin somewhere.

[Munificence]

35. Haha

I can just visualize the scene...too bad Cheech and Chong didn't use xmas carols in the movie, would have been brilliant.

[whistler162]

17. here are the lyrics from site

http://www.contemplator.com/america/turkeyis.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkey_in_the_Straw#Zip_Coon_Lyrics

[TreasonousBastard]

18. WTF is the point of that article? Digging out some old minstrel stuff...

to make a point about what?

So far, hardly anyone here ever heard that song on an ice cream truck and nobody heard the alternative lyrics. Let the old minstrel shows die a proper death.

[Xyzse]

21. Agreed.

I can put alternative words to the American Anthem, and promote it as something.

Then, the later generations would say:

"You know the 'Murica Anthem? It is the most socialist song ever."

[struggle4progress]

34. +

[Xyzse]

20. That is the "Ears Hang Low" song right?

Does your ears hang low
Does it wobble too and fro
???

I don't have sound at the moment, so I have no idea.

[msongs]

22. hey, that's ear-ist :-) nt

[Xyzse]

24. I like ears...

They come in a multitude of colors.

[grasswire]

31. yes, a favorite old camp song nt

[closeupready]

23. For as long as I've lived here in New York, it's the Mister Softee Jingle

that I've always associated with the ice cream trucks - anytime the weather warms up, and you hear that song, you know summer is either here or on the way.

[Codeine]

25. That's stupid -- it's Turkey in the Straw.

Who the fuck ever heard of some old asshole putting racist lyrics to an existing tune? I've heard Turkey in the Straw my whole life without ever encountering a hint of some forgotten added-on lyrics.

Goofy article.

[Nye Bevan]

26. If this is not a parody post, it's definitely the stupidest post of the month so far.

Ice cream trucks play a melody, not a song with lyrics. And as your post points out, the melody is "Turkey in the Straw", which is in no way racist. Whoever came up with this is obviously one of those people who is very desperate and eager to search out and find things to be offended about.

[Scootaloo]

27. I'm reminded of the urban legend over the meaning of the word "picnic"

[hunter]

28. What kind of filthy repressed knob rewrites a traditionally bawdy ballad...

... into something racist and ugly?

I swear, what was wrong with a nation that couldn't tolerate some silly song about sucking and fucking, bouncing balls and breasts, but openly celebrated racism?

Sadly, our nation is still twisted. A movie can be a bloody violent spectacle and get a PG rating, but get too explicit with ordinary fun and silly sex and that's an R or NC-17.

sigh.

[SwankyXomb]

32. Francis Scott Key? n/t

[hunter]

38. Hah!

Well done.

[zach.magee]

29. Ice cream truck?

I thought we were talking about Cazwell for a sec.

[closeupready]

30. Definitely one of my favorites, lol.

[louis-t]

36. "The Entertainer" and "Jack and Jill" here....

I haven't heard Turkey in the Straw from an ice cream truck for a long time.

[winter is coming]

42. I heard one playing Brahms' Lullaby today. I shit you not. n/t

[LuvNewcastle]

39. The truck that comes by my house every day plays Turkey in the Straw,

but I've never heard anyone say it's racist, just annoying as hell. I live in a mostly black neighborhood, and no one around here has ever said they're offended by the song. All the adults do joke about how much they would like to destroy the truck, but that's only because the truck plays the song so loudly and it seems to take forever for the damn thing to wind around the streets through the neighborhood. People make up awful lyrics to songs all the time, lyrics that would never have been conceived by the original composers. I think this article is silly, and it might even be an attempt to stir up shit about something that should properly be ignored.

[warrprayer]

40. This thread needs more Good Humor

[TexasTowelie]

41. Well, in that case...

[warrprayer]

43. dang

you just gave me the muchies!

[diabeticman]

44. My wife and I remember when Anamanics came out --we where in college and she caught sight of the one

episode where Yakko (?) named all the state capitols and she could swear the melody they used was the Turkey in the straw

[GreenEyedLefty]

45. Mine plays the music from Tetris.

Nothing like a Russian dirge to bring the kiddies running for ice cream!

[Feron]

47. Better "Turkey in the Straw" than..

"Pop goes the Weasel" or "The Entertainer".

Nothing against the latter two songs, but they're awful after a few months of an ice cream truck blaring them daily.

I don't know how ice cream truck drivers stay sane.

[NCTraveler]

48. I bet the author of this leads a very interesting and exciting life.

Their imagination and need to be outraged is something to behold. If they are looking this far to get outraged, every task must be monumental.