I have an HMV B3653 of Paul Robeson using the 'N' word in Ol' an River - about 1930 -Mickey Follow me on Twitter https://twitter.com/MickeyRClark M.C.Productions Vintage Recordings 710 Westminster Ave. West Penticton BC V2A 1K8 1-250-462-7881 http://mcproductions.ca ----- Original Message ----- From: "Paul Stamler" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2015 8:54 PM Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Pittsburgh's Stephen Foster Memorial Museum > On 4/28/2015 1:05 PM, Michael Biel wrote: >> David Burnham brings up Old Man River and Paul Robeson. Yes the use of >> the N word in the song in Show Boat was as an ANTI-racism comment, but >> although Paul Robeson went on to sing the song so often that it was his >> theme song he NEVER used the N word outside of the context of the show. >> I am not sure if he ever used "Darkies" as others did, but it usually >> was "The people" or "We all". Furthermore, to make the song a political >> statement he changed the words of the final chorus in his later years "I >> must keep fighting until I'm dyin'". I suppose that Oscar Hammerstein >> let him go at that point with the changes, because it was not in the >> context of the show. > > Robeson did record the word "darky" on at least one occasion, his 1920s > (1925? Sorry, it's buried in a box) recording of "Li'l Gal", where he > referred to himself as "dis darky". I remember being surprised at that. > > He recorded "Li'l Gal" again in the 1950s, but I don't know if he used > that word. Must go check -- if I can find *that* CD.) > > Peace, > Paul > > --- > This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. > http://www.avast.com > --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. http://www.avast.com