The Filk of Joe Hill: Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay |
[Nov. 19th, 2017|04:54 pm]
Karl-Johan
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On November 19th 1915, Joe Hill was murdered by the State of Utah for the crime of filking.
While listening through a few more of Joe Hill's songs and trying to decide on this year's Joe Hill filk, I decided to read a bit on the history of Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay, and promptly fell down a rabbit hole of high-class St. Louis bordellos, early ragtime music, and minstrel shows. Given the continuing discussion about appropriation and racism within science fiction my choice became simple: just write the history of the song, but there was no way to include it all.
A smart and stylish song is due In St. Louis by Mama Lou And she shall sing it with her crew Of brothel girls of ev'ry hue On piano Tom Turpin plays Babe Connors she owns the place But they are of the wrong race They should our culture not disgrace
Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay It is a song so gay Deserves a better fate We can appropriate We make it better known We put it in our show The lyrics we will hone Pretend it's not a loan
A smart and stylish girl you see, Belle of good society In vaudeville with minstrelsy Yet as white as white can be! I'll sing this song with great success With the public and the press Thanks to dancing and my dress Where it's from you'll never guess
Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay…
We sell the song to England's shores As music hall it simply scores Goes to Paris and to Rome Around the world it roams and roams Some wobbly wrote a text so wretched Of workers who their master shred Far better then a children's show With nonsense words that we all know
Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay…
My previously posted Joe Hill filks: 2014, 2015, 2016.
Crossposted from https://kjn.dreamwidth.org/76178.html. Please comment there. |
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