'Oh! Susanna' songwriter's statue removed amid criticism

[TomSea]

'Oh! Susanna' songwriter's statue removed amid criticism

    A statue of 'Oh! Susanna' songwriter Stephen Foster was removed on Thursday
    In October the Pittsburgh Art Commission voted to take the sculpture out of Schenley Plaza and find it a new home
    The shoeless banjo player is based on 'Uncle Ned,' a fictional slave and subject of a song by the same name
    A statue honoring an African-American woman will be put up in its place

By Associated Press

Published: 10:58 EDT, 26 April 2018 | Updated: 20:33 EDT, 26 April 2018

A 118-year-old statue of the 'Oh! Susanna' songwriter was removed from a Pittsburgh park Thursday after criticism that the work is demeaning because it includes a slave sitting at his feet, plucking a banjo.

Read more at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5661025/Oh-Susanna-songwriters-statue-removed-amid-criticism.html

[TomSea]

The article reads, that some content, the song "Uncle Ned" was an early anti-slavery song (cerca 1848)... I looked up the lyrics, more or less, not suitable to repeat here. But I think Foster was a great songwriter.

[WingNot]

[dfwgator]

"How about,   De Camptown Ladies?"
! No longer available

[Sanguine]

The article reads, that some content, the song "Uncle Ned" was an early anti-slavery song (cerca 1848)... I looked up the lyrics, more or less, not suitable to repeat here. But I think Foster was a great songwriter.

Not too bad, given the times when it was written:  http://utc.iath.virginia.edu/minstrel/ounedfr.html

[TomSea]

Sam Cooke's "I dream of Jeanie with the light brown hair" penned by Foster, really is a masterpiece.

! No longer available

[musiclady]

It was only a matter of time....

I'm surprised they're still allowed to sing "My Old Kentucky Home" at the Kentucky Derby....... even with the amended lyrics.

Foster wrote some of the most beautiful melodies in the history of song writing.

Listen some time to "Old Dog Tray," especially if you're a dog lover.

It will bring tears to your eyes....

! No longer available

[Sanguine]

Sam Cooke's "I dream of Jeanie with the light brown hair" penned by Foster, really is a masterpiece.

! No longer available

That really is.

[skeeter]

Next thing you know they'll be taking down statues of Fredrick effing Chopin.

[TomSea]

And James Taylor has a fine version of "Oh! Susanna".

[Frank Cannon]

And James Taylor has a fine version of "Oh! Susanna".

James Taylor is responsible for the downfall of America.

[dfwgator]

James Taylor is responsible for the downfall of America.

Judas Priest on trial "because my kid bought the record, and listened to the lyrics, and he got into Satan..." Well, that's great! That sets a legal precedent. Does that mean I can sue Dan Fogelberg for making me into a p___y in the mid-70's? Is that possible, huh? Huh? "Your Honor, between him and James Taylor, I didn't get a b... j.. 'till I was twenty-seven years old. I was in Colorado wearing hiking boots, eating granola. I want some money right now!"

-Dennis Leary 

[Frank Cannon]

Judas Priest on trial "because my kid bought the record, and listened to the lyrics, and he got into Satan..." Well, that's great! That sets a legal precedent. Does that mean I can sue Dan Fogelberg for making me into a p___y in the mid-70's? Is that possible, huh? Huh? "Your Honor, between him and James Taylor, I didn't get a b... j.. 'till I was twenty-seven years old. I was in Colorado wearing hiking boots, eating granola. I want some money right now!"

-Dennis Leary

LOL.

[GtHawk]

So some had a problem with the statue, but I didn't read about anyone having a problem with Fosters second verse in the original Oh! Susanna.

I jumped aboard de telegraph,
And trabbled down de riber,
De lectric fluid magnified,
And killed five hundred bleep.
De bullgine bust, de horse run off,
I realy thought I'd die;
I shut my eyes to hold my breath,
Susanna, don't you cry.
CHO: Oh! Susanna &c.

[WingNot]

James Taylor is responsible for the downfall of America.

Not to mention He single handedly set "Road Movies" back 30 years with his work in Two Lane Blacktop.

[GrouchoTex]

Years ago, I heard that Stephen Foster was gay.
(I'm not sure how the gay person who said it knew)

This could get interesting...

Leave the statue up, and the BLM crowd gets mad.

Tear it down, and the LBGTOU812 crowd gets mad.

 

[andy58-in-nh]

Years ago, I heard that Stephen foster was gay.

Stephen Foster was gay? Hmmmm....

"Is that a banjo on your knee or are you just happy to see me?"

[TomSea]

@musiclady

Good song, thanks for that.

Lyrics here for everyone: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Old_Dog_Tray

[TomSea]

Stephen Foster was married to Jane McDowell, they had 2 children,  Foster was only 37 years old when he passed away.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Foster

[GrouchoTex]

Stephen Foster was married to Jane McDowell, they had 2 children,  Foster was only 37 years old when he passed away.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Foster

Ah, a Switch Hitter.

Just kidding.
I have no idea if he was gay or not, but the person who said it was convinced.
Like I said, I don't know how this person would have known that.

I just thought, if true, who would the SJW crowd back?

Maybe a compromise, and only tear down 1/2 of the statue?

[guitar4jesus]

He was a Yankee carpetbagger, (before carpetbagging was cool,) who died young and penniless.... 

He did write some catchy melodies, though.

[TomSea]

He was a Yankee carpetbagger, (before carpetbagging was cool,) who died young and penniless.... 

He did write some catchy melodies, though.

I guess, it's true as they say, you can libel anyone on the internet.

He passed on before the Civil War was over, I find it hard to see how one could be a carpetbagger.

[Sanguine]

I guess, it's true as they say, you can libel anyone on the internet.

He passed on before the Civil War was over, I find it hard to see how one could be a carpetbagger.

It's a joke.

[guitar4jesus]

It's a joke.

Thank you!

[Machiavelli]

"Is that a banjo on your knee or are you just happy to see me?"