mheawood
Registered: September 2005
Posts: 498
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We did actually sing Brian Trant's own arrangement of the Eriskay Love-Lilt which was published but it doesn't seem to be this one on the programme.
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Anne
Registered: May 2007
Posts: 39
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How funny, I doubt that you would be able to sing 'Negro' songs these days ?????
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mheawood
Registered: September 2005
Posts: 498
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Negro Spirituals are still sung. They were mostly created by the slaves in America/Africa and have played a big part in highlighting the plight of those people in days gone by. Despite a tough life, they still had faith in Christianity. I don't think that anyone could stop Negro Spirituals being sung. The selection we sang were quite beautiful like Steal Away and Swing Low Sweet Chariot. Others were fun but with a Christian message. There are several websites about the subject mentioning Negro Spirituals.
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Anne
Registered: May 2007
Posts: 39
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I beg to differ in this PC world we're living in now. I imagine some would take offence to those and another name would have to be thought up.
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mheawood
Registered: September 2005
Posts: 498
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I don't know. I just put the picture of the Mellow Lane Choir for interest, showing the Brian Trant arrangements which was what we were discussing. I don't sing in a choir now, so I don't know how the songs would be described these days. I only know from the websites the description is still used. I suppose, if talking about the word and not the kind of song, it would depend on whether the word is being used as abuse, or describing a Spiritual originating from the past. As a thought, I had a cat for many years which I loved dearly. My parents named him and it seems silly that I had better not mention his name here in case it is offending someone when really it was just our pet's name. The same with a dog in the family. Back to the Spirituals, though. They are a tribute now to people who suffered, and also are beautiful etc... as I wrote above.
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Anne
Registered: May 2007
Posts: 39
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A sad sign of our times I think. Anyway, back to the spirituals, I don't know the second one listed but Swing low sweet chariot is a beautiful song.
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David Humber
Registered: March 2007
Location: Staines, Middlesex
Posts: 178
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I remember the second one as it always amused me. "Who's that yonder dressed in black? Must be the hycoprites a-turnin' back" all set to a jaunty tune. Negro is a perfectly respectable name for a racial group in America, and I have never seen or heard it used in a pejorative sense.
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MIDDX.NET
Registered: March 2004
Posts: 5716
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I was about to say the same as David. There is no problem with the word Negro.
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Anne
Registered: May 2007
Posts: 39
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Oops, must be just me then. I was severely reprimanded at my work for using that word. I was told that the only acceptable term to be used is 'black'. Anything else is classed insulting and stems from days of slavery.
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