Ice Cream Trucks ... ( Another Form Of Racism ??? )

The ice cream truck jingle is the sound of innocent childhood summers and also the melody to the most racist song in the history of the United States.

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I believe that MANY variations of Lyrics COULD be applied to MANY Melodies ... ( which could then be considered "racist" ).

After seeing stories like this, WHO will be surprised to read someday about ... HOW Caucasion Folks who like to eat Fried Chicken and Watermelon are ... "Celebrating Racism".

But they don't even play the lyrics... How can a melody be racist?

"Man that chord progression just tells a tale of lynching. Just look a B MINOR! How racist can you get!? The nerve of that song."

lol..holy crap!
-that moment when your innocent childhood memories become twisted into some dark realization-

Before the kneejerk "its not racist" crowd comes in, I do actually recommend you read the article...because yeah...that's some pretty bad roots of the song. (can't it simply be switched to like..twinkle twinkle little star or something)

Some gems of the root song:

Using a music hall call-and-response technique, Browne's lyrics were set to the melody of Turkey in the Straw, which is turn dates back to an even older British song, 'The Old Rose Tree.'
Browne: 'You n*****s quit throwin' them bones and come down and get your ice cream!"
Black men: (incredulously): 'Ice Cream?!?'
Browne: 'Yes, ice cream! Colored man's ice cream: Watermelon!'

Holy crap...there are times when I forget just how damn racist people were back in the day.

The history of this song...shesh..if the KKK had a theme, this would be it.

See, and they say deny ignorance...I could have went my entire life without this knowledge and been better for it.
Yep..time to change it.

The main gripe must surely be that most of the ice cream is white and when it's brown it is only skin deep.

Read this very short novel by Arthur C. Clarke. Brilliant.
Reunion

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
But they don't even play the lyrics... How can a melody be racist?

"Man that chord progression just tells a tale of lynching. Just look a B MINOR! How racist can you get!? The nerve of that song."

And yet, now you know how it is. heh.
Rope hanging from a tree is not inherently racist...until you realize it was used by a group against another group...would you then keep said rope in tree for decoration? after all, its just rope...

ndeed, for Theodore R. Johnson, III, the author of NPR's report, his new found knowledge troubles him.

'I can live with this, but what's to be done on the summer day when my children's eyes light up at the far-off sound of the familiar melody, and they dash in a frenzy toward me for change?' said Johnson.

Maybe you should just let it go and not restart some racial tension with it. The kid's today don't equate it with racism but maybe you'll help them to do it now. Bravo...

Just came here to compliment your thread title

originally posted by: HolgerTheDane2
The main gripe must surely be that most of the ice cream is white and when it's brown it is only skin deep.

Read this very short novel by Arthur C. Clarke. Brilliant.
Reunion

No, that isn't the gripe at all.

And how do you go into a discussion, not read the topic, then suggest everyone else read something when you couldn't even be bothered to read it to begin with.

(Clarke is a good author though.)

a reply to: SaturnFX

Ever listen to some of the Rap music out there?

I guess Warner brothers is going to have to re edit all of their old cartoons from the 60's to scrub this song as well?

Yea, I remembered this song playing on a few of their cartoons I'm that old!

originally posted by: roadgravel

ndeed, for Theodore R. Johnson, III, the author of NPR's report, his new found knowledge troubles him.

'I can live with this, but what's to be done on the summer day when my children's eyes light up at the far-off sound of the familiar melody, and they dash in a frenzy toward me for change?' said Johnson.

Maybe you should just let it go and not restart some racial tension with it. The kid's today don't equate it with racism but maybe you'll help them to do it now. Bravo...

aka: Ignore history and origins?

I actually kinda agree with you that we don't need to teach the kids everything...however, I think a better solution than that of ignorance is simple...change the song..hell, put on a chimed version of Britney spears or something..and in no time kids will associate that with ice cream...

a reply to: FarleyWayne

So what, it's a melody. People really need to get a thicker skin and some of these clowns doing the analysis of everything under the sun, moon and stars obviously have too much time on their hands. Over time, everything fades into the obscurity of history, it doesn't need to be rushed out the door for the sake of whiners. Rushing things to appease the alleged victims often destroys whole societies and economies, South Africa is a good analogy, the rush was its undoing as a nation.

Cheers - Dave

originally posted by: HolgerTheDane2
The main gripe must surely be that most of the ice cream is white and when it's brown it is only skin deep.

Read this very short novel by Arthur C. Clarke. Brilliant.
Reunion

I believe this is the Author Theodore R. Johnson, III

I THINK he's trying to make some sort of name for himself ... ( and/or perhaps a future politician who idolizes Harry Reid ??? )

originally posted by: seeker1963
a reply to: SaturnFX

Ever listen to some of the Rap music out there?

I guess Warner brothers is going to have to re edit all of their old cartoons from the 60's to scrub this song as well?

Yea, I remembered this song playing on a few of their cartoons I'm that old!

Rap music? I don't think ice cream trucks should be playing rap music...but if they do, I hope its busta rhymes...he amuses me.

I think what was done in history, was done. Learn from it, chuckle at some of our nieve ways, and move on.
But tradition steeped in racism, sexism, or really any other -ism should ultimately be dropped and shoved into a time capsule of how our nation evolved and improved...
Once you notice the error, you fix it verses keep doing it.

originally posted by: bobs_uruncle
a reply to: FarleyWayne

So what, it's a melody. People really need to get a thicker skin and some of these clowns doing the analysis of everything under the sun, moon and stars obviously have too much time on their hands. Over time, everything fades into the obscurity of history, it doesn't need to be rushed out the door for the sake of whiners. Rushing things to appease the alleged victims often destroys whole societies and economies, South Africa is a good analogy, the rush was its undoing as a nation.

Cheers - Dave

Whiners? Actually, nobody is whining much about it yet, due to its history being muddled, however, the history is being uncovered...and its now right there...
So, the origins was that of a twisted song of oppression, incredible racism, etc.
Thick skin? These are little kids eating ice cream, they don't want to be part of some huge movement to buck the political correctness and all that crap that the parents of some rednecks want..they just want ice cream.
and they don't give a crap about the jingle being played...dubstep could be played and so long as they know what it signifies, then they are perfectly happy.

So, this comes down to the grown ups either doing the right thing, or not.
I can't think of any reason to keep a jingle with inherently racial origins and history.

Actually, it should be replaced with spongebob or the like.

originally posted by: SaturnFX

originally posted by: seeker1963
a reply to: SaturnFX

Ever listen to some of the Rap music out there?

I guess Warner brothers is going to have to re edit all of their old cartoons from the 60's to scrub this song as well?

Yea, I remembered this song playing on a few of their cartoons I'm that old!

Rap music? I don't think ice cream trucks should be playing rap music...but if they do, I hope its busta rhymes...he amuses me.

I think what was done in history, was done. Learn from it, chuckle at some of our nieve ways, and move on.
But tradition steeped in racism, sexism, or really any other -ism should ultimately be dropped and shoved into a time capsule of how our nation evolved and improved...
Once you notice the error, you fix it verses keep doing it.

That's just it!

I am 51 years old and I remember the melody from Warner Brothers "Loony Toons" Cartoons as a child. It was a melody that had no words!

I am offended when I hear the N word being played in rap music! Why is this so offensive and the use of the N word in rap music not??

The "Race Card" is dead! You guys screaming "Racist" to fit your political agenda has done nothing more than make a mockery out of it.

I read an article yesterday that a sorority was told they couldn't have and all you can eat "Taco Night" as a fund raiser because it was deemed "Racist"!

Nice job to the PC police for turning a serious accusation and wrong into a joke!

In the southern big city I spent time in the ice cream truck either had a bell or in more recent years played some other music (Pop goes the Weasel). Maybe it's the northern states where that music played in trucks.

a reply to: SaturnFX

It's actually Pop Goes the Weasel in my neighborhood. Maybe the ice cream people in my neighborhood come from the future and read this article. Who knows? I still find it silly to deem a melody racist.

People change the lyrics to songs all the time and keep the same melodies. Weird Al made a career out of it. Not to mention, many famous songs use the same chord progressions with different beats and timings. Many of your favorite songs are really all the same song at heart. Yet I don't think that the chorus to Ziggy Stardust is the same song as Dave Matthews playing All Along the Watchtower (Am G F G).

ETA: Note, I know that Dave Matthews didn't write All Along the Watchtower, I am referring to the melody that he plays during his live renditions of this song. Just in case anyone wants to try calling me out on that.

Yeah, but isn't the song set to an older melody? That's like saying Batman Smells is the official version of Jingle Bells so Jingle Bells is an anti-Batman tune. You know even if it was done with a racist intent it is no longer seen as that. It evolved and in some way should be praised because it is now a tune that has good memories for peoples from lots of different races etc. and I can't really see a better way to get revenge on something that may have been done with a mean spirit.

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
But they don't even play the lyrics... How can a melody be racist?

"Man that chord progression just tells a tale of lynching. Just look a B MINOR! How racist can you get!? The nerve of that song."

whats missed for most people that say its just a song, is the more disturbing aspect that a song about racism became so common to our pop culture that it plays as a jingle.


Its great that in this day and age no one has a clue about the song, but that doesn't change the fact that at one point it was known, and people just accepted it as such.

Thats crazy to me.

But I suppose in 50 years time other cultural phenomenon that is currently ok would be just as appalling to a more enlightened society.

originally posted by: SaturnFX

originally posted by: roadgravel

ndeed, for Theodore R. Johnson, III, the author of NPR's report, his new found knowledge troubles him.

'I can live with this, but what's to be done on the summer day when my children's eyes light up at the far-off sound of the familiar melody, and they dash in a frenzy toward me for change?' said Johnson.

Maybe you should just let it go and not restart some racial tension with it. The kid's today don't equate it with racism but maybe you'll help them to do it now. Bravo...

aka: Ignore history and origins?

I actually kinda agree with you that we don't need to teach the kids everything...however, I think a better solution than that of ignorance is simple...change the song..hell, put on a chimed version of Britney spears or something..and in no time kids will associate that with ice cream...

The inner city of Baltimore has Ice Cream trucks that play 92q on it (local rap station that you may be familiar with if you watched the The Wire).