I'm curious why you decided to removed "dark girl" and went with just "girl," since some of the popularity of the song, and some of it's lasting attraction, comes from the suggestion that the girl was from a different culture and race than the fellow telling the story. It is part of the song's power.
@sarahandsaid well, I'm not the one that arranged this particular version, so it wasn't my decision as to that particular lyric; I wasn't aware that lyric had such connotation. Thank you for mentioning it.
@martinjameshughes It is a fairly serious intellectual concern. As a DePauw University group, it really should be expected that there is some some logical, defensible reason for changing an important lyric that not one single other version on youtube has altered. Considering the recent history of New Orleans and the response to the flood, and in light of all the criticisms of the state response, I'd really like to hear the explanation. I'm mistrustful, to say the least.
@sarahandsaid Straight from the horse's mouth: "We stuck faithfully to Paul Brady's version, for better or worse, since we were using his 'musical' arrangement as the basis for our vocal arrangement. Also, she is referred to several times as 'me Creole girl' so the cultural and ethic divide is not exactly shied away from. Every folksong, in every tradition, exists in a multiplicity of versions... that is the point of an oral tradition!"
@martinjameshughes Well, the point I'm trying to make is that by removing "dark girl" and using just "girl" instead erases the girl's identity as a creole of colour. That is the whole point of my comment.
I'm curious why you decided to removed "dark girl" and went with just "girl," since some of the popularity of the song, and some of it's lasting attraction, comes from the suggestion that the girl was from a different culture and race than the fellow telling the story. It is part of the song's power.
sarahandsaid 1 month ago
@sarahandsaid well, I'm not the one that arranged this particular version, so it wasn't my decision as to that particular lyric; I wasn't aware that lyric had such connotation. Thank you for mentioning it.
martinjameshughes 1 month ago
@martinjameshughes It is a fairly serious intellectual concern. As a DePauw University group, it really should be expected that there is some some logical, defensible reason for changing an important lyric that not one single other version on youtube has altered. Considering the recent history of New Orleans and the response to the flood, and in light of all the criticisms of the state response, I'd really like to hear the explanation. I'm mistrustful, to say the least.
sarahandsaid 1 month ago
@sarahandsaid Straight from the horse's mouth: "We stuck faithfully to Paul Brady's version, for better or worse, since we were using his 'musical' arrangement as the basis for our vocal arrangement. Also, she is referred to several times as 'me Creole girl' so the cultural and ethic divide is not exactly shied away from. Every folksong, in every tradition, exists in a multiplicity of versions... that is the point of an oral tradition!"
martinjameshughes 1 month ago 2
@martinjameshughes Well, the point I'm trying to make is that by removing "dark girl" and using just "girl" instead erases the girl's identity as a creole of colour. That is the whole point of my comment.
sarahandsaid 1 month ago
Beautiful! You did an awesome job! Thank you for sharing :)
Rosilin 5 months ago