interesting that "questionable" language appears on rolls and not records.
I have an old QRS roll of "Chinatown My Chinatown", which has amongst the
lyrics such references as "the chink with the lazy almond eye", looking
around in apparently a stealthy manner.
Also in this vein, Gilbert & Sullivan lyrics are frequently cleaned up,
e.g., "The lady who pinches her figure is painted like a nigger with
permanent walnut juice" is changed to "is painted with vigor", at least
in recordings by the D'oyly Carte Co.
The rolls do seem to have quite a free license, though. I think I'll scan
some more.
Seth Weinstein
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