Covers and correctness II

[BJG145]

I previously asked if anyone might take offence at a cover of Electric Avenue, and the response was, no, if it's done respectfully. And that was fine.

Here's another one...Dreadlock Holiday. If you Google this, you'll find people asserting that it's racist, though I don't know whether there's really any risk of people finding it offensive or not. Would it be best to play it, tweak it, or avoid it? (I'm currently thinking of tweaking it but don't want to overreact.)

[MarkOne]

I neither think the lyrics are racist, nor was at the time the intention of messers Godley and Creme.

Also, as I understand it it recounts real life events experienced by members of the Moody Blues.

[Wonks]

If you are in a 10CC covers band, then it's part of their repertoire and I'd expect to hear it played.

It's been used as a TV program theme tune and appeared in quite a few fairly recent films.

It is an amalgamation of several 10CC's members’ (plus Justing Haywood's) personal experiences in Barbados and Jamaica, so it's not just a made-up song from no experience. A mixture of good and bad experiences.

But the cod Caribbean accents push it into awkward territory for me as a general song to perform. Plus it's got a key change in and overall it's pretty corny.

Not one I'd personally care to perform through choice.

[BJG145]

Plus it's got a key change in

...oh, that's gone, no debate.

(To put it in context, I turn up to a regular 'jazz jam' that's occasionally frequented by some pretty good players, and I like throwing in some - to them - left-field stuff, that might be standard pub covers fare but the backing band haven't usually played before, or heard of...while some members of the audience enjoy a break from Miles Davis and Autumn Leaves. It's usually some one-off improvised arrangement of something that catches my ear, that I think the audience might like.)

I'll probably give it a go tomorrow but tone it down a bit.

[MarkOne]

Plus it's got a key change in

...oh, that's gone, no debate.

A key change is corny now?

I must have missed the memo.

[shufflebeat]

The song tells a story not dissimilar to, “Down in the Tubesataion at Midnight” by the Jam. They also refer to the character of the assailants and the threat (act) of violence.

However, the narrative structure of Dreadlock Holiday depends on the suggestion that black men are scary and are likely to mug you.

Not:

Men
Young men
Locals attacking visitors

The clue is in the title, the logic is pretty straightforward from there.

Also - musically it’s lazy “School of Rock” shite with Jim Davidson accents - with a key change.

[Wonks]

Though you could always make it your own and ignore the key change.

[Dynamic Mike]

Play safe and cover a Bob Marley song. His dad was white and he was bullied and teased in his youth for not being black enough. It seems racism is not a one way street in Jamaica. Plus Clapton seems to have got away with it, although it was never proven he shot the sheriff.

[Wonks]

Plus Clapton seems to have got away with it, although it was never proven he shot the sheriff.

But he admits to it (in self-defense). It was the deputy he denies shooting!

[Dynamic Mike]

Plus Clapton seems to have got away with it, although it was never proven he shot the sheriff.

But he admits to it (in self-defense). It was the deputy he denies shooting!

Indeed. I didn't think that one through

[Wonks]

Dear Lord, give me strength to carry on!

[Folderol]

Dear Lord, give me strength to carry on!

Here you go...

https://ok.ru/video/337280371448

[BJG145]

I thought I might find more love for 10cc. I wouldn't count myself as a fan, but I know a couple of serious music listeners who rate them. They did give us I'm Mandy Fly Me after all.

https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques ... c-not-love

[Wonks]

Linking to a Russian web site, Folderol? That's risky.

[Dynamic Mike]

I thought I might find more love for 10cc. I wouldn't count myself as a fan, but I know a couple of serious music listeners who rate them. They did give us I'm Mandy Fly Me after all.

https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques ... c-not-love

I love I'm Mandy Fly Me. I bought it when it came out & it was the first single I played when I treated myself to a new turntable a few months ago. But your link is to I'm Not In Love. Or have I missed something here?

[Jorge]

Back to your original question, I would say that some people would certainly find the song "Dreadlock Holiday" offensive, seeing in it both racist stereotypes and cultural appropriation. These folks will likely not accept the defense that it is a helpful critique of racism, rather than a disguised promotion of racism, that is hidden in the ambiguous lyrics. It is likely that some of these social justice oriented folks will show up at your jazz jams. Even if they don't, to resurrect this 1978 song in 2023 could be interpreted as throwing gasoline on the fires of racial hatred that are being intentionally stoked more and more around the world. So I can't see much of an upside of covering it, but I can see important potential downsides.

[BJG145]

OK! Thanks for that.

[Sam Spoons]

In my youthful naivety I played it most Saturdays in the restaurant I mentioned in another post. These days I usually look to the intent of the writers/performers before passing judgment. I wouldn't intentionally upset/offend anybody but music is music and once it is in the public domain it's hard to condemn other musicians for being inspired by it*.

* Homage rather than mockery...

[RichardT]

Why run the risk, and worry when you play it that somebody might be offended?

I don’t think it’s intended to be racist, but it does present Jamaicans as robbers and drug dealers. Some of them are of course and Jamaica was quite a lawless place in the 70s, so it’s a product of its time, and less true now.

It’s a real piece of bubblegum pop, not a serious piece like other 10cc tunes.

[tea for two]

I dooon't reaally knoooow Bettyy.

I suppose it falls in the territory of you can make jokes about your own kind butt not aboot others.
Better safe than sorry : stick to our own as it were.

::

One World One Voice musical project in 1990 was started by Kevin Godley with Rupert Hine.
Has approx 250 musicians from various parts of the World.
https://oneworldonevoice.co.uk/
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AuzjeLnXl ... J1bQ%3D%3D
It's one of my favourite albuumes of all time.

[AlecSp]

I neither think the lyrics are racist, nor was at the time the intention of messers Godley and Creme.

Other than the fact that it was written by Gouldman and Stewart...

[shufflebeat]

We all live in our own bubble and would probably struggle to maintain any kind of consistent ethical framework in the face of hostile scrutiny. They made a novelty record and a bucket of money, job done.

In fairness to the band they (to the best of my knowledge) make no claims to be political philosophers or cultural advisors. It is valid, however, to assess their output in the light of a bigger picture which, while they had no intention or obligation to observe, involves an evolution of meaning with the passing of time.

If music is mostly comprised of rhythm, harmony and meaning then Dreadlock Holiday stumbles on all three elements. It parodies musical ideas established by others and presents a picture of fear of foreigners somewhat ironically in the style (sort of) of the music associated with that group, taking from the culture, interpreting it without care or understanding and using it to deliver a cheap middle class trope of violent black men.

Musical newspaper.

[BJG145]

All useful feedback, thanks. I think I'll defer to the general consensus and drop the idea.

[BJG145]

Postscript

Well, in the end I did it anyway, rewritten. Great drum solo, everyone seemed to enjoy it, no sign of violence or rioting.

It's useful to sound these things out, but in the end it's down to personal judgement, respect, intention.

[tacitus]

If you want a candid opinion of typical Jamaican around that time, ask Jamaican women. I know a Jamaican who came to the UK in the 1960s, and when all the girls and their momma got together and talked about Jamaican men they gave them a good verbal pounding. Every time. They didn’t do much but drink Red Stripe and smoke spliffs. Which explains a bit …