Oh Suzanna

Last week at work the topic of American folk songs came up, and of course our Scottish co-worker knew nothing of them. Disturbingly enough, when we showed him the lyrics to "I've been working on the railroad" he interpreted them as being perverted ("Dinah blow your horn"). The next song that came to mind was "Oh Suzanna." Jeff starts singing it aloud until he stumbled upon this verse that we NEVER learned in music class:

"I soon will be in New Orleans,
And den I’ll look all round,
And when I find Susanna,
I’ fall upon the ground.
But if I do not find her,
Dis darkie ’I surely die,
And when I’m dead and buried,
Susanna, don't you cry."


Did he just say that? Umm.. awkward. Seriously? Apparently, Stephen Foster was a hardcore racist and it was common practice for minstrels to dress-up and perform in black-face.
Oy. I hope no one ruins "She'll be comin' round the mountain" for me.