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Forums: The Rum Shop The Back Room

Brown Sugar.....

Ninetenjack Joined: Dec 9, 2002
Posts: 2696 10/13/21, 5:58:59 PM

being retired by the "Stones". Says Keith Richards..."I don’t know. I’m trying to figure out with the sisters quite where the beef is. Didn’t they understand this was a song about the horrors of slavery? But they’re trying to bury it."

First couple of verses:

Gold coast slave ship bound for cotton fields
Sold in the market down in New Orleans
Scarred old slaver knows he’s doing alright
Hear him whip the women just around midnight

Brown sugar, how come you taste so good? Uh huh
Brown sugar, just like a young girl should, uh huh, oh

Thoughts? Is this a song about the horrors of the slave trade or just a relic of "pre-woke" times?

Brerzerk Joined: Mar 15, 2021
Posts: 2856 10/13/21, 6:30:58 PM

In reply to Ninetenjack
Some see the truth, others what they prefer to. which one are you...................... taste so sweet just like a young girl should eh. Taste so good just like a young girl should...
Anything else in that song to suggest they're not 'objectivizing' the Black Female Body?

Ninetenjack Joined: Dec 9, 2002
Posts: 2696 10/13/21, 7:22:51 PM

In reply to Brerzerk

Right, I think the song has both racist and sexual undertones. But how does that compare to an old Sparrow or Kitchener song that had sexual and violent undertones towards women?

In other words, if main stream folks knew for example what the song "Salt fish" meant would they approve?

Brerzerk Joined: Mar 15, 2021
Posts: 2856 10/13/21, 9:45:38 PM

In reply to Ninetenjack
I pointed out that Caribbean misogyny we too oft took as humor in a different post. The line I referenced is below from Dr. Kitch

So I slap her in the face with vexation
And I went on giving the injection

Ninetenjack Joined: Dec 9, 2002
Posts: 2696 10/14/21, 12:04:15 AM

In reply to Brerzerk

I pointed out that Caribbean misogyny we too oft took as humor in a different post. The line I referenced is below from Dr. Kitch

So I slap her in the face with vexation
And I went on giving the injection

Precisely, same thing goes for offensive raps songs...

Halliwell Joined: May 13, 2005
Posts: 15694 10/14/21, 5:56:18 AM

This is objectifying a slave that is mistreated during the day and is being portrayed as enjoying the festivities of the nightly visit by…

How this is being spun into a ‘Sparrow did it too’ equivalence is shocking

JayMor Joined: Dec 14, 2002
Posts: 7052 10/14/21, 10:05:37 AM

In reply to Halliwell

I ditto that.

--Æ.

Ninetenjack Joined: Dec 9, 2002
Posts: 2696 10/14/21, 11:42:52 AM

In reply to Halliwell

How this is being spun into a ‘Sparrow did it too’ equivalence is shocking

Not saying it isn't offensive we know it is, what we are saying is in every era music artists have had songs that had undertones of sexual and violence towards women. And those songs would be just as offensive today as pointed out by Brer above with his Kitchener reference.

The line I referenced is below from Dr. Kitch

So I slap her in the face with vexation
And I went on giving the injection

Curtis Joined: Dec 3, 2002
Posts: 12934 10/14/21, 11:47:01 AM

...plus Brown Sugar is not a song that is played at auspicious occasions or to commemorate the horrors of slavery.

So Keith is a bit disingenuous there I would think.

Brerzerk Joined: Mar 15, 2021
Posts: 2856 10/14/21, 12:10:31 PM

In reply to Halliwell

That line is from The Great Kitchie. Great as he was and even though a man of his time I cannot ignore that he was objectifying the black female body. Though not racism by him there is an equivalency in both songs regarding women and especially black women the majority of Caribbean women

johndom90 Joined: Apr 6, 2005
Posts: 6269 10/15/21, 12:03:19 AM

In reply to Ninetenjack

Though i fancy Boney M's rendition -'Brown girl in the ring' .. should it be up nex?

use of that.... 'brown ' misnomer

The movement is seriously flawed.

Curtis Joined: Dec 3, 2002
Posts: 12934 10/15/21, 10:03:27 AM

One Sparrow song that is questionable, as it portrays sexual violence is this one: sung in patois, kreol.

Sa sa yea, sa sa yea
Bunjay, misyeay ou car choo yea mweh
Lavay Lavay Lavay Lavay
Ouvert la portla macko sa say deefay
Sa sa yea, sa sa yea
Bunjay, misyeay ou car choo yea mweh

Sa sa yea, sa sa yea
Bunjay, misyeay ou car choo yea mweh
Mor vlay laijah pou jway Carnival
Baggi sa ah car fe mweh mal
Sa sa yea, sa sa yea
Bunjay, misyeay ou car choo yea mweh

Sa sa yea, sa sa yea
Bunjay, misyeay ou car choo yea mweh
Gadday meezeh mweh ma ma
Aite norm touvay yah baggai cor eeh
Sa sa yea, sa sa yea
Bunjay, misyeay ou car choo yea mweh

The term "Sa Sa Yea" means " What is this "

What is this? What is this?
My God, man you are killing me!
Get up! (4x)
Open the door boy, I'm leaving!
What is this? What is this?
My God, Sparrow you are killing me!

What is this? What is this?
My God, man you are killing me!
I want money to play carnival.
This thing is making me sick.
What is this? What is this?
My God, man you are killing me!

What is this? What is this?
My God, man you are killing me!
Mother, look at my misery with a man over a thing like this!
What is this? What is this?
My God, man you are killing me!

A pretty little Martiniquan girl
Oh well she come for the Carnival
She wnat to play with George Bailey
But she ain’t have no money at all
Ah tell she ah going pay for she
But she got to spend the night with me
She consented but when we began
If you hear this Martiniquian bawl

Sa sa yea, sa sa yea Bunjay, misyeay ou car choo yea mweh Lavay Lavay Lavay Lavay Ouvert la portla macko sa say deefay Sa sa yea, sa sa yea Bunjay, misyeay ou car choo yea mweh

She try to run and block the door
Ah say doo doo what your frighten for
And then ah give she some more money
She decide she going try me again
Don’t matter how ah take it cool
Ah mean, she kicking like a bloody mule
With a kind ah pitiful moaning
If you hear how she groaning in vain

Sa sa yea, sa sa yea Bunjay, misyeay ou car choo yea mweh Mor vlay laijah pou jway Carnival Baggi sa ah car fe mweh mal Sa sa yea, sa sa yea Bunjay, misyeay ou car choo yea mweh

She beg me like a child to stop
But not for hell ah won’t get up
Ah say when ah spend currency
Ah don’t feel, ah don’t see, ah can’t hear
She tell me well please be kind
This time ah moving like a ball ah twine
Ah say you better take it easy
Cause you can’t get me money pooh- even

Larr Pullo Joined: Nov 12, 2002
Posts: 99515 10/15/21, 10:31:22 AM

In reply to Curtis

I think you misinterpreted the lyrics....

Curtis Joined: Dec 3, 2002
Posts: 12934 10/15/21, 5:23:37 PM

In reply to Larr Pullo

Lol

Without knowing meaning of lyrics, we used to be singing this song as kids, quite innocently

Brerzerk Joined: Mar 15, 2021
Posts: 2856 10/15/21, 5:57:34 PM

In reply to johndom90
False comparison?

Forums: The Rum Shop The Back Room

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