That's a horrible story, but the song isn't racist. Some old fuck just made a disgusting, racist remix of it. You & NPR just clickbaited the fuck out of me.
The melody isn’t racist. It’s just a melody. But I don’t think most people are aware of the history of minstrel shows in this country. That was basically the pop music of the day, and you would’ve heard it in an ice cream parlor, which were surely segregated back then. It’s kind of like the Confederate flag. To some Southerners it’s just a flag, a bit of nostalgia, a part of their “heritage.” But you really can’t divorce it from the abomination that was slavery.
It's supposed to be 'do your ears hang low'. Or actually do your balls hang low do they wobble to and fro... People back then had humor too. This little jingle is well over 100 years old
Correct. NPR distorted this to meet the current narrative. My heart hurts that I've lost NPR from the past 20 years. I grew up on it. Last few years, it's been wonk 😔
In fairness, this is from the NPR Codeswitch team, which is literally a dedicated team/project covering matters of race. NPR is the same as it ever has been, really.
Got my kid a robot on Black Friday from Walmarts website. She really wanted any robot, so it would work. Had no it danced and blasted this song until we put batteries in it on Christmas morning.
Do your balls hang low? Do they wobble to and fro? Can you tie them in a knot? Can you tie them in a bow? Can you throw them over your shoulder like a regimental soldier? Do your balls hang low?
It does? I’ve only ever heard the version my grandmother sang. “Do your boobs hang low, do they wobble do and fro, can you tie ‘em in a knot, can you tie ‘em in a bow? Can you throw them over your shoulder like a Continental soldier? Do your boobs hang low?”
I remember several years ago there was a post on here that talked about the origin of the song and it turns out that that it's so astoundingly racist that even H. P. Lovecraft would pause. The first recorded instance of the tune was a song called "N******s Love Watermelon". It was a real stop-and-reevaluate moment when I learned that.
Just looked it up, it's "N***** Love a Watermelon", and Jesus man, it talks about grabbing a black dude, giving him to your wife, and cutting your mark ino his back with a knife. This is "Catch a Tiger by the Toe" all over again.
Not going to lie, I do find humor in thinking that the cat was also massively racist. Though apparently lovecraft would go on to regret his racism and talk about how he learned and grew and all that, later in life. So now I just picture this guy ending up with a racist cat that made him behave in a racist way just to appease the animal. Which does honestly feel like a thing you'd get with a cat.
I refuse to believe that any cat has ever been racist. They are equal opportunity haters, skin colour and ethnicity don't factor in at all. If you exist, they hate you. Even if they love you, they hate you. They are fluffy walking hate incarnate. Who are also the perfect amount of stupid derp.
austinwizardforhire
This is 100% the song that plays in Big Worms ice cream truck
yetipc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xj3vkVVjLF4
grandopening
NOLA just slaps like that. Always.
StevieTheAussie
I could absolutely see animatronics of these guys doing this on a carnival boat ride or cuccko-clock that’s playing this music.
PrincessWendyB
ICE CREEEEEEAM!
HEXtheDark
I want ice cream now...
s1m1mesa132
I wanna live in this neighborhood now. Ice cream truck bumpin....
Edgarflaps
KarmannGeezer
This is peak NOLA right here.
gracefalls
JFMiskatonic
Boys will be boys
butttunnle
Every day I would be like ohhh helll yah it’s coming !!
getmeoutofthecity
This dude makes that song so much better. https://youtu.be/iJuBthWmAAs?si=xB9biNtXctWppQe7
NasteeMastee
Upvoting for username.
AllAnusMorissette
zFUBARz
Gotta know your audience. Judging by the wad of cash near the end, business is gooooood.
landofentrapment
Do your chain hang low?
NinjaCongo
Link to track pls!
RigoryMorty
Ice Cream Truck Theme Song (Impozible Trap Remix)
RabbitRevenge
tight
IamDatNYCe
thedill2000
I see, I have learned. It does bring the boys to the yard
Aydertitsoff
mac dre and brotha lynch gotta dope so g to this jingle
Jewdakris
Y'all mfers gonna buy something
dangerspouse
MrWobblyHead
Needs audio
kaarbaakimgr
UseTheSource
and some think cyber goths dance weirdly
GraemeDynard
I first heard this song, or the original one at least, in Easy Rider with Peter Fonda. The hippies were singing it.
countervail247365
GingerGoddess357
Fuckin skids
AllAnusMorissette
YouAlreadyMutedMe
Ice cream truck playing this has a 100% chance of also selling weed
gracefalls
I'm not upvoting cuz the upvote tally is currently at 420
Apothecarius
Lemme get an 1/8th and a bomb pop my dude
Shewy92
What do you think those Poprocks are? Probably Delta 8 Pop Rocks
NoodleDragonSoup
I'll take a bag
yuugian
Ice Cream machine's broken, sorry
fistermatic5000
Maybe even a little crack if you're lucky
Ifekinlovesauerkraut
weed ice cream.
BojanglesTheFlyingCar
Tastes ODD
hotdolphin
MileysVirus
shameofslate
Song’s racist, yo… https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2014/05/11/310708342/recall-that-ice-cream-truck-song-we-have-unpleasant-news-for-you
NotSureIfSatireOrOpinion
Holy shit...TIL.
MoxieCat17
That's a horrible story, but the song isn't racist. Some old fuck just made a disgusting, racist remix of it. You & NPR just clickbaited the fuck out of me.
shameofslate
The melody isn’t racist. It’s just a melody. But I don’t think most people are aware of the history of minstrel shows in this country. That was basically the pop music of the day, and you would’ve heard it in an ice cream parlor, which were surely segregated back then. It’s kind of like the Confederate flag. To some Southerners it’s just a flag, a bit of nostalgia, a part of their “heritage.” But you really can’t divorce it from the abomination that was slavery.
Boondangle40
It's supposed to be 'do your ears hang low'. Or actually do your balls hang low do they wobble to and fro... People back then had humor too. This little jingle is well over 100 years old
iamlegendinjapan
Do your boobs hang low do they wobble to and fro can you tie them in a know can you tie them in a bow?
shameofslate
Can you throw them over your shoulder ike a continental soldier?
Boondangle40
Correct. NPR distorted this to meet the current narrative. My heart hurts that I've lost NPR from the past 20 years. I grew up on it. Last few years, it's been wonk 😔
MoxieCat17
Other examples?
ShamshielDF
In fairness, this is from the NPR Codeswitch team, which is literally a dedicated team/project covering matters of race. NPR is the same as it ever has been, really.
Mechfan
The article is nine years old. Not really current.
nomorehate
How exactly has NPR changed??
Feeder87
do you chains hang low? do they wobble to the floor? do they shine in the light? are they platinum or are they gold?
AmZero85
Got my kid a robot on Black Friday from Walmarts website. She really wanted any robot, so it would work. Had no it danced and blasted this song until we put batteries in it on Christmas morning.
motherfluffer
DO YA CHAINS HAAANG LOOOOOW
nicky512
MrWobblyHead
Do your balls hang low? Do they wobble to and fro? Can you tie them in a knot? Can you tie them in a bow? Can you throw them over your shoulder like a regimental soldier? Do your balls hang low?
Endomyn
This is the one I know. Goddamn middle school lol
flamingflamingo
*are they platinum or gold? — to fit the rhythm.
iTakeQuotesOutOfContext
The song literally goes ‘are they platinum; are they gold?’
UnpinionedPoplars
*'is it platinum, is it gold'
flamingflamingo
It does? I’ve only ever heard the version my grandmother sang. “Do your boobs hang low, do they wobble do and fro, can you tie ‘em in a knot, can you tie ‘em in a bow? Can you throw them over your shoulder like a Continental soldier? Do your boobs hang low?”
flamingflamingo
*to and fro
iTakeQuotesOutOfContext
Look up ‘Jibbs Chain Hang Low’
Psionickitten
No. The song still sucks. It's 100% the dancers that do it for me.
twfx
Turkey in the awwww!
butttunnle
Boooo
16bitStarbuck
Look up the original song and its lyrics then get back to us.
BrainTaffy
Def still sucks....Turkey in the Straw holds the illustrious title of most racist song title in the United States for a reason.
NullUser20
Dang, I never realized Turkey in the straw was part of a racist thing as well. I thought it was just zip c**n and the watermelon songs..
Jaybird0520
I remember several years ago there was a post on here that talked about the origin of the song and it turns out that that it's so astoundingly racist that even H. P. Lovecraft would pause. The first recorded instance of the tune was a song called "N******s Love Watermelon". It was a real stop-and-reevaluate moment when I learned that.
Arbitrarynamehere
Today I learned.
gracefalls
https://youtu.be/Jir4nw3u1LA?si=7K8NGWkdTpx6r3p-
16bitStarbuck
Ho-ly shit. I had no idea it was bad, but it's real fuckin bad.
MachinatioVitae
Just looked it up, it's "N***** Love a Watermelon", and Jesus man, it talks about grabbing a black dude, giving him to your wife, and cutting your mark ino his back with a knife. This is "Catch a Tiger by the Toe" all over again.
butttunnle
God have mercy
Bananaformeow
I'm too high to Google it... What's the story with "Catch a Tiger by the Toe"?
MachinatioVitae
In America and Britain, replace "tiger" with "n*****".
Shewy92
How does it give a guy whose cat was literally the N word pause?
zFUBARz
Probably by stroking his racist cat.
Sageypie
Not going to lie, I do find humor in thinking that the cat was also massively racist. Though apparently lovecraft would go on to regret his racism and talk about how he learned and grew and all that, later in life. So now I just picture this guy ending up with a racist cat that made him behave in a racist way just to appease the animal. Which does honestly feel like a thing you'd get with a cat.
Xenavire
I refuse to believe that any cat has ever been racist. They are equal opportunity haters, skin colour and ethnicity don't factor in at all. If you exist, they hate you. Even if they love you, they hate you. They are fluffy walking hate incarnate. Who are also the perfect amount of stupid derp.