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Glam Descendant
It's actually a literary allusion to Agatha Christie's novel TEN LITTLE NIGGERS, later retitled TEN LITTLE INDIANS (aka AND THEN THERE WERE NONE) -- from wikipedia (note that "Sweet Black Angel" even has the "hanging on the wall" ref.):

Eight people of different social classes have been invited to a mansion on the fictional Soldier Island ("Nigger Island" in the original 1939 UK publication, "Indian Island" in the 1940 US publication), which is based upon Burgh Island off the coast of Devon. Upon arriving, they are told that their hosts, a Mr. and Mrs. U.N.Owen (Ulick Norman Owen and Una Nancy Owen ), are currently away, but that the guests will be attended to by Thomas and Ethel Rogers. Each guest finds in his or her room an odd bit of bric-a-brac and a framed copy of the nursery rhyme "Ten Little Soldiers" ("Niggers" or "Indians" in respective earlier editions) hanging on the wall.

More here:

[en.wikipedia.org]

aaahhhh, the good old paranoia of the political correct American! I remember I was assaulted by some Americans because I said Lisa Fisher has a beautiful black voice. Terribly insulting!

Just to add; in Europe there is (or was, actually) a very popular children’s song about ten little negers/indians/cowboys/kittens sitting on a wall and they all fall off one by one. It was used to sing to children when they go to bed. In Holland and Germany there's another song about a little girl 'as black as soot' whom went out walking without a hat.

I think I'm going to sue my parents for singing these terrible rasist songs to me when I was a child!

Mathijs

And how terribly insulting and racist is Sinterklaas en Zwarte Piet (St. Nicolas and Black Pete) ? For ages that Sinterklaas has been forcing his Zwarte Pieten to go down and up through the chimneys of houses to bring presents to the children. Poor Zwarte Pieten must have felt like slaves.



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Keep On Rolling

BTW ... what song/album does EMOS in the header stand for ? Did I miss one ?

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Keep On Rolling

Australia has a children's song like that, except it's about beer bottles sitting on a wall, and there's more than 10 of them.

Flilflam

I tend to think that the use of "in my opinion" is unnecessary - clearly when one writes something, it is their opinion, unless they're quoting someone else.

On the use of the word "nigger"- today it is considered to be a derogatory racist word and probably was on its way out in 1972. I don't recall the context of its use in SBA. That said, I have plenty of hip hop CDs where it is apparently in widespread use by black artists. Hypocritical? Quite possibly yes.

I'll go out on a limb here and say that the Stones have done more to promote black-derived music and take it forward than any black artist, past or present. To suggest that the Stones are racist I think shows a complete lack of knowledge of the origins of their music.

Oh, Lord

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MKjan
Should a diabetic take offense to sweet in Sweet Black Angel?

You gave me my first laugh of the day, I thank you!

dont ya just love the PC police at it again .dont touch a thing .EXILE is a MASTERPIECE leave it alone .if you dont like it just dont listen to it .

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Sir Craven of Cottage
I think you have all fallen for an obvious wind up.

LOL. Assuming "wind up" is a European parlance better known in the States as "stirring the pot," I think you're right.

"Brown Sugar" should also be deleted from their catalog as well. This is 2010. When I buy a Rolling Stones CD, I shouldn't have my delicate sensibilities offended.

I am always amazed at how the N word sparks such a controversy......I mean for a white person to say it is the utter blasphemous utterance that can be made, and yet it litters rap song after rap song after rap song, and yet that's ok because they're black, they're allowed to use it. IMO, if it's so fin reprehensible, then it should be banned by all and not just the whitefolk, but then that's just my opinion.....

And hey I just noticed that the Stones are releasing a new album this year!! EMOS........Can't wait for this one to drop!! Or wait.....is this the Chinese version of EOMS? Edited, Modern, Obscenity-Free, Stones......

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VoodooLounge13
And hey I just noticed that the Stones are releasing a new album this year!! EMOS........Can't wait for this one to drop!! Or wait.....is this the Chinese version of EOMS? Edited, Modern, Obscenity-Free, Stones......

if you buy it at walmarts it will be .

I'm offended by Mick singing he doesn't have that much jam no Some Girls. I mean you are Mick F'in Jagger.....you do too have that much jam!!! And as a listener and sing alonger of the song with you I have that much jam also. Let's change this shall we? Oh and please also change Let's Spend The Night Together to some time together...this is long overdue.

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VoodooLounge13
I am always amazed at how the N word sparks such a controversy.......

Whats even more ridiculous is that you have to feel that you need to use the expression 'N Word' to begin with.

If you're using the epithet itself to insult a person's colour, then of course it's totally offensive and utterly wrong, but the fact that you feel you cant even use the word in the context of a quotation that someone else made is utterly ludicrous IMO.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010-03-25 00:59 by Gazza.

In fact, the lyrics of "Sweet Black Angel" are among the cleverest they ever have done. Mick still had an ear to the political and social happenings. At the same teh song expresses genuine empathy to its subject but using almost Dylanisque ways - metaphors, literature references - preventing oneself from a direct one-to-one commentary. The daring use of 'n' word ices the cake - who else can them or Dylan (listen "Hurricane") - have respect and balls enough to use it in a main stream rock song? A class act. Bloody hell - this comes from the age when the rock stars still didn't under-estimate the intellectual resources of ther audiences. Bloody long way to "Sweet Neo-Con", a recent political commentary o...

Any idea what Angela Davis might think about the song?

Here she is, "no red lovin school ma"...



I always thought that she might be more offended due to feminist reasons than racial for "Sweet Black Angel"... For Mick all the females seem to be just "little gals"...

- Doxa



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2010-03-24 15:43 by Doxa.

REISSUE OF WD: REMOVE WINNING UGLY AND BACK TO ZERO NOW!

I never thought The Stones would become EMOS. I just don't think the black hair dye, eye makeup,clothing and mopey music will suit them. They should just go back to their classic albums and release some outtakes.

Ross

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studiorambo
Someone's got too much time on their hands.

Like the lady who tried to get me to sign a petition banning Chinese restaurants from leaving their takeout menus on people's porches. I said "THIS is your cause? THIS is how you think you should be spending your time?"

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Ross
I never thought The Stones would become EMOS. I just don't think the black hair dye, eye makeup,clothing and mopey music will suit them. They should just go back to their classic albums and release some outtakes.

Ross

Paint It Black is fairly emo!


"As we say in England, it can get a bit trainspottery"

Here John Lennon writes about the sam "gal" with more politically correct lyrics... but just look boring and naive they look constrast to Jagger's!


"Angela"

Sister, there's a wind that never dies
Sister, we're breathing together
Sister, our love and hopes forever keep on moving oh so slowly in the world


They gave you sunshine
They gave you sea
They gave you everything but the jailhouse key
They gave you coffee
They gave you tea
They gave you everything but equality


Angela, can you hear the earth is turning?
Angela, the world watches you
Angela, you soon will be returning to your sisters and brothers in the world


Sister, you're still a people teacher
Sister, your word reaches far
Sister, there's a million different races but we all share the same future in the world


They gave you sunshine
They gave you sea
They gave you everything but the jailhouse key
They gave you coffee
They gave you tea
They gave you everything but equality


Angela, they put you in prison
Angela, they shot down your man
Angela, you're one of the millions of political prisoners in the world





(and the song isn't any better...)

- Doxa



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010-03-24 15:54 by Doxa.

Could Mick and Ronnie be considered emo since they dye their hair? Something tells me that this particular N Word is NO, that they are rock'n'rollers and that should be OK for rock'n'rollers to do whatever they want, red hair, whatever.

At least the Stones don't do emo "music", which I've never really understood. A lot of moaning, moan music, is what it is from what I can tell, which is actually "modern R&B".

Thanks to our Mr. Kleermaker we have a honour to listen the only live version to exist of the 'n'-word song:





That rough guitar is quite a choice to kick the song forward...

- Doxa



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010-03-24 16:07 by Doxa.

They should remove the songs recorded for Sticky Fingers from Exile to Sticky Fingers making Sticky Fingers a double album. Damn them Stones.

John Lennon used the word 'nigger' to great effect in this particular song.

calling it the n-word is paranoia. Stones are not racist and anyone offended should just stop listening to them! and the lyrics are great.

What a load of f u c k i n g s h i t this thread is!

I'm offended by the term "starf*cker". He makes it sound like a bad thing.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010-03-24 19:32 by CindyC.

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His Majesty
What a load of f u c k i n g s h i t this thread is!

Now I am offended! You should be banned!

Nigger!

Mathijs

All I know is that it is one of the most beautiful songs the Stones have ever done.