Song picture
The Washington R-Word
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political satire
acoustic folk social commentary political satire western massachusetts oil coal climate change fracking incineration music for social change nuclear energy
Folk singer, social commentary, satire, people's stories, children's music
Hi Folks, The Bard Insurgent here. My comrade D.O. (the Poet Roofer) and I got that handle (The Bard Insurgents) from traveling town to town performing songs and poetry about people's lives. I've been performing since I was 3 years old, cutting my vocal chords on liturgical and classical music. I was a concert soloist as a child, when I wasn't herding cows, throwing hay and shoveling manure. During the Civil Rights movement and the Vietnam war, I began writing songs about social change. I left the country in 1970 and my dozen years in other countries, mostly in Africa & South America, have provided a global perspective to my music. My travels helped me realize that people all around the world are essentially the same in their basic life needs and their desires to live peacefully in their communities. These experiences have informed my commitment to working for international understanding as I organize at home. A powerful way to educate and inspire is with music. I tell people's stories, do social commentary with a touch of satire that I hope you enjoy and share with your friends, as well as sing together in the streets and in your living rooms. I also have children's music written for the children in my life with Jacob and Kayla as primary muses. Looking forward to seeing you on the road, Tom
Song Info
Charts
Peak #18
Peak in subgenre #2
Author
Tom Neilson
Rights
Tom Neilson
Uploaded
August 31, 2013
Track Files
MP3
MP3 3.3 MB 160 kbps 2:54
Story behind the song
Indian culture is routinely exploited by sports teams in a racially ridiculing and insulting way. The Washington football team is an example of this behavior and when confronted with this reality, a poll was taken that showed 80% of football fans agreed with the exploitation.
Lyrics
Of the Washington Redskins there is criticism That comes to attention of late. That the nation’s capital sponsors racism So a poll they used to tabulate or (And it’s a wee bit out of date) Among football fans 11% said the name they thought should be changed But they’re all from Dallas, says Snyder, with malice, And Those Cowboy fans are deranged. Cause 80% said it should stay the same, It’s a matter of tradition Opponents are making too much of a name, What’s a little KKKism? Redskin is n*** if you’re Cherokee, Shawnee, Lakota, Choctaw, or Cree But we can be thankful as we dissent. We’re not all racist, just 80%. Tradition’s important, this I agree; To honor what’s come in our past. But to ridicule color, culture, and creed Is how to make prejudice last. Ragheads and wops, tomahawk chops, Face paint & war chanting, it never stops. Gooks, camel jockeys, ragheads, and spics; Red raiders, braves, Indians all part of the mix. There were Redskins in Cooperstown, Saltine Warrior in Syracuse Now it’s the Big Orange and Hawkeyes they use. Stanford, Marquette, Frontier, St. Johns, & my Unadilla became Unicorns.
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