Politically Correct Southern Music

In a previous post I mentioned that Disney is considering the release of "Song of the South" on DVD, something it has never done because of what some believe are racist themes. Other Southern musical standards are being challenged on the same racial basis:

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — A music teacher hopes he can convince state lawmakers to adopt a new state song to replace "Old Folks at Home," the 1851 Stephen Foster tune that has been criticized as racist.

Temple Terrace music teacher Stephen Ulrey is pitching a version of "I Want to Wake Up in the Morning Where the Orange Blossoms Grow" to replace the current state song, also known as "Swanee River."

Critics have said Foster's minstrel show tune is racist. They also say Foster never visited Florida and misspelled Suwannee in the song's most memorable line, "Way down upon the Swanee River."

Supporters Of "Old Folks at Home" argue the controversial lyrics should be — and often have been — replaced. The song was adopted by the state legislature in 1935 and has survived two previous attempts to replace it.

Ulrey thinks "Swanee River" can be replaced with a more upbeat historical tune. Variations of the "Orange Blossom" song have been sung at schools and social club gatherings for decades.

"I wanted to find a song that could replace 'Swanee' that is easy to sing," Ulrey said. "It's a viral song. I wanted something that was a little more upbeat, something that you could clap to ... It would be nice to have a song that has some state history."

Not everybody is enthused with the idea of changing the state song. Even the writer of the proposed new song doesn't agree:

One person who doesn't think the "Orange Blossom" song is appropriate is Billye-Mullins Smith, one of the two original composers. Smith says orange blossoms are quickly vanishing.

"They are chopping down all the orange trees," said Smith, who composed the song with her husband in 1947. "I didn't even smell the orange blossoms this year."

Perhaps someone can write "The Ode to the Butterfly Ballot". That would be the most appropriate song for the state.