This John Lydon thing has me thinking about racism, freedom of expression, and music (yeah, I know what happened has absolutely nothing to do with this thread, it's just where my mind led me). Kerble if you must, but I don't recall ever seeing a thread about songs you love that employ the word "nigger." What are they? Hip-hop/Rap songs do not count. Do you sing them out loud? Artistic expression should remain unfettered and the usage of this word in a song in what I know to be making a point, showing a side, etc., I feel is valid. Still's a pisser, though, to hear at first. Makes you think.

The first thirty seconds or so of "Romeo's Distress" by Christian Death is the best thirty seconds or so of any song ever, I was a bit conflicted when Rozz started wailing about "Burning crosses on a nigger's lawn," though. Even though I knew at that time he was being provocative, artistic, and more than a bit obtuse, it still knocked the wind out of me.

Tangentially related, to this day it still sounds like Bon Scott is saying "Sees a nigger on a one-way ride / ask him nothing / leave him be..." I swear that's what he says.

You?

I don't come across it much in the music I like. The Fall's "Classical", uses it.

There is no culture is my brag,
Your taste for bullshit reveals a lust for a home of office
THIS IS THE HOME OF THE VAIN!
THIS IS THE HOME OF THE VAIN!
Where are the obligatory niggers?
HEY THERE FUCKFACE!!
HEY THERE FUCKFACE!!
There are twelve people in the world
The rest are paste
THIS IS THE HOME OF THE VAIN!
THIS IS THE HOME OF THE VAIN!
I just left the Hotel Amnesia, I had to go there
Where it is I can't remember,
But now I can remember...now I can remember
HAFTA! HAFTA!
MESSAGE FOR YER! MESSAGE FOR YER!
Too much reliance on girl here
On girls here, behind every shell-actor
Snobbier Snobbier
Too much romantic here
I destroy romantics, actors,
Kill it!
Kill it!
KILL IT A !
KILL IT!
KILL IT A !

"Nigger Biznis" by Frank Zappa, about the evils of the music industry:

Frank Zappa wrote:I signed on the line
For seven long years
They said I’d be a big star
They said I’d get a big car
All the coke I could tube
All the dope I could shoot
All the smoke I could smoke
But now I’m bein’ off ’n broke

They said I oughta re-record
"The Tracks of My Tears"
They said: "Hey! this is it!
It’s gonna be a big hit"
With my name up in lights
And some custom-made tights
All the girls call my name
(massimo!)
But it was all just a game

Nigger biznis
Nigger biznis
Well, nigger biznis all the time
Well, nigger biznis has brought disaster
On top of this here heart of mine

(well, now’s the time to play the blues!)

Well, one day that contract will expire
One day I will be free
From that nig-ger, nig-gig-gig-ger, nigger biznis
All this nigger biznis
All this repressing me nigger biznis
Nigger biznis
Oh, nigger biznis all the time, all along
Well, nigger biznis has brought destruction
Which is why you’re hearin' this song

The obvious example i think of is Patti Smith's "Rock n Roll Nigger." Fucking stellar tune. Oh yeah, and didn't John Lennon write some song called "Woman is the Nigger of the World?" I don't think i've heard it.

Did the Michael Richards joke account get banned by Steve?

My favorite song by Patti Smith, Rock and Roll Nigger:

Baby was a black sheep
Baby was a whore
Baby got big
And baby get bigger
Baby get something
Baby get more
Baby, baby, baby
Was a rock-and-roll nigger
Oh, look around you,
All around you,
Riding on a copper wave
Do you like
The world around you?
Are you ready to behave?

Outside of society,
they're waitin' for me
Outside of society,
that's where I want to be

Baby was a black sheep
Baby was a whore
You know she got big
Well, she's gonna get bigger
Baby got a hand;
Got a finger on the trigger
Baby, baby, baby
Is a rock-and-roll nigger

Outside of society,
That's where I want to be
Outside of society,
They're waitin' for me

Those who have suffered,
Understand suffering,
And thereby extend their hand
The storm that brings harm
Also makes fertile
Blessed is the grass
And herb
And the true thorn
And light

I was lost
In a valley of pleasure
I was lost
In the infinite sea
I was lost,
And measure for measure,
Love spewed
From the heart of me
I was lost, and the cost,
And the cost
Didn't matter to me
I was lost, and the cost
Was to be outside society

Jimi Hendrix was a nigger
Jesus Christ and Grandma, too
Jackson Pollock was a nigger
Nigger, nigger, nigger, nigger,
Nigger, nigger, nigger

Outside of society,
They're waitin' for me
Outside of society,
If you're looking,
That's where you'll find me
Outside of society,
They're waitin' for me
Outside of society

Outside of society,
They're waitin' for me
Outside of society,
If you're looking,
That's where you'll find me
Outside of society,
They're waitin' for me
Outside of society

I enjoy the sentiments of the song and using the word nigger to sort of celebrate those who do not occupy the upper stratas of a society as opposed to just tying it to skin color.

DrAwkward wrote:The obvious example i think of is Patti Smith's "Rock n Roll Nigger." Fucking stellar tune.

Ya basstard, you beat me by about one second. Most be that higher post count that grants you the reflexes of a cat.

My favourite Patti Smith song is 'Rock'n'roll Nigger'. It's a great song she co-wrote with her guitarist Lenny Kaye. I think the song was well-intended but it's still hard to play to other people because it can definitely be taken as a racist song if you're not aware of every line in the song.

Jimi hendrix was a nigger.
Jesus Christ and grandma, too.
Jackson pollock was a nigger.
Nigger, nigger, nigger, nigger,
Nigger, nigger, nigger.

It could be seen as a rather ham-fisted attempt at espousing equality by devaluing or re-assigning the word to anyone who is (as the song goes) "outside of society". I don't really know if anyone was ever offended or not.

On a personal note, I saw the Patti Smith Group on New Year's Eve in 2005 at the Bowery Ballroom in New York. They closed with this song and it was incredible. I was stood just in front of Lenny Kaye and when it came to the "Nigger, Nigger, Nigger" refrain he pointed to several members of the audience, including myself, to illustrate the point more literally. This was almost certainly the only time in my life that I have been called a Nigger.

Edit - Oh nice one, guys. Now we look like a bunch of honkeys.

There's the Avengers song "White Nigger"

Well, you don't know what you want
working everyday in your restaurant
your life is slipping out of control
lose your job gonna lose you soul

now boy, young and white, so you wanna make it bigger
boy, you better watch your step, white nigger


When you were young you had such big plans
such big ambitions gonna be a good man
I say look at you now, oh what a coward
living your life but you don't know how to live


boy (little boy) young and white, so you try to make it bigger
boy, you just don't understand do you white nigger?


Work like a devil, work like a dog
where does it get you, where do you go oooohhhhh
Work for the money, work for the show
Work for the people that you don't know


I see you driving around in your car
pretend you're not what you really are
just look in the mirror look in your eyes
what you discover will be no surprise
something is missing something's wrong
you got your money but something's gone
something you had right from the start
you should have listened to your heart

Work like a dog, work like a slave,
Work like a devil, and what have you made ohhhhhh no, no, no
Work like a dog, work 9-5
working shaking his hand you're staying alive ohhhhhh no, no where you gonna go
Work work every day
Work your life away and sure it pays
but where does it get you, where are you now
come on white nigger

DrAwkward wrote:The obvious example i think of is Patti Smith's "Rock n Roll Nigger." Fucking stellar tune. Oh yeah, and didn't John Lennon write some song called "Woman is the Nigger of the World?" I don't think i've heard it.

This song is what the kids call, "the shit?"

I remember hearing it for the first time, not batting an eyelash, totally getting it. So good.

That Lennon song is pretty weak. Not because of the word, but because it's a weak song period.

I also remember hearing "Seth" for the first time. Kinda freaky. "Coon," "nigger" it's all the same. It made you, well, me, really listen and not experience some sort of knee-jerk reaction.

Confrontational!

H-GM wrote:Confrontational!

sly & the family stone's "don't call me nigger, whitey".


kicks serious honky ass.