DISCLAIMER: This video is part of a massive vintage song revival project. There are countless thousands of songs written in the 1800s and early 1900s that were published, but never recorded. Most of them are love songs and lullabies, and some tackle the racial tensions and inequalities of the time, often with biting satire and humor. The creators of these songs were Black and White, and both races often worked together to compose and perform them. They tease everyone...Blacks, Whites, Native Americans, the Irish, the Chinese...you name it. America was a literal melting pot, so this type of racial humor was very common, and this was reflected in the popular music of the time. These songs provided a way to reduce racial tension via humor in the tumultuous post-Civil War era. It should be noted that once this style of music went out of fashion c1920, racial tensions and strife only WORSENED. Preserving this important part of our cultural heritage isn't just a curiosity, it's a historical necessity. Many of these songs use outdated themes and language considered offensive today. But in the context of the time, it wasn't considered derogatory. That's not to excuse the content of these songs, but context is key. The vast majority of these classic songs are actually completely "family friendly" and many of them are timeless and beautiful. It's imperative that they are all preserved, the good, the bad and even the ugly. Whenever possible, I will record TWO versions of these songs, one in its original form, and one with all slurs and other racial references removed. I want to stay faithful to the original product, but I also don't want to alienate modern audiences so I'm providing a "clean" option. To reiterate, these American songs were written and enjoyed by all races. Black and White musicians pioneered the early American song styles together. It was a collaborative effort and it truly took the world by storm. The music emerging from America in the 1800s was the soundtrack of the New World, of hope and excitement for the future. These songs represent our American legacy. It should be noted that although racial themes were common, there was zero sexual degeneracy in ANY of the songs from this era. If you think these songs are distasteful, society back then would be shocked and appalled at the content of pop music and rap/hiphop today. The lyrics in these songs are tame compared to the degeneracy pushed on our children in the 21st century. So if you want to be outraged about something, direct your attention towards the dangerous and degenerate popular music YouTube pushes on your kids with billions of views, not someone trying to dutifully and passionately preserve history, for free and for the love of it. Thanks for reading and listening, much love! -Kylan