The Florida Senate passed a bill on Thursday keeping Swanee River as the official Florida state song. They will rewrite the racist lyrics in an attempt to forget the “darkies” but will they get rid of the black dialect, too?

What riles me most about The Old Folks at Home is the notion that black people were happy being slaves and longed to return to the plantation serving Massa YT. My blood boils just listening to that line of argument.

Why do we have to listen to such fallacy at official state functions? Because it is history, as some of you have posted on this blog the past few days? Give me a break. It is just another reason why I have yet to feel comfortable in this state I have lived in now for almost seven years.

Steven Foster, the songwriter, never stepped foot in Florida. He purposely misspelled the name of the river. What kind of respect is that? Floridians have a low standard for a state song.

So, keep singing the Swanee River Revisionist History Blues, Floridians. And while you’re doing that, wave your Confederate flags, bring out your black lawn jockey statues, and give us a good ol’ rebel yell.

After singing Swanee River, why don’t you sing Dixie, too ..in black face?

And kiss my grits.

Holler back. .

The revised lyrics:

Old Folks at Home

Way down upon the Swanee River

Far, far away,

There’s where my heart is turning ever,

There’s where the old folks stay.

All up and down the whole creation,

Sadly I roam,

Still longing for my childhood’s station,

And for the old folks at home.

Chorus:

All the world is sad and dreary,

Ev’ry where I roam,

Oh! dear ones how my heart grows weary,

Far from the old folks at home

Second verse:

All ’round the little farm I wandered

When I was young,

Then many happy days I squandered,

Many the songs I sung.

When I was playing with my brother

Happy was I,

Oh! take me to my kind old mother,

There let me live and die.

Third verse:

One little hut among the bushes,

One that I love,

Still sadly to my mem’ry rushes,

No matter where I rove.

When will I see the bees a-humming

All ’round the comb?

When will I hear the banjo strumming

Down in my good old home?

Source: Center for American Music, Stephen Foster Memorial, University of Pittsburgh