Florida’s state song is “racist” --- can no longer be sung

Florida's famous state song about the Suwannee River, considered by many to be racially insensitive, is entering troubled waters yet again.

A legislator wants to find a new song to replace “Old Folks at Home”, and Gov. Charlie Crist agrees.

"There are lyrics in it that are, in the opinion of some, a derogatory reference to some time in our historical past that involves slavery," Crist said. "I can't condone it."

Gov. Crist, who decided not to play the state song at his January inauguration, met last week with state Sen. Tony Hill, D-Jacksonville, who is pushing to replace it.

Stephen Foster, who was white, wrote the song in 1851 for a minstrel show in the voice of a black slave longing for "de old plantation." It became Florida's state song in 1935.

Better known as “Way Down Upon the Swanee River”, the song's chorus uses "darkeys" to refer to African-Americans. Foster intended it as a way to humanize slaves, but critics say it now demeans blacks.

"The time that that song was adopted," Hill said, "is not the Florida we know today."

Hill wants Crist to lead the effort to change the song and solicit proposals for a new one. Crist said he is reviewing Hill's proposal but would sign a bill to change the song.

At least two efforts to change the song failed in the Legislature in the past 20 years when supporters successfully argued how much it contributed to Florida's history and tourism. Some supporters say the offensive words in the song should simply be replaced.

Born in 1826, Stephen Foster spent most of his life in Pittsburgh and never stepped foot in Florida or laid eyes on the Suwannee. Foster originally used South Carolina's Pee Dee River but changed it to the Suwannee to fit the poetic meter of the lyrics, according to the University of Pittsburgh's Center for American Music at the Stephen Foster Memorial. His version misspells the river's name.

It was the most popular song of its time, selling hundreds of thousands sheet music long before recordings.

“Old Folks at Home” was not even Florida's first state song. It replaced “Florida, My Florida”, by the Rev. Dr. C.V. Waugh, adopted by the Legislature in 1913.

In 1986, Kentucky modernized the lyrics of the Foster tune “My Old Kentucky Home”, Good Night! by changing "darkies" to "people."

In 1997, Virginia lawmakers retired “Carry Me Back” to “Old Virginny” because of lyrics like "old massa." It became "state song emeritus" but 10 years later lawmakers have yet to choose a replacement.

And in Florida, some lawmakers say Crist's inauguration last month proved Old Folks at Home is finally on its way out.

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"Old Folks at Home"

Way down upond de Swanee ribber,
Far, far away,
Dere's wha my heart is turning ebber,
Dere's wha de old folks stay.
All up and down de whole creation,
Sadly I roam,
Still longing for de old plantation,
And for de old folks at home.
Chorus:
All de world am sad and dreary,
Ebry where I roam,
Oh! darkeys how my heart grows weary,
Far from de old folks at home.
All round de little farm I wandered
When I was young,
Den many happy days I squandered,
Many de songs I sung.
When I was playing wid my brudder
Happy was I
Oh! take me to my kind old mudder,
Dere let me live and die.
One little hut among de bushes,
One dat I love,
Still sadly to my mem'ry rushes,
No matter where I rove
When will I see de bees a humming
All round de comb?
When will I hear de banjo tumming
Down in my good old home?

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