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Arrested for Singing Kung Fu Fighting?

#41
I wonder when we are going to finally put a price on frivolity in the law? It's one thing to be truly offended by someone with malicious intent, but completely another to make charges because you feel like stirring up ....stink.

If there were consequences it would make life a lot simpler...if you can't PROVE malicious intent then YOU pay the court costs and the salaries of the LEO's involved. Just how hurt ARE you? Enough to put some SKIN in the game? (Pun intended.)

I wonder what would have happened if my old bar band had been sued by a white guy for our black drummer singing 'Dirty White Boy'? The possibilities are mind boggling.
 
#44
It's not as if the band has learned that track on the spot to get at them, but, the singer may have hammed it a little bit, who know's.

I do remember a lady ringing the police last year because her cat kept playing with string for hours, maybe she wanted him arrested and shown the error of his way's?
 
#46
...my first thought, on hearing about this on the radio, was Ridiculous.

My second thought, though, was that this song is quite old; written at a time when PC standards were not the same as they are today.

Third thought: Yeah, but come on, it's not like it was written in rural Arkansas circa 1830 with vivid subject matter about slaves.

Fourth thought: Wait, don't we already sort of politely try to avoid performing songs written in rural Arkansas in 1830 that were about slaves?

Fifth and final thought: Maybe it's not quite so far-fetched; eventually, our approach towards racial discrimination may come to the point where race is not considered at all; in such case, perhaps all songs that explicitly make reference to race might conceivably be considered unfit for performance in polite company?


Side note: Bear in mind that 'funky', apart from referring to 'cool' and a style of music/deportment/dress which we, as bassists, are largely familiar; has an additional meaning of 'very smelly (in a bad way)'. So, consider the following:

"They were dirty/stinky/smelly/unwashed China men!
From dirty/stinky/smelly/unwashed China town!"

When we also pause to consider the fact that many urban areas with high concentrations of East Asian residents or businesses tend to have a unique scent (usually caused by produce and herbs that we in the West are largely unfamiliar with), and consider the admittedly remote possibility that the offended passerby in question may have never heard the song before and/or not be familiar with the 'hip' use of the term 'funky'...


Not disagreeing that it's ridiculous, by the way, just wanted to point out another potential side of the story.
 
#49
I've heard that song for years (not in a while though) but may not have listened to the words as closely as I had thought... Before this, I might have thought some of the words could have been a little insensitive at times but never racist.
 
#53
If S ever HTF and we all have to do violence on others for survival these people who live life wearing rose colored glasses in a safe, non offensive fantasy land full of rainbows, marshmallows and unicorns will either be slaves or prey.

Better odds for me!
 
#54
Oh-oh-oh-oh...

Everybody was Kung Fu fighting, those cats were fast as lightning
In fact it was a little bit fright'ning, but they fought with expert timing

There was funky China men from funky Chinatown
They were chopping them up, they were chopping them down
It's an ancient Chinese art, and everybody knew their part
From a feint into a slip, then I'm kickin' from the hip

Everybody was Kung Fu fighting, those cats were fast as lightning
In fact it was a little bit fright'ning, but they fought with expert timing
[ Lyrics from: Carl Douglas - Kung Fu Fighting Lyrics ]
There was funky Billy Chin and little Sammy Chung
He said, here comes the big boss, let's get it on
We took the bow and made a stand, started swaying with the hand
A sudden motion made me skip, now we're into a brandnew trip

Everybody was Kung Fu fighting, those cats were fast as lightning
In fact it was a little bit fright'ning, but they did it with expert timing

Oh-oh-oh-oh...

Everybody was Kung Fu fighting, those cats were fast as lightning
In fact it was a little bit fright'ning, make sure you have expert timing

Oh-oh-oh-oh...

Kung Fu fighting, had to be fast as lightning...


This song went well with Hai Karate cologne.
 

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