Chinese Government
Sung by Peggy MacGillivray. Interview with
Peggy MacGillivray, James T. Ritchie, and Alan Lomax.
Peggy MacGillivray:
Chinese government,
Black man's daughter,
Tra la la la la la la.
The wind blows high from the sky,
And out comes Jeannie with the big black eye.
Alan Lomax: And what's the name of that?
Peggy MacGillivray: "Chinese government."
Lomax: How do you play it?
MacGillivray: Well, everybody stands in a line and one person is "out. "And she runs back and forward singin the words. And when she says — whoever it is — whatever name — that person comes out and runs round her as she's going backward and forward. And it goes on like that, until everybody is "out" in the circle running back right round this girl. And then she starts singing — she keeps on doing it and sings somebody's name and they drop out and form the line again. And then it just goes on and on, and she chooses one and that person takes her place.
Lomax: And— eh, what's your interpretation of this game, uh, Professor?
James Ritchie: Eh, I don't know what interpretation I would have. Eh, certain people whom you might call — eh, psychoquacks would say that it is probably — eh, Scotland's subconscious feeling of guilt towards colonial peoples. (Laughter. Lomax has paused the recording, or removed a section for use in a broadcast or recording. He returns to this later. Sings:)
Tra la la la la la la.The wind blows high and from the sky,
And out pops Jessie with a big black eye.
Spoken: The lassie pops out and goes round. And then they sing — they both sing it — another girl comes round, and this one's always going up and down like that — without the trail. And then, of course, they — it unwinds itself and they all go back. And I don't mind tellin you, some of the lassies, I've heard them say, "My belly's sair." [My stomach's sore.] Isn't that right? They're so tired. It's very tiring isn't it, Peggy? (Laughs)
A lyric likely to cause vague unease in modern, more racially cautious breasts. Opie's The Singing Game # 93.
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Various Artists
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Singing in the Streets: Scottish Children's Songs
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- Oh Dear, What Can The Matter Be? Time: 0:11
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