Is it racist to sing a song in a Carabean type accent

[SunnyDayToday]

My 10 year old has just been told by friends that she is being racist by singing a song she heard that uses the words banara arama (or something similar) sung in a Carabean type accent.
My initial reaction was that it is no worse than singing 'Donald, where's your troosers' in a fake scottish accent, but now I'm thinking about it, is it racist, as traditionally Carabean people have been oppressed in a way the Scottish haven't?
And if so, how do i explain this to a 10 yr old? She is sensitive to the fact that it would be racist to assume all black people are accented in a particular way, and that it is wrong to sing that type of song (words or accent) in a mocking way.

Almost all of us will to some extent emulate the voice of the original singer when singing a well known song. That is perfectly natural. It would be weird and potentially racist to emulate singers of your own race but not those of another. Can you imagine the iconic Banana Boat Song being sung in an Oxbridge accent? It would be ridiculous.

I'm thinking about it, is it racist, as traditionally Carabean people have been oppressed in a way the Scottish haven't?

So how much oppression does there need to be before something is racist? Does that mean we can make fun of people race is they haven't been oppressed sufficiently?

And no I don't think it is racist. for people sing in English, Scottish, American, Jamaican etc accents because they are copying how the original song/singer is. The only time it would be racist is if the person singing it was doing it in a mocking way

Sod off. I've now got a ridiculously posh ear worm

I must admit if I hear a song in an accent I tend to mimic it subconsciously singing along.

@brizzlemint it's nothing like either of those two things.

In your opinion, which you are entitled to. Care to explain why so we can discuss it?

I have a friend who does this and it always made me a bit uncomfortable as I know it wouldn’t be ok to do a comedy fake Indian accent, for example. But I can see maybe it depends on the situation and the intent. If you are singing one particular song the way it’s sung on a recording, that seems to me more like just doing an imitation of that song and not racist. If you do a “comedy” accent at the person who has it, or as a way of stereotyping or caricaturing a group, that certainly could be.

Benjamin Zephaniah likes his poetry to be read in his accent. Yes! He expains that speaking it how he thought it is important to understanding it!

More than anything it would make me cringe. I can't stand people putting on accents - it invokes the equivalent of chewing cotton wool or scratching a blackboard in my body.

It's not racist but it could be perceived as rascist.

Things are often considered 'racist' when it suits some people, it's a convenient shut-down label.
My Scottish-born granddaughter has a very English accent, where can I claim compensation for my hurt feelings?
Petty things like this are the reason that real racism can be ignored, the same happened in the early days of feminism, making an issue of the use of 'manhole cover' for example trivialised the important issues.

Hi OP. It doesn’t sound like your child was being racist. However, depending on the circumstances, it can be borderline. For example, if she started singing the song and others started joining in in a mocking way (because they assume she is being racist). Maybe a chat with her would be good as long as it’s done from the point of just talking about things and without blame or making her feel bad.

I’m mixed race and Scottish. Growing up and as an adult in Scotland nobody really tried to do an “brown person” accent at me. I suppose because I have a Scottish accent. However, when I travel to England for work or training people often parrot things back at me in an attempt to do my accent. It’s annoying and they always laugh (along with others in the room). I think there’s extra amusement for them because I’m a brown person with a Scottish accent.

Even when it’s not racist, at best it’s rude.

I have a lot of time for Benjamin Zephaniah but anyone attempting to read his works in his accent makes me want to run away. Even if he does prefer people to adopt his accent.

I can't help it.

Lorraine Kelly was on the Big Narstie show the other night and said "Bumbaclot" - I frankly wanted to chuck the TV out the window.

Doesn’t everyone sing Sean Paul songs in his accent and oasis ones in theirs?

I can't help sing 'under the sea' from the little mermaid in Sebastian the crabs accent

VladmirsPoutine he insisted we try... totally insisted. Mind you, after 20 odd years of teaching my level of self-cringe has diminished entirely so I wasn't bothered. That man is lovely and smells beautiful. Am not mad about his poetry but the kids just lapped it up. And, and, and - he refused his fee.

Lorraine Kelly saying anything is wrist-slicing VladmirsPoutine Wayfair-based fun anyone? No fuck off said the entire universe.

I would discourage my dc from doing accents because as a Scot it gets bloody tiring when people do this.
That said I have never managed to persuade my dc not to sing in American ones.

Dozens of British artists sing in American accents. Adele, Amy Winehouse, Elton John, Ed Sheeran, Rod Stewart to name but a few.

Oh god, flashbacks of singing ‘the virgin Mary had a baby boy’ in my posh nearly-all-white girls’ primary school

‘He come from de glory....’

Criiiiinge

God, what a tiring thread, just reading the thread title made my heart sink. Children are being told they’re racist for singing a song in exactly the way it sounds? Ridiculous

Don’t worry I am hiding the thread before everyone jumps on me; disgusting racist that no doubt I must be for expressing this view.

The fact is this is an incredibly racist country since brexit let you racist lot out from under the rocks you've been hiding under

As far as I can see every country is pretty racist. Anyone not identified as 'indigenous' or 'real' is automatically other. The UK, England, isn't the worst for racism by far! I'll offer up France, as it is nice and close, as being more institutionally racist!

And just occasionally comments like that remind me that I am allowed to be proud, white and English/British without having to accept any racist badge. Being white and English/British is not something to be ashamed of. Always connecting it with the far right is blinkered and insulting. It is what I am, what I was born. Fuck anyone who tells me that that automatically makes me anything other than me! Just as anyone/everyone else should be saying, loudly and proudly!

Tht comment alone marks you out as an ignorant racist. Right there bu sayin that you are shutting down all and any dissent from your narrow white viewpoint.

Thanks for the laugh!
You actually know nothing about the race of other posters.

But mocking someone’s accent can be a way to be racist - so it’s a reasonable question and one of those things that does depend on various factors.