In short: No.
Originally, the song was made by Daniel Decatur Emmett, a man from [b]Ohio[/b]. And, it was a "Blackface" song, or really something you'd hear to mock African Americans. However, those offensive lyrics were only used in Blackface Minstrelsy and were quickly replaced with the modern lyrics (scroll down a bit to find it).
This is it's original lyrics. Not too explicit, but some MAY find it offensive. You have been warned, ninjas plz no ban:
[spoiler]
I wish I was in Canaan
Oaber dar—Oaber dar,
In Canaan's lann de color'd man
Can lib an die in cloaber
Oaber dar—Oaber dar,
Oaber dar in de lann ob Canaan.[18] [/spoiler]
Of course, it heavily exaggerates African American Vernacular English. But does that make the modern Dixie's Land a racist song? Let's look at it's "official" lyrics.
"Oh, I wish I was in the land of cotton,
Old times there are not forgotten.
Look away, look away, look away Dixie Land!
In Dixie's Land, where I was born in,
early on one frosty mornin'.
Look away, look away, look away Dixie Land!
I wish I was in Dixie, Hooray! Hooray!
In Dixie's Land I'll take my stand,
to live and die in Dixie.
Away, away, away down south in Dixie!
Away, away, away down south in Dixie!
There's buckwheat cakes and Injun batter,
Makes you fat or a little fatter.
Look away! Look away! Look away! Dixie Land
Then hoe it down and scratch your gravel,
To Dixie's Land I'm bound to travel.
Look away! Look away! Look away! Dixie Land
I wish I was in Dixie, Hooray! Hooray!
In Dixie's Land I'll take my stand,
to live and die in Dixie.
Away, away, away down south in Dixie!
Away, away, away down south in Dixie![15]"
Now, if it wasn't obvious enough, the tune was taken and different lyrics were inputted. So, that doesn't make the song racist. In fact, it's now regarded as a legitimate folk song about Southern Culture, and supporters of it, such as myself, regard people who attack/condemn the song as being politically correct.
However, Dixie was the Confederate's anthem. Does it make it racist? No, because:
1. The Confederacy wasn't formed because of slavery at first.
2. The song, along with it's lyrics, were composed well over a decade before the Confederacy was formed.
There you have it, folks.
[b]EDIT:[/b] This was one of Abraham Lincoln's favorite songs, and he had it played at many of his ceremonies and speeches.
English
#Offtopic
-
Is this a good spot to say something random? [spoiler]Random.[/spoiler]