Oh, weep no more today! We will sing one song, for the old Kentucky Home

May 6, 2016 12:00 PM

The Kentucky Derby, "America's Greatest Race," will take place at Churchill Downs this weekend. CNN international has answers to 11 general questions to get you started in the festivities, and NBC New York has a short history of the spectacle around the race, which is largely about fashion through the decades. And then there's the opening ceremony and song - My Old Kentucky Home (official "sing along" video). It sounds pretty somber, and it is, especially if you sing all of the original 1831 lyrics. The Forgotten Racial History Of Kentucky's State Song (NPR Codeswitch).

Pennsylvanian Stephen Collins Foster wrote the song years before the Civil War, likely inspired in part by Federal Hill, the home of Judge John Rowan, a relative of Foster's. "This Northerner who wrote these songs that we think of as quintessentially Southern" had only visited the south once, heading south to New Orleans for Mardi Gras, but tradition has it that Stephen Foster wrote the first draft of My Old Kentucky Home upon a desk in Federal Hill.

Foster never published the original song, but when Uncle Tom's Cabin was dramatized onstage, My Old Kentucky Home was often one of the songs. The song Foster wrote is a lament by a slave in Kentucky who's been sold down the river to the Deep South by his master. The slave is both saying goodbye to his old Kentucky home and preparing to meet his imminent death from overwork and brutal mistreatment in the "land where the sugar canes grow."

Paul Robeson sang the original lyrics, but John Prine changed some words and dropped some verses, similar to the officially truncated Kentucky Derby lyrics. Meanwhile, Johnny Cash modified the lyrics pretty heavily, making the song his own.

posted by filthy light thief (22 comments total)

This is the perfect time each year to reread The Kentucky Derby is Decadent and Depraved
posted by hobgadling at 12:06 PM on May 6, 2016 [14 favorites]

More history: "Black jockeys once dominated the Kentucky Derby, winning 15 of the first 28 titles between 1875 and 1902. They were former slaves and their sons – a vestige of colonial times, when planters owned both horses and riders. Post–Civil War, they were the country's best riders, but the narrow window opened by Reconstruction was slammed shut by Jim Crow."
posted by filthy light thief at 12:09 PM on May 6, 2016 [3 favorites]

Metafilter, where that thing you think is harmless fun turns out to be terrible
posted by Vic Morrow's Personal Vietnam at 12:20 PM on May 6, 2016 [9 favorites]

I suspect that anyone who still thinks horse racing is harmless fun is not on MetaFilter.
posted by Etrigan at 12:21 PM on May 6, 2016 [2 favorites]

I've fallen a little bit in love with Lani the Japanese rock star, I have to admit.
posted by sallybrown at 12:22 PM on May 6, 2016

Yeah. I mean, I somehow got the impression growing up that it was just silly and exciting. Like, ooh ridiculous hats! Then I had to look past the hats :(
posted by Vic Morrow's Personal Vietnam at 12:24 PM on May 6, 2016

Growing up, my aunts and uncles really loved watching the Derby on tv. I think it was the pomp, ceremony, and mint julips as much as anything. I never understood the attraction, myself. Still don't.
posted by Thorzdad at 12:25 PM on May 6, 2016

Metafilter, where that thing you think is harmless fun turns out to be terrible

You know about the rest of the lyrics to "Big Rock Candy Mountain," right? If not, I'm sorry.
posted by filthy light thief at 12:32 PM on May 6, 2016 [2 favorites]

A friend's parents have a Derby party every year. They host several drunken shitshows every year, but the Derby party is the one where you notice that the sun's gone down and wonder if you missed the race (you didn't; you were yelling about your miserable nag the whole time), you wonder when we're doing the driveway races (they already happened; you lost $10), you wonder when dinner is (you just finished dessert), you wonder if anybody will notice if you take a leak behind the shed (they will; it's okay because everybody does it), and then you wake up in the morning and wonder where you are (on the couch; you fell asleep next to the dog) and what's all over your clothes (it's mostly bourbon and spinach dip).

Long story short, the only song I know how to play on clawhammer banjo is My Old Kentucky Home.
posted by uncleozzy at 12:39 PM on May 6, 2016 [7 favorites]

dammit people stop disillusioning me

thinking about it though, I notice a bit of a hagiographic attitude toward horse racing as it's presented in a lot of films. My Fair Lady, Seabiscuit, that old Disney short with Donald Duck, maybe even A Day at the Races... The exception to that attitude is when you see depictions of desperate people who are addicted to betting.
posted by Vic Morrow's Personal Vietnam at 12:39 PM on May 6, 2016

Given that it's a sport where even Kentucky Derby winners get sold for dog food, I can't really bring myself to follow even the Triple Crown. I can see the argument that horses are no more invalid for food than cows, but discarding and betraying a working animal that gave you so much, well ... sport of kings? more like sport of dicks.

It's a pity, because watching Secretariat winning the Belmont is one of my earliest sports memories, and I still get an thrill every time I see that race.
posted by tavella at 12:50 PM on May 6, 2016

Growing up, my aunts and uncles really loved watching the Derby on tv. I think it was the pomp, ceremony, and mint julips as much as anything. I never understood the attraction, myself. Still don't.

I don't really care about horse racing, or gambling, though I like seersucker and women in giant hats, but the best part of the Derby is that it makes people serve mint juleps. Sometimes they serve them in weird flavors or out of regular glasses rather than proper julep cups, and that's all an abomination unto the lord, but I love being able to get juleps in more bars than usual.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 12:55 PM on May 6, 2016 [3 favorites]

Meanwhile, Johnny Cash modified the lyrics pretty heavily , making the song his own.

I guess that Johnny Cash cover is fine, but it pales in comparison to the original written and performed by Randy Newman.
posted by ActingTheGoat at 12:58 PM on May 6, 2016 [2 favorites]

People get drunk and cheer on other people engaging in a cruel and heartless sport.

Isn't there American football on or something?
posted by Fister Roboto at 1:07 PM on May 6, 2016 [1 favorite]

ActingTheGoat: I guess that Johnny Cash cover is fine, but it pales in comparison to the original written and performed by Randy Newman

I should have tracked down the credits, where Newman is given his due. Thanks!
posted by filthy light thief at 1:35 PM on May 6, 2016

A minor quibble to the postscript of a well made post.
posted by ActingTheGoat at 1:55 PM on May 6, 2016

Here's how to bet on the KY Derby:

Take the top 3 favorites, and throw one out. That means this year you're looking at Nyquist, Gunrunner and Exaggerator. There's always one favorite that dramatically under performs, or gets caught in the pack, or stumbles, or something. And if all the favorites do win you'll be lucky to break even anyway, so it's not even worth betting that way. I think Nyquist is overrated, and love Exaggerator. So Im not betting Nyquist.

Now, look at the next 5 horses. Pick 3 of these. This is where if you actually know anything about horses, use that. So if there's a trainer you love, or a horse you saw race this year and liked, take that one. That group this year is Whitmore, Destin, Mor Spirit, Mohamen and either Brody's Cause or Outwork. I like Mohamen and Whitmore because they have great jockeys, and Destin because Pletcher is the best trainer out there right now.

Now you need a longshot. 30-1 or more ideally. Pick a name you like, or anything else really, and hope they sneak into the money. I'm taking either Suddenbreakingnews, Shagaf, or Mo Tom.

Now use those 6 horses in your trifecta. That's a $120 bet, but the trifecta pool at the Derby is massive, as it's pretty much the only race all year with the general public paying attention and paying into the pools, and if your longshot hits a $2k payout is pretty reasonable. If you just want to play the better odds, leave out the longshot for a $60 ticket, or play for 0.50c. A 5 horse box for .50c is only $30, pick your budget and add or drop horses to fit it, hell if you're Mr. Moneybags you could throw $5 or $10 at it, but never play more than 6 horses if you want to have a chance to actually make money.

There's your basic formula for hitting the trifecta.
posted by T.D. Strange at 2:54 PM on May 6, 2016 [5 favorites]

discarding and betraying a working animal that gave you so much, well ... sport of kings?

"I know thee not, old man: fall to thy prayers;
How ill white hairs become a fool and jester!"
posted by clew at 4:12 PM on May 6, 2016

I just want to recommend The Great Black Jockeys as an excellent read.

Also: I'm picking Exaggerator!
posted by TwoStride at 6:38 PM on May 6, 2016

Third vote on Exaggerator.
I hate to see Nyquist's streak get broken but the Derby is a tough race and I don't think he can get himself clear enough.

We've got a few that might be good in traffic and I'd love to see some great jockey work to bring one through the pack to win.
posted by littlewater at 7:57 PM on May 6, 2016

I'd enjoy the Derby a lot more if Johnny freakin' Weir wasn't part of the broadcast team.

That being said, go Nyquist and Mario Gutierrez! Mario, the punters at Hastings remember you well!
posted by e-man at 11:29 PM on May 6, 2016 [1 favorite]

Well, of the 11 horses I named, you could've hit the trifecta, superfecta, and super high 5. Somehow I got zero. Trifecta only paid 86$ anyway. Stupid ponies.
posted by T.D. Strange at 4:39 PM on May 7, 2016 [2 favorites]