Houston Press: Jazz's Five Great Protest Songs
Excerpt from The Houston Press:Charles Mingus, "Original Fables of Faubus"
In 1957, then-Gov. Orval Faubus ignored a unanimous decision by the U.S. Supreme Court by ordering the Arkansas National Guard to prevent the Little Rock Nine from legally entering a newly desegregated school. The absurdity of the event, placing military guards armed to the teeth in order to keep unarmed teenagers from lawfully entering school, drew the ire from many public officials, but the most razing attack came from one of jazz's most innovative bassists, Charles Mingus.Featured on Candid Records, the "Original Fables of Faubus" remains one of jazz's most sardonically crafted songs today. It cheekily pokes fun at Faubus' finer fascist features with a call-and-response approach: "Name me someone ridiculous, Dannie?/ Governor Faubus!/ Why's he so sick and ridiculous?/ Because he won't permit integrated schools!/ Well, he's a fool!"As Mingus howls his last response without mincing his words, he reminds us that Faubus wasn't the only public official responsible. Eisenhower and Rockefeller shared the maligned governor's shame by turning a blind eye to the events, attempting to minimize the stakes on a national scope. Echoes of "Boo! Ku Klux Klan (with your Jim Crow plan)" resonate today given the current state of racial politics. From a historical point of view, it wasn't that long ago; moreover, it also reminds us that there is still much to be discussed.