Re: White Trash?

["L. Bird" <pkeets@hotmail.com>]

>My understanding of "white trash" is that it is a racist term meant
to place underclass white people on the level of the "nigger".  (See "Gone 
With the Wind" for some examples of traditional usage.)  In this context, 
most early rockers would have been considered "white trash" by racists, 
since they were playing the music of the black man.

I don't think it's meant completely as a racist term, but you're right that 
it does identify the racial origins of the designated group.  White trash 
can generally be identified by their value system, as well as the music they 
listen to, the way the dress, etc.  For example, Tammy Faye and Jim Baker 
always had that look.  It preceded the term "honky" that blacks later used 
to denigrate whites.  ;)

I don't think that playing blues, rock or jazz would have been an indicator 
of white trash in the early years (though Elvis was suspect).  Again, the 
white trash value system includes racist elements, and they're prone to like 
strongly conservative and rightist music.  It's more likely musicians or 
intellectuals that would pick up elements of black music and see their 
potential.  For example, the first published ragtime piece is credited to 
William Krell, a white pianist, without any connotations of trashdom.


>Incidentally, the lack of heavy racist baggage is one of the great things 
>that the Brits brought to the ROCK party IMHO.  They could dabble in black 
>music without the fear of being called "white trash".  They were not 
>familiar with that stigma.