# You mean they're not black? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 16, 2002, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-theyre-not-black/137040 "2002-11-16T17:17:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![pesch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pesch/32/4925_2.png) [@pesch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pesch)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2002, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-theyre-not-black/137040/21 "2002-11-17T03:51:00Z")
“The Crying Game” fooled me. No, not THAT part. The opening monologue, heard over a dark screen, of this Englishman talking. Turns out he’s a black Englishman. In the part of South Carolina I lived in for awhile, it’s not uncommon to hear black redneck farmers sounding exactly like white redneck farmers, right down to them bitchin’ about rap music. ---
**Author:** ![5\_time\_champ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/278dde/32.png) [@5\_time\_champ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5_time_champ)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2002, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-theyre-not-black/137040/22 "2002-11-17T05:25:08Z")
Of course the **Average White Band** certainly isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krisfer_the_Cat)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2002, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-theyre-not-black/137040/23 "2002-11-17T05:28:41Z")
I was sure that the second part in Sting’s Desert Rose was an Aretha Franklin sort of woman… I dunno… I was knocked over when I saw it was a young male of Middle Eastern descent ( I forget which country know)… ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2002, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-theyre-not-black/137040/24 "2002-11-17T05:49:51Z")
I thought Pink was black, something I am embarassed about only because it sounds so stupid when I say it. “And I thought red was blue too…” ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2002, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-theyre-not-black/137040/25 "2002-11-17T12:36:49Z")
It blew my mind when I found out that Velvet Underground recorded _Velvet Underground and Nico_ in 1967. I’d always assumed that they were a late '70s kind of band. It just made respect them more - “you mean they made this while the rest of the world was listening to Sgt Peppers and the Beach Boys and the Rolling Stones?!?” ---
**Author:** ![the\_O-man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9f8e36/32.png) [@the\_O-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_O-man)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2002, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-theyre-not-black/137040/26 "2002-11-17T14:38:09Z")
I honestly thought that “Holding Back the Years” was performed by Carly Simon until I saw the video by Simply Red, fronted by a guy. Had me fooled up until then. ---
**Author:** ![Jervoise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@Jervoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jervoise)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2002, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-theyre-not-black/137040/27 "2002-11-17T15:20:37Z")
Most people are surprised to learn that Andrew Strong, who sung in _The Commitments_ was only 16 years old (!) at the time of recording. Also, the fact that the actors/band members are Irish. ---
**Author:** ![peepthis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@peepthis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peepthis)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2002, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-theyre-not-black/137040/28 "2002-11-17T18:45:39Z")
Anyone who listens to BBC Radio 1, can you back me up on this? **Tim Westwood** , who does the _Radio 1 Rap Show_ on Friday and Saturday nights (catch phrase: “Go hard, or go home!!” **cue loud explosions** ). He’s one of the top names in hiphop in Europe, and huge on the rap scene in the UK; he’s got major street cred in the hiphop world, snagging interviews with the top names in European and American urban music. But you would never guess, in a _million years_, that he’s white just by hearing his voice. He’s by far the most black sounding (whatever that means) white celebrity I’ve run across – and he does put on an amazing show whenever he DJs. I didn’t know he was white til I saw his photo on Radio One’s website (!). ---
**Author:** ![Neil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/839c29/32.png) [@Neil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neil)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2002, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-theyre-not-black/137040/29 "2002-11-17T19:19:04Z")
“Don’t fake the funk or your nose’ll grow.” -William “Bootsy” Collins ---
**Author:** ![JavaMaven1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cab0a1/32.png) [@JavaMaven1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JavaMaven1)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2002, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-theyre-not-black/137040/30 "2002-11-17T20:14:56Z")
Here in L.A., there is a DJ (last time I remember him he was on an R & B station) known as Theo–he had a wonderful, smooth baritone voice. Thought he was an older, large black man until I read an article about him in the L.A. Times, and realized he was a little 20-something Asian man. That threw me way off. ---
**Author:** ![thirdshiftgrottoslack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9a28c/32.png) [@thirdshiftgrottoslack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdshiftgrottoslack)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2002, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-theyre-not-black/137040/31 "2002-11-17T21:00:36Z")
someone said that timbaland wasn’t TALENTED enough to write “another one bites the dust?” you must be thinking of someone else, because timbaland is the most innovative producer in music right now. this guy is amazing. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2002, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-theyre-not-black/137040/32 "2002-11-17T23:44:49Z")
I’ll show _my_ age. Dusty Springfield. Born Mary O’Brien in London, England. The “White Lady of Soul”. The first time I saw/heard her was on TV in the 60s. The camera turned to this white British girl. She opened her mouth and sang with a voice as soulful as anyone. I was astounded. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Clawman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47c2d/32.png) [@The\_Clawman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Clawman)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-theyre-not-black/137040/33 "2002-11-18T11:24:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by peepthis \* > \*\*Anyone who listens to BBC Radio 1, can you back me up on this? **Tim Westwood** , who does the _Radio 1 Rap Show_ on Friday and Saturday nights (catch phrase: “Go hard, or go home!!” **cue loud explosions** ). He’s one of the top names in hiphop in Europe, and huge on the rap scene in the UK; he’s got major street cred in the hiphop world, snagging interviews with the top names in European and American urban music. But you would never guess, in a _million years_, that he’s white just by hearing his voice. He’s by far the most black sounding (whatever that means) white celebrity I’ve run across – and he does put on an amazing show whenever he DJs. > > I didn’t know he was white til I saw his photo on Radio One’s website (!). \*\* Did you know that Tim Westwood’s dad is a former Bishop of Peterborough? ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-theyre-not-black/137040/34 "2002-11-18T11:29:36Z")
**Tom Jones** got me like this when I heard a “revival” album he did in '95. “Who the _hell_ is this incredible singer?” How I felt like a putz when I found out. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-theyre-not-black/137040/35 "2002-11-18T12:40:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Narrad \* > \*\*Most people are surprised to learn that Andrew Strong, who sung in _The Commitments_ was only 16 years old (!) at the time of recording. \*\* He _ **what** _?!? :eek: \ ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-theyre-not-black/137040/36 "2002-11-18T14:29:56Z")
Before Eminem got famous, I heard him being interviewed on Howard Stern, and I thought he was black as the ace of spades. I also remember hearing Joan Armatrading and thinking it was a white guy. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-theyre-not-black/137040/37 "2002-11-18T14:31:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by rowrrbazzle \* > **I’ll show _my_ age.** As will I - I posted this in another thread a few weeks back, but the first time I heard **A Whiter Shade of Pale** by Procul Harum on the radio (in 1967), I thought the singer was Marvin Gaye!! ---
**Author:** ![widdershins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@widdershins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/widdershins)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-theyre-not-black/137040/38 "2002-11-18T14:51:05Z")
I thought jazz pianist Keith Jarrett was black for a long time. Apparently, this is a common mistake, I heard him say in a interview on _Fresh Air_ that once backstage at a concert a black musician said to him that Jarrett just had to be black. Jarrett’s reply: “I’m workin’ on it, man.” ---
**Author:** ![Bomzaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@Bomzaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bomzaway)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-theyre-not-black/137040/39 "2002-11-18T16:13:50Z")
I’m a bit surprised nobody’s mentioned Wild Cherry. I think they certainly top the “They’re not black?” list. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-theyre-not-black/137040/40 "2002-11-18T16:20:41Z")
Well, if you want to go waaaay back, part of the appeal of the Righteous Brothers was that nobody was quite sure if they were black or white (they’re very white, of course). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-theyre-not-black/137040.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-theyre-not-black/137040.md?page=3)