Elvis Ate America - I need your help!

[smalin186]

For my public speaking course, I need to recite a piece of poetry or prose. I've decided to recite the lyrics to Elvis Ate America, however, I'd like to avoid the use of the n-word altogether. How should I go about this? Should I cut it out entirely? Replace it with something else (or is that disrespectful to Bono's piece?)? Any advice would be helpful!

[satellitedog01]

Choose a different poem. Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits or Lou Reed lyrics could be a starting point and relatively close to Bono's '90s writing.

[wraitii]

I'd go with another poem too. There's Drunk Chicken(I'm not sure it qualifies as a poem, though). Or, depending on the occasion, you might go with In Cold Blood (though I guess no occasion is dark enough to call for In Cold Blood).

Just go with Mothers of the disappeared.

[smalin186]

Not fans of Elvis Ate America?

[Kurukira]

Not fans of Elvis Ate America?

I'd go for American David myself, who'd know the difference?  In Cold Blood would've probably worked a few years ago, but probably not today.  Wraitii, I give you points for pulling out that obscurity, just thought about it the other day (I do own U2 At the End of the World)

[Canadanne]

I like Elvis Ate America as a daft little song, but I thought it was so awful when Bono tried reading it as a serious poem (i.e. 'American David') on that Elvis Lives programme.

[Kurukira]

To me it flowed better spoken than sung, I guess...

[satellitedog01]

I finally understood all the lines with the spoken word version.

And I love the original, but altering someone else's poem to leave out a possibly offensive expression (I doubt many would be taken aback though) is a no go for me. The N word serves a purpose, as it points out the ambiguity of Elvis' career, which he started by "stealing" from black musicians, imitating some of their mannerisms and quirks, then being derided by racist white Americans for the jungle music and performances, and the allegations of him being racist (on which I can't give you a clear opinion, I'm reading up on the topic), and some black musicians being spiteful for him "stealing" the limelight...

It is a fascinating exploration of America (not only applicable to Elvis' days of course), and with flair to boot.

[Domenico of Lovetown]

You might want to look at some of Allen Ginsberg's work.  Bukowski has some nice poems as well.

[emalvick]

Assuming you are in college, I would think that the audience could be reasonable enough to accept what ever the "poem" says. 

That being said, I think you could probably replace the word (or two words as I would probably look at replacing "black n" as an easier way of finding words).  It may seem wrong, but then Johnny Cash replaced the S**T in Hurt with Thorns, and it came off just as good if not better.  The key is to make it seem appropriate and capture the original meaning.

[satellitedog01]

I think the necessary change of the S word in Hurt was the only weak part of the song, even if it works for the performer. It takes away the weight of the line.

[emalvick]

I think the necessary change of the S word in Hurt was the only weak part of the song, even if it works for the performer. It takes away the weight of the line.

I suppose you're right, but it didn't really take away the meaning, and it can be done.  I actually would have liked to hear Johnny sing the word just because it is easy to imagine him saying it. 

Taking away the N word as the OP wants to do, will by necessity also take away the weight of it, but it doesn't mean it can't be done.  I do think the word could be left in given an open-minded class is in place.  Only the OP knows the audience but I'd find a way to leave it in unless I really knew my audience is easily offended.

[satellitedog01]

Yeah, maybe preparing an alternate version and asking the audience about the N word and if they feel it's wrong just use the alternate line...

No, it still feels wrong.

[Terrasidius]

Go with it and retain the N word, I mean Bono didnt shy away from using it for arts sake and nobody else should either. Censorship, especially self censorship is not cool. 

[The Exile]

I think the necessary change of the S word in Hurt was the only weak part of the song, even if it works for the performer. It takes away the weight of the line.

Speaking of which, anyone ever notice the changed line in the Wanderer (comparing the LP version to the one U2 performed at the Cash tribute)?