Language/Culture

This is a subset of "Yes: Caution" - return to full list.

African American English (AAE)

Ensembles must carefully evaluate if it is appropriate for them to sing the original lyrics and must not sing them if it would be culturally appropriative for them to do so.

AAE has been studied by linguists who cite it as a correct and complete language system with consistent internal logic and grammatical complexity. Society at large, however, persists in treating AAE as a sign of low intelligence, which means that people who naturally speak it are regarded as less worthy of jobs and respect. Meanwhile non-Black individuals may "put on" AAE and Black-originated mannerisms and clothing, without suffering the racism faced by the Black originators. And influencers, and corporations profit from the use of AAE and other aspects of Black culture, even as Black people suffer discrimination for the very things generating profit for others. 

Note too that Meghan Trainor (original performer/songwriter) and other non-Black performers have been criticized for the use of AAE/ "blaccent"/ cultural appropriation.

See this brief “Blackfishing” video and the AAE & Cultural Appropriation document for additional details, videos, and references (with a section specific to Meghan Trainor).

Songs with this Caution

This song is admissible, however, these lyrics are African American English (AAE): 

Call up your chiropractor, just in case your neck break

-- might substitute "neck breaks"

Tell me what you ("whatchu") gon' do

-- might substitute "what're you goin' to do"

Ladies, if you feel me, dis yo bop

-- might substitute "if you relate, this is for you" or "this is your song" or similar.

This song has been REEVALUATED from YES to YES: CAUTION

This song is admissible; however, these italicized lyrics are African American English (AAE):

-- If you ain’t runnin’ game

-- You actin’ kinda shady

-- Could it be that you are at the crib with another lady

-- Where my ladies at

Calypso & Caribbean  | Stereotyping/Dialect/Culture


Ensembles should be aware that calypso first emerged in the eighteenth century in Trinidad among communities of enslaved Africans. The musical style was an evolution of West African kaiso, and the satirical lyrics often mocked slave masters through double entendre. Please refer to the following references:

Calypso Music Guide: A Brief History of Calypso Music - 2023 - MasterClass

Trinidad and Tobago National Library: Calypso

Calypso Rhythm Tutorial

When performing calypso/reggae music, care must be taken to not use an exaggerated “island” accent when singing the song or to caricature in other ways. That is, costuming must not include dreadlocks/ethnic clothing and MCs must not mimic an island accent.  This is a matter of respect for the culture. 

Songs with this Caution

This song is based upon a traditional Jamaican folk song to which Christmas lyrics were added by an American choral music composer. As such, it constitutes cultural appropriation, which ensembles may want to discuss and consider when selecting this song. See When Does Appreciation Become Appropriation (video). However, because the lyrics are otherwise innocuous, this song is admissible.

(song is also rated Yes: Lyrics)

SA arrangements likely do not include the accent (e.g, "da" for "the") but maintain the grammatical structure of a West Indian dialect. This is important to maintain the feel of the original song and not “correct” the grammar to conform to “standard English.”

Also, ensembles might consider changing the “slave” lyric (not required): 

Up on the shore they work all day

Out in the sun they slave away

While the word “slave” in and of itself is not racist, it is a very charged word that may conjure troublesome images of chattel slavery, even though the context/message of this song is playful.

With regard to The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy, we debated whether “come” should be changed to “came” in the original lyrics: “he come from the glory, he come from the glorious kingdom,” and indeed, some sources do just that—in an effort not to mimic a West Indian dialect/speech pattern. However, in order to honor the origins of the song and its linguistic diversity, it’s best not to change “come” to “came” in what amounts to a grammatical correction to conform to “standard English.” It is encouraged that MC work explain the origins of the song and its diction.

Medleys with this Caution

Hawaiian Language/Culture

The notes for these songs vary, depending upon whether they are popular/folk songs or more deeply meaningful songs. The call for sensitivity in presentation and performance is the same, including the bulleted items, but the "context & respect" portion applies to the more deeply meaningful songs.

Because this is a song celebrating the Hawaiian indigenous culture, we ask that you be sensitive to how and where this song is performed. It is important for all performers to understand and respect the origin of this song that is deeply meaningful to the Hawaiian indigenous community. 

Please consider carefully how this music can be presented with context and respect for those who created it, before you decide to include this music in your repertoire--especially if no members of the performance group are of indigenous Hawaiian heritage. 

Caution must be used in selecting this song for those who do not have a connection to or understanding of Hawaiian indigenous culture. Without this connection or understanding, your performance may be seen as cultural appropriation:  The Cultural Appropriation Primer | When Does Appreciation Become Appropriation (video). 

Songs with variations of this Caution

Maori Language/Culture


This song is a traditional Māori (New Zealand indigenous) song and has a strong history in New Zealand. Māori songs must not be sung in Te Reo Māori by performers not from New Zealand or who do not have any connection to or understanding of Te Ao or tangata whenua. Without this connection or understanding, it may be seen as cultural appropriation.  See When Does Appreciation Become Appropriation (video).  


For any performance, ensembles must be sensitive to how and where this song is performed. It is important for all performers to understand and respect the origin of this song that is deeply meaningful to the Māori community. Please consider carefully how this music can be presented with context and respect for those who created it, before you decide to include this music in your repertoire--especially if no members of the performing group are of Māori heritage.

Songs with this Caution

For this song, there are no known English translation performances.

There are many translations that would be more appropriate for international groups. For any performance, ensembles must be sensitive to how and where this song is performed. 

While this is a modern song and not a traditional Māori (New Zealand indigenous) song, it is based on Māori traditions.

There are many translations that would be more appropriate for international groups. For any performance, ensembles must be sensitive to how and where this song is performed. 

Medleys with this Caution

Non-English Language/Culture

Whenever a song is performed in a language in which most singers are not fluent, extra care must be taken to ensure that singers and audiences

understand the meaning and intent of the lyrics and to ensure all words are pronounced correctly. This is a matter of respect for the language and

culture.


If lyrics are translated, care must be taken to ensure that translations remain faithful to the original.


We do not add this cautionary note to songs with English lyrics because – as the dominant language in the Barbershop genre – care in pronunciation of English lyrics is already addressed in the Judging Category Description Book – Sec. II–C, bottom of Page 1: Technical Elements.  

Songs with this Caution

With regard to this song, while English-speaking singers have routinely mispronounced "Dios" as "dee-os," it would be preferable to pronounce it correctly, with a shorter "dee" (though not required, given the way it's pronounced in the original and popular English recordings). 

Medleys with this Caution

Romani Culture

The song is admissible because the lyrics themselves do not contain the problematic tropes/issues presented by the source musical and the book upon which it is based. However, because the song presents a message that cannot be understood without the context of the story/characters in the source material, ensembles must give careful thought and consideration in choosing and presenting this song and ensure that all members understand the issues presented by the Disney movie and novel. Appropriate MC introduction should be used, recognizing the harmful depictions of Romani in the novel and musical, but embracing the movie's message of accepting and valuing those whom society treats as outcasts.

[This song] was written for Disney’s 1996 movie adaptation of Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel, The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The novel is extremely problematic in its stereotypical portrayal of Romani people as musical nomads, beggars, thieves and cutthroats. Disney's version modernized and simplified aspects of the novel, changed the backstory, and adds a “happier” ending but does little to dispel the othering and negative stereotypes of Romani, who are in fact drawn as racial caricatures (as seen in #3 here). And while Disney improves upon Hugo’s book in that it presents violence against the Roma as being wrong and the racism exhibited in the Disney movie is largely on the part of the “bad guys,” several other problematic issues also remain:

The liberal use of the racial slur, gypsy—by both villains and protagonists

The objectification and hyper-sexualization of Esmeralda plays into the harmful stereotype of Romani women as dangerous and cunning, using their sexuality to get what they want. This is especially problematic given Roma women’s “history of being sexually assaulted, enslaved, fetishized, and marginalized by White men.” (How Gypsy Erases Romani Women)

Quasimodo—the other Roma main character—is also exoticized and othered in his “monstrous” appearance and super-human strength. The Disney voice actor for the Romani character Clopin is quoted as saying: “I invented Clopin’s accent. Although the film takes place in Paris, the Gypsies are a separate society. They’re not from Paris, and they’re not quite Russian, French, or Czech. So I went with an accent that you can’t quite put your finger on.” Yet, the Romani are not related to any of the nationalities he lists and actually do have specific accents depending upon the dialects spoken.

As Roma and their history often face erasure, especially in regard to the genocide of Roma both during and prior to World War II and The Holocaust, it is important that Roma be positively, respectfully, and more often depicted in the media, and for racism against them to be thoroughly and accurately addressed.[1] Unfortunately, the Disney film does little to address the harmful and erroneous images of Romani and ends up perpetuating a view of the Roma that has haunted them for centuries. The Roma are the fastest-growing ethnic group in Eastern Europe and the most disadvantaged—continuing to suffer oppression today.[2] People pay attention to what happens in Notre Dame. While it means resilience, strength and beauty for the French and others across the world, it's also a place where prejudices and harmful images have emerged and continue to negatively impact the Roma. [3]

Songs with this Caution

(song is also rated Yes: Lyrics)  This song is admissible only with the omission of “gypsy vermin” from the lyrics.

Medleys with this Caution

Other Foreign Language / Culture cautions

Ensembles must not use stereotypical Brazilian gestures, accents, language, costuming, or characterization.

The lyrics and message of the song are not racist, and we found no problematic recordings of the song. However, it is tricky to satirize a culture to which one doesn't belong, especially when it is a majority Black/Brown culture. We found no concrete evidence that there would be a problem. But while it is likely most will not be offended, some Brazilians (or others) might not receive the song well.

There is a strong coffee culture in Brazil where besides being a ubiquitous part of day-to-day life, it represents an important livelihood. That Brazilians take their coffee seriously is evidenced by the strong pushback on a journalist's tweet during the 2016 Olympics in Brazil about the small size of coffee cups in the press center. Brazil Got Real Mad at This Canadian Journalist For Complaining About The Coffee At The Olympics.


This arrangement includes Māori verses as per the 2017 Stan Walker version that was very popular in New Zealand. Stan Walker video (with Māori lyrics)

If Māori lyrics are used:

*We do not add this cautionary note to songs with English lyrics because – as the dominant language in the Barbershop genre – care in pronunciation of English lyrics is already addressed in the Judging Category Description Book – Sec. II–C, bottom of Page 1: Technical Elements.  


Because this song is in Swahili, ensembles must be sensitive to how it is presented and performed.  This is a matter of respect for the language and culture. 


This song was arranged for the submitting chorus (that was granted permission to do so). Those performing the song must gain an understanding of the struggles of the aboriginal peoples of Canada to understand the song’s specific meaning and message. Appropriate MC work should be used. The title of this song is in the language spoken by the Inuit. 


Reevaluation: Apr 25, 2022: change from Yes to YES: Caution

Reevaluation: Apr 29, 2024: remains YES: Caution with additional notes/references

This song remains admissible, but in addition to the below requirement (underlined), ensembles should be aware that some audience and/or ensemble members may be discomfited by this song for the following reasons:

Ensembles must not use stereotypical Asian gestures, accents, language, costuming, or characterization. This sometimes happens in an attempt to be creative or humorous, and must be avoided.

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in World War II

To Dismantle Anti-Asian Racism, We Must Understand Its Roots

10 anti-Asian stereotypes that need to be dumped NOW


We urge caution in the selection of this song,* due to its promotion of a Westernized distortion of the “hula girl” or “ukulele lady.”  Ukulele Lady is a hapa-haole (half-white) song--a genre that emerged from American colonial expansion to Hawai’i. This music has been criticized for solidifying and perpetuating U.S. mainland caricatures of Hawai‘i as a place of grass shacks,white sandy beaches, lovely hula maidens, and happy dancing natives. (reference) 

Please carefully review the history and reference provided in the history question here and note the following:  

* Performing certain hapa haole songs to a local Hawaiian audience can be fun and entertaining simply because they are so very familiar. Taking it outside the local arena warrants more perspective and insight.  Please see the ADDITIONAL DETAILS section in this document here for more about hapa haole music and additional references. 


Vuelie is based on and inspired by "jojk/ joik," a traditional style of vocal music of the Sámi, the indigenous people of Northern Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. Vuelie was adapted from Eatnemen Vuelie (Song of the Earth). This song contains the elements of joik that is used in Vuelie, but it also contains the first verse of a Christian hymn that is well known in Norway and Sweden (not contained in Vuelie).

This is significant because during the Christianization of the Sámi from the 1700s onwards, joiking was considered sinful. One of the reasons that joiking was controversial was that it was associated with noaidi (Sámi Shaman) and magical practices. In the Kingdoms of Denmark-Norway, the Sámi religion was banned on death penalty as witchcraft. Under the Norwegianization policy, joiking was forbidden or discouraged in certain areas and the Sámi people have been subjugated and oppressed to this day. Nevertheless, joiking is still alive as a means of expression. In recent years, joik has acquired a new value as a cultural symbol and is being used in new contexts.

The following is therefore imperative:

Caution must be used in selecting this song for those who do not have a connection to or understanding of Sámi culture. Without this connection or understanding, your performance may be seen as cultural appropriation.

REGARDING FROZEN:

Please note that the movie from which this song originates, Disney’s Frozen, has been criticized for its inclusion of elements of the Sámi culture (the Indigenous people of the Scandinavian regions) with no context or acknowledgement, sparking conversations about about cultural appropriation and erasure on social media. See When Does Appreciation Become Appropriation (video).  Happily, Disney cooperated with Saami representatives for Frozen 2, representing the culture in an appropriate way, even creating a version of the movie in their mother tongue.

Disney signed a contract with Indigenous leaders to portray culture respectfully in Frozen II

Behind the Scenes of Frozen 2: How Saami Representatives Cooperated With Disney