It turns out that years ago the education chiefs on the Birmingham (UK) City Counsel ignited a little PC controversy when they had adopted guidelines stating that:
"The term 'black sheep' is considered by many people a very negative statement. It is often used to describe someone's negative feelings about a person, eg. 'he's the black sheep of the family'. The history behind the rhyme is very negative and also very offensive to black people, due to the fact that the rhyme originates from slavery. The rhyme has colonial links: 'Three bags full' refers to the three bags of wool which the slaves were told to collect and 'yes sir, yes sir' is how the slaves would reply to the slave masters when told to do a task. For the above reasons it would be advisable to refrain from singing this nursery rhyme." http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/600470.stm
Well, this historical analysis of the rhyme appears to be dead wrong. The consensus seems to be that
"Although the first publication of the nursery rhyme was in 1744, it probably dates back to the Middle Ages, possibly to the 13th Century, and relates to a tax imposed by the king on wool. One-third went to the local lord (the 'master'), one-third to the church (referred to as the 'dame') and about a third was for the farmer (the 'little boy who lives down the lane')." http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=379114&in_page_id=1770&in_page_id=1770&expand=true
But why should the historical reality matter? If it _sounds_ like it reinforces racial hierarchy to contemporary listeners, why not pull it out of the public schools? Or change it -- as w/ "Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Mo"? I'm sure childhood can be just as rich without ever encountering Baa Baa Black Sheep.
With all that said, I have to confess to having a similar reaction to Chris when I first read Doug's original post. I have nothing invested in the continued recitation of Baa Baa Black Sheep; so this was surprising and disturbing to me.
-WD