LIGHTEN UP ALREADY

Sure, the lyrics to "Pick A Bale of Cotton" might offend:

Jump down, turn around, pick a bale of cotton. Gotta jump down, turn around, Oh Lordie, pick a bale a day.

But is that enough to strike the song from a school choir program? It is in Detroit Rock City. From UPI:

The predominantly-white choir at Anderson Middle School in Berkley, Mich., was going to sing "Pick a Bale of Cotton" during its Wednesday choir program, but after an African-American father removed his da.ughter from the concert, the song was pulled, the Detroit News reported.

Greg Montgomery, whose daughter China sings in the choir, asked that the song be removed from the program last week. After his request was rejected, said his daughter would not participate in the school function.

In announcing the reversal of the decision Monday a district spokeswoman said: "We never wanted to cause this much distress for a child or her family."

For God's sake, whatever you do, don't let the child read Mark Twain.