South Adelaide Panthers have no plans to change club song, after it was labelled ‘racist’ by campaigner who fought to get Coon cheese renamed

An SANFL club says it has no plans to change its song, after an indigenous activist described the tune as from “one of the most racist songs of all time”.

South Adelaide Football Club says it is not considering changing its club song, after an indigenous activist described the tune as “one of the most racist songs of all time”.

Stephen Hagan, the activist who led the successful campaign to rename Coon cheese, on Saturday called on the Carlton Football Club to change its song because of the offensive lyrics originally written to the tune.

Carlton management have said they have no plans to compose a new song and the lyrics “effectively removed the original song’s racist connotations”.

The tune is also used by the South Adelaide Panthers SANFL club, and CEO Neill Sharpe said his club also had no plans to change.

Mr Sharpe said the club had not been contacted by anyone about the issue.

“I wouldn’t know what the original lyrics of the song were,” he said.

“The club’s had different theme songs at different times.”

He said he did not believe there was anything about the club’s song that was racist.

“I suppose I’m a bit surprised by any request (to change the song),” he said.

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Indigenous activist Dr Stephen Hagan was instrumental in getting Coon cheese renamed. Now he wants Carlton to change its “racist” club song.

LILY OF LAGUNA TUNE PANNED FOR RACISM

When Carlton win, the players and supporters celebrate by singing We are the Navy Blues.

The almost-century-old ditty was said to be written around 1929 by Agnes Wright and her cousin Irene McEldrew who ran a boarding house in the inner Melbourne suburb of Hawthorn where Carlton players lodged.

The lyrics, which mostly revolve around Carlton’s winning ways, are not offensive, Dr Hagan told news.com.au.

What is offensive, he said, is the tune those lyrics are sung to.

Ms Wright and Ms McEldrew wrote the words to the tune of Lily of Laguna, a song penned by English composer Leslie Stuart.

The original lyrics concern a black man pining after a Native American women. It was frequently performed in black face.

Lily of Laguna contains several slurs and was considered so racist that by the 1940s popular singers of the day, such as Bing Crosby, sung a new version shorn of its most troubling lines.

The club song of Carlton has been accused of having racist origins. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

RELATED: EX-MAGPIE OPENS UP ON RACISM AT COLLINGWOOD

Sheet music cover for "Lily of Laguna". Picture: National Library of Australia.

A rendition of the original song is below, as well as the current Carlton song, so you can compare them. If you don’t want to hear some racist lyrics it’s best not to press play on the original version.

CARLTON FOOTBALL CLUB RESPONDS

A spokesman for Carlton told news.com.au the club had long been aware of the tune’s troubled history. However, it questioned whether the song that inspired Ms Wright and Ms McEldrew was even the version with the racist lyrics.

“The lyrics to the original song were changed 80 years ago to remove the racial origins, which is around the time the club first penned its lyrics to the theme.”

In the statement the club said the lyrics of the Carlton theme song “do not in any way resemble” the words used in the Lily of Laguna song.

“In the process of writing the lyrics of the Carlton Football Club theme song, the creators of the song effectively removed the original song’s racist connotations.

“The Lily of Laguna lyrics are of no relevance to the lyrics that were penned in good faith for the club.”

Carlton said the club was committed to providing a “culturally safe environment” for players, staff, members and supporters.

“We will continue to consult and listen to indigenous elders and key advisers, including players, as we have already done in regards to this particular discussion, to maintain and improve on our culturally safe environment.”

INDIGENOUS PLAYERS BACK CURRENT SONG

As well as triumphing, after many years, in his drive to get Coon cheese renamed, Dr Hagan led a long running campaign to rename the ES “N****r” Brown stand at a stadium in Toowoomba.

“It took me 10 years to get the name of the stand changed and now I’m doing the same for another sporting club.”

Dr Hagan said Carlton had told him its decision to not alter the tune was partly based on feedback from its indigenous reconciliation action plan committee including several players. Carlton confirmed that Eddie Betts was one of those players consulted.

“I’m absolutely shocked they would defend the racist theme song music rather than fight against the clearly racist origins of the melody,” said Dr Hagan.

“It doesn’t make the song any less racist that a couple of Aboriginal players who are very loyal to the club defend it.”

Asked whether the song needed to be changed, given precious few supporters or players would even realise the tune derives from an 1898 song with racist lyrics, Dr Hagan said that didn’t matter.

“How do you think Jewish people would feel if Collingwood’s song was based on propaganda music from the Hitler Youth?”

Coon cheese will be Cheer by the middle of this year.