Well start off with defining a minstrel; not to be confused with menstral.
Heres some good info on the history of minstrels,
http://chnm.gmu.edu/courses/jackson/.../minstrel.html http://www.jochenscheytt.de/minstrel...inpreface.html
After reading this it will give you an idea how gordy may have come up with a catchy song about a minstrel.
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