Edited by Azizi Powell
This is Part II of a two part series on the four corners & funky four corners music, dances, and fraternity routines. Part II features videos of those dances and fraternity routines.
Part I provides information about and four examples of "Four Corners" & "Funky Four Corners" records.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/04/four-corners-funky-four-corners.html for Part I of this series.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
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GENERAL OVERVIEW
The "four corners" and "funky four corners" are late 1960s African American orginated individual dance & African American orginated line dances.*
"The funky four corners" is also the name of footwork, hopping (steppin) routines that are performed by the historically Black Greek lettered fraternity Omega Psi Phi, Inc.
In addition, "the four corners" also appears to be a dance movement that is performed by South Africans to at least one Gospel song.
*The "four corners" is also a name of a American country line
dance. Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gr7W1nK49tk for one example of this dance.
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GENERAL OVERVIEW ERTHE MEANING OF "FOUR CORNERS" AND "FUNKY FOUR CORNERS"
"Four corners" records are instructional dance records which include the title "four corners", "funky four corners", or the word "corners" with some other number. "Instructional dance" records are those in which a singer gives instructions on how to do a particular dance. However, those dances can be done to other records.
The "funky four corner" Omega Psi Phi fraternity routine is usually done with call & response chanting and is always without any accompanying music.
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FEATURED VIDEOS - Line dances
Editor's Note: From listening to the Highlighter Band's record "The Funky 16 Corners" which is the first of the "corners records"*, it appears to me that a line dance was the first type of dance that was done to "corners records". However I'm not sure if that conclusion is correct.
*As per information provided in http://funky16corners.wordpress.com/2009/06/28/funky16corners-radio-v-71-getting-the-corners/ and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Funky_16_Corners.
Example #1: FOUR CORNERS
iwill77Uploaded on May 12, 2007
SHUFFLE DANCE FROM ENGAGMENT PARTY ON 5/11/07
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Example #2: Jam on it: 4 Corners
holyhoptv, Uploaded on Nov 18, 2010
Check it out! Vessel and J-Shafer teaching you how to do 4 Corners! Don't be ashamed wild out for Christ! Jam on it!!
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Example #3: fight the power dance Isley brothers-Four Corners
nikkicole1,Uploaded on Apr 29, 2011
my family once again line dancing
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FEATURED VIDEOS- Individual dance
Flash Mob - Part 3 - Funky Four Corners
cmliss2010, Uploaded on Nov 5, 2010
More and more flash mob rehearsals
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VIDEO EXAMPLE FROM A SOUTH AFRICAN GOSPEL CONCERT
Solly Mahlangu - Wa Hamba Nathi
eydelyworshi, Uploaded on Dec 19, 2011
-snip-
The lead singer, the background singers & the audience start performing the four corners" at 3:44 in this video.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/12/solly-mahlangu-wahamba-nathi-siyabonga.html for a pancocojams post about this song.
A similar but partial four corners marching movement is done in this South African Gospel performance from that same concert http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/04/joyous-celebration-2012-abazohamba.html starting at 6:27 of that video.
My sense is that those marching movements to Gospel songs are performed as indications that the marchers are serious in their religious beliefs & that they are part of God's army. I'd love to know if the "four corners" is also performed in the nation of South Africa for non-Gospel songs.
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FEATURED VIDEOS - Fraternity Routines
Note: These movement routines & chants should only be performed by those who are associated with this fraternity.
Example #1: Omega Psi Phi Beta Eta
.
Xay90, Uploaded on Aug 20, 2010
The Beta Eta Chapter of the University of Alabama sets it owt for the new students in the Ferguson Center. Starting the year off right, Beta Eta devises its master plan to set it OWT for the year.
Omega Psi Phi
The Beta Eta Chapter
X.Burgin
www.quethelights.com
-snip-
The funky four corners routine begins at 2:17 in this video.
Here's my transcription of this chant:
Lead group: Oh let
[Oh let]
Ah me see
[Ah see what]
Lead -Ah the funky four corners
[I say the funky four corners]
I said the the funky four corners
[See the funky four corners]
All: Hee yah Ahh ah Omega Psi Phi
Hee yah Ahh ah Que Psi Phi
Hee yah Ahh ah Omega Psi Phi
Hee Yah Ahh Que Psi Phi
Ah Q!
[barking]*
*Dog barks are the signature call of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
-snip-
Transcription by Azizi Powell from the video. Additions & corrections are welcome.
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Example #2: Funky Four corners
royr314 Uploaded on Aug 2, 2011
-snip-
Here's my transcription of this chant:
The group chants in unison:
Oh let
Oh let
Ah me see
Ah see what
Oh let
Oh let
Ah me see
Ah see what
The funky four corners, yeah
With its funky butt
It goes “Yah Hah Hiii Omega Psi Phi
Yah Hah Hiii Omega Psi Phi
Oh Yah Hah Hiii Omega Psi Phi
It goes “Yah Hah Hiii Omega Psi Phi
[barking]*
*Dog barks are the signature call of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
-snip-
Transcription by Azizi Powell from the video. Additions & corrections are welcome.
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Example #3: PLL 4th of July Parade - Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
dmvques, Published on Sep 6, 2012
The Bruhz of Pi Lambda Lambda SET OWT Funky Four Corners during the Dale City 2012 4th of July Parade.
-snip-
The funky four corners routine is from 0.53 -1:14 in this video.
Here's my transcription of this chant:
Oh, let me see
[Ah see what]
The funky four corners
[yeah]
The funky
The funky four.
All: It goes
Ah yah Hiii Omega Psi Phi [4x]
Que!
[barking]*
*Dog barks are the signature call of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
-snip-
Transcription by Azizi Powell from the video. Additions & corrections are welcome.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to all those who are featured in this post. Thanks also to the producers of these videos and their YouTube publishers.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
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