Edited by Azizi Powell
Infamous New York City Mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner refused to quit the Democratic mayoral race today saying "Quit isn't the way we roll in New York City".
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/30/anthony-weiner-ad_n_3679075.html
In my opinion, it makes no sense for Weiner to have resigned from the United States Congress because of his inappropriate actions but now refuses to quit the New York Democratic mayoral primary after it became known that he continued those same egregious sexual actions. However, since this is a folkloric and a music blog and not a political blog, I'd like to focus on Weiner's use of the African American vernacular phrase "the way we roll".
WHAT "THE WAY WE ROLL" MEAN
"That's the way we roll" ("This is the way we roll") means "That's the way we are". Another way of saying "That's the way we roll" is "That's the way we do things when we are being true to ourselves."
"The way we roll" is how people behave when they aren't "putting on a front" (faking it) but are expressing their true nature or their "real" attitude or reaction/s to that time and place. "That's the way we roll" or "That's the way I roll" is bluntly and unapologetically said with the unspoken addition of "and if you don't like it, I couldn't care less".
From http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=roll&page=2
"To roll *
A word used to describe a particular person's behavior or idiosyncrasies.
I work hard and party hard. That's how I roll.
-olivesmarch, 4th Jun 22, 2005
* This was the eight definition for "to roll" that was submitted to urban dictionary. That infinitive has other meanings that aren't related to the phrase "This is the way we roll" or "This is the way I roll". African Americans gave "to roll" that particular vernacular meaning at least by the early 1990s.
The core meaning of "to roll" is "to move a certain way". It's my position that the slang meaning of "to roll" = "to behave in an intrinsic manner" comes from the belief that the way a person "lives and moves" reflects and determines that person's being.
In 1991 Mc Hammer recorded the song "This Is The Way We Roll". A video of that song is embedded below. Here's an excerpt of the lyrics of that song:
"Down the highway
I'm doing it all my way...
My tank is full
My fame is strong
I got it like that
So I'm rollin' on...
This is the way we roll
We roll... We roll
This is the way we roll... Rollin'
(Rollin'... Rollin'... I'm rollin' on)
This is the way we roll
We roll... We roll
This is the way we roll... Rollin'
(Rollin'... Rollin'
All through Oaktown I'm rollin' on)
-snip-
Click http://www.lyricsfreak.com/h/hammer/this+is+the+way+we+roll_20863540.html for the complete lyrics of that Mc Hammer song.
-snip-
It's my position that "we roll" in that song has a double meaning of
1."goes from one place to another"
and
2. "the style that [the manner in which] those particular people move (behave, live, approach other people and different situations)".
That said the way a person "rolls" could change dependent on time & circumstances, but it seems to me that within that statement is the declaration that this way of moving (or "stylin") is the person's or the people's real way of being.
WHAT ANTHONY WEINER'S COMMENT MEANS
When Anthony Weiner said that "Quit isn't how New Yorkers roll", he meant that quitting is against the intrinsic nature of New Yorkers.
TWO SONGS THAT HAVE "THE WAY WE ROLL" IN THEIR TITLE
(These examples are presented in chronological order with the oldest example posted first.)
Example #1: Mc Hammer - This is the way we roll (1991)
videovideosvideo, Published on Apr 7, 2012
-snip-
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Is_The_Way_We_Roll
"This Is the Way We Roll is a single released by Hammer from the album Too Legit to Quit.[1]
The song was featured in the film, The Addams Family, and was performed by Hammer on Saturday Night Live.[2] A music video was produced for the track as well.
-snip-
Another song from that album is "Rollin' on Oaktown Style".
****
Example #2: Jonas Brothers - Thats The Way We Roll - Official Video (HQ)
Jonas Brothers, Uploaded on Dec 27, 2007
Taken from the Bonus Jonas Edition CD/DVD. In stores now!
-snip-
This song is included in "the Jonas Brothers' self-titled second studio album and the international debut album released by the Jonas Brothers... The album was released on August 7, 2007".
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonas_Brothers_(album)
-snip-
The title of this Jonas Brothers' song is the only similarity between that song & the earlier Mc Hammer song. Here's the chorus of that Jonas Brothers' song:
"[Chorus:]
And I know
We get a little crazy
And I know
We get a little loud
And I know
We're never gonna fake it
We are wild, we are free
We are more than you think
So call us freaks
'but that's just the way we roll"
Click http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/jonasbrothers/thatsjustthewayweroll.html for the lyrics to this song.
-snip-
For what it's worth, as an African American, the sentence "That's the way I roll" appears to be used much more often than "This is the way we roll". This might be partly attributed to the fact that the former song title is more contemporary than the latter. However, I don't recall many people saying "This is the way we (or "I") roll" back in the day when Mc Hammer made his record. The preference for "That's the way we roll" is understandable given the American [both Black and non-Black] propensity for informality and our custom of shortening words, using abbreviations, and using whatever part of speech "that's" is (instead of "that is" or "this is").
Notice that Anthony Weiner- and Mc Hammer - used the not-as-cool version of that "way we roll" phrase. Hmm.
****
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post - with the possible exception of Anthony Weiner...
Special thanks to Mc Hammer and the Jonas Brothers and to those who published their video on YouTube.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, folkloric, and entertainment purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Monday, July 29, 2013
Children's Cheer "Our Team Is Red Hot"
Edited by Azizi Powell
This post provides four videos of the children's cheerleader cheer "Our Team Is Red Hot" (also known as "Red Hot"). These videos showcase some of the differences between three children's cheerleading styles - mainstream cheerleading, modified mainstream cheerleading, and stomp & shake cheereading.
The basic words to "Our Team Is Red Hot" are in the summary of Video #4. Click http://cocojams.com/content/childrens-cheerleader-cheers for more text examples of "Red Hot".
The content of this post is provided for folkloric and recreational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
FEATURED TEXT EXAMPLES
(These examples are presented in chronological order based on the date of their internet posting date with the oldest dates presented first).
****
TYPES OF CHILDREN & YOUTH CHEERLEADING ROUTINES
Here are three simplified descriptions of the categories I use for children's cheerleading routines:
Mainstream cheerleading - traditional cheerleading routines that don't include any element/s of stomp & shake cheerleading and/or foot stomping cheer.
Modified mainstream cheerleading - cheerleading routines that include one or more elements of stomp & shake cheerleading but those movements are only slightly performed, i.e. only a slight hip swing
Stomp & shake cheerleading - cheerleading routines that include movements such as foot stomping, up stomps (foot stomps with the leg lifted], hip swings, and chest pops)
****
FEATURED VIDEO EXAMPLES
(These examples are presented in chronological order based on the date of their internet posting date with the oldest dates presented first).
Video #1: Red Hot Cheer
sara3330123, Uploaded on Oct 2, 2008
hhs jv redhot cheer. :]
-snip-
This is an example of a minimally modified mainstream cheerleading routine. I categorized this routine as "modified mainstream" because of the cheerleaders' very slight hip swing. Traditional (what I call "mainstream") cheerleading doesn't permit hip swings -or "chest pops".
****
Video #2: HHS Cheerleaders "Red Hot"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuRmbuysVNk
HHSCheeringFalcons,Uploaded on Mar 6, 2010
Huguenot Cheerleaders performing "Red Hot" on the sideline at Cosby.
[embedding disabled by request]
-snip-
This video is an example of stomp & shake cheerleading. Click http://cocojams.com/content/stomp-and-shake-cheerleader-cheers for more information & examples of stomp & shake cheerleading.
****
Example #3: Bethune Elementary Cheer Team - Red Hot Cheer
Kevin Ho Uploaded on Dec 19, 2010
...another awesome cheer from our BES Cheer Team!
-snip-
This is an example of a modified mainstream cheerleading routine. I categorized this routine as "modified mainstream" because of the cheerleaders' hip swing and chest pop (chest pumps). In particular, notice the way the African American squad members do the hip swing and the chest pop movements compared with their White squad members.
****
Video #4: Red Hot
LionsClubCheer·Uploaded on Aug 24, 2011
Our team is red hot. Our team is red hot. Our team is R-E-D red, H-O-T hot, once we start we can't be stopped!
-snip-
This is an example of mainstream cheerleading. Notice that there's not even a slight hip swing and there's no chest pop.
****
Thanks to those who are featured in these videos.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This post provides four videos of the children's cheerleader cheer "Our Team Is Red Hot" (also known as "Red Hot"). These videos showcase some of the differences between three children's cheerleading styles - mainstream cheerleading, modified mainstream cheerleading, and stomp & shake cheereading.
The basic words to "Our Team Is Red Hot" are in the summary of Video #4. Click http://cocojams.com/content/childrens-cheerleader-cheers for more text examples of "Red Hot".
The content of this post is provided for folkloric and recreational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
FEATURED TEXT EXAMPLES
(These examples are presented in chronological order based on the date of their internet posting date with the oldest dates presented first).
****
TYPES OF CHILDREN & YOUTH CHEERLEADING ROUTINES
Here are three simplified descriptions of the categories I use for children's cheerleading routines:
Mainstream cheerleading - traditional cheerleading routines that don't include any element/s of stomp & shake cheerleading and/or foot stomping cheer.
Modified mainstream cheerleading - cheerleading routines that include one or more elements of stomp & shake cheerleading but those movements are only slightly performed, i.e. only a slight hip swing
Stomp & shake cheerleading - cheerleading routines that include movements such as foot stomping, up stomps (foot stomps with the leg lifted], hip swings, and chest pops)
****
FEATURED VIDEO EXAMPLES
(These examples are presented in chronological order based on the date of their internet posting date with the oldest dates presented first).
Video #1: Red Hot Cheer
sara3330123, Uploaded on Oct 2, 2008
hhs jv redhot cheer. :]
-snip-
This is an example of a minimally modified mainstream cheerleading routine. I categorized this routine as "modified mainstream" because of the cheerleaders' very slight hip swing. Traditional (what I call "mainstream") cheerleading doesn't permit hip swings -or "chest pops".
****
Video #2: HHS Cheerleaders "Red Hot"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuRmbuysVNk
HHSCheeringFalcons,Uploaded on Mar 6, 2010
Huguenot Cheerleaders performing "Red Hot" on the sideline at Cosby.
[embedding disabled by request]
-snip-
This video is an example of stomp & shake cheerleading. Click http://cocojams.com/content/stomp-and-shake-cheerleader-cheers for more information & examples of stomp & shake cheerleading.
****
Example #3: Bethune Elementary Cheer Team - Red Hot Cheer
Kevin Ho Uploaded on Dec 19, 2010
...another awesome cheer from our BES Cheer Team!
-snip-
This is an example of a modified mainstream cheerleading routine. I categorized this routine as "modified mainstream" because of the cheerleaders' hip swing and chest pop (chest pumps). In particular, notice the way the African American squad members do the hip swing and the chest pop movements compared with their White squad members.
****
Video #4: Red Hot
LionsClubCheer·Uploaded on Aug 24, 2011
Our team is red hot. Our team is red hot. Our team is R-E-D red, H-O-T hot, once we start we can't be stopped!
-snip-
This is an example of mainstream cheerleading. Notice that there's not even a slight hip swing and there's no chest pop.
****
Thanks to those who are featured in these videos.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Robert Johnson - They're Red Hot (with lyrics)
Edited by Azizi Powell
This post showcases Robert Johnson's 1936 uptempo Blues song "They're Red Hot". Lyrics for & commentary about that song are also included in this post.
The content of this post is provided for folkloric, cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLE: They're Red Hot 1936 - ROBERT JOHNSON (Ragtime Blues Guitar Legend
)
RagtimeDorianHenry, Uploaded on Apr 17, 2009
****
LYRICS: THEY'RE RED HOT
(Robert Johnson)
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
I got a girls, say she long and tall
She sleeps in the kitchen with her feets in the hall
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale, I mean
Yes, she got'em for sale, yeah Hot tamales and they're red hot,
yes she got'em for sale
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
She got two for a nickel, got four for a dime
Would sell you more, but they ain't none of mine
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale, I mean
Yes, she got'em for sale, yes, yeah Hot tamales and they're red hot,
yes she got'em for sale
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
I got a letter from a girl in the room
Now she got something good she got to bring home soon, now
Its hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got em for sale, I mean
Yes, she got'em for sale, yeah Hot tamales and they're red hot,
yes she got em for sale
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got em for sale
(spoken) They're too hot boy!
The billy got back in a bumble bee nest
Ever since that he can't take his rest, yeah
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes you got'em for sale, I mean
Yes, she got'em for sale Hot tamales and they're red hot,
yes she got'em for sale
(spoken) Man don't mess around em hot tamales now
(spoken) Cause they too black bad, if you mess around em hot tamales
(spoken) I'm [g]onna upset your backbone, put your kidneys to sleep
(spoken) I'll due to break away your liver and dare your heart to beat bout my
Hot tamales cause they red hot, yes they got em for sale, I mean
Yes, she got em for sale, yeah Hot tamales and they're red hot,
yes she got'em for sale
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
You know grandma left and grandpa too
Well I wonder what in the world we chillun gon do now
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale, I mean
Yes she got'em for sale Hot tamales and they're red hot,
yes she got'em for sale
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
Me and my babe bought a V-8 Ford
Well we wind that thing all on the runnin board, yes
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale, I mean
Yes she got'em for sale, yeah Hot tamales and they're red hot,
yes she got'em for sale
They're too hot boy!
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes, now she got em for sale
You know the monkey, now the baboon playin in the grass
Well the monkey stuck his finger in that old 'Good Gulf Gas', now
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale, I mean
Yes she got'em for sale, yeah Hot tamales and they're red hot,
yes she got'em for sale
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
I got a girls, say she long and tall
Sleeps in the kitchen with her feets in the hall
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale, I mean
Yes she got'em for sale, yeah
Source: http://www.robertjohnsonbluesfoundation.org/music/robert-johnson-centennial-collection/they%E2%80%99re-red-hot
****
COMMENTARY
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/They're_Red_Hot
" "They're Red Hot" is a song originally performed and written by blues musician Robert Johnson. Notably, it is one of very few songs recorded by the bluesman that is not based around twelve bar blues. It is based on a common ragtime chord progression. Unlike some other Johnson songs, only one recording of this song exists.
It was also performed by the Red Hot Chili Peppers on their 1991 album Blood Sugar Sex Magik. The band recorded this song outside of The Mansion on top of a hill at two in the morning, as seen in the 1992 documentary Funky Monks. The song is available for download for the Rock Band series, being one of the shortest and most difficult."
-snip-
From http://www.dcourier.com/main.asp?SectionID=74&subsectionID=395&articleID=47447
Steve Stockmar, The Daily Courier July 29, 2013 Prescott Arizona
They're Red Hot"
Artist: Robert Johnson
..."First, let's talk about the guitar. Robert Johnson's rhythmically-cinematic acoustic guitar is the blueprint for Keith Richards' DNA. Let's move on.
The key line of "They're Red Hot" is "hot tamales and they're red hot." Throughout this performance, one is never quite sure whether Robert is referring to tamales or women, but even money is on the latter...
It's brilliant Robert Johnson. What's most amazing is his tireless tempo. Robert's twangy guitar works hard to keep up with his relentless fingers. And so help me, he takes on the whole song with a single mighty breath. He raps 581 words in exactly three minutes and one second, as though begging for an urgent glass of water after suddenly eating a hot tamale.
Recorded Nov. 27, 1936, in San Antonio. It's found on any one of three albums available on most mp3 sites: "All Time Blues Classics," "Robert Johnson: The Complete Recordings," and "King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. 2."
Enjoy.
-snip-
Prior to researching information for this psot, I was familiar with the "hot tamales and they're red hot" refrain of this song, but I wasn't aware how really risque this song actually is - for example, "the monkey & baboon playing in the grass" verse.
As a bit of trivia, the "girl who's long & tall/sleeps in the kitchen with her feet in the hall" verse is an old African American floating verse. At least one song that is included in Thomas W. Talley's now classic 1922 collection Negro Folk Rhymes: Wise & Otherwise describes a man being so long and tall that he chicken roost on his feet. And the description of a girl being long & tall is the inspiration for Little Richard'a 1956 Rock & Roll song "Long Tall Sally".
Also, it's my strong opinion that the title & refrain of Robert Johnson's uptempo Blues song "They're Red Hot" -but not its risque verses- are the inpiration for the children's cheerleader cheer "Red Hot" [Our team is red hot!] However, I believe that few if any of those cheerleaders or their adult coaches are aware of the connection between their cheers and this famous Blues song.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/07/childrens-cheer-our-team-is-red-hot.html for video examples & commentary about the children's cheer "Our Team Is Red Hot".
****
Thanks to Robert Johnson for his musical legacy. Thanks also to those who are quoted in this post & to the publisher of the sound file which is showcased in this post.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This post showcases Robert Johnson's 1936 uptempo Blues song "They're Red Hot". Lyrics for & commentary about that song are also included in this post.
The content of this post is provided for folkloric, cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLE: They're Red Hot 1936 - ROBERT JOHNSON (Ragtime Blues Guitar Legend
)
RagtimeDorianHenry, Uploaded on Apr 17, 2009
****
LYRICS: THEY'RE RED HOT
(Robert Johnson)
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
I got a girls, say she long and tall
She sleeps in the kitchen with her feets in the hall
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale, I mean
Yes, she got'em for sale, yeah Hot tamales and they're red hot,
yes she got'em for sale
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
She got two for a nickel, got four for a dime
Would sell you more, but they ain't none of mine
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale, I mean
Yes, she got'em for sale, yes, yeah Hot tamales and they're red hot,
yes she got'em for sale
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
I got a letter from a girl in the room
Now she got something good she got to bring home soon, now
Its hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got em for sale, I mean
Yes, she got'em for sale, yeah Hot tamales and they're red hot,
yes she got em for sale
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got em for sale
(spoken) They're too hot boy!
The billy got back in a bumble bee nest
Ever since that he can't take his rest, yeah
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes you got'em for sale, I mean
Yes, she got'em for sale Hot tamales and they're red hot,
yes she got'em for sale
(spoken) Man don't mess around em hot tamales now
(spoken) Cause they too black bad, if you mess around em hot tamales
(spoken) I'm [g]onna upset your backbone, put your kidneys to sleep
(spoken) I'll due to break away your liver and dare your heart to beat bout my
Hot tamales cause they red hot, yes they got em for sale, I mean
Yes, she got em for sale, yeah Hot tamales and they're red hot,
yes she got'em for sale
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
You know grandma left and grandpa too
Well I wonder what in the world we chillun gon do now
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale, I mean
Yes she got'em for sale Hot tamales and they're red hot,
yes she got'em for sale
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
Me and my babe bought a V-8 Ford
Well we wind that thing all on the runnin board, yes
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale, I mean
Yes she got'em for sale, yeah Hot tamales and they're red hot,
yes she got'em for sale
They're too hot boy!
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes, now she got em for sale
You know the monkey, now the baboon playin in the grass
Well the monkey stuck his finger in that old 'Good Gulf Gas', now
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale, I mean
Yes she got'em for sale, yeah Hot tamales and they're red hot,
yes she got'em for sale
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
I got a girls, say she long and tall
Sleeps in the kitchen with her feets in the hall
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale, I mean
Yes she got'em for sale, yeah
Source: http://www.robertjohnsonbluesfoundation.org/music/robert-johnson-centennial-collection/they%E2%80%99re-red-hot
****
COMMENTARY
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/They're_Red_Hot
" "They're Red Hot" is a song originally performed and written by blues musician Robert Johnson. Notably, it is one of very few songs recorded by the bluesman that is not based around twelve bar blues. It is based on a common ragtime chord progression. Unlike some other Johnson songs, only one recording of this song exists.
It was also performed by the Red Hot Chili Peppers on their 1991 album Blood Sugar Sex Magik. The band recorded this song outside of The Mansion on top of a hill at two in the morning, as seen in the 1992 documentary Funky Monks. The song is available for download for the Rock Band series, being one of the shortest and most difficult."
-snip-
From http://www.dcourier.com/main.asp?SectionID=74&subsectionID=395&articleID=47447
Steve Stockmar, The Daily Courier July 29, 2013 Prescott Arizona
They're Red Hot"
Artist: Robert Johnson
..."First, let's talk about the guitar. Robert Johnson's rhythmically-cinematic acoustic guitar is the blueprint for Keith Richards' DNA. Let's move on.
The key line of "They're Red Hot" is "hot tamales and they're red hot." Throughout this performance, one is never quite sure whether Robert is referring to tamales or women, but even money is on the latter...
It's brilliant Robert Johnson. What's most amazing is his tireless tempo. Robert's twangy guitar works hard to keep up with his relentless fingers. And so help me, he takes on the whole song with a single mighty breath. He raps 581 words in exactly three minutes and one second, as though begging for an urgent glass of water after suddenly eating a hot tamale.
Recorded Nov. 27, 1936, in San Antonio. It's found on any one of three albums available on most mp3 sites: "All Time Blues Classics," "Robert Johnson: The Complete Recordings," and "King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. 2."
Enjoy.
-snip-
Prior to researching information for this psot, I was familiar with the "hot tamales and they're red hot" refrain of this song, but I wasn't aware how really risque this song actually is - for example, "the monkey & baboon playing in the grass" verse.
As a bit of trivia, the "girl who's long & tall/sleeps in the kitchen with her feet in the hall" verse is an old African American floating verse. At least one song that is included in Thomas W. Talley's now classic 1922 collection Negro Folk Rhymes: Wise & Otherwise describes a man being so long and tall that he chicken roost on his feet. And the description of a girl being long & tall is the inspiration for Little Richard'a 1956 Rock & Roll song "Long Tall Sally".
Also, it's my strong opinion that the title & refrain of Robert Johnson's uptempo Blues song "They're Red Hot" -but not its risque verses- are the inpiration for the children's cheerleader cheer "Red Hot" [Our team is red hot!] However, I believe that few if any of those cheerleaders or their adult coaches are aware of the connection between their cheers and this famous Blues song.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/07/childrens-cheer-our-team-is-red-hot.html for video examples & commentary about the children's cheer "Our Team Is Red Hot".
****
Thanks to Robert Johnson for his musical legacy. Thanks also to those who are quoted in this post & to the publisher of the sound file which is showcased in this post.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Nigerian Insult Traditions (Yabbing) Part II, Dont jealous me- Super Bass Cover
Edited by Azizi Powell
This is Part II of a two part series on Nigerians tradition of yabbing (giving insults). This post features a Nigerian vlogger (video blogger) Tboy (Don't Jealous Me). This post also includes my transcription of that video.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/07/nigerians-insult-traditions-yabbing.html for Part I of this series. Part I provides some information & comments about insult traditions in Nigeria. That post also includes some examples of insults which were posted on a Nigerian blog.
The content of this post is presented for folkloric and cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
PART II:
SHOWCASE VIDEO: Dont jealous me- Super Bass Cover
Uploaded on Jun 16, 2011
Tboy kills its again with his sickk rapppp loool enjoy...
-snip-
"Don't Jealous Me" means "Don't be jealous of me" (because I'm great i.e - I'm so good at what I do).
****
TRANSCRIPTION
Here's my transcription of that video. Additions & corrections are very welcome.
Don’t jealous me
Sh……at, man
Oh, Tboy is back in your hood.
Back in your farm
in your village,
in your estate,
in your city,
in your country.
In fact, check your wardrobe.
And get set chillin like this [does a rapper’s chillin (relaxing) pose]
You know I'm standing like my grandfather.
In fact I’m pimpin like my grandfather.
Oh! You don’t believe I’m the baddest guy?
You don’t believe I’m the baddest guy?
Check the website w.w.w.baddestguydotcom.
You see my face like this [stares with a wide eyed serious expression]
Just chillin there.
Yes. Oh, you don’t believe me.
How can you?
After all you are lose wig.
You are a, you are a lip.
That’s what you are. You are a lip.
That’s what you are. Yes.
You are a nose and you are a throat.
In fact, you are a uncompleted mansion
You are an unwanted house party customer.
You belly button head. That’s what you are,
a belly button head.
You are a overgrown toenail, chillin like that [holds one finger with the nail pointed down]
Like this. Hideous.
Let us forget that one. That’s not why I’m here, you flat sim card.
The reason why I’m here-by the way, sim cards aren’t flat. Forget that.
The reason why I’m here is because I am making a cover.
My homegirl Nicki Minaj she holler at her homeboy [makes a “talking on the phone” gesture]
She said “You know my song “Super Bass”.
I said “Of course I know that sweetheart.”
She said she wants me to make my own remix.
So I said why not.
Let me spin that track so you can hear what I did over you.
[rapping over instrumental music]
This one’s for everybody’s mouth that is smelly.
Toothpaste is a must, come on.
That, it’s 2011.
Let’s go. Let’s go.
This one’s for the mouth that’s smelly.
You need to brush your mouth. It’s smelly.
This one’s for the throat that’s smelly.
You need to brush your throat. It’s smelly
You need to gargle your mouth. It’s smelly.
You need to gargle your life. It’s smelly.
Come on, wash your insides. It’s smelly.
Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on.
I said, excuse me, you’re a hell of a girl,
But your breath does really really smell.
I mean, brush your mouth, brush your mouth.
Are you tryin to kill me? That stuff is foul, come on.
Baby girl, use mouth wash.
Come on, use tooth paste.
You are a big disgrace.
Baby girl, use tooth paste.
[Singing] Gargle your throat, baby girl.
We have had enough of your smelly throat.
Please don’t kill us.
Please don’t kill us.
We have had enough, 'Ma pami ooo'*
___!** And I’m out.
*I got this phrase from a commenter Matilda Oduntan.
“ 'Ma pami ooo' oh lawdd I almost cried”
And also from two other commenters.
I’m not sure what it means. My apologies if it means something vulgar.
Btw, that phrase is in lyrics for Knock Down(Azonto Gangnam Style) by YahooPapi.
http://www.reverbnation.com/yahoopapi/song/15933187-knock-downazonto-gangnam-style/lyrics.
**I'm not sure what he said here.
-snip-
Thanks to Don't Jealous Me (Tboy) for this video.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This is Part II of a two part series on Nigerians tradition of yabbing (giving insults). This post features a Nigerian vlogger (video blogger) Tboy (Don't Jealous Me). This post also includes my transcription of that video.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/07/nigerians-insult-traditions-yabbing.html for Part I of this series. Part I provides some information & comments about insult traditions in Nigeria. That post also includes some examples of insults which were posted on a Nigerian blog.
The content of this post is presented for folkloric and cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
PART II:
SHOWCASE VIDEO: Dont jealous me- Super Bass Cover
Uploaded on Jun 16, 2011
Tboy kills its again with his sickk rapppp loool enjoy...
-snip-
"Don't Jealous Me" means "Don't be jealous of me" (because I'm great i.e - I'm so good at what I do).
****
TRANSCRIPTION
Here's my transcription of that video. Additions & corrections are very welcome.
Don’t jealous me
Sh……at, man
Oh, Tboy is back in your hood.
Back in your farm
in your village,
in your estate,
in your city,
in your country.
In fact, check your wardrobe.
And get set chillin like this [does a rapper’s chillin (relaxing) pose]
You know I'm standing like my grandfather.
In fact I’m pimpin like my grandfather.
Oh! You don’t believe I’m the baddest guy?
You don’t believe I’m the baddest guy?
Check the website w.w.w.baddestguydotcom.
You see my face like this [stares with a wide eyed serious expression]
Just chillin there.
Yes. Oh, you don’t believe me.
How can you?
After all you are lose wig.
You are a, you are a lip.
That’s what you are. You are a lip.
That’s what you are. Yes.
You are a nose and you are a throat.
In fact, you are a uncompleted mansion
You are an unwanted house party customer.
You belly button head. That’s what you are,
a belly button head.
You are a overgrown toenail, chillin like that [holds one finger with the nail pointed down]
Like this. Hideous.
Let us forget that one. That’s not why I’m here, you flat sim card.
The reason why I’m here-by the way, sim cards aren’t flat. Forget that.
The reason why I’m here is because I am making a cover.
My homegirl Nicki Minaj she holler at her homeboy [makes a “talking on the phone” gesture]
She said “You know my song “Super Bass”.
I said “Of course I know that sweetheart.”
She said she wants me to make my own remix.
So I said why not.
Let me spin that track so you can hear what I did over you.
[rapping over instrumental music]
This one’s for everybody’s mouth that is smelly.
Toothpaste is a must, come on.
That, it’s 2011.
Let’s go. Let’s go.
This one’s for the mouth that’s smelly.
You need to brush your mouth. It’s smelly.
This one’s for the throat that’s smelly.
You need to brush your throat. It’s smelly
You need to gargle your mouth. It’s smelly.
You need to gargle your life. It’s smelly.
Come on, wash your insides. It’s smelly.
Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on.
I said, excuse me, you’re a hell of a girl,
But your breath does really really smell.
I mean, brush your mouth, brush your mouth.
Are you tryin to kill me? That stuff is foul, come on.
Baby girl, use mouth wash.
Come on, use tooth paste.
You are a big disgrace.
Baby girl, use tooth paste.
[Singing] Gargle your throat, baby girl.
We have had enough of your smelly throat.
Please don’t kill us.
Please don’t kill us.
We have had enough, 'Ma pami ooo'*
___!** And I’m out.
*I got this phrase from a commenter Matilda Oduntan.
“ 'Ma pami ooo' oh lawdd I almost cried”
And also from two other commenters.
I’m not sure what it means. My apologies if it means something vulgar.
Btw, that phrase is in lyrics for Knock Down(Azonto Gangnam Style) by YahooPapi.
http://www.reverbnation.com/yahoopapi/song/15933187-knock-downazonto-gangnam-style/lyrics.
**I'm not sure what he said here.
-snip-
Thanks to Don't Jealous Me (Tboy) for this video.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Nigerians Insult Traditions (Yabbing), Part I
Edited by Azizi Powell
This is Part I of a two part series on Nigerians' custom of yabbing (insulting) people.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/07/nigerian-insult-traditions-yabbing-part.html for Part II of this series features a Nigerian vlogger (video blogger) Tboy (Don't Jealous Me). My transcription of that video is also included in that post.
The content of this post is presented for folkloric and cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
PART I:
BACKGROUND: DEFINITIONS & AN EXCERPT FROM WIKIPEDIA
For some reason or another, I decide to do an online search about the Nigerian custom of insulting people as it relates to the African American custom of the Dozens. Here's what I found:
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dozens:
"The Dozens is a game among two contestants, common in African American communities, where participants insult each other until one gives up or violence erupts. It is customary for the Dozens to be played in front of an audience of bystanders, who encourage the participants to reply with more egregious insults to heighten the tension and consequently, to be more interesting to watch. Among African Americans it is also known as "sounding", "joning", "woofing", "wolfing", "sigging", or "signifying. The origin of the game is unclear, but it has roots in Africa: similar contests are held in Nigeria among the Igbo people, and in Ghana. Comments in the game focus on the opposite player's intelligence, appearance, competency, social status, financial situation, and disparaging remarks about the other player's family members—mothers in particular—are common...
The Dozens is a contest of personal power: wit, self-control, verbal ability, mental acuity, and toughness".
[Italics added to highlight that sentence.]
-snip-
That same Wikipedia page indicated that "Amuzie Chimezie, writing in the Journal of Black Studies in 1976, connects the Dozens to a Nigerian game called Ikocha Nkocha, literally translated as "making disparaging remarks". This form of the game is played by children and adolescents, and it takes place in the evening, in the presence of parents and siblings. Commentary among the Igbo is more restrained: remarks about family members are rare, and are based more in fanciful imaginings than participants' actual traits. In contrast, the game in Ghana, which is also commonly played in the evenings, insults are frequently directed at family members.[5]
****
Editor:
Here are some definitions that explain the next entries in this post:
"Naira" is an informal, contemporary way of saying "Nigeria".
Definition of "yab" from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/jabhttp://www.thefreedictionary.com/jab
"jab (jb)
v.jabbed, jab·bing, jabs
v.tr.
1. To poke or thrust abruptly: jabbed a knife into the log.
2. To stab or pierce: jabbed the steak with a fork.
3. To punch (someone) with short blows.
v.intr.
1. To make an abrupt poking or thrusting motion: jabbed at the pickles with his fork.
2. To deliver a quick punch.
n.
1. A quick stab or blow.
2. Sports A short straight punch in boxing.
-snip-
Thus, "to yab" ("jab") here means to verbally poke, stab, or strike a blow at someone by insulting him or her.
****
EXCERPTS FROM THREE NAIRALAND DISCUSSION THREADS
Here are several comments from http://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-199690.0.html "Why Do Nigerians Like To Yab(insult) people?
"glorina « on: November 24, 2008, 10:29 PM »
Whether it's on a public forum, on comedy shows, at work, at home. They never relent from using their sharp mouths to yab people, is it in our genes or WHAT?”
**
Why Do Nigerians Like To Yab(insult) people? by Ifygurl: 2:28pm On Nov 25, 2008
But serious Note
Nigerians just don't know how to give an advice without insulting others.
I've some Nigerian do that. I know there intentions was meant to be Good but somehow instead of an advice it will turn to an insult.
Even some Nigerian parents do that.
I think that's our way of advicing others
**
Epiphany« #21 on: March 27, 2009, 03:22 PM »
correct me if i am wrong, but is in not a 'black thing'? I have always wondered about the similarities btw naija yabbin and some black Americans/Caribean people. Comedians like Eddie, Chris Rock, Tucker, Bernie Mac (RIP) always yabbed people in their jokes. Listening to the typical american rap songs, tv shows, documentaries, movies, etc, the blacks are always at each other as well as the white guys - and anyone else that happens to rub them the wrong way!
What would you say about this?
**
« #26 on: May 10, 2009, 10:05 PM »
LOL who knows but if thier was an award given to a country for the best insults nigeria would win year afta year no doubt. we all can insult like no mans business in fact a reality show should be aired on naija life it would definately recieve high ratings lmfao ;D
everyone in my family except my mother(so sweet and kind) has a raza blade for a mout lol
« #29 on: May 11, 2009, 09:11 PM »
@ poster
Because we too many and if we no develope aggressive life skills including "Insult", people go chance you.*
**
OMO IBO (m)
Re: Why Do Nigerians Like To Yab(insult) people?
« #31 on: May 11, 2009, 10:08 PM »
i think there's a difference yab and insult.
most nigerians yab pple. i personally do not have a problem with yabs going back and forth. its fun"
-snip-
* Here's my guess about how this comment would be given in Standard American English:
"Because there are so many of us [too many Nigerians in too little geographical space]that if we don’t develop aggressive life skills including how to insult people, people would take advantage of us."
**
Here's a comment from another nairaland discussion thread about yabbing (insulting): http://www.nairaland.com/444430/why-some-nigerians-insult-abuse
"Why Do Some Nigerians Insult & Abuse In Nairaland Instead Of Socialize & Relate? by Jakumo(m): 8:46am On May 14, 2010
The trading of colorful insults and put-downs is as revered a tradition among Nigerians, as is the black American version of rhyming insults known as "The Dozens", in which televised competitions are now held on the BET cable channel. First time visitors to Nigeria often confess to being startled at the sheer volume with which Nigerians converse, and the way they joyfully exchange insults and threats at the drop of a hat, yet rarely ever come to blows.
My personal favourite verbal affronts noted in the Nairaland Forum are as follows :
" You are the product of a leaking condom."
" To say you are as ugly as a monkey would be to insult monkeys."
" I don't blame you, knowing you are the love-child of your father's gardener and one of his goats."
" Where on earth did a village lunatic like you manage to stumble across a computer keyboard ?"
" I am sure that you never cease to amaze yourself with the insane ranting that emanates from your mouth. "
**
Here's the only comment that is posted on another nairaland discussion thread about yabbing http://www.nairaland.com/829015/origin-yo-mama-jokes-diss "Origin Of Yo Mama Jokes And Diss. - Culture - Nairaland"
"Bamaguje: 9:18am On Dec 20, 2011
I was reading about a game called Dirty Dozen, originated from Africa which is exported to US by the black slaves.Dirty Dozen is a verbal game played by the two contestants who engage in insulting each other and makes deprecatory jokes until one gives up or violence erupt.
Hausas called it Ba'a, Igbos called it Nkocha Ikocha, i dont know about the yorubas and other ethnic groups but i do know they have one. People dey even do yabbing contest for pidgin english and lastly Rap artists diss each other too in the record.
My question is does this has to do with the reason why most African Americans and Africans can be a smart aleck,sarcastic and are excellent in using wordplays?
For more info Dirty Dozen*
*This is the first paragraph of Wikipedia quote about the Dozens that is given above.
****
ADDITIONAL EXAMPLES
From http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/forum/lounge/63271-best-insults-growing-up-nigeria-series.html "Best insults-Growing up in Nigeria series" Here are three comments from that post:
anwulika, June 2, 2011 , 02:08 PM #1
"Chai!
Kids were MEAN!
Some of these insults we dished out/heard as kids did not not [sic] make sense but still got the resounding "Ela" from bystanders
"Your medula Oblongata is suffering from peri-pay-sue"
All time favorites:
'Thundar faya your nyash"
"Waka"
Of course, model child like moi never insulted anybody
but share your all time faves. "
-snip-
According to urbandictionary.com, "nyash" means "female booty" (butt).
**
Abraxas, Jun 2, 2011
1: Ya mama tumbeleku!
2: 'e no good for ya mama grandmama!
3: Dan bura uba'!
4: Comcombility!
5: Beast of no nation!
6: Nonsense and ingredients!
7: Look at you.
**
cagedheart -Dec 2010
"I remember chanting this sing-song and getting slapped on the head by my elder siblings...
"You dey craze, you dey mad...you get kro-kro for nyash...one part of your nyash dey cover river niger!"
****
AMENDMENT July 29, 2013
I recognize that this post doesn't provide an indepth description of Nigerian insult traditions. For instance, because I didn't find that information online to date & don't have any other sources for that information, this post doesn't indicate whether "yabbing" is a the same as or similar to the African American dozens i.e either a quick witted verbal exchange of humorous put downs between two friends, or a rapid verbal battle of insults between two adversaries or potential adversaries. Also, for the same reasons, I don't know whether Nigerian yabbing insults have a formulaic structure like many of the African American dozens "snaps" - "Your [Yo] mama is so [add an adjective and add an insulting but imaginative, witty consequence or elaboration of that adjective.] For example:
Your mama's so FAT, when she jumped in the air she got stuck.
Mo's rebuttal: Your mama's so skinny, you could blindfold her with dental floss.
(Mo'nique Imes and Sherry A. McGee, Skinny Women Are Evil: Notes of a Big Girl in a Small-Minded World. Atriz, 2004)
From http://grammar.about.com/od/d/g/Dozensterm.htm
This quote about the dozens from a Nigerian author suggests to me that the African American "dozens" isn't exactly the same as Nigerian "yabbing":
"While retaining the form and spirit of the West African original, African-American dozens has elaborated the witty one-liners into complex verbal war games involving huge armories and modes of attack and defense undreamt of in the homeland. It is a case of Darwinian adaptation for survival of the species in the killing jungles of slavery and racism. The mother remains the central figure. By learning to deal with verbal abuse of her, the modern black youngster learns to endure the historical, real-life abuse. It is as if the system is inoculated with virtual (verbally imagined) strains of the virus, thereby gaining immunity and new health in spite of the reality on the ground."
(Onwuchekwa Jemie, Yo Mama! New Raps, Toasts, Dozens, Jokes, and Children's Rhymes From Urban Black America. Temple Univ. Press, 2003)
http://grammar.about.com/od/d/g/Dozensterm.htm
I'd love to learn more about the differences between these verbal insult customs.
****
AMENDMENT #2
This YouTube vlog http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctKjlj4xQIo
features several Nigerian men and women sharing the insults that they remember from their childhood. At 042-.052 four people mention insults directed at the other person's father. One man says "anthing toward the father". The implication is that there are a lot of insults that mention father. This comment confirms that statement:
"Lol.. yeah, most, if not all, our insults have something to do with thunder or dog or your father.
-nwaezebuona, 2010
-snip-
That certainly is different from the dozens as I think very few of those insults mention "father" (or thunder or dogs, for that matter.)
Another commenter who posted to that video's viewer comment thread indicated that those insults taught resilency.
"Waka! Your Father dia !!!
Naija dey bam my people.It gave us our unique resilence.People always ask me in America why i never get angry or offended when people snap me a middle finger or say F.. you. I said because i have recieved more bam curses in Naija that are personal.The American curse words are not truly curses but expression of indecent vulgarities.
-inanna2007, 2012
-snip-
Could that have been one of the reasons why this Nigerian insult custom was/is apparentally so prevalent?
****
RELATED LINK
The best online information that I've found to date about the dozens is http://darkdamian.blogspot.com/2005/04/playing-dozens.html
****
This completes Part I of this series.
Thanks to all those whose comments are reposted on this page.
Thank for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This is Part I of a two part series on Nigerians' custom of yabbing (insulting) people.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/07/nigerian-insult-traditions-yabbing-part.html for Part II of this series features a Nigerian vlogger (video blogger) Tboy (Don't Jealous Me). My transcription of that video is also included in that post.
The content of this post is presented for folkloric and cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
PART I:
BACKGROUND: DEFINITIONS & AN EXCERPT FROM WIKIPEDIA
For some reason or another, I decide to do an online search about the Nigerian custom of insulting people as it relates to the African American custom of the Dozens. Here's what I found:
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dozens:
"The Dozens is a game among two contestants, common in African American communities, where participants insult each other until one gives up or violence erupts. It is customary for the Dozens to be played in front of an audience of bystanders, who encourage the participants to reply with more egregious insults to heighten the tension and consequently, to be more interesting to watch. Among African Americans it is also known as "sounding", "joning", "woofing", "wolfing", "sigging", or "signifying. The origin of the game is unclear, but it has roots in Africa: similar contests are held in Nigeria among the Igbo people, and in Ghana. Comments in the game focus on the opposite player's intelligence, appearance, competency, social status, financial situation, and disparaging remarks about the other player's family members—mothers in particular—are common...
The Dozens is a contest of personal power: wit, self-control, verbal ability, mental acuity, and toughness".
[Italics added to highlight that sentence.]
-snip-
That same Wikipedia page indicated that "Amuzie Chimezie, writing in the Journal of Black Studies in 1976, connects the Dozens to a Nigerian game called Ikocha Nkocha, literally translated as "making disparaging remarks". This form of the game is played by children and adolescents, and it takes place in the evening, in the presence of parents and siblings. Commentary among the Igbo is more restrained: remarks about family members are rare, and are based more in fanciful imaginings than participants' actual traits. In contrast, the game in Ghana, which is also commonly played in the evenings, insults are frequently directed at family members.[5]
****
Editor:
Here are some definitions that explain the next entries in this post:
"Naira" is an informal, contemporary way of saying "Nigeria".
Definition of "yab" from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/jabhttp://www.thefreedictionary.com/jab
"jab (jb)
v.jabbed, jab·bing, jabs
v.tr.
1. To poke or thrust abruptly: jabbed a knife into the log.
2. To stab or pierce: jabbed the steak with a fork.
3. To punch (someone) with short blows.
v.intr.
1. To make an abrupt poking or thrusting motion: jabbed at the pickles with his fork.
2. To deliver a quick punch.
n.
1. A quick stab or blow.
2. Sports A short straight punch in boxing.
-snip-
Thus, "to yab" ("jab") here means to verbally poke, stab, or strike a blow at someone by insulting him or her.
****
EXCERPTS FROM THREE NAIRALAND DISCUSSION THREADS
Here are several comments from http://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-199690.0.html "Why Do Nigerians Like To Yab(insult) people?
"glorina « on: November 24, 2008, 10:29 PM »
Whether it's on a public forum, on comedy shows, at work, at home. They never relent from using their sharp mouths to yab people, is it in our genes or WHAT?”
**
Why Do Nigerians Like To Yab(insult) people? by Ifygurl: 2:28pm On Nov 25, 2008
But serious Note
Nigerians just don't know how to give an advice without insulting others.
I've some Nigerian do that. I know there intentions was meant to be Good but somehow instead of an advice it will turn to an insult.
Even some Nigerian parents do that.
I think that's our way of advicing others
**
Epiphany« #21 on: March 27, 2009, 03:22 PM »
correct me if i am wrong, but is in not a 'black thing'? I have always wondered about the similarities btw naija yabbin and some black Americans/Caribean people. Comedians like Eddie, Chris Rock, Tucker, Bernie Mac (RIP) always yabbed people in their jokes. Listening to the typical american rap songs, tv shows, documentaries, movies, etc, the blacks are always at each other as well as the white guys - and anyone else that happens to rub them the wrong way!
What would you say about this?
**
« #26 on: May 10, 2009, 10:05 PM »
LOL who knows but if thier was an award given to a country for the best insults nigeria would win year afta year no doubt. we all can insult like no mans business in fact a reality show should be aired on naija life it would definately recieve high ratings lmfao ;D
everyone in my family except my mother(so sweet and kind) has a raza blade for a mout lol
« #29 on: May 11, 2009, 09:11 PM »
@ poster
Because we too many and if we no develope aggressive life skills including "Insult", people go chance you.*
**
OMO IBO (m)
Re: Why Do Nigerians Like To Yab(insult) people?
« #31 on: May 11, 2009, 10:08 PM »
i think there's a difference yab and insult.
most nigerians yab pple. i personally do not have a problem with yabs going back and forth. its fun"
-snip-
* Here's my guess about how this comment would be given in Standard American English:
"Because there are so many of us [too many Nigerians in too little geographical space]that if we don’t develop aggressive life skills including how to insult people, people would take advantage of us."
**
Here's a comment from another nairaland discussion thread about yabbing (insulting): http://www.nairaland.com/444430/why-some-nigerians-insult-abuse
"Why Do Some Nigerians Insult & Abuse In Nairaland Instead Of Socialize & Relate? by Jakumo(m): 8:46am On May 14, 2010
The trading of colorful insults and put-downs is as revered a tradition among Nigerians, as is the black American version of rhyming insults known as "The Dozens", in which televised competitions are now held on the BET cable channel. First time visitors to Nigeria often confess to being startled at the sheer volume with which Nigerians converse, and the way they joyfully exchange insults and threats at the drop of a hat, yet rarely ever come to blows.
My personal favourite verbal affronts noted in the Nairaland Forum are as follows :
" You are the product of a leaking condom."
" To say you are as ugly as a monkey would be to insult monkeys."
" I don't blame you, knowing you are the love-child of your father's gardener and one of his goats."
" Where on earth did a village lunatic like you manage to stumble across a computer keyboard ?"
" I am sure that you never cease to amaze yourself with the insane ranting that emanates from your mouth. "
**
Here's the only comment that is posted on another nairaland discussion thread about yabbing http://www.nairaland.com/829015/origin-yo-mama-jokes-diss "Origin Of Yo Mama Jokes And Diss. - Culture - Nairaland"
"Bamaguje: 9:18am On Dec 20, 2011
I was reading about a game called Dirty Dozen, originated from Africa which is exported to US by the black slaves.Dirty Dozen is a verbal game played by the two contestants who engage in insulting each other and makes deprecatory jokes until one gives up or violence erupt.
Hausas called it Ba'a, Igbos called it Nkocha Ikocha, i dont know about the yorubas and other ethnic groups but i do know they have one. People dey even do yabbing contest for pidgin english and lastly Rap artists diss each other too in the record.
My question is does this has to do with the reason why most African Americans and Africans can be a smart aleck,sarcastic and are excellent in using wordplays?
For more info Dirty Dozen*
*This is the first paragraph of Wikipedia quote about the Dozens that is given above.
****
ADDITIONAL EXAMPLES
From http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/forum/lounge/63271-best-insults-growing-up-nigeria-series.html "Best insults-Growing up in Nigeria series" Here are three comments from that post:
anwulika, June 2, 2011 , 02:08 PM #1
"Chai!
Kids were MEAN!
Some of these insults we dished out/heard as kids did not not [sic] make sense but still got the resounding "Ela" from bystanders
"Your medula Oblongata is suffering from peri-pay-sue"
All time favorites:
'Thundar faya your nyash"
"Waka"
Of course, model child like moi never insulted anybody
but share your all time faves. "
-snip-
According to urbandictionary.com, "nyash" means "female booty" (butt).
**
Abraxas, Jun 2, 2011
1: Ya mama tumbeleku!
2: 'e no good for ya mama grandmama!
3: Dan bura uba'!
4: Comcombility!
5: Beast of no nation!
6: Nonsense and ingredients!
7: Look at you.
**
cagedheart -Dec 2010
"I remember chanting this sing-song and getting slapped on the head by my elder siblings...
"You dey craze, you dey mad...you get kro-kro for nyash...one part of your nyash dey cover river niger!"
****
AMENDMENT July 29, 2013
I recognize that this post doesn't provide an indepth description of Nigerian insult traditions. For instance, because I didn't find that information online to date & don't have any other sources for that information, this post doesn't indicate whether "yabbing" is a the same as or similar to the African American dozens i.e either a quick witted verbal exchange of humorous put downs between two friends, or a rapid verbal battle of insults between two adversaries or potential adversaries. Also, for the same reasons, I don't know whether Nigerian yabbing insults have a formulaic structure like many of the African American dozens "snaps" - "Your [Yo] mama is so [add an adjective and add an insulting but imaginative, witty consequence or elaboration of that adjective.] For example:
Your mama's so FAT, when she jumped in the air she got stuck.
Mo's rebuttal: Your mama's so skinny, you could blindfold her with dental floss.
(Mo'nique Imes and Sherry A. McGee, Skinny Women Are Evil: Notes of a Big Girl in a Small-Minded World. Atriz, 2004)
From http://grammar.about.com/od/d/g/Dozensterm.htm
This quote about the dozens from a Nigerian author suggests to me that the African American "dozens" isn't exactly the same as Nigerian "yabbing":
"While retaining the form and spirit of the West African original, African-American dozens has elaborated the witty one-liners into complex verbal war games involving huge armories and modes of attack and defense undreamt of in the homeland. It is a case of Darwinian adaptation for survival of the species in the killing jungles of slavery and racism. The mother remains the central figure. By learning to deal with verbal abuse of her, the modern black youngster learns to endure the historical, real-life abuse. It is as if the system is inoculated with virtual (verbally imagined) strains of the virus, thereby gaining immunity and new health in spite of the reality on the ground."
(Onwuchekwa Jemie, Yo Mama! New Raps, Toasts, Dozens, Jokes, and Children's Rhymes From Urban Black America. Temple Univ. Press, 2003)
http://grammar.about.com/od/d/g/Dozensterm.htm
I'd love to learn more about the differences between these verbal insult customs.
****
AMENDMENT #2
This YouTube vlog http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctKjlj4xQIo
features several Nigerian men and women sharing the insults that they remember from their childhood. At 042-.052 four people mention insults directed at the other person's father. One man says "anthing toward the father". The implication is that there are a lot of insults that mention father. This comment confirms that statement:
"Lol.. yeah, most, if not all, our insults have something to do with thunder or dog or your father.
-nwaezebuona, 2010
-snip-
That certainly is different from the dozens as I think very few of those insults mention "father" (or thunder or dogs, for that matter.)
Another commenter who posted to that video's viewer comment thread indicated that those insults taught resilency.
"Waka! Your Father dia !!!
Naija dey bam my people.It gave us our unique resilence.People always ask me in America why i never get angry or offended when people snap me a middle finger or say F.. you. I said because i have recieved more bam curses in Naija that are personal.The American curse words are not truly curses but expression of indecent vulgarities.
-inanna2007, 2012
-snip-
Could that have been one of the reasons why this Nigerian insult custom was/is apparentally so prevalent?
****
RELATED LINK
The best online information that I've found to date about the dozens is http://darkdamian.blogspot.com/2005/04/playing-dozens.html
****
This completes Part I of this series.
Thanks to all those whose comments are reposted on this page.
Thank for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Friday, July 26, 2013
Origins & Examples of "I Know You Rider"
Edited by Azizi Powell
This post provides information about the origin of the Blues song "I Know You Rider" and the way that song became known in (White) American Folk & Rock music circuits. The lyrics to two versions of "I Know You Rider" are also given in this post.
The song "I Know You Rider" is a good example of a song that orginated from African Americans but was collected (and thus preserved) by White folklorists and was/is arranged, performed, and popularized by numerous non-African American vocalists. In particular, "I Know You Rider" is most associated with the White American Rock band "The Grateful Dead".
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/07/see-see-rider-blues-information.html for another post about a song that includes the word "rider".
The content of this post is presented for folkloric, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
****
WHAT THE BLUES TERM "RIDER" MEANS
In Blues songs (and Folk or Rock songs that are based on Blues songs) a "rider" is a person's sexual partner.
Here's an excerpt from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/See_See_Rider about the often found term "easy rider":
"The term "See See Rider" is usually taken as synonymous with "easy rider." In particular, in blues songs it often refers to a woman who had liberal sexual views, had been married more than once, or was skilled at sex. Although Ma Rainey's version seems on the face of it to refer to "See See Rider" as a man, one theory is that the term refers to a prostitute and in the lyric, "You made me love you, now your man done come," "your man" refers to the woman's pimp. So, rather than being directed to a male "easy rider," the song is in fact an admonition to a prostitute to give up her evil ways."
****
INFORMATION ABOUT HOW THE SONG "I KNOW YOU RIDER" WAS FIRST CIRCULATED AMONG FOLK & ROCK SINGERS
(Editor: This comment is reposted from http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=40592&messages=78 "Origins: I Know You Rider" I'm reposting it as a means of highlighting Bob Coltman's significant & little known role in the development & circulation of the song "I Know You Rider". and as an example of how "traditional" African American songs have been picked up by non-African American performers.)
Subject: RE: Origins: I Know You Rider
From: GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 10 Jan 06 - 12:55 PM
"...I should correct, and amplify on, my earlier post, and try to give a history of the song as best I know it, in response to some of the guesses (a few of which are wide of the mark) and questions above.
I got the song in the mid-1950s from the Lomaxes'* 1934 American Ballads and Folk Songs (not Our Singing Country as I first remembered). It's on p. 196. Apparently I was the first to pick it up and sing it, though it had lain around unnoticed in that well-known collection for twenty years.
... The Lomax headnote says "An eighteen-year-old black girl, in prison for murder, sang the tune and the first stanza of these blues." The Lomaxes added a number of "floating verses" from other, uncredited sources, and named it "Woman Blue."
So I resurrected and debuted the song. I followed the tune given in Lomax, roughly but not exactly, changed the song from a woman's to a man's viewpoint, dropped two verses, and was its first arranger, voice and guitar in a heavy drag downbeat, sort of an early folk-rock sound.
I sang it a lot in folk circles around Philadelphia, in concerts, around Boston, mostly at the legendary Old Joe Clarke's, and in Dartmouth Outing Club hiker/climber/skier circles, which took me around New York State and New England circa 1957-60. I also sang it in the west, in Wyoming/Tetons "Teton Tea Parties" and on the West Coast, especially in San Francisco and Los Angeles, late summer-early fall '59. Then I went in the Army (sorta like prison) and everything went on hold.
As previously stated, Tossi Aaron learned the song from me in Philadelphia around 1959. She sang it on her Prestige LP. The song traveled around for years among a few East and West Coast folksingers but was not sung by very many people (most white kids took a while to crash the blues).
No well-known singer recorded it until the Kingston Trio. They presumably got it from some West Coast singer who heard me in '59 -- it's possible they heard it from Tossi Aaron's LP, but that LP didn't get much West Coast circulation as far as I know. I never knew Dave Guard personally but he could perhaps have heard me in a West Coast hoot or concert, or else got it from someone who did. The Trio may well have been the Seldom Scene's source, as they drew from all sorts of music stylists.
The next breakout singer to record it was James Taylor in, I think, 1967. He picked it up during his teen years, probably at the hoots on Martha's Vineyard. It may have come from the Trio LP, Tossi's LP, or from some hiker or beach bum who got it from me via New England hoot circles.
Janis Joplin got the song almost simultaneously, perhaps from James, or vice versa. Her source could, I think, have been someone on the West Coast who'd heard it from me, or could have been James. Janis, blues freak that she was, was presumably Jerry Garcia and the Dead's source, perhaps via Jorma Kaukkonen who was the real blues fanatic in that crowd.
Later versions, like the Byrds, Martin-Neil, Rowan & Rice and so on, all derive from those early ones. There is, I think I can state categorically, no other source or root for this song apart from Lomax and me. I have never heard any other song that could be credibly a version of it.
Don't be misled by the Google associations. The song has nothing to do with C.C/Easy Rider or any of the other Rider songs; it is distinct and quite different.
Neither Blind Lemon Jefferson nor Leadbelly recorded the song in any form I know of, and I've heard virtually everything by both men. However, a Lomax verse I didn't use, "Did you ever wake up and find your rider gone?" is heard in various 1920s recordings, and "Sun goin' to shine in my back door some day / Wind's gonna rise up, blow my blues away" is of course universal from c. 1920 on.
The rest of the verses sound like good solid traditional blues but are unique to this song. However, because they were supplied by the Lomaxes, I think we have to worry, as with much Lomax material, that they may have been tinkered with by Alan Lomax, who did more rewriting than he admitted. They're great verses, though, and make the song what it is.
The unnamed Lomax source (doesn't that frost ya? couldn't they have given her name? or did they think that would have endangered her in prison?) is the originator of the core song. Wish we knew her name so we could credit her.
Probably I shoulda copyrighted it. (Everybody else since has.) But in those days a lot of us believed traditional songs were free as the air and should not be locked down. The music industry, obviously, disagreed.
You could, if you wish, credit it Traditional, arr. Bob Coltman.
I'm proud to be the guy who, after Lomax, started the song on its musical rounds. All credit to the Lomaxes for putting it together, and to Tossi, who knew a good song when she heard one."
-snip-
"The Lomaxes" refers to American folklorists John & Alan Lomax.
****
AN EARLY ARRANGEMENT OF "I KNOW YOU RIDER"
LYR ADD: Origins: I Know You Rider
From:GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 11 Jan 06 - 03:04 PM
"Thought some of you might like to see a text of the song as I revised, arranged and performed it 1959-75 or so...
I KNOW YOU RIDER
(Traditional, arranged by Bob Coltman)
I know you rider, gonna miss me when I'm gone,
I know you rider, gonna miss me when I'm gone,
Gonna miss your man, baby, from rollin' in your arms.
I laid down last night, babe, tried to take my rest…
But my mind kept ramblin' like wild geese in the west.
I know my woman bound to love me some…
'Cause she throws her arms round me like a circle round the sun.
I'm goin' down to the river, set down on a log…
If I can't be your man, honey, sure won't be your dog.
I cut your wood, baby, and I made your fire…
I tote' your liquor babe, from the Fresno Bar.
Just as sure as the birds fly high in the sky above…
Life ain't worth livin' if you ain't with the one you love.
I'm goin' down the road, get some better care…
I'm goin' back to my used-to-be rider, for I don't feel welcome here.
Sun gonna shine in my back door some day…
Wind gonna rise up, blow my blues away.
Source: http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=40592&messages=78
****
FEATURED EXAMPLES
(These examples are presented in chronological order based on their posting date, with the oldest dates posted first.)
Example #1: Janis Joplin - "I Know You Rider"
Shroomeryslearyfan, Uploaded on Mar 5, 2010
****
Example #2: Tossi Aaron - I Know You Rider (1960)
RPB412, Uploaded on Mar 21, 2011
I discovered this song from The Grateful Dead and have been searching for as many other versions as I could find ever since. This is probably not the oldest recording of it, but it is the oldest one I have found.
****
Example #3: Joan Baez - I Know You Rider
enya mea, Uploaded on Jul 13, 2011
****
Example #4: Grateful Dead - I Know You Rider
samsurfer17, Uploaded on Dec 3, 2011
I know you rider gonna miss me when I'm gone
I know you rider gonna miss me when I'm gone
gonna miss your baby
from rollin in your arms
Laid down last night
Lord I could not take my rest
Laid down last night
Lord I could not take my rest
My mind was wandering like the wild geese in the west
The sun will shine in my back door someday
The sun will shine in my back door someday
March winds will blow all my troubles away
I wish I was a headlight
on a northbound train...
I wish I was a headlight
on a northbound train!
I'd shine my light through
cool Colorado rain
I know you rider gonna miss me when I'm gone
I know you rider gonna miss me when I'm gone
Gonna miss your baby
from rollin in your arms
I know you rider gonna miss me when I'm gone
gone
gone
I know you rider gonna miss me when I'm gone
gone
gone
Gonna miss your baby
from rolling in your arms
****
My thanks to the unknown original composer of this song, thanks to the Lomaxes for their inclusion of this song in their 1930s collection of African American Folk songs, and thanks to Bob Coltman for his early arrangement of "I Know You Rider". My thanks also to the vocalists & musicians who are featured in the examples that are showcased in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of these featured sound files.
Thank you for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This post provides information about the origin of the Blues song "I Know You Rider" and the way that song became known in (White) American Folk & Rock music circuits. The lyrics to two versions of "I Know You Rider" are also given in this post.
The song "I Know You Rider" is a good example of a song that orginated from African Americans but was collected (and thus preserved) by White folklorists and was/is arranged, performed, and popularized by numerous non-African American vocalists. In particular, "I Know You Rider" is most associated with the White American Rock band "The Grateful Dead".
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/07/see-see-rider-blues-information.html for another post about a song that includes the word "rider".
The content of this post is presented for folkloric, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
****
WHAT THE BLUES TERM "RIDER" MEANS
In Blues songs (and Folk or Rock songs that are based on Blues songs) a "rider" is a person's sexual partner.
Here's an excerpt from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/See_See_Rider about the often found term "easy rider":
"The term "See See Rider" is usually taken as synonymous with "easy rider." In particular, in blues songs it often refers to a woman who had liberal sexual views, had been married more than once, or was skilled at sex. Although Ma Rainey's version seems on the face of it to refer to "See See Rider" as a man, one theory is that the term refers to a prostitute and in the lyric, "You made me love you, now your man done come," "your man" refers to the woman's pimp. So, rather than being directed to a male "easy rider," the song is in fact an admonition to a prostitute to give up her evil ways."
****
INFORMATION ABOUT HOW THE SONG "I KNOW YOU RIDER" WAS FIRST CIRCULATED AMONG FOLK & ROCK SINGERS
(Editor: This comment is reposted from http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=40592&messages=78 "Origins: I Know You Rider" I'm reposting it as a means of highlighting Bob Coltman's significant & little known role in the development & circulation of the song "I Know You Rider". and as an example of how "traditional" African American songs have been picked up by non-African American performers.)
Subject: RE: Origins: I Know You Rider
From: GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 10 Jan 06 - 12:55 PM
"...I should correct, and amplify on, my earlier post, and try to give a history of the song as best I know it, in response to some of the guesses (a few of which are wide of the mark) and questions above.
I got the song in the mid-1950s from the Lomaxes'* 1934 American Ballads and Folk Songs (not Our Singing Country as I first remembered). It's on p. 196. Apparently I was the first to pick it up and sing it, though it had lain around unnoticed in that well-known collection for twenty years.
... The Lomax headnote says "An eighteen-year-old black girl, in prison for murder, sang the tune and the first stanza of these blues." The Lomaxes added a number of "floating verses" from other, uncredited sources, and named it "Woman Blue."
So I resurrected and debuted the song. I followed the tune given in Lomax, roughly but not exactly, changed the song from a woman's to a man's viewpoint, dropped two verses, and was its first arranger, voice and guitar in a heavy drag downbeat, sort of an early folk-rock sound.
I sang it a lot in folk circles around Philadelphia, in concerts, around Boston, mostly at the legendary Old Joe Clarke's, and in Dartmouth Outing Club hiker/climber/skier circles, which took me around New York State and New England circa 1957-60. I also sang it in the west, in Wyoming/Tetons "Teton Tea Parties" and on the West Coast, especially in San Francisco and Los Angeles, late summer-early fall '59. Then I went in the Army (sorta like prison) and everything went on hold.
As previously stated, Tossi Aaron learned the song from me in Philadelphia around 1959. She sang it on her Prestige LP. The song traveled around for years among a few East and West Coast folksingers but was not sung by very many people (most white kids took a while to crash the blues).
No well-known singer recorded it until the Kingston Trio. They presumably got it from some West Coast singer who heard me in '59 -- it's possible they heard it from Tossi Aaron's LP, but that LP didn't get much West Coast circulation as far as I know. I never knew Dave Guard personally but he could perhaps have heard me in a West Coast hoot or concert, or else got it from someone who did. The Trio may well have been the Seldom Scene's source, as they drew from all sorts of music stylists.
The next breakout singer to record it was James Taylor in, I think, 1967. He picked it up during his teen years, probably at the hoots on Martha's Vineyard. It may have come from the Trio LP, Tossi's LP, or from some hiker or beach bum who got it from me via New England hoot circles.
Janis Joplin got the song almost simultaneously, perhaps from James, or vice versa. Her source could, I think, have been someone on the West Coast who'd heard it from me, or could have been James. Janis, blues freak that she was, was presumably Jerry Garcia and the Dead's source, perhaps via Jorma Kaukkonen who was the real blues fanatic in that crowd.
Later versions, like the Byrds, Martin-Neil, Rowan & Rice and so on, all derive from those early ones. There is, I think I can state categorically, no other source or root for this song apart from Lomax and me. I have never heard any other song that could be credibly a version of it.
Don't be misled by the Google associations. The song has nothing to do with C.C/Easy Rider or any of the other Rider songs; it is distinct and quite different.
Neither Blind Lemon Jefferson nor Leadbelly recorded the song in any form I know of, and I've heard virtually everything by both men. However, a Lomax verse I didn't use, "Did you ever wake up and find your rider gone?" is heard in various 1920s recordings, and "Sun goin' to shine in my back door some day / Wind's gonna rise up, blow my blues away" is of course universal from c. 1920 on.
The rest of the verses sound like good solid traditional blues but are unique to this song. However, because they were supplied by the Lomaxes, I think we have to worry, as with much Lomax material, that they may have been tinkered with by Alan Lomax, who did more rewriting than he admitted. They're great verses, though, and make the song what it is.
The unnamed Lomax source (doesn't that frost ya? couldn't they have given her name? or did they think that would have endangered her in prison?) is the originator of the core song. Wish we knew her name so we could credit her.
Probably I shoulda copyrighted it. (Everybody else since has.) But in those days a lot of us believed traditional songs were free as the air and should not be locked down. The music industry, obviously, disagreed.
You could, if you wish, credit it Traditional, arr. Bob Coltman.
I'm proud to be the guy who, after Lomax, started the song on its musical rounds. All credit to the Lomaxes for putting it together, and to Tossi, who knew a good song when she heard one."
-snip-
"The Lomaxes" refers to American folklorists John & Alan Lomax.
****
AN EARLY ARRANGEMENT OF "I KNOW YOU RIDER"
LYR ADD: Origins: I Know You Rider
From:GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 11 Jan 06 - 03:04 PM
"Thought some of you might like to see a text of the song as I revised, arranged and performed it 1959-75 or so...
I KNOW YOU RIDER
(Traditional, arranged by Bob Coltman)
I know you rider, gonna miss me when I'm gone,
I know you rider, gonna miss me when I'm gone,
Gonna miss your man, baby, from rollin' in your arms.
I laid down last night, babe, tried to take my rest…
But my mind kept ramblin' like wild geese in the west.
I know my woman bound to love me some…
'Cause she throws her arms round me like a circle round the sun.
I'm goin' down to the river, set down on a log…
If I can't be your man, honey, sure won't be your dog.
I cut your wood, baby, and I made your fire…
I tote' your liquor babe, from the Fresno Bar.
Just as sure as the birds fly high in the sky above…
Life ain't worth livin' if you ain't with the one you love.
I'm goin' down the road, get some better care…
I'm goin' back to my used-to-be rider, for I don't feel welcome here.
Sun gonna shine in my back door some day…
Wind gonna rise up, blow my blues away.
Source: http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=40592&messages=78
****
FEATURED EXAMPLES
(These examples are presented in chronological order based on their posting date, with the oldest dates posted first.)
Example #1: Janis Joplin - "I Know You Rider"
Shroomeryslearyfan, Uploaded on Mar 5, 2010
****
Example #2: Tossi Aaron - I Know You Rider (1960)
RPB412, Uploaded on Mar 21, 2011
I discovered this song from The Grateful Dead and have been searching for as many other versions as I could find ever since. This is probably not the oldest recording of it, but it is the oldest one I have found.
****
Example #3: Joan Baez - I Know You Rider
enya mea, Uploaded on Jul 13, 2011
****
Example #4: Grateful Dead - I Know You Rider
samsurfer17, Uploaded on Dec 3, 2011
I know you rider gonna miss me when I'm gone
I know you rider gonna miss me when I'm gone
gonna miss your baby
from rollin in your arms
Laid down last night
Lord I could not take my rest
Laid down last night
Lord I could not take my rest
My mind was wandering like the wild geese in the west
The sun will shine in my back door someday
The sun will shine in my back door someday
March winds will blow all my troubles away
I wish I was a headlight
on a northbound train...
I wish I was a headlight
on a northbound train!
I'd shine my light through
cool Colorado rain
I know you rider gonna miss me when I'm gone
I know you rider gonna miss me when I'm gone
Gonna miss your baby
from rollin in your arms
I know you rider gonna miss me when I'm gone
gone
gone
I know you rider gonna miss me when I'm gone
gone
gone
Gonna miss your baby
from rolling in your arms
****
My thanks to the unknown original composer of this song, thanks to the Lomaxes for their inclusion of this song in their 1930s collection of African American Folk songs, and thanks to Bob Coltman for his early arrangement of "I Know You Rider". My thanks also to the vocalists & musicians who are featured in the examples that are showcased in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of these featured sound files.
Thank you for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Blind Willie Johnson - God Moves On The Water.
Edited by Azizi Powell
This post showcases "God Moves On The Water", a 1929 Gospel song composed & performed by Blind Willie Johnson. That song is about the sinking of the Titanic ocean liner.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, religious, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
SHOWCASE SOUND FILE AND LYRICS
Blind Willie Johnson - God Moves On The Water.
ALfaDuB101, Uploaded on May 21, 2011
Blind Willie Johnson - Good Moves On The Water
"Blind" Willie Johnson (January 22, 1897 -- September 18, 1945) was an American singer and guitarist whose music straddled the border between blues and spirituals. While the lyrics of all of his songs were religious, his music drew from both sacred and blues traditions. Among musicians, he is considered one of the greatest slide or bottleneck guitarists, as well as one of the most revered figures of depression-era gospel music.His music is distinguished by his powerful bass thumb-picking and gravelly false-bass voice, with occasional use of a tenor voice.
Lyrics
Ah, Lord, ah, Lord
Year of nineteen hundred and twelve, April the fourteenth day
Great Titanic struck an iceberg, people had to run and pray
God moves, moves, God moves, ah, and the people had to run and pray
The guards who had been a-watching, asleep 'cause they were tired
When they heard the great excitement, then a gunshot was fired
God moves, moves, God moves, ah, and the people had to run and pray
Captain Smith gave orders, women and children first
Many of the lifeboats piled right up, many were liable to crush
God moves on, God moves, God moves, ah, and the people had to run and pray
Ahh-ah
So many had to leave their happy home, all that they possess
Lord Jesus, will you hear us now, help us in our distress
God moves, God moves, God moves, ah, people had to run and pray
Women had to leave their loving ones, see 'bout their safety
When they heard the liner was doomed, hearts did almost break
God moves, God moves, God moves, ah, and the people had to run and pray
A.G. Smith, mighty man, built a boat that he couldn't understand
Named it a name of God in a tin, without a "c", Lord, he pulled it in
God moves, ah, God moves, God moves, ah, and the people had to run and pray
(spoken: Well) Ahh, ah, Lord
****
Thanks to Blind Willie Johnson for his musical legacy. Thanks also to the producer of this YouTube video and the information & lyrics that are enclosed in the summary statement.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This post showcases "God Moves On The Water", a 1929 Gospel song composed & performed by Blind Willie Johnson. That song is about the sinking of the Titanic ocean liner.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, religious, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
SHOWCASE SOUND FILE AND LYRICS
Blind Willie Johnson - God Moves On The Water.
ALfaDuB101, Uploaded on May 21, 2011
Blind Willie Johnson - Good Moves On The Water
"Blind" Willie Johnson (January 22, 1897 -- September 18, 1945) was an American singer and guitarist whose music straddled the border between blues and spirituals. While the lyrics of all of his songs were religious, his music drew from both sacred and blues traditions. Among musicians, he is considered one of the greatest slide or bottleneck guitarists, as well as one of the most revered figures of depression-era gospel music.His music is distinguished by his powerful bass thumb-picking and gravelly false-bass voice, with occasional use of a tenor voice.
Lyrics
Ah, Lord, ah, Lord
Year of nineteen hundred and twelve, April the fourteenth day
Great Titanic struck an iceberg, people had to run and pray
God moves, moves, God moves, ah, and the people had to run and pray
The guards who had been a-watching, asleep 'cause they were tired
When they heard the great excitement, then a gunshot was fired
God moves, moves, God moves, ah, and the people had to run and pray
Captain Smith gave orders, women and children first
Many of the lifeboats piled right up, many were liable to crush
God moves on, God moves, God moves, ah, and the people had to run and pray
Ahh-ah
So many had to leave their happy home, all that they possess
Lord Jesus, will you hear us now, help us in our distress
God moves, God moves, God moves, ah, people had to run and pray
Women had to leave their loving ones, see 'bout their safety
When they heard the liner was doomed, hearts did almost break
God moves, God moves, God moves, ah, and the people had to run and pray
A.G. Smith, mighty man, built a boat that he couldn't understand
Named it a name of God in a tin, without a "c", Lord, he pulled it in
God moves, ah, God moves, God moves, ah, and the people had to run and pray
(spoken: Well) Ahh, ah, Lord
****
Thanks to Blind Willie Johnson for his musical legacy. Thanks also to the producer of this YouTube video and the information & lyrics that are enclosed in the summary statement.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Two Renditions of "The Sky Is Crying" (Elmore James & Albert King)
Edited by Azizi Powell
This post showcases a rendition of the Blues song "The Sky Is Falling" by Elmore James and by Albert King. The lyrics to this song are also included in this post.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
LYRICS: THE SKY IS FALLING
(Elmore James) 1959
The sky is crying,
look at the tears roll down the street
The sky is crying,
look at the tears roll down the street
I'm waiting in tears for my baby,
and I wonder where can she be?
I saw my baby one morning,
and she was walking down the street
I saw my baby one morning,
yes she walking on down the street
Make me feel so good
until my poor heart would skip a beat
I got a bad feeling, my baby,
my baby don't love me no more
I got a bad feeling,
my baby don't love me no more
Now the sky been crying,
the tears rolling down my door
Source: http://www.digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/lyrics_blues/ej_theskyiscry.html
****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLES
Example #1: Elmore James - The Sky is Crying
tormentor91, Uploaded on Feb 4, 2008
Elmore James (January 27, 1918 -- May 24, 1963) was an American blues guitarist, singer, song writer and band leader. He was known as The King of the Slide Guitar and had a unique guitar style and stirring voice.
-snip-
Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elmore_James for more information about Elmore James.
****
Example #2: Albert King - The Sky Is Crying
achatscheibe, Uploaded on Mar 28, 2010
-snip-
"Albert King (April 25, 1923 – December 21, 1992) was an American blues guitarist and singer, and a major influence in the world of blues guitar playing. King was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in May 2013."
Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_King for more information about Albert King.
****
Thanks to Elmore James and Albert King for their musical legacy.
Thanks to those whose quotes are used in this post and thanks to the publishers of these soundfiles on YouTube.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This post showcases a rendition of the Blues song "The Sky Is Falling" by Elmore James and by Albert King. The lyrics to this song are also included in this post.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
LYRICS: THE SKY IS FALLING
(Elmore James) 1959
The sky is crying,
look at the tears roll down the street
The sky is crying,
look at the tears roll down the street
I'm waiting in tears for my baby,
and I wonder where can she be?
I saw my baby one morning,
and she was walking down the street
I saw my baby one morning,
yes she walking on down the street
Make me feel so good
until my poor heart would skip a beat
I got a bad feeling, my baby,
my baby don't love me no more
I got a bad feeling,
my baby don't love me no more
Now the sky been crying,
the tears rolling down my door
Source: http://www.digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/lyrics_blues/ej_theskyiscry.html
****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLES
Example #1: Elmore James - The Sky is Crying
tormentor91, Uploaded on Feb 4, 2008
Elmore James (January 27, 1918 -- May 24, 1963) was an American blues guitarist, singer, song writer and band leader. He was known as The King of the Slide Guitar and had a unique guitar style and stirring voice.
-snip-
Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elmore_James for more information about Elmore James.
****
Example #2: Albert King - The Sky Is Crying
achatscheibe, Uploaded on Mar 28, 2010
-snip-
"Albert King (April 25, 1923 – December 21, 1992) was an American blues guitarist and singer, and a major influence in the world of blues guitar playing. King was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in May 2013."
Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_King for more information about Albert King.
****
Thanks to Elmore James and Albert King for their musical legacy.
Thanks to those whose quotes are used in this post and thanks to the publishers of these soundfiles on YouTube.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Saturday, July 20, 2013
"Bongo Bongo Bongo" (I Don't Want to Leave the Congo) & Two "Bongo Congo" Songs
Edited by Azizi Powell
This blog features music & dance from African Americans and other Black cultures throughout the world. However, some music and/or other cultural offerings that don't originate with Black people can remind people of other cultural offerrings or influence the creation, reception, and interpretation of other Black music/cultural offerings.
I wasn't aware of the 1947 American Pop song "Civilization" ("Bongo, Bongo, Bongo (I Don't Want to Leave the Congo") prior to coming across it while surfing YouTube. However, that song reminded me of a television cartoon show & its theme song from the 1960s. Because YouTube has just about everything, I found a soundfile of that theme song under the name "Leonardo & His Short Subjects". In that vaguely remembered animated series, Leonardo the lion is the king of the fictitious African nation of "Bongo Congo". Both of the 1947 "Bongo Bongo Bongo" song and that 1960s cartoon series with its theme song that includes a reference to "Bongo Congo" influence my reception of a Dancehall Reggae song [no recording date known] entitled "Bongo Congo" as well as the 1973/1974 Salsa song "Congo Bongo" and the 2003 Ghanaian Reggae song "Congo Bongo", each of which I also happened upon on YouTube.
This post provides information & lyrics when available, and a soundfile of the three songs "Civilization" ("Bongo, Bongo, Bongo (I Don't Want to Leave the Congo"), the King Leonardo & His Short Subjectstelevision theme song, and the Dancehall Reggae song entitled "Bongo Congo".
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-fania-all-stars-congo-bongo.html and http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/07/blakk-rasta-congo-bongo.html for related posts on the related term "Congo Bongo".
The content of this post is presented for cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT & SOUNDFILE OF "CIVILIZATION"
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civilization_(song)
"'Civilization' is an American pop song. It was written by Bob Hilliard and Carl Sigman, published in 1947 and introduced in the 1947 Broadway musical Angel in the Wings, sung by Elaine Stritch. The song is sometimes also known as "Bongo, Bongo, Bongo (I Don't Want to Leave the Congo)" from its first line of the chorus.
The song is considered satire and is sung from the perspective of a native "savage", whose village has recently been settled by a missionary and other "civilized" people who have been trying to make the tribe into a civilized place. However, the savage thinks differently and sings about the major flaws in civilized society, ultimately deciding that he will stay where he lives (presumably the Congo, as it is referenced in the song lyrics)…
Many recorded versions made the Billboard charts: by The Andrews Sisters and Danny Kaye, by Louis Prima, by "Smilin'" Jack Smith, by Ray McKinley, and by Woody Herman.
The Andrews Sisters and Danny Kaye recording was recorded September 27, 1947 and released by Decca Records as catalog number 24462. The record first reached the Billboard magazine charts on November 14, 1947 and lasted 10 weeks on the chart, peaking at #3”. The Louis Prima recording was recorded July 24, 1947 and released by RCA Victor Records as catalog number 20-2400. The record first reached the Billboard magazine charts on November 7, 1947 and lasted eight weeks on the chart, peaking at #8."
-snip-
Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ-fI_xJB88 for a soundfile of The Andrews Sisters and Danny Kaye recording of this song.
-snip-
Civilization (Bongo, Bongo, Bongo) - Louis Prima & His Orchestra
MLNLSF, Uploaded on Apr 9, 2011
Old American Music, Soundtrack "Lolita" 1997 film
-snip-
LYRICS - CIVILIZATION
(written by Bob Hilliard and Carl Sigman)
Each morning, a missionary advertises neon sign
He tells the native population that civilization is fine
And three educated savages holler from a bamboo tree
That civilization is a thing for me to see
So bongo, bongo, bongo, I don't wanna leave the Congo, oh no no no no no
Bingo, bangle, bungle, I'm so happy in the jungle, I refuse to go
Don't want no bright lights, false teeth, doorbells, landlords, I make it clear
That no matter how they coax him, I'll stay right here
I looked through a magazine the missionary's wife concealed (Magazine? What happens?)
I see how people who are civilized bung you with automobile (You know you can get hurt that way Daniel?)
At the movies they have got to pay many coconuts to see (What do they see, Darling?)
Uncivilized pictures that the newsreel takes of me
So bongo, bongo, bongo, he don't wanna leave the Congo, oh no no no no no
Bingo, bangle, bungle, he's so happy in the jungle, he refuse to go
Don't want no penthouse, bathtub, streetcars, taxis, noise in my ear
So, no matter how they coax him, I'll stay right here
They hurry like savages to get aboard an iron train
And though it's smokey and it's crowded, they're too civilized to complain
When they've got two weeks vacation, they hurry to vacation ground (What do they do, Darling?)
They swim and they fish, but that's what I do all year round
So bongo, bongo, bongo, I don't wanna leave the Congo, oh no no no no no
Bingo, bangle, bungle, I'm so happy in the jungle, I refuse to go
Don't want no jailhouse, shotgun, fish-hooks, golf clubs, I got my spears
So, no matter how they coax him, I'll stay right here
They have things like the atom bomb, so I think I'll stay where I "ahm"
Civilization, I'll stay right here!
Source: http://www.lyricstime.com/the-andrews-sisters-civilization-bongo-bongo-bongo-lyrics.html
****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE CARTOON SERIES "LEONARDO AND HIS SHORT SUBJECTS"
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Leonardo_and_His_Short_Subjects
" "King Leonardo and his Short Subjects" is an animated cartoon series released in 1960 by Total Television (which would later rename itself Leonardo Productions after the main character of this show), sponsored by General Mills.
The show focused on Leonardo the lion (voiced by Jackson Beck), who was the inept yet well-meaning King of Bongo Congo (a fictional African nation that is known for it's bongos). Leonardo was assisted in his adventures by a mild-mannered skunk named Odie Cologne aka "Odie O. Cologne" (voiced by Allen Swift).
King Leonardo's incompetent brother Itchy (voiced by Allen Swift) along with his friend, gangster, and leader Biggie Rat (voiced by Jackson Beck) attempt to overthrow Leonardo and rule Bongo Congo for themselves. Biggie would often employ the help of an evil German inventor named Professor Messer (voiced by Jackson Beck) and even obtain help from Odie's flirtatious sister Carlotta. Itchy and Biggie would come up with various plots which always ends with them either landing in the dungeon or getting away”.
****
King Leonardo cartoon TV Theme Song 45 rpm record
Paul F, Uploaded on Dec 25, 2011
Jackson Beck
Golden Record FF632A
-snip-
LYRICS: KING LEONARDO & HIS SHORT SUBJECTS THEME SONG
Here comes Leonardo, Leonardo Lion.
King of Bongo Congo, the hero lion of iron.
Where Leonardo travels, his subjects all go too.
There's Odio Cologne who's loyal and true blue.
I say there's a booming Hunter, a wily witty Fox.
And Tooter who brings fun to you, and visits magic box.
Good King Leonardo, has his enemies,
Biggie with his pistols, there's Itchy with his fleas.
They fought against the kingdom to overthrow the king,
Looks like Leonardo has had his royal fling.
But Odio Cologne, steps in to change the play,
That loyal skunk, with skill and spunk comes through to save the day.
You'll find adventure and thrills,
Laughter a minute, too.
You mustn't miss, excitement like this,
Or Hunter may hunt you.
Let's watch Leonardo, all his subjects, too.
Odio Cologne, the Fox and Hunter, too.
Tooter and the Wizard, they're ready set to go,
So everyone come join the fun on King Leonardo's Show.
Source: http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/televisiontvthemelyrics-kidsshows/kingleonardo&hisshortsubjects.htm
****
SOUNDFILE OF THE DANCEHALL REGGAE SONG "BONGO CONGO"
Bongo Congo feat. Tikaf - Dando Batalla (Rastafari Armada Crew)
rastafariarmada, Uploaded on Aug 3, 2011
desde el cuartel otra rola mas del crew Rastafari Armada , Bongo Congo (Ex Baterista de la agrupacion de El Salvador Anastacio y los del monte) feat. Tikaf , Argentina Buenos Aires , Dancehall Kulcha BLACK KING.
-snip-
Google translate to English:
"from the headquarters of the crew another dime more Rastafari Navy, Bongo Congo (former drummer of the grouping of El Salvador Anastacio and mount) feat. Tikaf, Argentina Buenos Aires, Dancehall Kulcha BLACK KING."
-snip-
There are a number of other YouTube video (soundfiles) of this Dancehall Reggae group. The information given indicates that this group is from Buenos Aries, Argentina. I don't have any other information about the group, including when this song was first recorded.
****
ADDENDUM
I want to be clear that I don't know if the American pop song & the American television cartoon show & theme song had any influence whatsoever on the title or lyrics of the "Bongo Congo" Dancehall Reggae song or the Salsa song "Congo Bongo" or the Reggae song "Congo Bongo". It's possible that the composers of those songs might not even know about those American songs or that American cartoon series.
What I am saying is that the "bongo bongo" and "bongo congo" lyrics of those American songs & that television show my reaction to those other songs. Furthermore, the cultural context that I bring to these songs-for instance, the negative stereotype that Americans have about Black people eating watermelon, influenced how I-as an African American- viewed a scene in the Ghanaian "Congo Bongo" video, to the extent that I wondered if the producer had purposely added that scene and used the phrase "Congo Bongo" as a way of re-claiming those actions & words that have negative connotations. But then I realized that the negative connotations of Black folks eating watermelon & the "Bongo Congo"/"Congo Bongo" phrase were in the United States and not necessarily elsewhere.
****
Thanks to all those who published information & YouTube examples of these songs.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This blog features music & dance from African Americans and other Black cultures throughout the world. However, some music and/or other cultural offerings that don't originate with Black people can remind people of other cultural offerrings or influence the creation, reception, and interpretation of other Black music/cultural offerings.
I wasn't aware of the 1947 American Pop song "Civilization" ("Bongo, Bongo, Bongo (I Don't Want to Leave the Congo") prior to coming across it while surfing YouTube. However, that song reminded me of a television cartoon show & its theme song from the 1960s. Because YouTube has just about everything, I found a soundfile of that theme song under the name "Leonardo & His Short Subjects". In that vaguely remembered animated series, Leonardo the lion is the king of the fictitious African nation of "Bongo Congo". Both of the 1947 "Bongo Bongo Bongo" song and that 1960s cartoon series with its theme song that includes a reference to "Bongo Congo" influence my reception of a Dancehall Reggae song [no recording date known] entitled "Bongo Congo" as well as the 1973/1974 Salsa song "Congo Bongo" and the 2003 Ghanaian Reggae song "Congo Bongo", each of which I also happened upon on YouTube.
This post provides information & lyrics when available, and a soundfile of the three songs "Civilization" ("Bongo, Bongo, Bongo (I Don't Want to Leave the Congo"), the King Leonardo & His Short Subjectstelevision theme song, and the Dancehall Reggae song entitled "Bongo Congo".
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-fania-all-stars-congo-bongo.html and http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/07/blakk-rasta-congo-bongo.html for related posts on the related term "Congo Bongo".
The content of this post is presented for cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT & SOUNDFILE OF "CIVILIZATION"
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civilization_(song)
"'Civilization' is an American pop song. It was written by Bob Hilliard and Carl Sigman, published in 1947 and introduced in the 1947 Broadway musical Angel in the Wings, sung by Elaine Stritch. The song is sometimes also known as "Bongo, Bongo, Bongo (I Don't Want to Leave the Congo)" from its first line of the chorus.
The song is considered satire and is sung from the perspective of a native "savage", whose village has recently been settled by a missionary and other "civilized" people who have been trying to make the tribe into a civilized place. However, the savage thinks differently and sings about the major flaws in civilized society, ultimately deciding that he will stay where he lives (presumably the Congo, as it is referenced in the song lyrics)…
Many recorded versions made the Billboard charts: by The Andrews Sisters and Danny Kaye, by Louis Prima, by "Smilin'" Jack Smith, by Ray McKinley, and by Woody Herman.
The Andrews Sisters and Danny Kaye recording was recorded September 27, 1947 and released by Decca Records as catalog number 24462. The record first reached the Billboard magazine charts on November 14, 1947 and lasted 10 weeks on the chart, peaking at #3”. The Louis Prima recording was recorded July 24, 1947 and released by RCA Victor Records as catalog number 20-2400. The record first reached the Billboard magazine charts on November 7, 1947 and lasted eight weeks on the chart, peaking at #8."
-snip-
Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ-fI_xJB88 for a soundfile of The Andrews Sisters and Danny Kaye recording of this song.
-snip-
Civilization (Bongo, Bongo, Bongo) - Louis Prima & His Orchestra
MLNLSF, Uploaded on Apr 9, 2011
Old American Music, Soundtrack "Lolita" 1997 film
-snip-
LYRICS - CIVILIZATION
(written by Bob Hilliard and Carl Sigman)
Each morning, a missionary advertises neon sign
He tells the native population that civilization is fine
And three educated savages holler from a bamboo tree
That civilization is a thing for me to see
So bongo, bongo, bongo, I don't wanna leave the Congo, oh no no no no no
Bingo, bangle, bungle, I'm so happy in the jungle, I refuse to go
Don't want no bright lights, false teeth, doorbells, landlords, I make it clear
That no matter how they coax him, I'll stay right here
I looked through a magazine the missionary's wife concealed (Magazine? What happens?)
I see how people who are civilized bung you with automobile (You know you can get hurt that way Daniel?)
At the movies they have got to pay many coconuts to see (What do they see, Darling?)
Uncivilized pictures that the newsreel takes of me
So bongo, bongo, bongo, he don't wanna leave the Congo, oh no no no no no
Bingo, bangle, bungle, he's so happy in the jungle, he refuse to go
Don't want no penthouse, bathtub, streetcars, taxis, noise in my ear
So, no matter how they coax him, I'll stay right here
They hurry like savages to get aboard an iron train
And though it's smokey and it's crowded, they're too civilized to complain
When they've got two weeks vacation, they hurry to vacation ground (What do they do, Darling?)
They swim and they fish, but that's what I do all year round
So bongo, bongo, bongo, I don't wanna leave the Congo, oh no no no no no
Bingo, bangle, bungle, I'm so happy in the jungle, I refuse to go
Don't want no jailhouse, shotgun, fish-hooks, golf clubs, I got my spears
So, no matter how they coax him, I'll stay right here
They have things like the atom bomb, so I think I'll stay where I "ahm"
Civilization, I'll stay right here!
Source: http://www.lyricstime.com/the-andrews-sisters-civilization-bongo-bongo-bongo-lyrics.html
****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE CARTOON SERIES "LEONARDO AND HIS SHORT SUBJECTS"
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Leonardo_and_His_Short_Subjects
" "King Leonardo and his Short Subjects" is an animated cartoon series released in 1960 by Total Television (which would later rename itself Leonardo Productions after the main character of this show), sponsored by General Mills.
The show focused on Leonardo the lion (voiced by Jackson Beck), who was the inept yet well-meaning King of Bongo Congo (a fictional African nation that is known for it's bongos). Leonardo was assisted in his adventures by a mild-mannered skunk named Odie Cologne aka "Odie O. Cologne" (voiced by Allen Swift).
King Leonardo's incompetent brother Itchy (voiced by Allen Swift) along with his friend, gangster, and leader Biggie Rat (voiced by Jackson Beck) attempt to overthrow Leonardo and rule Bongo Congo for themselves. Biggie would often employ the help of an evil German inventor named Professor Messer (voiced by Jackson Beck) and even obtain help from Odie's flirtatious sister Carlotta. Itchy and Biggie would come up with various plots which always ends with them either landing in the dungeon or getting away”.
****
King Leonardo cartoon TV Theme Song 45 rpm record
Paul F, Uploaded on Dec 25, 2011
Jackson Beck
Golden Record FF632A
-snip-
LYRICS: KING LEONARDO & HIS SHORT SUBJECTS THEME SONG
Here comes Leonardo, Leonardo Lion.
King of Bongo Congo, the hero lion of iron.
Where Leonardo travels, his subjects all go too.
There's Odio Cologne who's loyal and true blue.
I say there's a booming Hunter, a wily witty Fox.
And Tooter who brings fun to you, and visits magic box.
Good King Leonardo, has his enemies,
Biggie with his pistols, there's Itchy with his fleas.
They fought against the kingdom to overthrow the king,
Looks like Leonardo has had his royal fling.
But Odio Cologne, steps in to change the play,
That loyal skunk, with skill and spunk comes through to save the day.
You'll find adventure and thrills,
Laughter a minute, too.
You mustn't miss, excitement like this,
Or Hunter may hunt you.
Let's watch Leonardo, all his subjects, too.
Odio Cologne, the Fox and Hunter, too.
Tooter and the Wizard, they're ready set to go,
So everyone come join the fun on King Leonardo's Show.
Source: http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/televisiontvthemelyrics-kidsshows/kingleonardo&hisshortsubjects.htm
****
SOUNDFILE OF THE DANCEHALL REGGAE SONG "BONGO CONGO"
Bongo Congo feat. Tikaf - Dando Batalla (Rastafari Armada Crew)
rastafariarmada, Uploaded on Aug 3, 2011
desde el cuartel otra rola mas del crew Rastafari Armada , Bongo Congo (Ex Baterista de la agrupacion de El Salvador Anastacio y los del monte) feat. Tikaf , Argentina Buenos Aires , Dancehall Kulcha BLACK KING.
-snip-
Google translate to English:
"from the headquarters of the crew another dime more Rastafari Navy, Bongo Congo (former drummer of the grouping of El Salvador Anastacio and mount) feat. Tikaf, Argentina Buenos Aires, Dancehall Kulcha BLACK KING."
-snip-
There are a number of other YouTube video (soundfiles) of this Dancehall Reggae group. The information given indicates that this group is from Buenos Aries, Argentina. I don't have any other information about the group, including when this song was first recorded.
****
ADDENDUM
I want to be clear that I don't know if the American pop song & the American television cartoon show & theme song had any influence whatsoever on the title or lyrics of the "Bongo Congo" Dancehall Reggae song or the Salsa song "Congo Bongo" or the Reggae song "Congo Bongo". It's possible that the composers of those songs might not even know about those American songs or that American cartoon series.
What I am saying is that the "bongo bongo" and "bongo congo" lyrics of those American songs & that television show my reaction to those other songs. Furthermore, the cultural context that I bring to these songs-for instance, the negative stereotype that Americans have about Black people eating watermelon, influenced how I-as an African American- viewed a scene in the Ghanaian "Congo Bongo" video, to the extent that I wondered if the producer had purposely added that scene and used the phrase "Congo Bongo" as a way of re-claiming those actions & words that have negative connotations. But then I realized that the negative connotations of Black folks eating watermelon & the "Bongo Congo"/"Congo Bongo" phrase were in the United States and not necessarily elsewhere.
****
Thanks to all those who published information & YouTube examples of these songs.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Blakk Rasta - Congo Bongo
Edited by Azizi Powell
This is Part II of a two part series on recordings entitled "Congo Bongo". This post showcases a sound file of the 2003 recording "Congo Bongo" by Ghanaian Reggae artist Blakk Rasta. Information about Blakk Rasta is also included in this post.
Part I includes a soundfile of and information about the 1973/1974 recording "Congo Bongo" by The Fania All Stars.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-fania-all-stars-congo-bongo.html for that post.
For a related post, click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/07/bongo-bongo-bongo-i-dont-want-to-leave.html.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT BLAKK RASTA
From http://showbiz.peacefmonline.com/music/artist/blakk_rasta/biography/
"Blakk Rasta was born on the Monday of 2nd September 1974 in Tamale in the Northern part of Ghana, West Africa. He was born to devout Ahmadi-Moslem parents.
As a growing youth in the slums of Moshie-Zongo and Aboabo, Blakk Rasta (born ABUBAKAR AHMED), underwent a lot of injustice, favouritism and other social ills...
Blakk Rasta met Ras Kimono in 1993, watched the artiste perform live and, for the extreme love for the artiste, Blakk Rasta formed a conscious youth club called ‘The Ras Theatre Group’ in Tamale, which acted plays, made movies and performed Ras Kimono’s music.
That was when Blakk Rasta started trying to write his own lyrics. The first one he wrote was ‘Keep on Rockin’ / I & I Rastas.
His first album, “Rasta shrine” came out in April 2000. It was a smash hit with singles like ‘Afreeka swit’, and “Keep on Rockin’ / I & I Rastas”
In 2003 July, ‘More Fyah’ was released and the single ‘ Congo Bongo’ was voted as the best reggae song of the year 2003 by the Ghana music award."...
****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLE: Blakk Rasta - Congo Bongo(OFFICIAL VIDEO)
blakk ras, Uploaded on Dec 25, 2010
congo bongo means,conscious rastaman.blakk rasta is ghana's no1 roots reggae artiste and also,the most militant artiste in africa. congo bongo was voted the best reggae song in ghana in 2004. it is contained in the MORE FYAH album of blakk rasta.
-snip-
I want to add a comment about the cultural context that I bring to this song.
I cringed when I saw the scene of the Black men eating watermelon. But I realize that the negative stereotype that Americans have about Black people eating watermelon isn't found throughout the world. Also, I know that other people in the world don't necessarily have a negative reaction to the words "Congo Bongo" that I as an African American have. After some thought, I realized that I had that negative reaction to the "Congo Bongo" title as a direct result of the 1960s American cartoon in which "Bongo Congo" was given as the fictitious name for an African nation. The link for the post that I published about "Bongo Congo" is given above.
My reaction to this name caused me to initially wonder if the producer of this Blakk Rasta video had purposely added that scene with the Black men eating watermelon and if the composeer of the "Congo Bongo" song chose that name as a way of re-claiming those actions & words that have negative connotations. But then I realized that the negative connotations of Black folks eating watermelon & the "Bongo Congo"/"Congo Bongo" phrase were in the United States and may not be found elsewhere.
****
Thanks to Blakk Rasta for his musical legacy. Thanks also to the author who I quoted and the publisher of this soundfile on YouTube.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This is Part II of a two part series on recordings entitled "Congo Bongo". This post showcases a sound file of the 2003 recording "Congo Bongo" by Ghanaian Reggae artist Blakk Rasta. Information about Blakk Rasta is also included in this post.
Part I includes a soundfile of and information about the 1973/1974 recording "Congo Bongo" by The Fania All Stars.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-fania-all-stars-congo-bongo.html for that post.
For a related post, click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/07/bongo-bongo-bongo-i-dont-want-to-leave.html.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT BLAKK RASTA
From http://showbiz.peacefmonline.com/music/artist/blakk_rasta/biography/
"Blakk Rasta was born on the Monday of 2nd September 1974 in Tamale in the Northern part of Ghana, West Africa. He was born to devout Ahmadi-Moslem parents.
As a growing youth in the slums of Moshie-Zongo and Aboabo, Blakk Rasta (born ABUBAKAR AHMED), underwent a lot of injustice, favouritism and other social ills...
Blakk Rasta met Ras Kimono in 1993, watched the artiste perform live and, for the extreme love for the artiste, Blakk Rasta formed a conscious youth club called ‘The Ras Theatre Group’ in Tamale, which acted plays, made movies and performed Ras Kimono’s music.
That was when Blakk Rasta started trying to write his own lyrics. The first one he wrote was ‘Keep on Rockin’ / I & I Rastas.
His first album, “Rasta shrine” came out in April 2000. It was a smash hit with singles like ‘Afreeka swit’, and “Keep on Rockin’ / I & I Rastas”
In 2003 July, ‘More Fyah’ was released and the single ‘ Congo Bongo’ was voted as the best reggae song of the year 2003 by the Ghana music award."...
****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLE: Blakk Rasta - Congo Bongo(OFFICIAL VIDEO)
blakk ras, Uploaded on Dec 25, 2010
congo bongo means,conscious rastaman.blakk rasta is ghana's no1 roots reggae artiste and also,the most militant artiste in africa. congo bongo was voted the best reggae song in ghana in 2004. it is contained in the MORE FYAH album of blakk rasta.
-snip-
I want to add a comment about the cultural context that I bring to this song.
I cringed when I saw the scene of the Black men eating watermelon. But I realize that the negative stereotype that Americans have about Black people eating watermelon isn't found throughout the world. Also, I know that other people in the world don't necessarily have a negative reaction to the words "Congo Bongo" that I as an African American have. After some thought, I realized that I had that negative reaction to the "Congo Bongo" title as a direct result of the 1960s American cartoon in which "Bongo Congo" was given as the fictitious name for an African nation. The link for the post that I published about "Bongo Congo" is given above.
My reaction to this name caused me to initially wonder if the producer of this Blakk Rasta video had purposely added that scene with the Black men eating watermelon and if the composeer of the "Congo Bongo" song chose that name as a way of re-claiming those actions & words that have negative connotations. But then I realized that the negative connotations of Black folks eating watermelon & the "Bongo Congo"/"Congo Bongo" phrase were in the United States and may not be found elsewhere.
****
Thanks to Blakk Rasta for his musical legacy. Thanks also to the author who I quoted and the publisher of this soundfile on YouTube.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
The Fania All Stars - Congo Bongo
Edited by Azizi Powell
This is Part I of a two part series on recordings entitled "Congo Bongo". This post showcases a sound file of the 1973/1974 recording "Congo Bongo" by The Fania All Stars. Information about that group is included in this post. This post also includes an excerpt of an article about the first performance of "Congo Bongo" by that group.
Part II of this series showcases a sound file of the 2003 song entitled "Congo Bongo" by Ghanaian vocalist Blakk Rasta.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/07/blakk-rasta-congo-bongo.html for that post.
For a related post, click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/07/bongo-bongo-bongo-i-dont-want-to-leave.html.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE FANIA ALL STARS
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fania_All-Stars
The Fania All-Stars is a musical ensemble established in 1968 by the composer, Johnny Pacheco, as a showcase for the musicians on the record label Fania Records, the leading salsa record company of the time.[1]
In 1964, Fania Records was founded in New York City by Jerry Masucci, an Italian-American lawyer with a love for Latin melodies, and Johnny Pacheco, a composer and bandleader, born in the Dominican Republic. Masucci later bought out his partner Pacheco from Fania Entertainment Group Ltd., and was the sole owner for many years until his death in December 1997.
Throughout the early years, Fania used to distribute its records around New York. Eventually success from Pacheco's Cañonaso recording would lead the label to develop its roster. Masucci and Pacheco, now executive negotiator and musical director, respectively, began acquiring musicians such as Bobby Valentín, Larry Harlow and Ray Barreto.
In 1968, Fania Records created a continuously revolving line-up of entertainers known as the Fania All-Stars. In 1971 they recorded Fania All-Stars: Live At The Cheetah, Volumes 1 and 2. It exhibited the entire All-Star family performing before a capacity audience in New York's Cheetah Lounge.
Following sell-out concerts in Puerto Rico, Chicago and Panama, the All-Stars embarked on their first appearance at New York's Yankee Stadium on August 24, 1973... Live at Yankee Stadium was included in the second set of 50 recordings in the List of recordings preserved in the United States National Recording Registry, solidifying the All-Stars as "culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant."
****
ARTICLE EXCERPT
From https://www.fania.com/content/latin-rock-soul
"By 1973 Fania Records' flagship super-group, the Fania All Stars, were on a roll. Their two-volume album Live At The Cheetah (1971) had became the biggest selling live Latin recordings up to that point and the 1972 movie Our Latin Thing (Nuestra Cosa), prominently featuring clips from the Cheetah concert, was opening doors abroad. Despite advice to the contrary, label boss Jerry Masucci (1934-1997) took the bold step of booking New York's massive Yankee Stadium for a salsa concert on Friday, August 24, 1973. They thought we were crazy, said Masucci. But I rented the place for one night for $180,000 cash. His gamble paid off, because the event attracted a crowd of about 45,000.
It was a condition of the stadium rental that the performers should stay on the platform stage and the audience remain in the stands, located far away from the stage. All went according to the stipulation during performances from Típica 73, El Gran Combo and Mongo Santamaría's group. However, midway through the Fania All Stars' rendition of "Congo Bongo," an incendiary conga duel between Ray Barretto and Mongo written by Larry Harlow and Heny Alvarez, the audience could no longer contain themselves, and charged the stage. Police intervened, the lights went up and the event had to be abandoned with about five numbers still to perform.
1974's "Latin-Soul-Rock" was the first album to include material from this historic concert, namely the tracks "Congo Bongo" and "El Ratón." The two-volume Live At Yankee Stadium, released the following year, featured four more songs from the concert. The live recording of "Soul Makossa" on "Latin-Soul-Rock," a cover of the 1972 hit by Cameroonian saxophonist Manu Dibango, and the remaining six cuts on the Live At Yankee Stadium albums were all recorded at the Fania All Stars' debut in San Juan, Puerto Rico, opening the new Roberto Clemente Coliseum. For the rest of "Latin-Soul-Rock," the band and its invited guests, Dibango, Jorge Malo Santana, Billy Cobham and Jan Hammer, reconvened at Good Vibration Sound Studios to record the material they were supposed to have performed at Yankee Stadium."
****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLE: CONGO BONGO - Fania All Stars ( YANKEE STADIUM )
.
salsero1999, Uploaded on Mar 3, 2011
La Fania All Stars haciendo historia en este concierto provocando un extasis y climax musical a la gente que fue a ver este concierto, y no es para menos con un grupos de solo estrellas verdaderos monstruos de la musica...
-snip-
Google translate to English:
The Fania All Stars make history in this concert causing a musical climax ecstasy and people who went to see this concert, and no wonder a star groups only real monsters of the music ...
****
ADDITIONAL USAGE
In researching the phrase "Congo Bongo", I also learned that "Congo Bongo" was the title of an early 1980s video game, and is the name of vacation lodges in Costa Rica.
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congo_Bongo
"Congo Bongo (J: Tip Top (ティップタップ Tippu Tappu?)) is an isometric platform arcade game released by Sega in 1983. The game has come to be seen as Sega's answer to the highly successful Donkey Kong game that was released two years prior. The player takes the role of a red-nosed safari hunter who tries to catch an ape named "Bongo"... Like Donkey Kong, the levels are composed of a series of four single screens that loop in a higher difficulty when completed… Despite being a commercial failure when it was initially released [4] Congo Bongo has been ported to nearly every major gaming platform of the day, including SG-1000, MSX, Intellivision,[5] ColecoVision, Commodore 64 (twice - by Sega in 1983 and by U.S. Gold in 1985), IBM PC, Atari 2600, Atari 5200 and Atari 8-bit computers."
From http://www.flipkey.com/puerto-viejo-vacation-rentals/p181667/ for information about the Costa Rican vacation houses.
****
ADDENDUM
I want to add a comment about the cultural context that I bring to this song.
I admit that I had a negative reaction to the words "Congo Bongo" and I tried to figure out why that was so. After some thought, I realized that I had that negative reaction as a direct result of the 1960s American cartoon King Leonardo And His Short Subjects in which "Bongo Congo" was given as the fictitious name for an African nation. The link for the post that I published about "Bongo Congo" is given above.
Furthermore, my initial reaction to the "Bongo Congo" song title caused me to wonder if the the composer of this "Congo Bongo" song was influenced by the definitely culturally offensive 1947 "Bongo Bongo Bongo" song and/or the 1960s cartoon series based in the fictitious African nation of "Bongo Congo". It's possible that the "Congo Bongo" name had nothing at all to do with either of those sources. Still, I have to struggle against a negative reaction to that title. However, I'm aware that people from other cultures probably don't have the same reactions to this song title because they don't have the same negative associatons from the 1947 song and frivolous if not actually negative associations from the cartoon show that I bring to that "Congo Bongo" title.
****
Thanks to the Fania All Stars for their musical legacy. Thanks also to the composers of "Congo Bongo", the authors who I quoted, and the publisher of this soundfile on YouTube.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This is Part I of a two part series on recordings entitled "Congo Bongo". This post showcases a sound file of the 1973/1974 recording "Congo Bongo" by The Fania All Stars. Information about that group is included in this post. This post also includes an excerpt of an article about the first performance of "Congo Bongo" by that group.
Part II of this series showcases a sound file of the 2003 song entitled "Congo Bongo" by Ghanaian vocalist Blakk Rasta.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/07/blakk-rasta-congo-bongo.html for that post.
For a related post, click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/07/bongo-bongo-bongo-i-dont-want-to-leave.html.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE FANIA ALL STARS
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fania_All-Stars
The Fania All-Stars is a musical ensemble established in 1968 by the composer, Johnny Pacheco, as a showcase for the musicians on the record label Fania Records, the leading salsa record company of the time.[1]
In 1964, Fania Records was founded in New York City by Jerry Masucci, an Italian-American lawyer with a love for Latin melodies, and Johnny Pacheco, a composer and bandleader, born in the Dominican Republic. Masucci later bought out his partner Pacheco from Fania Entertainment Group Ltd., and was the sole owner for many years until his death in December 1997.
Throughout the early years, Fania used to distribute its records around New York. Eventually success from Pacheco's Cañonaso recording would lead the label to develop its roster. Masucci and Pacheco, now executive negotiator and musical director, respectively, began acquiring musicians such as Bobby Valentín, Larry Harlow and Ray Barreto.
In 1968, Fania Records created a continuously revolving line-up of entertainers known as the Fania All-Stars. In 1971 they recorded Fania All-Stars: Live At The Cheetah, Volumes 1 and 2. It exhibited the entire All-Star family performing before a capacity audience in New York's Cheetah Lounge.
Following sell-out concerts in Puerto Rico, Chicago and Panama, the All-Stars embarked on their first appearance at New York's Yankee Stadium on August 24, 1973... Live at Yankee Stadium was included in the second set of 50 recordings in the List of recordings preserved in the United States National Recording Registry, solidifying the All-Stars as "culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant."
****
ARTICLE EXCERPT
From https://www.fania.com/content/latin-rock-soul
"By 1973 Fania Records' flagship super-group, the Fania All Stars, were on a roll. Their two-volume album Live At The Cheetah (1971) had became the biggest selling live Latin recordings up to that point and the 1972 movie Our Latin Thing (Nuestra Cosa), prominently featuring clips from the Cheetah concert, was opening doors abroad. Despite advice to the contrary, label boss Jerry Masucci (1934-1997) took the bold step of booking New York's massive Yankee Stadium for a salsa concert on Friday, August 24, 1973. They thought we were crazy, said Masucci. But I rented the place for one night for $180,000 cash. His gamble paid off, because the event attracted a crowd of about 45,000.
It was a condition of the stadium rental that the performers should stay on the platform stage and the audience remain in the stands, located far away from the stage. All went according to the stipulation during performances from Típica 73, El Gran Combo and Mongo Santamaría's group. However, midway through the Fania All Stars' rendition of "Congo Bongo," an incendiary conga duel between Ray Barretto and Mongo written by Larry Harlow and Heny Alvarez, the audience could no longer contain themselves, and charged the stage. Police intervened, the lights went up and the event had to be abandoned with about five numbers still to perform.
1974's "Latin-Soul-Rock" was the first album to include material from this historic concert, namely the tracks "Congo Bongo" and "El Ratón." The two-volume Live At Yankee Stadium, released the following year, featured four more songs from the concert. The live recording of "Soul Makossa" on "Latin-Soul-Rock," a cover of the 1972 hit by Cameroonian saxophonist Manu Dibango, and the remaining six cuts on the Live At Yankee Stadium albums were all recorded at the Fania All Stars' debut in San Juan, Puerto Rico, opening the new Roberto Clemente Coliseum. For the rest of "Latin-Soul-Rock," the band and its invited guests, Dibango, Jorge Malo Santana, Billy Cobham and Jan Hammer, reconvened at Good Vibration Sound Studios to record the material they were supposed to have performed at Yankee Stadium."
****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLE: CONGO BONGO - Fania All Stars ( YANKEE STADIUM )
.
salsero1999, Uploaded on Mar 3, 2011
La Fania All Stars haciendo historia en este concierto provocando un extasis y climax musical a la gente que fue a ver este concierto, y no es para menos con un grupos de solo estrellas verdaderos monstruos de la musica...
-snip-
Google translate to English:
The Fania All Stars make history in this concert causing a musical climax ecstasy and people who went to see this concert, and no wonder a star groups only real monsters of the music ...
****
ADDITIONAL USAGE
In researching the phrase "Congo Bongo", I also learned that "Congo Bongo" was the title of an early 1980s video game, and is the name of vacation lodges in Costa Rica.
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congo_Bongo
"Congo Bongo (J: Tip Top (ティップタップ Tippu Tappu?)) is an isometric platform arcade game released by Sega in 1983. The game has come to be seen as Sega's answer to the highly successful Donkey Kong game that was released two years prior. The player takes the role of a red-nosed safari hunter who tries to catch an ape named "Bongo"... Like Donkey Kong, the levels are composed of a series of four single screens that loop in a higher difficulty when completed… Despite being a commercial failure when it was initially released [4] Congo Bongo has been ported to nearly every major gaming platform of the day, including SG-1000, MSX, Intellivision,[5] ColecoVision, Commodore 64 (twice - by Sega in 1983 and by U.S. Gold in 1985), IBM PC, Atari 2600, Atari 5200 and Atari 8-bit computers."
From http://www.flipkey.com/puerto-viejo-vacation-rentals/p181667/ for information about the Costa Rican vacation houses.
****
ADDENDUM
I want to add a comment about the cultural context that I bring to this song.
I admit that I had a negative reaction to the words "Congo Bongo" and I tried to figure out why that was so. After some thought, I realized that I had that negative reaction as a direct result of the 1960s American cartoon King Leonardo And His Short Subjects in which "Bongo Congo" was given as the fictitious name for an African nation. The link for the post that I published about "Bongo Congo" is given above.
Furthermore, my initial reaction to the "Bongo Congo" song title caused me to wonder if the the composer of this "Congo Bongo" song was influenced by the definitely culturally offensive 1947 "Bongo Bongo Bongo" song and/or the 1960s cartoon series based in the fictitious African nation of "Bongo Congo". It's possible that the "Congo Bongo" name had nothing at all to do with either of those sources. Still, I have to struggle against a negative reaction to that title. However, I'm aware that people from other cultures probably don't have the same reactions to this song title because they don't have the same negative associatons from the 1947 song and frivolous if not actually negative associations from the cartoon show that I bring to that "Congo Bongo" title.
****
Thanks to the Fania All Stars for their musical legacy. Thanks also to the composers of "Congo Bongo", the authors who I quoted, and the publisher of this soundfile on YouTube.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Five Videos Of Music By Koffi Olomide (From 2006-2012)
Edited by Azizi Powell
This post showcases five videos by Congolese vocalist Koffi Olomide. These videos range from 2006 to 2012. Information about Koffi Olomide is included in this post. Iformation about Soukous music is also included in this post.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT KOFI OLOMIDE
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koffi_Olomide
"Antoine Christophe Agbepa Mumba, also known as Koffi Olomide (Friday, July 13, 1956), is a DR Congolese soukous singer, dancer, producer, and composer. He is also known by a multitude of other names and aliases.[1]
He was born in Kisangani, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. His father is Congolese (Gbandi tribe from Equateur region) and his mother was born from a Sierra-Leone father and a Congolese mother (Songye tribe from Kasaï region). According to the ethnic custom of his Sierra-Leone grand father, his mother named him 'Koffi' because he was born on a Friday.[2] Koffi grew up in the city of Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in a middle-class family, where education was valued.
He earned a scholarship and went to study in Bordeaux, France where he obtained a Bachelors Degree in Business Economics. He is also reported to hold a Masters Degree in Mathematics from the University of Paris...
Upon his return to Congo in the 1970s he joined Papa Wemba's band, Viva la Musica, at first as a composer and song-writer, and later as a vocalist and lead-singer. He launched his solo career. In 1986, Koffi formed his band known as Quartier Latin, which celebrated its 20-year anniversary in 2006. Since then, he has performed and recorded both with the group and by himself. Over the years, he has built up a faithful fan base Internationally, particularly in Africa and Europe. Koffi popularized the slower style of soukous, which he dubbed Tcha Tcho. Koffi's music can be quite controversial, taking on current events and topics considered taboo in some conservative societies. He has also participated in the salsa music project Africando. For his effort, Effrakata, released in 2001-2002, Koffi received four Kora Awards on a single night at the annual Kora Awards in South Africa for 2002/2003, including the award for Best African Artist, which he had earlier won in 1998. More recently, he has won the Kora Award for "Best African Artist of The Decade". This led to the establishment of one of his many aliases as the 'Quadra Kora Man'...
Koffi, who mostly refers to himself as Mopao... Mopao is the undisputed king of romantic rhumba[citation needed]. Not only that, he is one of Africa's biggest musicians today."
****
INFORMATION ABOUT SOUKOUS MUSIC
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soukous
"Soukous is a genre of dance music[1] that originated from African rumba music of the Belgian Congo and French Congo during the 1940s and gained popularity throughout Africa.
Soukous is known as Congo in West Africa and Lingala in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania after the Lingala language of the lyrics. In Zambia and Zimbabwe, where Congolese music is also influential, it is still usually referred to as Rumba.
Soukous", a derivative of the French word secousse - " to shake"[2] - was originally the name of a dance popular in the Congos in the late 1960s, an African version of the Cuban Rumba. From the 1940s Afro-Cuban son groups such as Septeto Habanero and Trio Matamoros had been played over Radio Congo Belge in Léopoldville (Kinshasa) and the Congo shared the widespread poplarity of Cuban music during the late 1940s and 1950s."[3]...
The fast soukous music currently dominating dance floors in central, eastern and western Africa is called soukous ndombolo, performed by Dany Engobo, Awilo Longomba, Aurlus Mabele, Koffi Olomide and groups like Extra Musica and Wenge Musica among others.
The hip-swinging dance to the fast pace of soukous ndombolo has come under criticism amid charges that it is obscene. There have been attempts to ban it in Mali, Cameroon and Kenya. After an attempt to ban it from state radio and television in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2000, it became even more popular. In February, 2005 ndombolo music videos in the DR Congo were censored for indecency, and video clips by Koffi Olomide, JB M'Piana and Werrason were banned from the airwaves.[14][15][16]"
****
FEATURED VIDEOS
(These videos are posted in chronological order by the date of their posting on YouTube with the oldest video posted first.)
Example #1: Koffi Olomide-Moudoungou
bberlinn, Uploaded on Dec 31, 2006
Danger De Mort 2006: Koffi Olomide & Quartier Latin
****
Example #2: Insecticide - Koffi olomide
KSF Kasaflo Uploaded on Jan 15, 2007
La vidéo de ferré insecticide dans danger de mort
****
Example #3: Koffi Olomide [Fally Ipupa] - Effervescent
InfernoGroupe Uploaded on Dec 15, 2010
Effrakata - 2002
****
Example #4Congo - KOFFI OLOMIDE GENERIQUE DE FORCE DE FRAPPE / DJ OMEGA BP EN HD & 3D
djomegadt Uploaded on Jan 1, 2011
Congo - Album Force de Frappe
****
Example #5: Congo - Koffi Olomide - Abracadabra - Jeune Pato - © Google Play
.
Seka Moke, Published on Apr 25, 2012
Congo - Koffi Olomide - Abracadabra - Jeune Pato - © Google Play
****
Thanks to Koffi Olomide for his musical legacy. Thanks also to all those featured in these videos, to the producers of these videos, and to their publishers on YouTube.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This post showcases five videos by Congolese vocalist Koffi Olomide. These videos range from 2006 to 2012. Information about Koffi Olomide is included in this post. Iformation about Soukous music is also included in this post.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT KOFI OLOMIDE
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koffi_Olomide
"Antoine Christophe Agbepa Mumba, also known as Koffi Olomide (Friday, July 13, 1956), is a DR Congolese soukous singer, dancer, producer, and composer. He is also known by a multitude of other names and aliases.[1]
He was born in Kisangani, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. His father is Congolese (Gbandi tribe from Equateur region) and his mother was born from a Sierra-Leone father and a Congolese mother (Songye tribe from Kasaï region). According to the ethnic custom of his Sierra-Leone grand father, his mother named him 'Koffi' because he was born on a Friday.[2] Koffi grew up in the city of Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in a middle-class family, where education was valued.
He earned a scholarship and went to study in Bordeaux, France where he obtained a Bachelors Degree in Business Economics. He is also reported to hold a Masters Degree in Mathematics from the University of Paris...
Upon his return to Congo in the 1970s he joined Papa Wemba's band, Viva la Musica, at first as a composer and song-writer, and later as a vocalist and lead-singer. He launched his solo career. In 1986, Koffi formed his band known as Quartier Latin, which celebrated its 20-year anniversary in 2006. Since then, he has performed and recorded both with the group and by himself. Over the years, he has built up a faithful fan base Internationally, particularly in Africa and Europe. Koffi popularized the slower style of soukous, which he dubbed Tcha Tcho. Koffi's music can be quite controversial, taking on current events and topics considered taboo in some conservative societies. He has also participated in the salsa music project Africando. For his effort, Effrakata, released in 2001-2002, Koffi received four Kora Awards on a single night at the annual Kora Awards in South Africa for 2002/2003, including the award for Best African Artist, which he had earlier won in 1998. More recently, he has won the Kora Award for "Best African Artist of The Decade". This led to the establishment of one of his many aliases as the 'Quadra Kora Man'...
Koffi, who mostly refers to himself as Mopao... Mopao is the undisputed king of romantic rhumba[citation needed]. Not only that, he is one of Africa's biggest musicians today."
****
INFORMATION ABOUT SOUKOUS MUSIC
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soukous
"Soukous is a genre of dance music[1] that originated from African rumba music of the Belgian Congo and French Congo during the 1940s and gained popularity throughout Africa.
Soukous is known as Congo in West Africa and Lingala in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania after the Lingala language of the lyrics. In Zambia and Zimbabwe, where Congolese music is also influential, it is still usually referred to as Rumba.
Soukous", a derivative of the French word secousse - " to shake"[2] - was originally the name of a dance popular in the Congos in the late 1960s, an African version of the Cuban Rumba. From the 1940s Afro-Cuban son groups such as Septeto Habanero and Trio Matamoros had been played over Radio Congo Belge in Léopoldville (Kinshasa) and the Congo shared the widespread poplarity of Cuban music during the late 1940s and 1950s."[3]...
The fast soukous music currently dominating dance floors in central, eastern and western Africa is called soukous ndombolo, performed by Dany Engobo, Awilo Longomba, Aurlus Mabele, Koffi Olomide and groups like Extra Musica and Wenge Musica among others.
The hip-swinging dance to the fast pace of soukous ndombolo has come under criticism amid charges that it is obscene. There have been attempts to ban it in Mali, Cameroon and Kenya. After an attempt to ban it from state radio and television in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2000, it became even more popular. In February, 2005 ndombolo music videos in the DR Congo were censored for indecency, and video clips by Koffi Olomide, JB M'Piana and Werrason were banned from the airwaves.[14][15][16]"
****
FEATURED VIDEOS
(These videos are posted in chronological order by the date of their posting on YouTube with the oldest video posted first.)
Example #1: Koffi Olomide-Moudoungou
bberlinn, Uploaded on Dec 31, 2006
Danger De Mort 2006: Koffi Olomide & Quartier Latin
****
Example #2: Insecticide - Koffi olomide
KSF Kasaflo Uploaded on Jan 15, 2007
La vidéo de ferré insecticide dans danger de mort
****
Example #3: Koffi Olomide [Fally Ipupa] - Effervescent
InfernoGroupe Uploaded on Dec 15, 2010
Effrakata - 2002
****
Example #4Congo - KOFFI OLOMIDE GENERIQUE DE FORCE DE FRAPPE / DJ OMEGA BP EN HD & 3D
djomegadt Uploaded on Jan 1, 2011
Congo - Album Force de Frappe
****
Example #5: Congo - Koffi Olomide - Abracadabra - Jeune Pato - © Google Play
.
Seka Moke, Published on Apr 25, 2012
Congo - Koffi Olomide - Abracadabra - Jeune Pato - © Google Play
****
Thanks to Koffi Olomide for his musical legacy. Thanks also to all those featured in these videos, to the producers of these videos, and to their publishers on YouTube.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Curtis Mayfield & The Impressions & The Chambers Brothers - People Get Ready (with lyrics)
Edited by Azizi Powell
This post showcases the song "People Get Ready". This post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/15/lester-chambers-trayvon-martin-attacked-dedication-song_n_3601173.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular. That article is reports that a member of the Chambers Brothers was accousted at a Blues festival July 17, 2013 when he sung "People Get Ready" in honor of Trayvon Martin. Trayvon Martin was a 17 year old African American who was tragically killed in Florida in February 2012 when he was walking from a convenience store back to the house where he was staying. Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/03/chanting-at-trayvon-martin-million.html for a pancocojams post about the chants that were spoken by protestors who called for a trial for the man who killed Trayvon Martin.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, inspirational, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS
Example #1: People Get Ready -- The Impressions ( in HD)
rockwithstone, Uploaded on Jan 20, 2012
From Wikipedia:
"People Get Ready" was a 1965 single by The Impressions, and the title track from the album of the same name. The single is today the group's best-known hit, reaching number-three on the Billboard R&B Chart and number 14 on the Billboard Pop Chart. The gospel-influenced track was a Curtis Mayfield composition, and displayed the growing sense of social and political awareness in his writing.
Rolling Stone magazine named "People Get Ready" the 24th greatest song of all time. The song was included in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. "People Get Ready" has also been chosen as one of the Top 10 Best Songs Of All Time by a panel of 20 top industry songwriters and producers, including Paul McCartney, Brian Wilson, Hal David, and others as reported to Britain's Mojo music magazine, and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998. Mayfield said, "That was taken from my church or from the upbringing of messages from the church. Like there's no hiding place and get on board, and images of that sort. I must have been in a very deep mood of that type of religious inspiration when I wrote that song." The song is the first Impressions hit to feature Mayfield's guitar in the break.
-snip-
Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yYOWQj2Wdo for more comments about "People Get Ready".
****
Example #2: Chambers Brothers - People Get Ready LIVE version
guillaimz, Uploaded on Jan 19, 2010
People Get Ready (live version) from the Love, Peace and Happiness double album released in 1969.
People get ready, there's a train a comin'
You don't need no baggage, you just get on board
All you need is faith to hear the diesels hummin'
Don't need no ticket, you just thank the Lord
People get ready for the train to Jordan
It's picking up passengers from coast to coast
Faith is the key, open the doors and board 'em
There's hope for all among those loved the most.
There ain't no room for the hopeless sinner
Who would hurt all mankind just to save his own
Have pity on those whose chances grow thinner
For there's no hiding place against the Kingdom's throne
So people get ready, there's a train a comin'
You don't need no baggage, you just get on board
All you need is faith to hear the diesels hummin'
Don't need no ticket, you just thank the Lord
-snip-
The train motif is a common feature in African American religious & non-religious songs. However, in the article about Lester Chamber that I linked to in the beginning of this post, Chambers indicated that "if the song was recorded today Mayfield would change the lyrics from “there’s a train a comin’” to "there's a change a comin.'"
****
Thanks to Curtis Mayfield & the Inpressions & The Chambers Brothers for their musical legacys. Thanks for all those who continue to work toward the eradication of racism and injustice in the United States & throughout the world.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This post showcases the song "People Get Ready". This post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/15/lester-chambers-trayvon-martin-attacked-dedication-song_n_3601173.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular. That article is reports that a member of the Chambers Brothers was accousted at a Blues festival July 17, 2013 when he sung "People Get Ready" in honor of Trayvon Martin. Trayvon Martin was a 17 year old African American who was tragically killed in Florida in February 2012 when he was walking from a convenience store back to the house where he was staying. Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/03/chanting-at-trayvon-martin-million.html for a pancocojams post about the chants that were spoken by protestors who called for a trial for the man who killed Trayvon Martin.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, inspirational, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS
Example #1: People Get Ready -- The Impressions ( in HD)
rockwithstone, Uploaded on Jan 20, 2012
From Wikipedia:
"People Get Ready" was a 1965 single by The Impressions, and the title track from the album of the same name. The single is today the group's best-known hit, reaching number-three on the Billboard R&B Chart and number 14 on the Billboard Pop Chart. The gospel-influenced track was a Curtis Mayfield composition, and displayed the growing sense of social and political awareness in his writing.
Rolling Stone magazine named "People Get Ready" the 24th greatest song of all time. The song was included in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. "People Get Ready" has also been chosen as one of the Top 10 Best Songs Of All Time by a panel of 20 top industry songwriters and producers, including Paul McCartney, Brian Wilson, Hal David, and others as reported to Britain's Mojo music magazine, and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998. Mayfield said, "That was taken from my church or from the upbringing of messages from the church. Like there's no hiding place and get on board, and images of that sort. I must have been in a very deep mood of that type of religious inspiration when I wrote that song." The song is the first Impressions hit to feature Mayfield's guitar in the break.
-snip-
Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yYOWQj2Wdo for more comments about "People Get Ready".
****
Example #2: Chambers Brothers - People Get Ready LIVE version
guillaimz, Uploaded on Jan 19, 2010
People Get Ready (live version) from the Love, Peace and Happiness double album released in 1969.
People get ready, there's a train a comin'
You don't need no baggage, you just get on board
All you need is faith to hear the diesels hummin'
Don't need no ticket, you just thank the Lord
People get ready for the train to Jordan
It's picking up passengers from coast to coast
Faith is the key, open the doors and board 'em
There's hope for all among those loved the most.
There ain't no room for the hopeless sinner
Who would hurt all mankind just to save his own
Have pity on those whose chances grow thinner
For there's no hiding place against the Kingdom's throne
So people get ready, there's a train a comin'
You don't need no baggage, you just get on board
All you need is faith to hear the diesels hummin'
Don't need no ticket, you just thank the Lord
-snip-
The train motif is a common feature in African American religious & non-religious songs. However, in the article about Lester Chamber that I linked to in the beginning of this post, Chambers indicated that "if the song was recorded today Mayfield would change the lyrics from “there’s a train a comin’” to "there's a change a comin.'"
****
Thanks to Curtis Mayfield & the Inpressions & The Chambers Brothers for their musical legacys. Thanks for all those who continue to work toward the eradication of racism and injustice in the United States & throughout the world.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Anti-Asian Rhymes - I Went To A Chinese Restaurant
Edited by Azizi Powell
WARNING & DISCLAIMER: This post includes racially pejorative referents for folkloric, sociological, and educational purposes. I don't condone the use of such references for other purposes.
In 2009 I conducted an informal, unscientific review of pejorative, ridiculing, and/or mocking racial references or gestures in English language playground rhymes that were posted to facebook pages or other websites.*
Those facebook pages in particular and some of the other websites served as a place where people could share their childhood memories of handclap games, and other childhood singing games. Some of these websites/Facebook pages included demographical information which identified those contributing these examples as being from the United States, Great Britain, or Australia. I later published this page about playground rhymes in part from material that I collected from that informal review: http://cocojams.com/content/racist-playground-rhymes.
Those examples include what is now commonly known as "the n word".
However, an overwhelming majority of the rhymes containing racially offensive words that I found on websites of children's rhymes & on facebook pages included references to Chinese and/or Japanese people.
Those examples of playground rhymes consisted & still consist of rhymes whose lyrics and/or whose accompanying gestures intentionally or unintentionally mocked, ridiculed, "imitated" the the sound of the Chinese language, included racist references to Chinese people such as "Ching Chong", and/or described Chinese people doing demeaning actions, and/or ridiculed the physical appearance of Chinese people or Japanese people (and therefore, by extension, other people of East Asian descent). To be clear, although I conducted that review in 2009, these types of playground rhymes still are chanted today, with seemingly little to no recognition that there is anything wrong with them.
Two titles (first lines) of these rhyme are "Me Chinese Me Tell Joke"**, and "Ching Ching Chinaman" (sittin on a fence)*** However, versions of "I Went To A Chinese Restaurant" (much less often given as "I Went To A Chinese Bakery") were the most frequently given examples of anti-Asian playground rhymes.
Although most of the video examples and, presumably, also most of text examples that I've found of this rhyme are from White children and White adults, I'm including this subject in this blog that focuses on Black cultural indices because non-offensive and some offensive examples of "I Went To A Chinese Restaurant" appears to have become a part of the cultural body of playground rhymes in the United States and in some other English language nations to a large extent regardless of children's the race/ethnicity. Note that a link given below to another pancocojams post given includes a video of two young Black women who indicate that they remember reciting this rhyme in their childhood. Also, there are people with Black/Asian (or Asian/Black) descent in the United States and elsewhere. Therefore, this topic is quite suitable for a blog about Black culture & customs in the United States & throughout the world.
*I've not included web addresses for the sites that I included in that review of racism in online playground rhymes. Nor am I posting any numerical figures about that review. Besides the fact that this was an informal review to satisfy my curiousity on the subject, I found out months after conducting that review that it was very difficult to re-locate the Facebook material which was a large part of that review. That said, it seems to me that this topic would be an interesting subject for formal study. I hope that such studies would be conducted & shared online.
**Click http://www.playgroundjungle.com/2009/12/me-chinese-me-play-joke.html for an example of & commentary about this rhyme.
***Click this pancocojams post for examples & commentary about this "Ching Ching China Sitting On A Fence/Tryin To Make A Nickel Out Of 15 cents" family of rhymes http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/07/examples-of-anti-asian-references-in.html.
Like many other playground rhymes, "I Went To A Chinese Restaurant" may include floating verses from one or more stand alone (independent) playground rhymes. And many of these versions and their accompanying performance activity aren't at all offensive- unless you consider the handclap partners' attempts to tap or poke each other on the forehead or stomach during the rhyme and/or at the end of that rhyme to be problematic.
Here's a video of a non-racist example of "I Went To The Chinese Restaurant" which happens to feature two Chinese girls.
[Video examples of this rhyme are labeled as Example #1, #2, and #3]
Example #1: I Went to a Chinese Restaurant Hand Game
Ann Leung, Uploaded on Aug 4, 2011 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9DkHKhODcY
One of my girls' favorite hand games.
-snip-
Here's my transcription of the rhyme that those girls recited:
I went to a Chinese restaraunt
To buy a loaf of bread bread bread
And when they asked what my name was
This is what she I said said said
My name is
E i E i nicka lie nickali
Pom pom ???
Willy willy whiskers
My name is
Elvis Presley
Boys are messy*
Sittin in a hot tub
Eatin lots of Pepsi
My name is poke!
-snip-
*This is often given as "boys are sexy", which is an earlier version of that phrase. That said, I've seen other examples of "boys are messy". That version may have been given because the word "sexy" might be considered to risque. Also, "eatin lots of Pepsi" is probably a folk etymology form of "drinkin lots of Pepsi" which is how that phrase is almost always given.
The words to several other non-offensive and offensive examples of this rhyme are given in that video's viewer comment thread.
Another non-offensive example is:
my version is:
I went to a Chinese restaurant
to by a loaf of bread bread bread
I rapped it up in a ten pound note and this what I sayed x3
my name is Andy pandi sugery candy
rolli polli chocolate chip
I can do the can can
I can do the splits and the hoolahoops
just like this
bow to the king
curtse to the qween
show your knickers to the football team
-erynfraser2001 2 months ago
[Note: I've reformated examples in this post in poetry line formation and I've made no typo or spelling corrections.]
That same video's viewer comment thread contains this example which contains some clearly racially offensive words:
Our version is:
I went to a chinese restaurant
to buy a loaf f bread bread bread this lady asked me whats my names and this is what i said.
I said a ching chong chati
I can do karate unch u in yo body
oops im sorry chinese japanese dirty knees
look at these.
criss cross apple sauce.
do me a favor and get lost
-paris porter, 2013·
-snip-
The phrase "ching chong chati" is probably a folk etymology form of "Ching Chong Charlie", "ching chong" being a way of ridiculing the way that the Chinese language sounds. I believe that the reference to the martial art of karate (which orginated in Japan) is given after the reference to Chinese is an example of conflating these two Asian nations. Furthermore, I believe that the phrase "dirty knees" following the referent "Japanese" refers to the stereotype that most Japanese are "bow legged".
It's important to consider that the words to examples of "I Went To The Chinese Restaurant" may appear to be non-offensive, but those words might be accompanied by the gesture of holding the skin at the ends of both eyes to mimic a squinting look. And while there should be no question that gesture is offensive, it clearly is something that children have to be made aware of, even if they don't intend to be hurtful or otherwise cause offense.
Here are two videos of "I Went To A Chinese Restaurant" that include the squinty eye gesture:
Example #2: Maci and Taylor went to a chinese restaurant
martellonis, Uploaded on Nov 8, 2009
-snip-
Comments were disabled for this video.
What I call "the squinty eye" gesture is at .037-.038.
It's my position that including dramatic miming (imitative actions with spoken words) along with handclap movements explains why children consider this rhyme fun to do. Also, read my comment under Example #3 about another possible reason why these rhymes may be popular.
Here's my transcription of that version of this rhyme:
I went to Chinese restarount
To buy a loaf of bread bread bread
They asked what my name was
This is what I said said said
My name is
E i E I nicka nye nicka nye
Pom pom poodle *
Willy willy whiskers
My name is
Elvis Presley
Boys are messy*
Sittin in a hot tub
Drinkin lots of Pepsi
My name is
Chinese, Japanese
Punch you in the stomach.
Oops, I'm sorry.
I'm calling mommy.
Mommy's mad.
I am sad.
My name is
Roooast
Beef!
-snip-
The squinty eye gesture occurs in this video around .039. In my opinio, the "punch you in the stomach" line & mime obliquely refers to Asian martial arts of "karate" which originated in Japan and is an example of conflating the East Asian nations/people of China & Japan.
Notice the opportunity for dramatic (mime) play that this rhyme presents. I think it's a shame that it contains a gesture with such a racist past & present.
*This line is usually given as "pom pom cutie". I think that phrase refers to female cheerleaders.
****
Example #3:
I went to a chinese restaurant. (: Kendall and Jenna
kenndall33, Uploaded on Nov 7, 2009 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQN7GFM2m9U
Jenna and I were bored so we decided to make this handshake. My little 8 year old brother taught us this. No haters, please? (:
-snip-
The "Chinese Japanese" portion is found at .026 and .027
Here's my transcription of that rhyme:
I went to a Chinese Restaurant
to buy a loaf of bread bread bread
He asked me what my name is
And this is what I said said said
My name is
L i L i
Pickoli pickoli
Pom pom cutie
Extra cutie
Don’t drink whiskey
It’s too risky
Chinese
Japanese
Dirty knees
Look at these.
-snip-
"Look at these" refers to the girls sticking out their chest to show their breasts. In my opinion, that mildly risque action, or the opportunity to show off your knickers (your panties) in some versions of "I Went To The Chinese Restaurant", and the opportunity in some of these examples to hit, punch, tap, or poke your partner explain the popularity of these rhymes.
A number of the examples of this rhyme that are posted in that video's viewer comment thread contain offensive words, although the intent probably wasn't to be offensive. Here's another example of this rhyme that includes offensive words:
I went to a Chinese restaurant
to buy a loaf of bread bread bread
the waitress took my order and this is what she said
my name is Ching Chung Charlie
punch you in the body
oops I'm sorry
better call your mommy
Chinese Japanese
Japanese Chinese
oo Ching Chung Ching
-Lexi Gomez, 2013
****
I should also note that some examples of "I Went To A Chinese Restaurant" the Chinese and Japanese referents are often followed by "Indian chief". My sense is "Indian chief" is a referent to American Indians and not South Asian Indians. It's my position that the phrase "Indian chief" is also problematic since only the leaders of Indians and Africans are referred to as "chiefs". Other ethnic groups have kings, emperors, and leaders. Think about it.
Isn't that dismmissive of those populations to only refer to their leaders as "chiefs"?
****
Another example of that squinting eye gesture can be found at of a video which I showcased on this pancocojams post: http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/10/various-playground-rhymes-performed-by.html "Ten Playground Rhymes Performed By Two African American Women"
[The "I Went To A Chinese Restaurant" rhyme begins at 3:36. The Chinese Japanese gestures are found at 3:53-3:54.]
That post includes excerpts from that video's viewer comment thread including a comment chiding the poster about including the squinty eye gesture, the poster's response that she was just presenting how that rhyme was done "before she knew that gesture was offensive". I also included a comment about that subject which I posted on to that video's viewer commeent thread.
****
RELATED LINK
http://imaginationsoup.net/2011/01/innocent-hand-clapping-racist-song/
This post includes a number of readers' comments, including one that I wrote. The post is a mother's response to her daughter's recitation of "I Went To The Chinese Restaurant" and the daughter's concern about that version of that rhyme's accompanying eye stretching gesture.
This leads me to ask "Is the Chinese mother who posted the first video to this post and wrote that "I Went To A Chinese Restaurant" is her daughters favorite hand game unaware that some examples of this rhyme include that squinting eyes gesture? If she is aware of it, shouldn’t she warn her daughters that that gesture is often done with this rhyme & some examples of that rhyme include offensive language? And shouldn't other adults let children know that these forms of that rhyme are unacceptable & why?
Additional examples of "I Went To The Chinese Restaurant" can be found on these pages of my Cocojams weebsite:
http://cocojams.com/content/handclap-jump-rope-and-elastics-rhymes and http://cocojams.com/content/famous-people-fictitious-characters-playground-rhymes
****
Thanks to all those whose examples or comments are included in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
WARNING & DISCLAIMER: This post includes racially pejorative referents for folkloric, sociological, and educational purposes. I don't condone the use of such references for other purposes.
In 2009 I conducted an informal, unscientific review of pejorative, ridiculing, and/or mocking racial references or gestures in English language playground rhymes that were posted to facebook pages or other websites.*
Those facebook pages in particular and some of the other websites served as a place where people could share their childhood memories of handclap games, and other childhood singing games. Some of these websites/Facebook pages included demographical information which identified those contributing these examples as being from the United States, Great Britain, or Australia. I later published this page about playground rhymes in part from material that I collected from that informal review: http://cocojams.com/content/racist-playground-rhymes.
Those examples include what is now commonly known as "the n word".
However, an overwhelming majority of the rhymes containing racially offensive words that I found on websites of children's rhymes & on facebook pages included references to Chinese and/or Japanese people.
Those examples of playground rhymes consisted & still consist of rhymes whose lyrics and/or whose accompanying gestures intentionally or unintentionally mocked, ridiculed, "imitated" the the sound of the Chinese language, included racist references to Chinese people such as "Ching Chong", and/or described Chinese people doing demeaning actions, and/or ridiculed the physical appearance of Chinese people or Japanese people (and therefore, by extension, other people of East Asian descent). To be clear, although I conducted that review in 2009, these types of playground rhymes still are chanted today, with seemingly little to no recognition that there is anything wrong with them.
Two titles (first lines) of these rhyme are "Me Chinese Me Tell Joke"**, and "Ching Ching Chinaman" (sittin on a fence)*** However, versions of "I Went To A Chinese Restaurant" (much less often given as "I Went To A Chinese Bakery") were the most frequently given examples of anti-Asian playground rhymes.
Although most of the video examples and, presumably, also most of text examples that I've found of this rhyme are from White children and White adults, I'm including this subject in this blog that focuses on Black cultural indices because non-offensive and some offensive examples of "I Went To A Chinese Restaurant" appears to have become a part of the cultural body of playground rhymes in the United States and in some other English language nations to a large extent regardless of children's the race/ethnicity. Note that a link given below to another pancocojams post given includes a video of two young Black women who indicate that they remember reciting this rhyme in their childhood. Also, there are people with Black/Asian (or Asian/Black) descent in the United States and elsewhere. Therefore, this topic is quite suitable for a blog about Black culture & customs in the United States & throughout the world.
*I've not included web addresses for the sites that I included in that review of racism in online playground rhymes. Nor am I posting any numerical figures about that review. Besides the fact that this was an informal review to satisfy my curiousity on the subject, I found out months after conducting that review that it was very difficult to re-locate the Facebook material which was a large part of that review. That said, it seems to me that this topic would be an interesting subject for formal study. I hope that such studies would be conducted & shared online.
**Click http://www.playgroundjungle.com/2009/12/me-chinese-me-play-joke.html for an example of & commentary about this rhyme.
***Click this pancocojams post for examples & commentary about this "Ching Ching China Sitting On A Fence/Tryin To Make A Nickel Out Of 15 cents" family of rhymes http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/07/examples-of-anti-asian-references-in.html.
Like many other playground rhymes, "I Went To A Chinese Restaurant" may include floating verses from one or more stand alone (independent) playground rhymes. And many of these versions and their accompanying performance activity aren't at all offensive- unless you consider the handclap partners' attempts to tap or poke each other on the forehead or stomach during the rhyme and/or at the end of that rhyme to be problematic.
Here's a video of a non-racist example of "I Went To The Chinese Restaurant" which happens to feature two Chinese girls.
[Video examples of this rhyme are labeled as Example #1, #2, and #3]
Example #1: I Went to a Chinese Restaurant Hand Game
Ann Leung, Uploaded on Aug 4, 2011 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9DkHKhODcY
One of my girls' favorite hand games.
-snip-
Here's my transcription of the rhyme that those girls recited:
I went to a Chinese restaraunt
To buy a loaf of bread bread bread
And when they asked what my name was
This is what she I said said said
My name is
E i E i nicka lie nickali
Pom pom ???
Willy willy whiskers
My name is
Elvis Presley
Boys are messy*
Sittin in a hot tub
Eatin lots of Pepsi
My name is poke!
-snip-
*This is often given as "boys are sexy", which is an earlier version of that phrase. That said, I've seen other examples of "boys are messy". That version may have been given because the word "sexy" might be considered to risque. Also, "eatin lots of Pepsi" is probably a folk etymology form of "drinkin lots of Pepsi" which is how that phrase is almost always given.
The words to several other non-offensive and offensive examples of this rhyme are given in that video's viewer comment thread.
Another non-offensive example is:
my version is:
I went to a Chinese restaurant
to by a loaf of bread bread bread
I rapped it up in a ten pound note and this what I sayed x3
my name is Andy pandi sugery candy
rolli polli chocolate chip
I can do the can can
I can do the splits and the hoolahoops
just like this
bow to the king
curtse to the qween
show your knickers to the football team
-erynfraser2001 2 months ago
[Note: I've reformated examples in this post in poetry line formation and I've made no typo or spelling corrections.]
That same video's viewer comment thread contains this example which contains some clearly racially offensive words:
Our version is:
I went to a chinese restaurant
to buy a loaf f bread bread bread this lady asked me whats my names and this is what i said.
I said a ching chong chati
I can do karate unch u in yo body
oops im sorry chinese japanese dirty knees
look at these.
criss cross apple sauce.
do me a favor and get lost
-paris porter, 2013·
-snip-
The phrase "ching chong chati" is probably a folk etymology form of "Ching Chong Charlie", "ching chong" being a way of ridiculing the way that the Chinese language sounds. I believe that the reference to the martial art of karate (which orginated in Japan) is given after the reference to Chinese is an example of conflating these two Asian nations. Furthermore, I believe that the phrase "dirty knees" following the referent "Japanese" refers to the stereotype that most Japanese are "bow legged".
It's important to consider that the words to examples of "I Went To The Chinese Restaurant" may appear to be non-offensive, but those words might be accompanied by the gesture of holding the skin at the ends of both eyes to mimic a squinting look. And while there should be no question that gesture is offensive, it clearly is something that children have to be made aware of, even if they don't intend to be hurtful or otherwise cause offense.
Here are two videos of "I Went To A Chinese Restaurant" that include the squinty eye gesture:
Example #2: Maci and Taylor went to a chinese restaurant
martellonis, Uploaded on Nov 8, 2009
-snip-
Comments were disabled for this video.
What I call "the squinty eye" gesture is at .037-.038.
It's my position that including dramatic miming (imitative actions with spoken words) along with handclap movements explains why children consider this rhyme fun to do. Also, read my comment under Example #3 about another possible reason why these rhymes may be popular.
Here's my transcription of that version of this rhyme:
I went to Chinese restarount
To buy a loaf of bread bread bread
They asked what my name was
This is what I said said said
My name is
E i E I nicka nye nicka nye
Pom pom poodle *
Willy willy whiskers
My name is
Elvis Presley
Boys are messy*
Sittin in a hot tub
Drinkin lots of Pepsi
My name is
Chinese, Japanese
Punch you in the stomach.
Oops, I'm sorry.
I'm calling mommy.
Mommy's mad.
I am sad.
My name is
Roooast
Beef!
-snip-
The squinty eye gesture occurs in this video around .039. In my opinio, the "punch you in the stomach" line & mime obliquely refers to Asian martial arts of "karate" which originated in Japan and is an example of conflating the East Asian nations/people of China & Japan.
Notice the opportunity for dramatic (mime) play that this rhyme presents. I think it's a shame that it contains a gesture with such a racist past & present.
*This line is usually given as "pom pom cutie". I think that phrase refers to female cheerleaders.
****
Example #3:
I went to a chinese restaurant. (: Kendall and Jenna
kenndall33, Uploaded on Nov 7, 2009 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQN7GFM2m9U
Jenna and I were bored so we decided to make this handshake. My little 8 year old brother taught us this. No haters, please? (:
-snip-
The "Chinese Japanese" portion is found at .026 and .027
Here's my transcription of that rhyme:
I went to a Chinese Restaurant
to buy a loaf of bread bread bread
He asked me what my name is
And this is what I said said said
My name is
L i L i
Pickoli pickoli
Pom pom cutie
Extra cutie
Don’t drink whiskey
It’s too risky
Chinese
Japanese
Dirty knees
Look at these.
-snip-
"Look at these" refers to the girls sticking out their chest to show their breasts. In my opinion, that mildly risque action, or the opportunity to show off your knickers (your panties) in some versions of "I Went To The Chinese Restaurant", and the opportunity in some of these examples to hit, punch, tap, or poke your partner explain the popularity of these rhymes.
A number of the examples of this rhyme that are posted in that video's viewer comment thread contain offensive words, although the intent probably wasn't to be offensive. Here's another example of this rhyme that includes offensive words:
I went to a Chinese restaurant
to buy a loaf of bread bread bread
the waitress took my order and this is what she said
my name is Ching Chung Charlie
punch you in the body
oops I'm sorry
better call your mommy
Chinese Japanese
Japanese Chinese
oo Ching Chung Ching
-Lexi Gomez, 2013
****
I should also note that some examples of "I Went To A Chinese Restaurant" the Chinese and Japanese referents are often followed by "Indian chief". My sense is "Indian chief" is a referent to American Indians and not South Asian Indians. It's my position that the phrase "Indian chief" is also problematic since only the leaders of Indians and Africans are referred to as "chiefs". Other ethnic groups have kings, emperors, and leaders. Think about it.
Isn't that dismmissive of those populations to only refer to their leaders as "chiefs"?
****
Another example of that squinting eye gesture can be found at of a video which I showcased on this pancocojams post: http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/10/various-playground-rhymes-performed-by.html "Ten Playground Rhymes Performed By Two African American Women"
[The "I Went To A Chinese Restaurant" rhyme begins at 3:36. The Chinese Japanese gestures are found at 3:53-3:54.]
That post includes excerpts from that video's viewer comment thread including a comment chiding the poster about including the squinty eye gesture, the poster's response that she was just presenting how that rhyme was done "before she knew that gesture was offensive". I also included a comment about that subject which I posted on to that video's viewer commeent thread.
****
RELATED LINK
http://imaginationsoup.net/2011/01/innocent-hand-clapping-racist-song/
This post includes a number of readers' comments, including one that I wrote. The post is a mother's response to her daughter's recitation of "I Went To The Chinese Restaurant" and the daughter's concern about that version of that rhyme's accompanying eye stretching gesture.
This leads me to ask "Is the Chinese mother who posted the first video to this post and wrote that "I Went To A Chinese Restaurant" is her daughters favorite hand game unaware that some examples of this rhyme include that squinting eyes gesture? If she is aware of it, shouldn’t she warn her daughters that that gesture is often done with this rhyme & some examples of that rhyme include offensive language? And shouldn't other adults let children know that these forms of that rhyme are unacceptable & why?
Additional examples of "I Went To The Chinese Restaurant" can be found on these pages of my Cocojams weebsite:
http://cocojams.com/content/handclap-jump-rope-and-elastics-rhymes and http://cocojams.com/content/famous-people-fictitious-characters-playground-rhymes
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Thanks to all those whose examples or comments are included in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
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