Spraying Money At A Yoruba (Nigerian) Engagement Ceremony

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is a post in part of a continuing series in this blog that focuses on the custom of spraying money in Nigeria, and in certain other African cultures.

The content of this post is presented for cultural, folkloric, educational, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

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FEATURED VIDEO: TRADITIONAL NIGERIAN ENGAGEMENT HD Minnesota



estrellaphotovideo,Uploaded on Oct 24, 2011

TRADITIONAL NIGERIAN ENGAGEMENT HD Minnesota HIGHLIGHTS HD
-snip-
"HD" = "high definition", refers to the high quality of the video

This engagement ceremony took place in the state of Minnesota in the United States.
-snip-
Scenes of money spraying weren't the only thing that interest me about this featured video. I also like the beautiful traditional Yoruba clothing for females and for males that is shown in this video. For example, one scene shows the brides's gele (head wrap) being tied on her head.

As an African American who has been socialized to expect there to be no dancing to religious music, I also was interested to see people dancing into the engagement event singing the Gospel song "This Is The Day That The Lord Has Made". Other aspects of the engagement ceremony (that Americans would call "the wedding ceremony") were quite interesting to watch.


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RELATED LINKS
Here are links to other pancocojams posts that feature videos of money spraying at another Yoruba engagement ceremony, Igbo (Nigerian) engagement ceremonies, and a Nigerian birthday are given in the Related Links section below. Subsequent posts that include scenes of money sparaying by people from African nations other than Nigeria will be published on this blog.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/03/seven-videos-of-traditional-igbo.html for a video of money spraying at a Nigerian Igbo engagement ceremony (wedding).

**
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2011/09/pinning-birthday-dollars.html for an article about the African American custom of pinning birthday dollars, and other Nigerian videos of spraying money.

**
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2011/09/why-i-started-wearing-african-dresses.html for another video of a Yoruba (Nigerian) engagement ceremony.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT & THANKS
Congratulations to the married couple. Thanks to the producer of this video & the publisher of this video on YouTube.

Thank you for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Read More

Bajan Folk Song - Every Time She Pass (The Sandpipe Song) with Lyrics

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases a video of & lyrics to the Bajan (Barbados) folk song "Everytime She Pass" (also known as The Sandpipe Song).

The content of this post is presented for folkloric, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Update: Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/08/caribbean-folk-song-everytime-ah-pass.html for another post on this song. From most of the comments about this song that I've read online, "Everytime Ah Pass" may have originally been form Trinidad & Tobago.

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FEATURED VIDEO
Every Time She Pass (The Standpipe Song) - Sing Out Barbados



bajanmusicfan,Published on Mar 13, 2012

Sweet Bajan Folk music from the 60's and 70's.

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LYRICS - EVERY TIME SHE PASS (THE SANDPIPE SONG]
[Bajan Folk Song]

[to moderately fast tempo]
Men- Every day she come down here.
She lookin so good, good.
And every time she pass by here
I like to touch-a she boomsie.
I like to touch-a she boomsie.

Men- Everyday she come down here.
She lookin so good, good.
And every time she pass by here

I like- a touch-a she boomsie.
I like- a touch-a she boomsie.
I like- a touch-a she boomsie.
I like- a touch-a she boom-

[moderately slow tempo]
Lead female - Every time I pass they pull at me.
Every time I pass they pull at me.
I’m gonna to tell me mama don't send me down there.
[Men overlapping after the word “gonna”] – Tell she mama, don’t send she down here.
Lead female- I’m gonna to tell me mama don't send me down there.

Lead female - Every time I pass they trouble me.
Every time I pass they trouble me.
I’m gonna tell me Mamma don't send me down there.
[Men overlapping after the word “gonna”] – Tell she mama, don’t send she down here.
Lead female- I’m gonna tell me Mamma don't send me down there.

Females: Every time she pass you trouble she.
Every time she pass you trouble she.

[to moderately fast tempo]
Females- I’m gonna tell she mama don't send she down there.

Men - Tell she mama don't send she down here.
Females - I’m gonna tell she mama don't send she down there.
Men - Tell she mama don't send she down here.

[to moderately fast tempo]
Every day she come down here
She lookin so good, good.
And every time she pass by here
She make me feel good, good.
Tell she mama come down here.
Females- You trouble she.
Male-Tell she auntie come down here.
Males-Tell she sister come down here
Females- You trouble she.
Males- And every time she pass by here.
Females –You trouble she.
Men-Tell she mama don’t send her down here.
Females – I’m gonna tell she mama don’t send she down there.
Lead singer [with other females]- Tell me mama don’t send me down there.

[to moderately slow tempo]
Lead female- Every time I pass they clap at me.
Every time I pass they clap at me.
Males – [clap their hands]
Females- You clap at she. You clap at she.
Lead female – Every time I pass they clap at me.
Males – [clap their hands]
Females- You clap at she. You clap at she.
Lead female –I’m gonna tell me Mamma don't send me down there.
[Men overlapping after the word “gonna”] – Tell she mama, don’t send she down here.
Lead female –I’m gonna tell me Mamma don't send me down there.
[Men overlapping after the word “gonna”] – Tell she mama, don’t send she down here.

[to moderately fast tempo]
Every day she come down here
She lookin so good, good.
And every time she pass by here
She make me feel good, good.
Tell she mama come down here.
Females- You trouble she.
Male-Tell she auntie come down here.
Males-Tell she sister come down here
Females- You trouble she.
Males-And as she come by here.
Females –You trouble she.
Men-Tell she mama don’t send her down here.
Females – I’m gonna tell she mama don’t send she down there.
Lead singer [with other females]- Tell me mama don’t send me down there.

[same pattern] - “you teases she”

Ends with alternating males and females singing several times with moderately fast tempo:
Males -Tell she mama don’t send she down here
Females- I’m gonna tell she mama don’t send she down there.
-snip-
Transcription by Azizi Powell. Additions & corrections welcome.
*boomsie=butt, booty

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RELATED LINK
Click http://crs-sato.tripod.com/bajanopera.html "Songs for Bajan Opera" for another text version of (lyrics to) this song. That link also includes other Bajan folk songs.

Also, click this link to a page on my cultural blog which includes videos and text versions of other Caribbean folk songs: http://cocojams.com/content/caribbean-folk-songs.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to the composer of this song, and thanks to the vocalists and musicians who are featured in these videos. My thanks also to the publisher of this video.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Read More

Seven Bilen (Eritrea) Music & Dance Videos

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases seven music & dance videos of the Bilen people of Eritrea, East Africa.

The content of this post is presented for historical, folkloric, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

INFORMATION ABOUT ERITREAN BILEN PEOPLE

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilen_people
"The Bilen (Blin or Bilin), also known as the Bogo or North Agaw,[1] are an ethnic group in the Horn of Africa. They are primarily concentrated in central Eritrea, in and around the city of Keren, and south toward Asmara, the nation's capital...

The Bilen practice both Christianity and Islam. Muslim adherents mainly inhabit rural areas and have interbred with the adjacent Tigre, while Christian Bilen tend to reside in urban areas and have intermingled with the Biher-Tigrinya.[1]"

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Comment by Kerenian http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvFHqAdEaRc*
"Bilen nationality in Eritrea has its musical traditions and its distinctive dances, usually performed to the rhythms of intricate, locally-produced instruments. Many mark major events in life, such as birth and marriage, or celebrate important religious or community festivals. There is also a growing popular music culture in the major urban centers, which draws on and reinterprets traditional themes."
-snip-
*This comment was given as a publisher's comment in the video that is presented as Example #7 of this post.

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FEATURED VIDEOS
(These examples are posted in chronological order based on the date of their posting on YouTube with the oldest date presented first.)

Example #1: eritrean bilen



Welid Dekin, Uploaded on Jun 27, 2010
-snip-
The musical instruments are drums, harmonicas and sticks hitting against each other.

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Example #2: Eritrea: Bilen traditional dance : ارتريا . رقص شعبي للبلين



Kerenian, Uploaded on Jul 7, 2010

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Example #3: Eritrea - "jarsalam beninku" Bilen song اغنية ارترية



Kerenian, Uploaded on Jul 27, 2010

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Example #4 bilen dance



farajatnet, Uploaded on Mar 14, 2011

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Example #5: Eritrean Bilen by Naseh habtom Lishka



Welid Dekin, Uploaded on May 27, 2011

Wo LISHKA By new singer Naseh

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Example #6: Regina Eritrean tradition wedding



milliontekleab, Uploaded on Aug 5, 2011

Siyoum's and Helen's beautiful Eritrean tradition wedding in Regina, Sk, Canada.
-snip-
Here's a comment from this video's viewer comment thread: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPBE42oQdGU
"The singer is called Habtat Zerisgi and he lives in Swiszerland, he went to Canada for the wedding and he is fomous bilen singer as he has his own songs. if u type his name in youtube u will find some of his songs ....
-Micheal George, 2013
-snip-
Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NJAS6aiil8 for another video of this wedding.

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Example #7: Eritrea- Bilen song by Nesah Habtom



Kerenian, Published on May 19, 2012

Eritrea- Bilen song by Nesah Habtom
Bilen nationality in Eritrea has its musical traditions and its distinctive dances, usually performed to the rhythms of intricate, locally-produced instruments. Many mark major events in life, such as birth and marriage, or celebrate important religious or community festivals. There is also a growing popular music culture in the major urban centers, which draws on and reinterprets traditional themes.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to the composers of these songs, and thanks to the vocalists, musicians, and dancers who are featured in these videos. My thanks also to the publishers of these videos.

Thank you for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Read More

Five Examples Of Haitian Kompa Music By Les Freres Dejean

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post presents one sound file and four videos of

Information about Kompas (Compas) music is also included in this post.

The content of this post is presented for historical, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

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INFORMATION ABOUT KOMPA MUSIC
From http://worldmusic.about.com/od/genres/p/Compas-Music-101.htm
"Because the orthography and spelling of the Haitian Creole language (Kreyol Ayisyen) is not fully standardized, Compas is also known as Kompas, Kompa, Compa, Konpa, and Conpa, and is sometimes called Kompas Direk or Compas Direk. Compas is pronounced like "cohm-PA." The word "Compas" comes from the Spanish, and roughly means "beat" or "downbeat."

Compas is a genre of music from Haiti. Like most genres of Caribbean music, compas has deep roots in African music, and the African influence is clear in the back-beated rhythms that help define the genre. Compas descends from a genre of Haitian music called "meringue," which is related to merengue music, the popular genre from Haiti's fellow Hispaniola island nation, the Dominican Republic.
-snip-
That article continues with information about the history of Compas music.

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From https://sites.google.com/site/afropedia/compa-kompa-music
"Kompa (Compa, Konpa) Music
Kompa, Compa (konpa) music is the number one Haitian pop style, developed by Nemours Jean-Baptiste in 1955. The music was originally referred to as Kompa Direct. Compa or Kompa means beat or rhythm in Spanish.

Form
Kompa is sang in Haitian Creole ("Kreyol"). Unlike other Caribbean styles, it has a slow tempo. Kompa makes use of the tambour and conga extensively. The conga and tambour gives Kompa a uniquely Haitian flavor. Improvisation is a major component of the music.
-snip-
That article continues with information about the history of Kompa music.

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FEATURED VIDEOS
(These examples are posted in chronological order based on the date of their posting on YouTube with the oldest date presented first. These dates shouldn't be confused with the order of their recording.)

Example #1: les freres Dejean "malere"



coolfungus, Uploaded on May 7, 2009

Les freres Dejean de Petion ville with one of their biggest hit "malere" . You can see why they are, indeed, the "creme de la creme" of Kompa music

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Example #2: Les Frères Dejean A L'atrium - L'Univers (6-13-2008)



E4Mizik, Uploaded on Aug 3, 2009

This clip features a performance by the legendary Les Frères Dejean, it was recorded at L'Atrium in Martinique in 2008, but was released in 2009.
-snip-
The musicians are listed at this video's link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KujqGT52Rq8

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Example #3: Freres Dejean,LA PRIERE, Atrium ETE 2009(RESIGNAC)



John Fitzgerald Resignac, Uploaded on Sep 17, 2009

Freres Dejean de Petion-Ville, Atrium Summer 2009

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Example #4: Les Freres Dejean en Concert @ Zephyr (French Guiana) July 2009 - Gladia



E4Mizik, Uploaded on Mar 23, 2010
-snip-
The musicians are listed at this video's link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23xmyZsqt7c

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Example #5: Les Freres Dejean - skah-shah- djet-x et system-band /groupes mythiques haitiens par D'jl prod'



Valentino Abauzit, Published on Jun 18, 2012

Montage vidéo fait par d'jl avec des groupes haïtiens qui grâce a eux cette musique perdure .ils nous ont marqué. J'ai choisi ces quatre groupes parce qu'il me rappelle mon enfance merci d'apprécier et très bonne écoute a vous.Les Freres Dejean - skah-shah- djet x et system band D'jl prod'


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to Les Frères Dejean for their musical legacy. Thanks also to the uploaders of these featured sound file and videos.

Thank you for visiting pancocojams.

Viewer comments are welcome.

Read More

Biz Markie - Just A Friend (with video intro script & rap lyrics)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases a video of & lyrics for Biz Markie's hit pop rap "Just A Friend". A transcription of the beginning scene in this song's official video is also including in this post. In addition, this post includes an explanation of some of the African American slang used in this rap, as well as some biographical information about Biz Markie.

The content of this post is presented for historical, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

INFORMATION ABOUT BIZ MARKIE
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biz_Markie
"Marcel Theo Hall (born April 8, 1964)[1] better known by his stage name, Biz Markie, is an American rapper, beatboxer, DJ, comedian, singer, reality television personality, and commercial spokesperson. He is best known for his single "Just a Friend", an American Top 10 hit in 1989. In 2008, "Just a Friend" made #100 on VH1's list of the 100 greatest hip hop songs of all time."

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FEATURED VIDEO

Biz Markie - Just A Friend (Official Video)



RhinoEntertainment,Uploaded on Aug 3, 2010

Watch the official video for Biz Markie's "Just A Friend", his most successful Pop single, reaching the #9 position on the Billboard charts. The song inserts the 1968 hit "You Got What I Need" by Freddie Scott. Biz Markie is on tour with the Yo Gabba Gabba live show

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SUMMARY OF THE VIDEO SCENE BEFORE THE RAP BEGINS
A group of Black young men are seated on a park bench telling “your mama” jokes. (This is a friendly exchange and not a real rippin [insult] contest).

Biz Markie –“Yo, your moms is so poor that she went to McDonalds and put a shake on layaway.”

[laughter]

2nd man- “Well, your mother is so old that she knew Central Park when it was a plant.”

[laughter]

3rd man – Your mom’s hair so nappy that she needs to take pain killers to comb it.”

[laughter]

Two attractive young womens strut toward the park bench.

One of the men says: “Oh, yo, yo. Look at that, man.” The men make other admiring comments about the women who stop at the park bench. One of the comments is “Ooh, You got what I need”.

The women leave, and one of the men says “Oh, it’s all of that baby? More comments are made, but Biz Markie says “Yo, yo, forget about them girls. A couple of the men say “Why? What’s up?

Biz Markie says, “I got a little story to tell you”
And then begins his rap.

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LYRICS - JUST A FRIEND
Songwriters: IBRAHIM, CAIREL ADRIN BIN/ISHAK, JOHAN BIN/HALL, MARCEL THEO PKA BIZ MARKIE/LIZAARD, LEAF

Have you ever met a girl that you tried to date

But a year to make love she wanted you to wait

Let me tell ya a story of my situation

I was talkin' to this girl from the U.S. nation

The way that I met her was on tour at a concert

She had long hair and a short miniskirt

I just got onstage drippin', pourin' with sweat

I was walkin' through the crowd and guess who I met

I whispered in her ear, "Come to the picture booth

So I can ask you some questions to see if you are a hundred proof"

I asked her her name, she said blah-blah-blah

She had 9/10 pants and a very big bra

I took a couple of flicks and she was enthused

I said, "How do you like the show?"

She said, "I was very amused"

I started throwin' bass, she started throwin' back mid-range

But when I sprung the question, she acted kind of strange

Then when I asked, "Do ya have a man," she tried to pretend

She said, "No I don't, I only have a friend"

Come on, I'm not even goin' for it

This is what I'm goin' sing

You, you got what I need but you say he's just a friend
And you say he's just a friend, oh baby
You, you got what I need but you say he's just a friend
But you say he's just a friend, oh baby
You, you got what I need but you say he's just a friend
But you say he's just a friend

So I took blah-blah's word for it at this time

I thought just havin' a friend couldn't be no crime

'Cause I have friends and that's a fact

Like Agnes, Agatha, Germaine, and Jacq

Forget about that, let's go into the story

About a girl named blah-blah-blah that adored me

So we started talkin', getttin' familiar

Spendin' a lot of time so we can build up

A relationship or some understanding

How it's gonna be in the future we was plannin'

Everything sounded so dandy and sweet

I had no idea I was in for a treat

After this was established, everything was cool

The tour was over and she went back to school

I called every day to see how she was doin'

Everytime that I called her it seemed somethin' was brewin'

I called her and a guy picked up, and then I called again

I said, "Yo, who was that?" "Oh, he's just a friend"

Don't gimme that, don't ever gimme that

Jus' bust this
You, you got what I need but you say he's just a friend
And you say he's just a friend, oh baby
You, you got what I need but you say he's just a friend
But you say he's just a friend, oh baby
You, you got what I need but you say he's just a friend
But you say he's just a friend

So I came to her college on a surprise visit

To see my girl that was so exquisite

It was a school day, I knew she was there

The first semester of the school year

I went to a gate to ask where was her dorm

This guy made me fill out a visitor's form

He told me where it was and I as on my way

To see my baby doll, I was happy to say

I arrrived in front of the dormitory

Yo, could you tell me where is door three?

They showed me where it was for the moment

I didn't know I was in for such an event

So I came to her room and opened the door

Oh, snap! Guess what I saw?

A fella tongue-kissin' my girl in the mouth,

I was so in shock my heart went down south

So please listen to the message that I say

Don't ever talk to a girl who says she just has a friend

Just A Friend lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., CAK MUSIC PUBLISHING, INC
-snip-
http://www.lyricsfreak.com/b/biz+markie/just+a+friend_20018799.html
[Note: I corrected three very minor typos in this transcription: the word "correct", the word "guess", and the word "understanding".)

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EXPLANATION OF SOME OF THE SLANG FOUND IN THIS RAP
"[ask you some questions] "to see if you are a hundred proof"=
to see if you're for real

"I asked her her name, she said blah-blah-blah"= "Blah-blah-blah" is a substitute for the girl's name which Biz Markie isn't sharing.

"She had 9/10 pants" = She wore pants that were a size 9/10.

"I took a couple of flicks" = I took a couple of pictures (with a camera).

"I started throwin' bass, she started throwin' back mid-range" = Biz Markie and the girl started singing together.

"it seemed somethin' was brewin' = "it seemed like something was going on in the background".

"Yo, who was that?" = "Yo" here [as well as in the introductory video scene] means "Hey".

Jus' bust this = [in the context of this rap], means "let's continue with this rap".

"Oh, snap!" = in Standard American English, this is the equivalent of "Oh shucks!", but the word "snap" substitutes for another word that means "crap" (manure).
-snip-
Additions & corrections to these slang explanations and are welcome.

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ADDENDUM
This rap is about a guy "being played" by a girl. "Being played" meas "to be taken advantaged of". In this context, a girl only pretending to be seriously interested in a man and acting as though she is only seeing him, but actually cheating on him with another man.

But notice how CLEAN this rap is compared to the type of Hip-Hip records that are promoted nowadays.

Yes, one of the Your mama rips in the beginning of the video talked bad about nappy hair, but there wasn't anything vulgar about those rips. And the closest that that rap got to anything sexual was "tongue kissing". Also check out the fact that the girl who was playin Biz Markie was in college, and not baby's mama.

Times change, and not always for the best.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to Biz Markie for composing and performing this song. Thanks also to transcriber of the song lyrics, and the uploader of this featured video.

Thank you for visiting pancocojams.

Viewer comments are welcome.

Read More

Jamaican Children's Song "Jump Shamador" (Good Morning To You, Mother)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases two text versions of the Jamaican children's song "Jump Shamador" (also known as "Good Morning To You, Mother.)"

The content of this post is presented for folkloric, entertainment, inspirational, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

INFORMATION ABOUT "JUMP SHAMADOOR" ("GOOD MORNING TO YOU, MOTHER")
Note: I prefer the title "Jump Shamador" to "Good Morning To You, Mother" because the title "Jump Shamador" distinguishes this Jamaican children's song from other songs with "Good Morning To You" titles.

The song "Good Morning To You, Mother." is included in Walter Jekyll's 1904 collection Jamaican Song and Story Annancy stories, digging sings, ring tunes, and dancing tunes. In 2011 that manuscript was published online as a Project Gutenberg EBook. The link for that book is given below with the song's lyric. In that song the term "jump shamador" is also given as "jump shamadir".

In that same collection by Walter Jeykll, the game song "Black Boy In A Ring"* (CIX, page 207) is given with the "jump shamador" phrase:
"Wheel an' take you pardner, jump shamador!
(3x)
For he like sugar and I like plum."
-snip-
* This is the same song that is now known as "There's A Brown Girl In The Ring".
-snip-
Walter Jekyll noted that the first half of "Black Boy In A Ring" was sung in one of the Anancy (spider) stories which he included in his collection (Annancy and Screech-owl (No. XIX.).

Jekyll also wrote "Shamador" is possibly a corruption of "camerado."

However, some information about "jump shamador" and a related term is included in the Dictionary of Jamaican English edited by Frederic Gomes Cassidy and R. B. Le Page (University of West Indies Press, 2002; Originally published by Cambridge University Press in 1967, and revised as a second edition in 1980):
"SHANDELAY sb dial; etym unknown — perh no more than a nonsense refrain: cf jump shamador. Some kind of dance or caper. 1924 Beckwith 172 (Song:] "Massa Puss and Massa Rat a jump shandalay, jump shandalay".
http://books.google.com/books?id=_lmFzFgsTZYC&pg=PA404&lpg=PA404&dq=jump+shamador&source=bl&ots=N7MtvgUrre&sig=D_gXWYPCsKpeaF1w6bhe047MWTk&hl=en&sa=X&ei=NYVIUeKIKKzi4AOso4HIAQ&ved=0CDkQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=jump%20shamador&f=false, p. 404.

The song "Jump Shamador" is also included in the American published 1989 children's song by Shake It To The One That You Love The Best: Play Songs and Lullabies From Black Musical Traditions (collected and adapted by Cheryl Warren Mattox) under the title "Jump Shamador". Cheryl Mattox indicates that "Jump Shamador" is a ring game from the "West Indies".

Whatever the actual meaning of the phrase "jump shamador", my sense is that this song is an example of purposeful play. This game teaches children to be self-assured and to perserver in the cace of obstacles - to their career choice or otherwise.

This song is particularly poignant if we reflect on how difficult conditions in the early 20th century were for Black people in Jamaica (and in the United States and other nations) who wanted to be a doctor or a teacher or some other profession. What is equally sad is that there are still stories today in the United States and elsewhere of Black children, other children of Color, and poor children of any race or ethnicity being discouraged by their teachers from striving to be a doctor, teacher, business owner, scientist, and other "white collar" professions.

That is why songs like "Jump Shamador" ars so important as they can help children reinforce their self-esteem and help them strengthen their will to achieve, without the children even realizing that they are being taught such valuable lessons. That's why I'm showcasing this song.

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MP3 SAMPLE
Here's a brief Mp3 sample of "Jump Shamador" from the 1978 Smithsonian Folkways album Caribbean Songs and Games for Children
Various Artists FW07856

http://www.folkways.si.edu/TrackDetails.aspx?itemid=19879
song #106


That song is also included on Cheryl Warren Mattox's tape cassette of her book Shake It To The One That You Love The Best songs. If I recall correctly, while the tune was the same as the tune of that Mp3 sample, the tempo seemed to be a little bit faster.

In both of those renditions, the word "shamador" was pronounced "sha-mah-DOOR".

FEATURED TEXT EXAMPLES
Example #1: GOOD MORNING TO YOU, MOTHER

Good morning to you, mother;
Good morning to you, daughter;
What is your intention?
I want to be a teacher.
You shan't be a teacher.
I bound to be a teacher.

Jump shamador, me darling.

What is your intention?
I goin' to be a doctor.
You shan't be a doctor.
I bound to be a doctor.
You shan't be a doctor.
I will be a doctor.

Jump shamadir, me darling.

There is no dancing here. The mother walks round inside the ring, the various members of which she addresses in turn. "You shan't" is emphasized by an uplifted arm swept vigorously downwards and a stamp of the foot. The answers go through the various professions until it is felt that there is a want of something more exciting, which is supplied by:-"....."
-snip-
Source: Walter Jekyll Jamaican Song and Story
Annancy stories, digging sings, ring tunes, and dancing tunes The Project Gutenberg EBook of Jamaican Song and Story
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/35410/35410-h/35410-h.htm (With musical score. CXII p. 211)

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Example #2: JUMP SHAMADOR

Good morning to Joseph.
(Good morning to you too).*
What is your intention?
(I want to be a doctor.)
You can't be a doctor.
(I will be a doctor).

Well, jump shamador, my darling.
Jump shamador my dear.
jump shamador, my darling.
Jump shamador my dear.

Jump shamador
Jump shamador
Jump shamador, my darling.

Jump shamador
Jump shamador
Jump shamador, my dear.

Jump shamador
Jump shamador
Jump shamador
Jump shamador
-snip-
*The lines by the person responding are given in parenthesis.

Here are the notes that Cheryl Warren Mattox included with this song's musical score:
West Indies

Ring Game

This song has an important message-if you believe in yourself, you ca be whatever you want to be. Each player chooses a profession. When your name is called, go to the middle of the ring. Respond to the question -"What is your intention?" - by naming your choice of profession. Show how determined you are bu being very forceful when you sing the line, "I WILL be a ______!"

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to the unknown composers of this song. Thanks also to the Walter Jekyl for collecting & publishing this song, and Cheryl Warrren Mattox for adapting, publishing, and recording this song.

Thank you for visiting pancocojams.

Viewer comments are welcome.

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Three Renditions Of The Edwin Hawkins Singers - Oh Happy Day

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases a sound file and two videos of the Edwin Hawkins Singers' Gospel song "Oh Happy Day".

The content of this post is presented for historical, religious, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

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INFORMATION ABOUT EDWIN HAWKINS' VERSION OF "OH HAPPY DAY
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oh_Happy_Day
"Oh Happy Day" is a 1967 gospel music arrangement of an 18th century hymn. Recorded by the Edwin Hawkins Singers, it became an international hit in 1969, reaching No. 4 in the US and No. 2 in the UK pop charts. It has since become a gospel music standard.

Edwin Hawkins’ funk style arrangement of the hymn "Oh, Happy Day" has a long pedigree: It began as a hymn written in the mid-18th century ("O happy day, that fixed my choice") by English clergyman Philip Doddridge (based on Acts 8:35) set to an earlier melody (1704) by J. A. Freylinghausen. By the mid-19th century it had been given a new melody by Edward F. Rimbault, who also added a chorus, and was commonly used for baptismal or confirmation ceremonies in the UK and USA. The 20th century saw its adaptation from 3/4 to 4/4 time and this new arrangement by Hawkins, which contains only the repeated Rimbault refrain (all of the original verses being omitted).

The Edwin Hawkins Singers began as The Northern California State Youth Choir of the Church of God in Christ, Inc. and was founded in 1967 by Hawkins and Betty Watson. Members were aged 17–25. As was common in gospel circles they produced and distributed their own LP: Let Us Go Into the House of the Lord, recorded live in church. "Oh, Happy Day", featuring Dorothy Morrison as lead vocalist, was picked up by a local DJ, KSAN's Bob Mcclay, and subsequently released commercially.Aretha Franklin had already brought strong gospel stylings to the pop charts with songs such as "Think" (1968), but a hymn had never “crossed over” before. "Oh Happy Day" soared into the US Top 5, winning a Grammy and massive sales worldwide."
-snip-
Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Hawkinsfor information about Edwin Hawkins (born 18 August 1943, Oakland, California)

Edwin Hawkins' brother, Walter Hawkins (May 18, 1949 – July 11, 2010) also composed Gospel songs and led a Gospel choir. Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04KcopeY2Og for a sound file of Walter Hawkins & The Love Center Choir's Gospel song "I'm Going Up Yonder". Like Edwin Hawkins' composition of "Oh Happy Day", that Walter Hawkins song has also become a standard Gospel song.

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FEATURED EXAMPLES
Example #1: The Edwin Hawkins Singers - Oh Happy Day



60otaku3,Uploaded on Oct 3, 2009

The Edwin Hawkins Singers - Oh Happy Day (1969)
-snip-
This is the original 1967 recording of the Edwin Hawkins Singers' "Oh Happy Day".

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Example #2: OH HAPPY DAY (Live) - THE EDWIN HAWKINS SINGERS



luckysmusic,Uploaded on Mar 16, 2010

Oh happy day - When Jesus washed all my sins away.........
-snip-
A commenter to this video's viewer comment thread wrote that in 1969 Edwin Hawkins performed "Oh Happy Day" on the American Bandstand" television show. This may be a video of that performance.

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Example #3: Oh Happy Day - Edwin Hawkins Singers



JohannaFavorites, Uploaded on Jun 21, 2010

-snip-
The soloist in this rendition is Lynnette Hawkins Stephens.
-snip-
Click http://lyrics.wikia.com/The_Edwin_Hawkins_Singers:Oh_Happy_Day for the lyrics to the Edwin Hawkins Singers' "Oh Happy Day"

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to Edwin Hawkins and the Edwin Hawkins Singers for their musical legacy. My thanks also to the uploaders of this sound file and these videos.

Thank you for visiting pancocojams.

Viewer comments are welcome.

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