2Pac - Keep Ya Head Up (with lyrics)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcase the 1993 Hip-Hop song "Keep Ya Head Up" by Tupac (2Pac).

In my presentation of this song, I particularly focus on the meaning of the line "tryin to make a dollar out of 15 cents". That line is part of a floating verse that is included in certain English language playground rhymes. Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/07/examples-of-anti-asian-references-in.html for a post about those rhymes.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

DISCLAIMER: While I believe that most of 2Pac's "Keep Ya Head Up" is positive, I don't agree with all of that song's lyrics.

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SHOWCASE VIDEO: 2Pac - Keep Ya Head Up



bgjoker, Uploaded on Feb 12, 2006

WARNING: The viewer comment thread of this video may contain profanity and sexually explicit or sexually suggestive comments that aren't suitable for children.

Furthermore, another song by Tupac also includes the line "tryin to make a dollar outta 15 cents". There also is a Hip-Hop song by another artist which has that line as its title.

Unlike most of the "Keep Ya Head Up" lyrics, I consider the lyrics of both of those songs to be inappropriate for children in part because of their sexual references/inferences.

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LYRICS - KEEP YA HEAD UP
(Tupac Shakur)

Little somethin for my godson Elijah and a little girl named Corinne

[Verse One:]

Some say the blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice
I say the darker the flesh then the deeper the roots
I give a holler to my sisters on welfare
Tupac cares, and don't nobody else care
And uhh, I know they like to beat ya down a lot
When you come around the block brothas clown a lot
But please don't cry, dry your eyes, never let up
Forgive but don't forget, girl keep your head up
And when he tells you you ain't nuttin don't believe him
And if he can't learn to love you you should leave him
Cause sista you don't need him
And I ain't tryin to gas ya up, I just call em how I see em
You know it makes me unhappy (what's that)
When brothas make babies, and leave a young mother to be a pappy
And since we all came from a woman
Got our name from a woman and our game from a woman
I wonder why we take from our women
Why we rape our women, do we hate our women?
I think it's time to kill for our women
Time to heal our women, be real to our women
And if we don't we'll have a race of babies
That will hate the ladies, that make the babies
And since a man can't make one
He has no right to tell a woman when and where to create one
So will the real men get up
I know you're fed up ladies, but keep your head up

[Chorus]

Keep ya head up, oooo child things are gonna get easier
ooooo child things are gonna get brighter [2x]

[Verse Two:]

Aiyyo, I remember Marvin Gaye, used to sing ta me
He had me feelin like black was tha thing to be
And suddenly tha ghetto didn't seem so tough
And though we had it rough, we always had enough
I huffed and puffed about my curfew and broke the rules
Ran with the local crew, and had a smoke or two
And I realize momma really paid the price
She nearly gave her life, to raise me right
And all I had ta give her was my pipe dream
Of how I'd rock the mic, and make it to tha bright screen
I'm tryin to make a dollar out of fifteen cents
It's hard to be legit and still pay tha rent
And in the end it seems I'm headin for tha pen
I try and find my friends, but they're blowin in the wind
Last night my buddy lost his whole family
It's gonna take the man in me to conquer this insanity
It seems tha rain'll never let up
I try to keep my head up, and still keep from gettin wet up
You know it's funny when it rains it pours
They got money for wars, but can't feed the poor
Say there ain't no hope for the youth and the truth is
it ain't no hope for tha future
And then they wonder why we crazy
I blame my mother, for turning my brother into a crack baby
We ain't meant to survive, cause it's a setup
And even though you're fed up
Huh, ya got to keep your head up

[Chorus]

[Verse Three:]

And uhh
To all the ladies havin babies on they own
I know it's kinda rough and you're feelin all alone
Daddy's long gone and he left you by ya lonesome
Thank the Lord for my kids, even if nobody else want em
Cause I think we can make it, in fact, I'm sure
And if you fall, stand tall and comeback for more
Cause ain't nuttin worse than when your son
wants to kno why his daddy don't love him no mo'
You can't complain you was dealt this
hell of a hand without a man, feelin helpless
Because there's too many things for you to deal with
Dying inside, but outside you're looking fearless
While tears, is rollin down your cheeks
Ya steady hopin things don't all down this week
Cause if it did, you couldn't take it, and don't blame me
I was given this world I didn't make it
And now my son's getten older and older and cold
From havin the world on his shoulders
While the rich kids is drivin Benz
I'm still tryin to hold on to my survivin friends
And it's crazy, it seems it'll never let up, but
please... you got to keep your head up

Source: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/2pac/keepyaheadup.html

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INFORMATION ABOUT "KEEP YA HEAD UP"
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keep_Ya_Head_Up
"Keep Ya Head Up" is a 1993 hit single by Tupac Shakur. The video features Dave Hollister and is dedicated to Latasha Harlins*...

"The beat is sampled from Zapp & Roger's "Be Alright" and the chorus is sampled from The Five Stairsteps' "O-o-h Child", but originally it was sampled from Big Daddy Kane's "Prince of Darkness"... A "sequel" to the song, Baby Don't Cry (Keep Ya Head Up II) was released in 2Pac's posthumous album Still I Rise in 1999."...

*Latasha Harlins (July 14, 1975 – March 16, 1991) was a 15-year-old African-American girl who was unlawfully shot and killed by Soon Ja Du), a 51-year-old Korean store owner.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latasha_Harlins

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WHAT "TRYIN TO MAKE A DOLLAR OUT OF 15 CENTS" MEANS IN HIP-HOP SONGS
In Tupac's song "Keep Ya Head Up", I believe that the line "tryin to make a dollar out of 15 cents, refers to "stretching" what little money a person has so that it can might go further. In the video of this song that is embedded in this post, the scene at 2:19 when those words are voiced shows a mother sitted at the kitchen table trying to figure out which bills to pay with the little money she has. That scene serves as confirmation of the "stretching money" could mean finding some way that the little money you have could be used to pay more of your bills.

However, http://rapgenius.com/2pac-keep-ya-head-up-lyrics#note-30059 indicates that "tryin to make a dollar out of 15 cents" is "A popular phrase in rap music for get-rich schemes (even used as the title of a Master P song), usually illegal, and almost always referring to selling crack cocaine."

Comments posted to a yahoo question & answer page about the meaning of this line in Tupac's songs http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090126191145AAKUFun give the same two meanings -"making something out of nothing" (what I call "stretching your money" or "having to do with selling drugs i.e. nickel bags and dime bags of weed or other drugs."

It seems to me that the point isn't whether or not "tryin to make a dollar out of 15 cents" means "stretching money", but how that "dollar" is stretched - whether a person uses legal or illegal means to do so.

In the song "Keep Ya Head" up, 2Pac (Tupac) says
"I'm tryin to make a dollar out of fifteen cents
It's hard to be legit and still pay tha rent"

And in another 2Pac (Tupac) song whose title I choose not to give because this is a family centered blog & I don't consider that song to be suitable for children, that rapper says
"I'm just another black man caught up in the mix
Trying to make a dollar out of fifteen cents"
-snip-
Hopefully, fewer people will decide to take the "illegit" road to stretching their dollars, as that road really doesn't have any good outcomes.

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Thanks to Tupac for composing and performing "Keep Ya Head Up". Thanks also to those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of videos which are featured in this post.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

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Examples Of Anti-Asian References In Children's Playground Rhymes

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post provides information about and examples of the "Ching Ching Chinaman" 'family' of English language playground rhymes. Those rhymes include definite or possible Anti-Chinese references, and by extension, anti-[East] Asian references.

The examples which are the focus of this post include the verse "Ching ching Chinaman sittin on a fence/tryin to make a dollar out of 15 cents" or words that are similar to that verse. Examples of rhymes in this category include such titles (first lines) as "Ching Ching Charlie", "Choo Choo Charlie", "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang", and "Shimmy Shimmy China".

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/07/anti-asian-rhymes-i-went-to-chinese.html for a companion post on this subject.

WARNING & DISCLAIMER: This post includes racially pejorative referents for the purposes of this post. I don't condone the use of such references for other purposes.

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EARLY EXAMPLES OF OF CHING CHING CHINAMAN
"Ching ching" is a form of the derogatory phrase "Ching chong". Here's information about that phrase from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ching_chong
"Ching chong is a pejorative term sometimes employed by speakers of English to mock or play on the Chinese language, people of Chinese ancestry, or other Asians who may be mistaken for Chinese that resided in Western countries. Several public commentators have characterized the term as derogatory while noting that assaults or physical intimidation of Asians are often accompanied by racial slurs or imitation Chinese.

The term "ching chong" is based on how supposedly the Chinese languages, or more specifically the Mandarin Chinese sounds to English speakers who do not speak the language and the people of Chinese ancestry that spoke them. While usually intended for ethnic Chinese, the slur has also been directed at other East Asians. Mary Paik Lee, a Korean immigrant who arrived with her family in San Francisco in 1906, writes in her autobiography that on her first day of school, girls circled and hit her, chanting:

Ching Chong, Chinaman,
Sitting on a wall.
Along came a white man,
And chopped his tail off.[3]

...In 1917, a ragtime piano song entitled "Ching Chong" was co-written by Lee S. Roberts and J. Will Callahan.[4] Its lyrics contained the following words:

"Ching, Chong, Oh Mister Ching Chong,
You are the king of Chinatown.
Ching Chong, I love your sing-song,
When you have turned the lights all down."

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INFORMATION ABOUT OTHER TITLES OF EXAMPLES FROM THE "CHING CHONG CHINAMAN PLAYGROUND RHYME FAMILY
"Ching Chong Charlie" or "Ching Ching China"
These alliterative titles are clear adaptations of the "Ching Chong Chinaman" title/first line but with the socially correct name "Charlie" replacing the racial referent "Chinaman".

"Chitty Chitty Bang Bang"
This title reflects the popularity of the book and the 1968 musical "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang". Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitty_Chitty_Bang_Bang for information about this subject.

"Choo Choo Charlie"
These words continue the practice of using alliterative "ch" words for the title & lines of these rhymes. The name "Choo Choo Charlie" may have come from 1950s "Good n' Plenty candy television commercials which featured the jingle about a little boy whose nickname wa "Choo Choo Charlie" who pretended he was a train engineer. Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExSlyoVTX3I for a clip of that jingle.

"Shimmy Shimmy China"
Shimmy Shimmy China is a variant form of the rhyme "Down Down Baby, I Can Do Karate". I've only found one example of that rhyme to date. (See above version) and examples of "Down Down Baby" that I've collected to date don't include the "tryin to make a dollar out of 15 cents" line.

Given that the martial arts sport "karate" originated in an Asian culture (Japan), the reference to "China" that follow that title/first line may be an example of conflating or mixing up of two Asians cultures. While the words constitute bragging about doing karate, conflating and/or mixing up two Asian cultures is still problematic.

The words "shimmy shimmy" in this title/line were undoubtedly influenced by the words of the widely known children's rhyme "Shimmy Shimmy Coco Pa". However, in the rhyme "Shimmy Shimmy China" (and not the title/line "Shimmy Shimmy Co Co Pa") those words may be a folk etymology form of the words "ching ching".

It's my position that the word "China" in this alliterative title/line refers to a female and not to the Asian nation of China. In the almost entirely African American school (in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) where I collected this rhyme example, there was one female student whose name was "China".

The name "China" fits the structure of many contemporary, "African" & "Arabic" sounding* African American (usually) female name in that "China" has two syllables and ends with an "a" sound. Also, the name "China" fits the aesthetic preference for names with the "Sh" ("Ch") beginning sound.** Consequently, I think it's relatively easy for African Americans to assume that the name "China" is another multi-cultural name for a girl. Note that "Asia" is a very familiar African American female name (post 1980),

*I wrote "African" and "Arabic" in quotations because many of these names aren't traditional African or Arabic names, but are purposefully or accidentally based on or influenced by what African Americans think African/Arabic names sound (and are spelled) like.
**Examples of popular contemporary African American names which include the "sh" or "ch" sound are "Shontae"/"Chantay" and "Keisha". These names have multiple spellings. "Shontae" is usually female, but examples can be found of males with this name. "Keisha" is a female name. Among its common variants is "Mykeisha" and "LaKeisha."

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CONTEMPORARY EXAMPLES
(These examples are presented in chronological order based on the date of their collection or their internet posting, with the oldest examples given first.)

Example #1:
Ching ching Chinaman (* Also, 'Tattletale, tattletale' *)
Sitting on a fence
Trying to make a dollar
Out of fifteen cents.
He missed, he missed like this.

Source: Abrahams (1969)
http://mudcat.org/jumprope/jumprope_display_all.cfm
This and other examples on this page are probably from Abrahams’ “Jump Rope Dictionary”. No performance instruction is given for this example other than that it's chanted while jumping rope.

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Example #2:
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Sittin on a fence.
Tryin to make a dollar
out of 15 cents
She missed, she missed, she missed like this.*
She missed, she missed, she missed like this.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
I can do ka-ra-te.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang!
I can hurt somebody.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang!
Oops! I’m sorry.
-Black boys & girls , around ages 6-10 years, (Duquesne, Pennsylvania), 1998, collected by Azizi Powell, 1998

*Boys said "he" instead of "she".

On the words "Oops, I'm so sorry, each handclap partner pretends to slap or to punch the other one. The girls or boys lean back so that they won't be touched by the other person. While they sang the words "She missed she missed etc, the children did criss cross jumps. At the end of the rhyme if your feet weren't side by side, you were out. * Boys said "he" instead of "she". See "Ching Chong China" on this page and "Shimmy Shimmy China" for examples of very similar rhymes. (However, "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" may not have been performed the same way as these other two rhymes. Also, see my comments about the word or the name "China" that I posted below.

*I've seen children do imitative movements such as karate moves to this rhyme in videos, but not in my direct observation.

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Example #3:
Choo Choo Charlie Sitting on a bench ...
Tryin to make a dollar outta 15 cents
he missed he missed he missed like this...

Its one of those clap games....did it when i was in 2nd or 3rd grade
-brittanie; Octoblog, December 4, 2005 [This website is no longer available]

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Example #4:
Shimmy Shimmy China
I can do karate
Shimmy Shimmy China
Oops I'm so sorry.
Shimmy Shimmy China
Sittin on a bench
Tryin to make a dollar
Out of 65 cents
She* missed
She* missed
She missed like this like this like this.
-various African American girls & boys; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and surrounding communities & Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; 1990s

*Boys who chanted this rhyme said "he".
Click http://cocojams.com/content/handclap-jump-rope-and-elastics-rhymes-2http://cocojams.com/content/handclap-jump-rope-and-elastics-rhymes-2for performance instructions.

Example #5:
Ching Ching China
Sitting on a bench,
Tried to make a dollar
Out of 65 cents.
She did it, she did it
She did it like this...

(you had to jump w/ this one. first feet apart, then legs crossed, then feet apart again (on and on) and if you landed on "this" with your feet apart, you were a boy, and if your legs were crossed, you were a girl :o )
-Grace Kim, http://battery-d.livejournal.com/87113.html ; 12/17/2005

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WHAT "TRYIN TO MAKE A DOLLAR OUT OF 15 CENTS" MEAN IN THE CHINESE SITTIN ON THE FENCE (BENCH) CHILDREN'S PLAYGROUND RHYMES

"Ching ching China sittin on a fence
Tryin to make a dollar out of a 15 cents"

Given that playground rhymes & old songs about Chinese were almost always uncomplimentary, I sense that that "tryin to make a dollar out of 15 cents" doesn't refer to those men being resourceful in how they stretch what little money they have.

One meaning for this verse was suggested in this Mudcat discussion about American rhymes & songs that referenced Chinese people:

I haven't heard the term "Chink" in 40 years. And would not hear it without speaking up. In my childhood we recited:

Ching Ching Chinamen
Sittin' on a fence
Trying to make a dollar out fifteen cents.

Nasty little bit of racist ridicule of a foreigner trying to make sense of our money and appearing to be a cheat in the process"...
-Sinsull, http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=89534, 10 Mar 06 - 01:04 PM
"Origins: Chink a Boo Man"
-snip-
The words "being a cheat in the process" carries with it the implication that these men were scheming, gambling, or otherwise engaged in some illegal or at least some lower class activity that would enable them to increase the money that they started out with. have.

Furthermore, the "sitting in the bench (or sitting on the fence) line may imply that the men were just lazing away their time instead of engaging in legitimate work like "regular Americans" do. Therefore, this line was probably meant to be part of an insult or demeaning reference to Asians.
-snip-
In other contexts, the line "tryin to make a dollar out of 15 cents, can refer to "stretching" what little money a person has so that it can go further.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/07/2pac-keep-ya-head-up-with-lyrics_12.html for a pancocojams post about the 1993 Hip-Hop song "Keep Ya Head Up" by Tupac. That song includes the line "tryin to make a dollar out of 15 cents" which I believe, in part,has that "stretching a little bit of money so that it might go further" meaning.

Warning: Another song by Tupac also includes the line "tryin to make a dollar outta 15 cents". There also is a Hip-Hop song by another artist which has that line as its title. Unlike the "Keep Ya Head Up" song, I consider both of those songs to be inappropriate for children in part because of their sexual references/inferences.

EDITORIAL COMMENT
There are a lot of derogatory words and- in the case of Asian references-accompanying pejorative mimicking actions) in children's rhymes. It's important that children know that these words and actions are hurtful, even if the intent is not to insult, demeen, or cause anyone any hurt.

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Thanks to those whose contributed examples are featured in this post. Thanks also to those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of videos which are featured in this post.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

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The Wailers "Downpressor Man" and Peter Tosh "Downpressor Man" (with lyrics)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases a rendition of the song "Downpressor Man" by the Wailers (Peter Tosh, Bob Marley, and Bunny Wailer) and a later performance of that song by Peter Tosh. Information aboout this song and lyrics to those versions are also included in this post.

The song "Downpressor Man" are Jamaican versions of the African American Spiritual "Sinner Man". Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/07/nina-simone-sinnerman-with-lyrics.html for a pancocojams post that provides information about "Sinner Man" and showcases a full version of Nina Simone's rendition of that song.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

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INFORMATION ABOUT "DOWNPRESSOR MAN"
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinner_Man
"Peter Tosh and the Wailers versions

Sinner Man" has also been recorded as ska and reggae versions several times by the Wailers.

It was first recorded by the group at Studio One in Kingston, Jamaica in early 1966; Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer shared lead vocals.

A different version entitled "Downpressor" was recorded by Peter Tosh & The Wailers in 1970 ("downpressor" meaning "oppressor" in Rastafarian vocabulary). The song featured Tosh on lead vocals and Bunny Wailer on background. An instrumental version was also released. Songwriting credit for this version is sometimes given to Tosh.

Another version was recorded in 1971 as Oppressor Man. This version was billed as a Peter Tosh solo single, and the B Side of the single featured an instrumental version. It was one of the rarer songs from the period before being included, along with its version, on JAD's Black Dignity compilation in 2004.
Tosh recorded the song again as "Downpresser Man" for his 1977 solo album Equal Rights and released a live recording of the song in a medley with "Equal Rights" on his 1983 album Captured Live."

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FEATURED EXAMPLES (with Lyrics)
Example #1: Downpressor Man - Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer



Vldmaiden, Uploaded on May 30, 2011

First recorded by the group at Studio One in Kingston, Jamaica in early 1966; Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer shared lead vocals. A later version was recorded by Peter Tosh & The Wailers in 1971 ("downpressor" meaning "oppressor" in Rastafarian vocabulary)

LYRICS
Mercy lord when judgement come
Mercy lord when judgement come ...
Mercy lord when judgement come
All along that day, sad day

Downpressor man where you gonna run to
Tell me
Downpressor man where you gonna run to
Downpressor man where you gonna run to
All along that day, ...

You run to the rocks, rocks will be melting
You run to the rocks, rocks will be melting
When you run to the rocks, rocks will be melting
All along that day, sad day for you

And when you run to the sea, the sea will be boiling
When you run to the sea, the sea will be boiling
You run to the sea, the sea will be boiling
All along that day, ...

So you gonna run to the lord, lord will you hide me
Run to the lord, lord would you hide me
Run to the lord, lord would you hide me
All along that day, sad day for human

Mercy lord when judgement come
Mercy lord when judgement come
I said
Mercy lord when judgement come ...
All along that day

I wouln't like to be a flea in your collar man
I wouln't like to be a flea inna your collar man
I wouln't like to be a flea inna your collar man
All along the day

You can run but you can't hide (...)
You can run but you can't hide

Source: http://www.chartlyrics.com/DOGWwgoRA0Ged0e_67f7Lg/Downpresser.aspx

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Example #2: Peter Tosh - Downpressor Man ( Live ) ( High Quality )



dreadlocke12, Uploaded on Apr 15, 2010


LYRICS - DOWNPRESSOR MAN
(Songwriter: Peter Tosh)

DownPresserMan
Downpresser man
Where you gonna run to
(3x)
All along that day
(CHORUS)
You gonna run to the sea
But the sea will be boiling
When you run to the sea
The sea will be boiling(2x)
All along that day
You gonna run to the rocks
The rocks will be melting
When you run to the rocks
The rocks will be melitng(2x)
All that day
So I said
CHORUS
You drink your big champagne and laugh(3x)
All along that day
I wouldn't like to be a flea
Under your collar man
(3x)
All along that day
You can run but you can't hide(3x)
Telling you all along that day
You gonna run to the Lord
Beggin' to hide you
(2x)
You gonna run to Jah
Beggin' to hide you
All, all along that day
And I said Downpresser Man
Where you gonna run to
Where you gonna run to Downpresser man
Where you gonna run to
I said all along
All along, along that day Downpresser man(4x)
Wait, Downpresser man
Where you gonna run to
Downpresser man
I don't know where you gonna run to
All along that day
Downpresser man
You can't run, you can't bribe Jah-Jah
Can't call him in a bar
Fe can drink some
Devil soup
Can't bribe him to run a car now
Can't test him faith
Downpresser man(5x)
Where you gonna run to
Downpresser man
You can't bribe no one
Them no want no money
Them run'f money
That money get funny
Downpresser Man...
S here"

Source: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/p/peter+tosh/downpressor+man_20191736.html

*****
Thanks to the composer/s of this song and thans to the Wailers & Peter Tosh (soloist) for their musical legacy, including their renditions of this song. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post, the transcribers of these lyrics, the publisher of the sound file, and the publisher of this video.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

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Nina Simone - Sinnerman (with lyrics)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post provides information about the African American Spiritual "Sinner Man". This post also showcases a full version of Nina Simone's rendition of that song.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-wailers-downpressor-man-and-peter.html for a post that features Jamaican versions of "Sinner Man" from the Wailers (Peter Tosh, Bob Marley, and Bunny Wailer) and a later version from Peter Tosh.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

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INFORMATION ABOUT "SINNER MAN"
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinner_Man
"Sinner Man" or "Sinnerman" is an American traditional spiritual song that has been recorded by a number of performers. The song dates to the turn of the 20th century[citation needed] but most modern recorded versions derive from the 1956 recording by Les Baxter,[1] further changes and additions were codified in 1959 by the folk music group the Weavers. The Weavers' performance of the song appears on their compilation albums Gospel and Reunion at Carnegie Hall Part 2.

"Sinnerman" (spelled as one word) is one of Nina Simone's most famous songs and she recorded her definitive 10-minute-plus version on her 1965 album Pastel Blues. Simone learned the lyrics of this song in her childhood when it was used at revival meetings by her mother, a Methodist minister, to help people confess their sins. In the early days of her career during the early sixties, when she was heavily involved in the Greenwich Village scene, Simone often used the long piece to end her live performances. An earlier version of the song exists, recorded live at The Village Gate, but was never used on the 1962 Colpix album Nina at the Village Gate."


FEATURED EXAMPLE (with Lyrics)



Nina Simone - Sinnerman (FULL) HD + SUBS

Isambay, Published on Mar 20, 2012

Oh Sinnerman, where you gonna run to?
Sinnerman, where you gonna run to?
Where you gonna run to?
All on that day
Well I run to the rock, please hide me
I run to the rock,please hide me
I run to the rock, please hide me, Lord
All on that day
But the rock cried out, I can't hide you
The rock cried out, I can't hide you
The rock cried out, I ain't gonna hide you guy
All on that day
I said, Rock, what's a matter with you rock?
Don't you see I need you, rock?
Lord, Lord, Lord
All on that day
So I run to the river, it was bleedin'
I run to the sea, it was bleedin'
I run to the sea, it was bleedin'
All on that day
So I run to the river, it was boilin'
I run to the sea, it was boilin'
I run to the sea, it was boilin'
All on that day
So I run to the Lord, please hide me Lord
Don't you see me prayin'?
Don't you see me down here prayin'?
But the Lord said, go to the devil
The Lord said, go to the devil
He said, go to the devil
All on that day
So I ran to the devil, he was waitin'
I ran to the devil, he was waitin'
Ran to the devil, he was waitin'
All on that day
I cried -
POWER!!!!!!!
(Power to da Lord)
[8x]
Bring down,
(Power to da lord),
[4x]
POWER!!!
(power to da lord)
[12x]

(Instrumental)

****
Thanks to the unknown original composers of this Spiritual, and thanks to Nina Simone for her musical legacy, including her rendition of "Sinnerman". Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post, the publisher of the sound file, and the transcriber of the lyrics of this song.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

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Mildred Bailey - "Shouting At The Amen Corner" (Phrase Meaning, Sound File, & Lyrics)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post provides definitions for the word "shouting" and phrase "amen corner" and showcases the lyrics and a sound file for the song "Shouting At The Amen Corner" as sung by Mildred Bailey.

A bonus video of a scene from James Baldwin's 1954 play "The Amen Corner" is also provided in this post.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

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THE RELIGIOUS MEANING OF "SHOUTING"
From http://ctl.du.edu/spirituals/religion/praise.cfm
"One of the most important of these shared religious elements is the circle dance. In the United States, it is known as the “ring shout.” This is a ritual combination of music and movement that was widely recognized and practiced in the nineteenth century (although probably in use in some form earlier as well), and though much less common now, is still present in the more limited form of “holy dance” and individual “shouting” in many of the most traditional Black church congregations. It was a ceremonial activity created by people with roots in many different parts of west and central Africa who found themselves together in a difficult new land and were faced with the need to remember traditions that could enable them to survive here"...
-snip-
The African American ring shout changed from a circular, counter clockwise movement in the early 20th century when church pews became unmovable because they were bolted to the floor. Instead of doing a circular hoy dance, some people who felt the spirit ran around the church santuary or "shouted" in the church aisles. "Shouting" also refers to involuntary & voluntary exclamations by those who feel the Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost).

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RELIGIOUS MEANING OF "THE AMEN CORNER"
A group of church members who continually shout “Amen” during the sermon in response to the pastor’s words. "Shouting" in this regard is more "exclaiming" than "speaking in a loud voice".

Most definitions associate the "Amen Corner" with Black Protestant churches. "The Amen Corner" isn't an actual location of the church's santuary. However, most definitions place the church members who belong to "the Amen Corner" to the front of the church where they can best be seen. That the members of "The Amen Corner" just "shouted" for show is included in this commentary from http://brenttrf.wordpress.com/2007/10/14/mixing-it-up-jazz-style-finale/ Mixing It Up “Jazz Style” – Finale
"The next highlight was a group called The Queen City Jazz Band. These guys had a mix of Jazz and Gospel that was very cool. They had an amazing vocalists named Wendy. She has more soul than anyone I have ever met. She did a version of amazing grace that brought me to tears. She also did a song called, “Shoutin’ In That Amen Corner”. She described the “Amen Corner” as the back portion of the churches she grew up in, in which ladies would sit and gossip and show off. Then when the sermon was preached there were the “loudest”(Amens) and most “responsive” in the service. Obviously they were very showy and hypocritical."
-snip-
Here's more information about the origin of the phrase "Amen Corner". I'm unsure if this information is true or not:
From http://golf.about.com/b/2007/04/03/shouting-at-amen-corner.htm
"Back around 1900, the center of Bible manufacturing was in lower New York City. The hub of that activity became a popular spot for sidewalk preachers to shout out the old-time religion (thus the song title). ... There were so many "Amen!" shouts heard each day, that the term "Amen Corner" evolved. Note: Our family Bible, which has been in the family for years, clearly lists the Bible manufacturer's address as ... Amen Corner, New York City."

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NON-RELIGIOUS MEANINGS OF "AMEN CORNER"
From http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Amen%20Corner
"Amen Corner

This is a group of sycophants within an organization that can be automatically counted on to agree with an idea if they think that the boss may be leaning in favor of it.

Will the Budget Committee go along with Dr. Tom L's proposal? Well, you can count on his Amen Corner to support him!
by Elvis Wearing a Bra on His Head Sep 6, 2005

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From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augusta_National_Golf_Club
"The second shot at the 11th, all of the 12th, and the first two shots at the 13th hole at Augusta are nicknamed "Amen Corner". This term was first used in print by author Herbert Warren Wind in his April 21, 1958 Sports Illustrated article about the Masters that year.[14] In a Golf Digest article in April 1984, 26 years later, Wind told about its origin. He said he wanted a catchy phrase like baseball's "hot-corner" or football's "coffin-corner" to explain where some of the most exciting golf had taken place (the Palmer-Venturi rules issue at twelve in particular). Thus "Amen Corner" was born. He said it came from the title of a jazz record he had heard in the mid-1930s by a group led by Chicago's Mezz Mezzrow, Shouting in that Amen Corner."
-snip-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Warren_Windhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Warren_Wind
1958, Wind coined the phrase 'Amen Corner' to describe the second shot at the 11th, all of the 12th, and the tee shot at the 13th hole at the Augusta National Golf Club, site of the annual Masters Tournament. That nickname, which is derived from a 1935 song that Wind had heard while a student at Yale, -- namely "Shoutin' in that Amen Corner" written by Andy Razaf, which was recorded by the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra, vocal by Mildred Bailey (Brunswick label No. 6655)
-snip-
(Italics added to highlight these sentences.)

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FEATURED EXAMPLE: Mildred Bailey - Shouting in that Amen Corner



2ndviolinist, Uploaded on Oct 21, 2010

MILDRED BAILEY acc. by DORSEY BROTHERS ORCHESTRA: Buny Berigan (tp), Tommy Dorsey (tb), Jimmy Dorsey (cl, as), Larry Binyon (cl, ts), Fulton McGrath (p), Dick McDonough (g), Artie Bernstein (b), Stan King (d), Mildred Bailey (voc). NYC, June 6, 1933
-snip-
Biographical information about Mildred Bailey is included in this summary. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQ0Hj-EL6jE.

Click http://www.jazz.com/encyclopedia/bailey-midred-mildred-rinker Encyclopedia of Jazz Musicians for more information about Mildred Bailey. Here are excerpts from that information:
"Mildred Bailey was known as "Mrs. Swing" to her fans in the thirties and forties, and rightly so. She and fellow Washingtonian Bing Crosby were among the first white singers to incorporate the innovations of black jazz and blues. With a small voice and a wicked wit, Bailey's influence extends well beyond her years into subsequent generations of singers, including Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Rosemary Clooney.

Born Mildred Rinker in Tekoa, Washington on February 27, 1907, Millie was the oldest of four children. Her mother was part Coeur d Alene Indian, and the family maintained a farm on a reservation until they moved to Spokane when she was five years old...

Bailey herself was known for enlightened views on race relations, performing and recording with African-American musicians in her own bands. She also performed at a benefit concert in Harlem for the Scottsboro boys, nine African-American men who were falsely accused and convicted for raping two white women in Alabama in 1931...

Bailey's debt to black jazz pioneers like Ethel Waters and Bessie Smith can easily be heard on the series of sides she recorded for Brunswick in 1933 with the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra, which include the gospel-tinged "Shoutin in That Amen Corner". She also recorded at this time with Coleman Hawkins in a band led by Benny Goodman".

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LYRICS - SHOUTING AT THE AMEN CORNER
(Andy Razaf, 1935)

Brothers and sisters we got hypocrites in this crowd
Brothers and sisters some of you are shoutin’ too loud
You’ll find out on judgment day you can’t fool the Lord that way
Brothers and sisters hear all I’ve got to say

You can shout with all your might but if you ain’t livin’ right
There’s no use shoutin’ in that amen corner
If your name on that roll all that noise won’t save your soul
So stop your shoutin’ in that amen corner
Just because you’ve paid your dues doesn’t mean your saved
You can’t win them golden shoes if you haven’t behaved
you better think before you shout for your sins will find you out
So stop that shoutin’ in that amen corner

I can’t hear my own self praechin’
For your shoutin’ and your screachin’
You make me forget my text
Every meetin’ leaves me vexed
Why you come here and pray on Sunday
Then you serve the devil Monday
If you want to save your soul
Better get some self control

You can shout with all your might but if you ain’t livin’ right
There’s no use shoutin’ in that amen corner
If your name on that roll all that noise won’t save your soul
So stop your shoutin’ in that amen corner
Shoutin’ here don’t mean a thing if your playin; with fire
Change your ways or you won’t sing in that heavenly choir
Makes no difference how you look if your record ain’t in that book
You’ve heard my preachin’ every one
so put old satan on the run
So stop that shoutin’ in that amen corner

http://brenttrf.wordpress.com/2007/10/14/mixing-it-up-jazz-style-finale/

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BONUS VIDEO: Amen Corner - The Prologue.mpg



kenmichael stafford, Uploaded on Mar 23, 2010

The cast and crew of The Amen Corner (based on the play by James Baldwin) Stage director, Kenmichael Stafford directs the first full african american cast for a musical in the history of the university of alabama. This prologue is a short interaction into the first scene of the piece
-snip-
This scene features a rendition of the religious hymn "What A Friend We Have In Jesus". The choreographed movements of the Black congregation exaggerates for artistic purposes the "holy dance" that is done when church people "get happy" ("feel the spirit").

Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMeKfLJ-j9g for a photographical collection of scenes from the 1965 European tour of the play "The Amen Corner".

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Thanks to all those who are quoted or are featured in this post. Special thanks to the composer of the song "Shouting At The Amen Corner" and to vocalist Mildred Bailey. Thanks also to the publishers of the sound file & video that are featured in this post.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

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I Decided To Make Jesus My Choice (lyrics & examples)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases lyrics for and examples of the African American Gospel song "I Decided To Make Jesus My Choice".

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

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LYRICS - I'VE DECIDED TO MAKE JESUS MY CHOICE*
(I Have Decided To Make Jesus My Choice
(written by Harrison Johnson)

Verse 1:
Some folks would rather have houses and land,
some folks choose silver and gold,
these things they treasure and forget about their souls;
I’ve decided to make Jesus my choice.

Chorus:
The road is rough,
the going gets tough,
and the hills are hard to climb.
In Jesus strong arms where no tempest can harm
I'm safe and secure
I started out a long time ago,
there’s no doubt in my mind;
I have decided to make Jesus my choice.

Verse 2:
These clothes that I’m wearing may be tattered and torn
these shoes that I'm wearing might be battered and worn
heavy is the load that I’m bearing,
these burdens that I’m carrying;
I’ve decided to make Jesus my choice

Source: http://www.allgospellyrics.com/?sec=listing&lyricid=3332 and commenter mrspressinmyway, 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSHVH9obqcw
(The lyrics added from the second source are given in italics.]

*Notice that vocalists may change some of the lyrics to this song (re-arranging the song). Examples of this common practice are found below.

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FEATURED EXAMPLES
Example #1: "I've Decided To Make Jesus My Choice"- Harrison Johnson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1TNEp0KjyQ

[Embedding disabled by request]

Rowoches, Uploaded on Sep 7, 2008

A TRUE Classic of Harrison Johnson & the Los Angeles Community Choir.
-snip-
Here's a comment from this sound file's viewer comment thread in response to some commenters indicating that this song was first released by Savoy Records:
"Actually, this was not on Savoy. It was on Creed Records- a division of Nashboro. It came out around 1969-'70."
-Jeffrey LaValley, 2010

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Example #2: Nikki Ross "I Decided to Make Jesus My Choice/No Ways Tired"



J Appling, Uploaded on Oct 11, 2008

Ms. Nikki Ross blessing the city of Birmingham with her rendition of some classics!

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Example #3: "I Decided To Make Jesus My Choice"Glenn Jones / The Modulations



Johnzoe777, Uploaded on Dec 10, 2009

Rev Julius Cheeks & The Young Adult Choir of the Marshall Heights Baptist Church featuring Genobia Jeter,Jack Taylor,Ethel Pralou, Marguerite Jeter, And Nancy Simon & The Modulations.Title of album "We'll Lay Down Our Lives For The Lord. "I Decided To Make Jesus My Choice" soloist:Glenn Jones with the Modulations "1979"

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Example #4: Nikki Giovanni's "Alabama Poem" (I've Decided to Make Jesus My Choice) - A T Short #17 (480p HQ)



ATBigger, Uploaded on Jul 20, 2010

Video number seventeen in the A T Short series: Nikki Giovanni reads her poem "Alabama Poem" accompanied by the music of the New York Community Choir...

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Example #5: I Have Decided to Make Jesus My Choice ~ Lady Courace Fisher



gospellight684, Uploaded on Apr 18, 2011
-snip-
A commenter to this video's viewer comment thread indicates that this vocalist "re-arranged" this song.

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Example #6: "I HAVE DECIDED TO MAKE JESUS MY CHOICE" (ZM VERSION) DEXTER WALKER & ZION MOVEMENT"



dexzion, Uploaded on Jul 21, 2011

Dex and zion
-snip-
Here's a comment from this video's viewer comment thread which identifies the lead singer:
"Donishisa Ballard of Chicago, IL / Check out our video called "I'll Go I'll Run" with her singing lead."
-dexzion, 2012

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RELATED LINK
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2011/11/should-women-wear-pants-in-church.html for another video of this song.

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Thanks to the composer of this song & those who are featured on this post performing this song.

Thank you for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

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The Differences Between Cornbraids, Dutch Braids, and French Braids

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post provides information & videos about the differences between "Cornbraids", "Dutch Braids", and "French Braids".

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

Disclaimer: I'm not a professional hairstylist. The information that I'm posting is from various online resources. My comments are identified as such, and aren't meant to be taken as professional opinions.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

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Acknowledgement:
Thanks to all those who I have quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of the videos that are found in this post.

I don't know if there's any relationship between the editor of the chocolatehairvanillacare.com series & the publisher of the "GirlsLoveYourCurls" videos. However, it seems to me that the information & techniques found in these two online resouces complement each other very well.

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INFORMATION & VIDEO EXAMPLES
"Cornbraids", "Dutch Braids" and "French Braids" are hair braiding techniques that are favored throughout the world for their easy maintenence, their protection of the hair, and the aesthetic of the hairstyles that are created by these braiding techniques. These hair braiding techniques are particularly favored by people in regions of Africa and throughout the African Diaspora.

CORNROWS
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornrowshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornrows
"Cornrows, also known as rows, braids, or canerows in the Caribbean, are a traditional African[1] style of hair grooming where the hair is braided very close to the scalp, using an underhand, upward motion to produce a continuous, raised row. Cornrows are often formed, as the name implies, in simple, straight lines, but they can also be formed in complicated geometric or curvilinear designs.

Often favored for their easy maintenance, rows can be left in for weeks at a time if maintained through careful washing of the hair and regular oiling of the scalp.*

History
Cornrowed hairstyles are sometimes adorned with beads or cowry shells. Depending on the region of the world, cornrows are typically worn by either men, women, or both.

A traditional way of styling hair throughout North Africa, East Africa, and West Asia, depictions of women with cornrows have been found in Stone Age paintings in the Tassili Plateau of the Sahara that have been dated as far back as 3000 B.C.[2] This tradition of female styling in cornrows has remained popular throughout Africa, particularly in North, East, and West Africa [3]. Historically, male styling with cornrows can be traced as far back as the early nineteenth century to Ethiopia, where warriors and kings such as Tewodros II and Yohannes IV were depicted wearing cornrows.

Outside of Africa and Asia, cornrows have also been worn and depicted in Europe, particularly in Greek and Roman art, and may have had a similar presence in Celtic culture."
-snip-
*From my experiences, it's an exagerration to say that corn braided hair (or French braids or Dutch braids)can be left in place for weeks at a time. Depending on the texture of the hair, and other variables, I've found that these hairstyles usually need to be redone after one week or two weeks.
-snip-
From http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-cornrows.htm#didyouknowout
"Cornrows are a style of wearing the hair in very tight braids, which often have beads interwoven through them. The style originated in North Africa, and was noted among Europeans when the slave trade in that area began. Slaves in the US retained the tradition of wearing cornrows, which were fairly easy to care for once the hair was braided.

In the 1920s through 1950s, African American women often preferred straightening their hair to wearing it in cornrows. However, actress Cicely Tyson, began wearing them for the television show, “East Side/West Side” in 1963. African Americans embraced style as a sign of black pride, and they once again became popular. They were also a sign of affinity with one’s origins in Africa, since they were considered a traditional hairstyle.

This popularity led to a rise in the number of salons that could perform the complex braiding process. In 1979, white women also became entranced by the style of cornrows after the film 10 featured Bo Derek wearing her hair this way..."
-snip-
I disagree with some of the statements that are made in this article. In my opinion, in the 1960s and 1970s to date only a few African Americans considered/consider cornrows to be a popular hairstyle. The popularity of that style depended upon the gender of the person, the age of the person, the economic class of the person or whether they tended to prefer a "street culture to a middle class culture". Outside of Hip-Hop culture in the 1970s to date and hairstyles for Black males that wear/are popularized (or familiarized) by that music genre, cornrows & other similar hair braiding techniques/hairstyles were traditionally considered a female hairstyle, and a hairstyle that up until 1980s in the United States weren't worn outdoors by anyone but Black girls up to around the age of twelve.

It's been my experience that since the 1990s or so African American women who usually don't wear their hair outside in cornbraids (or Dutch braids/French braids) often chose to do because they are going on a vacation to the Caribbean or otherwise going to the beach. They did so because those hairstyle are easy to maintain after a Black person's hair is immersed in water.

I very much disagree with the statement that cornbraids ever were or are now a popular hairstyle with White females - notwithstanding Bo Derek or Heidi Klum's recent outing as a "Bahama Mama" (http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-moms/news/heidi-klum-flashes-butt-shows-off-cornrow-hair-201367
-snip-
I believe that the term "cornrows" (and "canerows") was given to this hairstyle because when the hair is braided in a straight line in resembles the rows of corn that grow in fields.

The direction in which the portions of hair is braided determines whether the style is "Cornbraids"/“Dutch Braids” or "French braids". With Dutch braids (and corn braids) the portion of the hair is braided underhand. However, with French braids the portion of the hair is braided overhand.

For cornbraids/Dutch braids, see the video that is featured under the "Dutch braid" section.

Some people make no distinction between "Dutch braids" and "cornrows". However, if I understand it correctly, other people distinguish "Dutch braids" from cornbraids because of the amount of hair that is added with each braid. With Dutch braids only some of each portion of the hair is braided, but with cornrows all of each portion of the hair is braided to the middle of each braid.
-snip-
http://www.chocolatehairvanillacare.com/2011/03/how-to-cornrow.html

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DUTCH BRAIDS
http://www.chocolatehairvanillacare.com/2011/01/difference-between-french-braids-dutch.html
"Next up is the Dutch braid. This braid is formed almost exactly the same was as the French braid, except for one major difference: The hair is braided underhanded. So if we go back to our jump rope analogy, imagine turning that double-dutch rope in circles moving away from each other...

...the Dutch braid... does not include the hair in the middle of the braid in the braid, itself. The Dutch braid is a more defined braid, but it also only sits on top of the middle part of the hair."
-snip-
http://www.chocolatehairvanillacare.com/2011/01/how-to-dutch-braid.html
-snip-
Cornrow Tutorial (Dutch Braid): Braiding Technique #5



GirlsLoveYourCurls Uploaded on Sep 25, 2010

Cornrow Tutorial (Dutch Braid): A how-to, step by step tutorial on how to do cornrow, also known as a Dutch Braid, or Canerow, on natural hair.

-snip-
"Dutch Braids" probably got that name because of the similarity of the movement of that technique of braiding and the way that the two "Double Dutch" jumping ropes are usually turned.

To help illustrate this way of turning two ropes, here's a Double Dutch jump rope video:

Double Dutch Basics



parents, Published on Jun 25, 2010

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FRENCH BRAIDS
...First up is the French braid. As you can see from above, a French braid is braided overhand. If you don't know what that means, just imagine yourself turning two double-dutch jump ropes with each hand turning in circles towards each other. The sections of hair are laid on top of one another as more hair is added down the braid.

A benefit of doing the French braid is that it keeps the hair nicely detangled, out of the face, and helps distribute the weight of the hair along the path of the braid, rather than having all of the hair pull in one area, as it would in a ponytail...
-snip-
http://www.chocolatehairvanillacare.com/2011/01/how-to-french-braid.html
-snip-
French Braid Tutorial (Inverted Cornrow): Braiding Technique #4



GirlsLoveYourCurls,Uploaded on Sep 25, 2010

French Braid Tutorial: A step by step tutorial on how to do french braid, also known as an inverted cornrow, on natural hair.

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RELATED TERM: HAIR EXTENSIONS
Hair "extensions" are sometimes temporarily added by one means or another to the hair of a person of any race or ethnicity in order to extend the length of that individual's hair. People may wear extensions if they wear their hair "out" in straight styles or in curly styles or if they wear their hair in the braided styles mentioned in this post or in other braided styles.

Here's some more information about extensions from http://hairextensionsforall.wordpress.com/2011/06/17/the-definition-of-hair-extensions/:
"Hair extensions are specific hair pieces developed to provide length to an individual’s hair style. They are available in lots of different colors and textures in order that they may possibly be equated to any person’s hair...Extensions could be produced of all-natural hair or synthetic fibers."

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WARNING
Please be careful what terms you use to refer to “Black” hair textures. Because of possible (or probable) adverse reactions from Black people, my advice is that no one (including other
Black people) use "kinky", "nappy", or "wooly".

I prefer the term “tightly curled” in refering to this wide range of textures of unprocessed (unstraightened) "Black" hair.

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RELATED LINKS



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