Edited by Azizi Powell
Familia Cepeda - Petrolina Guilbe
Uploaded by salsero79 on Feb 11, 2007
Classic footage of Bomba from Puerto Rico
-snip-
Note: An English translation of the song is superimposed at the bottom of the screen.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT BOMBA
Comment #1
Excerpt from Alma Concepcion: "Dance In Puerto Rico: Embodied Meanings", pps. 168-169 in Caribbean Dance - From Abakua To Zouk(edited by Susanna Sloat; University Press of Florida, Gainsedville, 2002)
"The bomba, which has been a key means of expression for slaves living in Puerto Rico since the seventeenth century, shares traits common to the traditions of diverse African groups throughout the Caribbean. Percussiv, melodic, and kinetic elemnts from ancint ceremonies persist in bombas as they are performed today. As defined by Hector Bega-Drouet (1983, 42) these elements include: a circle of performers and audienc, the drum as the main instrument, th basic rhythmic pattern played by the second of two drums, the singer next to the drums and the chorus behind the singer, rhythm presiding over melody, songs couched in responsorial form, a dialogue between the first drummer and the dance. Two additional characteristics are equally important: an improvisatory style and audience participation. The music is inseparable from the dance and the dialogue between drummer and dance converys a processthat has been handed down from generation to generation.
The dance bgins with a simple march in place, the women flashing their skirts from side to side, the men keeping their arms close to their bodies. Bodies are held inclined. The march is two stepped and later three stepped. The bodies displace themselves, but the most important element is segmentation and movement of the body, which in general is almost stationary, with the dance stemming from a controlled movment of the muscles of the feet. Instead of following the beat as modern Latin dances do, bomba dances are structured within the improvised dialogue with the music. Because this knowledge is transmitted in community life, one has to belong to really dance well. Each individual dances in dialogue with the drum. Due to these distinct characteristics, african ethnic groups arriving at or from diverse parts of the Caribbean were able to maintain and provide their own variations to musical patterns."
****
Comment #2
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Puerto_Rico
"Bomba was played during the festival of St. James, since slaves were not allowed to worship their own gods, and soon developed into countless styles based on the kind of dance intended to be used at the same time; these include leró, yubá, cunyá, babú and belén.
Bomba often begins with a liana, or a female singer who is answered by the chorus and musicians with a 2/4 or 6/8 rhythm before the dancing begins. Harmony is not used. Dancers interact with the drummer, who is usually solo and dance in pairs without touching each other, similar to calypso and soca.
The dancers challenge the drummers in a kind of competing dialog, like the controversia mentioned earlier. The drummers respond with a challenge of their own. Sometimes one group of dancers will tempt another group to respond to a set of complicated steps. As the bomba proceeds, tension rises and becomes more excited and passionate. It is not unusual for a bomba to end with all the performers thoroughly soaked with perspiration".
****
FEATURED VIDEOS
Example #1 - Familia Cepeda - Petrolina Guilbe
This video is posted at top of this page.
****
Example #2: BOMBA
Uploaded by DISK DARIAN on Jun 25, 2007
THE ROOTS OF BOMBA
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Example #3: Viento de Agua perform a traditional bomba
Uploaded by SmithsonianFolklife on Jun 20, 2011
Bomba is percussion-driven music created by enslaved Africans in Puerto Rico during the 17th century. To them, bomba was a source of political and spiritual expression. The lyrics conveyed a sense of anger and sadness about their condition, and songs served as a catalyst for resistance and uprisings. But bomba also moved them to dance and celebrate, helping them create community and identity. The music evolved through contact between slave populations from different Caribbean colonies and regions. As a result, bomba now has sixteen different rhythms to mark the pace of the singing and dance. This Viento de Agua performance demonstrates the gracimá and hoyoemula rhythms. [Catalog No. - CFV10007; Copyright - 2005 Smithsonian Institution]
****
Example #4: Historia de la Bomba y de la Plena/Grupo PlenaSon
uploaded by Amarilis Tavárez on Mar 2, 2009
Grupo de plena boricua, PlenaSon. Del disco "El reclamo de la Plena, la cancion esta cancion relata la historia de la Bomba y de la Plena, generos musicales que nacieron en Puerto Rico. Autor: Omar Santiago. Canta: Mingo Vazquez con PlenaSon.
-snip-
Here's some information about "Plena" music from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Puerto_Rico:
"Plena is a narrative song from the coastal regions of Puerto Rico, especially around Ponce. Its origins have been various claimed as far back as 1875 and as late as 1920. As rural farmers moved to San Juan and other cities, they brought plena with them and eventually added horns and improvised call and response vocals. Lyrics generally deal with stories or current events, though some are light-hearted or humorous."
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Video Example #5: La Música tradicional puertorriqueña, las raíces.
Uploaded by carlosantonioperez on May 12, 2011
documental sobre las raíces de la música puertorriqueña, incluyendo el seis, la bomba, la plena y la danza.
-snip-
The narration in this video is in Spanish (which unfortunately, I can't speak or read). However, some visitors to this blog may be able to understand what is said. Besides, the visuals alone are so stunning that even without understanding Spanish, this video definitely merits a wider audience.
****
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Visitor comments are welcome.
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Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
Jubilee Quartet Videos -"God Told Nicodemus" & "Noah"
Edited by Azizi Powell
****
"God Told Nicodemus" (1941)- The Golden Gate Quartet
Uploaded by JayEm86 on Feb 6, 2009
Old, jubilee style quartet singing from these legends.
****
Jubalaires Gospel - Noah
1940's Black Gospel & Pop Vocal Quartet
****
EDITOR'S COMMENTS
"God Told Nicodemus" and "Noah" are Gospel songs that are performed by quartets in the African American Jubilee style. In these performances, "God Told Nicodemus" and "Noah" have the same tune and are performed in the same tempo. As to which song came first, from the uploader notes to another video on the Golden Gate Quartet ["Golden Gate Quartet" - Early Songs at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MT3Ly_-o28k -"Noah" is listed as being recorded by that quartet in 1939. The video for "God Told Nicodemus" gives the date 1941 for that song.]
The Wikipedia page for the Golden Gate Quartet indicates that that quartet "was founded as the Golden Gate Jubilee Singers in 1934, by four students at the Booker T. Washington College in Norfolk, Virginia" and that one of its founding members, Willie Johnson, "left in 1948 to form The Jubalaires". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Gate_Quartet
However, The Jubalaire's Wikipedia page - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jubalaires - indicates that "The Jubalaires were an American gospel group active during the 1940s and 1950s. They were playing as the Royal Harmony Singers in Florida as far back as 1936, and under that name reached #10 on the R&B charts on November 14, 1942 with "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition", a song adapted from the speech of a naval chaplain in response to the attack on Pearl Harbor the previous year". The uploader comment for the Jubalaires' rendition of "Noah" provides the information that The Jubalaires were a "1940's Black Gospel & Pop Vocal Quartet".
All of this to say that although I'm not completely sure, it seems most likely that "God Told Nicodemus" uses the tune of "Noah" and not vice versa. Furthermore, it seems likely that the song Noah was first recorded by The Golden Gate Quartet and not by The Jubalaires.
****
LYRICS: NOAH
(as sung by The Jubaliares)
Chorus:
Well it's oh Noah
Oh oh Noah
Oh oh! Noah
God's gonna ride on the wind & tide.
Oh Noah
Oh oh Noah
Oh oh! Noah
God's gonna ride on the wind & tide.
Soloist - Brother Noah
Group - God's gonna ride on the wind & tide.
Soloist- My God's talking.
Group - God's gonna ride on the wind & tide.
Soloist - Say you'll ride on the wind & tide.
Narrative by one singer; the rest of the group quietly hums in response to each line:
Hey, to*, stop, (be) still, and listen to me.
God walked down to the briny sea.
He declared that evil had descended to man.
And then He decided to destroy the land.
He spoke to Noah and Noah stopped.
He said "Noah, I want you to build an ark".
I want you to build it three cubics long.
I want you to build it big and strong.
I want you to build it fifty high and fifty wide.
So it will withstand the wind and tide.
Chorus:
So it's oh Noah etc
Well it's oh Noah etc
(repeat chorus one time)
Soloist (Humming) Mmmm Mmmm
Group - God's gonna ride on the wind & tide.
Soloist (Humming) Mmmm Mmmm
Group - God's gonna ride on the wind & tide.
Soloist- Brother Noah. Brother Noah,my God's talking.
Group - God's gonna ride on the wind & tide
Soloist - Said He would ride
Group - God's gonna ride on the wind & tide.
Soloist- on the wind and the tide.
Narrative by one singer; the rest of the group quietly hums in response to each line:
Well after the foundation was laid.
Then Brother Noah began to hew and build.
The ringing of the hammer that judgement.
The hewing of the saw that [said we] repent.
One hundred years he hammered and sawed.
Building the ark by the grace of God.
When the ark was built God's voice was heard.
He said "Now, Noah let me tell you what to do.
I want you to call in the animals two by two.
So he called them in the ark two by two.
[Bears], the oxford, and the kangaroo.
Then he called in [Japeth], and Ham, and Shem.
Then God began to flood the land.
He raised His hands to heaven on high.
Shook the stars and they moved from the sky.
Shook the mountains, He troubled the sea.
[Hist] the wind, His chariot decree.
He stood on land and stood on the shore.
And declared that time there wouldn't be no more.
Chorus:
Well it's oh Noah
Oh oh Noah
Oh oh! Noah
God's gonna ride on the wind & tide
[Transcription by Ms. Azizi Powell, 12/7/2010
from the video]
* The words that I'm unsure about are placed in brackets. The word that is assumed by listeners is placed in parenthesis, For instance, in the line "Hey to stop, (be) still, and listen to me", I believe that "to" in that line means "got to" and I believe that "be still" is meant, although "be" isn't sung
****
LYRICS
GOD TOLD NICODEMUS
(As performed by The Golden Gate Quartet)
Chorus:
God told Nicodemus, God told Nicodemus
God, oh yes He did, He told Nicodemus a man he must-a be born again
Well-a God told Nicodemus, God told Nicodemus
God, oh yes He did, He told Nicodemus a man he must-a be born again
Well there was a man among the Pharisees
By the name of Nicodemus who did not believe
Same Nicodemus came to God by night
Talkin' 'bout religion from the human sight
He brought along his silver, diamonds, and gold
Wanted to buy his way to Heaven and save his soul
Repeat Chorus
Well the same Nicodemus came a runnin' hard
Said "Has anybody here done seen the Lord?
I want to buy some 'ligion, but what will it cost
To get myself to Heaven 'fore my soul be lost?
Then my God spoke, He spoke so sweet
Sounded like the shuffle of angels feet
He said "Marvel thou man, if you want to be wise
You got to believe and be baptized"
Repeat Chorus
Then old Nicodemus was taken back
Cause God done told him 'bout the natural fact
He said "Marvel thou man, if you want to be wise
You got to believe and be baptized"
Old Nicodemus was taken back
Cause God done told him 'bout the natural fact
He said "I don't understand! I want to know
How can be born when he's old?"
Then my God spoke, His voice did ring
Sounded like the shuffle of angels wings
He said, "Marvel thou man, if you want to be wise
You got to believe and be baptized"
Repeat Chorus (x2)
Well-a God told Nicodemus, God told Nicodemus
God, oh yes He did, He told Nicodemus a man he must-a be born again
I said man you must-a be born again
We know that man you must-a be born again
From http://lyrics.astraweb.com/display/406/hymns..unknown..god_told_nicodemus.html
****
RELATED LINK
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/06/biblical-references-in-african-american.html Biblical References In African American Religious Songs (Part I - New Testament) The link for Part I of that series is found in that post.
****
Thank you for visiting pancocojams.
Viewer comments are welcome.
****
"God Told Nicodemus" (1941)- The Golden Gate Quartet
Uploaded by JayEm86 on Feb 6, 2009
Old, jubilee style quartet singing from these legends.
****
Jubalaires Gospel - Noah
1940's Black Gospel & Pop Vocal Quartet
****
EDITOR'S COMMENTS
"God Told Nicodemus" and "Noah" are Gospel songs that are performed by quartets in the African American Jubilee style. In these performances, "God Told Nicodemus" and "Noah" have the same tune and are performed in the same tempo. As to which song came first, from the uploader notes to another video on the Golden Gate Quartet ["Golden Gate Quartet" - Early Songs at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MT3Ly_-o28k -"Noah" is listed as being recorded by that quartet in 1939. The video for "God Told Nicodemus" gives the date 1941 for that song.]
The Wikipedia page for the Golden Gate Quartet indicates that that quartet "was founded as the Golden Gate Jubilee Singers in 1934, by four students at the Booker T. Washington College in Norfolk, Virginia" and that one of its founding members, Willie Johnson, "left in 1948 to form The Jubalaires". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Gate_Quartet
However, The Jubalaire's Wikipedia page - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jubalaires - indicates that "The Jubalaires were an American gospel group active during the 1940s and 1950s. They were playing as the Royal Harmony Singers in Florida as far back as 1936, and under that name reached #10 on the R&B charts on November 14, 1942 with "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition", a song adapted from the speech of a naval chaplain in response to the attack on Pearl Harbor the previous year". The uploader comment for the Jubalaires' rendition of "Noah" provides the information that The Jubalaires were a "1940's Black Gospel & Pop Vocal Quartet".
All of this to say that although I'm not completely sure, it seems most likely that "God Told Nicodemus" uses the tune of "Noah" and not vice versa. Furthermore, it seems likely that the song Noah was first recorded by The Golden Gate Quartet and not by The Jubalaires.
****
LYRICS: NOAH
(as sung by The Jubaliares)
Chorus:
Well it's oh Noah
Oh oh Noah
Oh oh! Noah
God's gonna ride on the wind & tide.
Oh Noah
Oh oh Noah
Oh oh! Noah
God's gonna ride on the wind & tide.
Soloist - Brother Noah
Group - God's gonna ride on the wind & tide.
Soloist- My God's talking.
Group - God's gonna ride on the wind & tide.
Soloist - Say you'll ride on the wind & tide.
Narrative by one singer; the rest of the group quietly hums in response to each line:
Hey, to*, stop, (be) still, and listen to me.
God walked down to the briny sea.
He declared that evil had descended to man.
And then He decided to destroy the land.
He spoke to Noah and Noah stopped.
He said "Noah, I want you to build an ark".
I want you to build it three cubics long.
I want you to build it big and strong.
I want you to build it fifty high and fifty wide.
So it will withstand the wind and tide.
Chorus:
So it's oh Noah etc
Well it's oh Noah etc
(repeat chorus one time)
Soloist (Humming) Mmmm Mmmm
Group - God's gonna ride on the wind & tide.
Soloist (Humming) Mmmm Mmmm
Group - God's gonna ride on the wind & tide.
Soloist- Brother Noah. Brother Noah,my God's talking.
Group - God's gonna ride on the wind & tide
Soloist - Said He would ride
Group - God's gonna ride on the wind & tide.
Soloist- on the wind and the tide.
Narrative by one singer; the rest of the group quietly hums in response to each line:
Well after the foundation was laid.
Then Brother Noah began to hew and build.
The ringing of the hammer that judgement.
The hewing of the saw that [said we] repent.
One hundred years he hammered and sawed.
Building the ark by the grace of God.
When the ark was built God's voice was heard.
He said "Now, Noah let me tell you what to do.
I want you to call in the animals two by two.
So he called them in the ark two by two.
[Bears], the oxford, and the kangaroo.
Then he called in [Japeth], and Ham, and Shem.
Then God began to flood the land.
He raised His hands to heaven on high.
Shook the stars and they moved from the sky.
Shook the mountains, He troubled the sea.
[Hist] the wind, His chariot decree.
He stood on land and stood on the shore.
And declared that time there wouldn't be no more.
Chorus:
Well it's oh Noah
Oh oh Noah
Oh oh! Noah
God's gonna ride on the wind & tide
[Transcription by Ms. Azizi Powell, 12/7/2010
from the video]
* The words that I'm unsure about are placed in brackets. The word that is assumed by listeners is placed in parenthesis, For instance, in the line "Hey to stop, (be) still, and listen to me", I believe that "to" in that line means "got to" and I believe that "be still" is meant, although "be" isn't sung
****
LYRICS
GOD TOLD NICODEMUS
(As performed by The Golden Gate Quartet)
Chorus:
God told Nicodemus, God told Nicodemus
God, oh yes He did, He told Nicodemus a man he must-a be born again
Well-a God told Nicodemus, God told Nicodemus
God, oh yes He did, He told Nicodemus a man he must-a be born again
Well there was a man among the Pharisees
By the name of Nicodemus who did not believe
Same Nicodemus came to God by night
Talkin' 'bout religion from the human sight
He brought along his silver, diamonds, and gold
Wanted to buy his way to Heaven and save his soul
Repeat Chorus
Well the same Nicodemus came a runnin' hard
Said "Has anybody here done seen the Lord?
I want to buy some 'ligion, but what will it cost
To get myself to Heaven 'fore my soul be lost?
Then my God spoke, He spoke so sweet
Sounded like the shuffle of angels feet
He said "Marvel thou man, if you want to be wise
You got to believe and be baptized"
Repeat Chorus
Then old Nicodemus was taken back
Cause God done told him 'bout the natural fact
He said "Marvel thou man, if you want to be wise
You got to believe and be baptized"
Old Nicodemus was taken back
Cause God done told him 'bout the natural fact
He said "I don't understand! I want to know
How can be born when he's old?"
Then my God spoke, His voice did ring
Sounded like the shuffle of angels wings
He said, "Marvel thou man, if you want to be wise
You got to believe and be baptized"
Repeat Chorus (x2)
Well-a God told Nicodemus, God told Nicodemus
God, oh yes He did, He told Nicodemus a man he must-a be born again
I said man you must-a be born again
We know that man you must-a be born again
From http://lyrics.astraweb.com/display/406/hymns..unknown..god_told_nicodemus.html
****
RELATED LINK
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/06/biblical-references-in-african-american.html Biblical References In African American Religious Songs (Part I - New Testament) The link for Part I of that series is found in that post.
****
Thank you for visiting pancocojams.
Viewer comments are welcome.
The Right Rhyming Pattern For Shabooya Roll Call Verses
Edited by Azizi Powell
[with slight revisions on 1/13/2013]
"Shabooya Roll Call" is a rap or cheer that always begins with the refrain "shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call" or a similar line. The earliest documented use of the word "shabooya" that I have found is Spike Lee's 1996 movie Get On The Bus.
Shabooya !!!!!!!!!!!! Scene from the film Get On The Bus (1996)
Uploaded by New7Michael7 on Apr 19, 2010
"Scene from the movie " Get on the bus" ( 1996 ), directed by Spike Lee ( whose soundtrack featured Michael Jackson ), in which the people of the bus starts to rap with a catchy chorus."
-snip-
Here's my transcription of that scene. I've used bold font for the rhyming, near rhyming, or "supposed to be rhyming" words font to more clearly show them (Note: The bold font does not mean that those words are emphasized.)
GET ON THE BUS SHABOOYA ROLL CALL
Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
-repeat multiple times-
My name is Mike
Yeah
Representing New York
Yeah
I’m not a Muslim
Yeah
Still don’t eat pork
Roll Call
Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
Don’t call me Evan
yeah
Cause I’m on the move
Yeah
Don’t call me junior
Yeah
But you can call me Smooth
Roll Call
Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
Hey My name is Evan
Yeah
Evan senior
They got my son
yeah
On a misdemeanor
Roll Call
Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
My name is Gary
Yeah
I’m down with Shelly
Yeah
She’s got the butta
Yeah
I got the jelly.
Roll Call
Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
My name is X
And I’m a Bruin
And I blah blah blah
[laughter because he messed up]
My name Jamal
Yeah
My mind is free
yeah
We need more love
Yeah
And unity
Roll Call
Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
My name is Pop
Yeah
We at the top
Yeah
Now all this Shabooya
Yeah
Has got to stop.
Although Get On The Bus may be the earliest documented record of the word "shabooya", since 2006 that word has been most closely associated with Bring It On - All Or Nothing, the third movie in the teenage cheerleader movie series. There are two scenes in the Bring It On - All Or Nothing movie in which the "Shabooya Roll Call" cheer is featured - the cafeteria table scene and the school dance scene.
Both the Get On The Bus version and the Bring It On-All Or Nothing cafeteria table scene version of "Shabooya Roll Call" have the same call & response lyrical structure. Both have the same "shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call" refrain, and both have the same "Yeah" group response. Furthermore, the Get On The Bus version, the Bring It On-All Or Nothing cafeteria table version, and the school dance version of "Shabooya Roll Call" each have similar numbers of beats in their four line soloists verses. As determined by counting the number of syllables in each line of the soloist's verse, the usual number of syllables per soloist line is 5. However, some soloist verses have lines with 6 syllables in a line, and a fewer number of soloist verses have lines with 4 syllables in a line.)
Here's the video of the Bring It On-All Or Nothing cafeteria dance scene with the words to the Shabooya cheer superimposed on the video screen. (Warning! There is a curse word used prior to the cheer starting.)
bring it on roll call
Uploaded by LoVee2MusiC on Jul 16, 2009
-snip-
Here's my description of that scene:
Two African American teenage girls and one Latina teenage girl perform an exaggerated version of a foot stomping routine for the cheer "Shabooya Roll Call" during a high school lunch period.
Here's the words to the cafeteria table scene with the soloist's lines written in syllables, the rhyming words given in bold, and the number of syllables pers in that soloist verse given in brackets after each line of that verse:
SHABOOYA ROLL CALL
Camille: Here we go now!
Camille, Kirresha, Leti: [starts dance routine] Sha boo ya sha sha sha boo ya. Roll call.
Sha boo ya sha sha sha boo ya. Roll call.
Leti: My name is Le ti. [5]
Group: Yeah
I like to par ty [5]
Group: Yeah.
And when I shake it,
Group: Yeah
the boys say "ay ma mi!".* [6]
Camille, Kirresha, Leti: Sha boo ya sha sha sha boo ya. Roll call.
Camille: My name Cam ille. [4]
Group: Yeah
Give you three wishes.
Group: Yeah
You see me shake it, [5]
Group: Yeah
'cause I'm de li cious. [5]
Camille, Kirresha, Leti: Sha boo ya sha sha sha boo ya. Roll call.
Kirresha: My name Kir re sha.[5]
Group: Yeah
Get out my face. [4]
Group: Yeah
'Cause when I shake it, [5]
Group: Yeah
it's like an earth quake.** [5]
- lyrics from the movie Bring It On: All or Nothing (2006)
* Notice that the Leti verse doesn't follow Shabooya Roll Call's "right rhyming pattern" as the end word [Leti] of the first line of the soloist's verse rhymes with the end word [party] of the soloist's second line instead of the end word or element [mi] of the soloist's fourth line.
** I'm aware that there's considerable debate about whether Kirresha says "earthquake" or "hurricane". Since the word "hurricane" doesn't rhyme with "face" and also has three syllables, that would put that line over the usual syllable number of "5". For those reasons, I agree with those who believe that Kirresha said "earthquake" since that word fits the "right rhyming pattern" for Shabooya Roll Call cheers.
The "Shabooya Roll Call" verse in the school dance scene is one verse of a longer cheer. Here's that verse (with its rhyming words given in bold font, the words written in syllables, and the number of syllables in each line given in brackets.)
My name is Brit ney. [5]
I cheer so strong. [4]
And when I shake it, [5]
you bet ter bring it on. [6]
Sha boo ya, sha sha sha boo ya, break it down now.
Click http://cocojams.com/content/command-compliance-foot-stomping-cheers for the complete cheer featured in that movie. That page also has a video of that movie scene.
Using the right rhyming pattern and having the right numbers of syllables is important when "Shabooya Roll Call" verses are chanted as part of a foot stomping movement routine. If the rhyme is "off" and the words are too long (the line contains too many or too few syllables, that messes up the syncopated beat. Here's a video of three African American teenagers or pre-teens doing a movement routine while they chant verses of "Shabooya Roll Call" that they made up:
ShaBooyah
Uploaded by kaitmagkay on Jan 3, 2009
Reika Kayla and Kaity having fun with the family and theres a little interruption by Kristina and Chris laughin
Here's the words to that Reika Kayla and Kaity version of "Shabooya Roll Call" with the soloist's lines written in syllables, the rhyming words given in bold, and the number of syllables pers in that soloist verse given in brackets after each line of that verse:
All: Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
Reika - My name is Rei ka [5]
Rest of the group - Yeah
Reika- I cheer so strong [4]
Group - Yeah
Reika - When boys see me [4]
Group - Yeah
Reika -I turn them on [4]
Group - Oh!
All: Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
Kayla- My name is Kay la [5]
Group - Yeah
Kayla - and I’m so hot [4]
Group - Yeah
Kayla - Some girls don’t like me* [5]
Group - Yeah
Kayla - be cause they’re not [4]
Group - Oh!
All: Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
Kaity - My name is Kai ty [5]
Group - Yeah
Kaity -I like to prance [4]
Group - Yeah
Kaity -And let me show you [5]
Group - Yeah
Kaity -my lit tle dance [4]
Group - Oh!
All: Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
- kaitmagkay on Jan 3, 2009
I made this transcription from listening to the video. I'm uncertain if this is an accurate transcription because of the laughter in the background.
Remember, there are supposed to be four lines in the soloist verses to "Shabooya Roll Call". Also, remember that the 2-4 rhyming pattern: the end word of line 4 is a word that's supposed to rhyme (or near rhyme) with the end word in line 2.
Furthermore, keep in mind that "5" is the usual number of syllables in each line of the soloist verse, although there might be lines with "6" or "4" verses. Keeping all that in mind, and preparing ahead of time by having a stock number of end rhymes, and memorizing your "Shabooya verse" will help you gain props as a skillful Shabooya chanter.
ADDENDUM:CULTURAL COMPETENCY AND SHABOOYA ROLL CALL VERSES
-Azizi Powell, 1/30/2012
I believe that it's important to be aware that- as is the case with other foot stomping cheers - traditionally, people chanting "Shabooya Roll Call" type cheers are supposed to either be bragging about themselves, or taunting/insulting ("dissin", "putting down") some unidentified person.
The fact that "Shabooya Roll Call" verses a used to taunt/insult others shouldn't be surprising since "Shabooya Roll Call" type verses originated as an African American rhyming exercise which is "pre-dozens"* in its skill level.
However, in a number of "Shabooya verses" that I have read online the person making up the verse includes a demeaning descriptor of herself or himself (for instance: "My name is ___/ I may be short". In other examples of these verses that I've read online, females wrote "My name is ___/ I am a whore". In the dozens, a person would NEVER insult himself (or herself) or his or her family members. The same prohibition is supposed to hold true for "Shabooya Roll Call verses".
And while I'm on the subject of "Shabooya Roll Call" verses - it's my hope that people composing these verses don't use them as opportunities to role play what they think African American people are like. I believe that it's important to recognize that as influential as the Bring It On cheerleader movie series has been, that movie series's depiction of real African Americans leaves a lot to be desired. Judging from the YouTube viewer comment threads and Facebook pages (I won't supply any links), there's a lot of White people (in the USA and elsewhere) who think it's alright and even cool to put on a fake, exaggerated, stereotypical Black "accent" or a fake Latina accent while reenact that "Shabooya Roll Call" cafeteria scene. And also judging from a number of examples of self-created "Shabooya verses" posted to a number of online sites, a number of people think that it's alright and cool to use so-called African American names for the roll call verses that they compose. I've read a lot of "Shabooya verses" on Facebook with the name "Shaniqua" when this is not the person's name who is posting that verse. I've also noticed a number of "Shabooya verses" that are homophobic. I strongly believe that each of those types of verses are wrong. There's lots of ways of pretending to taunt or put down individuals for fun in those types of cheers without being culturally incompetent. People can be still creative, and still have fun while following the golden rule of "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you".
Think about it.
*Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dozens for information about the dozens. By "pre-dozens" I mean rhyming cheers or song that help young people gain the word/rhyming skills and confidence to compete in real dozens insult exchanges. "Yo Mama Don't Wear No Drawers" is another example of an African American "pre-dozens" song. Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2011/10/yo-mama-dont-wear-no-drawers.html for a pancocojams blog post about that song.
****
OTHER RELATED LINKS
Click http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116404 for information about the Get On The Bus movie.
****
RELATED LINKS
http://cocojams.com/content/foot-stomping-cheers-0 Cocojams Foot Stomping
http://cocojams.com/content/possible-sources-word-shabooya
http://zumalayah.blogspot.com/2013/04/classic-sesame-street-television-clips.html "Sesame Street Hand Clap Rhymes & Children's Stepping Routines" on my zumalayah blog.
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitors' comments are welcome.
[with slight revisions on 1/13/2013]
"Shabooya Roll Call" is a rap or cheer that always begins with the refrain "shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call" or a similar line. The earliest documented use of the word "shabooya" that I have found is Spike Lee's 1996 movie Get On The Bus.
Shabooya !!!!!!!!!!!! Scene from the film Get On The Bus (1996)
Uploaded by New7Michael7 on Apr 19, 2010
"Scene from the movie " Get on the bus" ( 1996 ), directed by Spike Lee ( whose soundtrack featured Michael Jackson ), in which the people of the bus starts to rap with a catchy chorus."
-snip-
Here's my transcription of that scene. I've used bold font for the rhyming, near rhyming, or "supposed to be rhyming" words font to more clearly show them (Note: The bold font does not mean that those words are emphasized.)
GET ON THE BUS SHABOOYA ROLL CALL
Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
-repeat multiple times-
My name is Mike
Yeah
Representing New York
Yeah
I’m not a Muslim
Yeah
Still don’t eat pork
Roll Call
Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
Don’t call me Evan
yeah
Cause I’m on the move
Yeah
Don’t call me junior
Yeah
But you can call me Smooth
Roll Call
Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
Hey My name is Evan
Yeah
Evan senior
They got my son
yeah
On a misdemeanor
Roll Call
Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
My name is Gary
Yeah
I’m down with Shelly
Yeah
She’s got the butta
Yeah
I got the jelly.
Roll Call
Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
My name is X
And I’m a Bruin
And I blah blah blah
[laughter because he messed up]
My name Jamal
Yeah
My mind is free
yeah
We need more love
Yeah
And unity
Roll Call
Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
My name is Pop
Yeah
We at the top
Yeah
Now all this Shabooya
Yeah
Has got to stop.
Although Get On The Bus may be the earliest documented record of the word "shabooya", since 2006 that word has been most closely associated with Bring It On - All Or Nothing, the third movie in the teenage cheerleader movie series. There are two scenes in the Bring It On - All Or Nothing movie in which the "Shabooya Roll Call" cheer is featured - the cafeteria table scene and the school dance scene.
Both the Get On The Bus version and the Bring It On-All Or Nothing cafeteria table scene version of "Shabooya Roll Call" have the same call & response lyrical structure. Both have the same "shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call" refrain, and both have the same "Yeah" group response. Furthermore, the Get On The Bus version, the Bring It On-All Or Nothing cafeteria table version, and the school dance version of "Shabooya Roll Call" each have similar numbers of beats in their four line soloists verses. As determined by counting the number of syllables in each line of the soloist's verse, the usual number of syllables per soloist line is 5. However, some soloist verses have lines with 6 syllables in a line, and a fewer number of soloist verses have lines with 4 syllables in a line.)
Here's the video of the Bring It On-All Or Nothing cafeteria dance scene with the words to the Shabooya cheer superimposed on the video screen. (Warning! There is a curse word used prior to the cheer starting.)
bring it on roll call
Uploaded by LoVee2MusiC on Jul 16, 2009
-snip-
Here's my description of that scene:
Two African American teenage girls and one Latina teenage girl perform an exaggerated version of a foot stomping routine for the cheer "Shabooya Roll Call" during a high school lunch period.
Here's the words to the cafeteria table scene with the soloist's lines written in syllables, the rhyming words given in bold, and the number of syllables pers in that soloist verse given in brackets after each line of that verse:
SHABOOYA ROLL CALL
Camille: Here we go now!
Camille, Kirresha, Leti: [starts dance routine] Sha boo ya sha sha sha boo ya. Roll call.
Sha boo ya sha sha sha boo ya. Roll call.
Leti: My name is Le ti. [5]
Group: Yeah
I like to par ty [5]
Group: Yeah.
And when I shake it,
Group: Yeah
the boys say "ay ma mi!".* [6]
Camille, Kirresha, Leti: Sha boo ya sha sha sha boo ya. Roll call.
Camille: My name Cam ille. [4]
Group: Yeah
Give you three wishes.
Group: Yeah
You see me shake it, [5]
Group: Yeah
'cause I'm de li cious. [5]
Camille, Kirresha, Leti: Sha boo ya sha sha sha boo ya. Roll call.
Kirresha: My name Kir re sha.[5]
Group: Yeah
Get out my face. [4]
Group: Yeah
'Cause when I shake it, [5]
Group: Yeah
it's like an earth quake.** [5]
- lyrics from the movie Bring It On: All or Nothing (2006)
* Notice that the Leti verse doesn't follow Shabooya Roll Call's "right rhyming pattern" as the end word [Leti] of the first line of the soloist's verse rhymes with the end word [party] of the soloist's second line instead of the end word or element [mi] of the soloist's fourth line.
** I'm aware that there's considerable debate about whether Kirresha says "earthquake" or "hurricane". Since the word "hurricane" doesn't rhyme with "face" and also has three syllables, that would put that line over the usual syllable number of "5". For those reasons, I agree with those who believe that Kirresha said "earthquake" since that word fits the "right rhyming pattern" for Shabooya Roll Call cheers.
The "Shabooya Roll Call" verse in the school dance scene is one verse of a longer cheer. Here's that verse (with its rhyming words given in bold font, the words written in syllables, and the number of syllables in each line given in brackets.)
My name is Brit ney. [5]
I cheer so strong. [4]
And when I shake it, [5]
you bet ter bring it on. [6]
Sha boo ya, sha sha sha boo ya, break it down now.
Click http://cocojams.com/content/command-compliance-foot-stomping-cheers for the complete cheer featured in that movie. That page also has a video of that movie scene.
Using the right rhyming pattern and having the right numbers of syllables is important when "Shabooya Roll Call" verses are chanted as part of a foot stomping movement routine. If the rhyme is "off" and the words are too long (the line contains too many or too few syllables, that messes up the syncopated beat. Here's a video of three African American teenagers or pre-teens doing a movement routine while they chant verses of "Shabooya Roll Call" that they made up:
ShaBooyah
Uploaded by kaitmagkay on Jan 3, 2009
Reika Kayla and Kaity having fun with the family and theres a little interruption by Kristina and Chris laughin
Here's the words to that Reika Kayla and Kaity version of "Shabooya Roll Call" with the soloist's lines written in syllables, the rhyming words given in bold, and the number of syllables pers in that soloist verse given in brackets after each line of that verse:
All: Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
Reika - My name is Rei ka [5]
Rest of the group - Yeah
Reika- I cheer so strong [4]
Group - Yeah
Reika - When boys see me [4]
Group - Yeah
Reika -I turn them on [4]
Group - Oh!
All: Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
Kayla- My name is Kay la [5]
Group - Yeah
Kayla - and I’m so hot [4]
Group - Yeah
Kayla - Some girls don’t like me* [5]
Group - Yeah
Kayla - be cause they’re not [4]
Group - Oh!
All: Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
Kaity - My name is Kai ty [5]
Group - Yeah
Kaity -I like to prance [4]
Group - Yeah
Kaity -And let me show you [5]
Group - Yeah
Kaity -my lit tle dance [4]
Group - Oh!
All: Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
Shabooya sha sha shabooya roll call
- kaitmagkay on Jan 3, 2009
I made this transcription from listening to the video. I'm uncertain if this is an accurate transcription because of the laughter in the background.
Remember, there are supposed to be four lines in the soloist verses to "Shabooya Roll Call". Also, remember that the 2-4 rhyming pattern: the end word of line 4 is a word that's supposed to rhyme (or near rhyme) with the end word in line 2.
Furthermore, keep in mind that "5" is the usual number of syllables in each line of the soloist verse, although there might be lines with "6" or "4" verses. Keeping all that in mind, and preparing ahead of time by having a stock number of end rhymes, and memorizing your "Shabooya verse" will help you gain props as a skillful Shabooya chanter.
ADDENDUM:CULTURAL COMPETENCY AND SHABOOYA ROLL CALL VERSES
-Azizi Powell, 1/30/2012
I believe that it's important to be aware that- as is the case with other foot stomping cheers - traditionally, people chanting "Shabooya Roll Call" type cheers are supposed to either be bragging about themselves, or taunting/insulting ("dissin", "putting down") some unidentified person.
The fact that "Shabooya Roll Call" verses a used to taunt/insult others shouldn't be surprising since "Shabooya Roll Call" type verses originated as an African American rhyming exercise which is "pre-dozens"* in its skill level.
However, in a number of "Shabooya verses" that I have read online the person making up the verse includes a demeaning descriptor of herself or himself (for instance: "My name is ___/ I may be short". In other examples of these verses that I've read online, females wrote "My name is ___/ I am a whore". In the dozens, a person would NEVER insult himself (or herself) or his or her family members. The same prohibition is supposed to hold true for "Shabooya Roll Call verses".
And while I'm on the subject of "Shabooya Roll Call" verses - it's my hope that people composing these verses don't use them as opportunities to role play what they think African American people are like. I believe that it's important to recognize that as influential as the Bring It On cheerleader movie series has been, that movie series's depiction of real African Americans leaves a lot to be desired. Judging from the YouTube viewer comment threads and Facebook pages (I won't supply any links), there's a lot of White people (in the USA and elsewhere) who think it's alright and even cool to put on a fake, exaggerated, stereotypical Black "accent" or a fake Latina accent while reenact that "Shabooya Roll Call" cafeteria scene. And also judging from a number of examples of self-created "Shabooya verses" posted to a number of online sites, a number of people think that it's alright and cool to use so-called African American names for the roll call verses that they compose. I've read a lot of "Shabooya verses" on Facebook with the name "Shaniqua" when this is not the person's name who is posting that verse. I've also noticed a number of "Shabooya verses" that are homophobic. I strongly believe that each of those types of verses are wrong. There's lots of ways of pretending to taunt or put down individuals for fun in those types of cheers without being culturally incompetent. People can be still creative, and still have fun while following the golden rule of "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you".
Think about it.
*Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dozens for information about the dozens. By "pre-dozens" I mean rhyming cheers or song that help young people gain the word/rhyming skills and confidence to compete in real dozens insult exchanges. "Yo Mama Don't Wear No Drawers" is another example of an African American "pre-dozens" song. Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2011/10/yo-mama-dont-wear-no-drawers.html for a pancocojams blog post about that song.
****
OTHER RELATED LINKS
Click http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116404 for information about the Get On The Bus movie.
****
RELATED LINKS
http://cocojams.com/content/foot-stomping-cheers-0 Cocojams Foot Stomping
http://cocojams.com/content/possible-sources-word-shabooya
http://zumalayah.blogspot.com/2013/04/classic-sesame-street-television-clips.html "Sesame Street Hand Clap Rhymes & Children's Stepping Routines" on my zumalayah blog.
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitors' comments are welcome.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
"Down By The Riverside" Song - Four Iconic Performances
I Ain't Gonna Study War No More - Dandridge Sisters & Jimmy Lunceford Band
Uploaded by Rowland108 on Feb 11, 2010
****
These four iconic clips (three videos and one sound file) of "Down By The Riverside" (Ain't Gonna Study War No More" are presented for their aesthetic enjoyment, as well as musical comparison and other educational purposes. In so doing, I honor the memories of those vocalists/musicians. I also give thanks to those video/sound file uploaders.
These videos/sound file are given without comment in chronological order.
Example #1:
'Ain't Gonna Study War No More' LEADBELLY, Blues Guitar Legend
Uploaded by RagtimeDorianHenry on Apr 15, 2009
****
Example #2:
Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Uploaded by zebbers on Apr 4, 2006
Sister Rosetta Tharpe singing "Down by the Riverside"
****
Example #3: I Ain't Gonna Study War No More - Dandridge Sisters & Jimmy Lunceford Band [Presented at the beginning of this post]
****
Example #4: Mahalia Jackson - Down By The Riverside
Uploaded by andersonramosdearauj on Aug 23, 2008
****
Thanks for visiting this page.
Viewer comments are welcome.
Uploaded by Rowland108 on Feb 11, 2010
****
These four iconic clips (three videos and one sound file) of "Down By The Riverside" (Ain't Gonna Study War No More" are presented for their aesthetic enjoyment, as well as musical comparison and other educational purposes. In so doing, I honor the memories of those vocalists/musicians. I also give thanks to those video/sound file uploaders.
These videos/sound file are given without comment in chronological order.
Example #1:
'Ain't Gonna Study War No More' LEADBELLY, Blues Guitar Legend
Uploaded by RagtimeDorianHenry on Apr 15, 2009
****
Example #2:
Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Uploaded by zebbers on Apr 4, 2006
Sister Rosetta Tharpe singing "Down by the Riverside"
****
Example #3: I Ain't Gonna Study War No More - Dandridge Sisters & Jimmy Lunceford Band [Presented at the beginning of this post]
****
Example #4: Mahalia Jackson - Down By The Riverside
Uploaded by andersonramosdearauj on Aug 23, 2008
****
Thanks for visiting this page.
Viewer comments are welcome.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
The Jubailaire's Noah - 1940s Gospel Rap
Edited by Azizi Powell
JUBALAIRES GOSPEL NOAH
Uploaded by recquilt on May 10, 2007
1940's Black Gospel & Pop Vocal Quartet
****
LYRICS - NOAH
(performed by The Jubaliares ; 1940s)
Chorus:
Well it's oh Noah
Oh oh Noah
Oh oh! Noah
God's gonna ride on the wind & tide.
Oh Noah
Oh oh Noah
Oh oh! Noah
God's gonna ride on the wind & tide.
Soloist -Brother Noah
Group- God's gonna ride on the wind & tide.
Soloist-My God's talking.
Group- God's gonna ride on the wind & tide.
Soloist- Say you'll ride on the wind & tide.
(Narrative by one singer; the rest of the group quietly hums in response to each line)
Hey, to*, stop, (be) still, and listen to me.
God walked down to the [roundy?] sea.
He declared that evil had descended to man.
And then He decided to destroy the land.
He spoke to Noah and Noah stopped.
He said "Noah, I want you to build an ark".
I want you to build it three cubics long.
I want you to build it big and strong.
I want you to build it fifty high and fifty wide.
So it will withstand the wind and tide.
Chorus
So it's oh Noah etc
Well it's oh Noah etc
(repeat chorus one time)
Soloist (Humming) Mmmm Mmmm
Group- God's gonna ride on the wind & tide.
Soloist (Humming) Mmmm Mmmm
Group- God's gonna ride on the wind & tide.
Soloist- Brother Noah. Brother Noah,my God's talking.
Group- God's gonna ride on the wind & tide
Soloist- Said He would ride
Group- God's gonna ride on the wind & tide.
Soloist- on the wind and the tide.
(Narrative by one singer; the rest of the group quietly hums in response to each line)
Well after the foundation was laid.
Then Brother Noah began to hew and build.
The ringing of the hammer that judgement.
The hewing of the saw that [said we] repent.
One hundred years he hammered and sawed.
Building the ark by the grace of God.
When the ark was built God's voice was heard.
He said "Now, Noah let me tell you what to do.
I want you to call in the animals two by two.
So he called them in the ark two by two.
[Bears], the oxford, and the kangaroo.
Then he called in Japeth, and Ham, and Shem.**
Then God began to flood the land.
He raised His hands to heaven on high.
Shook the stars and they moved from the sky.
Shook the mountains, He troubled the sea.
[Hist] the wind, His chariot decree.
He stood on land and stood on the shore.
And declared that time there wouldn't be no more.
Chorus
Well it's oh Noah
Oh oh Noah
Oh oh! Noah
God's gonna ride on the wind & tide
-snip-
*Transcription by Ms. Azizi Powell, 12/7/2010 from the video above. Additions and corrections are welcome.
The words that I'm unsure of are placed in brackets. The word that is assumed by listeners is placed in parenthesis, For instance, in the line "Hey to stop, (be) still, and listen to me", I believe that "to" in that line means "got to" and I believe that "be still" is meant, although "be" isn't sung.
** Japeth, and Ham, and Shem are the name of Noah's sons. I had initally written "Sam" for the name "Shem".
Hat tip to cefinow who also posted lyrics to this song on that video's viewer comment thread http://www.youtube.com/all_comments?v=6CLFwW85O20 after I did.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE JUBALAIRES
Here's information about The Jubailaires from their Wikipedia page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jubalaires
Here's an excerpt from the uploader statement from another video of this same song:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvoTT3t-Ois
****
SELECTED COMMENTS
Here's an interesting exchange from the featured video's viewer comment thread http://www.youtube.com/all_comments?v=6CLFwW85O20:
scarlett24ca - Religious Rappers! Sick! Love it:D [Posted in 2008]
**
recquilt - This type of Gospel singing as sung by the Jubalaires And The Golden Gate Quartet was known as narration...a little more of a positive message than rap though!
**
wolwerone-o I'm agree on the message, no comparison with poor rappers of today, i was only talking about their physical movements and speeching words technique incredibly actual. Great !!:)
****
RELATED LINKS
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/01/jubilee-quartet-videos-god-told.html for a video & lyrics of the very similar song "God Told Nicodemus". That post also contains additional information about The Jubalaires.
Click http://www.jambalayah.com/node/137#comment-685 for more selected viewer comments from this video's viewer comment thread.
Jambalayah.com is a repository of what I consider to be YouTube music and/or dance video gems, mostly from African American or other Black cultures. That site is a sister website to pancocojams.
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome
JUBALAIRES GOSPEL NOAH
Uploaded by recquilt on May 10, 2007
1940's Black Gospel & Pop Vocal Quartet
****
LYRICS - NOAH
(performed by The Jubaliares ; 1940s)
Chorus:
Well it's oh Noah
Oh oh Noah
Oh oh! Noah
God's gonna ride on the wind & tide.
Oh Noah
Oh oh Noah
Oh oh! Noah
God's gonna ride on the wind & tide.
Soloist -Brother Noah
Group- God's gonna ride on the wind & tide.
Soloist-My God's talking.
Group- God's gonna ride on the wind & tide.
Soloist- Say you'll ride on the wind & tide.
(Narrative by one singer; the rest of the group quietly hums in response to each line)
Hey, to*, stop, (be) still, and listen to me.
God walked down to the [roundy?] sea.
He declared that evil had descended to man.
And then He decided to destroy the land.
He spoke to Noah and Noah stopped.
He said "Noah, I want you to build an ark".
I want you to build it three cubics long.
I want you to build it big and strong.
I want you to build it fifty high and fifty wide.
So it will withstand the wind and tide.
Chorus
So it's oh Noah etc
Well it's oh Noah etc
(repeat chorus one time)
Soloist (Humming) Mmmm Mmmm
Group- God's gonna ride on the wind & tide.
Soloist (Humming) Mmmm Mmmm
Group- God's gonna ride on the wind & tide.
Soloist- Brother Noah. Brother Noah,my God's talking.
Group- God's gonna ride on the wind & tide
Soloist- Said He would ride
Group- God's gonna ride on the wind & tide.
Soloist- on the wind and the tide.
(Narrative by one singer; the rest of the group quietly hums in response to each line)
Well after the foundation was laid.
Then Brother Noah began to hew and build.
The ringing of the hammer that judgement.
The hewing of the saw that [said we] repent.
One hundred years he hammered and sawed.
Building the ark by the grace of God.
When the ark was built God's voice was heard.
He said "Now, Noah let me tell you what to do.
I want you to call in the animals two by two.
So he called them in the ark two by two.
[Bears], the oxford, and the kangaroo.
Then he called in Japeth, and Ham, and Shem.**
Then God began to flood the land.
He raised His hands to heaven on high.
Shook the stars and they moved from the sky.
Shook the mountains, He troubled the sea.
[Hist] the wind, His chariot decree.
He stood on land and stood on the shore.
And declared that time there wouldn't be no more.
Chorus
Well it's oh Noah
Oh oh Noah
Oh oh! Noah
God's gonna ride on the wind & tide
-snip-
*Transcription by Ms. Azizi Powell, 12/7/2010 from the video above. Additions and corrections are welcome.
The words that I'm unsure of are placed in brackets. The word that is assumed by listeners is placed in parenthesis, For instance, in the line "Hey to stop, (be) still, and listen to me", I believe that "to" in that line means "got to" and I believe that "be still" is meant, although "be" isn't sung.
** Japeth, and Ham, and Shem are the name of Noah's sons. I had initally written "Sam" for the name "Shem".
Hat tip to cefinow who also posted lyrics to this song on that video's viewer comment thread http://www.youtube.com/all_comments?v=6CLFwW85O20 after I did.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE JUBALAIRES
Here's information about The Jubailaires from their Wikipedia page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jubalaires
The Jubalaires were an American gospel group active during the 1940s and 1950s. They were playing as the Royal Harmony Singers in Florida as far back as 1936, and under that name reached #10 on the R&B charts on November 14, 1942 with "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition", a song adapted from the speech of a naval chaplain in response to the attack on Pearl Harbour the previous year. In 1946, they secured a spot on Arthur Godfrey's CBS radio show. Willie Johnson left the Golden Gate Quartet to take the lead of the group in 1948, and in 1950 the band appeared in the musical comedy film Duchess of Idaho.
Much of their music was issued by King Records, some initially on their "Queen Records" label (devoted to African-American music) that was subsequently re-issued on the King label
Here's an excerpt from the uploader statement from another video of this same song:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvoTT3t-Ois
The jubilee harmonie sound always got them compared to the Mills Brothers or the Delta Rhythm Boys, but that's about like hearing Jerry Lee Lewis & because it's rock & roll saying it's like Chuck Berry.
The Jubilaires brought their own stylization to the four-part harmonies act, remaining in the gospel & spiritual camp unlike most such groups seeking pop group status. - nipsipone; Apr 27, 2008 ; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvoTT3t-Ois&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PL6C96C77F922F6F8E
****
SELECTED COMMENTS
Here's an interesting exchange from the featured video's viewer comment thread http://www.youtube.com/all_comments?v=6CLFwW85O20:
scarlett24ca - Religious Rappers! Sick! Love it:D [Posted in 2008]
**
recquilt - This type of Gospel singing as sung by the Jubalaires And The Golden Gate Quartet was known as narration...a little more of a positive message than rap though!
**
wolwerone-o I'm agree on the message, no comparison with poor rappers of today, i was only talking about their physical movements and speeching words technique incredibly actual. Great !!:)
****
RELATED LINKS
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/01/jubilee-quartet-videos-god-told.html for a video & lyrics of the very similar song "God Told Nicodemus". That post also contains additional information about The Jubalaires.
Click http://www.jambalayah.com/node/137#comment-685 for more selected viewer comments from this video's viewer comment thread.
Jambalayah.com is a repository of what I consider to be YouTube music and/or dance video gems, mostly from African American or other Black cultures. That site is a sister website to pancocojams.
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome
Monday, January 23, 2012
Stomp & Shake Cheerleading - Who Cheers The Best?
Edited by Azizi Powell
Prince Edward High School, Virginia - "We Shake The Best"
Uploaded by woowooworkit on Feb 17, 2007
Lyrics:
Shake it to the east.
Shake it to the west.
It really doesn't matter who shakes the best.
Shake it to the east.
Shake it to the west.
It really doesn't matter who shakes the best.
Shake it to the east.
Shake it to the west.
Cause everybody knows that we shake the best.
-Prince Edward High School, Virginia (Sassy cheerleaders, 2007 (This is a Virginia State University cheer that this squad learned by attending the cheer camp conducted by the VSU Woo Woo cheerleaders).
****
This post DOES NOT attempt to determine which cheerleading squad actually cheers the best.
Instead, this post showcases five video & text examples of stomp & shake cheers whose focus is on the squad itself, its opponent's cheerleading squad, and/or other cheerleading squads rather than the sports team or the actual game. But before doing that, here's some information about stomp & shake cheerleading:
GENERAL OVERVIEW OF STOMP & SHAKE CHEERLEADING
by Azizi Powell, 1/22/2012
Cheerleading started in the United States in the late 19th century as a male activity whose goal was to organize crowds cheering at football games. In 1923, women joined cheerleading squads and have increasingly dominated this sport. Cheerleading traditionally features chanting, gymnastics and tumbling. The dominant image of cheerleading is a perky, always smiling female cheerleader who fits a particular body shape.
In the late 1970s, a new style of cheerleading emerged in North Carolina and Virginia. This African American originated style of cheerleading is called “stomp & shake". Stomp & shake cheerleaders have some of the same goals as "mainstream" cheerleaders" - to motivate their sports team, to raise the enthusiasm of that team's fans about the action occurring in the game itself, and to motivate fans' enthusiasm for the university, school, or community that sport team represents.
Some stomp & shake cheers focus on the athletic team and the action that is occurring in the game. But, in marked contrast to mainstream cheerleading cheers, a large number of stomp & shake cheers focus on the cheerleading squad itself and not the sports team or the action in the sports game being played. In those types of cheers, the stomp & cheer squads draws attention to themselves by brags about how well they move (dance, shake), and also brag about how others attempt to imitate them (by copying their moves or cheers), but those other squads can never succeed in duplicating them.
Also in marked contrast to mainstream cheers, but very similar in spirit to a specific type of Black Greek lettered sorority and fraternity step chants, a number of stomp & shake cheers are composed with the sole purpose of insulting (dissin) their competitor's cheerleading squad. The term "battle cheers" is used to refer to these insult (put down) confrontational cheers. When done well, those cheers succeed in raising the enthusiasm of the fans attending the game, but contrary the original purpose of cheerleaders, the fans' enthusiasm is for the cheerleading squad itself, and not for the members or actions of the sport team that they represent.
Click http://cocojams.com/content/stomp-and-shake-cheerleader-cheers for more information & examples of stomp & shake cheerleading cheers.
Also, read this related pancocojams post: http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2011/10/weighty-subject-being-thick-in-african.html A Weighty Subject - Being Thick In African American Culture
VIDEO EXAMPLES
(Numbers are assigned to these videos for the sake of referencing them. No ranking perferences is implied by those numbers.
Video #1: Prince Edward High School - "Who Shakes The Best" (This video is shown at the top of the page)
****
Video #2 - Olympic High (Charlotte, North Carolina) -"We Are The Trojans"
Olympic high cheerleaders (Charlotte, North Carolina); 9-2010
Uploaded by batay1978 on Feb 17, 2010
Lyrics:
We are the trojans and we are h-o-t- hot
we keep it goin and we just dont stop.
We are so fresh, So Smooth,
You can't catch these moves.
Cause were just to hot.
Cause were bad,
and watch us as we "ROCK"!
(rock, rock, rock, rock) "ROCK"!
Trojans Stay Hot. So Hot!"
- transcription by Charlottefashionicon; July 2011
****
Video #3: Winston-Salem State University Cheer Phi Cheerleaders - "Fight The Power" (2nd cheer in the video)
Uploaded by ORIGINALCHEERPHI on Feb 22, 2008
Winston-Salem State University WSSU Cheer Phi Cheerleaders (North Carolina), 2007
Lyrics:
FIGHT THE POWER (2nd cheer in the video)
Yiiip!*
Fight fight the power,
Hey go head go head.
Hey fight fight he power.
Go head go head.
Hey fight the power.
We are the Rams
And we stay on your case.
If you have something to say
Say it to our face. Haw!
Hey fight the power
Hey fight the power,
Say what**
Say what**
We are the Rams
And we get on your case.
If you have something to say
Say it in our face.
Say it in our face.
Say it
in
our
face.
HAWHHHHH!
-Winston-Salem State University WSSU Cheer Phi Cheerleaders, 2007; as posted by SAC010 along with transcription by Azizi Powell; February 2011
The third cheer on that video "You Get No Respect In Here" is also an example of an insult cheer. Visit Cocojams' Stomp & Shake Cheer page whose link is given above for more information about the cheers performed in that videage and for lyrics to some of those cheers.
****
Video #4: Howard University Cheerleaders, Washington D.C. - "Sit Back Down"
uploaded by CoachSpence October 19, 2009
Howard University Battle Cheer
Lyrics:
(One cheerleader)
Come to us
You betta
sit
back
down.
(Entire squad)
Some of ya'll think
that HU aint got no style
But when it comes to us,
you better sit back down.
So sit back, and relax,
cause we came to show you that [rival's name]
ain't got nothin on HU.
You shake like this, *
You move like this.*
But in the end
your squad aint SHHHHH"
-Howard University[Washington D.C.] Battle Cheer, October19, 2009
**Facing that rival squad, the Howard University cheerleaders mimic in an insulting manner the way that cheerleader squad perform stomp & shake cheers.
****
Video #5: Virgina State University Woo Woos - "Work It"
Uploaded by GoTrojans on Sep 11, 2008
VSU vs. NSU Labor Day Classic August 30, 2008
Lyrics: *
V-S-U let's work it
ayeee yee yee
work it
ayyeee yee yee
trojans [you] know how we do
get out ya seats and work big blue
ahhhhh work it
ayeeee yee yee
(repeat)
- transcription by Azizi Powell
When the cheerleaders complete this cheer, an excited member of the crowd can be heard spontaneously shouting "Woo Woo!" "Woo Woo" is said to have been given to VSU's cheerleading squad because that's the sound that men made when they saw the attractive cheerleaders. Generally speaking, in the United States, along with "wolf whistles", males still make the "woo woo" sound when they see an attractive young female approaching them.
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Prince Edward High School, Virginia - "We Shake The Best"
Uploaded by woowooworkit on Feb 17, 2007
Lyrics:
Shake it to the east.
Shake it to the west.
It really doesn't matter who shakes the best.
Shake it to the east.
Shake it to the west.
It really doesn't matter who shakes the best.
Shake it to the east.
Shake it to the west.
Cause everybody knows that we shake the best.
-Prince Edward High School, Virginia (Sassy cheerleaders, 2007 (This is a Virginia State University cheer that this squad learned by attending the cheer camp conducted by the VSU Woo Woo cheerleaders).
****
This post DOES NOT attempt to determine which cheerleading squad actually cheers the best.
Instead, this post showcases five video & text examples of stomp & shake cheers whose focus is on the squad itself, its opponent's cheerleading squad, and/or other cheerleading squads rather than the sports team or the actual game. But before doing that, here's some information about stomp & shake cheerleading:
GENERAL OVERVIEW OF STOMP & SHAKE CHEERLEADING
by Azizi Powell, 1/22/2012
Cheerleading started in the United States in the late 19th century as a male activity whose goal was to organize crowds cheering at football games. In 1923, women joined cheerleading squads and have increasingly dominated this sport. Cheerleading traditionally features chanting, gymnastics and tumbling. The dominant image of cheerleading is a perky, always smiling female cheerleader who fits a particular body shape.
In the late 1970s, a new style of cheerleading emerged in North Carolina and Virginia. This African American originated style of cheerleading is called “stomp & shake". Stomp & shake cheerleaders have some of the same goals as "mainstream" cheerleaders" - to motivate their sports team, to raise the enthusiasm of that team's fans about the action occurring in the game itself, and to motivate fans' enthusiasm for the university, school, or community that sport team represents.
Some stomp & shake cheers focus on the athletic team and the action that is occurring in the game. But, in marked contrast to mainstream cheerleading cheers, a large number of stomp & shake cheers focus on the cheerleading squad itself and not the sports team or the action in the sports game being played. In those types of cheers, the stomp & cheer squads draws attention to themselves by brags about how well they move (dance, shake), and also brag about how others attempt to imitate them (by copying their moves or cheers), but those other squads can never succeed in duplicating them.
Also in marked contrast to mainstream cheers, but very similar in spirit to a specific type of Black Greek lettered sorority and fraternity step chants, a number of stomp & shake cheers are composed with the sole purpose of insulting (dissin) their competitor's cheerleading squad. The term "battle cheers" is used to refer to these insult (put down) confrontational cheers. When done well, those cheers succeed in raising the enthusiasm of the fans attending the game, but contrary the original purpose of cheerleaders, the fans' enthusiasm is for the cheerleading squad itself, and not for the members or actions of the sport team that they represent.
Click http://cocojams.com/content/stomp-and-shake-cheerleader-cheers for more information & examples of stomp & shake cheerleading cheers.
Also, read this related pancocojams post: http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2011/10/weighty-subject-being-thick-in-african.html A Weighty Subject - Being Thick In African American Culture
VIDEO EXAMPLES
(Numbers are assigned to these videos for the sake of referencing them. No ranking perferences is implied by those numbers.
Video #1: Prince Edward High School - "Who Shakes The Best" (This video is shown at the top of the page)
****
Video #2 - Olympic High (Charlotte, North Carolina) -"We Are The Trojans"
Olympic high cheerleaders (Charlotte, North Carolina); 9-2010
Uploaded by batay1978 on Feb 17, 2010
Lyrics:
We are the trojans and we are h-o-t- hot
we keep it goin and we just dont stop.
We are so fresh, So Smooth,
You can't catch these moves.
Cause were just to hot.
Cause were bad,
and watch us as we "ROCK"!
(rock, rock, rock, rock) "ROCK"!
Trojans Stay Hot. So Hot!"
- transcription by Charlottefashionicon; July 2011
****
Video #3: Winston-Salem State University Cheer Phi Cheerleaders - "Fight The Power" (2nd cheer in the video)
Uploaded by ORIGINALCHEERPHI on Feb 22, 2008
Winston-Salem State University WSSU Cheer Phi Cheerleaders (North Carolina), 2007
Lyrics:
FIGHT THE POWER (2nd cheer in the video)
Yiiip!*
Fight fight the power,
Hey go head go head.
Hey fight fight he power.
Go head go head.
Hey fight the power.
We are the Rams
And we stay on your case.
If you have something to say
Say it to our face. Haw!
Hey fight the power
Hey fight the power,
Say what**
Say what**
We are the Rams
And we get on your case.
If you have something to say
Say it in our face.
Say it in our face.
Say it
in
our
face.
HAWHHHHH!
-Winston-Salem State University WSSU Cheer Phi Cheerleaders, 2007; as posted by SAC010 along with transcription by Azizi Powell; February 2011
The third cheer on that video "You Get No Respect In Here" is also an example of an insult cheer. Visit Cocojams' Stomp & Shake Cheer page whose link is given above for more information about the cheers performed in that videage and for lyrics to some of those cheers.
****
Video #4: Howard University Cheerleaders, Washington D.C. - "Sit Back Down"
uploaded by CoachSpence October 19, 2009
Howard University Battle Cheer
Lyrics:
(One cheerleader)
Come to us
You betta
sit
back
down.
(Entire squad)
Some of ya'll think
that HU aint got no style
But when it comes to us,
you better sit back down.
So sit back, and relax,
cause we came to show you that [rival's name]
ain't got nothin on HU.
You shake like this, *
You move like this.*
But in the end
your squad aint SHHHHH"
-Howard University[Washington D.C.] Battle Cheer, October19, 2009
**Facing that rival squad, the Howard University cheerleaders mimic in an insulting manner the way that cheerleader squad perform stomp & shake cheers.
****
Video #5: Virgina State University Woo Woos - "Work It"
Uploaded by GoTrojans on Sep 11, 2008
VSU vs. NSU Labor Day Classic August 30, 2008
Lyrics: *
V-S-U let's work it
ayeee yee yee
work it
ayyeee yee yee
trojans [you] know how we do
get out ya seats and work big blue
ahhhhh work it
ayeeee yee yee
(repeat)
- transcription by Azizi Powell
When the cheerleaders complete this cheer, an excited member of the crowd can be heard spontaneously shouting "Woo Woo!" "Woo Woo" is said to have been given to VSU's cheerleading squad because that's the sound that men made when they saw the attractive cheerleaders. Generally speaking, in the United States, along with "wolf whistles", males still make the "woo woo" sound when they see an attractive young female approaching them.
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Chicken In The Car And The Car Can't Go Rhyme
Edited by Azizi Powell
I got to thinking about "Chicken in the car" because I happened upon a very brief video* of a Caribbean vocalist/musician Brushy singing a song whose words, tune, and tempo is almost identical to my childhood remembrances of chanting "chicken in the car".
Brushy One String - "Chicken In The Corn" (Official Video)
Brushy OneString, Published on Mar 20, 2013
-snip-
Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8H-67ILaqc for information about where this tune can be purchased online.
-snip-
*I replaced that brief video clip with the official video that is found above. The following comments are from that brief video clip of this song that was uploaded by rezsbc on Mar 22, 2010
"This clip if [sic] from the 'Rise Up Reggae Star,' check out their channel http://www.youtube.com/user/riseupmovie.
The tune also came out on a Roof International 7" in the early 90's with a dancehall mix on one side and brushy alone with the guitar on the flip! Brushy is the son of the late, great Jamaican legend Freddie McKay"
-snip-
Here's my partial transcription of "Chicken In The Corn"
Chorus
Chicken in the corn, mama eh - hay,
and the corn can't grow.
(Well-a) Chicken in the corn,
so the corn can't grow-o.
-snip-
According to his spoken introduction to this song in another video "The King Of One String - Trailer", Brushy said he went to San Fransciso and a friend of his sung him this "old country song".
There are several other YouTube videos of Brushy singing this song, but I can't find its lyrics online. (It should be noted that the song "Chicken And Corn" - whose lyrics & video are available online - is a newly composed song which isn't the same as Brushy's rendition of "Chicken In The Corn".
-snip-
Where did Brushy (or his San Franscico friend) get this "Chicken In The Corn" song from? If it really is an "old country song", is it a precusor to the rhyme "Chicken in the car"?
As I mentioned, I remember chanting the "chicken in the car" lines given at the beginning of this page when I was a child (Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1950s, African American*). That is the full text of the rhyme that I remember. I don't recall it being said with any accompanying activity except swaying back & forth while chanting.
* I'm adding the location, date, and my race for the folkloric record.
I couldn't find any other online references to "Chicken in the corn" and my search for videos other than Brushy's of "Chicken in the car" was unsuccessful. But after a fair bit of sleuthing, I found "Chicken in the car" mentioned on the following websites: (Websites are assigned numbers for referencing sake which have no preferential ranking. These quotes are posted without editorial comment).
Online Source #1
From http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=27532
****
Online Source #2
Regarding the title of a new travel book on Chicago, Illinois:
http://chitownmoms.net/chicken-in-the-car-and-the-car-wont-go/
“The title stems from an old saying to help folks remember how to spell Chicago.”
****
Online Source #3
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105265/quotes
Memorable quotes for A River Runs Through It (1992)
Mr. Sweeney: [delivering letter from Chicago, quotes old song] Chicken in the car. Car won't go. That's how you spell Chicago. Ha he he.
****
Online Source #4
Excerpt from
http://www.amazon.com/Knife-Fork-Bottle-Cork-Trilogy/dp/0964484633
A Knife and a Fork and a Bottle and a Cork: That's How You Spell New York (Riddle Rhyme Trilogy) [Paperback]
Howard Schrager (Author)
Sarah Madsen (Illustrator)
Publisher: Lemontree Pr (July 15, 2010)
****
Online Source #5
From
http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=29897
Subject: RE: Help: Illinois/Chicago Songs
From: Trapper
Date: 25 Jan 01 - 12:30 PM
My dad went to Chicago when I was a kid for a Chef's convention, and the whole week before he left we were singing:
Chicken in the car
And the car won't go
That's how we spell Chi-ca-go!
-snip-
In summation,
1. I found no mention of the song "Chicken in the corn" except those on Caribbean vocalist/musician Brushy's videos.
2. "Chicken in the car" is described as a tongue twister; a jump rope rhyme; a piece of nonsense; a title of a song (Online Source #1); a title of a novel (Online Source #1); a title of a travel book taken from "an old saying to help folks remember how to spell Chicago" (Online Source #2); a song [chant]?*(Online Sources #3 and #5); a riddle; and a street rhyme (Online Source #4).
* My sense is that people in the United States often refer to rhymes & chants as "songs", and also describe their performance of rhymes & chants as "singing".
My recollection of "Chicken in the car" would also be placed under the "street rhyme" category.
3. The earliest dates that I found online for the "Chicken in the car" rhyme were 1926 +/- a year (Online Source #1) and 1920s (Online Source #4).
Note: The riddle "chicken in the car and the car won't go/that's how you spell Chicago" is also given on a few other websites in association with the verse:
Knife and a fork bottle and a cork
that is the way you spell New York.
-snip-
Although I was born & raised in New Jersey, a state that is considerably closer to New York than Illinois, I have no recollection at all of that "knife and fork" verse or any other riddle verse sung (chanted) along with "chicken in the car".
****
Update: 2/4/2012
Here's another verse that I found in Harlem Photographs 1932-1940 (Aaron Siskind)
Chicken in the car
Car wouldn't go
Chicken jump out
The car went slow.
-snip-
This was one of the short rhymes included in that ground breaking photography book.
From http://www.absolutearts.com/artsnews/1999/08/13/25807.html: "This was perhaps the first time a white photographer documented this black community."
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Chicken in the car and the car can't go."Chicken in the car" demonstrates how the words to a rhyme can remain very constant over time and among various populations, however the same rhyme can have different activities associated with it.
That's how you spell Chi-ca-go.
I got to thinking about "Chicken in the car" because I happened upon a very brief video* of a Caribbean vocalist/musician Brushy singing a song whose words, tune, and tempo is almost identical to my childhood remembrances of chanting "chicken in the car".
Brushy One String - "Chicken In The Corn" (Official Video)
Brushy OneString, Published on Mar 20, 2013
-snip-
Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8H-67ILaqc for information about where this tune can be purchased online.
-snip-
*I replaced that brief video clip with the official video that is found above. The following comments are from that brief video clip of this song that was uploaded by rezsbc on Mar 22, 2010
"This clip if [sic] from the 'Rise Up Reggae Star,' check out their channel http://www.youtube.com/user/riseupmovie.
The tune also came out on a Roof International 7" in the early 90's with a dancehall mix on one side and brushy alone with the guitar on the flip! Brushy is the son of the late, great Jamaican legend Freddie McKay"
-snip-
Here's my partial transcription of "Chicken In The Corn"
Chorus
Chicken in the corn, mama eh - hay,
and the corn can't grow.
(Well-a) Chicken in the corn,
so the corn can't grow-o.
-snip-
According to his spoken introduction to this song in another video "The King Of One String - Trailer", Brushy said he went to San Fransciso and a friend of his sung him this "old country song".
There are several other YouTube videos of Brushy singing this song, but I can't find its lyrics online. (It should be noted that the song "Chicken And Corn" - whose lyrics & video are available online - is a newly composed song which isn't the same as Brushy's rendition of "Chicken In The Corn".
-snip-
Where did Brushy (or his San Franscico friend) get this "Chicken In The Corn" song from? If it really is an "old country song", is it a precusor to the rhyme "Chicken in the car"?
As I mentioned, I remember chanting the "chicken in the car" lines given at the beginning of this page when I was a child (Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1950s, African American*). That is the full text of the rhyme that I remember. I don't recall it being said with any accompanying activity except swaying back & forth while chanting.
* I'm adding the location, date, and my race for the folkloric record.
I couldn't find any other online references to "Chicken in the corn" and my search for videos other than Brushy's of "Chicken in the car" was unsuccessful. But after a fair bit of sleuthing, I found "Chicken in the car" mentioned on the following websites: (Websites are assigned numbers for referencing sake which have no preferential ranking. These quotes are posted without editorial comment).
Online Source #1
From http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=27532
06-14-2000, 03:51 PM
njk8
Does anyone know the origen or purpose of the saying, "Chicken in the car and the car can't go," and i believe it also has "and thats how you spell chicago."
**
funneefarmer ; 06-14-2000, 05:50 PM
It's a tongue twister although I haven't found an origin yet.
From Collection of Tongue Twisters
"Knife and a fork bottle and a cork
that is the way you spell New York.
Chicken in the car and the car can go,
that is the way you spell Chicago. "
**
funneefarmer ; 06-14-2000, 06:43 PM
Also...
Gordon "Wedge" Wedgewood
Author of the novel "Chicken in the Car and the Car Won't Go, CHICAGO", (Chicago as it was a half century ago)
And...
"Chicken In The Car" is a song done by Ralph Flanagan on the RCA label.
**
Ezstrete ; 06-14-2000, 07:05 PM
This won't help too much but it was also a rhyme used during jump rope.
My first aweareness of it was about 1926 +/- a year or so.
It was a piece of nonsence like" Chevrolet---y'gotta shove 'er or let her lay"
or
"Bottle and cork spells NewYork"
Kid fun stuff
**
Ukulele Ike ; 06-15-2000, 01:17 PM
I first saw it in Carl Withers' collection A ROCKET IN MY POCKET: THE RHYMES AND CHANTS OF YOUNG AMERICANS (1948), a classic children's book that is still in print and which every parent ought to provide for their kids.
****
Online Source #2
Regarding the title of a new travel book on Chicago, Illinois:
http://chitownmoms.net/chicken-in-the-car-and-the-car-wont-go/
“The title stems from an old saying to help folks remember how to spell Chicago.”
****
Online Source #3
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105265/quotes
Memorable quotes for A River Runs Through It (1992)
Mr. Sweeney: [delivering letter from Chicago, quotes old song] Chicken in the car. Car won't go. That's how you spell Chicago. Ha he he.
****
Online Source #4
Excerpt from
http://www.amazon.com/Knife-Fork-Bottle-Cork-Trilogy/dp/0964484633
A Knife and a Fork and a Bottle and a Cork: That's How You Spell New York (Riddle Rhyme Trilogy) [Paperback]
Howard Schrager (Author)
Sarah Madsen (Illustrator)
Publisher: Lemontree Pr (July 15, 2010)
From the Author
"A number of years ago, I was watching the movie, Cinema Paradiso, when it cut to the scene of a hen roosting in an abandoned car. Immediately the words of a 1920s street rhyme my father had taught me flashed into my mind, Chicken in the Car, and the Car Can't Go... that's how you spell Chicago. He'd also taught me a companion rhyme that went A Knife and a Fork and a Bottle and a Cork...that's how you spell New York." Within days, I had decided to write a riddle rhyme for each of the 50 states." So says Howard Schrager, a teacher of 30 years standing.
Riddle Rhymes were part of children's culture for hundreds of years, and Schrager doesn't want to see them vanish. "Doing riddle rhymes requires listening, and, moreover, hearing. With games like Jeopardy, you either know the answer or you don't. With Riddle Rhymes you already know the answer, you just don't know which answer it is. You just have to hear the name arise inwardly, and to recognize it. This involves an interesting process of sound sifting, and provides a unique slant on thinking, and on competition."
****
Online Source #5
From
http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=29897
Subject: RE: Help: Illinois/Chicago Songs
From: Trapper
Date: 25 Jan 01 - 12:30 PM
My dad went to Chicago when I was a kid for a Chef's convention, and the whole week before he left we were singing:
Chicken in the car
And the car won't go
That's how we spell Chi-ca-go!
-snip-
In summation,
1. I found no mention of the song "Chicken in the corn" except those on Caribbean vocalist/musician Brushy's videos.
2. "Chicken in the car" is described as a tongue twister; a jump rope rhyme; a piece of nonsense; a title of a song (Online Source #1); a title of a novel (Online Source #1); a title of a travel book taken from "an old saying to help folks remember how to spell Chicago" (Online Source #2); a song [chant]?*(Online Sources #3 and #5); a riddle; and a street rhyme (Online Source #4).
* My sense is that people in the United States often refer to rhymes & chants as "songs", and also describe their performance of rhymes & chants as "singing".
My recollection of "Chicken in the car" would also be placed under the "street rhyme" category.
3. The earliest dates that I found online for the "Chicken in the car" rhyme were 1926 +/- a year (Online Source #1) and 1920s (Online Source #4).
Note: The riddle "chicken in the car and the car won't go/that's how you spell Chicago" is also given on a few other websites in association with the verse:
Knife and a fork bottle and a cork
that is the way you spell New York.
-snip-
Although I was born & raised in New Jersey, a state that is considerably closer to New York than Illinois, I have no recollection at all of that "knife and fork" verse or any other riddle verse sung (chanted) along with "chicken in the car".
****
Update: 2/4/2012
Here's another verse that I found in Harlem Photographs 1932-1940 (Aaron Siskind)
Chicken in the car
Car wouldn't go
Chicken jump out
The car went slow.
-snip-
This was one of the short rhymes included in that ground breaking photography book.
From http://www.absolutearts.com/artsnews/1999/08/13/25807.html: "This was perhaps the first time a white photographer documented this black community."
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Jehovah Jireh & Other Praise Names For God In Christian Songs
Edited by Azizi Powell
PRAISE NAMES FOR GOD
From http://www.aboundingjoy.com/Bible%20studies/Names%20Of%20God.htm written by Steve Hall; 1999)
Elohim
The first name we find of God in the Bible is Elohim. (Genesis 1:1). It is used over 2700 times in the Bible. The prefix "El" signifies "one who is great, mighty, dreadful." It is also a plural word that suggests the fact that God is a Holy Trinity--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. …
El Shaddai
..El Shaddai is another name for God. It is used 48 times in Scripture. It is always translated "The Almighty." The first time this name is used is in Genesis 17:1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect...
Adonai
A 3rd name that God uses for Himself is Adonai. It occurs about 300 times in the O.T. This name suggests Lordship and ownership. When God calls Himself by this name, Adonai, He is saying, "I am the One who owns and rules over everthing that exists."...
Yahweh
...The most frequently used name for God is YAHWEH or Jehovah.
It occurs more than 6800 times in the Bible…
The Word literally means "I Am." It comes from the verb which means "to be" or "to exist."
Jehovah-Jireh
...Jehovah Jireh is found in Genesis 22:14. It literally means "The Lord Provides."...
We used to sing a little song that said, "Jehovah Jireh, my Provider, His grace is sufficient for me. My God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in Glory. He gives His angels charge over me, Jehovah Jireh cares for me."
Jehovah Nissi.
...This is found in Exodus 17:15. It literally means "God, my Banner or God my Standard of Victory" In Exodus 17:15 Moses named an Altar he built after this name of God. ("And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah nissi")Ezek 48:35. It is the last verse in the book of Ezekiel.
Jehovah Shammah
The last part of the vision of Ezekiel was of a new city, with a new temple. It was to be glorious. And the last words of this verse tell us the name of the city. In Hebrew is ... a compound name of God--Jehovah-Shammah. He is "The Eternal God who is There."
****
SONG EXAMPLES
Here are videos & lyrics of two praise & worship songs whose lyrics include some of the praise & worship names that are listed above:
Because of who you are - Martha Munizzi
Uploaded by Bia Mello on Mar 22, 2008
LYRICS
BECAUSE OF WHO YOU ARE
[Verse 1:]
Because of who You are, I give You glory.
Because of who You are, I give You praise.
Because of who You are, I will lift my voice and say;
Lord, I worship You because of who You are.
Lord, I worship You because of who You are.
[Verse 2:]
Jehovah Jireh, my provider.
Jehovah Nissi, Lord, You reign in victory.
Jehovah Shalom, my Prince of Peace;
and I worship You because of who You are.
[Ending:]
And I worship You because of who,
and I worship You because of who,
and I worship You because of who You are.
From http://www.lyricsmania.com/because_of_who_you_are_lyrics_martha_munizzi.html
**
Click http://www.crosswalk.com/church/worship/song-story-because-of-who-you-are-1352378.html for information about Martha Munizzi.
****
JEHOVAH, YOU'RE THE MOST HIGH GOD
Jehovah You're the most high (World #1 hit praise song)
Uploaded by beacon1327 on Jun 3, 2010
-snip-
Here's a portion of the lyrics to this song:
Group- All the other gods
They are the works of men.
But you are the Most High GOD
There is none like You. 2x
Soloist = Jehovah
Group-You are the Most High
Soloist = Jehovah
Group-You are the Most High GOD
Soloist Jehovah Adonai
Group-You are the Most High
Soloist- Jehovah Elohim
Group-You are the Most High GOD
Soloist-Jehovah Nissi eeii
Group-You are the Most High
Soloist-You are the Most High
Group-You are the Most High GOD
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/01/lyric-examples-of-jehovah-you-are-most.html for the complete lyrics to this song.
****
Thanks for visting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
PRAISE NAMES FOR GOD
From http://www.aboundingjoy.com/Bible%20studies/Names%20Of%20God.htm written by Steve Hall; 1999)
Elohim
The first name we find of God in the Bible is Elohim. (Genesis 1:1). It is used over 2700 times in the Bible. The prefix "El" signifies "one who is great, mighty, dreadful." It is also a plural word that suggests the fact that God is a Holy Trinity--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. …
El Shaddai
..El Shaddai is another name for God. It is used 48 times in Scripture. It is always translated "The Almighty." The first time this name is used is in Genesis 17:1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect...
Adonai
A 3rd name that God uses for Himself is Adonai. It occurs about 300 times in the O.T. This name suggests Lordship and ownership. When God calls Himself by this name, Adonai, He is saying, "I am the One who owns and rules over everthing that exists."...
Yahweh
...The most frequently used name for God is YAHWEH or Jehovah.
It occurs more than 6800 times in the Bible…
The Word literally means "I Am." It comes from the verb which means "to be" or "to exist."
Jehovah-Jireh
...Jehovah Jireh is found in Genesis 22:14. It literally means "The Lord Provides."...
We used to sing a little song that said, "Jehovah Jireh, my Provider, His grace is sufficient for me. My God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in Glory. He gives His angels charge over me, Jehovah Jireh cares for me."
Jehovah Nissi.
...This is found in Exodus 17:15. It literally means "God, my Banner or God my Standard of Victory" In Exodus 17:15 Moses named an Altar he built after this name of God. ("And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah nissi")Ezek 48:35. It is the last verse in the book of Ezekiel.
Jehovah Shammah
The last part of the vision of Ezekiel was of a new city, with a new temple. It was to be glorious. And the last words of this verse tell us the name of the city. In Hebrew is ... a compound name of God--Jehovah-Shammah. He is "The Eternal God who is There."
****
SONG EXAMPLES
Here are videos & lyrics of two praise & worship songs whose lyrics include some of the praise & worship names that are listed above:
Because of who you are - Martha Munizzi
Uploaded by Bia Mello on Mar 22, 2008
LYRICS
BECAUSE OF WHO YOU ARE
[Verse 1:]
Because of who You are, I give You glory.
Because of who You are, I give You praise.
Because of who You are, I will lift my voice and say;
Lord, I worship You because of who You are.
Lord, I worship You because of who You are.
[Verse 2:]
Jehovah Jireh, my provider.
Jehovah Nissi, Lord, You reign in victory.
Jehovah Shalom, my Prince of Peace;
and I worship You because of who You are.
[Ending:]
And I worship You because of who,
and I worship You because of who,
and I worship You because of who You are.
From http://www.lyricsmania.com/because_of_who_you_are_lyrics_martha_munizzi.html
**
Click http://www.crosswalk.com/church/worship/song-story-because-of-who-you-are-1352378.html for information about Martha Munizzi.
****
JEHOVAH, YOU'RE THE MOST HIGH GOD
Jehovah You're the most high (World #1 hit praise song)
Uploaded by beacon1327 on Jun 3, 2010
-snip-
Here's a portion of the lyrics to this song:
Group- All the other gods
They are the works of men.
But you are the Most High GOD
There is none like You. 2x
Soloist = Jehovah
Group-You are the Most High
Soloist = Jehovah
Group-You are the Most High GOD
Soloist Jehovah Adonai
Group-You are the Most High
Soloist- Jehovah Elohim
Group-You are the Most High GOD
Soloist-Jehovah Nissi eeii
Group-You are the Most High
Soloist-You are the Most High
Group-You are the Most High GOD
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/01/lyric-examples-of-jehovah-you-are-most.html for the complete lyrics to this song.
****
Thanks for visting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Kumbaya Lyrics (As Sung By The Soweto Gospel Choir)
Edited by Azizi Powell
Soweto Gospel Choir - Khumbaya
Uploaded by joashstilltheman on Feb 19, 2010
This is from the album BLESSED (LIVE)
-snip-
Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPrAHCOsNBQ for a clearer sound file of the Soweto Gospel Choir singing this song.
****
I added this post because I couldn't find the lyrics to "Kumbaya" as sung by the Soweto Gospel Choir and several other choirs. This is my attempt at transcription from the video posted above. This transcription is based on YouTube video sound files, that video's comment thread, and other videos of that South African choir singing this song. However, this transcription isn't meant to represent the (possibly) ad lib flourishes that are sung toward the end of that rendition.
I'm not sure who wrote the lyrics for this version of "Kumbaya"and when they were written. Please add corrections and any information about this version of "Kumbaya". Thank you.
****
KUMBAYA (a contemporary version as sung by The Soweto Gospel Choir)
Somebody’s cryin, Lord
(Kumbaya)
Somebody’s prayin, Lord
(Kumbaya)
Somebody’s cryin, Lord
(Kumbaya)
Somebody’s prayin, Lord
(Kumbaya)
Oh Lord, hear my prayer
(Kumbaya)
As I lift my voice and say
(Kumbaya)
I need you, Lord today
(Kumbaya)
I need you right away
(Kumbaya)
Somebody’s cryin, Lord
(Kumbaya)
Somebody’s prayin, Lord
(Kumbaya)
Somebody’s cryin, Lord
(Kumbaya)
Somebody’s prayin, Lord
(Kumbaya)
Somebody’s in despair
(Kumbaya)
Somebody feels like no one cares
(Kumbaya)
I know You’ll make a way
(Kumbaya)
Yes, the Lord will make a way
(Kumbaya)
Somebody’s in despair
(Kumbaya)
Somebody feels like no one cares
(Kumbaya)
I know You’ll make a way
(Kumbaya)
Yes, the Lord will make a way
(Kumbaya)
Somebody’s in despair
(Kumbaya)
Somebody feels like no one cares
(Kumbaya)
Oh, oh - o - o, kumbaya
Oh, Lord, kumbaya
(Come by here)
Oh, Lord, kumbaya
(Come by here)
Oh, Lord, kumbaya
(Come by here)
[soloist] Oh helele mama!*
Oh, Lord, kumbaya
(Come by here)
Oh, Lord, kumbaya
(Continue repeating with flourishes.)
-snip-
*Here's a comment exchange from this video's viewer comment thread:
Does anyone know what lyrics the basses are singing in another language at the end of the song??
-choirdirector1; http://www.youtube.com/all_comments?v=dPrAHCOsNBQ ;January 2012;
**
The bass say "helele mama" meaning oh mama!!!
-netnavizero; http://www.youtube.com/all_comments?v=dPrAHCOsNBQJanuary 2012
****
Here's a video of another choir singing that same version of "Kumbaya":
Khumbaya, Gospel Night 2009 Group 3
Uploaded by koichikm on Sep 13, 2009
-snip-
This choir's name & location isn't given in the uploader's summary or in the video's viewer comment thread. Most of the comments in that thread are in Spanish. Does anyone have any information about this choir? If so, please share it in the comment section. Thanks.
****
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/01/kumbaya-song-around-world.html for a related pancocojams post on "The Kumbaya Song Around The World"
Click http://www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=108&c=23 for the history of and the standard American lyrics for "Kumbaya".
****
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND THANKS
Thanks to the Soweto Choir for this arrangement & performance of the African Amerian Spiritual "Kumbaya".
Thanks also to the uploaders of these videos, and to all others whose comments or links have been featured on this blog post.
Finally, thank you for visiting pancocojams.
Viewer comments are welcome.
Soweto Gospel Choir - Khumbaya
Uploaded by joashstilltheman on Feb 19, 2010
This is from the album BLESSED (LIVE)
-snip-
Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPrAHCOsNBQ for a clearer sound file of the Soweto Gospel Choir singing this song.
****
I added this post because I couldn't find the lyrics to "Kumbaya" as sung by the Soweto Gospel Choir and several other choirs. This is my attempt at transcription from the video posted above. This transcription is based on YouTube video sound files, that video's comment thread, and other videos of that South African choir singing this song. However, this transcription isn't meant to represent the (possibly) ad lib flourishes that are sung toward the end of that rendition.
I'm not sure who wrote the lyrics for this version of "Kumbaya"and when they were written. Please add corrections and any information about this version of "Kumbaya". Thank you.
****
KUMBAYA (a contemporary version as sung by The Soweto Gospel Choir)
Somebody’s cryin, Lord
(Kumbaya)
Somebody’s prayin, Lord
(Kumbaya)
Somebody’s cryin, Lord
(Kumbaya)
Somebody’s prayin, Lord
(Kumbaya)
Oh Lord, hear my prayer
(Kumbaya)
As I lift my voice and say
(Kumbaya)
I need you, Lord today
(Kumbaya)
I need you right away
(Kumbaya)
Somebody’s cryin, Lord
(Kumbaya)
Somebody’s prayin, Lord
(Kumbaya)
Somebody’s cryin, Lord
(Kumbaya)
Somebody’s prayin, Lord
(Kumbaya)
Somebody’s in despair
(Kumbaya)
Somebody feels like no one cares
(Kumbaya)
I know You’ll make a way
(Kumbaya)
Yes, the Lord will make a way
(Kumbaya)
Somebody’s in despair
(Kumbaya)
Somebody feels like no one cares
(Kumbaya)
I know You’ll make a way
(Kumbaya)
Yes, the Lord will make a way
(Kumbaya)
Somebody’s in despair
(Kumbaya)
Somebody feels like no one cares
(Kumbaya)
Oh, oh - o - o, kumbaya
Oh, Lord, kumbaya
(Come by here)
Oh, Lord, kumbaya
(Come by here)
Oh, Lord, kumbaya
(Come by here)
[soloist] Oh helele mama!*
Oh, Lord, kumbaya
(Come by here)
Oh, Lord, kumbaya
(Continue repeating with flourishes.)
-snip-
*Here's a comment exchange from this video's viewer comment thread:
Does anyone know what lyrics the basses are singing in another language at the end of the song??
-choirdirector1; http://www.youtube.com/all_comments?v=dPrAHCOsNBQ ;January 2012;
**
The bass say "helele mama" meaning oh mama!!!
-netnavizero; http://www.youtube.com/all_comments?v=dPrAHCOsNBQJanuary 2012
****
Here's a video of another choir singing that same version of "Kumbaya":
Khumbaya, Gospel Night 2009 Group 3
Uploaded by koichikm on Sep 13, 2009
-snip-
This choir's name & location isn't given in the uploader's summary or in the video's viewer comment thread. Most of the comments in that thread are in Spanish. Does anyone have any information about this choir? If so, please share it in the comment section. Thanks.
****
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/01/kumbaya-song-around-world.html for a related pancocojams post on "The Kumbaya Song Around The World"
Click http://www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=108&c=23 for the history of and the standard American lyrics for "Kumbaya".
****
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND THANKS
Thanks to the Soweto Choir for this arrangement & performance of the African Amerian Spiritual "Kumbaya".
Thanks also to the uploaders of these videos, and to all others whose comments or links have been featured on this blog post.
Finally, thank you for visiting pancocojams.
Viewer comments are welcome.
The Kumbaya Song Around The World
Edited by Azizi Powell
Soweto Gospel Choir - Khumbaya [South Africa]
erastusbean, Uploaded on Mar 12, 2009
Great black gospel music group.
If this has blessed you, please comment and let me know so I will know that it did someone some good.
Please support the artists when you are able.
God Bless!
****
This post features selected video renditions of the African American [South Carolina & Georgia Gullah sea isles] spiritual "Kumbaya" ("Come By Here").
Click http://www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=108&c=23 for the history of and the standard American lyrics for this song.
****
These videos are posted for their historical, sociological, spiritual, and aesthetic value. My thanks to the featured vocalists and to the uploaders of these videos.
****
VIDEOS
[Videos featured on this post have been assigned numbers for the purpose of referencing them. No preferential ranking is implied by these numbers.]
Video #1 - Soweto Gospel Choir - Khumbaya [South Africa]
This sound file is posted at the top of this page.
Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJr6FknZhpM&feature=related for a video of a live performance of this group's performance of "Kumbaya"
This version of "Kumbaya" is also sung by the choir in Video #3.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/01/kumbaya-lyrics-as-sung-by-soweto-gospel.html for my transcription of lyrics to this version of "Kumbaya".
****
Video #2 - The Glory Gospel Singers - Kumbaya My Lord [USA]
Uploaded by Mausis07 on Aug 10, 2009
****
Video #3 - Khumbaya, Gospel Night 2009 Group 3 [Japan]
Uploaded by koichikm on Sep 13, 2009
****
Video #4 - Kumbaya my Lord [Hungary]
Uploaded by catchke2ro on Nov 13, 2008
****
Video #5 - Kumba Ya - Jaasai Vocal Group [Spanish language; no information given about the country this group is from]
Uploaded by rubenjaasai on Sep 27, 2006
Ensayo cotidiano, sin base vocal
****
Video #6 - Kumbaya, my Lord [France]
Uploaded by PM8707 on Jun 4, 2010
Le negro-spiritual "Kumbaya" par la chorale gospel Arc-en-Ciel de Strasbourg
****
Video #7: Wind - Kumbaya 2004 [Germany]
fritz51277, Uploaded on Jun 13, 2009
Wind - Kumbaya 2004
Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZeE-wf-jCc for the German lyrics to this song.
****
Video #8 - Kum Ba Ya - Bonnie Keen [USA]
Uploaded by beanscot on Jun 14, 2009
-snip-
The summary statement for this video is incorrect. The song "Kumbaya" has been documented in the 1920s but may have been composed by the Gullah people (African Americans) of the sea isles of South Carolina & Georgia in the late 19th century or even earlier.
****
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND THANKS
Thanks to these featured choirs for their performances of the African Amerian Spiritual "Kumbaya".
Thanks also to the uploaders of these videos, and to all others whose comments or links have been featured on this blog post.
Finally, thank you for visiting pancocojams.
Viewer comments are welcome.
Soweto Gospel Choir - Khumbaya [South Africa]
erastusbean, Uploaded on Mar 12, 2009
Great black gospel music group.
If this has blessed you, please comment and let me know so I will know that it did someone some good.
Please support the artists when you are able.
God Bless!
****
This post features selected video renditions of the African American [South Carolina & Georgia Gullah sea isles] spiritual "Kumbaya" ("Come By Here").
Click http://www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=108&c=23 for the history of and the standard American lyrics for this song.
****
These videos are posted for their historical, sociological, spiritual, and aesthetic value. My thanks to the featured vocalists and to the uploaders of these videos.
****
VIDEOS
[Videos featured on this post have been assigned numbers for the purpose of referencing them. No preferential ranking is implied by these numbers.]
Video #1 - Soweto Gospel Choir - Khumbaya [South Africa]
This sound file is posted at the top of this page.
Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJr6FknZhpM&feature=related for a video of a live performance of this group's performance of "Kumbaya"
This version of "Kumbaya" is also sung by the choir in Video #3.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/01/kumbaya-lyrics-as-sung-by-soweto-gospel.html for my transcription of lyrics to this version of "Kumbaya".
****
Video #2 - The Glory Gospel Singers - Kumbaya My Lord [USA]
Uploaded by Mausis07 on Aug 10, 2009
****
Video #3 - Khumbaya, Gospel Night 2009 Group 3 [Japan]
Uploaded by koichikm on Sep 13, 2009
****
Video #4 - Kumbaya my Lord [Hungary]
Uploaded by catchke2ro on Nov 13, 2008
****
Video #5 - Kumba Ya - Jaasai Vocal Group [Spanish language; no information given about the country this group is from]
Uploaded by rubenjaasai on Sep 27, 2006
Ensayo cotidiano, sin base vocal
****
Video #6 - Kumbaya, my Lord [France]
Uploaded by PM8707 on Jun 4, 2010
Le negro-spiritual "Kumbaya" par la chorale gospel Arc-en-Ciel de Strasbourg
****
Video #7: Wind - Kumbaya 2004 [Germany]
fritz51277, Uploaded on Jun 13, 2009
Wind - Kumbaya 2004
Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZeE-wf-jCc for the German lyrics to this song.
****
Video #8 - Kum Ba Ya - Bonnie Keen [USA]
Uploaded by beanscot on Jun 14, 2009
-snip-
The summary statement for this video is incorrect. The song "Kumbaya" has been documented in the 1920s but may have been composed by the Gullah people (African Americans) of the sea isles of South Carolina & Georgia in the late 19th century or even earlier.
****
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND THANKS
Thanks to these featured choirs for their performances of the African Amerian Spiritual "Kumbaya".
Thanks also to the uploaders of these videos, and to all others whose comments or links have been featured on this blog post.
Finally, thank you for visiting pancocojams.
Viewer comments are welcome.
Friday, January 20, 2012
More Shout Band Videos
Edited by Azizi Powell
Kings of Harmony live @ the 2010 Lowell Folk Festival
Uploaded by dansamuels on Aug 2, 2010
The Kings hit the streets.
WOW! so happy you all love this video. I still feel fortunate to have been able to work with these guys... the UHOP knows whats goin on...
****
Selected information and videos of African American shout bands are featured in this post for historical, aesthetic, and religious purposes. This is not meant to be a comprehensive presentation of this music tradition.
My thanks to all of the uploaders of these videos.
****
WHAT IS A SHOUT BAND?
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shout_band
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2011/09/house-of-prayer-shout-bands.html for another pancocojams post on shout bands.
****
SHOUT BAND VIDEOS
[Selected videos are assigned numbers for the sake of this post. No preferential ranking is intended by these numbers.]
Video #1 - Kings of Harmony live @ the 2010 Lowell Folk Festival
[Embedded at the beginning of this post]
****
Video #2 - Amazing Brass Band Jam at DC Street Festival
loaded by AREARCHIVE on Dec 16, 2010
Filmed at a DC neighborhood art festival in September 2007, we stumbled onto an incredible gospel brass band from a neighborhood church that had set up an impromptu jam on a street corner. As they played a huge crowd gathered to see and hear them perform. These guys played their hearts out, and the show was truly amazing! I was lucky to catch one of their numbers with my little camera (a Canon PowerShot S410 4MP Digital Elph.)
****
Video #3 - Trombone Shout Band, Charlotte, NC
Uploaded by HistorySouth on Sep 13, 2010
Cedric Mangum and the Bailey Faith Band,
****
Video #4 - House of Prayer
Uploaded by SeekerTruth2011 on Sep 12, 2010
A firehose Baptism at the House of Prayer
****
Video #5 - Shout Bands Playing YES
Uploaded by SeekerTruth2011 on Mar 7, 2011
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Kings of Harmony live @ the 2010 Lowell Folk Festival
Uploaded by dansamuels on Aug 2, 2010
The Kings hit the streets.
WOW! so happy you all love this video. I still feel fortunate to have been able to work with these guys... the UHOP knows whats goin on...
****
Selected information and videos of African American shout bands are featured in this post for historical, aesthetic, and religious purposes. This is not meant to be a comprehensive presentation of this music tradition.
My thanks to all of the uploaders of these videos.
****
WHAT IS A SHOUT BAND?
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shout_band
A shout band is a traditional, soul based musical style that arose in some predominantly African American Protestant churches in the 1920s.
The shout band tradition of the southeastern United States originated from the exuberant church music of North Carolina. African American brass players formed bands, predominately trombone-based, inspired by jazz, blues, Dixeland, gospel, and old time spirituals: a more soulful version of a New Orleans Brass Band. The United House Of Prayer For All People, a Holiness Denomination founded in 1919 in Massachusetts, is particularly known for its Shout Bands.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2011/09/house-of-prayer-shout-bands.html for another pancocojams post on shout bands.
****
SHOUT BAND VIDEOS
[Selected videos are assigned numbers for the sake of this post. No preferential ranking is intended by these numbers.]
Video #1 - Kings of Harmony live @ the 2010 Lowell Folk Festival
[Embedded at the beginning of this post]
****
Video #2 - Amazing Brass Band Jam at DC Street Festival
loaded by AREARCHIVE on Dec 16, 2010
Filmed at a DC neighborhood art festival in September 2007, we stumbled onto an incredible gospel brass band from a neighborhood church that had set up an impromptu jam on a street corner. As they played a huge crowd gathered to see and hear them perform. These guys played their hearts out, and the show was truly amazing! I was lucky to catch one of their numbers with my little camera (a Canon PowerShot S410 4MP Digital Elph.)
****
Video #3 - Trombone Shout Band, Charlotte, NC
Uploaded by HistorySouth on Sep 13, 2010
Cedric Mangum and the Bailey Faith Band,
****
Video #4 - House of Prayer
Uploaded by SeekerTruth2011 on Sep 12, 2010
A firehose Baptism at the House of Prayer
****
Video #5 - Shout Bands Playing YES
Uploaded by SeekerTruth2011 on Mar 7, 2011
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Focus on Afro-Turks
Edited by Azizi Powell
[Update: November 22, 2012]
This post provides general information about Afro-Turks, and features one video overview of Afro-Turks, and two videos of Afro-Turks vocalists Melis Sökmen & Mansur Ark.
The content of this post is presented for historical, folkloric, informational, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
Hat tip to http://afroeurope.blogspot.com/2011/12/photo-book-black-people-in-turky-afro.html for posting this video and alerting me to the fact that there are people of African descent in Turkey.
I'm no longer going to be surprised to learn that there are people of African descent everywhere in the world.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT AFRO-TURKS
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afro-Turks
FEATURED VIDEOS
(These videos are posted in no particular order.)
Video #1: Face of Afro-Turkish people
Uploaded by DaBigSun on Nov 25, 2011
****
Example #2: Melis Sökmen - Özlediğim (1992)
danyaldenyo, Uploaded on May 25, 2011
albüm: Halis Melis
doksanlar (90lar) türkçe pop
-snip-
Melis Sökmen is included on the Wikipedia page about Afro-Turk's list of notable Afro-Turks as "actress, musician (Guinean grandmother)"
-snip-
Update November 26, 2012:
Thanks to danyaldenyo for sharing the following information about this song on that YouTube video's viewer comment thread:
"..."özlediğim" means "the one that i miss". Song is about her longing for past/childhood and most likely about her mother."
****
Video #3: Melis Sokmen_Gemiler_NARDIS Live
Uploaded on Mar 1, 2008
Nardis Jazz Club
****
Video #4: Mansur Ark - Maalesef
Uploaded by ReforceSlim on Mar 23, 2008
Inadi Birak
-snip-
Mansur Ark is included on the Wikipedia page about Afro-Turk's list of notable Afro-Turks as "musician".
****
Video #5: Gazla Gitsin (Mansur Ark)
Uploaded on Feb 4, 2010
Gazla Gitsin (2004) - SEYHAN MÜZİK PROD.
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Viewer comments are welcome.
[Update: November 22, 2012]
This post provides general information about Afro-Turks, and features one video overview of Afro-Turks, and two videos of Afro-Turks vocalists Melis Sökmen & Mansur Ark.
The content of this post is presented for historical, folkloric, informational, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
Hat tip to http://afroeurope.blogspot.com/2011/12/photo-book-black-people-in-turky-afro.html for posting this video and alerting me to the fact that there are people of African descent in Turkey.
I'm no longer going to be surprised to learn that there are people of African descent everywhere in the world.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT AFRO-TURKS
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afro-Turks
Afro-Turks, African Turks, or Turkish Africans are people of African descent in Turkey. "Afro-Turk" is a neologism; they have been colloquially named as Arap (Arab) or zenci in Turkish, and are now also referred to as Afrika kökenli Türkler (Turks with African roots).****
Beginning several centuries ago, a number of Africans, usually via Zanzibar and from places like Niger, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Kenya and Sudan came to the Ottoman Empire settled by the Dalaman, Menderes and Gediz valleys, Manavgat, and Çukurova...
Some came from Crete following the population exchange between Greece and Turkey in 1923. They settled on the Aegean coast, mainly around İzmir. Afro-Turks in Ayvalık declare that their ancestors from Crete spoke Greek when they came to Turkey and learned Turkish later.
Ulcinj in Montenegro had its own black community – descendent of the Ottoman slave trade that had flourished there. As a consequence of the slave trade and privateer activity, a considerable number of Ulcinj inhabitants until 1878 were black.[6] The Ottoman Army counted thousands of Black African soldiers in its ranks. The army sent to Balkans during the Austro-Turkish War of 1716–18 included 24,000 men from Africa...
FEATURED VIDEOS
(These videos are posted in no particular order.)
Video #1: Face of Afro-Turkish people
Uploaded by DaBigSun on Nov 25, 2011
****
Example #2: Melis Sökmen - Özlediğim (1992)
danyaldenyo, Uploaded on May 25, 2011
albüm: Halis Melis
doksanlar (90lar) türkçe pop
-snip-
Melis Sökmen is included on the Wikipedia page about Afro-Turk's list of notable Afro-Turks as "actress, musician (Guinean grandmother)"
-snip-
Update November 26, 2012:
Thanks to danyaldenyo for sharing the following information about this song on that YouTube video's viewer comment thread:
"..."özlediğim" means "the one that i miss". Song is about her longing for past/childhood and most likely about her mother."
****
Video #3: Melis Sokmen_Gemiler_NARDIS Live
Uploaded on Mar 1, 2008
Nardis Jazz Club
****
Video #4: Mansur Ark - Maalesef
Uploaded by ReforceSlim on Mar 23, 2008
Inadi Birak
-snip-
Mansur Ark is included on the Wikipedia page about Afro-Turk's list of notable Afro-Turks as "musician".
****
Video #5: Gazla Gitsin (Mansur Ark)
Uploaded on Feb 4, 2010
Gazla Gitsin (2004) - SEYHAN MÜZİK PROD.
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Viewer comments are welcome.
Two Songs That Civil War Colored Soldiers Sang
Edited by Azizi Powell
Give Us A Flag*
uploaded by rexlibris99 on Sep 4, 2008
The person who wrote the song is unknown. He obviously had very strong feelings on the subject. An obviously non-PC word has been left in since it reflects the feelings of the times.
"Once let the black man get upon his person the brass letters 'US,' let him get an eagle upon his button and a musket on his shoulder and bullets in his pockets and there is no power on earth which can deny that he has earned the right to citizenship in the United States."
—Frederick Douglass
Vocalist: Richie Havens
-snip-
*"Give Us A Flag" includes one brief mention of what is now called "the n word". In spite of my real distaste for that word, I'm posting this song because of its historical importance.
****
Here's another video about United States Colored Soldiers ("Colored" was the referent of respect for African Americans during that time). The video uploader also provides lyrics & footnotes to "Give Us A Flag".
United States Colored Troops - African American US Army Soldiers
United States Colored Troops - African American US Army Soldiers
Uploaded by rmorecook on Oct 5, 2008
From about the time of the American Civil War until shortly after World War II ended, Black American troops served in segregated units, usually led by white officers. [There were some exceptions.] They distinguished themselves well in combat during the Civil War, the Indian Wars, and World Wars I and II. In this video, the march of the Massachusetts 54th U.S. Colored Troops plays in the background. The tune is alternately titled Oh Give Us a Flag and The Colored Volunteer. The lyrics are below. [Thanks to another Youtuber for much of the video]
"THE COLORED VOLUNTEER" or "OH GIVE US A FLAG"
Verse 1
Fremont [Footnote 1] he told them when the war it first begun
How to save the Union and the way it should be done.
But Kentucky swore so hard [2] and old Abe [3] he had his fears
Til every hope was lost but the colored volunteers
[chorus follows]
O give us a flag, all free without a slave.
We'll fight to defend it as our fathers [4] did so brave.
The Gallant Compn'y A [5] will make the rebels dance
And we'll stand by the Union if we only have the chance
Verse 2
McClellan [6] went to Richmond with two hundred thousand brave.
He said, "keep back the niggers [7]," and the Union he would save.
Little Mac [8] he had his way -- still the Union is in tears --
NOW they call for help of the colored volunteers.
[repeat chorus]
Verse 3
Old Jeff [9] says he'll hang us if we dare to meet him armed.
A very big thing, but we are not at all alarmed.
For he has first got to catch us before the way is clear[10].
And "that is what's the matter with the colored volunteer."
[repeat chorus]
Verse 4
So rally, boys, rally, let us never mind the past;
We had a hard road to travel, but our day is coming fast.
For God is for the right, and we have no need to fear --
The Union must be saved by the colored volunteer.
[repeat chorus]
Verse 5
Then here is to the 54th [11], which has been nobly tried,
They were willing, they were ready, with their bayonets by their side,
Colonel Shaw [12]led them on and he had no cause to fear,
About the courage of the colored volunteer.
[repeat chorus]
Footnotes
[1] John C. Fremont, Republican candidate for President in 1856, Army general officer, and best known explorer to that date, except for Lewis and Clark.
[2] Kentucky was a border [Northern] state during the war. She threatened to join the South if the Union used African American troops
[3] President Abraham Lincoln at first hesitated to use African American soldiers.
[4] The first man to fall in the American Revolution was an African American, Crispus Attucks, who died in the "Boston Massacre".
[5] Company A of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteers [Colored]
[6] Major Gen McClellan commanded Union troops at the start of the war.
[7] This term was widely used at the time as a sign of disrepect. Proper usage at the time was 'colored'.
[8] See Footnote 6 above.
[9] Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederated States of America [the South]
[10] Meaning, they would "die before being taken prisoner."
[11] 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment (Colored)
[12] Commanding Officer of the Regiment
****
MARCHING SONG OF THE FIRST ARKANSAS
1. Oh, we're the bully soldiers of the “First of Arkansas,”
We are fighting for the Union, we are fighting for the law,
We can hit a Rebel further than a white man ever saw,
As we go marching on.
Chorus: Glory, glory hallelujah.
Glory, glory hallelujah.
Glory, glory hallelujah.
As we go marching on.
2. See, there above the center, where the flag is waving bright,
We are going out of slavery; we're bound for freedom's light;
We mean to show Jeff Davis how the Africans can fight,
As we go marching on!
(Chorus)
3. We have done with hoeing cotton, we have done with hoeing corn,
We are colored Yankee soldiers, now, as sure as you are born;
When the masters hear us yelling,
they'll think it's Gabriel's horn,
As we go marching on.
(Chorus)
4. They will have to pay us wages, the wages of their sin,
They will have to bow their foreheads to their colored kith and kin,
They will have to give us house-room, or the roof shall tumble in!
As we go marching on.
(Chorus)
5. We heard the Proclamation, master hush it as he will,
The bird he sing it to us, hoppin' on the cotton hill,
And the possum up the gum tree, he couldn't keep it still,
As he went climbing on.
(Chorus)
6. They said, “Now colored brethren, you shall be forever free,
From the first of January, Eighteen hundred sixty-three.”
We heard it in the river going rushing to the sea,
As it went sounding on.
(Chorus)
7. Father Abraham has spoken and the message has been sent,
The prison doors he opened, and out the pris'ners went,
To join the sable army of “African descent,”
As we go marching on.
(Chorus)
8. Then fall in, colored brethren, you'd better do it soon,
Don't you hear the drum a-beating the Yankee Doodle tune?
We are with you now this morning, we'll be far away at noon,
As we go marching on. (Chorus)
Lyric source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marching_Song_of_the_First_Arkansas
Here's some information about that song from that same site:
"Marching Song of the First Arkansas Colored Regiment" is one of the few Civil War-era songs inspired by the lyrical structure of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" and the tune of "John Brown's Body" that is still performed and recorded today. The "Marching Song" has been described as "a powerful early statement of black pride, militancy, and desire for full equality, revealing the aspirations of black soldiers for Reconstruction as well as anticipating the spirit of the civil rights movement of the 1960s." The song's lyrics are attributed to the regiment's white officer, Captain Lindley Miller. An almost identical song, “The Valiant Soldiers,” is attributed to Sojourner Truth in post-Civil War editions of her Narrative. Recent scholarship supports Miller as the original author, or at least compiler, of the “Marching Song.”...
There is no question that Truth sang the song; Painter cites a newspaper account of Truth singing a variation of "The Valiant Soldiers" in 1879 to the black settlers in Kansas known as Exodusters. But there is no evidence Truth composed the lyrics before Lindley Miller's "Marching Song" was published and widely distributed.
-snip-
Here's a link to a song file of "Sojourner's Battle Hymn":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwSZgLLqPy8 Sweet Honey in the Rock - Sojourner's Battle Hymn.wmv
[embedding disabled upon request]
****
Editorial note: I was inspired to publish this post as a result of this verse from a South Carolina dance song entitled "Old Lady Booster":
Well, who’s been here since I been gone
Two little boys with their blue caps on.
Hang them on a hickory stick
Ranky tanky, button my shoes.
ranky tanky
Bufflalo boy gonna buy me a bag
-snip-
My theory is that the lines about "two boys in the blue caps" and the "Buffalo boy" refer to Union soldiers (but probably not "Colored" Union Soldiers"). Here's a link to the post on my Cocojams website that I published about that song and other songs in the "Ranky Tanky"/"Old Lady Booster" family:
http://cocojams.com/content/ranky-tanky-early-song-examples-theories-about-meanings Ranky Tanky - Early Song Examples and Theories About Meanings
**
Here's a link to a short form of that post that I published on Pancocojams:
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/01/what-ranky-tanky-means.html What Ranky Tanky Means
****
Here are two websites that contain information about African Americans in The Civil War:
African American Odyssey
The Civil War
Part 1: "Contrabands of War
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/aaohtml/exhibit/aopart4.html
and
African American Odyssey
The Civil War
Part 2: Fighting for Freedom | "Behold the Shackles Fall"
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/aaohtml/exhibit/aopart4b.html
****
Thanks for reading this post.
Viewer comments are welcome.
Give Us A Flag*
uploaded by rexlibris99 on Sep 4, 2008
The person who wrote the song is unknown. He obviously had very strong feelings on the subject. An obviously non-PC word has been left in since it reflects the feelings of the times.
"Once let the black man get upon his person the brass letters 'US,' let him get an eagle upon his button and a musket on his shoulder and bullets in his pockets and there is no power on earth which can deny that he has earned the right to citizenship in the United States."
—Frederick Douglass
Vocalist: Richie Havens
-snip-
*"Give Us A Flag" includes one brief mention of what is now called "the n word". In spite of my real distaste for that word, I'm posting this song because of its historical importance.
****
Here's another video about United States Colored Soldiers ("Colored" was the referent of respect for African Americans during that time). The video uploader also provides lyrics & footnotes to "Give Us A Flag".
United States Colored Troops - African American US Army Soldiers
United States Colored Troops - African American US Army Soldiers
Uploaded by rmorecook on Oct 5, 2008
From about the time of the American Civil War until shortly after World War II ended, Black American troops served in segregated units, usually led by white officers. [There were some exceptions.] They distinguished themselves well in combat during the Civil War, the Indian Wars, and World Wars I and II. In this video, the march of the Massachusetts 54th U.S. Colored Troops plays in the background. The tune is alternately titled Oh Give Us a Flag and The Colored Volunteer. The lyrics are below. [Thanks to another Youtuber for much of the video]
"THE COLORED VOLUNTEER" or "OH GIVE US A FLAG"
Verse 1
Fremont [Footnote 1] he told them when the war it first begun
How to save the Union and the way it should be done.
But Kentucky swore so hard [2] and old Abe [3] he had his fears
Til every hope was lost but the colored volunteers
[chorus follows]
O give us a flag, all free without a slave.
We'll fight to defend it as our fathers [4] did so brave.
The Gallant Compn'y A [5] will make the rebels dance
And we'll stand by the Union if we only have the chance
Verse 2
McClellan [6] went to Richmond with two hundred thousand brave.
He said, "keep back the niggers [7]," and the Union he would save.
Little Mac [8] he had his way -- still the Union is in tears --
NOW they call for help of the colored volunteers.
[repeat chorus]
Verse 3
Old Jeff [9] says he'll hang us if we dare to meet him armed.
A very big thing, but we are not at all alarmed.
For he has first got to catch us before the way is clear[10].
And "that is what's the matter with the colored volunteer."
[repeat chorus]
Verse 4
So rally, boys, rally, let us never mind the past;
We had a hard road to travel, but our day is coming fast.
For God is for the right, and we have no need to fear --
The Union must be saved by the colored volunteer.
[repeat chorus]
Verse 5
Then here is to the 54th [11], which has been nobly tried,
They were willing, they were ready, with their bayonets by their side,
Colonel Shaw [12]led them on and he had no cause to fear,
About the courage of the colored volunteer.
[repeat chorus]
Footnotes
[1] John C. Fremont, Republican candidate for President in 1856, Army general officer, and best known explorer to that date, except for Lewis and Clark.
[2] Kentucky was a border [Northern] state during the war. She threatened to join the South if the Union used African American troops
[3] President Abraham Lincoln at first hesitated to use African American soldiers.
[4] The first man to fall in the American Revolution was an African American, Crispus Attucks, who died in the "Boston Massacre".
[5] Company A of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteers [Colored]
[6] Major Gen McClellan commanded Union troops at the start of the war.
[7] This term was widely used at the time as a sign of disrepect. Proper usage at the time was 'colored'.
[8] See Footnote 6 above.
[9] Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederated States of America [the South]
[10] Meaning, they would "die before being taken prisoner."
[11] 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment (Colored)
[12] Commanding Officer of the Regiment
****
MARCHING SONG OF THE FIRST ARKANSAS
1. Oh, we're the bully soldiers of the “First of Arkansas,”
We are fighting for the Union, we are fighting for the law,
We can hit a Rebel further than a white man ever saw,
As we go marching on.
Chorus: Glory, glory hallelujah.
Glory, glory hallelujah.
Glory, glory hallelujah.
As we go marching on.
2. See, there above the center, where the flag is waving bright,
We are going out of slavery; we're bound for freedom's light;
We mean to show Jeff Davis how the Africans can fight,
As we go marching on!
(Chorus)
3. We have done with hoeing cotton, we have done with hoeing corn,
We are colored Yankee soldiers, now, as sure as you are born;
When the masters hear us yelling,
they'll think it's Gabriel's horn,
As we go marching on.
(Chorus)
4. They will have to pay us wages, the wages of their sin,
They will have to bow their foreheads to their colored kith and kin,
They will have to give us house-room, or the roof shall tumble in!
As we go marching on.
(Chorus)
5. We heard the Proclamation, master hush it as he will,
The bird he sing it to us, hoppin' on the cotton hill,
And the possum up the gum tree, he couldn't keep it still,
As he went climbing on.
(Chorus)
6. They said, “Now colored brethren, you shall be forever free,
From the first of January, Eighteen hundred sixty-three.”
We heard it in the river going rushing to the sea,
As it went sounding on.
(Chorus)
7. Father Abraham has spoken and the message has been sent,
The prison doors he opened, and out the pris'ners went,
To join the sable army of “African descent,”
As we go marching on.
(Chorus)
8. Then fall in, colored brethren, you'd better do it soon,
Don't you hear the drum a-beating the Yankee Doodle tune?
We are with you now this morning, we'll be far away at noon,
As we go marching on. (Chorus)
Lyric source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marching_Song_of_the_First_Arkansas
Here's some information about that song from that same site:
"Marching Song of the First Arkansas Colored Regiment" is one of the few Civil War-era songs inspired by the lyrical structure of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" and the tune of "John Brown's Body" that is still performed and recorded today. The "Marching Song" has been described as "a powerful early statement of black pride, militancy, and desire for full equality, revealing the aspirations of black soldiers for Reconstruction as well as anticipating the spirit of the civil rights movement of the 1960s." The song's lyrics are attributed to the regiment's white officer, Captain Lindley Miller. An almost identical song, “The Valiant Soldiers,” is attributed to Sojourner Truth in post-Civil War editions of her Narrative. Recent scholarship supports Miller as the original author, or at least compiler, of the “Marching Song.”...
There is no question that Truth sang the song; Painter cites a newspaper account of Truth singing a variation of "The Valiant Soldiers" in 1879 to the black settlers in Kansas known as Exodusters. But there is no evidence Truth composed the lyrics before Lindley Miller's "Marching Song" was published and widely distributed.
-snip-
Here's a link to a song file of "Sojourner's Battle Hymn":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwSZgLLqPy8 Sweet Honey in the Rock - Sojourner's Battle Hymn.wmv
[embedding disabled upon request]
****
Editorial note: I was inspired to publish this post as a result of this verse from a South Carolina dance song entitled "Old Lady Booster":
Well, who’s been here since I been gone
Two little boys with their blue caps on.
Hang them on a hickory stick
Ranky tanky, button my shoes.
ranky tanky
Bufflalo boy gonna buy me a bag
-snip-
My theory is that the lines about "two boys in the blue caps" and the "Buffalo boy" refer to Union soldiers (but probably not "Colored" Union Soldiers"). Here's a link to the post on my Cocojams website that I published about that song and other songs in the "Ranky Tanky"/"Old Lady Booster" family:
http://cocojams.com/content/ranky-tanky-early-song-examples-theories-about-meanings Ranky Tanky - Early Song Examples and Theories About Meanings
**
Here's a link to a short form of that post that I published on Pancocojams:
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/01/what-ranky-tanky-means.html What Ranky Tanky Means
****
Here are two websites that contain information about African Americans in The Civil War:
African American Odyssey
The Civil War
Part 1: "Contrabands of War
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/aaohtml/exhibit/aopart4.html
and
African American Odyssey
The Civil War
Part 2: Fighting for Freedom | "Behold the Shackles Fall"
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/aaohtml/exhibit/aopart4b.html
****
Thanks for reading this post.
Viewer comments are welcome.
What "Ranky Tanky" Means
Edited by Azizi Powell
Linda Tillery & The Cultural Heritage Choir - Ranky Tanky
Uploaded by bluesvoice04 on Jan 17, 2009
"Ranky Tanky" is a social dance song that comes from the African American (Gullah) traditions of South Carolina and the Georgia Sea Isles. That song is also known as "Ranky Tank", "The Old Lady From Booster", and "The Old Lady From Brewster".
The earliest recordings of "Ranky Tanky" that I've found are from the 1970s. However, that song may have been composed in the late 19th century before the end of the United States Civil War. [Read the update below for a version of this song from around 1963.]
There are different versions of "Ranky Tanky". Each example of that song that I've found include the phrase "ranky tank" or "ranky tanky".
WHAT RANKY TANKY MEANS
"Ranky tanky" (or "ranky tank") is
- a phrase that refers to certain styles of dancing.
- the name of a particular family of social dance songs which include the repeated use of that phrase .
- an exhortation to do the "ranky tanky" dance, and/or an exhortation to "to dance well" (using contemporary slang "to dance funky").
Also, notice in the Georgia Sea Isles version of "Ranky Tanky" (given below) that "rank" and "rankin" are used as a verb:
"I'm goin' to rank/ Ranky tank.../See me a-rankin'/ Ranky Tank"
-snip-
It's likely that these definitions of the word "rank" resulted in the use of that word for a form of dancing that in those times was probably considered to be risque:
COMMENTS ABOUT THE WORD "RANK" AND THE PHRASE "RANKY TANKY"
The word "rank" is the base word in "ranky tanky" (or "ranky tank"). Here are some definitions of the word "rank" as used in the phrase "ranky tanky" (or "ranky tank")
From http://www.elook.org/dictionary/rank.html:
[adjective] very fertile; producing profuse growth; "rank earth"
[adjective] very offensive in smell or taste; "a rank cigar"
[adjective] growing profusely; "rank jungle vegetation"
-snip-
The phrase "Ranky tanky" or "ranky tank" is an example of reduplication. Here's a definition of reduplication from http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/reduplication.html:
Reduplication:
"The repeating of parts of words to make new forms is called reduplication. There are various categories of this: rhyming, exact and ablaut (vowel substitution). Examples, are respectively, okey-dokey, wee-wee and zig-zag. The impetus for the coining of these seems to be nothing more than the enjoyment of wordplay. The words that make up these reduplicated idioms often have little meaning in themselves and only appear as part of a pair. In other cases, one word will allude to some existing meaning and the other half of the pair is added for effect or emphasis."
HOW THE "RANKY TANKY" DANCE MOVEMENT MAY HAVE BEEN PERFORMED
In the late 19th or early 20th century Gullah traditions where the "ranky tanky" family of songs originated, "Ranky tank" apparently referred to a certain style of dancing. There are different descriptions of how the "ranky tanky" was danced. In the record notes for the song "Old Lady From Booster", collected in St. John's Island, South Carolina in 1970, the writer describes a line game that is performed this way:
In the 1972 book Step It Down: Games, Plays, Songs, and Stories from the Afro-American Heritage (Bessie Jones and Bess Lomax Hawes: Athens, Georgia, The University of Georgia Press, 1972, pp. 129-130) the "ranky tanky" dance is described this way:
That Georgia Sea Isles description of "Ranky Tanky" reminds me of this 1980s Hip-Hop dance:
How to Do The Running Man
Uploaded by livestrong on Jun 24, 2009
The running man is a hip hop fundamental dance move...
-snip-
Is the "Running Man" a 1980s recreation of the 1970s and maybe as old as the late 19th century "Ranky tank" dance? It's possible.
"RANKY TANK" USED AS AN EXHORTATION
In each of the renditions of "Ranky Tanky" that I have found, the song includes a call & response portion in which the group says "Ranky tanky!" (or "Ranky tank!"). For instance, here are the lyrics to the Bessie Jones (Georgia Sea Isle) version of "Ranky Tank":
LYRICS
Lead Voice - Oh, ranky tank
Group Voice- Ranky tank
Lead Voice - Oh, ranky tank
Group Voice- Ranky tank
Papa's goin' to rank
Ranky tank.
Mama's goin' to rank.
Ranky tank.
Down in the cornfield,
Ranky tank.
I'm goin' to rank.
Ranky tank.
Sun is hot,
Rank tank.
See me a-rankin',
Rank tank.
Oh, ranky tank,
Rank tank.
Oh, ranky tank,
Rank tank.
[book citation given above]
-snip-
It's likely that the phrase "ranky tanky" was used as a general exhortation to dancers the same way as the 1970s African American vernacular phrases "Get Down!", "Let it all hang out!", and "Ah Sukie Sukie!" None of those phrases are meant to be taken literally. "Do that funky dance!" and "Get funky!" are equivalent exhortations which also originated in African American culture. Another equivalent exhortation from contemporary African American culture is "Work it! Work it!"
I believe that "Ranky tanky!" may have come to mean the same thing as "Get funky" and each of those other exhortations - "to dance skillfully and with flair in an free, unrestrained manner. Of course, prudish people would probably consider those dancing styles to be "dirty" or "improper", but they don't know the value of being funky.
-snip-
One video of people doing "ranky tanky" dance moves is given at the beginning of this post. Here's an additional video of "Ranky Tanky":
Rani Arbo & Daisy Mayhem - Valley Stage '07 - Ranky Tanky
Uploaded by elcabi on May 12, 2008
****
Editor's Note
As an aside, the Caribbean Dancehall music's use of the word "ranks" as a last name for vocalists (such as in "Shabby Ranks" and "Cutty Ranks") is different than the use of the base word "rank" in "ranky tanky". In the case of Dancehall music, the last name "ranks" comes from this definition of that word:
Rank -"a high or eminent status"
Source for definition: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/rank
****
RELATED LINK
Click http://cocojams.com/content/ranky-tanky-early-song-examples-theories-about-meanings for more information about "Ranky Tanky" songs, for words to six renditions of those songs, and for four videos of "Ranky Tanky" songs.
****
UPDATE 12/15/2012
Hat tip to Dan Greenwood, who performs a version of "Old Lady From Booster". I received the following information from Dan in two emails:
"The version I referenced is sung by National Heritage Fellow Mrs. Janie Hunter, collected by Guy and Candie Carawan on John's Island in the early/mid '60s and later released on the 'Been In the Storm So Long' CD"
http://www.folkways.si.edu/been-in-the-storm-so-long-spirituals-folk-tales-and-childrens-games-from-johns-island-sc/african-american-music-spoken-gospel/music/album/smithsonian Been in the Storm So Long: A Collection of Spirituals, Folk Tales and Children's Games from Johns Island, South Carolina, Various Artists SFW40031
http://www.amazon.com/Been-The-Storm-Long-Collection/dp/B000001DHJ has a brief sound sample A sound file & MP3 purchase link to that song (credited to The Moving Star Hall Singers)
Here's that version of "Old Lady From Booster":
The old lady come from Booster.
She had two hens and a rooster.
The rooster died.
The old lady cried.
He* couldn't get egg like he use ta.
Oh ma,** you look so.
Oh pa,*** you look so.
Who been here since I will gone?
Two little boy with the blue cap on.
Hang **** him on the hickory stick.
Ranky tanky done***** my shoe
The buffalo boy ****** want to buy it back.
Pain in the hip
Pain in my knee.
My leg
Ranky tanky
Pain in my elbow
Ranky tanky
Ranky tanky
Pain in my shoulder
Ranky tanky
Pain in my neck
Ranky tanky
Pain in my head
Ranky tanky
You'll didn't hear?
The old lady come from Booster.
He couldn't tell the news like he use ta.
[singers start giggling.]
*The pronoun "he" is also used for females.
Old lady come from Booster
** This word sounds like "my", but I think it's "ma".
*** This word sound like "pie", but I think it's "pa".
**** This word might be "hit".
***** "done my shoe" - took my shoe?; In that line "Ranky Tanky" appears to be used as a person's name or nickname.
****** Buffalo boy - I wonder if this could be a referent for a Black soldier (Buffalo soldier) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_Soldier
-snip-
Here's a link to a sound file of Dan Greenwood's group's rendition of "Old Lady From Booster". That example is based on the version of this song that was sung by Mrs. Janie Hunter: https://soundcloud.com/#lonesomedstringband/old-lady-from-booster
Thanks Dan Greenwood for that information & example!
****
Thank you for visiting pancocojams.
Your comments are welcome.
Linda Tillery & The Cultural Heritage Choir - Ranky Tanky
Uploaded by bluesvoice04 on Jan 17, 2009
"Ranky Tanky" is a social dance song that comes from the African American (Gullah) traditions of South Carolina and the Georgia Sea Isles. That song is also known as "Ranky Tank", "The Old Lady From Booster", and "The Old Lady From Brewster".
The earliest recordings of "Ranky Tanky" that I've found are from the 1970s. However, that song may have been composed in the late 19th century before the end of the United States Civil War. [Read the update below for a version of this song from around 1963.]
There are different versions of "Ranky Tanky". Each example of that song that I've found include the phrase "ranky tank" or "ranky tanky".
WHAT RANKY TANKY MEANS
"Ranky tanky" (or "ranky tank") is
- a phrase that refers to certain styles of dancing.
- the name of a particular family of social dance songs which include the repeated use of that phrase .
- an exhortation to do the "ranky tanky" dance, and/or an exhortation to "to dance well" (using contemporary slang "to dance funky").
Also, notice in the Georgia Sea Isles version of "Ranky Tanky" (given below) that "rank" and "rankin" are used as a verb:
"I'm goin' to rank/ Ranky tank.../See me a-rankin'/ Ranky Tank"
-snip-
It's likely that these definitions of the word "rank" resulted in the use of that word for a form of dancing that in those times was probably considered to be risque:
COMMENTS ABOUT THE WORD "RANK" AND THE PHRASE "RANKY TANKY"
The word "rank" is the base word in "ranky tanky" (or "ranky tank"). Here are some definitions of the word "rank" as used in the phrase "ranky tanky" (or "ranky tank")
From http://www.elook.org/dictionary/rank.html:
[adjective] very fertile; producing profuse growth; "rank earth"
[adjective] very offensive in smell or taste; "a rank cigar"
[adjective] growing profusely; "rank jungle vegetation"
-snip-
The phrase "Ranky tanky" or "ranky tank" is an example of reduplication. Here's a definition of reduplication from http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/reduplication.html:
Reduplication:
"The repeating of parts of words to make new forms is called reduplication. There are various categories of this: rhyming, exact and ablaut (vowel substitution). Examples, are respectively, okey-dokey, wee-wee and zig-zag. The impetus for the coining of these seems to be nothing more than the enjoyment of wordplay. The words that make up these reduplicated idioms often have little meaning in themselves and only appear as part of a pair. In other cases, one word will allude to some existing meaning and the other half of the pair is added for effect or emphasis."
HOW THE "RANKY TANKY" DANCE MOVEMENT MAY HAVE BEEN PERFORMED
In the late 19th or early 20th century Gullah traditions where the "ranky tanky" family of songs originated, "Ranky tank" apparently referred to a certain style of dancing. There are different descriptions of how the "ranky tanky" was danced. In the record notes for the song "Old Lady From Booster", collected in St. John's Island, South Carolina in 1970, the writer describes a line game that is performed this way:
The players stand with their feet slightly apart. Throughout this game, both feet tap out the following pattern: left, right, left, right, right moving slightly to the right on the last tap. The last tap then becomes the first tap of the second pattern, thus, line 5 has the right, left, right, left left moving slightly to the left on the last tap. Continue the foot patterns to the rhythm of the song until the end. Place hands on the different parts of the body mentioned in the song. Source: http://media.smithsonianfolkways.org/liner_notes/folkways/FW03840.pdf "St John’s Island, South Carolina: It’s People And Songs"
In the 1972 book Step It Down: Games, Plays, Songs, and Stories from the Afro-American Heritage (Bessie Jones and Bess Lomax Hawes: Athens, Georgia, The University of Georgia Press, 1972, pp. 129-130) the "ranky tanky" dance is described this way:
The Islanders had learned the "Ranky Tank" from the people of nearby Sapelo Island; no one was sure just how the dance was organized. but the chant and step was remembered. The step itself would be called a "buzz" step by dance teachers; the weight is keep on one foot while the other toe pushes the dancer along, very much like the motion of a child riding a scooter. The weighted foot "chugs" the offbeat. The dancer can progress either to the right or to the left (depending on which foot is carrying the weight) and in a straight line or around in a circle.
That Georgia Sea Isles description of "Ranky Tanky" reminds me of this 1980s Hip-Hop dance:
How to Do The Running Man
Uploaded by livestrong on Jun 24, 2009
The running man is a hip hop fundamental dance move...
-snip-
Is the "Running Man" a 1980s recreation of the 1970s and maybe as old as the late 19th century "Ranky tank" dance? It's possible.
"RANKY TANK" USED AS AN EXHORTATION
In each of the renditions of "Ranky Tanky" that I have found, the song includes a call & response portion in which the group says "Ranky tanky!" (or "Ranky tank!"). For instance, here are the lyrics to the Bessie Jones (Georgia Sea Isle) version of "Ranky Tank":
LYRICS
Lead Voice - Oh, ranky tank
Group Voice- Ranky tank
Lead Voice - Oh, ranky tank
Group Voice- Ranky tank
Papa's goin' to rank
Ranky tank.
Mama's goin' to rank.
Ranky tank.
Down in the cornfield,
Ranky tank.
I'm goin' to rank.
Ranky tank.
Sun is hot,
Rank tank.
See me a-rankin',
Rank tank.
Oh, ranky tank,
Rank tank.
Oh, ranky tank,
Rank tank.
[book citation given above]
-snip-
It's likely that the phrase "ranky tanky" was used as a general exhortation to dancers the same way as the 1970s African American vernacular phrases "Get Down!", "Let it all hang out!", and "Ah Sukie Sukie!" None of those phrases are meant to be taken literally. "Do that funky dance!" and "Get funky!" are equivalent exhortations which also originated in African American culture. Another equivalent exhortation from contemporary African American culture is "Work it! Work it!"
I believe that "Ranky tanky!" may have come to mean the same thing as "Get funky" and each of those other exhortations - "to dance skillfully and with flair in an free, unrestrained manner. Of course, prudish people would probably consider those dancing styles to be "dirty" or "improper", but they don't know the value of being funky.
-snip-
One video of people doing "ranky tanky" dance moves is given at the beginning of this post. Here's an additional video of "Ranky Tanky":
Rani Arbo & Daisy Mayhem - Valley Stage '07 - Ranky Tanky
Uploaded by elcabi on May 12, 2008
****
Editor's Note
As an aside, the Caribbean Dancehall music's use of the word "ranks" as a last name for vocalists (such as in "Shabby Ranks" and "Cutty Ranks") is different than the use of the base word "rank" in "ranky tanky". In the case of Dancehall music, the last name "ranks" comes from this definition of that word:
Rank -"a high or eminent status"
Source for definition: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/rank
****
RELATED LINK
Click http://cocojams.com/content/ranky-tanky-early-song-examples-theories-about-meanings for more information about "Ranky Tanky" songs, for words to six renditions of those songs, and for four videos of "Ranky Tanky" songs.
****
UPDATE 12/15/2012
Hat tip to Dan Greenwood, who performs a version of "Old Lady From Booster". I received the following information from Dan in two emails:
"The version I referenced is sung by National Heritage Fellow Mrs. Janie Hunter, collected by Guy and Candie Carawan on John's Island in the early/mid '60s and later released on the 'Been In the Storm So Long' CD"
http://www.folkways.si.edu/been-in-the-storm-so-long-spirituals-folk-tales-and-childrens-games-from-johns-island-sc/african-american-music-spoken-gospel/music/album/smithsonian Been in the Storm So Long: A Collection of Spirituals, Folk Tales and Children's Games from Johns Island, South Carolina, Various Artists SFW40031
http://www.amazon.com/Been-The-Storm-Long-Collection/dp/B000001DHJ has a brief sound sample A sound file & MP3 purchase link to that song (credited to The Moving Star Hall Singers)
Here's that version of "Old Lady From Booster":
The old lady come from Booster.
She had two hens and a rooster.
The rooster died.
The old lady cried.
He* couldn't get egg like he use ta.
Oh ma,** you look so.
Oh pa,*** you look so.
Who been here since I will gone?
Two little boy with the blue cap on.
Hang **** him on the hickory stick.
Ranky tanky done***** my shoe
The buffalo boy ****** want to buy it back.
Pain in the hip
Pain in my knee.
My leg
Ranky tanky
Pain in my elbow
Ranky tanky
Ranky tanky
Pain in my shoulder
Ranky tanky
Pain in my neck
Ranky tanky
Pain in my head
Ranky tanky
You'll didn't hear?
The old lady come from Booster.
He couldn't tell the news like he use ta.
[singers start giggling.]
*The pronoun "he" is also used for females.
Old lady come from Booster
** This word sounds like "my", but I think it's "ma".
*** This word sound like "pie", but I think it's "pa".
**** This word might be "hit".
***** "done my shoe" - took my shoe?; In that line "Ranky Tanky" appears to be used as a person's name or nickname.
****** Buffalo boy - I wonder if this could be a referent for a Black soldier (Buffalo soldier) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_Soldier
-snip-
Here's a link to a sound file of Dan Greenwood's group's rendition of "Old Lady From Booster". That example is based on the version of this song that was sung by Mrs. Janie Hunter: https://soundcloud.com/#lonesomedstringband/old-lady-from-booster
Thanks Dan Greenwood for that information & example!
****
Thank you for visiting pancocojams.
Your comments are welcome.
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