Pebbles And Bam Bam (Military Cadence)

Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest revision - January 3, 2023

This pancocojams post showcases examples of the military cadence entitled "Pebbles And Bam Bam".

The content of this post is provided for folkloric, cultural, entertainment, and educational purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to those who are featured in these videos and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
Pebbles and Bam Bam are fictional characters from the American animated television series The Flintstones. Here's information about that television series:
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Flintstones
"The Flintstones is an animated, prime-time American television sitcom that was broadcast from September 30, 1960, to April 1, 1966, on ABC. The show was produced by Hanna-Barbera. The Flintstones was about a working-class Stone Age man's life with his family and his next-door neighbor and best friend.

The show's continuing popularity rested heavily on its juxtaposition of modern everyday concerns in the Stone Age setting.[2][3] The Flintstones was the most financially successful network animated franchise for three decades, until The Simpsons debuted.[4] In 2013, TV Guide ranked The Flintstones the second Greatest TV Cartoon of All Time (after The Simpsons ranked at first).[5]"

[...]

Pebbles Flintstone is The Flintstones' infant daughter, who is born near the end of the third season.

[...]

Bamm-Bamm Rubble is the Rubbles' abnormally strong adopted son, whom they adopt during the fourth season; his name comes from the only phrase he ever speaks as a baby: "Bamm, Bamm!" "....
-snip-
Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pebbles_Flintstone for more information about Pebbles Flintstone and click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamm-Bamm_Rubble for more information about "Bam Bam".

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THE SONG SOURCE FOR "PEBBLES AND BAM BAM" MILITARY CADENCES 
. I believe that the "Pebbles And Bam Bam" cadence has its source in the children's rhyme "Ten Little Angels All Dressed In White". That rhyme is the first verse in the earliest known version of the Black American secular dance song "Raise A Ruckus Tonight". Instead of "Ten little angels", the referent in that song is "two  little "n words".

Here is a version of Raise A "Ruckus Tonight" from Thomas W. Talley's Negro Folk Rhymes, originally published in 1922, p. 90.
electronic book http://www.gutenberg.org/files/27195/27195-h/27195-h.htm

I am using N----rs for the group referent since that referent is probably even less politically correct now than it was in 1922. Otherwise, this is as Talley presented it.

"Two liddle N----rs all dressed in white,
Raise a rucus to-night)
Want to get to Heaben on de tail of a kite.
(Raise a rucus to-night)
De kite string broke; dem N----rs fell;
(Raise a rucus to-night)
Wha dem N----rs go, I hain't gwineter tell.
(Raise a rucus to-night)"

-end of quote-

The "Pebbles And Bam Bam" military cadence was probably created by someone in the United States military in the 1980s* based on the "Ten Little Angels All Dressed In White"' children's rhyme or based on that first verse for that "Raise A Ruckus" dance song.  However, the "Pebbles And Bam Bam" United States military cadence uses the tune for the 19th century Black American secular song "Hambone". The "Hambone" tune is also used for other  United States military cadences such as "Mama Mama Can't You See". However, the tempo for both of those military cadences are slower than the tempos for the "Hambone" song and the "Mama Mama Can't You See" children's rhyme.

The "Ten Little Angels All Dressed In White" children's rhyme has a different tune and a much faster tempo than the "Pebbles And Bam Bam" military cadence. I don't know the name of the tune that is used for the "Ten Little Angels All Dressed In White" children's song.  

I haven't come across any "Pebbles And Bam Bam" children's rhymes. However, there is a  cumulative children's rhyme entitled "When Pebbles Was A Baby". That rhyme is based on the children's rhyme "When Susie Was A Baby" and is different from the "Pebbles And Bam Bam" military cadence.
-snip-

Several commenters in the YouTube discussion thread about the "Pebbles And Bam Bam" military cadence https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56-IUTPmt34&t=30s "ARMY BLUES ‼️‼️ Pebbles and bam bam published by Stevie Metts, Dec. 20, 2018 wrote that they remember  this cadence from the 1980s and 1990s.  1984 was the earliest date that some of these commenters gave for when they remembered this cadence.

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TEXT EXAMPLES OF THE PEBBLES AND BAM BAM" CADENCE

Example #1:
From http://www.armystudyguide.com/content/Prep_For_Basic_Training/Prep_for_basic_general_information/common-marching-cadence.shtml

"PEBBLES AND BAM BAM
[common marching cadence]

Pebbles and Bam-Bam on a Friday night
Trying to get to heaven on a paper kite
Lighting struck (Boom) and down they fell (Ahhh)
Instead of getting to heaven, they went straight to hell

Dino the dog (Ruff Ruff) was on the bone (Chomp Chomp)
While Fred and Barney rock the microphone
There was nothing that Fred or Barney could do
'cept sing "Yabba daba daba daba daba daaaaaba do!" "
-snip-
"Yabba daba do!" is a signature yell from "The Flintstones" television show/movies.

The lyrics for the YouTube video that is given as Example #1 and Example #2 below are almost the same as these lyrics.

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Example #2:
From http://www.sndhight.com/1cadences.htm#Pebbles and Bam-Bam

"PEBBLES AND BAM-BAM

This is a running cadence taught to me in Germany, about 1987. Like all running cadences, the runners simply repeat each line after the cadence caller sings it. Both the content and the melody, however, are highly unusual. The rhythm, of course, is not, and this song could be made to fit any standard "jody" with no trouble.

Wing-dang wing-dang wing-dang-do
Come on First Sergeant, sing along, too;
Wing-dang wing-dang wing-dang dee
Come on ev'rybody sing along with me . . .

Pebbles and Bam-Bam on a Friday night,
Y' know they tried to get to Heaven on a paper kite.
Lightning struck, and down they fell,
Y'know instead of gettin' to Heaven they went to Hell.

Dino the dog was on the bone,
While Fred and Barney rocked the microphone.

Betty didn't know it, but she heard the shout,
It was Mr. Slate a-cussin' Wilma out.

Fred didn't know exactly what to do,
He shouted "Yabba-dabba-dabba-dabba-doo!"

He shouted "Yabba-dabba-dabba-dabba-doo!"

You caught me walkin' when I shoulda been runnin',
Caught me runnin' when I shoulda been walkin',
Caught me shirkin' when I shoulda been workin',
Caught me workin' when I shoulda been shirkin'.
-snip-
"Jody" ("jodies") is a general term for United States military cadences. The character is a womanizing man who is the featured character in some African American secular songs & in some military cadences.

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SHOWCASE VIDEO EXAMPLES

Example #1: Live U.S Army Cadence Rocking the House

 

Team Stay Motivated,  Sep 19, 2016

These Warriors are camo up and headed to chow right after their final inspection prior to Vic Forge... they are Inspired, Motivated, and are on their last push to complete basic training... This is your future Leaders that will protect your families and you at night and protecting you from harms way... Strive for Greatness!!!
-snip-
This video features an Army platoon marching in place indoors to a medley of cadences. The cadences are led by a Black Staff Sergeant [please correct this designation if it is wrong.)
  
The "Pebbles And Bam Bam" cadence begins at 3:09 in this video and ends at 4:29. 

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Example #2: Pebbles And Bam Bam

LemonWire, August 16, 2022

Pebbles and Bam Bam · LemonWire Government Issued Military Cadence's, Vol. 2 -snip-
In this video, the girls said “Bam Bam went to jail” instead of saying the word “hell” which is appears to be the usual word that is sung. .
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Example #3: Flintstone Army Cadance



DShabazz7's channel, Published March 3, 2013

My kids having fun
-snip-
In this video, the girls said “Bam Bam went to jail” instead of saying the word “hell” which is appears to be the usual word that is sung. .

Here's a comment from this video's discussion thread:
forseti52, 2014
" I heard a scream...I heard a Shout!... " it was Mr. Slater puching Willma out.." lol I remeber this from being in basic. One of my Drill Sgts. did this cadance."

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