Latest update- April 2, 2024
This is the fourth page of an alphabetical collection of chants and songs from historically Black Greek letter organizations (BGLOs).
This page includes examples beginning with K- N.
Click
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/03/examples-of-historically-black.html for Numbers to B
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/03/examples-of-historically-black_16.html for C-F
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/03/examples-of-historically-black_17.html for G-J
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/03/examples-of-historically-black_53.html for O-R
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/03/examples-of-historically-black_75.html for S-V
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/03/examples-of-historically-black_65.html for W-Z
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The majority of these chants are from the nine university based, historically Black Greek fraternities and sororities that are informally referred to as "the Divine Nine". Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Pan-Hellenic_Council for information about the fraternities and sororities which are referred to by this term.
Examples in this compilation that are given without attribution are from visitors to my now retired cultural website cocojams.com.
The content of this post is presented for folkloric and cultural purposes.
Thanks to all those organizations whose chants and songs are featured in this collection. Also, thanks to all those who directly contributed examples of these chants & songs to my now retired website.
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DISCLAIMER: This series is not meant to be a complete list of Black Greek letter organization chants and songs.
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More information about these examples and additional selected examples of historically Black Greek organization chants, songs, and culture can be found in other pancocojams posts which can be assessed by clicking the tags found below.
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Note: Greek letter organization chants should only be recited or performed by persons who are affiliated with the specific organization from which the chant comes.
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EXAMPLES (K - N)
Examples with the same title or first line are given in relative chronological order based on their posting date, their retrieval online or collection date by me, or the date that I recall learning or hearing the examples.
K, L
KAPPAMAN
Kappaman, wakes up early Sunday morning
Kappaman, Learns his lessons oh so weeeeeeeeelllllllllllll
Kappaman, he would love to tell the story
He'll say, "Yo Nupe"
K-A-Psi, Oh My Phi Nu Pi
"Yo Nupe", That's Achievement until the day I die"
"Yo Nupe", I love to hear that Kappaman Krrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyyyyyy
Kappaman, ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Someone komplete the rest.....
Pledging days, Oh So Ruggedddddddddd!!!!!!!!
-K_i_A NUPE; http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=99226&page=4, Kappa Stroller Chants; 4/9/2009
-snip-
Editor:
The musical inspiration for this Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. song is the R&B song "Grandma's Hands" by Bill Withers.
Here's a video of another version of the fraternity song "Kappa Man":
Kappa Man video (sung by Jonathan Hicks)
Uploaded by KeMac1911 on Apr 11, 2011
Tribute to Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. (by Ken McCain)
-snip-
A comment on this YouTube comment thread indicates that this song is on a CD called "Kappa Klassics"
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KAPPA SWEETHEART
I went to England to visit the Queen
she saw I was a NUPE and krowned me king
I threw her the YO,
she played the part
now the Queen of England is a KAPPA SWEETHEART...
- ONE PM (Gulfport, MS), http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=99226&page=2
-snip-
Members of the historically Black Greek letter fraternity Kappa Alpha Psi refer to themselves as "Nupes" - from Kappa Alpha Nu, the first name that they had chosen for that fraternity https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kappa_Alpha_Psi.
"Yo" refers to a signature call for Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.
Notice that fraternity's custom of substituting a "k" for a "c" in honor of the first letter of their organization's name.
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KING TUT (Version #1)
King Tut went to Egypt the other day
To Check out the greeks that were coming his way
He saw the Ques, and he said thay acted like a fool
He saw the Kappas, and he said that they were not cute
He saw the Sigmas, and he said that they made him sick
Then he saw the A-PHI!, and he made his pick
-ENewton; http://www.stophazing.org/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=7;t=000243, 09-30-2005
-snip-
This is an Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc. chant, King Tut refers to Egyptian Pharoah Tutankhamun.
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KING TUT (Version #2)
All: My-y-y old King Tut
was the very first Greek,
a-a-h when he clapped his hands
he had the ladies at his feet.
A-a-h, Tut, Tut, Tut,
a-a-h, Tut, Tut, Tut.
One brother: I said
All: When he saw the Sigmas,
it made him mad.
When he saw the Kappas,
it made him mad.
A-a-h, when he saw the Ques,
it made him sick.
When he saw the frat,
then he had to pledge quick.
A-a-h, Tut, Tut, Tut,
He had a black and gold whip
and a black and gold cane,
then he came up
a-a-h with this black and gold name.
A-ha-h A Phi A,
A Phi A,
A Phi A,
-Alpha Phi Alpha, East Tennessee State University, quoted from Soulstepping: African American Step Shows by Elizabeth C. Fine; originally from Thompson, "Aesthetic of Cool", 95-96, transcription by Jane Woodside pf videotape of Dance Heritage Festival, 6 April 1991, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City
-snip-
Here's a video of a very similar version of this chant:
King Tut and Finale - Spring 2011 - Beta Iota Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Uploaded by Linwoodwoodley on May 17, 2011
Recorded on March 18, 2011 using a Flip Video camcorder.
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KING TUT (Version #3)
...I'm suprised I can remember some of these!
Good thing back then was...we could chant at each other all night and NOT have any conflicts! You'd usually see the same ones chanting back and forth at each other at a party later out in the parking lot drinking together.
One of my favorites was
Ol' King Tut he was the very first frat,
And when he clapped his hands he rocked the house
like that....ahhhh tut...tut...tut...King Tut
ahhh tut...tut...tuh...King Tut,
He looked at the Kappas and it made him mad,
He looked at the Sigmas and it made him sad,
He looked at the Ques and it made him sick,
But when he saw that ALPHA he had to pledge it quick
ahhhh tut.....ahhhh tut.....ahhhh tut!!!
- robelite, http://onolympus.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=life&action=print&thread=, E-Greek Chant Off, Mar 5, 2008
WARNING: A number of examples on that page include profanity, explicit sexual references, and homophobic references.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/08/examples-of-alpha-phi-alpha-chant-king.html for a post about this Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity chant.
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LEFT AND RIGHT
I've got Sigma to the left of me,
Gamma to the right of me,
Rho to the back of me,
I've got SGRho all over my body.
-http://ms_quiet.tripod.com/chants.html, retrieved 12/8/2012
-snip-
This is a Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc chant.
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LOOK OVER THERE
... on my yard all the Deltas and Zetas where real tight I guess it depends on what yard your on.
Ok
Heres an old one
Look over there and tell me whose supreme
(echo)
its the blue and the white
and the pink and green
Look over there and tell whose ahead
(echo)
its the blue and the white and crimson and creme
Look over there and tell me whose got soul (echo) - its the blue and the white and the blue and gold.
Look out look out look out look out ohhhhh
Then it goes onto some other things cant exactly remember.
-zeta 4 life, ://www.stophazing.org/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=7;t=000243, Frat/Soror Chants, 9/29/2005
M,N
MAKE WAY THE Q TRAIN IS COMIN
Make way the Q train is comin
Make way the Q train is comin
Make way the Q train is comin
And you don’t want to be left behind.
-posted by Azizi Powell, 12/2005
-snip-
I heard this Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. song at step shows I attended in the 1990s in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and from viewing various step show tapes from that decade.
The song is based on the African American spirituals about the gospel train. These spirituals warn people to get on board the gospel train because they don’t want to be left behind.
This Omega Psi Phi, Inc. song is usually started by a brotha with a deep, melodious voice.
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MAMA MAMA CAN'T YOU SEE
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. Eta Lambda Chapter SPR 22 NIP
Marla Shinault, Apr 10, 2022
Each line is echoed one time as given in the first verse
begins with humming while moving forward in two vertical lines standing a
little apart from each other
Mama mama don’t you know
(Mama mama don’t you know)
I’m a Delta now you know
{I’m a Delta now you know)
Wear that crimson and crème
that is every woman’s dream
Mama Mama can’t you see
My heart belongs to DST
Wear that crimson and crème
that is every woman’s dream
Mama Mama don’t you cry
I’ll be a Delta till I die
Wear that crimson and crème
that is every woman’s dream
[Begin humming again and then repeat these verse until 2:47 in this video. ]
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MANY ARE CALLED
Many are called but the chosen are few
Don’t be mad your not a Sigma, too
You hate me cause you ain’t me
Now bow down to the Rho and let my Sorors through
- http://ms_quiet.tripod.com/chants.html
-snip-
This is a Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. chant.
-snip-
Among Black Greek letter organizations, "Sigma" appears to be most often used as a referent for the fraternity Phi Beta Sigma. However, members of the sorority Sigma Gamma Rho, Inc. also refer to themselves as "Sigmas".
-snip-
The first line of this chant is an adaptation of the New Testament Biblical verse Matthew 22:14 "For many are invited, but few are chosen."
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MASTERPIECE
Sigma Gamma Rho is the way to go
We’re gonna break it down so that you know
We’re not the first sorority, but that matters least
Because there’s three rough drafts
before the masterpiece
- from http://ms_quiet.tripod.com/chants.html
retreived 12/8/2012
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NO ONE CAN DO IT LIKE WE CAN
No one can do it like we can!
We are the baddest in the land!
We are the educated, motivated,
Skin tight, mo' hype, hard workin',
Blood sweatin', all up in yo' world reckin'
Ladies of LADIES OF SGRHO! EEEEEEEEEEEE-YIP!
- http://greeks.astate.edu/sigmagammarho/chants.htm, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. chants, retrieved 6/22/2010
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NOW DO YOU WONDER WHY WE PLEDGED OMEGA PSI PHI
during probate show we had our lamps sing in a raspy voice and say while stepping
"Now do you wonder why we pledged Omega Psi Phi,
we pledged with heart and soul
we love that purple and gold.
(repeat)
then you go to Omega Psi Phi iii
Oh let ah me see ah see what?
Your funky four corner step
a funky four step"
...you put your individual chapter's [step] moves in there
-dimp ; 10/12/2006
-snip-
http://www.greekcreations.com/funfeatures_content/glossary_01.html is a glossary of fraternity & sorority terms. According to that glossary, a "probate show" is "A term used by NPHC (National Pan-Hellenic Council} groups to designate the time when new members of such groups come out to the campus to be revealed to other students".
"Lamps" is the referent used for Omega Psi Phi, Inc.'s "pledges" (men who are "pledging" that fraternity).
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/04/four-corners-funky-four-corners-dances.html for a pancocojams post about the Ques' "funky four corners" step.
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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Among Black Greek letter organizations, "Sigma" appears to be most often used as a referent for the fraternity Phi Beta Sigma. However, members of the sorority Sigma Gamma Rho, Inc. also refer to themselves as "Sigmas".
-snip-
The first line of this chant is an adaptation of the New Testament Biblical verse Matthew 22:14 "For many are invited, but few are chosen."
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MASTERPIECE
Sigma Gamma Rho is the way to go
We’re gonna break it down so that you know
We’re not the first sorority, but that matters least
Because there’s three rough drafts
before the masterpiece
- from http://ms_quiet.tripod.com/chants.html
retreived 12/8/2012
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NO ONE CAN DO IT LIKE WE CAN
No one can do it like we can!
We are the baddest in the land!
We are the educated, motivated,
Skin tight, mo' hype, hard workin',
Blood sweatin', all up in yo' world reckin'
Ladies of LADIES OF SGRHO! EEEEEEEEEEEE-YIP!
- http://greeks.astate.edu/sigmagammarho/chants.htm, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. chants, retrieved 6/22/2010
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NOW DO YOU WONDER WHY WE PLEDGED OMEGA PSI PHI
during probate show we had our lamps sing in a raspy voice and say while stepping
"Now do you wonder why we pledged Omega Psi Phi,
we pledged with heart and soul
we love that purple and gold.
(repeat)
then you go to Omega Psi Phi iii
Oh let ah me see ah see what?
Your funky four corner step
a funky four step"
...you put your individual chapter's [step] moves in there
-dimp ; 10/12/2006
-snip-
http://www.greekcreations.com/funfeatures_content/glossary_01.html is a glossary of fraternity & sorority terms. According to that glossary, a "probate show" is "A term used by NPHC (National Pan-Hellenic Council} groups to designate the time when new members of such groups come out to the campus to be revealed to other students".
"Lamps" is the referent used for Omega Psi Phi, Inc.'s "pledges" (men who are "pledging" that fraternity).
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/04/four-corners-funky-four-corners-dances.html for a pancocojams post about the Ques' "funky four corners" step.
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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
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