Edited by Azizi Powell
Latest Update - December 10, 2023
This pancocojams post presents a time line of "Wop" Hip Hop dance records.
This post also presents my theory on the origin of the word "Wop" for these dances.
In addition, this pancocojams post showcases selected line dance videos that feature J. Dash's 2007 song "The Wop" and 2012 Lil Chuckee's song "Da Wop".
This post also provides a general description of African American line dancing (which is also referred to as "soul line dancing).
The content of this post is provided for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
This is part of an ongoing pancocojams post on African American dances with the name "Wop". Click the tags below for other pancocojams posts in this series.
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TIME LINE OF "WOP" (HIP HOP DANCE RECORDS)
(added to this post on Dec. 4, 2023)
(Additions and corrections are welcome.)
1956: Do Wop group El Capris recorded the song "Shimmy Shimmy Ko Ko Wop". In 1960 Anthony & The Imperials has a huge hit with their re-tweaked R&B version of that song entitled "Shimmy Shimmy Ko Ko Bop
1986: B Flat - "Woopit)
2007/2011: J Dash - :"Wop"
2012: Lil Chuckee - "Da Wop" (explicit lyrics)
2023: Lil Vada- "Wop It" (explicit lyrics)
-snip-
OTHER SIGNIFICANT TIME STAMPS FOR "WOP" DANCES
(Additions and corrections are welcome.)
2013 - Miley Cyrus's social media video in which she dances the "Wop" and twerks to J Dash's "Wop" record
2013-? -J. Dash's "Wop" record is informally referred to as "Vine's official song" because of the large number of people dancing the Wop to that record on that short form video clip looping ap that was discontinued in January 2017. (Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vine_(service) for information about "Vine")
May 2022 [earliest date? through 2023)- a clip of J Dash's "Wop" record was used for TikTok dance challenges. These compilation videos are also published on YouTube, instagram, and other social media. This dance is also referred to as "Drop It ToThe Floor" and "Wap".
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WHERE DID THE WORD "WOP" COME FROM FOR THESE DANCES?
The term "Wop" in the 1980s/1990s dance "The Wop", the song 2007 titled "The Wop" and the 2012 song titled "Da Wop" probably all come from the syllable "wop" that is used to as a referent for and lyrics in the ub-section of Rhythm & Blues music called "Doo-Wop". In that music the syllables "doo wop" are used to imitate the sound of bass instrumental music.
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doo-wop#Origins_of_name
...["Doo Wop" is] "both a description and category for R&B vocal group harmony.
From the outset, singers gathered on street corners, and in subways, generally in groups of three to six. They sang a cappella arrangements, and used wordless onomatopeia to mimic instruments since instruments were little used: the bass singing "bom-bom-bom", a guitar rendered as "shang-a-lang" and brass riffs as "dooooo -wop-wop".
-snip-
Little Richard's now classic song "Tutti Frutti" is among other 1950s Rhythm & Blues and Rock & Roll songs that include the syllable "wop". The refrain to that song is "Wop bop a loo bop a lop bam boom!" although in earlier versions of that song Little Richard sang it as "Wop bop a loo bop a lop bam bam!" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kM1khne_sg)
That said, the syllable "wop" may have been used then and may be used now simply because of its percussive sound, and the images it can evoke of forcefully flinging something (such as your hips and butt) from side to side.
It should be noted that the use of the syllable "wop" as a referent to a form of R&B music and as titles to R&B dances or songs have nothing whatsoever to do with the pejorative term "Wops".
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LINE DANCES TO J. DASH'S "THE WOP"
Line dances" are choreographed dances that are performed by groups of people who stand in horizontal lines. African Americans usually perform line dances to slow or fast R&B music and to R&B/Hip-Hop musicHip-Hop music. African American line dances are also performed to Rock & Roll music and to Gospel music. One characteristic feature of line dances is that females and males and people of all ages can & often do perform those dances together. In addition to line dance classes, these types of dances are frequently performed at wedding receptions, adult birthday parties, high school and college graduation parties, nightclubs, at exercise classes, at social gatherings devoted to line dancing, and at other types of social events. Non-African Americans also perform R&B/Hip-Hop line dances and other types of line dances (for instance, to Country & Western music) at the same types of venues.
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These videos are posted in chronological order with the videos with the oldest dates posted first.
Example #1: How To Do The Wop (Official Version) *****WOP & NEW ALBUM now on iTunes & Amazon!!!
Stereofame, Uploaded on Jun 25, 2009
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Example #2: J. Dash - WOP Official Video
BeatKiller98, Published on May 3, 2012
WOP WOP WOP WOP WOP WOP WOP WOP
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Example #3: 5 Star May Workshop - W.O.P.
Tempestt Boone, Published on May 29, 2012
5 Star Instructions Line Dance Group monthly workshop held in Hampton Va
Wop Line Dance created by Benita Stewart-Rucker
Music by J Dash- Wop
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/02/nine-soul-line-dances.html for another version of a line dance that is performed to this record.
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LINE DANCES TO J. DASH'S "DA WOP"
These videos are posted in chronological order with the videos with the oldest dates posted first.
Example #1: Little Richard Line Dance
Wendy Jones, Published on May 8, 2013
Stepabovetherest [Omaha, Nebraska]
Lil Chuckee's Da Wop
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Example #2: Line Dance Da wop/Drop
Dawn Avery, Published on Jul 14, 2013
Dancin Deeva's doing "Da wop/Drop" at the Phoenix 70s party
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Example #3: Stand routines - Choreographer Dee Perkins [cheerleading "stand" routine]
HBCUDance, Published on Mar 19, 2013
-snip-
This video is from a cheerleading workshop that preceded the 2013 try-outs that were held the following day for the Albany State University's cheerleading (dance) squad.
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/04/dance-stand-routines-from-hbcu-dance.html for additional examples of these stand routines
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Visitor comments are welcome.
Showing posts with label Hip Hop music and dance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hip Hop music and dance. Show all posts
Saturday, May 17, 2014
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
The Origins And Meanings Of "Shante You Stay" & "Sashay Away"
Edited by Azizi Powell
Lastest Update- January 5, 2025
This pancocojams post provides information about & examples of the use of the statements "Shante, you stay" and "Sashay away" that were coined by entertainer, producer, and entrepreneur Rupaul [RuPaul Andre Charles]. This post also includes my theories about the origins & meanings of those two statements.
The content of this post is provided for cultural and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to RuPaul for his creativity. Thanks also to all those who are featured on these videos and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.
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GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF "SHANTE YOU STAY" AND "SASHAY AWAY"
"Shante you stay" and "Sashay away" are two rhyming statements* that were coined and are being popularized by RuPaul. These statements are regularly featured at the conclusion of the "Lip Sync For your Life" (LSFYL) segment of RuPaul's popular American television series "RuPaul's Drag Race" (2009 to present).
*The first and last word of the first statement rhyme with the first and last word of the second statement. "Shante" is pronounced "shahn-TAY" and "sashay" is pronounced "sah-SHAY".
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GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT RUPAUL
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RuPaul
"RuPaul Andre Charles (born November 17, 1960), best known mononymously as RuPaul, is an American actor, drag queen, model, author, and recording artist, who first became widely known in the 1990s when he appeared in a wide variety of television programs, films, and musical albums. Previously, he was a fixture on the Atlanta and New York City club scenes."...
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RUPAUL'S EARLY USE OF "SHANTE" AND "SASHAY"
The words "shante" and "sashay" are found in the lyrics of RuPaul's 1993 hit House music record "Supermodel (You Better Work It)". "Shante" is pronounced "shahn TAY". Here's a video of that hit record.
Lastest Update- January 5, 2025
This pancocojams post provides information about & examples of the use of the statements "Shante, you stay" and "Sashay away" that were coined by entertainer, producer, and entrepreneur Rupaul [RuPaul Andre Charles]. This post also includes my theories about the origins & meanings of those two statements.
The content of this post is provided for cultural and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to RuPaul for his creativity. Thanks also to all those who are featured on these videos and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.
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GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF "SHANTE YOU STAY" AND "SASHAY AWAY"
"Shante you stay" and "Sashay away" are two rhyming statements* that were coined and are being popularized by RuPaul. These statements are regularly featured at the conclusion of the "Lip Sync For your Life" (LSFYL) segment of RuPaul's popular American television series "RuPaul's Drag Race" (2009 to present).
*The first and last word of the first statement rhyme with the first and last word of the second statement. "Shante" is pronounced "shahn-TAY" and "sashay" is pronounced "sah-SHAY".
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GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT RUPAUL
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RuPaul
"RuPaul Andre Charles (born November 17, 1960), best known mononymously as RuPaul, is an American actor, drag queen, model, author, and recording artist, who first became widely known in the 1990s when he appeared in a wide variety of television programs, films, and musical albums. Previously, he was a fixture on the Atlanta and New York City club scenes."...
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RUPAUL'S EARLY USE OF "SHANTE" AND "SASHAY"
The words "shante" and "sashay" are found in the lyrics of RuPaul's 1993 hit House music record "Supermodel (You Better Work It)". "Shante" is pronounced "shahn TAY". Here's a video of that hit record.
RuPaul - Supermodel (You Better Work) [Official Music Video]
Tommy Boy, Sep 20, 2018
-snip-
Lyrics Excerpt: RuPaul's "Supermodel Of The World"
"I have one thing to say, sashay, shante
Shante, shante, shante
I have one thing to say, sashay shante
Shante, shante, shante"
Click http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/rupaul/supermodel.html for the complete lyrics of this song which was written by Rupaul Charles, Lawrence Thom, and James Harry.
-snip-
Here's some information about RuPaul and the record "Supermodel (Of The World)"
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RuPaul
"In 1993 RuPaul recorded dance/house albums which included Supermodel of the World. They were released through the rap label Tommy Boy, spawning the dance track hit "Supermodel (You Better Work)". The music video was an unexpected success on MTV channels, as grunge and gangsta rap were popular at the time. The song peaked at #45 on the Billboard Hot 100. It further charted on the UK Singles Chart, peaking on the top 40 at #39. The song found the most success peaking at number 2 on the U.S. dance music charts (known as the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart). Airplay, heavy rotation of the music video on the MTV network and television appearances on popular programs like The Arsenio Hall Show popularized the song."...
-snip-
The words "sashay shante" in this song praise & encourage the supermodel [RuPaul] and by extension, other "supermodels" for the style, confidence, and attitude that they exude.
My theories on the origins & meanings of "sashay" and "shante" in the context of the "Supermodel (You Better Work)" record and in the context of "RuPaul's Drag Race" television series are given below.
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INFORMATION ABOUT "RUPAUL'S DRAG RACE"
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RuPaul
"In mid-2008, RuPaul began producing RuPaul's Drag Race, a reality television game show which aired on Logo in February 2009. The premise of the program has several drag queens compete to be selected by RuPaul and a panel of judges as "America's next drag superstar".
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From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RuPaul's_Drag_Race
"RuPaul's Drag Race is an American reality competition television series produced by World of Wonder for Logo. RuPaul plays the roles of host, mentor, and source of inspiration for this series, which details RuPaul's search for "America's next drag superstar...
Common Sense Media commented, "RuPaul's Drag Race combines the fashion design drama of Project Runway with the modeling excitement of America's Next Top Model to create an entertainingly voyeuristic glimpse into the performance art world of drag queens. There's plenty of over-the-top stuff, but rather than simply treating drag performers as people to be laughed at and/or scorned, the show also focuses on the hard work and talent that goes into drag performances...”
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THE USE OF "SHANTE, YOU STAY" AND "SASHAY AWAY" ON "RUPAUL'S DRAG RACE"
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RuPaul's_Drag_Race
"The judges [on "RuPaul's Drag Race"] each provide their opinion on the contestants' performances on the runway and in the main challenge before RuPaul announces which drag queen is the episode's winner and which two had the weakest performances. The day before judging, the contestants are all provided with a song that they must learn the lyrics to. The contestants deemed as being the bottom two must "lip sync for their lives" to a song by a female artist in a final attempt to impress RuPaul. After the lip-sync, RuPaul alone decides who stays and who leaves"...
-snip-
I'm surprised that this Wikipedia article fails to mention the two iconic statements that RuPaul makes at the conclusion of each show's "lip sync for your life" (LSFYL) segment: RuPaul says "Shante, you stay" to the winner and "Sashay away" to the loser (RuPaul often gives some praise to that contestant before saying the dreaded words "Sashay away").
Here are two videos of RuPaul saying "Shante, you stay"..."Sashay Away":
RuPaul Tells An Audience Member to "Sashay Away!"
Queen Latifah, Published on Mar 28, 2014
RuPaul demonstrates how he sends off cast members on "RuPaul's Drag Race" -- "Sashay Away!"
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RuPaul's leitmotive: "Sashay away."
Antonio Casto, Published on Oct 20, 2012
The complete collection (till now) of one of the most unavoidable expressions from the TV show "RuPaul's Drag Race". Hope never have to hear that just for you.
Shante, shante, shante
I have one thing to say, sashay shante
Shante, shante, shante"
Click http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/rupaul/supermodel.html for the complete lyrics of this song which was written by Rupaul Charles, Lawrence Thom, and James Harry.
-snip-
Here's some information about RuPaul and the record "Supermodel (Of The World)"
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RuPaul
"In 1993 RuPaul recorded dance/house albums which included Supermodel of the World. They were released through the rap label Tommy Boy, spawning the dance track hit "Supermodel (You Better Work)". The music video was an unexpected success on MTV channels, as grunge and gangsta rap were popular at the time. The song peaked at #45 on the Billboard Hot 100. It further charted on the UK Singles Chart, peaking on the top 40 at #39. The song found the most success peaking at number 2 on the U.S. dance music charts (known as the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart). Airplay, heavy rotation of the music video on the MTV network and television appearances on popular programs like The Arsenio Hall Show popularized the song."...
-snip-
The words "sashay shante" in this song praise & encourage the supermodel [RuPaul] and by extension, other "supermodels" for the style, confidence, and attitude that they exude.
My theories on the origins & meanings of "sashay" and "shante" in the context of the "Supermodel (You Better Work)" record and in the context of "RuPaul's Drag Race" television series are given below.
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INFORMATION ABOUT "RUPAUL'S DRAG RACE"
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RuPaul
"In mid-2008, RuPaul began producing RuPaul's Drag Race, a reality television game show which aired on Logo in February 2009. The premise of the program has several drag queens compete to be selected by RuPaul and a panel of judges as "America's next drag superstar".
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From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RuPaul's_Drag_Race
"RuPaul's Drag Race is an American reality competition television series produced by World of Wonder for Logo. RuPaul plays the roles of host, mentor, and source of inspiration for this series, which details RuPaul's search for "America's next drag superstar...
Common Sense Media commented, "RuPaul's Drag Race combines the fashion design drama of Project Runway with the modeling excitement of America's Next Top Model to create an entertainingly voyeuristic glimpse into the performance art world of drag queens. There's plenty of over-the-top stuff, but rather than simply treating drag performers as people to be laughed at and/or scorned, the show also focuses on the hard work and talent that goes into drag performances...”
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THE USE OF "SHANTE, YOU STAY" AND "SASHAY AWAY" ON "RUPAUL'S DRAG RACE"
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RuPaul's_Drag_Race
"The judges [on "RuPaul's Drag Race"] each provide their opinion on the contestants' performances on the runway and in the main challenge before RuPaul announces which drag queen is the episode's winner and which two had the weakest performances. The day before judging, the contestants are all provided with a song that they must learn the lyrics to. The contestants deemed as being the bottom two must "lip sync for their lives" to a song by a female artist in a final attempt to impress RuPaul. After the lip-sync, RuPaul alone decides who stays and who leaves"...
-snip-
I'm surprised that this Wikipedia article fails to mention the two iconic statements that RuPaul makes at the conclusion of each show's "lip sync for your life" (LSFYL) segment: RuPaul says "Shante, you stay" to the winner and "Sashay away" to the loser (RuPaul often gives some praise to that contestant before saying the dreaded words "Sashay away").
Here are two videos of RuPaul saying "Shante, you stay"..."Sashay Away":
RuPaul Tells An Audience Member to "Sashay Away!"
Queen Latifah, Published on Mar 28, 2014
RuPaul demonstrates how he sends off cast members on "RuPaul's Drag Race" -- "Sashay Away!"
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RuPaul's leitmotive: "Sashay away."
Antonio Casto, Published on Oct 20, 2012
The complete collection (till now) of one of the most unavoidable expressions from the TV show "RuPaul's Drag Race". Hope never have to hear that just for you.
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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTES ABOUT THE ORIGINS & MEANINGS OF "SASHAY; SASHAY AWAY"
The American word "sashay" comes from the French word "chassé". However, that dance movement isn't the same movement that RuPaul refers to in his 1993 "Supermodel (You Better Work)" record. Nor is chassé the same movement that RuPaul means when he says "Sashay away" on his television series.
The American vernacular meaning of "to sashay" is "to switch your hips while walking; to "(to 'strut your stuff" (to walk like you are on the catwalk, a fashion models' runway.)
"To sashay away" specifically means to leave the RuPaul's Drag Race competition (or, by extension, "to leave any location by strutting away in a super-confident manner (walking like a fierce* supermodel).
*"Fierce" = exceptionally good
-snip-
UPDATE: April 6, 2016
Hat tip to Myron, April 5, 2016 at 9:24 PM for this information:
..."There is one theory that I did not see here, is that in old movies, a "chassé away" was used to dramatically (and nonsensically) exit a scene after a character was proved wrong and tries to flee in a funny way to emphasize their avoidance. A sort of dance away from a situation. It would be a chassé because the actor had to still face the camera.
Drag queen performances base themselves on the dramatic approach of things, the parody, so I thought it would be a reference to that (I mean pun intended, you would chassé away after being dragged, in a context of a movie). The prononciation "Sashay" is just an evolution of the word, it does not affect the alliteration fortunately."...
-snip-
I think the "chassé away" in old movies probably did influence Ru Paul's use of that phrase in Ru Paul's Drag Race. I didn't know about that usage when I first published this post.
Thanks, Myron!
end of this update.
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MY SPECULATIONS ABOUT THE ORIGINS OF THE WORD "SHANTE"
The use of word "shante" in the lyrics to RuPaul's 1993 "Supermodel (You Better Work)" record comes from the 1990 movie "Paris Is Burning" (which was filmed in the mid to late 1980s).
Here's a quote about "Paris Is Burning" that was posted by Caress, 3/12/2006 on the blog
http://highcamp.blogspot.com/2006/03/it-burns-i-tell-you-for-love-of-god.html
..."Paris is Burning uncovers a hidden world that gobsmacked me by the terms used...
An MC rules the roost at the ball giving the performers walking music along the lines of Cheryl Lynn's Got To Be Real or Diana Ross' Love Hangover. He calls out as they walk "Shante, Shante Shante!!"
-snip-
I believe that the selection of the name "Shante" as an exclamation to praise fierce queens who were "sashaying" and voguing during the New York City drag queen balls stems from that name being popularized during that time in New York City by "Roxanne Shanté".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roxanne_Shant%C3%A9
"Roxanne Shanté (born Lolita Shanté Gooden; November 9, 1969) is an American Hip hop pioneer. Born and raised in the Queensbridge Projects of Queens, New York City, Shanté first gained attention through the Roxanne Wars and her association with the Juice Crew. [Years active: 1984–present]"...
-snip-
[revised May 14, 2016]
The name "Shante" was also popularized in late 1990s by two R&B singers Chantay Savage and Chanté Moore.
Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chantay_Savage for information about Chantay Savage and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chant%C3%A9_Moore for information about Chanté Moore.
Chanté Moore is best known for the 1999 song "Chante's Got A Man".
-snip-
Eliza Dinwiddie-Boyd, editor of the 1994 book lists "Chanté" and "Chantay" as variations of the French female name "Chantel" which means "singer". The other variant forms of the name "Chantel"
that Dinwiddle-Boyd cites are "Chantell", "Chauntel", "Chantalle", Chantrell", "Chauntae", "Chanta", and "Chaunte". That editor cites R&B singers Chanté Moore and Chantay Savage as famous examples of females with that name. Dinwiddle-Boyd also writes that "Variations of this name [the name Chantel] are especially popular among contemporary black parents". [page 259]
Other variations of the female name "Chante" that I've come across
are "Shontae" and "Shontay". And, although it occurs much less often, the name "Shontae" (spelled with an "s") is also given to males. In the early 1990s a Black male who attended the same university as my daughter was named "Shonte". It's likely that that name is a variation of the Irish name "Shawn" (one of the many forms of the name "John".
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THE MEANING OF THE SAYING "SHANTE, YOU STAY"
Here's a quote from https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100329193905AAjQF4Z
"On RuPaul's Drag race, what does "Shante" mean from "shante, you stay"?
One answer: "It's a play on words from RuPaul's hit song "Supermodel". The song's chorus also features RuPaul repeating the phrase "Sashay! Shante!" When asked what it meant to "shante," RuPaul replied that it means "to weave a bewitching spell." In reality, it originates from the documentary Paris Is Burning"
- meep, 2009
If RuPaul actually gave the meaning of "Shante" that is attributed to him in the meep quote, he may have just made that meaning up on the spot because it sounded good. However, I think it's more likely that RuPaul was alluding to how the name "Shante" was used by drag queens in the 1980s as a referent for a queen who was really working the ballroom floor (and thus could be said to be "weaving a bewitching spell" by their image and actions).
Putting aside the use of the name "Shante" by 1980s drag queens in the movie "Paris Is Burning", I believe that it's significant that the first word of both "Shante, you stay" and "Sashay away" begin with the letter "s", resulting in those rhyming sayings forming an aesthetically pleasing alliteration pattern.
However, I don't think that "Shante" in the statement "Shante, you stay" is used as a personal name. Instead, it seems to me that "Shante, you stay" has no real meaning beyond an announcement of the winner of the "Lip-sync For Your Life" segment of "RuPaul's Drag Race".
Here's a quote from that is interesting to me, in part, because that first word in that "RuPaul's Drag Race" saying is spelled "Chanté" and not Shante". [Warning: That page contains profanity.] http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/04/24/rupauls-drag-race-slang-tuck-sickening-and-more-drag-terms.html
"chanté, you stay (interjection): what RuPaul says to the drag queen who is one of the bottom two contestants, but is saved and moves on to the next round after lipsyncing for her life (see also lipsync for life, sashay away).
Stemming from the lyrics of her 1992 dance hit "Supermodel (You Better Work)," it's the equivalent of Heidi Klum's or Ryan Seacrest's "You're safe" on Project Runway and American Idol, respectively."
-snip-
I think that "Shante" is the correct spelling for that name/word as it refers to "RuPaul's Drag Race" because that is the way it was spelled in RuPaul's "Supermodel" record and than name with a beginning "s" fits the pattern of the "s" which begins the word "sashay".
-snip-
(Addition: April 10, 2014)
It occurs to me that I failed to recognize the significance of the fact that prior to RuPaul saying "Shante, you stay" (and "Sashay away") he says the contestant's name. For instance, in Season 6, Episode 7 he said "Trinity, shante, you stay" (and he said "Sashay away" to Laganja.) That's another indication that he isn't using "shante" as a personal name.
If you wanted to use the quote attributed to RuPaul by meep [from the yahoo answers website], his statement to Trinity after that lip synch contest could be given as "Trinity, you weaved the most bewitching spell, [so] you stay." Or, according to my interpretation of the use of the name "Shante" by the "Paris Is Burning" drag queens, RuPaul's statement could be given in long form as "Trinity, you are a fierce queen -or in the context of the lip-sync for your life contest-"You are the fiercest queen (competing in that segment)"- [therefore] you stay".
Either way, the meaning of that "Shante, you stay" statement is much more soulful and is given in a much more soulful manner than just saying "You're safe."
(end of April 10, 2014 addition)
-snip-
UPDATE: April 6, 2016
Hat tip to Myron, April 5, 2016 at 9:24 PM for this information:
..."As for "shantay" I assumed it was a short from "enchanté", which means "charmed" (both in a way to cast a spell, and to be pleased, just like in english)."..
-snip-
I think that the "to be pleased" meaning of "enchanté" (to be captivating?") probably was the source of the word's (name's) use in the Paris Is Burning movie and in Ru-Paul's "Supermodel" record, particularly if that word was "chanted" as a compliment in Paris Is Burning to mean that the drag queen was "enchanting" (pleasing, captivating). And, it seems to me, that that is the meaning that Ru-Paul uses for the phrase, "Shante, you stay". (I'm pleased with you [and/or "You're pleasing/enchanting"] and -therefore- you stay").
Thanks, Myron!
Also, if I've not noted this before, I think that the reason that "Shante, you stay" and "Sashay away" are used together on Ru-Paul's Drag Race is because of their alliteration - both "Shante" and "sashay" have a "sh" sound. Also, I believe that these commands are used together on that program because they rhyme: stay/away.
end of that April 6, 2016 update.
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I should also be noted that there are several conflicting entries for the meaning of the name "Shante" and/or the word "shante" on urbandictionary.com.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=shante for three examples of reader entries for "Shante". For instance, the entry with the most reader points as of this date (April 9, 2014) is this one which was sent in by leesh1545 November 22, 2009
"Shante - A crazy girl with a loud mouth. Shoppaholic. Loves to party and loves Hello Kitty. She's fun and crazy and is loyal to her friends. She has a sense of humor, and is brutally honest. She's a friend you can trust.
"Hey shante, what you doin tonight?"
"Girl, you know i'm goin to the party! Wanna go shopping with me first?"
"Hey shante, how does my outfit look?"
"Like your closet threw up on you. Come with me and i'll fix you"
-snip-
However, I'm very doubtful if those generic referents were used by African Americans prior to the 1980s when "Paris Is Burning" was being filmed or after that time.
****
A COMMENT ABOUT "CHASSE" AND "SASHAY AWAY" FROM A DISCUSSION ABOUT RUPAUL'S DRAG RACE SEASON #6, EPISODE #8
Here's the comment that prompted me to write this post about the meanings of the rhyming statements "Sashay away" and "Shonte, you stay":
From http://www.reddit.com/r/rupaulsdragrace/comments/22hnsr/season_6_episodes_7_8_rupersized_postepisode/
AlbrechtEinstein
Did anyone else catch Laganja's parting shot of "And now I will be the first queen ever to actually chassé away"
And then she chassés out of there*
IDIOT, IT'S SASHAY AWAY!
-snip-
When Laganja lost her lip sync challenge in Season 6, episode #8 and therefore had to leave the stage, she did a chasse ballet step. I think that AlbrechtEinstein dissed Laganja because in spite of the fact that Laganja put on a "hip", street wise persona in all those episodes that she appeared in, she didn't even realize that the ballet chasse isn't what RuPaul meant when he said "Sashay away!". However, another commenter wrote that Laganja probably knew what "sashay" meant, but she was just trying to be clever.
****
UPDATE: Feb. 14, 2017
Here's a Feb. 13, 2017 example of "Sashay Away" from RuPaul to Trump's former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn:
RuPaul ✔ @RuPaul
National Security Adviser
Michael T. Flynn, Sashay Away.
11:37 PM - 13 Feb 2017
-snip-
And here's one response to that tweet:
Hemansu Mangal @Hemansu
@RuPaul Bye Flynnisha!!!
11:43 PM - 13 Feb 2017
Source for both http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/rupaul-michael-flynn_us_58a290eee4b094a129ee5616
-snip-
Background: Trump's White House National Security Adviser Michael Flynn resigned Feb. 13, 2017 over controversy about his communication with Russia both before and after Trump's inauguration.
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/05/how-bye-felicia-became-popular.html for a pancocojams post on how "Bye Felicia Became A Popular Catchphrase".
(end of Feb 14, 2017 update)
****
VIDEO SHOWING MODELS SHASHAYING
Here's a video that showcases what walking on a catwalk (strutting, sashaying) looks like:
Black Fashion Models at The Victoria's Secret Fashion Shows 2001-2003
juniorpetjua, Uploaded on Apr 23, 2010
Black Fashion Models at The Victoria's Secret Fashion Shows 2001-2003:
*Tyra Banks
*Naomi Campbell
*Liya Kebede
*Oluchi Onweagba
*Alek Wek
*Omahyra Mota
****
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Visitor comments are welcome.
The American word "sashay" comes from the French word "chassé". However, that dance movement isn't the same movement that RuPaul refers to in his 1993 "Supermodel (You Better Work)" record. Nor is chassé the same movement that RuPaul means when he says "Sashay away" on his television series.
The American vernacular meaning of "to sashay" is "to switch your hips while walking; to "(to 'strut your stuff" (to walk like you are on the catwalk, a fashion models' runway.)
"To sashay away" specifically means to leave the RuPaul's Drag Race competition (or, by extension, "to leave any location by strutting away in a super-confident manner (walking like a fierce* supermodel).
*"Fierce" = exceptionally good
-snip-
UPDATE: April 6, 2016
Hat tip to Myron, April 5, 2016 at 9:24 PM for this information:
..."There is one theory that I did not see here, is that in old movies, a "chassé away" was used to dramatically (and nonsensically) exit a scene after a character was proved wrong and tries to flee in a funny way to emphasize their avoidance. A sort of dance away from a situation. It would be a chassé because the actor had to still face the camera.
Drag queen performances base themselves on the dramatic approach of things, the parody, so I thought it would be a reference to that (I mean pun intended, you would chassé away after being dragged, in a context of a movie). The prononciation "Sashay" is just an evolution of the word, it does not affect the alliteration fortunately."...
-snip-
I think the "chassé away" in old movies probably did influence Ru Paul's use of that phrase in Ru Paul's Drag Race. I didn't know about that usage when I first published this post.
Thanks, Myron!
end of this update.
****
MY SPECULATIONS ABOUT THE ORIGINS OF THE WORD "SHANTE"
The use of word "shante" in the lyrics to RuPaul's 1993 "Supermodel (You Better Work)" record comes from the 1990 movie "Paris Is Burning" (which was filmed in the mid to late 1980s).
Here's a quote about "Paris Is Burning" that was posted by Caress, 3/12/2006 on the blog
http://highcamp.blogspot.com/2006/03/it-burns-i-tell-you-for-love-of-god.html
..."Paris is Burning uncovers a hidden world that gobsmacked me by the terms used...
An MC rules the roost at the ball giving the performers walking music along the lines of Cheryl Lynn's Got To Be Real or Diana Ross' Love Hangover. He calls out as they walk "Shante, Shante Shante!!"
-snip-
I believe that the selection of the name "Shante" as an exclamation to praise fierce queens who were "sashaying" and voguing during the New York City drag queen balls stems from that name being popularized during that time in New York City by "Roxanne Shanté".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roxanne_Shant%C3%A9
"Roxanne Shanté (born Lolita Shanté Gooden; November 9, 1969) is an American Hip hop pioneer. Born and raised in the Queensbridge Projects of Queens, New York City, Shanté first gained attention through the Roxanne Wars and her association with the Juice Crew. [Years active: 1984–present]"...
-snip-
[revised May 14, 2016]
The name "Shante" was also popularized in late 1990s by two R&B singers Chantay Savage and Chanté Moore.
Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chantay_Savage for information about Chantay Savage and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chant%C3%A9_Moore for information about Chanté Moore.
Chanté Moore is best known for the 1999 song "Chante's Got A Man".
-snip-
Eliza Dinwiddie-Boyd, editor of the 1994 book
that Dinwiddle-Boyd cites are "Chantell", "Chauntel", "Chantalle", Chantrell", "Chauntae", "Chanta", and "Chaunte". That editor cites R&B singers Chanté Moore and Chantay Savage as famous examples of females with that name. Dinwiddle-Boyd also writes that "Variations of this name [the name Chantel] are especially popular among contemporary black parents". [page 259]
Other variations of the female name "Chante" that I've come across
are "Shontae" and "Shontay". And, although it occurs much less often, the name "Shontae" (spelled with an "s") is also given to males. In the early 1990s a Black male who attended the same university as my daughter was named "Shonte". It's likely that that name is a variation of the Irish name "Shawn" (one of the many forms of the name "John".
****
THE MEANING OF THE SAYING "SHANTE, YOU STAY"
Here's a quote from https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100329193905AAjQF4Z
"On RuPaul's Drag race, what does "Shante" mean from "shante, you stay"?
One answer: "It's a play on words from RuPaul's hit song "Supermodel". The song's chorus also features RuPaul repeating the phrase "Sashay! Shante!" When asked what it meant to "shante," RuPaul replied that it means "to weave a bewitching spell." In reality, it originates from the documentary Paris Is Burning"
- meep, 2009
If RuPaul actually gave the meaning of "Shante" that is attributed to him in the meep quote, he may have just made that meaning up on the spot because it sounded good. However, I think it's more likely that RuPaul was alluding to how the name "Shante" was used by drag queens in the 1980s as a referent for a queen who was really working the ballroom floor (and thus could be said to be "weaving a bewitching spell" by their image and actions).
Putting aside the use of the name "Shante" by 1980s drag queens in the movie "Paris Is Burning", I believe that it's significant that the first word of both "Shante, you stay" and "Sashay away" begin with the letter "s", resulting in those rhyming sayings forming an aesthetically pleasing alliteration pattern.
However, I don't think that "Shante" in the statement "Shante, you stay" is used as a personal name. Instead, it seems to me that "Shante, you stay" has no real meaning beyond an announcement of the winner of the "Lip-sync For Your Life" segment of "RuPaul's Drag Race".
Here's a quote from that is interesting to me, in part, because that first word in that "RuPaul's Drag Race" saying is spelled "Chanté" and not Shante". [Warning: That page contains profanity.] http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/04/24/rupauls-drag-race-slang-tuck-sickening-and-more-drag-terms.html
"chanté, you stay (interjection): what RuPaul says to the drag queen who is one of the bottom two contestants, but is saved and moves on to the next round after lipsyncing for her life (see also lipsync for life, sashay away).
Stemming from the lyrics of her 1992 dance hit "Supermodel (You Better Work)," it's the equivalent of Heidi Klum's or Ryan Seacrest's "You're safe" on Project Runway and American Idol, respectively."
-snip-
I think that "Shante" is the correct spelling for that name/word as it refers to "RuPaul's Drag Race" because that is the way it was spelled in RuPaul's "Supermodel" record and than name with a beginning "s" fits the pattern of the "s" which begins the word "sashay".
-snip-
(Addition: April 10, 2014)
It occurs to me that I failed to recognize the significance of the fact that prior to RuPaul saying "Shante, you stay" (and "Sashay away") he says the contestant's name. For instance, in Season 6, Episode 7 he said "Trinity, shante, you stay" (and he said "Sashay away" to Laganja.) That's another indication that he isn't using "shante" as a personal name.
If you wanted to use the quote attributed to RuPaul by meep [from the yahoo answers website], his statement to Trinity after that lip synch contest could be given as "Trinity, you weaved the most bewitching spell, [so] you stay." Or, according to my interpretation of the use of the name "Shante" by the "Paris Is Burning" drag queens, RuPaul's statement could be given in long form as "Trinity, you are a fierce queen -or in the context of the lip-sync for your life contest-"You are the fiercest queen (competing in that segment)"- [therefore] you stay".
Either way, the meaning of that "Shante, you stay" statement is much more soulful and is given in a much more soulful manner than just saying "You're safe."
(end of April 10, 2014 addition)
-snip-
UPDATE: April 6, 2016
Hat tip to Myron, April 5, 2016 at 9:24 PM for this information:
..."As for "shantay" I assumed it was a short from "enchanté", which means "charmed" (both in a way to cast a spell, and to be pleased, just like in english)."..
-snip-
I think that the "to be pleased" meaning of "enchanté" (to be captivating?") probably was the source of the word's (name's) use in the Paris Is Burning movie and in Ru-Paul's "Supermodel" record, particularly if that word was "chanted" as a compliment in Paris Is Burning to mean that the drag queen was "enchanting" (pleasing, captivating). And, it seems to me, that that is the meaning that Ru-Paul uses for the phrase, "Shante, you stay". (I'm pleased with you [and/or "You're pleasing/enchanting"] and -therefore- you stay").
Thanks, Myron!
Also, if I've not noted this before, I think that the reason that "Shante, you stay" and "Sashay away" are used together on Ru-Paul's Drag Race is because of their alliteration - both "Shante" and "sashay" have a "sh" sound. Also, I believe that these commands are used together on that program because they rhyme: stay/away.
end of that April 6, 2016 update.
****
I should also be noted that there are several conflicting entries for the meaning of the name "Shante" and/or the word "shante" on urbandictionary.com.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=shante for three examples of reader entries for "Shante". For instance, the entry with the most reader points as of this date (April 9, 2014) is this one which was sent in by leesh1545 November 22, 2009
"Shante - A crazy girl with a loud mouth. Shoppaholic. Loves to party and loves Hello Kitty. She's fun and crazy and is loyal to her friends. She has a sense of humor, and is brutally honest. She's a friend you can trust.
"Hey shante, what you doin tonight?"
"Girl, you know i'm goin to the party! Wanna go shopping with me first?"
"Hey shante, how does my outfit look?"
"Like your closet threw up on you. Come with me and i'll fix you"
-snip-
However, I'm very doubtful if those generic referents were used by African Americans prior to the 1980s when "Paris Is Burning" was being filmed or after that time.
****
A COMMENT ABOUT "CHASSE" AND "SASHAY AWAY" FROM A DISCUSSION ABOUT RUPAUL'S DRAG RACE SEASON #6, EPISODE #8
Here's the comment that prompted me to write this post about the meanings of the rhyming statements "Sashay away" and "Shonte, you stay":
From http://www.reddit.com/r/rupaulsdragrace/comments/22hnsr/season_6_episodes_7_8_rupersized_postepisode/
AlbrechtEinstein
Did anyone else catch Laganja's parting shot of "And now I will be the first queen ever to actually chassé away"
And then she chassés out of there*
IDIOT, IT'S SASHAY AWAY!
-snip-
When Laganja lost her lip sync challenge in Season 6, episode #8 and therefore had to leave the stage, she did a chasse ballet step. I think that AlbrechtEinstein dissed Laganja because in spite of the fact that Laganja put on a "hip", street wise persona in all those episodes that she appeared in, she didn't even realize that the ballet chasse isn't what RuPaul meant when he said "Sashay away!". However, another commenter wrote that Laganja probably knew what "sashay" meant, but she was just trying to be clever.
****
UPDATE: Feb. 14, 2017
Here's a Feb. 13, 2017 example of "Sashay Away" from RuPaul to Trump's former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn:
RuPaul ✔ @RuPaul
National Security Adviser
Michael T. Flynn, Sashay Away.
11:37 PM - 13 Feb 2017
-snip-
And here's one response to that tweet:
Hemansu Mangal @Hemansu
@RuPaul Bye Flynnisha!!!
11:43 PM - 13 Feb 2017
Source for both http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/rupaul-michael-flynn_us_58a290eee4b094a129ee5616
-snip-
Background: Trump's White House National Security Adviser Michael Flynn resigned Feb. 13, 2017 over controversy about his communication with Russia both before and after Trump's inauguration.
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/05/how-bye-felicia-became-popular.html for a pancocojams post on how "Bye Felicia Became A Popular Catchphrase".
(end of Feb 14, 2017 update)
****
VIDEO SHOWING MODELS SHASHAYING
Here's a video that showcases what walking on a catwalk (strutting, sashaying) looks like:
Black Fashion Models at The Victoria's Secret Fashion Shows 2001-2003
juniorpetjua, Uploaded on Apr 23, 2010
Black Fashion Models at The Victoria's Secret Fashion Shows 2001-2003:
*Tyra Banks
*Naomi Campbell
*Liya Kebede
*Oluchi Onweagba
*Alek Wek
*Omahyra Mota
****
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Visitor comments are welcome.
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Videos Of "Pepsi Cola Cheer" (Slide & Slide And Do The Butterfly)
Edited by Azizi Powell
Latest Update: May 22, 2022
This pancocojams post showcases a video clip from the Hannah Montana television show that features the children's cheer "Slide And Slide" (and do the Butterfly"). In addition, this post also includes 8 videos of girls performing a cheer that includes that same line or a very similar line. The text (words) to these featured videos are also included in this post. Note that this is only a small sample of the YouTube "Pepsi Cola Cheers" that include the words "slide and slide and do the Butterfly".
This is a companion post to http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-butterfly-cabbage-patch-dances-in.html. That pancocojams post presents information and instructional videos of those two dances and examples of other children's cheers that refer to The Butterfly and/or the Cabbage Patch dances of the late 1980s /early 1990s.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, recreational, and aesthetic purposes.
Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post, including the contributors of these cheer examples. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
****
PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTES
Overview
I refer to these examples of children's cheerleader cheers as the "Pepsi Cola Dance" or the "Pepsi Cola Cheer" because their beginning words repeat the brand name of that carbonated soft drink. However, examples of "Slide And Slide" (and do the Butterfly) may not include the beginning "Pepsi Cola Pepsi Cola" line or lines.
There are other examples of children's cheers/rhymes that have "Pepsi Cola" in their titles or in their first lines, but don't contain the "slide and slide and do the Butterfly" verse.* There are also a number of children's rhymes and cheers that include the brand name "Coca Cola" in their title or in their words (for example "Coca Cola Came To Town" rhymes and versions of "The Boys Got The Muscles" rhymes)*. However, to date, I've not found any examples of "Slide And Slide" (and do the butterfly) which use the brand name "Coca Cola" (or any other soda brand name) instead of "Pepsi Cola". However, for what it's worth, it seems to me that the brand name "Pepsi Cola" is used more often in English language children's rhymes and cheers than the brand name "Coca Cola" or the brand name of any other carbonated soda.
Structure
Like other playground rhymes and cheers, "Pepsi Cola" (Slide And Slide) is mostly made up of two line rhyming verses. Also, like other playground rhymes and cheers, many versions of "Pepsi Cola" (Slide And Slide) are composed by combining two or more stand alone (independent) rhymes or cheers. The words "Pepsi Cola Pep Pepsi Cola" are introductory lines which are chanted for rhythmic effect and don't have any other connection with the rest of the cheer's words.
My comments after Example #2 provides an example of how introductory lines and two or more independent cheers/rhymes are used to create one cheer.
Why "Pepsi Cola" (Slide And Slide) Is Widely Known In The United States
It's my position that the "Slide And Slide" cheer is well known among children's cheerleading squads in the United States because of its inclusion on the Hannah Montana television show. That video clip & the words to that version of this cheer are given as Example #1 below. It should be noted that in that television series the "slide and slide" cheer doesn't include the beginning "Pepsi Cola Pepsi Cola" or "Coca Cola Coca Cola" lines.
I believe that the way that cheer was performed on the Hannah Montana show has greatly influenced the way that girls have performed and continue to perform that cheer, particularly with regards to the wiggly hand movements that are done while saying "and do the Butterfly". In those cheers, "The Butterfly" refers to a Jamaican Dancehall Reggae dance that was adopted by United States Hip-Hop dancers. However, I doubt that most American girls performing that cheer are aware of that.
More On Cultural Influences
The "Slide And Slide" (and do the Butterfly) cheer is important because it serves as an example of the increasing influence of African American culture (and Jamaican Dancehall dances, since that is where the Butterfly dance originated) on the words and the performance of traditional (mainstream) children's cheerleading.
Traditional cheerleading cheers focus on the athletic team and on the game being played and not on the cheerleading squad as is the case with the "Slide And Slide" cheer. Furthermore, traditional cheerleaders didn't chant about shaking their "little hips" as the "Slide And Slide" cheerleaders do because traditional cheerleaders are prohibited from shaking anything but their pom poms. Yet, it seems to me that the proponents of "old school" traditional cheerleading are fighting a losing battle to retain the old ways of saying and doing cheers, particularly among the pre-high school and university age cheerleaders, in large part due to the influence of the Bring It On cheerleader movie series ** and the inclusion of cheers like "Slide And Slide on popular children's oriented shows such as Hannah Montana.
*This pancocojams post originally included links to certain pages on my cocojams.com website. That website was active from Jan. 2001 to Nov 2014. Many of the examples that were posted on that website's children's rhymes and cheers pages were submitted by children, pre-teens, and teens on that website's easy to use examples submitted page. People submitting examples only needed their first name, the date the example was submitted. People were also encouraged to include a city/state and other demographic information such as age and race/ethnicity, although none of that information was usually included. No email address was needed to use that cocojams page which I believe greatly contributed to the use of that page.
Some of the children's rhymes and cheers that were published on cocojams.com pages are included in various pancocojams posts and/or are included in certain cocojams2 pages (http://cocojams2.blogspot.com/ is a blog I started in Nov. 2014 as an archive for cocojams.com children's rhymes and cheers.)
-snip-
These cheerleading squads combine acrobatic moves with urban (African American) originated dance style movements.
-snip-
"Outside of the United States, American-style cheerleading is sometimes referred to as Bring It On-style cheerleading.[15] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bring_It_On_(film)
****
FEATURED VIDEOS
With the exception of the Hannah Montana video clip, these videos are presented in chronological order based on their YouTube posting date. The videos with the oldest dates are given first.
Example #1: Hannah Montana Lost Episode #5 - Cheerleaders
doublekproductions36 Uploaded on Dec 16, 2007
-snip-
The "Slide And Slide" cheerleader routine begins at 1:58 - 2:11 of this clip. The words chanted are:
"And slide and slide and do the Butterfly
And dip and dip and shake my little hips
I want you and you to cheer with me too"
-snip-
On the “do the butterfly” line, Miley crosses her hands slightly below her chin, wiggles her fingers, slightly bends both knees and moves up and down to the rhythm. It should be noted that this isn't the way the Jamaican Dancehall dance "The Butterfly" is really done. At the end of this cheer, Miley akwardly atempts to do a gymnastic leg lift.
As an aside, judging from the number of examples found online, the "You Might Be Good At __" cheer which "Lily" performed in that clip (2:21 - 2:40) is also quite popular among children's cheerleaders in the United States.
-snip-
Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hannah_Montana for information about this American television show.
****
Example #2: The girls dancing pepsi cola!
ImBeyondBeautifull Uploaded on Jun 29, 2011
Awww so cute Dancing to beyonce having fun
-snip-
Here are the words to this example:
Pepsi-cola
Pep Pepsi cola
Pepsi-cola
Pep Pepsi cola
I can slide and slide
and do the Butterfly
I can dip and dip
and shake my little hips
I want you and you
To do it with me too
To the Front [clap clap clap clap)
To the Back (clap clap clap clap)
To the Side
Front
Back
Side side
Let me see you Butterfly
Five six seven eight
Let me see that booty shake
My mother's short and fine
She got a butt like mine
And when she cross the street
The cars go beep, beep, beep
The cars go beep, beep, beep
-snip-
This cheer is composed of five different sections, four of which have spoken words.
1. The words "Pepsi Cola" serve as the introduction to the cheer.
2. The words "I can slide and slide" start the beginning of the 2nd section of this cheer.
3. The words "To the front" start the 3rd section of this cheer.
4. The words "My mama's short and fine" start the 4th section of this cheer/
5. The 5th section of this cheer consists of the girls doing a foot stomping routine without words.
****
Example #3: Pepsi cola dance
msanagisele1, Uploaded on Jul 26, 2011
Stars are born
-snip-
Here are the words to this example:
Pepsi Cola pep Pepsi Cola.
Pepsi Cola pep Pepsi cola.
I can slide and slide and do the Butterfly.
I can dip and dip
And shake my little hips.
I want you and you
To cheer with me too.
Front (clap clap clap clap).
Back(clap clap clap clap).
Side side.
Front.
Back.
Side side.
Watch me do the Butterfly.
Up down, turn around.
Watch me score a touchdown.
****
Example #4: Pepsi Cola Cheer
MzMadame, Uploaded on Aug 21, 2011
Kennedi's School Cheer
-snip-
Here are the words to those cheers:
pep pepsi cola
I can slide and slide
And do the butterfly
I can dip and dip
and shake my little hips
I want you and you
To do what I do
I say Front [clap clap clap clap)
Back (clap clap clap clap)
Front
Back
Side side
Let me see you Butterfly
Five six seven eight
Let me see your booty shake
A bowl of cereal
A slice of banana
We are the girls from Louisiana
The coach got the brains
The boy got the muscle
The girls got the legs
So hustle hustle
My team got one
dynamite
My team got two
dynamite
My team got three
tick tick tick tick
BOOM dynamite
Psych!
-snip-
"Booty" = butt
"Hustle" means "get to work"
“Psych!” means “I’m just kidding
-snip-
The "A Bowl Of Cereal" cheer begins at .037 of this video.
The line "My team got one" actually begins a new cheer which might be performed independent of any other cheer.
"Dy- No-Mite" was the signature exclamation of the fictitious character "J.J." in the 1974-1979 American television series Good Times. I believe that this is the source of that word being used so often in children's rhymes and cheers. The word "dynamite" means that something or someone is very good. However, in children's rhymes and cheers that word is also equated with the actual dynamite explosives.
****
Example #5: Pepsi-Cola Cheer
chris kozlowski, Published on May 25, 2012
-snip-
Here are the words to this example:
Pepsi-cola
Pep pepsi cola
Pepsi-cola
Pep pepsi cola
We slide and slide
We do the butterfly
We dip and dip
And shake our little hips
We want you and you
To do it with us too
I saya to the Front
to the Back
to the Side to Side
Front
Back
Side to side
Criss cross applesauce
But that’s not all
That’s no all
We’re gonna break it down for you**
Go Team!
-snip-
**Break it down" means to do your best dance moves.
****
Example #6: us dancing pepsi cola
jose cali Published on Jul 25, 2012
-snip-
Here are the words to this example:
We stomp our feet
We boogie to the beat
We turn around
We touch the ground
We wiggle it
Just
a little bit
We slide and slide and do the butterfly
We dip and dip
and shake our little hips
I want you and you
to cheer with me too
Front (clap clap clap clap clap)
Back(clap clap clap clap clap)
Side to side
Front,
Back,
Side to side
Let me see you do the Butterfly.
5, 6, 7, 8
Let me see your booty shake.
****
Example #7: Cheer, Pepsi Cola
Carla Johnson, Published on Mar 26, 2013
4 out of 7 of my girls doing the pepsi cola cheer, they had an awesome coach for a 7 and under age range
-snip-
The words to this example are the same as the words in Example #3 except that the last line is "Let me see a touchdown". Yeah!"
****
Example #8: Pepsi-Cola Dance
Cailey19Cailey, Published on Aug 2, 2013
My little sister really likes to do cheers her favorite one is Pepsi-Cola! She 3 years old almost four!
-snip-
Here are the words to this example:
Pepsi-cola
pep pepsi cola
pep pepsi cola
pep pepsi cola
So I can slide and slide
And do the butterfly
So I can dip and dip
and shake my little hips
I want you and you
To do what I do
To the Front
To the Back
To the Side
To the Side
Front, Back, Side, Side
Let me see that Butterfly
Five six seven eight
Let me see that booty shake
****
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Latest Update: May 22, 2022
This pancocojams post showcases a video clip from the Hannah Montana television show that features the children's cheer "Slide And Slide" (and do the Butterfly"). In addition, this post also includes 8 videos of girls performing a cheer that includes that same line or a very similar line. The text (words) to these featured videos are also included in this post. Note that this is only a small sample of the YouTube "Pepsi Cola Cheers" that include the words "slide and slide and do the Butterfly".
This is a companion post to http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-butterfly-cabbage-patch-dances-in.html. That pancocojams post presents information and instructional videos of those two dances and examples of other children's cheers that refer to The Butterfly and/or the Cabbage Patch dances of the late 1980s /early 1990s.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, recreational, and aesthetic purposes.
Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post, including the contributors of these cheer examples. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTES
Overview
I refer to these examples of children's cheerleader cheers as the "Pepsi Cola Dance" or the "Pepsi Cola Cheer" because their beginning words repeat the brand name of that carbonated soft drink. However, examples of "Slide And Slide" (and do the Butterfly) may not include the beginning "Pepsi Cola Pepsi Cola" line or lines.
There are other examples of children's cheers/rhymes that have "Pepsi Cola" in their titles or in their first lines, but don't contain the "slide and slide and do the Butterfly" verse.* There are also a number of children's rhymes and cheers that include the brand name "Coca Cola" in their title or in their words (for example "Coca Cola Came To Town" rhymes and versions of "The Boys Got The Muscles" rhymes)*. However, to date, I've not found any examples of "Slide And Slide" (and do the butterfly) which use the brand name "Coca Cola" (or any other soda brand name) instead of "Pepsi Cola". However, for what it's worth, it seems to me that the brand name "Pepsi Cola" is used more often in English language children's rhymes and cheers than the brand name "Coca Cola" or the brand name of any other carbonated soda.
Structure
Like other playground rhymes and cheers, "Pepsi Cola" (Slide And Slide) is mostly made up of two line rhyming verses. Also, like other playground rhymes and cheers, many versions of "Pepsi Cola" (Slide And Slide) are composed by combining two or more stand alone (independent) rhymes or cheers. The words "Pepsi Cola Pep Pepsi Cola" are introductory lines which are chanted for rhythmic effect and don't have any other connection with the rest of the cheer's words.
My comments after Example #2 provides an example of how introductory lines and two or more independent cheers/rhymes are used to create one cheer.
Why "Pepsi Cola" (Slide And Slide) Is Widely Known In The United States
It's my position that the "Slide And Slide" cheer is well known among children's cheerleading squads in the United States because of its inclusion on the Hannah Montana television show. That video clip & the words to that version of this cheer are given as Example #1 below. It should be noted that in that television series the "slide and slide" cheer doesn't include the beginning "Pepsi Cola Pepsi Cola" or "Coca Cola Coca Cola" lines.
I believe that the way that cheer was performed on the Hannah Montana show has greatly influenced the way that girls have performed and continue to perform that cheer, particularly with regards to the wiggly hand movements that are done while saying "and do the Butterfly". In those cheers, "The Butterfly" refers to a Jamaican Dancehall Reggae dance that was adopted by United States Hip-Hop dancers. However, I doubt that most American girls performing that cheer are aware of that.
More On Cultural Influences
The "Slide And Slide" (and do the Butterfly) cheer is important because it serves as an example of the increasing influence of African American culture (and Jamaican Dancehall dances, since that is where the Butterfly dance originated) on the words and the performance of traditional (mainstream) children's cheerleading.
Traditional cheerleading cheers focus on the athletic team and on the game being played and not on the cheerleading squad as is the case with the "Slide And Slide" cheer. Furthermore, traditional cheerleaders didn't chant about shaking their "little hips" as the "Slide And Slide" cheerleaders do because traditional cheerleaders are prohibited from shaking anything but their pom poms. Yet, it seems to me that the proponents of "old school" traditional cheerleading are fighting a losing battle to retain the old ways of saying and doing cheers, particularly among the pre-high school and university age cheerleaders, in large part due to the influence of the Bring It On cheerleader movie series ** and the inclusion of cheers like "Slide And Slide on popular children's oriented shows such as Hannah Montana.
*This pancocojams post originally included links to certain pages on my cocojams.com website. That website was active from Jan. 2001 to Nov 2014. Many of the examples that were posted on that website's children's rhymes and cheers pages were submitted by children, pre-teens, and teens on that website's easy to use examples submitted page. People submitting examples only needed their first name, the date the example was submitted. People were also encouraged to include a city/state and other demographic information such as age and race/ethnicity, although none of that information was usually included. No email address was needed to use that cocojams page which I believe greatly contributed to the use of that page.
Some of the children's rhymes and cheers that were published on cocojams.com pages are included in various pancocojams posts and/or are included in certain cocojams2 pages (http://cocojams2.blogspot.com/ is a blog I started in Nov. 2014 as an archive for cocojams.com children's rhymes and cheers.)
-snip-
These cheerleading squads combine acrobatic moves with urban (African American) originated dance style movements.
-snip-
"Outside of the United States, American-style cheerleading is sometimes referred to as Bring It On-style cheerleading.[15] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bring_It_On_(film)
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FEATURED VIDEOS
With the exception of the Hannah Montana video clip, these videos are presented in chronological order based on their YouTube posting date. The videos with the oldest dates are given first.
Example #1: Hannah Montana Lost Episode #5 - Cheerleaders
doublekproductions36 Uploaded on Dec 16, 2007
-snip-
The "Slide And Slide" cheerleader routine begins at 1:58 - 2:11 of this clip. The words chanted are:
"And slide and slide and do the Butterfly
And dip and dip and shake my little hips
I want you and you to cheer with me too"
-snip-
On the “do the butterfly” line, Miley crosses her hands slightly below her chin, wiggles her fingers, slightly bends both knees and moves up and down to the rhythm. It should be noted that this isn't the way the Jamaican Dancehall dance "The Butterfly" is really done. At the end of this cheer, Miley akwardly atempts to do a gymnastic leg lift.
As an aside, judging from the number of examples found online, the "You Might Be Good At __" cheer which "Lily" performed in that clip (2:21 - 2:40) is also quite popular among children's cheerleaders in the United States.
-snip-
Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hannah_Montana for information about this American television show.
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Example #2: The girls dancing pepsi cola!
ImBeyondBeautifull Uploaded on Jun 29, 2011
Awww so cute Dancing to beyonce having fun
-snip-
Here are the words to this example:
Pepsi-cola
Pep Pepsi cola
Pepsi-cola
Pep Pepsi cola
I can slide and slide
and do the Butterfly
I can dip and dip
and shake my little hips
I want you and you
To do it with me too
To the Front [clap clap clap clap)
To the Back (clap clap clap clap)
To the Side
Front
Back
Side side
Let me see you Butterfly
Five six seven eight
Let me see that booty shake
My mother's short and fine
She got a butt like mine
And when she cross the street
The cars go beep, beep, beep
The cars go beep, beep, beep
-snip-
This cheer is composed of five different sections, four of which have spoken words.
1. The words "Pepsi Cola" serve as the introduction to the cheer.
2. The words "I can slide and slide" start the beginning of the 2nd section of this cheer.
3. The words "To the front" start the 3rd section of this cheer.
4. The words "My mama's short and fine" start the 4th section of this cheer/
5. The 5th section of this cheer consists of the girls doing a foot stomping routine without words.
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Example #3: Pepsi cola dance
msanagisele1, Uploaded on Jul 26, 2011
Stars are born
-snip-
Here are the words to this example:
Pepsi Cola pep Pepsi Cola.
Pepsi Cola pep Pepsi cola.
I can slide and slide and do the Butterfly.
I can dip and dip
And shake my little hips.
I want you and you
To cheer with me too.
Front (clap clap clap clap).
Back(clap clap clap clap).
Side side.
Front.
Back.
Side side.
Watch me do the Butterfly.
Up down, turn around.
Watch me score a touchdown.
****
Example #4: Pepsi Cola Cheer
MzMadame, Uploaded on Aug 21, 2011
Kennedi's School Cheer
-snip-
Here are the words to those cheers:
pep pepsi cola
I can slide and slide
And do the butterfly
I can dip and dip
and shake my little hips
I want you and you
To do what I do
I say Front [clap clap clap clap)
Back (clap clap clap clap)
Front
Back
Side side
Let me see you Butterfly
Five six seven eight
Let me see your booty shake
A bowl of cereal
A slice of banana
We are the girls from Louisiana
The coach got the brains
The boy got the muscle
The girls got the legs
So hustle hustle
My team got one
dynamite
My team got two
dynamite
My team got three
tick tick tick tick
BOOM dynamite
Psych!
-snip-
"Booty" = butt
"Hustle" means "get to work"
“Psych!” means “I’m just kidding
-snip-
The "A Bowl Of Cereal" cheer begins at .037 of this video.
The line "My team got one" actually begins a new cheer which might be performed independent of any other cheer.
"Dy- No-Mite" was the signature exclamation of the fictitious character "J.J." in the 1974-1979 American television series Good Times. I believe that this is the source of that word being used so often in children's rhymes and cheers. The word "dynamite" means that something or someone is very good. However, in children's rhymes and cheers that word is also equated with the actual dynamite explosives.
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Example #5: Pepsi-Cola Cheer
chris kozlowski, Published on May 25, 2012
-snip-
Here are the words to this example:
Pepsi-cola
Pep pepsi cola
Pepsi-cola
Pep pepsi cola
We slide and slide
We do the butterfly
We dip and dip
And shake our little hips
We want you and you
To do it with us too
I saya to the Front
to the Back
to the Side to Side
Front
Back
Side to side
Criss cross applesauce
But that’s not all
That’s no all
We’re gonna break it down for you**
Go Team!
-snip-
**Break it down" means to do your best dance moves.
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Example #6: us dancing pepsi cola
jose cali Published on Jul 25, 2012
-snip-
Here are the words to this example:
We stomp our feet
We boogie to the beat
We turn around
We touch the ground
We wiggle it
Just
a little bit
We slide and slide and do the butterfly
We dip and dip
and shake our little hips
I want you and you
to cheer with me too
Front (clap clap clap clap clap)
Back(clap clap clap clap clap)
Side to side
Front,
Back,
Side to side
Let me see you do the Butterfly.
5, 6, 7, 8
Let me see your booty shake.
****
Example #7: Cheer, Pepsi Cola
Carla Johnson, Published on Mar 26, 2013
4 out of 7 of my girls doing the pepsi cola cheer, they had an awesome coach for a 7 and under age range
-snip-
The words to this example are the same as the words in Example #3 except that the last line is "Let me see a touchdown". Yeah!"
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Example #8: Pepsi-Cola Dance
Cailey19Cailey, Published on Aug 2, 2013
My little sister really likes to do cheers her favorite one is Pepsi-Cola! She 3 years old almost four!
-snip-
Here are the words to this example:
Pepsi-cola
pep pepsi cola
pep pepsi cola
pep pepsi cola
So I can slide and slide
And do the butterfly
So I can dip and dip
and shake my little hips
I want you and you
To do what I do
To the Front
To the Back
To the Side
To the Side
Front, Back, Side, Side
Let me see that Butterfly
Five six seven eight
Let me see that booty shake
****
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Visitor comments are welcome.
Friday, March 7, 2014
The Butterfly & The Cabbage Patch Dances In Children's Cheerleader Cheers
Edited by Azizi Powell
latest Update: May 19, 2022
This pancocojams post showcases the late 1980s and early 1990s Dancehall Reggae originated dance "The Butterfly" which was adopted as a Hip Hop dance. This post also showcases the Hip Hop dance "The Cabbage Patch" that was also from that same time period.
Information and instructional videos of those two dances and seven examples of children's cheers that refer to one or both of these dances are also included in this post.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/03/videos-of-pepsi-cola-cheer-slide-slide.html for the related pancocojams post "Videos Of "Pepsi Cola Cheer" (Slide & Slide And Do The Butterfly)".
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, recreational, and aesthetic purposes.
Thanks to the unknown creators of these dances. Thanks also to all those who are featured in these videos and all those who are quoted in this post, including the contributors of these cheer examples. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
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INFORMATION & INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO ABOUT THE BUTTERFY (DANCEHALL REGGAE/HIP-HOP DANCE)
"The Butterfly" is a Dancehall Reggae dance from the late 1980s which was quickly appropriated by American (USA) Hip-Hop dancers. I believe that the earliest recorded song that mentions this dance is Macka B's "Do The Mutterfly" (1986)
Here's an excerpt of the lyrics for that song:
...Do the butterfly
Straight from Jamaica
Dem a do the butterfly.
Fly fly
Do the butterfly...
Yeah, everybody’s doin it
dance come alive
Let me tell you it’s good exercise
But some timin must be applied
Strong legs and the hip on your side
Feet together den take them wide
Move your foot from side to side
Flap your hands just like a butterfly
Whine your waist inside outside
Let the Reggae music be your guide...
-snip-
Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macka_B for information about this British/Jamaican rapper. Also, click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/02/do-butterfly-macka-b-lyrics.html for a pancocojams post that includes a video of this song and my transcription of the song's lyrics.
Note that there are "Butterfly" dances in other dance genres.
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How to Do the Butterfly | Hip-Hop Dancing
Howcast, Published on Sep 25, 2012
Watch more How to Do Hip-Hop Dance Moves videos: http://www.howcast.com/videos/505209-...
Learn how to do the Butterfly from professional dancer Charlene "Chi-Chi" Smith in this Howcast dance video.
We're taking you back to the island, island breeze, island everything. We're going to show you how to do the Butterfly. Not the swim technique, but the dance, okay?
You're going to start with your feet a little bit wider than your shoulders. You're going to bend your knees, because the motion of the Butterfly, your knees go in, and then they come out. They go in, and then they come out. In, out, in, out.
Now, there's always a waist involved, when it comes to reggae. So, especially since the Butterfly was always done nice and slow, you want to try to wind your waist, which is just taking it in a circle. I'm going to go clockwise, it's the way I like. So, you have one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.
You can use your arms, if you want. You can hold them up. You can do one leg, same motion, or keep it to two. And the Butterfly used to move.
Let's try some music.
-snip-
Other YouTube instructional videos for the Butterfly may slightly differ from this video.
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE CABBAGE PATCH (HIP-HOP DANCE)
From http://www.niallkennedy.com/blog/archives/2005/04/whats_your_happ.html [Sorry. This website is no longer viable.]
"The cabbage patch dance was introduced to the world courtesy of Gucci Crew II in 1987 but popularized by the San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice in the 1990s. The cabbage patch dance is so simple; all you need to do is stretch out your arms, put your hands together, and move them around a bit on a horizontal plane. It is especially funny when combined with the Roger Rabbit leg motions".
-snip-
"Roger Rabbit" is the star of the 1988 animated American movie Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pua9UszdO24 for an instructional video on "The Roger Rabbit" Hip Hop dance
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How to Do the Cabbage Patch | Hip-Hop Dancing
Howcast Published on Sep 24, 2012
Watch more How to Do Hip-Hop Dance Moves videos: http://www.howcast.com/videos/505208-...
Learn how to do the Cabbage Patch from professional dancer Charlene "Chi-Chi" Smith in this Howcast dance video.
We're going to take you to the Cabbage Patch. Not the dolls, but the dance.
We got Tech here. He is going to demonstrate the Cabbage Patch for us. Let's start with the arms. Tech moves his arms in a clockwise motion. Whichever way is easiest for you, counterclockwise or clockwise. You choose.
We're going to start. One, two, three, four. Just circular motions. Five, six, seven, eight. Yes, counterclockwise, that's what I meant. Let's try that again. Six, seven, eight. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Those are the arms.
The legs lean with the arms. So let's just do the body without the arms. If you're going counterclockwise, like Tech, you're going to start your lean in the direction where your arms are going to start, which would be on the right side. Let's try slowly with the lean, six, seven, just the lean. You go one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, with a tiny little step. Two, three, four, five, six, let's add the arms. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. That's the Cabbage Patch. That's the Cabbage Patch. In a circle. In a circle.
Let's get some music going. He's ready to party.
Cabbage Patch, y'all.
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FEATURED TEXT EXAMPLES OF CHILDREN'S CHEERS THAT MENTION "THE BUTTERFLY" AND/OR "THE CABBAGE PATCH" DANCES
Note: Many examples of the "Pepsi Cola" children's cheer include a reference to "The Butterfly" (The Dancehall Reggae/Hip-Hop Dance).
cocojams.com is the name of my cultural website that was active from 2001 to Nov. 2014. Many of the examples that were posted on that website's children's rhymes and cheers pages were submitted by children, pre-teens, and teens on that website's easy to use examples submitted page. People submitting examples only needed their first name, the date the example was submitted. People were also encouraged to include a city/state and other demographic information such as age and race/ethnicity, although none of that information was usually included. No email address was needed to use that cocojams page which I believe greatly contributed to the use of that page.
Some of the rhymes and cheers that were featured on cocojams.com are included in various pancocojams pages and/or on various cocojams2 ( http://cocojams2.blogspot.com/ ) pages.
Example #1:
hening is our name
and football is our game
so hold the sugar
do the freddie cougar
and step on back and do the cabage patch
-talor and leelee; cocojams.com children's cheerleader cheers , September 24, 2006
-snip-
"Hening" is probably the name of the school these girls attended.
"Freddy Cougar" is a folk etymology form of "Freddy Krueger", a fictional character in the popular 1984 American horror movie Nightmare On Elm Street. If I recall correctly, the "Freddy Krueger" Hip-Hop dance imitated that character's arm slashing and stiff walking stalking movements. Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freddy_Krueger.
Also, click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bP3C0UaD9eI "Tha 4 Horsemen Krump Freddy Kruger Hip Hop Beat" for a video of a Hip-Hop dancer doing some "Freddy Krueger" moves.
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Example #2:
heres a cheer for you
hey yall up in them stands
let me see you clap your hand ( 1 1 1 1 1)
now that you got that beat
let me see you stamp your feet ( 1 1 1 1 1)
now that you got that groove
let me see your body move (cabbage patch)
-brittany b; cocojams.com children's cheerleader cheers , February 28, 2007
-snip-
I believe that the letters in parenthesis indicate the number of times you clap your hands and stamped your feet. Also, I believe that the dance name in parenthesis means that you do that dance, and not that you say that dance's name.)
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Example #3:
hear is a cheer i used to do when I was little:
bang bang choo choo train come
on girls lets do our thang,
i can't why not,
I can't why not,
Because my back is achin and my bra is too tight
my bootie shakin from the left to the right left
right left right. I kick so high I do the butterfly,
I squat down low and do the rodeo,
I step right back and do the cabbage patch,
I stop I drop and do the bootie pop,
boys can't do it
they really want 2 touch my bootie,
they really want 2 spin me around,
they really want 2 criss cross me down,
they really want want 2 swim through my ocean,
hey really want to oosh my body baby
oosh my body ossh ossh ossh.
-Whitney ; cocojams.com children's cheerleader cheers,April 29, 2007
-snip-
"Bang Bang Choo Choo Train is (or was?) a VERY popular children's taunting hand clap rhyme that is also performed in various ways as a children's cheerleader cheer. [This note also included a link to the no longer active cocojams children's school yard taunting rhyme page.]
The "Bootie (Booty) Pop" (also known as "the Bootie Bounce") is a 1990s butt shaking Hip Hop dance.
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Example #4:
butterfly i learnd it from hannah Montana
"i move i slide i do the butterfly
i dance i twist
i shake my little hips
and i want you and you to cheer it with me to"
-kelsey ; cocojams.com children's cheerleader cheers , July 7, 2007
-snip-
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hannah_Montana
Hannah Montana, also known as Hannah Montana Forever for the fourth season, is an American musical comedy series created by Michael Poryes, Rich Correll, and Barry O'Brien which focused on Miley Stewart (portrayed by Miley Cyrus), a teenager living a double life as an average schoolgirl by day and a famous recording artist Hannah Montana by night. It follows the day-to-day life of Miley"...The series, produced by It's a Laugh Productions and Michael Poryes Productions, premiered on Disney Channel on March 24, 2006 and concluded on January 16, 2011 after airing four seasons and ninety-eight episodes"...
I believe that the "I move I slide" cheer pre-dates* its inclusion on the Hannah Montana show. However, the fact that it was chanted on that show probably undoubtedly greatly contributed to that cheer's popularity.
*This is a presumption on my part. I don't know when this cheer was first chanted.
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Example #5
when i was growing up we said
i like to kick up high
and do the dirty wine
i like to get down low
and do the rolley pole
i like to step right back
and do the cabbet pack
i like to stop drop pop pop pop
shake shake shake viiiiiibrate
my momma short and fine
got a butt like mine
and when she cross the street
then cars go beep beep beep beep
-nana ; cocojams.com children's cheerleader cheers , November 3, 2007
-snip-
The phrase "the "dirty wine" in this example probably comes from the Jamaican dance "the Dutty Wine". Interestingly enough, "dutty" means "dirty" (as in "nasty"; "sexually provocative" in Jamaican patois.
"The rolley pole" is probably the dance "the roly poly". Notice that that this reference to "the roly poly" pre-dates the popular 2014 Soca song “Rolly Polly by Mr Killa.* I don't remember how the "Roly Poly" dance was done (if I ever knew.) But it probably was a "hip and butt shaking" (wining) dance similar to or the same as how the 2014 "Rolly Polly" dance is performed.
"The cabbet pack" mentioned in this cheer is "The Cabbage Patch" dance.
*Warning: Videos of these Caribbean dances are rather risque.)
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Example #6:
My momma's short and fine,
she gotta butt like mine.
And when she crossed the street,
all the cars go beep beep beep.
She likes to kick up high,
and do the butterfly.
She likes to get down low,
and do the rodeo.
She likes to slide and slide
and do the butterfly.
And dip and dip
and shake my little hips
and i want you and you
to do it with me too. Whoo!
-Ally ; cocojams.com children's cheerleader cheer , November 16, 2008
-snip-
The Rodeo" was a Hip Hop dance in which the dancers did rhythmical skipping like movements in a (individual) circle while pretending to twirl a lasso.
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Example #7:
Rock the boat. Don't tip it over.
Rock the boat. Don't tip it over.
Hey, ______. "
Hey what?"
Hey, ______. "
Hey what?"
D'you wanna rock the boat? "
No way."
D'you wanna rock the boat?!
"Ok."
She slides. She slides.
She does the buttafly
She turns around, touchs the ground
And wiggles it just a little bit*
Rock the boat dont tip it over
rock the boat dont tip it over
-Aria StyPayHorLikSon, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9QuTsAtQPY [comment], 2010
[reformatted for this post]
-snip-
*Instead of the line "And wiggles it just a little bit", in the 1990s (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) I heard this line “she gets back up and breaks it down” [“Breaks it down” meaning dances really good, does her best dance moves]. That line fits the cheer better because it rhymes.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-hues-corporation-rock-boat-video.html for a pancocojams post on The Hues Corporation's record "Rock The Boat" that includes examples of children's rhymes with that "rock the boat/don't tip it over" lines.
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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
latest Update: May 19, 2022
This pancocojams post showcases the late 1980s and early 1990s Dancehall Reggae originated dance "The Butterfly" which was adopted as a Hip Hop dance. This post also showcases the Hip Hop dance "The Cabbage Patch" that was also from that same time period.
Information and instructional videos of those two dances and seven examples of children's cheers that refer to one or both of these dances are also included in this post.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/03/videos-of-pepsi-cola-cheer-slide-slide.html for the related pancocojams post "Videos Of "Pepsi Cola Cheer" (Slide & Slide And Do The Butterfly)".
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, recreational, and aesthetic purposes.
Thanks to the unknown creators of these dances. Thanks also to all those who are featured in these videos and all those who are quoted in this post, including the contributors of these cheer examples. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
****
INFORMATION & INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO ABOUT THE BUTTERFY (DANCEHALL REGGAE/HIP-HOP DANCE)
"The Butterfly" is a Dancehall Reggae dance from the late 1980s which was quickly appropriated by American (USA) Hip-Hop dancers. I believe that the earliest recorded song that mentions this dance is Macka B's "Do The Mutterfly" (1986)
Here's an excerpt of the lyrics for that song:
...Do the butterfly
Straight from Jamaica
Dem a do the butterfly.
Fly fly
Do the butterfly...
Yeah, everybody’s doin it
dance come alive
Let me tell you it’s good exercise
But some timin must be applied
Strong legs and the hip on your side
Feet together den take them wide
Move your foot from side to side
Flap your hands just like a butterfly
Whine your waist inside outside
Let the Reggae music be your guide...
-snip-
Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macka_B for information about this British/Jamaican rapper. Also, click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/02/do-butterfly-macka-b-lyrics.html for a pancocojams post that includes a video of this song and my transcription of the song's lyrics.
Note that there are "Butterfly" dances in other dance genres.
****
How to Do the Butterfly | Hip-Hop Dancing
Howcast, Published on Sep 25, 2012
Watch more How to Do Hip-Hop Dance Moves videos: http://www.howcast.com/videos/505209-...
Learn how to do the Butterfly from professional dancer Charlene "Chi-Chi" Smith in this Howcast dance video.
We're taking you back to the island, island breeze, island everything. We're going to show you how to do the Butterfly. Not the swim technique, but the dance, okay?
You're going to start with your feet a little bit wider than your shoulders. You're going to bend your knees, because the motion of the Butterfly, your knees go in, and then they come out. They go in, and then they come out. In, out, in, out.
Now, there's always a waist involved, when it comes to reggae. So, especially since the Butterfly was always done nice and slow, you want to try to wind your waist, which is just taking it in a circle. I'm going to go clockwise, it's the way I like. So, you have one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.
You can use your arms, if you want. You can hold them up. You can do one leg, same motion, or keep it to two. And the Butterfly used to move.
Let's try some music.
-snip-
Other YouTube instructional videos for the Butterfly may slightly differ from this video.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE CABBAGE PATCH (HIP-HOP DANCE)
From http://www.niallkennedy.com/blog/archives/2005/04/whats_your_happ.html [Sorry. This website is no longer viable.]
"The cabbage patch dance was introduced to the world courtesy of Gucci Crew II in 1987 but popularized by the San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice in the 1990s. The cabbage patch dance is so simple; all you need to do is stretch out your arms, put your hands together, and move them around a bit on a horizontal plane. It is especially funny when combined with the Roger Rabbit leg motions".
-snip-
"Roger Rabbit" is the star of the 1988 animated American movie Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pua9UszdO24 for an instructional video on "The Roger Rabbit" Hip Hop dance
****
How to Do the Cabbage Patch | Hip-Hop Dancing
Howcast Published on Sep 24, 2012
Watch more How to Do Hip-Hop Dance Moves videos: http://www.howcast.com/videos/505208-...
Learn how to do the Cabbage Patch from professional dancer Charlene "Chi-Chi" Smith in this Howcast dance video.
We're going to take you to the Cabbage Patch. Not the dolls, but the dance.
We got Tech here. He is going to demonstrate the Cabbage Patch for us. Let's start with the arms. Tech moves his arms in a clockwise motion. Whichever way is easiest for you, counterclockwise or clockwise. You choose.
We're going to start. One, two, three, four. Just circular motions. Five, six, seven, eight. Yes, counterclockwise, that's what I meant. Let's try that again. Six, seven, eight. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Those are the arms.
The legs lean with the arms. So let's just do the body without the arms. If you're going counterclockwise, like Tech, you're going to start your lean in the direction where your arms are going to start, which would be on the right side. Let's try slowly with the lean, six, seven, just the lean. You go one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, with a tiny little step. Two, three, four, five, six, let's add the arms. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. That's the Cabbage Patch. That's the Cabbage Patch. In a circle. In a circle.
Let's get some music going. He's ready to party.
Cabbage Patch, y'all.
****
FEATURED TEXT EXAMPLES OF CHILDREN'S CHEERS THAT MENTION "THE BUTTERFLY" AND/OR "THE CABBAGE PATCH" DANCES
Note: Many examples of the "Pepsi Cola" children's cheer include a reference to "The Butterfly" (The Dancehall Reggae/Hip-Hop Dance).
cocojams.com is the name of my cultural website that was active from 2001 to Nov. 2014. Many of the examples that were posted on that website's children's rhymes and cheers pages were submitted by children, pre-teens, and teens on that website's easy to use examples submitted page. People submitting examples only needed their first name, the date the example was submitted. People were also encouraged to include a city/state and other demographic information such as age and race/ethnicity, although none of that information was usually included. No email address was needed to use that cocojams page which I believe greatly contributed to the use of that page.
Some of the rhymes and cheers that were featured on cocojams.com are included in various pancocojams pages and/or on various cocojams2 ( http://cocojams2.blogspot.com/ ) pages.
Example #1:
hening is our name
and football is our game
so hold the sugar
do the freddie cougar
and step on back and do the cabage patch
-talor and leelee; cocojams.com children's cheerleader cheers , September 24, 2006
-snip-
"Hening" is probably the name of the school these girls attended.
"Freddy Cougar" is a folk etymology form of "Freddy Krueger", a fictional character in the popular 1984 American horror movie Nightmare On Elm Street. If I recall correctly, the "Freddy Krueger" Hip-Hop dance imitated that character's arm slashing and stiff walking stalking movements. Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freddy_Krueger.
Also, click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bP3C0UaD9eI "Tha 4 Horsemen Krump Freddy Kruger Hip Hop Beat" for a video of a Hip-Hop dancer doing some "Freddy Krueger" moves.
****
Example #2:
heres a cheer for you
hey yall up in them stands
let me see you clap your hand ( 1 1 1 1 1)
now that you got that beat
let me see you stamp your feet ( 1 1 1 1 1)
now that you got that groove
let me see your body move (cabbage patch)
-brittany b; cocojams.com children's cheerleader cheers , February 28, 2007
-snip-
I believe that the letters in parenthesis indicate the number of times you clap your hands and stamped your feet. Also, I believe that the dance name in parenthesis means that you do that dance, and not that you say that dance's name.)
****
Example #3:
hear is a cheer i used to do when I was little:
bang bang choo choo train come
on girls lets do our thang,
i can't why not,
I can't why not,
Because my back is achin and my bra is too tight
my bootie shakin from the left to the right left
right left right. I kick so high I do the butterfly,
I squat down low and do the rodeo,
I step right back and do the cabbage patch,
I stop I drop and do the bootie pop,
boys can't do it
they really want 2 touch my bootie,
they really want 2 spin me around,
they really want 2 criss cross me down,
they really want want 2 swim through my ocean,
hey really want to oosh my body baby
oosh my body ossh ossh ossh.
-Whitney ; cocojams.com children's cheerleader cheers,April 29, 2007
-snip-
"Bang Bang Choo Choo Train is (or was?) a VERY popular children's taunting hand clap rhyme that is also performed in various ways as a children's cheerleader cheer. [This note also included a link to the no longer active cocojams children's school yard taunting rhyme page.]
The "Bootie (Booty) Pop" (also known as "the Bootie Bounce") is a 1990s butt shaking Hip Hop dance.
****
Example #4:
butterfly i learnd it from hannah Montana
"i move i slide i do the butterfly
i dance i twist
i shake my little hips
and i want you and you to cheer it with me to"
-kelsey ; cocojams.com children's cheerleader cheers , July 7, 2007
-snip-
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hannah_Montana
Hannah Montana, also known as Hannah Montana Forever for the fourth season, is an American musical comedy series created by Michael Poryes, Rich Correll, and Barry O'Brien which focused on Miley Stewart (portrayed by Miley Cyrus), a teenager living a double life as an average schoolgirl by day and a famous recording artist Hannah Montana by night. It follows the day-to-day life of Miley"...The series, produced by It's a Laugh Productions and Michael Poryes Productions, premiered on Disney Channel on March 24, 2006 and concluded on January 16, 2011 after airing four seasons and ninety-eight episodes"...
I believe that the "I move I slide" cheer pre-dates* its inclusion on the Hannah Montana show. However, the fact that it was chanted on that show probably undoubtedly greatly contributed to that cheer's popularity.
*This is a presumption on my part. I don't know when this cheer was first chanted.
****
Example #5
when i was growing up we said
i like to kick up high
and do the dirty wine
i like to get down low
and do the rolley pole
i like to step right back
and do the cabbet pack
i like to stop drop pop pop pop
shake shake shake viiiiiibrate
my momma short and fine
got a butt like mine
and when she cross the street
then cars go beep beep beep beep
-nana ; cocojams.com children's cheerleader cheers , November 3, 2007
-snip-
The phrase "the "dirty wine" in this example probably comes from the Jamaican dance "the Dutty Wine". Interestingly enough, "dutty" means "dirty" (as in "nasty"; "sexually provocative" in Jamaican patois.
"The rolley pole" is probably the dance "the roly poly". Notice that that this reference to "the roly poly" pre-dates the popular 2014 Soca song “Rolly Polly by Mr Killa.* I don't remember how the "Roly Poly" dance was done (if I ever knew.) But it probably was a "hip and butt shaking" (wining) dance similar to or the same as how the 2014 "Rolly Polly" dance is performed.
"The cabbet pack" mentioned in this cheer is "The Cabbage Patch" dance.
*Warning: Videos of these Caribbean dances are rather risque.)
****
Example #6:
My momma's short and fine,
she gotta butt like mine.
And when she crossed the street,
all the cars go beep beep beep.
She likes to kick up high,
and do the butterfly.
She likes to get down low,
and do the rodeo.
She likes to slide and slide
and do the butterfly.
And dip and dip
and shake my little hips
and i want you and you
to do it with me too. Whoo!
-Ally ; cocojams.com children's cheerleader cheer , November 16, 2008
-snip-
The Rodeo" was a Hip Hop dance in which the dancers did rhythmical skipping like movements in a (individual) circle while pretending to twirl a lasso.
****
Example #7:
Rock the boat. Don't tip it over.
Rock the boat. Don't tip it over.
Hey, ______. "
Hey what?"
Hey, ______. "
Hey what?"
D'you wanna rock the boat? "
No way."
D'you wanna rock the boat?!
"Ok."
She slides. She slides.
She does the buttafly
She turns around, touchs the ground
And wiggles it just a little bit*
Rock the boat dont tip it over
rock the boat dont tip it over
-Aria StyPayHorLikSon, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9QuTsAtQPY [comment], 2010
[reformatted for this post]
-snip-
*Instead of the line "And wiggles it just a little bit", in the 1990s (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) I heard this line “she gets back up and breaks it down” [“Breaks it down” meaning dances really good, does her best dance moves]. That line fits the cheer better because it rhymes.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-hues-corporation-rock-boat-video.html for a pancocojams post on The Hues Corporation's record "Rock The Boat" that includes examples of children's rhymes with that "rock the boat/don't tip it over" lines.
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Friday, April 5, 2013
Soulful Struts (Definition & Examples Of Strutting)
Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post provides definitions of the word "strut" and four video examples of different ways that Black people strut their stuff.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
DEFINITIONS OF "STRUT" & "STRUTTIN" (strutting)
From http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strut
"strut – to walk with a proud gait"
-snip-
Additional definitions of "struttin'"
walking with attitude [self-confidence, pride]
**
walking with lots of "swag" [swagger], walking like you just KNOW you bad [with "bad" here meaning “very good”]
**
a type of hip-hop dance
-snip-
The phrase "strut your stuff" usually refers to walking with a swaying gait so that your butt shakes.
The phrase "struttin down the alley" is found in the Black children's singing games "Zoodio" and "Strut Miss Lucy" (also known as "Thisa Way Valerie"). In both of those games, at a certain part of the song, a person or a couple are supposed to strut down (later, dance down) the aisle made by people standing facing each other in two lines. Because of its popularity on that television dance show, this formation is now commonly known in the United States as a "Soul Train line". Click http://zumalayah.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-stroll-model-for-soul-train-line.html for a post on my zumalayah blog that provides a video example of Zoodio and a video of an early Soul Train line formation on the television show of that name.
**
FEATURED VIDEOS
Example #1: Uncle Tom's Cabin - Cakewalk - 1903 Edison Version
uncletomscabindvd, From Uncle Tom's Cabin Reconsidered - http://www.uncletomscabindvd.com
****
Example #2: Jsu exit again! MSU 2009
Patrick Pettaway, Uploaded on Sep 15, 2009
The whole vid
-snip-
This video shows the JSU band (Jackson State University (located in Jackson, Mississippi) exiting the stadium area after their team played a football game with MSU (Mississippi State University).
****
Example #3: Joint Usher Board Anniversary Pt 1
smartvids09, Uploaded on Sep 30, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010 TheFBCD Washington DC
-snip-
I'm not sure what the letters "FBCD" stands for. I think the "FBC" stands for "First Baptist Church", but I don't know what the "D" stands for.
This video shows the ushers struttin (marching) into their "Ushers Day" anniversary with a single person in the lead. It's likely that another type of church processional would be used for an actual church services.
Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gu_LdVjIPjk for Part 2 of this video.
Click http://zumalayah.blogspot.com/2013/03/african-american-church-processionals.html for a post on my zumalayah blog that features more Black church processions.
****
Example #4: Roots New Years Day Junkanoo 2010 [Bahamas]
Uploaded by hugomanager on Jan 6, 2010
****
Example #5: Strutting | Popping Basics
grygorenko1, Uploaded on Nov 9, 2011
Проводится набор в школу танцев
DANCE PROJECT TRICK!
****
BONUS SOUND FILE - Soulful Strut/Young-Holt Unlimited [1968]
oldies55, Uploaded on Aug 22, 2008
put your soul in a groove
****
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to all those who are featured in this post. My thanks also to the producers and the publishers on YouTube of these videos and this sound file.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This pancocojams post provides definitions of the word "strut" and four video examples of different ways that Black people strut their stuff.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
DEFINITIONS OF "STRUT" & "STRUTTIN" (strutting)
From http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strut
"strut – to walk with a proud gait"
-snip-
Additional definitions of "struttin'"
walking with attitude [self-confidence, pride]
**
walking with lots of "swag" [swagger], walking like you just KNOW you bad [with "bad" here meaning “very good”]
**
a type of hip-hop dance
-snip-
The phrase "strut your stuff" usually refers to walking with a swaying gait so that your butt shakes.
The phrase "struttin down the alley" is found in the Black children's singing games "Zoodio" and "Strut Miss Lucy" (also known as "Thisa Way Valerie"). In both of those games, at a certain part of the song, a person or a couple are supposed to strut down (later, dance down) the aisle made by people standing facing each other in two lines. Because of its popularity on that television dance show, this formation is now commonly known in the United States as a "Soul Train line". Click http://zumalayah.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-stroll-model-for-soul-train-line.html for a post on my zumalayah blog that provides a video example of Zoodio and a video of an early Soul Train line formation on the television show of that name.
**
FEATURED VIDEOS
Example #1: Uncle Tom's Cabin - Cakewalk - 1903 Edison Version
uncletomscabindvd, From Uncle Tom's Cabin Reconsidered - http://www.uncletomscabindvd.com
****
Example #2: Jsu exit again! MSU 2009
Patrick Pettaway, Uploaded on Sep 15, 2009
The whole vid
-snip-
This video shows the JSU band (Jackson State University (located in Jackson, Mississippi) exiting the stadium area after their team played a football game with MSU (Mississippi State University).
****
Example #3: Joint Usher Board Anniversary Pt 1
smartvids09, Uploaded on Sep 30, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010 TheFBCD Washington DC
-snip-
I'm not sure what the letters "FBCD" stands for. I think the "FBC" stands for "First Baptist Church", but I don't know what the "D" stands for.
This video shows the ushers struttin (marching) into their "Ushers Day" anniversary with a single person in the lead. It's likely that another type of church processional would be used for an actual church services.
Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gu_LdVjIPjk for Part 2 of this video.
Click http://zumalayah.blogspot.com/2013/03/african-american-church-processionals.html for a post on my zumalayah blog that features more Black church processions.
****
Example #4: Roots New Years Day Junkanoo 2010 [Bahamas]
Uploaded by hugomanager on Jan 6, 2010
****
Example #5: Strutting | Popping Basics
grygorenko1, Uploaded on Nov 9, 2011
Проводится набор в школу танцев
DANCE PROJECT TRICK!
****
BONUS SOUND FILE - Soulful Strut/Young-Holt Unlimited [1968]
oldies55, Uploaded on Aug 22, 2008
put your soul in a groove
****
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to all those who are featured in this post. My thanks also to the producers and the publishers on YouTube of these videos and this sound file.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Friday, March 15, 2013
The REAL Lyrics to Hey Little Mama (Funky Y2C)
Edited by Azizi Powell
Have you ever looked up the lyrics to a song online, and realized that not only were those lyrics wrong on one site, but that every other lyric website had copied those same wrong lyrics for that song? That's the way it is with the lyrics to the 1994 children's Hip-Hop/Maimi Bass song Funky Y2C (Hey Little Mama, Why You Dance So Funky).
How do I know that the lyrics to that song were copied from the same source? Because the exact same INCORRECT transcriptions for certain words are found in each & every one of those websites. It's not that incorrect transcriptions can't happen to the best of us - and I'm not patting myself on the back with that statement). But, come on son, when each of the lyric websites have the SAME typo, spelling error, or transcription of a possibly misheard word, that tells me that somebody copied off of somebody - which wouldn't be so bad if the transcription was right, but it's not.
For an example, check out how these two lines from that song are found on all the lyrics sites:
"Dont you know how to pup with the pup down?
UP, pop pup is shaking it agian..come on do that funky dance"
-snip-
Um, what do those lines even mean. They make no sense.
Here's my transcription of those lines:
"Don’t you know I’m down with the pup pound?"
Pup pound crew is shakin again.
Come on do that funky dance.
-snip-
Now I'm not sayin that my transcription of "Funky Y2C" is absolutely right. For instance, I'm not always sure who is rapping certain lines, and I don't know how to transribe those sounds toward the end of the song. As always, I welcome additions & corrections to my transcription.
By the way, this is Part II of a three Part series. Part I presents some examples of African American Vernacular English that is found in selected viewer comments from this video's viewer comment threads. Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/03/funky-y2c-african-american-vernacular.html for that post. [It probably would have made sense for that post to be the third one in this series, but that's what got me interested in this song.]
Here's that video, followed by my transcription of those lyrics.
dj nadinho funk the puppies hey lil mama funky y2c
nadinho vieiraPublished on Feb 5, 2013
-snip-
Information about this group from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Puppies
"The Puppies is a child hip hop duo composed of brother and sister Calvin "Big Boy" Mills and Tamara "Dee" Mills.
Specializing in Miami bass music, the duo released two albums and scored one Top 40 hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, 'Funky Y-2-C'."
****
LYRICS - FUNKY Y2C (HEY LITTLE MAMA WHY YOU DANCE SO FUNKY)
Girl from Crowd –Ooh you so funky and hot!
Crowd of Children- Oooh! Ooooh!
[Chorus]
Big Boy - Hey little mama, why you dance so funky?
Crowd - (Hey little mama, why you dance so funky?)
Yeah, that the funky, it’s the funky Y2C!
(Yeah, that the funky, that’s the funky Y2C!)
[repeat]
Big Boy - Hey little mama, why you dance so funky?
Get on the floor and shake it like a donkey.
Shake it to the left, shake to the right.
Do the funky dance. Shake it all night.
Shake that thing. You know you got it on.
Girl from Crowd [?]- Now look at me. I’m shakin my big butt.
Big Boy - Just do it baby. Jump up and down.
Now break it down, to the ground.
Shake it. shake it, shake it, shake it.
Get real funky and don't you break it.
Yeah, that's right you doin it baby.
Looks so funky. You drive me crazy.
Yeah , it's the Big Boy once again.
Let that butt go out and in.
Now do the funky dance in place.
You look so funky, I wanna say
Chorus
Tamara - Funky, funky, yeah that's me.
I'm dancing funky to the beat
I really want the crowd to say
Crowd -(Hey little mama)
Tamara -Shakin it, shakin it, that's what I'm doing
Got all the boys up in here just ooh-in.
Just because I'm young, not old,
I know you think that I am bold.
Bold enough to show this butt.
But tonight you got me messed up.
I am young, but I have rights.
I can do the funky dance all night
Sweat me. sweat me, you little sucker.
Don't you know they call me Tamara?
Feast your eyes on this funky butt
While all them boys out there say – “What!”
Chorus
Big Boy -Oooh! You so hot!
(Hey little mama)
Girl, you need to stop!
(Hey little mama)
Tamara - Hey ladies come, on do it now!
(Funky Y2C)
Fellas come on, get it now!
(Funky Y2C)
Little boy from the crowd -I wanna learn that dance...
Little girl from the crowd - Me too!
Tamara -So, watch how I do it then.
Crowd - (Go, go, go, go)
(Hey little mama)
Girl from the crowd - My mama taught me how to do this.
(Hey little mama)
Someone from the crowd -Oooh, she do it good.
Big Boy -“Yeah, it's that funky dance, that funky Y2c!”
(Go, go, go, go, funky Y2C!)
[insert some sounds]
Big Boy – Hey little mama, do you like that sound?
Tamara - Don’t you know I’m down with the pup pound?
Big Boy – Pup pound crew is shakin again.
Come on, do that funky dance
Get funky, funky, funky, baby.
Go to the ground. Get crazy.
Yah, that's right.
Hey Tamara.
I'm telling you to shake that...
Tamara- What!
Chorus
Big Boy–Now that's the way to do it, dog!”
-snip-
Transcription by Azizi Powell. Additions & correction are welcome. I don't know the name of the composer of this song. If you know, please live that information as a comment or contact me at cocojams17@yahoo.com
As a reminder, Part III of this post presents my interpretation of certain lines from this song. Part III will be published ASAP.
ADDENDUM
In the opening scene of this video, two sets of girls are shown and heard doing a partner handclap routine to a long form version of the playground rhyme "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky". It should be noted that the two girls in the front are doing a really atypical form of a partner handclap routine. They actually look like they are doing some kind of wild fighting instead of doing a handclap. The usual way for people to do partner handclaps is to stand in place much closer to your partner than the distance those girls were standing.
I can't figure out why the director of this video shoot had the girls do that, but then again, the entire scene wasn't realistic. In the real world, girls in that playground crowd would have been giving that girl the eye & wouldn't be publicly praising her whether or not they liked how she looked or how she danced. And, in the real world, boys those ages wouldn't even be in the same playground space as the girls, and if the boys & girls were in the same plagyround space, the boys-at least- would pretend to, or would actually be igorning the girls.
Anyway, here's the portion of the "Hanky Panky" rhyme that those girls were saying:
"where the bull frogs jump from bank to bank
I said fee fi fo fum
your mama stank and so are you”
-snip-
I’ve found these words- but not necessarily in that African American vernacular form - in a number of examples of the long form of the rhyme “Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky”
****
RELATED LINKS
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/03/funky-y2c-african-american-vernacular.html for Part I of this series.
Part I provides examples of African American Vernacular English from the comment thread of a YouTube video of "Funky Y2C".
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-meanings-of-lyrics-to-hey-little.html for Part III of this series.
Part III provides my interpretation of certain lines from this song.
****
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to the Puppies for their recording of "Funky Y2C". Thanks also to the composer of this song, the producer of that video, and all those who are featured in that video. Thanks also to the uploader of this video.
Thank you for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Have you ever looked up the lyrics to a song online, and realized that not only were those lyrics wrong on one site, but that every other lyric website had copied those same wrong lyrics for that song? That's the way it is with the lyrics to the 1994 children's Hip-Hop/Maimi Bass song Funky Y2C (Hey Little Mama, Why You Dance So Funky).
How do I know that the lyrics to that song were copied from the same source? Because the exact same INCORRECT transcriptions for certain words are found in each & every one of those websites. It's not that incorrect transcriptions can't happen to the best of us - and I'm not patting myself on the back with that statement). But, come on son, when each of the lyric websites have the SAME typo, spelling error, or transcription of a possibly misheard word, that tells me that somebody copied off of somebody - which wouldn't be so bad if the transcription was right, but it's not.
For an example, check out how these two lines from that song are found on all the lyrics sites:
"Dont you know how to pup with the pup down?
UP, pop pup is shaking it agian..come on do that funky dance"
-snip-
Um, what do those lines even mean. They make no sense.
Here's my transcription of those lines:
"Don’t you know I’m down with the pup pound?"
Pup pound crew is shakin again.
Come on do that funky dance.
-snip-
Now I'm not sayin that my transcription of "Funky Y2C" is absolutely right. For instance, I'm not always sure who is rapping certain lines, and I don't know how to transribe those sounds toward the end of the song. As always, I welcome additions & corrections to my transcription.
By the way, this is Part II of a three Part series. Part I presents some examples of African American Vernacular English that is found in selected viewer comments from this video's viewer comment threads. Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/03/funky-y2c-african-american-vernacular.html for that post. [It probably would have made sense for that post to be the third one in this series, but that's what got me interested in this song.]
Here's that video, followed by my transcription of those lyrics.
dj nadinho funk the puppies hey lil mama funky y2c
nadinho vieiraPublished on Feb 5, 2013
-snip-
Information about this group from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Puppies
"The Puppies is a child hip hop duo composed of brother and sister Calvin "Big Boy" Mills and Tamara "Dee" Mills.
Specializing in Miami bass music, the duo released two albums and scored one Top 40 hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, 'Funky Y-2-C'."
****
LYRICS - FUNKY Y2C (HEY LITTLE MAMA WHY YOU DANCE SO FUNKY)
Girl from Crowd –Ooh you so funky and hot!
Crowd of Children- Oooh! Ooooh!
[Chorus]
Big Boy - Hey little mama, why you dance so funky?
Crowd - (Hey little mama, why you dance so funky?)
Yeah, that the funky, it’s the funky Y2C!
(Yeah, that the funky, that’s the funky Y2C!)
[repeat]
Big Boy - Hey little mama, why you dance so funky?
Get on the floor and shake it like a donkey.
Shake it to the left, shake to the right.
Do the funky dance. Shake it all night.
Shake that thing. You know you got it on.
Girl from Crowd [?]- Now look at me. I’m shakin my big butt.
Big Boy - Just do it baby. Jump up and down.
Now break it down, to the ground.
Shake it. shake it, shake it, shake it.
Get real funky and don't you break it.
Yeah, that's right you doin it baby.
Looks so funky. You drive me crazy.
Yeah , it's the Big Boy once again.
Let that butt go out and in.
Now do the funky dance in place.
You look so funky, I wanna say
Chorus
Tamara - Funky, funky, yeah that's me.
I'm dancing funky to the beat
I really want the crowd to say
Crowd -(Hey little mama)
Tamara -Shakin it, shakin it, that's what I'm doing
Got all the boys up in here just ooh-in.
Just because I'm young, not old,
I know you think that I am bold.
Bold enough to show this butt.
But tonight you got me messed up.
I am young, but I have rights.
I can do the funky dance all night
Sweat me. sweat me, you little sucker.
Don't you know they call me Tamara?
Feast your eyes on this funky butt
While all them boys out there say – “What!”
Chorus
Big Boy -Oooh! You so hot!
(Hey little mama)
Girl, you need to stop!
(Hey little mama)
Tamara - Hey ladies come, on do it now!
(Funky Y2C)
Fellas come on, get it now!
(Funky Y2C)
Little boy from the crowd -I wanna learn that dance...
Little girl from the crowd - Me too!
Tamara -So, watch how I do it then.
Crowd - (Go, go, go, go)
(Hey little mama)
Girl from the crowd - My mama taught me how to do this.
(Hey little mama)
Someone from the crowd -Oooh, she do it good.
Big Boy -“Yeah, it's that funky dance, that funky Y2c!”
(Go, go, go, go, funky Y2C!)
[insert some sounds]
Big Boy – Hey little mama, do you like that sound?
Tamara - Don’t you know I’m down with the pup pound?
Big Boy – Pup pound crew is shakin again.
Come on, do that funky dance
Get funky, funky, funky, baby.
Go to the ground. Get crazy.
Yah, that's right.
Hey Tamara.
I'm telling you to shake that...
Tamara- What!
Chorus
Big Boy–Now that's the way to do it, dog!”
-snip-
Transcription by Azizi Powell. Additions & correction are welcome. I don't know the name of the composer of this song. If you know, please live that information as a comment or contact me at cocojams17@yahoo.com
As a reminder, Part III of this post presents my interpretation of certain lines from this song. Part III will be published ASAP.
ADDENDUM
In the opening scene of this video, two sets of girls are shown and heard doing a partner handclap routine to a long form version of the playground rhyme "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky". It should be noted that the two girls in the front are doing a really atypical form of a partner handclap routine. They actually look like they are doing some kind of wild fighting instead of doing a handclap. The usual way for people to do partner handclaps is to stand in place much closer to your partner than the distance those girls were standing.
I can't figure out why the director of this video shoot had the girls do that, but then again, the entire scene wasn't realistic. In the real world, girls in that playground crowd would have been giving that girl the eye & wouldn't be publicly praising her whether or not they liked how she looked or how she danced. And, in the real world, boys those ages wouldn't even be in the same playground space as the girls, and if the boys & girls were in the same plagyround space, the boys-at least- would pretend to, or would actually be igorning the girls.
Anyway, here's the portion of the "Hanky Panky" rhyme that those girls were saying:
"where the bull frogs jump from bank to bank
I said fee fi fo fum
your mama stank and so are you”
-snip-
I’ve found these words- but not necessarily in that African American vernacular form - in a number of examples of the long form of the rhyme “Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky”
****
RELATED LINKS
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/03/funky-y2c-african-american-vernacular.html for Part I of this series.
Part I provides examples of African American Vernacular English from the comment thread of a YouTube video of "Funky Y2C".
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-meanings-of-lyrics-to-hey-little.html for Part III of this series.
Part III provides my interpretation of certain lines from this song.
****
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to the Puppies for their recording of "Funky Y2C". Thanks also to the composer of this song, the producer of that video, and all those who are featured in that video. Thanks also to the uploader of this video.
Thank you for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Friday, February 15, 2013
The Harlem Shake (Origins, Old School Examples, & Internet Meme)
Edited by Azizi Powell
This post provides examples of & information about the Ethiopian Eskista dance which is said to have inspired the 1981 dance called the "Harlem Shake" in the United States. This post also features two videos of the old Harlem Shake (early 2000s), and a video of the Chicken Noodle Soup dance (2006) that came from the old Harlem Shake.
In addition, this post includes two Harlem Shake instructional videos as well as information about & a video compilation of the Harlem Shake Internet meme (2013).
The content of this post is presented for historical, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
INFORMATION ABOUT THE HARLEM SHAKE
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harlem_shake_(dance)
"The Harlem Shake is a dance that originally began in Harlem, New York. Since its beginnings it has spread to other urban areas and became popular in music videos. The announcers at the Entertainer's Basketball Classic at Rucker Park claim that the modern day Harlem Shake was started by a man by the name of "Al B" (nickname Sisqo or Cisco). Al B was an alcoholic who would perform the dance upon request. Because of its founder, the dance was originally called the "albee" in Rucker and Harlem, but then later became known as the Harlem Shake.[1]...
The Harlem Shake is based on an Ethiopian dance called the Eskista.[2] [3]
... Though starting in 1981, the Harlem Shake became mainstream in 2001 when G. Dep featured the dance in his music video “Let's Get It”.[2]
The Harlem Shake is commonly associated with a similar dance move called The Chicken Noodle Soup. The Chicken Noodle Soup evolved from the Harlem Shake and exploded into popularity in the summer of 2006 when DJ Webstar and Young B brought it to the mainstream.[2]
...The [Harlem Shake] dance has repopularized [4] as of February 2013, with many people including celebrities such T-Pain uploading videos on youtube.com of them doing the dance."
-snip-
I very much doubt that Al B, the alleged originator of the 1981 Harlem Shake, or many other 1980s and 1990s Harlem Shake dancers knew anything about the Ethiopian "Eskista" dance. It appears from several online sites that Al B attributed his inspiration for the dance that came to be called "The Harlem Shake" to the shaking movements made by alcoholics. Al B also is said to have indicated that his inspiration for the dance was how he imagined Egyptian mummies would shake if they danced. Note: A citation for this information is given in the Related Links section below.
As to the connection between the Harlem Shake of 1980s, the 1990s and the mid 2000s & the Ethiopian Eskista dance, I think that it's much more likely that someone who knew about the Eskista dance and saw the albee/Harlem Shake dance, recognized the similarities between those two dances. After all, even before the advent of YouTube, there probably were people in New York City who had read about or had seen films of Ethiopian culture, including the Eskista dances. And even in the 1980s when the first modern day* Harlem Shake is said to have originated, there certainly were people in New York City who had visited Ethiopia. Also, undoubtedly there were people from Ethiopia in New York City and in other American cities who were familiar with the Eskista dance & with the Harlem Shake (albee) dance. That said, the body popping movements of the Eskista dance and the Harlem Shake (albee) reflect both of those dances Black African sources. Furthermore, the statement that the Harlem Shake was inspired by the Ethiopian Eskista dance helps raise awareness of that traditional Affrican dance. For that reason, even though I think it's not entirely accurate, I'm okay with the statement that the Harlem Shake is based on the Eskista dance.
*I italized the words "modern day" to highlight those words because I wonder if there were African American dances and/or Caribbean dances that emphasized shoulder popping or shoulder twisting decades before the early 1980s or even decades before the popping and locking Hip-Hop dances of the 1960s & 1970s. Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popping for information about "popping".
For instance, were the shoulder movements in the once very popular Jazz dance "truckin" which first emerged in Harlem around 1927 similar to the Harlem Shake shoulder movements?
From http://www.streetswing.com/histmain/z3truck.htm
"The main feature of Truckin' is the shoulders which rise and fall as the dancers move toward each other as the fore finger points up and wiggles back and forth like a windshield wiper".
I'd love for dance historians to add some input about this.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE ESKISTA DANCE
From http://development.thinkaboutit.eu/think3/post/ethiopian_traditional_dance_eskesta/
Ethiopian traditional dance: Eskesta, by Martina Petkova, Published 29th July 2010
..."Ideology – the Ethiopian name “Eskesta” means actually “Dancing shoulders”; it is often practiced in the Northern parts of Ethiopia (Amhara group) where the indigenous tribes of Amhara, Wollo, Gondar etc. are still performing the dance of Eskesta. The motives and characteristics of the dance are often interchanged during the dance by the performers of the variety of war songs, hunting songs, Shepherd songs, love songs and work songs. The best dancer is appointed to the leader of the group and respectively the best singer...
It also is said that this dance was invented because of the snakes. Ethiopian people were often observing the “dance”/movements of the snake, shaking in the same way their neck. On the other hand, in the sphere of indigenous Ethiopian music the influence of the rattlesnake while shaking its tail (the sound it produces) has created a certain way of singing as well.
Furthermore, other symbols and rituals that can be described are these connected with the costumes which each dancer wears. They are often made of woven cotton called “gabbi” or “netella” and painted with different colors depending on the gender of the dancer.
Technique – dance performed both from men and women with their head, neck, chest and shoulders, shaking in specific ways; the music played during the dance is often produced with the traditional Ethiopian instruments like krar, flute, drums and mesenko. The dancers sometimes sing or in some places of the dance utilize the silence in order to stress out some prevailing moments of the dance. There are however some variations depending on the areas in which this dance is performed – Wollo, Gondar or Gojjam."...
-snip-
DISCLAIMER: With regard to the author's comment that the Eskista dance imitates the movement of snakes, I also read a comment in a YouTube viewer comment thread that the female Eskista dancers were supposed to be imitating the movement of birds. I'm not sure if either or both of these theories are accurate.
I'd love to add links to and quotes from Ethiopians about the history & meanings of the Eskista dance.
THREE VIDEOS OF THE ESKISTA DANCE
Example #1: Gonder Kinet Troupe - Gedame
cybrmstr, Uploaded on Dec 17, 2008
One of the best Iskista
****
Example #2:Song Ethiopian music eskista collection 4 track 10
Jimy Smith, Published on Nov 13, 2013
-snip-
Update: May 3, 2016 - This video replaces an earlier featured video that is no longer available.
****
Example #3: ethiopia-music
Kanal von donell21, Uploaded on Jan 25, 2011
****
THE OLD HARLEM SHAKE (United States early 2000s)
Example #1: G Dep-Let's Get It
Dezerin3, Uploaded on Mar 3, 2009
The Saga Continues....
-snip-
The spaces in the audio of this video are indications that this is a clean version of this Hip-Hop song. Please be aware that this YouTube video comment thread and other YouTube comment threads of videos featured on this page contain comments that include profanity, racist remarks, sexually explicit remarks and other content that isn't acceptable for children.
****
Example #2: How to do the Harlem Shake
Phronesis7, Uploaded on Jul 14, 2007
A bunch o kids from Harlem (I think) show people how to do the Harlem Shake....
-snip-
This video may actually be from the 1990s or earlier.
****
INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS ON HOW TO DO THE (ORIGINAL) HARLEM SHAKE
Example #1: How to Do the Harlem Shake
dancing·627, Uploaded on Mar 25, 2010
The Harlem shake is a dance move that involves pivoting the shoulder out while bringing the other shoulder out at the same time. Discover how the Harlem shake is mainly comprised of shoulder shaking with help from professional hip-hop dancers and choreographers in this free video on doing the Harlem shake.
****
Example #2: How to Do the Harlem Shake
Mahalodotcom, Published on Sep 27, 2011
****
THE CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP DANCE
Chicken Noodle Soup
WebstarVEVO, Uploaded on Nov 22, 2009
Music video by Webstar, Young B performing Chicken Noodle Soup. (C) 2006 Universal Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
****
THE HARLEM SHAKE - INTERNET MEME
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harlem_shake_(meme)
"The Harlem Shake is an Internet phenomenon based on viral videos that began to gain popularity in early February 2013,[1] following the release of a video by the YouTube comedy vlogger Filthy Frank. The original video was published on January 30, 2013, which featured a compilation comedy, where he then made his later video the Harlem Shake containing the original extended gag. The meme originated in Queensland, Australia after five Australian teenagers known as 'The Sunny Coast Skate' created a Harlem Shake video, that went viral due to their large following on YouTube.
The videos feature the song Harlem Shake by electronic musician Baauer, and a dancing style not to be confused with the original Harlem Shake.[2] Normally, each video begins with one person (often masked) dancing to the song alone for 15 seconds, surrounded by other people unaware of the dancing individual. When the bass drops, the camera transitions to the entire crowd doing the dance for the next 15 seconds, often wearing a minimum of clothes or crazy outfits or costumes while wielding strange props.[3] The success of the video was attributed to its break out moment and short length [4] of which the first version of the widely accepted and adopted internet meme was created by five teenagers known as The Sunny Coast Skate from Queensland, Australia.[5][6] The phenomenon spread due to the number of people replicating and uploading similar videos.[6] In the first nine days, over 11,000 versions of the popular internet meme had been uploaded, garnering over 44 million unique views, and averaging over 4,000 new variations each day.[6]"
****
The Best of Harlem Shake
HTFDIGH,Published on Feb 17, 2013
****
RELATED LINKS
Click http://www.thefader.com/2013/02/15/fader-explains-harlem-shake/ for more information about the history of the 1981 albee and more details about the history of the 2013 Harlem Shake Internet meme (Alert: There's one early example of profanity in that article.)
Click http://www.vulture.com/2013/02/5-music-videos-featuring-the-actual-harlem-shake.html for examples of R&B/Hip-Hip videos of real Harlem Shake dancing (with the times given that that dancing occurs in those videos). However, some of those videos are NSFW (Not Safe For Watching At Work - and therefore, in my opinion, aren't suitable for children.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/02/west-african-roots-of-harlem-shake.html for the pancocojams post "West African Roots Of The Harlem Shake Shoulder Movements"
****
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to the composers of these songs, and thanks to all of the performers & dancers in these featured videos. My thanks also to the authors of the articles that are quoted in this post, and the uploaders of these featured videos.
Thank you for visiting pancocojams.
Viewer comments are welcome.
This post provides examples of & information about the Ethiopian Eskista dance which is said to have inspired the 1981 dance called the "Harlem Shake" in the United States. This post also features two videos of the old Harlem Shake (early 2000s), and a video of the Chicken Noodle Soup dance (2006) that came from the old Harlem Shake.
In addition, this post includes two Harlem Shake instructional videos as well as information about & a video compilation of the Harlem Shake Internet meme (2013).
The content of this post is presented for historical, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
INFORMATION ABOUT THE HARLEM SHAKE
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harlem_shake_(dance)
"The Harlem Shake is a dance that originally began in Harlem, New York. Since its beginnings it has spread to other urban areas and became popular in music videos. The announcers at the Entertainer's Basketball Classic at Rucker Park claim that the modern day Harlem Shake was started by a man by the name of "Al B" (nickname Sisqo or Cisco). Al B was an alcoholic who would perform the dance upon request. Because of its founder, the dance was originally called the "albee" in Rucker and Harlem, but then later became known as the Harlem Shake.[1]...
The Harlem Shake is based on an Ethiopian dance called the Eskista.[2] [3]
... Though starting in 1981, the Harlem Shake became mainstream in 2001 when G. Dep featured the dance in his music video “Let's Get It”.[2]
The Harlem Shake is commonly associated with a similar dance move called The Chicken Noodle Soup. The Chicken Noodle Soup evolved from the Harlem Shake and exploded into popularity in the summer of 2006 when DJ Webstar and Young B brought it to the mainstream.[2]
...The [Harlem Shake] dance has repopularized [4] as of February 2013, with many people including celebrities such T-Pain uploading videos on youtube.com of them doing the dance."
-snip-
I very much doubt that Al B, the alleged originator of the 1981 Harlem Shake, or many other 1980s and 1990s Harlem Shake dancers knew anything about the Ethiopian "Eskista" dance. It appears from several online sites that Al B attributed his inspiration for the dance that came to be called "The Harlem Shake" to the shaking movements made by alcoholics. Al B also is said to have indicated that his inspiration for the dance was how he imagined Egyptian mummies would shake if they danced. Note: A citation for this information is given in the Related Links section below.
As to the connection between the Harlem Shake of 1980s, the 1990s and the mid 2000s & the Ethiopian Eskista dance, I think that it's much more likely that someone who knew about the Eskista dance and saw the albee/Harlem Shake dance, recognized the similarities between those two dances. After all, even before the advent of YouTube, there probably were people in New York City who had read about or had seen films of Ethiopian culture, including the Eskista dances. And even in the 1980s when the first modern day* Harlem Shake is said to have originated, there certainly were people in New York City who had visited Ethiopia. Also, undoubtedly there were people from Ethiopia in New York City and in other American cities who were familiar with the Eskista dance & with the Harlem Shake (albee) dance. That said, the body popping movements of the Eskista dance and the Harlem Shake (albee) reflect both of those dances Black African sources. Furthermore, the statement that the Harlem Shake was inspired by the Ethiopian Eskista dance helps raise awareness of that traditional Affrican dance. For that reason, even though I think it's not entirely accurate, I'm okay with the statement that the Harlem Shake is based on the Eskista dance.
*I italized the words "modern day" to highlight those words because I wonder if there were African American dances and/or Caribbean dances that emphasized shoulder popping or shoulder twisting decades before the early 1980s or even decades before the popping and locking Hip-Hop dances of the 1960s & 1970s. Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popping for information about "popping".
For instance, were the shoulder movements in the once very popular Jazz dance "truckin" which first emerged in Harlem around 1927 similar to the Harlem Shake shoulder movements?
From http://www.streetswing.com/histmain/z3truck.htm
"The main feature of Truckin' is the shoulders which rise and fall as the dancers move toward each other as the fore finger points up and wiggles back and forth like a windshield wiper".
I'd love for dance historians to add some input about this.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE ESKISTA DANCE
From http://development.thinkaboutit.eu/think3/post/ethiopian_traditional_dance_eskesta/
Ethiopian traditional dance: Eskesta, by Martina Petkova, Published 29th July 2010
..."Ideology – the Ethiopian name “Eskesta” means actually “Dancing shoulders”; it is often practiced in the Northern parts of Ethiopia (Amhara group) where the indigenous tribes of Amhara, Wollo, Gondar etc. are still performing the dance of Eskesta. The motives and characteristics of the dance are often interchanged during the dance by the performers of the variety of war songs, hunting songs, Shepherd songs, love songs and work songs. The best dancer is appointed to the leader of the group and respectively the best singer...
It also is said that this dance was invented because of the snakes. Ethiopian people were often observing the “dance”/movements of the snake, shaking in the same way their neck. On the other hand, in the sphere of indigenous Ethiopian music the influence of the rattlesnake while shaking its tail (the sound it produces) has created a certain way of singing as well.
Furthermore, other symbols and rituals that can be described are these connected with the costumes which each dancer wears. They are often made of woven cotton called “gabbi” or “netella” and painted with different colors depending on the gender of the dancer.
Technique – dance performed both from men and women with their head, neck, chest and shoulders, shaking in specific ways; the music played during the dance is often produced with the traditional Ethiopian instruments like krar, flute, drums and mesenko. The dancers sometimes sing or in some places of the dance utilize the silence in order to stress out some prevailing moments of the dance. There are however some variations depending on the areas in which this dance is performed – Wollo, Gondar or Gojjam."...
-snip-
DISCLAIMER: With regard to the author's comment that the Eskista dance imitates the movement of snakes, I also read a comment in a YouTube viewer comment thread that the female Eskista dancers were supposed to be imitating the movement of birds. I'm not sure if either or both of these theories are accurate.
I'd love to add links to and quotes from Ethiopians about the history & meanings of the Eskista dance.
THREE VIDEOS OF THE ESKISTA DANCE
Example #1: Gonder Kinet Troupe - Gedame
cybrmstr, Uploaded on Dec 17, 2008
One of the best Iskista
****
Example #2:Song Ethiopian music eskista collection 4 track 10
Jimy Smith, Published on Nov 13, 2013
-snip-
Update: May 3, 2016 - This video replaces an earlier featured video that is no longer available.
****
Example #3: ethiopia-music
Kanal von donell21, Uploaded on Jan 25, 2011
****
THE OLD HARLEM SHAKE (United States early 2000s)
Example #1: G Dep-Let's Get It
Dezerin3, Uploaded on Mar 3, 2009
The Saga Continues....
-snip-
The spaces in the audio of this video are indications that this is a clean version of this Hip-Hop song. Please be aware that this YouTube video comment thread and other YouTube comment threads of videos featured on this page contain comments that include profanity, racist remarks, sexually explicit remarks and other content that isn't acceptable for children.
****
Example #2: How to do the Harlem Shake
Phronesis7, Uploaded on Jul 14, 2007
A bunch o kids from Harlem (I think) show people how to do the Harlem Shake....
-snip-
This video may actually be from the 1990s or earlier.
****
INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS ON HOW TO DO THE (ORIGINAL) HARLEM SHAKE
Example #1: How to Do the Harlem Shake
dancing·627, Uploaded on Mar 25, 2010
The Harlem shake is a dance move that involves pivoting the shoulder out while bringing the other shoulder out at the same time. Discover how the Harlem shake is mainly comprised of shoulder shaking with help from professional hip-hop dancers and choreographers in this free video on doing the Harlem shake.
****
Example #2: How to Do the Harlem Shake
Mahalodotcom, Published on Sep 27, 2011
****
THE CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP DANCE
Chicken Noodle Soup
WebstarVEVO, Uploaded on Nov 22, 2009
Music video by Webstar, Young B performing Chicken Noodle Soup. (C) 2006 Universal Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
****
THE HARLEM SHAKE - INTERNET MEME
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harlem_shake_(meme)
"The Harlem Shake is an Internet phenomenon based on viral videos that began to gain popularity in early February 2013,[1] following the release of a video by the YouTube comedy vlogger Filthy Frank. The original video was published on January 30, 2013, which featured a compilation comedy, where he then made his later video the Harlem Shake containing the original extended gag. The meme originated in Queensland, Australia after five Australian teenagers known as 'The Sunny Coast Skate' created a Harlem Shake video, that went viral due to their large following on YouTube.
The videos feature the song Harlem Shake by electronic musician Baauer, and a dancing style not to be confused with the original Harlem Shake.[2] Normally, each video begins with one person (often masked) dancing to the song alone for 15 seconds, surrounded by other people unaware of the dancing individual. When the bass drops, the camera transitions to the entire crowd doing the dance for the next 15 seconds, often wearing a minimum of clothes or crazy outfits or costumes while wielding strange props.[3] The success of the video was attributed to its break out moment and short length [4] of which the first version of the widely accepted and adopted internet meme was created by five teenagers known as The Sunny Coast Skate from Queensland, Australia.[5][6] The phenomenon spread due to the number of people replicating and uploading similar videos.[6] In the first nine days, over 11,000 versions of the popular internet meme had been uploaded, garnering over 44 million unique views, and averaging over 4,000 new variations each day.[6]"
****
The Best of Harlem Shake
HTFDIGH,Published on Feb 17, 2013
****
RELATED LINKS
Click http://www.thefader.com/2013/02/15/fader-explains-harlem-shake/ for more information about the history of the 1981 albee and more details about the history of the 2013 Harlem Shake Internet meme (Alert: There's one early example of profanity in that article.)
Click http://www.vulture.com/2013/02/5-music-videos-featuring-the-actual-harlem-shake.html for examples of R&B/Hip-Hip videos of real Harlem Shake dancing (with the times given that that dancing occurs in those videos). However, some of those videos are NSFW (Not Safe For Watching At Work - and therefore, in my opinion, aren't suitable for children.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/02/west-african-roots-of-harlem-shake.html for the pancocojams post "West African Roots Of The Harlem Shake Shoulder Movements"
****
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to the composers of these songs, and thanks to all of the performers & dancers in these featured videos. My thanks also to the authors of the articles that are quoted in this post, and the uploaders of these featured videos.
Thank you for visiting pancocojams.
Viewer comments are welcome.
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