Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post is a full re-publication of the third post that I published on this blog in August 30, 2011. That post has the same title and can be found at https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2011/08/original-meaning-of-song-that-became.html.
That original post was the first pancocojams post to receive any comments, and includes a rather robust* (for pancocojams) discussion thread with varying opinions of the original meaning[s] of the words in that song that are often given as "sea lion" women.
Additional lyrics for this song are also given in that 2011 post's comment section.
I decided not to re-post those comments here, but hope that there will also be comments in this post's discussion thread.
*46 comments as of the time of this post's publication October 29, 2018, 8:14 PM EDT.
That post also has 46 favorites, which means that (as of this date) that pancocojams post has the highest number of favorites if not the highest number of favorites. That post also has 10, 692 viewer hits as of that October 29, 2018 date and time.
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The content of this post is published for historical, cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and all those who are featured in the videos that are embedded in this post. Thanks also to the videos' publishers on YouTube.
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Here's that post:
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The 1999 American movie "The General's Daughter" might have been the first time many people heard the song "Sea Lion Woman" ("Sea Line Woman"). For others - including me -"Sea Lion Woman" is forever associated with the soulful vocalist Nina Simone. Here's a video of Nina Simone singing that song:
Nina Simone- See Line Woman
Uploaded by mardenhill on Oct 5, 2009
Live Performance - Montréal, Canada (1992)
-anip-
Since the only version of "Sea Lion Woman" that I knew for a long time was the one that Nina Simone sang, it came as a suprise to me that some people believe that the basis of that song was a children's playground song.
In a comment that is posted on the Folk music & Blues forum Mudcat Cafe, blogger Jim Dixon shared the following information
" "Sea-Lye Woman" (Sea Lion) was included on the album "Field Recordings Vol 4: Mississippi & Alabama (1934-1942) which was released in 1998 on the Document label. There it is sung by Katherine & Christine Shipp, who sound very young. In fact, the song has the flavor of a girl's jump-rope rhyme, with a sort of African beat."...
By the way, I doubt that African American girls in Mississippi or Alabama in the 1930s or 40s would be singing about a "sea lion" woman anyway. They seem to be awfully far removed from the "selkie" legends. And they are definitely pronouncing it "see-lye" or maybe "seal-eye". "Sea Lion" seems like rationalization to me. Do you suppose the song had been handed down from some African language?"
April 3,2003 http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=33719
-snip-
Instead of thinking that the "sea lion" phrase might have come from an African language, my guess [which I shared on that same Mudcat thread] was that "sea lion" was a folk etymology form of the Biblical phrase "Selah". But I dropped that theory after reading several comments from guests who identified themselves as being from the South* and who shared that that "sea lion" ("see-line"; "see-lye") originally was "she lyin'". The phrase "She lyin" (or "she's lying" as one guest wrote it) was said in response to a call & response tattle tail type statement such as one person saying "she drank coffee" and the second person saying "(No I didn't) She lyin'".
*I'm a Northern girl with no known Southern relatives. The only Southern city I've ever visited is Atlanta, Georgia. I guess Atlanta still counts as the South in spite of all the Northern people who've moved there).
It should also be noted that another guest wrote that "sea lion" was originally "C-line", a referent for a railroad line. But I'm sold on the "She lyin" meaning for a number of reasons.
1. That phrase fits the likely pronunciation customs of some Black folks in the South (and elsewhere)
2. The back & forth tattle tailing and denial statements fit the call & response pattern that Nina Simone has preserved so well in her renditions of this song.
and
3. That theory fits the comment that was shared earlier that the first recorded version of this song in 1939 [which I haven't heard yet] sounds like a girl's jump rope song.
I should also mention that I happened upon another children's game song version of "Sea Lion Woman" from Mississippi. That version was included in the 1965 book Children's Games From Many Lands (Nina Miller: New York, Friendship Press, pp 121-122). That version was credited to a number of females from Mississippi (no age or race given). The words to that version can be found on Mudcat thread whose link has been previously given.
I believe that it's important to also share that two comments on that same Mudcat thread on "Sea Lion Woman" were posted by guests who indicated that she (or he or perhaps the same person) were members (or a member) of the Shipp family. The first of these comment was written in August 2007. That guest (who didn't share her or his name) wrote:
"I feel the song has been stolen from the family, but having trouble proving it. My grandmother and aunt wrote that song."
The second comment from a Shipp family member was posted to that same Mudcat thread in November 2010. That comment was signed by LaVern Shipp who wrote:
"My father Isaac Shipp, my grandmother Mary, and grandfather Walter Shipp was known in the South as the singing Shipp. My aunts are catherine, christine, they both are on the recording in 1939. My grandmother used to write songs and make up tunes to various songs. She passed away in 1966."
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UPDATE WITH LYRICS & COMMENTS 6/7/2012
Although the original version of "Sea Lion Woman" ("Sea Line Woman") may have been a children's playground rhyme, the lyrics of that song as sung by Nina Simone were clearly about a "bad" woman who sleeps all day and "balls" all night. However, eventually, the woman returns home to her roots "to save her soul(because she realized that her lifestyle was wrong).
****
LYRICS TO SEA LION WOMAN
[As sung by Katherine and Christine
Shipp; 1939]
Sea Lion Woman (Sea Lion)
She drank coffee (Sea Lion)
She drank tea (Sea Lion)
And he gamble lie (Sea Lion)*
Way down yonder (Sea Lion)
I'm going maul (Sea Lion)
And the rooster crow (Sea Lion)
And he got no lie (Sea Lion)
Sea lion woman (Sea Lion)
She drank coffee (Sea Lion)
She drank tea (Sea Lion)
And she gamble lie (Sea Lion)*
Sea lion woman (Sea Lion)
She drank coffee (Sea Lion)
She drank tea (Sea Lion)
And a gamble lie (Sea Lion)*
Source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_Lion_Woman
-snip-
"The exact origins of the song are unknown but it is believed to have originated in the southern United States. It was first recorded by folklore researcher Herbert Halpert on May 13, 1939. Halpert was compiling a series of field recordings for the Library of Congress in Byhalia, MS, when he ran across African Americans Walter Shipp, a minister, and his wife Mary, a choir director of a local church. Halpert recorded Shipp's daughters, Katherine and Christine, singing a sparse version of "Sea Lion Woman" that defined the basic rhymes and rhythm of the song."
-snip-
*In the Gullah dialect of English, the pronoun "he" also means "she". I've read that this is similar to some West African languages, and that practice of using "he" for females can also be found in some Caribbean dialects of English.
****
UPDATE July 18, 2013
Here's the original recording of "Sea Lion Woman":
Sea Lion Woman - Christine and Katherine Shipp
mypianoisbroken, Uploaded on Jul 29, 2010
Library of Congress field recording Herbert Halpert.
****
ADDITION: September 1, 2014
http://www.loc.gov/folklife/LP/AFS_L4_sm.pdf The Library Of Congress. Music Division; Archive of American Folklore gives this song as:
L: Sea lion woman
O: See lie
L: Shee drink cofee
O: See lie
L: She drink tea
O: See lie
L: And the gander lie
O: See lie
2. L. Way down yonder
'Hind a log
And the rooster crowed
And the gander lied
[The first verse is repeated twice.
(See lyin [?])
-snip-
The L probably means "lead" and the "O" probably means "other"
[voice]
"The gander lies" seems to me to be more accurate than "gamble lies". A gander is a male goose.
End of addition 9/1/2014
-snip-
Here's a track of "Sea Lion Woman" from the movie "The General's Daughter" that is based on the original recording of the Shipp sisters:
July 14, 2016- Sorry. This video is no longer available :o(
But here's a rendition of "Sea Line Woman" that was recommended by Anonymous (July 14, 2016)
Laura Mvula See Line Woman
Strokey Beard, Published on Jan 2, 2014
One amazing performance- what a singer; what a band!
The original is by Nina Simone http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfyGMn... , based a a traditional kid's chant.
-snip-
LYRICS TO SEA LINE WOMAN
[As sung by Nina Simone at a Montréal, Canada (1992)]
Sea line woman (Sea line)
She drink coffee (Sea line)
She drink tea (Sea line)
then she go home (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Sea line woman, dressed in white (Sea line)
Sleep all day (Sea line)
Ball all night (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
She drink coffee (Sea line)
She drink tea (Sea line)
then she go home (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Wiggle Wiggle (Sea line)
Purr like a cat (Sea line)
Wink at a man (Sea line)
Then he'll wink back(Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Empty his pockets (Sea line)
And wreck his days (Sea line)
Make him love her (Sea line)
She'll fly away (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Dressed in gold (Sea line)
Goin home (Sea line)
To save her soul (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Dressed in red (Sea line)
Make a man (Sea line)
Lose his head (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Wiggle Wiggle (Sea line)
Purr like a cat (Sea line)
Wink at a man (Sea line)
Then he'll wink back (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Empty his pockets (Sea line)
Wreck his day (Sea line)
Make him love her (Sea line)
And she'll fly away (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Dressed in black (Sea line)
Sleep all day (Sea line)
On her back (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Dressed in yella (Sea line)
Watch out fellas (Sea line)
You gonna lose out fellas [?]
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Dressed in blue (Sea line)
Watch out fellas (Sea line)
She's gonna steal you (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
He can't hear you (Sea line) **
I can't hear you (Sea line)**
Sea line woman (Sea line)
She drink coffee (Sea line)
She drink tea (Sea line)
Then she go home (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Dressed in yella (Sea line)
Watch out girls (Sea line)
You gonna steal your fella
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Dressed in gold (Sea line)
Goin home (Sea line)
To see [save?] her soul (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
She drink coffee (Sea line)
She drink a little champagne (Sea line)
Then she go home (Sea line)
Then she go home now (Sea line)
Then she go home (Sea line)
Then she go home now (Sea line)
Then she go home (Sea line)
Whoah!
Sea line!
Sea line!
Sea line!
Sea line!
Sea line!
Sea line!
Sea line!
Sea line!
Sea line woman (Sea line)
She drink coffee (Sea line)
She drink tea (Sea line)
Then she go home (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Dressed in gold (Sea line)
Goin home (Sea line)
To save her soul (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
She drink coffee (Sea line)
Then she go home (Sea line)
Then she go home (Sea line)
Then she go home now (Sea line)
Then she go home (Sea line)
Then she go home now (Sea line)
Then she go home (Sea line!)
[transcription by Azizi Powell from the video; words that I'm unsure of are followed by a question mark in brackets]
**lyrics directed to the audience to sing louder
It's should be noted that- as is the case with other folk songs- the lyrics to Nina Simone's "Sea Line Woman" weren't fixed. The words, the order of verses, and the length of the song could change with different performances. For that reason, there are several "Nina Simone" versions of "Sea Lion Woman" (or "Sea Line Woman") online. Most of them follow the "color pattern" (Sea lion woman/dressed in ___) as found above, with the "she drink coffee/she drink tea" verse being repeated more often than any other verse.
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Showing posts with label children's songs and rhymes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label children's songs and rhymes. Show all posts
Monday, October 29, 2018
Wednesday, October 3, 2018
Comparisons Between United States Versions & Jamaican Versions Of Children's Parodies Of "I Believe I Can Fly, I Got Shot By The FBI"
Edited by Azizi Powell
Latest revision: April 1, 2026
This pancocojams post features some examples of children's parodies of "I Believe I Can Fly" (I Got Shot By The FBI") from the United States and from Jamaica.
Information about R. Kelly's 1996 pop/R&B song "I Believe I Can Fly" is included in this post along with my analysis of some differences between the United States versions of these rhymes and the Jamaican versions of these rhymes.
The content of this post is presented for folkloric, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to R. Kelly for composing the song "I Believe I Can Fly". Thanks also to those who contributed examples and/or videos that are featured in this post.
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/10/childrens-parodies-of-i-believe-i-can_2.html for a 2013 pancocojams post entitled Children's Parodies Of "I Believe I Can Fly" (text & video examples)
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/07/archived-links-for-pancocojams-posts.html for a hyperlinked archive of pancocojams posts on "I Believe I Can Fly" children's parodies.
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SONG "I BELIEVE I CAN FLY"
"I Believe I Can Fly" is a 1996 song written, produced and performed by American singer R. Kelly, from the soundtrack to the 1996 film Space Jam. It was originally released on November 26, 1996, and was later included on Kelly's 1998 album R.
In early 1997, "I Believe I Can Fly" reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100; it was kept from the number one spot by Toni Braxton's "Un-Break My Heart". Although Kelly has had two number one songs on the pop chart, "I Believe I Can Fly" is his most successful single. It reached the number-one spot of the Billboard R&B Singles Chart and remained there for six non-consecutive weeks, keeping "Un-Break My Heart" from the top position of that chart for four of those weeks. "I Believe I Can Fly" also topped the charts in eight countries (including the United Kingdom), has won three Grammy Awards, and was ranked number 406 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2004. The music video was directed by Kelly with Hype Williams.[1]
[...]
Parodies
In the 1999 episode "The Best of Both Worlds" of the animated TV series KaBlam!, in the Life with Loopy segment, the song was spoofed as "I (Don't) Believe I Can Fly."
In 2013, the song was parodied by sports radio show Tim & Sid, spoofing the song as "I Believe in Masai", in reference to Toronto Raptors General Manager Masai Ujiri.
In 2016, the song was parodied as "I'm Convinced I Can Swim" by "Art Smelly" from the soundtrack to the hit film Earth Jelly in an episode of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt."...
-snip-
"I Believe I Can Fly" children's parodies are based on the chorus of R. Kelly's 1996 song:
[Chorus]
I believe I can fly
I believe I can touch the sky
I think about it every night and day
Spread my wings and fly away
I believe I can soar
I see me running through that open door
I believe I can fly
I believe I can fly
I believe I can fly
Source: https://genius.com/R-kelly-i-believe-i-can-fly-lyrics
****
EXAMPLES OF CHILDREN'S PARODIES OF "I BELIEVE I CAN FLY" FROM THE UNITED STATES
Excerpt for Example #1, these examples are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.
Example #1:
I believe I can fly.
I got chased by the FBI. (or less often "I'm being chased by the FBI").
It's all because of those collards greens
that I ate with those chicken wings.
I believe I can fly.**
See me running through that open door.
I believe I can fly.
I believe I can fly.
-African American boys & girls (ages 7-12), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, collected by Azizi Powell, 1999
-snip-
This example is the first time that I heard of any parody version of "I Believe I Can Fly". I collected this version during a cultural presentation that I conducted in 1999 at a children's recreation center in the Hill District of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As a prelude to my presentation of traditional, adapted traditional, and contemporary African American game songs and cheers I asked the children in attendance what game songs they like to sing or play. Parodies of "I Believe I Can Fly" was the most popular song that was mentioned and the most enthusiastically sung by boys and girls in attendance of these cultural sessions in various (mostly Black) Pittsburgh neighborhoods from 1999 to about 2003.
The parodies I heard in Pittsburgh were always the same as or very similar to the one given above. All of those examples had the same tune and tempo as the chorus to R. Kelly's record*. No body movements such as individual hand clapping, partner hand clap routines, jumping, or dancing accompanied the singing of these parodies.
I never learned how these parodies became so widely known among these children. They just said they made it up or they learned it from hearing other children sing it.
*Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIQn8pab8Vc for the official YouTube video of
R Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly".
**Added October 4, 2018:
In a number of "I Believe I Can Fly" children's parodies this line is given as "I believe I can soar". The word "soar" rhymes with the word "door" in the subsequent line in this example and in many other examples. However, the boys and girls in this group (and some others) may not have known the word "soar" and therefore repeated the line "I believe I can fly".
**
Example #2:
I believe can fly I got shot by the fbi
mari, Published on Jun 25, 2014
Mari and mike
-snip-
[Here's my transcription of this video, written in poetry/song line format instead of the paragraph form that is used most of the time for online comments]
"I believe I can fly
I got shot by the FBI
All I wanted is some chicken wings, cornbread, and collard greens
I believe I can soar
I got a whoopin at the grocery store
I told my daddy I can't take no more
I got shot by the FBI"
**
Example #3:
"I believe I can fly, got shot by the FBI, all I wanted was a bag of chips, then they shot off my dangling bits..."
-Daniela Lopez, 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArMTpyrncak [video given above]
**
Example #4:
"@Daniela Lopez When I was 5 it was, I believe i can fly, i got shot by the FBI, all i wanted was a bag of chips, then hit my sister in the bits
-IA Gaming, 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArMTpyrncak [video given above]
**
Example #5
"I believe I can fly I got shot by the FBI all I wanted was some Burger King but instead they gave me chicken wings I believe I can soar got a whoopin at the grocery store I told my daddy I can't take it no more I got shot by the FBI"
-Gavin Walsh, 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArMTpyrncak [video given above]
**
Example #6:
"I believe I can fly, I got shot by the FBI, All I wanted was a chicken wing, From McDonald's or Burger King, I still believe I can fly, I got caught by the Pepsi Guy, All I wanted was a Mountain Dew, Then he shot me with his 42, I'll always believe I can fly, Until the day I die, A clown hit me with a pie, After I told him to go die, I believe I could soar, I got killed by a open door, All I needed was 20 cents, For a package of Junior Mints.
That's the version I like!!"
-fireland47, 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUxEagMd8m0
**
Example #7:
"I believe I can fly, then I got shot by the FBI, all I wanted was a chicken wing, from KFC or Burger King. I believe I can soar, then I got hit with the kitchen door.
I love how everyone has their own special versions :)))"
-King Melik's Broadcast, 2017 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUxEagMd8m0
**
Example #8:
"I believe I can fly I got shot by the pizza guy all I wanted was some onion rings or some mc Donald’s or Burger King I believe I can sore my mamma slapped me at the grocery store even though I was 34"
-FAKEJAKEPAUL TEAM 10, 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUxEagMd8m0
**
Example #9:
"The version we sang was I believe I can die. Got shot by the FBI. All I wanted was some chicken wings. Some corn bread and some collard greens. I believe I can sore. Got a beaten in the grocery store."
-Purple Capricorn, 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUxEagMd8m0
**
Example #10:
"real version: I believe I can fly I got shot by the FBI all I wanted was a chicken wing cornbread and collard greens I believe I can soar I got hit by the kitchen door
-Angela Evans, 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUxEagMd8m0
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Example #11:
"I learned it like this ~ I believe I can fly, I got shot by the FBI, all I wanted was a chicken wing; from McDonalds and Burger King. I ended up in the hospital. And all they gave me was a popsicle. I looked beside me in the garbage can, and inside there was a naked man."
-jasmine chan, 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArMTpyrncak
**
Example #12:
This is how I learned it. I believe I can fly, I got shot down by the FBI all i wanted was a chicken wingggggg, but i didn't get my chicken wing. So i went to burger king I asked for a side of fries, but i didn't get my side of fries. all i wanted was a side of fries, so i blew up burger king yeah yeah i blew up burger king. I believe I can fly i got shot down by the FBI so i went to the hospital all i got was a popsicle and i looked in a garbage can and i saw a naked man. All i wanted was a chicken wing
-MaddieIsVeryBored, 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArMTpyrncak
**
Example #13:
"I believe I can fly I got shot by the FBI all I wanted was some chicken wings from McDonald's or Burger King and hit my mom with the frying pan she hit me back with the minivan i ended up in the hospital then I got a free popsicle 😄😄😄😄😂😂😂"
-Shanielia Williams, 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArMTpyrncak
**
Example #14:
"I made another version that's way better than guys I believe I could fly I got shot by the FBI all I was trying to do is playing my PS4 but my mom came screaming at my door"
-these pistolsonly aQ, 2018
-snip-
Ps4 = Sony PlayStation 4 Slim [video game console]
**
Example #15:
i believe i can fly got shot by the fbi, all i wanted was a chicken wing, but then they shot me in the dingaling.iwent to the hostpital, and they replaced it with a popcicle, i got hit by a metal door, and that hurt so much more.
Source(s):
boys in my classes still sing it
-Myra L, 2009, https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090624005743AAxbczS
**
Example #16:
"I believe I can fly. I got shot by the FBI. All I wanted was a chicken wing, mashed potatoes and collard greens. I believe I can soar. My momma beat me at the grocery store. I believe I can fly. I believe I can fly. 🦅
-Sandy Rivera, 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIQn8pab8Vc [official video of R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly"]
**
Example #17:
"I believe I can Fly, I got shot by the FBI,My Mom hit me with a frying pan, I hit her with a trash Can, I believe I can fly
-Marsh VEVO, 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIQn8pab8Vc [official video of R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly"]
**
Example #18:
I Believe I can fly I got shot by an fbi all a wanted was a chicken wing a cross the street from Burger King I believe I can fly I believe I can fly
-Yanelba Reyes, 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIQn8pab8Vc [official video of R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly"]
**
Example #19:
"I believe I can fly,
Got shot by the pizza guy,
All I wanted was some onion rings,
From McDonald's or Burger King,
I believe I can soar,
My mom slapped me in the grocery store,
Even though I'm 24,
I still got an imaginary dinosaur"
-itznajah, 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIQn8pab8Vc [official video of R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly"
**
Example #20:
"I believe i can fly
I got shot by the fbi
All i wanted was a chicken wing
So i blew up burger king
I believe i can soar
I got hit by an apple cooooore
I hit my dog with a frying pan
He hit me back with a mini-vaaaaaaaaan!"
-snoopdawgproductions, Published on Nov 8, 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYlVpjke9Vs
****
EXAMPLES OF CHILDREN'S PARODIES OF "I BELIEVE I CAN FLY" FROM JAMAICA
Example #1
"I know this: I believe i can fly I believe i can touch the sky i been shot by an fbi but the fbi never had a gun so he shot me with a easter bun but easter bun never had no cheese so he shot me with a gung peas gung peas never have no seed so he shot me with a mango seed mango seed never have no hair so he shot me with beer but beer never have cork so he shot me a bobocloth"
Tyrone Sings13, 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArMTpyrncak [video given above]
-snip-
Here's some information about Jamaica's Easter buns from https://jamdownfoodie.com/jamaican-easter-bun/
"Jamaica is a primarily Christian nation and all Christian holidays are held sacred there. Easter is no exception and the observance of Easter starts as early as Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday is the start of Lent and generally, people decide to give up one indulgence during this time. Many people choose to give up eating red meat and chicken and stick with eating fish and seafood. At the end of Lent, which is marked by Good Friday, people begin the feast of Easter with a spiced bread dubbed Easter Bun and fried fish. The bread is a sweet bread that is studded with dried fruit and heavily spiced with nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and allspice. It is traditionally eaten with Jamaican processed cheese but it is also very delicious with mild aged cheddar cheese."...
**
Example #2
"i believe i can fly i got shot by an FBI the fbi never have nuh gun so him shot me with a easter bun the easter bun never i have nuh cheese so shot me with a gungo peas the gungo peas never have nuh seed so him shot me with a mango seed the mango seed never have nuh hair so him shot me with a red strip beer the red strip never have nuh cork so him shot with a bomboclat
-Faith, 2013, https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090624005743AAxbczS
The earliest children's parodies of R. Kelly's song "I Believe I Can Fly" that I heard is from 1999. [Example #1 above]. Numerous versions of these children's parodies are found online, particularly in discussion threads for YouTube videos of R. Kelly's song or in YouTube discussion threads of children singing those parodies. [Note that after February 2019, YouTube instituted a policy of disallowing comments on YouTube discussion threads for children's videos.]
**
This 2018 YouTube comment documents that some children in the United States were still reciting parodies of "I Believe I Can Fly" in 2018:
* "Ya it's still a huge parody in my school"
-krista lime, October 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIQn8pab8Vc [from the discussion thread for R Kelly’s official YouTube video of "I Believe I Can Fly"]
I'm interested in knowing whether children in the USA, in Jamaica, and elsewhere still sing/recite parodies of "I Believe I Can Fly" in the 2020s. Please share any information about this in the discussion section for this post. Thanks in advance!
Latest revision: April 1, 2026
This pancocojams post features some examples of children's parodies of "I Believe I Can Fly" (I Got Shot By The FBI") from the United States and from Jamaica.
Information about R. Kelly's 1996 pop/R&B song "I Believe I Can Fly" is included in this post along with my analysis of some differences between the United States versions of these rhymes and the Jamaican versions of these rhymes.
The content of this post is presented for folkloric, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to R. Kelly for composing the song "I Believe I Can Fly". Thanks also to those who contributed examples and/or videos that are featured in this post.
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/10/childrens-parodies-of-i-believe-i-can_2.html for a 2013 pancocojams post entitled Children's Parodies Of "I Believe I Can Fly" (text & video examples)
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/07/archived-links-for-pancocojams-posts.html for a hyperlinked archive of pancocojams posts on "I Believe I Can Fly" children's parodies.
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SONG "I BELIEVE I CAN FLY"
"I Believe I Can Fly" is a 1996 song written, produced and performed by American singer R. Kelly, from the soundtrack to the 1996 film Space Jam. It was originally released on November 26, 1996, and was later included on Kelly's 1998 album R.
In early 1997, "I Believe I Can Fly" reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100; it was kept from the number one spot by Toni Braxton's "Un-Break My Heart". Although Kelly has had two number one songs on the pop chart, "I Believe I Can Fly" is his most successful single. It reached the number-one spot of the Billboard R&B Singles Chart and remained there for six non-consecutive weeks, keeping "Un-Break My Heart" from the top position of that chart for four of those weeks. "I Believe I Can Fly" also topped the charts in eight countries (including the United Kingdom), has won three Grammy Awards, and was ranked number 406 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2004. The music video was directed by Kelly with Hype Williams.[1]
[...]
Parodies
In the 1999 episode "The Best of Both Worlds" of the animated TV series KaBlam!, in the Life with Loopy segment, the song was spoofed as "I (Don't) Believe I Can Fly."
In 2013, the song was parodied by sports radio show Tim & Sid, spoofing the song as "I Believe in Masai", in reference to Toronto Raptors General Manager Masai Ujiri.
In 2016, the song was parodied as "I'm Convinced I Can Swim" by "Art Smelly" from the soundtrack to the hit film Earth Jelly in an episode of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt."...
-snip-
"I Believe I Can Fly" children's parodies are based on the chorus of R. Kelly's 1996 song:
[Chorus]
I believe I can fly
I believe I can touch the sky
I think about it every night and day
Spread my wings and fly away
I believe I can soar
I see me running through that open door
I believe I can fly
I believe I can fly
I believe I can fly
Source: https://genius.com/R-kelly-i-believe-i-can-fly-lyrics
****
EXAMPLES OF CHILDREN'S PARODIES OF "I BELIEVE I CAN FLY" FROM THE UNITED STATES
Excerpt for Example #1, these examples are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.
Example #1:
I believe I can fly.
I got chased by the FBI. (or less often "I'm being chased by the FBI").
It's all because of those collards greens
that I ate with those chicken wings.
I believe I can fly.**
See me running through that open door.
I believe I can fly.
I believe I can fly.
-African American boys & girls (ages 7-12), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, collected by Azizi Powell, 1999
-snip-
This example is the first time that I heard of any parody version of "I Believe I Can Fly". I collected this version during a cultural presentation that I conducted in 1999 at a children's recreation center in the Hill District of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As a prelude to my presentation of traditional, adapted traditional, and contemporary African American game songs and cheers I asked the children in attendance what game songs they like to sing or play. Parodies of "I Believe I Can Fly" was the most popular song that was mentioned and the most enthusiastically sung by boys and girls in attendance of these cultural sessions in various (mostly Black) Pittsburgh neighborhoods from 1999 to about 2003.
The parodies I heard in Pittsburgh were always the same as or very similar to the one given above. All of those examples had the same tune and tempo as the chorus to R. Kelly's record*. No body movements such as individual hand clapping, partner hand clap routines, jumping, or dancing accompanied the singing of these parodies.
I never learned how these parodies became so widely known among these children. They just said they made it up or they learned it from hearing other children sing it.
*Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIQn8pab8Vc for the official YouTube video of
R Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly".
**Added October 4, 2018:
In a number of "I Believe I Can Fly" children's parodies this line is given as "I believe I can soar". The word "soar" rhymes with the word "door" in the subsequent line in this example and in many other examples. However, the boys and girls in this group (and some others) may not have known the word "soar" and therefore repeated the line "I believe I can fly".
**
Example #2:
I believe can fly I got shot by the fbi
mari, Published on Jun 25, 2014
Mari and mike
-snip-
[Here's my transcription of this video, written in poetry/song line format instead of the paragraph form that is used most of the time for online comments]
"I believe I can fly
I got shot by the FBI
All I wanted is some chicken wings, cornbread, and collard greens
I believe I can soar
I got a whoopin at the grocery store
I told my daddy I can't take no more
I got shot by the FBI"
**
Example #3:
"I believe I can fly, got shot by the FBI, all I wanted was a bag of chips, then they shot off my dangling bits..."
-Daniela Lopez, 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArMTpyrncak [video given above]
**
Example #4:
"@Daniela Lopez When I was 5 it was, I believe i can fly, i got shot by the FBI, all i wanted was a bag of chips, then hit my sister in the bits
-IA Gaming, 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArMTpyrncak [video given above]
**
Example #5
"I believe I can fly I got shot by the FBI all I wanted was some Burger King but instead they gave me chicken wings I believe I can soar got a whoopin at the grocery store I told my daddy I can't take it no more I got shot by the FBI"
-Gavin Walsh, 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArMTpyrncak [video given above]
**
Example #6:
"I believe I can fly, I got shot by the FBI, All I wanted was a chicken wing, From McDonald's or Burger King, I still believe I can fly, I got caught by the Pepsi Guy, All I wanted was a Mountain Dew, Then he shot me with his 42, I'll always believe I can fly, Until the day I die, A clown hit me with a pie, After I told him to go die, I believe I could soar, I got killed by a open door, All I needed was 20 cents, For a package of Junior Mints.
That's the version I like!!"
-fireland47, 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUxEagMd8m0
**
Example #7:
"I believe I can fly, then I got shot by the FBI, all I wanted was a chicken wing, from KFC or Burger King. I believe I can soar, then I got hit with the kitchen door.
I love how everyone has their own special versions :)))"
-King Melik's Broadcast, 2017 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUxEagMd8m0
**
Example #8:
"I believe I can fly I got shot by the pizza guy all I wanted was some onion rings or some mc Donald’s or Burger King I believe I can sore my mamma slapped me at the grocery store even though I was 34"
-FAKEJAKEPAUL TEAM 10, 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUxEagMd8m0
**
Example #9:
"The version we sang was I believe I can die. Got shot by the FBI. All I wanted was some chicken wings. Some corn bread and some collard greens. I believe I can sore. Got a beaten in the grocery store."
-Purple Capricorn, 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUxEagMd8m0
**
Example #10:
"real version: I believe I can fly I got shot by the FBI all I wanted was a chicken wing cornbread and collard greens I believe I can soar I got hit by the kitchen door
-Angela Evans, 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUxEagMd8m0
****
Example #11:
"I learned it like this ~ I believe I can fly, I got shot by the FBI, all I wanted was a chicken wing; from McDonalds and Burger King. I ended up in the hospital. And all they gave me was a popsicle. I looked beside me in the garbage can, and inside there was a naked man."
-jasmine chan, 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArMTpyrncak
**
Example #12:
This is how I learned it. I believe I can fly, I got shot down by the FBI all i wanted was a chicken wingggggg, but i didn't get my chicken wing. So i went to burger king I asked for a side of fries, but i didn't get my side of fries. all i wanted was a side of fries, so i blew up burger king yeah yeah i blew up burger king. I believe I can fly i got shot down by the FBI so i went to the hospital all i got was a popsicle and i looked in a garbage can and i saw a naked man. All i wanted was a chicken wing
-MaddieIsVeryBored, 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArMTpyrncak
**
Example #13:
"I believe I can fly I got shot by the FBI all I wanted was some chicken wings from McDonald's or Burger King and hit my mom with the frying pan she hit me back with the minivan i ended up in the hospital then I got a free popsicle 😄😄😄😄😂😂😂"
-Shanielia Williams, 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArMTpyrncak
**
Example #14:
"I made another version that's way better than guys I believe I could fly I got shot by the FBI all I was trying to do is playing my PS4 but my mom came screaming at my door"
-these pistolsonly aQ, 2018
-snip-
Ps4 = Sony PlayStation 4 Slim [video game console]
**
Example #15:
i believe i can fly got shot by the fbi, all i wanted was a chicken wing, but then they shot me in the dingaling.iwent to the hostpital, and they replaced it with a popcicle, i got hit by a metal door, and that hurt so much more.
Source(s):
boys in my classes still sing it
-Myra L, 2009, https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090624005743AAxbczS
**
Example #16:
"I believe I can fly. I got shot by the FBI. All I wanted was a chicken wing, mashed potatoes and collard greens. I believe I can soar. My momma beat me at the grocery store. I believe I can fly. I believe I can fly. 🦅
-Sandy Rivera, 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIQn8pab8Vc [official video of R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly"]
**
Example #17:
"I believe I can Fly, I got shot by the FBI,My Mom hit me with a frying pan, I hit her with a trash Can, I believe I can fly
-Marsh VEVO, 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIQn8pab8Vc [official video of R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly"]
**
Example #18:
I Believe I can fly I got shot by an fbi all a wanted was a chicken wing a cross the street from Burger King I believe I can fly I believe I can fly
-Yanelba Reyes, 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIQn8pab8Vc [official video of R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly"]
**
Example #19:
"I believe I can fly,
Got shot by the pizza guy,
All I wanted was some onion rings,
From McDonald's or Burger King,
I believe I can soar,
My mom slapped me in the grocery store,
Even though I'm 24,
I still got an imaginary dinosaur"
-itznajah, 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIQn8pab8Vc [official video of R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly"
**
Example #20:
"I believe i can fly
I got shot by the fbi
All i wanted was a chicken wing
So i blew up burger king
I believe i can soar
I got hit by an apple cooooore
I hit my dog with a frying pan
He hit me back with a mini-vaaaaaaaaan!"
-snoopdawgproductions, Published on Nov 8, 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYlVpjke9Vs
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EXAMPLES OF CHILDREN'S PARODIES OF "I BELIEVE I CAN FLY" FROM JAMAICA
Example #1
"I know this: I believe i can fly I believe i can touch the sky i been shot by an fbi but the fbi never had a gun so he shot me with a easter bun but easter bun never had no cheese so he shot me with a gung peas gung peas never have no seed so he shot me with a mango seed mango seed never have no hair so he shot me with beer but beer never have cork so he shot me a bobocloth"
Tyrone Sings13, 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArMTpyrncak [video given above]
-snip-
Here's some information about Jamaica's Easter buns from https://jamdownfoodie.com/jamaican-easter-bun/
"Jamaica is a primarily Christian nation and all Christian holidays are held sacred there. Easter is no exception and the observance of Easter starts as early as Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday is the start of Lent and generally, people decide to give up one indulgence during this time. Many people choose to give up eating red meat and chicken and stick with eating fish and seafood. At the end of Lent, which is marked by Good Friday, people begin the feast of Easter with a spiced bread dubbed Easter Bun and fried fish. The bread is a sweet bread that is studded with dried fruit and heavily spiced with nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and allspice. It is traditionally eaten with Jamaican processed cheese but it is also very delicious with mild aged cheddar cheese."...
**
Example #2
"i believe i can fly i got shot by an FBI the fbi never have nuh gun so him shot me with a easter bun the easter bun never i have nuh cheese so shot me with a gungo peas the gungo peas never have nuh seed so him shot me with a mango seed the mango seed never have nuh hair so him shot me with a red strip beer the red strip never have nuh cork so him shot with a bomboclat
-Faith, 2013, https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090624005743AAxbczS
**
Example #3
"Jamaican version: I believe I can fly I got shot by a FBI ,FBI never have no gun so he shot me with a easter bun ,easter bun never have no cheese so them shot me with a red stripe bear,red stripe bear never have no cark so them shot me with a ......etc.
UNITED STATES VERSIONS:
The Wikipedia page for the song "I Believe I Can Fly" that I read on October 3, 2018 and the version of that page that I read in April 1, 2026 have a section on parodies of this song. However, neither of these versions of that page mention the apparently widespread and long lasting (since 1999) custom among boys and girls in the United States and elsewhere of singing parodies that they made up or heard elsewhere of this song.
Example #3
"Jamaican version: I believe I can fly I got shot by a FBI ,FBI never have no gun so he shot me with a easter bun ,easter bun never have no cheese so them shot me with a red stripe bear,red stripe bear never have no cark so them shot me with a ......etc.
Hot_Adhesiveness_846, 2023,
https://www.reddit.com/r/nostalgia/comments/jy6ghl/i_believe_i_can_fly_i_got_shot_by_the_fbi_all_i/
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NOTES ABOUT SOME DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SOME UNITED STATES AND SOME JAMAICAN EXAMPLES OF CHILDREN'S PARODIES OF "I BELIEVE I CAN FLY"
UNITED STATES VERSIONS:
The Wikipedia page for the song "I Believe I Can Fly" that I read on October 3, 2018 and the version of that page that I read in April 1, 2026 have a section on parodies of this song. However, neither of these versions of that page mention the apparently widespread and long lasting (since 1999) custom among boys and girls in the United States and elsewhere of singing parodies that they made up or heard elsewhere of this song.
The earliest children's parodies of R. Kelly's song "I Believe I Can Fly" that I heard is from 1999. [Example #1 above]. Numerous versions of these children's parodies are found online, particularly in discussion threads for YouTube videos of R. Kelly's song or in YouTube discussion threads of children singing those parodies. [Note that after February 2019, YouTube instituted a policy of disallowing comments on YouTube discussion threads for children's videos.]
**
This 2018 YouTube comment documents that some children in the United States were still reciting parodies of "I Believe I Can Fly" in 2018:
* "Ya it's still a huge parody in my school"
-krista lime, October 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIQn8pab8Vc [from the discussion thread for R Kelly’s official YouTube video of "I Believe I Can Fly"]
I'm interested in knowing whether children in the USA, in Jamaica, and elsewhere still sing/recite parodies of "I Believe I Can Fly" in the 2020s. Please share any information about this in the discussion section for this post. Thanks in advance!
**
I heard boys and girls ages 5 to 12 years old sing these songs in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (from 1999 to around 2003). I have also seen videos of children reciting these examples and commenters mention that they remember reciting these examples in school or write that they are still reciting these parodies in school.
That said, it's also possible that children began to sing these parodies after hearing them or similar parodies that were sung by adults (for instance, children may have heard a parody of that song "in the 1999 episode "The Best of Both Worlds" of the animated TV series KaBlam!, in the Life with Loopy segment, the song was spoofed as "I (Don't) Believe I Can Fly." [as indicated in the Wikipedia article that is cited above). I haven't found a transcript of that segment, but note that no children's versions that I've heard or found online have the line "I don't believe I can fly". Also, in probable contrast to that 1999 television spoof, almost all of the children's parodies of "I Believe I Can Fly" feature "FBI" as the rhyme for the word "fly".
**
The usual format for these United States children's versions of "I Believe I Can Fly" appears to consist of a series of two line verses with the last word in the first line of each verse rhyming with the last word of the second line. However, the format that is used for Example #12 given above is the same as the format that is used for the two Jamaican examples given below.
**
None of the children's parodies of this song that I've heard or found online have the inspirational message that is found in R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly" song.
**
Almost all of the children's parody examples refer to being shot by the FBI" (Federal Bureau of Investigation). The referent "FBI" rhymes with the word "fly". (Note that the older referent for FBI agents "G men" isn't used in any of these examples). However, by at least 2009, I've read a few references online in examples of these rhyme parodies to being shot by "the pizza guy" or "the grocery guy" instead of "the FBI".
**
A number of United States versions of children's parodies of "I Believe I Can Fly" include references to dishes that are considered "soul food" (African American associated food): chicken wings, cornbread, and collard greens. These references don't necessarily mean that these parodies originally were composed by African Americans as they could have easily been composed by a non-African American spoofing African American cultural traditions.
**
United States versions of children's parodies of "I Believe I Can Fly" contain a number of references to the widely known fast food restaurants Burger King, KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken), and McDonalds.
**
United States versions of children's parodies of "I Believe I Can Fly" are much more violent now (in 2018) than they were in 1999. In addition to being shot by the fbi, children sing about getting a whooping (beating) from their mother or their father, being hit by their mother a frying pan or a trash can, and hitting her back, slapped by an open door, blew up Burger King, got hit by a minivan etc.
**
At some point (date?) examples of United States versions of children's parodies of "I Believe I Can Fly" started to include the sexual referents "dangling bits", hot me in the dingaling, a "naked man in a trash can.
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JAMAICAN VERSIONS
I came across the Example of a Jamaican children's version of "I Believe I Can Fly" given as Example #1 in the Jamaican section above in the discussion thread for the video that is given as Example #1 above. I was surprised to read this version as I didn't know that parodies of "I Believe I Can Fly" were recited in Jamaica. After finding that example, I searched online for additional Jamaican or Caribbean examples of this parody and found one other example (given as Example #2 in the Jamaican section above.
Here's the only comment that was written in reply to Example #1:
"Tyrone Sings what u make no sense at all 😂😂🚹"
-Jeremiah Grant, 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArMTpyrncak [video given above]
**
The reason why Tyrone Sing13's version probably makes no sense to most people in the United States is that it is full of cultural referents from Jamaica that aren't known to people from the United States.
Here's the comment that I wrote on October 1, 2018 in response to Jeremiah Grant's comment
"+Jeremiah Grant, actually Tyrone Sings13 's example does make sense from a Jamaican (and possibly other Caribbean) standpoint. References to "easter buns" are found on various websites, including one that notes that "The Jamaican Spice Bun is eaten year-round however it is a must with cheese have during the Easter season.". "Gung peas" = "gungo peas", also known as "pigeon peas", "mango seeds" are self explanatory. Finally, I think it's likely that Trone Sings13 meant to write "so he shot me with a bobocloth". The probable meaning for "bobocloth" (more often also given as "bloodcloth" and a "bombocloth") is the cloths that were used before the invention of "maxi pads" and "tampons".
As a self-described community folklorist whose particularly interested in Black children's rhymes and cheers, I'm curious if kids or teens in Jamaica and elsewhere in the Caribbean sing this parody or other "I believe I can fly" parodies and if so, when they started doing so."
**
The three Jamaican examples of "I Believe I Can Fly" parodies that I found use what I call a "trading rhymes" format.
Here's an excerpt from a pancocojams post about trading rhymes http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2018/10/childrens-trading-rhymes-such-as-hush.html:
"Trading rhymes" is my term for a category of children's rhymes in which throughout the rhyme one defective item is traded (exchanged) for another item which also turns out to be defective. The last word in the first line of each verse rhymes or near rhymes with the last word in the second line:
Example:
Hush little baby, don't say a word,
Papa's gonna buy you a mockingbird.
And if that mockingbird won't sing,
Papa's gonna buy you a diamond ring.
Or the example includes internal rhymes within each trading item line:
Example:
Pie too sweet I wanna piece of meat
Meat too rough I wanna ride a bus
**
Probably the most widely known example of "trading rhymes" in the United States is "Hush Little Baby, Don't Say A Word" (Papa's gonna buy you a mockingbird") which is given as Example #4 & Example #5 below.
The trading rhyme format that these Jamaican examples use is in contrast to every United States example of "I Believe I Can Fly" parodies that I've found except for Example #12 above.
Also, in contrast to the United States versions of these parodies, some lines of the Jamaican versions of "I Believe I Can Fly" don't rhyme. Also, the three Jamaican examples that I've come across aren't as violent as some of the United States examples. However, the inclusion of the word "bombocloth" ("bobocloth") in the Jamaican versions make those examples more gross than their United States counterparts.
Please share any examples of these children's parodies that you know along with demographic information (where- city/state in the USA or the nation & city outside of the USA; when (decade or year, and who (gender/s and ages that you first sung or chanted this rhyme. I'm also interested in knowing if you sung this song with any physical activity such as jumping rope or doing hand claps. Thanks in advance for sharing this information for the folkloric and cultural record.
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I heard boys and girls ages 5 to 12 years old sing these songs in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (from 1999 to around 2003). I have also seen videos of children reciting these examples and commenters mention that they remember reciting these examples in school or write that they are still reciting these parodies in school.
That said, it's also possible that children began to sing these parodies after hearing them or similar parodies that were sung by adults (for instance, children may have heard a parody of that song "in the 1999 episode "The Best of Both Worlds" of the animated TV series KaBlam!, in the Life with Loopy segment, the song was spoofed as "I (Don't) Believe I Can Fly." [as indicated in the Wikipedia article that is cited above). I haven't found a transcript of that segment, but note that no children's versions that I've heard or found online have the line "I don't believe I can fly". Also, in probable contrast to that 1999 television spoof, almost all of the children's parodies of "I Believe I Can Fly" feature "FBI" as the rhyme for the word "fly".
**
The usual format for these United States children's versions of "I Believe I Can Fly" appears to consist of a series of two line verses with the last word in the first line of each verse rhyming with the last word of the second line. However, the format that is used for Example #12 given above is the same as the format that is used for the two Jamaican examples given below.
**
None of the children's parodies of this song that I've heard or found online have the inspirational message that is found in R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly" song.
**
Almost all of the children's parody examples refer to being shot by the FBI" (Federal Bureau of Investigation). The referent "FBI" rhymes with the word "fly". (Note that the older referent for FBI agents "G men" isn't used in any of these examples). However, by at least 2009, I've read a few references online in examples of these rhyme parodies to being shot by "the pizza guy" or "the grocery guy" instead of "the FBI".
**
A number of United States versions of children's parodies of "I Believe I Can Fly" include references to dishes that are considered "soul food" (African American associated food): chicken wings, cornbread, and collard greens. These references don't necessarily mean that these parodies originally were composed by African Americans as they could have easily been composed by a non-African American spoofing African American cultural traditions.
**
United States versions of children's parodies of "I Believe I Can Fly" contain a number of references to the widely known fast food restaurants Burger King, KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken), and McDonalds.
**
United States versions of children's parodies of "I Believe I Can Fly" are much more violent now (in 2018) than they were in 1999. In addition to being shot by the fbi, children sing about getting a whooping (beating) from their mother or their father, being hit by their mother a frying pan or a trash can, and hitting her back, slapped by an open door, blew up Burger King, got hit by a minivan etc.
**
At some point (date?) examples of United States versions of children's parodies of "I Believe I Can Fly" started to include the sexual referents "dangling bits", hot me in the dingaling, a "naked man in a trash can.
****
JAMAICAN VERSIONS
I came across the Example of a Jamaican children's version of "I Believe I Can Fly" given as Example #1 in the Jamaican section above in the discussion thread for the video that is given as Example #1 above. I was surprised to read this version as I didn't know that parodies of "I Believe I Can Fly" were recited in Jamaica. After finding that example, I searched online for additional Jamaican or Caribbean examples of this parody and found one other example (given as Example #2 in the Jamaican section above.
Here's the only comment that was written in reply to Example #1:
"Tyrone Sings what u make no sense at all 😂😂🚹"
-Jeremiah Grant, 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArMTpyrncak [video given above]
**
The reason why Tyrone Sing13's version probably makes no sense to most people in the United States is that it is full of cultural referents from Jamaica that aren't known to people from the United States.
Here's the comment that I wrote on October 1, 2018 in response to Jeremiah Grant's comment
"+Jeremiah Grant, actually Tyrone Sings13 's example does make sense from a Jamaican (and possibly other Caribbean) standpoint. References to "easter buns" are found on various websites, including one that notes that "The Jamaican Spice Bun is eaten year-round however it is a must with cheese have during the Easter season.". "Gung peas" = "gungo peas", also known as "pigeon peas", "mango seeds" are self explanatory. Finally, I think it's likely that Trone Sings13 meant to write "so he shot me with a bobocloth". The probable meaning for "bobocloth" (more often also given as "bloodcloth" and a "bombocloth") is the cloths that were used before the invention of "maxi pads" and "tampons".
As a self-described community folklorist whose particularly interested in Black children's rhymes and cheers, I'm curious if kids or teens in Jamaica and elsewhere in the Caribbean sing this parody or other "I believe I can fly" parodies and if so, when they started doing so."
**
The three Jamaican examples of "I Believe I Can Fly" parodies that I found use what I call a "trading rhymes" format.
Here's an excerpt from a pancocojams post about trading rhymes http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2018/10/childrens-trading-rhymes-such-as-hush.html:
"Trading rhymes" is my term for a category of children's rhymes in which throughout the rhyme one defective item is traded (exchanged) for another item which also turns out to be defective. The last word in the first line of each verse rhymes or near rhymes with the last word in the second line:
Example:
Hush little baby, don't say a word,
Papa's gonna buy you a mockingbird.
And if that mockingbird won't sing,
Papa's gonna buy you a diamond ring.
Or the example includes internal rhymes within each trading item line:
Example:
Pie too sweet I wanna piece of meat
Meat too rough I wanna ride a bus
**
Probably the most widely known example of "trading rhymes" in the United States is "Hush Little Baby, Don't Say A Word" (Papa's gonna buy you a mockingbird") which is given as Example #4 & Example #5 below.
The trading rhyme format that these Jamaican examples use is in contrast to every United States example of "I Believe I Can Fly" parodies that I've found except for Example #12 above.
Also, in contrast to the United States versions of these parodies, some lines of the Jamaican versions of "I Believe I Can Fly" don't rhyme. Also, the three Jamaican examples that I've come across aren't as violent as some of the United States examples. However, the inclusion of the word "bombocloth" ("bobocloth") in the Jamaican versions make those examples more gross than their United States counterparts.
Please share any examples of these children's parodies that you know along with demographic information (where- city/state in the USA or the nation & city outside of the USA; when (decade or year, and who (gender/s and ages that you first sung or chanted this rhyme. I'm also interested in knowing if you sung this song with any physical activity such as jumping rope or doing hand claps. Thanks in advance for sharing this information for the folkloric and cultural record.
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Friday, January 6, 2017
Information About And Multiple Examples Of The Children's Song "A Pizza Hut"
Edited by Azizi Powell
Latest revision - July 9, 2023
This pancocojams post provides multiple examples of the children's song "A Pizza Hut" (originally known as "The Fast Food Song"). That song is modeled after the children's song "A Ram Sam Sam".
"Ram Sam Sam" is modeled after a Moroccan (North African) folk song. "A Pizza Hut" has the same tune as "A Ram Sam Sam" and is sung while performing motions that are supposed to suggest the names of the fast food restaurants. Some versions of "A Pizza Hut" also include references to Star Wars movie characters and/or mildly put-down references to Boy Scout or Girl Scout (Girl Guide) divisions.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/01/information-about-examples-of-childrens.html for a link for a companion post on the children's song "A Ram Sam Sam".
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and recreational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
****
COMMENTS ABOUT AND TEXT EXAMPLES OF "A PIZZA HUT"
These comments and/or lyrics are given in no particular order.
Comments/lyrics #1
From PIZZA HUT [FAST FOOD SONG]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fast_Food_Song
"Fast Food Song" is a song made famous by the British-based band the Fast Food Rockers, although it existed long before they recorded it,[1] as a popular children's playground song. The chorus was based on the Moroccan folk tune "A Ram Sam Sam". It mentions the fast food restaurants McDonald's, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Pizza Hut.[2]
It was released in June 2003 as the lead single from their album It's Never Easy Being Cheesy. The song was highly successful on the UK Singles Chart, reaching number two in the official charts. The song also achieved chart success worldwide and reached number twenty-four on the Irish Charts and number fifty-six on the Australian ARIA Charts. The song was co-written and produced by Mike Stock. The lyrics were mildly controversial for supposedly promoting the excessive consumption of fast food by children, which is why some UK-based radio stations will not play the song when it is requested...
DJ Ötzi version
A version recorded by Austrian artist DJ Ötzi was released in July 2003 titled "Burger Dance". It reached number-one in Germany, peaked at number 3 in Austria, and at number 7 in Switzerland.
The song is largely based on "Fast Food Song", also using samples of "A Ram Sam Sam" and some sections of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" particularly "Glory Glory Hallelujah"...
****
Comments/lyrics #2
From http://drjean.org/html/lyrics/lyricsJustForFun.pdf Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut, Pizza Hut, (Arms out in a circle.)
Kentucky Fried Chicken (Flap arms like a chicken.)
And Pizza Hut.
Pizza Hut, Pizza Hut,
Kentucky Fried Chicken
And Pizza Hut.
MacDonald’s, MacDonald’s, (Hands together in front and then up and
Kentucky Fried Chicken over like an arch.)
And Pizza Hut.
MacDonald’s, MacDonald’s,
Kentucky Fried Chicken
And Pizza Hut.
Burger King and Taco Bell (Make crown with hands on “King,” and
shake head on “Bell.”)
Dairy Queen and Arby’s (Pretend to milk a cow on “Dairy Queen” and
twirl hand in the air like a lasso on “Arby’s”.)
Red Lobster and Wendy’s (Hands like pincers on “Lobster” and make
piggy tails with hands on side of head for “Wendy’s.”)
Activities: Invite children to make up additional verses using other restaurants.
****
Comments/lyrics #3:
From http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=91948
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Kid's rhymes: Big Mac, Coca Cola & more
From: Little Robyn
Date: 04 Jun 06 - 08:04 PM
"It's all here Ram Sam Sam http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=67001 "Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Ram Sam Sam (from Rolf Harris)
but we have different movements -
Ram sam sam - stamp your feet
Gooli gooli - arm twiddling (like thumb twiddling but with the whole arm)(same as 'This old man came rolling home')
Arafi - raise your arms in the air as you stand up and then sit down again.
At least, that's the way we do it.
For the Pizza Hutt version -
Pizza Hutt - make a roof shape with your hands
Kentucky fried chicken - make wing flapping movements, with hands under your armpits
McDonalds - make the big M shape - either drawing it in the air or hold arms up with hands curved over and fingertips touching."
****
Comments/lyrics #4
From http://www.scoutsongs.com/lyrics/pizza-hut.html Pizza Hut
(Actions in brackets are to be done every time that line is sung.)
A Pizza Hut (make a square in the air)
A Pizza Hut
Kentucky Fried Chicken (flap your arms like you're doing the chicken dance)
And a Pizza Hut
A Pizza Hut
A Pizza Hut,
Kentucky Fried Chicken
And a Pizza Hut
McDonalds McDonalds (use two hands-make an "M" in the air, starting in the middle)
Kentucky Fried Chicken
And a Pizza Hut
Mc Donald's, Mc Donald's,
Kentucky Fried Chicken
And a Pizza Hut
A Jabba the Hut*
A Jabba the Hut
Luke Skywalker
And a Jabba the Hut
A Jabba the Hut
A Jabba the Hut
Luke Skywalker
And a Jabba the Hut
Darth Vader Darth Vader
Luke Skywalker
And a Jabba the Hut
Darth Vader Darth Vader
Luke Skywalker
And a Jabba the Hut
A Burger King (mime eating a burger)
A Burger King,
A Taco Bell (mime ringing a bell)
And a Burger King
A Burger King
A Burger King,
A Taco Bell
And a Burger King
Red Lobster, Red Lobster, (make claws)
A Taco Bell
And a Burger King
Red Lobster, Red Lobster,
A Taco Bell
And a Burger King"
-snip-
*The "Jabba the hut" verse features characters from Star Wars movies.
****
Comment/lyrics #5:
From http://www.scoutorama.com/the-fast-food-song-version-1205-song
The Fast Food Song
Lyrics
A pizza hut,a pizza hut,
kentucky fried chicken and a pizza hut,
a pizza hut,a pizza hut,
kentucky fried chicken and a pizza hut,
mcdonalds,mcdonalds,
kentucky fried chicken and a pizza hut,
mcdonalds,mcdonalds,
kentucky fried chicken and a pizza hut.
A burger king,a burger king,
long john silvers and a burger king,
a burger king,a burger king,
long john silvers and a burger king,
red lobster,red lobster,
long john silvers and a burger king,
red lobster,red lobster,
long john silvers and a burger king.
A jabba the hut,a jabba the hut,
luke skywalker and a jabba the hut,
a jabba the hut,a jabba the hut,
luke skywalker and a jabba the hut,
darth vader,darth vader,
luke skywalker and a jabba the hut,
darth vader,darth vader,
luke skywalker and a jabba the hut.
A bingo hall,a bingo hall,
a little old lady in a bingo hall,
a bingo hall,a bingo hall,
a little old lady in a bingo hall,
arthridus**,arthridus,
a little old lady in a bingo hall,
arthridus,arthridus,a little old lady in a bingo hall.
Comments:
I am a boy scout from Troop 323 in Land O' Lakes FL, some of my friends taught me this song and we sang it on a camp out and everyone loved it. So Enjoy! :-)
Contributor :Steven Collins
-snip-
*arthridus = arthritis (disease)
****
Comments/lyrics #6
From https://www.boyscouttrail.com/content/song/show-songs-tiger.asp
Ed Rychlick, Uploaded on May 8, 2010
Noah and his preschool at their May 2010 Spring Sing Event sing the "Pizza Hut Song".
****
Example #2: DJ Otzi-Burger dance
Darek Sz Uploaded on Feb 4, 2011
****
Example #3: The Pizzahut song: Fast Food Dance 2012 (Eric Dikeb and the Letsshare team)
Letsshare, Uploaded on Nov 24, 2011
Eric Dikeb came to the Philippines and was part of the Letsshare.tv team for several weeks. We traveled from island to island with the Letsshare disco show. Meanwhile we played the song on the islands and they loved it because of the funny dance. As it is right now Letsshare.tv is touring the Philippines and the song is getting big over here. Everywhere we go people go bananas about it. So we film it on the road. Want to see this song getting big in the Philippines: the Letsshare real reality show daily on www.ltshr.tv !
****
Example #4: Fast Food Rockers - Fast Food Song
Example #5: Fast Food Song, McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell & Burger King.
Jay Cruise Published on Sep 23, 2012
Four children sing a fast food song. Really cute
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Latest revision - July 9, 2023
This pancocojams post provides multiple examples of the children's song "A Pizza Hut" (originally known as "The Fast Food Song"). That song is modeled after the children's song "A Ram Sam Sam".
"Ram Sam Sam" is modeled after a Moroccan (North African) folk song. "A Pizza Hut" has the same tune as "A Ram Sam Sam" and is sung while performing motions that are supposed to suggest the names of the fast food restaurants. Some versions of "A Pizza Hut" also include references to Star Wars movie characters and/or mildly put-down references to Boy Scout or Girl Scout (Girl Guide) divisions.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/01/information-about-examples-of-childrens.html for a link for a companion post on the children's song "A Ram Sam Sam".
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and recreational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
****
COMMENTS ABOUT AND TEXT EXAMPLES OF "A PIZZA HUT"
These comments and/or lyrics are given in no particular order.
Comments/lyrics #1
From PIZZA HUT [FAST FOOD SONG]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fast_Food_Song
"Fast Food Song" is a song made famous by the British-based band the Fast Food Rockers, although it existed long before they recorded it,[1] as a popular children's playground song. The chorus was based on the Moroccan folk tune "A Ram Sam Sam". It mentions the fast food restaurants McDonald's, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Pizza Hut.[2]
It was released in June 2003 as the lead single from their album It's Never Easy Being Cheesy. The song was highly successful on the UK Singles Chart, reaching number two in the official charts. The song also achieved chart success worldwide and reached number twenty-four on the Irish Charts and number fifty-six on the Australian ARIA Charts. The song was co-written and produced by Mike Stock. The lyrics were mildly controversial for supposedly promoting the excessive consumption of fast food by children, which is why some UK-based radio stations will not play the song when it is requested...
DJ Ötzi version
A version recorded by Austrian artist DJ Ötzi was released in July 2003 titled "Burger Dance". It reached number-one in Germany, peaked at number 3 in Austria, and at number 7 in Switzerland.
The song is largely based on "Fast Food Song", also using samples of "A Ram Sam Sam" and some sections of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" particularly "Glory Glory Hallelujah"...
****
Comments/lyrics #2
From http://drjean.org/html/lyrics/lyricsJustForFun.pdf Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut, Pizza Hut, (Arms out in a circle.)
Kentucky Fried Chicken (Flap arms like a chicken.)
And Pizza Hut.
Pizza Hut, Pizza Hut,
Kentucky Fried Chicken
And Pizza Hut.
MacDonald’s, MacDonald’s, (Hands together in front and then up and
Kentucky Fried Chicken over like an arch.)
And Pizza Hut.
MacDonald’s, MacDonald’s,
Kentucky Fried Chicken
And Pizza Hut.
Burger King and Taco Bell (Make crown with hands on “King,” and
shake head on “Bell.”)
Dairy Queen and Arby’s (Pretend to milk a cow on “Dairy Queen” and
twirl hand in the air like a lasso on “Arby’s”.)
Red Lobster and Wendy’s (Hands like pincers on “Lobster” and make
piggy tails with hands on side of head for “Wendy’s.”)
Activities: Invite children to make up additional verses using other restaurants.
****
Comments/lyrics #3:
From http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=91948
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Kid's rhymes: Big Mac, Coca Cola & more
From: Little Robyn
Date: 04 Jun 06 - 08:04 PM
"It's all here Ram Sam Sam http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=67001 "Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Ram Sam Sam (from Rolf Harris)
but we have different movements -
Ram sam sam - stamp your feet
Gooli gooli - arm twiddling (like thumb twiddling but with the whole arm)(same as 'This old man came rolling home')
Arafi - raise your arms in the air as you stand up and then sit down again.
At least, that's the way we do it.
For the Pizza Hutt version -
Pizza Hutt - make a roof shape with your hands
Kentucky fried chicken - make wing flapping movements, with hands under your armpits
McDonalds - make the big M shape - either drawing it in the air or hold arms up with hands curved over and fingertips touching."
****
Comments/lyrics #4
From http://www.scoutsongs.com/lyrics/pizza-hut.html Pizza Hut
(Actions in brackets are to be done every time that line is sung.)
A Pizza Hut (make a square in the air)
A Pizza Hut
Kentucky Fried Chicken (flap your arms like you're doing the chicken dance)
And a Pizza Hut
A Pizza Hut
A Pizza Hut,
Kentucky Fried Chicken
And a Pizza Hut
McDonalds McDonalds (use two hands-make an "M" in the air, starting in the middle)
Kentucky Fried Chicken
And a Pizza Hut
Mc Donald's, Mc Donald's,
Kentucky Fried Chicken
And a Pizza Hut
A Jabba the Hut*
A Jabba the Hut
Luke Skywalker
And a Jabba the Hut
A Jabba the Hut
A Jabba the Hut
Luke Skywalker
And a Jabba the Hut
Darth Vader Darth Vader
Luke Skywalker
And a Jabba the Hut
Darth Vader Darth Vader
Luke Skywalker
And a Jabba the Hut
A Burger King (mime eating a burger)
A Burger King,
A Taco Bell (mime ringing a bell)
And a Burger King
A Burger King
A Burger King,
A Taco Bell
And a Burger King
Red Lobster, Red Lobster, (make claws)
A Taco Bell
And a Burger King
Red Lobster, Red Lobster,
A Taco Bell
And a Burger King"
-snip-
*The "Jabba the hut" verse features characters from Star Wars movies.
****
Comment/lyrics #5:
From http://www.scoutorama.com/the-fast-food-song-version-1205-song
The Fast Food Song
Lyrics
A pizza hut,a pizza hut,
kentucky fried chicken and a pizza hut,
a pizza hut,a pizza hut,
kentucky fried chicken and a pizza hut,
mcdonalds,mcdonalds,
kentucky fried chicken and a pizza hut,
mcdonalds,mcdonalds,
kentucky fried chicken and a pizza hut.
A burger king,a burger king,
long john silvers and a burger king,
a burger king,a burger king,
long john silvers and a burger king,
red lobster,red lobster,
long john silvers and a burger king,
red lobster,red lobster,
long john silvers and a burger king.
A jabba the hut,a jabba the hut,
luke skywalker and a jabba the hut,
a jabba the hut,a jabba the hut,
luke skywalker and a jabba the hut,
darth vader,darth vader,
luke skywalker and a jabba the hut,
darth vader,darth vader,
luke skywalker and a jabba the hut.
A bingo hall,a bingo hall,
a little old lady in a bingo hall,
a bingo hall,a bingo hall,
a little old lady in a bingo hall,
arthridus**,arthridus,
a little old lady in a bingo hall,
arthridus,arthridus,a little old lady in a bingo hall.
Comments:
I am a boy scout from Troop 323 in Land O' Lakes FL, some of my friends taught me this song and we sang it on a camp out and everyone loved it. So Enjoy! :-)
Contributor :Steven Collins
-snip-
*arthridus = arthritis (disease)
****
Comments/lyrics #6
From https://www.boyscouttrail.com/content/song/show-songs-tiger.asp
A Ram Sam Sam
Intended for: All
Scouts
Lyrics: A ram sam
sam, a ram sam sam
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
A ram sam sam, a ram sam sam
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
A rafi, a rafi,
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
A rafi, a rafi,
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
Alternate Lyrics
A Pizza Hut, a Pizza Hut
Kentucky Fried Chicken and a Pizza Hut
A Pizza Hut, a Pizza Hut
Kentucky Fried Chicken and a Pizza Hut
McDonald's, McDonald's
Kentucky Fried Chicken and a Pizza Hut
A Burger King, a Burger King
Long John Silvers and a Burger King
A Burger King, a Burger King
Long John Silvers and a Burger King
Red Lobster, Red Lobster
Long John Silvers and a Burger King
A Dairy Queen, a Dairy Queen
Chucky Cheese and a Dairy Queen
A Dairy Queen, a Dairy Queen
Chucky Cheese and a Dairy Queen
Roy Rogers, Roy Rogers
Chucky Cheese and a Dairy Queen
Actions:
Pizza Hut: Make shape of hut in air
Kentucky Fried Chicken: Flap elbows up and down
McDonalds: Put hands on top of head for arches
Burger King: Put hands on head with fingers up to make crown
Long John Silvers: Mimic sword play
Red Lobster: Hold up arms and bring fingers down on thumbs
like lobster claws
Dairy Queen: Mimic milking a cow
Chucky Cheese: Mimic throwing a pizza in air
Roy Rogers: Mimic riding a horse.
-snip-
All of these names except for "Chucky Cheese" refer to fast food establishments in the United States. "Long John Silver" sells fish dishes and has a pirate motif. "Roy Rogers" was an actor who portrayed a cowboy before he opened those eateries. "Dairy Queen" primarily serves ice cream products. "Chucky Cheese" is a United States based chain of entertainment centers that caters to young children and also serves pizza.
****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS
Ed Rychlick, Uploaded on May 8, 2010
Noah and his preschool at their May 2010 Spring Sing Event sing the "Pizza Hut Song".
****
Example #2: DJ Otzi-Burger dance
Darek Sz Uploaded on Feb 4, 2011
****
Example #3: The Pizzahut song: Fast Food Dance 2012 (Eric Dikeb and the Letsshare team)
Letsshare, Uploaded on Nov 24, 2011
Eric Dikeb came to the Philippines and was part of the Letsshare.tv team for several weeks. We traveled from island to island with the Letsshare disco show. Meanwhile we played the song on the islands and they loved it because of the funny dance. As it is right now Letsshare.tv is touring the Philippines and the song is getting big over here. Everywhere we go people go bananas about it. So we film it on the road. Want to see this song getting big in the Philippines: the Letsshare real reality show daily on www.ltshr.tv !
****
Example #4: Fast Food Rockers - Fast Food Song
FastFoodRockersVEVO, Dec 7, 2018
Music video for Fast Food Song performed by Fast Food
Rockers.
Example #5: Fast Food Song, McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell & Burger King.
Jay Cruise Published on Sep 23, 2012
Four children sing a fast food song. Really cute
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Information About & Examples Of The Children's Song "A Ram Sam Sam"
Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post provides multiple examples of the children's song "A Ram Sam Sam".
"Ram Sam Sam" is modeled after a Moroccan (North African) folk song.
Particular attention is given in this post to the similarities between knee slapping motion that accompanies the lyrics of some versions of "A Ram Sam Sam" and the African American associated percussive motions "pattin juba" ("hambone").
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/01/information-about-and-multiple-examples.html for the companion post about the children's song "A Pizza Hut".
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and recreational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
****
COMMENTS ABOUT AND TEXT EXAMPLES OF "A RAM SAM SAM"
These comments and/or lyrics are given in no particular order.
Comments/lyrics #1
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Ram_Sam_Sam
"A Ram Sam Sam (A rum sum sum)" is a popular children's song and game which originated in Morocco.[citation needed] In certain later recordings, other variants were used like "Aram" instead of "A Ram" and "Zam Zam" instead of "Sam Sam".
Lyrics, movements and meaning
The song's lyrics are usually:
A ram sam sam, a ram sam sam
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
A ram sam sam, a ram sam sam
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
A rafiq, a rafiq
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
A rafiq, a rafiq
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
When not played as a game, this song can also be (and very frequently is) sung as a round.
The game is played by a group of children. The song is sung by the group leader and the participants should perform several actions during certain lyrics, usually:
A ram sam sam - pound fists, right over left, then left over right.
Guli guli - pull hands apart gesturing as if something were gooey
A rafiq - spin index fingers on either side of the head (like someone is crazy), ending with the fingers pointed up.
A version of the song by Liverpool folk group The Spinners, who claimed to have learned the song from an Israeli singer and that the words were in Aramaic,[citation needed] had the following lyrics:
Aram sa-sa, aram sa-sa,
Galli galli galli galli galli galli ram ra-sa. (2x)
Arami, arami,
Galli galli galli galli galli galli ram ra-sa. (2x)
The translation they gave was "Get up on your horse and gallop away". When they performed the song, the group would make it an audience-participation song, splitting the audience into two halves and encouraging them to sing it as a round.
Pop culture usage
The Spinners included a version of the song on their 1964 album Folk at the Phil, under the title "Aram Sa-sa".
Rolf Harris recorded the song in 1971 for Columbia Records with The Mike Sammes Singers[1] This version contains additional lyrics and distinctive arrangement with backing vocals…..
Sampling
Tom Tom Club used part of the "A Ram Sam Sam" lyrics in their song "Wordy Rappinghood". This song is found on their self-titled debut album from 1981."
****
Comment/lyrics #2:
From http://www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=4227 Mama Lisa’s World: International Music & Culture
"A Ram Sam Sam
Songs & Rhymes From Morocco
"A Ram Sam Sam" is a popular song all over the world. The phrase "a ram sam sam" has no actual meaning.
Notes
Guli is pronounced as "gool-lee".
The Arabic word "rafiq" means companion, friend, mate, comrade or colleague.
According to the book, "Daily Life in the Medieval Islamic World" (2005) by James E. Lindsay, in Medieval times, "rafiq" referred to a traveling companion. People always traveled with a rafiq for safety.
Game Instructions
-On the phrase, "A ram sam sam" - Clap hands on your lap.
-On "Guli guli" - Spin hand over hand in a circle.
-On "A rafiq" - Hold hands apart miming that they're pulling apart something gooey."
****
Comments/lyrics #3, #4, #5
#3:
From http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=67001
"Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Ram Sam Sam (from Rolf Harris)
From: ReeBop
Date: 16 Feb 04 - 11:01 AM
I learned this with both "ramm samm samm" and "Pizza Hut"
We would do it at the table (like in the cafeteria at lunchtime) with ourhands. Like this:
a - fists on table, thumbs up
ramm - thumbs on table
samm: index and middle fingers on table
samm: index and pinkie fingers on table
REPEAT
keep going through the goolies same beat
A Rafi - life hands up together and beat them down on "fi" x2
then back to the fingers thing to the end...
then we would do it again getting faster and faster until our hands hurt...it was also really fun to get the opposite sides of the tables to do each part at a different time like a round.
Drove the lunch ladies nuts."
**
#4: "Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Ram Sam Sam (from Rolf Harris)
From: Monique
Date: 10 Mar 10 - 08:36 AM
I've seen it mentioned as a Moroccan song too. "Guli" means "say" in Arabic but I don't remember the meaning of "a raffi" (or however it's spelled)."
**
#5: From: GUEST,Anne
Date: 07 Oct 15 - 04:10 PM
"not raffi, but rather rafiq- friend or companion."
****
Comments/lyrics #6
From http://thefolkmusicexperience.weebly.com/a-ram-sam-sam-from-morocco.html
A RAM SAM SAM
A ram sam sam, a ram sam sam
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
A ram sam sam, a ram sam sam
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
A rafiq, a rafiq
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
A rafiq, a rafiq
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
****
Comments/lyrics #7
From http://thefolkmusicexperience.weebly.com/a-ram-sam-sam-from-morocco.html
"SONG LYRICS: A Ram Sam Sam
A ram sam sam, a ram sam sam
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
A ram sam sam, a ram sam sam
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
A rafiq, a rafiq
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
A rafiq, a rafiq
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
BACKGROUND
This week's folk song is "A Ram Sam Sam ", a popular children's song from Morocco.
While singing, try the following movements:
A ram sam sam - pound fists, right over left, then left over right.
Guli guli - pull hands apart gesturing as if something were gooey
A rafiq - raise both arms high in the air and then down to the ground"
-snip-
The video is presented with these lyrics is given as Example #1 below.
****
Comments/lyrics #8 https://au.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080608224536AAQg5HJ
Children's song "A Ram Sam Sam" meaning/translation?
"From what are the original words to Morocca folk song a ram sam sam
based on a Moroccan folk song . The lyrics are mostly nonsense words without any meanings.
Does anyone know the translation of this song? It's sung by scouts and used as a children's song nowadays but originally it was a Moroccan Folk song... Any ideas?
Best Answer: Any lyrics that have been attached to this song in English are flights of fancy and imagination. Though adopted by the scouting movement, Pizza Hut and various other commercials, it initially was a lullaby with a beautifully melodious tune. The sounds are in fact onomatopoeias a bit like in the Christmas carol "Lullaby" which plays on the various syllables of the word ("lully -lulla- lully") and the "rat-a-tat-tam" in "The Little Drummer Boy"...
Source(s):
Specialist in Linguistics"
WISE OWL, 2007
-snip-
Additional text versions & additional examples of accompanying movements are given in the showcase video section below.
****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS
Example #1: A Ram Sam Sam
Jeffrey Friedberg, Published on Feb 9, 2014
A Ram Sam Sam is a popular children's song from Morocco.
****
Example #2: Ram Sam Sam (do Musical ZÓI, o Super Herói)
ZÓI O SUPER HERÓI, Published on Sep 15, 2015
Tema do Musical Zói, O Super Herói: este é o jogo preferido da Tété, amiga do Zói. E todos gostam do desafio!
Vamos treinar? Primeiro devagar, mais depressa, mais, mais rápido!
Mãos ao ar, para começar, a jogar ao ram sam sam, e tu vais gostar!
[Google translate from Portuguese to English: "Ema of the Musical Zói, The Super Hero: this is the favorite game of Tété, Zói's friend. And everyone likes the challenge!
Let's practice? First slow, faster, faster, faster!
Hands on the air, for starters, playing at sam sam ram, and you'll like it!"]
A ram sam sam, a ram sam sam
Guli guli guli guli guli, ram sam sam
A ram sam sam, a ram sam sam
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
ZÓI, ZÓI
Guli guli guli guli guli, ram sam sam
ZÓI, ZÓI
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
[www.zoisuperheroi.pt]
-snip-
Notice the knee slapping motion in this and some other "A Ram Sam Sam" videos. During that part of "A Ram Sam Sam" the performer bends down and rhythmically slaps his or her knees. This motion is the same or very similar to the African American associated percussive motion called "patting juba" (or "hambone") - "hambone" being a pattin juba song. Click for a pancocojams post on "patting juba" http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2011/10/pattin-juba-hambone-and-bo-diddley-beat.html. In particular, view this "hambone" video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8r5wxpa3hg hambone - Steve McCraven that is included in that post.
****
Example #3: A Ram Sam Sam Dance
Advanced Step KG Published on Mar 12, 2015
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Example #4: Molnár Orsi : Ram sam sam
Orsi Molnár, Published on Jun 15, 2016
Ritmusjáték Marokkóból
Próbáld utánozni a gyerekeket! Nem is olyan egyszerű, ugye?
[Google translate from Hungarian to English:
Try to imitate the kids! Not so simple, is not it?]
****
Example #5: Gasca Zurli - A ram sam sam
Zurli Official, Published on Jul 15, 2016
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This pancocojams post provides multiple examples of the children's song "A Ram Sam Sam".
"Ram Sam Sam" is modeled after a Moroccan (North African) folk song.
Particular attention is given in this post to the similarities between knee slapping motion that accompanies the lyrics of some versions of "A Ram Sam Sam" and the African American associated percussive motions "pattin juba" ("hambone").
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/01/information-about-and-multiple-examples.html for the companion post about the children's song "A Pizza Hut".
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and recreational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
****
COMMENTS ABOUT AND TEXT EXAMPLES OF "A RAM SAM SAM"
These comments and/or lyrics are given in no particular order.
Comments/lyrics #1
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Ram_Sam_Sam
"A Ram Sam Sam (A rum sum sum)" is a popular children's song and game which originated in Morocco.[citation needed] In certain later recordings, other variants were used like "Aram" instead of "A Ram" and "Zam Zam" instead of "Sam Sam".
Lyrics, movements and meaning
The song's lyrics are usually:
A ram sam sam, a ram sam sam
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
A ram sam sam, a ram sam sam
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
A rafiq, a rafiq
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
A rafiq, a rafiq
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
When not played as a game, this song can also be (and very frequently is) sung as a round.
The game is played by a group of children. The song is sung by the group leader and the participants should perform several actions during certain lyrics, usually:
A ram sam sam - pound fists, right over left, then left over right.
Guli guli - pull hands apart gesturing as if something were gooey
A rafiq - spin index fingers on either side of the head (like someone is crazy), ending with the fingers pointed up.
A version of the song by Liverpool folk group The Spinners, who claimed to have learned the song from an Israeli singer and that the words were in Aramaic,[citation needed] had the following lyrics:
Aram sa-sa, aram sa-sa,
Galli galli galli galli galli galli ram ra-sa. (2x)
Arami, arami,
Galli galli galli galli galli galli ram ra-sa. (2x)
The translation they gave was "Get up on your horse and gallop away". When they performed the song, the group would make it an audience-participation song, splitting the audience into two halves and encouraging them to sing it as a round.
Pop culture usage
The Spinners included a version of the song on their 1964 album Folk at the Phil, under the title "Aram Sa-sa".
Rolf Harris recorded the song in 1971 for Columbia Records with The Mike Sammes Singers[1] This version contains additional lyrics and distinctive arrangement with backing vocals…..
Sampling
Tom Tom Club used part of the "A Ram Sam Sam" lyrics in their song "Wordy Rappinghood". This song is found on their self-titled debut album from 1981."
****
Comment/lyrics #2:
From http://www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=4227 Mama Lisa’s World: International Music & Culture
"A Ram Sam Sam
Songs & Rhymes From Morocco
"A Ram Sam Sam" is a popular song all over the world. The phrase "a ram sam sam" has no actual meaning.
Notes
Guli is pronounced as "gool-lee".
The Arabic word "rafiq" means companion, friend, mate, comrade or colleague.
According to the book, "Daily Life in the Medieval Islamic World" (2005) by James E. Lindsay, in Medieval times, "rafiq" referred to a traveling companion. People always traveled with a rafiq for safety.
Game Instructions
-On the phrase, "A ram sam sam" - Clap hands on your lap.
-On "Guli guli" - Spin hand over hand in a circle.
-On "A rafiq" - Hold hands apart miming that they're pulling apart something gooey."
****
Comments/lyrics #3, #4, #5
#3:
From http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=67001
"Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Ram Sam Sam (from Rolf Harris)
From: ReeBop
Date: 16 Feb 04 - 11:01 AM
I learned this with both "ramm samm samm" and "Pizza Hut"
We would do it at the table (like in the cafeteria at lunchtime) with ourhands. Like this:
a - fists on table, thumbs up
ramm - thumbs on table
samm: index and middle fingers on table
samm: index and pinkie fingers on table
REPEAT
keep going through the goolies same beat
A Rafi - life hands up together and beat them down on "fi" x2
then back to the fingers thing to the end...
then we would do it again getting faster and faster until our hands hurt...it was also really fun to get the opposite sides of the tables to do each part at a different time like a round.
Drove the lunch ladies nuts."
**
#4: "Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Ram Sam Sam (from Rolf Harris)
From: Monique
Date: 10 Mar 10 - 08:36 AM
I've seen it mentioned as a Moroccan song too. "Guli" means "say" in Arabic but I don't remember the meaning of "a raffi" (or however it's spelled)."
**
#5: From: GUEST,Anne
Date: 07 Oct 15 - 04:10 PM
"not raffi, but rather rafiq- friend or companion."
****
Comments/lyrics #6
From http://thefolkmusicexperience.weebly.com/a-ram-sam-sam-from-morocco.html
A RAM SAM SAM
A ram sam sam, a ram sam sam
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
A ram sam sam, a ram sam sam
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
A rafiq, a rafiq
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
A rafiq, a rafiq
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
****
Comments/lyrics #7
From http://thefolkmusicexperience.weebly.com/a-ram-sam-sam-from-morocco.html
"SONG LYRICS: A Ram Sam Sam
A ram sam sam, a ram sam sam
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
A ram sam sam, a ram sam sam
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
A rafiq, a rafiq
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
A rafiq, a rafiq
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
BACKGROUND
This week's folk song is "A Ram Sam Sam ", a popular children's song from Morocco.
While singing, try the following movements:
A ram sam sam - pound fists, right over left, then left over right.
Guli guli - pull hands apart gesturing as if something were gooey
A rafiq - raise both arms high in the air and then down to the ground"
-snip-
The video is presented with these lyrics is given as Example #1 below.
****
Comments/lyrics #8 https://au.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080608224536AAQg5HJ
Children's song "A Ram Sam Sam" meaning/translation?
"From what are the original words to Morocca folk song a ram sam sam
based on a Moroccan folk song . The lyrics are mostly nonsense words without any meanings.
Does anyone know the translation of this song? It's sung by scouts and used as a children's song nowadays but originally it was a Moroccan Folk song... Any ideas?
Best Answer: Any lyrics that have been attached to this song in English are flights of fancy and imagination. Though adopted by the scouting movement, Pizza Hut and various other commercials, it initially was a lullaby with a beautifully melodious tune. The sounds are in fact onomatopoeias a bit like in the Christmas carol "Lullaby" which plays on the various syllables of the word ("lully -lulla- lully") and the "rat-a-tat-tam" in "The Little Drummer Boy"...
Source(s):
Specialist in Linguistics"
WISE OWL, 2007
-snip-
Additional text versions & additional examples of accompanying movements are given in the showcase video section below.
****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS
Example #1: A Ram Sam Sam
Jeffrey Friedberg, Published on Feb 9, 2014
A Ram Sam Sam is a popular children's song from Morocco.
****
Example #2: Ram Sam Sam (do Musical ZÓI, o Super Herói)
ZÓI O SUPER HERÓI, Published on Sep 15, 2015
Tema do Musical Zói, O Super Herói: este é o jogo preferido da Tété, amiga do Zói. E todos gostam do desafio!
Vamos treinar? Primeiro devagar, mais depressa, mais, mais rápido!
Mãos ao ar, para começar, a jogar ao ram sam sam, e tu vais gostar!
[Google translate from Portuguese to English: "Ema of the Musical Zói, The Super Hero: this is the favorite game of Tété, Zói's friend. And everyone likes the challenge!
Let's practice? First slow, faster, faster, faster!
Hands on the air, for starters, playing at sam sam ram, and you'll like it!"]
A ram sam sam, a ram sam sam
Guli guli guli guli guli, ram sam sam
A ram sam sam, a ram sam sam
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
ZÓI, ZÓI
Guli guli guli guli guli, ram sam sam
ZÓI, ZÓI
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
[www.zoisuperheroi.pt]
-snip-
Notice the knee slapping motion in this and some other "A Ram Sam Sam" videos. During that part of "A Ram Sam Sam" the performer bends down and rhythmically slaps his or her knees. This motion is the same or very similar to the African American associated percussive motion called "patting juba" (or "hambone") - "hambone" being a pattin juba song. Click for a pancocojams post on "patting juba" http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2011/10/pattin-juba-hambone-and-bo-diddley-beat.html. In particular, view this "hambone" video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8r5wxpa3hg hambone - Steve McCraven that is included in that post.
****
Example #3: A Ram Sam Sam Dance
Advanced Step KG Published on Mar 12, 2015
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Example #4: Molnár Orsi : Ram sam sam
Orsi Molnár, Published on Jun 15, 2016
Ritmusjáték Marokkóból
Próbáld utánozni a gyerekeket! Nem is olyan egyszerű, ugye?
[Google translate from Hungarian to English:
Try to imitate the kids! Not so simple, is not it?]
****
Example #5: Gasca Zurli - A ram sam sam
Zurli Official, Published on Jul 15, 2016
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
"Ain't Gonna Grieve My Lord No More" & "Oh, You'll never Get To Heaven" (Comments, Lyrics, & Videos)
Edited by Azizi Powell
Latest revision- Nov. 30, 2022
This pancocojams post provides information about and lyrics for the early 20th century African American Gospel song "Ain't Gonna Grieve My Lord No More".
This post also features lyrics, comments, and two videos of the secular (non-religious) versions of this song. Those non-religious songs are commonly known as "Oh, You'll Never Get To Heaven".
The content of this post is provided for folkloric, religious, and entertainment purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE ELIGIOUS SONG "AIN'T GONNA GRIEVE, MY LORD NO MORE
INFORMATION ABOUT THE NON-RELIGIOUS SONG "OH, YOU'LL NEVER GET TO HEAVEN
The song "Ain't Gonna Grieve My Lord No More" has been most widely known since at least the mid 20th century as a call & response children's camp song with the title "Oh, You'll Never Get To Heaven". However, this song originated in the late 19th century or the early 20th century as an African American Gospel song.
The African American Gospel origin of "Ain't Gonna Grieve, My Lord No More" is evident in its call & response structure, and the African American Vernacular English used in examples of that song's 'title and text (lyrics). The African American origin of "Ain't Gonna Grieve My Lord..." is also evident in use of many of that song's lyrics as "floaters" in a number of other African American songs, rhymes, and chants (i.e. Spirituals, Gospel, African American children's playground rhymes*, Civil rights songs, Rock N' Roll, and military cadences).
"Floaters" = a line or verse from one song or rhyme that is often found in other songs or rhymes; The lyrics are said to "float" (i.e. "travel") to other songs
An example of the use of lyrics of this song in children's rhymes is found below.
The "Paul & Silas bound in jail" verse found below is an example of the use of floating verses from this song in civil rights song.
An example of floating verse that is found in some religious and early non-religious (parody) versions of "Ain't Gonna Grieve My Lord..." that is also found in an early Rock and Roll song is this verse from the Bo Diddley song "Dearest Darling": "if I get to heaven/ before you do/ I'll try to make a hole/ and pull you through". In my opinion, that verse is a parody of the Gospel floating verse "If you get to heaven before I do/ just tell my friends, I'm coming too".
Here are two examples of the early religious versions of "Ain't Gonna Grieve My Lord..."
Example #1
..."Newman I White, 1928 (1965), "American Negro Folk Songs," no. 28, no. 70.
No. 70
Lyr. Add: AIN'T GONNA GRIEVE, MY LORD, NO MORE (4)
Oh! down in the valley where I was told
The grace of God is better than gold
The grace of God is better than gold.
Chorus:
Ain't gonna grieve my Lord no more,
Ain't gonna grieve my Lord no more.
Oh! watch the sun, see how it run,
Never let it catch you with your work undone,
Never let it catch you with your work undone.
Oh! down yonder in the harvest field,
The angels are working on the chariot wheel
The angels are working on the chariot wheel.
Oh! Satan's like a snake in the grass,
Always in some Christian's path (2x).
Oh! mind, my sister, how you walk on the cross,
Your right foot'll slip and your soul'll get lost (2x).
These verses used in many similar songs. MS of W. H. Lander, 1919, Durham, NC."
-Retrieved from http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=75082 (Hereafter known as Mudcat: Ain't Gonna Grieve),Q, Date: 03 Nov 04 - 11:25 PM
Editor's note: The Mudcat blogger who goes by the name "Q" wrote in that post that "there seems to be an older "Ain't Gonna Grieve" out there. Public Domain Music lists "I Ain't Gonna Grieve No More" with a date of 1865. No source is listed".
-snip-
Unfortunately, the link that Q gave for that information is no longer valid.
**
Example #2
I Ain't Gwine to Grieve My Lord No More
Oh, look up yonder! (Oh, look up yonder, yonder what I see?) What I see?
Bright angels coming after me (Bright angels coming after me).
CHORUS:
I ain't gwine to grieve my Lord no more,
For the Bible told me so;
I ain't gwine to grieve my Lord,
To grieve my Lord no more, no more.
Oh, Paul and Silas (Oh, Paul and Silas, Silas bound in jail) bound in jail,
The one did sing while the other prayed (The one did sing while the other prayed).
CHORUS
If you get there (If you get there before I do) before I do,
Look out for me, I'm coming through (Look out for me, I'm coming through).
CHORUS
-Carl Diton, Thirty-six South Carolina Spirituals, G. Schirmer, Inc. NY 1928
-Retrieved from "Mudcat: Ain't Gonna Grieve" posted by Joe Offer, Date: 06 Jul 07 - 04:57 AM, sent to him by Q
****
EDITOR'S COMMENT ABOUT THE MEANING OF THE TITLE & LINE "AIN'T GONNA GRIEVE MY LORD NO MORE"
Reposted from "Mudcat: Ain't Gonna Grieve", Azizi
Date: 23 Sep 05 - 09:35 PM
"Has anyone else ever wondered what the heck "Ain't Gonna Grieve My Lord No More" means?...
I believe that "Ain't Gonna Grieve My Lord No More" originally was an African American gospel song which translated in standard English is "I'm not going to mourn [be sorrowful] anymore".
The word "Lord" appears in a number of African American gospel, blues, and other genre of songs at the beginning of the sentence [sorry, I'm not sure what parts or part of speech this is called].
"My Lord! and "Lord Lord" also is used as an interjection in the middle of the sentences or lines in a number of different types of African American songs.
I don't think that the "My Lord" statement even necessarily means that the person is talking to the Lord God [Jesus?]. IMO, "My Lord" is an intensifier that stengthens or emphazizes the statement the person makes about not grieving anymore. In that case, the sentence means "I'm really not going to mourn anymore."
Of course, there's no way to know if my theory about the meaning of this sentence is true, but it works for me."
-snip-
Editor's Comment:
At least one person on that discussion thread vehemently indicated her belief that the title meant that the person singing was indicating that she or he would no longer give any grieve to the Lord. In response to that theory, I indicated that I believed that "my theory is more in keeping with the African American cultural use of the word "grieve" and "my lord"." For what it's worth, the aforementioned blogger Q agreed with my position.
Visit that Mudcat thread to read more comments about the meaning of that title, and to find more religious versions and non-religious versions of this song.
****
NON-RELIGIOUS VERSIONS OF THIS SONG
Since at least the mid 20th century, in the United States & elsewhere "Ain't Gonna Grieve My Lord No More" has been sung as a lighthearted folk song/children's camp song. Its origin as an African American Gospel song is largely unknown.
Non-religious versions of "Ain't Gonna Grieve My Lord No More" appear to be most often known as "Oh You Can't Get To Heaven" or "Oh You'll Never Get To Heaven". Those titles are lifted from the chorus that is generally used for this song. "Oh You Can't Get To Heaven" may also be known by the title "The Deacon Went Down To The Cellar To Pray". That title comes from a verse that is commonly sung for this song.
Also from at least the mid 20th century, while there were some standard verses for the non-religious versions of "Ain't Gonna Grieve My Lord..", there was also the expectation that people would come up with additional, two line silly or witty rhyming or near rhyming verses for that song. Unfortunately, this custom appears to have largely been put aside.
Here's one non-religious version of "Ain't Gonna Grieve My Lord No More":
AIN'T GONNA GRIEVE MY LORD NO MORE
Oh, the Deacon went down, (2x)
To the cellar to pray, (2x)
He found a jug, (2x)
And he stayed all day. (2x)
Oh, the Deacon went down to the cellar to pray,
He found a jug and he stayed all day,
Ain't gonna grieve my Lord no more.
cho: I ain't a-gonna grieve my Lord no more.
I ain't a-gonna grieve my lord no more.
Ain't a-gonna grieve my Lord no more.
You can't get to Heaven on roller skates,
You'll roll right by them pearly gates.
You can't get to Heaven on a rocking chair,
'Cause the Lord don't want no lazybones there.
You can't get to Heaven in a limousine,
'Cause the Lord don't sell no gasoline.
If you get to Heaven before I do,
Just drill a hole and pull me through.
If I get to Heaven before you do,
I'll plug that hole with shavings and glue.
You can't get to Heaven with powder and paint,
It makes you look like what you ain't.
You can't chew tobaccy on that golden shore,
'Cause the Lord don't have no cuspidor.
"That's all there is, there ain't no more,"
Saint Peter said as he closed the door.
There's one thing more I forgot to tell,
If you don't go to Heaven, you'll go to Hell.
I'll put my grief up on the shelf,
If you want some more, make 'em up yourself.
Source: http://mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=159
-snip-
Some "You can't get to heaven" verses are mild putdowns. Making up those kinds of verses can be considered to be a "pre-dozens" exercise.**
An example of what I mean by a "mild putdowns" is this verse:
"You can't get to Heaven with powder and paint,
It makes you look like what you ain't.
-snip-
An example of a mild putdown that I made up when I was a child is:
"Oh you'll never get to heaven with Debbie's face.
'Cause Debbie's face is a disgrace."
-snip-
Of course, I didn't sing this verse to be mean. It was all in fun. That said, I realize now that such putdowns can be hurtful.
** In African American culture, "the dozens" is a formulaic competitive exchange of insults between two persons. Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dozens for information about "the dozens".
****
FEATURED VIDEOS
Video #1: You'll never get to heaven......
Steven Pearson Published on Jul 7, 2012
Exeter Cathedral pre-prep
-SNIP-
This school is in the United Kingdom. "Pre-Prep" apparently the same thing as "pre-school".
Here's my transcription of this rendition of this song:
The video begins with the line "Ain't gonna grieve* my Lord, no more
Oh you'll never get to heaven
[repeat]
In a rocket ship
[repeat]
Cause a rocket ship
[repeat]
Won't make the trip.
[repeat]
Oh you'll never get to heaven
In a rocket ship
Cause a rocket ship
Won't make the trip.
Ain't gonna grieve my Lord no more.
(Same pattern)
in an old junk car
Cause an old junk car
Won't get that far
in an biscuit tin**
Cause an biscuit tin
Has biscuit in
last verse ???
-snip-
*The word "grieve" sounds like "leave" in this video. However, I used "grieve" because that's the traditional word for this song.
**A tin container for biscuits (which might be the same as some American cookies)
****
Video #2: Oh you can't get to Heaven
Uploaded by singinggrandpa on Dec 13, 2007
Family traditions of folk songs and gospel hymns are sung at every holiday and get together. These were recorded Thanksgiving 2007 to memorialize many of the songs we have heard for years and were special songs to us growing up.
Some are familiar hymns and folk songs, some are very unique and rarely every heard. Some date back over 100 years.
Hope you enjoy them
-snip-
Editor's Comment:
For the record (no pun intended), I consider the second verse of "Oh You Can't Get To Heaven" that is sung in this video to be (probably unknowingly) culturally insensitive. That verse is:
"Oh you can't get to heaven with a freckled face...
'Cause God don't want no speckled race.
However, I selected this video because it & the uploader's comments demonstrate the tradition of informally singing "Ain't Gonna Grieve My Lord No More" ("Oh You Can't Get To Heaven") during family gatherings & how sometimes extemporaneous verses were added to its "standard" verses.
****
RELATED LINKS
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/09/bo-diddley-dearest-darling-sound-file.html
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/05/songs-about-devil-being-mad-part-i-aint.html
****
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND THANKS
Thanks to the original unknown composers of this song. Thanks also to all those whose comments, lyrical transcriptions, and videos are reposted on this page.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Viewer comments are welcome.
Latest revision- Nov. 30, 2022
This pancocojams post provides information about and lyrics for the early 20th century African American Gospel song "Ain't Gonna Grieve My Lord No More".
This post also features lyrics, comments, and two videos of the secular (non-religious) versions of this song. Those non-religious songs are commonly known as "Oh, You'll Never Get To Heaven".
The content of this post is provided for folkloric, religious, and entertainment purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE ELIGIOUS SONG "AIN'T GONNA GRIEVE, MY LORD NO MORE
"Ain't Gonna Grieve My Lord No More/I Ain't Gonna Grieve My Lord No More/Oh You Caint Go to Heaven/You Can't Get To Heaven/Ain't Going to Worry My Lord No More
Traditional Old-Time, Bluegrass Gospel and Spiritual;
ARTIST: Coll. by Mrs. Emma M. Backus, Grovetown, GA; submitted by Howard W. Odum, Jour. American Folk-Lore, 1913, vol. 26, no. 102, pp. 374-376.
YOUTUBE: Bob Dylan covers the song on his Witmark demo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8m6is2RB24
CATEGORY: Traditional Bluegrass Gospel Spiritual;
DATE: 1865 (public domain music); First Recorded in 1928 by Commonwealth Quartet, "I Ain't Gonna Grieve" (Conqueror 7079, 1928)"...
INFORMATION ABOUT THE NON-RELIGIOUS SONG "OH, YOU'LL NEVER GET TO HEAVEN
The song "Ain't Gonna Grieve My Lord No More" has been most widely known since at least the mid 20th century as a call & response children's camp song with the title "Oh, You'll Never Get To Heaven". However, this song originated in the late 19th century or the early 20th century as an African American Gospel song.
The African American Gospel origin of "Ain't Gonna Grieve, My Lord No More" is evident in its call & response structure, and the African American Vernacular English used in examples of that song's 'title and text (lyrics). The African American origin of "Ain't Gonna Grieve My Lord..." is also evident in use of many of that song's lyrics as "floaters" in a number of other African American songs, rhymes, and chants (i.e. Spirituals, Gospel, African American children's playground rhymes*, Civil rights songs, Rock N' Roll, and military cadences).
"Floaters" = a line or verse from one song or rhyme that is often found in other songs or rhymes; The lyrics are said to "float" (i.e. "travel") to other songs
An example of the use of lyrics of this song in children's rhymes is found below.
The "Paul & Silas bound in jail" verse found below is an example of the use of floating verses from this song in civil rights song.
An example of floating verse that is found in some religious and early non-religious (parody) versions of "Ain't Gonna Grieve My Lord..." that is also found in an early Rock and Roll song is this verse from the Bo Diddley song "Dearest Darling": "if I get to heaven/ before you do/ I'll try to make a hole/ and pull you through". In my opinion, that verse is a parody of the Gospel floating verse "If you get to heaven before I do/ just tell my friends, I'm coming too".
Here are two examples of the early religious versions of "Ain't Gonna Grieve My Lord..."
Example #1
..."Newman I White, 1928 (1965), "American Negro Folk Songs," no. 28, no. 70.
No. 70
Lyr. Add: AIN'T GONNA GRIEVE, MY LORD, NO MORE (4)
Oh! down in the valley where I was told
The grace of God is better than gold
The grace of God is better than gold.
Chorus:
Ain't gonna grieve my Lord no more,
Ain't gonna grieve my Lord no more.
Oh! watch the sun, see how it run,
Never let it catch you with your work undone,
Never let it catch you with your work undone.
Oh! down yonder in the harvest field,
The angels are working on the chariot wheel
The angels are working on the chariot wheel.
Oh! Satan's like a snake in the grass,
Always in some Christian's path (2x).
Oh! mind, my sister, how you walk on the cross,
Your right foot'll slip and your soul'll get lost (2x).
These verses used in many similar songs. MS of W. H. Lander, 1919, Durham, NC."
-Retrieved from http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=75082 (Hereafter known as Mudcat: Ain't Gonna Grieve),Q, Date: 03 Nov 04 - 11:25 PM
Editor's note: The Mudcat blogger who goes by the name "Q" wrote in that post that "there seems to be an older "Ain't Gonna Grieve" out there. Public Domain Music lists "I Ain't Gonna Grieve No More" with a date of 1865. No source is listed".
-snip-
Unfortunately, the link that Q gave for that information is no longer valid.
**
Example #2
I Ain't Gwine to Grieve My Lord No More
Oh, look up yonder! (Oh, look up yonder, yonder what I see?) What I see?
Bright angels coming after me (Bright angels coming after me).
CHORUS:
I ain't gwine to grieve my Lord no more,
For the Bible told me so;
I ain't gwine to grieve my Lord,
To grieve my Lord no more, no more.
Oh, Paul and Silas (Oh, Paul and Silas, Silas bound in jail) bound in jail,
The one did sing while the other prayed (The one did sing while the other prayed).
CHORUS
If you get there (If you get there before I do) before I do,
Look out for me, I'm coming through (Look out for me, I'm coming through).
CHORUS
-Carl Diton, Thirty-six South Carolina Spirituals, G. Schirmer, Inc. NY 1928
-Retrieved from "Mudcat: Ain't Gonna Grieve" posted by Joe Offer, Date: 06 Jul 07 - 04:57 AM, sent to him by Q
****
EDITOR'S COMMENT ABOUT THE MEANING OF THE TITLE & LINE "AIN'T GONNA GRIEVE MY LORD NO MORE"
Reposted from "Mudcat: Ain't Gonna Grieve", Azizi
Date: 23 Sep 05 - 09:35 PM
"Has anyone else ever wondered what the heck "Ain't Gonna Grieve My Lord No More" means?...
I believe that "Ain't Gonna Grieve My Lord No More" originally was an African American gospel song which translated in standard English is "I'm not going to mourn [be sorrowful] anymore".
The word "Lord" appears in a number of African American gospel, blues, and other genre of songs at the beginning of the sentence [sorry, I'm not sure what parts or part of speech this is called].
"My Lord! and "Lord Lord" also is used as an interjection in the middle of the sentences or lines in a number of different types of African American songs.
I don't think that the "My Lord" statement even necessarily means that the person is talking to the Lord God [Jesus?]. IMO, "My Lord" is an intensifier that stengthens or emphazizes the statement the person makes about not grieving anymore. In that case, the sentence means "I'm really not going to mourn anymore."
Of course, there's no way to know if my theory about the meaning of this sentence is true, but it works for me."
-snip-
Editor's Comment:
At least one person on that discussion thread vehemently indicated her belief that the title meant that the person singing was indicating that she or he would no longer give any grieve to the Lord. In response to that theory, I indicated that I believed that "my theory is more in keeping with the African American cultural use of the word "grieve" and "my lord"." For what it's worth, the aforementioned blogger Q agreed with my position.
Visit that Mudcat thread to read more comments about the meaning of that title, and to find more religious versions and non-religious versions of this song.
****
NON-RELIGIOUS VERSIONS OF THIS SONG
Since at least the mid 20th century, in the United States & elsewhere "Ain't Gonna Grieve My Lord No More" has been sung as a lighthearted folk song/children's camp song. Its origin as an African American Gospel song is largely unknown.
Non-religious versions of "Ain't Gonna Grieve My Lord No More" appear to be most often known as "Oh You Can't Get To Heaven" or "Oh You'll Never Get To Heaven". Those titles are lifted from the chorus that is generally used for this song. "Oh You Can't Get To Heaven" may also be known by the title "The Deacon Went Down To The Cellar To Pray". That title comes from a verse that is commonly sung for this song.
Also from at least the mid 20th century, while there were some standard verses for the non-religious versions of "Ain't Gonna Grieve My Lord..", there was also the expectation that people would come up with additional, two line silly or witty rhyming or near rhyming verses for that song. Unfortunately, this custom appears to have largely been put aside.
Here's one non-religious version of "Ain't Gonna Grieve My Lord No More":
AIN'T GONNA GRIEVE MY LORD NO MORE
Oh, the Deacon went down, (2x)
To the cellar to pray, (2x)
He found a jug, (2x)
And he stayed all day. (2x)
Oh, the Deacon went down to the cellar to pray,
He found a jug and he stayed all day,
Ain't gonna grieve my Lord no more.
cho: I ain't a-gonna grieve my Lord no more.
I ain't a-gonna grieve my lord no more.
Ain't a-gonna grieve my Lord no more.
You can't get to Heaven on roller skates,
You'll roll right by them pearly gates.
You can't get to Heaven on a rocking chair,
'Cause the Lord don't want no lazybones there.
You can't get to Heaven in a limousine,
'Cause the Lord don't sell no gasoline.
If you get to Heaven before I do,
Just drill a hole and pull me through.
If I get to Heaven before you do,
I'll plug that hole with shavings and glue.
You can't get to Heaven with powder and paint,
It makes you look like what you ain't.
You can't chew tobaccy on that golden shore,
'Cause the Lord don't have no cuspidor.
"That's all there is, there ain't no more,"
Saint Peter said as he closed the door.
There's one thing more I forgot to tell,
If you don't go to Heaven, you'll go to Hell.
I'll put my grief up on the shelf,
If you want some more, make 'em up yourself.
Source: http://mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=159
-snip-
Some "You can't get to heaven" verses are mild putdowns. Making up those kinds of verses can be considered to be a "pre-dozens" exercise.**
An example of what I mean by a "mild putdowns" is this verse:
"You can't get to Heaven with powder and paint,
It makes you look like what you ain't.
-snip-
An example of a mild putdown that I made up when I was a child is:
"Oh you'll never get to heaven with Debbie's face.
'Cause Debbie's face is a disgrace."
-snip-
Of course, I didn't sing this verse to be mean. It was all in fun. That said, I realize now that such putdowns can be hurtful.
** In African American culture, "the dozens" is a formulaic competitive exchange of insults between two persons. Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dozens for information about "the dozens".
****
FEATURED VIDEOS
Video #1: You'll never get to heaven......
Steven Pearson Published on Jul 7, 2012
Exeter Cathedral pre-prep
-SNIP-
This school is in the United Kingdom. "Pre-Prep" apparently the same thing as "pre-school".
Here's my transcription of this rendition of this song:
The video begins with the line "Ain't gonna grieve* my Lord, no more
Oh you'll never get to heaven
[repeat]
In a rocket ship
[repeat]
Cause a rocket ship
[repeat]
Won't make the trip.
[repeat]
Oh you'll never get to heaven
In a rocket ship
Cause a rocket ship
Won't make the trip.
Ain't gonna grieve my Lord no more.
(Same pattern)
in an old junk car
Cause an old junk car
Won't get that far
in an biscuit tin**
Cause an biscuit tin
Has biscuit in
last verse ???
-snip-
*The word "grieve" sounds like "leave" in this video. However, I used "grieve" because that's the traditional word for this song.
**A tin container for biscuits (which might be the same as some American cookies)
****
Video #2: Oh you can't get to Heaven
Uploaded by singinggrandpa on Dec 13, 2007
Family traditions of folk songs and gospel hymns are sung at every holiday and get together. These were recorded Thanksgiving 2007 to memorialize many of the songs we have heard for years and were special songs to us growing up.
Some are familiar hymns and folk songs, some are very unique and rarely every heard. Some date back over 100 years.
Hope you enjoy them
-snip-
Editor's Comment:
For the record (no pun intended), I consider the second verse of "Oh You Can't Get To Heaven" that is sung in this video to be (probably unknowingly) culturally insensitive. That verse is:
"Oh you can't get to heaven with a freckled face...
'Cause God don't want no speckled race.
However, I selected this video because it & the uploader's comments demonstrate the tradition of informally singing "Ain't Gonna Grieve My Lord No More" ("Oh You Can't Get To Heaven") during family gatherings & how sometimes extemporaneous verses were added to its "standard" verses.
****
RELATED LINKS
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/09/bo-diddley-dearest-darling-sound-file.html
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/05/songs-about-devil-being-mad-part-i-aint.html
****
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND THANKS
Thanks to the original unknown composers of this song. Thanks also to all those whose comments, lyrical transcriptions, and videos are reposted on this page.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Viewer comments are welcome.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
The Original Meaning of The Song That Became "Sea Lion Woman"
Written by Azizi Powell
Preface added Feb. 20, 2021:
This pancocojams post provides video examples of the song that became "Sea Lion Woman", and includes information and comments about that song.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to the composers of this song and all those singers who are featured in this post. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.
The original 2011 content of this post is presented below this statement.
The 1999 American movie "The General's Daughter" might have been the first time many people heard the song "Sea Lion Woman" ("Sea Line Woman"). For others - including me -"Sea Lion Woman" is forever associated with the soulful vocalist Nina Simone. Here's a video of Nina Simone singing that song:
Nina Simone- See Line Woman
Uploaded by mardenhill on Oct 5, 2009
Live Performance - Montréal, Canada (1992)
-anip-
Since the only version of "Sea Lion Woman" that I knew for a long time was the one that Nina Simone sang, it came as a suprise to me that some people believe that the basis of that song was a children's playground song.
In a comment that is posted on the Folk music & Blues forum Mudcat Cafe, blogger Jim Dixon shared the following information
" "Sea-Lye Woman" (Sea Lion) was included on the album "Field Recordings Vol 4: Mississippi & Alabama (1934-1942) which was released in 1998 on the Document label. There it is sung by Katherine & Christine Shipp, who sound very young. In fact, the song has the flavor of a girl's jump-rope rhyme, with a sort of African beat."...
By the way, I doubt that African American girls in Mississippi or Alabama in the 1930s or 40s would be singing about a "sea lion" woman anyway. They seem to be awfully far removed from the "selkie" legends. And they are definitely pronouncing it "see-lye" or maybe "seal-eye". "Sea Lion" seems like rationalization to me. Do you suppose the song had been handed down from some African language?"
April 3,2003 http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=33719
-snip-
Instead of thinking that the "sea lion" phrase might have come from an African language, my guess [which I shared on that same Mudcat thread] was that "sea lion" was a folk etymology form of the Biblical phrase "Selah". But I dropped that theory after reading several comments from guests who identified themselves as being from the South* and who shared that that "sea lion" ("see-line"; "see-lye") originally was "she lyin'". The phrase "She lyin" (or "she's lying" as one guest wrote it) was said in response to a call & response tattle tail type statement such as one person saying "she drank coffee" and the second person saying "(No I didn't) She lyin'".
*I'm a Northern girl with no known Southern relatives. The only Southern city I've ever visited is Atlanta, Georgia. I guess Atlanta still counts as the South in spite of all the Northern people who've moved there).
It should also be noted that another guest wrote that "sea lion" was originally "C-line", a referent for a railroad line. But I'm sold on the "She lyin" meaning for a number of reasons.
1. That phrase fits the likely pronunciation customs of some Black folks in the South (and elsewhere)
2. The back & forth tattle tailing and denial statements fit the call & response pattern that Nina Simone has preserved so well in her renditions of this song.
and
3. That theory fits the comment that was shared earlier that the first recorded version of this song in 1939 [which I haven't heard yet] sounds like a girl's jump rope song.
I should also mention that I happened upon another children's game song version of "Sea Lion Woman" from Mississippi. That version was included in the 1965 book Children's Games From Many Lands (Nina Miller: New York, Friendship Press, pp 121-122). That version was credited to a number of females from Mississippi (no age or race given). The words to that version can be found on Mudcat thread whose link has been previously given.
I believe that it's important to also share that two comments on that same Mudcat thread on "Sea Lion Woman" were posted by guests who indicated that she (or he or perhaps the same person) were members (or a member) of the Shipp family. The first of these comment was written in August 2007. That guest (who didn't share her or his name) wrote:
"I feel the song has been stolen from the family, but having trouble proving it. My grandmother and aunt wrote that song."
The second comment from a Shipp family member was posted to that same Mudcat thread in November 2010. That comment was signed by LaVern Shipp who wrote:
"My father Isaac Shipp, my grandmother Mary, and grandfather Walter Shipp was known in the South as the singing Shipp. My aunts are catherine, christine, they both are on the recording in 1939. My grandmother used to write songs and make up tunes to various songs. She passed away in 1966."
****
UPDATE WITH LYRICS & COMMENTS 6/7/2012
Although the original version of "Sea Lion Woman" ("Sea Line Woman") may have been a children's playground rhyme, the lyrics of that song as sung by Nina Simone were clearly about a "bad" woman who sleeps all day and "balls" all night. However, eventually, the woman returns home to her roots "to save her soul(because she realized that her lifestyle was wrong).
****
LYRICS TO SEA LION WOMAN
[As sung by Katherine and Christine
Shipp; 1939]
Sea Lion Woman (Sea Lion)
She drank coffee (Sea Lion)
She drank tea (Sea Lion)
And he gamble lie (Sea Lion)*
Way down yonder (Sea Lion)
I'm going maul (Sea Lion)
And the rooster crow (Sea Lion)
And he got no lie (Sea Lion)
Sea lion woman (Sea Lion)
She drank coffee (Sea Lion)
She drank tea (Sea Lion)
And she gamble lie (Sea Lion)*
Sea lion woman (Sea Lion)
She drank coffee (Sea Lion)
She drank tea (Sea Lion)
And a gamble lie (Sea Lion)*
Source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_Lion_Woman
-snip-
"The exact origins of the song are unknown but it is believed to have originated in the southern United States. It was first recorded by folklore researcher Herbert Halpert on May 13, 1939. Halpert was compiling a series of field recordings for the Library of Congress in Byhalia, MS, when he ran across African Americans Walter Shipp, a minister, and his wife Mary, a choir director of a local church. Halpert recorded Shipp's daughters, Katherine and Christine, singing a sparse version of "Sea Lion Woman" that defined the basic rhymes and rhythm of the song."
-snip-
*In the Gullah dialect of English, the pronoun "he" also means "she". I've read that this is similar to some West African languages, and that practice of using "he" for females can also be found in some Caribbean dialects of English.
****
UPDATE July 18, 2013
Here's the original recording of "Sea Lion Woman":
Sea Lion Woman - Christine and Katherine Shipp
mypianoisbroken, Uploaded on Jul 29, 2010
Library of Congress field recording Herbert Halpert.
****
ADDITION: September 1, 2014
http://www.loc.gov/folklife/LP/AFS_L4_sm.pdf The Library Of Congress. Music Division; Archive of American Folklore gives this song as:
L: Sea lion woman
O: See lie
L: Shee drink cofee
O: See lie
L: She drink tea
O: See lie
L: And the gander lie
O: See lie
2. L. Way down yonder
'Hind a log
And the rooster crowed
And the gander lied
[The first verse is repeated twice.
(See lyin [?])
-snip-
The L probably means "lead" and the "O" probably means "other"
[voice]
"The gander lies" seems to me to be more accurate than "gamble lies". A gander is a male goose.
End of addition 9/1/2014
-snip-
Here's a track of "Sea Lion Woman" from the movie "The General's Daughter" that is based on the original recording of the Shipp sisters:
July 14, 2016- Sorry. This video is no longer available :o(
But here's a rendition of "Sea Line Woman" that was recommended by Anonymous (July 14, 2016)
Laura Mvula See Line Woman
Strokey Beard, Published on Jan 2, 2014
One amazing performance- what a singer; what a band!
The original is by Nina Simone http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfyGMn... , based a a traditional kid's chant.
-snip-
LYRICS TO SEA LINE WOMAN
[As sung by Nina Simone at a Montréal, Canada (1992)]
Sea line woman (Sea line)
She drink coffee (Sea line)
She drink tea (Sea line)
then she go home (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Sea line woman, dressed in white (Sea line)
Sleep all day (Sea line)
Ball all night (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
She drink coffee (Sea line)
She drink tea (Sea line)
then she go home (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Wiggle Wiggle (Sea line)
Purr like a cat (Sea line)
Wink at a man (Sea line)
Then he'll wink back(Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Empty his pockets (Sea line)
And wreck his days (Sea line)
Make him love her (Sea line)
She'll fly away (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Dressed in gold (Sea line)
Goin home (Sea line)
To save her soul (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Dressed in red (Sea line)
Make a man (Sea line)
Lose his head (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Wiggle Wiggle (Sea line)
Purr like a cat (Sea line)
Wink at a man (Sea line)
Then he'll wink back (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Empty his pockets (Sea line)
Wreck his day (Sea line)
Make him love her (Sea line)
And she'll fly away (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Dressed in black (Sea line)
Sleep all day (Sea line)
On her back (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Dressed in yella (Sea line)
Watch out fellas (Sea line)
You gonna lose out fellas [?]
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Dressed in blue (Sea line)
Watch out fellas (Sea line)
She's gonna steal you (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
He can't hear you (Sea line) **
I can't hear you (Sea line)**
Sea line woman (Sea line)
She drink coffee (Sea line)
She drink tea (Sea line)
Then she go home (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Dressed in yella (Sea line)
Watch out girls (Sea line)
You gonna steal your fella
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Dressed in gold (Sea line)
Goin home (Sea line)
To see [save?] her soul (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
She drink coffee (Sea line)
She drink a little champagne (Sea line)
Then she go home (Sea line)
Then she go home now (Sea line)
Then she go home (Sea line)
Then she go home now (Sea line)
Then she go home (Sea line)
Whoah!
Sea line!
Sea line!
Sea line!
Sea line!
Sea line!
Sea line!
Sea line!
Sea line!
Sea line woman (Sea line)
She drink coffee (Sea line)
She drink tea (Sea line)
Then she go home (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Dressed in gold (Sea line)
Goin home (Sea line)
To save her soul (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
She drink coffee (Sea line)
Then she go home (Sea line)
Then she go home (Sea line)
Then she go home now (Sea line)
Then she go home (Sea line)
Then she go home now (Sea line)
Then she go home (Sea line!)
[transcription by Azizi Powell from the video; words that I'm unsure of are followed by a question mark in brackets]
**lyrics directed to the audience to sing louder
It's should be noted that- as is the case with other folk songs- the lyrics to Nina Simone's "Sea Line Woman" weren't fixed. The words, the order of verses, and the length of the song could change with different performances. For that reason, there are several "Nina Simone" versions of "Sea Lion Woman" (or "Sea Line Woman") online. Most of them follow the "color pattern" (Sea lion woman/dressed in ___) as found above, with the "she drink coffee/she drink tea" verse being repeated more often than any other verse.
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome!
This pancocojams post provides video examples of the song that became "Sea Lion Woman", and includes information and comments about that song.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to the composers of this song and all those singers who are featured in this post. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.
The original 2011 content of this post is presented below this statement.
The 1999 American movie "The General's Daughter" might have been the first time many people heard the song "Sea Lion Woman" ("Sea Line Woman"). For others - including me -"Sea Lion Woman" is forever associated with the soulful vocalist Nina Simone. Here's a video of Nina Simone singing that song:
Nina Simone- See Line Woman
Uploaded by mardenhill on Oct 5, 2009
Live Performance - Montréal, Canada (1992)
-anip-
Since the only version of "Sea Lion Woman" that I knew for a long time was the one that Nina Simone sang, it came as a suprise to me that some people believe that the basis of that song was a children's playground song.
In a comment that is posted on the Folk music & Blues forum Mudcat Cafe, blogger Jim Dixon shared the following information
" "Sea-Lye Woman" (Sea Lion) was included on the album "Field Recordings Vol 4: Mississippi & Alabama (1934-1942) which was released in 1998 on the Document label. There it is sung by Katherine & Christine Shipp, who sound very young. In fact, the song has the flavor of a girl's jump-rope rhyme, with a sort of African beat."...
By the way, I doubt that African American girls in Mississippi or Alabama in the 1930s or 40s would be singing about a "sea lion" woman anyway. They seem to be awfully far removed from the "selkie" legends. And they are definitely pronouncing it "see-lye" or maybe "seal-eye". "Sea Lion" seems like rationalization to me. Do you suppose the song had been handed down from some African language?"
April 3,2003 http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=33719
-snip-
Instead of thinking that the "sea lion" phrase might have come from an African language, my guess [which I shared on that same Mudcat thread] was that "sea lion" was a folk etymology form of the Biblical phrase "Selah". But I dropped that theory after reading several comments from guests who identified themselves as being from the South* and who shared that that "sea lion" ("see-line"; "see-lye") originally was "she lyin'". The phrase "She lyin" (or "she's lying" as one guest wrote it) was said in response to a call & response tattle tail type statement such as one person saying "she drank coffee" and the second person saying "(No I didn't) She lyin'".
*I'm a Northern girl with no known Southern relatives. The only Southern city I've ever visited is Atlanta, Georgia. I guess Atlanta still counts as the South in spite of all the Northern people who've moved there).
It should also be noted that another guest wrote that "sea lion" was originally "C-line", a referent for a railroad line. But I'm sold on the "She lyin" meaning for a number of reasons.
1. That phrase fits the likely pronunciation customs of some Black folks in the South (and elsewhere)
2. The back & forth tattle tailing and denial statements fit the call & response pattern that Nina Simone has preserved so well in her renditions of this song.
and
3. That theory fits the comment that was shared earlier that the first recorded version of this song in 1939 [which I haven't heard yet] sounds like a girl's jump rope song.
I should also mention that I happened upon another children's game song version of "Sea Lion Woman" from Mississippi. That version was included in the 1965 book Children's Games From Many Lands (Nina Miller: New York, Friendship Press, pp 121-122). That version was credited to a number of females from Mississippi (no age or race given). The words to that version can be found on Mudcat thread whose link has been previously given.
I believe that it's important to also share that two comments on that same Mudcat thread on "Sea Lion Woman" were posted by guests who indicated that she (or he or perhaps the same person) were members (or a member) of the Shipp family. The first of these comment was written in August 2007. That guest (who didn't share her or his name) wrote:
"I feel the song has been stolen from the family, but having trouble proving it. My grandmother and aunt wrote that song."
The second comment from a Shipp family member was posted to that same Mudcat thread in November 2010. That comment was signed by LaVern Shipp who wrote:
"My father Isaac Shipp, my grandmother Mary, and grandfather Walter Shipp was known in the South as the singing Shipp. My aunts are catherine, christine, they both are on the recording in 1939. My grandmother used to write songs and make up tunes to various songs. She passed away in 1966."
****
UPDATE WITH LYRICS & COMMENTS 6/7/2012
Although the original version of "Sea Lion Woman" ("Sea Line Woman") may have been a children's playground rhyme, the lyrics of that song as sung by Nina Simone were clearly about a "bad" woman who sleeps all day and "balls" all night. However, eventually, the woman returns home to her roots "to save her soul(because she realized that her lifestyle was wrong).
****
LYRICS TO SEA LION WOMAN
[As sung by Katherine and Christine
Shipp; 1939]
Sea Lion Woman (Sea Lion)
She drank coffee (Sea Lion)
She drank tea (Sea Lion)
And he gamble lie (Sea Lion)*
Way down yonder (Sea Lion)
I'm going maul (Sea Lion)
And the rooster crow (Sea Lion)
And he got no lie (Sea Lion)
Sea lion woman (Sea Lion)
She drank coffee (Sea Lion)
She drank tea (Sea Lion)
And she gamble lie (Sea Lion)*
Sea lion woman (Sea Lion)
She drank coffee (Sea Lion)
She drank tea (Sea Lion)
And a gamble lie (Sea Lion)*
Source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_Lion_Woman
-snip-
"The exact origins of the song are unknown but it is believed to have originated in the southern United States. It was first recorded by folklore researcher Herbert Halpert on May 13, 1939. Halpert was compiling a series of field recordings for the Library of Congress in Byhalia, MS, when he ran across African Americans Walter Shipp, a minister, and his wife Mary, a choir director of a local church. Halpert recorded Shipp's daughters, Katherine and Christine, singing a sparse version of "Sea Lion Woman" that defined the basic rhymes and rhythm of the song."
-snip-
*In the Gullah dialect of English, the pronoun "he" also means "she". I've read that this is similar to some West African languages, and that practice of using "he" for females can also be found in some Caribbean dialects of English.
****
UPDATE July 18, 2013
Here's the original recording of "Sea Lion Woman":
Sea Lion Woman - Christine and Katherine Shipp
mypianoisbroken, Uploaded on Jul 29, 2010
Library of Congress field recording Herbert Halpert.
****
ADDITION: September 1, 2014
http://www.loc.gov/folklife/LP/AFS_L4_sm.pdf The Library Of Congress. Music Division; Archive of American Folklore gives this song as:
L: Sea lion woman
O: See lie
L: Shee drink cofee
O: See lie
L: She drink tea
O: See lie
L: And the gander lie
O: See lie
2. L. Way down yonder
'Hind a log
And the rooster crowed
And the gander lied
[The first verse is repeated twice.
(See lyin [?])
-snip-
The L probably means "lead" and the "O" probably means "other"
[voice]
"The gander lies" seems to me to be more accurate than "gamble lies". A gander is a male goose.
End of addition 9/1/2014
-snip-
Here's a track of "Sea Lion Woman" from the movie "The General's Daughter" that is based on the original recording of the Shipp sisters:
July 14, 2016- Sorry. This video is no longer available :o(
But here's a rendition of "Sea Line Woman" that was recommended by Anonymous (July 14, 2016)
Laura Mvula See Line Woman
Strokey Beard, Published on Jan 2, 2014
One amazing performance- what a singer; what a band!
The original is by Nina Simone http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfyGMn... , based a a traditional kid's chant.
-snip-
LYRICS TO SEA LINE WOMAN
[As sung by Nina Simone at a Montréal, Canada (1992)]
Sea line woman (Sea line)
She drink coffee (Sea line)
She drink tea (Sea line)
then she go home (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Sea line woman, dressed in white (Sea line)
Sleep all day (Sea line)
Ball all night (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
She drink coffee (Sea line)
She drink tea (Sea line)
then she go home (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Wiggle Wiggle (Sea line)
Purr like a cat (Sea line)
Wink at a man (Sea line)
Then he'll wink back(Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Empty his pockets (Sea line)
And wreck his days (Sea line)
Make him love her (Sea line)
She'll fly away (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Dressed in gold (Sea line)
Goin home (Sea line)
To save her soul (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Dressed in red (Sea line)
Make a man (Sea line)
Lose his head (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Wiggle Wiggle (Sea line)
Purr like a cat (Sea line)
Wink at a man (Sea line)
Then he'll wink back (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Empty his pockets (Sea line)
Wreck his day (Sea line)
Make him love her (Sea line)
And she'll fly away (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Dressed in black (Sea line)
Sleep all day (Sea line)
On her back (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Dressed in yella (Sea line)
Watch out fellas (Sea line)
You gonna lose out fellas [?]
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Dressed in blue (Sea line)
Watch out fellas (Sea line)
She's gonna steal you (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
He can't hear you (Sea line) **
I can't hear you (Sea line)**
Sea line woman (Sea line)
She drink coffee (Sea line)
She drink tea (Sea line)
Then she go home (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Dressed in yella (Sea line)
Watch out girls (Sea line)
You gonna steal your fella
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Dressed in gold (Sea line)
Goin home (Sea line)
To see [save?] her soul (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
She drink coffee (Sea line)
She drink a little champagne (Sea line)
Then she go home (Sea line)
Then she go home now (Sea line)
Then she go home (Sea line)
Then she go home now (Sea line)
Then she go home (Sea line)
Whoah!
Sea line!
Sea line!
Sea line!
Sea line!
Sea line!
Sea line!
Sea line!
Sea line!
Sea line woman (Sea line)
She drink coffee (Sea line)
She drink tea (Sea line)
Then she go home (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
Dressed in gold (Sea line)
Goin home (Sea line)
To save her soul (Sea line)
Sea line woman (Sea line)
She drink coffee (Sea line)
Then she go home (Sea line)
Then she go home (Sea line)
Then she go home now (Sea line)
Then she go home (Sea line)
Then she go home now (Sea line)
Then she go home (Sea line!)
[transcription by Azizi Powell from the video; words that I'm unsure of are followed by a question mark in brackets]
**lyrics directed to the audience to sing louder
It's should be noted that- as is the case with other folk songs- the lyrics to Nina Simone's "Sea Line Woman" weren't fixed. The words, the order of verses, and the length of the song could change with different performances. For that reason, there are several "Nina Simone" versions of "Sea Lion Woman" (or "Sea Line Woman") online. Most of them follow the "color pattern" (Sea lion woman/dressed in ___) as found above, with the "she drink coffee/she drink tea" verse being repeated more often than any other verse.
****
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