An Example Of TikTok Popularizing Songs: "Iko Iko Challenge"

TikTol Viral, March 15, 2021
-snip-
The Iko Iko "My Bestie" TikTok dance compilation videos end at around 7:35 in this video.

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part II of a two part pancocojams series about the 2017 Papua New Guinea/Soloman Island cover of the song "Iko Iko".

Part II showcases a TikTok challenge compilation of videos of two people performing a synchronized dance routine to a specific portion of Justin Wellington's version of the song "Iko Iko".

Part II also presents information about TikTok and includes some comments from the discussion thread for the video for Justin Wellington's song "Iko Iko (My Bestie".Those selected comments include some which refer to te power of TikTok to popularize songs as well as general comments about TicTok, comments about Justin Wilkerson's version of the song "Iko Iko", and comments about other versions of "Iko Iko".

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/05/justin-wellington-featuring-small-jam.html for Part I of this pancocojams series. Part I showcases a 2017 YouTube video of "Iko Iko" that was recorded by Justin Wellington featuring Small Jam and presents the lyrics to Justin Wellington's version of "Iko Iko" which he titled "Iko Iko (My Bestie)". 

Information about Justin Wellington is also included in that post.

The Addendum to Part I presents some information about the 1953 original recording of "Iko Iko". 

The content of this post is persented for historical, cultural, and entertainment purposes.  

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Sugar Boy Crawford, the composer of the song "Jock-O-Mo" which is now widely known as "Iko Iko". Thanks to Justin Wellington and Small Jam for this version of "Iko Iko". Thanks also to all those who are featured in this embedded video and all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publisher of this video on YouTube.

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INFORMATION ABOUT TIK TOK
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TikTok
"TikTok, known in China as Douyin (Chinese: 抖音; pinyin: Dǒuyīn), is a video-sharing social networking service owned by Chinese company ByteDance.[4] The social media platform is used to make a variety of short-form videos, from genres like dance, comedy, and education, that have a duration from 15 seconds to one minute (three minutes for some users).[5][6] TikTok is an international version of Douyin, which was originally released in the Chinese market in September 2016.[7] Later, TikTok was launched in 2017 for iOS and Android in most markets outside of mainland China; however, it only became available worldwide after merging with another Chinese social media service, Musical.ly, on 2 August 2018.

TikTok and Douyin have almost the same user interface but no access to each other's content. Their servers are each based in the market where the respective app is available.[8] The two products are similar, but features are not identical. Douyin includes an in-video search feature that can search by people's face for more videos of them and other features such as buying, booking hotels and making geo-tagged reviews.[9] Since its launch in 2016, TikTok/Douyin rapidly gained popularity in East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the United States, Turkey, Russia, and other parts of the world.[10][11][12] As of October 2020, TikTok surpassed over 2 billion mobile downloads worldwide.[13][14][15][16]"...

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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THE DISCUSSION THREAD OF THE YOUTUBE VIDEO ENTITLED 'JUSTIN WELLINGTON - "IKO IKO (MY BESTIE)" FEATURING SMALL JAM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzwqnlYMqIg

Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.

All of these comments are from 2021

Note: I posted a number of comments in this video's discussion thread. Most of them are included in this compilation. 

1. Timolucas
"aah this is that tiktok song. But I see it has already been released in 2017. Do I have a gap in my memory or something?"
-snip-
Videos of the "Iko Iko" Tik Tok challenges in which two people do a synchronized dance routine to a particular clip of Justin Wilkerson's "Iko Iko (My Bestie" song were first published on YouTube in March 2021.

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2. Musiclover!
"Hello and welcome to all of you who got here from Tiktok. This song is by Justin Wellington from Papua New Guinea 🇵🇬 and Small Jam from Solomon Islands 🇸🇧 💞☺️ This is basically the vibe we have here in the Islands (Solomon Islands & the Pacific as a whole). If you want more check out DMP, Jaro Local, Dezine, Bibao, Jahboy, Young Davie, Trabol Sum and sooo many more from our talented Solomon Islands musicians ☺️😍 One love 💜"

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3. Affanaman H
"First I thought, it must be some Jamaican guy singing this song. This song is lit... #Tiktok brought me here 😅😅😅"

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4. HUGO TORRES
"Never thought tik tok would be the place i heard new music for me but hear i am never woulda heard it otherwise"

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5. вєeP bEέp
"Same, theres a lot of music i wouldn’t know about if it wasn’t for tiktok."

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6. Regan Abrahams
"I thought this was a new song. TikTok to YouTube 😳🤣"
-snip-
The video of Justin Wilkerson featuring Small Jam singing "Iko Iko (My Bestie)" was posted on YouTube March 21,  2017.

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7. JUST MY THOUGHTS
"This song has been here for 4 years and I've just found it through tik tok"

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8. Shuk H.
"This song.

3 years = 33k views

After 1 week on tik tok

300k views 😂 😂 😂"

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9. Melinda Bayn
"Thank means TikTok is doing its work!! xDDDDD You are rigth!"

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10. andreacumare altareposteria
"Tik tok power  xD"

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11. ella dizon
"and this day april 8 =1.4 👀"

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12. 8D Station
"@ella dizon  *1.4m"

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13. tsanityassasin 369
"After a month 1.6 M views. Yes, it works!"
-snip-
As of the publishing date for this pancocojams post (at 7:18 PM ET), that video has a total of 5,731,627 views. 

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14. King K
"I’m happy that this song finally got its recognition but sad that people found this on tiktok of all places ✋😂"

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15. Ranjana vs
"I heard this in Alvin and the chipmunks a few years back,but couldn't make the words out properly coz of the chipmunk voice.I searched and searched and couldnt find this song.Finally saw all those tiktok trends and got the song!!!"

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16. Rebecca Tobena
"I love how everyone just discovered this song while us in PNG🇵🇬 have been jamming to this song for a solid 5 years! Thanks TikTok❤️☝🏾"

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17. King DayDay
"Tiktok Is really out here blowing songs up."

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18. Mr. Bepis Gaming
"No these songs are too good for tiktok"

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19. Ivana Glb
"The only good thing about it"

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20. Cristatus
"Say anything

But you have to agree tik tokers have a great taste in Music"

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21. HighlySpiritual
"TikTok just going around resurrecting old music. Original song is 4 yrs old? Ok, here I am. 👏🏾💃🏿🕺💃🏿🕺💃🏿🕺"

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22. Ing'utu Mututwa
"Just heard this on Tiktok right now and came here right away🤭"

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23. Stacey Brihanna
"3 years less than 40k views

Then Tiktok was born...two weeks on Tiktok and now it's at 1 million views...talk about technology.."

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24. Yvonne Mutunga
"How can this song exist without being blown up? COME ON! LET'S BLOW THIS BABYYY UUUPPPPP!!😊😊😊.... LET'S ALL HEAD TO TIKTOK AND MAKE A TREND USING THIS SONG!"

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25. Notizlein
"👆👆👆👆👆👆👆

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳"

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26. Cookie Cat
"Is a trend now"

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27. Humeur Positive
"I can’t believe this song is 4 years ago

 Now look where we are I can't imagine what tik tok can do just on few days"

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28. de P a G
"Só eu sei que essa musica na realidade existe a 35 anos??? Quem canta Iko Iko original é a Cyndi Lauper!!!! Album True Colors"
-snip-
Google translate from Portuguese to English: "Only I know that this song has actually existed for 35 years ??? Who sings the original Iko Iko is Cyndi Lauper !!!! True Colors Album"

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29. Kenneth Loonan
"Yes I thought this song was new too"

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30. alex
"Exactly, the song is by Cindy Lauper, and the first time I personally heard it was in the film K-9, with James Belushi, of which it is the ending theme.😁😂"

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31. Humeur Positive
"@Kenneth Loonan  same"

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32. Robyn McLean
"@alex  The original was released in the 50s by Sugar Boy and his Cane Crushers, but it failed. It became popular when the Dixie Cups did a cover of it in the 60s."

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33. Xiphy Phisternum
"TIKTOK can revive all of the dying songs/music thanks to it"

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34. Connie Sanderson
"This song was a huge hit back in the 80s when I was a kid and I had it on a vinyl album."

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35. anne-sophie decloquement
"This song exist since 30 years. It was in the film "Rain Man" with Tom Cruise (1985)"

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36. Tallinn
"I think it exists since the 1950's. The title was Jock a Mo, and the lyrics were a bit different: "My grandma and your grandma were sitting by the fire, my grandma told your grandma: "I'm gonna set your flag on fire" 😁"

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37. Azizi Powell
"Also, the "Jock a Mo" song (which is most widely known as "Iko Iko") is a Mardi Gras Indian song from New Orleans, Louisiana. The "flags" in that song refer to the Mardi Gras Indian flags that are carried by each group's flag boy. Click https://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/history/mardi-gras-indians/ for information about the (mostly) African American groups that are known as the Mardi Gras Indians"

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38. Isaac Mataele
"Tiktok ruined this"

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39. Rashmi Luthra
"Some random Gold from Tik Tok"

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40. Hen L
"I'm here because of tiktok 😆🤣"

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41. kelly wendel
"Heard this on tik tok and had to find the whole song. Like the song"

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42. Dante King
"Tiktok isn't so bad. Thx to it i found this wonderful song."

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43. TYIGO DAYS
"I knew about this song for long go but idk why I'm offended why it is only getting recognised now bc its soo good"

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44. Chelsea Musyoki
"be glad it did not die without being recognised at all"

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45. Ryan Syahriel
"i've been listen this song few years ago, but tiktok bring me here again."

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46. Annette Renée
"My fave tiktok song ever... just makes me feel so happy"

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47. Ed Jaymark TV Travel
"I just heard this on tiktok so catchy i love it so much 😊🥳🤗"

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48. Bright Nahayo
"I LOVE YOU TIKTOK 😭💋"

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49. D J
"I just came from TikTok. I loooooove it🥰❤ 2 sec of this sound and I'm smilling and dancing immediately! We NEED this kind of happy sound😍 right now! This is pure joy, my personally vaccination!"

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50. Kim Seokjin
"Thank you for introducing this to me Tiktok💚"

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51. Luci Fur
"If you have Caribbean family you heard this before tik tok 🤣"

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52. Rosaline Murugi
"So it was released 4 years ago? I just saw the challenges in tiktok 👌...

This is a real jam. Watching from Africa, Kenya, Nairobi"

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53. Renata Relland
"I was driving to work when this song plays on the radio and I came here. Thank you from France"

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54. MysteriousGamer
"This song SLAPPPP

Thanks tik tok!!"

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55. Jiu Kiu
"It feels so good to represent my island home on this one 🇸🇧🇸🇧🇸🇧🇸🇧🇸🇧 blue green and yellow..👊✌️"

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56. Gaelle Marie
"Cheers to your island from my island! Mauritius xx"

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57. Josh_x_edits
"Here for the vibes🌈💫"

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58. floreio
"Always loved this song as a kid in Barbados. Love your spin on it!"

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59. Sandra Thulambo
"I'm after hearing this on TikTok and ran straight here. Lovely song"

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60. topaz pink
"Glad tiktok made music from the south Pacific a hit now the whole world is watching this thankyou justin 4  creating awesome tunes😊🇫🇯"
-snip-
"FJ" = Fiji

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61. Aquino Dalopez
"Pasific island the best,bravo melanesia..😎🇹🇱"

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62. DABABYOFFICIAL CONVERTABLE
"Bula 🇫🇯"
-snip-
From https://theculturetrip.com/pacific/fiji/articles/18-fijian-phrases-you-need-to-know-before-you-travel/ 18 Fijian Phrases You Need To Know Before You Travel, by Juliette Sivertsen, 9 January 2020

"Bula

Bula is the most common word you’ll hear right across Fiji and it is used to greet people or say hello. When you say bula to someone, you are actually wishing them life.

 Ni sa bula/Ni sa bula vinaka

Ni sa bula is used as either a more formal greeting or as a welcome. This greeting extends on bula and wishes a person good health and happiness."

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63. JNS CHILL
"Everyone who know that song before TikTok « manifest yourself »."

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64. Sheila Cruz Suárez
"Por aqui los que vienen de tiktok!! 🙋🏻‍♀"
-️snip-
Google translate from Spanish to English: "Around here those who come from tiktok!"

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65. Megamix Central
"Thanks Tik Tok!"

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66. Adhyt Ransun 92
"Fyp tiktok indonesia 🤩🤩🤩"

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67. Linah Maringa
"I came running  here from TikTok🇿🇦😀"
-snip-
"Za" is the county abbreviation for the nation of South Africa.

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68. Tyler fountain
"Lmao i see everybodies from tiktok but I'm here from madagascar 2 escape 2 africa on the xbox 360 😂"

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69. Lamu Kidd
"Heard this from instagram and I came as fast as I could"

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70. Helena Kapenombili Showa
"Heard the song on Tiktok then, I searched for it. It is really a fantastic song."

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71. Tayorliz Couture
"Tiktok is really making old songs come back to life.... This song is number one on my playlist at the moment ☺️💯💯💕"

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72. A. C. T Sangma
" "Discovered  this song from TikTok "  The Comment that's pouring like rain down here😅😅😅 Nvm this song's dope ...."

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73. javed asad
"For the older people this song or the line of song is verry old more then 20 years it skip me the name of band who sing this for first time and I really lovet that time and all so now."

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74. Trainwithmax
"1964...Dixie"

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75. Teresa Hester
"Cyndi lauper had a version"

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76. Azizi Powell
"@aved asad, the ORIGINAL song is "Jock-O-Mo" by Sugar Boy Crawford (Sugar Boy and the Cane Cutters) 1953. In 1964/1965The Dixie Cups had a big hit with their version of that song entitled "Iko Iko". This song is based on (African American, New Orleans, Louisiana) Mardi Gras Indian chants. There's been lots of covers of this song since then. This PNG/Soloman Island version is nicely done."

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77. missbroadcast1
"Thanks tiktok for This trend"

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78. Jachimma
"Ditto"

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79. Melinda Bayn
"LOVE ITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT OMG I FOUND THE ORIGINAL SONG HERE YOU MAKE MY DAY!"

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80. Equinistra Horses
"This is the new version. This song is from 1965. And has been remade so many times.  Enjoy this version. 😉"

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81. Melinda Bayn
"@Equinistra Horses  I mean the original song from TikTok challenge lol Thank you!!! (I know the very original one too) xDDDDD my mistake I didn't explain myself better!"

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82. Marina
"This song is not by Justin Wellington is a very old song and many artists sang different versions by the years. Search IKO IKO original on Google. Anyway this is a nice remake."

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83. iana Mb
"Thank you tiktok for making me discover them"

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84. Nicolás G.
"Everybody heard this on tiktok but I heard it on Instagram"

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85. shabir Valli
"Talking about...where has this song been hiding?👀"

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86. Luciana Gallegos
"Tik tok brought me here!!! Really love the song"

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87. Danah Gentile
"Tik Tok just here making songs hit 💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾"

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88. Ryan Syahriel
"i've been listen this song few years ago, but tiktok bring me here again."

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89. Helena Kapenombili Showa
"Heard the song on Tiktok then, I searched for it. It is really a fantastic song."

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90. Tamy love
"Bravo tik tok thanks tik tok merci tik tok gracias tik tok🇭🇹"
-snip-
HT= country abbreviation for Haiti.

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91. OnMegamusic
"TIK TOK bless you xD"

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92. Shy Doorness
"I honestly think tiktok is cheesy but it made me discover beautiful songs such as this."

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93. Leel David
"Right"

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94. Ana Feliz
"I agree with you"

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95. LC
"i avoid tiktok as much as i can but someone i watch on twitch danced to this an i instantly loved this song"

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96. PwngPwncess
"Listen to the original by Dixie cups. It’s so much better"

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97. Connie Sanderson
"@PwngPwncess  they sang the song but the original was by a different artist and he sued them"

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98. Lauren Olson
"This song does the original good justice and that doesn't happen often"

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99. dayang aon
"What does iko mean?"

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100. Sou Tikitik
"I go in English it’s the accent lol"

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101. Azizi Powell
"@Sou Tikitik actually there are lots of theories and no definitive answers to the question "What does "Iko" mean in these songs?" There are also lots of theories and no definitive answers as to what "Jockomo fi na nay" means in these songs. Those words or phrases came from Mardi Gras Indian chants. Mardi Gras Indians are groups of [A]frican Americans from New Orleans, Louisiana.  Some words in their chants come from Creole, Cajun, French, traditional African languages,, and other languages, or were just made up a loooong time ago."

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102. Xiphy Phisternum
"TIKTOK can revive all of the dying songs/music thanks to it"

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103. Farahdara Iqlima
"TikTok do the magic of this song! The problem is they just don't know this song before."

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104. Arnaud
"TikTok is so powerful, it's scary"

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105. Ayça Granger
"Yep"

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106. Joy Yombwe
"Heard this song on tiktok I was expecting crazy dances🤷🏾‍♀️🤣🤣 but anyway I love this song ❣️😍"

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107. Ryan DSouza
"A song that created some positivity during the pandemic.! - May 2021."

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108. life564578
"This is exactly the feeling I miss so much since Corona"

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This concludes Part II of this two part pancocojams series.

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Visitor comments are welcome.