Justin Wellington featuring Small Jam - "Iko Iko (My Bestie)" (A 2017 Papua New Guinea/ Soloman Island Version of "Iko Iko")

Justin Wellington, Mar 21, 2017
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Statistics as of May 13, 2021 at 4:09 PM ET
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Edited by Azizi Powell

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

This post 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 this post.

The Addendum to this post presents some information about the 1953 original "Iko Iko" record.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/05/an-example-of-tiktok-popularizing-songs.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. 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".

The content of this post is persented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic 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 associated with this  embedded video and all those who are quoted in this post. 
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Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/02/some-information-about-mardi-gras.html for the 2021 pancocojams post entitled "Some Information About The Mardi Gras Indian's Traditional Song "Iko Iko" (with lyrics for three versions of that song)".

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INFORMATION ABOUT JUSTIN WELLINGTON
From https://www.last.fm/music/Justin+Wellington/+wiki
"Biography

In recent years his name and his music have taken the Pacific by storm. The Papua New Guinean born singer has emerged at the very forefront of the music scene throughout the islands and beyond. His charm and charisma have captured the hearts and minds of scores of adoring fans, and his beloved songs have become household favourites time and time again. Justin's unique style and sound is an irresistible blend of pop, reggae, R&B, dancehall and island music. His music is of course heavily stemmed from his diverse musical influences, but it is also undoubtedly a result of his life experiences in his home nation Papua New Guinea, and also from many years of living, travelling and performing abroad in North America, the South Pacific and South-East Asia."
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Notice that this review indicates that "Justin's unique style and sound is an irresistible blend of pop, reggae, R&B, dancehall and island music". The sound of Justin Wellington's "Iko Iko "My Bestie" song is much more Reggae than any other music genre. 

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LYRICS - "IKO IKO (MY BESTIE)" 
(as sung by Justin Wellington featuring Small Jam)

Hahaha
Ayo big wave
Small Jam alongside J.W.

My bestie and your bestie
Sit down by the fire
Your bestie says she want party
So can we make these flames go higher?

Talkin' 'bout hey now (hey, now), hey, now (hey, now)
Iko iko an day
Jockomo feena a dan day
Jockomo feena nay 

Start my truck, let's all jump in
Here we go together
Nice cool breeze and big palm trees
I tell you, life don't get no better

Talkin' 'bout hey, now (hey, now), hey, now (hey, now)
Iko iko an day
Jockomo feena a dan day
Jockomo feena nay

A keia mamang gwele
Step on the dancing floor
Hips be winding, DJ rewinding
Take it to the island way
Keio, baby mama
Put on your dancing shoes
One drop it, drop it low, now, take it to the max now
Jammin' the Small Jam way
(Ja-Ja-) jammin' the Small Jam way

My bestie and your bestie
Dancing by the fire
Your bestie says she want party
So can we make these flames go higher?

Talkin' 'bout hey, now (hey, now), hey, now (hey, now)
Iko iko an day (ooh)
Jockomo feena a dan day
Jockomo feena nay 

Solomon girl straight up right hoochie mama
Make we party non stop in a island banda
Swing those hips and back it up to me ragga
A chance fi party, ladies do the Dougie Dougie

I'm jammin' island reggae reppin' blue, green and yellow
Me tappin' on me beat make ya slow wind for me, baby
Speakers pumpin', people jumpin'
We're jammin' the island way

Shoutout to the good-time crew
All across the islands
Grab your shoes, then we'll two by two
And now we're shinin' bright like diamonds

Talkin' 'bout hey, now (hey, now), hey, now (hey, now)
Iko iko an day (ooh)
Jockomo feena a dan day
Jockomo feena nay (yes)
(One drop it, drop it, low, now, take it to the max now)
(Jammin' the Small Jam way – wind it!)

Wind up, go down, wind up, go down
Twist your body backwards (we go, we go)
We go left, left, we go right, right
Turn it around and forward (wind and go down again)
Wind up, go down, wind up, go down
Twist your body backwards (twist it back)
We go left, left, we go right, right
Turn it around and forward

My bestie and your bestie
Dancing by the fire
Your bestie says she want party
So can we make these flames go higher?

Talkin' 'bout hey, now (hey, now), hey, now (hey, now)
Iko iko an day (ooh)
Jockomo feena a dan day
Jockomo feena nay
Jockomo feena nay
Jockomo feena nay
Jockomo feena nay


Source: https://www.letras.com/justin-wellington/iko-iko-feat-small-jam/
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Read the Addendum for information about the words "iko iko" and "jockoma feena nay".  

Here's explanations about some words in this song:

Words in the verse that begins with the line "Soloman girl straight up right hoochie mama":

Ragga music: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ragga
"Raggamuffin music, usually abbreviated as ragga, is a subgenre of dancehall and reggae music. The instrumentals primarily consist of electronic music. Similar to hip hop, sampling often serves a prominent role in raggamuffin music"

banda = band

hoochie coochie- in this song that referent appears to be a complimentary referent for attractive women who like to party. However, here's some information from https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hoochie%20mama [from Marion R, Oct. 21, 2007] about the meaning of "hoochie mama" in the United States"..."round the turn of the century in really gritty clubs and circuses (and for a long time after that) women who danced suggestively rolling their hips were "hootchie coutchie" dancers, or dancing the "hootchie coochie".

These women were not considered morally upright in the general public, so calling a woman a hootchie cooch was calling her a tramp, especially if dressed in a way that is meant to be provocative and showy. Hootchie mama is a variation on this term

Dougie Dougie - probably refers to "the Dougie" Hip Hop dance. Here's information about the Dougie from 
"The Dougie ...(DUG-ee) is a hip-hop dance generally performed by moving one's body in a shimmy style and passing a hand through or near the hair on one's own head.[1]

The dance originated in Dallas, Texas,[2][3] where it took its name from similar moves performed by 1980s rapper Doug E. Fresh.[1][4][5] The Dougie gained notoriety through rapper Lil' Wil, whose song "My Dougie", released in late 2007, became a local hit. Then, a person called C-Smoove in Southern California[4] taught the future members of Cali Swag District how to do the dance.[4][6] Cali Swag District recorded the song "Teach Me How to Dougie" and filmed the music video in Inglewood, California, during the summer of 2009.[4][5] Subsequently, the video along with the dance became popular on YouTube.[4]"...

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The line about the blue, green, and yellow flag refers to The Solomon Island. Here's information about The Soloman Islands from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solomon_Islands

"The Solomon Islands is a sovereign state[8][9] consisting of six major islands and over 900 smaller islands in Oceania, to the east of Papua New Guinea and northwest of Vanuatu. It has a land area of 28,400 square kilometres (11,000 sq mi), and a population of 652,858.[10]”…

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ADDENDUM
From https://www.americanbluesscene.com/iko-iko-jock-a-mo/
Mardi Gras: A Brief History of "Iko! Iko! Jock-a-mo Fee No Nay"
Matt Marshall February 17, 2012
"Though the song has been featured in dozens of movies, it's lyrics continue to be somewhat of a mystery. The song, like so many traditional folk songs, has a long and storied history, winding from rushed phonetic translation in New Orleans to a misheard title in Chess Records and far beyond and before.

In honor of Mardi Gras, we’re bringing you another entry in American Blues Scene’s exclusive “Brief History of a Song” series.

On Tuesday, the Mardi Gras indians, who spent thousands of dollars and millions of beads constructing wildly elaborate suits, will march through the streets of New Orleans in a complex hierarchy of Kings and Spy Boys and wild men, chanting exotic dirges and dancing in grandiose fashion. Possibly the one phrase that has become deeply inseparable from the history and popular conception of the Indians, Mardi Gras, and, occasionally, New Orleans is “Iko! Iko! Jock O Mo Fee No Nay.” Though the song has been featured in dozens of movies ranging from Skeleton Key and Rain Man to Hangover, what the lyrics mean continue to be somewhat of a mystery. The song, like so many traditional folk songs, has a long and storied history, winding from rushed phonetic translation in New Orleans to a misheard title in Chess Records and far beyond, (and before).

James “Sugar Boy” Crawford is a lifetime New Orleans resident. Sugar Boy and his band played around New Orleans until, by chance, Leonard Chess of the famous blues label Chess Records, heard the band. Chess released a single under the band name Sugar Boy and his Cane Cutters which sold well regionally, and gave Crawford another chance to shine. While watching Mardi Gras indians parade and dance in the early 1950s, he hurriedly wrote down a phonetic interpretation of the indian’s chants, put the chants to music, and in 1953, created one of the most popular, longest lasting Mardi Gras, or “Carnival,” as it’s often called, songs in existence. The song name was called “Chock-a-mo,” though when Crawford told Chess the title over the phone, he misheard it and upon it’s release, Crawford discovered the title was instead called “Jock-a-mo.”

“Iko! Iko! Jock-a-mo Fee No Nay” is a phrase that will, for many, instantly bring to mind the iconic 1965 number by The Dixie Cups. The pop group was in the studio recording, and during some downtime in between takes, they played an impromptu, loose jam of “Jock-A-Mo” that they had remembered from their hometown — even offhandedly using ash trays as drums. What they didn’t know was that producers Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller were recording the entire affair. The song became a huge hit, the Dixie Cups’ last successful commercial one, and has been a staple ever since.

Crawford received no royalties from the Dixie Cups’ version, despite it being a clearly cut-and-dried cover of his original work. After an extensive legal battle with RedBird Records, Crawford agreed to receive a percentage of royalties for public performances, which means he is supposed to receive a fee for when the song is played on the radio, live, etc. and does not receive any royalties from sales of the track itself.

As to where the oft-repeated, oft-variant phrase comes from,  Crawford had this to say in Offbeat Magazine’s 2009 interview with him:

It came from two Indian chants that I put music to. “Iko Iko” was like a victory chant that the Indians would shout. “Jock-A-Mo” was a chant that was called when the Indians went into battle. I just put them together and made a song out of them"….

[comment]
Lee Pons, February 19, 2012
"Great Article I enjoyed it very much! It’s been my understanding from my time in New Orleans and seeing Mardi Gras Indian practices. That “IKO IKO” was a Chant of warning to other tribes. In the past the The Indians where very violent and Fat Tuesday used to be a time to “Settle Scores” as any “problems” had to be “Over and Done” by Ash Wensday, or forgotten of, and if two tribes should happen to meet while “Masking” on Mardi Gras Day, a Shooting and somebody getting Killed where pretty much “Gar-Ron-Tee’d”. One of the Lyrics to this song goes “See my King all Dress in Red, IKO IKO Ae Ay, Bet you 5 Dollars, He will Shoot You Dead, IKO IKO Ae Ay”. It was thought the efforts of Big Chief Allison “Tootie” Montana. that the Fight between the tribes finally stop and instead of Killing eack other when two Tribes do meet on the street it now becomes Performance Art of the Highest order as now the members square off into a sort of Dance off, and show respect to the others King as the Two Kings stand back in a showoff of “Who’s Prettiest!”.

All that being said the Chant of IKO, IKO” was meant as a warning to any other tribe that might be in the area, Basically it was telling any other Tribe “We’re Coming, Get the HELL Out of the WAY!” "

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This concludes Part I of this two part pancocojams series.

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