Madisonville Cheerleaders August 31, 2016
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The words for this version are given below as Version #6..
This 2016 example of the cheer "Show Me How You Get Down"
demonstrate how the words of 1980s (and sometimes even earlier) foot stomping cheers can survive without their accompanying foot stomping/hand clapping motions.
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Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post showcases the foot stomping cheer entitled "Show Me How You Get Down". This cheer is also known as "Show Us How You Get Down", "D.O.W.N.", and "Get Down".
This post presents the meaning of the phrase "get down" in those cheers and presents information about the R&B music source for that cheer.
In addition, this pancocojams post describes the command-refusal/command-compliance pattern in "Show Me How You Get Down" foot stomping cheer and also presents all of examples of this cheer that I have come across as of the date of this post's publication.
Please add to this collection by sharing the version of the cheer that you know (along with the place and the decade you learned that version).
The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, and recreational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to the unknown original composer/s of this cheer all those who are quoted in this post.
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Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/05/an-overview-of-foot-stomping-cheers.html for the pancocojams post entitled "An Overview Of Foot Stomping Cheers (Part I- Characteristics, Sources, & Videos)."
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WHAT DOES "SHOW ME HOW YOU GET DOWN" MEAN IN THESE CHEERS (CAMP SONGS)
"Show me how you get down" means "Show me how you dance".
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WHAT IS THE SOURCE FOR 'SHOW ME HOW YOU GET DOWN" CHEERS
Kool & The Gang's hit 1981 R&B song "Get Down On It" is the source for "Show Me How You Get Down" children's cheers.
Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qchPLaiKocI for a YouTube video of that song.
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A NOTE ABOUT THE TEXTUAL STRUCTURE OF THESE CHEERS
"Show Me How You Get Down" is an example of a sub-category of foot stomping cheers that I refer to as "command/refusal/command/compliance." In those types of cheers, the group demands/commands an individual (the soloist) to do something, but that individual initially refuses to do what is demanded of her. The group demands the same thing a second time, and this time the individual (the soloist) complies with that demand.
"Group - "Show me how you get down
Soloist- No way
Group- "Show me how you get down
Soloist- Okay"
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Although children and adults may not realize it, this command and (eventually) compliance pattern may reflect that cultural value that is placed on not readily agreeing to do something that a group or someone in authority commands you to do. Not readily agreeing to the group's commands/demands shows your strength i.e. shows you aren't a "punk" (a weak and foolish person).
There are a number of command-refusal/command-compliance foot stomping cheers. The "Introduce Yourself" cheer that is featured in the 1980 cheerleader movie Bring It On is a modified version of that sub-category of cheers. Here's a portion of a 1980s Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania example of the traditional (early versions) of "Introduce Yourself" cheer:
Soloist #1: Yo! [later changed to "Hey!"]
Group: Innn-TRO-duce yourself.
Soloist #1: No way.
Group: Innn-TRO-duce yourself.
My name’s Shaquala.
Group: Hey! Hey!
Soloist #1: They call me Quala.
Group: Hey! Hey!
Soloist #1: My sign is Aries
Group: Hey! Hey!
Soloist #1: I like to dance
Group: Hey! Hey!
Soloist #1: I wanna be a dancer for the rest of my life.
-Tazi M. Powell (Hughes), memories of 1980s in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/09/foot-stomping-cheers-alphabetical-list_6.html "Pancocojams Compilation Of Foot Stomping Cheers (Alphabetical List: H - J)"
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EXAMPLES OF SHOW ME HOW YOU GET DOWN
These examples are presented in relative chronological order based on their collection date or the date that they were published online. Numbers are given for references purposes only.
SHOW ME HOW YOU GET DOWN (Version #1)
All: I saida D-O-W-N. That’s the way we get down.
D-O-W-N. That’s the way we get down.
Group: Hey, Danielle.
Danielle: What?
Group: Show us how you get down.
Danielle: No way.
Group: Show us how you get down.
Soloist: Okay. I said D-O-W-N.
And that’s the way. That’s the way. That’s the way
I get down.
Group: She saidah D-O-W-N.And that’s the way.
That’s the way. That’s the way she gets down.
Repeat the entire cheer with next soloist who says her name. This continues from the beginning until everyone has had a turn as soloist.
-Tazi M. Powell .(African American female; memories of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, East Liberty/Garfield neighborhoods of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania mid to late 1980s,also collected in same neighborhoods in early to mid 1990s); Collected by Azizi Powell, 1998
SHOW ME HOW TO GET DOWN (Version #2)
Hey (a name) say what, show me how to get down, no way, show me how to get down, ok, we stump our feet, we move to the beat we turn around, touch the ground and that's the way we do it. ok
-Khamya; (African American female, age 8; (Garfield neighborhood, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania); 3/21/2006
SHOW ME HOW TO GET DOWN (Version #3)
QuartQuart: hey (insert a name) Hey what?(2*) show me
how to get down.No way show me how to get down
okay. Hands up high feet down low this is how I rodeo.
(repeat but at the end say ) hands up high feet down low
this is how I drop it low. drop it low drop drop it low.
-QuartQuart, 4/23/2006; cocojams.com
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cocojams.com is the name of my multipage cultural website that was active from 2000 to 2014. A lot of the content on the children's rhymes & cheers pages of that website were contributed by children and teens via an easy to use online page. That page required the contributor to give his or her first name only and didn't require an email. Much of the content from cocojams.com's children's rhymes & cheers pages can be found on on this pancocojams blog and on my cocojams2 blog https://cocojams2.blogspot.com/
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SHOW ME HOW YOU GET DOWN (Version #4)
Group (except soloist): Hey Ree Ree
Soloist (Ree Ree): What.
Group: Show us how you get down
Ree Ree: Too Shy.
Group: Show us how you get down.
Ree Ree: With ah D
The O
The W
The N
And that’s the way
you get down.
The group repeats the entire cheer with the next soloist saying her name or nickname. Continue until everyone has a one turn as the soloist.
-Riantai (Ree Ree); African American female; 8 years old; Faison Primary School (Homewood area of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania); October 30, 2009
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SHOW ME HOW YOU GET DOWN (Version #5)
A quick "Hey, HOBY!" cheer
Lyrics:
Leader: Hey, _____________!! (Ambassadors, Juniors, Alumni,
Facilitators, HOBY, Green Group, etc)
Group: Hey, What??
Leader: Show me how you get down!
Group: No, Wayy!!
Leader: Show me how you get down!!!!
Group: Okayy!!
Everybody: D-O-W-N, That's the way we get down! D-O-W-N,
That's the way we get down!
-HOBY Cheers Guy, Jun 12, 2012. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6ejVeP_8oE and http://hobycheers.wikidot.com/cheers:show-me-how-you-get-down
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SHOW US HOW TO GET DOWN (Version #6)
Group- Show us how to get down
Ready go.
Group -Hey, [name]!
Girl named - Hey what?
Group- Hey, [name]!
Girl named - Hey what?
Group- Show us how you get down!
Girl named -No way!
Group -Show us how you get down!
Girl name - OK!
D-O-W-N and that's the way I get down!
[On the letter "D.O.W.N", the girl named raises one arm above her head, followed by her other arm. She then claps her hands two times and does a brief twisting dance movement that ends with her going down near to the ground]
The Group performs the same movement routine while saying:
D-O-W-N and that's the way we get down!
Repeat so that everyone has a chance as the soloist.
-Madisonville Cheerleaders, August 31, 2016
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D-O-W-N (Version #7)
D-O-W-N and that's the way you get down!
D-O-W-N and that's the way you get down!
Hey, [name]! (Hey what?)
Hey, [name]! (Hey what?)
Show us how you get down! (No way!)
Show us how you get down! (OK!)
(Person dances) D-O-W-N and that's the way you get down!
(Everyone copies) D-O-W-N and that's the way you get down!
Repeat as desired.
-Youth Ministry Great Games, Sep 6, 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_zPkqqJN14
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D-O-W-N
D-O-W-N
and that's the way get down 2x
Hey name!
Hey what?
Hey name!
:Hey WHAT?
:No way
Show us how you get down
:Okay!
D-O-W-N
and that's the way get down!
@17scloud38, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_zPkqqJN14
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SHOW ME HOW TO GET DOWN (Version #9)
Camp Song – Chant
Description
This is a chant that we loved to do at camp. Insert a name
in the blank, and have the kids clap as they do this chant. It is a
back-and-forth between two people.
1.″Hey _________!”
2.″Hey what?”
1″HEY _________!!!!!”
2.″HEY WHAT?”
1.″Show me how to get down!”
2.″No way!”
1.″SHOW US HOW TO GET DOWN.”
2.″Okay. I stomp, my feet, I boogie to the beat. I turn around and touch the ground, and that’s the way I get down!”
Continue onto the next person. Instead of boogie, people can
say “wiggle, dance, hop, jump” etc. I’m surprised this site did not have this
chant… it’s a classic for Western New York! 🙂
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