Three YouTube Examples Of Stevie Wonder Performing His Song "Higher Ground" In 1974, 1995, & 2026

Stevie Wonder - Higher Ground (1974)

Musikladen, Oct 20, 2020  BREMEN

...Stevland Hardaway Morris (né Judkins; born May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. A prominent figure in popular music during the second half of the 20th century, Wonder is one of the most successful songwriters and musicians. A virtual one-man band, his use of synthesizers and further electronic musical instruments during the 1970s reshaped the conventions of R&B. He also helped drive the genre into the album era, crafting his LPs as cohesive, consistent socially conscious statements with complex compositions. Wonder is often hailed as a "genius", and has been credited as a pioneer and influence to musicians of various genres including rhythm and blues, pop, soul, gospel, funk and jazz.

Blind since shortly after his birth, Wonder was a child prodigy known as Little Stevie Wonder, leading him to sign with Motown's Tamla label at the age of 11. In 1963, the single "Fingertips" was a number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 when Wonder was 13, making him the youngest artist ever to top the chart. Wonder's critical success was at its peak in the 1970s. His "classic period" began in 1972 with the releases of Music of My Mind and Talking Book, the latter featuring "Superstition", which is one of the most distinctive and famous examples of the sound of the Hohner Clavinet keyboard. His works Innervisions (1973), Fulfillingness' First Finale (1974) and Songs in the Key of Life (1976) all won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year, making him the tied-record holder for the most Album of the Year wins, with three. He is also the only artist to have won the award with three consecutive album releases.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1_uU9eIZRo

****
Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases three YouTube videos of Rhythm & Blues superstar Stevie Wonder performing his song "Higher Ground". That song was first released in 1973.

This post also includes the lyrics for that song.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Stevie Wonder for his musical legacy. Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this pancocojams post.
 
****
LYRICS- HIGHER GROUND

[Verse 1]

People, keep on learning

Soldiers, keep on warring

World, keep on turning

'Cause it won't be too long

 

[Verse 2]

Powers keep on lying

While your people keep on dying

World keep on turning

'Cause it won't be too long

 

[Chorus]

I'm so darn glad He let me try it again

'Cause my last time on Earth, I lived a whole world of sin

I'm so glad that I know more than I knew then

Going to keep on trying

'Til I reach my highest ground

 

[Verse 3]

Teachers, keep on teaching

Preachers, keep on preaching

World, keep on turning

'Cause it won't be too long

Oh no

 

[Verse 4]

Lovers, keep on loving

Believers, keep on believing

Sleepers, just stop sleeping

'Cause it won't be too long

Oh no

 

[Chorus]
I'm so glad that He let me try it again

'Cause my last time on Earth, I lived a whole world of sin

I'm so glad that I know more than I knew then

Going to keep on trying

'Til I reach my highest ground

Woo

[Outro]

'Til I reach my highest ground

No one's gonna bring me down

Oh no

'Til I reach my highest ground

Don't you let nobody bring you down (They'll sho' 'nuff try)

God is gonna show you highest ground

He's the only friend you'll have around

'Cause the rest of the world will bring you down

https://genius.com/Stevie-wonder-higher-ground-lyrics

This song was first released in 1973.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT STEVIE WONDER'S SONG "HIGHER GROUND"
by MichaelBrian and MCSMeister, 2017
From https://genius.com/Stevie-wonder-higher-ground-lyrics
"Despite some misconceptions, “Higher Ground” was released before Stevie Wonder’s near-fatal car accident. However, one could be forgiven for this mistake: in the song, Wonder speaks of his gratitude for being given another shot at life.

Though raised a Christian, Wonder has spoken of the benefits of other religious practices as well (i.e. transcendental meditation). Here his message is reminiscent of the Buddhist concepts of the Samsara (the endless cycle of errors around him), Karma (his desire to improve the world), and an eventual Nirvana (the highest of spiritual grounds).'

****
SHOWCASE YOUTUBE EXAMPLE  #2 - Stevie Wonder - Higher Ground (Live in London, 1995)

arXter, Dec 30, 2008

Stevie gives a rare studio concert at London's Teddington Studios following the release of his 'Conversation Peace' album. A sensual ride for an intimate audience of less than 200 fans.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws86GIm_jS0

****
SHOWCASE YOUTUBE EXAMPLE #3 - WATCH: Stevie Wonder sings 'Higher Ground' with Jennifer Hudson, Common, John Legend 

ABC 7 Chicago, Jun 18, 2026

Jennifer Hudson, Bruce Springsteen, Common, John Legend, Eddie Vedder joined Steve Wonder for a special rendition of 'Higher Ground' at the grand opening show for the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, Illinois (June 18, 2026). 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DaQyvBRqL8

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

"Sophisticated Lady" Foot Stomping Cheers (examples and their R&B, Blues, & Other Influences)

Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest revision- April 24, 2026

This pancocojams post presents examples of the foot stomping cheer "Sophisticated Lady".

Addendum #1 of this post presents a YouTube video example of Natalie Cole's 1976 R&B song "Sophisticated Lady" and an excerpt of the lyrics for that song.

 Addendum #2 of this post focuses on the inclusion of "number verses" in some Sophisticated Lady" foot stomping cheers and traces the inspiration for those verses to the 1934 Blues song "Kokomo Blues" and the 1936 Blues song "Sweet Home Chicago".

The content of this post is presented for historical, folkloric, socio-cultural, and recreational purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the creativity of all of those who are mentioned and/or quoted in this post. Thanks to the contributors of examples of these foot stomping cheers. Thanks also to the publishers of these YouTube video or audio files.

****
EXAMPLES OF AFRICAN AMERICAN GIRLS' "SOPHISTICATED LADY" FOOT STOMPING CHEERS

SOPHISTICATED LADY (Version #1)
All -Sophisticated lady,
who rocks?
Sophisticated lady,
who rocks?

[...]
-collected by Tazi Powell, 1980s from girls at Lillian Taylor camp, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area.
-snip- 
Sometime in the early 1990s* my daughter Tazi shared the beginning words and verses (soloists' lines) to a cheer called "Sophisticated Lady" that she vaguely recalled hearing other Black girls chant in the mid or late 1980s. She said that the girls might have said the word "suffocated" instead of the word "sophisticated". My daughter also vaguely remembers the girls saying something about "I got hips on me" and "you better not kiss my man" but doesn't remember how the cheer went. 

These girls attended the summer camp that my daughter also attended in 1985 or 1986. Black children from various Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania neighborhoods attended that camp. My daughter said that she and her friends (in the Pittsburgh neighborhood where we live/d) never "did" this cheer. Unfortunately, I don't have any information about the rest of that cheer and how this cheer was performed. 

*The early 1990s was when I began to formally write down the cheers that my daughter and her friends chanted as well as the cheers my daughter or I observed or audiotaped or otherwise collected.

This is the only part of this cheer that my daughter remembers. Following the usual pattern for foot stomping cheers, one girl probably gave her name or nickname and chanted other lines.

****
SUFFOCATED LADY (Version #2 of "Sophisticated Lady")
Suffocated lady, Suffocated la-dy(this is said twice), then the first girl would sing
I'm a bad bad girl from a bad bad town, it take a thousand n%$%@ just to hold me down, if you don't like my apples don't you pick em (not them) off my tree cause I'm after you're lover and he's after me. (this is repeated until every girl in the circle gets her turn)

-cbwells26; (African American female, FT. Worth, TX , Tarrant), http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=4123&page=4, remember when”, 01-02-2001
-snip-
"Suffocated" is a folk processed for of "sophisticated"

This example has "the n word" given as an n and randomly typed symbols.

This example is an adaptation of the floating verse "If you don't like my apples [or "peaches"} don't shake my tree" that is found in a number of Blues songs.

Versions of the lines "I'm a bad bad girl from a bad bad town, it take a thousand n%$%@ just to hold me down" lines that precede that "If you don't like my apples" verse are found a number of Black children's recreational rhymes and chants (and in different genres of Black secular music). Here's an excerpt of a children's rhyme that I included in
https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2023/06/childrens-examples-of-ah-beep-beep.html "Children's example of rhymes that include the phrase "a beep beep":
"I''m sweet, I'm kind.

I'm soul sister number nine.

Don't like my apples,

Don't shake my tree.

I'm a Castle Square Black.

Don't miss with me."

-John Langstaff and Carol Langstaff, editors: Shimmy Shimmy Coke -Ca-Pop!: A Collection Of City Children's Street Games And Rhymes (New York, Doubleday & Company, 1973, p. 57)

For more information and examples about "if you don't like my apples" songs and rhymes, click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/05/partial-chronology-of-songs-with-lyrics.html for the 2024 pancocojams post entitled "Partial Chronology Of Songs With The Lyrics "If You Don't Like My Peaches, Don't Shake My Tree" (Or Similar Lyrics) & The Meanings Of Those Lyrics".

****
SOPHISTICATED LADY (Version #3)
Sophisticated Lady
Sophisticated Lady, that me
Sophisticated Mama, that's you
Well, my name is _________ and I'm foxy fine
If you tip me over I will blow your mind

and that's all I remember from that one
- IHEARTWRITING, http://nothingliketheninetys.blogspot.com/2008/08/etet.html, August 3, 2008 “I Heart The 90s”
-snip-
I reformatted this example to add a space between the last line of this "cheer" and the contributor's comment.
 
This example was categorized as a hand game, but the "Well my name is" line suggests that it's actually a foot stomping cheer.

Some cheers were later performed as hand clap games (i.e. "Hollywood Swinging" and "Gigalo" to name two examples). Therefore it's possible that this version of "Sophisticated Lady" started out as a foot stomping cheer but eventually was performed as a hand clap game.

****
SOPHISTICATED LADY (Version #4)
All- Sophisticated lady

Oh, that's me.
Sophisticated lady

Oh, that's me. 

Sophisticated lady,
2 4 6 3
Soloist #1 (woman in video) -Well, my name is Essie 
And I'm five foot tall
[It appears that some words that were chanted here weren't said in this video.]
If you see my man
You betta not give him a call
I got hips to party 
And I love my man  (Crosses her arms over her chest in the American Sign Language sign for Love and the Wakanda Forever gesture) 
If ya try to hurt him
[This part is faster]
I would tip ya for your body [These words are recited while the woman leans forward in an aggressive stance and hits her hands on top of each other in imitation of hitting someone else. Her daughter (?) also imitates these motions. 
???
and don't forget I'll break your hiney ["Hiney" means =butt.]  
Heeey.

All -Sophisticated lady
Oh, that's me.
Sophisticated lady
Oh, that's me.
2 4 6 3
Soloist #2 [young girl in video] -Well, my name is KK
And I'm four feet tall
If you see my man
Don't you give him a call
I got hips to party (She swivels her hips while chanting this.)
And I love my man (Crosses her arms over her chest in the American Sign Language sign for Love and the Wakanda Forever gesture) 
If you try to hurt him 
[This part is chanted faster]
I would tip ya for your body
???
and don't forget I'll break your hiney [These words are recited while the girl leans forward in an aggressive stance and hits her hands on top of each other in imitation of hitting someone else. Her mother (?) also does these motions at the same time as her daughter.]  
Heeey
-Alexander approved, May 28, 2018; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdY3ekZxkOw&ab_channel=AlexanderApproved  

-snip-
This is my transcription of a YouTube video of  a cheer that a Black woman and a young girl (her daughter (?) chanted. Additions and corrections are welcome.

The woman and girl clap their hand and move back and forth while chanting. They also do a lot of imitative movements to match the words that they chant.

**
The original Black Panther movie was first released in the United States on February 16, 2018. Five months later this commenter included the iconic "Wakanda forever" words and gesture from that highly successful movie in this version of the Sophisticated Lady" foot stomping cheer. 

****

ADDENDUM #1- THE MAIN SOURCE FOR "SOPHISTICATED LADY" FOOT STOMPING CHEERS

Natalie Cole's 1976 song "Sophisticated Lady" is undoubtedly the source of the "Sophisticated Lady" foot stomping cheers.

Here's a 1990 video of Natalie Cole performing "Sophisticated Lady"

Natalie Cole | Sophisticated Lady | Live 1990

Black Music Archive LIVE!, Jan 31, 2022

****
Here's an excerpt of the lyrics for that songthat was written by Chuck Jackson
from https://genius.com/Natalie-cole-sophisticated-lady-shes-a-different-lady-lyrics

[Chorus]

(Sophisticated lady)

Sophisticated lady, yeah

(Sophisticated lady)

Oh

(Sophisticated lady)

That's her name

That's her name

(Sophisticated lady)

Whoa, whoa

Everybody knows how she got her name

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Whoa oh, oh, oh, oh" ...

****
ADDENDUM #2-  INSPIRATION FOR "ONE AND ONE MAKES TWO" AND SIMILAR WORDING IN SOME "SOPHISTICATED" (AND CERTAIN OTHER)  FOOT STOMPING CHEERS

The 1934 African American Blues "Kokomo Blues" is inspiration for these words and the words "One and one and one make three/you better watch your man/cause your man is watching me"  (or similar words) 

Here's a YouTube sound file of Kokomo Arnold singing that Blues song:

Old Original Kokomo Blues - Kokomo Arnold

CharlesDavidPollock, Feb 13, 2012

****
Click https://genius.com/Kokomo-arnold-old-original-kokomo-blues-lyrics for the lyrics for that song. Here's the first verse of that song

"One and one is two, mama

Two and two is four

You mess around here, pretty mama

You know you got to go

Cryin', oooh, baby don't you want to go

Back to the Eleven Light City

To sweet old Kokomo"...
-snip-
"Kokomo Blues" is the precursor for Robert Johnson's 1936 Blues song "Sweet Home Chicago". 
That seminal Blues song includes two number verses:

[Verse 3]

Now one and one is two, two and two is four

I'm heavy loaded baby, I'm booked, I gotta go

Cryin', baby, honey, don't you want to go

Back to the land of California, to my sweet home Chicago

[Verse 4]

Now two and two is four, four and two is six

You goin' keep on monkeyin' 'round here friend-boy

You goin' get your business all in a trick"...

Click https://genius.com/Robert-johnson-sweet-home-chicago-lyrics for the complete lyrics for that song.

****
Historically Black Greek letter organizations changed "Kokomo Blues" and "Sweet Home Chicago" "number" lyrics to similar words such as "one and one and one make three/ you better watch your lover cause your lover's watching me". 

I've come across these lines or similar to lines in various historically Black Greek letter sororities, historically Black Greek letter fraternities, or little sister groups* chants such as those entitled "One And One And One Make Three" . Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/03/examples-of-historically-black_53.html for a list of historically Black Greek letter fraternities and sororities chants that include those "number" examples and similar "number" examples.

Here's an example of a "One And One And One Makes Three" chant:

 

One and one and one makes three.
You better watch your man
cause your man is watchin me.

So if you came her with your man
you better hold him tight.
Cause you damn sure better believe
He’ll be leaving here with a Q Pearl tonight.
-a member of Q Pearl, 1990s {East Coast, USA}; posted by Azizi, 12/05;
also featured in Meharry College step show video, (with the name "AKA" substituted for "Q Pearl) late 1990s; transcribed and posted by Azizi, 12/2005.
-snip-
The source of the phrase "one and one and one makes three" is the song "Kokomo Blues". Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/12/kokomo-blues-as-source-of-beatles-lyric.html for a pancocojams post about this song, the fraternity and sorority examples, and its use in a Beatles song.
-snip-

*Little sister groups" is an informal reference for college/university groups of women who were/are? unofficially (and some would say "illegally") affiliated with one of the five historically Black Greek letter fraternities that are members of the National Pan Hellenic Council (also known as "The Divine Nine").

****
DO YOU REMEMBER THE "SOPHISTICATED LADY" [or "SUFFOCATED LADY"] CHEER? 
 If so, for the folkloric record, please add the words to and information about the version of this cheer in the comment section below. Thanks!

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams. 

Visitor comments are welcome. 

The Gap Band - "Early In The Morning" (1982 R&B Hit Song Video, Information, & Lyrics)

The Gap Band, Feb 19, 2013

Official Music Video for Early In The Morning performed by The Gap Band. **** Edited by Azizi Powell, Pancocojams founder and editor This pancocojams post showcases the official YouTube video of the 1982 hit song "Early In The Morning" by the R&B, Funk music group The Gap Band. Information about The Gap Band and lyrics for their song "Early In The Morning" at song are also included in this pancocojams post. The content of this post is presented for historical, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes. All copyrights remain with their owners. Thanks to The Gap Band for the musical legacy and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. -snip- Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/12/early-in-morning-soul-line-dances.html for the closely related pancococjams post "Early in the Morning" Soul Line Dances (videos, information, & comments).
**** INFORMATION ABOUT THE GAP BAND From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gap_Band "Gap Band was an American R&B and funk band that rose to fame during the 1970s and 1980s. The band consisted of three brothers: Charlie, Ronnie, and Robert Wilson, along with other members; it was named after streets (Greenwood, Archer, and Pine)[1][2] in the historic Greenwood neighborhood in the brothers' hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma.[3]
[...]

The band reached a whole new level of fame in 1980 with the release of the number 1 R&B and number 16 Billboard 200 hit, The Gap Band III. That album had soul ballads such as the number 5 R&B song "Yearning for Your Love", and funk songs such as the R&B chart-topper "Burn Rubber (Why You Wanna Hurt Me)" and "Humpin'".[10] They repeated this formula on the number 1 R&B album Gap Band IV in 1982 (the first album released on Simmons' newly launched Total Experience Records), which resulted in three hit singles: "Early in the Morning" (number 1 R&B, number 13 Dance, number 24 Hot 100), "You Dropped a Bomb on Me" (number 2 R&B, number 31 Hot 100, number 39 Dance), and "Outstanding" (number 1 R&B, number 24 Dance). It was during this time that former Brides of Funkenstein singer Dawn Silva joined them on tour. [...] Background information

Origin  Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.

Genres Funk, boogie, R&B, soul

Years active     1967–2010"...

**** INFORMATION ABOUT THE GAP BAND'S 1982 HIT SONG "EARLY IN THE MORNING" From https://genius.com/The-gap-band-early-in-the-morning-lyrics " “Early In The Morning” is a 1982 hit song by The Gap Band. It topped the R&B chart for 3 weeks and is their highest-charting pop crossover hit, peaking at #24 that summer.

It was later covered by Robert Palmer in 1988 for his album Heavy Nova. Palmer released it as a single and it went even higher on the pop chart than the original – all the way to #19."
**** LYRICS = EARLY IN THE MORNING (The Gap Band)

[Intro]

Okay

[Verse 1]

Oh, I never knew I loved you 'til you left me

Oh, I never knew I cared 'til you were gone

I was young and foolish, I didn't know what I was doin'

I didn't know I'd lost you 'til you're gone

Oh, I never knew I loved you 'til you were gone

[Chorus]

So I gotta get up early in the morning (Early in the morning)

To find me another lover

So I gotta get up early (Early) in the morning

To find me another lover

So I gotta get up early in the morning (Early in the morning)

To find me another lover

Gotta get up early in the morning (Gotta get up early in the morning)

To find me another lover

[Verse 2]

Now I gotta get up early every morning

'Cause the early bird always catches the worm

Now I gotta get up every morning

Gotta make up for the lesson I learned

Gotta find me a lover that won't run for cover

Gotta find me a lover that won't run to mother

[Chorus]

'Cause I gotta get up early in the morning

To find me another lover

So I gotta get up early in the morning (Early in the morning)

To find me another lover

So I gotta get up early in the morning (Early in the morning)

To find me another lover

So I gotta get up early in the morning (Early in the morning)

To find me another lover

[Bridge]

I was young and foolish, I didn't know what I was doin'

I didn't know what I'd lost 'til you were gone

She had a pretty face that drove men wild

I even wanted her to have my child

[Chorus]

Early in the morning (Early in the morning)

To find me another lover

So I gotta get up early in the morning (Early, early in the morning)

To find me another lover

So I gotta get up early in the morning (Early, early in the morning)

To find me another lover

So I gotta get up early in the morning (Get up early in the morning)

To find me another lover

[Instrumental Break]

[Outro]

Early in the morning

In the middle of the day, baby

Late at night, mama

Everything's gonna be alright

Early in the morning

In the middle of the day, baby

Late at night, baby

Everything will be alright

Early in the morning, hee

In the middle of the day, baby

Late at night, baby

Everything will be alright

Early in the morning, baby

In the middle of the day, baby

Late at night, mama

Everything will be alright, yeah

Early in the morning, baby

In the middle of the day, baby

Late at night, mama

Everything will be alright" Source - https://genius.com/The-gap-band-early-in-the-morning-lyrics

**** Thanks for visiting pancocojams. Visitor comments are welcome.

Part II- Timeline For Sources Of The Tune And Some Lyrics For "Ooh Ah! I Wanna Piece Of Pie", "ABC It's Easy As 1, 2, 3" & Similarly Titled Children's Rhymes

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part II of a three part pancocojams series about sources for the children's recreational rhymes  Rhymes "Ooh Ah! I Wanna Piece Of Pie", "ABC It's Easy As Do Re Me", "Winston Tastes Good", & similarly titled rhymes.

This pancocojams post presents information about a short story that was written in 1938 by Richard Wright, and YouTube examples Of three music sources and a cigarette ad

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/11/part-i-short-story-excerpt-and-youtube.html for Part I of this three part pancocojams series. That post presents a timeline with additional information about the literary source, music sources, and the cigarette ad source for the "Ooh Ah! I Wanna Piece Of Pie", "ABC It's Easy As 1, 2, 3", & similarly titled rhymes.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/11/part-iii-examples-of-ooh-ah-i-wanna.html for Part III of this three part pancocojams series. That post presents some examples of fhe children's recreational rhymes "Ooh Ah! I Wanna Piece Of Pie", "ABC It's Easy As Do Re Me", "Winston Tastes Good", & similarly titled rhymes from the late 1960s to 2015. 

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

All copyrights belong with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are showcased in this pancocojams post and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.

****
SOURCE TIMELINE FOR "OOH AH! I WANNA PIECE OF PIE", "ABC. iT'S EASY AS 1,2,3", "WINSTON TASTES GOOD"  AND SIMILARLY TITLED CHILDREN'S RECREATIONAL RHYMES 

1938- Richard Wright "Big Boy Leaves Home" short story in his book "Uncle Tom's Children"

AI Overview
"Richard Wright's short story "Big Boy Leaves Home" is about a young Black boy whose youthful trip to a white-owned swimming hole results in a violent confrontation with the owner, the death of two friends, and his subsequent flight from a white mob. The story, which appears in the collection Uncle Tom's Children, is a powerful exploration of racial prejudice, violence, and survival in the Jim Crow South....

His protagonists, like “Big Boy,” struggle against overt racism and racist violence in their communities, ultimately facing crises".
-snip-
Here's the rhyme example from that short story: 
"Bye n bye
Ah wanna piece of pie
Pies too sweet
Ah wanna piece of meat
Meats too red
Ah wanna piece of bread
Breads too brown
Ah wanna go to town
Towns too far
Ah wanna ketch a car
Cars too fas
Ah fall n break mah ass
Ah'll understan it better bye n bye"
-snip-
This rhyme is composed of what I refer to as "trading verses". "Trading verses" is my term for verses in songs (such as "Hush Little Baby") and rhymes (such as "Ooh Ah! I Want A Piece Of Pie') when an item in a verse is found to be defective and is substituted for another item. However, that substituted item is also found to be defective and is also traded for another item. This pattern continues throughout the song or rhyme

****
1940-:"Jazz song "Eep, Ipe, Wanna Piece Of Pie" (Composed) By Jerry Blaine and Artie Dann (some sources add: Nick Catamas) and recorded by Jazz pianist and vocalist Fats Waller 

transcription by Jim Dixon, 21 March 2009 from https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=119521#2594206

EEP, IPE, WANNA PIECE OF PIE

Eep*, ipe*, wanna piece of pie.
Eep*, ipe*, wanna bowl of soup.
Eep*, ipe*, let your tongue turn.
Eep*, ipe*, easy to learn.
Eep*, ipe*, clock is on the wall.
Eep*, ipe*, sounds like doubletalk.
Eep*, ipe*, ippy ippy way.
Eep*, wop*, wop*, wop*, you do it all day."...
-snip-
Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fats_Waller for information about African American Jazz organist/pianist, composer, and vocalist Thomas Wright Fats Waller (May 21, 1904 – December 15, 1943)  

 
****
1954/1955- Winston Cigarette Ad [date of first publication of "Winston Tastes Good" ad]

AI Overview
"The "Winston tastes good like a cigarette should" slogan first appeared in print ads in September 1954. The first television ads and sponsorships for the slogan, which included the first Winston television ads, began in 1955.

Print: The first print ad for Winston cigarettes, using the slogan (with the addition of "real"), appeared in The Pittsburgh Press in September 1954. The phrase was then adapted to the now-famous wording for subsequent ads in magazines and other outlets.

Television: Television ads, along with sponsorships, began in 1955, when Winston became the sponsor for news and variety shows."
-snip-
Children's recreational rhymes that begin with this cigarette jingle use the same tune as the "Ooh Ah! I Wanna Piece Of Pie" rhymes, the "ABC, It's Easy As 1,2,3" rhymes, and similarly titled children's rhymes that include the Ooh Ah! I Wanna Piece Of Pie trading verses.*. However, those examples are usually titled "Winston Tastes Good" or a similar title. I've also come across some rhyme in this sub-set that substitute the candy bar "Snickers" for the [brand name] Winston cigarettes i.e. "Snickers tastes good/like a candy bar should."  Based on my online searches, it appears that the "Winston Tastes Good" (or "Snickers Tastes Good" is a small sub-set of these "Ooh Ah! I Wanna Piece Of Pie" rhymes. Examples of these rhymes are found in Part III of this pancocojams series.
-snip-
An example of the Winston Tastes Good" ad is given in Part I of this pancocojams series.  

****
1967- King Coleman- "The Boo Boo Song"
Here's my transcription of part of that song [beginning at 1:57 of the YouTube video that is showcased in Part I of this pancocojams series.]

[additional lyrics for that song at 1:57 [transcribed by Azizi Powell from that recording]

Eee eye I wanna a piece of pie

[female singers echo each line]

Pie too sweet, I wanna a piece of meat
The meat too tough I wanna ride a bus
The bus too full I wanna ride a bull
The bull won’t play, he had this to say
He said “ooh ahh ahh ooh aah ahh ooh aah ahh ooh ooh ooh
Come on baby, come on baby, show your daddy what you can do"...
-snip-
Thanks to GUEST, Fine Wine (2012) for referring to this video in the Mudcat thread Lyr Req: Oh my, I want a piece of pie http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=26926
-snip-
Lines 1-4 of this song (or very similar versions of those lines) are almost always used in children's recreational rhyme versions of "Ooh Ah! I Wanna Piece Of Pie", "ABC It's Easy As 1, 2, 3", and similarly titles rhymes. However, the line that is usually given after "...I wanna ride a bull" in those children's rhymes is "Bull too black I want my money back"...
-snip-
Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Coleman for information about American rhythm and blues singer, musician, and radio disc jockey Carlton "King" Coleman (January 20, 1932 – September 11, 2010).

****
1970- The Jackson 5 - "ABC"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABC_(The_Jackson_5_song)
"ABC" is a song by American pop band the Jackson 5. It was released as a single in 1970. The song replaced the Beatles' "Let It Be" on the number-one spot of the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1970, and was number one on the soul singles chart for four weeks. It is the title track to the group's second album and sold 2 million copies within the first week of its release in the US and more than 4 million copies worldwide"...
-snip-
It  appears to me that "ABC It's Easy As 1,2,3" (or "ABC, It's Easy As Do Re Me" appears to be a rather large sub-set of children's rhymes that include the "Ooh Ah! I Want A Piece Of Pie" trading rhymes.
The beginning line "ABC, it's easy as 1, 2, 3" is the only line in those "Ooh Ah! I Want A Piece Of Pie" that is from the Jackson 5's song. Another version of this line is "ABC, it's easy as "do re mi". Either version of that line is followed by another rhyming line such as "My daddy watches MTV." or "My mommy takes care of me." before those rhymes move to the "Ooh Ah! I want a piece of pie" trading rhymes.

These "ABC It's Easy As 1,2,3" (or "ABC It's Easy As Do, Re, Me")  rhymes use the same tune as the other rhymes in the "Ooh Ah! I Want A Piece Of Pie" family of children rhymes. The "ABC' version that I've come across don't include the "Winston Taste Good"...(or Snickers Tastes Good" lines" (or vice versa").

Examples of these rhymes are found in Part III of this pancocojams series.   

****
This concludes Part II of this pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Part I -Short Story Excerpt And YouTube Examples of Sources For "Ooh Ah! I Wanna Piece Of Pie", "ABC, It's Easy As 1, 2,3", & Similarly Titled Children's Rhymes

 
THE HEHR ARCHIVE, Jul 25, 2024

Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller (May 21, 1904– December 15, 1943) was an American jazz pianist, organist, composer, and singer.[1] His innovations in the Harlem stride style laid much of the basis for modern jazz piano. A widely popular star in the jazz and swing eras, he toured internationally, achieving critical and commercial success in the United States and Europe. On this recording in New York April 11th 1940 Fats Waller & his Rhythm. The tune is “Eep, Ipe, Wanna Piece of Pie” ,,,

****
Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part I of a three part pancocojams series about sources for the children's recreational rhymes  Rhymes "Ooh Ah! I Wanna Piece Of Pie", "ABC It's Easy As Do Re Me A & similarly titled rhymes.

This pancocojams post presents information about a short story that was written in 1938 by Richard Wright, and YouTube examples Of three music sources and a cigarette Ad

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/11/part-ii-timeline-for-sources-of-tune.html for Part II of this three part pancocojams series. That post presents a timeline with additional information about the literary source, music sources, and the cigarette ad source for the "Ooh Ah! I Wanna Piece Of Pie", "ABC It's Easy As Do Re Me A & similarly titled rhymes.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/11/part-iii-examples-of-ooh-ah-i-wanna.html for Part III of this three part pancocojams series. That post presents some examples of fhe children's recreational rhymes "Ooh Ah! I Wanna Piece Of Pie", "ABC It's Easy As Do Re Me", "Winston Tastes Good", & similarly titled rhymes from the late 1960s to 2015. 

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

All copyrights belong with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are showcased in this pancocojams post and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the producers and publishers of these examples on YouTube.

****
EXCERPT FROM RICHARD WRIGHT'S 1938 SHORT STORY "BIG BOY LEAVES HOME" (in his book "Uncle Tom's Children")
Fromhttps://www.amazon.com/Uncle-Toms-Children-Richard-Wright/dp/0061450200
...."Set in the American Deep South, each of the powerful novellas collected here concerns an aspect of the lives of black people in the post-slavery era, exploring their resistance to white racism and oppression. Originally published in 1938, Uncle Tom's Children was the first book from Richard Wright, who would continue on to worldwide fame as the author of numerous works, most notably the acclaimed novel Native Son and his autobiography, Black Boy."...
-snip-
Here's that example:

"Bye n bye
Ah wanna piece of pie
Pies too sweet
Ah wanna piece of meat
Meats too red
Ah wanna piece of bread
Breads too brown
Ah wanna go to town
Towns too far
Ah wanna ketch a car
Cars too fas
Ah fall n break mah ass
Ah'll understan it better bye n bye"
-snip-
It's possible that Richard Wright composed this rhyme, but he may have heard it chanted and then included it in his "Big Boy Leaves Home" story.

****

YOUTUBE EXAMPLE #1-Fats Waller- “Eep, Ipe, Wanna Piece of Pie” (1940)
The YouTube song file that is given at the top of this pancocojams post is of African American Jazz pianist and vocalist Fats Waller singing “Eep, Ipe, Wanna Piece of Pie”. Here are partial lyrics for that song:

EEP, IPE, WANNA PIECE OF PIE

Quoting from https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=119521#2594206
Subject: Lyr Add: EEP, IPE, WANNA PIECE OF PIE (Fats Waller
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 21 Mar 09 - 06:12 PM

"This is the song that I was reminded of when reading the thread Lyr Req: Oh my, I want a piece of pie, and which in turn inspired me to start this thread about eephing.

This is my transcription from Fats Waller and His Rhythm, on the 78-rpm record MIGHTY FINE (Razaf, Waller) b/w EEP, IPE, WANNA PIECE OF PIE (Blaine, Dann), Bluebird 10744, 1940:

By Jerry Blaine and Artie Dann (some sources add: Nick Catamas)
J. R. LaFleur & Son Ltd., 1940.

Eep*, ipe*, wanna piece of pie.
Eep*, ipe*, wanna bowl of soup.
Eep*, ipe*, let your tongue turn.
Eep*, ipe*, easy to learn.
Eep*, ipe*, clock is on the wall.
Eep*, ipe*, sounds like doubletalk.
Eep*, ipe*, ippy ippy way.
Eep*, wop*, wop*, wop*, you do it all day."...
 
****
YOUTUBE EXAMPLE #2 - King Coleman - The Boo Boo song [1967]

SleazyEmotions, May 16, 2010
-snip-
[lyrics for that song at 1:57* [transcribed by Azizi Powell from that recording]

"Eee eye I wanna a piece of pie

[female singers echo each line]

Pie too sweet, I wanna a piece of meat
The meat too tough I wanna ride a bus
The bus too full I wanna ride a bull
The bull won’t play, he had this to say
He said “ooh ahh ahh ooh aah ahh ooh aah ahh ooh ooh ooh
Come on baby, come on baby, show your daddy what you can do"...

****

YOUTUBE EXAMPLE #3-Jackson 5 "ABC" on The Ed Sullivan Show

The Ed Sullivan Show, May 12, 2010

Jackson 5 "ABC" performed on The Ed Sullivan Show on May 10, 1970.

****
YOUTUBE EXAMPLE #3- Winston taste good like a cigarette should - equestian

maninov4u, Apr 9, 2015

60's "Winston" cigarette commercial
-snip-
AI Overview Write-up (results of my query on November 3, 2025]
"The "Winston tastes good like a cigarette should" slogan first appeared in print ads in September 1954. The first television ads and sponsorships for the slogan, which included the first Winston television ads, began in 1955.

Print: The first print ad for Winston cigarettes, using the slogan (with the addition of "real"), appeared in The Pittsburgh Press in September 1954. The phrase was then adapted to the now-famous wording for subsequent ads in magazines and other outlets.

Television: Television ads, along with sponsorships, began in 1955, when Winston became the sponsor for news and variety shows."
-snip-
The "Winston tastes good like a cigarette should" is found in the beginning of a few versions of "Ooh Ah! I Wanna Piece Of Pie" children's recreation rhymes. Read two of those examples in Part III of this pancocojams series.

****
This includes Part I of this pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams. 

Visitor comments are welcome.

Three YouTube Videos Of The "Good Foot" Line Dance To James Brown's 1970s R&B Hit Song "Super Bad"

Jero Green, May 17, 2022
"I do not [own] the rights to this Music Getting on the Foot foot Line Dance Choreographed by Ray Boyd & Kenny’s" -snip- total # of YouTube views as of August 20, 2025 at 6:17 PM EDT= 1,476,198 total # of YouTube comments as of August 20, 2025 at 6:18 PM EDT= 365

****
Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases three YouTube videos of the "Good Foot" line dance to James Brown's 1970 hit R&B song "Super Bad". That line dance was choreographed by Raymond Boyd. 

This post also includes some comments from the discussion thread for these videos. I'm particularly interested in sharing some of the comments that include old or contemporary African American Vernacular English sayings. However, these examples are given without any identification or explanations.

The content of this post is presented for socio-cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic  purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to R&B singer/composer James Brown for his musical and cultural legacy. Thanks to Raymond Boyd for choreographing this line dance. Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
-snip-
Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Bad_(song) for information about James Brown's hit R&B song "Superbad".

These are only three of the videos on YouTube of the Good Foot line dance to James Brown's "Suber Bad". Have fun watching the other YouTube videos of this line dance!.  

****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM SHOWCASE VIDEO #1  (found at the top of this post)  
(Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.)

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

1.@patriciaevans5906, 2023
"They look like they are having the best time! Good for them! I saw James Brown in concert when I was 15……to say it was awesome is not saying enough! I was one of about 40 people in the audience who was white…..it was a fantastic experience and loved him! We were all helping him sing and dance! Was truly a pleasure and wonderful experience to see him! I’m now almost 71 and still can remember that nite!"

**
Reply
2. @roxannecarr8355, 2024
"This took me back.  Now you’re talking my style.  I often clean house with head phones on, living back in time.  I do the same with old gospel.  Shine on my people."

**
3. @sandythompson2973, 2023
"Yall looking good! Raymond Boyd of Philly  the choreographer of this dance known as the GOODFOOT..,,is so proud."

**
4. @ericwinston9121, 2023
"Nothing like an all white  party with Sistas and  Brothers,  Queens and Kings. Keep on keeping on  dancing in the name of  love!!"

**
5. @ritapots1103, 2023
"Go head  and do that line dance  💃 🎶 u guys  are  looking  good  in that white 😉"

**
6. @anitathompson7023, 2023
"Alright!  They're getting down.  Looks like so much fun and all are dressed so nicely. Loved it!!!!❤️"

**
Reply
7. @debramerritt4320, 2023
"Say that again!"

**
Reply
8. @anitathompson7023, 2023
"@debramerritt4320   They're Super Bad!😀"

**
9. @carylwilliams7903, 2023
"Looking good! They are doing a modified version of the Superbad hustle/line-dance done in Detroit and other cities."

**
10. @julesjones2442, 2023
"This is beautiful

I can dig it baby !!!"

**
11. @avisloreilly2991, 2024
"Make me want to join! You all ate and left no crumbs! Made my day thanks!"

**
12. @highpriestess222, 2024
"I know that’s right!!! They did not come to play they came to slay! I promise this is gonna be me in 20 yrs. As soon as I hit 60 I’m showing out!!! 💃🏽💃🏽"

**
Reply
13. @Imissneo, 2024
"You go for it girl!....✨️🫵✨️"

**
Reply
14. @THEBlose, 2024
"😂😂😂"

**
15. @freddiecopeland6390, 2024
"I saw him when I was 10 years old. The people are dancing and they look great 👍. James Brown fan for life. That's awesome to see y'all 😊 I love this video, it made my day 😊"

**
16. @lisaairington1858, 2024
"Y’all did that I ❤it my people keep on keeping on!!! 😊❤"

**
17. @kimaletta8943, 2024
"😂😂😂a lot of moves from a hustle from the 70's"

**
18. @rubytuesday5567, 2024
"Yougins take note this here is how grown folks party. ❤"

**
Reply
19. @jeanettetaylor7569, 2024
"My God today, tell the truth and shame the devil!❤❤❤❤"

**
Reply
20. @mrsgmason
"LOL Right!"

**
21. @jamesberry1145, 2025
"We will always set the standard for the perfection for the world to follow, admire and copy❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤"

**
22. @kuma1939, 2025
"Y'all so superbad, folks.! Keep on keepin' on.. ❤

**
23. @sharonpope1737, 2025
"Go head with your bad selves"

**
24. @nataliehale2312, 2025
"Ahhh sookie sookie now🤗"

**
25. @TerryDunbar-r8l, 2025
"The good foot hustle was my favorite!  I could not even do it but I loved watching everyone!! It's always a man in a suit and hat that puts his own spin and ends up on beat with everyone when it's time to turn and start over!😂🥰🤍"

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO #2 - James Brown Super Bad Line Dance

It's The Dance For Me, January15 , 2011

Purple Charlotte Steppers doing Super Bad Line Dance -snip- -total # of YouTube views as of August 20, 2025 at 6:12 PM EDT= 10,417,634 total # of YouTube comments as of August 20, 2025 at 6:13 PM EDT= 3,058

-snip-
Selected comments from this video's discussion thread with numbers added for referencing purposes only.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56h2Dk5mmhc

1. @ima-goodgirl, 2023
"That looks like so much fun!  Y’all are good!"

**
2. @michawilliams1521, 2023
"Ok I see ya. Grown folk at their best. This is the first time seeing this. You can't go wrong with the God Father of Soul."

**
3. @AnthonyJohnson-en4hn, 2023
"See that's what a really good time is all about old school with some younger people getting their groove on and loving every minute of it sho ya right 👍👍👍👍"

**
4. @Belinda-lm3ol,2023
"Wish I could have been there I would have tried that cool stuff with those cool people"

**
5. @edwardcave1947, 2023
"Now that’s GETTING DOWN"

**
6. @janiceal-najjar5093, 2023
"Now THAT'S  the sort of line dance I like.! Smooth,funky and classy. Love Mr Orange shirt ( accidentally?😄) walking into shot and shimmying  off sideways!."

**
7. @zacharyspinks6207, 2023
"Aye!, Best Dance line Ever!, James brown's music is Seriously funky❤️❤️😎✌🏽"

**
8. @RaptureReady888, 2024
"5/1/2024:  The lady in YELLOW JACKET is so SMOOOOOOTH.   You can tell that the lady in the  front /far right BLACK JACKET & JEANS came to take care of business.  GET IT YA’ll.   (This was recored 13 yrs ago 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾🔥)."

**
Reply
9. @LoisMann-g4u, 2024
"And it still works in 2024❤❤❤

**
10.@ec0084, 2024
"Thank you to the godfather of soul James Brown you always brought me UP when i was DOWN 👍👍👍👍"

**
11. @tomsullivan7820, 2024
"I was raised in the military and was living on an Army base in '67 - '68. Soul music was the thing back then. Though I was a white boy in the 5th grade, the first album I ever  bought with my own money was James Brown and his Famous Flames, Papa's got a Brand New Bag. I'm thankful to God I live in a world where this wonderful music exists. I love so many of his songs, and though I'm 67 years old, a week doesn't go by that I don't listen to his music. Love it that folks are dancing to it."

**
12. @williamseigafuse876, 2025
"Old school does IT best"

**
13. @bevjohnson5280, 2025
"The guy in the striped shirt is going off script, and putting some extra flavour on it."

**
Reply
14. @ElusvOptmst1, 2025
"I read somewhere he is the dance instructor."

**
15. @yvonnecarter8497, 2025
"Now this is music 🎶 and dance 🕺🏽 💃🏽 🎉"

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO #3 -  L-Jet, Instructors Ball - "Super bad" line dancing

go2nate, Nov 29, 2009
-snip-
-total # of YouTube views as of August 20, 2025 at 6:57 PM EDT= 129,824 total # of comments as of August 20, 2025 at 6:58 PM EDT= 53 -snip-
Selected comments from this video's discussion thread with numbers added for referencing purposes only.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZiGc7t4luY

1. @classtcher, 2010
"Yall are jammin!! The name of this dance is called 'The Goodfoot' choreographed by Philly's own Raymond Boyd."

**
2. @1phatboy83,2010
"there she go again in the black pants suit from the wobble line dance video ....she super bad!!!!"

**
3. @brownsugababe1070, 2011
"Sis in the front is doin' the damn thing!!! I saw her in the Wobble video and she was tearing up the floor!!! U betta go girl!!!!"

**
4. @go2nate, 2011
"@lovelyirv1 The lady in black is Cheryl Williams, the "line dance queen" of Houston Texas and yes she is a line dance instructor. She can be reached by visiting her website "line dance queen . com" (type it in as one word)*

**
5. @TheStephaniear85, 2011
"MAAAAAAAAN She was getting it! My aunt was inspired and now we have our own dance group out here in Tulsa, OK and it's FUUUN!"

**
6. @MrsDomino, 2011
"Go head Girlfriend get on down wit yo bad self!"

**
7. @Ivana316, 2011
"Ms. Cheryl be going off on this!!!"

**
8. @LineDanceDiva, 2011
"Go Cheryl and Go Ali!!!!! You guys killed it!!!!"

**

9. @nuskoololdschool, 2013
"Looks like one of our Hustle Line Dancing in Chicago back in the 70s to me."

**
10. @PerkyBlackChick, 2014
"Woman in the front was straight SHOWING OUT! Get it!"

**
Reply
11. @WillsJazzLoft, 2022
"Yes she is!"

**
12. @ItsSonEyeYah, 2015
"Wish they kept the camera on that one lady the entire time! She killed it!"

**
Reply
13. @EclecticTEA, 2020
"SISTA GURL STRAIGHT🔥🔥🔥"

**
14. @SuperMichelle1226, 2016
"The lady in the front is the line dance queen from Texas. Her name is Cheryl the line dance queen she bad mi"

**
15. @LauraSmith-c6t, 2024
"Get down black folks once  you get it you never lose it age is only   number this keeps you healthy good cardio❤❤❤❤❤"

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

The Origins Of "Rock The Boat" Girls' Cheerleader Cheers,Softball Cheers, or Children's Camp Cheers

Edited by Azizi Powell Latest edition - November 23, 2024 This is Part I of a two part series about the "Rock The Boat" cheer.

This post presents information about the provenance* of the Rock The Boat" cheerleader squads, softball cheers, or children's camp cheers. Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/11/rock-boat-videos-word-only-examples.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. That post showcases some examples of "Rock The Boat" cheers and chants that are performed by girls' cheerleader squads , by members of some girls' softball teams, and by attendees of children's camps.

The content of this post is presented for historical, folkloric, socio-cultural, 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 this embedded video. -snip- Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/11/bring-it-on-all-or-nothing-2006-movies.html for a related pancocojams post entitled "Bring It On All or Nothing 2006 movie's "Introduce Yourself!" Cheer & Other Examples Of "Command/Refusal" Foot Stomping Cheers"
** Here's the definition of "provenance" *from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/provenance
"provenance (noun)

1. origin, source

2. the history of ownership of a valued object or work of art or literature

-snip- **I am differentiating between girls pretending to be cheerleaders who chanted foot stomping cheers during as part of their recreational activities and girls who are actually members of a cheerleading squad that is associated with a sports team. **** THE PROVENANCE OF THE SOFT BALL CHANT "ROCK THE BOAT" . A. THE DISCO RECORD "ROCK THE BOAT" 1. From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_the_Boat_(The_Hues_Corporation_song) 
" "Rock the Boat" is a song by American trio The Hues Corporation, written by Wally Holmes. "Rock the Boat" was first featured on their 1973 debut studio album Freedom for the Stallion (the single edit later appeared on certain editions of the band's 1974 second album Rockin' Soul).[1] It was released as the third single from the album in early 1974, to follow up Stallion's title song, which had peaked at number sixty-three on the Hot 100, and "Miracle Maker (Sweet Soul Shaker)" which did not chart.

Initially, "Rock the Boat" appeared as though it would also flop, as months went by without any radio airplay or sales activity. Not until the song became a disco favorite in New York did Top 40 radio finally pick up on the song, leading the record to finally enter the Hot 100 and zip up the chart to number one the week of July 6, 1974, in only its seventh week on the chart (and fourth week in the Top 40). The record also reached the top ten in the United Kingdom. "Rock the Boat" is considered one of the earliest disco songs. Some authorities proclaim it to be the first disco song to hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, while others give that distinction to "Love's Theme" by Love Unlimited Orchestra or "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)" by MFSB, both chart-toppers from earlier in 1974. The song became a gold record. It is a heavy airplay favorite on oldie and adult contemporary stations today.

Composition and recording

Holmes wrote the song for the band's first album, and started the song with the line "Ever since our voyage of love began..". In an attempt to make it more punchy, producer John Florez suggested starting with the line "So I'd like to know where you got the notion."[2]

The song features a lead vocal by Fleming Williams, who left The Hues Corporation shortly after the song was recorded. According to The Billboard Book of Number One Hits by Fred Bronson, the lone female member of the group, H. Ann Kelley, had originally been pegged to sing lead, but this idea was discarded out of fear that groups with female lead singers were less commercially viable. The bass player on the session was Wilton Felder, not James Jamerson as sometimes reported. Florez also brought in two other members of the Jazz Crusaders"...

****
2. from https://genius.com/The-hues-corporation-rock-the-boat-lyrics (Genius annotation written by LuckyBluJay, December 15, 2014)
" "Rock the Boat" was featured on the Hues Corporation’s debut album Freedom for the Stallion.

When the song was first released, it went months without getting radio airplay, but it wasn’t until the song became a disco\club music favorite in New York that it was picked up by Top 40 radio.

Hues Corporation member St. Clair Lee said that the song “was a song you could do anything on. You could cuddle or you could get crazy if you wanted to. It was a love song without being a love song, but it was a disco hit and it happened because of the discos.”

The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for a week in July of 1974. It also peaked at #2 on Billboard’s Hot Soul Singles chart and #5 on Billboard’s Hot Dance\Disco Singles chart."
-snip-
This is how that annotation is written on that page 

****
3. Hues Corporation - Rock The Boat • TopPop

TopPop, November 6, 2015
-snip-
This Disco record was first released in 1974.

****
4.  https://genius.com/The-hues-corporation-rock-the-boat-lyrics 
LYRICS - ROCK THE BOAT
(written by Wally Holmes)

" [Chorus]

So I'd like to know where you got the notion

Said I'd like to know where you got the notion

To rock the boat

Don't rock the boat, baby

 

Rock the boat

Don't tip the boat over

Rock the boat

Don't rock the boat, baby

Rock the boat

 

[Verse 1]

Ever since our voyage of love began

Your touch has thrilled me

Like the rush of the wind

And your arms have held me

Safe from a rolling sea

There's always been a quiet place

To harbor you and me

 

Our love is like a ship on the ocean

We've been sailing with a cargo

Full of love and devotion

 

[Chorus]

So I'd like to know where you got the notion

Said I'd like to know where you got the notion

To rock the boat

Don't rock the boat, baby

Rock the boat

Don't tip the boat over

Rock the boat

Don't rock the boat, baby

Rock the boat

 

[Verse 2:]

Up to now

We sailed through every storm

And I've always had your tender lips

To keep me warm

 

Oh, I need to have the strength

That flows from you

Don't let me drift away my dear

When love can see me through

 

Our love is like a ship on the ocean

We've been sailing with a cargo

Full of love and devotion

 

[Chorus]

So I'd like to know where you got the notion

Said I'd like to know where you got the notion

So I'd like to know where you got the notion

Said I'd like to know where you got the notion

To rock the boat

Don't rock the boat, baby

Rock the boat

Don't tip the boat over

Rock the boat

Don't rock the boat, baby

Rock the boat

Don't tip the boat over

Rock the boat

Rock the boat

Rock on with yo bad self

Rock the boat

Rock on with yo bad self

Rock the boat

Rock on with yo bad self

Rock the boat

Rock the boat

Rock the boat

Rock the boat

Rock the boat

Rock the boat

Rock the boat

Rock the boat

Rock the boat

Rock the boat

Rock the boat

Rock the boat

Rock the boat

Rock the boat"

****
B. "ROCK THE BOAT" FOOT STOMPING CHEERS 
1. Information about foot stomping cheers
"Rock The Boat" is  an example of a dance style foot stomping cheers.

"Foot stomping cheers is a sub-category of children's cheerleader cheers.

I observed and collected foot stomping cheers (from the mid 1980s to 2009 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Soloists were usually chosen by the order in which the members of the group called out "first", "second", "third" etc. Each person in the group has the same amount of soloist time. Ideally, the cheer doesn't end until each person in the group has a soloist turn. Each soloist turn is the same amount of time.

In my observations, these cheers were* performed as part of the recreational play of Black girls, ages around 6 years to around 12 years. These girls were pretending to be cheerleaders outdoors during school recess, or outdoor or indoors after-school. Usually, there wasn't any  formal audience for these cheerleading performances, although other children (and adults) might watch the girls perform. cheers weren't written down. Girls learned the cheers by watching the performances of others who knew them. Because the entire cheer had to start again from the beginning if anyone "went offbeat" [in the synchronized foot stomping/hand clapping routine or messed up a word because they waited too long to say it, girls who didn't know a cheer were usually reluctant to attempt to perform it. 

Foot stomping cheers used a distinctive foot stomping cheer textual pattern of group/consecutive soloist. The group (without the soloist) speaks first, The soloist responds and the group speaks. At some point, the soloist has a brief portion in the spotlight, sometimes followed by the group which echoes what the soloist says and/or does. That pattern immediately begins again from the beginning.

Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUHe51IiOaM for a YouTube video of the "Shabooya Roll Call" cheer that is performed as part of the 2006 cheerleader movie entitled Bring It On: All Or Nothing. That clip is probably the most widely known example of a performance of a foot stomping cheer. However, I believe that the dancing/stepping that these three girls did while chanting that cheer was greatly exaggerated and therefore isn't an accurate documentation of the choreographed syncopated, foot stomping routines.

Also, click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/03/some-youtube-videos-of-foot-stomping.html for a pancocojams post entitled "Some YouTube Videos Of Foot Stomping Cheers (With Other Videos Of Similar Children's Stepping Motions & Routines)."

*I'm using past tense about foot stomping cheers in this post (and in other pancocojams posts) because (based on my direct observation and based on the lack of current comments about these cheers and the lack of examples of current performances of these cheers, I believe that old foot stomping cheers are no longer performed [the same way that they were traditionally performed] and new foot stomping cheers don't seem to be created.

The BIG caveat for the above statement is that (usually unbeknown to the people chanting these cheers), a few old foot stomping cheers still live on as softball cheer, and/or (actual) cheerleader cheers, and/or camp songs/cheers.

Although those above categorized cheers have some of the same words as some foot stomping cheers, they may not strictly adhere to the "every one in the group has a solo turn" that is an essential foot stomping cheer rule. Also, those softball cheers that originated as foot stomping cheers may not be performed the same way as "traditional" foot stomping cheers (i.e. with chanters standing in a circle or in a horizontal line performing a choreographed, syncopated foot stomping and hand clapping routine to a 4/4 metronome type beat.)

For more information about foot stomping cheers click  https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/05/an-overview-of-foot-stomping-cheers.html "An Overview Of Foot Stomping Cheers (Part I- Characteristics, Sources, & Videos)"

and 

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/11/an-overview-of-foot-stomping-cheers.html "An Overview Of Foot Stomping Cheers (Part II -Types Of Cheers With Examples)".

****
2. Two Examples Of "Rock The Boat' Foot Stomping Cheers   

ROCK THE BOAT (Version #1)

Rock the boat,

Rock, rock the boat

[repeat]

My name is Yasmin (rock the boat)

I know I'm fine (rock the boat)

Just like my sign (rock the boat)

My sign is Leo

I go bang-bang choo choo train

Wind me up and I do my thing

Reeses pieces butter cup

Don't mess with me, cause I'll mess you up,

Rock the boat, rock rock the boat...
-Yasmin H. (Latina female; memories of East Brooklyn, New York, in the late 1980s), 2/25/04
-snip-
Yasmin noted that the words in parenthesis were chanted by the other members of the cheerleading squad. This example probably was performed using the "traditional" choreographed, syncopated foot stomping and hand clapping routine.

****

ROCK THE BOAT (Version #2)
this is how we do it at my school:

rock the boat dont tip it over

rock the boat dont tip it over

my name is __

yeah!

im feelin fine!

yeah!

u mess with me

yeah!

ill blow ur mind

so bang bang choo choo train

u look at me and i do my thang

no recces pieces no butter cup

i kno karate i kno kung fu

u mess with ill mes with u!

 

i kno its tottaly off to wat everyone else is sayin but thats wat we sing on the bus all the time.
-slimeshady100, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9QuTsAtQPY, 2010
-snip-
I categorize this example as a somewhat modified foot stomping cheer. This example begins with the group voice as is a characteristic of "traditional" foot stomping cheers. However, based on this contributor's comment, that this cheer was chanted during bus rides (probably to and from school), the chanters couldn't perform the foot stomping/hand clapping routine that is a key characteristic of foot stomping cheers.

Softball examples of "Rock The Boat" are even more modified than that example, as is partly documented in Part II of this pancocojams series.  

****
This concludes Part I of this two part pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visiting comments are welcome.