Showing posts with label Mardi Gras Indians. Show all posts

Thursday, May 13, 2021

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

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Reply
10. andreacumare altareposteria
"Tik tok power xD"

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

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

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Reply
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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Reply
25. Notizlein
"👆👆👆👆👆👆👆

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳"

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

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Reply
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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Reply
31. Humeur Positive
"@Kenneth Loonan same"

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Reply
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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Reply
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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Reply
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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Reply
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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Reply
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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Reply
74. Trainwithmax
"1964...Dixie"

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Reply
75. Teresa Hester
"Cyndi lauper had a version"

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Reply
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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Reply
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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Reply
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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Reply
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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Reply
93. Leel David
"Right"

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Reply
94. Ana Feliz
"I agree with you"

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

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Reply
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.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

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
-snip-
Statistics as of May 13, 2021 at 4:09 PM ET
total # of views- 5,703,424
total # of likes - 96K
total # of dislikes -1.4K
total # of comments - 1, 648

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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".

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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."
-snip-
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/
-snip-
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.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Monday, February 22, 2021

Spirit Of Fi Yi Yi & The Mandingo Warriors: Increased African Aesthetics In Mardi Gras Indians Suits & Music Instrumentation Part #1

dylanjames67, Feb 10, 2016

Spirit of the Fi Yi Yi, the most African inspired of the many Mardi Gras Indian tribes of New Orleans. Big Chief Victor Harris.
-snip-
"Fi Yi Yi" is pronounced to rhyme with the first syllable in the word English "fire". "Fi Yi Yi" also rhymes with the English words "by", "cry", "high". etc.

****
Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part I of a two part pancocojams series about the increased African aesthetics in Mardi Gras Indian suits and music instrumentation.

Part I showcases one video that documents this increased African aesthetics and presents links to two additional YouTube videos of this Mardi Gras Indian tribe.

Part I also presents two online excerpts about this subject..

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/02/spirit-of-fi-yi-yi-mardi-gras-indian.html for Part II of this series. Part II showcases two videos of the Fi Yi Yo and Mandingo Warriors.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all the Mardi Gras Indians. Thanks to all those who are showcased in these YouTube examples and thanks to the publishers of these YouTube examples.
-snip-
Disclaimer: This post doesn't mean to imply that Spirit Of Fi Yi Yi and the Mandingo Warriors are the only Mardi Gras Indians whose suits and music instrumentation reflect increased African aesthetics.

Note added Feb. 23, 2021- If I understand what I have read correctly, The Spirit of FiYiYI is the chief and Mandingo Warriors is the name of the Mardi Gras Indian tribe. That said, both are Spirit of FiYiYi (aka FiYiYI) and Mandingo Warriors are included in the list of Mardi Gras Indian tribes on on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mardi_Gras_Indians retrieved on Feb. 23, 2021 (although that list may not have been correct and probably isn't complete or otherwise correct at this time.)
-end of added note-
-snip-
In addition to this showcased video, click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K32hFhc8Hhg&t=673s&ab_channel=BlackMaskingInjuns for the video entitled "42 Tribes Week 7: Big Chief Victor Harris Fi Yi Yi".

Also, click for an August 17, 2021 video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dvt2J8CXwkw&ab_channel=PrettyRavishing for a YouTube video entitled "CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF KIM BOUTTE | SPIRIT OF FI YI YI INDIAN TRIBE QUEEN | NEW ORLEANS CULTURE". Queen Kim Boutte was a victim of a neighborhood shooting. RIP Queen Kim Boutte.

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EXCERPTS ABOUT MARDI GRAS INDIANS' INCREASED AFRICAN AESTHETICS
Excerpt #1
New Orleans Mardi Gras Indians: Mediating Racial Politics from the Backstreets to Main Street

Cynthia Becker

African Arts

Vol. 46, No. 2, Performing Africa in New Orleans (Summer 2013), pp. 36-49 (14 pages)

Published By: UCLA James S. Coleman African Studies Center

https://www.jstor.org/stable/43306146

page 36

[Preview]

In November 2008, the Mardi Gras Indian Victor Harris, from the Spirit of Fi Yi Yi and the Mandingo Warriors, was invited to display some of his hand made costumes, referred locally as “suits”, in New Orleans first biennial arts exhibit Prospect 1 (Figure .1). Harris is among the many African American men and women who, on Mardi Gras day, St. Joseph’s Day, and other occasions perform wearing beaded and feathered suits, accompanied by friends and neighbors, and family who constitute the so-called second line. The catalogue accompanying the Prospect .1 exhibition characterizes Harris’ suit as displaying “a highly personalized style with an African inflection.” (Tancons 2009:59). Harris’ suits, unlike those of other Mardi Gras Indians who more explicitly reference Native American culture, also incorporates materials associated with African art, such as raffia, kente cloth, cowrie shells, and includes face masks and African-inspired shields.

For all its well-intentioned efforts to focus attention on a neglected art form, Prospect .1, like other catalogues and exhibitions of its kind, failed to historicize Black Indian aesthetics. For example, there is no discussion of how the suits made by Victor Harris differed from the suits worn by earlier New Orleans ‘ Black Indians. In the nineteenth century, Mardi Gras Indians, restricted to New Orleans working class African American neighborhoods and never featured in museums, made less ornate suits, using discarded beads, turkey feathers, and fish scales as their primary artistic media (Fig 2). As racial politics changed and Mardi Gras Indians gradually migrated into the wider public realm, the suits became increasingly more elaborate. In the aftermath of the Civil Rights Movement, they began to be featured in documentary films and to perform at numerous New Orleans music festivals. By the 1990s, Indians were consciously trying to outdo each other’s creative skills as images of Indians appeared in glossy photograph books and postcards.(See Breunlin this issue, Breunlin and Lewis, 2009). In recent years, some Indians, such as Victor Harris, have displayed highly personalized handcrafted suits internationally and are striving to make a name for themselves as contemporary artists’”…

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Excerpt #2
From https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2020/02/28/new-orleanss-best-hidden-treasure-is-its-mardi-gras-indians/ New Orleans’s best hidden treasure is its Mardi Gras Indians
By Natalie B. Compton, February 28, 2020
…”In 2018, the Neighborhood Story Project published “Fire in the Hole,” a collective oral history from Harris and other voices within the Mandingo Warriors tribe. The book is one of the only ones to be created by Mardi Gras Indians themselves, and profits from its sales go back to support their collective art.

It was through Breunlin that I met Harris. On our way to Harris’s home, Breunlin explained that while the ideal would be that a Mardi Gras Indian can sing, dance and sew a spectacular suit, they can still earn respect for standing out in any one of those individual categories.

[…]

When Harris created the Mandingo Warriors tribe, in 1984, he broke away from Mardi Gras Indian tradition by creating a suit to identify with his African ancestry instead of using Native American aesthetics. His suits now feature materials like raffia, grass and shells.”….

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This concludes Part I of this two part pancocojams post.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Spirit Of Fi Yi Yi & The Mandingo Warriors: Increased African Aesthetics In Mardi Gras Indians Suits & Music Instrumentation Part #2

SneakinSal, March 19, 2012

Spirit of the Fi Yi Yi, the most African inspired of the many Mardi Gras Indian tribes of New Orleans. Big Chief Victor Harris.
-snip-
"Fi Yi Yi" is pronounced to rhyme with the first syllable in the word English"fire". "Fi Yi Yi" also rhymes with the English words "by", "cry", "high". etc.

****

Tony Tafiti, Apr 29, 2017

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part II of this pancocojams series about the increased African aesthetics in Mardi Gras Indian suits and music instrumentation.

Part II of this series showcases two videos of the Spirit Of Fi Yi Yo and Mandingo Warriors. Links to two additional videos are presented in this post in addition to those two showcased videos.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/02/fi-yi-yi-mangingo-warriors-increased.html for Part I of this post. Part I showcases one video that documents this increased African aesthetics and presents links to two additional YouTube videos of this Mardi Gras Indian tribe.

Part I also presents two online excerpts about this subject..

This post also includes my observations about the increased African aesthetics and elements that I observed in the videos that are embedded or given as links in this post.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all the Mardi Gras Indians. Thanks to all those who are showcased in these YouTube examples and thanks to the publishers of these YouTube examples.
-snip-
Disclaimer:
I only have second hand online and offline knowledge about Mardi Gras Indians.

This post doesn't mean to imply that Spirit Of Fi Yi Yi and the Mandingo Warriors are the only Mardi Gras Indians whose suits and music instrumentation reflect increased African aesthetics.

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ADDITIONAL VIDEO LINKS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTH-9mQPUVs&ab_channel=MichaelGirl

Mardi Gras Indians Super Sunday Fi Yi Yi
michael girl, March 20, 2011
**

**
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xnaa0zXR5F4&ab_channel=BigRedCotton

Mardi Gras Indians: Spirit of FiYiYi CD Release Celebration at Backstreet Cultural Museum

Big Red Cotton, May 2, 2013

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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTES
In addition to those elements that are mentioned in the articles excerpted in Part I of this pancocojams series, some other examples of the increased African aesthetic in Fi Yi Yi and Mandingo Warriors are:
1. the name "Mandingo Warriors"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandinka_people
"The Mandinka, Malinke, Maninka, Mandingo or Manding,[note 1] [14]are a West African ethnic group primarily found in southern Mali, eastern Guinea and northern Ivory Coast.[15] Numbering about 11 million,[16][17][18] they are the largest subgroup of the Mandé peoples and one of the largest ethnic-linguistic groups in Africa. They speak the Manding languages in the Mande language family and a lingua franca in much of West Africa. Over 99% of Mandinka adhere to Islam.[19] They are predominantly subsistence farmers and live in rural villages. Their largest urban center is Bamako, the capital of Mali, which is also inhabited by the closely related Bambara."...

**
2. The name "Fi Yi Yi" is used as a chant throughout the tribe's procession/march.

**
3. Many Spirit Of Fi Yi Yi / Mandingo Warrior's male drummers and other accompanying musicians wear African print dashikis and sometimes also matching African print pants. I've also seen some male Fi Yi Yi/Mandingo Warriors wearing cone shaped hats that come from the Mandinka people of West Africa.

I noticed that many female Spirit Of Fi Yi Yi / Mandingo Warrior musicians wear African or African inspired clothing, have facial paint that can be associated with Africa, and perform West African dance movements. Some female members of Fi Yi Yi/Mandingo Warriors also wear beaded head bands that are traditionally associated with some South Africans ethnic groups.

**
4. The African instruments that are played by the Spirit Of Fi Yi Yi / Mandingo Warriors are from the Mandinka people of West Africa and include the djembe, dundun, shekere, and iron bell.
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Djembe
"A djembe or jembe...JEM-bay; from Malinke jembe [dʲẽbe]... is a rope-tuned skin-covered goblet drum played with bare hands, originally from West Africa. According to the Bambara people in Mali, the name of the djembe comes from the saying "Anke djé, anke bé" which translates to "everyone gather together in peace" and defines the drum's purpose. In the Bambara language, "djé" is the verb for "gather" and "bé" translates as "peace."[3]

[...]

Traditionally, the djembe is played only by men, as are the dunun that always accompany the djembe. Conversely, other percussion instruments that are commonly played as part of an ensemble, such as the shekere (a hollowed-out gourd covered with a net of beads), karignan (a tubular bell), and kese kese (a woven basket rattle), are usually played by women. Even today, it is rare to see women play djembe or dunun in West Africa, and African women express astonishment when they do see a female djembe player.[4]"...

**
5. Traditional African centered designs such as adinkra symbols and other African centered or concepts/stories are used in the "patches" in that tribe's suits.
=snip-
What African aesthetics/elements in the Spirit of Fi Yi i/Mandingo Warriors Madri Gras Indian tribe did you notice? Please share your observations in the comment section below.

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This concludes Part II of this pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Sunday, February 21, 2021

2014 Mardi Gras Indian Trailer for the Documentary "We Won't Bow Down" (with information about the Jan. 2020 full documentary)

We won't bow down, Jan 30, 2014

Enter the secret culture of African-American artists, tribesmen, and warriors as they maintain the spirit and traditions of their ancient ancestors in modern-day New Orleans.

Music in this video:

Song: Shallow Water (Oh Mamma)

Artist: Shotgun Slim

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a brief trailer of a documentary on Mardi Gras Indian culture. That trailer has one mildly violent scene of two Mardi Gras Indians confronting each other and one example of a mild curse word (the word "ass:).

A 1:02 trailer of "We Won't Bow Down Trailer ,60 clean" is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LLEKHn4dlM&ab_channel=WeWontBowDown That trailer has no violence and no curse words. The long awaited full documentary for "We Won't Bow Down" was posted on YouTube on YouTube on Jan 28, 2020.

WARNING: The full documentary contains lots of explicit language (profanity) throughout the documentary. However, the documentary is very informative and is high quality in its production and is very rich in its historical and cultural content. The link for the full documentary is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZSNWvGj9Wg&t=163s&ab_channel=WeWontBowDown .

This pancocojams post quotes the summary of that full documentary., with particular attention to the songs that are sung in that documentary. I've also included the titles of some of the other Mardi Gras songs I heard i that documentary.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the Mardi Gras Indian culture for this song. Thanks to all those who are associated with this documentary. Thanks also to all those who are showcased in this trailer and this documentary.

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"WE WON'T BOWN DOWN" DOCUMENTARY FILM

"WeWontBowDown

Director: Chris Bower

Producer: Monica R. Cooper // Steve Mann // David Kabler

Cinematographer: Daniel Judson

Editors: Chris Bower // Daniel Judson

Music in this video

Song - Sew-Sew-Sew (Live)

Artist: The Golden Eagles

[...]

Song: Handa Wanda

Artist: Bo Dollis

Album: 30 Years & Still Wild

Song: Shallow Water (Oh Mamma)

Artist: Shotgun Slim

Album: Tuba Fattz Lil' Cuzzin"
-snip-
Here are some other songs that I heard in that documentary
“Indian Red”

“My Big Chief Has A Golden Crown”

“Make A New Suit”

“Hey Now, Here They Come

“Little Liza Jane” (a Mardi Gras Indian version)

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Visitor comments are welcome.

Danny Baker - "Tootie Ma Is A Big Fine Thing" (information & Preservation Jazz Band lyrics )

Danny Barker, Jan 9, 2016
-snip-
Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfGyIOUGkrM&ab_channel=PasteMagazine for a YouTube video of Preservation Hall Jazz Band's version of "Tootie Ma Is A Big Fine Thing".

****
Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest revisions including title change- June 14, 2021

This pancocojams post presents an excerpt of a 2002 article by Thomas L. Morgan entitled "Mardi Gras Indians Influence on the music of New Orleans".

This post also showcases a YouTube sound file of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band with Tom Waits rendition of the the traditional Mardi Gras Indian song "Tootie Ma Is A Big Fine Thing".

Lyrics for a traditonal version of this song are included in this post along with lyrics for the Preservation Hall Jazz Band version that were posted in that YouTube sound file's discussion thread.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Danny Baker for his musical legacy. Thanks also to the Preservation Jazz Band and others who have recorded the song "Tootie Ma Is A Big Fine Thing". Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this featured example on YouTube.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/02/three-youtube-examples-of-mardi-gras.html for the pancocojams posts entitled "Three YouTube Examples Of The Mardi Gras Indian Song "Iko Iko" (also known as "Jockomo").

Also, click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/03/meet-de-boys-on-de-battlefront-mardi.html for a pancocojams post entitled "Wild Tchoupitoulas - Meet De Boys On De Battlefront (Mardi Gras Indian song examples, information, & lyrics)". That post includes some information about the Mardi Gras Indians.

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ARTICLE EXCERPT: "Mardi Gras Indians Influence on the music of New Orleans"
Copyrighted 2002 - 2014 by Thomas L Morgan

https://tlmorgan.com/next/indian.html
...."Mardi Gras Indians have been a part of New Orleans' music and culture for more than 100 years according to some sources and much longer according to others. In many ways what makes Mardi Gras Indians unique is out of sight from most people. Even today there are limited interactions between the Indians and mainstream New Orleans culture. There may be weekly practices at neighborhood watering holes in the fall and winter leading up to Mardi Gras. Even on Mardi Gras Day the unveiling of the year's suit and other activities are limited to the local neighborhoods. Then there are mass appearances on the night of Saint Joseph's Day and Super Sundays and maybe even Jazz and Heritage Festival appearances where the Indians are probably seen by more people but at the same time are completely out of their element.

There are some specific examples in the 20th Century where the titles of the Indian songs inspired New Orleans music and later on more clear examples where their music and lyrics were obvious inspirations. The Creole patois found in the lyrics is rooted in oral tradition and is accompanied by percussion instruments. Most songs are chanted and make liberal use of the call and response tradition. The main song sung normally at the beginning and at the ending of Indian gatherings is "Indian Red," also known as the "Indian prayer." Other titles include "Shallow Water," "Handa Wanda," "Two-Way-Pocky-Way," as well as song reworked from their traditional roots such as "Shoo Fly" and "Little Liza Jane." New songs are added occasionally and older ones reworked to meet the situation.

The first known song to make use of an Indian phrase was Louis Dumaine's 1927 instrumental To-Wa-Bac-A-Way". Sadly this version's only resemblance to Indian music is in the title. The song that became known as Two Way Pock Y Way started out with specific dance steps accompaning the beat and lyrics according to former Big Chief of the Yellow Pocahontas, Allison "Tootie" Montana.

Jelly Roll Morton's 1938 Library of Congress recordings gives some insight into what Mardi Gras Indian culture was like at the turn of the Twentieth Century. These recordings were never widely distributed nor even known by the general public, so they certainly did not contribute to spreading any influences of New Orleans Indian music. As to the recordings themselves, Morton reveals that he was once may have been a spyboy, though doesn't mention to which tribe he belonged. He does talk about the Spyboy's purpose in the tribe. He reveals that at that time in the city there were four or five tribes. He also gives examples of a couple of Indian chants and accompanying dances. The text from Allan Lomax's book MISTER JELLY ROLL reveals the Creole spelling as "T'ouwais, bas q'ouwais" and response "Ou tendais," though there have been other representations. One possible translation of the phrase is "I'll kill (tuez) you if you don't get out the way, " with the response "Entendez," or "I hear ya!"....

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INFORMATION ABOUT "TOOTIE MA IS A BIG FINE THING" AND THREE OTHER SONGS RECORDED BY DANNY BAKER IN 1946
From https://www.myneworleans.com/moulding-the-music/ Moulding the Music: Danny Barker in the here and now; 02/01/2016 Jason Berry
"In 1946, the balladeer Danny Barker played guitar and sang four tracks for a short-lived New York label that constitute the first songs of Mardi Gras Indians – a term of no media currency back then. “Indian Red,” has had many reincarnations since.

Barker also sang a paean to a Big Chief’s woman killed in a crossfire, “Corinne Died on the Battlefield,” which Willie T. and Bo Dollis refitted as “Corey Died on the Battlefield” for The Wild Magnolias in 1973.

Another tune, “Chocko Me Feendo Hey,” was popularized in 1954 as “Jockomo” by Sugar Boy and the Cane Cutters, and 10 years later as a refrain in “Iko Iko” by the Dixie Cups. Barker didn’t create the lines but was the first to use them in studio with a long reach back to streets of his youth.

The last song, “Tootie Ma Is A Big Fine Thing,” has a simple through-line, about a big fine woman “heading up the Ramp” – meaning Rampart Street – on Mardi Gras Day. The chorus, an up-tempo “who-na-nay,” is straight out of the Indian chants."....

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LYRICS FOR "TOOTIE MA IS A BIG FINE THING"

[Preservation Hall Jazz Band]

Tootie Ma was a big fine thing
Ho Natay, swing that thing.
Tootie Ma was a big fine thing

Ho Natay, swing that thing

Tootie Ma says sure is fine
Ho Natay, swing that thing
Tootie Ma says sure is fine
Ho Natay, swing that thing

Finest gal you ever saw
Done some things against the law
Took my ma, broke my pa
I'm gonna knock on her door

Swing for me on my proud day
Ho Natay, swing that thing
Swing for me on my proud day
Ho Natay, swing that thing.

[Instrumental Bridge]
I'm gonna knock on her door

Swing for me on my proud day
Ho Natay, swing that thing
Swing for me on my proud day
Ho Natay, swing that thing

Tootie Ma says sure is fine
Ho Natay, swing that thing
Tootie Ma says sure is fine
Ho Natay, swing that thing

Tootie Ma can drink some wine
Ho Natay, swing that thing

Tootie Ma can drink some wine
Ho Natay, swing that thing

Tootie Ma went up the rail
Lookin' for some cat to veil
Police put her right in jail
I'm gonna get her out on bail

Swing for me on my proud day
Ho Natay, swing that thing
Swing for me on my proud day
Ho Natay, swing that thing

[Instrumental Outro]

https://genius.com/Preservation-hall-jazz-band-tootie-ma-is-a-big-fine-thing-lyrics

Here's some information that was included on that website:
"Written sometime in the late 1940s, this traditional Mardi Gras song has elements of blues music mixed with a caribbean feel that perfectly fits the carnival atmosphere of Fat Tuesday."- George Plant, 2015

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Some Information About The Mardi Gras Indian's Traditional Song "Iko Iko" (with lyrics for three versions of that song)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents information about the Mardi Gras song "Iko Iko".

Lyrics for three versions of this songare also included in this post.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the Mardi Gras Indian culture for this song. Thanks to all those who are showcased in these YouTube examples and thanks to the publishers of these YouTube examples.
-snip-

Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deQP1VeCi4s&ab_channel=MaddyTube

Danny Barker - Chocko Mo Feendo Hay (recorded in 1946). This is the earliest recording of the songs that became known as "Iko Iko". I didn't know about this version until after this pancocojams post was published.)

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/02/three-youtube-examples-of-mardi-gras.html for the pancocojams posts entitled "Three YouTube Examples Of The Mardi Gras Indian Song "Iko Iko" (also known as "Jockomo").

Also, click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/03/meet-de-boys-on-de-battlefront-mardi.html for a pancocojams post entitled "Wild Tchoupitoulas - Meet De Boys On De Battlefront (Mardi Gras Indian song examples, information, & lyrics)".

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SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE MARDI GRAS INDIANS' TRADITIONAL SONG "IKO IKO"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iko_Iko
"Iko Iko" … is a much-covered New Orleans song that tells of a parade collision between two tribes of Mardi Gras Indians and the traditional confrontation. The song, under the original title "Jock-A-Mo", was written and released in 1953 as a single by Sugar Boy and his Cane Cutters but it failed to make the charts. The song first became popular in 1965 by girl group The Dixie Cups, who scored an international hit with "Iko Iko". In 1967, as part of a lawsuit settlement between Crawford and the Dixie Cups, the trio were given part songwriting credit for the song. In 1972, Dr. John had a minor hit with his version of "Iko Iko". The most successful charting version in the UK was recorded by Scottish singer Natasha England who took her 1982 version into the top 10. "Iko Iko" became an international hit again twice more, the first being the Belle Stars in June 1982 and again with Captain Jack in 2001.

Sugar Boy and his Cane Cutters version

Background

The song was originally recorded by and released as a single in November 1953 by James Crawford as "Sugar Boy and his Cane Cutters", on Checker Records (Checker 787). The single features Dave Lastie on tenor saxophone. Crawford's version of the song did not make the charts. The story tells of a "spy boy" (i.e. a lookout for one band of Indians) encountering the "flag boy" or guidon carrier for another "tribe". He threatens to "set the flag on fire". Crawford set phrases chanted by Mardi Gras Indians to music for the song. Crawford himself states that he has no idea what the words mean, and that he originally sang the phrase "Chock-a-mo", but the title was misheard by Chess Records and Checker Records president Leonard Chess, who misspelled it as "Jock-a-mo" for the record's release.[2]

"Sugar Boy" Crawford's story

James Crawford, gave a 2002 interview with OffBeat Magazine discussing the song's meaning:[2]

Interviewer: How did you construct 'Jock-A-Mo?'

Crawford: 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. Really it was just like "Lawdy Miss Clawdy". That was a phrase everybody in New Orleans used. Lloyd Price just added music to it and it became a hit. I was just trying to write a catchy song....

Interviewer: Listeners wonder what 'Jock-A-Mo' means. Some music scholars say it translates in Mardi Gras Indian lingo as 'Kiss my ass,' and I've read where some think 'Jock-A-Mo' was a court jester. What does it mean?

Crawford: I really don't know. (laughs)

The Dixie Cups version

Background

The Dixie Cups version was the result of an unplanned jam in a New York City recording studio where they began an impromptu version of "Iko Iko", accompanying themselves with drumsticks on an aluminum chair, a studio ashtray and a Coke bottle.[3] After their producers cleaned up the track and added the backup vocals, bass and drums to the song, the single was then released in March 1965.[4] The Dixie Cups scored an international hit single with "Iko Iko" in May 1965 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart where their version peaked at number 20 and spent 10 weeks on the Top 100.[5] The song also charted at number 23 on the UK Singles Chart and peaked at number 20 on the R&B Chart.[6] In Canada "Iko Iko" reached number 26 on the RPM Chart.[7] It was the third single taken from their debut studio album Chapel of Love issued on Red Bird Records in August 1964.[8]

The Dixie Cups had learned "Iko, Iko" from hearing the Hawkins sisters' grandmother sing it,[3] but they knew little about the origin of the song and so the original authorship credit went to the members, Barbara Ann Hawkins, her sister Rosa Lee Hawkins, and their cousin Joan Marie Johnson.

Legal battles

After the Dixie Cups version of "Iko Iko" was a hit in 1965, they and their record label, Red Bird Records, were sued by James Crawford, who claimed that "Iko Iko" was the same as his composition "Jock-a-mo".[9] Although The Dixie Cups denied that the two compositions were similar, the lawsuit resulted in a settlement in 1967 with Crawford making no claim to authorship or ownership of "Iko Iko",[10] but being credited 25% for public performances, such as on radio, of "Iko Iko" in the United States. A comparison of the two recordings demonstrates the shared lyric and melody between the two songs, though the arrangements are different in tempo, instrumentation and harmony. Crawford's rationale for the settlement was motivated by years of legal battles with no royalties. In the end, he stated, "I don't even know if I really am getting my just dues. I just figure 50 percent of something is better than 100 percent of nothing."[2]"...
-snip-
I thought that James Crawford was the first person to record a song that included the word "Jokomo". However, I just happened upon this article while looking for information about another traditional Mardi Gras Indian song "Tootie Ma Is A Big Fine Thing":

https://www.myneworleans.com/moulding-the-music/ Moulding the Music: Danny Barker in the here and now; 02/01/2016 Jason Berry
"In 1946, the balladeer Danny Barker played guitar and sang four tracks for a short-lived New York label that constitute the first songs of Mardi Gras Indians – a term of no media currency back then. “Indian Red,” has had many reincarnations since.

1. James Crawford (Sugar Boy and his Cane Cutters), 1953

Iko, iko
Iko iko an de
Jock-a-mo fee lo an da de
Jock-a-mo fee na ne

Oh, my spyboy met your spyboy
Sittin' by the fire
My spyboy told your spyboy
"I'm gonna set your flag on fire"

Talkin' 'bout
Hey now, hey now
iko iko an de
Jock-a-mo fee lo an da de
Jock-a-mo fee na ne

Oh, look at my queen all dressed in red
Iko iko an de
I bet you five dollars she'll kill you dead
Jock-a-mo fee na ne

Talkin' 'bout
Hey now, hey now
Iko iko an de
Jock-a-mo fee lo an da de
Jock-a-mo fee na ne

Talkin' 'bout
Hey now, hey now
Iko iko an de
Jock-a-mo fee lo an da de
Jock-a-mo fee na ne

Oh, iko, iko
Iko iko an de
I'm having my fun on the Mardi Gras day
Jock-a-mo fee na ne

Talkin' 'bout
Hey now, hey now
Iko iko an de
Jock-a-mo fee lo an da de
Jock-a-mo fee la le

Talkin' 'bout
Hey now, hey now
Iko iko an de
Jock-a-mo fee lo an da de
Jock-a-mo fee na ne

https://genius.com/James-sugar-boy-crawford-jock-a-mo-lyrics
****
2. The Dixie Cup, 1965

[Verse 1]
My grandma and your grandma
Were sittin' by the fire
My grandma told your grandma
"I'm gonna set your flag on fire."

[Chorus]
Talkin' 'bout
Hey now (hey now)
Hey now (hey now)
Iko, Iko, an day (oh)
Jocomo fee no an dan day
Jocomo fee nan nay

[Instrumental Interlude]

[Verse 2]
Look at my king
All dressed in red
Iko, Iko, an day
I betcha five dollars
He'll kill you dead
Jocomo fee nan nay

[Chorus]
Talkin' 'bout
Hey now (hey now)
Hey now (hey now)
Iko, Iko, an day (oh)

Jocomo fee no an dan day
Jocomo fee nan nay

[Instrumental Interlude]

[Verse 3]
My flag boy and your flag boy
Sittin' by the fire
My flagboy told your flagboy
"I'm gonna set your flag on fire."

[Chorus]
Talkin' 'bout
Hey now (hey now)
Hey now (hey now)
Iko, Iko, an day (oh)
Jocomo fee no an dan day
Jocomo fee nan nay

[Instrumental Interlude]

[Verse 4]
(Oh... yes)
See that guy all dressed in green?
Iko, Iko, an day
He not a man
He a lovin' machine
Jocomo fee nan nay

[Chorus]
Talkin' 'bout
Hey now (hey now)
Hey now (hey now)
Iko, Iko, an day (oh)
Jocomo fee no an dan day
Jocomo fee nan nay

[Bridge]

[Chorus]
Talkin' 'bout
Hey now
Hey now (hey now)
Iko, Iko, an day (oh)
Jocomo fee no an dan day
Jocomo fee nan nay
Jocomo fee nan nay
(I say he's dressed in green)
Jocomo fee nan nay
(Iko)
Jocomo fee nan nay

https://genius.com/The-dixie-cups-iko-iko-lyrics

****
Version #3
[recorded by Dr. John, recorded in 1972

Iko, iko
Iko iko un day
Jockomo feeno ah na nay
Jockomo feena nay

My spyboy tell your spyboy
Sittin' on the bayou
My spyboy told your spyboy
"I'm gonna set your tail on fire"

Talkin' 'bout
Hey now (hey now)
Hey now (hey now)
Iko iko un day
Jockomo feeno ah na day
Jockomo feena nay

My marraine and your marraine
Sitting on the Bayou
My marraine told your parraine
"I'm gon' set your thing on fire"
We goin' down the for-lay-shon [?]
Iko, Iko, an day
We gonna catch a lil' ol' salmon
Now, with jockomo fee no an dan day, now

Talkin' 'bout
Hey now (hey now)
Hey now (hey now)
Iko iko un day (oh)
Jockomo feeno ah na nay
Jockomo feena nay
Alright

See Marie down the railroad track
Iko Iko an day
Said put it here in a chicken sack
With jockomo fee nan day

My little boy told your little boy
"Get your head on my-oh"
My little girl told your little boy
"We're gonna get your chicken wire"

Talkin' 'bout
Hey now (hey now)
Hey now (hey now)
Iko iko un day
Jockomo feeno ah na day
Now, wasn't jockomo feena nay

We goin' down to Baker town
Iko iko an day
We goin' tell 'em 'bout your messin' around
You gone jockomo fee nan day

Father, what y'all tell them to
Iko iko an day
'Cause we ain't do what you tell us to
Now, you can jockomo fee nan day, now

Talkin' 'bout
Hey now (hey now)
Hey now (hey now)
Iko Iko un day

Jockomo feeno ah na nay
Now, wouldn't Jockomo feena nay
Jockomo fee nan dan day

What I say an day
Jockomo fee nan dan day
What I say an day
Jockomo fee nan dan day
What I say an day

Jockomo fee nan dan day (Iko, iko un day)
What I say an day (Jockomo feena nay)
Jockomo fee nan dan day (Iko, iko un day)
What I say an day (Jockomo feena nay)
Jockomo fee nan dan day (Iko, iko un day)
What I say an day (Jockomo feena nay)
Jockomo fee nan dan day (Iko, iko un day)
What I say an day (Jockomo feena nay)
Jockomo fee nan dan day (Iko, iko un day)
What I say an day (Jockomo feena nay)
Jockomo fee nan dan day (Iko, iko un day)

https://genius.com/Dr-john-iko-iko-lyrics

****
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