The Staple Singers 1966 Gospel / Soul Song "Why (Am I Treated So Bad)" Is The Inspiration For The Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Song "Tell Me Why' (Were We Treated So Bad)"

Jubilee Showcase, 13,101 views  Jan 17, 2020

The Staple Singers on Jubilee Showcase in 1966.

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a YouTube video of The Staple Singers' Gospel / Soul song "Why (Am I Treated So Bad)". Information about that song and its lyrics are included in this post.

This pancocojams post also showcases a YouTube video of an Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc .pledge song "Tell Me Why (Were We Treated So Bad)". The lyrics for that song and a few comments from that video's discussion thread are also included in this post.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Roebuck Staples for composing the song "Why (Am I Treated So bad". Thanks to the Staple Singers for musical legacy.

Thanks also to the composer of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity's song "Tell Me Why Were We Treated So Bad". Thanks also to Kevin McCall (and his unidentified cameraman) for singing this Omega Psi Phi Fraternity song. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post. 

*I don't know whether Kevin McCall is the composer of this Omega Psi Phi Fraternity pledge song whose tune and its "why were we treated so bad" line were clearly inspired by the 1965 Staple Singers' song. I haven't come across any other information or any other video of this fraternity song online.

For the cultural record, if you have any information about this Omega Psi Phi Fraternity song, please share that information in the discussion thread for this pancocojams post. Thanks!

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE STAPLE SINGERS' SONG "WHY (AM I TREATED SO BAD)"
From https://www.songfacts.com/facts/the-staple-singers/why-am-i-treated-so-bad
"Why Am I Treated So Bad
Album : Why [release date 1966]
Charted -95 USA

This song is about the Little Rock Nine, the first black students to attend the segregated Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas. In 1957, after in accordance with a Supreme Court ruling outlawing segregation, the nine students enrolled at the school. On the first day of school, they were met with angry protests and blocked by the Arkansas National Guard, as ordered by the governor. President Dwight D. Eisenhower responded by sending federal troops to escort the students into the school three weeks later.

The vitriol the students faced for simply trying to attend an all-white school was shocking, and made national headlines. The incident galvanized the civil rights movement, which drew support from across the nation.

"Why? (Am I Treated So Bad)" was written by the Staple Singers patriarch Roebuck "Pops" Staples in reaction to the protests.

According to Mavis Staples, this song was a favorite of Dr. Martin Luther King."
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/07/two-youtube-videos-of-staple-singers.html for the pancocojams post entitled "Two YouTube Videos of The Staple Singers "Why Am I Treated So Bad" ".
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LYRICS: WHY AM I TREATED SO BAD

(Roebuck Staples)

Why, am I treated so bad?
Why, am I treated so bad?
You know I'm all alone as I sing this song,
Hear my call, I've done nobody wrong
But I'm treated so bad

I'm gonna walk out in the master lane
Things I do, they seem to be in vain
You may be blind, you may be lame,
Walk on out in the master lane
Though you treat me so bad

Ooh ooh ooh ooooooh
Ooh ooh ooh oooooooh
Oooh ooh ooh oooooh ooh ooh oohhh
You made me blind, you may be lame
Walk on out in the master lane
Though you treat me so bad

Source: https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/mavisstaples/whyamitreatedsobad.html

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #2 - Tell Me why? Omega Psi Phi pledge song Kevin McCall XAA FALL O6

Kevin McCall, Nov 23, 2008

mE SINGIN THE SONG THAT HELPED ME SEE IT THROUGH ROO

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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE ABOUT THIS OMEGA PSI PHI FRATERNITY SONG
Comments from the discussion thread for this YouTube video document that the pledge song "Tell Me Why Were We Treated So Bad" gave support and motivation to men who were in the process of joining Omega Psi Phi (as well as some other historically Black Greek letter fraternities.)  

It should be noted that the term "pledging" appears to have been retired as a referent for the process whereby people become members of historically Black Greek letter organizations (BGLO). "Pledging" wasn't (or isn't) always the same thing as "hazing". Furthermore, "pledging" and "hazing" was officially banned in historically Black Greek letters fraternities and sororities in 1990, but there's no doubt that physical and emotional hazing went underground and still occurs in a number of chapters of BGLOs.

Click https://bowiestate.edu/about/administration-and-governance/division-of-student-affairs/nphc-joint-statement-against-hazing for the National Pan-Hellenic Council's joint statement against hazing. 

Click  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hz65oPb53Ek "Roland Martin on Pledging Alpha, Goes Off on Fraternity Hazing: That's the Dumbest S*** (Part 3)" for a YouTube video and discussion thread about attitudes that some members of historically Black Greek letter organizations have about pledging and hazing.
-snip-
This is how that video's title was given on YouTube.

Also, click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/01/black-fraternities-sororities-chants.html for the 2015 pancocojams post entitled "Black Fraternities & Sororities Chants That Mention Paper, Skating, & Sliding Into Their Organizations."

"Paper" (membership), "skating" into and "sliding" into their organization are colloquial terms that some members of historically Black Greek fraternities and sororities use as referents for people whose membership process after hazing was banned in 1990 didn't / doesn't include hazing.

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LYRICS- TELL ME WHY (WERE WE TREATED SO BAD)
(as sung by Kevin McCall and his cameraman)

Somebody tell me why
Why were we treated so bad
Oooh, I wanna know, I need to know, I gotta know
Why were we treated so bad.
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)

Somebody tell me why
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
Why were we treated so bad
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
Oooh, I wanna know, I need to know, I gotta know
Why were we treated so bad.
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)

I go to sleep at six
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
And wake up early at eight
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
I go to see my big brothers
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
Oh, but I'm always late.
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)

Somebody tell me
Why were we treated so bad
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
Oooh, I wanna know, I need to know, I gotta know
Why were we treated so bad.
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)

I gotta ache in my bones
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
And I just wanna go home
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
I wanna see my sweet baby
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
Because I feel so alone
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)

Somebody tell me
Why were we treated so bad
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
Oooh, I wanna know, I need to know, I gotta know
Why were we treated so bad.
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)

I get down on my knees
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
Down on my knees to pray
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
Ooh, I heard a voice, I heard a voice, I heard a voice
I heard a voice say
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
"Don't you give up and quit
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
Just hold your head up high"
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
"That's what makes a man, makes a man, makes a man
Of Omega Psi Phi"
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
-snip-
This is my unofficial transcription of this video. Additions and corrections are welcome.

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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THE DISCUSSION THREAD FOR YOUTUBE VIDEO #2

From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvJWPKPAlHE

These comments are given in relative chronological order, except for replies and are numbered for referencing purposes only. 

1. @chizucc,2008
"Yeah Bruh this song help me through it too!  ROO to the BruhZ!!! Keep it up team!"
-snip-
"Roo" / "rqq" = the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity signature call

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2. @frat4life, 2009
"THAT'S THE ENTHUSIASM THAT KEEPS GOOD BRUHZ GOIN! MAD PROPS FROM A 20 YR OLD(PLUS) BRUH...

ROO 2 DA GOOD BRUHZ!

MEOW MIX 2 DA CATZ.

ChrisRocK

SPR. 88

FEARLESS PHI KAPPA

2ND D."

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3. @OOTD_, 2009
"@kevinlmccalljr man you ever think about trying to be a professional singer or do you just sing for friends and family...you probably can get a deal cuz u tight man"

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Reply
4. @xxhighlandsxx, 2009
"@manansis86 he does a lot of songs with chris brown.. he produces really well too, he's a good ass rapper also. not to mention he played football at WSU.. lol talk about talented."
-snip-
Here's some information that I found online about Kevin McCall:
Kevin McCall is a Grammy nominated, singer, rapper, songwriter, and producer. His birthdate is July 25, 1985  

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5. @bralcox, 2009
"Bruh u just don't know how thIZ helped me and my lbs see it thru. Roo dawg team"
-snip-
lbs= line brothers

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6. @ligon3ice, 2010
"roo dawg. i sang this song on line to persevere through some of those hard but fair nights."

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7. @KillKyle712, 2010
"Thumbs up if you were doing the "zoom zoom zoom"

 

Lol"

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8.@fcalloway19, 2013
"RQQ dawg this song brought me through too"

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9. @bamenner89, 2011
"respect to the video. PBS is what i rep but i must say this song would help anybody make it through the troubles of getting in an organization"
-snip-
"PBS" = Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. is another historically Black Greek letter fraternity

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11. @justincarpenter1271, 2011
"Bruh if you Pledged you definitley can relate to what this Ni—a* singing about..Que Alpha Kappa Sigma . Don't matter"
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this comment.
This comment refers to four of the five fraternities that are members of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) which is colloquially referred to as "the Divine Nine".
"Que" = Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
Alpha" = Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
"Kappa" = Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. (also referred to as "Nupes")
"Sigma" =Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.
-snip-
Iota Phi Theta Fraternity ("The Iotas") is the fifth historically Black Greek letter fraternity. That fraternity isn't mentioned in some BGLO comments and songs/chants because it wasn't founded until 1963, it didn't become a member of the NPHC until 1996, and (according to comments that I've read online) it doesn't have many chapters outside of the Northeastern and parts of the Midwestern part of the United States.

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12. @DameBrown, 2011
"im not a que but i feel this song"

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13. @shsmorgan23, 2012
"this video would be nothing without the cameraman's "zoom zoom zoom" "

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14. @Jmiahsonfire, 2017
"I cry everytime I hear this. Internalize the words"

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Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc - "Tell Me Why" (Part I - Videos & Lyrics)

Kevin McCall, Nov. 23, 2008

1,034,104 views • Nov 23, 2008

mE SINGIN THE SONG THAT HELPED ME SEE IT THROUGH ROO **** Edited by Azizi Powell Latest revision- (title change and minor content changes)- March 5, 2026 This is Part ! of a two part pancocojams series about the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. pledge song " Tell Me Why". The title of that song is also given as "Somebody Tell Me Why". This post showcases four YouTube videos of the Omega Psi Phi song "Tell Me Why?". My transcription of the lyrics for this song is also included in this post. Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/02/omega-psi-phi-fraternity-inc-somebody.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. That post presents my analysis of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. song "Tell Me Why" and includes selected comments from the discussion thread of the first YouTube video of that song that is showcased in Part I of this pancocojams series. The content of this post is presented for folkloric, cultural, and aesthetic purposes. All copyrights remain with their owners. Thanks to the composer/s of this song and thanks to all those who are featured in these showcased videos. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube. **** ADDITIONAL YOUTUBE VIDEOS OF THIS SONG There are other videos of this Omega song online. These examples are presented in chronological order based on their publishing date on YouTube. SHOWCASE VIDEO #1 - Chi Zeta Ques - Somebody Tell me Why

bryson thompson, Jan 16, 2012

Chi Zeta Fall 10 probate singing "somebody tell me why".  The Clemson Ques sing for Omega Psi Phi. **** SHOWCASE VIDEO #2 - Somebody Tell Me Why!!!!

Diquan Julius, Feb 3, 2012 Omega psi phi Song: Somebody Tell Me Why **** SHOWCASE VIDEO #3 - Somebody Tell Me Why - Omega Psi Phi TITUS, November 4, 2015 **** SHOWCASE VIDEO #4 - Eta Omega "I wanna know" Heru Academy, Sept 10, 2017 **** LYRICS - "TELL ME WHY" (Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. pledge song)

Somebody tell me why (Zoom Zoom Zoom) Why were we treated so bad. (Zoom Zoom Zoom) Oh, I wanna know, I need to know, I gotta know Why were we treated so bad. (Zoom Zoom Zoom)

Somebody tell me why (Zoom Zoom Zoom) Why were we treated so bad. (Zoom Zoom Zoom) Oh, I wanna know, I need to know, I gotta know Why were we treated so bad. (Zoom Zoom Zoom)

I go to sleep at six (Zoom Zoom Zoom) And wake up early at eight. (Zoom Zoom Zoom) I go to see my big brothers (Zoom Zoom Zoom) Oh, but I’m always late.

Somebody tell me why (Zoom Zoom Zoom) Why were we treated so bad. (Zoom Zoom Zoom) Oh, I wanna know, I need to know, I gotta know Why were we treated so bad. (Zoom Zoom Zoom) I gotta ache in my bones Zoom Zoom Zoom) And I just wanna go home. (Zoom Zoom Zoom) I want to see my sweet baby (Zoom Zoom Zoom) Because I feel so alone. (Zoom Zoom Zoom)

Somebody tell me why (Zoom Zoom Zoom) Why were we treated so bad (Zoom Zoom Zoom) Oh, I wanna know, I need to know, I gotta know Why were we treated so bad. (Zoom Zoom Zoom)

I get down on my knees (Zoom Zoom Zoom) Down on my knees to pray. (Zoom Zoom Zoom) Oh, I heard a voice, I heard a voice, I heard a voice, I heard a voice say (Zoom Zoom Zoom) Don’t you give up and quit. (Zoom Zoom Zoom) Just hold your head up high (Zoom Zoom Zoom) ‘Cause that’s what makes a man What makes a man, What makes a man Of Omega Psi Phi. (Zoom Zoom Zoom) -snip- Transcription by Azizi Powell. Additions and corrections are welcome. **** This concludes Part I of this two part pancocojams series. Thanks for visiting pancocojams. Visitor comments are welcome.

Which Historically Black Greek Letter Fraternity Started Stepping?

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part II of a two part pancocojams series on the history of and influences on Black Greek letter fraternity and sorority stepping (steppin).

This post provides selected quotes from the viewer discussion thread of a 2013 YouTube video of an Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Stroll Off performance.

The content of this post is presented for historial, folkloric, cultural reasons with regard to the subject of the early history of fraternity stepping.

I'm presenting these comments without taking any position about the statements that are made. However, I suggest that readers also consider those statements along with the information and comments that are presented in Part I of this series. Also, read my comments in that section below.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/04/when-did-historically-black-greek.html for Part I of this series.

Part I provides excerpts from Elizabeth C. Fine's 2003 groundbreaking book SoulStepping: African American Step Shows (University of Illinois Press). An excerpt from Wikipedia's page on Stepping is given in the Addendum to this post.

"Strolling" (also known as "stroll offs" and "party walks") are non-competitive and competitive group struts and dancing performances to recorded music. Strolling shares the same history and early sources as historically Black Greek letter[ed] fraternity and sorority stepping and is now performed by Latino Greek lettered organizations, multi-cultural Greek lettered organizations, and others. Click http://www.greekster.tv/page/greek-strolling-history-and for another definition of "strolling" and comments about the history of strolling ("stroll offs", "party walks"). Also click the "stroll off" tab below for more pancocojams posts that about strolling or which feature examples of historic ally Black Greek lettered organization stroll offs.

There also are a number of pancocojams posts on historically Black Greek letter[ed] fraternity and sorority stepping. Click the tags found below or use this blog's search engine to find those posts.

The content of this post is presented for historical and cultural 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 the video that is featured in this post, and thanks to the publisher of that video on YouTube.

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FEATURED VIDEO: Omega Psi Phi 2013 Atlanta Greek Picnic Hop team @atlgreekpicnic



Atlanta Greek Picnic Published on Jun 10, 2013

2013 Atlanta Greek Picnic Omega Psi Phi Hop team/ Stroll Off ||

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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THAT VIDEO'S DISCUSSION THREAD https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEdlpwUDd7M "Omega Psi Phi 2013 Atlanta Greek Picnic Hop team @atlgreekpicnic"

Editor's note:
A number of commenters in this video's discussion thread mentioned that this Omega Psi Phi Fraternity stroll off was different than most stroll offs that they had seen members of that fraternity perform. The most commonly mentioned difference was that the step team added Salsa music and Chicago footwork to the hops that Ques are known for. Commenters also mentioned that this Que stroll off was different because the men weren't wearing boots (particularly the gold boots that Ques are known for).

With the exception of the first and the last comment, these selected comments are from an exchange in that video's YouTube discussion thread. That exchange focuses on whether Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. or Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc originated stepping. This is the entire exchange to date. The first comment refers to the ways that Ques step. The last comment refers to that exchange.

[Updated September 29, 2016 with the comments numbered for referencing purposes only.]

2013
1. gomab850
"Great show! Y'all typically get penalized because you march and hop instead of doing traditional strolls like other orgs so people don't know how to judge you all. The show was creative and definitely got the crowd involved. Good job fellow greeks!"
-snip-
The Ques didn't win that competition. This commenter implies that the Ques lost because their way of strolling is different from the ways that other historically Black Greek letter organizations stroll.

2014
2. colors1387
"very nice show. glad to see the omegas diversifying their routine a bit with some Sigma elements.its all good as its about showmanship and entertainment. again,good job."

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Reply
3. Chris Perkins
"+colors1387
Sigma elements? Curious as to what those were in this show?"

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2015
Reply
4. Malcolm Dicko
"+colors1387 curious to what "sigma elements " are do sigmas even have anything of their own ?"

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Reply
5. colors1387
"glad you asked,Malcolm.but the phrase should be 'what Doesnt Sigma have of their own'.first, the genesis of stepping has been attributed to us. the steps that most are doing now were originated by us back in the mid-late 70's.the style of omega steps now arent what they were 30 years ago.back in the day,they marched,not hopped. the very beginning moves are some mainstays in our routines. i could go on with this but my hope is that you get the point. in any event, step styles really dont matter as they change, are copied, etc. what Does matter is the organizations contributions to humanity,the adhering to founding principles,and the collective conduct of its members (especially in public). these are topics worthy of debate.that the omegas used some of our stuff doesnt matter as we didnt copywrite it."

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Reply
6. artsygirlify
"+colors1387 APPLAUSE...well said or posted"

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Reply
7. colors1387
"artsygirlify - i humbly thank you for your kindness."

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Reply
8. Chris Perkins
"+colors1387
+artsygirlify - y'all must have a PBS-ZPB connection, Or nah? Modern day stepping originates directly from African dancing and the slaves used it as call and response chants during slavery as a means of communication, toss in the addition of influence from the Motown musical movement, (i.e Temptation, Four Tops, etc). No one frat or sorority "originated" stepping, so we'll agree to disagree there. Also stepping started becoming popular in the late 60s not the 70s as a right of passage to new inductees (Neo's) upon their introduction to the campus as full members....Greeks took elements from the motherland and the popular music at the time and it has morphed into what it is now. But what you said was true as far as the styles changing over the years, that is true...every orgs current steps are different than they were in the 70s and 80s."
-snip-
"+artsygirlify - y'all must have a PBS-ZPB connection, Or nah?" Chris Perkins notes that the reason why artsygilify supported colors1387 comment is that she is probably a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. That sorority is the formal sister organization to Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity.

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Reply
9. colors1387
"+Chris Perkins as a ChiCity G.O.M.A.B brother, i spit game but i most enjoy spittin knowledge.for you and anyone else please search/ type in 'Stepping (African American)' and go to Wikipedia. Please pay particular attention to the first paragraph under the heading 'History' .now let me first say that i would be Honored if artsygirlify is my soror but i dont know if she is.nevertheless, i have much love for her. and now to you - modern day stepping originates from the Sigmas who began the practice shortly after the turn of the century (which FAR pre-dates the 60's / 70's as you espoused).admittedly, sororities didnt step until the late 70's/early 80's. true, the art-form came from Africa by many sources including Kwame Nkrumah (a Sigma) who introduced a few steps, one of them with a staff / cane back in the late 30's / early 40's (that kills that nonsense from that other frat talking about cane stepping) but i digress. truth is we stepped before Nkrumah became a brother. stepping far pre-dates Mowtown so i needn't address that 'dead-end' point (though the Temptations Were Sigma men. hmm, imagine that). yup- one frat Did originate stepping and now you know who. so while you may agree to disagree, im not sure who you'll be disagreeing with.i could go on but i hope you get the point. last, i have only one request of you,frater; the next time this topic comes up either among your brothers or others, please give credit where credit is due. this is the honorable thing. Thnx"

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Reply
10. Chris Perkins
"+colors1387
Much love man, I enjoy building and spitting knowledge as well. But Bro are you really citing Wikipedia as a reference??? Dog, you know anybody can create edit and Wiki page right? I respect your opinion, but I won't be using Wiki as a reference tool bruh, for pretty much anything. Also can you clarify...The turn of the century? Meaning 1900? So are your saying that the founding Sigma's engaged in stepping?"

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Reply
11. colors1387
"+Chris Perkins no,no, the Most Honorable Founders most certainly were not concerned with such trivialities. im speaking about the short time thereafter. while wiki does not stand as the definitive 'end all,be all' of information, i cited it because it was in line with Our historical perspective. of note was that Your brotherhood was Also mentioned which is Also in our historical account (in fact Your fraternity is mentioned a few times in Our history book. had we not mentioned Omega as we did, it would have done Your frat a disservice. as Sigma men, we do not believe in diminishing the accomplishments of others just because they are not Sigmas. credit is given. such is the way of Sigma) .anyway, i have read enough of wiki to know that when it comes to Sigma history, it is reasonably accurate. That's why its cited . i extrapolated upon your knowledge in order to illustrate where You were correct and in line with Sigma history as well. my tendency is to be rather pragmatic about things. i have no interest in 'one upmanship'. as such, whether its me, and/or my brotherhood , or you and your brotherhood, i believe in giving credit where its due. the stepping distinction lies where it is. whether folks outside of Sigma acknowledge that is of no consequence to us. It Is what It Is. bytheway, i misinformed you about sorority stepping. the Zetas Were stepping in the mid- late 70's. i know because i watched them. and they were pretty good at it, i might say.get at me,frater. its a pleasure dialogueing with you. G.O.M.A.B / F.I.E.T.T.S."

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Reply
12. fred ramsey
"And For the RECORD, OMEGAS WILL NEVER LOOK LIKE SIGMAS WHEN IT COMES TO HOPPING! "WITH ALL RESPECT TO PHI BETA SIGMA" WE ARE THE ORIGINATORS OF HOPPING AND MARYLAND BRUHZ WILL ALWAYS SET IT OWT WITH MAD-E, CREATIVITY, AND SWAG, RQQ TO GOOD BRUHZ (PLEDGING DOESN'T AUTOMATICALLY MAKE YOU GOOD BY THE WAY)"

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Speckled Red - "The Dirty Dozens" (Lyrics, Comments, Example)

Edited by Azizi Powell

[Revised May 7, 2015]

This post showcases the song "The Dirty Dozens" by African American Bluesman Speckled Red (Rufus Perryman). Song lyrics and comments about the song are also included in this post. Information about Speckled Red, and information about "the dozens" are also found in this post.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Speckled Red for his musical legacy. Thanks also to those who are quoted in this post and those who published the featured videos on YouTube.

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INFORMATION ABOUT SPECKLED RED
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speckled_Red [hereafter given as Wikipedia: Speckled Red]
"Speckled Red (October 23, 1899* - January 2, 1973)[2] was born Rufus Perryman in Hampton, Georgia. He was an American blues and boogie-woogie piano player and singer,[1] most noted for his recordings of "The Dirty Dozens", with exchanges of insults and vulgar remarks that have long been a part of African American folklore...

*[Wikipedia gives the incorrect date of 1892. Read the comment section below.]

Speckled Red was the older brother of Piano Red, their nicknames derived from both men being albinos.[3] The brothers were separated by almost a generation and never recorded together. Speckled Red and Piano Red both played in a raucous good time barrelhouse boogie-woogie style, although the elder Speckled Red played slow blues more often. Both recorded versions of "The Right String (But the Wrong Yo-Yo)", Speckled Red first in 1930, and the younger scored a big hit with the song 20-years later...

By his mid-teens he was already playing house parties and juke joints, and moved back to Detroit in his mid-20s to play anywhere he could, including nightclubs and brothels, and was noticed by a Brunswick Records talent scout just before he left for Memphis, Tennessee, where he was located by Jim Jackson.[6] It was here where he cut his first recording sessions, resulting in two classics for Brunswick in "Wilkins Street Stomp" and the hit “The Dirty Dozens”. The following year, 1930, he recorded again, this time in Chicago, Illinois, resulting in most notably “The Dirty Dozens No. 2,” which was not nearly as successful and the pianist was without a contract or label and again playing making the rounds at Memphis venues and St. Louis bars."...

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UPDATE [added to this pancocojams post on May 7, 2015]
From http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=2369.5;wap2 "The Twelves (Dirty Dozens) page 1 & page 2

"Bunker Hill:
Quote from: si on May 27, 2006, 10:35:33 AM ---I know this song is based on the street game but who wrote it?
--- End quote ---
Mack McCormick in his booklet to The Unexpugated Folksong Of Men (Raglan LP51, 1960) which includes an "anonymous" version by a singer he recorded (actually Lightniin' Hopkins) and describes it as follows. [Hope I've corrected most of the scanning errors, booklet has seen better days]

THE DIRTY DOZENS: There is nothing in American folklore that has quite the reputation of that cycle of insults, known as "The Dirty Dozens." Probably better than ten million people have played the "game" but they've kept it a secret from the rest of America. Still as far back as 1919, a white girl named Gilda Gray was entertaining New Yorkers (see Current Opinion, Sept. 1919) with something derived from the original:

Oh, the old dirty dozen,
The old dirty dozen;
Brothers and cousins,
Living like a hive of bees,
They keep a buzzin', fussin' and mussin'.
There wasn't a good one in the bunch.

Some scraps appeared in the Journal of American Folklore in 1915, and in Publications of the Texas Folklore Society in 1926:

Talk about one thing, talk about another;
But ef you talk about me, I'm gwain to talk about your mother.

A number of derivations appeared on race records such as Henry Thomas' "Don't Ease Me In," Dirty Red's "Mother Fuyer," Gabriel Brown's "You Ain't No Good," State Street Boys; "The Dozen," Victoria Spivey's "From One to Twelve," Bumblebee Slim's "New Mean Mistreater," and Leroy Carr's "The Dirty Dozen." Most of these were inspired by the great commercial success of Speckled Red's famed 1929 record and its sequel "The Dirty Dozen No. 2""...

The name [The Dirty* Dozens/The Twelves] simply derives from the accepted rules of the game which are that the dialogue shall consist of 12 insults hurled back and forth, each of which should surpass what has gone before. In actuality the game is only seldom played with so strict a discipline though these are important points of skill among the more artful players. When this is done, the enumeration may be part of each verse, or more typically each volley will be counted off by a prefacing remark such as "Now, first thing, I'm gonna talk about your old momma . . ." and so on up to the final and climatic twelfth exchange...

"This is what Speckled Red told Dave Mangurian about his recording during a lengthy interview conducted in St. Louis, October 1959 and published in Jazz Journal, June 1960:

So. Mayo Williams come to Memphis. Well, he come out there an' heard me play. He liked the Dirty Dozen when I played it, an' he asked me could I make it on record. I told him I never played on no record. An' then he say, 'Well, I want you to play on record. You'll get paid for it.' An' I said, 'Well, anything to make me some money!'

"So, I played it for him there, an' then he give me a 'signment to play. I went down to the Peabody Hotel in the basement floor. We recorded down there. I made eight songs that day: Dirty Dozen, an' Wilkins Street Stomp, an'...I can't think of the rest of them."

The records (at least The Dirty Dozen and Wilkins Street) were issued by Brunswick in March, 1928. [Specked] Red got $125 at the time of the date, and $75 more a month later. He claims that the money was supposed to be for The Dirty Dozen and that he never got paid for the rest of them. Two hundred dollars was a good fee for a recording session by a "race" artist in those days, but for Brunswick it was a cheap price. The Dirty Dozen became a big hit immediately. It was so well liked that it was learned in one form or another by nearly every blues singer of that time. The song itself written by Red, had an interesting origin.

"You know how boys do be around an' tellin' lots a foolishness, callin' different kind of names? One try to out-talk the other, an' played it when one beat the other one he say, 'Well, you put me in the dozen.' So, I decided I'd make a song. Heh! 'Course, on record it's all right. But I made it bad! When he wanted me to, put it on record, well, I just changed the words. It all mean the same thing but I just changed the words.""
-snip-
-snip-
The word “Dirty” is given in this sentence as “Firty”. There's no such word as "firty". Because I believe that “Firty” is a typo , I replaced it with "dirty".

Mack McCormick who is quoted in that Page 1 of that website suggests that "The Dirty Dozens" comes from the African American "Biblical Dozens".

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SHOWCASE EXAMPLE: Speckled Red The Dirty Dozen (BRUNSWICK 7116) (1929)



randomandrare, Uploaded on Apr 11, 2010

I do not own the copyright to this recording. This video is for historical and educational purposes

Composed by Rufus Perryman

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LYRICS: "THE DIRTY DOZENS"
(Rufus , aka Speckled Red)

Now, I want all you womenfolks to fall in line
Shake your shimmy like I’m shaking mine
You shake your shimmy and you shake it fast
You can’t shake your shimmy, shake your yes, yes, yes

Now you’s a dirty mistreater, robber and a cheater
Slip you in the dozen, your pappy is your cousin
Your mama do the lordy-lord

Yonder go your mama going out across the field
Running and shaking like an automobile
I hollered at your mama and I told her to wait
She slipped away from me like a Cadillac Eight

Now she’s a running mistreater, robber and a cheater
Pappy is your cousin, slip you in the dozen
Your mama do the lordy-lord

I like your mama and like your sister too
I did like your daddy, but your daddy wouldn’t do
I met your daddy on the corner the other day
You know by that that he was funny that way

So now he’s a funny mistreater, robber and a cheater
Slip you in the dozen, your papa is your cousin
Your mama do the lordy-lord

God made him an elephant and he made him stout
He wasn’t satisfied until he made him a snout
Made his snout just as long as a rail
He wasn’t satisfied until he made him a tail
He made his tail just to fan the flies
He wasn’t satisfied until he made some eyes
He made his eyes to look over the grass
Wasn’t satisfied until he made his yes, yes, yes
Made his yes, yes, yes and didn’t get it fixed
Wasn’t satisfied until it made him sick
It made him sick, Lord, it made him well
You know by that the elephant caught hell

Now he’s a dirty mistreater, robber and a cheater
Slip you in the dozen, your pappy is your cousin
Your mama do the lordy-lord

Source: http://genius.com/Speckled-red-the-dirty-dozen-lyrics
-snip-
Notice that in the Wikipedia excerpt of Speckled Red's "The Dirty Dozens" found below, the word "lordy-lord: is given as "lawdylawd". That spelled better reflects the way that word was pronounced.

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COMMENTS ABOUT SPECKLED RED'S "THE DIRTY DOZENS"
From Wikipedia: Speckled Red
[begins with a lyric excerpt of Speckled Red's "The Dirty Dozens"]

"I want all you women to fall in line"
"And shake yo shimmy like i'm shakin' mine"
"You shake yo shimmy and you shake it fast"
"If you can't shake the shimmy,
shake yo' yes yes yes"
"You a dirty mistreater, a robber and a cheater"
"Stick you in a dozens and yo pappy is yo cousin"
"And yo mama do the lawdylawd"

Although the lyrics were sung rather than spoken, with its elaborate word play and earthy subject matter, "The Dirty Dozens" is considered in some respects an ancestor to rap music."

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INFORMATION ABOUT "THE DOZENS"
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dozens
"The Dozens is a game of spoken words between two contestants, common in Black communities, where participants insult each other until one gives up. It is customary for the Dozens to be played in front of an audience of bystanders, who encourage the participants to reply with more egregious insults to heighten the tension and consequently, to be more interesting to watch. Among African-Americans it is also known as "sounding", "joning", "woofing", "wolfing", "sigging", or "signifying",[1][2] while the insults themselves are known as "snaps".[3][4]

Comments in the game focus on the opposite player's intelligence, appearance, competency, social status, financial situation, and disparaging remarks about the other player's family members—mothers in particular ("yo′ mama...")—are common. Commentary is often related to sexual issues, where the game is then referred to as the "Dirty Dozens".[5]

According to sociologist Harry Lefever and journalist John Leland, the game is almost exclusive to African Americans; other ethnic groups often fail to understand how to play the game and can take remarks in the Dozens seriously.[note 1] Both males and females participate, but the game is more commonly played among males of varying social status.[1]"...

HOW DIRTY IS SPECKLED RED'S "THE DIRTY DOZENS"?
While Speckled Red's "The Dirty Dozens" was quite risqué in the 1929, it probably was a much cleaner version of actual dirty dozens exchanges that were done during that time. And this 1929 recording isn't nearly as "dirty" (nasty) as many contemporary R&B/Hip Hop songs which don't mention the dozens, or contemporary dozens chants*, or actual dozens exchanges. For example, according to mid 20th century and 21th century standards, Speckled Red's "The Dirty Dozens"
contains no explicit sexual references, and only alludes to sexual body parts and/or sexual activity. For example, Speckled Red uses profanity avoidance such as the words "yes, yes, yes" and "shimmy" as substitutes for the word "ass". He also uses "lawdylawd" ("lordylord") rather than what people then and now would consider to be a more vulgar vernacular term for sexual activity. Furthermore, Speckled Red's 1929 recording contains no curse words (according to 21th century definitions).

*Click http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=8364&page=2 [#20, posted on 06-19-2001, 12:46 PM by DoggyStyle82] for a considerably dirtier Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. chant. That chant begins with the words "We are Omega, we shoot the Dozens for you We are Omega, we shoot the dozens for you". I should mention that although the words to that chant are dirtier than Speckled Red's "Dirty Dozen" song, they aren't as vulgar as some other fraternity chants that I've come across.

"Omega[s]" and "Ques" are referents for members of the historically Black (African American) Greek letter fraternity Omega Psi Phi, Inc.

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