waveandsmile, Jan 4, 2007
introduce yourself
NO WAY!
introduce yourself
OKAY!
-snip-
The words for this cheer are given below in this post.
****
Edited by Azizi Powell
Latest revision - June 9, 2025
This pancocojams post presents a few word only examples of "introduce yourself" ("My name is __") foot stomping cheers that I believe are sources for certain softball chants.
This pancocojams post also presents a few examples of those particular softball chants.
As a prelude to all of those examples, this post also includes an essay that I wrote about foot stomping cheers with a focus on a particular type of those cheers whose word pattern I refer to as "command, refusal, command, agree'.
The content of this post is presented for folkloric and recreational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are featured in this showcased video and thanks to the producer of that video on YouTube. Thanks also to all those whose cheer examples are featured in this post.
-snip-
PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTES ABOUT FOOT STOMPING CHEERS
written by Azizi Powell, updated June 9, 2025
"Foot stomping cheers are types of children's recreational
cheerleader cheers that originated in African American communities in the early
1970s. These cheers are formulaic compositions which have a modified call &
response structure that I refer to as "group/consecutive soloists".
What "group/consecutive soloists" means is that the group voice is
the first voice that is heard in those cheers. A designated soloist responds to
the rest of the group's words and that soloist and the group alternate until
that rendition ends (usually with the soloist's voice or the soloist & the
rest of the group's voice). However, the cheer immediately begins again with
the next designated soloist. This pattern continues until every member of the
group has had a turn an equal turn as the soloist.
Foot stomping cheers are chanted while their performers
stand in a horizontal line or in a circle and execute choreographed,
syncopated, percussive movement routines. These movement routines are very
similar to African American originated Greek lettered fraternity & sorority
stepping (steppin) with individual hand clapping, sometimes with body patting.
I've identified four types of foot stomping cheers.
1. "introduce yourself" cheers- the soloist introduces herself to others by saying her name and/or her nickname, her astrological sun sign, her favorite color, what she wants to be when she grows up etc. Those cheers include the words "My name is __" or similar words such as "__ is my name".
2. "confrontational" cheer. - cheers that focus on or have lines that focus on confronting, being aggressive, combative to or toward an unnamed person or persons, warning that person or persons that they better watch out or treat the person speaking with respect etc if they want to avoid a fight or some other negative consequence/s. Confrontational cheers often have insulting or dissing words toward that un-named person or persons. Furthermore, confrontational foot stomping cheers are self-bragging or imply self-bragging.
3. "romance cheers - cheers that focus on romance (i.e. bragging about having a boyfriend).
4. dance style foot stomping cheers- cheers that focus on showing off your dance and/or stepping skills
-snip-
The softball chants that are showcased in this pancocojams post are adaptations of "introduce yourself" foot stomping cheers.
Examples of foot stomping cheers often consists of combinations of two of these types (for instance, introduce yourself and confrontational cheer).
The YouTube video that is embedded at the top of this post is from the 2006 American cheerleader movie Bring it On All Or Nothing. That video is a scene that shows high school aged girls who are cheerleaders at a formal school function performing a version of an "Introduce Yourself" cheer that is combined with elements of confrontational cheers..
However, it should be noted that -in real life- examples of that cheer or examples of similarly worded cheers were performed quite differently than the cheer in that movie was performed. That said, this post focuses on the words of that cheer, and not the accompanying actions or lack of accompanying actions for the movie version of that cheer.
****
COMMAND,REFUSE,COMMAND,AGREE TYPES OF FOOT STOMPING CHEERS
A small number of children's traditional cheers, softball chants, and/or
children's camp songs are adaptations of foot stomping cheers. Some of those foot stomping cheers have the command-refuse"/"command-agree" (crca) textual
pattern.
"Crca" cheers are those in which the group commands (demands) that the soloist do something (such as "introduce yourself" or "show us how you get down", meaning show the group your favorite dance move.)
Some foot stomping cheers appear to have been a combination of the "introduce yourself" type of foot stomping cheers and the confrontational (aggressive, insulting/dissing and self bragging) type of foot stomping cheers. One example of that type of cheer is "Hula Hula Who Think They Bad".
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/01/examples-of-introduce-yourself-get-down.html for a longer explanation of command, refusal, command, agree foot somping cheers, including a section on the sociological/cultural implications of those types of cheers for African American girls who originated them.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/09/foot-stomping-cheers-alphabetical-list.html "P
****
SOME EXAMPLES OF "INTRODUCE YOURSELF" ("MY NAME IS__" FOOT STOMPING CHEERS
Most softball chants that come from foot stomping cheers are clips (small portions) of introduce yourself cheers that had a command, refuse, command, agree word pattern. These softball chant adaptations of those foot stomping cheers begin with the soloist's "agree" portion of that command, refusal, command, agree pattern.
In those softball chants the soloist (now referred to as the leader) begins the chant and the rest of the group responds to her words. In other versions of softball chants that originate in foot stomping cheers replaces the soloist (leader)/group call & response pattern and the softball team says the entire chant together i.e. in unison).
HOLLYWOOD NOW SWINGING/DYNOMITE (Example #1 of "Hollywood" foot stomping cheers)
Hollywood now swingin'! (4 times)
CALL: Name is Nita.
RESPONSE: Hollywood now swingin'!
Similarly
I know how to swing.
Everytime I swing.
Stevie come around.
CALL: He popped me once!
He popped me twice!
All I felt was -dynomite!
RESPONSE: Dynomite, dynomite! (Twice)
Dynomite!
CALL: Here she is.
RESPONSE: Dynomite!
Similarly
Foxy Brown!
You mess with me,
I'll shoot you down!
Down, down,
To the ground,
Up, up,
CALL: Just out of luck!
RESPONSE: Dynomite, dynomite! (Twice)
-Barbara Borum and other Washington, D.C. schoolgirls, recorded in 1976 in Washington, D. C. by Kate Rinzler, album notes Kate Rinzler, "Old Mother Hippletoe, Rural and Urban Children's Songs"; http://www.newworldrecords.org/linernotes/80291.pdf ; 1978
-snip-
I happened upon a copy of the Oh Mother Hippletoe vinyl record set at a library used book sale sometime in the late 1990s. I bought that record for its record notes even though I didn't have a record player at that time. Band 3 "Cheerleading" of that record features four* examples of what the author of the record notes calls "cheers".
*Hollywood Keep Swinging/Dynomite" are probably two different cheers. While I haven't found the exact phrase "down to the ground"/ up up just out of luck" in other cheers or rhymes, the going down" followed by "getting up" words are quite common in foot stomping cheers.
**
HOLLYWOOD GOES SWINGIN (Example #2 of "Hollywood" foot stomping cheers)
All: Hollywood goes swingin
Hollywood goes ___swingin
Swingin for the good times
Swingin for the bad times
Soloist #1: My name is Zizi
I’m cool and the gang
Mess with me. I’ll do my thang
If you see me walkin down the street
You betta speak
Long time, no see
Sexy as I wanna be
Some hittin me high
Some hittin me low
Some hittin me on my-
Don’t ask what
Group: What?
Soloist #1: My b-u-tt butt
That's what.
- Tazi.M.Powell, (African American female, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1985-1986); also collected by Tazi Powell (from African American girls, Pittsburgh [Lillian Taylor Camp], 1989, 1990 [full disclosure- Tazi M. Powell is my (Azizi Powell) daughter.
-snip-
(Repeat from the beginning with the next soloist who says her name or nickname. Continue this pattern until every girl in the group has had one turn as the soloist)
* ___ pause for a beat
The group members decide the order of soloists by the fastest ones to shout out 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. They then form a line (or a half circle facing their usually imaginary audience) in that order. The girls begin stepping for a short while before they start saying the cheer. This is to make sure that everyone is "on beat". They keep doing the step routine when they begin chanting throughout the entire cheer. If someone "messes up the beat", the cheer must start all over again from the beginning using the same order of cheerleaders. At the end of the cheer, the entire cheer begins again with a new soloist. This pattern continues until everyone in the group has the same equal turn as the soloist.
****
HOLLYWOOD GOES SWINGING (Example #3 of "Hollywood" foot stomping cheers)
All: Hollywood goes swingin;.
Swingin’ for the good times.
Swingin’ for the bad times.
Soloist #1: My name is Ebony.
(And) I’m cool and the gang.
You mess with me
And I’ll do my thang.
My sign is Libra
And that’s alright.
Cause all Libra’s
Are out of sight.
All: Hey you,
Check it out!
You! You!
Check it out!
-Tazi M Powell, Pittsburgh, PA, mid 1980s; Collected by Azizi Powell, 1996
-snip-
Repeat cheer with next soloist who gives her astrological sun sign.
The cheer continues until everyone has had one turn as the soloist.
****
Oooooooh, those brought back so many memories, I think I've got one though...
Hollywood go swingin'
Hollywood go swing-in'
Hollywood go swingin'
Hollywood go swingin'
My name is (your name)
I'm cool in the gang
If you don't like it
I'll show you my thang
My sign is (your sign)
and that's alright cuz
all (your sign)
are DYNO-MITE!!
-DiVa X-ta-C, 8/4/2000; http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=5627&page=2 Remember When..
****
HOLLYWOOD GOT SWINGERS (Example #5 of "Hollywood" foot stomping cheers)
Hollywood got swingers
Hollywood got swingers
Hollywood got swingers
Hollywood got swingers
My reputation's just begun
My sign's ________ and that's alright
Cuz all ______ are dynamite!
- Mz Destiny, 03-25-2003,
http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/archive/index.php/t-31403.html old school
chants
****
HULA HULA (Example #1 of "Hula Hula Who Thinks She's Bad")
Hula Hula
Who thinks she's bad now
Hula Hula
Who thinks she's bad)
I think I'm bad
'Cause Shelly's my name
Black is my color
And love is my game
(Ooh, She think she bad)
[posturing] Ooh, I know I'm bad.
(Ooh, she think she bad)
Ooh, I know I'm bad
(Ooh, she think she bad)
Chile, go kiss my ass (or “Chile, your breath is bad” or “Chile go take a bath”)
repeat rhyme from the beginning.
-bublackberry (African American woman); Connecticut; emailed to Azizi Powell, 11/11/05 .
****
WHO NOW WHO NOW ((Example #2 of "Hula Hula Who Thinks She's Bad")
Who now Who now, Now who think they bad
I do
I know I'm bad cause Afro's my name
Uh Huh
Football's my game
Uh Huh
Black is my color dont u worry about my lover
Um she think she bad
Bad bad super bad, bad enough I know I'm bad
Um she think she tough
Tough tough super tough tough enough to kick your butt
Um she think shes fine
Fine enough to blow Eric's mind
Um she think she's cute
Cute enough to steal your dude
-Afrochic (Memphis, Tennessee), http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=31403&page=5 Old School Chants, 03-30-2003
****
INTRODUCE YOURSELF (Example #1)
Group: Hey, Shaquala!
Soloist #1: Yo! *
Group: Innn-TRO-duce yourself.
Soloist #1: No way.
Group: Innn-TRO-duce yourself.
Soloist #1: Okay.
My name is Shaquala.
Group: Hey! Hey!
Soloist #1:They call me Quala.
Group: Hey! Hey!
Soloist #1: My sign is Aries.
Group: Hey! Hey!
Soloist #1: I like to dance.
Group: Hey! Hey!
Soloist #1: I wanna be a dancer for the rest of my life.
-Tazi M. Powell; Pittsburgh, PA mid. 1980s; transcribed from
audio tape by Azizi Powell, 1997
-snip-
In the context of those cheers, the soloist's response of
"No way" means that "I'm not going to show you how to do that
dance right now just because you ask me to." The "no way" response doesn't mean
"I don't know how to do what you want me to do".
When the word "Yo" became outdated, it was replaced by the word "What" or "Hey what".
****
INTRODUCE YOURSELF (Example #2)
Britney:
"Hey Amber.
Amber:
Hey what?
Everybody:
Introduce yourself!
Amber:
No way!
Everybody:
Introduce yourself!
Amber:
OK. 1,2,3,4,5, my name is Amber and I say "hi".
6,7,8,9,10, back it up and meet my friend. Hey Winnie!
Winnie:
Hey what?
Everybody:
Introduce yourself!
Winnie:
No way!
Everybody:
Introduce yourself.
Winnie:
OK. 1,2,3,4,5, my name is Winnie and I say "hi".
6,7,8,9,10, back it up and meet my friend.
Hey Britney
Britney:
Hey what?
Everybody:
Introduce yourself!
Britney:
No way.
Everybody:
Introduce yourself!
Britney:
OK. Sha boo ya, sha sha sha boo ya, roll call. My name is
Britney. I cheer so strong. And when I shake it, you better bring it on. Sha
boo ya, sha sha sha boo ya, break it down now.
Sierra:
I'm Sierra! And.
[Sierra quits when she realized they've stopped]
- https://www.quotes.net/mquote/981987 ; from Bring It On
All Or Nothing, 2006 movie
****
INTRODUCE YOURSELF (Example
#3)
Introduce yourself
to shy
introduce yourself
I try
my name (say your name)
yeah
I cheer for (say who you cheer for)
my sign is (say your sign)
and when I'm up I'm hot stuff
And when I'm down don't mess around
and when I'm me don't scream or shout or you'll get knocked
out!
-De'ajaih; (African American girl); Garfield neighborhood of
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania); 5/16/2006
L.O.V.E. [title]
All: L-O-V-E. [clap]
L-O-V-E. [clap
L-O-V.
L-O-V.
L-O-V-E.[clap]
Soloist #1: Well, Kayla’s my name. [clap]
And love is my game.[clap]
I got this boy on my mind [clap].
And Lord knows he’s fine. [clap]
He calls me his girl. [clap]
His number 1 girl.[clap]
I don’t know his sign, [clap]
But Taurus is mine. [clap]
All: L-O-V-E. [clap]
L-O-V-E. [clap]
L-O-V.
L-O-V.
L-O-V-E. [clap]
Soloist #2: Tamika's my name. [clap]
And love is my game. [clap]
I got this boy on my mind. [clap]
And Lord knows he’s fine. [clap]
I got his name on my shirt. [clap]
And don't call it dirt.[clap]
Don’t you worry bout my lover. [clap]
Cause there is no other. [clap]
(Return to beginning and repeat with a new soloist. That soloist repeats the same verses or similar verses. This pattern continues until everyone in the group has had one turn as the soloist with this cheer.)
-Tazi M..Powell .(African American female; remembrance of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the mid 1980s; performed by African American girls ages around 8-12 years old; Collected by Azizi Powell, 2/1996 although I had observed it performed in the 1980s.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2023/02/examples-of-love-foot-stomping-cheers.html for the pancocojams post entitled "L.O.V.E" (Title Of African American Girls' Foot Stomping Cheers From The 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s)"
****
PUMP IT UP
Wait here's another one:
Pump it up, pump pump it up
Pump it up, pump pump it up
My name is (your name)
(it up, pump pump it up)
They call me (nickname)
(it up, pump pump it up)
And when they see me,
(it up, pump pump it up)
They go (say this part while doing a dance):
Pow-Pow, bang bang,
(your nickname)does her own thang.
-DiVa X-ta-C,,(African American woman, no location given),
http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=5627, “remember when”; 08-04-2000
****
PUMP IT UP (Example #2)
Words -------------------------------------------------Basic Motion
Pump pump pump pump pump it up------------ tap palms around the circle to start
Pump pump pump it up --------------------------- step clap rock clap [2x]
Well, my name is [player’s name] ---------------step clap rock clap
Pump it up -------------------------------------------- step clap rock clap
That’s what they call me -------------------------- step clap rock clap
Pump it up -------------------------------------------[repeat]
My sign is [astrological sign]
Pump it up
And I can work that body oddy oddy --------------shake and improvise
Make sure you don’t hurt that body
Pump pump pump pump
Pump it up
(1992)
From Recess Battles: Playing Fighting, and Storytelling by Anna R. Beresin (University Press of Mississippi, Jackson, 2010, page 104-105, in the section of that book whose sub-title is "Steps"), African American girls, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,1991
****
RAZZLE DAZZLE
Hiya great site! Here is a cheer: (Where it says Emily change it to your name)
Razzle Dazzle(clap clap clap)
Razzle Dazzle(clap clap clap)
My name is Emily
I'm number one
My Razzle Dazzle has just begun
So when you see me step aside.
You know Emily Don't take no Jive
(Everybody) OOh She thinks she's bad
(person speaking previously) No, baby I know I'm bad.
-Emiii; 5/21/2007, cocojams.com
-snip-
Read my comment in this post's discussion thread about my no longer active website cocojams.com.
****
REALLY
All: Really
Ah Hah.
Really.
Ah Hah.
Soloist #1: Really my name is Lisa.
Really my sign is Aries.
Group: Say what?
Soloist #1: Ah Aries.
Group: Say what?
Soloist #1: Cause I’m F-I-N-E fine.
Like a D-I-M-E. dime.
Don’t waste my T-I-M-E. time.
I’ll blow your M-I-N-D mind.
Cause I’m a pro.
Group: Say what?
Soloist #1: A P-R-O.
Group: Say what?
Soloist #1: Cause I’m a triple P.
Triple R.
Triple O.
Sexy pro.
(Repeat entire cheer with next soloist until everyone has had a turn as soloist)
-Lillian Taylor Camp, AA girls 5-13 years old; AA boys 5-7 years from various Pittsburgh neighborhoods, PA, 1991, 1992
****
REALLY (Example #2)
Hey Yall are takin me back!!!
Does anyone remeber the cheers we used to do?
Really uh uh really uh uh
Really my name is kisses
really my sign is scopio
say what
scorpio
say what
cause I'm more than a dollar I can make your boyfriend holler cause I'm sweet and fine like a bottle of wine cause I'm a pro
say what
a P R O
say what
I'm a triple P triple R triple O
a sexy pro.
- kisses (Milton, Fl USA); http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=4123&page=3; 01-01-2001
****
ROCK THE BOAT (Example #1)
Rock the boat,
Rock, rock the boat
[repeat]
My name is Yasmin (rock the boat)
I know I'm fine (rock the boat)
Just like my sign (rock the boat)
My sign is Leo
I go bang-bang choo choo train
Wind me up and I do my thing
Reeses pieces butter cup
Don't mess with me, cause I'll mess you up,
Rock the boat, rock rock the boat...
-Yasmin H. (Latina female; memories of East Brooklyn, New York, in the late 1980s), contributed to cocojams.com on 2/25/04
-snip-
Yasmin noted that te words in parenthesis were chanted by the other members of the cheerleading squad.
****
ROCK DAT BOAT (Example #2)
my names (girls name)(group says)rock da boat
(person says)i am feeling fine (groups says)rock
da boat (person says)you mess with me(group
says)rock da boat(person says)i`ll blow you mind
(group says) rock da boat
-Olivia ; 3/10/2008, cocojams.com
****
SOME SOFTBALL CHANTS THAT HAVE THEIR SOURCE IN THESE EXAMPLES OF AND TYPES OF FOOT STOMPING CHEERS
CHECK IT OUT
My name is (name)
YA
And that's no lie
CHECK IT OUT
I'm gonna play softball until I die
CHECK IT OUT
And when I die
YA
And when I'm gone
YA
I'm gonna leave (other players name) to carry on
CHECK IT OUT
(repeat for other players)"
****
MY NAME IS AND YOU KNOW WHAT I GOT
<Leader> My name is [NAME], and you know what I got?
<Team> What do you got?
<Leader> I got a team that is hotter than hot.
<Team> Uh huh, uh huh.
<Leader> Grand slams and homeruns too!
<Team> Uh huh, uh huh.
<Leader> We're gonna beat the whoopsies out of you.
<All> OK, OK, OK. Our team is BOOM dynamite.
Our team is BOOM dynamite
Our team is tick, tick, tick, BOOM dynamite.
-https://www.nvgsa.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1795893 North Virginia Girls Softball Association (retrieved June 4, 2025)
[PLAYER'S NAME] IS HER NAME
Name is her name and softball is her game.
She's got a homerun on her mind
and Ooh she hits so fine
and Ooh she hits so fine
[TEAM'S NAME] IS OUR NAME
Team Name is our name
Softball is our game.
Team Color is our color.
Opponent's Color is the other.
Ahh. You think you're bad.
Ahh. We know we're bad.
Ahh. You think you're bad. NO WAY!"
-https://cdn3.sportngin.com/attachments/document/ec77-1740905/softball_cheers.pdf Funny Softball Cheers [no publication date or editor's name given; Retrieved May 26, 2025
****
<Leader> My name is [NAME]
<Team> Rock the boat!
<Leader> I’m feeling fine
<Team> Rock the boat!
<Leader>You mess with me
<Team> Rock the boat!
<Leader>I’ll blow your mind.
<Team> Rock the boat!
<All>I said a bang-bang, choo-choo train
C’mon girl let’s do our thing
I know karate
I know kung-fu
You mess with me
I’ll mess with you
Rock the boat!
Don't tip it over!
If you do this game will be over!
See my pinky, see my thumb,
See my bat, you better run.
-https://www.nvgsa.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1795893 North Virginia Girls Softball Association (retrieved June 4, 2025)
****
ROCK THE BOAT (Example #2)
Leader:
My name is (player’s name)
Team:
Rock the boat
Leader:
I'm feelin fine,
Team:
Rock the boat
Leader: You mess with me,
Team:
Rock the boat
Leader:
I'll blow your mind,
Team:
Rock the boat
All
together: I said a bang bang cho cho train wind me up and I'll do my thing, I
know karate I know Kung‐Fu you mess with me I'll
mess with you!
Rock
the boat, Don’t tip it over, if you do, this game is over.
(really
fast) Rock the boat, Don’t tip it over, if you do, this game is over.
Holla.
-
****
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