Edited by Azizi Powell
Latest Revision - including title change Feb. 24, 2025
This is Part II of a two part pancocojams series on the phrase "don't take no jive".
*This racial/national referent means that these cheers and rhymes probably originated with and definitely were mostly performed by African American girls.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/03/what-does-dont-take-no-jive-means-in.html for Part I of this pancocojams post. Part I provides definitions of the word "jive" and "jive talk". An example of a children's cheer with the phrase "don't take no jive" is included in that post along with an example of a university (American) football chant that also includes that phrase.
The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, linguistic, and recreational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
This post presents definitions for the noun "jive" as it refers to talking.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/09/foot-stomping-cheers-alphabetical-list_22.html for an alphabetical listing of foot stomping cheers beginning with the letters (P-Z). The links for four other pages of foot stomping cheer examples are given on that page.
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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE ABOUT THESE EXAMPLES
Most of the examples on this page are versions of the once apparently widely known family of "Hollywood" ("Hollywood Swinging") foot stomping cheers/hand clap rhymes.
1. the oldest example of this composition that I've found to date is a cheer version
and
2. the words of some of the hand clap rhyme examples are given as a dialogue while and -sometimes are performed that way, while almost all handclap rhymes are chanted in unison. In foot stomping cheers, each girl takes a turn being the soloist (The "Hollywood rock swinging" line is chanted by the group except for the soloist.)
It's important to note that every "Hollywood Swinging" cheer/hand clap rhyme doesn't (didn't) include the "don't take no jive" phrase. For example, the earliest version of that cheer that I've found (from Old Mother Hippletoe Record, 1976, Washington, D.C.) doesn't include the words "don't take no jive".
That example is given as #1 in https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/05/examples-of-hollywood-goes-swingin.html Examples Of "Hollywood Goes Swingin" Foot Stomping Cheers & Hand Clap Rhymes (1976 - the early 2000s).
In addition, five examples of Hollywood Swinging hand clap rhymes are posted in my cocojams2 blog https://cocojams2.blogspot.com/2014/10/g-h-hand-clap-jump-rope-rhymes-examples.html I've shared one of those examples in the comment section of this post.
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EXAMPLES OF CHILDREN'S FOOT STOMPING CHEERS THAT INCLUDE THE PHRASE 'DON'T TAKE NO JIVE"
These examples are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.
The phrase "don't take no jive" is given in italics for highlighting purposes only.
1.
Hollywood rock swinging.
Hollywood rock swinging.
My name is Aniesha
I'm number one
My reputation is having fun
So if you see my just step aside
'Cause mighty Aniesha don't take no jive.
Hollywood rock swinging.
Hollywood rock swinging.
My name is katrina
I'm number two
My reputation is me and you
So if you see me just step on back
'Cause mighty Katrina don't take no slack.
Hollywood rock swinging.
Hollywood rock swinging.
My name is Natasha
I'm number twelve
My reputation is ringing that bell
So if you see my just step aside
'Cause mighty Aniesha don't take no jive
-Apples On A Stick: The Folklore Of Black Children by Barbara Michels and Bettye White (1983; p. 14)
-snip-
The preface of this book indicates that these examples came from Black children who lived in Houston, Texas.
The saying "take no slack" is usually given as "cut no slack". "Cut no slack" means allowing people to get away with something that is usually not allowed.
****
2.
Group: Angels go swinging
angels go swinging!
angels go swinging,
Angels go Swinging!
Solo: My name is Katy
I'm number 1
my reputation has just begun
so if you see me just step aside
'cause me and my man
don't take no jive
Group: Uh, you thank (think) you bad
Solo: Bad enough to make you mad
Group, Uh, you thank you cool
Solo: Cool enough to go to high school
Group: Uh, you thank you fine
Solo: Fine enough to MO,
fine enough to Macho (not really sure what this line means
or if we were even saying it right) *
fine enough to hula hoop,
fine enough to kick yo' duke
Everyone: say what, say what
say what say what say what
-Joi;( Birmingham, Alabama; 1990s), cocojams.com
-snip
This example was sent to my no longer active cocojams.com website and is a form of the large family of cheers known as "Hollywood Swingin".
The contributor shared that "Angels" is the name
of their sports teams at this predominately African American Catholic school.
Here are my notes about some of the words in this example:
The word "thank" in the words "thank you fine" is probably a typo. It's also possible that "thank" is a purposefully spelled (present tense) intensifier of the word
"think" which means “Really think”.
I'm not sure what "Mo" means.
-end of quote-
That Spanish word may be most widely known in the USA by the
referent "macho man". In the context of this foot stomping cheer,
fine enough to "macho" may mean "physically attractive (or sexy)
enough to attract macho men.
****
3.
my name is yonnqa
i'm number one
my reputation has just begun
so if you see me
step a side
cause i don't take no jive
oh think she cool
correction baby
i no i'm cool
i no karate
i no kunfu
you miss with me
i co it on you*
rasasol o dazzo o ox2 **
-yaya, cocojams.com, 2/23/2007
-snip-
The contributor wrote that this cheer was called "Call Reputation".
Update: March12, 2021. Other examples of "Razzle Dazzle" that include the "don't take no jive" are added towards the end of this post.
"no"= known
* I'm not sure what "co" means.
** I think ox2 means to repeat that line two times.
****
4. "When we were kids, what were some of your favorite hood
cheers? Post 'em here. Mine was "Hollywood Not Swingin'"
Hollywood not swingin', Hollywood not...swingin'
Hollywood not swingin', Hollywood not...swingin'
Well my name is Yella, my number's 1,
My reputation is havin' fun,
So if you see me just step aside,
Because this light chick don't take no
jiiiiiiiiivvveeee... .
-Cocaine, 08-18-2006, http://www.lipstickalley.com/showthread.php/43158-Hood-Cheers
[WARNING- Some comments and examples in that discussion
thread includes profanity and sexually explicit references.]
-snip-
"Hood" cheers mean "cheers that were performed in working class/poor Black American neighborhoods.
Another commenter addressed this contributor by the name "Yella". This commenter apparently changed her screen name for "Yella" to "Cocaine".
"Yella" (yellow) refers to this Black woman's "light" skin color.
Another commenter in that discussion thread indicated that this cheers were from the 1980s.
****
5.
Hey Serenity! Yeah!
Hey Serenity! Yeah!
Introduce yourself! I'll Try!
Introduce yourself! Allright!
My name serenity! Yeah!
Im 24! Yeah!
My reputation is so much more! Yeah!
So when you see me! Yeah!
Just step aside! Yeah!
Cause serenity! Yeah!
Don't take no Jive! 2 3 4.....Hey (whose next)
Introduce yourself"
-serenity_24, 12-29-2000, http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=4123&page=2 Childhood Chants and Games
-snip-
This Greekchat discussion thread consisted of members of historically Black Greek letter sororities. "I'm 24" means that the commenter was born in 1976 and further document this cheer was performed in the 1980s.
**
6.
ya'll I just remembered this one.
It just came to me..
Hollywood Swingin”
Hollywood (keep) swingin’
Hollywood Swingin”
Hollywood (keep) swingin’
My name is ___ I’m number one.
My reputation is having fun.
So if you see me
Just step aside
Cause mighty ___
Don’t take no jive!
Repeat chorus
My name is ___ I’m number two
My reputation is loving you.
It goes on and on and on and on!
Have mercy!
- AKA2D '91; 12-29-2000, http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=4123&page=2; Childhood chants and games
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7.
I don't remember all of it but it went something like this:
My name is __________, my number is one,
my reputation is having fun,
those who see me step aside,
mighty (Zodiac sign) don't take no jive.
My name is ______, my number is two,
my reputation is loving you,
those who see me step aside,
mighty (Zodiac sign) don't take no jive
My name is _______, my number is three,
my reputation is being free,
those who see me step aside
mighty (Zodiac sign) don't take no jive.
Each person in the group would pick a number and it would go
around until you get to the number 10. I don't remember all the rhymes, but I
am sure creative people can think of stuff to say.;)
-sigmadiva, 03-25-2003, http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/archive/index.php/t-31403.html Old School Chants
-snip-
Another commenter in that discussion thread, AKA2D '91, wrote on 03-26-2003:
"THAT WAS OUR HOLLYWOOD KEEP SWINGING."
-snip-
There are multiple examples of children's foot stomping cheers that begin with or include the words "My name is [insert your name or nickname.] The words to these examples vary widely with only a sub-set of those examples including the words "don't take no jive".
****
8. My name is Starr and I'm number one
and my reputation has just begun.
So, if you dont like it just step to the side
Starr Marie Yanez don't take no Jive!
Ugh...she think she bad.
Correction baby, I know I'm bad!
Ugh...she think she kool.
Kool enough to steal your dude!
Ugh, she think she fine.
Fine enough to blow your mind!
Please girl...stop your lyin.
At least my baby didn't leave me cryin!
-@MariahYanez, 2022; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VTsQ9Li4xk, "Black Girl Hand Games Magic! at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival 2019", Montgomery College, July 23, 2019
-snip-
This example was added Feb. 24, 2025. I changed the numbering to place it after the other "My Name Is __ " example.
This example was written in paragraph form. i changed it to poetry form to enhance its readability for a cheer/rhyme.
After the first four lines, this example should be read as a conversation between two people. with the two voices alternating. (Such as:
Voice #1- "Ugh...she think she bad".
Voice #2- "Correction baby, I know I'm bad!"
****
[Pancocojams Editor's Note: Examples #9-#12 were added on March 12, 2021. I changed their numbering as indicated above.
These examples are versions of "Razzle Dazzle" cheers. "Razzle Dazzle" cheers have very similar words as versions of "Hula Hula" cheers.
Every example of "Razzle Razzle" doesn't include the "don't take no jive" phrase. As of this date, I don't know of any "Hula Hula" cheers that include the phrase "don't take no jive".
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/06/examples-of-cheer-razzle-dazzle-with.html
for the 2017 pancocojams post entitled "Examples Of The Cheer "Razzle Dazzle" (with comments & explanations of verrnacular terms)".
Also, click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2018/11/examples-of-hula-hula-razzle-dazzle.html for the 2018 pancocojams post entitled "Examples Of "Hula Hula" (Who Think They Bad), "Razzle Dazzle", "Call Reputation" & Similar Girls' Foot Stomping Cheers".]
9.
"I hate these cheers, they are for like the 1st grade, here is a good chant:
Razzle Dazzle, razzle dazzle
hi we are the Hornets and we are number one
and in this razzle dazzle has just began
so if you see us step aside cause we dont take no jive,
razzle dazzle razzle dazzle
Oh she thinks she bad,
lord honey we know we're bad
our skirts are green our shirts are white,
step to us be ready to fight,
razzle dazzle razzle dazzle."
-Cassie and Becca ; 5/22/2006, cocojams.com
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10.
"*=one clap razzle dazzle (***)
razzle dazzle (***)
our names are cats (or any other team)
we're number one
our reputation has just begun.
so if u see us just step aside,
cats (or other team) baby dont take no jive.
(GROUP 1) ohhh they think their bad.
(GROUP 2) correction baby we know we're bad.
(GROUP 1) ohh they think their hot.
(GROUP 2) ladies....PLEASE!!! "
-Hannah, 9/25/2006, cocojams.com
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11.
"Razzle Dazzle (all the girls are in a circle, one girl goes in the middle to sing)
my name is ____ i'm number 1,
my razzle dazzle has just begun
so if you see me better step aside
cause this bad girl don't take no jive
(everybody else in the cirle:) ooh. she thinks she's bad
correction baby, i KNOW i'm bad
ooh. she thinks she's fine
fine enough to blow YOUR mind
razzle dazzle uh huh uh huh
razzle dazzle uh huh.
WOO WOO razzle dazzle uh huh
uh huh razzle dazzle uh huh.
WOO WOO (repeat with everybody in the circle) "
-liz ; 6/22/2007, cocojams.com
****
12.
"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
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If you remember any cheers that include the "don't take no jive", please add to the folkloric collection by sharing those examples in this pancocojams post's comment section.
Remember to add demographic information such as where (city and state or nation if outside of the USA) you learned that cheer and when you first learned that cheer (year/decade).
Thanks in advance!
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This concludes Part II of this two pancocojams series.
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