Examples Of The Military Cadence "Seen An Old Lady Walkin' Down The Street"

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases various text (word only) examples and YouTube sound files of the United States military cadence "Seen An Old Lady Walkin Down The Street" (or similar titles).

The examples of this military cadence that I have found online are from the following United State military branches (given in alphabetical order) - the Air Force, the Army, and the Marines.

****
The content of this post is presented for folkloric, cultural, and motivational purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the original composer/s of this cadence and thanks to all those quoted in this post and all those who are featured in these sound files.

Thanks also to all those who have honorably served and who are honorably serving in the United States Marine Corps and in other branches of the United States military.

Please add to this collection by sharing the examples you know in the comment section. Remember, this is a family friendly cultural blog. Therefore, as per the policies of this blog, I don't accept comments/examples that include profanity fully spelled out or comments/examples that contain explicit sexual content.

Also, note that some military cadences include sexual references and curse words (profanity). As per the policy of this blog- I use amended spelling for curse words or indicated that "profanity is deleted".

Click the "military cadences" tag below for additional examples of United States military cadences.

****
PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S COMMENTS
The United States military cadences that I've read or heard via YouTube use an "echo" call & response pattern. This call & response pattern is often found in African and African Diaspora vocal music. By "echo" call & response, I mean that the group (responders) repeat every line that the leader (caller) sings in exactly the same way that he (or she) sings those lines.

Some call & response cadences are composed of changeable rhyming and near rhyming couplets (two line rhyming or near rhyming verses) and a relatively fixed refrain (such as "lo right layo" ("left right left). The refrain may be sung at the beginning of the cadence, (and/or) at the end of the cadence, (and/or) after each rhyming or near rhyming couplet, or after a certain number of rhyming/or near rhyming couplets. But some call & response cadences have no fixed refrain, and only consists of the group exactly repeating each line that caller (leader) sings.

The examples of the "Seen [or "Saw"} An Old Lady Walkin Down The Street" that I have read or heard on YouTube have a series of rhyming or near rhyming couplets that constitute "verses". But these examples don't have any responding refrain (such as "Lo right layo").

****
TEXT (WORDS ONLY) EXAMPLES OF "SEEN AN OLD LADY WALKIN' DOWN THE STREET
These examples are given in no particular order. Numbers are assigned for referencing purposes only.

I reformatted the lyrics in each of these examples to add a space after each rhyming/near rhyming couplet so that they would be more clearly seen. This doesn't mean that there is any space between how these lines are sung/chanted.

Text Example #1:
From http://www.army-cadence.com/saw-an-old-lady/

Old Lady (Marine Running Cadence)

I saw an old lady walkin� down the street.
She had a chute on her back, and jump boots on her feet.

I said, �Hey, Old Lady, where you goin� to?�
She said, �I�m goin� to the Army Airborne School.�

I said, �Hey, Old Lady, I think you�re too old;
You�d better leave that stuff to the brave and the bold.�

She said, �Listen, Sonny, I�m talking to you;
I�m an instructor at the Airborne School.�


I saw the same old lady walkin� down the street.
She had a pack on her back, jungle boots on her feet.

I said, �Hey, Old Lady, where you goin� to?�
She said, �I�m goin� to Marine Corps Recon School.�

I said, �Hey, Old Lady, I think you�re too old;
You�d better leave that stuff to the brave and the bold.�

She said, �Listen, Sonny, I�m talking to you;
I�m an instructor at the Recon School.�


I saw the old lady walkin� down the street.
She had a tank on her back, and fins on her feet.

I said, �Hey, Old Lady, where you goin� to?�
She said, �I�m goin to the Navy Diving School.�

I said, �Hey, Old Lady, I think you�re too old;
You�d better leave that stuff to the brave and the bold.�

She said, �Listen, Sonny, I�m talking to you;
I�m an instructor at the Diving School.�

I turned to leave, and she spun me around;
She kicked me in the head, and threw me to the ground.

I looked up through my tears, and with a voice full of fear,
I begged, �Please, Old Lady, don�t kill me right here.�

She said, �Listen, Sonny, don�t you mess with me;
I�m Airborne, Recon, and UDT!�

****
Text Example #2: SAW AN OLD LADY [Army]
From http://www.radford.edu/content/chbs/home/rotc/cadets/creeds-cadences.html

Saw an old lady running down the street
Had a cute on her back, jump boots on her feet

Said, "Hey old lady where you goin' to?"
She said "US Army Airborne School"

"Whatcha gonno do when you get there?"
"Jump from a plane, float through the air"

I said "Hey old lady ain't you been told?
Airborne School's for the young and the bold"

She said "Hey young punk who you talkin' to?
I'm an instructor at the Airborne School"


Saw an old lady marching down the road
Had a knife in her hand and a 90lb load

Said, "Hey old lady where you goin' to?"
She said "US Army Ranger School"

"Whatcha gonna do when you get there?"
"Jump and swim and kill without care"

I said "Hey old lady ain't you been told?
Ranger School's for the young and the bold"

She said "Hey young punk who you talkin' to?
I'm an instructor at the Ranger School"

Saw on old lady running down the track
Had fins on her feet and a tank on her back

Said, "Hey old lady where you goin' to?"
She said "US Army scuba School"

"Whatcha gonno do when you get there?"
"Swim under water and never breathe air"

I said, "Hey old lady ain't you been told?
Scuba School's for the young and the bold"

She said "Hey young punk who you talkin' to?
I'm an instructor at the Scuba School"

****
Text Example #3: Seen An Old Lady
From http://www.armystudyguide.com/content/cadence/running_cadence/seen-an-old-lady.shtml
Army Study Guide
Created by: PFC Deason

I Seen an old lady walkin down the street
She had a ruck on her back, jump boots on her feet.

I said hey old lady where you goin to
She said US Army Airborne school

I said hey old lady dont you think you're too old
You better leave that jumpin to the young and the bold

She said hey young punk who you talkin to
I'm a Jumpmaster from Airborne school.


Then I seen an old lady walkin down the street
She had ropes in her hand, jump boots on her feet.

I said hey old lady where you goin to
She sais US Army Air Assault school

I said hey old lady dont you think you're too old
You better leave that slidin to the young and the bold

She said hey young punk who you talkin to
I'm an instructor from Air Assault school


Then I seen an old lady walkin down the street
She had a tank on her back, and fins on her feet

I said hey old lady where you goin to
She said US Army scuba school

I said hey old lady dont you think you're too old
You better leave that divin to the young and the bold

She said hey young punk who you talkin to
I'm an instructor from scuba school
-snip-
Several additional examples of this cadence are found below.

****
SHOWCASE SOUND FILES (WITH TRANSCRIPTIONS & SELECTED COMMENTS)
Sound File Example #1: SEEN AN OLD LADY CADENCE [Army]

Seen An Old Lady Cadence (With Lyrics)



letseewhathappens101, Uploaded on Feb 13, 2010

I have gotten many requests from people to email them a cadence so I have added a download link enjoy and thanks for watching.

This is the transcription that is given in the summary. Repeat every line, except the words �I said� or �she said� words.

Seen an old lady running down the street da
Had a ruck on her back, jump boots on her feet
I said, "Old lady where you goin' to?"
She said "US Army Airborne School"

I said "Hey old lady ain't you been told?
Airborne School's for the young and the bold"
She said "Hey young punk who you talkin' to?
I'm an instructor at the Airborne School"
�Cause I�m hard core
Lean and mean
Fit to fight
Rock
steady
Rollin
Ready
Seen an old lady walkin down the street da
She had a ruck on her back and jump boots on her feet.
I said, "Old lady where you goin' to?"
She said "US Army Ranger School."
I said �Hey old lady ain�t you been told?

The Ranger Schools for the young and the bold.�
She said "Hey young punk who you talkin' to?
I'm an instructor at the Ranger School"
�Cause I�m hard core
Lean and mean
Fit to fight
Rock
steady
Rollin
Ready
Ready
Easy

Seen an old woman walkin down the street da
She had tanks on her back and fins on her feet
I said, "Old lady where you goin' to?"
She said "US Army Scuba School"
I said, "Hey old lady ain't you been told?
Scuba School's for the strong and the bold"
She said "Hey young punk who you talkin' to?
I'm an instructor at the Scuba School"
�Cause I�m hard core
Lean and mean
Fit to fight
Rock
Steady
Rock
Steady
Rollin
Ready
�Cause I�m hardcore
Lean and* mean
Fit to fight
Lookin good
Ought to be
Hollywood
- snip-
The phrase "rock steady" is also found in some versions of the military cadence �Mama Told Sally Not To Go Downtown� (and probably some other cadences). That phrase is probably lifted either from Aretha Franklin's 1972 R&B record with that title or The Whispers' 1987 R&B record with that title. I think it's unlikely that the phrase "rock steady" is from the Jamaican "Rock Steady" music genre. That music genre came around 1966 after Ska and and before Reggae.

-snip-
Here are selected comments from this sound file's discussion thread (Numbers assigned for referencing purposes only.)
1. love, 2011
"what cd is this from?"

**
Reply
2. letseewhathappens101, 2011
"@WhitneyDoll25 Its off a cadence CD i got while at Fort Knox called Modern Military Cadence."

**
3.ConnahWeeden, 2013
"Why do you sing as you run? Wouldn't that stuff up your rythm?"

**
Reply
4. Brody Zimmerman, 2013
"It helps you stay motivated and "singing a cadence while running or marching helps soldiers keep their heads up, take deeper breathes and exhale more forcefully. This increases oxygen to the lungs and gives the body more energy."

**
Reply
5. kiridoodle, 2016
"ConnahWeeden quite the contrary, running and singing helps keep a steady pace and helps us get farther in the run. For people who get too caught up and worry about the running part, cadence helps them take their minds off it and focus on something else. (I'm not in the Army but my JROTC Raider team sings cadence when we run)"

**
6. Bob Sergeant, 2013
"The second stanza is often sung thus:

Saw an old lady marching down the road
Had a knife in her hand and a 90 lb. load
Said, "Hey old lady, where you goin' to?"
She said, "US Army Ranger School"
Whatcha gonna do when you get there?
Jump, swim, and kill without a care
I said, "Hey old lady, ain't you been told?
Ranger School's for the brave and the bold."
She said, "Hey, now soldier, don't be a fool,
I'm an instructor at Ranger School!"

****
Sound File Example #2: Saw An Old Lady Walkin' Down the Street (Air Force)



Hard Corp Cadences Published on Aug 26, 2015
-snip-
Here is my transcription of this cadence (with the group repeating each line that is given below)

Saw an old woman walkin down the street
She had a pack on her back and boots on her feet
I said, "Old lady where you goin' to?"
She said "US Air Force to the rescue"
I said, "Ah ha�
�Ah ha�
Ah ha
Ah ha

I said �Hey old lady don�t you think you�re too old?�
You better leave that stuff to the young and the bold.�
She said Hey air man who you talkin to
She said I�m an instructor at per rescues
She said Ah ha
Ah ha
Ah ha
Ah ha

I saw an old man walkin down the street
He had tanks on his back and fins on his feet
I said �Hey old man where you going to
He said US Air Force scuba school
He said Ah ha
Ah ha
Ah ha
Ah ha
Ah ha
Ah ha
Ah ha

Hey old man don�t you think you�re too old
You better leave that stuff to the young and the bold.�
He said Hey air man who you talkin to
He said I�m an instructor at Scuba school
He said Ah ha
Ah ha
Ah ha
Ah ha
-snip-
Here are selected comments from this sound file's discussion thread (Numbers assigned for referencing purposes only.)
1. rtscaptain, 2013
This is a running cadence for those asking. Hence sung at a double time pace.

**
2. Vincent Palacios, 2016
"Is this a running cadence or walking, im pretty sure its running but im not completely sure, also what about the drive on cadence"

**
Reply
3. Isaac Mabry, 2016
"(Double time)Running cadence"

**
Reply
4. Hunter Hediger, 2016
"can be both, speed up for running, slow for marching.
drive on is marching"

**
5. Theseus9, 2017
"In the entire time of 3 years in the Marine Corps infantry (3rd Bn. 8th Mar) I never heard this one,....then I went to 3rd Recon, and we didn't do cadence...we just did ruck runs silent."

**
Reply
6. Don, 2017
"So, would you say that in general, Recon depended less on motivational devices like cadence and depended more on sheer will and hard discipline? Please do elaborate, I'm curious as to what separates Recon from the rest, mentally."

**
Reply
10. Theseus9, 2017
"+Don Well, I personally liked singing cadence when I was in the infantry, not necessarily did it motivate me, but it actually helps your breathing. Recon in a way is more individual, yes you have camaraderie and work in a team, but as for motivation it's a personal desire to be where you are and to get the mission done."

**
Reply
11. Don, 2017
"+Theseus9 Interesting. Yes I've figured cadence could be useful for breathing and shouting while on the move in combat, that's why even as nonmilitary I sing them. They are pleasing as well. Thanks for the response, it is fascinating stuff. Seems almost as if Recon and other elite groups are so overpowered through sheer iron will that they need no outer motivation. Quite the role models you guys make."

**
12. CyberManiac, 2017
"Did lyrics just like this, just added in CCT (Special Operations Training) and left it AHHA!"

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Categories: call and response military cadences YouTube viewer comment threads

Read More

Examples Of The United States Military Cadence "Mama Told Sally Not To Go Downtown"

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases various text (word only) and YouTube sound files of the United States military cadence "Mama Told Sally Not To Go Downtown".

It's my guess that these cadences are variant forms of the military cadence "Mama Told Johnny Not To Go Downtown."

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/05/mamma-told-johnny-not-to-go-downtown.html for a pancocojams post that showcases a text (word only) example and a video of the "standard" lyrics for the Marine Corps' cadence "Mama Told Johnny Not To Go Downtown".

Also, click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/05/msgt-mccants-usmc-ret-version-of.html for information and comments about as well as a text example and sound file of a variant form of "Mama Told Johnny Not To Go Downtown" that was written and recorded by Master Sergeant McCants, United States Marine Corps, retired.

****
The content of this post is presented for folkloric, cultural, and motivational purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the original composer/s of the "Mama Told Sally Not To Go Downtown" and thanks also to all those who are featured in these sound files and all those who are quoted in this post .

Thanks to all those who have honorably served and who are honorably serving in the United States Marine Corps and in other branches of the United States military.

****
Note that United States military cadences are also known as "jodies". Most of the examples of "Mama Told Johnny Not To Go Downtown" that I've read online are from the US Marine Corps. I've also read an example of this cadence from the US Army.

Click the "military cadences" tag below for additional examples of United States military cadences.

Please add to this collection by sharing the examples you know in the comment section. Remember, this is a family friendly cultural blog. Therefore, as per the policies of this blog, I don't accept comments/examples that include profanity fully spelled out or comments/examples that contain explicit sexual content.

Also, note that some military cadences include sexual references and curse words (profanity). As per the policy of this blog- I use amended spelling for curse words or indicated that "profanity is deleted".

****
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE MILITARY CADENCE "MAMA TOLD SALLY NOT TO GO DOWNTOWN"
The United States military cadence ("jody") "Mama Told Sally Not To Go Downtown" is a running cadence. This cadence is probably a variant form of the United States military cadence "Mama Told Johnny Not to Go Downtown."

Both "Mama Told Johnny Not To Go Downtown" and "Mama Told Sally Not To Go Downtown" begin with the same words, except for the difference in the gender name.

Johnny's mother tells him not to go downtown because the (insert the name of the military branch) recruiter is in town. He disobeys his mother, joins that military branch, and becomes a member of that armed service. At the end of the cadence Johnny's mother is told that he died with honor, saving other members who he fought along side of.

Sally's mother also tells her not to go downtown because there are too many members of [insert the name of that specific military branch]. Sally goes downtown anyway and connects up with at least one member of that armed service. Sally returns home, but finds out she is pregnant. This cadence often ends with Sally giving birth to a baby who comes out "swingin a chain" or "swingin on a chain". But other versions of this cadence end with the chanters listing accolades to their particular military branch.

To date, I've found examples of "Mama Told Sally Not To Go Downtown" that are attributed to these United States military branches (given in alphabetical order) - United States Air Force, United States Army, and United States Marines.

The YouTube recordings that I've heard of "Mama Told Sally Not To Go Downtown" sound very similar to me to the song "Hambone" ("Hambone Hambone, where you been?"*. The tempo is usually moderate, and the lyrics are relatively consistent.

*In contrast, I think that the recordings that I've heard of the standard version of "Mama Told Johnny Not To Go Downtown" sound somewhat like a slower version of the chorus of another folk song- "Old Dan Tucker".

****
SOME TEXT EXAMPLES OF THE MILITARY CADENCE "MAMA TOLD SALLY NOT TO GO DOWNTOWN"
These examples are given in no particular order. Numbers are assigned for referencing purposes only.
These examples were retrieved on May 29, 2017. The titles are given in capital letters to distinguish them from the example's text.

Note: Cadences are call & response compositions. The group response by repeating the exact same thing that the "caller" says.

Disclaimer: This is not meant to be a comprehensive listing of examples of this cadence.

Text Example #1:
From https://www.vetfriends.com/cadences/

DOWN TOWN CADENCE
Mama told sally not to go downtown,
Bunch of Airman hanging around.
Sally didnt listen and she went anyway,
Didnt come home till the very next day.
2 weeks later and she was doing well,
3 months later and she began to swell.
9 months later and out it came,
Bald headed airman swinging from a chain."

****
Text Example #2
From http://www.armystudyguide.com/content/cadence/running_cadence/sally.shtml

SALLY

Created by: SGT LARRY HOWARD

MAMMA TOLD SALLY NOT TO GO DOWN TOWN,
THEIR WERE TO MANY(YOUR PLT.OR COMPANY NAME)HANGIN AROUND,
SALLY PAID HER MIND* AND WENT ANYWAY,
DIDN'T COME HOME TILL THE VERY NEXT DAY,
3 MONTHS LATER ALL WAS WELL,
6 MONTHS LATER SHE BEGAN TO SWELL,
9 MONTHS LATER OUT IT CAME,
A BALD HEADED(CALL A SOLDIER'S NAME,I.E SGT HOWARD)SWINGIN A CHAIN,
HE WAS HARDCORE,
LEAN AND MEAN,
SLIM AND TRIM,
ROUGH AND TOUGH,
A FIGHTIN MACHINE.
-snip-
*My guess is that the word "no" is missing from this line, and that line should read "Sally paid her no mind� [i.e. she didn�t listen to her]

****
Text Example #3, #4, and #5 (partial example)
From http://www.military-quotes.com/forum/sally-cadence-t853.html

March 5th, 2004
dragon_master_gunner

Text Example #3 - SALLY CADENCE
info (my personal favorite version):

Mamma told Sally not to go Downtown;
Too many Tanker's hangin' around;
Sally got the a** and she went anyway;
Wore a little skirt, and she had to play;
Three months later, all is well;
Six months later she began to swell;
Nine months later, out it came:
A mad-dog-baby-tanker swingin' a chain!

**
Text Example #4

September 21st, 2004
03USMC

Oh come on now ya know no tread head got Sally.

SALLY CADENCE

Momma told Sally
Not to go down town.

To many Jarheads
hangin around.

That little girl
she disobeyed.

She went out
and got herself laid.

3 months later
all is well.

6 months later
beginin to swell.


That little girl
she disobeyed.

She went out
and got herself laid.

3 months later
all is well.

6 months later
beginin to swell.

9 months later
out it came.

A little baby Jarhead
swingin a chain.

singin

Skiborne Trooper
Paratrooper
Jungle Fighter
Scuba diver
Life of Danger
Recon Jarhead

**
Text Example #5
October 1st, 2004
kwinter74

"So many versions! lol.

I learned it like this:

9 months later
What a beautiful sight.

A little baby Ranger
ready to fight."
-snip-
definition of "jarhead"
From https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=jarhead
"A member of the United States Marine Corps. When used by civilians it could be considered derogatory, but it is used often among Marines.

The term originates from the "high and tight" haircut that many Marines have, which makes their head look like a jar. It did NOT originate from their uniform or cover.
"Oorah jarhead, semper fi!"
#marine#jar head#usmc#marines#marine corps
by Jay November 04, 2005

**
definition of "treadhead" (in this cadence)
From https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=treadhead
[This is one of several different definitions of that term on that page]
"A person who is fond of or has a fascination with armored fighting vehicles.
Joe went crazy at the Imperial armor museum when he saw the German tanks. He's such a treadhead.
#tankhead#militaria#hoplophobe#tredhed#tread-head
by jmt_tx May 14, 2009

****
Text Example #6
From https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:fsX3lHqBHPIJ:www.armyparatrooper.org/dropzone/showthread.php/3823-Favorite-Cadence/page2+&cd=9&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

Favorite Cadences, page 2
02-24-2009,
Stryker15-31
Originally Posted by RedFalcon

MOMMA TOLD SALLY

Momma told Sally not to go downtown
Too many Paratroopers hangin' around
Sally got the ass and she went anyway
Wearing stilleto heels and a neglige

Three months later, all was well
Six months later she began to swell
Nine months later - out it came
It was a little pararooper just a'swingin' a chain.
-snip-
No title was given for this example. I therefore used the first three words of the first line as the title.

****
Text Example #7
From http://www.armystudyguide.com/content/cadence/running_cadence/momma-told-sally.shtml
Army Study Guide

MOMMA TOLD SALLY

Created by: rick weaver

Momma told told Sally not to go downtown,
Too many Crewchiefs hangin' around.
Sally got the ass and she went anyway,
She didn't come home till late the next day.

Three months later, all was well,
Six months later, she began to swell,
Nine months later, out it came,
It was a bald headed Crewchief swingin' a chain.

Singin', "I'm Hardcore"
Motivated.

Dedicated.

Combat.

Ready.

Rollin'.

Steady.

We got the right, the right to rock steady,
We got to the right to roll when we're ready.
But when the time comes I got to be ready,
Willin and able to rock steady.
-snip-
The phrase "rock steady" is also found in some versions of the military cadence "Seen an old woman walkin down the street" (and probably some other cadences). That phrase is probably borrowed from either Aretha Franklin's 1972 R&B record, or The Whispers' 1987 R&B record and not its Jamaican usage, where "Rock Steady" was a music genre (around 1966) that came after Ska and came before Reggae.)

****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLES (Sound files)
Example #1: Air Force Cadence - Mama told Sally not to go downtown



Spencer Koerner Published on Aug 22, 2012

Another of my favorite USAF running cadences
-snip-
Here's my transcription of this sound file.

For all the cadence transcriptions on this page, the group repeats the exact same words that the "caller" says, the exact same way he says them.

Momma told Sally not to go downtown
She said too many Air men hangin' around
Sally didn't listen so she went anyway
Didn't come home till the very next day

Three months later, all was well
Four months later she began to swell
Nine months later and out it came
A bald little Air man swingin' on a chain.

Le righty layo
Lo righty layo
Le righty layo
Cruisin all the time.

That tune ends and the leader/group chants
Air Force!
Air Force!
Air Force!
Number One!
Second to none!
Standin tall!
Lookin good
We oughta be
Hollywood.
Hollywood.
-snip-
"Lookin good/Oughta be/Hollywood" are floating lyrics that I've found online (as of this date) in one other cadence � a version of �Saw An Old Lady Walkin Down The Street". "Outghta be Hollywood" = [I] ought be [in] Hollywood. "Hollywood" (California) is the motion picture capital of the United States. This self-boasting statement means that the man believes that he's so handsome that he should be a Hollywood actor (star).
.
****
Example #2: Mama Told Sally Not To Go Downtown (Air Force)



Hard Corp Cadences Published on Aug 26, 2015
-snip-
These lyrics are the same as those given in Example #1 except that this version uses the line "Two weeks later and all was well" instead of "three months later and all was well".

****
Example #3: Mama Told Sally Not to Go Downtown



The U.S Army Special Forces - Topic, Published on Sep 24, 2016

Momma told Sally not to go downtown
Too many Paratroopers hangin' around
Sally went down anyway
All she wore was a neglige

Three months later she began to swell
Six months later you could really tell
Nine months later - out it came
A little pararooper swingin' a chain.

Four months later she began to swell
Nine months later and out it came
A bald little Air man swingin' on a chain.

*****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Categories: call and response Mama Told Johnny Not To Go Downtown military cadences

Read More

MSgt McCants (USMC Ret) Version Of The Running Cadence "Mama Told Johnny Not To Go Downtown"

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a variant form of the United States military cadence "Mama Told Johnny Not To Go Downtown". This example is credited to Master Sergeant McCants United States Marine Corps (USMC) Retired. MSgt McCants is also known on YouTube as "TheScribe114".

This post showcases a YouTube sound file of this United States Marine Corp cadence that includes the cadence's lyrics in its summary. This post also includes selected comments from this sound file's discussion thread

The content of this post is presented for folkloric, cultural, and motivational purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the original composer/s of the "Mama Told Johnny Not To Go Downtown" cadence and thanks to Master Sergeant McCants for this version of that cadence. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.

Thanks to all those who have honorably served and who are honorably serving in the United States Marine Corps and in other branches of the United States military.

****
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/05/mamma-told-johnny-not-to-go-downtown.html for a pancocojams post that showcases a text (word only) example and a video of the "standard" lyrics for the Marine Corps' cadence "Mama Told Johnny Not To Go Downtown".

Also, click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/05/examples-of-united-states-military_30.html for a pancocojams post that showcases several examples of the related cadence "Mama Told Sally Not To Go Downtown". My guess is that that cadence began as a variant form of "Mama Told Johnny Not To Go Downtown".

Note that United States military cadences are also known as "jodies". Most of the examples of "Mama Told Johnny Not To Go Downtown" that I've read online are from the US Marine Corps. I've also read an example of this cadence from the US Army.

Also, note that some military cadences include sexual references and curse words (profanity). As per the policy of this blog- I use amended spelling for curse words or indicated that "profanity is deleted" (except for the words "damn" and "damned").

Click the "military cadences" tag below for additional examples of United States military cadences.

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO & LYRICS - Marine Corps running cadence with lyrics



Danny Brandt, Published on Dec 14, 2013
-snip-
**Lyrics below** (might be spelled wrong, or interpreted wrong. I apologize if it is). Originally done by TheScribe114 on YouTube, go check him out

lo right, a lo righty a lay o
lo right, a lefty righty a lo
lo right, a lo righty a lay o
lo right, a lefty righty a lay lo

Momma told Johnny not to go down town
Marine Corps recruiter was hanging around

Suzy told Johnny go serve your nation
take a cab down to the MEPS station

lo right, a lo righty a lay o
lo right, a lo righty a lay o

Momma told Johnny not to go down town
Marine Corps recruiter was hanging around

Suzy's in the bedroom, Jodie's at the window
Johnny's got his bags and he's ready to go

put Johnny on a greyhound bus
then there came the bends and thrusts

Drill Instructors trained him rough and hard
They taught him to fight, they taught him to march

lo right, a lo righty a lay o
lo right, a lo righty a lay o

Momma told Johnny not to go down town
Marine Corps recruiter was hanging around

it was short but long it seemed
Johnny had earned the title Marine

Johnny survived like all the rest
Johnny got popped on a urine analysis

Johnny thought he was one in a million
a urine sample made him a civilian

lo right, a lo righty a lay o
lo right, a lo righty a lay o

Momma Told Johnny not to go downtown
Marine Corps recruiter was hanging around...

I had a pig and his name was Sam
Sunday he was bacon, on Monday he was ham

Grinding my Ka-bar in the barn
While my donkey runs the farm

Got a steer and his name was Jake
Tuesday he was burgers on Wednesday he was steak

Grinding my ka-bar in the barn
while my donkey runs the farm

bare with me 'cause this may sound sick
Gotta strip out some baby chicks

Me and my donkey gonna take a little trip
The Colonel's in need of some Crispy strips

lo righty lo righty lo righty lo
lefty right a lo, here we go

Got two roosters named larry and Lee
One's going to Church's the other KFC

Grinding my ka-bar in the barn
While my donkey runs the farm

Got some lamb and a couple of sheep
Gotta have gyros and mutton ain't cheap

I still grind my ax in the barn
while my donkey runs the farm

lo righty lo righty lo righty lo
lefty righty lo, righty lo, righty lo

****
PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S COMMENTS ABOUT MILITARY CADENCES
[Revised May 30, 2017]

The United States military cadences that I've read or heard via YouTube use an "echo" call & response pattern. This call & response pattern is often found in African and African Diaspora vocal music. By "echo" call & response, I mean that the group (responders) repeat every line that the leader (caller) sings in exactly the same way that he (or she) sings those lines.

Some call & response cadences are composed of changeable rhyming and near rhyming couplets (two line rhyming or near rhyming verses) and a relatively fixed refrain (such as "lo right layo" ("left right left). The refrain may be sung at the beginning of the cadence, (and/or) at the end of the cadence, (and/or) after each rhyming or near rhyming couplet, or after a certain number of rhyming/or near rhyming couplets. But some call & response cadences have no fixed refrain, and only consists of the group exactly repeating each line that caller (leader) sings.

In this variant form of "Mama Told Johnny Not To Go Downtown" these rhyming verses are made up of two, three, four, or six separate couplets that are given together and sung before the cadence's relatively fixed refrain. The refrain for this version of "Mama Told Johnny No To Go Downtown" is "lo righty lo righty lo righty lo lefty righty lo, righty lo, righty lo" ("Lo righty layo"= "left, right, left"). Also, notice that some of these couplets in this version of "Mama Told Johnny Not To Go Downtown" don't necessarily have anything to do with being in the Marines.

The lyrics to this cadence that are written in this YouTube sound file's summary don't include a space between each couplet. I reformatted these lyrics to add a space after each rhyming/near rhyming couplet so that they would be more clearly seen. This doesn't mean that there is any space between how these lines are sung/chanted.

****
SELECTED COMMENTS
These comments are from the discussion thread for the sound file that is given above. They are given in chronological order except for replies, with the oldest comment given first. I've added numbers for referencing purposes only.

2015
1. TheScribe114
"Well I'll be damned.......that's me!

Wrote this back in 1988 in Okinawa at 9th MTBN.

ENJOY!!! MSgt McCants USMC Ret.?"
-snip-
For the historical record, I'll note that the photograph that is given with TheScribe144's comment is of a Black man.

**
Reply
1. iXads Official
"Oorah, Master Sergeant. Oorah!?"
-snip-
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oorah_(Marines)
"Oohrah is a battle cry common in the United States Marine Corps since the mid-20th century. The term means "charge." It is comparable to hooah in the US Army and the US Air Force, and hooyah in the US Navy and US Coast Guard. It is most commonly used to respond to a verbal greeting or as an expression of motivation."

**
2016
Reply
3. Michael Gibbs
"+TheScribe114 were you running when you did this or were you in a studio or something? dumb question?"

**
Reply
4. TheScribe114
"Studio, no one is going to follow us for 4-5 miles with a tape recorder."

**
Reply
5. Paul Tayag
"+TheScribe114 that's one hell of a cadence song, thanks for writing it and Semper Fidelis!?"

**
Reply
6. James White
"+TheScribe114 Early Discharge QUITE Honorably in Dec. '87, so We most likely chewed a lot of the same dirt, way back then, but BROTHER, I AM F&&KIN* LOVING THIS. SEMPER FI, I will be, With Your Permission, learn and tweak this for My Runners. eight , wanting to be back in shape blue-collar Ass-kickers from way back when, half are USMC BROTHERS, the rest are all Veterans. Oath-Keepers All, we call Ourselves the Retreads. Ready to go . At the drop of a Cover. OOOHRAH !?"
-snip-
*This word was fully spelled out in this comment.
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semper_fidelis
"Semper fidelis is a Latin phrase that means "always faithful" or "always loyal". It is the motto of the United States Marine Corps usually shortened to Semper fi. It is also in use as a motto for towns, families, schools, and military units."...

**
Reply
7. MisterTofu
"+TheScribe114 Was the singer you? Or are you just the writer?"

**
Reply
8. TheScribe114
"BOTH"

**
Reply
9. shadowtailsthewarrior, 2017
"well sir, you did very well with this one. thank you for this cadence and your service"

**
Reply
[This comment was written in reply to a comment that criticized this CD for being fake because it was done in a studio. In particular, the person who wrote that critical comment took issue with the stomping sounds in the background of this tape.]

10. ocdarjar gm, 2016
...this is a Mst Srgt, the sounds in the back are from 4 Marines stomping their boots, it was made in Japan for a new cadence contest in 1985 ...
-snip-
*As per the policy of this blog, I deleted profanity from the beginning and the end of this comment.

"Mst Srgt" = Master Sergeant

**
shadowstranger100, 2016
11. "This is gonna be my jogging song. Keeps you motivated and takes your mind of fatigue.
Imma sing the cadence out loud i dont give a dam if im the only one jogging?"

**
[The following sub-section of comments refer to the meanings of some of the lines in this cadence, particularly to the lines about farm animals and/or "popping on a urine analysis".]

12. Julian Hess
"Can you tell me master Sgt. what was the backround on why you chose to say the last part with the "I had a pig and his name was sam"? was that supposed to be about the marine on what he did after he was dishonorable discharge or was it random??

**
13. Zach Reaves
"im confused at the end about the kbar and barn part, can somone please explain the meaning behind it, also thank you for your service sir and lastly oorah, war on baby"

**
Reply
14. Reece Dignan
"Zach Reaves
Either he is referring to spending a bit of time with Pam and her Five sisters.
Or
He's referring to the USMC standard knife/bayonet and how he's grinding (sharpening it) and you see can see what he dose with it."
-snip-
from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ka-Bar
"Ka-Bar (trademarked as KA-BAR) is the contemporary popular name for the combat knife first adopted by the United States Marine Corps in November 1942 as the 1219C2 combat knife (later designated the USMC Mark 2 combat knife or Knife, Fighting Utility), and subsequently adopted by the United States Navy as the U.S. Navy utility knife, Mark 2."...
-snip-
It's highly likely that "ka-bar" in this military cadence (also) has a sexualized meaning.

**
15. Polaris F18
"Why did you say "the colonel is in need of some crispy strips"?"

**
Reply
16. Jovan Gorgievski
"It's from a joke A Rooster walks on a street and he saw whole chickens being grilled. And he said wow girls you are striped and getting some ten in solarium."
-snip-
The word "grilled" here means "being cooked on a grill".

The word "ten" is probably a typo for "tan".

Notice that "Colonel" is both a military rank and a referent for "Colonel Sanders", the fictional character who is associated with the national American [and international] fast food chain "KFC" (Kentucky Fried Chicken).

**.
Reply
17. Kryptic Panda
"I believe that by the line "I had a pig and his name was Sam" and the follow up line showing how the Marines themselves can be versatile. Of course by "grinding my Ka-Bar in the barn", he is sharpening his Ka-Bar, which is the traditional USMC Combat Knife. By "while my donkey runs the farm" he is referring to those POGs whom run the Marine Corps, but with the grunts doing the majority of it. Same thing when he mentions the Steer (a castrated cow) and the line afterwards, meaning the Marines can practically be anywhere at a moments notice. Again, with the mention of the Ka-Bar, he implies that he is going to "ship out" some more Marines from boot camp, to bring the Colonel back some 'chicken' (enemies). Finally, with the roosters I presume he means that one will pass, and another will fail. With the lamb and the sheep part he could possibly be talking about the goat/sheep farmers in the middle east"
-snip-
This commenter and several others provided literal explanations for some of the "farm" verses in this post. However, I believe that these verses aren't necessarily intended to be taken literally or the words may have a literal meaning or more than one literal meaning and, simultaneously, sexual meaning/s. For instance, a reference to a rooster in a military cadence is likely to be a coded referent to a vernacular term for a male's body part.

**
18. John Valenti
"Johnny got popped on a urine analysis
Johnny thought he was one in a million
can someone explain this part?"

**
Reply
19. Noah
"In any branch of the Military (International) you get tested for drugs, and he thought he wouldn't get found after he had drugs."

**?
Reply
20. Ricochet Gaming
"Marijuana."

**?
Reply
21. Hero Clan
"He failed his drug test and only a few are built to be Marines hence the "one in a million"?"

**
Reply
22. Scali Bread
"Before bootcamp you take a drug test and they don't tell you your results until the end of bootcamp so if you tested positive for any drugs they will discharge you at the end of bootcamp, so it would be basically 13 weeks of hell for nothing..."

**
Reply
23. Greg Andris
"They'll kick you out before any training occurs, they piss test everyone the first 2 days of boot camp and results are within days. They're not gonna waste time and money and knowledge on a drug pop. The one and only place its acceptable to pop on a piss test is at the recruiting station before going into MEPS or poole training."

**
Reply
24. Colonel Teehee, 2017
"Moral of the story, don't do drugs..."

**
25. BIlly the SMall Bong thorton from india
"first time we ran this in basic. i started laughing so damn hard when the instructor screamed "johnny got popped on a urine test" then we had to all stop while still laughing did 100 push ups. yeah for the next 48 hours i was forced to march while singing that till i stopped laughing at the part. still one of the best times i had while in the corp."?
-snip-
I wonder whether the word "popped" in "popped a urine analysis" (drug test) has anything to do with the term "pop quiz", meaning a quiz that a teacher "pops" (surprises) her or his students with (without any forewarning.
snip-
This is the end of that sub-section of these selected comments.

**
26. 2027850
"Far cry from the cadences my platoon chanted They are historical considering the times, and NOT politically correct:...
-snip-
This comment concluded with a bawdy (dirty) cadence example.

****
2017
27. Seth de Jesus
"Best variation of momma told johnny not to go downtown I've ever heard, hands down."

**
[This next comment is written in response to a commenter who wrote that singing this cadence helped him take his mind off of the pain of running and helped him run farther than he thought he could.]

**
28. Thomas Kerekes
"shadowstranger100 you are absolutely correct. I was never able to do 2 and a half miles without stopping and yesterday I didnt even realize but I did close to 3 miles without stopping because of this cadence. This is the best cadence from all the branches so far"

**
Reply
29. James B
"shadowstranger100 actually.....ANY cadence can do it.....but TY so much for choosing a USMC cadence.
That's the psychology of cadence's....you have nailed it....they take your mind off the fatigue & pain"

**
Reply
30. David L
"James B Yes, same as the songs slaves sang in the fields. The rhythmic sound not only keeps you in rhythm, regulates breathing and keeps your mind of the pain. Seeing how the first cadence was by a black soldier just trying to lift the soldiers spirits as they were on a long march. The leaders saw how everyone went from dragging to snapping their step and keeping time. So the Duckworth Chant was born and incorporated into every branches marches. With slight variations. Thank you Pvt. Duckworth for your contribution."

**
Reply
31. Jim Porter
"+David L, actually between the slaves in the fields and the black soldiers, there were the black railroad workers who maintained, straightened, and laid replacement track. Because the work was brutal even for strong men, the bosses learned, as their field boss counterparts before them, that they could keep the work going better by the use of cadence songs. The boss would sing, then use words like OOh, AHH. On the catch words Ooh, Ahh, the workers would make the necessary moves, usually straightening the tracks. So it was something like, "Sally, sally, don't you know? I can make your belly grow. Ooh! Ahh1." It just made for a break in the monotony of the work, and a little humor to keep the track workers' morale going."

**
Reply
32. deadhead686
"They were called gandy dancers, they had to be in rythem to lay the railroad tracks properly."

**
33. the sniper on the hill
"TheScribe114 I found u in a di cadence calling contest in San Diego"

**
34. Linda Olivarez
"the song may be old but is still in the marine cadence songs"
-snip-
I don't know if this comment refers to the "Mama Told Johnny Not To Go Downtown" cadence in general, or to this specific version of that cadence.

**
35. Peter Asterino
"still sounds good 64 yrs after I left PI. Jarhead 1953"
-snip-
"Jarhead" is an acceptable colloquial referent for a Marine.

**
36. American Hunter
"TheScribe114 I am a Staff Sergeant in the Army getting ready to be a Sergeant First Class, great cadence. Motivating. If you do not mind I am going to adopt it for my soldiers. Of course with changes"

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Categories: African American folk songs military cadences YouTube viewer comment threads

Read More

Africans' Childhood Memories Of Yvonne Chaka Chaka's song "Umqombothis"

Eddited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases South African singer Yvonne Chaka Chaka's late 1980s hit song "Umqombothi" ("African Beer").

Particular attention is given in this post to a sample of comments from African people about their childhood memories about Yvonne Chaka Chaka's record "Umquombothi". These comments reflect the unity that Africans have experienced and can experience as a result of recorded music from one African nation being popularized throughout the entire African continent and beyond.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Yvonne Chaka Chaka for her musical legacy and social activism. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SONG "UMQOMBOTHI"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umqombothi_(song)
"Umqombothi" ("African Beer"; Xhosa pronunciation: [um?k?!ombo?t?i]) is a song famously performed by South African singer Yvonne Chaka Chaka. It was composed by Sello "Chicco" Twala and Attie van Wyk.

Umqombothi, in Xhosa, is a beer commonly found in South Africa made from maize, maize malt, sorghum malt, yeast and water.

Hotel Rwanda featured "Umqombothi" in the beginning of the film.

"Umqombothi"
Single by Yvonne Chaka Chaka
from the album Thank you Mr. DJ
Released 1988
Format Cassette, CD single
Recorded 1988
Writer(s) Sello "Chicco" Twala and Attie van Wyk"
-snip-
The South African song "Umqombothi" is in English and Xhosa languages.

****
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yvonne_Chaka_Chaka
"Yvonne Chaka Chaka (born Yvonne Machaka in 1965) is an internationally recognised and highly respected South African singer, songwriter, entrepreneur, humanitarian and teacher. Dubbed the "Princess of Africa" (a name she received after a 1990 tour), Chaka Chaka has been at the forefront of South African popular music for 27 years and has been popular in Zimbabwe, Kenya, Gabon, Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast.[3] Songs like "I'm Burning Up", "Thank You Mister DJ", "I Cry for Freedom", "Makoti", "Motherland" and the ever-popular "Umqombothi" ("African Beer") ensured Yvonne's stardom. The song "Umqombothi" was featured in the opening scene of the 2004 movie Hotel Rwanda.

As a young performer Yvonne was the first Black child[4] to appear on South African television in 1981. Since then, she has shared the stage with persons such as Bono, Angelique Kidjo, Annie Lennox, Youssou N�Dour, the classic rock band Queen and South Africans Johnny Clegg, Miriam Makeba and Hugh Masekela, to name a few...

Yvonne is a champion for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, the United Nations MDG Envoy for Africa, and the Goodwill Ambassador for the Roll Back Malaria Partnership. She was chosen by Nelson Mandela as the first ambassador for his children's fund, and has also established her own charity, the Princess of Africa Foundation, using the name first given to her in Uganda. The Princess of Africa Foundation is a partner of the ACTION global health advocacy partnership."...

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: Yvonne Chaka Chaka - Umqombothi - Original copy off Master Tape - High Quality (HQ) SD



1ought2, Published on Jun 1, 2012

This was Yvonnes big hit that really introduced her to Africa. Bigger than 'I'm In Love With A DJ' and went viral Afica wide. The video was shot in October 1986 in varios locations in Johannesburg and out at Heia Safari Ranch near Muldersdrift. Filmed on 16mm Arri. DOP Roy MacGregor, styled by Leigh vd Merwe, produced by Pierre Hinch for S&H Films. Record co is Dephon, Phil Hollis. The video was Written, edited and directed by a young Makhlari. The aim was to put sneak in some social commentary desguised as celebration. It was the apartheid era afterall and little dissent could be shown on TV.

****
LYRICS: UMQOMBOTHI
(composed by Sello "Chicco" Twala and Attie van Wyk)

Verse
I work hard every day
To make my beer
(Umqombothi)
Wake up early every morning
To please my people with African beer
(Umqombothi)
I make sure the fire burns
To make my beer
(Umqombothi)
My special beer Umqombothi
(Umqombothi)
Is African beer

Chorus
We MaDlamini (Everybody)
Uph'umqombothi (Come and drink my)
We MaDlamini (magic beer)
Uph'umqombothi

Verse
I work hard to make them happy
Every weekend (Umqombothi)
Makes them party to the rhythm
Makes them dance, this magic beer (Umqobothi)
I wanna make you happy (Umqobothi)
I wanna make you smile (Umqobothi)
I wanna make you dance (Umqobothi), dance
I'll make sure there's a party
Where they drink my special beer
Umqombothi is magic beer
Umqombothi is African beer

Chorus 3x
We MaDlamini (Everybody)
Uph'umqombothi (nawu)
We MaDlamini Uph'umqombothi (nawu madoda)
Wozani ka MaDlamini
Wozani ngithi wozani
Wozani ka MaDlamini
Come on I wanna make you happy
I wanna make you smile lets boogie together
Umqombothi (Umqombothi)
I work hard every day
To please my people with African beer

posted by Ganiu Aladeola, 2016 in the discussion thread for https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z07zZeeRZ-o [the video that is embedded in this post]

****
COMMENTS ABOUT THE SOCIAL ACTIVISM MEANINGS OF THE SONG "UMQOMBOTHI"
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z07zZeeRZ-o

kigozi muhammad, 2016
"for those who didn't this was a historical song. i don't know some of the non-English words they are saying but all i know it was a song of defiance by Africans from buying white industrialized liquor. so most Africans viced means to make local beer . so that's the foundation of this beautiful song

Reply
Mrsuperafrosamurai, 2016
"+kigozi muhammad Umqombothi is a traditional beer, also used after the circumcision ritual to become a man. isiXhosa and amaZulu (maybe all Ndebele) drink it. It was being made a long long time before Europeans came to Africa."

**
lubo yot, 2016
"This song encapsulates African way of life . It has deep meanings beyond what you see on the surface."

****
COMMENTS FROM AFRICANS ABOUT THEIR MEMORIES OF YVONNE CHAKA CHAKA'S SONG "UMQOMBOTHI"
These comments from the discussion thread of this showcased video are only a sample of the comments from people throughout Africa about their memories of Yvonne Chaka Chaka's song "Umqombothi". A few other comments besides Africans also recalled their childhood memories of this song. There are also other comments in that discussion thread, including comments about Yvonne Chaka Chaka's musical career and her positive social activism roles.

These selected comments are presented in chronological order with the oldest comments given first. Numbers have been assigned to these comments for referencing purposes only.

2013
1. jes yoncy
"i luv ds song so mch...it remnds me of my childhood back in TANZANIA...LUV U YVONNE"

**
2. TheIwittness
"Like if you're Kenyan and always sang this as "Yesu Mkobozi" as a kid! I did!!!!"
-snip-
"Yesu Mkobozi" is Swahili for "Jesus Deliver" - the implication is that the Kenyan commenter misunderstood the words of this song.

**
3. Jazzy Jay
"Omgg my family play this songs at every celebrations.. Love it #liberian"

****
2015
4. badex Inc
"This song was huge in Nigeria! i remember growing up to this. Nostalgia brought me to this page. yvonne chaka chaka is an adorable woman with a great voice!"

****
2016
5. David Kialain, Jr.
"This is the jam of the 80's. I grew up in listening to this tune in Liberia on all the radio stations back then."

**
6. Herve-greg Kabonte
"I'm from DR Congo; this song remember me my childhood.
Even if we were not able to understand the language, the music was so nice that we liked it too much.
Thanks for posting that!"

**
Reply
7. Blanchard Mwanza
"+Herve-greg Kabonte Wow I'm also from DR congo I also didn't know the language but we danced to it as kids"

**
Reply
8. Josiane Mudahemuka
"I'm from Burundi and I feel the same way as you.I was like 5 or 6 when they used to play it and everyone who was named Yvonne would call herself Chaka Chaka...thenn she came to Burundi for a concert late 2000's.I knew most of her songs.She is amazing.Someone removed Makoti from Youtube and I'm not happy about it.I loved the song and now that I can understand it I love it more."

**
Reply
9. Azam Jimma
"I'm from Oromia, Ethiopia have same like you guys ..wasn't understood but love it like crazy"

**
10. Sherbet_Bomb
"Australian born but I'm of Zimbabwean descent from my mothers side. I used to hear this song alot as a kid. Thought I don't drink, I find this song delightful."

**
11. Wendy Lovejoy
"This reminds me of growing up in South Africa and how all the relatives and friends came over for Zulu beer and fun. The good old days!."...

**
12. Mamadu Sall
"Thank you! I like this son I remember when I was 7 years old in Sierra Leone, this son[g] was popular everywhere you pass he's playing. Welcome south Africa ���$@&"

**
13. moy topo
"i'm from Ethiopia; this song remember me my childhood when i was in Kenya.
Even though if i was not able to understand the language, the music was so nice that we liked it too much."

**
14. Corona Cermak
"God, this is still soooooo good song. I will forever listen to it. In Tanzania street I danced this song anywhere I heard it when I was a kid. And today it still makes me smile, jump and dance with so much love. Thanks for posting it. Soo Much love"

**
15. accraboi1
"ow. I remember hearing this song in Ghana as kid back in the 90's wow. I finally find it."

**
16. Jabulani Dube
"Danced to this song for decades, with not even an idea of what the words mean! That was when Zimbabwe was still a country!"

**
17. brice seho
"ooooooohhhhh!!!!!!! my childhood in Cotonou/Benin/west africa"

**
Reply
18. Zainabu Shoko
"my childhood too - Kenya! she was all over Africa! love it..."

**
Reply
19. Sandra Godwin, 2017
"Same thing in tanzania"

**
20. Miriam Sang
"Childhood memories of us in kenya watching and re-watching her d.v.d...those were the days...just LIT!"
-snip-
"Lit" here is an African American originated vernacular term meaning something "hot" i.e. great.

**
21. amor Oiradh
"I`m from Mozambique, i love this song, this song rebember me my childhood!!!!"

**
22. Jennifer Mbah
"I'm from Cameroon and I used to love this song when i was younger. I'm so happy I found it !!"

****
2017
23. Tchekouille N.E.A
"I'm Cameroonian, i live in France but this song it's all my childhood...
Yvonne Chaka Chaka!!!"

**
24. Mawolo Mulbah
"This song is a true spirit of Africa as a whole. Each time I listen to it it reminds me about my childhood days growing up in Liberia. I Looovveee iiiittttt!??"

**
25. Ugonna Etoh
"I can"t forget those olden days my grand father always plays this lovely song with his gramma fone along side his kegs of palm wine.. ww beautiful song from Yvonne...."

**
26. Kingfloss jiggles
"From Nigeria, born in 1994 but this song was still a staple of My childhood.
One love brothers and sisters, no matter what language and culture, we are all one.
Viva Africa"

**
27. Prince Wako
"March.2017 still watching. Im Norwegian of African decency (East Africa Uganda). Old African Music is great. I love love love this Song #ChildhoodMemories. It gives me peace of mind thinking of the good times with family. Yvonne Chaka Chaka was really a great musician"

**
28. Michelle Udo
"i would always listen to this when i was little and i thought it said "everybody come and see my african queen" and thats what i looked up because i didn't know who made the song. now i know why my mom was always laughing when we would sing this."

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Categories: African unity South African music and dance YouTube viewer comment threads Yvonne Chaka Chaka

Read More

Karen Chintelelwe - Ni Lesafye (Zambian Gospel video, information, & comments)

Eddited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases the Gospel song "Ni Lesa fye" by Zambian Gospel singer Karen Chintelelwe.

Information about Zambia, information about the Bembe language that I believe is used for this song, and information about this vocalist are also included in this post. In addition, this post presents selected comments from this video's discussion thread and from another YouTube sound file of Karen __ 's performance of this song.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Karen Chintelelwe for this beautiful song. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.

****
PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE: REQUEST THAT PUBLISHERS OF YOUTUBE VIDEOS INCLUDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE VIDEOS THAT THEY PUBLISH ON YOUTUBE [with the sub-title: How I found some information about Zambian Gospel singer Karen Chintelelwe and her song Ni Lesafye]

There are two YouTube videos and one sound files with the title "Ni Lesafye" by Karen (no last name given). There are other YouTube videos and sound files with this title by other singers who are presumably from Zambia as this examples are given in Zambia's YouTube listings. Unfortunately, only a few of the YouTube examples of this song include comments and none of them include any information about the language used, or any song lyrics or any information about the meaning of the song's title in English or any other language, or any summary of this song in any language.

It's true that you can arrive at a general sense of what this song means by reading the comments in the discussion thread for the video that is featured in this post, but it would be very helpful to those who don't understand this language (and don't even know which language it is) if the YouTube publisher and/or the commenters who do understand this language would be considerate of those who don't understand the language/s that the singers are using.

I tried to find online lyrics for "Ni Lesafye" as sung by Karen or by anyone else-, but had no success.

I then tried googling the words "Ni Kesafye" and only got one "hit"- a Google book about Bemba language proverbs:

Google Book: "PA NSAKA" BEMBA PROVERBS & SAYINGS 1 (Explained both in English and Bemba)
By Joseph Mwila Bwembya
p. 151
"proverb 955

a) Lesafye eukancimfisahako nokulandula abalwani bani
b) God is my avenger"
-snip-
I learned from that Google book page that the word "Lesafye" translates to "God" in English. Having read the comments in that video's discussion thread, I had guessed that the song was about God helping people in their times of need. And I was glad to learn which word in that song's title means "God" (note: "Lesafye" is also given as "Lesa fye" in that video's discussion thread.)

That Google book about Bemba proverbs also suggested the language that the vocalist used for that song was was Bemba. However, because I didn't know anything about the Bemba people/language, I needed to confirm that Bembas were a Zambian ethnic group. So I googled "Bemba ethnic group" and clicked on the Wikipedia link for "Bemba". That Wikipedia page confirmed that Bemba people are from Zambia.

I then googled "Karen Zambian Gospel singer" and found this singer's first and last name. That led me to the article excerpt that is given below and this link to an August 2016 Gospel video by Karen with her full name "Karen Chintelelwe Official Video" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVmhO8o_NM8

The point of this note is that it shouldn't be this difficult for people throughout the world to find information about music videos and vocalists who feature their music on an international platform such as YouTube.

I'm sorry that I don't understand any language but English, and sometimes I may not even be able to guess which language it is or which nation it comes from.

Please help people throughout the world who appreciate African music and want to know more about the songs that are showcased on YouTube by adding information about the songs that you share on YouTube-including by identifying the nation or nations where the vocalists are from, identifying the language or languages that are used in the song, and sharing a summary of the song's meaning if not the lyrics themselves. And please share that information in English, or French or Portuguese or Spanish, or Swahili or Yoruba as these are some of the languages that can be translated by the Google translate feature as it is found to date.

Thank you.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT ZAMBIA
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zambia
"Zambia ... officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa,[8] neighbouring the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west. The capital city is Lusaka, in the south-central part of Zambia. The population is concentrated mainly around Lusaka in the south and the Copperbelt Province to the northwest, the core economic hubs of the country."...

****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE BEMBA ETHNIC GROUP
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bemba_people
"The Bemba (or 'BaBemba' using the Ba- prefix to mean 'people of', and also called 'Awemba' or 'BaWemba' in the past) belong to a large group of Bantu peoples mainly in the Northern, Luapula and Copperbelt Provinces of Zambia who trace their origins to the Luba and Lunda states of the upper Congo basin, in what became Katanga Province in southern Congo-Kinshasa (DRC). They are one of the larger ethnic group in Zambia. (A few other tribes in the Northern, Luapula and Copperbelt provinces of Zambia speak languages that are similar to Bemba but are not the same (E.g. Lamba, Mambwe, Bisa etc.). Bemba history is a major historical phenomenon in the development of chieftainship in a large and culturally homogeneous region of central Africa."

****
INFORMATION ABOUT KAREN CHINTELELWE
From http://lusakavoice.com/2013/08/20/karen-arguably-the-finest-gospel-diva-of-her-generation/ "Karen, arguably the finest gospel diva of her generation"
20/08/2013, [by] FELIX NYAMBE � Zambia Daily Mail

[...]

"Karen
Arguably the finest gospel diva of her generation, Karen has always been an inspiring minister of the gospel that she is intended to be.

She burst on the Christian music with some defining gem of an album titled Enough, on which she staggered and castigated the devil and his elements.
The album contained songs such as Azayankha, Ni Lesa Fye, Muzimu Oyera, Set Boundaries, Umubili Tautasha and Ngafweni Lesa.

I marvelled at the only video of Ngafweni Lesa and I guess there is nothing refreshing like the song itself when Karen sings her worship song.

She later announced that other videos, in addition to her stunning Chintelelwe from her previous album Who Can Say?, will be unveiled to the market �soon�."...

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO - Karen Ni Lesafye



sfezed, Published on Dec 17, 2012
-snip-
Here are some selected comments from this video's discussion thread with numbers assigned for referencing purposes only:

1. Josephine Mutale, 2014
"ni lesafya chachina, its true its only god who makes things easier, love this song... our god is good, thanks for posting."

**
2. Peter Chitabanta, 2014
"I will never stop listening to this music because of my elder sister who had it as a tone after the loss of her husband last year!..... I have never my sister so passionate about God.... This song changed her whole being!....Keep it up Karen it is true ni Lesa fye. "It's only God" who can do it!"

**
3.Patrick Lupanda, 2014
"awe chachina, We can only manage with the almighty GOD."

**
4. Abigail Phiri, 2014
"Ni Lesa fye for real. Great song karen. It strengthens me"

**
5. Refilwe Molefi, 2015
"Guys please share lyrics, i love Zambian music, and i feel this song. I have no idea what the song is saying, i love the beat, the calmity of the song. Please translate as you post lyrics. Thank you."

**
Reply
6. Refilwe Molefi, 2015
"Thank you Kassy, okay summarize it for me. I have to learn this language. God bless.
-snip-
I didn't find any comment from Kassy in this discussion thread and no responses to Refilwe Molefi's request are shown as of the date of this pancocojams post.

**
7. Veronica Chipatela, 2016
"great song God bless zambia"
-snip-
This comment indicated that this video was from Zambia. That wasn't indicated in the video summary.

****
A shorter video of Karen singing this song is also found on YouTube "Karen Ni Lesa Fye Video Clip" by
Eugene kass (Feb 11, 2013). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsYTPr_ro9g. As of this date that video has only one comment - by Abigail Phiri, 2013 "Great song, strengthens me."?

****
A sound file entitled "Ni Lesa fye" was published on YouTube by destinyhive on December 19, 2010. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgBIKrVby7c. That publisher didn't give the singer's name, but did add in the summary that this was "Zambian Gospel Music".
A commenter wrote that the singer's name is Karen, in response to a request for that information by another commenter.

Here are selected comments from this sound file (numbers assigned for referencing purposes only)
1. Larson Mutembu, 2012
"Wonderful & encouranging song & good singing. Yes, it's only God who can help us & it's His power & grace that is able to sustain us in all that we go through."

**
2. george chisanga, 2012
"THIS SONG I FIRST HEARD FROM MY I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DESCRIBE THE RELATIONSHIP, ANYWAY I WAS SO TOUCHED SUCH THAT I BROKE INTO TEARS, I AM GOING THROUGH HARD TIMES WHERE THERE SEEMS TO BE NO LIGHT AT THE END,I WAS REALLY LOOKING FOR THIS SONG AND THANKS FOR POSTING IT, JUST BELIEVING FOR THE BEST AND TRUSTING GOD BECAUSE NILESAFYE"

**
3. cabica benjani, 2013
"I love this song! its so true ;- Ni Lesa fye ine...namaka yakwe...Amen..can some one be kind enough 2 tell me who sang this song pls..where can i find her songs"

**
Reply
4. mitchelle chiyala, 2013
"her name is karen her songs are on cd,shes gt good songs"

**
6. Mulotwa Mulewa, 2015
"Indeed it is out of the grace of the almighty that we manage ,not out of our own powers.thanks to all who contributed and may the glory be to the almighty Jehovah. Mathews 5 vs 16"

**
6. Chase Johnstone, 2016
"Ni Lesa fye, the song is beautiful thanks to the singer."

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Categories: Southern African music and dance Zambian Gospel music

Read More

Kolesa Gospel Band (Namibia) - Fugena (video & comments)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases the Gospel song "Fugena" by the Namibian Gospel group Kolesa Gospel Band.

Selected comments from this video's discussion thread are also included in this post.

Some commenters shared that this song is in the Chokwe language. If you understand this language, please share this song's lyrics or at least a summary of this song in English or in Portuguese or French or some other language that can be translated via Google translate. Thanks!

Information about the Chokwe people is also included in this post.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Kolesa Gospel Band for this beautiful song. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE CHOKWE ETHNIC GROUP
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chokwe_people
"The Chokwe people, also called Ciokwe, Cokwe, Tchokwe, Bajokwe or Badjok, are an ethnic group of Central and Southern Africa. They are found primarily in Angola, south-western parts of Democratic Republic of the Congo (Kinshasa to Lualaba), and northwestern parts of Zambia.[1]"...

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: KOLESA Gospel Band - Fungena (official video)



INCH Videos, Published on May 24, 2016
-snip-
Selected comments from this video's discussion thread. These comments are numbered for referencing purposes only.
1. acacio zeza uanda, 2016
"Sou da tribo chokwe, fiquei surpreso em ver este grupo KOLESA. GOSTARIA DE FAZER ALGUMAS PERGUNTAS.1. ESTE GRUPO � DE QUE PAIS EM AFRICA?2. EU SOU DE ANGOLA DA REGIAO LESTE E FALO CHOKWE.3. TENHO MUITO INTERESSE EM SABER DOS MEUS IRMAOS, POIS ESTOU SURPRESO E MUITO EM VER ALGUEM QUE FALA MINHA LINGUAPROFESSOR DOUTOR ACACIO ZEZA UANDAAGUARDO NOTICIASMERCI BEACOUP"
-snip-
[Google translate from Portuguese to English]
"I'm from the chokwe tribe, I was surprised to see this KOLESA group. I WOULD LIKE TO DO SOME QUESTIONS. THIS GROUP IS WHAT COUNTRY IN AFRICA? I AM FROM ANGOLA FROM THE EAST REGION AND I SPEAK CHOKWE.3. I HAVE A LOT OF INTEREST IN KNOWING MY BROTHERS, BECAUSE I AM SURPRISE AND VERY VERY VERY SOMEONE WHO SPEAKS MY LINGUA PROFESSOR DOCTOR ACACIO ZEZA UANDAAGUARDO NEWSMERCI BEACOUP" [French "Thank you."

**
2. acacio zeza uanda, 2016
"Moyoweno
I am this Tchokwe , tribe living in Angola . I liked
the music very much. I would like to know this group is that country?
parabens my brothers , not imagined to find my tribe
elsewhere .please would like to see more of this music
group aben�ado. DR . Acacio Zeza wanda"

**
3. Iyaloo Konstantinus, 2016
"Very nice gospel song, what language is this?"

**
Reply
4. Jakob Muleka, 2017
"Chokwe"

**
5. Brenda Wellano, 2016
"Which country you are from?"

**
Reply
6. INCH Videos, 2016
"Namibia"

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.



Faussy Lala6 months ago
I love this band. I wished I can understand the language
Reply
Jakob Muleka5 months ago
It is nice song in My Language (Chokwe) and the song is available in the Hym book

acacio zeza uanda10 months ago
Moyoweno
I am this Tchokwe , tribe living in Angola . I liked
the music very much. I would like to know this group is that country?
parabens my brothers , not imagined to find my tribe
elsewhere .please would like to see more of this music
group aben�ado. DR . Acacio Zeza wanda

Categories: Namibian languages Namibian music and dance Southern African music and dance

Read More

Information About & YouTube Examples Of The Singing Game "All Around The Kitchen"

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post provides information about and examples of the African American originated children's singing game "All Around The Kitchen".

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

The Addendum to this post features a picture book with the title "All Around The Kitchen". This sing along storybook is a jazz flavored adaptation of that singing game.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the unknown composer of this singing game and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks to all those who published these examples on YouTube.
-snip-
The two line rhyming verses (couplets) that are found in singing games such as "All Around The Kitchen" are similar to the rhyming patter of square dance callers. Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/05/square-dance-caller-researcher-phil.html for Part I of a two part series on the African influence on American square dance.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT AND LYRICS FOR THE SINGING GAME "ALL AROUND THE KITCHEN"
This is an amended version of a comment that I wrote in 2007 on the Mudcat folk music forum in response to a query about the singing game "All Around The Kitchen". I've added some additional verses to the ones that I shared in 2007 and have also added and reformatted the performance direction comments.

http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=104001 Lyr Add:: all around the kitchen cock-a-doodle [Lyr=Lyrics; Add=Additions]

"Oh!! I like that song! I sang this song with my children when they were litte, and they loved it. And I've used it as part of my repertoire of children's songs at the Alafia Children's Ensemble after-school groups that I facilitated for children 5-12 years old. In addition, I've included it in my repertoire of movement songs for children at summer camps, I encouraged the teen camp aides and adults camp counselors {leaders of specific groups whose roles are somewhat like teachers} to join in the performance of this song. And many of them enjoyed do so.

"All Around The Kitchen" is a call & response song which is improvisational and open ended, so you can use any rhyming couplets that you want which give movement directions.

Here's the words that I usually use for this singing game:

ALL AROUND THE KITCHEN

Chorus:
Leader: All around the kitchen
Everyone: Cock-a-doddle doodle do

Leader: All around the kitchen
Everyone: Cock-a-doddle doodle do

Verse 1
Leader: Now you stop right still
Everyone: Cock-a-doddle doodle do
Leader: Put your hands on your hips
Everyone: Cock-a-doodle doodle do
Leader: And let your right foot slip
Everyone: Cock-a-doodle doodle do

Chorus

Verse 2
Leader: Now you stop right still
Everyone: Cock-a-doddle doodle do
Leader: And you turn around
Everyone: Cock-a-doddle doodle do
Leader: Then you touch the ground
Everyone: Cock-a-doddle doodle do

Chorus

Verse 3:
Leader: Now you stop right still
Everyone: Cock-a-doddle doodle do
And you touch your toes
Everyone: Cock-a-doddle doodle do
Then you touch your nose
Everyone: Cock-a-doddle doodle do

Chorus

Verse 4
Leader: Now you stop right still
Everyone: Cock-a-doddle doodle do
Leader: Put your hand on your ear.
Everyone: Cock-a-doddle doodle do
Leader: And leave it right there
Everyone: Cock-a-doddle doodle do

Verse 5
Leader: Now you stop right still
Everyone: Cock-a-doddle doodle do
Leader: Put your hands in the sky
Everyone: Cock-a-doddle doodle do
Leader: And wave them up high
Everyone: Cock-a-doddle doodle do
-snip-
The leader can repeat any verse that she (or he) chooses to whenever she (or he) wants to.

DIRECTIONS:
Participants stand in a vertical line with a designated leader in front. That person leads the group in strutting in an often zig zag motion around the room or the designated play area while she (or he) and the rest of the group sings the chorus.

On the words "cock-a-doodle-do" the entire group imitates a rooster by acting like they have wings (put their right hand and their left hand in their arm pits and move them up and down to the beat).

When the leader sings "Now you stop right till", everyone stops in place.

The leader sing the rhyming command, and demonstrates how to do that command. The rest of the group then copies the leader's "motion".

The leader starts moving around the room again and everyone in the line follows her (or him).

Everyone sings "cock-a-doodle do" and moves their arms up and down like a rooster.

This pattern continues until the leader ends the singing game.

Additional notes:
"Let your right foot slip" is found in versions of "Little Sally Walker"("Little Sally Waters") and some other African American originated singing games.

Here's how I taught this motion
Stand still and then (on the beat)
1.extend your right foot out in front of you & touch the ground with your right toe
2. remain facing forward but point your toe right in back of you
3. moving your right foot back to its original position next to the left foot.
-snip-
In another comment on that same discussion thread, I wrote that
"Given its call & response, improvisational, and open-ended format, I think [that "All Around The Kitchen"] is of African American origin.

The use of that "let your right foot slip" verse also leads me to believe that All Around the Kitchen is of African American origin-or we took adopted it from elsewhere and made it our own."
-snip-
I also noted in that discussion that the after school children's group that I founded and the special programming sessions where I performed (in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area) were predominately attended by African Americans. However, no one knew this song or this "let your right foot slip" movement command.
-snip-
I learned "All The Kitchen" when I was a child from Mrs. Janie Owens, a Vacation Bible School teacher who shared this singing game (and the "In The River On The Bank" movement game) with the children who attended that church summer program. Mrs. Owens said that she learned these games when she was a child in the South (if I recall correctly, I think she said that she was from Georgia.)

****
Here are three other comments from that Mudcat discussion thread:

Subject: RE: Folklore: all around the kitchen cock-a-doodle
From: GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 14 Aug 07 - 08:54 AM

"Hi all ... here's a little background for the song as far as I know it.

"All Around In the Kitchen" was its title when this ring game song was recorded in 1940 by John A. and Ruby T. Lomax in the countryside near York, Alabama. I believe that is its first appearance, I don't know of any earlier version.

Ruth Crawford Seeger published it in American Folk Songs for Children in 1948, and it got into a lot of school music curriculums because that book was widely circulated among educators. She dropped the word "In" from the title for whatever reason.

Pete Seeger recorded it in the early 1950s on a Folkways album for children, also as "All Around the Kitchen." This gave it even more circulation. That's where I learned it. Hooray for LP records. :)

Bob"

****
Subject: RE: Folklore: all around the kitchen cock-a-doodle
From: GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 14 Aug 07 - 08:58 AM

"And Azizi, I should add that the song was sung by a group of African-American children, which confirms your opinion. Bob"

****
Subject: RE: Folklore: all around the kitchen cock-a-doodle
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Aug 07 - 09:28 AM

"Bob Coltman wrote:
"Ruth Crawford Seeger published it in American Folk Songs for Children in 1948, and it got into a lot of school music curriculums because that book was widely circulated among educators."

Mike & Peggy Seeger have recorded an album (now a 2XCD set) of the songs in this book, including "All Around The Kitchen".

This is certainly one of my favourite albums - it got us through so many long-distance car journeys with our son, who now has his own band. I wonder how many of these songs will eventually crop up in punky-ska versions?

Norman"

****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLES
Example #1: All Around The Kitchen



David Nicholson, Uploaded on May 2, 2009

Willow Creek Elemenatry, Centennial Colorado. 1st Graders Spring Music Program. April 30, 2009.

****
Example #2 Dan Zanes and Friends- All Around the Kitchen



Dan Zanes, Uploaded on Jun 1, 2010

****
Example #3: All Around the Kitchen



dpcinva, Published on Jun 10, 2014

MPTS Kindergarten Program - June 2014

****
Example #4: Pete Seeger-All Around the Kitchen



UltimateSerge, Published on Mar 13, 2013

On American Folk, Game and Activity Songs for Children. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED

****
ADDENDUM: All Around the Kitchen Singalong Storybook Trailer



Music Together, Published on Nov 4, 2013

Dance "All Around the Kitchen" with a singing rooster, pots and pans, potatoes and pancakes�and see peanut butter and jelly fall in love!

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Categories: African American influence on square dancing African American singing games Alafia Children's Ensemble let your right foot slip

Read More

Book Excerpt About The Evolution From Group Dancing To Couples Dancing In The United States (from the book "Jazz Dance: The Story Of American Vernacular Dances" )

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post provides an excerpt from the book Jazz Dance: The Story of American Vernacular Dance by Marshall Stearns and Jean Stearns (first edition published in 1968; second edition published in 1994).

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the memory of early African American dance inventors, dancers, song composers, and singers. Thanks also to Thomas W. Talley for his collection of African American folk songs and dances, and thanks to Marshall and Jean Stearns for their research and writing. And thanks to all others who are quoted in this post.

****
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/10/la-pas-ma-la-songs-dance.html for an earlier pancocojams post on the "Pas Ma La" dance.

Also, click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/05/square-dance-caller-researcher-phil.html for Part I of a two part series on the African influence on American square dance.

Additional pancocojams posts that are related to this post on early African American dancing can be found by clicking the tags that are given below.

Pancocojams Editor's note:
Some of the song lyrics that are found in this post are written in dialect and contain the referent that is commonly referred to as "the n word". As per the policy of this blog, that word isn't fully spelled out in this post.

Also, note that the 1968 Jazz Dance book uses either the referent "Afro-American" or "Negro" for the population now referred to as "African American". Neither "Afro-American" nor "Negro" are currently used as referents for this population.

****
Pancocojams Editor:
The Jazz Dance chapter that is partially quoted in this pancocojams post refers to the song "Jonah's Band" which is featured in Thomas W. Talley's 1922 book Negro Folk Rhymes. Here's that song (given "as is" except for an abbreviation for the "n word")

JONAH'S BAND SONG

Setch a kickin' up san'! Jonah's Ban'!
Setch a kickin' up san'! Jonah's Ban'!

"Han's up sixteen! Circle to de right!
We's gwine to git big eatin's here to-night."

Setch a kickin' up san'! Jonah's Ban'!
Setch a kickin' up san'! Jonah's Ban'!

"Raise yo' right foot, kick it up high,
Knock dat Mobile Buck in de eye."

Setch a kickin' up san'! Jonah's Ban'!
Setch a kickin' up san'! Jonah's Ban'!

"Stan' up, flat foot, Jump dem Bars!
Karo back'ards lak a train o' kyars."

Setch a kickin' up san'! Jonah's Ban'!
Setch a kickin' up san'! Jonah's Ban'!

�Dance 'round, Mistiss, show 'em de p'int;
Dat Ni**er don't know how to Coonjaint."


From https://www.gutenberg.org/files/27195/27195-h/27195-h.htm Negro Folk Rhymes: Wise and Otherwise, by Thomas W. Talley (1922), Page 1

****
BOOK EXCERPT: JAZZ DANCE: THE STORY OF AMERICAN VERNACULAR DANCES
by Marshall Stearns & Jean Stearns
From Google Books: https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0306805537; Chapter Title: The Tin Pan Alley And Song Lyrics

Page 99

"At an early date lyrics were created to go with dances. �The Dance Rhyme was derived from the dance.� wrote Thomas W. Talley in 1922

Page 100

and-as in the similar example of the Juba discussed in Chapter 4- illustrates his point with a dance called Jonah�s Band.

"First of all be it known that there is a �step� in dancing, originated by some Negro somewhere called the �Jonah�s Band step��The dancers form a circle placing two or more of their skilled dancers in the middle of it�Some dance leaders, for example simple call out in simple prose- �Dance the �Mobile Buck�, others calling for another step would rhyme their call.�

The chorus of the song consists of the repetition of the line �Setch a kickin up san�. Jonah�s Ban�!� to a Charleston rhythm at which point all the dancers execute the same step.

Before each of three choruses other steps are introduced.

"Han's up sixteen! Circle to de right!
We's gwine to git big eatin's here to-night."

"Raise yo' right foot, kick it up high,
Knock dat Mobile Buck in de eye."

"Stan' up, flat foot, [1]Jump dem Bars!
Karo back'ards lak a train o' kyars."

�Dance 'round, Mistiss, show 'em de p'int;
Dat Ni**er don't know how to Coonjaint."

The Karo and Jump Dem Bars seem to have disappeared without a trace, although the latter is self-explanatory, and a flat-footed bar-jump is typically Afro-American. Old-timers say that the Mobile Buck is an ancestor of the common Buck, which evolved into the Time Step, while the prolific Coonjaint-once a rhythmic shuffle performed by roustabouts loading riverboats and a dance observed in Congo Square-later became identified with the tune of a children�s play-party song (�I love coffee, I love tea...).

In its early folk form the dance song with instructions is a group dance performed in a circle with a few �experts� in the center-and the emphasis is on what they do. An apparently unlimited number of locally known steps are inserted and improvised upon by the experts. The entire performance is held together by the chorus of dancers forming the circle and executing the steps that gives the dance its title. The description of inserted dances is brief if it occurs at all (in the Juba, the inserted steps are merely named) and little editorializing as to its purported origin, nature, or popularity-gimmicks that became common later, when the dances were commercialized.

A transitional dance-song entitled �La Pas Ma La� (Isaac Goldberg says that phrase comes from the French pas mele*, or mixed step) was published in 1865-perhaps the dance introduced by Ernest Hogan and his Georgia Graduates as the Pasmala. As one of the early efforts to combine folk steps with topical dances of the time, the �Pas Ma La� describes its title step in the chorus

Hands on your head, let your mind roll far,

Page 101

Back, back, back, and look at the stars.
Stand up rightly, dance it brightly.
That�s the Pas Ma La.

Old-timers recall the step clearly. �It was a comedy dance,� says Walter Crumbley. �You walked forward and then hopped back three steps with your knees bent� as the directions �back, back, back� indicate. The hand on hand and mind-rolling appear to be optional variations.

The �Pas Ma La� was sometimes confused with an animal dance, which may have added to its survival, for by 1898 a song entitled �The Possum-a-la� was published, one of a series of dance-songs that popped up with titles such as �The Possum Trot� around 1910. �The Possum Trot� says Perry Bradford �was a dance which consisted of a series of fast, flat hops.� Here, the folk tradition which favored a flat-footed style, seems to have become stronger, while blending with the Tin Pan Alley version.

Again, other steps are introduced before each chorus in four verses of the �Pas Ma La�
Fus yo� say �My ni**ah get yo gun
Shoot-a dem ducks an away you run.
Now my little coon come-a and dance the shute
With the Saint-a Louis pass and Chicago Salute.

The literal direction in the first two lines in which the dancer acts out the shooting of a duck is typical of many vernacular dances and finds an analogue in a rock and roll dance of the early nineteen sixties: The Peter Gunn: emulating a fast-shooting private eye on television. The Saint Louis pass and Chicago Salute are apparently topical concoctions of Tin Pan Alley references to the World�s Fairs.

Another introductory quatrain contains references to three more dances which are better known:
Fus yo� say �My ni**ah, Bumbishay
Then turn �round and go the other way
To the World�s Fair and do the Turkey Trot
Do not dat coon tink he look very hot.

The various spellings of Bumbishay (mentioned along with the Eagle Rock, the Mooche, and Hootchy-Ma-Cootch-which is the Congo Grind- in pianist Jelly Roll Morton�s �Animule Ball�) was known in New Orleans, according to Paul Barbarin, as the �Fanny Bump�- which needs no explanation. Going to the World�s Fair was a strut (�you put both feet together and move forward on your toes� says Ida Forsyne), while the appearance of the Turkey Trot here, about fifteen years before it became a hit in New York, suggest that it came from the folk.

In spite of the atrocious dialect and Jim Crow sentiments, the lyrics of �Pas Ma La� reveal the nature of the changes taking place in the dance-

page 102
sing as it became commercialized. It is clearly no longer a group dance with improvised soloists, but rather a couple dance with fixed steps in definite order. Although the verse names new steps, and the chorus describes the main step, the aim is to sell the dance.

During the early teens and after, the dance-song with instructions multiplied rapidly, and a few, chiefly Negro composers, drew upon folk resources. These few became more influential than their numbers indicate, for although their popularity was limited at first to the Negro public, they gradually-as in the case of �Ballin The Jack�-reached a white audience. This led the way to the more enduring dances of the twenties and thirties that are often named and sometimes described in the earlier dance songs Tin Pan Alley was contributing indirectly to the surfacing of vernacular dance movements.
-snip-
*This French word was written with accent marks.

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Categories: African American influence on square dancing Juba Pas Ma La Thomas W Talley Negro Folk Rhymes Turkey Trot

Read More