"Ooh Ungowa", "Funky Chicken" & Five Other Camp Songs & Cheers From Contemporary African American Sources

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases seven American children's camp songs or cheers that I believe have their source in contemporary (post 1960) African American songs, rhymes, cheers, or rhymes.

These examples are from the website http://www.girlscoutsaz.org/en/camps/our-camps.html [the Girl Scout camp named Camp Maripai in Prescott, Arizona].

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
DISCLAIMER:
This post is not meant to be a comprehensive listing of contemporary children's camp songs or cheers that have African American sources.

I believe that some song examples* on that showcased website may be post 1960s variant forms of older African American (or Caribbean) songs or rhymes. However, in this post I chose to focus on post 1960s examples or post-1960s songs or rhymes.

*For example, "Little Sally Walker, walkin� �round the street" is a contemporary form of the very old singing game "Little Sally Walker".

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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S COMMENTS
I happened upon this web page of children's camp songs while looking for examples of children's rhymes that include the term "FBI". After reading the example entitled "Emerald�s Chant" on that website's page and given below, I published a pancocojams post on the 1988 Hip Hop track (song) "Rollin With Kid N Play" https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/06/kid-n-play-rollin-with-kind-n-play.html.

I consider children's rhymes, cheers, singing games, camp songs etc. to be folk material and as a self-identified "community folklorist", I'm interested in documenting sources for folk material-including demographic information (race, ethnicity, gender, geographical location). Also, as a community folklorist, I'm interested in documenting how rhymes are spread across geographical areas, including nations- in this case from the United States to Canada.

I'm also interested in documenting continuity or changes in the lyrics and/or performance activities of American children's rhymes, cheers, singing games etc. over time or in different populations at the same time.

No songs from that camp's website mention race, and I consider a few examples to racially offensive- the most offensive example is entitled "The Washerwoman" which (I believe) stereotypes Asians -note the speech patterns and the references to doing laundry in that example:

Washerwoman Song
I live-ee in-ee a teeny weeny house-ee
I live-ee on-ee the thirty-first-ee floor
I take-ee in-ee the dirty dirty laundry
Ruffles on the petticoat ten cents more.
I like a pow pow better than a chow chow
I like a little girl, she like-a me.

One day in Hong Kong
Bigga Momma come along-a
Take away my little girl
Poor poor me.'

-snip-
That website also includes a form of the traditional African American song "Dry Bones" that includes the African American dialectic use of the word "dem" for "them": .
"Dry Bones
Dry bones sittin� in a canyon, some of dem bones are mine
Dry bones sittin� in a canyon, some of dem bones are mine
Some of dem bones are (enter person or unit name here)
Some of dem bones are mine
Some of dem bones are (enter person or unit name here)
Some of dem bones are mine"

-snip-
Also, given the racist use of "monkeys" as a derogatory referent for Black people, the line in the example entitled "Emerald's Song" which is given below "Those girls are funky/Always acting like monkeys!" could be considered offensive or could at least be problematic if Black or Brown girls were part of the group who was singing this song.

These example provide me with an opportunity to share the following links to some of the pancocojams posts that I've published about children's rhymes and race:

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/01/racialized-versions-of-i-like-coffee-i.html "Racialized Versions Of "I Like Coffee I Like Tea"

**
https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/07/anti-asian-rhymes-i-went-to-chinese.html "Anti-Asian Rhymes - I Went To A Chinese Restaurant"

**
https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/10/stereeotypical-references-to-american.html "Stereotypical References To American Indians In "I Went To A Chinese Restaurant" Rhymes"
-snip-
Here are comments that I wrote from some of those posts:
I believe that the stereotypical content in playground rhymes should be documented for the folkloric record, and also for the purpose of encouraging people interested in an eradicating stereotypes to the presence of this content.

In spite of children's attachment to the version of a rhyme that they first learned, given the large number of non-stereotypical versions of "I Went To The Chinese Restaurant, I believe that children can be complimented for their creativity but still be redirected to alternative, non-stereotypical examples of that rhyme. It's up to adults to educate the children in their care that the words and/or accompanying actions of these & some other playground rhymes are problematic and hurtful.

The children's rhyme "Eenie Meenie Miney Mo" stands as a strong testimony to the fact that offensive references can be completely excised from playground rhymes, as many adults today who grew up with that rhyme and are surprised to learn that it once included a pejorative reference for Black people.

**
Although most of the video examples and, presumably, also most of text examples that I've found of this rhyme are from White children and White adults, I'm including this subject in this blog that focuses on Black cultural indices because non-offensive and some offensive examples of "I Went To A Chinese Restaurant" appears to have become a part of the cultural body of playground rhymes in the United States and in some other English language nations to a large extent regardless of children's the race/ethnicity. Note that a link given below to another pancocojams post given includes a video of two young Black women who indicate that they remember reciting this rhyme in their childhood. Also, there are people with Black/Asian (or Asian/Black) descent in the United States and elsewhere. Therefore, this topic is quite suitable for a blog about Black culture & customs in the United States & throughout the world.

**
It's important to consider that the words to examples of "I Went To The Chinese Restaurant" may appear to be non-offensive, but those words might be accompanied by the gesture of holding the skin at the ends of both eyes to mimic a squinting look. And while there should be no question that gesture is offensive, it clearly is something that children have to be made aware of, even if they don't intend to be hurtful or otherwise cause offense.

-snip-
Some of the examples featured in this post are from the sub-category of children's recreational material that I call "foot stomping cheers". Here's a quote from one of several pancocojams post on foot stomping cheers https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/06/at-playground-foot-stomping-cheer-that.html "At The Playground" - A Foot Stomping Cheer That Combines Words From A TV Commercial, The "Homey Don't Play That" Saying, & A Kiddie Hip Hop Record
"Foot stomping cheers" is the term that I coined in 2000 for a relatively new category of children's recreational play that is (was?) performed mostly by preteen and younger girls and that involves chanting and choreographed foot stomping combined with (individual) clapping movements.

Foot stomping cheers" have a textual structure and traditionally* have a performance style* that is distinct from hand clap rhymes, jump rope rhymes, other cheerleader cheers, and other categories of children's recreational rhymes. That record featured four examples of African American girls from Washington D. C. performing cheers in 1973-1975.

*By traditional, I mean the way that foot stomping cheers were performed by African American girls in the 1980s and 1990s, and perhaps in the early 2000s. I've noticed changes in the way that these cheers are performed as they become more mainstream (i.e. are performed by White or predominately White cheerleader squads.)"...

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EXAMPLES OF CHILDREN'S SONGS/CHEERS THAT (I BELIEVE) HAVE THEIR SOURCE IN CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN AMERICAN SONGS, RHYMES, OR CHEERS

Pancocojams Editor:
These examples are given in alphabetical order on this pancocojams website. I've assigned numbers to these examples for referencing purposes only.

A link to a pancocojams posts about (what I believe are) the African American sources for these examples is given below the camp example itself.

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From http://maripai-songbook.tripod.com/songlyrics.html
[website Last Updated: May 20, 2009


1. A Boom Chicka Boom
(a repeat song)
I said a boom-chicka-boom!
I said a boom-chicka-boom!
I said a boom-chicka-rocka-chicka-rocka-chicka-boom!
Uh huh!
Oh yea!
Again!
(Put next name of style here) style!
Styles:
Underwater: sing with fingers dribbling against your lips
Loud: as loud as you can!
Slowly: as slow and drawn out as possible
Opera: sing in an opera voice
Alien: high-pitched, beep sounds
Valley Girl:
I said, like, boom-chica-boom!
I said, like, boom chicka-boom!
I said, like, booma-chicka, like, rocka-chicka, like, rocka-chica like boom!
Like, uh-huh!
Like, for sure!
Like, same thing...
Janitor style:
I said a Broom-Pusha-Broom,
I said a Broom-Pusha-Broom,
I said a Broom-pusha-mopa-pusha-mopa-pusha-broom.
-snip-
This is listed in that camp song website under "FAST songs"

I've categorized "A Boom Chicka Boom" as a song (chant) with an African American source even though I haven't been able to track down the earliest example of that song/chant. "A Boom Chicka Boom"'s text (words) and its call & response format are the elements that strongly suggests to me that it originated among African Americans (or was composed in imitation of African American cheers). I've collected similar foot stomping cheers such as "A Rah Rah A Boom Tang" in the 1980s among African American girls in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/09/foot-stomping-cheers-alphabetical-list.html.

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2. "Big Fat Pony
Ride around that big fat pony
Ride around that big fat pony
Ride around that big fat pony
This is how she does it:
Front to front to front my baby
Back to back to back my baby
Side to side to side my baby
This is how she does it.
Actions: This is a dancing game that is done in a circle. One girl is in the center of the circle, and while the whole group sings the first three lines and claps, the girl in the center gallops like a horse around the circle. When the fourth line of the song is reached,the girl much stop in front of the girl she is nearest, and both shimmy towards each other, then turn and shimmy away from each other, then turn to the side and shake their hips back and forth. The partner for the center girl now becomes the new center girl."
-snip-
This is listed on that camp song page under "DANCING/GAME/CHANT songs"

Click https://cocojams2.blogspot.com/2014/11/little-sally-walker-ride-that-pony_9.html for a cocojams2 post about this game song.

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3. "Emerald�s Chant
(repeat song)
Oh-la, oh-la, eh!
Roll, roll, roll to the beat, now
I don�t know
Just what it is
Those girls are crazy
Always shakin� their daisies!

Oh-la, oh-la, eh!
Roll, roll, roll to the beat, now
I don�t know
Just what it is
Those girls are funky
Always acting like monkeys!"
-snip-
This is listed on that camp song page under "DANCING/GAME/CHANT songs"

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/06/kid-n-play-rollin-with-kind-n-play.html for the lyrics and videos of the 1988 Hip Hop song "Rollin With Kid N Play".

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4. "Funky Chicken
(Leader) Let me see your funky chicken!
(All) WHAT'S THAT YOU SAY?
(Leader) Let me see your funky chicken!
(All) WHAT'S THAT YOU SAY? I said....

Chorus: (everyone)
Ooo, ah-ah-ah ooo, ah-ah-ah ooo, ah-ah-ah ooo,
One more time, now!
Ooo, ah-ah-ah ooo, ah-ah-ah ooo, ah-ah-ah ooo,
One more time now!

Other Verses: Dracula, Orangutan, Elvis Presley, Cleopatra, John Travolta, do the polka, shopping car

(Actions: During first and third line of chorus, do silly movement that corresponds with verse)
-snip-
This is listed in that camp song website under "FAST songs"

Published on Dec 25, 2014
Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group International

Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nn-F_GmNr-A for a video of the 1970 Jackson 5 R&B song "How Funky Is Your Chicken"

Since I can find no record that I've previously posted online the example that I collected around 1999 from three sisters under the age of 12 years (Faith, Grace, and ?, I remember that her name wasn't "Charity", African American girls in Braddock, Pennsylvania), here's that example- The girls said it was a cheerleader cheer:

[chanted in unison]

How funky is the chicken
How loose is the goose
So come on everybody
and shake your caboose
Shake your caboose
Shake your caboose.

[The girls shook their butt to the side while saying "Shake your caboose".]

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5. "Gigalow

Person 1: Hey (insert Person 2�s name here)!
Person 2: Hey what?
1: Hey (Person 2�s name!
2: Hey what?
1: Show us how you gigalow, I said, show us how you gigalow!
2. My hands are high, my feet are low, and this is how I gigalow.
All: Her hands are high, her feet are low, and this is how she gigalows!"
-snip-
This is listed on that camp song page under "DANCING/GAME/CHANT songs"

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2011/12/childrens-rhyme-gigalo-examples.html for the pancocojams post "The Children's Rhyme "Gigalo" - Examples & Probable Sources"

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6."Humpty Dumpty Song
Hump-dee, dump
Hump, hump, dee, dump-dee dump-dee
Hump-dee, dump
Hump, hump, dee, dump-dee dump-dee
(enter any nursery rhyme and sing for 12 beats of song)

(i.e.) Little Miss Muffet sat on her tuffet, eating her curds and whey (HEY!)
Along came a spider and sat down beside her�|
Singing UHH! Ain�t that funky now?
-snip-
This is listed in that camp song website under "FAST songs"

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/02/pre-dozens-childrens-foot-stomping.html for the pancocojams rhyme "Pre-The Dozens Girls' Foot Stomping Cheer "Hump De Danda""

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7. "Ooh Ungowa
My back�s a-breakin�, my belt�s too tight
My hips a-shakin� from left to right
Singin� ooh Ungowa, (enter person or unit name here)�s got the power
You know it, you said it,
And now you represent it.
Singin� OOH UNGOWA (enter name here)�s GOT THE POWER!"
-snip-
This example is listed on that camp song page under "DANCING/GAME/CHANT songs"

The lines "my back's achin and my bra's too tight" are found in the African American children's rhyme "Bang Bang Choo Choo Train". However, those children's rhymes adapted those lines from African American military cadences which probably lifted those lines from the risque social song "Bang Bang Lulu". https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/08/bang-bang-choo-choo-train-rhyme-cheer.html.

Also, click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-real-origins-of-word-ungawa-various.html for the pancocojams post entitled "The REAL Origin Of The Word "Ungawa" & Various Ways That Word Has Been Used In The USA"

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Visiting comments are welcome.

Categories: African American children's rhymes and cheers African American Hip Hop African American Rhythm and Blues African American singing games children's game songs

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The Winstons - Color Him Father (R&B song information, lyrics, videos)

Edited by Azizi Powell

In honor of Father's Day, this post showcases the 1969 R&B song "Color Him Father" by The Winstons. Information about The Winstons is also included in this post.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to The Winstons for their musical legacy. Thanks to all positive fathers throughout the world whether or not they are/have been blood related to those they raised/are raising. Thanks to all who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE WINSTONS AND THE SONG "COLOR IN FATHER"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Winstons
"The Winstons were an American 1960s funk and soul music group, based in Washington, D.C., United States. They are known for their 1969 recording of an EP featuring a song entitled "Color Him Father" on the A-side, and "Amen, Brother" on the B-side. Half-way into "Amen, Brother", there is a drum solo (performed by G.C. Coleman) which would cause the EP to become the most widely sampled record in the history of electronic music. Sampled audio clips of the drum solo became known as the Amen Break, which has been used in thousands of tracks in a large number of musical genres, including drum and bass, hip hop,[1] jungle, big beat, industrial and electronica.[2]

The "Color Him Father" record sold over one million copies, and received a gold record awarded by the Recording Industry Association of America on 24 July 1969. It also won a Grammy Award for the Best Rhythm and Blues Song (1969).[3]

Members
The Winstons line-up included:[3]
Richard Lewis Spencer (tenor saxophone, lead vocals)
Ray Maritano (alto saxophone, backing vocals)
Quincy Mattison (guitar, backing vocals)
Phil Tolotta (organ, co-lead vocals)
Sonny Pekerol, J.Lee Zane (bass guitar, backing vocals)
Gregory C. Coleman (drums, backing vocals)

The Winstons toured as backup for The Impressions.[3]
-snip-
Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SaFTm2bcac for a video about the heavily sampled drum solo in the The Winston's instrumental record "Amen, Brother".

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From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_Him_Father
"Color Him Father" is a song released by funk and soul group The Winstons.

It was released in 1969, and reached number 2 on the R&B charts and number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 that same year. Its composer, Richard Lewis Spencer, won a Grammy Award for Best R&B song in 1970.[1]
"Color Him Father" is one of the best known songs by The Winstons. It was released as a single, and the B-side contained an instrumental track titled "Amen, Brother". "Amen, Brother" contains what has now become one of the most heavily sampled drum breaks in the history of electronic music, especially jungle and breakbeat hardcore. This break has become known as the Amen Break.

"Color Him Father" is an unabashedly sentimental song in which a boy expresses his love for his stepfather, a hardworking and generous man who married his widowed mother, who had seven children, and embraced them as his own after her first husband was "killed in the war." ("She said she thought that she could never love again/And then there he stood with that big, wide grin.") The song's lyrics resonated strongly with the public in 1969, the height of the Vietnam War. The word "color," in the song, means "label" or "call" and follows the 'color' motif set in Barbra Streisand's 1963 release of My Coloring Book. The song served as a major musical inspiration for the 2016 track "Celebrate" by Anderson .Paak.

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LYRICS- COLOR HIM FATHER
(Richard Lewis Spencer)

"Color Him Father"
There's a man at my house he's so big and strong
He goes to work each day, stays all day long
He comes home each night looking tired and beat
He sits down at the dinner table and has a bite to eat
Never a frown always a smile
When he says to me how's my child
I've been studying hard all day in school
Tryin' to understand the golden rule

Think I'll color this man father
I think I'll color him love
Said I'm gonna color him father
I think I'll color the man love, yes I will

He says education is the thing if you wanna compete
Because without it son, life ain't very sweet
I love this man I don't know why
Except I'll need his strength till the day that I die
My mother loves him and I can tell
By the way she looks at him when he holds my little sister Nell
I heard her say just the other day
That if it hadn't been for him she wouldn't have found her way
My real old man he got killed in the war
And she knows she and seven kids couldn't of got very far
She said she thought that she could never love again
And then there he stood with that big wide grin
He married my mother and he took us in
And now we belong to the man with that big wide grin

Think I'll color this man father
I think I'll color him love
Said I'm gonna color him father

Source - http://www.oldielyrics.com/lyrics/the_winstons/color_him_father.html

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SHOWCASE VIDEOS

Example #1: The Winstons Performing "Color Him Father"



masterconductor, Uploaded on Dec 4, 2009

The Winstons Performing The National Anthem Of Fathers Day"Color Him Father"

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Example #2: Color Him Father



L Williams, Published on May 30, 2012

A video I made in honor of my grandfather, who will truly be missed.....

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Visitor comments are welcome.

Categories: African American Rhythm and Blues songs about Fathers Day

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Were African Americans The Originally Composers Of "I Believe I Can Fly" Parodies?

Edited by Azizi Powell

I recently happened upon this online blog post about an example of an "I Believe I Can Fly" parody which suggested that "I Believe I Can Fly" parodies (and not just that particular example) were African American in origin. I'm quoting this entire post for folkloric purposes:

From http://folklore.usc.edu/?p=23861
"Occupation: Student
Residence: CA
Performance Date: 3/06/14

"The informant is a college-age male whose parents are both originally from Pakistan. He has lived in Southern California all his life, with frequent trips to Pakistan to visit extended family. Although he graduated from a public high school, he attended a private Islamic elementary school until the third grade. He says there were Muslims of many backgrounds at the school, and one of his friends (who also happened to be of Pakistani descent) used to sing this as a joke during rehearsals for school programs. It is a partial parody of a once-popular song by the artist R. Kelly.

I believe i can die

I got shot by the FBI

My momma hit me with a chicken wing

All the way to Burger King

Analysis: The informant (and, according to him, his other friends and classmates) always thought the song was funny, both because �the original song was about how, you know, you can do anything if you try hard and believe in yourself, and like� not letting your fears get in the way of�getting your dreams or whatever. And then it�s like, oh, I got shot by the FBI and my mom hates me�So, that was funny;� and also that the friend in question was also a bit of a troublemaker, so the just the fact of him singing the rather inappropriate song when he was supposed to be singing a school song, �made it even funnier� to the informant.

From a more objective point of view, the elementary school attended by the informant was located in South Los Angeles, which has a high population of African-American residents. It is quite possible that this parody was learned from neighbors or friends who were African-American, as it seems to give voice, through humor, to anxieties about dangers which are uniquely part of the reality of African-Americans in South LA�that is, being �shot by the FBI� or otherwise victimized by members of potentially racist law enforcement or the government. It�s also a very stark contrast between the original song�s message of hope and inspiration and this version�s obvious (justified) pessimism about American society. On the other hand, the second and third lines seem to include stereotypes about African Americans� supposed fondness for fried chicken and fast-food and their strict parenting style.

An online search reveals that parodies of this song are common among African Americans from LA to Pittsburgh, revealing how far and wide the common anxieties of this minority group spreads.

COLLECTED BY RABIA
POSTED FRIDAY, 16TH OF MAY 2014 AT 05:32:19 PM"
-snip-
The words "parodies of this song are common" is a hyperlink that leads to Part I of a 2013 pancocojams post about "I Believe I Can Fly Parodies" https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/10/childrens-parodies-of-i-believe-i-can.html.

I also recall reading a post on a blog whose name I didn't document in which the commenter noted that his or her example of "I Believe I Can Fly" parody was racial because of the reference to "chicken wings" and "collard greens". That contributor made no other comment about any racial aspect to that example.

Here's my reaction to these comments:

I very much disagree with the comments that Rabia wrote in the above quoted article that "I Believe I Can Fly" parodies "give voice, through humor, to anxieties about dangers which are uniquely part of the reality of African-Americans in South LA�that is, being �shot by the FBI� or otherwise victimized by members of potentially racist law enforcement or the government."

I also very much disagree that the boys and girls who enthusiastically and without prompting (except for my request for them to share what songs or rhymes they knew) sung "I Believe i Can Fly" parodies in the cultural presentations and recreational sessions that I held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1999 and the early 2000s were "revealing the common anxieties" [that probably are indeed actually] "felt by [many] African Americans far and wide".

I also disagree that references to chicken wings, collard greens, and -in other examples of "I Believe I Can Fly" parodies- cornbread automatically mean that these parodies are of African American origin. While its true that those food items are considered to be "soul food" dishes - i.e. African American popular food choices- other people in the United States South and elsewhere like those food items. I believe that it's probably well meaning but still socially incorrect to imply or assert that this parody is African American because the person voiced in the rhyme wanted (or, in some versions, stole) food that have been categorized as "soul food".

I also believe that it's probably well meaning but still socially incorrect to assume that the person in some versions of this parody who is shot, killed, or chased by the FBI was Black. And I don't believe that it's true that all (or maybe even most) African Americans have a stricter parenting style than other Americans. And if some African Americans do have a stricter parenting style than other Americans, I'm not convinced that the violence against the mother (hitting the mother with a garbage can or a frying pan or other such lines that -I believe- are in later versions of these parodies) have anything to do with actual dislike of or hatred for mothers.

Furthermore, in my years of informally directly and indirectly collecting and studying African American children's recreational compositions (from the mid 1980s to date), I can attest to the fact that it's rare to find examples of African American children's rhymes that even obliquely refer to "being victimized by members of potentially racist law enforcement or the government"- even if you include such examples as the late 19th century or early 20th century "Massa Massa Don't Whip Me" (whip that other "n word" behind that tree)" and the early 20th century to date rhymes "Roaches & Bedbugs Playing Ball" ("Standing On The Corner") that include these lines or similar lines:
"Oh, I'm walkin' round the corner
Doing little harm
Along comes a policeman
And grabs me by the arm
Oh, he walks me round the corner
Rings a little bell
Along comes a wagon
And knocks me in a cell"...

[Update June 17, 2017] Note that I think that both of those songs/rhymes had their sources in 19th century African American songs, but (particularly the "Standing On The Corner"/Roaches & "Bedbugs" song) were popularized by recordings and performances by f White singers. A pancocojams post on the latter song will be published ASAP and the link added here.]

The record "I Believe I Can Fly" record was written, produced, and performed in 1996 by [African] American American singer R. Kelly (as per https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Believe_I_Can_Fly) and the earliest examples of the "I Believe I Can Fly" parodies that I've collected (from direct interactions in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1999) were from African American boys and girls ages 5-12 years. However, these examples might not be the earliest parodies of "I Believe I Can Fly". Furthermore, most of the examples of "I Believe I Can Fly" parodies are found online on YouTube and other websites/blogs such as pancocojams. Online examples of children's rhymes -including I Believe I Can fly"- rarely include demographics. And I don't believe that any research project has been done to ascertain whether Black American children/teens know and have sung these parodies more than non-Black American children/teens.

However, "I Believe I Can Fly" parodies differ from most Black African and Black African Diaspora children's recreational compositions (rhymes, singing games, chants, and cheers) in that these examples don't have a percussive beat which facilitate the performance of some form of rhythmic body movement/s such as jumping rope, partner, group, or individual hand claps, skipping in a circle, dancing, or foot stomping (synchronized foot stepping) while the sung. rhyme is sung or chanted. It doesn't appear that "I Believe I Can Fly" parodies initially had any accompanying body movement activities, but the compositions became separated from that (or those) activity/activities, but that doesn't necessarily mean that these parodies weren't originally composed by African Americans. Also, it seems to me that few African American children's rhymes are parodies, although one group of rhymes that might fit that definition are the "I pledge allegiance to the flag/Michael Jackson makes me gag". This is in contrast to the "On Top Of Old Smokey" parodies that I believe are of White American origin and mostly chanted by non-Black Americans. Click http://playgroundjungle.com/2009/12/on-top-of-old-smokey-parodies.html for an article about those parodies.

It appears to me that "I Believe I Can Fly" parodies were sung -and continue to be sung- by children and pre-teens of all races, ethnic groups, and genders within the United States, and by extension, in some other nations. I believe these parodies remain popular with children and pre-teenagers (ages 5- 12 years) because they provide opportunities to engage in creative play (i.e. rhyming or near rhyming composing, singing/chanting) that often tests and flaunts societal limits with little or no consequences. This limit testing/flaunting societal norms includes children's and pre-teens's singing/chanting rhymes that include profanity or other taboo words -such as the "Miss Susie Had A Steamboat" rhymes in which the "taboo" word is given in such a way that there is plausible deniability. "I Believe I Can Fly" parodies and some other limit testing and flaunting children's rhymes include references to taboo violence such as hitting one's mother or teacher, and sexual or sexualized content -and often sexualized butt shaking dancing- which cause many children to describe these rhymes as "nasty" or "dirty".

If you have demographic information about late 1990s examples of "I Believe I Can Fly" parodies (including the race, ethnicity of those people chanting those parodies), please share that in the comment section below. Thanks.
-snip-
This quote and comments are included in Part I of this 2013 pancocojams post about "I Believe I Can Fly" parodies
whose link is given above.

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ADDENDUM- ADDITIONAL EXAMPLES OF "I BELIEVE I CAN FLY" PARODIES
These examples supplement examples of "I Believe I Can Fly" parodies in Part II of a 2013 pancocojams post on those parodies https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/10/childrens-parodies-of-i-believe-i-can_2.html.

The "I Believe I Can Fly" parodies that are given below appear to me to have texts (words) that are different from the examples that I collected in 1999s and the early 2000s (in the amount of references to violence, and/or sexualized references such as "dingaling", and rhyming content such as "hospital"/ "popsicle" and "chips/"dangling bits".
-snip-
All the examples that are given below are from that video's discussion thread.

WARNING: As is the case with many YouTube comment threads, a number of comments in this discussion thread include profanity, and/or explicit sexual references, and/or racist references, and other inappropriate content.

I believe can fly I got shot by the fbi



mari Published on Jun 25, 2014

Mari and mike
-snip-
Here's my transcription of part of these two African American children's introductory comments about and version of "I Believe I Can Fly":

�Hold on. This is a new song by Mike and Mari. We fixin* to sing �I believe I can fly. I got shot by the fbi� new version.

I believe I can fly
I got shot by the fbi
All I want is some chicken wings,
cornbread and collard greens.
I believe I can soar
I got a whoopin at the grocery store
I told my dad I can�t take no more
I got shot by the FBI.
-snip-
*fixin"= African American Vernacular English term meaning "getting ready to".

"whooping" = a beating

**
Kris Edwards, 2016
"Real. Song. :: I Believe I Can Fly I Got Shot By The F.B.I All I Wanted Was A Chicken Wing From McDonalds Or BurgerKIng I Hit My Mom With A Frying Pan She Got Me Back With A Minivan IBelieve I Can Soar Like A Butterfly......."

**
Daniela Lopez, 2015
"I believe I can fly, got shot by the FBI, all I wanted was a bag of chips, then they shot off my dangling bits..."

**
Emily Sherratt, 2016
"my friends sing it like this"I believe I can die I got shot by the FBI all I wanted was a bag of chips but all I got was a hit in the bits"

**
Joey Morales, 2017
"My version: I believe I can fly... I Got shot by the FBI... All I wanted was a chicken wing... So they shot me in my dingaling... And they brang me to the hospital... And They replaced it with a popsicle... Then they slammed me in an iron door... And so much more."
-snip-
Added June 10, 2017
[June 20, 2017]
Judging from YouTube videos and comments, the "Burger King" examples of this parody seem to be at least as widely known as the "all I wanted was some chicken wings and collard greens [or "corn bread and collard greens"] versions. Each of these versions are still being used in 2017. The "Burger King" versions might actually be more widely used. Its "wing"/"king" fits the "AABB" rhyming pattern while the "wings"/ "greens" does not.

That said, I wonder if the Burger King versions weren't composed later than the chicken wings and collard greens versions. That might especially be true if this "I Believe I Can Fly/I Got Shot By The FBI" parody was composed
(by Black person? or by a White person?) to joke about or put down Black Americans.

Also, the "wings/dingaling" and "chips"/"dangling bits" versions of this parody are even newer and than the "wings"/Burger King" versions.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to R, Kelly for composing and performing the song "I Believe I Can Fly" and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.

Thank you for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Categories: African American children's rhymes and cheers African American Rhythm and Blues American children's rhymes American movies children's parodies children's rhymes that mention the FBI

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Internet Article Excerpt - "Cryin' Blind: Situating the Blind Blues Musician in History" (with additional article excerpts & five YouTube videos)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post provides an excerpt from the 2010 internet article "Cryin' Blind: Situating the Blind Blues Musician in History" by Rachel Lee.

This post also presents excerpts from three other articles or internet blog posts about the high proportion of African American singers/musicians in the early to mid 20th century who were blind, particularly in the Blues music genre.

Five YouTube examples of African American Bluesmen who were blind are also showcased in this post.

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

Excerpts from online articles are featured on this blog as a means of publicizing those articles and sharing the information that is included in those articles. Pancocojams readers are encouraged to read those entire articles.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to all those who are featured in these YouTube examples, and thanks to the publishers of these two YouTube examples of this song.
-snip-
Pancocojams Editor's Comment
This pancocojams post was inspired by my recent post about Blind Willie Johnson and my recent post about the Five Blind Boys Of Alabama. Those posts and other pancocojams posts about African American singers/musicians who are blind can be found by clicking the "African American singers and musicians who are blind" tag that is found below.

By at least the mid 20th century, it has been considered to be socially incorrect to use the word "blind" as a preface to someone's stage name because a person's disability shouldn't be use as his or her descriptor.

Also, by at least the mid 20th century it has been considered to be socially incorrect to use the word "boy" to refer to Black men (or any other men) in group names such as the Gospel singers "The Five Blind Boys of Alabama" and "The Five Blind Boys of Mississippi". Nevertheless, some blind recording artists continued/continue to use those names because their fans knew/know them by those names.

****
ARTICLE EXCERPTS ABOUT BLIND AFRICAN AMERICAN SINGERS/MUSICIANS
These excerpts are given in no particular order.

Excerpt #1:
From http://www.bostonblues.com/features.php?key=storyCryingBlind "Cryin' Blind: Situating the Blind Blues Musician in History" By Rachel Lee
May 2010
"Before World War II, the black population of the United States had a blindness rate five times that of its white counterpart.

The facts of their lives�including highly dangerous working conditions, social diseases spread by slum overcrowding and malnutrition�made them more susceptible to injuries and afflictions, and their general poverty and lack of health care access made it nearly impossible to receive the early treatment necessary to prevent blindness. While treatment and work opportunities for both black people and the blind have advanced over the years, there was a time when being a poor, blind black man meant having to sing for your supper.

That is why American culture is stamped with the iconic image of the blind blues musician.

From Blind Pig Records to the Blues Brothers, nothing quite screams blues louder than a pair of shades. Why do blind people wear sunglasses? Isn�t that about as useful as deaf people wearing ear plugs? The reasons for the shades are as myriad as the reasons for blindness. In some circumstances they're worn to hide eyes that have been disfigured. In other cases, bright light can be painful to the eyes. Many blind people have varying degrees of sight and though they may be legally defined as blind, they can make out shapes and colors.

W.C. Handy, named �The Father of the Blues,� described the musicians he saw around Clarksdale as �blind singers and footloose bards.� Handy himself went blind at the age of 30 due to an accidental fall from a subway platform in New York City."...
-snip-
This article includes �a list (by no means definitive) of some of the more noted blind blues musicians.�
Here are three entries from that list:

"Blind Blake (born Arthur Blake)
Born: circa 1893 in Jacksonville, Florida
Died: circa 1933
Instrument: Guitar and vocals
Cause of blindness: Unknown as much of Blake�s life is shrouded in mystery
Recordings: About 80 tracks for Paramount between 1926 and 1932
Where: Worked as a wandering musician throughout Florida, Georgia, and Ohio performing at medicine shows, parties, on streets, and at suppers and fish fries in the early 1920s

Trivia: He is not to be confused with another Blind Blake, a popular singer from the 50�s from the Bahamas who recorded calypso music.

Achievements: He was one of the greatest guitarists of his era--his ragtime based guitar style was the prototype for the piedmont style blues. His complex and intricate finger picking inspired Reverend Gary Davis, Jorma Kaukonen, Ry Cooder, Ralph McTell, Leon Redbone and many others.

**
Rev. Gary Davis A.K.A Blind Gary Davis (born Gary Davis)
Born: April 30, 1896 in Laurens, South Carolina
Died: May 5, 1972
Instrument: Guitar and vocals
Cause of blindness: According to Davis: �I was taken blind when I was three weeks old. The doctor had something put in my eyes that was too strong and that was what caused me to go blind.�
Recordings: 1930s-1970s, America Record Company, Bluesville, Prestige, Folkways, Kicking Mule
Where: Carolinas and New York

Trivia: Jorma Kaukonen recorded his song �I'll Be Alright�
Achievements:
Broke his wrist as a teenager; the bones never set properly and may have inadvertently contributed to his unique guitar style
Developed a complex yet swinging approach to picking that has influenced generations of players, including Jerry Garcia, Dave Van Ronk, Jorma Kaukonen and Stefan Grossman

**
Blind Boy Fuller (born Fulton Allen)
Born: July 10, 1907 in Wadesboro, North Carolina
Died: February 13, 1941
Instrument: Guitar, steel guitar and vocals
Cause of blindness: Went blind in is teens either from ulcers behind his eyes due to snow blindness or an ex-girlfriend throwing chemicals in his face (there are multiple accounts)
Recordings: Around 120 songs ranging from ragtime to blues to novelty tunes for ARC and Decca
Where: Played on street corners and at house parties in Winston-Salem, Danville and then Durham, North Carolina

Trivia: Syd Barrett noticed the names of Pink Anderson and Floyd Council in the liner notes of a Blind Boy Fuller record, hence the name for his band Pink Floyd

Achievements:
Played slide, ragtime, pop, and blues
Several original compositions including "Lost Lover Blues" and "Step It Up and Go" have become standards of the Piedmont blues genre."...

****
Excerpt #2:
From https://www.quora.com/What-explains-the-high-proportion-of-blind-Blues-musicians-in-the-early-20th-century What explains the high proportion of blind Blues musicians in the early 20th century?
Merin Thomas, The Sky is Crying
Updated May 1, 2013
"The history of blues and African-American music in general in the early 20th century is strewn with names like Blind Lemon Jefferson, Blind Boy Fuller and Blind Willie McTell. The reasons why such a high proportion of blind blues musicians flourished in this period are many.

The lives of African Americans after the turn of the 20th century was unbearably hard with few avenues for relief except gambling and drinking. The vast majority were still in the deep south, where they were still fighting the last vestiges of slavery. Work was hard to come by and usually involved manual labour in the fields. Almost invariably, their lives involved dangerous working conditions, social diseases spread by overcrowding and malnutrition and lack of access to healthcare didn't make things any easier. Hence, it was nearly impossible to receive the early treatment needed to treat blindness.

The introduction of prohibition in 1920 prompted the illegal production of moonshine. One of the by-products of distilling moonshine was methanol (or anti-freeze), which if ingested, caused blindness.

Those unfortunate enough to lose their sight couldn't work in the fields anymore, couldn't get decent healthcare if they were poor and having no other avenues for work, turned to music to earn their daily bread. They played at street corners, house parties, juke joints and labour camps, honing their craft in front of live audiences. And some of them got good. Real good. That is why today American culture is stamped with the iconic image of the blind blues musician."...

****
Excerpt #3:
From http://all-that-is-interesting.com/blind-blues-musicians
..."Blind Willie Johnson, Blind Willie McTell, Blind Lemon Jefferson�in fact, just scroll down the Blues Hall of Fame list and every third musician seems to be preceded with the word �blind.�

In the jazz and soul worlds, there wasn�t anywhere near as many blind musicians. So why the disproportionate amount of unsighted bluesmen?

�Well, there were far more blind people back at the turn of the century when these blues artists were born,� says Brett Bonner, editor of Living Blues magazine. �Several diseases that were common � and often incurable � back then caused blindness: meningitis, measles, scarlet fever, smallpox, high blood pressure, venereal disease. If the diseases were treatable, many rural poor simply couldn�t afford the doctor.�

Outside of the farmland, distilling spirits could also lead to blindness. If not performed correctly, the process could result in the production of methanol, rather than ethanol; and consumed in large qualities, it could shred the optic nerves.

Given how commonplace blindness was then, perhaps a better question to ask is � why did so many of these blind people become bluesmen?

�When you were a blind child in a poor family in the rural south,� says Bonner, �you were a burden to the family because you couldn�t work on the farm like everyone else. Playing music was something a blind child could learn to do and could, as he aged, perhaps make a living doing it. Since they had to earn their keep and there were so few other possibilities available, they simply became a bluesmen out of necessity.�

Some of the bluesmen which Bonner cites were the lucky ones, who despite their affliction, were able to forge successful recording careers. Blind Lemon Jefferson, for example, became the blues darling of Paramount Records; Blind John Davis gained a big European following after touring with Big Bill Bronzy, and Sonny Terry, a blind blues-cum-country singer, went on to star in Steven Spielberg�s The Color Purple.

But for the great many, day-to-day existence was tough, jostling to earn a nickel on filthy street corners, heckled and abused by a hostile, sectarian society and fighting a raging battle against disease and addiction. Every blind bluesman certainly had a tale to tell."...

****
Excerpt #4:
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blind_musicians
..."Though the idea of blind musicians may be even more prevalent than their actuality, it remains true that at many points in history and in many different cultures, blind musicians, individually or as a group, have made important contributions to the development of music. Some of these contributions are discussed below.

[...]

American country blues
Blind musicians have made a significant contribution to American popular music. This is particularly true in blues, gospel, jazz, and other predominantly African American forms � perhaps because discrimination at the time made it more difficult for black blind people to find other employment. In any case, the achievement of blind African-Americans in music is extensive. The first recorded gospel sanctified barrelhouse piano player, Arizona Dranes, was blind, as was Al Hibbler and Ray Charles, one of the most important figures in the creation of soul music. Art Tatum, commonly cited as the greatest jazz pianist of all time, was also almost blind. Stevie Wonder, who was blind from birth, has recorded more than thirty U.S. top ten hits and won twenty-two Grammy Awards[15] (the most ever won by a solo artist in history).

However, blind black musicians are still most strongly associated with the country blues. The first successful male country blues performer, Blind Lemon Jefferson was blind, as were many other country bluesmen, including Blind Willie McTell, Blind Willie Johnson, Sonny Terry, and Blind Boy Fuller. The figure of the black country bluesman became so iconic that when Eddie Lang, non-blind jazz guitarist, wanted to choose a black pseudonym for purposes of recording blues records with Lonnie Johnson, he naturally settled on Blind Willie Dunn.[16] Bogus Ben Covington was known for pretending to be blind.�...

****
FIVE SHOWCASE YOUTUBE EXAMPLES: BLACK BLUESMEN WHO WERE BLIND
These examples are given in no particular order.

Example #1: Blind Lemon Jefferson, "Jack of Diamonds"



TheLadyEmerald, Uploaded on Jul 19, 2011

Jack of Diamonds is a traditional folk song. It is a Texas gambling song that was popularised by Blind Lemon Jefferson in 1926.

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Example #2: Blind Blake - Diddie Wa Diddie



Glenn Weiser Uploaded on Jan 18, 2009

Recorded by guitar whiz Blind Blake and later covered by Hot Tuna and Ry Cooder.

****
Example #3: Blind Willie McTell - Statesboro Blues



Raiwons Uploaded on Sep 11, 2009

...Nobody can sing the blues as Blind Willie McTell ' (1), this at least is what Bob Dylan sentences in the topic who dedicated this big bluesman and who helped to increase his legend. A legend that as it usually happens often did not start blowing up even after his death, especially immediately after that in 1959 Sam Charters was including in the album that was accompanying his famous book ' The Country Blues ' one of his topics, ' Statesboro blues ', which later would be taken to the reputation in 1968 by Taj Mahal on his disc of debut and especially in 1971 by Allman Brothers Band in his mythical double album ' Live at Fillmore East ' (2).

William Samuel McTell, better known as Blind Willie McTell (May 5, 1898 (sometimes reported as 1901 or 1903) August 19, 1959), was an influential American blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He was a twelve-string finger picking Piedmont blues guitarist, and recorded 149 songs between 1927 and 1956.

" Writin' Paper Blues 1927"
http://youtu.be/n7J5XEG_E1g

****
Example #4: Nobody's Fault But Mine - Blind Willie Johnson



Taylor Darrow, Uploaded on Feb 28, 2012

****
Example #5: Truckin' My Blues Away - Blind Boy Fuller



Eric Cajundelyon, Published on Sep 24, 2012

Blind Boy Fuller (born Fulton Allen) (1907 - 1941) was an American blues guitarist and vocalist. He was one of the most popular of the recorded Piedmont blues artists with rural Black Americans, a group that also included Blind Blake, Josh White, and Buddy Moss. Enjoy and keep your blues away !!!

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Categories: African American Blues African American Gospel African American Rhythm and Blues African American singers and musicians who are blind

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Lloyd Price & Little Richard - Lawdy Miss Clawdy (information, lyrics, YouTube examples)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post provides information about and lyrics for the hit 1952 Rhythm & Blues song "Lawdy, Miss Clawdy".

This post also showcases a sound file of Lloyd Price singing his composition "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" and a video of Lloyd Price & Little Richard performing that song.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Lloyd Price and Little Richard for their musical legacies. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these examples on YouTube.
-snip-
The subject of this post was inspired by former FBI Director James Comey's "Lordy, I hope there are tapes" statement during his Senate Intelligence hearing (June 8, 2017). That statement was in reference to Donald Trump's tweet that he taped the dinner conversation that he had with Comey in January 2017.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/james-comey-calls-for-release-of-memos-possible-recordings-of-white-house-conversations/

****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SONG "LAWDY MISS CLAWDY
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawdy_Miss_Clawdy
"Lawdy Miss Clawdy" is a rhythm and blues song by New Orleans singer/songwriter Lloyd Price that "grandly introduced The New Orleans Sound".[1] It was first recorded by Price in 1952 with Fats Domino and Dave Bartholomew during his first session for Art Rupe and Specialty Records. The song became one of the biggest selling R&B records of 1952 and crossed over to other audiences. "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" inspired many songs and has been recorded by a variety of artists.

Background
While still in high school, Lloyd Price was working for New Orleans radio station WBOK.[2] He provided jingles (music for radio advertisements) for various products, including those hawked by disc jockey James "Okey Dokey" Smith. One of Smith's catch phrases was "Lawdy Miss Clawdy",[3] which he used in ad slogans such as "Lawdy Miss Clawdy, eat Mother's Homemade Pies and drink Maxwell House coffee!"[4] Price's accompanying tune proved popular with the radio audience and he developed it into a full-length song.[2]...

"Lawdy Miss Clawdy" follows an eight-bar blues progression and has been notated in 12/8 time in the key of A?.[9] The song's melody is derived from Fats Domino's 1950 hit "The Fat Man",[10] which he explained "came from an ol' blues tune called "Junkers Blues".[11] Price's song also features most of the same backing musicians as Domino's song.[12]...

Releases and charts
Specialty Records released "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" in April 1952 and on May 17, 1952 it entered Billboard's R&B chart, staying there a total of 26 weeks.[13] The song reached number one, where it spent seven weeks.[13] According to Art Rupe, the single sold nearly one million copies and record distributors reported that it was selling well outside of the usual R&B market,[5] but it did not appear in Billboard's pop charts.[13] "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" was also one of the top records for 1952 and the 1950s decade.[14]"...

****
LYRICS- LAWDY MISS CLAWDY
(music and lyrics by Lloyd Price)

Well now lawdy, lawdy, lawdy, Miss Clawdy
Girl, you sure look good to me
Well, please don't excite me baby
Know it can't be me

Because I gave you all my money
Girl, but you just won't treat me right
You like to ball in the mornin'
Don't come back till late at night

I'm gonna tell, tell my mama
Girl I'm gonna tell what you doing to me
I'm gonna tell everybody
That I'm down in misery

Well lawdy, lawdy, lawdy, Miss Clawdy
Girl you sure look good to me
You just wheel and rockin' baby
Just as fine as you can be

Well so bye, bye-bye, baby
Girl, I won't be comin' no more
Bye darlin', I'm dying
Down the road I go

Source: https://genius.com/Lloyd-price-lawdy-miss-clawdy-lyrics
-snip-
"Lawdy" is an African American Vernacular English form of the word "Lord" (meaning "God"). In the context of this song, "Lawdy" means "My Lord" and "My Lord" means "My Goodness".

"Clawdy" is probably a nickname for "Claudine".

I can recall saying -and hearing other people say - "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" when I (and they) really meant "Oh, my goodness" or a profane way of saying the same thing.

****
YOUTUBE EXAMPLES
Example #1: Lloyd Price "Lawdy Miss Clawdy"



blacksoul1969, Uploaded on Apr 15, 2008

"Lawdy Miss Clawdy" is a song by Lloyd Price. It was first recorded by Price at the New Orleans recording studio of Specialty Records in March of 1952. It was released under the Specialty label in April and was number one on the Billboard rhythm and blues chart for seven weeks and stayed on the chart for six months. An 8-bar blues with a rolicking piano backup, with the words written by Price, but the melody adapted from the older Junker Blues (Champion Jack Dupree, 1941), it became the biggest rhythm and blues hit of the year and sold over one million copies by crossing over to the white record-buying market. It was the first hit from New Orleans to be accepted into rock and roll.The word lawdy means lord.
-snip-
This is a re-recording of the original song which may be from the 1970s (as indicated in a comment from another clip of this same song.) Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYNluUqmJew for a sound file of the original record which is rather scratchy.

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Example #2: Little Richard & Lloyd Price - Lawdy Miss Clawdy (Live 1994)



James Power Published on Aug 18, 2014

Words & Music by Lloyd Price (1952)

Broadcast: March 23, 1994

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Visitor comments are welcome.

Categories: African American Rhythm and Blues American politics Little Richard Lloyd Price

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