Hip Hop, Doo Wop, And Country Music Songs That Include Pick Up Lines

Edited by Azizi Powell

I knew nothing about the 2008 Hip-Hop song "Shakin My Head" (smh) by Detail featuring Flo Rida until I did some online research bout the vernacular meaning of smh. As a result of that research I leaned that (apart from "shaking one's head" meaning "no" in many cultures, that gesture also can mean exasperation, disgust, and/or disdain at something or someone who is foolish, ignorant, or offensive. Read more about http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/10/what-smh-really-means-information.html.

However, in the Hip-Hop song "Shakin My Head", that gesture means something completely different - "smh" is a gesture usually done by males to convey their appreciation of a female's sexy [hot] body. As such, that gesture is done after looking her up and done (otherwise known as "ogling her" and "checkin [a girl] out". As such, this meaning of "shakin my head"- along with utterances of the multi-purpose phrase "un un un" or the phrase "ah suki suki" join cat calls and wolf whistles as something that is done whilee ogling attractive women. In the United States cat calls and wolf whistles are generally associated with males of any race or ethnicity (with "ethnicity" in the USA meaning Latino/Hispanic), shaking one's head while saying "un un un" or "ah suki suki" is mostly associated with African American males.

Here's a lyric excerpt of Detail featuring Flo Rida's song "Shakin My Head"
"I'm shakin my head
Hey Hey
And all these fly girls
Its like
Hey Hey Hey
And they gonna need someone
So hot hot hot
Tight jeans and bodies like
Hey Hey Oh Yeah
Got me shakin my head"

http://www.metrolyrics.com/shakin-my-head-lyrics-detail.html
-snip-
"fly girls are so hot" = A fly girl is one who is not only attractive, but is also "hip" (to urban African American street culturee. A female who is "hot" is one who has a sexy body.

WARNING: As is the case with many (but not all) Hip-Hop songs, that record includes sexualized slang references for body parts, and profanity. For that reason, I'm not going to link to the video. However, what disturbs me most about that song and many other Hip-Hop/R&B songs is how females are objectified as a body which males can use just for sexual purposes. Any female who is considered "hot" by males is "game" to be ogled. These records reflect and reinforce the societal belief that females should feel complimented if they are the recepient of "cat calls", "wolf whistles" and/or other forms of ogling. Note: "Cat" is a referent for females, while "wolf" (and "dog") refer to males. All of these animal referents have negative connotations. However, regarding ogling and "picking up" females, they usually are considered to be positives.

The African American vernacular phrases "spit game" is another term for trying to attract the attention of an attractive female, mainly for sexual purposes. Another way of saying this is "trying to "hook up" with someone, although "hooking up" may also describe romantic relationships which also may involve sex. Males who are trying to hook up with females often use "pick up" lines. "Hitting on" [someone] is an African American vernacular term for the using pick up lines to attract the attention of a female. In this regard "hitting on" doesn't mean to physically attact someone. I think that the phrase "hitting on" came from the sports term "to score a hit", but I'm not sure about that.

There are several websites that list Hip-Hop/R&B songs that include pick up lines. One of those sites is http://www.singersroom.com/content/2007-12-09/Hip-Hop-Pick-Up-Lines/.
Here's an excerpt of that article's introduction:
“Hip Hop and R&B have been using pick up lines for as long as we can remember. While these lyrical lines can be very entertaining and funny, some of them are getting out of hand. These lines are some how provoking lames every where to feel they have a chance. Unfortunately for them, they are falling victim to the hip hop
pick up line.

Many “unorginators” also know as biters are plaguing the streets and clubs fully equip with your favorite artists lines. Just in case any of you imitation stars read this you are not Jay-Z, Usher, Diddy, or any other celebrity for that matter. “Excuse me miss” is so old you have to use it in elderly homes...

Lines You Should Never Use

“What’s ya name what’s ya sign….”
Notorious B.I.G - Big Poppa

“Bet ya man can’t do it like that…..”
Fat Joe - Bet Ya Man Can’t

“Back seat of my jeep lets swing an episode.”
LL COOL J - Back Seat

“Excuse me miss I’m the sh*t you should come hang with me.”
Jay-Z - Excuse Me Miss"
-snip-
The asterisks in the spelling of the "curse words" were in the original article.

Here's an excerpt of the 2008 Hip Hop/R&B song "What's Your Name" by Usher:
"Ey Girl
Ey ey ey girl
Ey ey eh eh ey girl

Whats your name?
Baby, whats your number?
Cuz girl you got me, you got a brother wondering if you wanna, homie and a lover
I can be you friend till the end

Girl, wassup
Im going crazy
Ey girl wassup
Cuz i wanna know if i can love ya
Yo girl wassup
Yo wont ya be my lady ah?
Ey girl wassup
I wanna know who you are
Whats your name?
I wanna know who you are
Whats your name?
I wanna know who you are and make you a star
Girl, im giving you everything cuz my love is yours...
-snip-
Source: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/usher/whatsyourname.html
I'm not linking to this video for the same reasons that I gave for that earlier Hip Hop example. The photograph for that song shows Usher looking out of a car smiling.

A number of songs with pick up lines include the question "What's Your Name?" Foremost among those songs is this now classic 1962 Doo Wop song

Whats your name - Don and Juan - 1962



Musicman96Published on Oct 11, 2013
-snip-
Here are the lyrics to that song:
WHAT'S YOUR NAME
(Written by Claude Johnson)*

What's your name? Is it Mary or Sue?
What's your name? Do I stand a chance with you?
It's so hard to find a personality with charms like yours for me
Ooh-ee, ooh-ee, ooh-ee

I stood on this corner waiting for you to come along
So my heart could feel satisf-i-ied
So please let me be your Number One
Under the moon, under the stars, and under the sun

Oh-oh, what's your name? (what's your name?) Is it Mary or Sue?
What's your name? Do I stand a chance with you?
It's so hard to find a personality with charms like yours for me
Ooh-ee, ooh-ee, ooh-ee

What's your name?
What's your name?

Shooby-doo-bop-bah-dah!!
-snip-
Source http://www.songlyrics.com/don/what-s-your-name-lyrics/

Claude Johnson is one of the vocalist. The other vocalist is Roland Trone

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Hip-Hop & R&B (Doo Wop) aren't the only genre of American music that contains songs with pick-up lines. However, romance is far less often a "hook up" goal in Hip Hop songs than in other music genre's songs that have pick up lines. For example, there are several online articles that list Country music songs that have pick up lines. One of those sites is http://theboot.com/pick-up-lines/. The #3 song on that list is Hank Williams' "Hey Good Lookin'"

Hank Williams ~ Hey, Good Lookin' (Mother's Best Flour Radio Show)



GatorRock788, Published on Jan 21, 2014

At the peak of his career in 1951 Hank Williams recorded 143 songs for the Mother's Best Flour Company radio shows.
-snip-
Regarding that song, the editor of that Boot.com article writes
"Pickup Line: "Hey, good lookin' / Whatcha got cookin'? / How's about cookin' somethin' up with me?"

This timeless track showcases all the best qualities of a great pickup line: Keep it short and to the point. A simple rhyme and clever metaphor are a recipe for pickup success.”
-snip-
As an aside, notice the dropped "g" in the title and pronunciation of the word "looking". This exemplifies the fact that dropping the 'g' occurs in American language usages besides African American English.

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While these songs' tune, and/or beats, and/or lyrics may be aesthetically pleasing, there's increasing awareness that ogling females -saying pick up lines - often is a form of street harrasment. It's unfortunate that the phrase "street harrasment" isn't even mentioned in Wikipedia's article about pick up lines http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pick-up_line. Here's Wikipedia's definition of pick up lines:
"A pick-up line or chat-up line is a conversation opener with the intent of engaging an unfamiliar person for romance or dating. Overt and sometimes humorous displays of romantic interest, pick-up lines advertise the wit of their speakers to their target listeners.

They are most commonly used by men who pick up women."
-snip-
Nor is street harassment mentioned in any online article that I found about songs with pick up lines. Yet street harassment is a real and even walking home from school or standing at a bus stop can be dangerous for females all because of men trying to attract a female's attention, and rarely for the purpose of romance or "dates".

One YouTube video on street harassment is "Black Woman Walking - By Tracey Rose (Still Think This Is A Joke?)" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vp-Eq6QGSfI
Note: One comment that includes profanity is found in the beginning of the video.

Needless to say, it's not only Black females that are subject to street harrassment, and it isn't only Black males who ogle, cat call, wolf whistle, and throw pick up lines at females. Unfortunately, that kind of behavior is widespread in the United States, and the only signs that this custom will change is the rising awareness and advocacy of women who have taken on this issue.

More power to them.

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This post is presented for cultural and sociological purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post, and thanks to those who are featured in these videos.

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Visitor comments are welcome.

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The Cultural, Regional, & Racial Associations Of Sweet Potato Pie

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is post provides information about the cultural, regional, and racial associations of sweet potato pie (dessert). Three videos of songs that include references to sweet potato pie are also included in this post. Brief excerpts of these song's lyric and links to the complete lyrics of these songs are included in this post. These examples are from non-African American vocalists and from African American artists.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all composers and vocalists who are featured in this posts. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post, and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

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GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT SWEET POTATO PIE
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_potato_pie
"Sweet potato pie" is a traditional side dish in the Southern United States. It is often served during the American holiday season, especially at Thanksgiving, and is similar in many ways to pumpkin pie. Marshmallows are sometimes added as a topping, but this was adopted more in the Northern United States than in the South.

It is usually made as a large tart in an open pie shell without a top crust. The filling consists of mashed sweet potatoes, milk, sugar and eggs, flavored with spices such as nutmeg. Other possible ingredients include vanilla or banana extracts. The baked custard filling may vary from a light and silky to dense, depending on the recipe's ratio of mashed potato, milk and eggs.

Though creamy vegetable pie recipes date back to Medieval Europe, sweet potato pie appears in the southern United States from the early colonial days.[1] Like many sweet potato recipes, sweet potato pie was likely developed by the black slaves from traditional African cuisine, making it a staple of Soul food today.[2] Recipes for sweet potato pie first appeared in printed cookbooks in the 18th century, where it was included with savory vegetable dishes. By the 19th century, sweet potato pie was more commonly classified as a dessert."
-snip-
Here's some information about pumpkin pie, a similar dessert from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pumpkin_pie
"Pumpkin pie is a traditional sweet dessert, often eaten during the fall and early winter, especially for Thanksgiving and Christmas in the United States and Canada. The pumpkin is a symbol of harvest time and featured also at Halloween.

The pie consists of a pumpkin-based custard, ranging in color from orange to brown, baked in a single pie shell, rarely with a top crust. The pie is generally flavored with nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger.

This pie is often made from canned pumpkin or packaged pumpkin pie filling (spices included)."

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CULTURAL, REGIONAL, AND RACIAL ASSOCIATIONS OF SWEET POTATO PIE
First, here's my .02 cents on this subject: I grew up eating sweet potato pie for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and at other times, particularly in the winter months. While I had heard of pumpkin pie, I never tasted it until I attended a predominately White college. Pumpkin pie was on the dessert menu for that college's Thanksgiving menu, and according to my unscientific survey, it seems that few White students I asked had ever heard of sweet potato pie. For the record, I very much prefer sweet potato pie to pumpkin pie whose seasoning seemed bland to me-when I tasted it in college and at other times.

In searching the internet for information on this subject I happened upon http://mysocalledfabulouslife.blogspot.com/2007/11/sweet-potato-vs-pumpkin-debate.html Saturday, November 24, 2007: Sweet Potato vs Pumpkin: A Debate

Background- The blogger, a mixed race (Black/White) woman wrote that she attends two meals for Thanksgiving-one with her White relatives, and one with her Black relatives. "One huge difference at Thanksgiving in particular, is the choice of pie at the end--namely the availability of either pumpkin or sweet potato.". The women didn't specify which family served which dessert, but she asked persons reading her blog to post their preference for sweet potato pie or pumpkin pie. She also asked commenters to post their opinions about whether they thought there racial preferences or lack of familiarity with either of these desserts. Here are a few of those comments:
Janie said...
"I have always only made and eaten potato pies, but I don't think I have ever had a homemade Pumpkin. It never dawned on me that the "orange" pie in black houses was Potato and the "orange" pie in white houses was Pumpkin."

**
Kia said...
"You are right Bri...it's a color thing. Growing up we only had Sweet Potatoe pie the whole time, I never even considered that an orange pie wasn't Sweet Potatoe ...lol. When my sister married a white man and we merged our holiday celebrations, suddenly pumpkin pie started showing up at family dinners, tricking us visually before we tasted it! Sweet potatoe is definitely better, however they are both good."

**
PatricktheRogue said...
"Hi ya'll,
I suggest that the South may give you your answer. In the southern United States, sweet potato pie is much more popular than pumpkin, by both black and white folks. So it is not just a "white" thing. I think you will find most of the whites who eat pumpkin pie have roots in the North and/or East. Southern white folks, who have access to both pumpkin and sweet potato pie, routinely choose Sweet potato as their favorite. "
-snip-
A lengthy comment to that blog by Channon Williams suggests that the reason why sweet potato pie tastes better than pumpkin pie is the use of butter and various seasonings.

Here's a comment from another internet blog post that refers to this topic:
From http://www.city-data.com/forum/food-drink/495788-sweet-potato-vs-pumpkin-pie-regional-3.html "Sweet Potato vs Pumpkin Pie: Regional or Cultural (reheat, preheat, butter)"
11-21-2008, 03:07 AM Location...near Atlanta
Buckhead

"Originally Posted by MarqueseGilmore
I think its a south/north and black/white thing.......but thats me generalizing!!
Well, in The South, I think you will find sweet potato pie to be more common, and that is across racial lines. I know blacks and whites down here that make and enjoy either, but in each case you are more likely to encounter sweet potato. So to that extent I would not say it is a racial divide on that, just a regional culture thing. In The North, you won't see sweet potato pie much, if at all, but the few times I did run across it indeed it WAS more likely among black people...maybe just a case of taking food preferences north with them when family members relocated from states to the south. You cook what you know and prefer even when you move and the base ingredients are not as common in your new locale. Family tradition and custom endure even over great distance and time. There is probably a comparable divide concerning where rice wins out (or at least has an increased preference) over potatoes as being a featured starch in a meal. Southerners DO tend to embrace rice more frequently than Northerners, maybe because we have grown it down here for so long."
-snip-
The country music group Alabama's "Songs Of The South" which mentions sweet potato pie supports the opinion that non-Black people in the South are quite familiar with sweet potato pie. The next section of this post showcases three examples of songs that include some mention of sweet potato pie.

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FEATURED VIDEO EXAMPLES
These examples are presented in chronological order based on their posting date with the oldest examples given first.

Example #1: James Taylor Sweet Potato Pie



kentheguru, Uploaded on Aug 21, 2008

Here's JT and friends doing "Sweet Potato Pie" live, shortly after it was released.......
-snip-
Comment: Sam Sticka, 2009
"On the original version of "Sweet Potato Pie", James sang the song all by himself. Arnold McCuller and Rosemary Butler (the backups here) didn't back him up."

Lyric excerpt:
"Oh Lord I feel fine today
Walking on cloud nine today
I'm over that line today
Happiness is finally mine today

I guess I'm just a lucky guy
Here I'm about to tell you why
It's strictly on account of my
Sweet Potato Pie"

[In this song "sweet potato pie" is a complimentary referent for a female lover.]

Click http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Sweet-Potato-Pie-lyrics-James-Taylor/AF849C4A687878D1482569150025668D for the complete lyrics to this song.

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Example #2: Al Jarreau - Sweet Potato Pie (live, 1976)



musicbox285, Uploaded on Aug 19, 2009

Al Jarreau live in Hamburg, Germany, 1976,
AL JARREAU - voc, TOM CANNING - keyb, JEROME RIMSON- bg, NIGEL WILKINSON - dr
-snip-

Lyrics:
Now it was a hot sticky morning
'Round the Fourth of July
The breeze was standing still
I'm hanging out by myself
And I'm having a good time
With the folk inside my head
And you know, Lord,
how you did a lovely thing
See, times my head is lighter
than it's ever been
And anyone who's ever had
sweet potato pie
Don't want pumpkin again,
no, they don't want

'Cause it don't taste right, no
Look-a-here city boy with your
silks and braided hair
Don't you let nobody fool you
with no imitation nothing
Tell 'em, say, unh, unh, buddy,
I been there
Listen mama, when you
finally walk on in
Don't forget to bring along
Your sweet potato tin
'Cause when you serve him
a slice of your sweet potato

Sin, girl, he won't want pumpkin again,
no, he won't want
Now I took a trip down to Sissy's
She's a friend of mine
She smiled and asked me in
Well, she drew a box and a big,
fancy question mark
Said, "Brother, which one is you in?"
I told her, "Sister, don't worry
'bout the mule going blind
You just sit in the wagon and
hold on to the line
'Cause anyone who's ever had
sweet potato pie
Don't want pumpkin again,
really don't want"...

[In this song "sweet potato pie" refers to the dessert.]

Click http://www.lyricstime.com/al-jarreau-sweet-potato-pie-lyrics.html for the complete lyrics to this song.

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Example #3: ALABAMA - Song Of The South



suttersmith66, Uploaded on Sep 13, 2009
-snip-
Lyric excerpt:
"Sweet potato pie and I shut my mouth
Gone, gone by the wind
There ain't nobody looking back again"

[In this song, "sweet potato pie" refers to the dessert.

Click http://www.metrolyrics.com/song-of-the-south-lyrics-alabama.html to the complete lyrics for this song.

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