Derrick Morgan - "John Crow Skank" (example, lyrics, comments)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases a sound file of Derrick Morgan's 2001 Ska (or early Reggae?) tune "John Crow Skank". A bonus sound file of Lee "Scratch" Perry's instrumental record "John Crow Skank" is also included in this post.

This post also includes my speculations about the use of the name "John Crow" for these and other records.

Information about skanking and a video that documents an early form of skanking is presented in the Addendum to this post.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Derrick Morgan, and to Lee "Scratch" Perry for their musical legacy. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to all the publishers of videos that are included in this post.

RELATED LINK
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/09/john-crow-part-i-what-john-crow-means.html "What "John Crow" Means In Jamaica"

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SHOWCASE SOUND FILE: Derrick Morgan - John Crow Skank - Pama Reggae



Mrrkdino, Published on Oct 8, 2012

Boss tune from Derrick Morgan.
-snip-
This is from the album "Straighten Up - Vol.2."

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LYRICS: JOHN CROW SKANK
(Derrick Morgan)

Wacka wacka
Wacka wacka

Wacka wacka
Wacka wacka

Hey eh eh hey, little girl,
Little one girl
All dressed in blue.
You standin in the corner
Like you don’t know what to do.
Do you see that man
In his barefoot pants?
Just take him by his hand and say
Come let’s dance
The John Crow Skank.
Baby, will you do that?
Hun.
The John Crow Skank
Baby, will you do that?

Wacka wacka
Wacka wacka wacka

Lift the right foot out
And you jump to the back.
Shake your shoulders,
Get right on the beat.
That’s the John Crow Skank.
Baby, will you do that?
Hey!

Lift your arms,
And you rock your body line.
Jump to the back, baby, baby
Shake it in the line,
The John Crow Skank.
Baby, will you do that?
Hun.

Little one mama,
Dressed in your hot pants
You’re standing there
Why don’t you jump and prance?
You see that man
In his barefoot pants?
Just take him by his hands and say
Come let’s dance
The John Crow Skank.
Baby, you are doin it fine.
Hun!
The John Crow Skank
Baby you are doin it fine
Hey!

Wacka wacka
wacka wacka wacka
Wacka wacka
Hey!
-snip-
"Wacka wacka")
-snip-
This transcription is by Azizi Powell. Additions and corrections are welcome.

I think that "Wacka wacka" (or similarly spelled words) is meant to be imitative of the sound a vulture (John Crow) makes.

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BONUS SOUND FILE: Lee Perry - Kotch Up Dub & John Crow Skank



RootsReggaeDubAmsterdam, Uploaded on Mar 13, 2010

From The Album: Skanking With The Upsetter
-snip-
"John Crow Skank" begins at 4:40 of this video.

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ADDENDUM: INFORMATION ABOUT SKANKING [DANCE]
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skank_(dance)
"Skanking is a form of dancing practiced in the ska, ska punk, hardcore punk, reggae, jump-up (a drum and bass sub-genre) and other music scenes.

The dance style originated in the 1950s or 1960s at Jamaican dance halls, where ska music was played.[1] British mods and skinheads of the 1960s adopted these types of dances and altered them. The dancing style was revived during the 1970s and 1980s 2 Tone era, and has been adopted by some individuals in the hardcore punk subculture.

Originally, skanking consisted of a “running man” motion of the legs to the beat while alternating bent-elbow fist-punches, left and right.[1] Over time, however, variations have emerged across the musical world. The punk version features a sharp striking out look with the arms, and is sometimes used in moshing to knock around others doing the same."...

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Skanking, Lesson By Tony Verity



Jyo Ska Uploaded on Jul 7, 2008

Ska Documental in 'Sombrero Club' With Byron Lee & The Dragonaires. Jamaica 1964
-snip-
Here's a comment about skanking from that video's viewer comment thread:
hultonclint, Feb 17, 2009
"This kind of dancing was sort of manufactured. Prince Buster himself said there was no distinct "ska dance" like this. Basically, this was to fit it "ska" as one of the "dance crazes" (think Cha cha cha, rhumba, the Twist, etc) that consumer (upper class) audience would do at the time. One way the music industry sold records was by popularizing dances that went w/ certain music. In 1964, there was an attempt to popularize ska in the US as the latest craze which is why they made up these moves."

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SPECULATIONS ABOUT WHY THE NAME "JOHN CROW" WAS USED FOR THIS DANCE
I'm assuming that "John Crow Skank" was (is) just one of a number of different ways of "skanking".

Derrick Morgan's "John Crow Skank" fits the description of an of instructional dance song in that part of its lyrics give instructions as to how to do that dance. But I'm curious as to why the name "John Crow" would be used for a type of dance.

This article http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20090517/arts/arts1.html Extracts from the 'Jamaica Journal' - "Plants, Spirits and the meaning of 'John' in Jamaica" by John Rashford (May 17, 2009) suggests that [the plant that Jamaicans call] "John Crow Bead, and it links - by virtue of John as a generic term - to the Christmas dancing in Jamaica called John Canoe (also spelled Jonkonnu) and to the vulture called John Crow (Cathartes aura)... all have the name John because of their relationship to the world of spirits and spirit possession."

That article also indicates that "John Canoe, who is the chief dancer of a troupe of dancers, is the spirit person or obeahman (variously described as a witch doctor, magician, jumbie-man or sorcerer) and both the John Crow and the John Crow Bead are associated with death and with materials used in the practice of obeah."
-snip-
I don't think that the John Crow Skank was meant to be religious or refer to death or the spirit world. Yet, if the concept of John Crow was connected to the Jonkanoo dancers, did that connection inluence the choice of the name "John Crow" for this skank dance. Or could the choice of that dance name be as uncomplicated as the possibility that the John Crow (Jamaican vulture) might be known for its dance like movements? Having never seen a John Crow, I don't know if its movements could be equated to a dance or not.

It should also be noted that Jamaicans also refer to a type of rhythm as "John Crow Skank rhythm".
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20090719/ent/ent8.html "STORY OF THE SONG - One line makes a 'Bangarang'"
Editor's Note: This article is about the 1968 record "Bangarang" by Lester Sterling & Stanger Cole]
..."John Crow Skank

Among the musicians with whom [music producer Bunny 'Striker'] Lee worked at the time were Lloyd Chalmers, Aston and Carlton Barrett and Robbie Shakespeare. Cole definitely remembers keyboard player Glen Adams playing on Bangarang, introducing what was called the 'John Crow Skank' style into Jamaican music in the process"...

Another example of this rhythm is http://www.allmusic.com/song/john-crow-skank-rhythm-preacher-man-uk395-mt0012977802 John Crow Skank Rhythm: Preacher Man (UK395)

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"Bangarang" Means Different Things In Jamaica & In The USA

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post highlights the differences between the meanings of the word "bangarang" in Jamaica and in the United States.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/10/three-reggae-records-with-title.html for a companion post that showcases three Reggae songs entitled "Bangarang". That post includes selected comments about the word "bangarang" from the discussion thread of one of those featured YouTube sound files.

The content of this post is presented for etymology and cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks all those who are quoted in this post.

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WEST INDIAN (JAMAICAN) DEFINITIONS FOR "BANGARANG"
From http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/english/bangarang
"Bangarang
Line breaks: banga|rang
Part of speech -noun

Meaning -An uproar or disturbance.

Origin - West Indian

probably imitative, but perhaps influenced by Portuguese banguelê 'riot, disorder'.
-snip-
By "probably imitative", my guess is that that editor means "imitating the sound of gun fire' ("bang bang").

**
From http://jamaicanpatwah.com/
"Jamaican Patois [Patwah] and Slang Dictionary"
Bangarang
English Translation - Commotion

Definition - slang term used to describe a loud uproar or commotion

Example Sentences
Patois: A wah cause di bangarang over deh suh?
English: What caused the commotion over there?

[posted by anonymous on July 5, 2013]
-snip-
Note: An anonymous blogger also posted the meaning "old clothes" for bangarang. I've not seen that meaning anywhere else. I therefore discount this "old clothes" definition for "bangarang".
[UPDATE 10/20/2014: According to the OED online (Oxford (University) English Dictionary) "rubbish" and then "old clothes" are old meanings for the words that became "bangarang". Read more in the comment by slam2011 below. Thanks, slam2011!,

Given those early meanings of "bangarang", the theory that it comes from the Portuguese banguelê 'riot, disorder' might be more doubtful.]

**
From http://niceup.com/patois.html#b "Rasta/Patois Dictionary and Phrases/Proverbs"
"bangarang - hubbub, uproar, disorder, disturbance."

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WHEN WAS BANGARANG FIRST DOCUMENTED IN THE CARIBBEAN?
UPDATE 10/20/2014 [Hat tip to blogger slam 2014 who found information about this word in the Oxford English Dictionary online.

The first documented use of the word that became "bangarang" was in 1935.

In 1967 (some sources give this date as 1968) Lester Sterling & [Wilbur[ "Stranger" Cole recorded a tune with the title "Bangarang". Some say that this is the first Reggae record.
[Update ends]

Here's an excerpt pf an article from the Jamaican newspaper about that song:
From http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20090719/ent/ent8.html "STORY OF THE SONG - One line makes a 'Bangarang'", July 19, 2009 by Mel Cooke, Gleaner Writer
"For a song that has just one line of lyrics, Strange Jah Cole's Bangarang packs a wallop of a musical punch.

Not only did it hit number one when it was released in 1967, as Cole told The Sunday Gleaner, but Bangarang, on which saxophonist Lester Sterling does most of the lead duties, was covered relatively recently by Freddie McGregor. And the term's use in Parliament when the political battle got hot, after it has long ceased to be hip street terminology, seems to confirm that Bangarang has served the purpose of language preservation as a side effect to simply being a danceable tune."...

[Stranger Cole happened to visit a music studio in Jamaican when music producer Bunny 'Striker' Lee was working on a song]

"Lee was happy to see Cole, saying, "Pro, you are the right man I am looking for. I have a song called Bongo Chant. I want to do it Jamaican style with Lester Sterling."

"He played it for me with his mouth," Cole said, humming the melody for The Sunday Gleaner, much slower than the hit Jamaican version. As Lee finished humming, Cole picked up on the melody and sang the line "Moma no want no bangarang".

And they went into the studio to record.

When The Sunday Gleaner asks Cole what he was thinking when he did the line, he replies, "It is not what I was thinking, it is what the word means. 'Bangarang' means problems, so to break it down it is 'mother no want no problems'."...

He points out that many people sing "woman no want no bangarang", but he actually said Moma.
-snip-
Examples of comments from various YouTube discussion threads for that Lester Sterling & Stranger Cole record as well as examples of comments from discussion threads of Freddy McGregor's song with the title "Bangarang" are included in that pancocojams companion post about this word. Those self-identified commenters define ""bangarang" in similar terms as have already been given by West Indian sources or by sources quoting West Indian people.

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AMERICAN [USA] DEFINITIONS FOR "BANGARANG"
From http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=bangarang
"bangarang
1. Battle cry of the Lost Boys in the movie Hook.
2. Jamaican slang defined as a hubbub, uproar, disorder, or disturbance.
3. General exclamation meant to signify approval or amazement."
by Drewcifer511June 14, 2006

**
"bangarang
The ultimate in excellence. Better than cool, rad or awesome. Saved for very special occasions. Word first used in the movie "Hook".
Dude 1: Man, I just found a cheap cure for HIV/AIDS.

Dude 2: Bangarang"
by James Tao KlauenburchAugust 08, 2004
-snip-
The 1991 American movie "Hook" was definitely not the first time that the word "bangarang" was ever used. However, that movie may have been the first time that "bangarang" was used as an exclamation of approval.

Here's a quote that credits the word "bangarang" in the "Hook" movie to the Jamaican word "bangarang":
From http://www.ibtimes.com/bangarang-peter-pan-obama-pays-tribute-robin-williams-famous-hook-quote-after-actors-death-1655602 "Bangarang Peter Pan': Obama Pays Tribute To Robin Williams, Famous 'Hook' Quote After Actor's Death"
By Cristina Silva @cristymsilvac.silva@ibtimes.com on August 11 2014 9:06 PM
" "Bangarang!" It was the Lost Boys' battle cry in "Hook" and now it's how fans worldwide will remember comedian Robin Williams. President Barack Obama paid tribute to the actor after his death Monday with a statement referencing one of Williams' most famous scenes. "Robin Williams was an airman, a doctor, a genie, a nanny, a president, a professor, a bangarang Peter Pan, and everything in between," Obama's statement read.

So what does "bangarang" mean? Williams slipped into Peter Pan's iconic green tights in Disney's 1991 "Hook." In the movie, Williams plays an overweight, adult Peter Pan who must be reminded of his youthful ways by the Lost Boys, who yell out "bangarang" in one of the film's funniest scenes when Peter Pan takes on the Lost Boys' replacement leader, Rufio. The Lost Boys signal their approval [of Peter Pan shouting insults back at Rufio] with cries of "bangarang," according to IMDB.com.

Electronic music producer Skillrex paid tribute to the scene with his hit song "Bangarang" in 2012. Skillrex calls out in the song: “Shout to all my lost boys. We rowdy. Shout to all my lost boys. Bangarang!”

OK, but what does it mean? Apparently, it's a Jamaican word that means disturbance."...
-snip-
The word "disturbance" was hyperlinked to this page http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/movies/eight-things-you-never-knew-about-steven-spielbergs-1991-film-hook/story-e6frfmvr-1226845734260 "Eight things you never knew about Steven Spielberg’s 1991 film ‘Hook’".
Here's the relevant quote from that page:
"Real word: Bangarang is actually a Jamaican word which means disturbance."
-snip-
Here's another source that indicates that "Electronic music producer Skillrex paid tribute to the scene [in the movie "Hook"] with his hit song "Bangarang":
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangarang_(song)
"The title is a reference to the 1991 film Hook, in which the Lost Boys' catch cry is "bangarang!" "

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EDITOR'S COMMENT
My guess is that the word "bangarang" was appealing to the writers of the American movie "Hook" in part because of American's familiarity with both of that word's syllables - "bang[a]" and "rang", and in part because of the American vernacular meanings of the word "bang". Not only is the word "bang" associated with gun fire, in American vernacular English it can be used as a descriptor for something that is very good, awesome, and/or someone who is very attractive http://onlineslangdictionary.com/meaning-definition-of/bang. In addition, in American vernacular English "to bang [someeone] means to have sex with that person. [citation: online slang dictionary] Each of these meanings add to the cache and the memorability of the word "bangarang" for the "Hook" movie's viewers and for others.

The word "Bang" is also used in the United States [and by extention elsewhere] as an exclamation of approval and/or excitement. I'm not sure if that exclamation predates 1991 - the use of "bangarang" in the United States as it has been discussed in this post.

While West Indians might use "bangarang" as an exclamation, I don't think it means "something awesome", or at least it doesn't mean that in the same way that it is meant in the States. And if or when West Indians use the exclamatory form of "bangarang", I don't think that it usually "signify approval or amazement" except that it may mean approval of lyrics or statements that refer to Babylon [the establishment] falling. [Note: I recall reading some YouTube comments in which "bangarang" was used this way. However, I can't find them now.]

Any examples [with citations] and any corrections are very welcome.

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Eric Donaldson - "Cherry Oh Baby" (with lyrics & comments)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases the 1971 Reggae song "Cherry Oh Baby" by Eric Donaldson.

Selected comments about that song are included in this post along with my notes about some of those comments use of Caribbean Patois.

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

Thanks to Eric Donaldson for his musical legacy. Thanks also to the publishers of this featured video and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.

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INFORMATION ABOUT ERIC DONALDSON AND THE SONG "CHERRY oH BABY"
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Donaldson
Eric Donaldson (born 11 June 1947, St. Catherine, Jamaica) is a Jamaican reggae singer-songwriter....

Donaldson ... submmitted "Cherry Oh Baby" to the 1971 Jamaican Festival Song Competition, going on to win the competition and giving him a big Jamaican hit single.[1] Donaldson has won the competition six times, in 1971, 1977, 1978, 1984, 1993 and 1997.[3] "Cherry Oh Baby" has been covered by both The Rolling Stones (on their 1976 album, Black and Blue) and UB40 (on their 1983 album, Labour of Love).[1] The riddim has remained extremely popular – over thirty cover versions have been recorded, including an update by Donaldson himself. Two of his festival winners ("Sweet Jamaica" (1977) and "Land of My Birth" (1978)) were written by Winston Wallace.[4] In an online poll held in 2103 by the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission, "Land of My Birth" was voted the most popular winner in the contest's history.[5]...

Donaldson currently lives in Kent Village, Jamaica where he runs the 'Cherry Oh Baby Go-Go' bar.[1]"

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From http://www.allmusic.com/song/cherry-oh-baby-mt0035138483
"Song Review by Jo-Ann Greene"
"For the pop masses, reggae music is defined by a handful of numbers -- songs like Desmond Dekker's "The Israelites," the Wailers' "Jamming" and "One Love," and Tony Tribe's "Red Red Wine," et al. Among these must be numbered Eric Donaldson's "Cherry Oh Baby," which swept away with the top prize at the Jamaican Independence Song Competition in 1971.

The single proved wildly popular, and boasted one of the most unforgettable rhythms in history. Overseen by Bunny Lee and expertly laid down by members of Inner Circle, the backing was built to appeal to the dancehalls, currently flocking around the latest dance craze -- the John Crow skank. Its swooping moves and intricate footwork were best displayed to a slower tempo and a stop-start rhythm. The band gives them precisely that; the hefty bass and guitar lines and the adamant organ riff are all sharply outlined by Lloyd "Tin Leg" Adams' staccato beats, and only Michael "Ibo" Cooper's piano adds some frills to the stomping power of the riddim. Overhead, Donaldson woos Cherry for all he's worth, and Lee's production and the arrangement showcase the former West Indian at his best. Emotive, warm and tender, soulful and impassioned, the singer makes his play, and one can't imagine that in response the girl didn't fall straight into his arms.

Certainly groups worldwide fell head over heels for this number, which -- beyond the usual spate of Jamaican versions -- was covered by an amazingly diverse range of bands, including the Rolling Stones, who covered it on their Black and Blue album; UB40, who put their's into the U.K. Top 15; and reggae-core heroes Sublime. Donaldson, who inspired them all, never saw his original chart outside Jamaica, but can take comfort in knowing he delivered up an international favorite."
-snip-
That review is reformatted for this post.

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SHOWCASE EXAMPLE - Eric Donaldson - Cherry, Oh Baby



GioSkaRocksteady, Published on Mar 27, 2012

(1971)

[LYRICS - CHERRY OH BABY
(written by Eric Donaldson)

Oh Cherry oh, Cherry oh, baby,
Don`t you know I`m in need of thee?
If you don`t believe it`s true,
What have you left me to do?
Look how long I,ve been waiting,
For you to come right in.
And now that we are together,
Please make my joys come over*

Whoa -oh-oh-oh oh oh oh oy
Whoa -oh-oh-oh oh oh oh oy
Yea-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay
Yea-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay

Oh Cherry, oh, Cherry, oh, baby,
Don`t you see I`m in love with you?
If you don`t believe I do,
Then why don`t you try me?
I will never let you down,
I will never make you wear no frown.
If you say you love me madly,
Well babe I will accept you gladly.

Whoa -oh-oh-oh oh oh oh oy
Whoa -oh-oh-oh oh oh oh oy
Yea-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay
Yea-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay

Oh Cherry, oh, Cherry, oh, baby,
Don`t you see I`m in love with you?
If you don`t believe I do,
Then why don`t you try me?
I will never let you down,
I will never make you wear no frown.
If you say you love me madly,
Well babe I will accept you gladly.

Whoa -oh-oh-oh oh oh oh oy
Whoa -oh-oh-oh oh oh oh oy
Yea-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay
Yea-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay
-snip-
*"joy come over" = to feel joyful

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SELECTED COMMENTS ABOUT "CHERRY OH BABY"
From another uploaded example of this sound file https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTRLKqGDHao published on YouTube in 2008 by S4INT MYTHZz "Cherry Oh Baby original With Lyrics By Eric Donaldson"
[along with some notes that I've added]

blazey2, May 25, 2011
"boooooom! BIG TUNE!!!
i'm lookink for the version made by Charlie Chaplin! anyone?"
-snip0
"Boom" is an interjection that indicates enthusiasm for or about (excitement about) something.

In the Caribbean, the word "tune" means the entire song and not just the music.

**
Kushprincess66, Mar 8, 2012
..."this tune still sounds fresh after all these years, a lot of years.
-snip-
Notice the tag name for this commenter. "The Kingdom of Kush or Kush was an ancient African kingdom situated on the confluences of the Blue Nile, White Nile and River Atbara in what is now the Republic of Sudan...After king Kashta ("the Kushite") invaded Egypt in the 8th century BC, the Kushite kings ruled as Pharaohs of the Twenty-fifth dynasty of Egypt for a century, until they were expelled by Psamtik I in 656 BC". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Kush
**
15heartz, Aug 7, 2012
"i swear theres another reggae version?"

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Cam Yallits, Jan 31, 2013 in reply to 15heartz
"He has another version, with the upsetters, the tempos a bit faster, and is extended, its about 5:40 long."

*&
LionEntity, 2012
"My GOD what a heavenly voice this bredren have"
-snip-
"Bredren" = brother (man)

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ijah mano, May 9, 2012
j'adore!!!!! big up
-snip-
"j'adore" - "I love it"

"Big Up" means to "Give praises/compliments to or for something". Written alone it probably means that "I am complimenting this song (and/or singer).

I wonder if "Big up" meaning came from the statement "Give a big round of applause (a big hand clap to or for something.)

**
ben gitonga, Jun 23, 2012
"a bigggggggg tchuuuuuuuune......."
-snip-
In Standard American English I think this comment would be "[This is] a very big [very popular/hit] tune (song).

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Avery Forrest Braun, Dec 3, 2013
"Boombastic"
-snip-
"Boombastic" probably come from the much older word "bombastic". However, while "bombastic" (high-sounding; high-flown; inflated; pretentious) is a negative descriptor, "boombastic" is an adjective that means "amazing" ,"awesome". "Boombastic's" meaning is the same as or very similar to the [no longer used] African American Vernacular English phrases "out of sight" and [something is] "the bomb".

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dontbothermewithchannelsAug 5, 2014
[title of this video] "With Lyrics By Eric Donaldson" There are different versions of the song with different lyrics
-snip-
The "Cherry Oh Baby" lyrics that are sung by UB40 and by the Rolling Stones are slightly different than the original lyrics written by Eric Donaldson.

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Elephant Man - "Get On Up And Dance" (example, partial lyrics, & comments)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part V of a six part series of posts on a sampling of African American and Caribbean songs whose titles include the words "Get Up" or "Get On Up".

This post showcases Elephant Man's 2004 Dancehall record "Get On Up and Dance".

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/07/various-sound-files-videos-of-get-up.html for Part I of that series.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-esquires-get-on-up-example-lyrics.html for Part II of that series.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/08/james-brown-get-up-sex-machine-get-up.html for Part III of this series.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/08/jodeci-get-on-up-example-lyrics-comments.html for Part IV of this series.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/08/public-enemy-get-up-stand-up-example.html for Part VI off this series.

The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, entertainment, motivational, and aesthetic purpose.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Elephant Man for this record. 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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EDITORIAL COMMENT
The "Get Up" songs that are showcased in this series encourage people to get up and dance. while the "Get Up Stand Up" songs encourage people to address the wrongs that they experience in oppressive societies.

I find it interesting that James Brown's “Get Up Offa That Thing" includes lyrics that encourage people to "dance 'til you feel better" and "dance to try to relieve that pressure". And I content that Black dance songs and play songs-along with Black work songs and religious songs- helped Black people survive the horrors of slavery. And dance songs along with other non-religious songs and religious songs continue to help Black people survive the oppression we've faced post slavery up to and including today, even if it's only to take our minds off of that oppression for a little while.

Part III of this series includes more comments about this subject.

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INFORMATION ABOUT ELEPHANT MAN
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephant_Man_(musician)
"O'Neil Bryan (born 11 September 1975), better known by his stage name Elephant Man, is a Jamaican dancehall musician.

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, he started out his musical career as a member of the Scare Dem Crew, later continuing as a solo artist. He was later characterised for several trademarks, such as his dyed yellow-orange hair, his unique low-key voice, and his stage performance, which included jumping and running, or even climbing on stage props and monitors. His acoustic trademark is marked by a light lisp...

Many of his songs are found on various Riddim Driven albums by VP Records and Greensleeves Records's Rhythm Album series. He performs on popular riddims such as "Diwali", "Coolie", "Stepz", and "Bubble Up"...

Years active: 1997–present"...

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SHOWCASE VIDEO: Elephant Man - Get On Up and Dance(Thrilla Riddim)



Doing Numbers Like SuDoku Uploaded on Mar 11, 2009

Thrilla Riddim
Get On Up And Dance (Original Mix) by Elephant Man from the album Biggest Ragga Dancehall Anthems 2004
-snip-
The chorus of that song is:
Get on up and dance (Alright)
tunda clap and dance (alright)
Keepin it jiggy then yuh waan come wid it
Everybody ready ready and dance
Get on up and dance (Give dem di dance now)
tunda clap and dance
(A ready ready ready ready)
Keepin it jiggy then yuh waan come wid it
Everybody ready ready and dance
-snip-
Click http://www.lyricsmania.com/get_on_up_lyrics_elephant_man.htmlfor the complete lyrics to this song. Those lyrics include one curse word.
-snip-
Explanation of "tunda clap"

A "tunda clap" ("thunder clap"; "thunderclap") is a type of hand gesture that is performed in a rhythmical, repetitive manner while dancing to dancehall music. This type of clapping is usually done in response to lyrical commands in the song. The thunder clap is supposed to (loosely) imitate the sound of thunder (i.e. The sound made by this clap isn't a sharp crack, although perhaps it was originally meant to be performed that way.)

How to perform "thunder clap" (thunderclap)
The following instructions are from my observations of my daughter doing this clap which she learned from some Jamaicans during a summer vacation in 2004 or 2005:
In response to the song's instructional command to thunder clap,
hold your right hand palm up away from your head and then slide the palm of your left hand over the palm of the right hand starting at the back of the palm.

This thunder clap is repeated in a moderately slow pace to the beat (or on the off beat?) of the dancehall song while continuing to dance to that song.
-snip-
Here's another explanation of "thunder clap" from http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=thunderclap
"Thunder Clap
Clapping in the air with a sliding motion. With one hand raised first, with the second to meet it half way, clapping, with the second hand left extended. Repeat back and forth.
Look at that guy, he knows how to thunder clap!!"
by Setrock, October 29, 2004
Note: That page includes sexually explicit definitions for thunderclap.

The phrase "keepin in jiggy" which is found in this song is probably an expansion of the phrase "Gettin[g] jiggy with (wit) it" which was the title of Will Smith's 1998 hit Pop/Rap song. In both of those slang phrases "jiggy" revives an old meaning of the wors "jig" which means something wondrful - or in Hip-Hop terminology, "super-cool". However, in addition to "jittery", "a lively dance", and other meanings, from the 1800s until at least the mid 20th century if not to date, the word "jig" was/is a racist referent for a Black person. That word may be a clip of the pejorative referent "jigabo" or may havee been coined as a rhyming word for the first syllable of what is commonly now known as "the n word."

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Different Meanings Of "Wheel And Turn" In Two Jamaican Mento Songs & In The Wailers" "Rude Boy" Song

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post provides comments about the phrase "wheel and turn" in the Jamaican Mento songs "One Solja Man" and "This Long Time Gal" and contrasts that meaning with the use of that phrase in the Wailers' Ska song "Rude Boy". Video examples of "wheel and turn" as performed in Jamaican Kumina dancing are also showcased in this post. Information about Mento music is provided in the Addendum #1 to this post .Information about Ska music is also provided in Addendum #2.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

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

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/07/wheel-and-turn-phrase-in-two-jamaican.html The Wailers - "Rude Boy" (sound file & comments) for a spin off of this post :

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WHAT "WHEEL AND TURN" MEANS IN JAMAICAN MENTO
"Wheel and turn" is a referent for a Jamaican folk culture dance move in which dancers spin as fast as they can to the beat (wheel), then stop and spin in the opposite direction (turn).

Source: "Part Admin/Part Tour Guide", self-described as Jamaican, in 2010 in response to the question "Jamaicans what does "wheel and turn me" mean?", https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100707150927AA7b8ed

**
A 1904 book about Jamaican music probably refers to "wheel and turn" in this note to the Jamaican song "Me Lover Gone A Colon Bay"
"Sung with a dance in which the dancers whirl around, "the wheeling becomes a giddy business..... The dancers never seem to feel it, nor do they appear to mind the heat. They simply stream with perspiration and put their handkerchiefs round their necks to save their white collars."

Walter Jekyll, 1904, Jamaican Song and Story, CXII." quoted by Q in 11 Jun 11 - 06:31 PM http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=40845#3168972.

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TWO MENTO SONGS WHICH INCLUDE THE PHRASE "WHEEL AND TURN"
Example #1: Excerpt from "One Solja Man" [Also known as "Wheel And Turn"]
A weh yuh dah weel an' tun me,
A weh yuh dah weel an' tun me,
Yuh mussa wan' me fe go fall dung,
An' lick me belly pon tambourina.
-snip-
in Standard English:
Why are you wheeling and turning me [so fast; so rough]
Why are you wheeling and turning me [so fast; so rough]
You must want me to fall down
And hit my belly on the tambourine.
-snip-
With regard to "hit my belly on the tambourine", that line may mean that the woman is concerned that she would hit her stomach against an actual band member playing a tambourine instrument because she was being spun around too fast. Or maybe that line means that the woman was concerned that she would fall down because she was being spun around so hard or so fast.

Contrast that literal interpretation with my comments about a similar verse in Example #4 given below.
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/07/caribbean-song-one-solja-man.html for a pancocojams post about this song.

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Example #2: Excerpt from "Long Time Gal"
Dis long time gal mi neva see you
Come let mi wheel an' tun
Dis long time gal mi neva see you
Come let mi wheel an' tun.

-From http://www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=2856&c=113
-snip-
The lyrics to this song are provided on that website in Jamaican Patois and in Standard English.

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TWO EXAMPLES OF "WHEEL AND TURN" MOVES IN JAMAICAN KUMINA DANCING

Example #1: Kumina (Cumina) Dance



Marsha Reid, Published on Jun 12, 2012

This was a dance that was shown to us during Sunset Beach's cultural night. In this instance, this dance is for the proper send off of the dead. It is a tradition taken from our African heritage.
For a better explanation, check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumina

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Traditional Jamaican Dance - Royal Carribean Allure of the Seas



Vincent Moiso, Published on Sep 2, 2012

Caught this on our way back to the ship at the port of Fallmouth. These guys were amazing! I could have watched them the whole time, this is just a few minute clip. Enjoy!
-snip-
Here's a comment from that video's discussion thread:
jahmeykan, 2013
"Hey Vincent, nice footage. The dance is actually called Kumina. It brings back memories of when I used to play drums for these and many other traditional dances. It's nice to see that this tradition is alive and well. Thanks for sharing! Walk good."

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WHAT "WHEEL AND TURN" MEANS IN THE WAILERS' SKA SONG "RUDE BOY"
Here's a transcription of that verse of the Wailers' "Rude Boy" song includes the phrase "wheel and turn":
Me want you come wheel an' turn me.
Me want you come wheel an' turn me.
Me want you come wheel an' turn me,
Fi go lick a mi head 'pon you tambourine.
I've got to keep on movin'.
I've got to keep on movin'.
I've got to keep on movin'.
I've got to keep on movin'.
I've got to keep on movin'.

Source: http://www.jah-lyrics.com/index.php?songid=1416

"Comment:
This song is the original version first released in 1965.
It was later covered by Gladiators in 1976 and by Bunny Wailer in 1981."
-snip-
HOWEVER, in a YouTube discussion thread for this song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Nhgb9hC7UI, Rebelman19 in 2009 gives that line as "Now waan u come wheel an tun me (x3) Fi go lick mi head pon yuh tambourine!". And the closer I listen to that audio, the better I hear the words "mow waan u come wheel and turn me".

That line with those beginning words changes the entire interpretation of that song to what I believe is a statement about how Babylon (the system) treats people. Because of that transcription and what I now hear being sung, I retract my previous idea that "wheel and turn" and the line that follows that lyric have a sexualized meaning.

I now think that the "wheel and turn, hit my head lines" in the Wailers' song is an analogy to how rude boys are moving around at a fast pace in one direction and then another only to crash into (hit one's head) against the tambourine (player). In the context of that song the tune that is being played and the tambourine player herself (or himself) symbolizes the System (Babylon).

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-wailers-rude-boy-sound-file-comments.html for a pancocojams post about the meaning of that verse in the Wailers "Rude Boy" song.
-snip-
"Rude boy" = "bad boy" ; "Rude boys" is a Jamaican referent for sharp dressing young men who hang out in the streets and are known for their violent, anti-social behavior.
From http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2014/may/24/rude-boys-jamaican-subculture-photography-exhibition "Rude boys: Shanty Town to Savile Row":
"It was towards the end of 1963 that the Wailers released their first single, Simmer Down, on the legendary Studio One label in Jamaica. The song was written and sung by an 18-year-old Bob Marley, the lyrics intended to placate his mother, Cedella, who was worried about the company her son was keeping in the Trench Town ghetto of the Jamaican capital, Kingston, where they lived. Simmer Down was aimed directly at the often sharply dressed young men locally known as "rude boys", who were making headlines in the then newly independent island with their violent and antisocial behavior/"
-snip-
Note that 'rude boy"-now often given as "rude bwoy" may be a complimentary referent. http://jamaicanpatwah.com/term/Rude-bwoy/1078#.U8apCI1OVv4

However, two commenters on that Yahoo answer website whose link is given above, shared a different meaning for those lines:
Shayne, 2010
"It means ya confuse him"

**
Part Admin/Part Tour Guide, 2010
[In the song "Rude Boy"] "The artists could also have been using artistic license to say not only was his heart hurt (emotainally hurt) but he was so confused he lost physical balance, fell and hurt his head by hitting it against a tambourine. But the rest of the song does not speak to this it speaks to dancing similar to elephant man's 'pon de river' where he goes through todays pop moves"
-snip-
I believe that the singer is certain about what (or who) he wants. It's the other person who is undecided or confused. That's indicated by these lyrics from that song: "Wanti wanti cyaan get it, an' getti getti no want it./ Wanti wanti cyaan get it, an' getti getti no want it."

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ADDENDUM #1: INFORMATION ABOUT JAMAICAN MENTO
From http://worldmusic.about.com/od/genres/p/Mento.htm Jamaican Mento Music 101 By Megan Romer
"Mento music emerged as a distinct style of Jamaican music in the early part of the 1900s, although its roots run much deeper. Mento, much like other Caribbean folk music, is a blending of African rhythms, Latin rhythms, and Anglo folksongs. Mento found its greatest popularity in the 1940s and 1950s in Jamaica, before Rocksteady and Reggae became the predominant musical styles...

Mento music is often referred to as Jamaican Calypso, although the rhythms and song patterns are markedly different from those of Trinidadian Calypso.

While many mento songs are about traditional "folksong" subjects, from political commentary to simple day-to-day life, a disproportionately large number of the songs are "bawdy songs", often featuring poorly-veiled (and delightfully funny) sexual double-entendres."
-snip-
Although the Caribbean songs that were first popularized in the United States in the 1950s by Harry Belafonte were labeled "Calypso", those songs were actually Jamaican Mentos. Because of the growing popularity of Calypso music, some Jamaican Mento singers used the descriptors "Calypso" and "Calypsonian" for their music and for their groups. One example of that practice was the Jamaican group "Lord Flea and the Calypsonians" who recorded "Shake Shake Sonora", "Naughty Little Flea", "Wheel And Turn Me" and other Mento songs under the category of "Calypso" or "Jamaican Calypso".

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ADDENDUM #2: INFORMATION ABOUT SKA MUSIC
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ska
"Ska ... is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae.[1] Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. It is characterized by a walking bass line accented with rhythms on the upbeat. In the early 1960s, ska was the dominant music genre of Jamaica and was popular with British mods. Later it became popular with many skinheads."
[
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The Charms (Jamaican Ska) - Hill And Gully Rider (lyrics, sound file, comments)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part III of a three part series on the Jamaican song "Hill And Gully Rider (also given as "Hill 'N Gully Rider"). This post showcases a sound file of and lyrics for The Charms' Ska version of "Hill 'N Gully Ride". Selected comments from that YouTube sound file's viewer comment thread are also included in this post.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/12/hill-and-gully-rider-general.html for Part I of this series.

Part I presents general information about Jamaican music, with special emphasis on Mento and Ska music. Part I also includes general comments about Mento music and three examples of folk lyrics for "Hill And Gully Rider".

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/12/lord-composer-hill-n-gully-ride-sound.html for Part II of this post.

Part II showcases a sound file of and lyrics for Lord Composer's Mento version of "Hill 'N Gully Ride". Information & comments about that song are also included in this post.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

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GENERAL COMMENT ABOUT THIS EXAMPLE
From the editors of Mango Spice - 44 Caribbean Songs
"Hill an gully is a call and response work song which used to be sung by workmen constructing new roads. In its topical way it refers to the uneven and hazardous terrain through which the new road had to be cut. folk song which was sung as a work song (a digging song that was sung while building roads)"
-snip-
Multiple Mento and Ska versions of "Hill And Gully [Rider"} have been sung and recorded for social dancing. It appears to me that many if not all Mento and Ska versions of "Hill And Gully Rider" are dance instruction songs (songs whose lyrics for the most part or entirely consist of directions for dance moves.) Several comments about dancing are found in YouTube video viewer comment thread of The Charm's 1964 version of "Hill 'N Gully Rider". I believe that those same comments could apply to most if not all other Ska & Mento versions of that song. In contrast, the Dancehall Reggae versions of that song (by King Yellowman and Ini Kamoze, for example) are dance songs, but not dance instruction songs.

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SHOWCASE EXAMPLE: The Charms - Hill And Gully



lardsah, Uploaded on Feb 9, 2009
Tune! All time classic and one that brings back sweet memories whenever I hear it. Island label – 1964

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LYRICS FOR "HILL 'N GULLY RIDER"
(The Charms, 1964)

Hill an' gully rider
(Hill an' gully)
Hill an' gully rider
(Hill an' gully)
Be careful how you go
(Hill an' gully)
Mind your back and fo’
(Hill an' gully)

Bend down low
(Hill an' gully)
No style large**
Back to back ***
(Hill an' gully)
Belly to belly ***
(Hill an' gully)
Feel up feel up
(Hill an' gully)
Feel up feel up
(Hill an' gully)

Hill an' gully rider
(Hill an' gully)
Hill an' gully rider
(Hill an' gully)

[instrumental]

[repeat entire song , ends with same instrumental]
-snip-
Transcription by Azizi Powell from that recording. Italics mean that I'm not sure about my transcription of those words. Additions and corrections are welcome.

*back and fo' = back and forth

** "no style large" = [if that transcription is correct it may mean] don't be flamboyant in your dance movements, keep them smooth and simple (uncomplicated).

*** back to back/belly to belly" are words that are lifted from the Calypso song "Jumbie Jamboree" (also given as Jumbie Jamberee". Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jumbie_Jamberee for information about that song.

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SELECTED COMMENTS ABOUT DANCING TO "HILL AND GULLY RIDER" FROM THIS SOUND FILE'S VIEWER COMMENT THREAD
2009
mi777ke777
"nice......These tracks make you move! classic"

**
enigma664599
"WHOOOOOA!!!! I can see my dad dropping some moves to this....lol Love it!"

**
sallou100
"this is a bad tune i remember my dad and his family dancing to this at partys a real 7inch KILLA"

**
2013
northernsean1
"An awesome track , flip side is Carry, Go Bring Come by The Charms ( aka Justin Hines & The Dominoes ) ...music just don' get better than this !!!!!"

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This completes Part III of this series.

Thanks to The Charms for their musical legacy. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this sound file on YouTube.

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