"Cut A Step" And Other Black Pentecostal Words, Phrases, & Sayings, Part II

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part II of a two part post about the use of "cut a step" and other words, phrases, and sayings that are used by African American Pentecostal worshippers in the viewer comment thread of the video "Foot Work- Praise break, Watch close!!!!" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_aZHl3L0mI.[Updated with three additional terms February 23, 2014]

This post presents examples of words, phrases, and sayings that are commonly used by African Americans who are members of Apostalic, Church of God In Christ (COGIC), and/or non-denominational Pentecostal Christian churches. These terms may also be used by Baptist and other Christian congregations in the United States and elsewhere around the world. Also, some of these terms came from and are also used in R&B/Hip Hop music or other non-religious cultural sources.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/12/cut-step-and-other-black-pentecostal.html for Part I of this post.

Part I provides terms (with example comments) which begin with the letter A-L. Part II provides terms (with example comments) that begin with the letter M-Y).

I'm interested in documenting the use of these terms as found in YouTube video viewer comment threads for the folkloric, historical, and cultural record. While many YouTube video viewer comment threads contain profanity, racist, sexually explicit, homophobic, and other problematic content, those same comment threads may contain insightful, informative, well worded, and witty comments that I believe should be archived as part of the folkloric record.

I believe that the content of YouTube video viewer comment threads can provide insight about the lifestyles, values, and opinions of persons who posted to this particular YouTube viewer comment thread. I also believe that the way those comments are written (the slang and colloquial expressions that are used, the variant spelling, the inclusion of internet/text writing elements (such as acronyms and the lack of punctuation/capitalization which lead to run-on sentences); and and even the commenters' screen names are worthy of documentation and study as part of the folkloric record.

In this pancocojams post, as in other posts such as http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/11/examples-of-black-slang-in-youtube-juke.html, I include what I believe are the meanings of the vernacular examples that are listed.

Like other YouTube Praise Break videos's viewer comment thread, the comment thread for this featured video contains extensive doctrinal exchanges, including scriptural references pro and con "shouting". This post does not include any of those comments, unless that comment is used as an example of a vernacular word or phrase.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

DISCLAIMER:
I'm not now nor have I ever been a member of a Pentecostal church. I have attended such churches a few times, and I have pbserved people in those churches, and in my childhood Baptist church (in New Jersey) doing shout behaviors such as are described in this post.

I don't consider myself an etymologist, but I am interested in the origin, meaning, and uses of words & phrases. Some of these vernacular words and phrases are used with the same meanings outside of religious services or religious events.

These definitions are guesses on my part based on my second hand experiences and based on how those words or phrases are used in this video's comment thread and in other Praise Break videos' viewer comment threads that I have read.

Additions & corrections are very welcome.

WARNING: In spite of the fact that it is a religious video, this YouTube video's viewer comment thread includes profanity, the use of the n word, and other content that I consider to be problematic. None of that content is included in the examples that are featured in this post.

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FEATURED VIDEO: Foot Work- Praise break, Watch close!!!!



DeMario Jives, Uploaded on May 19, 2008

Give God a sacrifice of praise inspite of, just go for what you know!

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FEATURED PENTECOSTAL WORDS, PHRASES, AND SAYINGS (M-Z)
(These words are numbered for references purposes, continuing from the numbers given in Part I.)

26. (CHURCH) MOTHERS
a referent and a title (similar to the title "Mrs.") for older females who are members of the church

“samuel surles, 2013
“yes the mothers went to get her and sir you better get in that conner
-snip-
This is two sentences. The first refers to the actions of women who “based”, put protective arms around the space where the shouter was dancing to protect her from injury or from bumping into others.

The second sentence is a lighthearted, pretend reprimand to the man dancing in the corner. That sentence is based on the practice of a child being punished by having to stand in the corner. Btw, I wonder if that praiser didn’t purposely moved to the corner when he felt his shout coming so that he wouldn’t be in anyone elses' way

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27. [TO] PRAISE
to give spoken compliments to God; to give testimonies about how God has blessed you; to do the Holy dance, to speak in tongues, and/or to do other things (such as play praise music and
also read “Got his (her, my, their) praise on”, “got his shout on”, got his dance on”

The related term and title "sister" is found below.

Justina Schrieber, 2010
“I always find myself cracking up laughing at that kind of praising! LOL!! I try not to laugh, but it cracks me up! :) I wouldn't be surprised if that carpet has holes or tears in it. I wish every church would Praise Him this way!!
-snip-
I added this comment to document that there are a large number of commenters on most Praise Break video comment threads who find watching people doing shouts amusing.* Also many commenters approach videos of holy dancing almost the same as an “American Idol talent competition” where they are critical (judgmental) about a dancer’ performance and where they indicate their favoritism for the best dance. I think that such comments are inappropriate and disrespectful.

*Such comments aren’t done in a church settings as they would be frowned upon public as they would be ingdon rfind that response to be unfodon’t think that tmany of these eat ucmThe reaction of laughing at videos of people oa person theor with
2. the comment about the carpet having holes or tears in it relates back to the “cutting the step”, “cutting the rug” saying
3. The use of the vernacular word “cracking up” for “laughing a lot”

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28. PRAISE BREAK
A “praise break” is an unscripted portion of a Christian worship service or Christian event such as a revival when individuals who feel the [Holy] Spirit spontaneously praise God (Jesus) by doing one or more of the following spontaneous actions: holding up one or both of your arms toward Heaven and give verbal praises to God and/or “testimonies” about how God has touched their lives (while seated or, more commonly standing up from one's seat); moving out of your seat and walking fast, running down the church aisle, or around the church sanctuary (the main room where church service are held); doing dance-like movements in the church aisle/s or in front of the sanctuary’s rostrum, and/or “speaking in tongues” (speak words from a language that is not formally recognized by linguists).
Click
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/05/black-church-praise-break-videos.html for a rather lengthy comment that I wrote about praise breaks.

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29. PRAISE BREAK MUSIC
songs and/or instrumental music that is sung or played during praise breaks

Coco Faye, 2012
“So I see alot of people are used to traditional praise breakmusic??? There was nothing wrong with the music at all....it's ok to put a new sound and spin on things.....for alot of muscians who cant really shout the way they play the organ or drums is their way of "shouting" YALL BETTA PRAISE HIM
-snip-
Notice that implicit in this comment is the fact that there are older and newer forms of Praise break [shout] music. Newer examples of shout music are faster than older forms. Read this comment that refers to that:
amarvinwinansfan, 2009
“LOLOLOL they are going sooooo fast on the instruments!!!! I cant even beat the tambourine that fast and I.m good!!!!”
-snip-
A number of commenters were critical of the musicians. However, read these comments:
“pytwhoCARES, 2012
“I dont mean any harm, but that IS HOW the music goes. He's just cutting the whole beats into halves and fourths w. a skip technique. Its quite creative if you ask a fellow musician”

**
Jamie Harris, 2012
“This music isn't that bad. It gives all of them experience and the more they do it the better they'll get. I don't know why some of ya'll act like you all were on it when ya'll were coming up. Some of us have been laughed off, I know I have. But you know what, I went and practiced and got better. Cut these young men some slack and remember where you came from. Keep playing for Jesus Young men@!!!!!
-snip-
“were on it”= “had it all together”, hit the mark [hit the bull’s-eye], did everything perfectly]

"Cut them some slack" = give them a break [from a fisherman term]

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30. PRAISER
a person who gives praise to God, in particular a person who is doing the holy dance, and/or a person who is known for "shouting" (getting their shout on, getting their praise on), for instance Gospel vocalists Shirley Caesar and Beverly Crawford

[given without examples from this video's viewer comment thread]

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31. SAINTS
males and females who are members of Pentecostal churches

[given without examples from this video's viewer comment thread]

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32. SHOUT
doing the holy dance, speaking in tongues, and/or doing other Praise actions that demonstrate that the person feels the Holy Spirit

Read the definitions and examples for "cut a step", "get your praise on", "get happy", "went in"

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33. SISTERS, SISTAHS
"Sisters (and its variant spelling "sistahs") is a prefacing "title" and referent for adult females in the church, similar to "Mrs" and "Miss", for instance "Sister Jackson", "Sister Jones", "Sister Betty". "Sister" can be used with last names and/or with first names.

Read the related title "brother" in Part II of this post.

[given without examples from this video's viewer comment thread]

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34. SPEAKING IN TONGUES
Speaking an unknown language or a language that isn't known to the speaker as a result of being filled with the Holy Spirit

[given without examples from this video's viewer comment thread]

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35. STOMP , STOMPED
to forcefully hit down hard with the soles of your feet.

"Stomp" is very similar to the word "stamp". However, that word appears to be only rarely used nowadays among African Americans. I think that the sound that "stomp" makes is more forceful (perhaps because it has more bass) than the word "stamp".

Shacara Chrisp, 2012
“he stomped a HOLE in tht floor.! lol amen.!!!!”

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36. STOMP ON THE DEVIL’S HEAD
a term for the fast paced footwork of shouting (cutting a step, praising, doing that holy dance) which includes the belief that the devil (satan) lives underground and the person doing that holy dance is hitting the devil in the head

asiababiie, 2009
“Whooo!!!! he is tearing that floor up down and all to pieces..Musician...Drummer!! What??!!...well, Bless the Lord!!! But he was Gettin it!!! i con almost hear his stomping.lol..he sure stomped on that devils head! And Boy I noe it is KILLING HIM!! Bet he won't come back up for a LONG while!! Lol”
-snip-
This comment includes multiple examples of African American vernacular English. Read other entries in this post for the meanings of those terms and phrases. Also, read the entry for
"tramped the devil under his feet" for another way of conveying the same idea.

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37. TEARING IT UP (TORE IT UP)
Doing something really well (did something really well), in the case of dancing, an extension of the phrase “cut the rug”; in
reference to "holy dancing", this is an extension of the phrase "(to) cut a step”, and "to cut a step" is an updated way of saying "to cut a rug"

Renee Turner-Tavares, 2012
“Wasn't he tearing it up?...You betta Praise Him man...Love it...”

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38. TESTIFY
same as "give a testimony"; to publicly tell about your faith in God and share your story about how God has blessed your life

[given without examples from this viewer comment thread]

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39. TRAMPLING THE DEVIL UNDER HIS FEET
Read the meaning written for "stomp the devil on his head"

GodsOffspring1, 2010
“He sho nuff was praising God and trampling the devil under his feet.”
-snip-
I think "sho nuff" is an example of purposely using downhome vernacular African American English. Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/03/puttin-on-black-online-black-talk-code.html for a pancocojams post on "Puttin On The Black - Online Black Talk & Code Switching".

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40. WENT IN
{as in "he went all in or he's going all in)
doing the holy dance and/or doing other Praise (Shout) actions that are the result of a person being touched by the Holy Spirit.

"went in" is a shortened form of "went all in". That phrase can mean to show your total commitment to something

iluvelmo123, 2009
“Alright Now... He Really Went In At The Second Time... Go 'Head! Go 'Head And Praise Him!”.

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41. WICKED
very good (an extension of the African American slang meaning of the word “bad”)

Jazen B, 2010
“He faced that wall like Hezekiah and went it. These musicians would be wicked if they slowed down a tad...”
-snip-
The second sentence in this comment refers to the faster tempo
that was used by the young African American musicians in this video. Read the entry for praise break music in Part I for comments about different tempos of that Gospel music.

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42. YALL
you all [all of you]

Example:
mayroymusik, 2008
“WELL YAW BETTA SKIP!!!!
-snip-
This comment is a complimentary exclamation about someone doing the holy dance. It is similar to "Yall better work it" which is found in non-religious settings (and probably also in religious settings). However, the word "skip" may also refer to the way the holy dance was done.

I don’t think that “yaw” is a common spelling for "yall" (you all).

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ADDENDUM
Several commenters identified the recorded song that was played in the introduction to and the end of this video as
Karen Clark Sheard's 2005 Album "Its not over" track #8 ["Hallelujah"]

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This concludes Part II of this post.

My thanks to all those who were featured in this video, to the publisher of this video, and to all those who I quoted in this post.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Read More

"Cut A Step" And Other Black Pentecostal Words, Phrases, & Sayings, Part I

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part I of a two part post about the use of "cut a step" and other words, phrases, and sayings that are used by African American Pentecostal worshippers in the viewer comment thread of the video "Foot Work- Praise break, Watch close!!!!" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_aZHl3L0mI. [Updated with one new entry on February 23, 2014]

This post presents examples of words, phrases, and sayings that are commonly used by African Americans who are members of Apostalic, Church of God In Christ (COGIC), and/or non-denominational Pentecostal Christian churches. These terms may also be used by Baptist and other Christian congregations in the United States and elsewhere around the world. Also, some of these terms came from and are also used in R&B/Hip Hop music or other non-religious cultural sources.

Part I provides terms (with example comments) which begin with the letter A-L.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/12/cut-step-and-other-black-pentecostal_6.html for Part II of this post. Part II provides terms (with example comments) that begin with the letter M-Y).

I'm interested in documenting the use of these terms as found in YouTube video viewer comment threads for the folkloric, historical, and cultural record. While many YouTube video viewer comment threads contain profanity, racist, sexually explicit, homophobic, and other problematic content, those same comment threads may contain insightful, informative, well worded, and witty comments that I believe should be archived as part of the folkloric record.

I believe that the content of YouTube video viewer comment threads can provide insight about the lifestyles, values, and opinions of persons who posted to this particular YouTube viewer comment thread. I also believe that the way those comments are written (the slang and colloquial expressions that are used, the variant spelling, the inclusion of internet/text writing elements (such as acronyms and the lack of punctuation/capitalization which lead to run-on sentences); and and even the commenters' screen names are worthy of documentation and study as part of the folkloric record.

In this pancocojams post, as in other posts such as http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/11/examples-of-black-slang-in-youtube-juke.html, I include what I believe are the meanings of the vernacular examples that are listed.

Like other YouTube Praise Break videos's viewer comment thread, the comment thread for this featured video contains extensive doctrinal exchanges, including scriptural references pro and con "shouting". This post does not include any of those comments, unless that comment is used as an example of a vernacular word or phrase.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

DISCLAIMER:
I'm not now nor have I ever been a member of a Pentecostal church. I have attended such churches a few times, and I have pbserved people in those churches, and in my childhood Baptist church (in New Jersey) doing shout behaviors such as are described in this post.

I don't consider myself an etymologist, but I am interested in the origin, meaning, and uses of words & phrases. Some of these vernacular words and phrases are used with the same meanings outside of religious services or religious events.

These definitions are guesses on my part based on my second hand experiences and based on how those words or phrases are used in this video's comment thread and in other Praise Break videos' viewer comment threads that I have read.

Additions & corrections are very welcome.

WARNING: In spite of the fact that it is a religious video, this YouTube video's viewer comment thread includes profanity, the use of the n word, and other content that I consider to be problematic. None of that content is included in the examples that are featured in this post.

****
FEATURED VIDEO: Foot Work- Praise break, Watch close!!!!



DeMario Jives, Uploaded on May 19, 2008

Give God a sacrifice of praise inspite of, just go for what you know!

****
FEATURED PENTECOSTAL WORDS, PHRASES, AND SAYINGS (A-L)
(These words are numbered for references purposes)

1. BROTHER, BRUTHAS, BRU
“bruthas”, bru” are variant (Hip Hop vernacular) spellings of “brother”.

In the religious context “brothers” mean “males who are part of the family of Christ” (because of their belief in Jesus Christ).

KaraStarrAllen, 2010
“Brother Got His Praise In”
-snip-
In standard American English this means “He is doing the holy dance very well.”
Got his praise “ is usually given as “got his praise on”.

“His” here refers to the man dancing.
-snip-
"Brother" is also used as a prefacing "title" for adult males, similar to "Mr" - for instance, "Brother Davis", "Brother Johnson". I believe that this title can be used with last names and/or with first names.

Read the related title "sister" in Part II of this post.

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2. CHILLIN
sitting back, relaxed, not involved, showing no intensity (with low energy).

“Chillin” is an extension of the word “chill”. “Chill” is the opposite of “hot” (caused by intense energy, being energized, heating up an environment, situation, or a person)

kragen05, 2010
“how are you gunna have the youth just chillin in their seats? youve gotta get in on that holy ghost movement! come on. i wish i had services like this”

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3. (TO) CUT A STEP
Do the holy dance, shout, Praise [God] by doing the holy dance;
“Cut a step” comes from the earlier phrase “cut a rug”
Click for a post on that phrase

Also, read the entry below for the indirectly related phrase “tearing it up”

TheMysyfyer, 2010
“watching this makes me wanna CUT A STEP!”

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4. CUTTING UP (CUT N UP)
in the context of this topic, this means "dancing very well"*

Dynasty Mays, 2009
“Now he cut n up!!!”
-snip-
*cutting up can also mean “acting (behaving)like a fool”, but I don’t think that’s the meaning that was intended by that commenter.

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5. (TO) CUT A RUG
to dance. I believe that this old, now little used secular term is the source of the contemporary term “cut a step”. I’m not sure if “cut a step” is used outside of its reference to doing the holy dance, but I don’t recall reading it or hearing it said anywhere else.

zareahbrown, 2009
“he cut a rug...... thats cogic footwork right there. i love to see men prasie god
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/10/what-cutting-monkey-shines-cut-shine.html for a pancocojams post on the saying “cut a rug” and similar colloquial expressions.

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6. EATING THAT CORNER UP
in the context of this example, this phrase means "to really dancing well in that corner". This phrase may not be used that often, but I’m including it as an example of how pictorial
some African American vernacular English is.

robblkva, 2009
“he is eating that corner up
-snip-
This comment means “He’s dancing quite intensely in that corner”

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7. FOOTWORK
fast paced dancing that emphasizes the feet’s movement; the soles of the feet usually remain on the ground with footwork (There are little to no kicks with this type of dancing.)

joshuaofjericho, 2009
“That`s CHICAGO FOOTWORK!”
-snip-
“Chicago footwork” (also known as "juking") is a contemporary Hip Hop dance that is most closely associated with Chicago, Illinois. Read the comment below under “juking”. I wrote this comment in http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/05/black-church-praise-break-videos.html
"There's no way to verify which came first-the religious shout footwork or the secular dances that had the same or similar fast paced foot motions. This dance form almost certainly has its source in Black African traditional dances."
-snip-
Also, read this witty comment that compliments the holy dancers and also includes a reference to the contemporary American movie Happy Feet

Cynthia Webb, 2009
“now this is the best version of "Happy Feet" i've ever seen lol”

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8. GETTING DOWN
"dancing very well"

The phrase "getting down" may have its source in the custom of dancers who are really ”in to” the dance” moving down to the floor, and then dancing back up. I also think that “getting down” is related to the phrase “I’m getting down to the real nitty gritty” (to the essence of something ). A person who “got down to the real nitty gritty” while dancing didn’t mind how he or she looked (or smelled) as nits are “funky).

Glamazon91, 2010
“dat man was gettin down... but watsz up with the music”
-snip-
In standard English, “That man was dancing really well, but I don’t understand what is going on with the music.”

I believe that the use of the word “dat” is purposeful, not accidental, and not an indication that the commenter doesn’t know or speak Standard English.

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9. GETTING HAPPY
"feeling the Holy Spirit" and expressing that feeling through testimonies, shouts, speaking in tongues etc.

[No examples of this phrase are found in that viewer comment thread to date.]
-snip-
"Getting happy" is the phrase that I grew up which referred to people "feeling the [Holy] Spirit". I was surprised to find no examples of that usage in this particular Praise Break video's viewer comment thread and only a few examples of that phrase in other Praise Break videos. It appears that the phrases "getting your praise on", "getting your shout on" and other similar phrases have taken the place of "getting happy". Read the definitions for "shout" in Part II of this series.

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10. GIVE A TESTIMONY
Publicly tell (testify to) when and how God saved you or publicly tell what God has done in your life.

[Given without examples from that comment thread]

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11. GET IT ; GETTING IT
a complimentary exclamation for doing something really well

majenkns1, 2009
“All i wanna know is did the brother in the cormer have to pay the pastor back for tearing up his carpet like that? He was getting it!!!”

**
dowlingus1, 2010
“he is getting it!”

**
BaptistBoi, 2008
“O boy in da corner was mos def gettin it in but I coulda done without them "horns" on the keyboard...the piano setting works just fine for me and the camera was a lil shaky so it was kinda hard to focus in some spots...but it was still an overall good clip!!!”
-snip-
“mos def” = most definitely (meaning “really”). This is the source of the Hip Hop artist’s name.
o boy =old boy. “Old” is commonly spelled “ole”. “Old” here isn’t an age referent.

**
mrfreez05, 2008
“Man bruh was gettin it in that corner! Good God”

**
GODISAWONDER, 2009
“AHHHHHH U BETTAH GET IT!!!!”

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12. GIVE IT TO HIM
a complimentary exclamation to a holy dancer. In the context of this discussion, “Him” means “God” and I think this phrase is another way of saying “Give God the praise”

JehovahSham, 2013
“GIVE IT TO HIM!!!!!
-snip-
Btw, I don’t think that “sham” in this word means “fake”. It may be a word that may be uttered while speaking in tongues. Alternately, “give it to him” may mean to continue stomping on Satan’s head. Then “him” would mean “the devil”.

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13. GLORY (also spelled “GLORAY” & similar other phonetic spellings)
an exclamation that is short for “Give God the glory”

[Add commenter’s name and year]
“man i sho' like to watch people shout...glory!!!”

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14. GO HEAD (GO AHEAD)
a complimentary exclamation

Judging from its use in numerous [Black] Praise Break viewer comment threads, “Go head” is the most commonly used exclamation to compliment someone who is doing the holy dance.

Note= Unlike when this phrase is used in “the world”,
meaning at non-religious events such as fraternity/sorority step shows, onlookers in churches or other religious services don’t shout out encouraging or complimentary remarks such as “Go head”

Devin Kelson, 2009
“yall praisin furreal but dat music is way to fast its so fast yall keep messin up lol but its unto the Lord so yall go head”

32pedalnotes, 2010
“WOW! Now dats CRAZY praise! Well... He is WORTHY! If I could dance that fast, I'd set the spirit of obesity on the run! LOL! Go 'head yall. Give it to HIM!”
**
B4RBI3gyrl, 2010
“Yall Betta Go Head And Praise The Lord!”

**
babygirl00432, 2010
“i watched this video like 7 times, loved it, so many comments about the music, the camera, those things arn't even the point. They r there giving God the praise n thas all tht matters...love tht shout on tht brutha GO HEAD!!:)”
-snip-
I think that the words “that shout on tht [that] brutha” means “ the way that brother shouted [danced].” However, the use of “on” here may [also?] refer to the belief that the praiser felt the Spirit on [in] him, and that is what caused him to do the holy dance [shout].

Also, read this related exclamation of support and praise for the shouter (the person doing the holy dance)
joshua whitaker, 2011
“Go boy Go!!!!!!!!”

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15. GOING FOR IT
doing the holy dance well

I think that this saying comes from sayings such as “Get it!” where (I believe that ) “it” originally meant “winning the game" or "the points scored”.

AnointedGifts, 2012
“He is going for it!!!!Lol, Praise HIm!!!!”
-snip-
“Him” with a capital “h” means God. I think that “God” in most if not all of these comments is also a referent for Jesus.

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16. GOT HIS (or HER) BLESSING
This means that God has blessed the the praiser for doing a holy dance (cutting a step).

superiorbandgeek, 2009
“that's that footwork right there. You know he got his blessing from that.”

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17. GOT HIS PRAISE ON
same as "got his shout on", read that entry below, and read the entry for the word "Praise" in Part II of this post.

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18. GOT HIS SHOUT ON
a phrase that means "doing a shout". Read the entry for "shout" in Part II of this post.

tallapril, 2010
“That was some Memphis COGIC Holy Convacation footwork going on in that corner. Brother really got his shout on.”
-snip-
COGIC=Church Of God In Christ; “convocation” a convention (assembly of members); Brother here means “a male who is a church member)

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19. GIVING IT UP
"doing something very well"

ernest core, 2009
“Dude was over there in the corner givin it up!!! It looked like he was burning holes in the carpet. LOL He didnt miss a beat. Yall better praise him!!!”
-snip-
Using the informal referent for man “dude” isn’t a put down (insult), but just indicates the informality of the online discussion setting. This referent would not be used in public to refer to that dancer.

“burning holes in the carpet” refers back to “cutting a step”, “cutting a rug”

“Him” in the sentence “Yall better praise him” refers to God.

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20. HIT THE FLOOR
"beat the floor with the soles of your feet (while doing the holy dance)", also given as “stomp the floor”

Orbot, 2010
“Love to see my brothas hit the floor!!”
-snip-
This comment may have been made because there are more females than men who attend church and it's therefore more common to see women do holy dances than men.

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21. [DOING THE] HOLY DANCE
a spontaneous, unrehearsed, dance that is done in praise of God
(shout, cut a step,praise)

[given without examples]

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22. HOLY GHOST FIRE
the spirit that emanates from the Holy Ghost is equated with fire’s energy

COMPASSION2611, 2010
“You better get it Mastro, love it! Even the coat got a dance!!!! Round two. FIRE, HOLY GHOST FIRE!!!

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23. I’LL HOLD YOUR MULE
This is a witty sentence that means “I’ll hold on to your belongings while you dance or so that you can [do the holy] dance. Like other such complimentary sayings or exclamations, it’s written online but not said during face to face interactions.

I’ve seen this sentence before on another praise break video. One source of this saying is a version of the song “Jim Along Josie” in Dorothy Scarborough’s 1925 book On The Trail Of Negro Folksongs “Hold my mule while I dance Josie.”. But it’s likely that this saying is in a contemporary record, and wasn’t lifted from that Old Time Music song.

Terry Crews Jr, 2010
“I'll hold your mule!

****
23. JUKIN
a fast footwork dance (Chicago footwork)

Comment example:
evry1slilsista, 2009
“jukin' fah jesus......lolol i love it.....
-snip-
I don’t think this comment was meant to be taken seriously. I think that it was made to point out the close similarities between holy dancing and jukin.

****
25. KILLIN IT
"doing something very well"

pmc53, 2011
“Ole boi KILLED that dance”
-snip-
Notice the variant [Hip Hop vernacular] spelling for “boy”. Calling a man “boy” or “ole [old] boy” online isn’t an insult. This comment is complimentary towards the man who is dancing

**
Myles Sewell, 2012
“lol ayyee pastor was killin it”

****
26. LAWD
a variant spelling for the word “Lord” (meaning God, Jesus)

This spelling evokes “blackness” (“African Americaness”). I
believe that it and other “downhome” dialectic terms and grammatical constructs are used on purpose, and not because the commenter doesn't know how to spell that word the Standard English way.

zgirlizfine, 2012
“lawd the devil has to have a concussion from that brother's shoutin
-snip-
Read “hit the floor” for my comments about stomping on the devil’s head”

****
This concludes Part I of this post.

My thanks to all those who were featured in this video, to the publisher of this video, and to all those who I quoted in this post.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

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Examples Of Black Slang In A YouTube Juke Dance Competition Viewer Comment Thread

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post is provides a list of twenty African American slang words, phrases, and/or sayings that are found in a YouTube juke [bobbin] dance competition video's viewer comment thread. By no means is this intended to be a comprehensive listing of African American slang in that viewer comment thread. Although this post only list 20 different slang words, phrases, or sayings, I've identified at least 100 different entries that could have been featured in this post.

WARNING: This YouTube comment thread includes profanity, explicit sexual language, and other content that may be inappropriate. None of that content is included in the examples that are featured in this post.

The content of this post is presented for etymological, cultural, and sociological purposes. These examples provide insight about the lifestyles, values, and opinions of persons who posted to this particular YouTube viewer comment thread.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

DISCLAIMER:
I don't consider myself an etymologist, but I am interested in the origin, meaning, and uses of words & phrases.

Additions & corrections are very welcome.

In the context of this post, by "Black Slang", I mean African American Vernacular English (AAVE) particularly Hip-Hop originated or influenced AAVE*. However, in some of these examples "downhome"** African American English and Internet/telephone text elements*** are also combined with that style of African American Vernacular English.

I'm not saying that everyone who used African American Vernacular English in this discussion thread was African American, particularly since the tendency is for much of that slang to be incorporated into standard American English. However, I believe that it's likely that the majority of those commenters were African American.

*By "Hip-Hop originated or influenced African American Vernacular English", I mean words & phrases that come from Hip-Hop culture, or whose meanings have changed or been expanded or whose usage (such as from a noun to a verb) have changed by Hip Hop cultural adherents. By Hip-Hop originated or influenced African American Vernacular English I also mean standard English words that are purposely spelled differently as a result of the influence of Hip Hop culture, and purposeful - not accidental grammatical - constructs such as "true dat" instead of "that's true".

**By "downhome African American English" I mean Southern American influenced dialectic English such as "she be", "dem", and ain't gonna" and Black church words & phrases such as "Upon my soul", and other features.

***By "internet/telephone text elements, I mean comments that include acronyms such as "lol" and "lmfao", comments with little or no capitalization, or punctuation, comments with run on sentences, words with repeated letters to denote enthusiasm, and other features.

****
FEATURED VIDEO: Lani pop vs Mariah



Enzomaranello33, Uploaded on Dec 20, 2010
Juke
-snip-
This is part of a series of videos called “Juke Party”. According to most of the commenters, Mariah, the girl in the black (or blue) with the stripped shirt officially won this competition. LaniPop is the girl in the gray.

For some information about Juke music & dance, click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/11/jook-juke-words-phrases-in-caribbean-in.html "Jook (Juke) Words & Phrases In The Caribbean & In The USA"

****
EXAMPLES OF AFRICAN AMERICAN SLANG FROM THIS FEATURED VIDEO
Note: These definitions are gleaned from my direct & indirect experiences. Additions & corrections are welcome.

1. AIN’T FEELING IT [phrase] - In the context of this comment, "Ain't feeling it" means "doesn’t have the heart for it; isn’t emotionally invested in it.

Comment example from video thread:
SM00CH3Z2YOU, 2012
"IDK I seen both vids with Fee Fee and Mariah Vs, Lanipop and to me it seems like Lanipop ain't feeling it no more. Like the BOB seems dead to her, Just Booty shaking period, With Fee Fee and Mariah you can tell they love it and feel it all day but Lanipop she just doing b/c its something to do. She didn't have any plans so she decided to go to the little BOB contest Bla Bla Bla Bla........... It could just be me but that's the feeling I get when I watch her Videos."
-snip-
"The Bob" ("Bobbin") is a type of Juke dancing that appears to me to be a form of "Popping". Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popping. "Fee Fee" is another prominent Bobbin competitor.

****
2. BEEN PLAYED [adjective] - used to describe something that is no longer cool or popular because it received too much attention

Comment example:
McCalyTPhotography, 2013
"This dance been played years ago"
-snip-
"Been played" was formerly given as “played out”.

****
3. [TO] BATTLE (verb), a dance competition between individuals with a referee. The winner is determined based on points scored. Fans of a particular competitor refer to themselves as "Team [competitor's name].

Comment example:
pebblestc31, 2013
"Mariah she got more moves :) she pop hard like me i wanna battle her ♥

****
4. BOB BATTLE -(noun)- a battle (competition) between individual Bobbin dancers
Comment example:
Frostgrl681, 2013
"This is still one of the best Bob battles ever."

****
5. BOOTY (noun) - butt (buttocks), behind, rear end, etc

Comment example:
soleflyyy, 2012
"the name of the song is Put Your Booty in the Air by EQ Why !!!!!"

****
6. BOOTAY (noun) - a hip way of pronouncing* and spelling the word "booty" [meaning "butt"]
* pronunciation Boo-TAY

Comment example:
rahnyc4, 2013
"girl in the black has a big ol bootay!"

****
7. COLD WIT IT [phrase] - very serious & very cool about what is being done

Comment example:
sxyjellybean, 2012
"Yup! I agree Mariah was more versatile with her moves...She cold wit it..I like LaniPop,but Mariah won this one:-)

****
8. GETTING OLD [adjectival phrase] - something whose popularity is fading; consequently it is now out of style & unpopular

Comment example:
Bobby Mobay, 2012
"Now, Y'all know the lil girl (Mariah?) killt it!! Her dance was more creative, had swagger, and didn't repeat moves. Popping your big ole booty is getting kinda old."

****
9. GETTING IT [verbal phrase] - [in the context of this comment] this means "dancing well".

I think this vernacular meaning for "getting it" may have come from sports competitions where "it" in "getting it" meant "scoring points" to win the competition.

Comment example #1
lyric wynn, 2012
"i really dnt know who was better cause both of dem was gettin it"

Comment example #2
Ja'lencia Rucker, 2013
"the girl with the different color shirt was gtn it"

****
10. GIRL FALL BACK [sentence] - To tell a female [in this case] to "fall back" is to tell her to figuratively back off [move away] from her statement or action. "Fall back" used this way has a clear threatening element to it. A somewhat similar way of saying "fall back", although one without any integral threatening connotation is "Get out of here" [with what you said because you are talking nonsense.*]

*Note that I had originally used the word "rubbish" instead of "nonsense", but I changed that word because "talking rubbish" is too much like the phrase "talking trash". "Talking trash" has a whole 'nuther meaning [using disparaging, taunting, or boastful comments to an opponent] than "talking nonsense"... and that's not quite the same thing as talking nonsense. But if a person talked trash to someone, that person could tell him or her to "fall back".

Comment example:
Certifiedbhaddchicks, 2012
"mariah won that battle lani pop thought she was geting her~girl fall back everybody know mariah won;]"

****
11. GO GIRLS [exclamation] - In the context of this comment, "Go girls" is an exclamation of support. This exclamation probably came from the "Go team go" cheerleader cheer where "go" meant "Go on to win the game" and/or "Go score some points" etc.

Comment example:
Frostgrl681, 2013
"Upon my soul! This was a fierce Bob battle. Lani Pop, and Pants On Fire Mariah went so hard on this. Upon my soul they went hard. Go Chi-Town girls
-snip-
"Pants on fire Mariah" is a [non-sexually] affectionate nickname for the bobbin competitor Mariah which apparently was coined by her fans. "Pants on fire" is lifted from the playground rhyme "Liar, Liar/Pants on fire".

That nickname for the Bobbin competitor Mariah demonstrates an aesthetic appreciation for rhyming, as does the nickname "Big Booty Judy" that one commenter in that thread used as a referent for Lanipop, and the referent "Skinnie Mimi" that another commenter used for Mariah (I think that "Mimi" was probably a typo for "Minnie".) Another commenter referred to Lanipop as "big butt Brenda" which reflects an appreciation for alliteration.

It seemed to me that all of those nicknames were meant to be physically descriptive without any insulting intent. That atatement includes the "Big Butt Brenda" referent since among African Americans, a young woman who has a "big butt" (also known as an "African booty") is generally admired.

**
Read the entry for "Went hard" below.

**
"Upon my soul!" is an example of what I call "downhome African American Vernacular English". Other examples of downhome AAVE are "I ain't got no___" , "gonna", and "Sing it! (But I'd categorize the present tense exclamation "Sang it!" as Hip Hop AAVE rather than downhome AAVE).

****
12. HANDS DOWN (adverb) - to decisively win a competition, to win big [Read the comments above about "killed it" and "murdered"]

Comment example :
Bianca Theogene, 2013
"gurl in the jeans and colorful shirt one hands down"
-snip-
My guess is that "gurl" (girl) is purposely spelled the "Hip Hop" way, but "one" for "won" is a typo.

****
13. HATIN; HATIN ON [verb] - spreading negative comments about a person out of jealousy

Comment example #1
mariah mason, 2013
"Hey everybody thanks for the comments and to the people that's hatin I dont practice dancing I do wat I do so if anybody wanna battle let's get it"

Comment example #2
jada dukes, 2013
"Ppl Always Hating On Lani Pop She Did Good Too #TEAMLANIPOP AllDay"

****
14. HIGH WATERS [noun] - long pants whose length is too short for the person wearing them, causing the person's ankles to be seen

Comment example:
Tea' Fenner, 2012
"Notice The One With The Gray Sweat Pants Got On High Waters!!! Lol"
-snip-
Another commenter wrote "Where's the flood". The meaning of that comment is unclear if readers weren't aware about what "high waters" are.

****
15. KILLED [KILLED IT ; KILLIN IT, KILLED HER] (verb) - did something very well, won [a competition] without any question
In the context of that competition, "killed it" means to "win decisively", to perform so well against your competition that there's no question that you won. "Murdered" and "slaughtered" are verbs with the same meaning that are also found in that video's viewer comment thread, but if someone "slaughtered" her or his opponent, there's no question that she or he won against a very weak opponent.

Comment example #1:
keannberry95, 2010
in reply to PookyBadder12

@PookyBadder12 excatly your not from the chi so why are you speaking! if you was from the chi you would know lanipop was crowned queen when bob just came out! this aint nothing new! yes mariah killed it but lani got the title cause she was one of the first! and fyi you cant kill anybody from the chi because this is what we do...<3 -snip- "Chi" is a nickname for Chicago, Illinois - the home of Juke music & dance. Comment example #2: Jaylesia Johnson, 2012 "the first girl killllllled it" Comment example #3: sunja Hill, 2013 "good battle on both ends but The little skinny killed, murdered, slaughter big girl!!! If lil girl had a body like the big one it wouldn't even be a competition that needed a discussion!!" **** 16. LIL MAMA [noun] - an informal referent for 1. a young female from babyhood to young adulthood; 2. a short female teenager or short woman or 3. a referent to the Hip Hop vocalist whose stagename is "Lil Mama [The rapper “Lil mama” got her stage name from the colloquial referent and not the other way around] Comment example #1: TheLeeluu23, 2012 "lil mama in the jeans got tht hands down Comment example #2: Fantashia Tyson, 2013 "if you ask me she looks like lil mama i mean look at her and she can dance just like lil mama" **** 17. SHAWTY (noun), a referent that can refer to a short person [usually a female], or children of any gender, or a general referent for a female from a man, although usually that female referred to is shorter than the male using that referent "Shawty" is derived from the standard English word "shorty" and reflects the practice in Hip Hop African American Vernacular English of coining word & spellings that more closely match the way that African Americans informally pronounce certain words. Comment example #1: jahstayfly91, 2013 "Shawtty in da grey omg" -snip- Note that Lanipop, the dancer competitor in the gray was taller than Mariah, the other competitor. Yet, the commenter referred to her as "shawtty". Comment example #2: Shakedatting2011, 2013 "Shawty in tha blue did it!! Otha shawty thought ha booty was gon make her win..NO [expletivee deleted]" -snip- This commenter refers to the shortest competitor Mariah as "shawty". In neither of those examples is "shawty" considered an insult. "Lil mama" is often used as a referent for females the same way as "shawty" is. **** 18.SMH [Update entry 9/30/2014] "smh" is an acronym that means "shaking my head' [in exasperation, disdain, disgust, disbelief, and/or annoyance]. From my online research, it appears that "smh" nymn is only used in written communication on the internet and in telephone text messaging. This 2009 Yahoo answer blog is the earliest documentation that I can find about "smh": https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090503231937AA75mhg. The anonymous poster asks "is smh a black internet slang?" He or she also wrote “i have no idea what it means, but i often see it in message boards and comment areas. the posters are always black people. can someone clue me in?”
-snip-
There are six responses to that query, all of them from 2009. The one that was ranked [by the person making the query] as the "Best respnse" was written by Chrissy. That response was
"It [smh] means
"shakin my head"
there you're clued in
Example:
Girl: What are you doin?
Boy: Smokin Crack..
Girl: Smh you're a loser
-snip-
Although the "Asker" gave this response the highest rating, she or he wrote "it sounds incredibly stupid".

Three of the five additional commenters to that blog post either self-identified as Black or their photograph appeared to be of a person most people would consider to be Black. (Although those gloggers didn't specify what "Black" means, I think it probably meant "African American". Each of those identified as Black responders indicated that they didn't know what "smh" meant. One of those commenters who used the screen name "knowitall" answered
"I'm black.. and I have no idea what it means..
Get over it..
Its just an internet slang..
That hasn't caught on yet.."
-snip-
A pancocojams post on "smh" will be published ASAP. When it is published, I'll add its link to this post.

"Smh" is usually used alone after a sentence, but may also be used at the beginning of a sentence.

Comment example #1:
DIYSandMore, 2012
[written in response to questions about what type of dancing is done in this video]
"It's chicago, Illinois. the style is JUKE ... it's in the description... smh

Comment example #2
Kiya Mckee, 2013
"all they girl in the blck is doing same thing smh"
-snip-
I believe that the high value that is placed upon speed in interent writing and [telephone] texting has created new norms that greatly minimize the importance of capitalization & punctuation. Furthermore, those "new norms" mean that words can be omitted as long as the comments/messsage could be understood -similarly to the "You" being omitted when writing a command such as "Come here."

In that example given above the word "they" may be a typo, but the spelling of the word "black" might have been purposely done because with that spelling, that word is understood.

Furthermore, I think the commenter purposely decided not to type the words "is the" after the word "doing" and before the word "same" as a form of typing shorthand because the commenter believed that most readers would know that those words were supposed to be there.

****
19. THICK (adjective) - a person who has more weight than what mainstream America considers to be the ideal; "Thick" is usually applied to females where it is a synonym for a "big girl" or a teenager who is "built". "Thick" is sometimes, but not always, used as a euphemism for "fat"; It appears to me that among many African Americans, "thick" doesn't usually have the negative connotations that "fat" does.

Comment example #1:
unforgotten223, 2012
"Like if you think the skinny girl won and that you think everyone just chose the other girl because she thick.....!"
-snip-
"Like" here refers to the system YouTube has for readers to indicate their approval of a comment or a video.

Comment example #2
kishia84, 2012
"I think they both were good, and lanipop proved that thick chicks can work it too! Good job ladies!"

****
20. WENT HARD [adverb] description of how well [how agressively] someone performed an activity such as playing sports, or, in this case competing in a Bob battle

Comment example:
Frostgrl681, 2013
"Upon my soul! This was a fierce Bob battle. Lani Pop, and Pants On Fire Mariah went so hard on this. Upon my soul they went hard. Go Chi-Town girls"

****
Thanks to Lanipop & Mariah who are featured in that video and thanks to the producer of that video. Thanks also to all those who I have quoted in this post.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

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Game Songs & Sea Shanties Sources For A West Indian Singing Game

Edited by Azizi Powell

I came across the following ring game (circle game) from Carricaou [Grenada, West Indies] some time ago when I was searching online for Caribbean children's games:

[I've number the song's lines for reference purpose. The performance instructions that the blogger Nick Cox wrote are given in parenthesis and italics as he wrote them.]

1. Under the cabin we shall be,
("It" is crouching like a sleeping bird in the center of the ring)
2. Like a blackbird in the air.
3. Rise and stand up on your feet ("It" rises to his/her feet)
4. and show me the one you love the best.
(It goes close to and faces the one he/she likes)
5. Oh sally's going to marry, I wish you well.
6. First the boy, second the girl (everyone points at the one "It" chose)
7. Seven days after seven days ago
8. Oh roll oh roll.
9. Oh Whirl her to the left and to the right
10. To the left and to the right.
(The couple hold hands and swing them left and right)
11. Whirl her to the left and to the right
12. and give her a kiss and send her away. (Only the very brave executed on this.)
13. Oh roll. Oh roll. (The gyration of the couple begins)
14. Oh roll you bamby gyal roll you bamby gyal
15. JUKE AHM (And the signature Juke!)

Source: http://www.bigdrumnation.org/poetry/games.htm oosted by Nick Cox.
Nick Cox wrote that he remembers this singing game from when he was a child in the 1960s, and describes it as "the popular ring game." Nick Cox also writes "The lyrics are just the way I heard them as a boy. Not making complete sense, but not daring to question topics of that nature. Pity I have no means of sharing the melody at this point."

I came across this singing game again yesterday while doing research on the meaning of word "juke" in the Caribbean & in the United States. Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/11/jook-juke-words-phrases-in-caribbean-in.html for a post on "Jook (Juke) Words & Phrases In The Caribbean & In The USA".
-snip-
I'm using the first line of that game song as its title. However, I'm not sure if "Under The Cabin We Shall Be" (also given here as "Under The Cabin") is the actual name of this ring game.

I've not been able to find other examples of this entire singing game under that name or other names online or in the few books on Caribbean game songs & rhymes that I have access to. I'd be curious to know if this singing game is documented elsewhere and if it is still played in Carriacao and/or in other parts of the Caribbean.

Children's singing games and rhymes are often made up of lines from multiple sources. I believe that "Under The Cabin We Shall Be" is much older than the 1960s, and, if my guesses are correct, it may be at least a hundred years old. Undoubtedly, some of the words to that game song have changed.

It seems very obvious that the West Indian [Dominica] game song "Down To The Carpet" is the source of lines 1-7 of "Under The Cabin We Shall Be". It also seems obvious that Line #12 is also from the "Down To The Carpet" game song.

Here are the words to "Down To The Carpet" as it is found in Brown Girl In A Ring: An Anthology of Song Games from the Eastern Caribbean (editors Alan Lomax, J.D. Elder, and Bess Lomax Hawes: New York, Pantheon Books, 1997, pp 76-77).

Down in the carpet you must go,
Like a blackbird in the air.
Oh, rise and stand up on your knees,
And choose the one you love the best,
Oh, when you marry, you tell me so,
First a boy, second a girl,
Ten days after, ten days old,
Kiss, kiss, and say goodbye.
-snip-
I think that the words "first a boy, second a girl" refer to the order of the gender of children who will be born in that marriage. But Nick Cox wrote in his performance notes that he remembers "first a boy, second a girl" being taken as references for the middle persons in that particular rendition of that game.

I also think that the singing game "Little Sally Waters"* is the source for the directional lines [9-11] in the "Under The Cabin" game song. However, in "Little Sally Waters" those directional lines [usually? always?] refer to "turning [and "shaking"] to the East and West" rather than "to the left and right".

*"Little Sally Waters" used to be widely known in the United States as "Little Sally Walker". (However, since at least the early 2000s, the updated version of that singing game "Little Sally Walker Walking Down The Street" appears to be much more popular than its older version.)

In their notes for "Down To The Carpet", Lomax et.al. writes that "in play children sometimes use "Down To The Carpet" as a kind of second act for Little Sally Water" [which is also included in that book.] After Little Sally chooses her partner, "Down to the Carpet" is sung at a much speedieer teempo while the two children dance in the center of the ring. At the last line, "Kiss, kiss and say goodbye".

Continuing my analysis of "Under The Cabin", I believe that line numbers 8, 13, and 14 have their source in certain "Sally Brown" sea shanties. Those West Indian shanties include the refrain "Oh, hay, roll and go". And the girl in those shanties is named "Sally" as is the girl in the "Under The Cabin" game song. Of course, other shanties may also include an "oh roll" refrain. Whereas the word "roll" probably originally referred to a ship's rocking, as indicated by Nick Cox's notes, the performance activity that is accompanies that word in that contemporary singing game is the hip twisting, booty shaking "wining" that Cox refers to as "gyrations".

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/04/sally-brown-sally-sue-brown-sea-shanty.html for a pancocojams post that provides a few examples of the "Sally Brown" sea shanties.

I think that the word "bamby" in line 14 is Patois for "baby". If so "bamby gyal" means "baby girl"- a common affectionate referent for females other than babies among African Americans, and presumably also among folks in the Caribbean.

As to line 15, suffice it to say that in the Caribbean one of the definitions of the word "juke" is "to stab or thrust". My guess is that when shouting the exclamation "JUKE AHM" (Jook 'em) the children singing this game song performed a sharply pronounced wine [twist a hip to the side] or, even more likely, did a pelvis thrust movement. For an example of a Caribbean traditional dance that features the pelvis thrust, click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtG2uLDEUUI&feature=related Martinque "MARTINIQUE - Bèlè **Mabélo**"

****
Thanks to Nick Cox for sharing this rhyme & his remembrances of its performance activity. Thanks also to authors of the Brown Girl In The Ring book.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitors comments are welcome.

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