Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post provides information about Singing Francine and showcases a YouTube video of Singing Francine singing a version of her song "Runaway".

I've included my partial transcription of this song from the embedded video. Please add to and correct this transcription.

Additional lyrics for that song from a pdf file for what appears to be another version of Singing Francine's song "Runaway" are also included in this post.

Thanks to Singing Francine for her musical and social activism legacy. Thanks to all those who are featured in this video and all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publisher of this post on YouTube.

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INFORMATION ABOUT SINGING FRANCINE
Excerpt #1:
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgFAO6oAsUI&t=3s [summary of another video of Singing Francine performing "Runaway"]
published by CARIBBEAN INSIGHT TV , Mar 24, 2017
"FRANCINE EDWARDS Known in the calypso arena as “ Singing Francine” is a woman who has changed the dynamics of calypso. Born in Barbados and migrated to Trinidad in the late 1950's joined the calypso clique and became a backup vocalist for Kitchener and sparrow. She was crowned Calypso Queen in 1972, 1973, 1974 with hits like “ Mass in the Savannah”, “Happiness”, “Runaway” and “Carnival Fever”. She has one of the sweetest voices in the calypso arenas and is as versatile with her music."

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Excerpt #2
From https://newsday.co.tt/2017/12/21/dont-forget-singing-francine/ Keith Anderson via e-mail Thursday 21 December 2017 Newsday "Don’t forget Singing Francine"
"Many of our cultural heroes are in life’s departure lounge. Some have gone to graveyards unheralded. As a true blue “Culture Man” I have been shouting from the rooftop that there is need to honour them while they are alive.

I could list calypso veterans and other cultural heroes, worthy of honour, who have enriched our lives through their contributions in their various fields.

I am overjoyed with all the accolades the 77-year-old “young girl” Calypso Rose (Mc Arthur Sandy Lewis) is receiving, including the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (ORTT). Her six decades of contribution to calypso is a tribute to her longevity.

Rose and Francine (Francine Edwards) kicked down the doors of prejudice, spite, discrimination and labels, not worthy of mention, that blocked the path of women in calypso.

Calypso Rose is a well-loved artiste, who has done this country proudly, locally, regionally and internationally. As a young man, I had the honour of meeting Rose, and found her warm and friendly.

However, while we celebrate Calypso Rose, the Government, the Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation (TUCO) and the National Carnival Commission (NCC) must focus on honouring calypso veteran Singing Francine (Francine Edwards) in a big way. Next year’s Dimanche Gras show is a wonderful way to start! “Mr Dollar Wine” Colin Lucas, are you listening?

Francine, like Rose, has contributed heavily to the development of calypso, and the liberation of women in calypso paving the way for Calypso Princess, Singing Dianne, Denyse Plummer. Singing Sandra, Drupatie Ramgoonai, Singing Sonia, Sanelle Dempster, the late Beulah Bobb, Marvellous Marva, Tigress and others.

I say give Singing Francine the recognition she deserves. Roll out the red carpet! I am sure calypso lovers will agree."

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SHOWCASE VIDEO: G.B.T.V. CultureShare ARCHIVES 1994: SINGING FRANCINE "Run away"



Gentle Benjamin, Jan 21, 2012
7-23-94 - EVERYBODY'S MAGAZINE "World Calypso Monarch Competition" @ BROOKLYN COLLEGE, BROOKLYN NY
-snip-
Unfortunately, there are only a few comments on that video's discussion thread. Here's one of those comments:
Brian Browne, 2020
"The calypsonian as social commentator supreme! Sad but still so relevant today...Thank you Francine!"


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LYRICS: RUNAWAY*
(Singing Francine)


[Introduction to this video-.01-.040]

Every two seconds there is abuse, abuse of spouse.
Battered housewives in the streets and in the home.
I have one solution and it’s the only solution:
If you can’t agree, agree to disagree.
Otherwise, they will read on the tombstone:
Return if possible.

The name of my song is entitled “Runaway!”
One, two, one two, one two three four

[Song begins around .041]

You wait for you put a ring on she hand.
?? she man
She said she love she bursting with joy
She give you a baby boy.
Little did she know you wanted a maid
The next lady ? could make the grade
Now she sat up and wondering what to do
How to get away. How to get away.
How to get away from you.

Doggies run away
Horses run away
Jack rabbits run away
Know that you can run away too.

Get out!
Run!
You went out and you put those teeth in she mouth
????
You makin she shame all over the place
My you are a dark disgrace.

Not even the judge know she cannot go.
She beg for the love she said that you know
She tryin like ?__ to make up a plan
How to get away.
How to get away
How to get away from you.
Doggies run away
Horses run away
Jack rabbits run away
???

Get out
From there
and don’t go back.

Run!
???
???
they say it ____ wife
than getting abused the rest of your life
When company comes
You have to smile
And pretend that he so nice.
????
????
It’s not all in your head
woman, run away
Woman, run away
Run before he kill you dead.
Run! Run!

Doggies run away
Horses run away
Jack rabbits run away
???
Doggies run away
Horses run away
Jack rabbits run away

What about you?
Woman, you can run away.
You too.
Get out!

[Francine speaking] Now this verse
This verse that coming up
Is for all the men
All the men that’s listening to me,
Now men, listen!
If you know you don’t treat your woman nice
Start checking out now, you take my advice
You think that you know the truth
that woman never run from you
No, no, no no.
Just tell your lady that she sweet
Hold the lady hand when she cross the street
Just do as I say
Handle she with care
So she don’t run away.
She would never run away.
She would never run away.

Doggies run away
Horses run away
Jack rabbits run away
???
She will get out
She runnnnnnn!

????

-snip-
This is my attempt at transcribing the words that Singing Francine said & sung in the video that is embedded in this pancocojams post. Please improve this transcription with additions and corrections. Thanks in advance.
-snip-
Here's an excerpt of lyrics [from another version of Singing Francine's song "Runaway"?] that were included in this pdf file:EXCERPT FROM PDF
http://genderlinks.org.za/wp-content/uploads/imported/articles/attachments/historical_culture_of_gender_hetersexual_violence_maude_dikobe.pdf"Historical Culture of Gender and Hetero/Sexual Violence in Calypso in Trinidad: Treat ‘Em Rough" By Maude Dikobe [in] GENDER & MEDIA DIVERSITY JOURNAL [page 117-125]* (no date given]

"If she bring she friends to visit the house
You insulting she you calling them louse
If she talk to Greg you say she with he
Like she is a slot puppy
Morning noon and night you blowing she mind
You binging she old, old before she time
Seven years you living in misery
Woman runaway, woman, runaway, woman run away
from he"
--“Runaway,” Singing Francine

-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/01/excerpt-from-pdf-entitled-historical.html for the pancocojams post entitled Excerpt From The Pdf Entitled "Historical Culture of Gender and Hetero/Sexual Violence in Calypso in Trinidad: Treat ‘Em Rough"" which includes those partial lyrics.

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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post provides information about Calypsonian Singing Sandra and showcases a YouTube video of Singing Sandra singing "Crying: Voices From The Ghetto".

Lyrics for that song are also included in this post.

Thanks to Singing Sandra for her musical legacy. Thanks to all those who are featured in this video and all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publisher of this sound file on YouTube.

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INFORMATION ABOUT SINGING SANDRA
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singing_Sandra
"Sandra DesVignes-Millington (born 1957), better known as Singing Sandra, is a Trinidadian calypsonian who won the Calypso Monarch title at the 1999 and 2003 carnivals.

[...]

As a result of her career as an artist, she is a well-respected musician of soca. Her achievements were numerous. She was the second woman to win Trinidad's Calypso Monarch title, winning in 1999 with the songs "Song for Healing" and "Voices from the Ghetto".[citation needed] She was able to finish in third place in 2000 and in fifth place during 2001's festival.[citation needed] In 2003 she won the title for a second time, with "For Whom the Bell Tolls" and "Ancient Rhythm", winning a Honda Civic car and a $70,000 cash prize, becoming the first female calypsonian to win the title twice. She placed third in 2005 and second in 2006.[citation needed]

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Calypso Monarch
1999
In 1999, Singing Sandra became the second woman to ever win the Calypso Monarch competition after Calypso Rose's win in 1978. This was an important feat, because by being crowned the Calypso Monarch at this annual Calypso competition that takes place at Trinidad and Tobago's Carnival, she was essentially reaffirming the place of women in Calypso music and in society too, especially considering the fact that Calypso as a music genre, primarily focuses on lyrics full of social and political commentary. The two songs that put her in first place were titled "Song for Healing" and "Voices from the Ghetto", which are songs that speak on poverty and racism.[2] The socio-political topics of these songs, were thus very critical of pertaining social issues present in Trinidad and Tobago, today. Specifically "Voices from the Ghetto" speaks about all the hardships that come with growing up in a poor, crime-filled neighborhood, and was considered a very personal song, because DesVignes-Millington herself grew up in the East Dry River area, which is known to be a very rough neighborhood.[3] Thus, competitions like the Calypso Monarch, are very important platforms for musicians that allow artists like Singing Sandra to be able to artistically voice their political experiences to both local and global audiences, because many tourists from around the world flock to Trinidad and Tobago's Carnival celebrations each year.

2003
Then again in 2003, Singing Sandra made history once more to become the only female Calypso artist to ever win the Calypso Monarch title twice. This repeat win, now marked her legacy within Calypso music and also helped to again bring attention to the importance of female voices within a very male dominated competition and genre. The two songs that Singing Sandra performed for this specific year's competition were also full of strong political ideas and were titled "For Whom the Bells Toll?" and "Ancient Rhythm". The latter song relates to the specific experiences of the African diaspora community in Trinidad and other places, and also reflects how Singing Sandra finds her own freedom within her music that help her embrace her diaspora identity.[4]”….

Legacy
Calypso artists communicate their thoughts and comments of the world, mainly, through their lyrics.[2] Although the music is important, the words are crucial for a successful career. The topics vary from singer to singer and can contain any and every type of criticisms,opinions, etc. As one of the pioneers in the Calypso industry, Singing Sandra's trajectory has empowered many listeners, especially women.“...

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SHOWCASE SOUND FILE: singing sandra crying




Andy wong kee, Sep 25, 2008

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LYRICS:
(Singing Sandra)

The sun rises slowly over the hills,
Everywhere is golden sunlight but still
Most nights with sad tales are crowded
Their days with dark clouds are shrouded
They don't smile and they never will,
Only vultures get their fill.
Empty promises is what they hear
No running water from year to year
Hearts that know one desire -
That if there is a Messiah,
Someday He'd hear their whispered prayer.

Cupboard always bare and scanty
Ten people in a one-bedroom shanty
Forced to sell on the pavement
No vacancies, no employment
Can't tell firecracker from gunshot
Blood does flow when things get hot
Ah 'fraid to look out mih window
To hear voices from the ghetto...

[Crying,] crying [crying] ay Lord, Lord [crying] crying, voices from the ghetto
[Crying,] crying [crying] Lord, Lord, Lord [crying] aye ay, voices from the ghetto
Help us Father! Oh, Lord!

Mothers does just hold their head and bawl
And them woman stronger than a wall
A big pusher eyeing she daughter,
Son in jail for manslaughter
Too bad for he, he ain't named Brad Boyce,
No bail, that's the black man's choice
Like Shadow say, "Poverty is Hell",
She little girl child belly start to swell
Some say life is a cycle
But don't draw she no circle
Where will it all end, only time could tell.

Outside the siren keep howling,
Inside your belly real growling
Police raid very often,
Simpson's measuring a coffin
One night in bed you sleeping,
Next night is a wake that you keeping
So you praying to win the Lotto,
Not to hear voices from the ghetto...

[Crying,] crying [crying] ay, crying, crying, crying, voices from the ghetto
[Crying,] crying [crying] Lord, hear them pleading [crying] ay, ay, ay, voices from the ghetto
Stretch forth a hand to us, Lord! We are not a forgotten people. Hear our cry.

With dented pride they soldier on
Revolutions' base, politicians' pawn
And often their tragic story brings a journalist glory
No wonder they view the world with scorn
From since the day they born
Some call them rebels without a cause,
These social victims of unjust laws
But yet they christen their heroes,
"Renegades,""Desperados"
Forever knocking on Heaven's doors...Hear me!

Steelband music shatters the silence,
Harmony to conquer the violence
Big men run when cops approach,
Fighting for scraps with the cockroach
Young turks, their turf protecting,
Almost every young girl expecting
So tomorrow, beg, steal or borrow,
There will be another voice from the ghetto...

[Crying,] Lord [crying] oh, oh, oh [crying] ay, ay, voices from the ghetto
[Crying,] Oh----- Mama [crying] Oh ----- Papa [crying] voices from the ghetto.

Social amenities, Lord, Heaven knows
Opportunities, well them always closed
Can't get work once it white collar
So if you can't stretch your dollar
Is later for you, crapaud smoke yuh pipe
You sure to dead from gripe
Life does rape dignity and pride
'Til there's only bitterness left inside
And everyday is a hustle,
Arguments are settled with muscle
'Til you six feet deep by three feet wide.

Children through life keep on drifting
Is something they smoking or sniffing
Maybe they trying to forget
This life of misery and regret
No one to come to their rescue
Except Cableton and Buju
So their boom boxes they leggo
To drown out voices from the ghetto...

[Crying] crying [crying] yeah, Lord, lord, lord [crying] ay, ay, voices from the ghetto
[Crying,] crying crying [crying] crying, crying [crying] crying, yeah eh, voices from the ghetto
[Crying,] I was born and bred in the ghetto [crying] I know what I talking about, you know [crying] ay, ay, I from the ghetto
[Crying] crying....

N.B. The following verse was sung at Singing Sandra's 1999 Dimanche Gras performance.

As parents struggle to provide
Children are neglected and deprived
Illiteracy on the rampage
Some parents never reach college
So ---- the child must ----
If he want to stay alive
The dropout rate does come out trump
As their big truck skid and hit life's bump
Dem can't relate education
To their daily life of starvation
So they take their chances in the dump

Every day garbage truck they hopping
Is old junk and metal they scrapping
To get a jump start on them corbeaux
Some does get squash like mosquito
So next time you passing the Beetham
In your fancy car, air-conditioned
Just above the hum of your motor
You might hear a voice from the ghetto.

-source: ROGERTHAT5949, 2018 posted in the discussion thread for this embedded video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXBVsNt2Qr8
-snip-
"Dimanche Gras" -" French for Great Sunday and is the title of the main carnival event called dimanche gras night. On dimanche gras which is carnival Sunday night the calypso competition and the King and Queen of the bands are held. It is a spectacle to begin the carnival on Monday morning (jouvert)."https://cguillaumme.caribsurf.net/dictionary.html

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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases the song "Rivers Of Babylon" that was composed in 1970 by two members of the Jamaican Rastafarian Reggae trio The Melodians.

Information about and lyrics for that song are included in this post along with a sound file of The Melodians performing "Rivers Of Babylon" and a video of the German based group "Boney M" performing a cover of that song.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to The Melodians for their musical legacy. Thanks also to Boney M for their musical legacy and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of these examples on YouTube.
-snip-

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/02/jamaican-songs-about-river-jordan-part-i.html for this closely related 2013 pancocojams post entitled "Jamaican Songs About The River Jordan (Part I)". The link to Part II of that pancocojams series is found near the beginning of that post.

Also, click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/01/why-zion-and-mt-zion-are-frequently.html for a 2020 pancocojams post entitled "Why "Zion" And "Mt. Zion" Are Frequently Used In Names Of Black (African American) Churches".

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SONG "RIVERS OF BABYLON"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rivers_of_Babylon
"Rivers of Babylon" is a Rastafari song written and recorded by Brent Dowe and Trevor McNaughton of the Jamaican reggae group The Melodians in 1970. The lyrics are adapted from the texts of Psalms 19 and 137 in the Hebrew Bible. The Melodians' original version of the song appeared on the soundtrack album for the 1972 movie The Harder They Come, which made it internationally known.

The song was popularized in Europe by the 1978 Boney M. cover version, which was awarded a platinum disc and is one of the top-ten all-time best-selling singles in the UK. The B-side of the single, "Brown Girl in the Ring", also became a hit.

Background
Biblical psalms
The song is based on the Biblical Psalm 137:1-4, a hymn expressing the lamentations of the Jewish people in exile following the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem in 586 BC:[1] Previously the Kingdom of Judah, after being united under Kings David and Solomon, had been split in two, with the Kingdom of Israel in the north, conquered by the Assyrians in 722 BC which caused the dispersion of 10 of the 12 tribes of Israel. The southern Kingdom of Judah (hence the name Jews), home of the tribe of Judah and part of the tribe of Levi, was free from foreign domination until the Babylonian conquest to which Rivers of Babylon refers.

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion ... They carried us away in captivity requiring of us a song ... Now how shall we sing the LORD's song in a strange land?

The namesake rivers of Babylon (in present-day Iraq) are the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The song also has words from Psalm 19:14:[2]

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight...

[...]

Rastafari
In the Rastafarian faith, the term "Babylon" is used for any governmental system which is either oppressive or unjust. In Jamaica, Rastafarians also use "Babylon" to refer to the police, often seen as a source of oppression because they arrest members for the use of marijuana (which is sacramental for Rastafarians). Therefore, "By the rivers of Babylon" refers to living in a repressive society and the longing for freedom, just like the Israelites in captivity. Rastafarians also identify themselves as belonging to the Twelve Tribes of Israel. The original version specifically refers to Rastafarian belief in Haile Selassie, by changing references to "the Lord" in the Biblical text to "Far-I" and "King Alpha". Both terms refer to Selassie (Selassie's wife Menen Asfaw is known as Queen Omega).[3] In addition, the term "the wicked" replaces the neutral "they" of Psalm 137 in the line "they that carried us away captive required of us a song...".[4] According to David Stowe,

Brent Dowe, the lead singer of the Melodians, told Kenneth Bilby that he had adapted Psalm 137 to the new reggae style because he wanted to increase the public's consciousness of the growing Rastafarian movement and its calls for black liberation and social justice. Like the Afro-Protestant Revival services, traditional Rastafarian worship often included psalm singing and hymn singing, and Rastas typically modified the words to fit their own spiritual conceptions; Psalm 137 was among their sacred chants.[4]

Melodians version
After its release in 1970, the song quickly became well known in Jamaica"....

Boney M. version

"Rivers of Babylon" was covered in 1978 by Germany-based disco band Boney M., with a version that was released as a single. Boney M.'s release stayed at the no. 1 position in the UK for five weeks and was also the group's only significant US chart entry, peaking at no. 30 in the Pop charts. Boney M.'s version of the song remains one of the top ten all-time best-selling singles in the UK, where it is one of only seven songs to have sold over 2 million copies.[6] In Canada, the song was a top 25 hit on the RPM magazine's Top 100 singles chart and reached no. 9 on the Adult Contemporary chart. The song also reached No. 1 on the South African Springbok chart, where it remained for a total of 11 weeks, making it the No. 1 song on that country's year end charts. The song was the first single from the band's equally successful 1978 album, Nightflight to Venus. Some controversy arose when the first single pressings only credited Frank Farian and Reyam (aka Hans-Jörg Mayer) of Boney M.; after an agreement with Dowe and McNaughton, these two were also credited on later pressings.

The Rastafarian language was excised from the lyrics for the Boney M. version. Although the group performed an early mix of the song on a German TV show and sang "How can we sing King Alpha's song" as in the Melodians version, it was changed to "the Lord's song", restoring the original, biblical words, in the versions that were to be released.[3] To fit the meter, "O Far-I" became "here tonight" rather than the original, biblical "O Lord"."....

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SHOWCASE SOUND FILE - The Melodians - "Rivers Of Babylon" (Official Audio)



Trojan Records Official, May 9, 2014

Original 1970 version by leading Jamaican vocal trio, the Melodians.


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SHOWCASE VIDEO - [Boney M] Rivers of Babylon (1978)



E M.G.M, Jan 23, 2013

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LYRICS - RIVER OF BABYLON
(The Melodians)

By the rivers of Babylon
Where he sat down
And there he wept
When he remembered Zion

Cause the wicked carried us away in captivity
Required from us a song
How can we sing King Alpha's song
In a strange land?

Cause the wicked carried us away in captivity
Required from us a song
How can we sing King Alpha's song
In a strange land?

Sing it out loud
Sing a song of freedom, sister
Sing a song of freedom, brother (sister)

We gotta sing and shout it!
We gotta jump and shout it!
Shout the song of freedom now, oh

So, let the words of our mouth
And the meditation of our heart
Be acceptable in Thy sight
Oh, Fari

So, let the words of our mouth
And the meditation of our heart
Be acceptable in Thy sight
Oh, Fari

Sing it again!
We've got to sing it together
Everyone (we've got to shout it together)
La la la la la, oh

By the rivers of Babylon
Where he sat down
And there he wept
When he remembered Zion

Cause the wicked carried us away in captivity
Required from us a song
How can we sing King Alpha's song
In a strange land?

Cause the wicked carried us away in captivity
Required from us a song
How can we sing King Alpha's song
In a strange land?

Sing it, sing it, sing it
See you got to sing it, brother
You got to sing it, sing sisters, yeah

Source: https://genius.com/The-melodians-rivers-of-babylon-lyrics

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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post present information about the origins and meanings of the male/female name "Zion".

Information about the popularity of the personal name "Zion" in the United States and elsewhere is also included in this post along with comments about & examples of this name.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
*One definition of "onomastics" is "the science or study of the origin and forms of proper names of persons or places". https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/onomastics
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/01/why-zion-and-mt-zion-are-frequently.html for a 2020 pancocojams post entitled "Why "Zion" And "Mt. Zion" Are Frequently Used In Names Of Black (African American) Churches".

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ORIGINS AND MEANINGS OF THE PERSONAL NAME "ZION"
Excerpt #1:
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Zion"
"Mount Zion (Hebrew: הַר צִיּוֹן‬, Har Tsiyyon; Arabic: جبل صهيون‎, Jabal Sahyoun) is a hill in Jerusalem just outside the walls of the Old City. The term Mount Zion has been used in the Hebrew Bible first for the City of David (2 Samuel 5:7, 1 Chronicles 11:5; 1 Kings 8:1, 2 Chronicles 5:2) and later for the Temple Mount, but its meaning has shifted and it is now used as the name of ancient Jerusalem's Western Hill.[1][2] In a wider sense, the term is also used for the entire Land of Israel.[3]

Etymology
The etymology of the word Zion is uncertain.[4][5][6] Mentioned in the Bible in the Book of Samuel (2 Samuel 5:7) as the name of the Jebusite fortress conquered by King David, its origin likely predates the Israelites.[4][5] If Semitic, it may be associated with the Hebrew root ''ṣiyyôn ("castle"). Though not spoken in Jerusalem until hundreds of years later, the name is similar in Arabic and may be connected to the root ṣiyya ("dry land") or the Arabic šanā ("protect" or "citadel").[5][6] It might also be related to the Arabic root ṣahî ("ascend to the top") or ṣuhhay ("tower" or "the top of the mountain").[6] A non-Semitic relationship to the Hurrian word šeya ("river" or "brook") has also been suggested.[6]"....

[...]

The phrase Har Tzion, lit. "Mount Zion", appears nine times in the Tanakh.[8] It is spelled with a Tzadi and not Zayin.

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Excerpt #2
From http://www.babynamewizard.com/baby-name/boy/zion
"Zion is a biblical term for the promised land. For Rastafarians it means a utopia or heaven on earth, and it is also widely associated with the drive for a Jewish homeland and with the ideals of the Mormon church. Zion wasn't often considered as a name until musicians Lauryn Hill and Rohan Marley (son of Rasta legend Bob Marley) chose it for their son. Scores of parents are now following their example."
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A pancocojams post on Lauryn Hill's song "Zion" will be published in the near future and the link to that post will be included here.

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Excerpt #3
https://www.thebump.com/b/zion-baby-name
ZION
[name meaning] HIGHEST POINT
ORIGIN: Hebrew POPULARITY: 295
Pronounced ZYE-on, this is a unisex name of Hebrew origin that’s mostly chosen for boys. A zion was a citadel that was in the center of Jerusalem, which explains why it means “highest point.” Today it’s known as the biblical term for the Promised Land; Zionism refers to the movement to establish a Jewish homeland. To Rastafarians, a religious group in Jamaica, the name means "utopia." When singer Lauryn Hill and Rohan Marley, son of reggae superstar Bob Marley, called their son Zion in 1997, the name became an instant hit. Chicago Bulls player Dwayne Wade also called his baby boy Zion in 2007.

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Excerpt #4
From https://www.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/babyname.cgi
"Popularity of name Zion
For each year, we show the rank for Zion and a bar representing the popularity of that name. The longer the bar, the more popular the name. The more popular the name in a given year, the numerically lower the rank, with rank 1 being the most popular.

Year Rank Popularity of male name Zion" [Pancocojams Editor's Note. This is shown by the length of bar graph with the highest rank being the longest bar.]
"2018 183
2017 199
2016 213
2015 227
2014 255
2013 236
2012 235
2011 245
2010 231
2009 240
2008 230
2007 235
2006 265
2005 293
2004 312
2003 329
2002 333
2001 324
2000 300
1999 274
1998 695

Years where ranks are the same does not imply that the number of births are the same. Data are missing for 18 years where the name Zion is not in the top 1000 most popular names. Name data are from Social Security card applications for births that occurred in the United States.

More information for male name Zion
For 2018, the number of births with name Zion is 2153, which represents 0.112 percent of total male births in 2018.

The year when the name Zion was most popular is also 2018."
-snip-
I haven't found the data for 2019.

My position is that the use of the name "Zion" in the 1999 movie The Matrix as the name of the last remaining human city explains the large increase in the use of the name "Zion" as a male name from rank #695 in 1998 to rank #274 in 1999.

Here's information about that movie:
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Matrix_(franchise)
The Matrix is an American media franchise created by the Wachowskis. The series primarily consists of a trilogy of science fiction action films beginning with The Matrix (1999) and continuing with two sequels, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions (both in 2003), all written and directed by the Wachowskis and produced by Joel Silver."...

**
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zion_(The_Matrix)
"Zion is a fictional city in The Matrix films. It is the last human city on the planet Earth after a cataclysmic nuclear war between mankind and sentient machines, which resulted in artificial lifeforms dominating the world.

Religious meaning
Stephen Faller writes in Beyond the Matrix that Christianity is the most dominant religious theme in the Matrix films and that "Zion is biblically regarded as the city of God".[1] The book Philosophers Explore the Matrix writes that "The last remaining human city, Zion, [is] synonymous in Judaism and Christianity with (the heavenly) Jerusalem".[2]

Racial matters
Faller says that Zion is presented as a contrast to the Matrix, "The racial constituency of Zion is much less European and Anglo than present-day America. We are shifting the paradigm from the racially charged medium of the Matrix, where the subtext is so clearly contrasted in the extremes of black and white, to the imagined world of Zion, which is dominated by people of color."[1] One chapter in The Matrix Trilogy: Cyberpunk Reloaded writes, "Black spirituality is evoked in the Matrix films... by the use of Zion for the underground city of free humans populated primarily by black people, suggesting the dream of Christianised slaves to find a safe haven in 'the promised land' and the Rastafarian belief in an utopian society."

Another chapter writes, "The Matrix Reloaded displays black 'life' in a scene reminiscent of countless Hollywood jungle melodramas when the predominantly black population of Zion engages in frenzied dancing to the pounding rhythm of drums. In Hollywood, the war between artifice and reality is drawn along racial lines."[3] Adilifu Nama writes in Black Space: Imagining Race in Science Fiction Film, "The racial politics of Zion appears to be based on a multicultural model of racial equality and participation. In the Zion setting, a racial utopia is presented where blacks, whites, and other people of color live and work together, and in many cases whites are subordinate but not subservient to blacks."...
-snip-
This excerpt is reformatted to enhance it's readability.

The "Racial Matters" excerpt given above may be one explanation about why some people in the United States think that "Zion" is a "Black name". The publicity surrounding the fact that some African American celebrities gave the name "Zion" to their child* and/or the fact that an African American celebrity (such as professional basketball player Zion Williamson (born 2000) also contribute to the mistaken belief that "Zion" is a "Black name".

*For example, as quoted above, "singer Lauryn Hill and Rohan Marley, son of reggae superstar Bob Marley, called their son Zion in 1997...[and] Chicago Bulls player Dwayne Wade also called his baby boy Zion in 2007."

****
Excerpt #5
From https://www.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/babyname.cgi
"Popularity of name Zion
For each year, we show the rank for Zion and a bar representing the popularity of that name. The longer the bar, the more popular the name. The more popular the name in a given year, the numerically lower the rank, with rank 1 being the most popular.
Year Rank Popularity of female name Zion" [Pancocojams Editor's Note. This is shown by the length of bar graph with the highest rank being the longest bar.]

Year Rank Popularity of female name Zion
2017 926
2016 929
2015 896
2014 908
2013 822
2012 778
2011 611
2010 691
2009 735
2008 696
2007 574
2006 811
2005 988

Data are missing for 26 years where the name Zion is not in the top 1000 most popular names. Name data are from Social Security card applications for births that occurred in the United States.

More information for female name Zion
For 2017, the number of births with name Zion is 286, which represents 0.015 percent of total female births in 2017.

The year when the name Zion was most popular is 2007. In that year, the number of births is 524, which represents 0.025 percent of total female births in 2007.

****
EXAMPLES OF THE MALE/FEMALE NAME "ZION"
Excerpt #1:
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zion_Williamson
"Zion Williamson is an American college basketball player for the Duke Blue Devils in the Atlantic Coast Conference. He attended Spartanburg Day School in Spartanburg, South Carolina. As senior forward with the Griffins, he was ranked among the top high school players of his class and was named McDonald's All-American in 2018. Williamson gained national recognition in high school for his slam dunks and has received several offers from major NCAA Division I programs. On January 20, 2018, Williamson announced that he will play for Duke joining the number 1 and 3 recruits in the country, R.J. Barrett and Cameron Reddish.

Early life
Williamson was born July 6, 2000, in Salisbury, North Carolina.[1] He was named after Mount Zion, which appears in the Bible"...
-snip-
Zion Williamson's middle name is the Arabic male name "Lateef".

****
Excerpt #2
From http://www.breakingisraelnews.com/24862/top-10-celebrity-baby-names-inspired-bible/#5e1LyxRlVmqV6zh1.97 Top 10 Celebrity Baby Names Inspired by the Bible
By Staff Writer November 24, 2014
..."A recent phenomenon is taking place in Hollywood however, in which celebrities are giving their children Hebrew and Biblically inspired names.

Deborah Kolben, editor of the Jewish parenting website Kveller.com, explained in an interview with Jewish Week several years ago that many Americans are looking to give their children “interesting and different names.” Many parents “want their kids’ names to stand out and a lot of modern Israeli names seem a little different.”…

Ben Zobrist and Julianna Zobrist – Son Zion Benjamin Zobrist. Son of the Christian singer/songwriter and the Tampa Bay Rays baseball player, Zion is an alternate name for Jerusalem and Benjamin is the second son of Jacob and Rachel. The word Zion is first found in II Samuel 5:7.”...

****
Excerpt #3
From https://www.google.com/search?q=fantasia+barrino+daughter&oq=Fantasia+Barrino.&aqs=chrome.6.69i57j0l7.5919j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
"Fantasia Barrino/Daughter
Zion Quari Barrino born in 2001"

****
Excerpt #4
From http://www.babynameshub.com/boy-names/Zion.html

[Pancocojams Editor's Note: These selected comments are given in chronological order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.]

1. "My son's name is Zion (pronounced Zy-yon) Of course, people want to say Zi-an); however, I tend to correct them and he does the same. I have not met too many people with this name. Although, I have heard of a few that live in other states. People usually relate it to a biblical meaning which was and is the intent. Zion means "City of God." I would definitely recommend this name because I always get the reaction that it is original and unique. Two thumbs way up!!!" May. 28, 2006:

**
2. "Many children in Eritrea (North-East Africa) are named Zion, particularly girls. It's a beautiful name!" Oct. 11, 2008

**
3. "I have three children Brazil Danae(girl), Zaire Ezana James(boy) and my baby boy's name is Zion Heru due in April. Zion is a beautiful name for a boy or a girl but i would spell the girl with an x like Xion." Mar. 2, 2009

**
4. "Zion, beautiful Zion! When I was six months pregnant I was sitting in church and the preacher was talking about Israel and Zionism. Instantly God said to me that Zion is what I should name my baby boy. Even if I were to have a baby girl I would still call her Zion." Dec. 21, 2008


**
5. "My name is Zion and live in oregon also, i saw someone else was also. My parents named me the not for any religious reason or for its meaning. My namesake was Zion National Park actually, which was named by Mormons, but my parents did choose it for its for the religious meanings. Besides the all the historic meanings I still really like my name. It was hard in elementry and middle school, people would hear my name and kinda look at me if i'm serious or not. Once in high school and now that i am in college people look at me still but tell me that its a really nice and cool name. Besides the historic meanings I still really like my name and glad i have it if anything just for the rarity of it. A little trick I tell people to get my name right is that its Lion with a "Z" and every seems to get it right then." Jan. 14, 2009

**
6. "My son is 2months and called Zion... if i had a girl she would have been called Zion also.. i have loved the name since i was a child. It is very unique and it's various meanings, my home place, highest point, promise land and so on all have personal meaning for me!! I am Nigerian and alot of my family members where like what a strong name are you sure you want to call him that, everyone comments on the name. I know my son is going to live up to his GREAT name right now we call him Prince Zion as he rules this roost...lol I love it! i love it's greatness.. Go Zion!!" Jan. 18, 2009

**
7. "I named my litttle angel Zion he is 7 years old now, and evvvveryone that hears it loves the name and wants to know the meaning behind it. I am Jamaican and married to a Jamaican who's mother and great grandmother is aso Jewish(yes there are many Jamaican Jews). It is a Hebrew name but also a Christian name which is what I am. I think a name can set the precedent for the rest of a persons life, and my child's personality has some serious star quality." Aug. 22, 2010

**
8. "I have always loved the name Zion andI am the biggest Lauryn Hill fan. On my way home from finding out that I was having a girl, for some reason I was listening to The miseducation of Lauryn Hill and she has a song on there "To Zion" talking about her son. and when i sat there and really listened to the words I knew that it was destiny that I named my daughter Zion" Aug. 25, 2010:

**
9. "My son is 12 and I had the name Zion picked before I knew the gender, and before I knew that it would be so popular. I was kinda hoping it would be more origional at the time. All I know is that this kiddo kicked like crazy when I played Marley on my belly, esp. the song "Jammin'" when he sang "Holy Mt Zion". That's where I got the name. I looked it up in the Bible and it meant "sunny" in Hebrew as well as other things like "promised land". He has suffered no grief for his name, in fact people love it. Later, I found that a friend had a granddaughter named Zion. It works either way. Beautiful, strong name." Oct. 29, 2010

**
10. "I'm 20 year old girl with the name Zion. At the begining I used to hate my name. I was even embarresed to introduce my name to others. And i've been always blaming my parents for giving me that name. Although some of my friends told me that Zion is a wonderful name, i've been hating it. But after knowing the meaning behind it, i started to be proud of my name. And now most people are telling me that i've got a nice name. And i'm grateful." Jun. 28, 2013

**
11. "I have two children, my 5 year old daughter Marley. And my three month old son Zion, I had Marley's name picked for her befor I even knew her mother,haha But we really struggled with the Boys name, Then sitting down with my family the name just clicked.. Its a perfect named, People always do a double take when we tell them the name.. But we dont care, I love it. We call him "Z-Boy"." Feb. 2, 2016

****
Excerpt #6
From http://www.behindthename.com/name/zion/comments

[Pancocojams Editor's Note: These selected comments are numbered for referencing purposes only.]

1."The name "Zion" is Hebrew in origin. Although the meaning of the name is not generally agreed upon, the popular meanings "highest point", "raised up", and/or "monument" are very accurate and Biblically sound."
-- Anonymous User 9/9/2007

2. "I don't mean to offend anyone, but I think if you live outside Israel, Zion would not be a good name. It would arouse the anger of anti-Zionists, Palestinians and jihadists. I don't think parents should pick names that are obviously strong political statements."
-- Anonymous User 7/18/2009

3. "This is a BEAUTIFUL name!

Anyone who finds this name offensive is highly ignorant. The self-proclaimed "anti-Zionists" likely don't really know what Zionism is (political and/or religious/philosophical Zionism), and especially don't know what Zion is.

Calling this traditional Jewish name offensive is as ignorant as calling the names Muhammad, Islam, or Jihad offensive."
-- Tiger Lilly 6/16/2013

**
4. "It has a very deep meaning for those awaiting Christs return and the new Jerusalem. That is why it's offensive to some, and so was Christ. The only thing that might sway me from using it, is the fact that it's really become more of an African American name."
-- Anonymous User 2/5/2014

**
5. "The correct Hebrew pronunciation is 'tsee-OHN', the Anglicized pronunciation is ZHY-on. A commen Hebrew variant is 'Ben-Tzion' which means 'Son of Zion'."
-- Anonymous User 8/21/2014

**
6. "People are so silly. Zion is a primarily African-American name? I wasn't aware of race names; cultural maybe, but not race. We chose Zion, pronounced Zi-ahn for my niece because of its Biblical ties. Her middle name, Dior was chosen simply because we are name-brand whores. LOL."
-queenofbees 1/25/2016

**
7. "Funny enough, my name is Zion and my middle name is Israel.
Zion is a holy name in many religions. In many religions it's basically means redemption land.
In rastafarie: Zion stands for a utopia place of unity.
In the Christian bible: it's is the cornerstone of which gods holy temple was built upon. Temple with the same name 'Zion.
And it pretty much means the same in every mainstream Christian/ Jewish religion.

Zion is also known as the seat of power in Israel or the kingdom of God and will be the name of God's new land when the messiah returns....

In ancient Egypt Zion was translated as (sion).
Sion was the 4 shafts of Giza that align with the consolations:
Names of the consolations in order, which are all Egyptian gods:
Set
Isis
Osiris
Nefteru

Although I'm pretty sure Zion originated to ancient Egypt.

Zion is not just an African American name. In the south pacific especially Melanesia Zion and Israel are common. But not as much for Zion."
-zionlion 9/5/2016

****
Excerpt #7
From http://www.babynamewizard.com/baby-name/boy/zion

[Pancocojams Editor's Note: These selected comments are numbered for referencing purposes only.]

Comments and insights on the name Zion:


1. "Zion was also associated with the anti-slavery movement in the pre-Civil War era."

**
2. "I love this name, but I fear it may be taken as a political and/or religious statement."

**
3. "I love the way this name sounds -- I think it's majestic and noble, and it really rolls off the tongue. However, like the above comment, I'm also worried it might seem like a political/religious statement. Maybe I'll use it as a middle name instead?"

Personal experiences with the name Zion
In Israel there are a lot of people named Zion, I love this name. It symbolizes the love of Zion (another name for Israel).

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents information about singer/songwriter Lauyrn Hill and her song "To Zion"

This post also showcases a YouTube sound file and a YouTube video for song "To Zion".

This post also includes the lyrics for that song and a few selected comments that demonstrate how inspirational and supportive this song has been, particularly for women who have faced or are facing pregnancy in difficult circumstances.

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

All copyright remains with their owners.

Thanks to Lauryn Hill for her musical legacy. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this sound file and the publisher of this video on YouTube.
-snip-
The hymn "Marching To Zion" is referenced in Lauryn Hill's song "To Zion". Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/08/gospel-arrangements-of-were-marching-to.html for a pancocojams post entitled "Gospel Arrangements Of "We're Marching To Zion""

****
INFORMATION ABOUT LAURYN HILL
Excerpt #1
From https://www.lyrics.com/artist/Lauryn-Hill/222973
Lauryn Noelle Hill (born May 25, 1975) is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, and actress. Early in her career, she established her reputation as an actress in Sister Act 2: Back In The Habit, and then as the front woman of the hip-hop group Fugees. In 1998, she launched her solo career with the release of the critically successful album and the 19m-seller, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. The album earned Hill five Grammy Awards, including the coveted Album of the Year and Best New Artist. To date, she has won a total of eight Grammys.

****
Excerpt #2
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Miseducation_of_Lauryn_Hill
"Lauryn Noelle Hill (born May 26, 1975) is an American singer, songwriter and rapper, known for being a member of Fugees, and for her solo album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, which won many awards and broke several sales records. Raised mostly in South Orange, New Jersey, Hill began singing with her music-oriented family during her childhood. In high school, Hill was approached by Pras Michel for a band he started, which his friend, Wyclef Jean, soon joined. They renamed themselves the Fugees and released the albums Blunted on Reality (1994), and the Grammy Award–winning The Score (1996), which sold six million copies in the U.S. Hill rose to prominence with her African-American and Caribbean music influences, her rapping and singing, and her rendition of the hit "Killing Me Softly". Her tumultuous romantic relationship with Wyclef Jean led to the split of the band in 1997, after which she began to focus on solo projects.

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998) remains Hill's only solo studio album. It received critical acclaim showcasing a representation of life and relationships and locating a contemporary voice within the neo soul genre. The album debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 and has sold approximately eight million copies there. This included the singles "Doo Wop (That Thing)" (also a number one), "Ex-Factor" (became her biggest solo hit in the UK), and "Everything Is Everything". At the 41st Grammy Awards, the record earned her five awards, including Album of the Year and Best New Artist."... During this time, she won several other awards and became a common sight on the cover of magazines.[1]"....

****
Excerpt #3
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Miseducation_of_Lauryn_Hill
..."The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is the debut solo album by American singer and rapper Lauryn Hill. It was released on August 25, 1998, by Ruffhouse Records and Columbia Records.

After touring with her former group Fugees, Hill became involved in a romantic relationship with Jamaican entrepreneur Rohan Marley, and shortly after, became pregnant with their child. This pregnancy, as well as other circumstances in her life, inspired Hill to make a solo album. Recording sessions for the album took place from late 1997 to June 1998 mainly at Tuff Gong Studios in Kingston, as Hill collaborated with a group of musicians known as New Ark in writing and producing the songs.

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is a neo soul and R&B album with some songs based in hip hop soul and reggae. Its lyrics touch upon Hill's pregnancy and the turmoil within the Fugees, along with themes of love and God. The album's title was inspired by the film and autobiographical novel The Education of Sonny Carson, and Carter G. Woodson's The Mis-Education of the Negro.

[...]

"To Zion," among the more introspective tracks on the album, spoke about how Hill's family comes before her career[20] and her decision to have her first child, even though many at the time encouraged her to abort the pregnancy, so as to not conflict with her burgeoning career.[34] In an interview she discussed the song's origin and significance, commenting "Names wouldn't come when I was ready to have him. The only name that came to me was Zion. I was like, 'is Zion too much of a weight to carry?' But this little boy, man. I would say he personally delivered me from my emotional and spiritual drought. He just replenished my newness. When he was born, I felt like I was born again."[39] She further stated: "I wanted it to be a revolutionary song about a spiritual movement, and also about my spiritual change, going from one place to another because of my son."[40]"...

****
SHOWCASE SOUND FILE: Lauryn Hill - To Zion



JeNnILoVeSmUsIc, Jun 6, 2012


The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill
-snip-
From https://genius.com/Lauryn-hill-to-zion-lyrics
One of the most moving tracks from The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, “To Zion” is a song that Lauryn wrote about her first son and child, Zion David (born in August 1997). His father is Rohan Marley who is Bob Marley’s son.

In it, Lauryn talks about the uncertainty regarding her pregnancy and the joy she found in her child after the birth.

The song also features acclaimed guitarist Carlos Santana (renowned for such hits as “Black Magic Woman” and “Smooth”).

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: LAURYN HILL - To Zion VIDEO HD



HISTORY OF MUSIC, Dec 4, 2012

****
LYRICS: TO ZION
(Lauryn Hill)

"[Intro]
One day, I'm gonna understand...
Zion

[Verse 1]
Unsure of what the balance held
I touched my belly overwhelmed
By what I had been chosen to perform
But then an angel came one day
Told me to kneel down and pray
For unto me a man-child would be born
Woe this crazy circumstance
I knew his life deserved a chance
But everybody told me to be smart
"Look at your career," they said
"Lauryn, baby use your head"
But instead I chose to use my heart


[Chorus]
Now the joy of my world
Is in Zion! (Zion, Zion!)
Now the joy of my world
Is in Zion! (Zion, uhh, Zion!)

[Verse 2]
How beautiful if nothing more
Than to wait at Zion's door
I've never been in love like this before
Now let me pray to keep you from
The perils that will surely come
See life for you, my prince has just begun
And I thank you for choosing me
To come through unto life to be
A beautiful reflection of His grace
See I know that a gift so great

Is only one God could create
And I'm reminded every time I see your face

[Chorus]
That the joy (Joy)
Of my world (World)
Is in Zion (Is in Zion)
Is in Zion (Is in Zion)
Now the joy (Joy)
Of my world (World)
Is in Zion (Is in Zion, is in Zion)
Now the joy (Joy)
Of my world (World)
Is in Zion (Is in Zion, is in Zion)
Now the joy (Joy)
Of my world (World)
Is in Zion (Is in Zion, is in Zion)
[Outro]
Marching, marching, marching, marching (Marching)
To Zion, marching, marching, marching (We gon' march)
Marching, marching, marching, marching
To Zion, marching, beautiful, beautiful, Zion
Marching, marching, marching, marching
To Zion, marching, marching, marching
Marching, marching, marching, marching
To Zion, marching, beautiful, beautiful, Zion
Marching, marching, marching, marching (My joy, my joy)
To Zion, marching, marching, marching (My joy, my joy)
Marching, marching, marching, marching (My joy, my joy)
To Zion, marching, beautiful, beautiful, Zion (My joy, my joy)
Marching, marching, marching, marching (My joy, my joy)
To Zion, marching, marching, marching (My joy, my joy)
Marching, marching, marching, marching (You're the joy)
To Zion, marching, beautiful, beautiful, Zion (Of my life)
Marching, marching, marching, marching (It is in Zion)
To Zion, marching, marching, marching (Zion)
Marching, marching, marching, marching (You're the joy)
To Zion, marching, beautiful, beautiful, Zion (You're the joy of my life)
Marching, beautiful, beautiful Zion (Is in Zion, Zion)
Marching, beautiful, beautiful Zion (It is in Zion)
Marching, beautiful, beautiful Zion
Marching, beautiful, beautiful Zion
Marching, beautiful, beautiful Zion
Marching, beautiful, beautiful Zion
Marching

[Skit]

[Teacher]
Okay, how many people here have ever been in love? I know none of the guys are gonna raise their hand. How many of y'all ever been in love?

[Class]
(Mumbling)

[Teacher]
I know none of the guys been in... we don't get in love, right? Oh! Let this black man right here tell what his idea of love is, 'cause not all the time we hear a young black man talk about love. About your personal definition, don't tell me what Webster thinks. Huh?

[Boy]
Willingness to do everything for that person

[Teacher]
Okay, everything like what? Explain. Let him talk c'mon. If I asked him to talk about a fancy car, he'd be right on point. But we wanna talk about love. You can do it. (To another pupil) What do
you think? You said you love somebody, you should know why you love them right?

[Boy 2]
The way they act

[Teacher]
Uh-huh

[Boy 2]
The way they carry themselves, stuff like that

[Teacher]
Okay

[Girl]
The way that they hang with they boys, and they just stand out. It's like sometimes it don't even matter like what they wear or what they look like. It's like, that way, you know?

[Girl 2]
Yeah

[Girl]
It's like you know you want to talk to him, because he stands out, it's like he got a glow or something

[Teacher]
That's deep

[Boy 2]
That's what I'm talking about

[Teacher]
I thought that was a beautiful point. Anyone else want to deal with that?

[Girl 2]
It's sometimes, like when they try to act funny in front of they boys, like when they get around say they love you. They can't love you. 'Cause love-love-love wouldn't do that

[Girl 3]
Love is not phony!

[Class]
(Laughter)"


Source: https://genius.com/Lauryn-hill-to-zion-lyrics

****
SELECTED COMMENTS ABOUT HOW INSPIRATIONAL AND SUPPORTIVE THIS SONG HAS BEEN FOR WOMEN

Numbers added for referencing purposes only.

From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sQjh261rU8
1. whit, 2016
"such a heartfelt song. I'm currently 7 months pregnant with my first child. the road was hard for me to get here. I was told I would have a slim chance of getting pregnant. But in 2 months I will be holding my baby boy. I listen to this song and cry tears of joy. GOD IS GOOD!!!"

**
2. Sednette, 2016
"I suffered 5 miscarriages. But in July I had my son. He came at 33weeks and 2 days, and spent 15 days in the NICU. But he's here and he's perfect. This song says all the words I struggle to say!"

**
3. ReallyReddm 2018
"I found out I was pregnant 4 months ago and the father walked out on us unfortunately, it was so many times that I wanted to give up and just have an abortion, I even thought of killing me and my unborn child because I was severely depressed. But everytime I heard this song I kept pushing on , and the doctor finally told me I was having a beautiful baby boy ! I am now 6 months pregnant and I sing this song for Zion everyday ♥️ he is destined for greatness with or without a father ✨ February 2019 . Mommy can’t wait to finally meet you Zion 👩‍👦🥰"

**
REPLY
4. blackbeauty love, 2019
"You can do it, it's hard but, but that precious little one is going to be your living reassurance that everything will be okay. I dedicated this song to my son, Zyon. I was approached with a lot of options by friend who couldn't understand why I wanted to give birth, but I dont regret a minute of it. This son[g] was writing [written] for me.."

**
5. Angela Dean, 2019
"Back in 1999, I listened to this song a lot after finding out I was pregnant at the beginning of my career as an attorney. Even though the father and I didn't work out. My son is an amazing gift and I named him Johari (Swahili for Jewel) after the musician on the acoustic guitar strings in the intro. My son Johari was a gift and joy to parent. He is a amazing young man (Eagle Scout, Morehouse College Biology Major and Honors Student with 4.0 GPA, Future Doctor). I've been a lawyer for over 20 years and have done well. God had a greater plan."

**
6. Overcomer, 2019
"Chills an tears I was pregnant at 14, and someone wanted me to abort my son,but when I saw that screen I couldn't do it( I didn't want to anyways) got up off the table medicated and all. me and my friend use to sing this song. I'm now 33 and I Bless God, it is a heck of a story behind my pregnancy but God 😭 Gloryyyyyyyy tears of joy,because God is good and real"

**
7. Official Kiana Doll, 2020
"The chills I feel when I listen to this song. God bless my beautiful son my Zion my prince 🥺♥️ "

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents information about the origins and meanings of the male/female name "Zion".

Information about the popularity of the personal name "Zion" in the United States and elsewhere is also included in this post along with comments about & examples of this name.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
*One definition of "onomastics" is "the science or study of the origin and forms of proper names of persons or places". https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/onomastics
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/01/why-zion-and-mt-zion-are-frequently.html for a 2020 pancocojams post entitled "Why "Zion" And "Mt. Zion" Are Frequently Used In Names Of Black (African American) Churches".

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ORIGINS AND MEANINGS OF THE PERSONAL NAME "ZION"
Excerpt #1:
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Zion"
"Mount Zion (Hebrew: הַר צִיּוֹן‬, Har Tsiyyon; Arabic: جبل صهيون‎, Jabal Sahyoun) is a hill in Jerusalem just outside the walls of the Old City. The term Mount Zion has been used in the Hebrew Bible first for the City of David (2 Samuel 5:7, 1 Chronicles 11:5; 1 Kings 8:1, 2 Chronicles 5:2) and later for the Temple Mount, but its meaning has shifted and it is now used as the name of ancient Jerusalem's Western Hill.[1][2] In a wider sense, the term is also used for the entire Land of Israel.[3]

Etymology
The etymology of the word Zion is uncertain.[4][5][6] Mentioned in the Bible in the Book of Samuel (2 Samuel 5:7) as the name of the Jebusite fortress conquered by King David, its origin likely predates the Israelites.[4][5] If Semitic, it may be associated with the Hebrew root ''ṣiyyôn ("castle"). Though not spoken in Jerusalem until hundreds of years later, the name is similar in Arabic and may be connected to the root ṣiyya ("dry land") or the Arabic šanā ("protect" or "citadel").[5][6] It might also be related to the Arabic root ṣahî ("ascend to the top") or ṣuhhay ("tower" or "the top of the mountain").[6] A non-Semitic relationship to the Hurrian word šeya ("river" or "brook") has also been suggested.[6]"....

[...]

The phrase Har Tzion, lit. "Mount Zion", appears nine times in the Tanakh.[8] It is spelled with a Tzadi and not Zayin.

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Excerpt #2
From http://www.babynamewizard.com/baby-name/boy/zion
"Zion is a biblical term for the promised land. For Rastafarians it means a utopia or heaven on earth, and it is also widely associated with the drive for a Jewish homeland and with the ideals of the Mormon church. Zion wasn't often considered as a name until musicians Lauryn Hill and Rohan Marley (son of Rasta legend Bob Marley) chose it for their son. Scores of parents are now following their example."
-snip-
A pancocojams post on Lauryn Hill's song "Zion" will be published in the near future and the link to that post will be included here.

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Excerpt #3
https://www.thebump.com/b/zion-baby-name
ZION
[name meaning] HIGHEST POINT
ORIGIN: Hebrew POPULARITY: 295
Pronounced ZYE-on, this is a unisex name of Hebrew origin that’s mostly chosen for boys. A zion was a citadel that was in the center of Jerusalem, which explains why it means “highest point.” Today it’s known as the biblical term for the Promised Land; Zionism refers to the movement to establish a Jewish homeland. To Rastafarians, a religious group in Jamaica, the name means "utopia." When singer Lauryn Hill and Rohan Marley, son of reggae superstar Bob Marley, called their son Zion in 1997, the name became an instant hit. Chicago Bulls player Dwayne Wade also called his baby boy Zion in 2007.

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Excerpt #4
From https://www.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/babyname.cgi
"Popularity of name Zion
For each year, we show the rank for Zion and a bar representing the popularity of that name. The longer the bar, the more popular the name. The more popular the name in a given year, the numerically lower the rank, with rank 1 being the most popular.

Year Rank Popularity of male name Zion" [Pancocojams Editor's Note. This is shown by the length of bar graph with the highest rank being the longest bar.]
"2018 183
2017 199
2016 213
2015 227
2014 255
2013 236
2012 235
2011 245
2010 231
2009 240
2008 230
2007 235
2006 265
2005 293
2004 312
2003 329
2002 333
2001 324
2000 300
1999 274
1998 695

Years where ranks are the same does not imply that the number of births are the same. Data are missing for 18 years where the name Zion is not in the top 1000 most popular names. Name data are from Social Security card applications for births that occurred in the United States.

More information for male name Zion
For 2018, the number of births with name Zion is 2153, which represents 0.112 percent of total male births in 2018.

The year when the name Zion was most popular is also 2018."
-snip-
I haven't found the data for 2019.

My position is that the use of the name "Zion" in the 1999 movie The Matrix as the name of the last remaining human city is one of the main reasons for the large increase in the use of the name "Zion" as a male name from rank #695 in 1998 to rank #274 in 1999. I also believe that Lauryn Hill's 1998 song "To Zion" is another reason for the increase in the selection of the name "Zion" for males in the United States in 1999 and afterwards.

Here's information about The Matrix:
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Matrix_(franchise)
The Matrix is an American media franchise created by the Wachowskis. The series primarily consists of a trilogy of science fiction action films beginning with The Matrix (1999) and continuing with two sequels, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions (both in 2003), all written and directed by the Wachowskis and produced by Joel Silver."...

**
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zion_(The_Matrix)
"Zion is a fictional city in The Matrix films. It is the last human city on the planet Earth after a cataclysmic nuclear war between mankind and sentient machines, which resulted in artificial lifeforms dominating the world.

Religious meaning
Stephen Faller writes in Beyond the Matrix that Christianity is the most dominant religious theme in the Matrix films and that "Zion is biblically regarded as the city of God".[1] The book Philosophers Explore the Matrix writes that "The last remaining human city, Zion, [is] synonymous in Judaism and Christianity with (the heavenly) Jerusalem".[2]

Racial matters
Faller says that Zion is presented as a contrast to the Matrix, "The racial constituency of Zion is much less European and Anglo than present-day America. We are shifting the paradigm from the racially charged medium of the Matrix, where the subtext is so clearly contrasted in the extremes of black and white, to the imagined world of Zion, which is dominated by people of color."[1] One chapter in The Matrix Trilogy: Cyberpunk Reloaded writes, "Black spirituality is evoked in the Matrix films... by the use of Zion for the underground city of free humans populated primarily by black people, suggesting the dream of Christianised slaves to find a safe haven in 'the promised land' and the Rastafarian belief in an utopian society."

Another chapter writes, "The Matrix Reloaded displays black 'life' in a scene reminiscent of countless Hollywood jungle melodramas when the predominantly black population of Zion engages in frenzied dancing to the pounding rhythm of drums. In Hollywood, the war between artifice and reality is drawn along racial lines."[3] Adilifu Nama writes in Black Space: Imagining Race in Science Fiction Film, "The racial politics of Zion appears to be based on a multicultural model of racial equality and participation. In the Zion setting, a racial utopia is presented where blacks, whites, and other people of color live and work together, and in many cases whites are subordinate but not subservient to blacks."...
-snip-
This excerpt is reformatted to enhance it's readability.

The "Racial Matters" excerpt given above may be one explanation about why some people in the United States think that "Zion" is a "Black name". The publicity surrounding the fact that some African American celebrities gave the name "Zion" to their child* and/or the fact that an African American celebrity (such as professional basketball player Zion Williamson (born 2000) also contribute to the mistaken belief that "Zion" is a "Black name".

*For example, as quoted above, "singer Lauryn Hill and Rohan Marley, son of reggae superstar Bob Marley, called their son Zion in 1997...[and] Chicago Bulls player Dwayne Wade also called his baby boy Zion in 2007."

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Excerpt #5
From https://www.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/babyname.cgi
"Popularity of name Zion
For each year, we show the rank for Zion and a bar representing the popularity of that name. The longer the bar, the more popular the name. The more popular the name in a given year, the numerically lower the rank, with rank 1 being the most popular.
Year Rank Popularity of female name Zion" [Pancocojams Editor's Note. This is shown by the length of bar graph with the highest rank being the longest bar.]

Year Rank Popularity of female name Zion
2017 926
2016 929
2015 896
2014 908
2013 822
2012 778
2011 611
2010 691
2009 735
2008 696
2007 574
2006 811
2005 988

Data are missing for 26 years where the name Zion is not in the top 1000 most popular names. Name data are from Social Security card applications for births that occurred in the United States.

More information for female name Zion
For 2017, the number of births with name Zion is 286, which represents 0.015 percent of total female births in 2017.

The year when the name Zion was most popular is 2007. In that year, the number of births is 524, which represents 0.025 percent of total female births in 2007.

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EXAMPLES OF THE MALE/FEMALE NAME "ZION"
Excerpt #1:
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zion_Williamson
"Zion Williamson is an American college basketball player for the Duke Blue Devils in the Atlantic Coast Conference. He attended Spartanburg Day School in Spartanburg, South Carolina. As senior forward with the Griffins, he was ranked among the top high school players of his class and was named McDonald's All-American in 2018. Williamson gained national recognition in high school for his slam dunks and has received several offers from major NCAA Division I programs. On January 20, 2018, Williamson announced that he will play for Duke joining the number 1 and 3 recruits in the country, R.J. Barrett and Cameron Reddish.

Early life
Williamson was born July 6, 2000, in Salisbury, North Carolina.[1] He was named after Mount Zion, which appears in the Bible"...
-snip-
Zion Williamson's middle name is the Arabic male name "Lateef".

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Excerpt #2
From http://www.breakingisraelnews.com/24862/top-10-celebrity-baby-names-inspired-bible/#5e1LyxRlVmqV6zh1.97 Top 10 Celebrity Baby Names Inspired by the Bible
By Staff Writer November 24, 2014
..."A recent phenomenon is taking place in Hollywood however, in which celebrities are giving their children Hebrew and Biblically inspired names.

Deborah Kolben, editor of the Jewish parenting website Kveller.com, explained in an interview with Jewish Week several years ago that many Americans are looking to give their children “interesting and different names.” Many parents “want their kids’ names to stand out and a lot of modern Israeli names seem a little different.”…

Ben Zobrist and Julianna Zobrist – Son Zion Benjamin Zobrist. Son of the Christian singer/songwriter and the Tampa Bay Rays baseball player, Zion is an alternate name for Jerusalem and Benjamin is the second son of Jacob and Rachel. The word Zion is first found in II Samuel 5:7.”...

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Excerpt #3
From https://www.google.com/search?q=fantasia+barrino+daughter&oq=Fantasia+Barrino.&aqs=chrome.6.69i57j0l7.5919j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
"Fantasia Barrino/Daughter
Zion Quari Barrino born in 2001"

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Excerpt #4
From http://www.babynameshub.com/boy-names/Zion.html

[Pancocojams Editor's Note: These selected comments are given in chronological order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.]

1. "My son's name is Zion (pronounced Zy-yon) Of course, people want to say Zi-an); however, I tend to correct them and he does the same. I have not met too many people with this name. Although, I have heard of a few that live in other states. People usually relate it to a biblical meaning which was and is the intent. Zion means "City of God." I would definitely recommend this name because I always get the reaction that it is original and unique. Two thumbs way up!!!" May. 28, 2006:

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2. "Many children in Eritrea (North-East Africa) are named Zion, particularly girls. It's a beautiful name!" Oct. 11, 2008

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3. "I have three children Brazil Danae(girl), Zaire Ezana James(boy) and my baby boy's name is Zion Heru due in April. Zion is a beautiful name for a boy or a girl but i would spell the girl with an x like Xion." Mar. 2, 2009

**
4. "Zion, beautiful Zion! When I was six months pregnant I was sitting in church and the preacher was talking about Israel and Zionism. Instantly God said to me that Zion is what I should name my baby boy. Even if I were to have a baby girl I would still call her Zion." Dec. 21, 2008


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5. "My name is Zion and live in oregon also, i saw someone else was also. My parents named me the not for any religious reason or for its meaning. My namesake was Zion National Park actually, which was named by Mormons, but my parents did choose it for its for the religious meanings. Besides the all the historic meanings I still really like my name. It was hard in elementry and middle school, people would hear my name and kinda look at me if i'm serious or not. Once in high school and now that i am in college people look at me still but tell me that its a really nice and cool name. Besides the historic meanings I still really like my name and glad i have it if anything just for the rarity of it. A little trick I tell people to get my name right is that its Lion with a "Z" and every seems to get it right then." Jan. 14, 2009

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6. "My son is 2months and called Zion... if i had a girl she would have been called Zion also.. i have loved the name since i was a child. It is very unique and it's various meanings, my home place, highest point, promise land and so on all have personal meaning for me!! I am Nigerian and alot of my family members where like what a strong name are you sure you want to call him that, everyone comments on the name. I know my son is going to live up to his GREAT name right now we call him Prince Zion as he rules this roost...lol I love it! i love it's greatness.. Go Zion!!" Jan. 18, 2009

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7. "I named my litttle angel Zion he is 7 years old now, and evvvveryone that hears it loves the name and wants to know the meaning behind it. I am Jamaican and married to a Jamaican who's mother and great grandmother is aso Jewish(yes there are many Jamaican Jews). It is a Hebrew name but also a Christian name which is what I am. I think a name can set the precedent for the rest of a persons life, and my child's personality has some serious star quality." Aug. 22, 2010

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8. "I have always loved the name Zion andI am the biggest Lauryn Hill fan. On my way home from finding out that I was having a girl, for some reason I was listening to The miseducation of Lauryn Hill and she has a song on there "To Zion" talking about her son. and when i sat there and really listened to the words I knew that it was destiny that I named my daughter Zion" Aug. 25, 2010:

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9. "My son is 12 and I had the name Zion picked before I knew the gender, and before I knew that it would be so popular. I was kinda hoping it would be more origional at the time. All I know is that this kiddo kicked like crazy when I played Marley on my belly, esp. the song "Jammin'" when he sang "Holy Mt Zion". That's where I got the name. I looked it up in the Bible and it meant "sunny" in Hebrew as well as other things like "promised land". He has suffered no grief for his name, in fact people love it. Later, I found that a friend had a granddaughter named Zion. It works either way. Beautiful, strong name." Oct. 29, 2010

**
10. "I'm 20 year old girl with the name Zion. At the begining I used to hate my name. I was even embarresed to introduce my name to others. And i've been always blaming my parents for giving me that name. Although some of my friends told me that Zion is a wonderful name, i've been hating it. But after knowing the meaning behind it, i started to be proud of my name. And now most people are telling me that i've got a nice name. And i'm grateful." Jun. 28, 2013

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11. "I have two children, my 5 year old daughter Marley. And my three month old son Zion, I had Marley's name picked for her befor I even knew her mother,haha But we really struggled with the Boys name, Then sitting down with my family the name just clicked.. Its a perfect named, People always do a double take when we tell them the name.. But we dont care, I love it. We call him "Z-Boy"." Feb. 2, 2016

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Excerpt #6
From http://www.behindthename.com/name/zion/comments

[Pancocojams Editor's Note: These selected comments are numbered for referencing purposes only.]

1."The name "Zion" is Hebrew in origin. Although the meaning of the name is not generally agreed upon, the popular meanings "highest point", "raised up", and/or "monument" are very accurate and Biblically sound."
-- Anonymous User 9/9/2007

2. "I don't mean to offend anyone, but I think if you live outside Israel, Zion would not be a good name. It would arouse the anger of anti-Zionists, Palestinians and jihadists. I don't think parents should pick names that are obviously strong political statements."
-- Anonymous User 7/18/2009

3. "This is a BEAUTIFUL name!

Anyone who finds this name offensive is highly ignorant. The self-proclaimed "anti-Zionists" likely don't really know what Zionism is (political and/or religious/philosophical Zionism), and especially don't know what Zion is.

Calling this traditional Jewish name offensive is as ignorant as calling the names Muhammad, Islam, or Jihad offensive."
-- Tiger Lilly 6/16/2013

**
4. "It has a very deep meaning for those awaiting Christs return and the new Jerusalem. That is why it's offensive to some, and so was Christ. The only thing that might sway me from using it, is the fact that it's really become more of an African American name."
-- Anonymous User 2/5/2014

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5. "The correct Hebrew pronunciation is 'tsee-OHN', the Anglicized pronunciation is ZHY-on. A commen Hebrew variant is 'Ben-Tzion' which means 'Son of Zion'."
-- Anonymous User 8/21/2014

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6. "People are so silly. Zion is a primarily African-American name? I wasn't aware of race names; cultural maybe, but not race. We chose Zion, pronounced Zi-ahn for my niece because of its Biblical ties. Her middle name, Dior was chosen simply because we are name-brand whores. LOL."
-queenofbees 1/25/2016

**
7. "Funny enough, my name is Zion and my middle name is Israel.
Zion is a holy name in many religions. In many religions it's basically means redemption land.
In rastafarie: Zion stands for a utopia place of unity.
In the Christian bible: it's is the cornerstone of which gods holy temple was built upon. Temple with the same name 'Zion.
And it pretty much means the same in every mainstream Christian/ Jewish religion.

Zion is also known as the seat of power in Israel or the kingdom of God and will be the name of God's new land when the messiah returns....

In ancient Egypt Zion was translated as (sion).
Sion was the 4 shafts of Giza that align with the consolations:
Names of the consolations in order, which are all Egyptian gods:
Set
Isis
Osiris
Nefteru

Although I'm pretty sure Zion originated to ancient Egypt.

Zion is not just an African American name. In the south pacific especially Melanesia Zion and Israel are common. But not as much for Zion."
-zionlion 9/5/2016

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Excerpt #7
From http://www.babynamewizard.com/baby-name/boy/zion

[Pancocojams Editor's Note: These selected comments are numbered for referencing purposes only.]

Comments and insights on the name Zion:


1. "Zion was also associated with the anti-slavery movement in the pre-Civil War era."

**
2. "I love this name, but I fear it may be taken as a political and/or religious statement."

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3. "I love the way this name sounds -- I think it's majestic and noble, and it really rolls off the tongue. However, like the above comment, I'm also worried it might seem like a political/religious statement. Maybe I'll use it as a middle name instead?"

Personal experiences with the name Zion
In Israel there are a lot of people named Zion, I love this name. It symbolizes the love of Zion (another name for Israel).

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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents a chronological list of examples of songs & rhymes that include the words "Massa (or policeman) don't whip (or catch or another verb) me".

The Addendum to this post provides information about a Bugs Bunny Cartoon that also includes a form of those words.

The Addendum to this post also speculates about the possible influence of these formulaic words/lyrics and the

The content of this post is presented for folkloric information.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.

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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE:
The first example on this list -an excerpt of an African American slave song- has no collection date that I can find. However, I believe that the song "Run Ni&&er Run" is documented as an antebellum African American slavery song.

Please add to this collection and share additions and corrections for the examples, information, and comments that are found in this post. Thanks in advance.

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FORMULAIC LYRICS/WORDS FOR THESE VERSES
The first line of these verses is "Massa" (master) or Mr. (last name) or policeman don't ("whip" or "whoop"; or "catch" or some other verb) me.

This line is usually followed by the words "Whip (or alternative verb) that ni&&er* or (alternative noun) behind the tree."
-snip-
*This modified spelling for what is generally known as "the n word" is used throughout this pancocojams post.

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CHRONOLOGICAL LIST
Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.

1.
..."ni&&er* flew, Dat ni&&er* tore his shirt in two; Dat ni&&er*, ni&&er*, he said don't ketch me, But git dat ni&&er* behind de tree"
-from Bullwhip Days: The Slaves Remember: An Oral History by James Mellon; retrieved from Google Books
-snip-
These words are included in a version of "Run Ni&&er Run" (also known as "The Pateroller Song")

**
2.
T-U-TURKEY
T-u, tucky, T-u, ti.
T-u, tucky, buzzard's eye.
T-u, tucky, T-u, ting.
T-u, tucky, buzzard's wing.
Oh, Mistah Washin'ton! Don't whoop me,
Whoop dat Ni&&er* Back 'hind dat tree.
He stole tucky, I didn' steal none.
Go wuk him in de co'n field jes fer fun"
-from - Thomas W, Talley, Negro Folk Rhymes, Wise & Otherwise, originally published in 1922
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/27195/27195-h/27195-h.htm, p. 7
-snip-
Pancocojams Editor's Note: African American professor and collector Thomas W. Talley wrote that some of examples in his book were remembered from [United State] slavery times. It's likely this is one of those old rhymes or is a later variant form of an old rhyme.

**
3.
"Policeman policeman don’t take me I have a wife and a family,
How many children have you got?
Four and twenty,
That’s a lot!"
-from Emily, December 10th, 2019 in https://www.mamalisa.com/blog/old-sayings-and-rhymes-from-the-1940s/"Old Sayings and Rhymes from the 1940’s

**
4. "Policeman, policeman don’t whip (blame) me,
Whip that [n word] behind that tree;
he stole peaches I stole none;
Put him in the calaboose just for fun."

Usually collected as a taunt
-from Jump-Rope Rhyme: A Dictionary edited by Roger D. Abrahams (Publications of the American Folklore Society, 1970 [p. 161]

[Pancocojams Editor -some of the citations listed]:

"Douglas (1916), 54 [London] Policeman, don’t touch me/I have a wife and family”

Daiken (1963) 27[Dublin, 1929] O Pleeceman, pleeceman, don’t take me/I’ve gotta wife and a family.”

Heck, JAF [Journal of American Folklore], 42 [Ohio]
Brewster, SFQ [Southern Folk Quarterly], 3, (1939) , 178. “Teacher Teacher”= Botkin (1944), 795

Ritchie (1965), 148 [Edinburgh]. “He stole sugar/He stole tea” "

**
5.
"Policeman, policeman
Don't blame me.
Blame that boy
Behind the tree.

He stole sugar.
He stole tea.
Policeman, policeman
Don't blame me."

Source: Solomon (1980)
-retrieved from https://mudcat.org/jumprope/jumprope_display_all.cfm Mudcat.org Jump Rope Rhyme collection

**
6.
"Policeman, Policeman,
Don't catch me,
Catch the naughty boy,
One two three."
-from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzhS9cmz8MQ
SunBreak Creations, Jan 10, 2015 [categorized as a children's nursery rhyme]

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ADDENDUM #1 - BUGS BUNNY CARTOON - "SOUTHERN FRIED RABBIT" [1953; Warning: Banned cartoon]
from https://www.vulture.com/2017/12/weird-cartoons-today-transform-minstrel-aesthetic.html"How Today’s Most Daring, Weird Cartoons Transform the Minstrel Aesthetic"
By Lauren Michele Jackson, Dec. 7, 2017
..."Bugs embraced the components of minstrel performance that audiences eventually came to take for granted as synonymous with cartoons. He is a trickster, antagonizing his scene partners for personal gain or the sheer hell of it, and resistant to anything that might resemble work. A study on minstrel musical arrangements in Looney Tunes shorts by musicologist Joanna R. Smolko directed me to the 1952 Southern Fried Rabbit. In the short, Bugs attempts to cross the visibly marked Mason-Dixon line only to be stopped short by Yosemite Sam in full Confederate uniform — Sam is following orders to keep Yankees from crossing. Bugs — a Yankee — again tries to cross, this time disguised as an enslaved black person. “Well, it’s one of our boys!” Sam exclaims before Bugs enters the frame, “blacked up” with brown coloring, sloped shoulders, and tattered clothes, playing “My Old Kentucky Home” on a banjo and singing along. Safely across, Bugs straightens up and changes the tune to “Yankee Doodle.” As Sam rushes over, knife raised, Bugs reverts back to his disguise: “Please, don’t beat me, Massa,” he cries, handing Sam a whip.*

The short is fascinating for many reasons, not least because of the effort put into Bugs’s costume. Bugs doesn’t need the disguise to be a minstrel — his gloves, tricksterism, language (“I’se coming, I’se coming”), and wily antics make him one. In dressing as a caricature of an enslaved black person, he is really blacking up twice. Southern Fried Rabbit demonstrates how the minstrel features embedded in animation eventually became normalized as conventional cartoon behavior. To audiences, these “vestigial minstrels” no longer signaled black caricatures — they were “just” cartoons. By the ’50s, in order for a cartoon like Bugs to become black (again), he has to do some more exaggerated play-acting. Bugs’s blackface within Southern Fried Rabbit is a sly wink to the minstrel aesthetic that forged his character in the first place.”...
-snip-
*Bold font is added to this excerpt to highlight this sentence.

My guess is that Bugs Bunny's "“Please, don’t beat me, Massa" is a take off from the formulaic words in songs and rhymes that are the subject of this post.

Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xmk3E6uCVm4 for a full YouTube video of this banned cartoon short [6:44]

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ADDENDUM #2 -
"Hey, mister policeman, I don't want no trouble
I just want to drop my jigglin'* down to the floor"...
-from Reggae song "Policeman" by Surinamese Dutch singer/songwriter Eva Simons (April 10, 2015)
-snip-
Here's a question and reply about the word "jigglin' from *Discussion about what the word “jigglin’” means in that song:
From https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/335662/meaning-of-jiggelin-word-from-the-song-policeman-of-eva-simons July 2015
"I can't find any definition about this word. Does anybody knows what does it mean? Maybe some kind of drugs?

Here are the opening lines of the song in question:

Hey, mister policeman

I don't want no trouble

I just wanna drop my jiggelin' down to the floor

Hey, mister policeman

Why you wanna holla at me?

I just wanna drop my jiggelin' down to the floor"

**
Reply
[no name given, edited Jul 5 '16

"I think that jiggelin' is a contraction of "jiggling buttocks" - "jiggling" being similar in meaning to "wobbling".

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/jiggling

To move or rock lightly up and down or to and fro in an unsteady, jerky manner
So, the speaker is saying that she simply wants to lower her jiggling backside (or perhaps her jiggling body as a whole) towards the floor (eg the dance floor of a nightclub), presumably as a dance move - ie, that she simply wants to go dancing.

She is finding the conversation with the policeman frustrating, as it is preventing her from reaching the aforementioned night club, where she can proceed with the "jiggelin'".
-snip-
Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wrkODqsyZE for a video of this song which was recently added to Just Dance 2020.
-snip-
I wonder if the words "Hey, mister policeman/I don't want no trouble" were influenced by the formulaic words that are the subject of this post. If so, are there any songs/rhymes like those "Massa, don't whip me" or "policeman don't catch me" rhymes/songs in Suriname?

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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases the 2011 Kirk Franklin song "I Smile".

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

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

All copyright remains with their owners.

Thanks to Kirk Franklin for his religious and musical legacies. Thanks to all those who are featured in this video and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THIS SONG
From https://genius.com/Kirk-franklin-i-smile-lyrics
"Kirk Franklin has experienced much success in urban contemporary gospel music. For his twelfth studio album, Hello Fear, Franklin released this song as the first single. Franklin shared this with SongFacts.com:

“I Smile” is a fun, urban upbeat melody I wrote. It is a declarative statement that I’m not going to live my life based on how I feel. I will live my life based on God’s Word."

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: Kirk Franklin - I Smile (Official Video)



Kirk Franklin, May 13, 2011
-snip-
These comments identify a few of the people in this video:
Untouchable Male Of Mystery, 2018
"2:42 You could tell Jill Scott was feeling the power and GOD's presence, through the song, when she shed that tear.🙏🏾 "

**
Michael Tanner Jr., 2020
"54-56 seconds That is Tommy from Martin Lawrence Show. Lovato from The Steve Harvey Show and Jill Scott and Mary Mary Erica Campbell and Gospel Singer Donnie M."
-snip-
Statistics: as of February 2, 2020 at 10:00 AM
Total # of views - 76,463,375
Total # of likes- 526K
Total # of dislikes- 24K
Total # of comments -25,313

****
LYRICS: I SMILE
(Kirk Franklin)

[Intro:]
I dedicate this song to recession
Depression and unemployment
This song's for you

[Verse 1:]
Today's a new day, but there is no sunshine
Nothing but clouds, and it's dark in my heart
And it feels like a cold night
Today's a new day, but where are my blue skies
Where is the love and the joy that you promised me?
Tell me it's alright
(I'll be honest with you)
I almost gave up, but a power that I can't explain
Fell from heaven like a shower
(When I think how much better I'm gonna be when this is over)

[Chorus:]
I smile, even though I'm hurt, see I smile
I know God is working so I smile
Even though I've been here for a while
I smile
Smile
It's so hard to look up when you've been down
Sure would hate to see you give up now
You look so much better when you smile, so smile

(Now every day ain't gon' be perfect
But it still don't mean today don't have purpose
Come on)

[Verse 2:]
Today's a new day, but there is no sunshine
Nothing but clouds, and it's dark in my heart
And it feels like a cold night
Today's a new day, tell me where are my blue skies
Where is the love and the joy that you promised me?
Tell me it's alright
(The truth is)
I almost gave up, but a power that I can't explain
Fell from heaven like a shower

[Chorus:]
I smile
Even though I'm hurt, see, I smile
I know God is working so I smile
Even though I've been here for a while
I smile
Smile
It's so hard to look up when you've been down
Sure would hate to see you give up now
You look so much better when you smile

[Bridge:]
Smile.. for me
Can you just smile... for me
Smile.. for me
Can you just smile... for me

Oh, oh, oh (you look so much better when you)
Oh, oh, oh (you look so much better when you)
Oh, oh, oh (you look so much better when you)
Oh, oh, oh (you look so much better when you)
Oh, oh, oh (you look so much better when you)
(And while you're waiting)
Oh, oh, oh (you look so much better when you)
(And while you're praying)
Oh, oh, oh (you look so much better when you)
(Look in the mirror)
Oh, oh, oh (you look so much better when you)
(Always remember)

You look so much better when you smile

I almost gave up, but a power that I can't explain
Fell from heaven like a shower

[Chorus:]
I smile
Even though I'm hurt, see, I smile
I know God is working so I smile
Even though I've been here for a while
I smile
Smile
It's so hard to look up when you've been down
Sure would hate to see you give up now
You look so much better when you smile

Oh, oh, oh (you look so much better when you)
Oh, oh, oh (you look so much better when you)
Oh, oh, oh (you look so much better when you)
Oh, oh, oh (you look so much better when you)
Oh, oh, oh (you look so much better when you)
Oh, oh, oh (you look so much better when you)
Oh, oh, oh (you look so much better when you)
Oh, oh, oh (you look so much better when you)
Smile...

I don’t want you you to just be happy
Because then you have to have something happening
I want you to have joy
Because can’t nobody take that from you
I see you.. SMILE!!

Source: https://genius.com/Kirk-franklin-i-smile-lyrics

****
DEFINITION OF CHURCH TESTIMONY ("TESTIFY")
Here's information about church testimony from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Testimony
"In law and in religion, testimony is a solemn attestation as to the truth of a matter....

Christians in general, especially within the Evangelical tradition, use the term "to testify" or "to give one's testimony" to mean "to tell the story of how one became a Christian". Commonly it may refer to a specific event in a Christian's life in which God did something deemed particularly worth sharing."...


Most of the comments in this videos' discussion thread are personal "testimonies".
Here's a few examples of testifying (testimony) comments from the discussion thread of this embedded video (numbers added for referencing purposes only)

1. Vault of 1520, 2015
"I love you grandma beverly. Its been 4 years since you have passed and Ive never been able to listen to this song again. Ive always ran away from my truth and I asked God to show me my purpose tonight and it led me to this song. As you watched me cry and cry you told me to smile and I did. Not because I was faking it but because i felt your spirit doing it. I want to be free and you made me feel free so Im going to smile grandma and Im going to be happy and Im going to love and Im going to be joyful and IM GOING TO ACCEPT JESUS CHRIST INTO MY HEART. I LOVE YOU. THANK YOU. WATCH OVER ME PLEASE. AMEN"

**
2. Armageddon, 2016
"i remember my mom putting this song on her speakers in the car when i was little i now know god was planning me to be a positive person ever since i was small"

**
3. Kim Falls, 2017
"I'm going through all kinds of things at this moment but I still smile ailments trying to take me out getting out of ICU doctors just knew for sure I wouldn't make it I'm still here when I get down I just keep looking up even throuth the pain don't you I smile I look so good when I smile BLESSED all the way around what a great song God has not forgotten about us take charge and control and keep smiling thanks Kirk
🤗☺😊😀😁😄🙌🙆🙏💃🌝🌞🌚"

**
4. Mr.Classic, 2017
"After a Week of feeling depressed I'm able to smlie and I owe it to God for Standing with me the whole time"

**
5. Jasmine Hardnett, 2018
"I'm 13 and to be honest I've put myself through so much pain however whenever I did I just went to pop music and nothing went right one day I went to gospel and I heard the Lord say it's gonna be fine. I know that the Lord has my back and I know the devil will try to take over me, I'm still working on trying to shake the devil off but I know God will be there every step of the way. I have dissapointed my whole family to the point it's unacceptable I just need prayer and I get it every time I call his name and I will continue to call his name as long as I have the ability to talk, amen"

**
6. Th3lite, 2018
"I have to give my testimony. I was fired from my job on January 9. Today is February 14 and Im getting dressed for my sixth interview and I already have three offers. I attribute it all to God because I believe it was my prayers that opened up the floodgates here in Atlanta Georgia where some people have been unemployed for two years. Praises to the Almighty God who controls and opens doors for those who love and trust him."

**
7, Princess Niyah, 2018
"I'm still smiling me and my family have been through a lot but GOD MADE A WAY WE'RE SO THANKFUL FOR HIS GRACE AND MERCY BAD THINGS HAVE HAPPENED TO US BUT THANK U JESUS 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 I LOVE JESUS IF YOU LOVE JESUS LIKE THIS MY GOD BLESS HAVE A AMAZING DAY 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏😇😇🙏"

**
8. Lez TheBest, 2019
"I ALMOST GAVE UP BUT A POWER THAT I CANT EXPLAIN (THE HOLY GHOST POWER) FELL FROM HEAVEN LIKE A SHOWER 🥰🥰"

**
9. Mrs. Wade, 2019
"Im 1 year sober off alcohol and drugs I'm so thankful for the help he gave me the holy ghost power still smiling"

**
10. Dankified, 2019
"I'm only 15, High School is getting harder, but i'm gonna keep on pushing through, as i got God on my side!"

**
11. Taylor Bradley, 2019
"Lord I've been through many storms: betrayal, heartbreak, depression, suicidal thoughts and actions, being born with a disability, low self esteem, etc but through it all God has blessed me with a reason to live he gave me many second chances every day Lamentations 3:23 Gods compassions are new every morning great is your faithfulness" I love Jesus he's been so good to me Being a college student, having a good job, earning tons of scholarships to school, being saved by the Grace of God etc I am beyond blessed"

**
12. Kelly Brightness, 2019
"Yep devil you picked the wrong1 smiling in the fire smiling on the hillside NOW 2 God the glory"

**
13. Tamica Reese, 2020
"I’m going through so much. God got it though. I smile even though it hurts see I smile. I know God is working so I smile."

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post provides definitions of the vernacular phrase "in the house" and provides a chronological list of records and television series that have that saying as their title.

This post also documents some examples of "in the house" from a few discussion threads of YouTube music videos.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those are quoted in this post.
-snip-
This pancocojams post was originally published in May 2019. I revised it to enhance its readability.

****
PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
I was interested to find examples of the African American Vernacular English phrase "in the house" in discussion threads for some Nigerian Afrobeats music and then [since I was looking for them] in YouTube discussion threads for some other contemporary African and Caribbean music videos.

The frequent use of "in the house " (or "in the building"*) by people living outside of the United States is one demonstration of the strong influence African American culture and African American Vernacular English in particular have worldwide.

This adoption of "in the house" (or "in the building") is one of many examples of people outside of the United States using African American "slang" [Vernacular English] because it conveys hipness (being cool / being up to date with the latest Black "street" cultures).

****
ORIGIN AND MEANINGS OF THE VERNACULAR PHRASE "IN THE HOUSE"
There are two meanings for the African American Vernacular phrase "in the house":

1."in the house" is am African American originated phrase that is used to boastfully announce a person's arrival (or a group of people's arrival) on a scene- whether that "scene" is a (night) club, a party, in the recording music industry, or anywhere that real "hip" action is.

**
2. "[___] [is] in the house" (or is "in the building") is an African American originated phrase that is a "hip" way of responding to the question "Who's here from ____?" or responding to a command for people to "rep" ("represent"; "stand up for") where they are from or what group they are affiliated with.

This second meaning appears to be the way "in the house" is most often used in the 2000s in YouTube videos' discussion threads.

The standard English meanings for the vernacular phrase "in the house" are the roll call responses “Here” or “Present”.

Question in standard English: “ Who’s here from Pittsburgh?"
Response in standard English : "I’m Here"

Question in African American Vernacular English: "Where my Pittsburgh people at?" [or “Pittsburgh, stand up!"]

Response in African American Vernacular English: "Pittsburgh’s in the house!"

**
"In the house" comments in YouTube videos' discussion threads can also be given as a command:
Command: "Call out for Jersey" or “Pittsburgh, stand up!"
Response: "A.C.'s in the house! [Atlantic City's in the house.]

****
Call & Response
"In the house" and "in the building" can be considered "call and response" forms of communication. A commenter could write "Who's in the house from ___?[insert name of nation, ethnic group, or state etc] instead of writing "Whose here from ____?". The responses to that question would consist of other commenters' writing the name of their city, region etc.

The "call" doesn't necessarily have to include the phrase "in the house" (or "in the building"), but could be something like this:
"All those from Jersey, stand up."

The responses to that call then could be:
1. "Newark in the house"
2. Camden in the house"...

and other names of cities in the state of New Jersey (in the United States)

****
"In The Building" Is More Recent Than "In The Building"
"In the building" is more recent than "in the house". I also believe that "in the building" was and still is used less often in the USA than "in the house".

The phrase "in the building" was popularized by its inclusion in the 2008 Hip Hop record "Swagga Like Us" by Kay-Z and T.I., featuring Kanye West & Lil' Wayne)

"Swagger like us, swagger swagger like us
No one on the corner,
Mr. West is in the building
Swagger on a hundred thousand, trillion (No one on the corner)
Hey yo I know I got it first"...
https://genius.com/Jay-z-and-ti-swagga-like-us-lyrics

****
Nation Signing In Comments
I coined the term "nation signing in comments" as a referent for the custom of people on YouTube discussion threads asking people to rep their nation or ethnic group by adding their name under the command "Where my [insert nation or ethnic group] at? or "Any [nation or ethnic group] in the house (or "in the building')?

Here's one pancocojams post about "nation signing in" comments: http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/04/examples-of-nation-signing-in-comments.html Examples Of "Nation Signing In" Comments From The Discussion Thread For Wizkid's Nigerian Afrobeats Song "Soco"

****
"In The House" Doesn't Have Anything To Do With House Music
The phrase "in the house" doesn't have anything to do with the House music genre. However, a person writing in a YouTube discussion thread for a House music video or sound file could mean "I'm here" AND also be stating "I'm still interested in House music".

For example, this comment from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbFNHhO-t8Q"THE BEATMASTERS with MERLIN. "Who's in the House" (the hip house anthem).1989. vinyl 12", joaquinnieto misummergrooves, Nov 12, 2012

Nahuel Imaña Marquez, 2017
"2017 and yep! .. i'm still In the house !"
I believe that among African Americans and, by extension, other Americans, "in the house" was (is) mostly relegated to written communication (as a hip way of saying "Present" or "Here".) and isn't used that often outside of YouTube discussion threads.

****
"In the USA, the phrase "In The House" Isn't Always A Substitute For The Words "Here" or "Present"
Here's a comment that I just happened upon from the discussion thread for a South African song that apparently is (or was) very popular in Kenya:
Kevin Wabungo, 2018
"Can our South African's in the house give us a translation please..."https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDTf6CCABsE
Oskido's Candy "Tsa Mandebele kids"
-snip-
This use of "in the house" is different from the ways that African Americans use/d that phrase. Even with the second definition that is given above, "in the house" still has a "hip" or "cool" (swagger) element to it. Instead of using "in the house" in Kevin Wabungo's comment, we [African Americans] would probably just use the word "here".

****
CHRONOLOGY OF RECORDS/TAPES/CDs TITLES AND TELEVISION SERIES WITH THE PHRASE "IN THE HOUSE" IN THEIR TITLES

1987- Heavy D & The Boyz - "The Overweight Lovers In The House" [Hip Hop record]

1989 - THE BEATMASTERS with MERLIN. "Who's in the House" (House record)

1990 - 1994 Various artists CDs- Various ‎– Energy – "DJ's In The House" [United Kingdom mix House tracks]

1995 -1999 -“In the House” [American television sitcom series with a Black cast]

1997- Brothers of Soul - "DJ In The House" [House record]
-snip-
Also, 2008 "Swagga Like Us" [Hip Hop record includes the line “Mr. West is in the buildin'" rapped by Kanye West]

Please add to this chronological list. Thanks!

****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE EARLIEST DOCUMENTED USE OF "IN THE HOUSE"
The earliest documented use for the vernacular meaning of "in the house" appears to be 1987- Heavy D & The Boyz - "The Overweight Lovers In The House" [Hip Hop record].

For example, in his first record "The Overweight Lovers In The House" (1987) Heavy D used this meaning to introduce himself to potential Hip Hop music fans:

Excerpt:
"See the way that I am, is the Big Loverman
Check out the rhyme and in due time you'll be a Hev D fan
I'm swift you know, an Overweight Romeo
Come get a piece of the beast, because it's good to go
Emcee Heavy D all ladies I'm hookin'
Big extra love but STILL good lookin'
For you and I to swing on our romance free
All you gotta do is lean on me, because

[Chorus]
The Overweight Lover's in the House
The Overweight Lover's in the House"

-Source: https://genius.com/Heavy-d-and-the-boyz-the-overweight-lovers-in-the-house-lyrics

****
EXAMPLES OF 'IN THE HOUSE" FROM A FEW YOUTUBE MUSIC DISCUSSION THREADS
These examples are given in no particular order. Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.

Some comments without "in the house" are included to show how that phrase is used as a statement or in response to a question or a command.

I. From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_XkTKoDI18
"Yemi Alade - Johnny (Official Music Video)"
1. Ordonace, 2018
"HAITIAN IN THE HOUSE???!!!!"

**
REPLY
2. Professor Rosenstock, 2019
"Jamaican here"

**
REPLY
3. Michelle Sithole, 2019
"Haita!"

****
II. From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFGhQSiGHWM"Jungle Brothers "I'll House You" [clean version, 1988]"
1. manyamurani, 2010
"this tune was big in zim,bretts nite club with dj tommy dutch in da house"
-snip-
“Zim” = “Zimbabwe, South Africa”

**
2. Sherry Lewis-da Ponte, 2011
"UMASS in the house!!!!!"

**
3. Sergeant333, 2014
"Hell Yes!!!

Much Respect...Los Angeles In Da "House"!!!"

**
4. OneShark4254, 2015
"quien mas vino por quien era jingle brothrs??😂😂"

**
REPLY
5. Jose Polanco, 2015
"+fabian canto native tongues in the houseee"

**
REPLY
6. Kelly Upshaw, 2018
"Jersey in da house!"

****
III. From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcckztwxdTY
"Flavour - Chimamanda [Official Video]"
1. shanitah kim wisdom kadeeya, 2017
"Ugandans here we are mr. Flavour #chimamanda in da bulding , bigup mr flavor"

****
IV. From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VrWaED18_g
"STARBOY - SOCO ft. TERRI X SPOTLESS X CEEZA MILLI X WIZKID (OFFICIAL VIDEO)"
1. Wiara, 2018
"kenyans leave a like if you're in the building"

**
REPLY
2. Leon Ndekei, 2018
"Wiara Ndani Ndani Ndaaani!!"

**
REPLY
3. Ciku Jay, 2018
"Ndani ndani ndani.... Socco!!!!"
-snip-
Google translate from Swahili to English: “ndani” = inside [In the context of this response “inside” probably means the same thing as the African American Vernacular Slang phrase “We’re in the house”; i.e. We’re here”]

**
4. Fatima Andrade, 2018
"Portugal in the house 🇵🇹"

**
5. Chance Kendre, 2019
"Kenya in the building follow me @sashadreamz"

**
6. TGRGMNG, 2018
"Black American in the house."

**
7. Rhonda Humphrey, 2019
"Long Beach California in the house!!! BIG UP❤"

****
V. From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4KNVT2w0mU
"Fally Ipupa - Eloko Oyo (Clip officiel)"
1. Native Son Ascending, 2018
"Africa Unite! Greetings and love from Panamá, however I'm a child of Mamá Africa. They took us from our home, but could never and will never take our African spirit."

**
REPLY
2. Naeem Rashidi, 2018
"Amen brother I feel you same deal from Oakland Ca, cant get enough African culture."

**
REPLY
3. Nzisa Mutua, 2019
"@Naeem Rashidi bay in the house"

****
VI. From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-ln__MWpKA&t=100s Pr Prospa Ochimana - Ekwueme feat. Osinachi Nwachukwu (Live Ministration)
1. olyver omondi, 2018
"any KENYAN in the house.....i do love this song may God's blessings reign upon all of you"

**
REPLY
2. John Amanya, 2018
"Oliver am here, I'm in Kenya, Vihiga County. This Song blesses me so much!"ospa Ochimana - Ekwueme feat. Osinachi Nwachukwu (Live Ministration]

**
REPLY
3. Naylee Njeru, 2018
"oh....am here too🙏🙏"

**
REPLY
4. Lilian Dada, 2018
"Am here oooh"

**
REPLY
5. Rosemary Muturi, 2018
"Kenyan in the house 🙋‍♀️
This Worship song is beautiful and Powerful ... May God bless all who hear it as well as those leading it .. Baraka 🙏"

**
REPLY
6. Nelly sharper, 2018
"Tuko ndaani"

**
REPLY
7. lucy nyaguthii,2018
"Tuko ndani"
-snip-
Google translate from Swahili to English
"Tuko ndani" = We’re in."

*****
VII. From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ie6VBxk7Ofg"Hands On Ya Hips - Dj Jayhood & Dj Joker"
1. william patterson, 2011
"this video is fire. Nice beats (Jerseyheads stand up!!)"

**
REPLY
2. OD Photography, 2011
"JERSEY IN THE BUILDIN. . . DIS REMINDS ME YO ANT - WE NEED TO DO THAT ANT WOBBLE !!!! @ODGUYRBREW"

****
VIII https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_fdOPvmBrI"Follow Me - Aly us"
1.IAMWAVEY KAHUNA, 2015
"Jersey in the building"

**
REPLY
2. 2kool4ThiS-_-, 2015
"ayeeeeee!!! jersey in the house!!"

**
REPLY
3. Sasha Thomas, 2018
"JERSEY!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌❤❤❤❤❤❤❤!!!
-snip-
This 1992 now classic House music song was composed and performed by Aly-Us, a trio from northern New Jersey.

**
4. Bey Bey, 2016
"Newark New Jersey in the house yassss"

**
REPLY
5. Coutanyer Lawhorne, 2017
"Bey Bey Yes indeed!!!!!👍 Plainfield, NJ not to far from Newark"

**
REPLY
6. hunny drip, 2019
"Camden here!"
-snip-
Newark, Hoboken, and Camden are all cities in the state of New Jersey (USA).

**
7. Arlasa Davis, 2016
"CLUB ZANZIBAR is where I first heard this song.....MEMORIES"

**
REPLY
8. Regina Cofield, 2018
"Yep me to NYC in the house"

****
IX. From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbFNHhO-t8Q"THE BEATMASTERS with MERLIN. "Who's in the House" (the hip house anthem).1989. vinyl 12"
1. Nahuel Imaña Marquez, 2017
"2017 and yep! .. i'm still In the house !"

**
2. alanhenery, 2018
"We’re in the house 🙂🙃"

****
X. From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YqecbxSr4A
Afro B - Drogba (Joanna) Prod by Team Salut [Official Music Video] (London UK artist)
1. George Chima, 2019
"If this song don't wanna make u dance u ve got no soul I swear....Nigeria in the house"

**
REPLY
2. Blaise Bah, 2019
"Ivory Coast in the house 🇨🇮"

**
3. G G. 2019
"Venezuela in the house 🇻🇪 ✌🏽 ❤️"

**
4. Google User, 2019
"Worcester MA in da building🔥🔥🔥🔥"

**
5. Dave jones, 2019
"Here in Los Angeles we banging this one out much love and ✌ Latino in da 🏠"

**
6. Gloria Hernandez, 2019
"I’m in love with this song 🤤 (El Salvador 🇸🇻 in the house) ☀️☀️☀️☀️😛"

****
XI. From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-qqJzN-6ZQ
Safari Voices International - Kikuyu Medleys (Official Video), Safari Voices International, Apr 15, 2019 (Kenya)
1. Marsh Morgan, 2019
"Kikuyus in the house 🙌🙌🙌😍😍😍🎼🎤"

**
2. Elizabeth Nalangu, 2019
"🥰🥰♥️♥️♥️♥️👍"

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is the first in a multi-post pancocojams series on the name "Dorothy" in Calypso songs.

This post includes an excerpt of a pdf on Caribbean music that provides information about how women with the name "Dorothy" were usually portrayed in Calypso songs.

This pancocojams post also includes a transcription of the 1938 song "My Troubles With Dorothy" by the Lord Executor as well as YouTube sound file of that song.

Click the tag "the name Dorothy in Calypso music" for additional posts in this series.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Philip Garcia (Lord Executor) for his musical legacy. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to GUEST,Tony for his transcription of "My Troubles With Dorothy" and thirteen other old Calypso songs on the Mudcat folk music forum discussion thread whose link is given in this pancocojams post. Thanks also to the publisher of this sound file on YouTube.

****
THE CHARACTERIZATION OF FEMALES NAMED "DOROTHY" IN CALYPSO SONGS
From http://genderlinks.org.za/wp-content/uploads/imported/articles/attachments/historical_culture_of_gender_hetersexual_violence_maude_dikobe.pdf"Historical Culture of Gender and Hetero/Sexual Violence in Calypso in Trinidad: Treat ‘Em Rough" By Maude Dikobe [in] GENDER & MEDIA DIVERSITY JOURNAL [page 117-125] (2007?)
..."Calypso’s overwhelming endorsement of violence against women cannot be overstated. Stereotypical representation in calypso of women as sexually forward, cheats, unhygienic, and so on, helps to control them. One has only to recall “Dorothy” a sexual archetype about whom countless calypsos have been written:2 Dorothy personifies many of the worst stereotypes about women in Trinidad: She is “a stuckup slut whose only positive aspect is her seductive availability.” Given her immodesty and deceitfulness, she deserves to be “controlled.” ..
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/01/excerpt-from-pdf-entitled-historical.html for a pancocojams post entitled "Excerpts From The Pdf Entitled "Historical Culture of Gender and Hetero/Sexual Violence in Calypso in Trinidad: Treat ‘Em Rough".

That post includes more excerpts of this pdf.

****
LYRICS: "MY TROUBLES WITH DOROTHY"

My Troubles with Dorothy by Philip Garcia, aka Lord Executor (rec Port-of-Spain 2/26/38)

I was weak an' broken down,
all my nerve shattered an' gone.
Who cause dat cruelty to me,
nobody but de woman called Dorothy.

Now, Dorothy, a nice high brown,
weighing two hundred and sixteen pound,
An' I, the Executor, the feather-weight,
she made me tremble like an earthquake.

Now Dorothy would sit on my knee,
an' feed me wid de vitamins of quality,
An' all the time she would say to me,
"Executor, you losing vitality."

De D an' de O an' de R an' de A,
and de T an' de H an' de Y, dey say.
Now, Dorothy darling, you made me tame.
You wan' Executor to lose his name.

She had a habit an' a way to sit on my back,
to ride me as a race-horse upon de track,
Leavin' me in sorrow, pain an' disgrace,
jus' like Campbell riding a race.

I met her, it was in T rou Macacq.
In translated word means the monkey track.
It was there I tol' her ____ ____,
an' she tol' me, "_____ _____ you're imbecile."

She tol' me "Executor, you mus' stay with me,
brutalize me, you can even beat me.
Do what you like, you can tear up me clothes.
But, you know, I'm a woman dat love your blows."

-transcription by GUEST, Tony 05 Jul 14 in https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=154911 Lyr Add: Woopsin - The Lion (calypso)
-snip-
This guest shared this transcription and thirteen other transcriptions of old Calypso songs-including another song that featured the name "Dorothy". He added this comment to his "post":
"Here's my entire collection of Calypso lyrics, full of mistakes, in case it's of any use to you or to anyone else reading your posts."

****
SHOWCASE SOUND FILE: Lord Executor - My Troubles With Dorothy



Arnaud Future, Nov 30, 2014

From My Intention Is War : Trinidad Calypsos 1928-1948

Mississippi Records ‎– MRP-079

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is the second in a multi-post pancocojams series on the name "Dorothy" in Calypso songs.

This post quotes a pdf on Caribbean music about how women with the name "Dorothy" were usually portrayed in Calypso songs.

This pancocojams post also presents full or partial transcriptions of several Calypso songs that feature a woman with the name "Dorothy".

Please add to this post by sharing the lyrics of some Calypso songs that you know which include the name "Dorothy", regardless of how "Dorothy" is depicted in that song. Thanks in advance.

Click the tag "the name Dorothy in Calypso music" for additional posts in this series.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all of the Calypsonians who composed the songs that are featured in this post. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to GUEST,Tony for his transcription of "My Troubles With Dorothy" and thirteen other old Calypso songs on the Mudcat folk music forum discussion thread whose link is given in this pancocojams post.

****
QUOTE ABOUT HOW WOMEN NAMED "DOROTHY" ARE DEPICTED IN MANY CALYPSO SONGS
From pdf "Historical Culture of Gender and Hetero/Sexual Violence in Calypso in Trinidad: Treat ‘Em Rough" By Maude Dikobe [This link is found immediately below this section.]
"Calypso’s overwhelming endorsement of violence against women cannot be overstated. Stereotypical representation in calypso of women as sexually forward, cheats, unhygienic, and so on, helps to control them. One has only to recall “Dorothy” a sexual archetype about whom countless calypsos have been written:2 Dorothy personifies many of the worst stereotypes about women in Trinidad: She is “a stuckup slut whose only positive aspect is her seductive availability.” Given her immodesty and deceitfulness, she deserves to be “controlled.”

****
TEXT EXAMPLES OF SOME CALYPSO SONGS THAT INCLUDE THE NAME "DOROTHY"

These songs are given in no particular order. A link to the source of these transcriptions is before the song's title.

From http://genderlinks.org.za/wp-content/uploads/imported/articles/attachments/historical_culture_of_gender_hetersexual_violence_maude_dikobe.pdf"Historical Culture of Gender and Hetero/Sexual Violence in Calypso in Trinidad: Treat ‘Em Rough" By Maude Dikobe [in] GENDER & MEDIA DIVERSITY JOURNAL [page 117-125]; written January 1, 1970, published in Gender Links
3rd Edition; 2007

Excerpt of “Love Me or Leave Me,” Lady Iere
"You got to love me or leave me
Or live with Miss Dorothy
This time is too hard
For me to mind a man that is bad"

**
Excerpt of "My Darling Dorothy" (c. 1944) by Roaring Lion

"Good Lord since I marry Dorothy she had me going crazy
(x2)
When is good I can’t stand the pressure
She want me to commit murder
She has a sailor man
She has a Chinee man
Then she left a Chinee man
To come with a police man
Then she left the yankee man
And go pick up the steel band man"

****
Transcriptions by GUEST, Tony 05 Jul 14 in https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=154911 Lyr Add: Woopsin - The Lion (calypso)
-snip-
This guest shared these two transcriptions and twelve additional transcriptions of old Calypso songs. He added this comment to his "post":
"Here's my entire collection of Calypso lyrics, full of mistakes, in case it's of any use to you or to anyone else reading your posts."


"My Troubles with Dorothy" by Philip Garcia, aka Lord Executor (rec Port-of-Spain 2/26/38)

"I was weak an' broken down,
all my nerve shattered an' gone.
Who cause dat cruelty to me,
nobody but de woman called Dorothy.

Now, Dorothy, a nice high brown,
weighing two hundred and sixteen pound,
An' I, the Executor, the feather-weight,
she made me tremble like an earthquake.

Now Dorothy would sit on my knee,
an' feed me wid de vitamins of quality,
An' all the time she would say to me,
"Executor, you losing vitality."

De D an' de O an' de R an' de A,
and de T an' de H an' de Y, dey say.
Now, Dorothy darling, you made me tame.
You wan' Executor to lose his name.

She had a habit an' a way to sit on my back,
to ride me as a race-horse upon de track,
Leavin' me in sorrow, pain an' disgrace,
jus' like Campbell riding a race.

I met her, it was in T rou Macacq.
In translated word means the monkey track.
It was there I tol' her ____ ____,
an' she tol' me, "_____ _____ you're imbecile."

She tol' me "Executor, you mus' stay with me,
brutalize me, you can even beat me.
Do what you like, you can tear up me clothes.
But, you know, I'm a woman dat love your blows."

-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/02/my-troubles-with-dorothy-by-lord.html"My Troubles with Dorothy" by Lord Executor (Lyrics & YouTube Sound File Of This 1938 Calypso Song) for a sound file of this song.

**
"One Morning" by Lord Beginner (rec New York 3/15/35)

"I went on a spree (one morning).
I went to see Dorothy.
I met in a collision.
Was me an' a policeman.

'Fore day mornin', one mornin'

I knock the door without any fear.
I said "Dorothy, darling, are you here?"
But I put myself in a calaloo.
The police was knocking the back door too.

I even called her by her sweet name, Dee.
I said "Mommy, open de door for me."
And, when I peep through the jalousie,
I saw the craf was awaitin' me.

She got right up an' she turn de lock.
But at de back door was a different knock.
In walk up the branch of the law, an' told me,
"Mister, what you come for?"

I said, "I came here to cut my shine."
Said, "But you come here for what is mine."
I had to appeal to sweet Dorothy.
She said, "Tonight, let us sleep in peace."

I said, "My boy, don't you contemplate.
For Dorothy is a heavyweight.
And if you are strong you can win de fight,
but I'm going to box like Dempsey tonight."

The night was so cold I couldn't even sleep.
Under the blanket I had to creep.
I stole a chance and I cuff de craf,
an' de policeman shout out, "Beginner half!"

'Fore day mornin', one mornin', roll if you're rollin'.

I went in a dream at de middle of the night,
as if something was holdin' me tight.
I got up an' I make her with a caress,
and I found my head on the police chest."

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part I of a pancocojams series about the song "Afirika" (also known as "Mama Africa" and "Afrika") that has been performed throughout the world by Beninese singer Angelique Kidjo.

This post showcases a 2016 video of Angelique Kidjo singing "Afirika" ("Mama Africa") during a Grenada (Caribbean) music festival.

Information about Angelique Kidjo is included in this post along with lyrics to "Afirika" in Fongbe (Fon) & Yoruba, with English translations.

Some information about Fongbe (language) and Yoruba (language) is also included in this post along with an explanation of the Yoruba word "ase" (also given as "ashe" and "eshe").

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/02/angelique-kidjo-afirika-mama-africa-at.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. Part II showcases a video of Angelique Kidjo singing "Afirika" ("Mama Africa") at the Grammy Awards 2020.

My transcription of Angelique Kidjo's opening remarks at that performance are included in this post along with a few selected comments about audience participation at that concert.

Part II also showcases three additional videos* of Angelique Kidjo singing "Afirika" ("Mama Africa") and a few additional comments from those videos' discussion threads.

*These additional videos don't include the video that is showcased in Part I of this series.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Angelique Kidjo for her musical legacy. Thanks to the composer/s of this song and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: Angelique Kidjo performing Mama Africa



Sabrina Francis, May 13, 2016

Angelique Kidjo performing Mama Africa during the Pure Grenada Music Festival.
-snip-
Here's a brief excerpt from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ang%C3%A9lique_Kidjo
"Angélique Kpasseloko Hinto Hounsinou Kandjo Manta Zogbin Kidjo,[1][2][3] known as Angélique Kidjo (born July 14, 1960), is a Beninese singer-songwriter, actress, and activist who is noted for her diverse musical influences and creative music videos....

Kidjo was born in Ouidah, Benin.[7] Her father is from the Fon people of Ouidah and her mother from the Yoruba people.

[...]

[in 1981] She recorded the album Pretty with the Cameroonian producer Ekambi Brilliant and her brother Oscar. It featured the songs "Ninive", "Gbe Agossi" and a tribute to the singer Bella Bellow, one of her role models. The success of the album allowed her to tour all over West Africa. Continuing political conflicts in Benin prevented her from being an independent artist in her own country and led her to relocate to Paris in 1983.

[...]

Awards and recognition
In 2010, the BBC's Focus On Africa Magazine included Kidjo in its list of the African continent's 50 most iconic figures, based on reader votes.[68] In 2011, The Guardian listed her as one of its Top 100 Women in art, film, music and fashion[69] and Kidjo is the first woman to be listed among "The 40 Most Powerful Celebrities in Africa" by Forbes magazine.[70] The Daily Telegraph in London described her as "The undisputed queen of African music" during the 2012 Olympic Games River of Music Festival.[71] In March 2013, National Public Radio (NPR) in America, called her "Africa's greatest living diva".[72] Kidjo is listed among the "2014 Most Influential Africans" by New African magazine and Jeune Afrique.[73][74] Forbes Afrique put Kidjo on the cover of their "100 most influential women" issue in 2015.[75] On June 6, 2013, Kidjo was elected vice-president of the Confédération Internationale des Sociétés d´Auteurs et Compositeurs (CISAC). She now resides in New York City,[76] where she is an occasional contributor to The New York Times.[77][78][79] Kidjo has received Honorary Doctorates from Yale University, Berklee College of Music and Middlebury College.[80][81][82]...

On January 27th, 2020, Angelique won the Best world music album at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards"...
-snip-
Angelique Kidjo has won four Grammy awards for "World Music" and has had nine Grammy nominations. https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/ang%C3%A9lique-kidjo
-snip-
Here's some information about Grenada from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grenada

"Grenada ... is a sovereign state in the West Indies in the Caribbean Sea at the southern end of the Grenadines island chain. Grenada consists of the island of Grenada itself plus six smaller islands which lie to the north of the main island. It is located northwest of Trinidad and Tobago, northeast of Venezuela and southwest of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines."...

****
LYRICS- AFIRIKA
[sung by Angelique Kidjo]

Min bi fon do africa gblé lo
Min wè na fon bo mon dèkpè ton
Min déssou sin alo min wè dé
Mindé ma nan lin dagbé min ton
Yé fon bo do yanyan ton do wè
Africa min bi sé ton wè
Min nou min gbè yanyan ton dido
Ashè é Maman, ashè é Maman Afirika, Maman Afirika
Ashè é Maman, ashè é Maman Afirika, Maman Afirika
Min dé lè tin bo dji djan yin
Bomin dé lè fon do nou wa wè
Yénan don nou towé gblé lo
Yéman do nou dé wa wè nin yon
Ashè é Maman, ashè é Maman Afirika, Maman Afirika
Ashè é Maman, ashè é Maman Afirika, Maman Afirika
Nishè o, nishèo, nishèo, nishèo, nishèo
Nishè o, nishèo, nishèo, nishèo, nishèo
Min bi fon do africa gblé lo
Min wè na fon bo mon dèkpè ton
Min déssou sin alo min wè dé
Mindé ma nan lin dagbé min ton
Yé fon bo do yanyan ton do wè
Africa min bi sé ton wè
Min nou min gbè yanyan ton dido
Ashè é Maman, ashè é Maman Afirika
Maman Afirika
Ashè é Maman, ashè é Maman Afirika
Maman Afirika
----------------------------------------------------------------
TRANSLATION:
Who sees the beauty in you, Maman Afirika?
Don't cross your arms and stand still
We have to work day and night


Source: From https://genius.com/Angelique-kidjo-afirika-lyrics

****
LYRICS: AFRIKA ("MAMA AFRIKA") [English language translation from Fon language and Yoruba language]
From 5050elvis, 2020 comment in the discussion thread for https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3pTaEsWs3c
"My English is not perfect, but I try to translate the lyrics from my language Fon in English:

Each day we’re saying that Africa is ugly (or is lost), but who will wake up to see its beauty? This is in our own hands, nobody will think about our happiness. Each day they’re saying evil about Africa. Africa is for everybody, let’s stop saying evil about Africa.

Chorus
« Eshe mama Africa » means Blessings to mother Africa.

Some people are sitting and others are working. The first ones will destroy your works, but they are not doing anything. Each day they’re saying evil about Africa. Africa is for everybody, let’s stop saying evil about Africa.

Chorus"
-snip-
I reformatted this comment to add a space between the commenter's words and the song's transcription.

The Yoruba word "eshe" is usually given in English as "ase" ("ashe") [pronounced ah-shay in the United States if not elsewhere].

Here's an English language explanation about "ashe" from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orisha
"Ashe
Ashe is the life-force that runs through all things, living and inanimate. It is described as the power to make things happen. It is an affirmation that is used in greetings and prayers, as well as a concept of spiritual growth. Orìṣà devotees strive to obtain Ashe through iwa-pele, gentle and good character, and in turn they experience alignment with the ori, what others might call inner peace and satisfaction with life. Ashe is divine energy that comes from Olodumare, the creator deity, and is manifested through Olorun, who rules the heavens and is associated with the sun. Without the sun, no life could exist, just as life cannot exist without some degree of ashe. Ashe is sometimes associated with Eshu, the messenger òrìṣà.[6] For practitioners, ashe represents a link to the eternal presence of the supreme deity, the orishas, and the ancestors.[7]

The concept is regularly referenced in Brazilian capoeira. Axé in this context is used as a greeting or farewell, in songs and as a form of praise. Saying that someone "has axé" in capoeira is complimenting their energy, fighting spirit, and attitude.[1]"

****
Here's a comment from that same discussion thread in response to the question "What language is Angelique Kidjo singing in?"
Housna YAYA, 2020
""it is a mix of yorouba and fongbe (both are speak in Benin)"

Here's an alternate translation for the word "ashe" which is sometimes written as "eshe")

From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThdXkwu42aw Alicia Keys and Angelique Kidjo perform "Afrika" at Mandela Day 2009 from Radio City Music Hall, MandeladayJul 30, 2009
1. Spongyb, 2011
"EShe Mama Afrika (Yoruba language). Thank you Mother Africa"

**
2. adeoflagos Ade, 2019
""Ese Mama Africa" translates "Thanks Mother Africa". The first two words are Yoruba words (Ese: thanks; Mama: mother). Yoruba is spoken mainly in south-west Nigeria, and across parts of Benin Republic (where Angela Kidjo come from), as well as in diaspora communities in Brazil, Cuba, and others. I believe without Europe incursion into Africa, there would have been a huge empire today called Dahomey. This empire cuts across a huge part of west Africa in ancient past.
-snip-
I think that translating "ase" ("ese) as "thanks" is a simplistic interpretation of that word.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT FON (LANGUAGE)
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fon_language
"Fon (fɔ̀ngbè, pronounced [fɔ̃̀ɡ͡bē][3]) is part of the Eastern Gbe language cluster and belongs to the Volta–Niger branch of the Niger–Congo languages. Fon is spoken mainly in Benin by approximately 1.7 million speakers, by the Fon people. Like the other Gbe languages, Fon is an analytic language with an SVO basic word order.

[...]

To date, there are about 53 different dialects of the Fon language spoken throughout Benin.

[...]

French used to be the only language of education in Benin, but in the second decade of the twenty first century, the government is experimenting with teaching some subjects in Benin schools in the country's local languages, among them Fon.[1][9][10][11]"...

****
INFORMATION ABOUT YORUBA (LANGUAGE)
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoruba_language
"Yoruba (English: /ˈjɒrʊbə/;[3] Yor. Èdè Yorùbá) is a language spoken in West Africa. The number of speakers of Yoruba is estimated between 30 and 40 million, primarily by the ethnic Yoruba people.[4][5][6] It is a pluricentric language spoken principally in Nigeria and Benin, with communities in Sierra Leone, Liberia, other parts of Africa, the Americas, and Europe. The non-vernacular remains of the language in the Caribbean, Lucumi, is the liturgical language of the Santería religion of the region. Many Yoruba words are used in the Afro-Brazilian religion known as Candomblé. Yoruba language remants are also used in many other Afro-American religions in the Americas and the Caribbean....

In present-day Nigeria, it is estimated that there are over 40 million Yoruba primary and secondary language speakers as well as several other millions of speakers outside Nigeria, making it the most widely spoken African language outside of the continent."...

****
This concludes Part I of this pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part II of a pancocojams series about the song "Afirika" (also known as "Mama Africa" and "Afrika") that has been performed throughout the world by Beninese singer Angelique Kidjo.*

Part II of this pancocojams series showcases a video of Angelique Kidjo singing "Afirika" ("Mama Africa") at the Grammy Awards 2020.

My transcription of Angelique Kidjo's opening remarks at that performance are included in this post along with a few selected comments about audience participation at that concert.

Part II also showcases three additional videos* of Angelique Kidjo singing "Afirika" ("Mama Africa") and a few additional comments from those videos' discussion threads.

*These additional videos don't include the 2016 Grenada video that is showcased in Part I of this series.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/02/angelique-kidjo-afirika-aka-mama-africa.html for Part I of this pancocojams series showcases a 2016 video of Angelique Kidjo singing "Afirika" ("Mama Africa") during a Grenada (Caribbean) music festival.

Information about Angelique Kidjo is included in that post along with lyrics to "Afirika" in Fongbe (Fon) & Yoruba, with English translations.

Some information about Fongbe (language) and Yoruba (language) is also included in that post along with an explanation of the Yoruba word "ase" (also given as "eshe").

****
The content of this post is presented for cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Angelique Kidjo for her musical legacy. Thanks to the composer/s of this song and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of this video on YouTube.
-snip-
* There are a number of other YouTube videos from 2009 to January 2020 (and at least one sound file during that period of time) of Angelique Kidjo singing "Afirika" ("Mama Afirika") that aren't included in this pancocojams series.

****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS & COMMENTS
Video #1: Angelique Kidjo performing “Afirika" | 2020 GRAMMYs Performance



Recording Academy / GRAMMYs, Jan 26, 2020
Watch Angelique Kidjo performing “Afirika" at the 62nd GRAMMY Awards Premiere Ceremony.

Full Winners List: 62nd GRAMMY Awards https://www.grammy.com/grammys/news/2020-grammy-awards-complete-winners-list...
-snip-
Here's my [unofficial] transcription of Angelique Kidjo's opening remarks (Additions and corrections are welcome)

"Hello, Hello everybody. How ya’ll doing?

Alright. Come on, you too sleepy for me. Alright.

You know that all music come from Africa, alright?

Now we are all Africans, alright?

Okay. I want tonight [indecipherable comments to someone] to celebrate our shared humanity by singing with you and teaching you this song you are about to sing.

It goes like this [Angelique Kidjo speaking to the band says] "Can I have a G, please".

[Angelique Kidjo sings the chorus while pointing the microphone at the audience, Some people in audience sing.]

Ahhhh. That’s how you want to show- to celebrate our shared humanity? We are that boring?

No. Come on. Let’s go backwards.

[Angelique Kidjo begins the song again, beckoning to the audience to sing with more intensity. The audience sings louder and with more feeling.]

That’s what I’m talkin about.

[The audience continues singing.]

Un hun, Come on.

Let’s do this."

[Angelique Kidjo begins actual performance of this song with the audience singing the chorus they have learned.]
-snip-
Here are some selected comments from this video's discussion thread. Most of these comments are about the audience's relative lack of intensity during this performance (with numbers added for referencing purposes only). All of these comments are from 2020.

1. Lord Yadof
"She brought the house DOWN. The voice and the musicians was all REAL no back track NOTHING. That’s how Africa does it. Taking it back to the roots."

**
2. la mulata linda Martinez
"That's how you rock a house. No need for 50 dancers, pyrotechnics, etc to hide the fact that you really can't sing or perform. This music is the foundation of salsa, soul, samba, jazz, blues reggae, pleina, merengue, bomba, Cha Cha Cha and more. Ashe Mama Africa!"

**
3. Cherry Snow
"Who dances holding a phone on themselves. Tacky and self absorbed. Put the damn phones down and let the rhythm flow through you"

**
4. Arnold Kavaarpuo
"She lit the place up. Now that is what I am talking about! We don't just show up, we bring the place down. Mama africa in the building!"


**
5. Samantha Bumgarner
"“Is that how you want to celebrate our shared humanity? Are we that boring?! “ 😂"

**
6. LoveNotCult
"Geez a whole auditorium of stiff losers representing the 'music industry'. Countless other auditoriumfulls around the world would put them to shame with explosive enthusiasm for this obviously real music from the unabashed willingness to show the real joy in their souls."

**
7. Sinazo Mafanya
"Aaah, Mama Kidjo, beautiful!!💓💓💓🥰🇿🇦 Get them moving Queen!"

**
8. ilnaz shahmoradi
"Disrespectful audience"

**
REPLY
9. brwnish eyes
"The crowd doesn't know her. This is america not Africa. The crowd didn't agree with her opening statement about all music coming from Africa when drums were invented in China. Most in the crowd wasn't having it. People are tired of parroting the phrase of the day, especially when researchers unearth new truths. She sang in her language which we don't know. She could have been saying anything. The audience was hesitant for good reasons; like signing an agreement without reading it first. What would have been disrespectful is if most people stayed in their seats. Stop crying and calling foul when things don't go exactly how you want them to go, especially when you're in someone else's country country."

**
10. Adhi Pratama
"The Goddess of Africa!! Always excellent performance from Ms. Kidjo!

(PS. Why this crowd is less excited compared to the one in Nobel Peace Prize Concert a few years back?)"
-snip-
That video is given as Video #3 below. Read my comment in this post's discussion thread about possible reasons why the Nobel Peace Prize audience was more involved in Angelique Kidjo's audience participation performance of this song than the Grammy Awards 2020 audience.

**
11. Chellsie Adams
"I know that anyway I say this, people are going to say I'm a racist, and whatever else. But I just couldn't get into this. It was like a 3 word song, just repeated over and over and over again. The band was good. But this was a little uncomfortable to watch. I don't like it when artists try to FORCE their audience, into dancing or singing or whatever else, to their performance. If people like it, they will sing. They will dance. They will stand. They will shout. They will scream and clap. I wouldn't want to have to BEG my audience, to get into my music. If you have to beg like that, it's probably because people just don't like the song, or the performance you are putting on. It keeps you humble. Then you know that you need t0 change something, or step up your skills. Because you can tell if your audience is into it or not. It's extremely embarrassing and uncomfortable, to watch someone have to pull life out of their audience. If I could be better. I want t0 know about it. I don't want t0 be lied t0. I don't want people to cheer me on, just because I'm begging them to. How is that talent? Idk if people just get in their own heads, and think they deserve more attention, or respect than they are getting, or what?.. but a good performance is a good performance. No matter if you are into that genre or not. It doesn't matter. Everyone can accept and appreciate a talented artist, an a good performance. This just didn't do that for me. The audience looked very uncomfortable, and this performance just wasn't it. No shade to anyone. I just wanted t0 give my opinion on it. ♡"

**
12. musweu mulijani
"If she was to perform at the Namibian Annual Music Awards like this she would get booed and kicked off the stage for failing to make the crowd dance"

**
13. Grace Art
"I didn't know she existed, but she is here to stay. She commanded her respect, the whole crowd stood up."

👏"

**
REPLY
14. Me1586 Me
"I'm 33 now, I remember watching her every Saturday on TV when I was growing up in Ghana. She still fly, hasn't aged one bit! And still rocking!!
I LOVE HER!!!!!!! 😍😍😍😍😍🇬🇭"

**
REPLY
15. Vi lia
"And she is almost 60yrs"

**
16. Jonathan Cineus
"That little kid @ 2:39 made my day. Let’s end racism from the time people are kids."

**
REPLY
17. GiveMeShelter
"He was singing beautifully, too. Really enjoying singing this song. I'm so proud of Queen Angelique Kidjo."

**
18. Letoya Johnstone - Kenya
"It's so wrong how the Grammy don't even broadcast this live . You must learn to give African musicians enough airplay on the academy Chanel's and on Grammy ."

**
19. anicmarina
"The Grammys aren’t really known to appreciate world music - Angélique Kidjo has been making music for decades and the majority of the people there have probably have never heard of her even though she’s one of the most well known and talented African musicians"

**
REPLY
20. Stefan
"She’s been putting Africa on the map for decades.. she now has 4 Grammy awards"

**
21. Claudia Grant
"I couldn't understand her language but she kill the stage and got everybody on their feet's and she even got me dancing here too
Bravo ma'am 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼"

**
22. Noelle Parris
"Weak audience participation. But Angelique is a queen 👏🏽❤👏🏽"

**
23. Maurice Rivers
"I've been listening to her since 2001: the woman is a legend that NEVER gets her deserved props. It's sad that this portion of the Grammys never gets shown to the public, and most of the audience is seat-fillers and non-celebs. The jazz, blues, classical and world music categories are always given the cold shoulder at the Grammys."

**
24. manganbor nungchim
"3:00 gotta love that man"

**
REPLY
25. Sam
"Boy BOPPED👏🏾👏🏾"

**
REPLY
26. Krystin Grant
"Yes 🤣🤣🤣🤣"

**
REPLY
27. Temi Ojoye
"Fell in love with him😊😊"

**
28. StaceyFoxx
“Come on come on you’re too sleepy for me” 🤣 she’s so fearless, but great performance 🤝"

**
REPLY
29. Acharich Speaks
"
🔥🔥🔥"

**
30. Rydiah Barron
"Im glad she got the audience involved. The audience can really kill an awesome vibe with their lameness"


****
Video #2: Angelique Kidjo & Carlos Santana - Mama Africa (Live @ Montreux)



Bedlem7, Feb 13, 2011

Live @ Montreux Jazz Festival [Switzerland]
-snip-
Here's a few comments from this video's discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes only).

1. Little Flower, 2019
"I love how most Africans can switch from French to English and back to their native tribes in 60 second. Like they didn’t do anything."

**
REPLY
2. BILIKISU MOHAMED, 2019
"oh yes we can do that. proudly african"

**
REPLY
3. Mary Hernandez, 2019
"This is the ONLY country that brags about being monolingual (tho mostt DON'T speak English well!)"


**
REPLY
4. Blandina Mnyinga, 2020
"that's us Africans sweetheart, thanks by the way.much love from my beautiful land of mount Kilimanjaro,TANZANIA,East Africa
-snip-
I believe that the lack of familiarity that many people in the United States have with languages other than English and the fact that many people in the United States only speak English may at least partly explain why the audience at the Grammys weren't as enthusiastic about Angelique Kidjo's performance of "Afirika" ("Mama Africa"). [Read comment #9 after Video #1 about audiences in the United States not knowing Angelique Kidjo and not knowing the language/s that she sings in.]

****
Video #3: Angélique Kidjo Africa 2011 Nobel Peace Prize Concert



Nobel Peace Prize Concert, Nov 20, 2012
-snip-
Here are two comments from this video's discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes only).

1. Celestine Ranft, 2018
"That’s our rythym go africa🤩🤩😍😍"

**
2. Latifa Ahmed, 2019
"These are the kind of artists that I would pay to go and enjoy their concerts without regrets"

****
Video #4: Angelique Kidjo on Austin City Limits "Afrika"



AustinCityLimitsTV, Jan 22, 2016
-snip-
Here's a few comments from this video's discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes only).

1. GL Morticia, 2016
"those white folks dont know what the hell to do with all that rhythm"

**
REPLY
2. Cindy Morre, 2020
"Oh please, this is so tired!! who cares what is important is that people are having fun."

**

3. Kol by, 2018
"Why cant this world be like this..everyone just have fun and dance together!!! 💗💗💗"

****
This concludes Part II of this pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Video comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part I of a three part pancocojams series that showcases the 1982 Funk song "Let It Whip" by The Dazz Band.

Part I provides information about The Dazz Band and showcases a YouTube video of The Dazz Band performing their hit song "Let It Whip".

Lyrics for this song are also included in this post.

Part II provides information about The Dazz Band and showcases a YouTube video of the Soul Train line dancing to "Let It Whip".

Part III showcases The Dazz Band's "Let It Whip" and Michael Jackson's "Beat It" and includes comments about the similarity in sound of these two records.

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

All copyright remains with their owners.

Thanks to The Dazz Band for their musical legacy. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher for sharing this video on YouTube.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE DAZZ BAND
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dazz_Band
"The Dazz Band is an American R&B, funk band whose popularity exploded in the early 1980s. Emerging from Cleveland, Ohio, the group's biggest hit songs include the Grammy Award-winning "Let It Whip" (1982), "Joystick" (1983), and "Let It All Blow" (1984). The name of the band is a portmanteau of the description "danceable jazz".

[...]

The Dazz Band's breakthrough came with the hit "Let It Whip" written and produced by Reggie Andrews off of the Keep It Live (1982) album ."Let It Whip" reached No. 1 on the R&B charts, and achieved a Grammy Award and continues in recurring radio and Sirius XM rotation. Members of the Grammy Award Winning Dazz Band included: Sennie "Skip" Martin, Pierre DeMudd, Bobby Harris, Eric Fearman, Kenny Pettus, Steve Cox, Keith Harrison, Michael Wiley & Isaac Wiley.

[...]
|
Genres: Funk, soul, R&B
Years active: 1977–present"...

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: The Dazz Band "Let It Whip"



Petr Wab, Jul 28, 2007

****
LYRICS -LET IT WHIP
(Reggie Andrews & Leon "Ndugu" Chancler)

"[Verse 1]
Wanna see you with it
Sho' could treat you right
Give me just a minute
Of your time tonight
We both are here to have good fun
So let it whip
We'll get to groovin'
Love your body language
Baby, let me know
You've got me sort of anxious
We both are here to have good fun
So let it whip

[Chorus]
So let it whip
(Let's whip it, baby)
Child
(Let's whip it right)
Get a grip
(Let's whip it baby)
(Work it all night)
Well, what's your trip?
(Oh no)
Child
C'mon let it whip
Oww-hoo

[Verse 2]
Now that you can see
How you groove with me
What else can I do
To get closer to you
We both are here to have good fun
So let it whip
We have the natural feeling
Obviously revealing
Let me be your paper man
I'd love to be your joker man
We both are here to have good fun
So let it whip

[Chorus]
So let it whip
(Let's whip it, baby)
Child
(Let's whip it right)
Get a grip
(Let's whip it baby)
(Work it all night)
Well, what's your trip?
(Oh no)
Child
C'mon let it whip
Oww-hoo
So let it whip
(Let's whip it, baby)
Child
(Let's whip it right)
Get a grip
(Let's whip it baby)
(Work it all night)
Well, what's your trip?
(Oh no)
Child
C'mon let it whip
Oww-hoo

[Bridge]
(There's no time to lose)
There is no time to lose
(You're the one I choose)
(You're so right)
You're the one I choose
I only wanna be with you
You're the one for me
Can't you see that I
(I won't waste your time)
I won't waste your time
(I sense something divine in you)
Something divine in you
(Yes I do)
Oooh-hoo

[Chorus]

So let it whip
(Let's whip it, baby)
Child
(Let's whip it right)
Get a grip
(Let's whip it baby)
(Work it all night)
Well, what's your trip?
(Oh no)
Child
C'mon let it whip
Oww-hoo

[Bridge]
(There's no time to lose)
There is no time to lose"


Source- https://genius.com/Dazz-band-let-it-whip-lyrics

That page also includes this information:
dcruz112, 2016o
"‘Let It Whip’ was Dazz Band’s biggest hit. It was at number one on the R&B chart for five non-consecutive weeks. It would go on to win a Grammy the following year."

****
WHAT "LET IT WHIP" MEANS IN THIS SONG
The word "it" in this song refers to a person's body, and specifically a person's butt. The singer is telling the woman he chose to move her body fast, side to side or up and down like a whip all night. Although this song may be said to refer to dancing, it actually refers to another type of movement that is done with zest and vigor.

****
This concludes Part I of this three part pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post provides information about the 1973 Reggae song "Get Up Stand Up" and showcases three YouTube videos of Bob Marley's song "Get Up Stand Up".

These videos feature Jamaican singers Bob Marley & The Wailers, Jamaican singer Peter Tosh, Senegalese singer Youssou Ndour & Beninese singer Angelique Kidjo.

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

All copyright remains with their owners.

Thanks to Bob Marley & The Wailers, Peter Tosh, and Youssou Ndour & Angelique Kidjo for their musical legacies. for their musical legacy. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/07/various-sound-files-videos-of-get-up.html for a 2012 pancocojams post entitled Examples Of "Get Up Stand Up" (Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer). That post includes song lyrics of "Get Up Stand Up" and six videos of that Reggae song.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE REGGAE SONG "GET UP STAND UP"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Get_Up,_Stand_Up
""Get Up, Stand Up" is a song written by Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. It originally appeared on The Wailers' 1973 album Burnin'. It was recorded and played live in numerous versions by The Wailers and Bob Marley and the Wailers, along with solo versions by Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer. It was later included on the compilations Legend and Rebel Music, as well as live recordings such as Live at the Roxy among others.

In 1973, "Get Up, Stand Up" peaked at number 33 on the Dutch Top 40.[1] In 1986, it peaked at number 49 in New Zealand.[2]"

[...]


The song was frequently performed at Marley's concerts, often as the last song. "Get Up, Stand Up" was also the last song Marley ever performed on stage, on 23 September 1980 at the Stanley Theater, now the Benedum Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

[...]

Recordings by the Wailers
The song was re-recorded and re-released by the three major Wailers on their own solo releases, each with varying arrangements and approaches to the third verse, which claims that "Almighty God is a living man". Bob Marley and the Wailers released a Bob Marley only version on Live! in 1975, this version was notable for the "WO-YO!" refrain after the third verse. Tosh would include his own solo version on his second album, Equal Rights in 1977. Bunny Wailer was the last to release his own version on Protest. This version actually featured Tosh due to his involvement in recording the album."...

****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS
Video #1: Bob Marley - Get Up, Stand Up (Live at Munich, 1980)



Bob Marley, Jun 19, 2019

Bob Marley And The Wailers performing 'Get Up, Stand Up' live at The Open Air Festival in Munich, Germany on the 1st of June during the 1980 Uprising Tour. The audio and video have been carefully restored to ensure the best possible quality.

****
Video #2:Peter Tosh - Get Up Stand Up ( Live )



dreadlocke12, Nov 22, 2011

DVD: Complete Captured

****
Video #3: Youssou Ndour & Angelique Kidjo - Get Up, Stand Up - Bataclan 2016 LIVE HD



Zycopolis TV, Dec 22, 2016


****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part II of a three part pancocojams series that showcases the 1982 Funk song "Let It Whip" by The Dazz Band.

Part II provides information about the television show Soul Train and showcases a YouTube video of the Soul Train line dancing to "Let It Whip". Selected comments from that video's discussion thread are also included in this post.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/02/the-dazz-band-let-it-whip-information.html for Part I of this pancocojams series. Part I provides information about The Dazz Band and showcases a YouTube video of The Dazz Band performing their hit song "Let It Whip". Lyrics for this song are also included in this post.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/02/comments-about-similarities-in.html for Part III of this pancocojams series. Part III showcases The Dazz Band's "Let It Whip" and Michael Jackson's "Beat It" and includes comments about how the beginning of each record sounds the same.

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

All copyright remains with their owners.

Thanks to The Dazz Band for their musical legacy. Thanks also to all those who are featured in the Soul Train video and all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publisher of this video on YouTube.

****
PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
The Daz Band's song "Let It Whip" came to my mind as a result of United States' House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ripping up her copy of Donald Trump's State Of The Union address. https://www.vox.com/2020/2/5/21124293/nancy-pelosi-gif-trump-speech-papers-state-of-the-union. Yes, I know- the word "whip" doesn't have the same pronunciation and meaning as the word "rip". But the two words sound almost the same and are spelled almost the same.

That said, sharing information about and examples of The Dazz Band's now iconic 1982 Funk song "Let It Whip", the television series Soul Train&the Soul Train line, and Michael Jackson's 1982 Beat It song, is one way of honoring Black history in the month of February that United States annually designates as "Black history month". (As for me, I celebrate Black history and Black culture all year long.)

Too often people think that the only way of celebrating Black history is to talk about slavery, famous African American inventors, and the civil rights movement in the United States. Our history is waaay more than that, and we are making history every day.

Peace and stay woke!

****
INFORMATION ABOUT SOUL TRAIN AND THE SOUL TRAIN LINE
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul_Train
"Soul Train is an American music-dance television program which aired in syndication from October 2, 1971, to March 27, 2006. In its 35-year history, the show primarily featured performances by R&B, soul, dance/pop, and hip hop artists, although funk, jazz, disco, and gospel artists also appeared. The series was created by Don Cornelius, who also served as its first host and executive producer.

[...]

Program elements
Within the structure of the program, there were two enduring elements. The first was the "Soul Train Scramble Board", where two dancers are given 60 seconds to unscramble a set of letters that form the name of that show's performer or a notable person in African American history. In describing the person's renown, the host concluded their description with the phrase "...whose name you should know". Cornelius openly admitted after the series ended its run that the game was usually set up so everybody won in an effort not to cause embarrassment for the show or African Americans in general.[citation needed]

Soul Train line
There was also the popular "Soul Train Line" (a variant of the 1950s fad then known as The Stroll), in which all the dancers form two lines with a space in the middle for dancers to strut down and dance in consecutive order. Originally, this consisted of a couple—with men on one side and women on the other. In later years, men and women had their own individual lineups. Sometimes, new dance styles or moves were featured or introduced by particular dancers. In addition, there was an in-studio group of dancers who danced along to the music as it was being performed. Rosie Perez, Damita Jo Freeman, Darnell Williams, Cheryl Song, Louie "Ski" Carr, Alfie Lewis, Pat Davis ("Madam Butterfly"), Alise Mekhail, Andrea N. Miles, Carmen Electra, Nick Cannon, MC Hammer, Jermaine Stewart, Heather Hunter, Fred "Rerun" Berry, Laurieann Gibson, Pebbles, and NFL legend Walter Payton were among those who got noticed dancing on the program over the years.[18] Two former dancers, Jody Watley and Jeffrey Daniels, enjoyed years of success as members of the R&B group Shalamar after they were chosen by Soul Train talent booker/record promoter Dick Griffey and Cornelius to replace the group's original session singers in 1978.[19]"...

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: Let it Whip - Soul Train Line 1982



Cali Livin, Dec 29, 2010

****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS VIDEO'S DISCUSSION THREAD
(with numbers added for referencing purposes online)

1. L Kat, 2013
"Dear Soul Train Dancers (wherever you are): Thank you for teaching me how to dance :) RIP Don - thank you!"

**
2. Brittany Speaks, 2013
"the chick in the beginning with the long hair DID THAT!!"

**
3. Malvavisco, 2014
"0:40 Sister is kicking it Fosse-style!"

**
REPLY
4. Nama Farm, 2015
"yes she was daybreak good! :-)"

**
5. 00x98pd, 2014
"u can tell these people don't have the internet or play station or x-box in there home they are fit and not fat lol"

**
REPLY
6. TheScott3387, 2015
"Those were the good ole days! Internet didn't exist back then."

**
REPLY
7. 00x98pd, 2015
"@TheScott3387 that's right"

**
REPLY
8. yax girl, 2016
"True dat!"

**
REPLY
9. TheIlluminedOne, 2016
"Not as we know it but universities were already linking up via their own high bandwidth networks for research purposes. People had been doing internet-ish type activities using telegram since the 1800s. People would play Tic tac toe and other games via telegram using special codecs."

**
REPLY
10. TheOlskool4ever, 2018
"00x98pd there was no X-Box, Internet or PlayStation in 1982."

**
REPLY
11. Nubiamancy, 2018
"@TheScott3387 Internet existed. Just not for the general public."

**
REPLY
12. Domino, 2019
"@TheScott3387 no, not like it is but the internet has been around since around 1966.
The military tried to sell it to AT&T but they didn't know what to do with it"

**
13. horkaloopa, 2015
"Okay, who let Carlton in the house (2:14)? Some great moves here.... :)"
-snip-
"Carlton" is the name of the character that Alfonso Ribeiro played in the 1990 to 1996 American television series The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air. In that series Carlton did a signature dance that is now named after him.

Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lxqa2Haf8lo for a video clip of Carlton doing that dance on that show.

**
14. Brittney McQueen, 2016
"Dude at 2:10 looks JUST like Jerome from Martin! He had to be watching this episode to get that character and look!"

**
REPLY
15. James Jones, 2016
"Yep but doing the Carlton dance"

**
REPLY
16. Mom2BbyG KaTeraD, 2019
"@James Jones Doing the "Carlton dance" before there ever was a "Carlton"🕺🏾🎶. This was the 80's, meaning dude at 2:10 did it 1st.😉💗"

**
17. agenttheater5, 2016
"Please tell me I'm not the only one who'd rather spend my days watching re-runs of Soul Train rather than new So You Think You Can dance or whatever other dance shows are out today?"

**
REPLY
18. M.J. C., 2016
"You're not, I'm with you :-)"

**
REPLY
19. GA Perry, 2016
"I'm right here with y'all., October 2016."

**
REPLY
20. rodimuspm, 2016
"agenttheater5 i could watch reruns of soultrain all day"

**
REPLY
21. kaykay Jones, 2016
"Nope. You are not the only one. ;)

**
22. Jenny Pancoast, 2016
"I watched Soul Train every Saturday"

**
REPLY
23. Kate Brown, 2018
"Jenny Pancoast I did too!"

**
REPLY
24. nuffflavor, 2016
"Me and my bro always like the very end when the poppers, lockers, and wave dancers went beast mode in the line."

**
REPLY
25. REAL TALK, 2018
"Couldnt miss it every Saturday I watched that's how I can dance so good"

**
REPLY
26. 1990758, 2018
"Me too I watch it every Saturday and I tape just about every show I was watching some of them this morning my roommate she danced on Soul Train I went to a taping when Mariah Carey was on there for the first time that place was like a ice box and yes they feed you fried chicken Kentucky Fried Chicken for lunch they only put the camera on the most beautiful girls"

**
REPLY
27. Concerned Party, 2020
"Me too and this is why my dance moves are poppin’"

**
28. asalux, 2017
"2:09 Carlton copied that guy´s dance..."

**
REPLY
29. Cheril, 2018
"Asalux: The dance Carlton did was one of if not THE dances/dance moves during that time. It was popular with new wave fans. All the hip people did it and each person put their own spin on it. Carlton's version was the most energetic and fun. I danced that much different but it was the same moves.
Carlton is a professional. Love watching him dance. BTW, I don't think that guy here was Carlton.

**
30. Udo Ka, 2018
"It was a popular dance then but by the 90s it was the equivalent of doing the sprinkler or something cheesey"

**
REPLY
31. Game Master, 2018
"Also Alfonso Ribeiro himself said that his version was inspired from Courteney Cox's dance (Bruce Springsteen video dancing in the dark) along with a dance from Eddie Murphy."

**
32. Sunny Island, 2017
"2:19- she "brushing off" her skirt....
Then she does what's gotta be one of the greatest dance moves of all time on the Show, that SOMERSAULT, preceded by those quick set up steps, followed by those hops."

**
33. Pete C, 2017
"Geez, everyone was skinny back in the 80s.

**
REPLY
34. Melissa Smith, 2018
"Or at least the dancers were."

**
REPLY
35. M&M LINDSEY, 2018
"4REAL"

**
REPLY
36. Cherrybomb510, 2018
"Just everyone on TV was skinny in the 80s."

**
REPLY
37. becky martin, 2018
"cause we danced, and jogged and roller skated our asses off,,, yep... still skinny,,, cause i do all but jog still,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,lol"

**
REPLY
38. mtlicq, 2019
"It was before "Supersize" size fast foods, and also soft drinks just started to contain HFCS (which does not satiate), instead of cane sugar (which does satiate)."

**
REPLY
39. resireg, 2019
"The 80s were the beginning of the ruin. Mothers stopped cooking dinners, so families started to rely on take out and fast food, and the trend grew because sugar, sodium, msg, and fat are addictive."

****
40. Marco De Santiago, 2018
"We had a BLAST dancing to "Let It Whip" on Soul Train. Yeah ,LOL.. that's me @2:12....this was years before "Carlton" or "Jerome"..LOL. It was a typical dance done at New Wave clubs. That's right 😉 a lot of us Soul Train Dancers went to SKA, Punk Rock, and New Wave clubs. Dancing is Dancing, it never mattered where we did it."

**
REPLY
41. annihilated, but coming back, 2018
"Cant belive no one has commented on what you said, anyway cool story and you can dance😁👌"

**
REPLY
42. danks den, 2018
"Great work marco"

**
REPLY
44. tressinar, 2018
"Marco De Santiago Great song....and someone doing the floss too!!! 11-29-18"

**
REPLY
45. Unit 1211, 2018
"THANK YOU. That dance was SO common even in the 80’s. It was SO annoying when people started calling it the “Carlton” dance in the 90’s, like it was new.🙄"

**
REPLY
46. blkindians, 2018
"Marco De Santiago thank u for responding, u guys are the real celebrities and yall gave us memories that will last a lifetime. I remember being in the house screaming and dancing around once the soul train line starts."

**
REPLY
47. Yvonne D Cave, 2018
"Way to go Marco. U rally had a good time.u guys were way too cool😘😘😘😘"

**
REPLY
48. Shortblock Flexinit, 2019
"Loved you on the show Marco. I hope you're still dancing. I grew up with Soul Train from the start, and I've always been a Soul Train dancer in my head. Still dance like that. lol.."

**
REPLY
49. Vins Nan, 2019
"Lucky you, I remember watching Soul Train on Saturday mornings and dancing trying to do what you guys were doing:)"

**
REPLY
50. unojtl, 2019
"Marco De Santiago SALUTE"

**
REPLY
51. Voodoo Chile, 2019
"Yep, 'The Carlton' was the basic go-to dance for those who were 'rhythm challenged.'😆
I 'helped' a girl 'get in the groove' with that at an end-of-summer camp dance in '84. 😆✌"

**
REPLY
52. Michael WatkinsM 2019
"That is why Soul Train was so innovative popping locking moon walk breaking even new wave dancing soul train dancers exposed the world to these moves"

**
REPLY
53. Michelle Villamagna
"@Michael Watkins I totally agree. I remember watching this show for the fashion also. Lord knows I don't know ave a lick of rhythm lol I still love the fashion. In fact a lot of the outfits I see are in style today"

**
REPLY
54. Chris L, 2020
"Get outta here! Dude, you're an absolute legend💯🔥🔥"

**
REPLY
55. Dangitdanny, 2020
"Wow God bless you man"

**
56. Bindy Bu, 2018
"SOUL TRAIN
the hippest trip in AMERICA!!"

**
57. Andre Foy, 2018
"Women weren't "thick" and their hair was Real"

**
REPLY
58. Imani Alexander, 2019
"There’s plenty of weave and relaxers in this video. Curvy women has always been loved."

**
REPLY
59. Mom2BbyG KaTeraD, 2019
"@Imani Alexander Thank you! There are many beautiful body types."

**
60. Da'kinebud187, 2018
"This was when black people and white people loved each other, danced with each other while enjoying the greatest music on Earth ! California was the greatest place to live, we all loved one another. God Bless you all ! Couldn't wait for the weekend to watch Soul Train !
Let's return to these days, something happened, let's fix it."

**
REPLY
61. tressinar, 2018
"Da'kinebud187 i think the love was better at WOODSTOCK"

**
REPLY
62. Pthirus, 2018
"Da´kinebud 187 I absolutely agree. What happened? Somebody should do some serious research about it."

**
REPLY
63. Herbal Shaman, 2018
"Black and people and white people have never loved each other. White people liked the things Black culture produced not black people. Michael Jackson's the reason why MTV was desegregated in the 80s."

**
REPLY
64. Complete Surrender, 2018
"More confirmation I am not alone in recognizing this insanity. Thank you.@Herbal Shaman"

**
REPLY
65. Complete Surrender, 2018
"Thank you also for assuring me that some of us are not falling for the okie doke. @COMRADE"

**
REPLY
66. Pthirus, 2018
"Most people don´t really love anybody. Much less the racists. Let us be more positive. The fact is: people of diverse colors used to hang out together with great ease. I did it back then. That has changed a lot. We should look at the reasons. I feel some fads arose that encouraged the concepts of Us and Them. And some self-segregation played a role, maybe. @Herbal Shaman"

**
REPLY
67. Raymond Brown, 2019
"Woodstock was the sleaziest example of white hippy 60's behavior."

**
REPLY
68. kathy williams, 2019
"Tressinar, I second the motion!, I grew up in California, & Blacks, & whites others danced with each other to the best R&B & Rock music ever created, we didn't think about race, it didn't matter. We experienced dynamite clubs, music, clothes, & people, Wow!

Oh!, watching Soul Train is where I learned all my dance moves, Hey!"

**
REPLY
69. kathy williams, 2019
"@Herbal Shaman, That's a blanket statement, what gives you the right to speak for the masses...you will find Black & White love all through history. No!, I don't like every Black person or every White person, love doesn't work like that; it's who you connect with, and Black & White people established friendships, become lovers, and marry past and presently...love is deeper than color."

**
REPLY
70. Herbal Shaman, 2019
"@kathy williams [having sex with]* black people is one thing. Loving us is something altogether different. If white people ever loved black people they would have revolted against slavery globally, apartheid regimes, the capitalist system and the lies taught in the history books. Y'all would have been and offed the rich so we could live in harmony. You haven't. So why should I believe you? If love was deeper than color this world would be a different place. The dichotomy if dark against light is harmful to the psyches of dark-skinned people and false inflates the egos of pale skinned Eurasians. It's found in every single part of the world.
-snip-
* I replaced the expletive word with these words since pancocjams is a family friendly blog.

**
REPLY
71. Imani Alexander, 2019
"This one of the biggest lies I’ve ever read."

**
72. Dee Pea, 2018
"I was a soul 🚆 dancer in my mind at 7years old...great memories, best dancers...popping song"

**
REPLY
73. Mom2BbyG KaTeraD, 2019
"Me too! We had so much fun!💃🏽🎶"

****
This concludes Part II of this three part pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part III of a three part pancocojams series that showcases the 1982 Funk song "Let It Whip" by The Dazz Band.

Part III showcases The Dazz Band's "Let It Whip" and Michael Jackson's "Beat It" and includes comments about how the beginning of each record sounds the same.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/02/the-dazz-band-let-it-whip-information.html for Part I of this pancocojams series. Part I provides information about The Dazz Band and showcases a YouTube video of The Dazz Band performing their hit song "Let It Whip".

Lyrics for this song are also included in this post.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/02/youtube-video-of-soul-train-line.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. Part II provides information about the television show Soul Train and showcases a YouTube video of the Soul Train line dancing to "Let It Whip". Selected comments from that video's discussion thread are also included in this post.

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

All copyright remains with their owners.

Thanks to The Dazz Band for their musical legacy and thanks to Michael Jackson for his musical legacy. Thanks also to all those who quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of theses video on YouTube.

****
PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
The Daz Band's song "Let It Whip" came to my mind as a result of United States' House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ripping up her copy of Donald Trump's State Of The Union address. https://www.vox.com/2020/2/5/21124293/nancy-pelosi-gif-trump-speech-papers-state-of-the-union. Yes, I know- the word "whip" doesn't have the same pronunciation and meaning as the word "rip". But the two words sound almost the same and are spelled almost the same.

That said, sharing information about and examples of The Dazz Band's now iconic 1982 Funk song "Let It Whip", the television series Soul Train&the Soul Train line, and Michael Jackson's 1982 Beat It song, is one way of honoring Black history in the month of February that United States annually designates as "Black history month". (As for me, I celebrate Black history and Black culture all year long.)

Too often people think that the only way of celebrating Black history is to talk about slavery, famous African American inventors, and the civil rights movement in the United States. Our history is waaay more than that, and we are making history every day.

Peace and stay woke!

****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS
[These videos are given in chronological order with the earliest released record presented first.]

Video #1: The Dazz Band "Let It Whip"



Petr Wab, Jul 28, 2007

****
Video #2: Michael Jackson - Beat It (Official Video)




Michael Jackson, Apr 11, 2011

****
SELECTED COMMENTS AND/INFORMATION ABOUT THE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE BEGINNING OF "LET'S WHIP IT" AND "BEAT IT"
(These comments are given in no particular order and are given with hyperlinks, letters, and numbers after each link for referencing purposes only)

A. From https://www.ilxor.com/ILX/ThreadSelectedControllerServlet?boardid=41&threadid=17005
1. RFI: the funk song which has the exact same beat as Michael Jackson's "Beat It"?
i've heard this on the radio a couple times lately and the similiarity of the drum intro to "Beat It" is so striking that I'm certain MJ/Quincy bit it (it sounds pre-82, at least). took a few guesses at the title (the refrain says "rip___(tide?)") but so far I haven't found any clues."
― Al (sitcom), Thursday, 8 May 2003

**
2. "Let it Whip" by the Dazz Band?
― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Thursday, 8 May 2003

**
3. "whip it right" = your "rip tide" i'm thinking
― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Thursday, 8 May 2003

**
4. ...both "Let It Whip" and "Beat It" were released in 1982, but i can't find any info about at what point in the year either came out. anyone have any idea which came out first? I know "Beat It" was the 3rd single off Thriller, though, so it probably wasn't on the charts 'til '83. hmmmmm.....

there really isn't any similiarity in the melody, btw, just the beat, which, I again stress, is EXACTLY THE SAME. some googling has turned up not a single remark anywhere online about this similiarity, which really surprises me - pretty much all the results just list them both among many other dance hits from '82."
― Al (sitcom), Thursday, 8 May 2003

**
5. "yeah, I kind of had a feeling that, if there was in fact any conscious borrowing going on, it would be MJ from DB, and not the other way around...it just makes more sense that Jacko would bite beats from a run-of-the-mill funk outlet, than that they would do so from one of the biggest hits off the biggest album of all time."
― Al (sitcom), Thursday, 8 May 2003

**
6. Oh my god! I must have subconsciously made this connection too, 'cause the last mixtape I made with a beat-mixing program had "Billie Jean" blending directly into "Whip It". Actually, maybe it's not such a coincidence; that was my 1982 theme tape."
― Dan I., Thursday, 8 May 2003

**
7. "I just realized last week what a great beat that is. Does the Dazz Band version sound as good? (the synth drums really make it for me)"
― Adam A. (Keiko), Thursday, 8 May 2003

**
8. "I just realized last week what a great beat that is. Does the Dazz Band version sound as good? (the synth drums really make it for me)"

it's pretty much the exact same snare/kick/hi-hat pattern, slightly different drum sounds.
― Al (sitcom), Friday, 9 May 2003

****
B. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Let_It_Whip
"Let It Whip"

[...]

"Released: February 12, 1982
Format 12"
Recorded: July 1981
Genre: Post-disco, funk
Label: Motown"

****
C. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thriller_(album)
"“Beat It”
Single Released: February 14, 1983
Thriller Studio album: Released November 30, 1982
Recorded: April 14 – November 8, 1982
Studio: Westlake Recording Studios (Los Angeles, California)
Genre: Pop, post-disco, rock, funk
Length: 42:19
Label: Epic"

****
D. From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SE7-tWEEejU
"The Dazz Band "Let It Whip"

[These are only a few of the comments from this "Let It Whip" video's discussion thread that mentioned Michael Jackson's "Beat It".]

1. vmi3301, 2010
"I love that Michael Jackson used the beginning for Beat It..."

**
2. Ramon LeBlanc Harts, 2012
"I STILL believe that this song is the inspiration for Michael Jackson's BEAT IT!!!"

**
3. holidayrap, 2013
"The beat does sound VERY similar. Quincy must have had this playing in his mind when he produced Beat it."

**
REPLY
4. ght4012, 2015
"Sounds alot like "Beat it"...but we all know this was first"

**
5. TheLizardKing1967, 2012
"Now I know where the front end of the song "Beat it" MJ comes from."

**
6. Ramon LeBlanc Harts, 2013
"Great song! Just change the lyrics, add Eddie Van Halen on electric guitar, and a WestSide Story video and what do you have - you've guessed it - BEAT IT. This is one reason why R&B/Soul lovers enjoyed BEAT IT so much. Even as a teenager growing up in L.A. I thought BEAT IT sounded familiar!"


**
7. Duke Creole, 2015
"I love Michael Jackson but I still believe that BEAT IT was a direct rip off of The Dazz Band LET IT WHIP - LISTEN VERY, VERY, VERY CAREFULLY to the CHORD PROGRESSION and remember MJ was being ostracized by MTV which only played white rock music at that time ( Eddie Van Halen's guitar virtuoso was added to appeal to the Hard Rock genre )!"

**
REPLY
8. veela lynne, 2015
"I totally agree"

**
REPLY
9. Harley Weedwax, 2016
"+Duke Creole true!! ,plus if I remember correctly, this was one of the first "Black" records to get spin on "white" video music programs.. MJ may have been paying attentionto what would cross him over- he was a pretty smart guy"

**
10. B.I.S.O.N.: BRISTOL SCREENWRITER NONSTUDENT, 2016
"I keep telling everybody Michael Jackson's BEAT IT is a rip off of the Dazz Band's LET IT WHIP"

****
E. From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVTZ4akhLA4
"Let it Whip - Soul Train Line 1982"
1. Cletus Beauregard, 2016
"every time I hear the beginning of MJ's "Beat It", I keep hoping it's this song instead."

****
This concludes Part III of this three part pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post provides information about Ghana's Year Of Return and showcases a YouTube video about Ghanaian vendors reaction to the Year Of Return.

This post also includes selected comments from that video's discussion thread. These selected comments are a sample of those which discuss Ghanaians calling African Americans and other people from the African Diaspora "foreigners".

The content of this post is presented for socio-cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are featured in this video and all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to Nii Ayi for publishing this video on YouTube.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT GHANA'S YEAR OF RETURN
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_of_Return,_Ghana_2019
"The Year of Return, Ghana 2019 is an initiative of the government of Ghana that is intended to encourage African diasporans to come to Africa (specifically Ghana) to settle and invest in the continent. It was formally launched by President Nana Akufo-Addo[1] in September 2018 in Washington, D.C. as a program for Africans in the diaspora to unite with Africans. The year 2019 is symbolic as it commemorates 400 years[2] since the first enslaved Africans touched down in Jamestown, Virginia in the United States.[3] The program also recognizes the diaspora's achievements and sacrifices in the time since that event.[4] The Ghana Tourism Authority and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture have lined up a slate of activities in “celebration of the resilience of the African spirit.”[5][6]

Objectives
To make Ghana a key travel destination for African Americans and the rest of the African diaspora.
To rebuild the lost past of these 400 years.
To promote investment in Ghana and foster relationships with African Americans and the African diaspora."...

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: How the Year Of Return Affected The Ordinary Ghanaian On The Street



Nii Ayi, Jan 12, 2020

#YearOfReturn #GhanaExperience #NiiAyi

****
SELECTED COMMENTS
These comments are numbered for referencing purposes only. All of these comments are from January and February 2020.

1. NAKMEEZY
"With all love and respect, I would like to tell my African Family that when you invite us to return home on one hand and then call us foreigners on the other, it can be painful or even disrespectful in our eyes. We did not choose to leave. We were sold into slavery to Europeans. When we go back "home" please understand that alot of us have pain and trauma. Choose your titles for us wisely. I can not be your brother when it comes to investment but an Obroni when it comes to integration.
#wearenotyourOBRONI"

**

REPLY
2. .P Awurama Kay
"They don’t mean anything negative when they refer to people of the diaspora as “foreigners “ the term only means you don’t live in Ghana. Sometimes what we perceive people are saying is not at all meant the way we think. I guess some things are lost in translation. They have a genuine love for people of the diaspora just listen to the guy in the green shirt."

**
REPLY
3. Teoviel Nabewole
"If it helps Africans who live abroad get treated the same when they visit their families.. their kids are called foreigners.. in their minds, it means you’re coming from abroad, it doesn’t mean they don’t recognize you as one of them..
My advice to you is: don’t wait for Africans on the continent to validate you as An African. You are African, and need no validation. As of trauma, the same applies to Africans on the continent, they know very little about themselves as well.. so don’t feel you need their validation.. it’s your journey of reconnecting with yourself, and you decide how you want to go about it.
I know for sure all Africans are happy about this plan, even though only Ghana is concerned by it, we’re all very happy to see Africans going back home.. it means as much to us, as it does to you."

**
REPLY
4. J Kay
"YOU ARE A FOREIGNER PERIOD. IF YOU WANT US TO CALL U A NATIVE MOVE OVER N SETTLE"

**
REPLY
5. NAKMEEZY
"@J Kay If a Nigerian is a foreigner of course we are foreigners. This video proves it. But dont call me brother when you need money from us. Keep it real."

**
REPLY
6. Jamiami Jamiami
"@NAKMEEZYCaribbean and other people are a aware what the term foreigner means. In Jamaica for instance when someone say you a foreigner it's usually a form of respect they trying to show you. They will even call a local guy who never left his country a foreigner, because of the way he dress, the way he talks, or if he got a lot of money. So guys try and understand the culture you in before you start criticizing. Stop expecting everyone (as the typical American does) to understand your culture while you don't know anything about there's. If you all did you would understand what they trying to convey when they say "foreigners"."

**
REPLY
7. NAKMEEZY
"@Jamiami Jamiami Wrong! Jamaicans say " foreign" as in "ya come from foreign" not as in you're a foreigner. They use Yardie vs Yankee for that. Besides, this is a false equivalent since Black Jamaicans and Black Americans both trace their roots back to Africa."

**
REPLY
8. NAKMEEZY
"And as far as expecting people to know our culture, the YOR was marketed as a cultural (actually an investment scam) journey commemorating 400 years blah blah blah. So i will NOT forget MY culture and replace it with a culture that is rooted in tradition in a modern world. THIS is why the African Continent is behind the rest of the world.

Blacks were invited back to save Ghanas struggling economy. The Cedi has been on a constant decline vs the USD,GBP and Euro.
Debate me. I will run circles around you lil homie."

**
REPLY

9. Kat N Da Fez
"@NAKMEEZY false. Do not include us with Jamaicans. Yall speak for yourselves."

**
REPLY
10. Zeeqtee Prn
"NAKMEEZY The reality is we are foreigners for a moment. We do have passports from another country and need a visa.....born in another land. Yes, West Africa is our mother land and we were forced to leave but it took a few centuries for the West to try and break those ties. It will be some time to mend those ties tightly once again. Remember we have many African Americans and African Caribbean who still DON’T see themselves as Africa. So yeah, we will see many Ghanaians calling us foreign. Don’t take offense. The mentality will die eventually with all the positive moves we are making."

**
REPLY
11. NAKMEEZY
"@Zeeqtee Prn that makes alot of sense. I'm of African Descent but NOT an African. I'm cool with it. If a Nigerian is a foreigner of course we are foreigners. My thing is, dont use sensitive topics as money grabs to help the ailing economy."

**
REPLY
12. Zeeqtee Prn
"NAKMEEZY Sensitive topics as money grabs? I’m not understanding that."

**
REPLY
13. NAKMEEZY
"@Zeeqtee Prn I was rushing. Sorry. The Year of Return is an emotional and important (sensitive was the wrong word) journey for the Diaspora. This shouldn't be used as a money grab from Ghanaians."

**
REPLY
14. Kushie54321
"Dont you check African american on forms? When you go back to the states your passport says american or do you go through the line for foreigners as a Ghanaian? You got a Visa to go to ghana. In that context, you are a foreigner in Ghana. You know what they mean."

**
REPLY
15. MrOu83
"NAKMEEZY - I was in Accra in January 2019 for two weeks. I returned on January 10, 2020, and plan to be here until April 15. I was referred to as white man (by American standards, I am dark skinned)on a couple occasions during my two visits home. The first time I thought it was funny, and I went on to explain to the person that use of such a term is problematic. Just a few hours ago, my Ghanaian friend referred to a brown-skinned woman as “not black.” I told him that she was black. He tends to refer to people who are not very dark in complexion as nonblack. I advised him that if he wants to refer to a black person’s complexion, he should say light skinned, brown skinned, etc. Saying they’re not black can be offensive."

**
REPLY
16. Marcus Barton-Sconiers
"NAKMEEZY but we are foreigners in any country you’re not native too- the falsehood that is being presented that just because we are black we should all go back to Africa- different culture, different ways of life and belief systems- it is the absolute truth and we should go with caution"

**
REPLY
17. NAKMEEZY
"@Marcus Barton-Sconiers Exactly! My point is that they use brother and foreigner interchangeably when it suits them. They play the pimp their pain game. Wont catch me slipping though."

****
18. pink girl
"You do know that not all of you guys are from ghana right?."

**
REPLY
19. Marcia
"@pink girl Yes. Since many do not know where their ancestors came from, Ghana is the starting point in becoming familiar with the continent."

**
REPLY
20. DARIOUS SMITH
"Marcia calling me a foreigner is a double standard. How are you going to welcome me back home and then tell me Im a foreigner there? I feel it’s a disrespect to the diaspora. Don’t call me a foreigner from a land that I am from and was stolen from against my will. How would you like someone to welcome you to your house then turn around and say well it’s not really your house but welcome back 🤷🏾‍♂‍"

**
REPLY
21. Daughter of zion
"@DARIOUS SMITH Because you were not born or cultured there. Your citizenship is not in Ghana but the US. Even Africans, we are foreigners in each country. I was not born in Ghana but if I live there I'm still a foreigner living in Ghana from Liberia."

**
REPLY
22. r h
"I'm somali in the UK and the somalis back at home have a name which loosely translates to foreigner. They don't have any ill intent, but there's a cultural difference and our perspectives are different."

**
REPLY
23. Pesi Belau
"even ghanain who have lived abroad are called foreigners even when they can speak the local languages"

**
24. Ngozi Idika
"Your not from Ghana therefore you are a foreigner. Plain and simple. Although it's okay to support black unity."

**
25. Zeeqtee Prn
"Thank you so much for this video. One always wonders how the actions of the President effect the average person. I’m so happy to see regular people benefited from “the year of return”. The “Year of Return” cemented Ghana’s place in history of Pan Africanism. The Continent should take note. That brother with the shop” GhanaBeats” was so damn informative and highly conscious. He made me proud to be African. All of us are not mentally dead with a Western mentality. I’m African American and I’ve never been to Ghana. I’ve been to Nigeria and love it. I will definitely be going to Ghana. I will look for this man to say thank you for his inspirational words. ❤️🇬🇭❤️🖤💚 New Sub✔️"

**
26. Head-Like- A-Milk-Dud
"What Ghana has done with the Y.O.R. was absolutely brilliant in terms of its Marketing scheme. They appealed to their target group and was rewarded for it.

Some people are upset because they view us a foreigners. West Africa may be our ancestral homeland but truthfully speaking we are foreigners to them."

**
27. Gambian youtuber
"For the god sake, stop calling them foreigners."

**
REPLY
28. Maribeja Intel
"Why? They confirmed they're foreigners when they called themselves American..."

**
REPLY
29. Elle Noir
"
Why they are foreigners?"

**
30. Don Dada
"Sorry our black family around the world, it will while before that " Africa Americans or foreigners "" will vanished. Sorry about that"

**
REPLY
31. Doll E Dearest
"I didn't take offense. I understand it's a process."

**
REPLY
32. pink girl
"@Doll E Dearest what process?. .you are african americans.you are not even from ghana only."

**
REPLY
33. Kish B.
"Doll E Dearest it’s not even about it being a process I’m from Africa, Cameroon, if I’m to go to Ghana I’d be a foreigner too"

**
REPLY
34. Doll E Dearest
"A process of black Americans and Africans getting reestablished and understanding intentions. Nowhere did I ask not to be called a foreigner. It's a process for our people to understand that by definition we are foreigners to a particular country that we aren't born from - and that it's not from a place of disrepect. Thanks for the assumptions though."

**
35. Alex Segu
"Please don't catch feelings when called foreigners. You are in unique position to get to know their culture, customs and heritage. I know you want to connect with your cultural heritage. Please be patient with your fellow Ghanaians, you are unique position to share your culture and history as to what Africans in the diaspora meaning America, Canada, Caribbean, Europe and elsewhere in the world. Progress is slow please be patient."

**
36. Cleveland Richardson
"Because we are the same people brother and sister.Stay strong my brother"

**
37. Keisha Jones
"Very good. I have not been yet but looking forward to returning to my ancestral home. The bead man Ghana Beads was on point."

**
38. adeoflagos Ade
"Before one make comment on this video, you need to be aware that an average street vendor have nearly zero knowledge of history. And if they do, it's lopsided. Technically, African-Americans are still "foreigners" in their eyes. Someone who is aware of the history won't solely see it that way. It's just like having a non-enlightened American on the street of New York give comment on national issue. Now consider the response of the guy with a college degree among them. You see how different it is. So, it's better to put things in context."

**
39. Ashley _
"I am neither African nor Black American, As a Caribbean we acknowledge that we have become our own people and that we have our own traditions and culture (whether that be Jamaican, Haitian, or Trini) but we also acknowledge that we come from Africans and that our culture is a derivative of them because we once were them( if that makes sense lol) but I’ve noticed Americans do not think this way, how come. Why don’t people just say we are Americans now and have our own thing but we understand we come from Africans and Africa ? (Not being rude, just a serious question)"

**
REPLY
40. B Crawford
"Ashley _ the answer is simple... we were never considered Americans... even after building this country. That’s why it makes me laugh. Even when people who are second generation American go back to jamaica... they consider them somewhat foreign despite their undeniable roots to the island. But the source of us all is Africa (I know some Caribbean’s may be Indian, Native, White, and Chinese too)

The second piece is most Africans in the Caribbean... much like in the Americas(north and south) were brought here by force and not choice.

Though we embrace the lands we are on now...that does not mean we should forget the home our ancestors once longed to go back to but could not due to their enslavement.

One should not take this video as a means to say Africans do not consider us family, he only spoke to a handful of people and I know tons of Africans who know the importance of us coming together... as Africa continues to suffer based on the European division created and Black people in North America, South America, and the Caribbean....we need to focus on Global Unity and Unity alone."

**
REPLY
41. Ideas
"People keep saying the African Americans, These are a whole world of African people in the Caribbean, Europe, and Brazil. Come on now."

**
REPLY
42. Dark Phoenix
"Truth we are all over the planet but it is said that the Afrikans in America are admired. Maybe its because of the type of oppression endured by Afrikans in America. Not being able to practice our Spirituality freely. Smh our Ancestors have all been through so much. We are family"

**
REPLY
43. Ideas
"@Dark Phoenix True People don't pay much attention to those of us in the Caribbean but we are silent warriors. We too went through hell. they sent slaves to the Caribbean to be broken first then shipped to America. A lot of American heroes have Caribbean roots. Malcolm X, Minister Farrakhan and others you can look it up."

**
REPLY
44. Marie
"We're one family :) As you know in the states we're not divided as Caribbean blacks and African Americans have always been close. I always assume they're speaking of both, not being able to tell the difference when meeting us. We are indeed the same bloodline separated during/after our tragedy. ❤️❤️❤️"

**
REPLY
45. David Comma
"@Ideas Do not forget Kwame Ture(Stokely Carmichael)."

**
REPLY
46. Islandgirl POV
"Speak the truth. It's like the rest of us don't exist. The value of the American $ is strong."

**

47. ILoveMyFro
"The slave trade is not taught in Africa, so expect the ignorance. I will be writing to the Ghanain President highlighting that you cannot welcome home the Diaspora and not teach the history of the Transatlantic Slave trade which is West African History!"

**
REPLY
48. DARIOUS SMITH
"ILoveMyFro yes please do, calling me a foreigner is a double standard. How are you going to welcome me back home and then tell me Im a foreigner there? I feel it’s a disrespect to the diaspora. Don’t call me a foreigner from a land that I am from and was stolen from and sold from against my will. How would you like someone to welcome you to your house then turn around and say well it’s not really your house but welcome back 🤷🏾‍♂‍ Ghanaians are quick to call African Americans foreigners. Don’t be light skin African American and they sometimes will call you white man or white woman. The word needs to get out not to call the diaspora foreign. We have just been away for a while and now we are returning ✊🏿"

**
REPLY
49. Earline Beaman
"They do not teach about the slave trade but they'll take you to those slave dungeons they call castles to get that tourist money. ....humm. unless you're traveling with a group of tourist; you're not just called a foreigner you're treated like one as well. All they see or want from us is the $$$$."

**
REPLY
50. Cezaltina Silva
"@DARIOUS SMITH Unfortunately it's not just Ghana, Africa in General, when you grow up in Europe and you "visit" Africa it's the same, it's kinda difficult for you to feel welcome in this terms..."

**
REPLY
51. lovekeyz
"In my experience in Ghana, people were lovely and welcoming.

I think many people know of the slave trade, but don't quite understand the systemic impacts of racism in the Americas, which are two different things."

**
REPLY
52. ILoveMyFro
"@lovekeyz They don't know...it's not taught. Only those who travel and educate themselves are aware."

**
REPLY
53. Nicole Starks
"ILoveMyFro if they don't know....how do they take tourist to the point of no return and teach them about what happened? But they don't know right? My uncle is from Ghana and he came over here WELL aware of what happened. I also had a Nigerian friend who use to boast about how she came to America by Plane and not by ship....she always thought that was funny....thats why she WAS my friend and no longer is. Many over there may not know about slavery but many do know."

**
REPLY
54. Nia C
"I believe it’s the American privilege that expects people living in a different continent to know OUR Black American history. Why should we expect Ghanaians to know black American history when it took social media to have a resurgence of Pan Africanism? That’s just now. In the 21st century.

We (black Americans) as descendants of west Africa have many cultural similarities to Ghanaians and other west African countries. But let’s not forget, we have forged our own history as Black Americans. We are in lots of ways different from Ghanaians. Hell, Ghanaians are different from Nigerians and so on!

In my opinion, diaspora Africans shouldn’t take offense to being called tourist in Africa. The same has been happening in the Caribbean for ages."

**
REPLY
55. Milly Diabre
"ILoveMyFro the slave trade is taught in Africa. I don’t know about Ghana but in my country of Burkina Faso our curriculum went thoroughly over African history and the slave trade is an important part of African history. I would be very surprised if it isn’t taught in Ghana at all, especially since slaves were taken off the Ghanaian coast. It is a part of their national history."

**
REPLY
56. B Crawford
"Milly Diabre agree my sister was born in Sierra Leone and they were taught it as well. In fact I have friends in Nigeria who understand as well... hence the term Akata"

**
REPLY
57. Amanda Re
"It’s the same in Jamaica, they call you foreigner like it’s your actual name and I’m only 1 generation away, also they treat you (for the most part) 2nd to a Caucasian tourist, them thy will treat well, whilst I look on them as family tThey look on us as foreigners and tourists and I’ve never ever gone there with a tourist mentality even m first ever trip was like going home for me .... Next it’s Africa for me"

**
REPLY
58. Amanda Re
"lovekeyz slavery didn’t just happen in America, I wish they would teach that in American schools also, the diaspora is not code for America it’s world wide, why in 2020 do Americans not know this? TThey kidnapped proud people and took them as slaves, and took them all over the world, Brazil, Caribbean etc etc etc .... just like Africa needs to be educated on the impacts and the intricacies of slavery and how we are all one family, also too Americans need to be educated that black people exist outside of America and Black/ Nubian people aren’t all in America and if you want people to include you as family when addressing things that affect ALL Black people including all black people, we all go through the same thing just in different ways depending on where we live ... Peace"

**
REPLY

58. Rimu N
"So you guys know Ghanaian history? If I quiz you on the street about different African countries, you are going to know?"

**
REPLY
59. Rimu N
"Amanda Re One thing, I have noticed being from Eastern Africa is you all think we all were part of the translatlantic slave trade, when that is simply not true. There are a lot of tribes who never partook in slavery and weren’t enslaved. I come from such a tribe and I am tired of the Diaspora grouping all of us like all of Africa was involved. We also learn about the slave trade, MLK, etc."

**
REPLY
60. xbabygirltx
"Rimu N I cant speak for all, but those who are from the Caribbean or have Caribbean heritage in U.K., USA & Canada - know we’re descended from the west as some elements of the cultures/languages are still present in our cultures. Most Caribbeans are aware that East aren’t responsible.

But I agree - too many people don’t know & wont take initiative to learn their history. I grew up in the U.K. where they would avoid that subject & I got frustrated as a teen - so I used the libraries & internet. I learned from then that I can’t rely on a white teacher to teach me my history so I’ll teach myself. That was back in early 2000s. There’s no excuse not to know with all the resources & technology people have access to nowadays."

**
REPLY
61. Esse Bee
"@ILoveMyFro I dont' know about Ghana but I am from Cameroon and the slave trade is definitely part of our curriculum throughout our studies - first lessons are in primary school and there are repetitions of that story many times in high school. Would be surprised if that's not the case in Ghana. But again I am not familiar with their curriculum."

**
REPLY
62. Amanda Re
"Rimu N I never said the whole of Africa was taken, it was mainly the coast ....”

**
63. Akosua Adjeiwaa
"If you want them to come more than stop calling them foreigners."

**
REPLY
64. Maribeja Intel
"They need to come and build a relationship. Africans are use to seeing everyone but black people viist Africa, what do you expect. Don't try me with the 'we didn't know we were welcome' BS, because you're not welcome in Mexico, france, greece, countless european countries and asian countries, yet that's where those who travel have been."

**
REPLY
65. Kish B.
"Well they are foreigners sht let’s not be so sensitive. I’m from Cameroon, if I was to go to Ghana I’d be considered a foreigner. If a Ghanaian goes to America he’s a foreigner. Until they get their citizenship they’ll be foreigners"

**
REPLY
66. Amos Culbreth
"Big facts"

**
REPLY
67. Dark Phoenix
"I'm in the USA. Thanks for showing us Afrikans born in America how other Afrikans live in Ghana. We are family ❤"

**
REPLY
68. Nii Ayi
3 weeks ago
"Yes we are family. 👌🙏"


**
69. TAMMY FLAY
"I visited for the year of return and felt more at home then anywhere in the world. I was not treated like “the foreigners “. I don’t think there is any disrespect intended,, in calling us foreigners. I believe if they knew it bothered us, there would have been a better choice of word.
By the way, this was a great interview."

**
70. kenneth Herod
"My take on it is that it will be a while for some of our people to adjust the terminology “strangers” I don’t think that they mean anything bad ."

**
71. Amused Me
"Why is everyone so hung up on being called foreigners? It is simply a technical term, let's not create division where there is none. This is a beautiful thing! We are welcomed."

**
72. TommyStrategic
"To the ones who are a little peeved at being called foreigners: You are. I have been blessed to travel to this beautiful country as the first in my family in generations to set foot on the Continent. However, one thing I was confronted with was the myriad cultural differences. I was not raised in an Akan family, or an Ewe family, or a Ga family, etc. I saw many similarities, but had plenty to learn about various African cultures.

I don’t think they are saying “foreigners” to be disrespectful, but just recognizing that we non-Ghanaians of all stripes are likely to have to have languages, customs, and ways that are not native to Ghana. It is healthy to recognize that and to recognize one’s own heritage as an Black American, Caribbean, Afro-European, etc."

**
73. jean Germain
"Is it just for the money or business wise,do they really want us to return??? How about the ordinary so-called Black Americans who are struggling here, would like to go back to their home Country ,experiencing freedom, to say bye to racism??? Will they be embraced and say welcome home??? Myself, I don't buy it, my returning will not proclaim by man, but by the Most High who himself sent me into slavery.If we were children of the land, so, why do we need Citizenship to stay? Right here in Haiti, the Constitution allow any black man to come and live wisely. My Ancestors called it, the land of the free, as soon as a black person foot step on it, you are free no matter what.I do have a sentiment, one day the same ordinary people who love to see more to come just to cherish their business, will one day, have a clash with the so-called foreigners, when they begin to soar high into the sky of Ghana, as it had been before headed them to the shore, the door of no return. For correction,my land of return is Jerusalem and not Africa. I hope Ashanti/ Igbo/ Yoruba/ Bantu/ Mende/ Fente/ Ewe/ Lemba/ etc... know that as well."

**
74. FrnnkEducation
"
"You're complaining about being called a foreigner in one breathh then in the next saying you're only visiting. By that very fact you're a foreign national by every metric of legal terminology. Emigrate back if it really affects you"

**
75. Tifany Cross
"I really enjoyed this video. I've noticed in the comments that some are offended by the referral to us as foreigners. However, we have to look at the bigger picture. We also have to realize that the word can sometimes have a negative tone in the US which may not be necessarily so in Ghana."

**
REPLY
76. Nii Ayi
"Exactly"

***
77. Tropical People And Places TV
"Whereas the black Americans and Caribbean blacks are thinking that they are coming back to their roots, it sounds like many of the nationals see them as foreigners and they see $$$$$. People are singing from different hymnals."

**
REPLY
78. Michael Anokye
"And Africa Americans get pissed when they are called Africans."

**
REPLY
79. Tropical People And Places TV
"@Michael Anokye Not all."


**
80. Richmond Adusei
"Thanks nii. Please next time correct them when they mention our brothers n sisters as foreigner ok. Nii from now please I'm being u start wearing your african wear ok. Thanks again hahaha,n i like what youth done so far keep up u will be there soon. Byeeeee"

**
81. Samuel Comah
"
@Nii Ayi Thank you brother Nii. Put something good into their heads. I am my brothers and sisters keeper. One love!"

**
82. Wiredu Q1985
"Our brothers and sisters from the diaspora , please don't be much offended when some people discribe you as foreigners,its a language problem ,we really love you and we feel proud to have you as brothers and sisters,all blacks in the world has our root in African , home sweet home thank you!!!"


****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post provides information about the 1943 African American movie "Stormy Weather" and showcases the song "That Ain't Right" which was performed in that movie by Ada Brown and Fats Waller.

A YouTube video of that song is included in this post along with song lyrics and selected comments from the discussion thread of that video (movie clip).

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Fats Waller and Ada Brown for their musical legacies. Thanks also to all those who were associated with the movie "Stormy Weather" and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to bessjazz for publishing this movie clip on YouTube.

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: Fats Waller & Ada Brown - That Ain't Right - Stormy Weather (1943)



bessjazz, Apr 21, 2010

Fats Waller & Ada Brown : That Ain't Right (Nat 'King' Cole & Irving Mills), with Lena Horne, dancer , Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, drummer Zutty Singleton, bassist Slam Stewart, Trumpeter Benny Carter...
in "Stormy Weather" (1943) by Andrew L. Stone, for Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation.

http://bessjazz.blogspot.com/

****
INFORMATION ABOUT "STORMY MONDAY" MOVIE
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stormy_Weather_(1943_film)
"Stormy Weather is a 1943 American musical film produced and released by 20th Century Fox. The film is considered one of the best Hollywood musicals with an African-American cast, the other being MGM's Cabin in the Sky (1943). The film is considered a primary showcase of some of the top African-American performers of the time, during an era when African-American actors and singers rarely appeared in lead roles in mainstream Hollywood productions, especially those of the musical genre.

Overview
Stormy Weather takes its title from the 1933 song of the same title, which is performed near the end of the film. It is based upon the life and times of its star, dancer Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. Robinson plays "Bill Williamson", a talented born dancer who returns home in 1918 after serving in World War I and tries to pursue a career as a performer. Along the way, he approaches a beautiful singer named Selina Rogers, played by Lena Horne in one of her few non-MGM film appearances (and one of only two films from the 1930s-1940s in which Horne played a substantial role). The character of Selina was invented for the film; Robinson did not have such a romance in real life. Dooley Wilson co-stars as Bill's perpetually broke friend and Emmett ‘Babe’ Wallace co-stars as the antagonist vying for Lena’s hand.

Other performers in the movie were Cab Calloway and Fats Waller (both appearing as themselves), the Nicholas Brothers dancing duo, comedian F. E. Miller, singer Ada Brown, and Katherine Dunham with her dance troupe. Despite a running time of only 77 minutes, the film features some 20 musical numbers. This was Robinson's final film (he died in 1949); Waller died only a few months after its release.

The film's musical highlights include Waller performing his composition "Ain't Misbehavin'", Cab Calloway leading his band in his composition "Jumpin' Jive", and a lengthy sequence built around the title song, featuring the vocals of Lena Horne and the dancing of Katherine Dunham. Horne also performs in several dance numbers with Robinson. Ford Dabney was a consultant on the music for the film.[2]

[...]

The original release prints of Stormy Weather were processed in sepiatone.[3] In 2001, Stormy Weather was selected for the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." It was released on DVD in North America in 2005"....
-snip-
Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fats_Waller for information about Thomas "Fats" Waller.

Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ada_Brown for information about Ada Brown.
****
LYRICS- THAT AIN'T RIGHT
(written by Fats Waller, performed by Ada Brown & Fats Waller in Stormy Weather movie)

Baby, baby
What is the matter with you?
(Ain't nothing wrong with me, babes; nothing at all)

Baby, baby
What is the matter with you?
(One never knows, do one?)

You got the world in a jar (Yeah, but where's the stopper?)
And you've got nothin' to do
(Do you hear that mess? She's always layin' it on me!)

You know I always told ya
You'd be the death of me
And when I'm always with you
I get the third degree
That ain't right
(Aw, tell these folks anything, but tell me the truth!)

Oh, that ain't right at all
(What's wrong wid her? What's wrong wid her?)
Yes, you're takin' all my money
And going out havin' a ball
(Baby, I was born ballin' and I'm gonna ball the rest o' my life!)

I took you to a night club
I bought you that pink champagne
You rode home in a taxi
While I caught that subway train
That ain't right!
Oh, that ain't right at all!

That you're takin' all my money
And goin' out havin' yourself a ball
(Oh, beef to me, momma, beef to me! I don't like pork no how...)

I went to a fortune teller (Yeah?)
And had my fortune told (What'd she say?)
She said you didn't love me
All you wanted was my gold (She was right! How did she know?)

That ain't right!
Oh, t'ain't right at all! (Everyone wants some gold, baby!)
Yeah, you're takin' all my money
And goin' out havin' yourself a ball
(Suffer! Suffer, excess baggage, suffer!)

Source: http://www.songlyrics.com/fats-waller/that-ain-t-right-lyrics/

****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS VIDEO'S DISCUSSION THREAD
(Numbers are added for referencing purposes only)

1. Michael Klein, 2014
"Fats Waller---one of those select dozen or so artists that were unique and one-of-a-kind; thank the stars for records and film, that's all I can say!"

**
2. FiveMusic, 2017
"Anyone notice the unreasonable amount of hats on top the piano?"

**
REPLY
3. caleb murray, 2017
"FiveMusic well now that you point it out, there does seem to be an unreasonable amount of hats on the piano."

**
REPLY
4. MilkyCheeseMan, 2017
"it's the band's and people's hats"

**
REPLY
5. 4Youalone3, 2018
"It was deemed impolite to wear a hat inside."

**
REPLY
6. Bill Holt, 2018
"Everybody wore hats in 1943. Church pews even had a hook for every seat just to hang your hat. Derbys were out but porkpies and especially fedoras were in."

**
REPLY
7. Narvelan Coleman, 2020
"@Bill Holt Also....when a couple was in a church service; it was customary for the lady to hold her man's hat in her lap."

****
8. calvin jackson, 2018
"Sing it Ada!!! That lady is laying this song down!!!! Thank you for this post!! I love seeing black singers from the 1930's and 40's because this brings me close to my dad. This was his time of youth and its just great to see what music and singing and songs were like at this time of jim crow and segregation."

**
REPLY
9. Sparkle Canada, 2019
"It also gives these performers the much long overdue recognition they did not get at the time.🙌💓
It allows too, future generations access to their works.
Thank You for Posting this video."

**
10. Mark M, 2019
"This is a terrific piece of musical history."

**
11. Renserin, 2019
"I love the back and forth here between the singer and the man at the piano. There's just such a spark there, and I think it's yet another talent that's sadly become a lost art, these days."

**
REPLY
12. Ichijoe2112, 2019
"The lost art of call, and response."

**
REPLY
13. grodhagen, 2020
"The "man at the piano" is Fats Waller, and it's sad that few today know his music. The guy was a musical genius. So many of his songs became jazz standards still sung today."

**
14. Lionel Gray, 2019
"Was that Bill Robinson as the waiter ?"

**
REPLY
15. Sparkle Canada, 2019
"Yes🙌👌💓"

**
16. Robert Lee, Countertenor, 2019
""One never knows, do one?" And "ballin" go back THAT FAR to 1940s???"

**
REPLY
17. Tyler Baldwin, 2019
"The phrase "Ballin'" goes back to at least 1913 when the song "Ballin' The Jack" was published, but I assume the phrase goes back further."

**
18. Shrutika Mithbavkar, 2020
"Respect the classics man🙌👏"

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post provides information about The Mills Brothers and showcases their film clip "Caravan" film clip. Particular attention is given to the "breakdancing", rapping", and beatboxing" that is found in this film clip.

My transcription of the spoken words in the beginning of this film clip is included in this post along with selected comments from the discussion thread of that video (movie clip). Brief explanatory comments with hyperlinks are also included after some of these comments.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to The Mills Brothers for their musical legacies. Thanks also to all those who were associated with this video. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to SbrPL for publishing this video on YouTube.

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: Mills Brothers - Caravan



SbrPL, Dec 17, 2007

The Mills Brothers "Caravan"

Donald Mills
Harry Mills
Herbert Mills
John Sr. Mills

****
MY TRANSCRIPTION OF THE WORDS THAT ARE SPOKEN AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS FILM CLIP*

[One of the Mills Brothers]
Look here children
Now how come
This here barbecue looks so glum?
Speak uo, Sister
You ain't dumb.

[Individually spoken by two other members of The Mills Brothers]
How come?
How come?

[The first Mills Brother who had previously spoken]
How come?

[The last member of The Mills Brothers]
How come?
How come?

[Woman speaks]

We were dancing ___ stuff
Rusty's band done stood us up.

[The first Mill Brother]
No jive?
Ain't no jumpin?
Well, I guess this calls for somethin'

[Group begins singing]
-snip-
Additions and corrections are welcome.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE MILLS BROTHERS
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mills_Brothers
"The Mills Brothers, sometimes billed the Four Mills Brothers, and originally known as the Four Kings of Harmony, were an African-American jazz and pop vocal quartet who made more than 2,000 recordings that sold more than 50 million copies and garnered at least three dozen gold records.

The Mills Brothers were the first African-American artists to have their own show on national network radio, on CBS in 1930[1], and the first to have a #1 hit on the Billboard singles chart, with Paper Doll in 1943. They were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1998

[...]

They honored Duke Ellington with a swing version of his "Caravan," and then produced a series of classic recordings; "South of the Border", which they performed in a tour of South America, along with "Ain't Misbehavin'", "It Don't Mean a Thing", "Jeepers Creepers", "Three Little Fishies", and "Basin Street Blues"."...

****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS VIDEO'S DISCUSSION THREAD
Most of these comments are about the "rapping", "breakdancing", and "beatboxing" that is done in this film clip. I've added brief explanatory remarks and hyperlinks after some of these comments.

Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.

1. STEPASAUR, 2008
"Beautiful! BBoys(breakdancers) will cream over this, the guy does(what BBoys call) 'swipes' at 1.55 I'd be interested what they were called back then, and the guys name if anyone knows?"

**
2. jzzlvrmee, 2009
"Nice vocal version of the old Duke Ellington tune."
-snip-
Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_Ellington for information about African American American composer, pianist, and leader of a jazz orchestra Duke Ellington.

""Caravan" is an American jazz standard that was composed by Juan Tizol and Duke Ellington and first performed by Ellington in 1936. Irving Mills wrote lyrics". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caravan_(Juan_Tizol_and_Duke_Ellington_song)

**
3. Kosmos Withak, 2009
"YO! the 1st girl was taking her spot light! She woke it up, I mean she was sexy, intensely on beat. This puts MTV, BET to shame.

Can't help but notice that the dances, the vibe of this video transcends time- I see some 1970''s, 80's break'n', I see hip hop battles, even some house dance moves, a lil reggae, Jump' n' Jive - Damn! This vids got it all!!!"

**
4. Soulsdeep, 2009
"Before watching this vid, I thought break's been an invention of later decades, but WOW, I was wrong! :D

Also the immitation of the instruments is brilliant!"

**
5. djbigsmooth, 2009
"real dancing from the soul, allowing the music to touch the very fiber of your being and you letting loose your best moves on the dancefloor. this is beautiful and inspiring. just wonderful and a joy to watch and hear."

**
6. digitalwavemusic, 2010
"see 1:40 old school breakdance"

**
7. SkateYourOwnStyle, 2010
"very cool !!! I like the "breakdancing" from 1:50 to 2:02"

**
8. jasobres, 2011
"Nice to see the Mills Brothers singing WITHOUT the guitar!"

**
9. cowgirlmoon, 2011
"OMG.... This is so GREAT! Classic 40's-50's. What great talents, they were."

REPLY

10. RapOet, 2011
"@cowgirlmoon yes you're right - they performed beyond the 40s and 50s (and this clip is from 1942 like @ajringen) - I'm just making the point that they came up in the 20s (before they were world famous) including John Jr. who passed away in the late 30s. I'm glad they were able to become famous and sustain careers though it didn't happen overnight"
-snip-
Several other comments in this compilation give other dates for this film clip.

This YouTube sound file gives the date for another recording of the Mills Brothers "Caravan" (with a guitar) as 1938: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gM-z-Ot8n_Y.

A dailymotion video of this same dancing film clip dates it as "1946". https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1jy90

Duke Ellington's "Caravan" was composed in 1936, so this film clip had to be filmed after that date. John Mills Jr. died in the beginning of 1936 [as per Wikipedia]. John Sr.'s appearance in this film clip [as per the video summary] means that this film was made after John Jr's passing. But when was it produced and who produced it?

**
11. bigjayrules, 2011
"Holy crap these guys invented beat boxing and break dancing 50 years before anyone else"

**
12. Rory Litwin, 2012
"This is from the 1943 movie Chatterbox, by Joseph Santley"

**
13. Luc Breli, 2012
"This was recorded and filmed in 1937."

**
14. Supa Nova, 2013
"Did this guy really just do some" breaking flares in the 1940s?"

**
15. Wuhoo, 2013
"of course the guy at the end is eating watermelons"
-snip-
Black people eating watermelons is a common stereotype.

**
16. nikkvideos, 2014
"All that comes from somewhere, it isn't just outa nowhere. This stuff has style that is amazing. Thank goodness for YouTube!"

**
REPLY
17. Joren Van Eyken, 2018
"And check them rapping too. Hip hop din't invent anything. It is an artistic movement that reunited and redefined many things that have been around in African oral tradition forever!"

**
REPLY
18. Anders Lind, 2018
"Al Minns said about break dancers in 1984, that the only thing he had not seen before, was the head spins."
-snip-
"Al Minns (1 January 1920 – 24 April 1985), was a prominent American Lindy Hop and jazz dancer. Most famous for his film and stage performances in the 1930s and 1940s with the Harlem-based Whitey's Lindy Hoppers, Minns worked throughout his life to promote the dances that he and his cohorts helped to pioneer at New York's Savoy Ballroom."... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Minns

**
19. Robert Funke, 2014
"Accord weirwildrealm-dot-com , this is part of a short film directed by Josef Berne of 1942, where Mills Bros also performed "Paper Doll" and "Old Rockin chair". Interesting EARLY B-BOY."

**
20. Muhammad Smith, 2014
"my favorite is the guy at 1:45, but my favorite move he does is at 2:01"

**
21. Mayme Clayton, 2014
"The 1st version of break dancing and soul train line!"
-snip-
""Soul Train is an American music-dance television program which aired in syndication from October 2, 1971, to March 27, 2006. In its 35-year history, the show primarily featured performances by R&B, soul, dance/pop, and hip hop artists, although funk, jazz, disco, and gospel artists also appeared...

...the popular "Soul Train Line" (a variant of the 1950s fad then known as The Stroll), in which all the dancers form two lines with a space in the middle for dancers to strut down and dance in consecutive order. Originally, this consisted of a couple—with men on one side and women on the other. In later years, men and women had their own individual lineups"...https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul_Train

**
22. Guy Schneider, 2015
"I love it! Especially the head-jerk at 1:48 and 1:50! Totally cool-hype!"

**
23. Greg B, 2015
"I remember reading somewhere that this was made in 1943.
And it makes me wonder if this is the first time something like this was recorded. And that's where the guy starts cutting it up @ 01:44, and then proceeds to show breakdancers how it's done, way back then style."..."

**
24. mrdoopey, 2016
"Is it me, or was the first 30 seconds the dopest rap? following with breakdancing?"

**
25. johndrobcuny, 2016
"This was the Mills Brothers' version of Duke Ellington's "Caravan", but where Duke used an orchestra, the Mills Brothers used only their mouths. There is NO band or orchestra accompanying them on this song. Their "gimmick" in the early part of their career was the "vocal orchestra", where they could imitate trumpets, trombones, saxophones, and of course the bass and tuba. After the oldest brother, John C., died in 1936, their father, John H., took his place as the bass/tuba. And yes, during the various musicians' strikes, the union did look into it to make sure that they were not using unauthorized musicians. It was called talent."

**
REPLY
26. wtnomad, 2017
"+johndrobcuny
thank you for that information.
i watched this clip a couple of times elsewhere and didn't realise they were making the music themselves.
this info makes the clip and the MILLS BROS even MORE impressive."

**
REPLY
27. BRESLAU, 2017
"At 2:01 I think that guy imitates chicken"

**
28. mrstep2me, 2016
"What would Dougie Fresh think of this?"
-snip-
Doug E. Fresh Hip Hop icon, "known as the "Human Beatbox" is considered the pioneer of 20th century American beatboxing". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doug_E._Fresh

**
29. Watson Unlimited, 2017
"Elements of hip-hop 30yrs before Herc. Rhyming, Beatboxing (try and tell me that isn't beatboxing), Dancing.."
-snip-
Here's information about DJ Kool Herc" from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DJ_Kool_Herc:
"Clive Campbell (born April 16, 1955), better known by his stage name DJ Kool Herc, is a Jamaican–American DJ who is credited with helping originate hip hop music in the Bronx, New York City, in the 1970s....[He is] "Known as the "Founder of Hip-Hop" and "Father of Hip-Hop""...

**
30. OGxBUCCWEET, 2017
"To all my hip-hop heads, add this one to the archives! Rapping and breakdancing in the 40's... Nice!"

**
31. aaasssddd zzzxxxccc, 2017
..."The Mills bros. started this when one day a teenage Harry forgot to bring his Kazoo to the boys street corner singing gig and then played his famous mouth trumpet. Later, each of the boys learned to blow different horns and winds. Watch for this in several vids. Its real and its good."

**
32. eric echols, 2018
"There's an old 1920's film were a black guy is break dancing, bustin windmills in the dirt. Here you get, rappin, beatboxin, soultrain dance line, & break dancin! Awesome!!! Is the first lady, that gets up, off the floor & proceeds to dance, Dorothy Dandridge? I know, she played in a movie with the Mill Brothers in 1942 called Paper Doll. She had a dance sequence, in the movie."

**
33. zontar3x23, 2018
"I wonder what the Mills Bros thought of that jivey dialogue and hokey costumes. They were high-class gentlemen. I hope they were paid well."

**
34. Running, 2018
"Even saw a little bit of C Walking at 1:12!"
-snip-
"C Walking" = "crip walking"; a 1970s dance move which "originated" from the Los Angeles, California Crips gang. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crip_Walk

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.