pancocojams

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases a video of the song "Papa A Moco Jumbie".
Lyrics for that song are also included in this post along with selected comments from that video's discussion thread.

A video of Moko jumbies parading in St. Croix, Virgin Islands'"jump up" festival is included in the Addendum to this post.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Radha Blanks, the composer of this song and thanks to all those who are involved in this video. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT MOKO JUMBIES
"Moko jumbies" is the term for Caribbean stilt walking/stilt dancing. That performance art derives from traditional stilt walking/stilt dancing customs in Guinea, Ivory Coast, Mali, Nigeria (West Africa) and in certain other African nations.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/11/stilt-walking-in-africa-information.html for a pancocojams post on traditional African stilt walking.

Also, click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/11/seven-videos-of-caribbean-stilt-walking.html for a pancocojams post on Caribbean stilt walking/stilt dancing.

****
LYRICS:PAPA IS A MOCO JUMBIE
(composer: Radha Blank)

It’s carnival time, in my town today
So papa and I get our costumes ready
Oh I cannot wait for everybody to see
When papa stands on his stilts he becomes a Moco Jumbie

My papa’s a Moco Jumbie, stands tall as the eyes can see
I wish I was tall as daddy, he dances to bring harmony
(Come on son dance with me)
I know I may be small, but I wish I was tall
So for the carnival day, I could Moco Jumbie my way

[repeat entire chorus three times]

My papa’s a Moco Jumbie, stands tall as the eyes can see
He dances to bring harmony, and now he's dancing with me
And while I may be small, we came up with a way
So for the carnival day, I can Moco Jumbie my way
Me and my Papa today, dancing down the carnival way.

Source: Socalsuz http://socalsuz.blogspot.com/2009/04/papa-moco-jumbie.html
-snip-
"Moco jumbie" is actually spelled "moko jumbie".

Song composer Radha Blank posted this comment on that blog June 17, 2009 at 11:16 AM in response to questions about whether Khamani Griffith was the vocalist for the animated video of the song "Papa's A Moco Jumbie":
"hi my name is Radha Blank

im the writer and Trini behind the film...it is indeed Khamani Griffith...he is the sweetest most respectable kid...who always addressed me as Ms. Radha

so glad you all are enjoying it...
it should be uploaded on noggin in a few!"
-snip-
"Noggin" was the original name for the American children's television channel that is now named "Nick Jr".

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: Papa Moco Jumbie (High Quality)

Marvin Sease Jr. Uploaded on Nov 28, 2009

Papa Moco Jumbie from the Noggin Channel... My little girl absolutely loves this song and I couldn't find a high quality version of it so here it goes.
-snip-
Selected comments from this video's discussion thread
razielzephon, 2010
"Me and my daughter love the song. Cute video too. The only thing I can see that's wrong is the spelling"

**
XrisSmiles , 2010
"Everytime my son hear this song, he laughs and runs , cause he knows im gonna grab him up and dances with him.

im glad Noggin is multicultural. Knowing that everybody can learn about everybody makes me proud to be an American."

**
HeidiDu, 2010
[written in response to the question "Is this carnival in Brazil?"]
@sweetangel74
"No, this isn't Brazil. This is from Trinidad and Tobago. They're 2 islands just to the North East of Venezuela (they're in the Caribbean). They have a huge 2 day Carnival that takes place the 2 days before Ash Wednesday, i.e. Mardi Gras (Tuesday) and the day before that."

**
beautyofgrace23, 2011
"ahhh I'm from St. Croix and no parade is complete without a moco Jumbie :)"

**
antigua26, 2011
"im 15 and this is the best thing ever... i love it because i am able to see that my little brother can find his own culture on an american network ... thumbs up to them for this...showing kids different cultures :D"

**
dearia gamble, 2012
"20 here and i never get tired of this song so beautiful
"my papa's a moco jumbie stands tall as the eyes can see i wish i was tall as daddy he dances to bring harmony" dwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa :D"

**
BobbyJames89, 2012
"Voice sound familiar right!? It's Khamani Griffin from 'All of us', Norbit and Daddy Day Care. He's also the voice of Tolee from Ni hao Ki Lan."

****
ADDENDUM:
Moko Jumbies perform at Jump Up, St Croix 7/8/2011

stxlivemusic's channel, Uploaded on Jul 9, 2011

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases two YouTube examples of Albert King's Blues (and Rhythm & Blues) record "Cold Feet". Information about Albert King is included in this post along with that song's lyrics, selected comments from the discussion threads of those YouTube examples, and my comments about what I think is the real meaning of that song.

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

Thanks to Albert King for his musical legacy. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post, and thanks to the publishers of these examples on YouTube.

Note: Chuck Rock's Hip-Hop/Dancehall song "Just The Two Of Us" sampled Albert King's "Cold Feet". A pancocojams post on that song will be published ASAP and its link will be added to this post.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT ALBERT KING
From http://staxrecords.free.fr/king.htm Biography: Albert King (born Albert Nelson). April 25th, 1923 - December 21st, 1992. Birthplace: Indianola, Mississippi.
"Bluesman Albert King was one of the premier electric guitar stylists of the post-World War II period. By playing left-handed and holding his guitar upside-down (with the strings set for a right-handed player), and by concentrating on tone and intensity more than flash, King fashioned over his long career, a sound that was both distinctive and highly influential. He was a master of the single-string solo and could bend strings to produce a particularly tormented blues sound that set his style apart from his contemporaries. A number of prominent artists, from Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix to Mike Bloomfield and Stevie Ray Vaughan, borrowed heavily from King's guitar style.

King was also the first major blues guitarist to cross over into modem soul;his mid- and late 1960s recordings for the Stax label, cut with the same great session musicians who played on the recordings of Otis Redding, Sam & Dave,Eddie Floyd, and others, appealed to his established black audience while broadening his appeal with rock fans. Along with B.B. King (no relation, though at times Albert suggested otherwise) and Muddy Waters, King helped nurture a white interest in blues when the music needed it most to survive....

King didn't become a major blues figure until after he signed with Stax Records in 1966. Working with producer-drummer Al Jackson, Jr., guitarist Steve Cropper, keyboards ace Booker T. Jones, and bass player Donald "Duck"Dunn-aka Booker T. and the MG's, King created a blues sound that was laced with Memphis soul strains. Although the blues were dominant on songs such as "Laundromat Blues" and the classic "Born Under A Bad Sign", the tunes had Memphis soul underpinnings that gave King his crossover appeal...

During the 1970s King toured extensively, often playing to rock and soul crowds. He left Stax in 1974 to record for independent labels like Tomato and Fantasy. King was inducted into the Blues Foundation's Hall of Fame in 1983.He continued touring throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, playing festivals and concerts, often with B.B. King.

He died of a heart attack in 1992, just prior to starting a major European tour."

****
LYRICS: COLD FEET
(Albert King)

They keep raisin' sand about playing this chord
He ain't hitting the B flat right
I'm a make a hit
If it's the last thing I do

And I done come home to you
And you done put your cold feet on me
Get warm your feet, woman

Hanging around the studio
For three days in a row now
Thinking nobody get a hit out of here
But Sam and Dave

Rufus Thomas or Carla Thomas
Or Eddie Floyd
They ain't the only ones
Who know how to play the blues
I can play the blues myself

I'm gonna give every disc jockey
The blues across the country
If he don't dig this
He got a hole in his soul

Yeah, well
Hey, ooh wee

If you hear a little fuss
It ain't nobody but us

Source: http://lyrics.wikia.com/wiki/Albert_King:Cold_Feet

That page included this statement: "This song is performed by Albert King and appears on the album Laundromat Blues (1984)"

****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLES
Example #1: Albert King Cold Feet.wmv

francesco sadurny, Uploaded on Jan 17, 2010
-snip-
Selected comments from this example's discussion thread:
MrDjDaredevil, 2012
"THE LATE GREAT ALBERT KING RIP MR.KING STAX'S BLUES LEGEND. MANY CATS IN HIP HOP SAMPLED THIS CLASSIC VINTAGE STAX MASTERPIECE.ALSO RIP TO THE ICONIC STAX RECORDS."

**
John Tappenden, 2012
"Great funky soul blues classic! Thanks amigo."

**
DrSkeletorPhD, 2012
"For the days when Hip Hop headz appreciated music and didn't scorn everything that paved the way."

**
tomthefunky, 2012
"Booker T and The MG's are the band."

**
tommy2chips, 2013
"This is what I called Blues Funk I love it. Nice bass and nice drum beat. I love blues"

**
Joel Foy, 2015
"....referring to Stax, "Can't nobody can get a hit out of here but Sam &Dave!" LOL!

This was my first blues 45 purchase as a teenager. Man did I get lucky...."

**
mike 6270, 2015
"lol just the two of us brought me here"

**
damon blacknall, 2015
Reply
"word up word up !!!! chubb rock
-snip-
Chubb Rock’s 1991 record “Just the two of us” samples this tune (not the words). The lyrics "word up word up" are found near the beginning of that Chubb Rock song.

“Word up” is a African American vernacular English originated saying that means something like “Yeah, that’s right. I agree with what you said.”

****
Example #2: Albert King / Cold Feet

Boogie N Blues Uploaded on Mar 17, 2010
-snip-
Here's a comment from this example's discussion thread:
sauquoit13456, 2012
"On this day in 1968 {June 15th} Albert King performed this song on the late Dick Clark's American Bandstand...
Five months earlier on February 3rd it entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; eventually it peaked at #67 and spent 4 weeks in the Top 100...
It reached #20 on Billboard's R&B chart...
Albert King passed away on December 21st, 1992 at the age of 69...
R.I.P. Mr. King and Mr. Clark...

****
HERE'S WHAT I THINK ALBERT KING'S "COLD FEET" RECORD IS REALLY ALL ABOUT
Albert King's "Cold Feet" is expresses King's criticism of Stax record producer/s or executives that haven't supported his creative products and even dare to criticize how he plays chords. That song also disses Stax for thinking and acting like that the only artists at that record company who can produce hits are Sam and Dave, Rufus Thomas, Carla Thomas, and Eddie Floyd. King says that he's determined to make a hit record that will be played by every Blues disc jockey in the country, and that if he (the Stax producer) doesn't dig it (appreciate it) then he's got a hole in his soul (lacks any capacity to appreciate anything soulful). The ending lines to that song "If you hear a little fuss
It ain't nobody but us" reinforce King's stance about standing his ground at that record company until he gets the respect that is due him. In a number of ways Albert King's "Cold Feet" combines dissing (insulting- or better yet "tellin it like it is") with bragging ("big upping one's self", demonstrating a high degree of self-confidence).

I believe that the title "Cold Feet" are a psychological description of how the Stax producer/Stax executives are treating Albert King and the music that he is producing or that he wants to produce at that record company.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_feet
"Definitions (psychological)
• Apprehension or doubt strong enough to prevent a planned course of action.[1]
• loss or lack of courage or confidence; an onset of uncertainty or fear.[2]
• To “have cold feet” is to be too fearful to undertake or complete an action.[3]
• A wave of timidity or fearfulness.[4]
• Loss or lack of courage or confidence.[5]
•Timidity that prevents the continuation of a course of action.[6]
-snip-
That said, I also believe that the verse about "cold feet" in the song refers to his woman not having had any hot loving from him since he's been working in the music studio for three days. Albert King is saying that that's about to change and he's going to warm his woman's feet and the rest of her body up (by engaging in some hot love making).

Here's how that verse about his woman reads:
"And I done come home to you
And you done put your cold feet on me
Get warm your feet, woman"

Here's how I think it would read in (mostly) Standard American English:
And after I come home to you
And you put your cold feet on me
I'm gonna warm your feet, woman" [by making love to you].
-snip-
Alternatively, the woman's feet might have feet that are usually physically cold to the touch. In that verse he's telling her to warm them up a bit (for instance, by sitting near the
fireplace) in preparation for him to come home to her and then he will warm her feet (and the rest of her body) up some more.

Those lyric's use of the term "cold feet" has nothing whatsoever
to do with the psychological definitions of the term "cold feet" that are given above.

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases Chubb Rock's 1991 Hip Hop record with Jamaican Dancehall flavor "Just The Two Of Us" by Chubb Rock. Information about Chuck Rock is included in this post along with an excerpt of that song's lyrics, selected comments from several discussion threads of YouTube postings of that video, and my comments about that record and video.

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

Thanks to Chubb Rock for his musical legacy. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post, and thanks to the publishers of these examples on YouTube.

Note: Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/11/the-real-meaning-of-albert-kings-blues.html for a pancocojams post on Albert King's Blues Song "Cold Feet". Chubb Rock's Hip-Hop song "Just The Two Of Us" is one of a number of songs that sampled Albert King's "Cold Feet".

****
INFORMATION ABOUT CHUBB ROCK
From [summary statement for the video showcased below]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmaaUlmaL0A
posted by old school vids, Feb 1, 2012
"Chubb Rock (born Richard Simpson on May 28, 1968 in Jamaica) is a New York-based rapper who released several commercially successful hip hop albums in the early 1990s. A former National Merit Scholar, Chubb Rock was a pre-med student who dropped out of Brown University to pursue his musical career."
-snip-
"Chubb" is a descriptive (but usually not negatively meant) nickname for a person (usually male) who is chubby, i.e. "plumb", overweight but not really fat. Chubb Rock was also affectionately referred to as the "Chubbster" ("Chubbsta") and "Chubbs".

**
From http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/BTTL_chubbrockone.html
Originally posted August 28th, 2012
..."In a culture that celebrates its pioneers and prominent recording artists, the quiet and humble Chubb Rock is often overlooked, simply because he's not out there asking for it. He certainly deserves it though. Born in Kingston, Jamaica but Brooklyn by trade, the large in charge rapper who described himself as "6 foot 3, 260 and change" was collaborating with hip-hop producer and first cousin Hitman Howie Tee throughout the late 1980's on hits like "Ya Bad Chubbs" that were favorites anywhere hip-hop could be heard on radio or basic cable. It was 1991's "The One" though that really broke him out in a big way. "The Chubbster" showcased his nimble tongue, passionate flow, and ability to promote a positive mindset without coming off as cornball...

Much like his heavyset cousin, Howie Tee's contributions to hip-hop are often overlooked or disregarded, but his catalogue of work for Select Records defined not only that label but a whole generation of hip-hop. "Treat Em Right" bridged the gap between boom bap and new jack beautifully. An uptempo booming bass background met with swing, married it, and produced a top ten hit as its offspring. Despite his skill to ill on the mic and a stature that few sensible people would mess with, his skillful rap lyrics were tinged with a sense of humility almost out of proportion to the star he was...

I'm not particularly enamored with the song "Cat," even though I understand Chubbs felt the need to have at least one song expressing his love of nubian queens. The sentiment is on point, hearing him sing on the chorus less so. It really suffers in comparison to the hard hitting "Just the Two of Us," which is NOT an ode to women, but expressed a much deeper brotherly love for his friend and comrade Howie Tee."...

****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLE: Chubb Rock - Just The Two of Us

.

Old School Vids, Uploaded on Feb 1, 2012
-snip-
Read the summary statement above.

****
MY EDITORIAL COMMENTS ABOUT "JUST THE TWO OF US" WITH PARTIAL LYRICS
Like Albert King did in his record “Cold Feet”, in “Just the two of us”, Chubb Rock brags about how the record he is making will be a hit.

One verse of Albert King's "Cold Feet" alludes to making love to his woman. In contrast, in a good portion of "Just The Two Of Us" Chubb Rock big ups (brags about) his sexual prowess (for example the line "She got all Vanessa Del Rio on me", "Vanessa Del Rio" is (or was) a Harlem [New York] based Afro-Latina porn star. That said, my reading of this song's lyrics is that "the two of us" in Chubb Rock's song refer to the comradery between him and his cousin and co-producer Howie Tee, and not to him and any woman he's making out with.

Here's an excerpt of that song's lyrics from:
http://genius.com/Chubb-rock-just-the-two-of-us-lyrics/.
"It's the Hitman, yes the Hitman, yo ya know it
The thirst quencher, the man on the sequencer
He was scared to kick a sixteen bar, he's not a rap star
Not saying that I am, but I'm the jam
I'm going to kick a little not a Dr. Suess riddle
No cats in hats, fox in some socks
But to the DJ jocks check your clocks
Half past what? Time to bust nut
Not a pistachio; he uses a Casio keyboard
And a Tascam board
To kick in the P-50, get nifty
Born with the gift, time to get riffed
Not with the manufacturing of a spliff
He never rolled one; never sold none
The beats give me the high that brought fame to us
And, how we gonna kick it, How?
(Just the two of us!)

...
And they knew this about me; was gonna be a dope MC
When I get on the mic my windpipe strikes and ignites
A lyric when you hear it you fear it and like
Chubb is not a man to get souped like Campbell
I'm the man with the plan and my jam sells
Like a whore, in the store, hardcore and more
On the tour makin money you never saw

...
But yo cousin Howie Tee and me
Our love is all about making a dope LP
That will crush and sell and bum rush
Don't hush, how we gonna do it How?
(Just the two of us!)"
-snip-
"Dope MC" means a very good rapper ("MC" is from the referent "masters of ceremony". In the early days of Rap [in the late 1970s and early 1980s] some rappers used the title "MC" as part of their stage name. Example: MC Shan.

"Dope LP" means "very good album".

According to Genius Annotation, a commenter on that lyrics page, "souped" means "filled with emotion, like a soup is filled with ingredients. Usually having to do with extreme excitement or anger. Also a reference to Campbell soup."

****
SELECTED COMMENTS ABOUT CHUBB ROCK'S SONG "JUST THE TWO OF US" (from discussion threads of three YouTube clips of this video)

From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgqF2g4_bpE
menace85, 2009
"Biggie always reminds me of chubb rock"
-snip-
"Biggie" is one referent for the very highly regarded Hip Hop artist who was also known as "the Notorious Big" and "Biggie Smalls".

**
thisandthatnow, 2009
"Biggie studied this FLOW! And Chubb was one of the original Big Boys of Hip-Hop, yes we have the Fat Boys, Heavy D, and others. Chubb killed it!"

**
iLuvNikeBlazers, 2010
"Chubb Rock is Jamaican like Biggie"

Berna, 2011
"Chubb Rock and King Tee, fathers of the "Biggie Flow""

**
LGKids, 2010
"Had the pleasure of being the party before the party in college on my Saturday night radio show and this used to be the jam that I would turn up in the studio and we all would all be dancing and clowning around! Then go to the parties and watch the Fraternities step off of this! Peace to all those that know!"

**
crampanparalize, 2013
"another cover of the famous jamaican riddim track I WILL NEVER LET YOU GO (answer)
-snip-
Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJuyme1WDI0
for a YouTube sound file of Phillip Frazer's 1979 Dancehall record "Never Let Go" (Answer Riddim)

Another commenter also wrote that Chubb Rock's "Just The Two Of Us" was a cover of Never Let Go (Answer Riddim). I can't hear it, but it might just be my ears and lack of familiarity with Jamaican music.

In contrast, there's no question in my mind that the tune (music) for Chubb Rock's "Just The Two Of Us" sampled Albert King's "Cold Feet".

**
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmaaUlmaL0A
Kim G, 2015
I used to sit & WAIT for BET to play this video!! I wanted to be the girl in the black one piece spandex. I bought the exact outfit, had my hair cut like Hale Berry & danced all the time.
-snip-
"BET" (Black Entertainment Television) is an American television channel that specialized and still specializes in Black American content.

**
Bishop Clarke, 2015
"I am old school, and the rappers back then could express their thoughts without cursing, or using the N-word or the B-word.....PRICELESS !!!!"

**
Mechacelzi, 2015
"Most afro Jamaican Americans make ill lyricists in hip hop"
-snip-
“ill” (often also given as “sick”) = excellent, very good

**
AQUAPHREESH193, 2015
Reply
"+Mechacelzi LOL thats cuz technically JAMAICANS started hip hop!! haha DJ Kool Herc came from Jamaica! hehe my mom is jamaican btw lol"

**
DankStarDC, 2015
Reply
"+Mechacelzi I wouldn't put him in the greatest lyricist of all time category, but man could he marry the flow with the beat. "Just the Two of Us" is Chubbster and the rhythm!
Read more Show less"

**
Aminah Shabazz, 2015
"Another Chubb Jam and again he got the Q's reppin like always this time alongside my faves Kappa Alpha Psi. It's good to see our College Bruthas stepping in videos! And to Mano's comment below, Black Greek Letter Organizations are beyond your understanding. You were either denied membership into one or never made it to college altogether. I'm guessing the latter!"
-snip-
"The Q's" refer to the historically Black Greek letter fraternity Omega Psi Phi Incorporated [since the Greek letter Omega looks very much like the letter "Q".

The commenter Mano wrote that the Greek portion of the video was "gayer than the Village People". The Village People were a popular late 1970s, 1980s Disco male vocal group who are known for the hit record “YMCA” and other songs.

Here's an excerpt of the article "That's My Jam! The Top Five Hip Hop Videos With Black Greeks" by: Lawrence C. Ross Jr.
Posted: Aug. 4 2010 9:32 PM http://www.theroot.com/blogs/the_divine_nine/2010/08/black_greeks_in_hip_hop_videos.html
"Y'all thought I forgot about the top Hip Hop Videos with Black Greeks list, didn't you? Never fear, the list is here!

...The #2 and #1 Hip Hop Videos are smashed together because they're different songs by the same artist, Chubb Rock. Why did I pick these two videos? Because there's hella stepping in them! The Chubbster was one of the first hip hop artists to realize that 'hey, if I put black Greeks in my videos, they'll call into the televisions stations and request my song. Genius, I tells ya!" And genius it was. The #2 video is Treat 'Em Right, while the #1 video is Just The Two of Us. Why one over the other? Oh, I don't know. They're basically 1a and 1b, but I think Just The Two of Us is the funkier joint. Plus it reminds of a fun time of black Greek picnics... So here you go, the TOP TWO HIP HOP VIDEOS WITH BLACK GREEKS..."
-snip-
"There's hella steppin in [those videos]" means there's a lot of steppin in those videos.

Lawrence C. Ross is an expert on Black Greek letter organization (BGLO) cultures. For the record, here's the #5 - #3 videos with Black Greek steppin that Lawrence C. Ross showcased in that article:
5. Biz Markie's "Just A Friend"
4. Shaquille O'Neal and Fu-Schnickens - "What's Up Doc? (Can We Rock)"
3. Lords of the Underground - "Here Come The Lords"
-snip-
I should also note that although both the Ques and the Kappas stepped in Chubb Robb's "Just The Two Of Us", I think that the Ques consider this to be their song more than the Kappas (meaning they use it for party walks).

****
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmaaUlmaL0A
662chillin, 2012
"Old School Greek life..."

**
Keith Hudson, 2015
"The rap and the dancing/steppin is off the chain."
-snip-
"Old school Greek life" refers to how historically Black Greek letter fraternities (and sororities) stepped in the 1990s. The fraternities that are featured in this video are Omega Psi Phi, Inc (also known as the Ques; Q's) and Kappa Alpha Psi, Inc. (also known as the Kappas). The Kappas are the men with the canes. The video also shows Ques "throwin the hook" (giving the hand gesture that only members of that fraternity are supposed to use).

The women in the video are dancing and not stepping.

"Off the chain" means "exceptional", very good. A very similar saying is "off the hook". Another way of saying this is that the rapper and dancers/steppers were "killing it".

**
Keith Witcher, 2014
"Classic jam and i love the video. Black actress Elise Neal is in this dancing. Elise was in the movies How To Be A Player and Hustle And Flow. She was also Chris Tucker's woman in Money Talks movie and she played on All Of Us tv show with Duane Martin and LisaRaye."

**
Iris Roberts, 2015
"The jam. Everybody was gettin down"
-snip-
"The jam" probably means "This was the jam" (This was a lot of people's favorite record/song.)

"Everyone was gettin down" means "Everyone was dancing to this record".

**
jdilly1000, 2015
Chubb Rock's flow is sicker than any of the rap flows I hear today. I love the 90's!
-snip-
"rap flow" - how the rapper delivers his lyrics

"sicker" = much better than

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases four examples of Rev. Milton Brunston's 1980s song "There Is No Failure In God". Lyrics for this song and comments about this song are also included in this post along with information about Reverend Brunston.

With regards to selected comments, this post particularly focuses on examples of African American Vernacular English in the discussion threads of two of these showcased examples.

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

Thanks to Rev. Milton Brunston, the composer of this song for his musical legacy and thanks to the vocalists and musicians who are featured in this post. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post, and thanks to the publishers of these examples.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT REV. BRUNSTON
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milton_Brunson
"Milton R. Brunson (June 28, 1929 – April 1, 1997) was an American gospel musician and former pastor and music director of Christ Tabernacle Baptist Church in Chicago, Illinois. Rev. Milton Brunson released his first musical project in 1988, Available to You with Word Records alongside Epic Records. The last album, When You Get High on Jesus, Oh My God, released in 1997 by Hob Records, and this was a posthumous release...

His music career started in 1947, at the age of 18 by learning his craft from Thomas A. Dorsey, Mahalia Jackson, and Robert Johnson.[2] After this mentoring process, he started the Thompson Community Singers (nicknamed, "The Tommies"),[3] that appeared on many episodes of the Jubilee Showcase.[2] They even played Grant Park during the Chicago Gospel Music Festival and at the Apollo Theater and at Madison Square Garden in New York City.[2] This got them enough recognition to play in England, Italy, and many other countries around the globe.[2] Brunson and the Thompson Community Singers released twenty-two musical projects, and a few of those were released posthumously.[4] Ten albums got charted on the Billboard Gospel Albums chart, with five of them achieving the top spot on the chart.[5] They received numerous accolades ranging from a nomination for the Best Gospel Album, Group or Choir at the 1988 Soul Train Music Awards and for Best Gospel Album at the 1993 Soul Train Music Awards.[2] In addition, they won a Grammy Award for Best Gospel Choir or Chorus Album at the 37th Annual Grammy Awards, while they were nominated two other times.[2] The Thompson Community Singers boasts some notable alumni particularly, Ricky Dillard and Jessy Dixon.[2]z'...

****
LYRICS: THERE IS NO FAILURE IN GOD
(Rev. Milton Brunston)

Verse:
In God there is no failure,
He will do (He will do)
whatever you ask Him to.
Just have faith (just have faith)
and believe (and believe),
many blessings you will receive,
for there is no failure, no failure (in God).

Bridge:
Oh, there’s never been a time
in my life He let me fall.
There’s never been a time
He did not answer my call.

Chorus:
There is no failure,
there is no failure in God.

Vamp:
He will never fail you,
You can believe what He said ‘cause it’s true.

He will never fail you,
You can believe what He said ‘cause it’s true.

Hear you when you call,
catch you when you fall,
just have faith, He’ll be right there.

Chorus

Source: http://allgospellyrics.com/?sec=listing&lyricid=508

****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLES
These examples are presented in chronological order based on their publishing date on YouTube with the oldest example given first.

Selected comments from the discussion threads of two of these Examples are also included in this post for their informational content, and as examples of certain types of African American languaging (particularly the use of African American Vernacular English).

Example #1: Milton Brunson There Is No Failure In God

TheMusicofthegospel, Uploaded on Jul 25, 2010

1980's Milton Brunson classic gospel hit.
-snip-
Selected comments from this sound file's discussion thread, Numbers assigned by me for referencing purposes only:
1. Jay Williams, 2011
"Who is the leader? and where is she now?? Why didn't she come back for the reunion?"

**
2. Leslie Washington, 2011
Reply
"her name is sylvia nicholson.....she lives in chicago.... she is in ministry with her brother noah nicholson on the west side....she was with the tommies at the gospel fest... she still got it...."
-snip-
"The Tommies" is an affectionate nickname for the Thompson Community Singers.

**
3. Keith McEachin, 2011
"this song used to take me in during my freshman year at Hampton University when I joined the His Chosen Sounds Gospel Choir in 1986.....Annette "Tootie" Middleton would tear this song up ~ and There Still is No FAILURE IN GOD!! The Tommies will always be my favorite choir!!!!"

**
4. KingdomDIVA, 2012
"2:58 is the BREAK Part! The bass line is KILLIN' One of my favs from the Tommies"
-snip-
"Killin" = an African American Hip Hop verb that means "doing something exceptionally well" ("Killin" is also given as "murdered", "slayed", "blasted" etc.)

**
5. Daniele Cutler, 2015
"A blast from my past; a look at my present and the hope for my future. NO FAILURE IN GOD!"

****
Example #2: COGIC AIM International Mass Choir sings "There Is No Failure In God"

MicahJA, Published on Jul 5, 2012
COGIC AIM 2012 Convention Wednesday Evening Service
-snip-
"COGIC" = Church Of God In Christ
-snip-
Selected comments from this video's discussion thread; Numbers assigned by me for referencing purposes only:
1. baberae, 2012
"This is a Tommies Classic!! Love her voice!"

**
2. kenneywc, 2012
"I looked for this song, and found several choirs singing. However, when I saw a COGIC CHOIR singing, I clicked on it. I have been playing this song 30+ times a day for over a week....this sister GORGEOUS, COGIC LADY....SHE BLASTED THIS SONG....!!!! ALL OVER THE EARS OF THE HEARERS !!! SHE EVEN HAD THE COGIC BOUNCES....I DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL I READ THE COMMENTS WHO SHE IS....WHEN I READ THE NAME OF HER MOM....I KNEW WHERE HER ROOTS CAME FROM. THE COGIC PACE SISTERS !!!!"

**
3. Davonte Jones, 2012
"I See That Duranice Pace Coming Out Of Her LOL , Sing Girl!

I KNEW WHERE HER ROOTS CAME FROM. THE COGIC PACE SISTERS !!!!"
-snip-
Gospel singer Duranice Pace is the mother of the woman who is the lead singer in this video. Several other of Duranice Pace's daughters also sing Gospel.

**
4. Davonte Jones, 2012
"I See That Duranice Pace Coming Out Of Her LOL , Sing Girl!"
-snip-
In the context used above, "sing" is an exhortation/compliment that means "(Continue to) sing very well (particularly to continue to sing soulfully very well). Read the comment below for "sang"

**
5. TORIN DEREK, 2012
in reply to Davonte Jones
"U CAN HEAR AND SEE DURANICE ALL IN HER!!!"

**
6. Davonte Jones, 2012
in reply to TORIN DEREK
"You Got tht right... The Apple Dont fall far from the tree you knw!!"

**
7. Charles Mack, 2012
"Ohh the annoiting. Yess lawd"
-snip-
"Lawd" is probably a purposely done misspelling of the word "Lord" to evoke and/or demonstrate a connection to downhome (old school Southern) African American vernacular culture.

**
8. Atldarknight, 2012
Atlanta in da house!!!! SANG!
-snip-
"In da house" is a Hip Hop saying which serves as an announcement that the person speaking is present (at a certain place or social event) and is representing himself or herself or his or her city/group etc at that place or event.

**
9. gqpostaboi, 2012
"sang Pace sister!!!!"
-snip-
"Sang" - (as used in contexts like this) is an African American Vernacular English compliment and/or exhortation that indicates that a person is singing exceptionally well. "Sang" is particularly used when a person is singing soulfully exceptionally well. I'm not sure if this exhortation/compliment is ever used other than in written form. I first became aware of its a few years ago, but it may have been used before that time. Note that in this context the word "sang" is present tense and not past tense.

The commenter may have written "Pace sister" because he or she recognized the lead singer as a member of the Gospel singing group that is made up of females who are members of the Pace family, but he or she didn't know which Pace singer this was. Contrast that use of the word "sister" with the use of that word in the comment given as #15.

**
10. mrdade786, 2012
"She is #slayin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hallelujah"

**
11. Charles Mack, 2012
"Why didnt they continue to let the spirit move, had they kept the worship going it would have been like the day pentacost. Omg some of thease coventions...
-snip-
The commenter is critical of the fact that rather than allowing the singers and others in attendance to feel the spirit that the song helped evoke, the singing had to be cut short in the interest of time and in the interest of the program agenda. Here's a Biblical quote about the day of Pentecost from https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+2&version=KJV
"Acts 2 King James Version (KJV)
2 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."

**
12. Jordan Wright, 2013
"She never half sings a song!"

**
13. justjayinoc, 2013
"SANG YALLL"

**
14. hbnyLIGHT,2013
"Leslie!!! Love ittttt!!! Why are there so many clips of the pace sisters without naming them as soloist in title???"

**
15. MidWestPrince85, 2013
"Sang sister..... There is NO failure!!!"
-snip-
In the context of this statement, "sister" means "Black female" (particularly when used by a Black male to address or refer to a Black female)

**
Andre Harris, 2014
"this never gets old, great rendition"

**
Daniel Stewart, 2014
"Good timeless song. Who ever the director is did a great job as well as Madame Pace!"

****
Example #3: "There Is No Failure In God" New Jersey Mass Choir

Gospel Nostalgia, Published on Jul 21, 2012

This is track 7 from the 1989 album entitled "Heroes".

Lead by Betty Davis and Mary Crawford

****
Example #4: "There Is No Failure In God" FBCG Combined Mass Choir

Inside FBCG, Published on Aug 21, 2013
-snip-
FBCG
Pastor John K. Jenkins Sr.
http://fbcglenarden.org
-snip-
"FBCG" = First Baptist Church of Glenarden (with three church campuses that are located in Landover, Maryland and Upper Marlboro, Maryland)

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post presents information about House music and showcases seven video examples of sets from Chicago, Illinois' Chosen Few House music picnics (concerts) that were held in 2011, 2012, & 2013. Chosen Few House Picnics have been held annually in Chicago since the early 1990s.

The artists who are featured in this post include DJ Frankie Knuckles, DJ Tony Hatchett, Dj Wayne Williams, DJ Jesse Saunders, DJ Terry Hunter, and Mike Dunn.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the coordinators/producers of the Chosen Few Picnics. Thanks to all those who are featured in this post and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of these examples on YouTube.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT HOUSE MUSIC
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_musichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_music
"House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in the American city of Chicago in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized circa 1984 in Chicago, but beginning in 1985, it fanned out to other major cities such as Detroit, Toronto, New York City, San Francisco, Boston, Montreal, Manchester,[1] Miami, London,[1] and Paris. It then began to influence popular music in Europe... Since the early to mid-1990s, house music has been infused in mainstream pop and dance music worldwide.

Early house music was generally dance-based music characterized by repetitive 4/4 beats, rhythms centered around drum machines,[2] off-beat hi-hat cymbals, and synthesized basslines. While house displayed several characteristics similar to disco music, it was more electronic and minimalistic,[2] and the structured music's focus around a repetitive rhythm was more important than the song itself. House music today, while keeping several of these core elements, notably the prominent kick drum on every beat, varies a lot in style and influence, ranging from the soulful and atmospheric deep house to the more minimalistic microhouse. House music has also fused with several other genres creating fusion subgenres,[2] such as Euro house, tech house, and electro house."...

****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE CHOSEN FEW HOUSE MUSIC PICNICS (CONCERTS)
From http://chosenfewdjs.com/about/

“House Music” is a Chicago original — a genre of dance music now known the world over that was born, nurtured and developed here in Chicago. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, a group of popular DJs from Chicago’s south side — Wayne Williams, Jesse Saunders, Alan King, Tony Hatchett and Andre Hatchett — played their unique brand of soulful dance music to huge crowds in packed basements, high school cafeterias and legendary nightspots, including Sauer’s, the Tree of Life, First Impressions and the Loft, a club of historic importance in the birth and development of house music. Along with a handful of other legendary DJs including Frankie Knuckles at the Warehouse, Ron Hardy at the Music Box and Lil’ Louis on the west side of Chicago, the Chosen Few were the DJs primarily responsible during this period for popularizing the underground dance music that came to be known as house music…

In 1990, the Chosen Few DJs and their longtime friend and Chosen Few member Kim Parham had the idea of inviting old friends from the early house music days to a “reunion picnic” in the park. Beginning as a small gathering of family and friends and later dubbed the “old school picnic,” the reunion became an annual event. Now more than 20 years later, the “Chosen Few Old School Reunion Picnic” has grown into one of the largest and most highly anticipated music festival events in the world. The event now features world renowned guest DJs, live performances and, of course, the legendary Chosen Few DJs.

While the Picnic has grown to unimaginable proportions and now draws media members and house music lovers from around the world, the organizers remain committed to presenting a “family reunion” atmosphere. This unique event is a true celebration of family and friends, food and fun, and a part of Chicago’s rich musical history and culture. The Chosen Few Old School Reunion Picnic is a Chicago institution and an experience that is simply unforgettable!...

House Music for Life!"
-snip-
Another page of that website indicates that tickets for the Chosen Few Picnic range from $25 for general admission to $1,000 for all-access passes with no charge for children under 12 years of age. That website also indicates that the Chosen Few Picnic attracts more than 40,000 people.

****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLES
These examples are given in chronological order according to their publishing dates on YouTube with the oldest dated example given first.

Example #1: DJ Frankie Knuckles at the Chosen Few Picnic 2011

Ken Ori, Published on Jul 12, 2012

Here is a nice moment from last year's (2011) picnic. Frankie sounded great! The song he's playing at the end has some special significance to you all that went this year!

****
Example #2: DJ Tony Hatchett at the Chosen Few Picnic 2011

Ken Ori, Published on Jul 12, 2012

Tony playing the Lil Louis classic that reached a crescendo you won't see very often. Enjoy!
I do not own any of the copyrights to the music played here.

****
Example #3: Dj Wayne Williams Drops Hit It & Quit It at 2012 Chosen Few Picnic

Smokeg1016, Published on Jul 8, 2012

The founder drops the 326/Bug edit for the summer househeads!

****
Example #4: DJ Jesse Saunders at the Chosen Few Picnic 2012

Ken Ori Published on Jul 12, 2012

Jesse definitely pleasing the crowd with his set.

****
Example #5: I am a Househead....yes I am!

Ken Ori, Published on Jul 13, 2012

DJ Terry Hunter at the Chosen Few picnic playing one of my favorites. I do not own the copyrights to this music.
-snip-
"Househead" is a referent for people who perform House music and people who are fans of that music. Two common sayings among that community are "House for life" and "Househead for life".

****
Example #6: Chosen Few DJs | House Music Picnic | By Konee Rok

Konee Rok, Published on Sep 21, 2012

Event Created by: http://ChosenFewDJs.com
Video created by: http://KoneeRok.com
Music created by: http://TheOpusOnline.com
-snip-
Selected comments from this video's discussion thread:
agrippa9, 2013
"Chicago is the womb of this we call house.. luv and res frum Toronto"

**
Reggie Stevenson, 2013
"Just sayin if u gone have chicagos history u got smooth smokin seville,farley,andre,boo will,frankie,terry hunter an sadar"

****
Example #7: The Chosen Few™ Old School Reunion Picnic 2013 with Mike Dunn, Part 1

marius bingue, Published on Jul 9, 2013

Mike Dunn performing @ The Chosen Few™ Old School Reunion Picnic 2013; July 6, 2013
-snip-
Selected comments from this video's discussion thread:
Mario Bolling, 2013
"This is House Music.......Nuff said!!!!"

**
YOUENNNN, 2014
"What's this first track? i can't remember. Great vid

**
marius bingue, 2014
Reply
"Thompson & Lenoir - Can't Stop The House Thank You"

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Viewer comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases a video and a transcription of the spoken word composition "Black Statute of Liberty" by Jessica Care Moore.

The content of this post is presented for inspirational, motivational, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owner.

Thanks to Jessica Care Moore for this composition. Thanks also to the publisher of this video on YouTube.

****
EXCERPT OF AN ARTICLE ABOUT THIS SPOKEN WORD ARTIST
From http://www.ebony.com/entertainment-culture/jessica-care-moore-mixes-art-activism-to-a-tea-111#axzz3pvF6mA99 Ebony: jessica Care moore Mixes Art + Activism to a ‘Tea’.
"Detroit is famous for its music, from Motown to techno and house, to Eminem and Dilla. But it’s less well known for its stellar, homegrown poets. A native daughter of the D, jessica Care moore first won hearts with her five-time winning streak on It’s Showtime at the Apollo back in 1995, after newly transplanting herself to New York City at age 22 a year after her father’s death.
A fiery performer of blunt-force truth emerged onstage that night. From a petite young woman in a demure dress and box braids exploded a voice that was unapologetically centered in her own visceral experiences as a hip-hop generation-identified sista poet. She knocked that famously tough Apollo audience out cold with the searing conviction of her Black-woman-uplifting poem, “Black Statue of Liberty.”

Moore’s poetry has always been equal parts personal and political, and her multitasking abilities are formidable: she’s also an independent book publisher who issued the literary debuts of fellow poets—including Saul Williams and Newark, New Jersey mayor Ras Baraka—on her won Moore Black Press. All that, and she’s the doting, proud mom of two sons.

Rapper Talib Kweli, Moore’s longtime pal, thought the poet his ideal choice to sign to his Javotti Media label when “one day, she was in my crib kicking it and played me the album she fully intended to release on her own, and the album blew me away. It was excellent. I had to be involved.”...
-snip-
Hat tip to http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/10/30/1442012/-Black-Kos-Week-In-Review for featuring this article's excerpt.

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: Black Statute of Liberty by Jessica Care Moore

DCSuperSid, Uploaded on Jul 8, 2007

****
BLACK STATUE OF LIBERTY
(Jessica Care Moore)

I stand still above an island, fist straight in the air
Scar on my face, thick braids in my hair
Battle boots tied, red blood in the tears I’ve cried.
Tourists fly from all over just to swim near my tide
Or climb up my long flight of stairs
But they trip on their shoe string lies.
Piece by piece they shipped my body to this country
Now that I’m here, your people don’t want me.
I’m a symbol of freedom, but I’m still not free
I suffer from class, race, and gender inequality.
I wear a crown of knowledge, ’cause I’m a conscious queen
My mask is one of happiness, though my history here is full of misery.
Done deliberately.
I am America’s true statue of liberty.
You placed a bible under my arm, after you ripped me of my faith
And made me pray to a fictional imposter
So, if you were trying to maintain liberty
Too late, you just lost her
‘Cause her torch is about to serve as the night light for truth
In the slums and the ghettos that you find so uncouth.
Education will be delivered not from the tree, but the root.
So, little black girls and boys will check their pockets
For spirituality rather than loot
‘Cause liberty is just old mother nature
And although you don’t lover her, she’ll never hate ya.
She’s earth, wind and fire, don’t tempt her to show her power.
Turning all weeds to flowers.
Looking into her wise eyes will make a blind man see
How can you dare name a eurocentric girl after me?
Assata Shakur Barbara Jordan Nikki Giovanni and Angela Davis.
These are the real symbols of liberty
‘Cause that stone faced French woman ain’t gonna save us.
The same folks who enslaved us.
I’m sitting at the back of the bus, ’cause I feel like it.
And I play ball
Not ’cause you pay me to dunk it, dribble it or hike it.
I’m taking all my people back home, and breaking them mentally free.
I am the walking, talking, breathing, beautiful statue of liberty.
I sweep crack pipes out of school yards
I nurture my man when times are hard.
So, where the hell’s my statue?
What’s the liberated woman gotta do?
Place my name in wet cement
Every month I pay the rent.
Put my silhouette on a stamp
I’m not a ho, slut or tramp.
My children aren’t on crack, and neither am I.
I want to see the words, “Go, strong Black woman,”
When the Goodyear blimp flies by.
I can bake cookies, bear babies, preside over revolutions
Get rings out of tubs, wear a suit, sport baggy jeans, slick my hair back
Or tie it up in braids.
My aura is unafraid.
So, no statue in the big apple can mess with me.
I am the walking, talking, surviving, breathing, beautiful
Black Statue of Liberty

Source: https://wheresmycrown.wordpress.com/2011/07/04/black-statue-of-liberty-by-jessica-care-moore/

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post presents historical information about the song "We Shall Overcome" and features six video examples of that song. One news article with a photograph of United States representatives of Congress singing "We Shall Overcome" is also featured in this post along with standard lyrics for that song.

"We Shall Overcome" not only represents the 1960s United States civil rights movement, but, judging from internet articles and videos, "We Shall Overcome" may be the only song from the civil rights movement that is still sometimes sung nowadays during protests and/or during community vigils that are held because of racial tragedies.

The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, inspirational purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who composed and popularized "We Shall Overcome" as a song sung during protests and otherwise. Thanks to all those who are featured in videos that are included in this post and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of these examples on YouTube.

****
THE HISTORY OF THE PROTEST SONG "WE SHALL OVERCOME"
From http://www.npr.org/2013/08/28/216482943/the-inspiring-force-of-we-shall-overcome The Inspiring Force Of 'We Shall Overcome' August 28, 2013 6:19 PM ET
"It is not a marching song. It is not necessarily defiant. It is a promise: "We shall overcome someday. Deep in my heart, I do believe."

It has been a civil rights song for 50 years now, heard not just in the U.S. but in North Korea, in Beirut, in Tiananmen Square, in South Africa's Soweto Township. But "We Shall Overcome" began as a folk song, a work song. Slaves in the fields would sing, 'I'll be all right someday.' It became known in the churches. A Methodist minister, Charles Albert Tindley, published a version in 1901: "I'll Overcome Someday."

The first political use came in 1945 in Charleston, S.C. There was a strike against the American Tobacco Co. The workers wanted a raise; they were making 45 cents an hour. They marched and sang together on the picket line, "We will overcome, and we will win our rights someday."

In 1947, two of the union members from South Carolina traveled to the town of Monteagle, Tenn., for a workshop at the Highlander Folk Center. Blacks and whites had been meeting together about labor issues at the Highlander for many years. It was believed at Highlander that the people who have the problems are the ones who have the answers. It was important to talk together, and especially to sing. The tobacco workers brought their song to Tennessee, and Zilphia Horton, Highlander's music director, started using it in workshops in Tennessee and beyond.
In 1947, Horton went to New York City as she did every year, to raise money for Highlander. She sang the song there for Pete Seeger, who adopted it and added his own touches...

[Pete Seeger speaking]
I remember teaching it to a gang in Carnegie Hall that year, and the following year I put it in a little music magazine called People's Songs," Seeger adds. "Over the years, I remember singing it two different ways. I'm usually credited with changing ['Will'] to 'Shall,' but there was a black woman who taught at Highlander Center, a wonderful person named Septima Clark. And she always liked shall, too, I'm told."

"Electrifying Feeling"

In Southern California in the early 1950s, the song reached Guy Carawan. He was finishing graduate work in sociology at UCLA and doing some singing himself. He also learned about the Highlander Center in Tennessee, and that's where he ended up. Candi Carawan and her husband have been teaching together at Highlander for many years now. They met as the center's focus was shifting to civil rights, and "We Shall Overcome" was about to become an inspiring force."...

****
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-FmQEFFFko
Pete Seeger talks about the history of "We Shall Overcome" (2006) folkarchivist, Uploaded on Dec 29, 2010

Pete Seeger, in a conversation with Tim Robbins for Pacifica Radio, talks about the history of the song "We Shall Overcome" (2006)
[my partial transcription]..."We Shall Overcome", most of us thought that it had been put together in 1946 because that's when the slow version was made up, sung by tobacco workers. And a Black tobacco worker by the name of Lucille Simmons, would come out to the picket line and it was winter time. They probably had a fire in a big fifty five gallon drum, and they'd say "Oh, here comes Lucille. Now we'll hear that song sung slower than anybody sang it before...[Seeger sings a line and says] No rhythm. It's call 'long meter style.' And later on figured to give it that slow tempo. [Seeger sings the line and says] "so called twelve eight time"]
-snip-
Seeger continues by sharing that four years ago [2006] he learned that "We Shall Overcome" could actually be traced much earlier to striking Black union workers and White union workers in Alabama in 1909. The letter that was quoted in a book published by the University of Pennsylvania indicated that the union workers indicated that they started every meeting with a prayer and singing "that good old song "We Will Overcome"...
-snip-
Here's a comment from that video's discussion thread:
Isaias Gamboa, 2015
"We now live in the age of information. Empirical research has uncovered and proven the following facts:

Sometime between 1932 and 1942, an African American woman named, Louise Shropshire composed and published a sacred hymn entitled, "If My Jesus Wills". Her lyrics:

"I'll Overcome, I'll Overcome, I'll Overcome Someday
If My Jesus Wills, I Do Believe, I'll Overcome Someday".

Sound familiar?

"If My Jesus Wills" was performed all over the country during the 1950's and 60's including the National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses. It was copyrighted in 1954--six years before "We Shall Overcome". We Shall Overcome was copyrighted as a derivative work with no original author listed.

As a copyright claimant, Pete Seeger's "story" of the song's origin must be considered objectively.

in 2012, after studding Louise Shropshire's hymn in detail, Pete Seeger admitted (on film) that it's very probable that Louise Shropshire's hymn was the song from which We Shall Overcome was derived. What more is there to speculate on?

More facts:

Filmed interviews and photographic evidence confirm that since 1951 and until his assassination in 1968, Louise Shropshire was a close friend and mentor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King was very familiar with Mrs. Shropshire's, "If My Jesus Wills" long before Pete Seeger sang We Shall Overcome for him.

Could her song and her affiliation with Dr. King have all been a mere coincidence? Of course not?

Its 2015. We need to wake up and share all the facts. Let the world decide what to believe."
-snip-
Given Pete Seeger's information about "We Will Overcome" being sung by protesting Alabama mine workers in the early 1900s, Louise Shropshire's 1932-1942 song "If My Jesus Wills" couldn't be the original source for the "We will overcome" line. The earliest known source for that line remains Rev. Albert Tindley's 1901 song "I'll Overcome Someday.

****
EDITORIAL COMMENT
In 2013 I published a pancocojams post on the Gospel song "I'll Overcome Someday" and the Civil Rights song "We Shall Overcome" Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-gospel-song-i-will-overcome-someday.html.

Unlike that previous post, most of the videos in this post feature examples of "We Shall Overcome" in which the singers either lock arms and sway from side to side while singing this song, or hold hands and stand still or sway from side to side while singing this song. This has become the signature way that "We Shall Overcome" is sung. To my knowledge, no other protest song or civil rights song has this or any other signature movement style.

It's possible that the locked arm style of singing "We Shall Overcome" came from the verse "We'll walk hand in hand". Or that locked arm style may be a way of expressing the unity that the people feel when they are singing this song. Locking arms also shows the resolve of the protestors. Such a stance would also have made it more difficult for the police to arrest individuals, although the police would have eventually succeeded in separating people from those they had locked arms with.

I'm interested in reading your views about why (and when) this custom started and continues of singing "We Shall Overcome"
this way.

I decided to publish this post after reading that the University of Missouri Black students (and their allies) who are protesting racial conditions at the university sang "We Shall Overcome" as part of their celebration after learning that their protests led to the resignation of that University's president. (November 9, 2015). I haven't found a stand alone video of the students singing that song yet. However, the Addendum to this post includes a video of University of Missouri protestors singing "We Shall Overcome".

****
LYRICS - WE SHALL OVERCOME*

1.
We shall overcome.
We shall overcome.
We shall overcome someday.
(Oh-oh) deep in my heart
I do believe.
We shall overcome some day.

2.
We are not afraid.
We are not afraid.
We are not afraid today.
(Oh-oh) deep in my heart
I do believe.
We shall overcome some day.

3.
We'll walk hand in hand
We'll walk hand in hand
We'll walk hand in hand today.
(Oh-oh) deep in my heart
I do believe
We shall overcome some day.

4.
We will all be free.
We will all be free
We will all be free someday.
(Oh-oh) deep in my heart
I do believe
We shall overcome some day.

[End with the first verse.]

*These are the standard lyrics for "We Shall Overcome" that I learned during the United States civil rights movement in the 1960s. Judging from YouTube videos that I've watched in 2013-2015, verses 1, 2, and 3 appear to be the verses that are most often sung now. Another frequently sung verse was:
Black and White together
Black and White together
Black and White together today
(Oh-oh) deep in my heart
I do believe
We shall overcome some day.

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO EXAMPLES
These examples are given in chronological order according to their publishing dates on YouTube with the oldest dated example given first.

Example #1: [President Barack] Obama at Ebenezer - We Shall Overcome

Stand with Obama, Uploaded on Jan 20, 2008

This is the conclusion of Obama's speech at the church on Martin Luther King on King's Birthday in 2008, when the congregation sings "We Shall Overcome."
-snip-
Ebenezer Baptist Church is in Atlanta, Georgia.

All those in attendance sing “We shall overcome” with locked arms.

****
Example #2: We Shall Overcome in Madison

Emily Grams, Uploaded on Feb 19, 2011

This is what is actually happening in Madison!
-snip-
This was during protest demonstrations in Madison, Wisconsin. The singers are swaying from side to side.

****
Example #3: Firefighters and crowd sing "We Shall Overcome" - Feb. 1th 2011, Madison Wisconsin Capitol Protest

Hinckley Video Productions Uploaded on Feb 18, 2011
-snip-
I'm not sure about what they are chanting (in unison). It may be “[name] must go”.
"We Shall Overcome" begins at 1:18 in this video. Someone sings the first line of the verse (or begins that first line) and all others join in.

Verse #1: We will overcome...
Verse #2: We’ll walk hand in hand...
Verse #3: We are not afraid...
Verse #4: We Will overcome...

-snip-
I noticed a few people in the video swaying from side to side, but most people are standing without moving. Also, I didn't see anyone linking arms while singing.

Everyone in the video appears to be White. Here's one comment exchange from that video's discussion thread:
Bob Javis, 2012
"Song is completely inappropriate for a budget protest."

**
Hinckley Video Productions, 2012
in reply to Bob Javis
"@JMB177 Also, you may only be familiar with this song in a civil rights context, but its just as deeply rooted in the labor movement, just do a simple search on the song."

****
Example #4: March on Washington - 50 Years Ago

Wazee Digital, Published on Aug 28, 2013

Civil Rights March 1963. We shall overcome. March at Washington Monument. National Mall protests. Civil rights leaders. Civil rights activists. Martin Luther King, Jr. speaking.
-snip-
Protestors march while singing this song.

****
Example #5: Watch Flint community sing 'We Shall Overcome' during prayer vigil

MLive.com Staff, Published on Jun 19, 2015

The Quinn Chapel AME Church in Flint held a prayer vigil Friday, June 19, to remember the victims of a shooting at a Charleston, S.C. church.
-snip-
Singers hold hands with people standing on each side of them. Singers also sway side to side a little while singing "We Shall Overcome".

****
Example #6: 'We Shall Overcome' rings out at Charleston vigil

AFP news agency ,Published on Jun 20, 2015

The solemn verses of "We Shall Overcome" rings out in a college basketball arena at a vigil for the nine victims of a massacre at a historic African-American church.
-snip-
This is an integrated group of people. Everyone locks arms with the people next to them and sways from side to side while singing "We Shall Overcome".

****
ARTICLE PHOTOGRAPH
http://www.msnbc.com/the-last-word/lawmakers-hold-hands-and-sing-during-medal-ceremony
Lawmakers lock arms as they sing 'We Shall Overcome' during a ceremony to posthumously award the Congressional Gold Medal Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King, on Capitol Hill,

June 24, 2014. Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty
"Lawmakers hold hands and sing during medal ceremony"

****
ADDENDUM: University Of Missouri Students
From http://www.bustle.com/articles/122570-videos-of-university-of-missouri-students-celebrating-tim-wolfes-resignation-are-a-powerful-look-at-an
Celia Darrough 11/9/2015
...”Moments later [after the news that the University of Missouri President resigned], music blared, students danced, sang, and chanted phrases like "You can't stop the revolution," and "It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must love and support each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains."

**
Lauren Petterson ‎@laurenamandaaa
[video]
#concernedstudent1950 is singing and dancing to music from a loud speaker @mutv23

**
12:42 PM - 9 Nov 2015
KCOU News ‎@kcounews
[video]
#ConcernedStudent1950 Allies and MSA president Payton Head lock arms and sing we shall overcome *
11:39 AM - 9 Nov 2015
-snip-
*Italics added by me to highlight that the students locked arms while singing "We Shall Overcome".

ConcernedStudent1950 = the group of Black Mizzou [University of Missouri] students which led the protest against racism at that university...1950 was the year that the first Black student was admitted to the University of Missouri

MSA = Missouri Student Association
[correction 11/11/2015] I previously gave this as "Minority Student Association"

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Viewer comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases the video "Chika Dance" video by Batswana singer Charma Gal (Magdalene Lesolebe). English summaries of this song and other comments about this song also included in this post.

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

Thanks to Charma Gal for her musical legacy. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post, and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: Chika Dance

godwiin10. Uploaded on Apr 19, 2011

Here are selected comments from this video's discussion thread:
MOSIMANEGAPE MODISE, 2013
"I love your songs, you really motivate us in South Africa. We will like to see more of your videos. Please do not forget are our culture because is our roots Batswana. Continues to represent Batswana worldwide. We love you here in South Africa."

**
Kevin Shale, 2014
"The singer is Magdalene Lesolebe of Culture Spears (aka Charma Gal) from Botswana. Her favorite food is Dikgobe (Mixed Beans Porridge)."
-snip-
-snip-
Click http://www.thevoicebw.com/2011/01/13/charm-in-the-voice/ for an interview with Magdalene Lesolebe.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/11/seven-videos-of-caribbean-stilt-walking.html for a pancocojams post on Culture Spears.

**
Vincent Nyangeri, 2015
"Kindly guys translate the song for us. It's really a good song --Kenya

**
Taz-on-the-loose yusef, 2015
Reply
"+Vincent Nyangeri the song is about people who leave families and relatives behind in villages and then never go back again as they spend their time dancing the chika dance, These people never even remember their next kin even during major festivals, now the singer is appealing to everyone to go home"

**
ASPRINALARD, 2015
..."The song in a nut shell is condemning those who abandon their loved ones! She is promoting family, or community, unity and cohesion, representing it through various chika dance scenes - 'cheek to cheek' dance!"

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post provides information about the South African university students' fees must fall protest movement. Five YouTube videos of fees must fall protests are also included in this post.

The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, and motivational purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are involved in peaceful protest in South Africa. Thanks to all who are featured in this post and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of these examples on YouTube.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SOUTH AFRICAN FEES MUST FALL MOVEMENT
From http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/27/africa/fees-must-fall-student-protest-south-africa-explainer/
South Africa's 'fees must fall' protests are about more than tuition costs By Basani Baloyi and Gilad Isaacs, Special to CNN
Updated 7:24 AM ET, Wed October 28, 2015

"[CNN] editor note: Basani Baloyi is an alumni of the University of the Witwatersrand (Johannesburg, South Africa) and PhD candidate in economics at SOAS, University of London
Gilad Isaacs is a researcher in the School of Economics and Business Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand and also a PhD candidate at SOAS. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.

Story highlights
• On Friday 23 October, in response to student protests, President Zuma of South Africa announced no increase in tuition fees.
• Underlying causes of dissatisfaction remain, South Africa remains one of the world's most unequal societies.
• In higher education, white males make up 53% of the staff population despite being only 8% of the population.

(CNN)An unprecedented movement of student activism has been sweeping South African university campuses and cities, culminating in a march on the historic Union Buildings on Friday 23 October, the seat of the South African government. Not since the Soweto Uprising of 1976 have this many youth arisen to demand the right to quality and accessible education.

The students have won their demand of a 0% increase in tuition fees, with planned fee increases of up to 11.5%, at the heart of the protests. However, as ongoing demonstrations prove, the students' demands have been deeper than this. They have called for the "decolonization" and "transformation" of higher education institutions, the insourcing of outsourced workers (mostly cleaning, security and support staff, often the most vulnerable workers), and the release of their classmates arrested earlier in the week...

South Africa, by many measures, is the most unequal society in the world. A quick look at national statistics from 2014 shows that on average the top 10% of wage earners take home 90 times more in wages than bottom 10%, the top 1% earn 393 times the bottom 10%....

South Africa's youth also face a broader crisis. A third of young people, aged 15 to 24, are not employed or in higher education and the unemployment rate for this group is 50%. Primary and secondary education is also woefully inadequate, with only 36% of students who start grade 1 completing their grade 12 exams. Once again, schools in black townships and rural areas have the least access to quality education. Not all protesting students come from poor backgrounds but they all agree about one thing: fees represent access, both to higher education and to a better, more prosperous life...
-snip-
Sidebar quote from that article: “White dominance is not just about numbers, it is about patterns of thinking and the style and content of teaching. “
-snip-
For more background on student protests in South Africa, click http://www.sahistory.org.za/cape-town/black-consciousness-and-student-revolt-cape Black Consciousness and student revolt in the Cape. Here's an excerpt from that article:
"After the government crackdown on political organizations in the early 1960s, new organizations emerged to fill the political vacuum. A movement based on the idea of being Black began to organize and educate the Black people particularly the youth. The Black Consciousness Movement (BCM) defiantly rejected apartheid and found resonance among black workers and the youth. In 1968 December South African Student Organization (SASO) was formed at a conference held in Marianhill, Natal. The conference was exclusively attended by Black students. After its launch SASO became the vehicle through which black consciousness ideology spread to schools and other university campuses across the country. SASO won support from the (African) University College campuses, Indian students at the University of Durban-Westville and Coloured students at the University of the Western Cape (UWC). …
In 1974 the South African Minister of Bantu Education and Development, MC Botha, issued a enacted a law that that imposed the use of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction in black schools. This was to be compulsory from students on Standard 5 upwards. Poor education given to Black people and the addition Afrikaans fueled the youth hatred for the apartheid system. As early as March 1976 students began passive resistance against Afrikaans. The outbreak of Soweto Uprising on 16 June 1976 spread to other parts of the country in the subsequent months...

The violent government crackdown on the 1976 student uprising across the country drove the youth into exile where some joined the ANC and MK for military training."

****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLES
These examples are given in chronological order according to their publishing dates on YouTube with the oldest dated example given first.

Example #1: Wits Fees Must Fall - #WitsFeesMustFall

Constant King, Published on Oct 15, 2015

Wits SRC President Nompendulo Mkhatshwa addressed a crowd of peaceful protesters.

Wits fees protest. (15 October 2015)
-snip-
"Wits" = University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa

****
Example #2: Fees must fall

Tebogo Mojaki, Published on Oct 21, 2015

NWU MAFIKENG CAMPUS has officially been shut down

We as students say no to fee increment
-snip-
"NWU" = North-West University, South Africa

****
Example #3: FEES MUST FALL | Movie

BIPfilms, Published on Oct 22, 2015

University Students in South Africa rioting and fighting for Education , Fees Must Fall. #feesmustfall, #studentsmustfall,
-snip-
A quote shown at .24 of the video:
“If the ANC does to u what apartheid government did to u, then you must do to ANC what you did to apartheid government."
-N. Mandela.

A sign at .29 in the video “1976 reloaded” [This refers to the 1976 Soweto student uprising which led to protests in other South African universities]
-snip-
Here's a comment from that video's discussion thread that includes what appears to be the two main statements (rallying cries) for this movement:
Anele Mlambo, 2015
"thanks for the video mfowethu. Education is a right, not a privilege #FeesMustFall"

****
Example #4: Shutting Down the Rainbow Nation: #FeesMustFall

Africa is a Country, Published on Oct 25, 2015

Students shook the South African nation to its very core this week as protests swept across campuses with the so-called born frees at the helm. "Shutting Down the Rainbow Nation'' is a ten minute documentary that captures the energy and heart of the student-led movement, which shut down higher education institutions around the country. It speaks to the policing of the black body, state violence, and the fall of the 'rainbow nation', sewn together with videos posted by the public on Twitter and Facebook throughout the shutdown. History was re-written this week, as it became clear that even though the revolution may not have been (adequately) televised, it was certainly tweeted.

Video edited and produced by Leila Dougan.

Thumbnail image by Jabulile Newman.

Thanks to BCUC (Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness) for the music (http://www.bcuc-band.com/).

We thank the twitterverse for their contribution including [a long list follows]...
-snip-
The statement that "even though the revolution may not have been (adequately) televised, it was certainly tweeted" is a referent to African American Gil Scott-Heron's 1970 poem "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised". Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/04/five-examples-of-spoken-word-poetry.html for a sound file of that poem and several other African Ameriacn spoken word poems.
-snip-
Selected comments from that video's discussion thread
2015
Mpolokeng Mampana
"Much respect to all the students that fought and still continue to fight for what is right. #FreeEducation is struggle to be realised in our lifetime."

**
Simon Wallington
"'we're trying to break a cycle of poverty here'"

**
Elaine Nogueira-Godsey
"You are so right, "this is a national struggle, but it is also a global struggle"!"

**
Caroline tg
"Much love to all the students - My hope for the future lies in you and your conviction. I feel it is in some sense a full circle event, which will honour those who fell in the 70's and 80's. Every person who values freedom and justice will be standing behind you- I too believe this is ultimately a global movement which has the ability to redefine the way this world moves forward. So proud of the young South African women rising- Be safe, my heart is with you. Wathint'abafazi, wathint'imbokodo!"

****
Example #5: UWC students protest for free tertiary education

Independent Online, Published on Oct 26, 2015

Hundreds of Fees Must Fall students occupied the student centre at the University of the Western Cape on Monday demanding that tertiary education be free for all students. Video by: Nabeelah Mohedeen

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post provides five renditions of Bishop Charles Price Jones' 1916 Gospel song "I Will Make The Darkness Light". That song is also known as "The High Places". Lyrics for this song are given in the summary statement for Example #5. That sound file is an uptempo rendition of that Gospel song.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to for his religious and musical legacy. Thanks to all those who are featured in this post and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of these examples on YouTube.

****
*Bishop Charles Price Jones, Sr. (December 9, 1865 – January 19, 1949) was the founder of the Church of Christ (Holiness) U.S.A. Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Price_Jones for information about Bishop Charles Price Jones.

****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLES
These examples are given in chronological order according to their publishing dates on YouTube with the oldest dated example given first.

Example #1: I will Make the Darkness Light

Harvey Fitz, Uploaded on Feb 15, 2009

Min. Karen sangin I Will Make The Darkness Light!

****
Example #2: Michael Fletcher Chorale Fet. Rev. James Moore "The High Place" (part1)

Jnbjproductions Uploaded on Oct 3, 2009

The High Place
Michael Fletcher Chorale Live
Rev. James Moore Soloist

****
Example #3: "I Will make The Darkness Light" Sara Jordan Powell

Johnzoe777, Uploaded on Feb 2, 2010

This album is a "first" for the inimitable Sara Jordan Powell.It is the first actual "Live" in-church service she has ever recorded "I Will make The Darkness Light" soloist: Sara Jordan Powell "1977"

****
Example #4: I Will Make The Darkness Light ~Lady Courace Fisher

gospellight684 Uploaded on Jul 17, 2010

GLC Convocation 2010 ~"WHATEVER IT TAKES" Saturday Night Service
-snip-
"GLC" = Gospel Light Church of God in Christ Jesus (Apostolic),

Two commenters noted that the soloist is from Jamaica and currently lives in Canada.

****
Example #5: "High Place" Myrna Summers

Gospel Nostalgia Published on Jun 3, 2012

This is track 4 from the 2000 album entitled "His Mercy Endureth Forever".
Written by Charles Price Jones
1. I will make the darkness light before thee,
What is wrong I’ll make it right before thee,
All thy battles I will fight before thee,
And the high place I’ll bring down.

Refrain
When thou walkest by the way I’ll lead thee,
On the fatness of the land I’ll feed thee,
And a mansion in the sky I’ll deed thee,
And the high place I’ll bring down.

2. With an everlasting love I’ll love thee,
Though with trials deep and sore I’ll prove thee,
But there’s nothing that can hurt or move thee,
And the high place I’ll bring down. [Refrain]

3. Although Satan in his rage would tear thee,
And with all his winning arts would snare thee,
Even down to thine old age I’ll bear thee,
And the high place I’ll bring down. [Refrain]

4. I will make the darkness light before thee,
I will make the crooked straight before thee,
I will spread My wings protecting o’er thee,
And the high place I’ll bring down. [Refrain]

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post provides information about and seven videos of the history and culture of the Garifuna of Central America with particular attention to (Yurumein) Garifuna Settlement Day (November 19th).

The seven featured videos in this post are of Garinagus in Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

Disclaimer: This post is not meant to be a comprehensive compilation of Garinagus or Garifuna culture throughout Central America or the world.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/10/five-videos-of-garifuna-punta-dance.html for more information about and videos of Garifuna people.

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

All copy rights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who keep Garifuna culture alive. Thanks to all who are featured in this post and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of these examples on YouTube.

****
GARIFUNA HISTORY
From http://www.southernbelize.com/hist_garifuna.html
"Though commonly referred to as "Garifuna", the people are properly called "Garinagu" and the culture and language are "Garifuna". The Garinagu are recent arrivals to Belize, settling the southern coast of Belize in the early 19th century. The epic story of the Garinagu begins in the early 1600's on the Caribbean island of St. Vincent.

The Landing by Benjamin Nicholas
In 1635, two Spanish ships carrying Nigerian slaves floundered and sank off the coast of St. Vincent. The slaves that survived and swam ashore found shelter in the existing Carib Indian settlements. Over the next century and a half, the two peoples intermixed, intermarried and eventually fused into a single culture, the Black Caribs or Garinagu.

By 1773, the Black Carib was the dominant population of St. Vincent. But, European politics began to exert its influence throughout the Caribbean. A series of wars between the French and British on St. Vincent culminated in a final battle on June 10th, 1796, where the French and their Carib allies where forced to surrender and leave the island. Thus would start a journey by the exiled Caribs in search of a home.

The British deposited the Caribs on the island of Roatan, Honduras. Shortly after, the entire marooned population migrated to the mainland of Honduras and allied with the Spanish in the fortress town of Trujillo. Unfortunately, a brief civil war in 1832 found the Caribs on the wrong side and once again many were forced to flee to neighboring British Honduras.

According to tradition, the first Garifuna arrived in then British Honduras on November 19th, 1802. This day is now a national holiday in Belize celebrated with drums, dancing and pageantry. Today, there is one town in Toledo - Punta Gorda - that is considered a Garifuna town, and two Garifuna villages - Barranco (the oldest Garifuna settlement in Belize) and tiny Punta Negra."
-snip-
Note that "British Honduras" is now known as "Belize".
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Honduras
"British Honduras was the name of a territory on the east coast of Central America, south of Mexico, after it became a British crown colony in 1862. In 1964 it became a self-governing colony. The colony was renamed Belize in June 1973[3] and gained full independence in September 1981. British Honduras was the last continental possession of the United Kingdom in the Americas."

****
INFORMATION ABOUT GARIFUNA SETTLEMENT DAY (YURUMEIN)
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garifuna_Settlement_Day
"Garifuna Settlement Day is a public holiday in Belize, celebrated each year on November 19. The holiday was created by Belizean civil rights activist, Thomas Vincent Ramos, in 1941.[1] It was recognized as a public holiday in the southern districts of Belize in 1943, and declared a national holiday in 1977.[1] The holiday celebrates the settlement of the Garifuna people in Belize after being exiled from the Grenadines by the British army.[2] The major festivities for the holiday occur in the town of Dangriga, including parades, street music, and traditional dancing.[3]"

****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLES
These examples are given in chronological order according to their publishing dates on YouTube with the oldest dated example given first.

Example #1: Garifunas en Nicaragua .wmv

Bluefilms Raas, Uploaded on Sep 12, 2011

Una Produccion mas de Bluefilms

****
Example #2: Yurumein in Punta Gorda, Belize

Warasa Garifuna Drum School, Uploaded on Dec 1, 2011

http://www.warasadrumschool.com

Warasa's Ronald Raymond McDonald playing the small Primero drum during the Garifuna "Yurumein" re-enactment of the arrival of the Garifuna people on the shores of Belize. Small boats paddled by Garifuna families row to shore to request permission to land from the Governor. He refuses twice, but finally allows them to settle the sparely populated southern coast of Belize.

****
Example #3: tambores Garifunas, Santa Fe Colon, Honduras

Kenny Javier Castillo Published on Apr 23, 2012

tambores garifunas durante la celebracion del mes de la Herencia Africana en Honduras, consejo de ministros, Santa fe Colon 2012

****
Example #4: A Story About the Garifuna Documentary

Ben Petersen, Published on Mar 2, 2013

A rich Central American culture is fast disappearing in the wake of immigration and integration. This film chronicles the challenges and struggles of the Garifuna people to preserve their identity. The story serves as a microcosmic example of the loss of time-honored customs in a world that is increasingly becoming one homogenous international culture.

Full transcripts of interviews from the film: http://benpetersen.net/garifuna-research/

A Ben Petersen Film
A Brigham Young University Communications Department Production
Produced, directed, and edited by Ben Petersen
Additional footage provided by: Jared Johnson, Dale Green and Jorge Zuniga.
Funding Provided by the BYU Office of Research and Creative Activities, BYU Communications Department and the B&A Trust Fund.
Music by Michael Bahnmiller. "Ba-ba" by Aziatic.

Thank you to the many people who made this film a success.

Music
"Baba (Paranda)" by Aziatic, Punta Dan & Ras Z (Google Play • eMusic)

****
Example #5: Garifuna Nuguya Official Music Video (Hopkins,Belize)

OUT DA BOX FILMS BELIZE Published on May 5, 2014

Music by Clayton Williams https://www.facebook.com/pages/Clayto... from the village of Hopkins,Belize. Music video directed and produced by Jeremy Christoph from Out Da Box Films in association with Nituwana Foundation

****
Example #6: (Yurumein) Garifuna Settlement Day [Belize]

YoungStarr Entertainment, Published on Nov 4, 2014

At the center of Garifuna Settlement Day celebrations is the reenactment of Yurumein. Yurumein is the Garifuna word which means Homeland, it is a public reenactment of the epic journey of the Garifuna people from their homeland in St. Vincent to the shores of Belize The Yurumein is re-enacted in every major community where the Garinagu reside and presents itself as one of Belize’s prominent cultural celebrations. Other cultures of Belize have come to appreciate this annual celebration and it in fact contributes to our collective understanding of the Belizean identity. It is only hoped that the knowledge of Yurumein will be passed on to younger generations of Belizeans and thereby allow Garifuna Culture to remain an integral part of the Belizean way of life.

****
Example #7: A Look Back at Garifuna Settlement Day

\

Channel 5 Belize, Published on Nov 20, 2014

For the latest news across Belize, visit:
http://edition.channel5belize.com/

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post provides various descriptions of the Garifuna flag. Historical information about the Garinagu (Garifuna people) and information about the meanings that have been attributed to the colors of the Garifuna flag also included in this post along with examples of that flag that are found in five YouTube videos about Garifuna cultures.

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

All copy rights remain with their owners.

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

****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE GARINAGU (GARIFUNA) PEOPLE
From http://globalsherpa.org/garifunas-garifuna/
Garifuna People, History and Culture
"The Afro-Caribbean Garifuna people originated with the arrival of West African slaves who washed ashore on the Caribbean island of St. Vincent around 1635 while likely on their way to New World mines and plantations. Today, the global population of Garifunas stands at upwards of 300,000 people, many of whom live in the U.S. and Canada. Garifuna communities along the Caribbean Sea live mostly in coastal towns and villages in the Central American countries of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.

A Brief History of the Garifuna People

The West African transplants were either ship-wrecked or escaped from the Caribbean islands of Barbados, St. Lucia and Grenada, depending on the source. They intermarried with local populations of Arawaks and Carib Indians (Caribs), immigrants from South America, to become known as Garifunas or Black Caribs.

For a time, the Afro-Caribbean Garifunas lived peacefully alongside French settlers who reached St. Vincent later in the 17th century, until being exiled by British troops in 1796 and eventually shipped off to Roatan, one of the Honduras Bay Islands in the Caribbean Sea. After successfully developing a healthy crop of cassava, a mainstay of traditional Garifuna diets, on Roatan, Garifunas branched out to the Caribbean mainland to establish fishing villages in Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. According to one source, the Spanish agreed to transfer the Garifunas from Roatan to Trujillo, Colon on the coastal mainland of Honduras, effectively consolidating their claim on Roatan and the other Honduras Bay Islands and gaining better access to a workforce of Garifuna laborers."...

****
DESCRIPTIONS AND MEANINGS OF THE GARIFUNA FLAG
From http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/xh-garif.html#dang
....The website of the National Garífuna Council of Belize
This flag represents an evolution that commenced with the Carib International Society (CIS) whose flag was made up of horizontal strips of red, yellow and black. Red (funati) stood for the blood of the Garifuna, black (würiti) the skin of the Garifuna and yellow (dumari) the food of the Garifuna. T.V. Ramos added the strip of white (haruti) in the middle, substituting it for the red, when he formed the Carib Development Society (CDS). Carib International Society, as the name implies, was international in scope and its development appears to have been facilitated by the convergence of Garinagu from the various countries in places like Puerto Barrios where they flocked in search of employment with the United Fruit Company. The area of operations of the Carib Development Society, on the other hand, was limited to Belize although the influence of its initiatives spread far beyond the borders of Belize and laid the foundation for the later emergence of its successor, the National Garifuna Council."

The author of the notice gives an interpretation of the colours, stating that there are no written source for that.
"What is the significance of the colours of the Garifuna flag? This question has been asked quite frequently and some attempts have been made to answer it although I am not aware of any written explanation. I will now try to piece together what I have heard, with the hope that this will evoke some reaction that can contribute to a full and complete documentation of the significance of the colours. It should also be noted that it is people who give meaning to symbols. We, therefore, have the option of expanding on whatever meanings have been handed down to us by the originators of the CIS and CDS flags.

Black - The black strip, which is located at the top, represents the black ancestry of the Garifuna people. The people have always acknowledged the African input into what became the Garifuna people, a phenomenon that occurred in St. Vincent starting in the seventeenth Century.

This colour, at another level, recognizes the hardships and injustices that the people have had to endure, their struggles for survival and the odds that they have had to overcome in the course of their history. Apart from the experience of the Middle Passage, which we share with other black people of the Americas, there was the imprisonment on Balliceaux, the exile from our Vincentian homeland after the so called Carib Wars and the replay of the Middle Passage in the form of the mass forced relocation to Central America...

Yellow - The yellow strip at the bottom of the flag symbolizes the other half of the ancestry of the Garifuna – the Amerindians or Yellow Caribs as they were referred to by Europeans. These were actually a mixture of Caribs and Arawaks and formed the host community in which the fusion of Africa and South America took place to give rise to the emergence of the Garinagu as a distinct group indigenous to the circum-Caribbean region.

In contrast to the hardships experienced in the course of history, the yellow symbolizes the hope and prosperity... Yellow is also the colour of the rising sun, which brings new promise and much hope for a better life. Yellow, therefore, represents hope, plenty and prosperity, as well as the Carib/Arawak input into the Garifuna identity.

White - The white strip, located in the middle between the black and the yellow, reminds us of the role of the white man (Europe) in the history and formation of the Garifuna people – the forcible removal and enslavement of the African, the seizure of Garifuna land, which precipitated the Garifuna resistance, and the forcible removal of the people from St. Vincent. Even after the arrival and dispersal in Central America, it was still necessary to deal with the white man.

At another level, white symbolizes the peace that has eluded the Garifuna people for most of their turbulent history - the peace for which they continue to yearn."

Finally, the author of the notice mentions a flag proposal: "It would be remiss of me not to mention an attempt made by Ruben Reyes to propose a flag for the Garifuna Nation. The colours are essentially the same. He also proposes a logo set in a shield in the center. I believe that it is a good effort and that the various country Garifuna organizations should respond to him with a view to its possible adoption." Ruben Reyes' proposal is for sale at the Internet store of Garinet.

We show in this page, two flags with the black stripe either on top or on bottom. As stated by the author of the notice, both combinations exist: "The relative position of the colours needs to be clarified or agreed. It is clear that the white strip is always in the middle. The problem is with the black and yellow. I have referred to the black as being on top partly because of the location on the samples I looked at when I was writing this and partly because the colours have always been referred to as “black, white and yellow” and we normally start at the top. However, I have since seen some examples in which the black is at the bottom, including the proposal from my cousin, Ruben Reyes."...
-snip-
The following excerpt is also from that same web page:
"Report at the National Geographic
Reading the September 2001 issue of National Geographic I reached the article about the Garífuna. One of the pictures shows a partially hidden triband paste to a greenboard with the written title "The Garifuna Flag". It is a black-white- light gold triband in that particular order. The flag at top is exactly the inverse. Beside each band it reads:
black band - "death and suffer"
white band - "peace"
gold band - "hope in Belize"
Blas Delgado Ortiz, 6 September 2001

****
From http://belize-travel-blog.chaacreek.com/2011/11/belize-photo-belize-garifuna-flag-in-dangriga/ Belize Photo of the Day: The Belize and Garifuna Flag in Dangriga
...”The Garifuna flag is very colorful and each shade has a special meaning. The yellow represents the sun, the white represents peace, and black represents the color of their people.”
-snip-
That page shows a photo of Garifuna flag - equal horizontal strips of yellow white and black (in that order, from top to bottom).

Here's information about the city of Dangriga, Belize from Dangrigahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dangriga
"Dangriga, formerly known as Stann Creek Town, is a town in southern Belize, located on the Caribbean coast at the mouth of the North Stann Creek River. It is the capital of Belize's Stann Creek District. Dangriga is served by the Dangriga Airport. Commonly known as the "culture capital of Belize" due to its influence on punta music and other forms of Garifuna culture, Dangriga is the largest settlement in southern Belize.

History
Dangriga was settled before 1832 by Garinagu (Black Caribs, as they were known to the British) from Honduras. For years it was the second largest population centre in the country behind Belize City, but in recent years has been surpassed by San Ignacio, Belmopan and Orange Walk Town. Since the early 1980s Garífuna culture has undergone a revival, as part of which the town's name of Dangriga, a Garífuna word meaning "standing waters", became more widely used (but was initially adopted around 1975)."

****
From http://www.garifunaheritagefoundation.org/192.html
"Buiti Achülürüni - Bienvenido - Welcome!
Welcome to the website of the Garifuna American Heritage Foundation United. Here you can find out more about our organization, our events and our services.

The mission of GAHFU is to serve the Garifuna-American community in the greater Los Angeles area, the Untied States and abroad through cultural programs, outreach, advocacy and social services programs. GAHFU is dedicated to the dissemination and preservation of Garifuna heritage through the arts, music, culture and language education, in addition to providing social & cultural awareness programs such as youth mentoring/leadership, Garifuna classes, cultural competency and enrichment programs, community forums, and more. GAHFU believes that having an appreciation of one’s own culture sets the stage for developing partnership with people who come from culturally diverse backgrounds. GAHFU serves a nation that reaches across the globe annually and seeks to educate and inform the larger Los Angeles County about Garifuna culture and the contributions that Garifuna-Americans have made and continue to make in the social and cultural fabric in Central, North America and the Caribbean...

GARIFUNA FLAG
The meaning of the colors of the Garifuna flag are: The Yellow is for our Amerindian heritage,hope and liberation. The white is for the peace and freedom. The black is for Africa, death and suffering."
-snip-
The drawing above the section of this web page labeled "Garifuna Flag" shows a flag with yellow, white, and black strips (in that order from top to bottom). The flag at the top of this website’s page has yellow, white, and black strips with the acronym GAHFU written in black in the middle of the yellow strip, and a black clenched fist (the black power symbol) in the middle of the flag (placed in each of the three strips.)

****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLES
These examples are given in chronological order according to their publishing dates on YouTube with the oldest dated example given first. The nation where the video was taken is given in brackets after the video's title.

Example #1: Garifuna Danasty video clip,Wyclef Labor Day 08 [United States]

Garifunaa Dynastyy, Uploaded on Jan 18, 2009

Garifuna flag @ Labor Day 2008 Brooklyn
-snip-
This video clip shows scenes from the annual Caribbean day parade in New York City. In these scenes paraders and the crowd are waving flags from their respective Caribbean nations. The black, white, and yellow Garifuna flag is shown starting at 2:06 of this video.

****
Example #2: Dia de Garifuna Livingston Guatemala [Guatemala]

GarifunaFiles, Uploaded on Sep 1, 2010

Dia de Garifuna Livingston Guatemala
Garifuna Day in Livingston Guatemala
http://garifunafiles.wordpress.com/
-snip-
The Garifuna flag shown beginning at 1:34 of this video has yellow, white, and black strips in that order.

****
Example #3: Garifuna Settlement Day YURUME Nov 19 "DANGRIGA BELIZE" [Belize]

Caribbean SEE, Published on Nov 20, 2012

Music
"Wátina (I Called Out)" by Andy Palacio & the Garifuna Collective
-snip-
Garifuna flags shown at the beginning of this video [at .50] have black, white, and yellow strips in that order.

****
Example #4: Garifuna Settlement Day 2012 [Belize]

7News Belize, Published on Nov 22, 2012
http://www.7newsbelize.com/sstory.php...

Music
"Ámuñegü (In Times to Come)" by Andy Palacio & the Garifuna Collective
-snip-
The Garifuna flag shown at the beginning of this video [.20] has
yellow, white, and black strips in that order.

****
Example #5: Belize Cultural Celebrations Series Vol. 1: Garifuna Settlement Day (Yurumein) [Belize]

.

Institute for Social and Cultural Research (NICH), Published on Nov 18, 2014

The Belize Cultural Celebrations Series comprises of educational posters and short videos produced by the National Institute of Culture and History through the Institute for Social and Cultural Research. Yurumein is the first in the series, featuring images, video footage and interviews that were collected by a team of cultural activists. The materials were gathered from the communities of Libertad, Belize City, Hopkins, Dangriga and Punta Gorda on November 19th, 2013.
-snip-
Among the other Garifuna flags shown in this video, there's a flag shown at 5:52 with black, white, and yellow strips in that order with an emblem drawn in the white strip.

Also notice the male speaker wearing a West African styled hat, shirt, and pants set in the Garifuna colors of black, white, and yellow.

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases the Ska children's song "Pick It Up!". An animated video and live video of this song are featured in this post along with information about GOGO13, information about Hepcat, and my transcription of that song's lyrics.

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

Thanks to the composer/s and the vocalists for this song. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post, and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT GOGO13
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GOGO13
"GOGO13 is an American ska band formed in 1993 by singer and artist Parker Jacobs and currently based out of Huntington Beach, California.

Originally formed in St. George, Utah in 1993, the first incarnation of GOGO13 lasted for just under a year but were nevertheless credited as extremely influential figures within Utah's thriving ska scene during the first half of the 1990s. In 2001, following the band's rediscovery through their association with the popular Orange County band The Aquabats, GOGO13 permanently reunited and continue to play shows throughout the southwestern region. The band released their first studio album, I Like It!, in April 2012...

GOGO13 may be currently best known for their musical contributions to Yo Gabba Gabba!, namely the original song "Pick It Up", featuring Alex Désert of Hepcat, which was featured in an animated short designed by Jacobs. The short won the award for "Excellence in Humor" at the 2008 ASIFA-East Animation Festival, while the song remains a staple of GOGO13's live shows, eventually appearing several years later on the Gabba CD Music Is...Awesome!, Vol. 3 soundtrack ("at last", an enthusiastic review on AllMusic wrote).[6]"...

****
INFORMATION ABOUT HEPCAT
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hepcat_(band)
"Hepcat is a ska and reggae band formed in southern California in 1989. Their soulful harmonies and mellow rhythms were unlike those of contemporaries and more akin to musicians from the heyday of 1960s Jamaican ska, also referred to as the first wave."...

****
LYRICS: PICK IT UP
(GOGO13 featuring Alex Désert of Hepcat

[sound of someone knocking on the door]
(Girl) It’s dad!
(Boy) He can’t come in!
What a mess. What a mess. What a mess.
What a mess. What a mess. What a mess.
(Father) Young boy and young girl,
What have you done?
Your room! It is a mess.
There are clothes everywhere.
On the floor, on the dresser.
There’s a roller skate in the corner.
What do you want me to do, hurt myself?
We can't have that.
We can’t have that.
What I want you to do
is clean this up right now.
I want you to
Pick it up! Pick it up! Pick it up!
Pick it up! Pick it up! Pick it up!
Pick it up! Pick it up! Pick it up!
Pick it up! Pick it up! Pick it up!
Pick it up! Pick it up! Pick it up!
Pick it up! Pick it up! Pick it up!
Pick it up! Pick it up! Pick it up!

Come on, people, let’s clean it up.
(Right now!)
But you can’t clean unless you pick it up.
(An hen).

Pick it up! Pick it up! Pick it up!
Pick it up! Pick it up! Pick it up!
Pick it up! Pick it up! Pick it up!
Pick it up! Pick it up! Pick it up!
Pick it up! Pick it up! Pick it up!
Pick it up! Pick it up! Pick it up!
Pick it up! Pick it up! Pick it up!

Ah ha ha ha
Now that is what I like to see.
A room so clean
I could eat off the floor.
Not that I would.
You can go outside and play with your friends,
Ride your bike, even watch tv.
I don’t mind as long as you keep your room clean.
And, remember, when in doubt
Pick it up! Pick it up! Pick it up!
Pick it up! Pick it up! Pick it up!
Pick it up! Pick it up! Pick it up!
Pick it up! Pick it up! Pick it up!
Pick it up! Pick it up! Pick it up!
Pick it up! Pick it up! Pick it up!
Right!
No more mess, no more mess, no more mess.
No more mess, no more mess, no more mess.
Yeah!
-snip-
Transcription by Azizi Powell from the video. Additions and corrections are welcome.

****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS:
Example #1: GOGO13 - Pick It Up (Live)

thetross, Uploaded on Sep 22, 2008

gogo13 playing pick it up live at the glass house in pomona. as heard on yo gabba gabba.

****
Example #2: Ska Kids Entertainment

Sub x Sub, ya lo sabes.. Xd, Uploaded on May 14, 2009

Pick it up pick it up pick it up¡¡¡¡

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases the original version and a remix version of the Christian praise & worship song "My God Is Awesome". The lyrics for this song are also included in Example #1 of this post.

Thanks to Elifas Batobeli for requesting this song in a comment posted on November 20, 2015 at 10:05 AM in http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/04/seven-gospel-songs-from-emmanuel.html/"Seven Gospel Songs From The Emmanuel Singers SCOAN (Nigeria)". A rendition of that song by Emmanuel Singers - SCOAN is featured in the Addendum to this post.

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

Thanks to the composer/s and the vocalists for this song. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS:
Example #1: My God is Awesome - Charles Jenkins

Your Living Manna, Published on Aug 31, 2012

Vocal : Pr.Charles Jenkins

My God is awesome, He can move mountains
Keep me in the valley, hide me from the rain
My God is awesome, heals me when I'm broken
Strength where I've been weakened, forever He will reign
(repeat)

My God is awesome, awesome, awesome, awesome
My God is awesome, awesome, awesome, awesome

My God is awesome, Savior of the whole world
Giver of salvation, by His stripes I am healed
My God is awesome, today I am forgiven
His grace is why I'm living, praise His holy name

My God is awesome, awesome, awesome, awesome
My God is awesome, awesome, awesome, awesome

He's mighty, He's mighty, He's mighty, He's mighty, He's mighty, Awesome, Awesome
He's Holy, He's Holy, He's Holy, He's Holy,Awesome, Awesome
He's Great, He's Great, He's Great, He's Great, Awesome, Awesome
He's mighty, He's mighty, He's mighty, He's mighty, He's mighty, Awesome, Awesome
Deliverer, Deliverer, Deliverer, Deliverer, Awesome, Awesome
He's Holy, He's Holy, He's Holy, He's Holy, Awesome, Awesome
Provider, Provider, Provider, Provider, Awesome, Awesome
Protector, Protector, Protector, Protector, Awesome, Awesome

My God is awesome, He can move mountains
Keep me in the valley, hide me from the rain
My God is awesome, heals me when I'm broken
Strength where I've been weakened, praise His holy name

http://www.yourlivingmanna.com

****
Example #2: My God is Awesome, He can move mountains! The REMIX -Charles Jenkins - Updated w/Captions June 2014

Emjoh Media My God is Awesome, He can move mountains! The REMIX -Charles Jenkins - Published on Apr 7, 2013, Updated w/Captions June 2014

Music
"Awesome" by Charles Jenkins & Fellowship Chicago (Google Play • AmazonMP3 • iTunes)

***UPDATED WITH CAPTIONS - enable to view lyrics
Keep Praising, Keep Worshiping the King of kings!!! And Walk Unashamed!! Romans 1:16, Remember "..God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life" John 3:16
Be blessed..and subscribe
This is a remix of the Original Song, "My God is Awesome" by Pastor Charles Jenkins.
It features additional artistes Jessica Reedy, Isaac Carree, Da Truth and Canton Jones

Music
"Awesome Remix (feat. Isaac Carree, Jessica Reedy & Da T.r.u.t.h.)" by Canton Jones & Pastor Charles [J]enkins (iTunes • AmazonMP3)

****
ADDENDUM
Awesome God; Jesus You're The Center - Emmanuel Singers - SCOAN

JÉZUS KRISZTUS AZ ÚR Published on Sep 19, 2014

Indeed, our GOD is an AWESOME GOD!
JESUS BE THE CENTER OF OUR LIFE!!!

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases two videos of the romantic song "Sinontena" by Guinean vocalist/guitarist Sékouba "Bambino" Diabaté.

Information about Sekouba "Bambino" Diabaté is also included in this post along with translations of this song in French and in English. One of the featured videos provides the lyrics of this song in its original Malinké language.

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

Thanks to for his musical legacy. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT SEKOUBA "BAMBINO" DIABATE
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sekouba_Bambino
"Sekouba "Bambino" is the stage name of Sekouba Diabaté, a singer and musician born in Guinea, West Africa, in 1964.[1]

Bambino was born and raised in the village of Kintinya, some 25 kilometers from the town of Siguiri, close to the border with Mali. He was born into a musical family, and is descended from a long line of griots, known in some Mande languages as jeli.[1] His mother died when he was three years old, but left behind a legacy in the songs she had recorded which her son later heard on the radio. Her music became one of his main influences. Her death left Bambino with his father, who did not encourage his musical aspirations, hoping he would follow him working in his transport company, but from age eight, Bambino Diabaté sang with local bands and began to achieve musical renown. When he was 16, then-President Sékou Touré, (a music lover) who had heard him sing with local bands, insisted that he join Bembeya Jazz, Guinea's best-known musical group....

He was given the nickname "Bambino" to distinguish him from one of the group's guitarists also named Sekou Diabaté (a.k.a. Sekou "Bembeya" a.k.a. "Diamond Fingers")....

His music is popular throughout West Africa, particularly in Guinea, Mali, and other countries where the Bambara and Malinke languages are spoken. He has become renowned for his vocal prowess, and his voice compares favorably with that of any of his home region's best male singers. He is little known outside Africa, however, as he has consistently chosen to remain true to his West African fan base. His most recent album was released in 2004. His latest single was in 2008.[1]

In November [20,] 2015 Bambino was caught up in an attack by suspected Ansar al-Din operatives on the Radisson Blu hotel in Mali's capital, Bamako, but was able to escape. The BBC quoted him telling journalists:[3]
'I woke up with the sounds of gunshots and for me, it was just small bandits who came in the hotel to claim something. After 20 or 30 minutes, I realized these are not just petty criminals'"...
-snip-
I confess that I didn't know anything about Sékouba "Bambino" Diabaté before reading his name in news accounts of that terrorist attack in Mali. My condolences to the friends and families of all those who died in that attack and in other terrorists attacks in Nigeria, Belgium, France, and elsewhere throughout the world.

****
From http://www.afropop.org/tag/guinea/feed/ The Griot’s Craft
‎Wednesday, ‎February ‎27, ‎2013, ‏‎11:58:23 AM | Banning Eyre
"It has been awhile since we’ve heard new work from Sékouba Bambino (Diabaté), veteran singer of Guinea’s legendary Bembeya Jazz, and probably the pre-eminent Guinean vocalist of the past two decades. This session, featuring a rich blend of acoustic instruments and superb musicianship, is a welcome update, a superb griot pop album, well worth the wait. Song after song, it’s the crispness of the arrangements and execution, the acoustic soundscape, and the seductive character of Bambino’s singular voice that does the trick.

It’s hard to over praise Bambino as a singer. On the opener, “Koumakelalou,” he unveils his silk smooth low register and works his way up to the majesty of his full-throated high end. On many of these songs a female chorus supports and answers him, in traditional fashion. Elsewhere, he goes alone, with minimal backing—not much more than a kora and acoustic guitar—as on “Kadete.” Irresistable."...
-snip-
Sékouba "Bambino" Diabaté is also known as Sékouba Bambino.

****
NOTES ABOUT THE LYRICS TO "SINONTENA" THAT ARE GIVEN IN THIS POST
The French lyrics for "Sinontena" were posted by MAEMEI SARR (2013) in the discussion thread for the YouTube video that is given below as Example #1. These lyrics were given in four separate comments in response to a request (in French) for the words to this song. Because of the confusing way that YouTube comments are posted, I'm not sure the order of these verses is correct.

The English lyrics that are posted below are the result of Google Translates' translation from French to English.

Additions and corrections are welcome.

****
LYRICS - SINONTENA [in French]
(Sékouba "Bambino" Diabaté)

Je n’ai pas envie de dormir ou je n’ai pas sommeil
Je n’ai plus envie de dormir
Regardes moi je n’ai pas sommeil
Je n’ai pas sommeil mon amour, regardes moi
Donne-moi ta main
Chérie je t’aime ndoni veut dire ma petite
Je n’ai pas sommeil mon amour, regardes moi
J’ai pas sommeil, quand nous sommes deux mon amour je ne peux pas dormir
Si nous restons à faire les discussions nocturnes je ne dormirai pas mama ohh
Je n’ai pas envie de dormir ou je n’ai pas sommeil

Je ne dors pas
Il a fait nuit sur le jour, ma bien aimée chérie je te veux ah
Quand le jour se lèvera je te donnerai ce dont tu as envie par amour
L’amour ou aimé est plus vieux que l’esclave
Oh Mama Oh chérie, chérie je te veux Mama
Oh chérie

Ne te fâche pas tu as raison ou pardon
Si nous restons à faire les discussions nocturnes je ne dormirai pas mama ohh
Je n’ai pas envie de dormir ou je n’ai pas sommeil
Je ne dormirai pas
Je n’ai pas sommeil
Mama si tu m’aimes ouvres moi la porte que je me couche la nuit est trop longue pour dormir seul(e) oh
Tout ce que tu voudras je le ferai
Je t’aime mon amour
Je t’aime mon bébé
Je t’aime et c’est toi que je veux (ne vois tu pas)

Je m’ennui de toi ou tu me manques
Je n’ai pas sommeil
Je ne dormirai
si nous restons fâchée moi je ne dormirai pas en étant fâchée avec toi (ne vois tu pas)
Mon amour diminue ta colère quand il fera nuit je te demanderai pardon
Iyo iyo Ne fais pas ça mon amour diminue ta colère
J’ai pas sommeil aujourd’hui (ne vois tu pas)

[Transcriber's comment]
voilà ma petite contribution, la traduction ne sera peut etre pas totalement juste et ceux qui peuvent corriger aussi faites le svp. Merci

****
LYRICS - SINONTENA [in English] - "I'm Not Feeling Sleepy"
(Sékouba "Bambino" Diabaté)

I did not want to sleep or I did not sleep
I have no desire to sleep
Look I'm not sleepy
I did not sleep my love, look at me
Give me your hand
Ndoni Girl I Love You mean my little
I did not sleep my love, look at me
I did not sleep, when we both my love I can not sleep
If we stick to the nightly discussions I will not sleep ohh mama
I did not want to sleep or I did not sleep

I do not sleep
It was dark on the day my beloved darling I want you ah
When the day will dawn I will give you what you want for love
Love or loved one is older than the slave
Oh Mama Oh darling, darling I want you Mama
Oh darling

Do not get mad you're right or forgiveness
If we stick to the nightly discussions I will not sleep ohh mama
I did not want to sleep or I did not sleep
I will not sleep
I'm not sleepy
If you love me mama works the door for me as I go to bed at night is too long to sleep alone (e) oh
Everything you like I'll do
I love you my dear
I love you my baby
I love you and it is you I want (do not you see)

I am bored of you or miss you
I'm not sleepy
I sleep
if we stay angry I will not sleep being angry with you (do not you see)
My love diminishes anger when it gets dark I ask your forgiveness
Iyo iyo Do not do that my love diminishes anger
I did not sleep today (do not you see)

[transcriber's comment]
this is my small contribution, the translation will be can not totally fair and correct those who can also do it please. Thank you

****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS:
Example #1: Sékouba Bambino Diabaté - Sinotena (Lyric en Malinké)

Ousmane Bakary Kabam, Published on May 19, 2012

Je vous offre les paroles en Malinké de la merveilleuse chanson "Sinotena" (Je n'ai pas envie de dormir/ I'm not feeling sleepy) de l'artiste guinéen Sékouba Bambino Diabaté, tirée de son album "Innonvation". Cet album est arrangé par le meilleur arrangeur du zouk africain le cap verdien Manu Lima et avec la collaboration des grands musiciens zoukeurs du coté de l'hexagone. On peut vraiment dire que Bambino a innové.
Pour ceux qui veulent faire du karaoké, eh ben l'occasion... alors ne vous en privez pas.
-snip-
Translation from French to English by Google Translate:
I offer you the words in Malinke the wonderful song "Sinotena" (I did not want to sleep / I'm not feeling sleepy) of the Guinean artist Sékouba Bambino Diabate, taken from his album "Innonvation". This album is arranged by the best arranger of the African zouk the Cape Verdean Manu Lima and with the collaboration of great musicians zoukeurs the side of the hexagon. We can truly say that Bambino innovated.
For those who want to do karaoke, well, the opportunity ... so do not deprive yourself

****
Example #2: Sékouba Bambino - Sinontena 2012 HD (Clip Officiel

Bambino2012officiel, Published on May 11, 2012

Sékouba Bambino vous présente "Sinotena", un titre de l'album "innovation" maintenant sur le Marché.
Pour plus d'informations, rendez-vous sur :

http://www.sekoubabambino.fr/Disc1.html

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases four renditions of the old Gospel song "God Put A Rainbow In The Sky". Two examples of "God Put A Rainbow In The Sky" feature Sallie Martin, one features Mahalia Jackson, and one features The Braxtons. The original lyrics to this song and lyrics to the version of this song that was popularized by Mahalia Jackson are included in this post.

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

Thanks to Daddy Andrew Jenkins for composing this song and thanks to all the vocalists who are featured in this post. Thanks also to all the commenters and thanks to the publishers of these examples on YouTube.

****
LYRICS AND COMMENTS ABOUT THIS SONG
From http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=62811http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=62811
Subject: Lyr Add: GOD PUT A RAINBOW IN THE CLOUD
From: masato sakurai
Date: 10 Sep 03 - 01:36 PM

GOD PUT A RAINBOW IN THE CLOUD
By Reverend Andrew Jenkins and Irene Spain

When God shut Noah in the grand old ark
He put a rainbow in the cloud
When thunders rolled and the sky was dark
God put a rainbow in the cloud.

God put a rainbow in the cloud
God put a rainbow in the cloud
When it looked like the sun wouldn't shine anymore
God put a rainbow in the cloud.

Away down yonder in Egypt's sand
God put a rainbow in the cloud
Just to lead His children to the promised land
God put a rainbow in the cloud.

When they put old Daniel in the lion's den,
God put a rainbow in the cloud
Just to prove His promise to the sons of men
God put a rainbow in the cloud.

As a sign by day and a sign by night
God put a rainbow in the cloud
Just to guide His people and keep them right
God put a rainbow in the cloud.

Oh, Jordan deep and Jordan wide
God put a rainbow in the cloud
To lead his people to the other side
God put a rainbow in the cloud.

SOURCE: Dorothy Horstman, Sing Your Heart Out, Country Boy, 3rd ed. (p. 44)

**
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: God Put a Rainbow in the Clouds
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 Sep 03 - 04:24 AM

The background story in Sing Your Heart Out, Country Boy is interesting:
This song was made by Daddy Jenkins, as we called him, after a short period of silence. It seemed too quiet, and we soon learned that he was in deep thought. Going to the piano, he came up with "God Put a Rainbow In the Cloud".' He loved the 'blue' note. I wrote it down for him and arranged the music score. It was made one real hot summer afternoon—in August, I believe. The year: 1931.

The song made a good hit with singers. Mahalia Jackson's recording made a good seller, but it had been recorded as 'not belonging to anyone.' SESAC got in touch with me, and as I had the original pencil copy, the song was verified. When I hear it on radio, it makes me so happy, for that is why Daddy made so many grand songs. He never received any remuneration for any of his work—at least not enough to be counted. He always said he could make more, and he wanted the people to sing them and love them. That was pay enough for him."
—Irene Spain Futrelle

the song's copyright is dated 1931, renewed 1959, assigned to Mosie Lister Publishing Company

**
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: God Put a Rainbow in the Cloud
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Feb 10 - 04:36 PM

Musical notation for GOD PUT A RAINBOW IN THE CLOUD, arranged for 4 voices, can be seen in Songs of the Church: 21st Century Edition (West Monroe, La.: Howard Publishers, 1990), page 329.

The attribution there is: Words and music by Rev. Andrew Jenkins, Arr. Mrs. M. L. Spain.

****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLES:
These examples are presented in chronological order based on their publishing date on YouTube with the oldest example given first.

Example #1: *Audio* Sallie Martin: God Put A Rainbow In The Sky

damonemontez , Uploaded on Oct 26, 2008

Mother Sallie Martin along with The Mass Choir of The National Convention of Choirs & Choruses,1980. Founded by Thomas Dorsey, in the early 1930's in Chicago.
-snip-
selected comments from this example's discussion thread:
Rowoches, 2008
"This was actually Sallie Martin's song before Mahalia and others recorded it. I've been told that this would be one of several songs Sallie would do when she was a member of the First Church of Deliverance in Chicago"

**
saintben2008, 2009
"Most people don't know that Sallie Martin is actually the co architect of gospel music along with thomas dorsey. She is responsible for bringing it to the public."

**
newcreature2011, 2011
"Remember that when this (traditional) music came on the scene it was considered WAY OUT THERE and banned from a lot of churches, because it drew HEAVILY on jazz and blues structure. I would hope that we don't limit our artists today like they tried to limit Dorsey when he started it all. The litmus test should not be style, or even emotional response, it should be if God is glorified with the artist's expression. Artists today are using what they hear around them just like Dorsey did."

**
Bryan Jackson, 2014
"Have anybody notice the choir is saying "God put a rainbow in the Cloud" not "God put a rainbow in the sky" ?"

**
Reply
mrtheoneandonly 83, 2014
"You'll find the lyrics to this hymn in the church hymnal."

**
Reply
michael maternowski, 2014
"The original pre-30's version of this song uses "in the cloud" as it was to have a more darker tone to enlighten the rainbow part in reference to God's first covenant. As the song passed through translation and became less and less a hymn, the words were changed to "in the sky". Particularly, the more blues translation of this song by Mahailia Jackson popularized the ending of "in the sky". Both Mahailia and Sallie interpreted the song to be more upbeat as opposed to it's original slower "folk" version. Sallie would have grown up in a time where both versions were equally known and may have chose to translate the song with both "in the sky" and "in the cloud" for that reason.
-snip-
This commenter referred to "The original pre-30's version of this song". However, "God Put A Rainbow In The Sky" was actually composed in 1931. My friendly correction to that comment reads "The original 1931 version of this song uses "in the cloud"..."

****
Example #2: Sallie Martin In Phila sings God Put A Rainbow In The Sky in 1986

gospellin, Uploaded on Sep 17, 2010

Edwin Newberry & Phila Seminar Choir brought Sallie Martin to town for Mother's Day.
-snip-
selected comments from this example's discussion thread:
Ivan Berry, 2011
"she was 90 in this video?"

**
MrTheOneAndOnly83, 2011
in reply to Ivan Berry
"@ivanberry19 yes she was born in 1896"

**
modelmethodist77, 2012
"What's going on with the mother walking up to the choir and the director holding on to her. Was she trying to take the mic from Sallie? LOL"

**
gospellin, 2012
in reply to modelmethodist77
"@modelmethodist77 The elderly lady was a Philly pioneer Susie Walker. When Sallie came to Philly in the early 50's to set up a Phila chapter of Thomas Dorsey convention she stayed with Susie and they remained good friends thru the years. Before service Sallie asked Susie who was almost blind if she felt up to it would she sing with the Philly chapter (victory Choral Union) Sallie also passed her a little brown envelop while she was singing. Hope that answers your question"
-snip-
Sallie also passed her a little brown envelop- That envelop probably contained a “goodwill offering” (A stipend-money-given to a special guest at an event. The guest doesn’t charge a fee, but receives this money as a token of the congregations’ good will toward her or him.)

****
Example #4: The Braxtons - 'God Put A Rainbow In The Sky' (Live) (HQ)

PsionicP3 Uploaded on Jul 7, 2011

The Braxton Sisters sing 'God Put A Rainbow In The Sky' on the steps of their old house during Season 1, Episode 9 of 'Braxton Family Values'. *Credit goes to WE tv. No copyright infringement intended*.

****
Example #4: Mahalia Jackson - God Put A Rainbow In The Sky

Nostalgicjukebox, Published on Feb 13, 2013

Mahalia Jackson "God Put A Rainbow In The Sky"
From the album Mahalia Jackson - "Gospels, Spirituals, & Hymns" (Vol.2)
[Lyrics to "God Put A Rainbow In The Sky "]

God put a rainbow in the sky A rainbow in the sky A rainbow in the sky God put a rainbow in the sky A rainbow in the sky A rainbow in the sky It looked like the sun wasn't gon' shine no more Oh, God put a rainbow in the sky.

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases a 1999 article about how the Ghanaian, West African harvest festival called "Homowo" is celebrated in Teshie, Ghana. That article written by Samuel Wiafe is given in its entirety except for photographs and an editor's statement.

Eight videos of Homowo celebrations are also included in this post along with some comments.

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

All copy rights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are featured in this post and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Special thanks to Samuel Wiafe, the author of the article about Homowo which is replicated below. Thanks also to the publishers of these examples on YouTube.

In the Ga language of Ghana, "homowo" means "hoot at hunger". Read my comment below for an explanation of the English meaning of that term.

****
ARTICLE ABOUT HOMOWO
Note: This is the most thorough online article about Homowo festival than I have found. I've chosen to reproduce this entire article (without photographs and that site editor's beginning comment) to help ensure its dissemination. Please contact me if this article should not be reproduced in its entirety.
From http://newint.org/columns/essays/1999/04/01/endpiece/ Issue 311
Hooting at hunger
"Homowo is an annual festival celebrated among the Ga-speaking people. It originated during a period of great famine which was eventually followed by a bumper harvest of grain and fish. The word homowo literally means ‘hooting at hunger’. The one I am going to describe is specific to the people of Teshie, near Accra.
The celebrations begin with the light rains in May. During this month the seven principal priests perform the initial rites – the ritual and symbolic sowing of corn. The main festival, however, starts in August with the Nsho Bulemo ceremony, which involves the pacification of the sea god. A bull is slaughtered by the chief priest and the carcass is cast into the sea. A few fisherfolk representing the seven principal clans embark on fishing expeditions. If they return with a good catch, that signifies a good Homowo will be possible, but returning empty-handed means the Homowo will have to be suspended or postponed.

This is followed by a ban on drumming, dancing or the burying of corpses. Night clubs and dance halls are closed down and all noisy activities are forbidden for another ceremony known as Gbemlilaa (‘Closing of the Road’). The idea of the ban is to enable the gods to perform their activities quietly.

After this ceremony the seven clans parade in groups for fortnightly street processions known as Kpashimo. These processions enable members of the groups to learn Homowo songs, as well as providing an opportunity for bachelors and spinsters to get a spouse of their choice.

Two weeks later the celebrations start in earnest with the arrival of Ga people who have travelled out of their traditional area and now return in joyous groups to be reunited with their families. They arrive with farm produce like pepper, onions, corn and okra, all of which form the main ingredients of the traditional Homowo food, Kpokpoi. This adds a lot of spice to an already exciting town.

At dawn on Tuesday feverish food preparations begin. Soon after midday the head of each household sprinkles the food around all the doorsteps of the Teshie people. The chief and elders also sprinkle at well-noted places where the gods settle – a ritual said to feed the spirits of the departed. Lunch is not served until all these rites and rituals have been observed.
Everyone eats as much as they want, irrespective of their class or social status. On festive occasions like this all households are open to everyone and all visitors are welcome. Family members who are not able to come home for the meal are sent theirs, wherever they may be, so they can taste and feel the love and unity of their children and parents.

Wednesday is set aside as a remembrance day. On this day people openly weep and others drink their heads out, remembering their lost departed ones. Also, minor and major quarrels and misunderstandings are settled amicably. Sunday marks the climax of the Homowo street procession. The seven groups wearing their colourful costumes go through the principal streets singing songs that praise well-behaved members of the community and rebuke the bad ones.

During the period of the festival, parties and sporting activities are held so that talent can be unearthed. In the sporting sphere there are competitions such as boxing, football, table tennis, a regatta and cycling. Other tribes as well as foreigners – especially our brothers and sisters from the diaspora – also take part, reflecting the national and international dimensions of the Homowo.

The following Saturday marks the official end of the festival. On the eve, a vigil is kept for the Gbé gblemo ritual which lifts the bans on drumming, dancing and all noisy activities. At noon the chief priest, dressed in an immaculate white loincloth and patterns made from white clay and red tree-bark, carries the se se (a large wooden bowl filled with spiritually purifying water) on the street procession amidst singing, dancing and drumming. The se se is presumed to be very healing and powerful, driving off evil spirits. All one needs to do is to put money into the se se for the potent water to be sprinkled over you. The procession continues until it reaches the community shrine, where the priest empties the se se. People from all walks of life scramble frantically for the money.

The excitement continues to the nearby beach where people joyously swim in the sea. It is believed they have washed their misfortunes, sorrows and calamities of the previous year into the water and can now look to the future with a lot of hope, confidence and aspiration.

Some people may think Homowo is a fetish. But I think it is good that we know and appreciate our culture.

Samuel Wiafe is a student of marketing and an aspiring writer who lives in Teshie.

****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLES
These examples are given in chronological order according to their publishing dates on YouTube with the oldest dated example given first.

Example #1: Gbemlilaa: the beggining of the Teshie Homowo festival

BRC Designs, Uploaded on Aug 14, 2011

The Gbemlilaa, which bans drumming and singing and marks the start of the month long Homowo festival in Teshie.
-snip-
This video documents participants walking through the streets chanting if not singing, but there is no drumming.

****
Example #2: Sempe Homowo Festival 2012 (part 1)

Sowah Mensah, Published on Aug 19, 2012

Asenta-Oba is a Ga TV magazine programme, presented by a seasoned radio and Television presenter known as Naa Shormeh Nortey on GTV, every Tuesday at 9:30pm...

****
Example #3: OSU HOMOWO FESTIVAL LAUNCHED

seidu adamu Published on Jul 26, 2013

This year's Osu Homowo festival has been launched with a number of activities to commemorate the event. The theme for the celebration, celebrating Peace, Education, and development for a better community, is to help improve the lives of the people of Osu. A number of activities lined up for the celebration of the Homowo festival by the chiefs and people of Osu includes, a cleanup exercise, inter- community football gala, health screening, cooking contest, sprinkling of Kpokpoi and a durbar to round up the festival.

Launching the festival, the chief of Osu, and the president of the Osu Traditional Council, Nii Okwei Kinka Dowouna said, even though Osu is notable for housing Governmental Monuments, including the historic Osu Castle, the area has not seen the kind of development befitting its status.

He said, the People of Osu have not seen peace over the past 60 years, hence this is the time for the people to embrace the relatively peaceful atmosphere.

****
Example #4: LET'S TALK FOOD: Kpokpoi (Homowo)

Infoboxdaily, Published on Sep 1, 2014

Every year, the Ga people in Ghana celebrate the Homowo Festival. During this celebration, they prepare a special dish called Kpokpoi. Watch a little bit of history.
www.infoboxdaily.com/tv

****
Example #5: LA HOMOWO HOMECOMING GOT

Gabriel Obodai Torgbor-Ashong, Published on Sep 10, 2014
-snip-
The GOT in the title is probably the publisher's initials.
In the video the narrator said that during the Homowo festival it is traditional for people living outside their home village to return home. This video shows a homecoming parade of cars in which people returning home show off the food and expensive liquor which they bring to share with their family and others. They also perform aashaka, which the narrator defined as “hugging someone close to you, especially someone of the opposite sex”.

****
Example #6: 2014 Teshie Homowo festival

Exigency Ghana, Published on Nov 19, 2014

A Exigency Ghana coverage of the 2014 Homowo festival celebrated by the people of Teshie.

****
Example #7: Homowo: Ghana's biggest traditional harvest festival

.

CCTV Africa, Published on Aug 31, 2015

In Ghana, there's just one week left of the country's traditional month long harvest festival Called "homowo". The celebration has been marked for generations by Ghana's traditional Ga tribe. Our correspondent Katerina Vittozzi went to one town on the outskirts of the capital, where the party was in full swing.
-snip-
The narrator said that this annual celebration is held throughout the month of August. In addition to commemorating the end of hunger, Homowo provides opportunities for celebrants to publicly vent their anger and frustrations with songs and chants about current political subjects and events and social topics including political losses of Ghana’s national football (soccer) team. An example of such venting is the video given below as Example #8.

****
Example #8: Teshie youth lambast Pres. Mahama at Homowo Festival

Pulse Ghana, Published on Sep 7, 2015
Teshie youth lambast Pres. Mahama at Homowo Festival

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

On November 16, 2015, President Obama used the Black vernacular term "pop off" during his closing press conference on day two of the G20 Turkey Leaders Summit in Antalya, Turkey. This post provides a small sample of the reactions on Black Twitter, YouTube, and other online sites to President Obama's use of that term. This post also provides definitions of "pop off" as well as definitions of and comments about some related Black vernacular terms that are used in the featured comments.

The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, and etymological purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

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

****
WHAT "POP OFF" MEANS
Definitions from http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/pop+off pop off
1. Slang. to make an unnecessary remark; to interrupt with a remark; to sound off. Please don't pop off all the time. Bob keeps popping off when he should be listening.

2. Slang. to lose one's temper. Now, don't pop off. Keep your cool. I don't know why she popped off at me. All I did was say hello.

3. To speak thoughtlessly in a burst of released anger: The movie star popped off at the reporters who were hounding him.
-snip-
Additional definitions of/uses of "pop off" are found below.

"Pop off" is considered to be an African American Vernacular English term. References below to the Southside of Chicago (Illinois), also given as Chi-town, don't necessarily mean that the "pop off" term originated in that locality. But those references do mean that that term is most closely associated with the hood [Black poor and working class neighborhoods such as the Southside of Chicago.]

****
TWO EXAMPLES OF ONLINE ARTICLES ABOUT PRESIDENT OBAMA SAYING "POP OFF"
From http://www.eurweb.com/2015/11/obama-says-folks-wanna-pop-off-in-a-speech-and-it-goes-viral-watch/
Obama Says ‘Folks Wanna Pop Off’ in a Speech and it Goes Viral
Nov 16, 15 [2015] by EURPublisher01
"U.S President Barack Obama speaks to the media during his closing press conference on day two of the G20 Turkey Leaders Summit on November 16, 2015 in Antalya, Turkey.

*The South Side came out of President Barack Obama today while addressing critics that he says “pop off” with their opinions about U.S. policy regarding ISIS.

The moment happened during a news conference at the G20 Summit in Antalya, Turkey following two days of talks with world leaders. The president was visibly annoyed by repeated questions about whether he had underestimated the power of ISIS, particularly in the wake of Friday’s attacks in Paris.

GOP candidates Ben Carson, Jeb Bush and Donald Trump have been criticizing the Obama administration for either being too soft, or showing ignorance with its current policy. Carson said Obama’s decision to withdraw from Iraq led to the formation of ISIS, and that he has intel about its link with China that Obama’s administration was unable to find. Trump proclaimed that he would “bomb the s**t” out of ISIS, and Bush suggested that any U.S. assistance to refugees fleeing the Middle East should be primarily focused on Christians, another idea that rankled Obama.

“That’s shameful,” Obama declared. “That’s not American. That’s not who we are.”

Obama said most of his critics are simply “talking as if they’re tough” and offering no real ideas.

“Folks want to pop off and have opinions on what they think they would do, present a specific plan,” he said.”...
-snip-
This excerpt was reproduced as it was found on that site.

****
From http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/11/19/you-knew-it-was-coming-president-obamas-pop-off-dance-watch/ You Knew It Was Coming: President Obama’s ‘Pop Off’ Dance Nov 19, 2015
By EURweb.com
"You knew this was coming.

A video has surfaced on YouTube showing President Obama appearing to dance super hard to a music mix of him repeating “pop off,” spliced from his speech in Turkey earlier this week.

As previously reported, the president was referring to critics of his administration’s game plan in Syria when he said, ““Folks wanna pop off and have opinions on what they think they would do, present a specific plan.”

In the spoof video posted Wednesday, the audio was mixed by @JXCANNON. The video footage, edited by @ACThePlug, was taken in part from a previous video that appeared to show Obama in a victory dance during his “Osama Bin Laden Has Been Killed” speech."
-snip-
That video is given as Example #4 below.

****
YOUTUBE VIDEOS
Example #1: Obama: "If Folks Wanna Pop Off..."

B_O Memes Published on Nov 16, 2015

Follow us on Instagram/Twitter/Vine: @B_ObamaMemes. Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/BObamaMemes.
-snip-
Screen caption: "When you bring the hood side of yourself to the white house."
-snip-
After saying "Folks wanna pop off".... President Obama said "If they think that their advisors are somehow better than the chairmen of my joint chiefs of staff, the folks who are on the ground. I wanna meet them."
-snip-
Selected comments:
Aundra the Esthetician, November 17, 2015
"Prez said, "Bring ya 'A' game when you step to me and the crew". Kablooey."
-snip-
"step to me" = in this context means "challenge me"

**
A Daniel, November 17, 2015
"YEEEAH MAN! That's the man who I've been waiting to see!!"

**
Cole Norum, November 17, 2015
Reply
"+A Daniel Yessir. Don't really agree that it's all "hood," but I love it. I get so caught up with the presidential race that sometimes I just stop and realize we're really not gonna see a president like this for quite some time. I'll miss him, that's for sure."

**
A Daniel, November 17, 2015
Reply
"+Cole Norum Oh yes. I might like everything he does but I will miss this President"

**
symbiote, November 17, 2015
"Real Chitown of you Mr. President...Ha!"

**
Rodney Davis, November 18, 2015
Reply
"it came out! Lol"

**
Ortho Tech, November 19, 2015
"The President says, "Folks wanna pop off," and everyone cheers him on, but how many of you know the question that was asked leading up to him saying this, the content of the speech he gave, or what the speech was even about? How many of you even care?"

**
Deondre Davis, November 20, 2015
Reply
"Oh so you popping off now"

**
Ortho Tech, November 19, 2015
Reply
"+Deondre Davis LOL! I guess everyone has to pop off every now and then."

**
hicdee01, November 19, 2015
""Folks want to pop off...." he took it there. They better stop yapping their gums and present a specific plan."

****
Example #2: President Obama "Pop Off"

Speak Yo Peace TV, Published on Nov 16, 2015
President Obama "Pop Off" on his sneak dissers
-snip-
Screen caption: “When the President hear about the sneak dissing”.
The video follows with a clip of President Obama’s comment, then scenes of Black people dancing to Dem Franchize Boyz's 2008 Hip Hop song “Talkin Out The Side Of Your Neck”.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Sneak+Dissin&defid=5143854 defines "Sneak Dissin" as "someone who's talking trash behind someone elses back."
-snip-
"Takking trash" - talking bad [not good] about someone; dissin, insulting someone, spreading negative gossip about that person

"Talking out the side of your neck" (or talking out the side of your head") means to talk nonsense. Read the definition given in the selected comments below.
-snip-
Selected comments:
Kitami Woome, November 17, 2015
"Obama is a Brother, he diddy bops when he walks and spent years in the Chi so him saying pop off does not surprise me. Best President ever!"
-snip-
Brother= Black man;
diddy bops - - Walks (struts) with swag, walks in a cool (hip) way which many young Black men do.

**
Kathy Hardney, November 18, 2015
"Talkin' out the side of your neck Also known as having NO EARTHLY idea whatsoever of what you are saying because you are stupid."

****
Example #3: Obama Responds To Paris Attacks! "Folks Wanna Pop Off & Have Opinions, Present A Specific Plan"

CallMeSB, Published on Nov 16, 2015
-snip-
Selected comments:
Jasonee Foster, November 17, 2015
"folks want to pop off... ! Word POTUS"
-snip-
"Word" = in this context, "Word" is an interjection that means "You're right." It has the same meaning or similar meaning as "Amen" and "Right on!"

POTUS President of the United States

**
Richard Zippler, November 17, 2015
"I really like the side of Obama that we're seeing now that he's heading out of the presidency and doesn't have to eat congresses ass all the time."

**
Rayvyn007, November 19, 2015
Reply
"+Richard Zippler I LOVE that he said how some republicans "pop off" at the mouth like they know better than him. Now we have Ted Cruz selling wolf tickets talking about, "Come say it too my face." LOL What does he think will happen if Obama said it to his face? Would he take a poke at him? The Secret Service would beat the sh-t* out of Ted."
-snip-
*That word was fully spelled out in that comment.

"Wolf tickets" = talking big but not backing it up, similar to "talking trash"

**
Ladi Like, November 18, 2015
"obama keeping it real,,,,as usual."

**
iplaytheclarinet, November 19, 2015
"he looking at the audience like please try me."

**
Malik Tyler, November 21, 2015
"Obama for president again preach it Obama"

**
Rachel Stoutamire, November 21, 2015
"I bet folks in the audience were looking like "pop off? what does he mean by that????" LMAO"

**
CallMeSB, November 21, 2015
Reply
"takes time to understand what it means for them #"

****
Example #4: President Barack Obama's 'Pop Off' Comment Remix Video

@ACThePlug, Published on Nov 18, 2015

Remix track by @JXCANNON Video by @ACThePlug

****
BLACK TWEETS ABOUT PRESIDENT OBAMA'S "FOLKS WANNA POP OFF" COMMENT
From https://twitter.com/deray/status/666292575809105920?lang=en [all from November 16, 2015, These comments may not be in consecutive order.]
deray mckesson ‏@deray And Obama said, "If folks wanna pop off..."
[deray shows the video]

**
lanell~ ‏@crayton2004
"@deray my president is black [big smiley face icon] lol"

**
Pamela Goodner ‏@PamelaGoodner
"@deray Love my President! He was gangster today. They don't want none. If folks wanna pop off.... He tired of their madness!"

**
everett cox ‏@PhantomChaos
"@PamelaGoodner @deray Yes he's tired of all the first and second guessers in the media and the House and Senate. Put up or shut up he says."

**
Julie the Lacerator ‏@SamuraiKnitter
"@deray @Nettaaaaaaaa Haha, the body language. He is fed the hell up with these idiots."

**
Alllady247 ‏@Alllady247 Brooklyn, NY
"@deray Come with it or shut the hell up. Yes Mr. President"

**
Nia Young ‏@homewithnia
"@XLNB @deray that's that Chicago southside! Lol"

**
Glowop ‏@Onthalowkey
"@deray lol the hood never left"

**
✵It Me✵ ‏@xGooN187x
"Obama is straight G love that dude RT @deray And Obama said, "If folks wanna pop off...""

**
Edith Gaitho ‏@MonroeG5
"@deray @Kisco75 Ha, that's my POTUS!"

**
CJ ‏@TRIIIPLETHREAT1
"@deray @MichaelSkolnik he is struggling everyday to contain his inner blackness. His last few months are going to be classic."

**
Pamela Goodner ‏@PamelaGoodner
"@deray Love my President! He was gangster today. They don't want none. If folks wanna pop off.... He tired of their madness!"

**
everett cox ‏@PhantomChaos
"@PamelaGoodner @deray Yes he's tired of all the first and second guessers in the media and the House and Senate. Put up or shut up he says."

**
Mishi ‏@MouthyMishi
"@deray @Nettaaaaaaaa I love how real he is now that he doesn't have to campaign again."
-snip-
In Hip Hop (influenced) culture, calling someone a gangsta, and/or a straight G (a real gangsta) are compliments which means that the person is "hard" and down with real life in the hood. In those contexts, "gangsta" doesn't (necessarily) mean a person who is engaged in illegal activities.

****
AN ADDITIONAL YOUTUBE VIDEO SUMMARY
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Nub4vt_blY"
Obama - If Folks Wanna Pop Off" Darrion Marz Published on Nov 17, 2015
"During a press conference this morning, President Obama used the term “pop off” in reference to people making uninformed and patently ridiculous claims about what should be done with France and ISIS. And, unless I go outside today and witness a Sojourner Truth hologram double dutching with Marilyn Mosby, I’m very confident in declaring that the Black president dismissively referring to his haters the exact same way Loretha Lyon or Draymond Green or your barber or your best friend or you would have will be the Blackest thing that ever happened this week.
So Black, in fact, that instead of attempting to determine and assess exactly how Black it was, I’m more interested in how “folks wanna pop off” found its way into the President’s lexicon. Does he possess a reservoir of culturally relevant slang terms and colloquialisms that he employs when White people aren’t around?

We know he code switches — we see it with every seven-step handshake, and his rendition of Amazing Grace during Rev. Clementa Pinckney’s eulogy is a first-ballot entry in the Code Switch Hall of Fame — but he’s also a 54-year-old man who hoops in Sam’s Club Nikes and tucks his shirt into his sweatpants. (No. seriously. He does.) He is, and will always be, cool in a macro sense. But, in micro sense, he, again, is a 54-year-old man who hoops in Sam’s Club Nikes and tucks his shirt into his sweatpants. This is not what cool people do. Cool people do, however, reflexively use “pop off” to address haters. President Obama is a paradox."
-snip-
This summary was reformatted to enhance reading clarity.

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

An article entitled "Home Computer Access and Internet Use"http://www.childtrends.org/?indicators=home-computer-access indicates that "In 2011, almost six out of ten children ages three to 17 used the Internet at home (58 percent), nearly six times as many as in 1997 (11 percent). Eighty-three percent had a computer at home, up from 15 percent in 1984.

Home access to computers and the Internet has expanded dramatically over the last two decades, and the ways children, youth, and adults use these tools are in rapid flux, as new technologies are developed. For example, Internet-enabled devices now include not only computers, but televisions, electronic books, and other handheld devices such as music players and cell-phones. Increasingly, the lines are blurred between computers and many other types of electronic media.

Young people are most likely to use a computer for social networking, playing games, and watching videos"...

According to http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/dec/04/youtube-google-search-kids-open-thread"YouTube has a massive audience of children watching videos already, even if they’re not (in theory) allowed to sign up for an account."

Neither Facebook nor YouTube discussion threads aren't meant to be a safe space for children, But it may be more dangerous for children to write comments on YouTube discussion threads than it is for them to write comments on their family's and friends Facebook walls. Presumably, if and when children post on their parents' or their older siblings' Facebook pages, it is more likely that they are talking to people they know. I'm concerned that children may consider posting comments on YouTube music discussion threads to be a safe way of interacting with people who like the same music that they do. This may be particularly worrisome when those music videos are geared to adults and teens as well as to children. Take for example this Hip Hop dance style video:

@DJLILMAN973 - SUPA M. THEME ( Team Lilman Anthem 2 ) OFFICIAL VIDEO

DJ LILMAN, Published on Dec 30, 2014
-snip-
Unlike some other Hip Hop dance centered videos, there's no cursing in that song, and there are no sexually explicit references or violent content in the song or in the video. Three young girls are included among the dancers in this video, which might further suggest to children viewing the video that it is okay for them to post comments about the video and engage in conversations with others about the video and/or the song. That video's discussion thread contains some cursing and I'm concerned about children happening upon those comments. But I'm even more concerned about the possibility children being lured into dangerous situations by someone posting on that discussion thread. Lately I've noticed more instances of people on YouTube discussion threads posting their phone numbers. I've also found more instances of people engaging in chit chat with other commenters, which wouldn't be so bad if people like Subway's former spokesperson weren't out and about in the world preying on kids.

Here are some examples that I've culled from that Team Lilman Anthem 2 discussion thread - with the reminder that I don't have any problem with that particular song or video- It's the climate we live that I have a problem with.

Christian Jones, February 2015
"+Saleena Jackson you are hot by the way this Chris I'm 17"

****
keyyah hart, February 2015
"Lol i got it me nd my friend was doing this all day we dont know all of it but we know the beginning we still learning the end part to clappers remix"
**
Bestie Best friend, February 2015
Reply
"+keyyah hart if u want I can teach u the whole thing

**
keyyah hart, February 2015
Reply
"Yea sure +shakyrah taylor"

****
Nikia Brito, March 2015
"Come and get me I'm a dancer"

****
Nakeisha Glover, February 2015
"I love you lil man can you come meet me"

****
[comments given in consecutive order]
Parker Forbes, September 2015
"The girl in front of the song she died fire"

**
Latoya Byrd, September 2015
Reply
"+Parker Forbes you is a lie no she did not"

**
Parker Forbes, September 2015
Reply
"Can I see your profile"

**
Parker Forbes, September 2015
"Kayla bullock who are you"

**
Parker Forbes, September 2015
"Yooo"

**
Parker Forbes, September 2015
"Who wit it"

**

Tiffany Brewster, September 2015
"Bsjgkdhz Dr y TX h XT ehd"

**
Amber Rencher, October 2015
"I Love you friend and make sure you call love to dance studios."

**
Parker Forbes, October 2015
"+Amber Rencher what's your number"

**
Sonia Smith, October 2015
"+Amber Rencher"

**
Angel Crespi, November 2015
"dude y ur vids got a little bit views"

**
Parker Forbes, November 2015
"Ok"

****
[comments given in consecutive order]

January 2015
DJ LILMAN Shared on Google+
"@DJLILMAN973 - SUPA M. THEME ( Team Lilman Anthem 2 ) OFFICIAL VIDEO"

**
briana smalls
"my brother is in the that song"

**
Unique Whitley
"Yessss"

**
gianni Dixon
Reply
"Which one is ur brother"

**
Bestie Best friend
Reply
"+briana smalls who you're brother"

**
Bestie Best friend
"Who ya brother"

**
Bestie Best friend
"+briana smalls who ya brother"

**
Katrina Lee
"I have a crush on dj lol man."

**
Bestie Best friend
Reply
"+Katrina Lee are u for real"

**
Neveah Warren
"Who your brother"

**
Katrina Lee
"Shakyrah you are aunt Vanessa daughter"

**
Katrina Lee
"DJ Lil man I got his number give me your number so I can give it to you"

**
Neveah Warren
Reply
"No"

**
Neveah Warren
Reply
"No no no no"

**
Kesha Williams
Reply
"+Neveah Warren"

**
February 2015
Lakesha Smith
"hydeqwqwertgjm,./ []'ASDFGJKLAsdfghjkl;ASDFGHJKL;ASDFGHJKL \AZSDFGH BNMJKL;DFGHJMM,ASDFGHJK.AsdfgbnmAQSWDFGYCG76SDFTGORFGJL;LOIZS bsdfgdjklslaSDFGVBJNMYTGF,DSZ\ZASWDCFGVBNM76YTRE,WA\c vb8921eu98233i7828wqu22wqigwq8YQ7E2988I28U129QWYHAUUA9QY7Asdwew23y78ewuqahsuuaiw8udut6 NMNBDE6YJWYS2ERDRP342ORVY3EFUEGYDGEB3YCFBEWXHB ZHBX ZHNBZXJAsi SDFGHJKL;a|"}|''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''yu7qwe236y23qsdfGUJIREWQDCFVGBNJM}z'\'\''''Z"

**
Lakesha Smith
"+Lakesha Smith ke'muual qqqqqqqqqqqqqqwertyuiop=\aSDFGHJKLL; Asdfghjklll; [[]' |zxcvbnm,./"

**
Lakesha Smith
"+Lakesha Smith"

**
Bestie Best friend
"+Katrina Lee uhhhh yea are u Alasia's mom"

**
Bestie Best friend
"+Katrina Lee are u my cuzin"

**
Neveah Warren
Reply
"Who"

**
Bestie Best friend
Reply
"Not u"

**
Neveah Warren
Reply
"Oh"

**
Katrina Lee
"hey shakyrah this Noonie"

**
Bestie Best friend
Reply
"Hey Noonie"

**
Bestie Best friend
"+Katrina Lee wat up"

**
Layl L
"Can I join your team I'm awesome dancer just like your cool pretty daughter"

**
Wichie Picart
Reply
"Life is hard"

**
Layl L
"So"

**
syid afrika
Reply
"So what what you mean soooooo"

**
Ra'Naja Whiting
"+syid afrika"

**
FranDesan Santana
"+Ra'Naja Whiting"

**
April 2015
Zahir Hernandez
"DJ lil man"

**
Layl L
"So"

**
dasilkey1
"+butterflygirl lay"

**
May 2015
Lakale Saxton
"stop saying so little girl and you probley look like a dummy"

**
Gionna Thompson
"Gionna"

**
Sanaa Rogers
Reply
"+Lakale Saxton they are not a dummy dummy"

**
Layl L
Reply
"+Sanaa Rogers mind ur biz"

-end of comment examples-

Given the increase in internet use in homes, schools, and elsewhere in the community, it's probably a losing battle to try to keep children off of YouTube video music sites that appeal to their age group as well as to teens and adults.

YouTube has a prompt that people should report spam or abuse. But I don't think that YouTube is talking about the kind of abuse that worries me. My position is that adults need to monitor what their children and the children they are responsible for do online. Furthermore, we need to talk to children about the dangers of online social networking. Adults need to tell children that recording artists, dancers, and others who are in YouTube videos or say that they are in YouTube videos aren't their friends. Furthermore, children should be taught that people who post comments online aren't their friends. They shouldn't engage in chit chat with them and they should never share personal information with them. If children do post online comments, they should ignore people they don't know who try to engage them in conversation.

I'm interested in your comments and suggestions about this subject. How do we help children protect themselves online?

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre's production of "Revelations". Information about Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre and information about its production of "Revelations" are included in this post.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Alvin Ailey Dance Company and all of the composers, vocalists, and musicians who are featured in the production of "Revelations". Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATRE
From http://www.alvinailey.org/about
"Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater grew from a now-fabled performance in March 1958 at the 92nd Street Y in New York City. Led by Alvin Ailey and a group of young African-American modern dancers, that performance changed forever the perception of American dance. The Ailey company has gone on to perform for an estimated 25 million people at theaters in 48 states and 71 countries on six continents – and has reached millions more online and through television broadcasts.

In 2008, a U.S. Congressional resolution designated the Company as “a vital American cultural ambassador to the world” that celebrates the uniqueness of the African-American cultural experience and the preservation and enrichment of the American modern dance heritage. When Mr. Ailey began creating dances, he drew upon his "blood memories" of Texas, the blues, spirituals, and gospel as inspiration, which resulted in the creation of his most popular and critically acclaimed work, Revelations. Although he created 79 ballets over his lifetime, Mr. Ailey maintained that his company was not exclusively a repository for his own work. Today, the Company continues Mr. Ailey's mission by presenting important works of the past and commissioning new ones. In all, more than 235 works by over 90 choreographers have been part of the Ailey company’s repertory. Before his untimely death in 1989, Alvin Ailey named Judith Jamison as his successor, and over the next 21 years, she brought the Company to unprecedented success. Ms. Jamison, in turn, personally selected Robert Battle to succeed her in 2011, and The New York Times declared he “has injected the company with new life.”

****
INFORMATION ABOUT ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATRE'S "REVELATIONS"
From http://www.alvinailey.org/about/company/alvin-ailey-american-dance-theater/repertory/revelations
"About Revelations

Using African-American spirituals, song-sermons, gospel songs and holy blues, Alvin Ailey’s Revelations fervently explores the places of deepest grief and holiest joy in the soul.

More than just a popular dance work, it has become a cultural treasure, beloved by generations of fans. Seeing Revelations for the first time or the hundredth can be a transcendent experience, with audiences cheering, singing along and dancing in their seats from the opening notes of the plaintive “I Been ’Buked” to the rousing “Wade in the Water” and the triumphant finale, “Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham.”

Ailey said that one of America’s richest treasures was the African-American cultural heritage —“sometimes sorrowful, sometimes jubilant, but always hopeful.” This enduring classic is a tribute to that tradition, born out of the choreographer’s “blood memories” of his childhood in rural Texas and the Baptist Church. But since its premiere in 1960, the ballet has been performed continuously around the globe, transcending barriers of faith and nationality, and appealing to universal emotions, making it the most widely-seen modern dance work in the world...

All performances of Revelations are permanently endowed by a generous gift from Donald L. Jonas in celebration of the birthday of his wife Barbara and her deep commitment to Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

Music
PILGRIM OF SORROW
I Been 'Buked - Music arranged by Hall Johnson*
Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel - Music arranged by James Miller+
Fix Me, Jesus - Music arranged by Hall Johnson*

TAKE ME TO THE WATER
Processional/Honor, Honor - Music adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts
Wade in the Water - Music adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts
"Wade in the Water" sequence by Ella Jenkins / "A Man Went Down to the River" is an original composition by Ella Jenkins
I Wanna Be Ready - Music arranged by James Miller+

MOVE, MEMBERS, MOVE
Sinner Man - Music adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts
The Day is Past and Gone - Music arranged by Howard A. Roberts and Brother John Sellers
You May Run On - Music arranged by Howard A. Roberts and Brother John Sellers
Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham - Music adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts

* Used by arrangement with G. Schirmer, Inc., publisher and copyright owner.
+ Used by special arrangement with Galaxy Music Corporation, New York City.

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: Revelations - Alvin Ailey - Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

Rhys Connolly, Published on Jun 6, 2015

Using African-American spirituals, song-sermons, gospel songs and holy blues, Alvin Ailey’s Revelations fervently explores the places of deepest grief and holiest joy in the soul.

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Children's Song "Papa A Moco Jumbie" (information, video, & lyrics)

The REAL Meaning Of Albert King's Blues Song "Cold Feet"

Chubb Rock's "Just The Two Of Us" (HipHop video, lyrics, & comments)

"There Is No Failure In God" (Gospel song, lyrics, & comments)

Chicago's Chosen Few Picnics (House Music information & video examples)

Jessica Care Moore - "Black Statute of Liberty" (spoken word video & words)

"We Shall Overcome" (information, lyrics, videos)

Charma Gal - "Chika Dance" (Botswana video, song summary, comments)

South African University Students'"Fees Must Fall" Protest Movement (information, videos, & comments)

"I Will Make The Darkness Light" ("The High Places") examples & lyrics

Information & Videos About Central America's Garinagu (Garifuna) Culture & Garifuna Settlement Day (Yurumein)

Descriptions & Meanings Of The Garifuna Flag (with video examples)

Ska Children's Song "PIck It Up!" (with lyrics)

Pastor Charles Jenkins - My God Is Awesome (original & remix versions with lyrics)

Guinean Vocalist/Guitarist Sékouba "Bambino" Diabaté - "Sinontena" (videos & lyrics)

"God Put A Rainbow In The Sky" (examples & lyrics)

Ghanaian Harvest Festival "Homowo" (information & videos)

President Obama's "Folks Wanna Pop Off" Comment & Other Related African American Vernacular Terms

Children Posting On YouTube Discussion Threads- A Recipe For Danger

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater - "Revelations" (information, musical citations & complete video)