This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
Ho, ho, ho
Tonto, jump on it, jump on it, jump on it
Kemosabe, jump on it, jump on it, jump on it
Custer, jump on it, jump on it, jump on it
Apache, jump on it, jump on it, woo
A-hunga-hunga-a-hunga-hunga
I'm Big Bank, I am the chief
I got a lot of raps but I'll be brief
I never need a horse, I like to chill
So I drive up in my new Seville
My tribe went down in the hall of fame
'Cause I'm the one who shot Jesse James
Pound for pound, I will never break down
(Big Bank) no sir, I don't mess around
Woo
Ho
Woo
Tonto, jump on it, jump on it, jump on it
Kemosabe, jump on it, jump on it, jump on it
Custer, jump on it, jump on it, jump on it
Apache, jump on it, jump on it, woo
A-hunga-hunga-a-hunga-hunga
Like Kemosabe, of course it's me
I'm better known as the Master G
A firing squad, sensed the danger
When they're stung by the rapping ranger
Had a little talk with my medicine man
He said, "Get them squaws, fast as you can"
To all you girls, that want to join my tribe
Just move to my rhythm and feel my vibe
Put up a fuss, in the end you'll agree
When you come inside my teepee
As I said before, you could sense the danger
When you're stung by the rapping ranger
When Silver and I take a route
All you suckers better step aside
I sting squaws, then I run away
Hi-Yo Silver, is what I say
Ho, ho
Woo
Hit it gang
Ho, ho, ho
Tonto, jump on it, jump on it, jump on it
Kemosabe, jump on it, jump on it, jump on it
Custer, jump on it, jump on it, jump on it
Apache, jump on it, jump on it, woo
A-hunga-hunga-a-hunga-hunga
A pow-wow, just rock it out
Finger-poppin' to the break of dawn
Keep it rockin' like the stuff that we call maize
(What's that?) Hot buttered popcorn
You just hippa-hoppa-dippa-boppa bang the boogie
Woogie, betcha want to boogie again
And you can put me to the test at your request
I rock you out of your moccasin
Kemosabe got down, took off his mask
He kicked off his shoes and did the Monster Mash
Tonto came along, saw what was happenin'
His head began to bop and his foot start to clappin'
Go slam, dunk, do the jerk
And with the mic is how my smoke signals work
They were jammin' off a record that said it best
"Now what you hear is not a test"
Woo
A-hunga-hunga-a-hunga-hunga
A-hunga-hunga-a-hunga-hunga
Tonto, jump on it, jump on it, jump on it
Kemosabe, jump on it, jump on it, jump on it
Custer, jump on it, jump on it, jump on it
Apache, jump on it, jump on it, woo
Tonto, jump on it, jump on it, jump on it
Kemosabe, jump on it, jump on it, jump on it
Custer, jump on it, jump on it, jump on it
Apache, jump on it, jump on it, woo
A-hunga-hunga-a-hunga-hunga
I'm Big Bank, I am the chief
I got a lot of raps but I'll be brief
I never need a horse, I like to chill
So I drive up in my new Seville
My tribe went down in the hall of fame
'Cause I'm the one who shot Jesse James
Pound for pound, I will never break down
(Big Bank) no sir, I don't mess around
Woo
Ho
Woo
Tonto, jump on it, jump on it, jump on it
Kemosabe, jump on it, jump on it, jump on it
Custer, jump on it, jump on it, jump on it
Apache, jump on it, jump on it, woo
A-hunga-hunga-a-hunga-hunga
Like Kemosabe, of course it's me
I'm better known as the Master G
A firing squad, sensed the danger
When they're stung by the rapping ranger
Had a little talk with my medicine man
He said, "Get them squaws, fast as you can"
To all you girls, that want to join my tribe
Just move to my rhythm and feel my vibe
Put up a fuss, in the end you'll agree
When you come inside my teepee
As I said before, you could sense the danger
When you're stung by the rapping ranger
When Silver and I take a route
All you suckers better step aside
I sting squaws, then I run away
Hi-Yo Silver, is what I say
Ho, ho
Woo
Hit it gang
Ho, ho, ho
Tonto, jump on it, jump on it, jump on it
Kemosabe, jump on it, jump on it, jump on it
Custer, jump on it, jump on it, jump on it
Apache, jump on it, jump on it, woo
A-hunga-hunga-a-hunga-hunga
A pow-wow, just rock it out
Finger-poppin' to the break of dawn
Keep it rockin' like the stuff that we call maize
(What's that?) Hot buttered popcorn
You just hippa-hoppa-dippa-boppa bang the boogie
Woogie, betcha want to boogie again
And you can put me to the test at your request
I rock you out of your moccasin
Kemosabe got down, took off his mask
He kicked off his shoes and did the Monster Mash
Tonto came along, saw what was happenin'
His head began to bop and his foot start to clappin'
Go slam, dunk, do the jerk
And with the mic is how my smoke signals work
They were jammin' off a record that said it best
"Now what you hear is not a test"
Woo
A-hunga-hunga-a-hunga-hunga
A-hunga-hunga-a-hunga-hunga
Tonto, jump on it, jump on it, jump on it
Kemosabe, jump on it, jump on it, jump on it
Custer, jump on it, jump on it, jump on it
Apache, jump on it, jump on it, woo
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