OK! Well to begin with this version of Iko Iko is as far as I know the first live recorded version and is just a small part of the whole song that has 16 verses of different colours and 16 verses of self position (My &, Me&). Most people also don't understand most of the lyrics because the song is a VERY old traditional Mardi Gras song from a time in history when America had slavery in the south and because the lyrics are in 4 very different languages all blended together. The 4 different languages are also of 2 different types, The European originated languages of English and French are what are known as "hard" languages as in one word or phrase has one or two very specific translatable meaning (Word = Word) and the 2 Native American languages of Cree and Yanktonia are "soft" languages (a term has many meaning that are contextual and interpersonal) With that premise in place I shall try to explain some of the terms into English as best I can from the terms that so many just don't understand at all.
"Iko Iko" is typically yelled with higher emphasis on the second Iko, and roughly means " Pay Attention, PAY ATTENTION!" It expresses the importance of the message given from the speaker much like firmly striking a gavel in court.
Now here is another that is mostly thought to be just a single phrase that is actually 4 different phrases with slight different intonations and what might be verbiages that I will try to use very English spellings to attempt to convey.
"Jock-a-moe" in the song actually uses all 4 terms as contextual to the colour verse it is used in.
"Jock-a-moe" basically would translate to "Your mind knows what your mind knows"
"Jack-a-moe" basically would translate to "Your mind knows what your mind doesn't know"
"Chuck-a-moe" basically would translate to "Your mind doesn't know what your mind does know"
"Chock-a-moe" basically would translate to "Your mind doesn't know what your mind doesn't know"
If you feel confused about this set of terms then I suggest you try to learn about the 4 positions of meta cognition.
Also the "fee na-ne" is in 6 different spoken terms of which I think I could really only explain a few into any English understanding. And again I'll try to use some simulance of Emglish spelling to try to represent the intonation of the spoken term.
"Fee Na-Ne" would be to express the attitude of turning to walk away saying "Whatever dude, I can dance off without caring about your attitude"
"Finah Nay" would express turning away and saying "Talk to the hand cos my head can't even hear this crap from stupid you!"
"Finn A Hay" would express turning away and saying "Whatever you have to say will have absolutely no matter to my people because we have no respect for you or your people!"
So basically the term so often used in the song is a flip, turn, and disregard of someone or something or some idea.
As I said as I started, this version of "Iko Iko" is just a small portion of the whole song and if anyone wants a few of the verses not in this version then ask me in the reply's and I will offer some of them. I'm pretty sure I remember most all of them, but you'd have to still get the Native American terms to really understand several and most are from the slaves perspective or the Creole or Cajun perspective as also often looked at as "less than privileged WHITE!
You might even ask for your favorite colour verse!
Scotty
@scottyboyd wow that's very impressive. Thanks for the trouble. Would love to know the rest, if you could. I've been listening to this song for AGES and never bothered to try finding out the proper lyrics and meaning. ????????
@scottyboyd wow that's very impressive. Thanks for the trouble. Would love to know the rest, if you could. I've been listening to this song for AGES and never bothered to try finding out the proper lyrics and meaning. ????????
OK! Well to begin with this version of Iko Iko is as far as I know the first live recorded version and is just a small part of the whole song that has 16 verses of different colours and 16 verses of self position (My &, Me&). Most people also don't understand most of the lyrics because the song is a VERY old traditional Mardi Gras song from a time in history when America had slavery in the south and because the lyrics are in 4 very different languages all blended together. The 4 different languages are also of 2 different types, The European originated languages of English and French are what are known as "hard" languages as in one word or phrase has one or two very specific translatable meaning (Word = Word) and the 2 Native American languages of Cree and Yanktonia are "soft" languages (a term has many meaning that are contextual and interpersonal) With that premise in place I shall try to explain some of the terms into English as best I can from the terms that so many just don't understand at all. "Iko Iko" is typically yelled with higher emphasis on the second Iko, and roughly means " Pay Attention, PAY ATTENTION!" It expresses the importance of the message given from the speaker much like firmly striking a gavel in court. Now here is another that is mostly thought to be just a single phrase that is actually 4 different phrases with slight different intonations and what might be verbiages that I will try to use very English spellings to attempt to convey. "Jock-a-moe" in the song actually uses all 4 terms as contextual to the colour verse it is used in. "Jock-a-moe" basically would translate to "Your mind knows what your mind knows" "Jack-a-moe" basically would translate to "Your mind knows what your mind doesn't know" "Chuck-a-moe" basically would translate to "Your mind doesn't know what your mind does know" "Chock-a-moe" basically would translate to "Your mind doesn't know what your mind doesn't know" If you feel confused about this set of terms then I suggest you try to learn about the 4 positions of meta cognition. Also the "fee na-ne" is in 6 different spoken terms of which I think I could really only explain a few into any English understanding. And again I'll try to use some simulance of Emglish spelling to try to represent the intonation of the spoken term. "Fee Na-Ne" would be to express the attitude of turning to walk away saying "Whatever dude, I can dance off without caring about your attitude" "Finah Nay" would express turning away and saying "Talk to the hand cos my head can't even hear this crap from stupid you!" "Finn A Hay" would express turning away and saying "Whatever you have to say will have absolutely no matter to my people because we have no respect for you or your people!" So basically the term so often used in the song is a flip, turn, and disregard of someone or something or some idea. As I said as I started, this version of "Iko Iko" is just a small portion of the whole song and if anyone wants a few of the verses not in this version then ask me in the reply's and I will offer some of them. I'm pretty sure I remember most all of them, but you'd have to still get the Native American terms to really understand several and most are from the slaves perspective or the Creole or Cajun perspective as also often looked at as "less than privileged WHITE!
You might even ask for your favorite colour verse! Scotty
@scottyboyd wow that's very impressive. Thanks for the trouble. Would love to know the rest, if you could. I've been listening to this song for AGES and never bothered to try finding out the proper lyrics and meaning. ????????
@scottyboyd wow that's very impressive. Thanks for the trouble. Would love to know the rest, if you could. I've been listening to this song for AGES and never bothered to try finding out the proper lyrics and meaning. ????????