Iko Iko
(a.k.a. "Jock-A-Mo")
Words & Music:
James "Sugar Boy" Crawford
Per Wikipeia (an excellent read!), this song was written
in New Orleans in 1953 and tells the tale of a parade collision between two
groups of "Mardi Gras Indians".
It is much-covered and so familiar that most people think it is a
traditional folk song. It's nice
to know the actual origins. This
call & response tune is a great one for making up one's own verses.
D
A
My grandma and your grandma were sittin' by the fire.
A
D
My grandma told your grandma, "I'm gonna set your flag
on fire."
CHORUS:
D
Talkin' 'bout hey now, hey now! Hey now, hey now!
D A
Iko, iko unday.
A
Jockamo feeno ai nanŽ.
A
D
Jockamo fee nanŽ.
Look at my king all dressed in red. Iko, iko, unday.
I betcha five dollars he'll kill you dead. Jockamo fee nanŽ.
CHORUS:
My flag boy and your flag boy were sittin' by the fire.
My flag boy told your flag boy, "I'm gonna set your flag
on fire."
CHORUS:
See that guy all dressed in green. Iko, iko, unday.
He's not a man, he's a lovin' machine. Jockamo fee nanŽ.
CHORUS:
The provenance of the
attached easy arrangement
is unknown (although it is probably a composition exercise I did with kids).
It is part of a
collection that people gave me over the years. Please inform me if correctly attribute it.