SINK 'EM LOW
Gangs of male prisoners were once chained together and forced to build railroads, highways and other jobs that demanded back breaking labor. Captains or police officers stood guard over the men, and if anyone in the gang displayed fatigue, reckless-ness or laziness, he was quickly and harshly reprimanded or even physically punished.

Since the men were chained together, cooperation and teamwork were a necessity. As the prisoners hoisted their shovels up high and sunk them down into the dirt, they often sang or chanted rhythmically. This helped them establish a cohesive working rhythm, lifted many spirits, seemed to please the captains, and in general, eased their grueling tasks.

This particular "chain gang" piece was originally recorded by Alan Lomax in Federica, Georgia. Bessie Jones learned it when she was a little girl and also sung it in 1960.

UH MOE BAY YAY
This traditional West African chant represents the celebration of twins. The call and the response can be sung in different tempos-- fast and slow-- to signify the opposite characteristics often found in twins.

TRANSLATION:
"Happiness happiness rapidly comes; Joy joy rapidly comes.

SAMBA YEY YEY
This simple rhythmic chant from Brazil is also a dance performed during celebrations.

I'M GOIN' TO A HUKI LAU
While I was perfoming in Portland, Oregon libraries, two librarians from Gresham (Jill Adams and Martha Shepard) taught me this chant that they both learned at different Catholic schools in 1963 and 1965.

FAN FEEDBACK: I met two people from Kamuela, Hawaii in September 2001 (after CHANTS was recorded) and they told me that they had learned the Huki Lau chant as children. When I told them that my sources were "sketchy" they told me that the words should read: "Where the laulau is the kaukau at the luau."

DE MOLEN (THE MILL)
My good friends from the Nederlands, Wouter Molendijk and Ella Wysman. taught me this chant. It is at least three generations (200 years) old.

MAMBA MAMBA JOLIE MAMBA!
TRANSLATION: "Pretty Mother." Creole is a language spoken in Lousiana by decendents of early French and Spanish settlers.

JE JE KULE
This is a typical "call-and-response" chant from West Africa, in which there is a leader (or, in this case, 4-5 leaders), who call out a phrase to others who respond using the same tones and rhythm as the leader. There are numerous variations to this chant both in notation and in sp elling. An accurate English translation for it is not known, although it has been said to mean:

"If you are on a boat out in the ocean, come back soon!
Rain is coming."

(JAY JAY KOO-LAY) - phoenetic pronunciation

Another whole OTHER variation "Kye Kye Kule" c an be found on Hug the Earth by the Washington state based performers, Tickle Toon Typhoon)! Try making up your own version.

"Kye Kye Kole" also appears, complete with instructions on the album cover, on a recording by Mona Lowe, entitled Singing Games from Ghana. The leader in the center of the circle puts hands on head and sings:

Kye kye ko-le. (Group repeats).

Leader puts hands on shoulders and sings:
Kye kye ko-fi-sa. (Group repeats)

Leader puts hands on waist and sings:
Ko-fi-sa-lan-ga. (Group repeats)

Leader puts hands on knees and sings:
Ko ko shi langa (Group repeats)

Leader puts hands on ankles and sings:
Kum-ma-dye-day. (Group repeats)

In most versions, there is an exclamatory "Hey!" at the end.

HILL AN GULLY RIDAH
This traditional chant from Jamaica is in an English dialect, often referred to as "pigeon English." A rider is going up hills and down into gullies, and singing to her horse, or burro, which in this case is called "Bessy."

TRANSLATION:
Hill and gully rider! (Hill and gully)
And I've been down low down, hill and gully
And a low down Bessie down, hill and gully
And you'd (the mule/donkey) better mind or tumble down, hill and gully.

EKAMODA (EH-KUH MOH-DAH)
Unfortunately, after many hours and days of searching, I was unable to find an original source for this Comanche, Otoe hand game chant and was therefore also unable to confirm the manner in which the game is played. Bonnie Lockhart first discovered it in a Kodaly workshop ten years or more ago, where the words and information had been photocopied from a book of Native American songs collected, edited, and copyrighted by Louis Ballard. Apparently, Ballard adapted it from its traditional activity, which was a gambling game played by adults.

Kindly forgive any perceived infringment of copyright, for I take no credit for this piece, and present it here for one purpose: to educate others who might use it and treasure it for its historical value.

KOEKOEK (CUCKOO)
Once again, my good friends from the Nederlands, Wouter and Ella taught me this very old chant, traditionally sung at the end of the day as a lullaby.

TRANSLATION:
The owl was sitting in the elms
At the falling of the sunset
And behind the hills beyond
The cuckoo replies softly "Cuckoo, cuckoo cuckoo cuckcoo cuckoo!"

ABIYOYO
This is a traditional African chant around which many stories have been created.

Abiyoyo is purported to be a scary monster that will come and carry away children who misbehave. I find it fascinating that it was also written as a lullaby to encourage sleep!