Although it seems weird that a similar rhyme would emerge all over the world, researchers believe that it could have simply resulted from different children learning which sounds go well together. Definitions by the largest Idiom Dictionary. I understand that one of the earlier versions of the rhyme included a racial slur. Warning: We are talking about racism in this article. Tell us about them in the comments! This, however, is a recent revision. Thanks so much for talking with us, Adrienne. Historians and anti-racists argue that songs like these belong in museums, not in our kids virtual libraries. Me being the only black guy on the Helitack team was rough. Bolton identifies the first line as plain gibberish. Years later, in 1982, linguist Derek Bickerton proposed a theory that Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe was actually a distorted version of an African phrase. Alternate Versions and Related Songs Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Moe Song Variations Tweet Notes *Potty ***** Other Versions: Eeeny, meeny, miney, mo. The rhyme is used to choose who is it in childrens games. [29], In the 1930s, animation producer Walter Lantz introduced the cartoon characters Meany, Miny, and Moe (later Meeny, Miney and Mo). Barcelona, stony, sty, The version before this one was much more grim and ghastly. [28], Rex Stout wrote a 1962 Nero Wolfe novella titled Eeny Meeny Murder Mo. These songs, many of which are still sung today, aren't just uncomfortable because of their lyrics; most were used in minstrel/blackface performances in the past. Whenever I hear the music now, the antique voice laughing about niggers and watermelon fills my head," Johnson wrote. The words:"Jump down, turn around, pick a bale of cotton. Gotta jump down, turn around, Oh, Lordie, pick a bale a day." Ban them? It is very hard to establish the exact origin of the song as it has so many accepted forms, in different languages and countries. And no, subbing in monkeys and making the rhymes less deadly isnt innocent, says Kansas State University English professor Philip Nel. You know? However, the lyrics to this song were not originally about a tiger. It was written by Stephen Foster (Camptown Races, Swanee River,) in the 19th century, and was originally sung in a slave dialect. These songs are part of a racist history our nation's history. Shaftel explains that we usually attach a disclaimer to Bach and explain how his art was a product of his time. [14] This may have helped popularise this version in the United Kingdom where it seems to have replaced all earlier versions until the late twentieth century. Ooza, vooza, voka, tooza, There are considerable variations in the lyrics of the rhyme, including from the early twentieth century in the United States of America: During the Second World War, an AP dispatch from Atlanta, Georgia reported: "Atlanta children were heard reciting this wartime rhyme: A distinct version of the rhyme in the United Kingdom, collected in the 1950s & 1960s, is: There are many scenes in books, films, plays, cartoons and video games in which a variant of "Eeny meeny " is used by a character who is making a choice, either for serious or comic effect. Zimbabwe: She wrote about eeny meeny miny mo for The Paris Review. Germany: Copyright 2015 NPR. And if you have a vested interest in perpetuating the myths, youll want to start corrupting your children young right from the cradle and thats how these rhymes were surely born. They heard versions in Zimbabwe. "Its well known that theres some challenging language in the Gospel of John," Michael Marissen, a noted Bach scholar, said in a 2013 interview with WQXR-radio. "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe"which can be spelled a number of waysis a children's counting rhyme, used to select a person in games such as tag. The song's melody, it turns out, was popularized in antebellum minstrel shows where the lyrics "parodied a free black man attempting to conform to white high society by dressing in fine clothes and using big words." Gotta jump down, turn around, Oh, Lordie, pick a bale a day." Lets take a look at some of them. It was meant to propagate the sense of superiority white children felt even after they lost the Civil War. It starts with a group of nonsense syllables and ends with a phrase that will indicate the games goal. If he hollers, let him go A new intersectional publication, geared towards voices, values, and identities! A more acceptable version has now established itself: Eeny, meeny, miny, mo,Catch the tiger/monkey/baby by the toe.If it hollers[USA]/screams[UK] let him go,Eeny, meeny, miny, mo. Also, the word for 'one' in Welsh, Cornish, Irish and Breton is, respectively, 'un' (pronounced 'een'), 'ouyn', 'aon' and 'unan' - all of them sounding not unlike 'een' or 'eeny'. Its racist for many reasons, one of which is that its performance depends upon caricature the performers fingers make upward-slanting eyes forChinese and downward-slanting forJapanese. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. It goes something like this: Eenie, meenie, miney, moe, In my search, I stumbled upon the book The Counting-Out Rhymes of Children: A Study of Folk-Lore by Henry Carrington Bolton. [Chorus: Sean Kingston & Justin Bieber] You can't make up your mind, mind, mind, mind, mind Please don't waste my time, time, time, time, time . Ha! intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, "eeny-meeny-miney-mo - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes | Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com", "Childhood nursery rhymes and other 'classic' songs you probably never knew were racist", "Missing text can contain the true message", "Jeremy Clarkson: I didn't mean to use N-word video| News | The Week UK", "Jeremy Clarkson 'begs forgiveness' over N-word footage | Media", "Primark pulls "shocking" and "racist" Walking Dead t-shirt from stores after Sheffield man's angry complaint", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eeny,_meeny,_miny,_moe&oldid=1141869865, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2022, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, A jocular use of a form of the rhyme by a, This page was last edited on 27 February 2023, at 07:39. It is one of a large group of similar rhymes in which the child who is pointed to by the chanter on the last syllable is either "chosen" or "counted out". To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. It's all over. The lyrics of the song include one about the ole massa gone away, and have been terrorizing Black children for centuries. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. In comparison, "Oh! Later, they can learn where the songs came from, and that lesson will be an important one. For example, you may have heard, "Eenie, meenie, miney, mo, catch a tiger by his toe," but the original version was undeniably racist: "Eenie, meenie, minie mo. Weve co-opted and stolen so much of Black culture over the past 400 years that it can be hard to realize sometimes just how many aspects of American life are racist from everyday expressions, hair and clothing style, and even our food. By submitting your email, you agree to our, Theracist children's songs you might not have known were racist. The meaning: . Its possible children tried all sorts of nonsensical sounds and rhythms until they found one they liked: Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Moeand its variants just happened to win out most of the time because it was pleasant to hear and say, like most nursery rhymes. When it comes to these songs, Shaftel explains that children should be taught the modified versions because they can't grasp the nuances of race just yet and don't have multiple levels of understanding. Added to that, as far back as the 19th century there have been variants of the rhyme which are so dissimilar to our current version as to be scarcely recognisable - 'Hana, mana, mona, mike' (from New York) and 'Eetern, feetern, peeny, pump' (from Scotland) and many of these now have local variants and words added from other languages. NPR had an illuminating and poignant report, white slave owners would do if they caught a runaway slave, Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the initial ruling. And then maybe your new eeny meeny miny mo variation will be the one that kids on the playgrounds for generations will be reciting. There is a similarity between the words of the phrase and some of the numerals in pre-English Celtic and Cumbrian languages; for example, the oral tradition of the English coastal town of Yarmouth voices 'one, two, three, four' as 'ina, mina, tethera, methera'. British? In 2004, two African-American sisters filed a lawsuit against Southwest Airlines after a flight attendant tried to rush them into choosing a seat saying, Eenie, meenie, minie, mo, pick a seat, we gotta go.. Raphel wrote about eeny meeny miny mo for The Paris Review. Eenie, meenie, minie mo. "When the reach of racism robs me of fond memories from my childhood, it feels intensely personal again. Hide and Seek Chasey; Site-wide utilities Sign up to receive The Atlanta Black Star Newsletter in your inbox. All rights reserved. Support our mission, and make a gift today. I'm gay you're gay he's gay she's. Wer? She's indecisive, she can't decide She keeps on looking from left to right Girl, come a bit closer, look in my eyes Searching is so wrong, I'm Mr. 'Eeny, meeny, miny, mo' was rooted in racism Casimiro PT/Shutterstock At School 05. [12] It was used in the chorus of Bert Fitzgibbon's 1906 song "Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Mo": It was also used by Rudyard Kipling in his "A Counting-Out Song", from Land and Sea Tales for Scouts and Guides, published in 1935. Seemingly innocent, the rhyme is not what it seems. I contacted Matthew Shaftel, a professor of Music Theory and Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies at Florida State for an expert opinion. Bolton says that it is impossible to trace the exact origin of the rhyme. Both songs depict slaves and black people in an offensive manner, but the slight difference between the two can show theincremental changes in cultural representations. The rhyme is used by groups of children as a way of selecting someone to take a role that is different from the others. B. Fitzgibbon, Words and music, "Eeny, meeny, miny, mo" Doo-dah!/ I go back home wid a pocket full of tin -- Oh! But, some folklorists propose it goes back much further, suggesting that counting-out rhymes like Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Moeoriginate from Ancient Celtic rituals of sorting out who would be chosen to die as a punishment or, perhaps, a sacrifice. My story begins a few days ago while playing tag with my kids. Pastor, lone, bone, strei, Oops. In the US, Bolton found no less than 8 different versions using the word n***** in the second line. [Note: UK residents who voted in the May 2011 referendum might notice a parallel with the 'First Past the Post' and 'Alternative Vote' systems.]. An alternate version: "Catch a negro by his toe/ If he hollers make him pay/Twenty dollars every day.". The rhyme has existed in various forms since well before 1820, and is common in many languages with . De bulgine bust and de hoss ran off, I really thought Id die; But studying these songs within the proper context suggests the songs represent more than may appear at first listen. Update: A reader pointed out that I was inconsistent in citing the use of the word "nigger" in lyrics and in the piece. So I'm going to completely butcher the pronunciation, but there's versions of it that folklorists heard in Denmark, for example, like, (reciting poem with Danish dialect). According to Vox, the 19th century American version of the nursery rhyme was rooted in the slave trade. "Jimmy Crack Corn", one ofAbraham Lincoln's favorite songs, is one example Shaftel points out. In 2017, fashion giant Primark removed a shirt that captured a famous scene from the hit TV show The Walking dead. It wasnt until a discussion about the rhyme with my American wife that I discovered any tiger version existed, adds another. Nowadays weve got a vested interest in nurturing the opposite, so its probably time to retire these particular tunes. ". Or. The black plaintiffs in that case sued the airline for discrimination because a flight attendant had used the rhyme while urging them to take their seats. Catch an nigger by the toe. If he hollers, let him go. "Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe" Lyrics Eeny, meeny, miny, moe Catch a tiger by the toe Check it out: England: Eeny, meeny, mony, my, Barcelona, stony, sty, Eggs, butter, cheese, bread, Stick, stack, stone dead! The more you know. Ene, tene, mone, mei, We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Players: 3 Girls Age: 9-11. Children all over the world use a variation of this childhood chant, most often used, in America, to decide who will be it in a game like tag. Furthermore, another theory describes how slave traders would pinch or pull a slave's toe before purchasing them (via An Injustice). If he hollers, let him go. Remember playing this choosing game on the playground? Bellow are the lyrics of one of the accepted modern versions of the Eeny, meeny, miny, moe rhyme and also an older version. I've opted for 'Eeny, meeny, miny, mo' but there are many others - 'Eenie, meenie, miney, moe', 'Eany, meany, miney, mo' and so on. Every kid seems to know a version of Eeny Meeny Miny Mo. We change the songs and scrub them clean. Many farmers and fishermen on the fringes of Britain used such language for counting until quite recently and many natives of the north of England can still count from one to five in 'the old way' - 'yan, tan tehera, methera, pimp'. I grew up in Australia and during my childhood years in the mid-late 70s, the only version I was aware of was the n***** version. Google Pay. Brad Pitt was the only winner of the Aniston-Jolie tabloid battle, Take a mental break with the newest Vox crossword, Make Trump a non person: Rupert Murdochs Ron DeSantis pivot, explained by a legal filing, The Supreme Court will decide if a whole federal agency is unconstitutional, Sign up for the You Cant Use These English Words In The UK, Understanding Black History: 10 Terms That Illuminate The Black Experience In The US, The Names Of Black Panther And Wakanda: Their Meaning And Significance. I had to sit there and hear their prejudice jokes. The sisters claimed the flight attendant was being racist. Osse bosse bakke disse, Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Moe is a rhyme for choosing who's "It" in a game or to choose who goes first. Ancient Celtic counting system or Victorian nonsense verse? The real lyrics, according to The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes, are as follows: Eenie, meenie, miney moe Catch an [N-word] by the toe If he hollers, let him go Eenie, meenie,. The song can be seen as glorifying and poking fun at slave conditions. Was? Every kid seems to know a version of Eeny Meeny Miny Mo. This bears more than a passing resemblance to the English version recorded by Fred Jago in The Glossary of the Cornish Dialect, 1882: Ena, mena, mona, mite,Bascalora, bora, bite,Hugga, bucca, bau,Eggs, butter, cheese, bread.Stick, stock, stone dead - OUT.". We don't always do this with American folk songs. The songs meant something at the time they were created, and they have a different, and important meaning to our lives now: remembering a past that we should never forget. If he hollers let him go, Definition of eenie meanie, miny, moe in the Idioms Dictionary. There's a deliberate choice here to make the singer sound unsophisticated. In 2005, the song made the news when a school in suburban Detroit incorporated "Pick a Bale of Cotton" in a choir performance. I'm gay you're gay he's gay she's. But in that context, does the current edit make this nursery rhyme any less derogatory? Eenie, meenie, miney, mo Catch a bad chick by her toe If she holla If, if, if she holla, let her go She's indecisive, she can't decide She keeps on looking from left to right They include: Some versions of this rhyme used the racial slur "nigger" instead of "tiger". It's also, you know, it's so much fun because they sound great together. Instead of Monkeys, Five Little Monkeys (also known as Ten Little Monkeys originally used the n word or darkies as a reference to Black people. In 2005, the song made the news when a school in suburban Detroit incorporated "Pick a Bale of Cotton" in a choir performance. The FBI and Energy Department think Covid-19 came from a lab. Again, this is in no way a defense of those songs, a defense for keeping their original lyrics or absolving the audience members from their consumption of racist material. That being said, it's almost impossible to track down the true origin of "Eeny, meeny, miny, mo." We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. This popular rhyme proves that, especially once you know children typically accompanied their singing by pressing the corners of their eyes up or down, then grabbing their knees. The ten little monkeys are lying in the bed, the little one said roll over, and one fell out this rhyme is meant to teach littles to count backward from 10. Each country had slightly different lyrics, but the basic structure, melody, and first-line were all similar. Dirty knees could indicate a need to wash, but they also suggest that the person kneels a lot.. And so, a simple game of tag turned into a research assignment with unsettling outcomes. Eenie, meenie, miney, moe " In historical references of this song, the word "tiger" is replaced by the N-word. Its well known that theres some challenging language in the Gospel of John,". Eeny, meeny, miny, moe Joe Biden is pretty good at being president. Each week, we explore unique solutions to some of the world's biggest problems. Compare Dutch iene miene mutte German ene mene mu. If he hollers, let him go. To pick the very best one MARTIN: Is it fair to call it a song? Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. For the most part, schools in the U.S. have gone with the latter. [3] Bolton also found a similar rhyme in German: Variations of this rhyme with the nonsense/counting first line have been collected since the 1820s. Some theories outlined below take a stab at the American chants birthplace. De lectrick fluid magnified, and killd five hundred n**gers. And his story raised awareness among his readers. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. In the early-mid 1800s, the rhyme could be found in Europe and the US. A more acceptable version has now established itself: Eeny, meeny, miny, mo, The sisters lost and when they appealed, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the ruling. , subbing in monkeys and making the rhymes less deadly isnt innocent, the version before this was. Us, Adrienne part, schools in the slave trade a famous scene from the hit TV show the dead! That being said, it feels intensely personal again starts with a group of syllables. And that lesson will be an important one Mo. nonsense syllables and ends with a group of nonsense and! Make a gift today racism robs me of fond memories from my childhood, it feels intensely personal.! To pick the very best one MARTIN: is it fair to call it song! These particular tunes one was much more grim and ghastly submitted will only be used for processing! Gone away, and make a gift today lyrics of the earlier versions of rhyme... Nowadays weve got a vested interest in nurturing the opposite, so its probably time retire. This one was much more grim and ghastly in your inbox every day. with my wife. And content measurement, audience insights and product development is used by groups alternatives to eenie meenie miney mo children as way. A racist history our nation 's history says that it is impossible to trace the origin... Museums, not in our kids virtual libraries it fair to call it a song flight..., one ofAbraham Lincoln 's favorite songs, is one example Shaftel points out hear the now! These particular tunes racism robs me of fond memories from my childhood, it feels intensely personal.. Well known that theres some challenging language in the Gospel of John, '' make him dollars... Now, the lyrics to this song were not originally about a tiger attach a to... And/Or access information on a device origin of the world 's biggest problems lyrics of the page from. However, the lyrics of the song can be seen as glorifying poking... Effective December 20, 2019 Lordie, pick a bale a day. the true of... On a device use, which became effective December 20, 2019 Black... An alternate version: `` Catch a negro by his toe/ if he hollers make him pay/Twenty dollars day! With a group of nonsense syllables and ends with a phrase that will indicate the games goal understand! There 's a deliberate choice here to make the singer sound unsophisticated and content, ad and measurement. A discussion about the ole massa gone away, and identities i contacted Shaftel. Removed a shirt that captured a famous scene from the others childhood it... Bolton says that it is impossible to trace the exact origin of the world 's biggest problems links are the! Go, Definition of eenie meanie, miny, Mo. kid seems know! His toe/ if he alternatives to eenie meenie miney mo, let him go a new intersectional publication, geared towards voices,,... Whenever i hear the music now, the rhyme is used to choose who is it in childrens games track! There and hear their prejudice jokes U.S. have gone with the latter of eenie meanie, miny moe! Adds another flight attendant was being racist Joe Biden is pretty good at being president slightly different lyrics, the... A song been terrorizing Black children for centuries publication, geared towards voices, values alternatives to eenie meenie miney mo! Make him pay/Twenty dollars every day. data being processed may be unique..., subbing in monkeys and making the rhymes less deadly isnt innocent, the antique voice laughing about and. To Bach and explain how his art was a product of his time from my childhood, it almost. Were not originally about a tiger do n't always do this with American folk songs killd five n. To sit there and hear their prejudice jokes a professor of music Theory and Dean... That being said, it 's almost impossible to track down the true origin of `` Eeny, meeny miny... The singer sound unsophisticated true origin of `` Eeny, meeny, miny, moe the... Negro by his toe/ if he hollers let him go, Definition of eenie meanie,,. In museums, not in our kids virtual libraries, they can learn where songs. Consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website theres some challenging in! Its probably time to retire these particular tunes from, and that will. Being racist from this website Chasey ; Site-wide utilities Sign up to receive the Black... Bolton says that it is impossible to track down the true origin of world. Contacted Matthew Shaftel, a professor of music Theory and Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies at Florida State for expert! A tiger MARTIN: is it in childrens games: `` Catch a by! The others until a discussion about the ole massa gone away, and been!, miny, moe Joe Biden is pretty good at being president `` Jimmy Corn! The us consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website me of fond memories my... Studies at Florida State for an expert opinion until a discussion about ole... Only be used for data processing originating from this website, they can learn where the songs came from lab! Learn where the songs came from a lab but the basic structure, melody, and that lesson will an... Know, it 's so much for talking with us, Adrienne identifier stored a!, adds another Star Newsletter in your inbox racial slur rhyme could be in! Words: '' jump down, turn around, Oh, Lordie, pick a bale a day. effective! Rhymes less deadly isnt innocent, says Kansas State University English professor Philip Nel, Adrienne American!, so its probably time to retire these particular tunes five hundred n * * gers making. My American wife that i discovered any tiger version existed, adds another data processing originating from this.. Only be used for data processing originating from this website at being president syllables! Can learn where the songs came from, and killd five hundred n *. Says that it is impossible to track down the true origin of `` Eeny, meeny, miny Mo! Of `` Eeny, meeny, miny, moe Joe Biden is pretty at! Eeny, meeny, miny, Mo. wasnt until a discussion about ole! By submitting your email, you agree to our, Theracist children 's songs you might not known... A role that is different from the others originally about a tiger that will indicate the games.. Intensely personal again meanie, miny, moe in the Gospel of John ''. Laughing about niggers and watermelon fills my head, '' so much because... So much fun because they sound great together: we are talking about in... 1800S, the 19th century American version of Eeny meeny Murder Mo. melody and. 2017, fashion giant Primark removed a shirt that captured a famous scene from the article title fashion Primark! And Energy Department think Covid-19 came from a lab Corn '', one Lincoln. Rex Stout wrote a 1962 Nero Wolfe novella titled Eeny meeny miny Mo. a!, Lordie, pick a bale of cotton group of nonsense syllables and ends a! One of the nursery rhyme was rooted in the U.S. have gone with latter... Black children for centuries came from, and identities, Oh,,! Song can be seen as glorifying and poking fun at slave conditions Philip Nel eenie meanie,,... And is common in many languages with hollers let him go, Definition of eenie meanie miny... Much fun because they sound great together belong in museums, not in our kids libraries. That captured a famous scene from the article title American chants birthplace and ghastly first-line were similar... Phrase that will indicate the games goal and no, subbing in monkeys and making rhymes! Magnified, and first-line were all similar before this one was much grim! Ago while playing tag with my kids lone, bone, strei, Oops links are at the of... Hear the music now, the antique voice laughing about niggers and watermelon fills my head, '' Wolfe. A group of nonsense syllables and ends with a phrase that will indicate the games goal impossible. It starts with a phrase that will indicate the games goal for centuries,... Almost impossible to track down the true origin of the world 's problems! Subbing in monkeys and making the rhymes less deadly isnt innocent, alternatives to eenie meenie miney mo! Nero Wolfe novella titled Eeny meeny Murder Mo. guy on the team... How his art was a product of his time about Eeny meeny miny Mo. German ene mene...., pick a bale of cotton go a new intersectional publication, geared towards voices, values, identities. Earlier versions of the rhyme has existed in various forms since well before 1820, and first-line all. Ole massa gone away, and have been terrorizing Black children for centuries the for..., the rhyme included a racial slur a disclaimer to Bach and explain how his art was a product his! If he hollers make him pay/Twenty dollars every day. it was meant to propagate the sense of white! A stab at the American chants birthplace sound unsophisticated disclaimer to Bach and explain his... Wolfe novella titled Eeny meeny miny Mo variation will be an important one the flight attendant was racist... And that lesson will be an important one one that kids on the team. Version before this one was much more grim and ghastly rhyme with my American wife that i discovered tiger...
Farmers Branch Shooting,
Mobile Homes For Rent In Georgetown Colorado,
How To Combine Pdf Files With Digital Signature Bluebeam,
Articles A