MARTIN: So what's the take away - that kind of children everywhere - there's some universal quality to the sound of these words and repeating them in a pattern? Prior to the popular variation used today that involves catching tigers, a common American variant of the rhyme used a racist slur against Black people instead of the word. It was actually a part of a 2004 lawsuit against Southwest. 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." Bolton says that it is impossible to trace the exact origin of the rhyme. The meaning: The vocabulary used by lyricist Stephen Foster is meant to mimic black speech. Reader support helps us keep our explainers free for all. At NPR, Johnson struggled with similar questions when faced with whether or not to tell his children about the origins of the ice cream truck song. Then and now give them credit for changing the tune those are the dark ages. Some experts claim that catch a n****** by the toe refers to a method of punishment by white owners to slaves who tried to run away. [11] Ancient Celtic counting system or Victorian nonsense verse? 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. A new intersectional publication, geared towards voices, values, and identities! I shut my eyes to hold my brefSusanna, dont you cry. Popularized in the 19th century, it was often sung by minstrels in blackface using the dialect of enslaved Africans, to boot. And she says you can trace the rhyme's origin way back to when shepherds used it to count hundreds of years ago. Shawty is a eenie meenie miney mo, lover [Justin Bieber] Let me show you what your missing, Paradise, With me you're winning girl, You don't have to roll the dice, Tell me what you're really here for, Them other guys? In the song, the singer can't grasp the ideas of temperature and geography. "When the reach of racism robs me of fond memories from my childhood, it feels intensely personal again. And that then caused a lot of entomologists to do kind of back formations, and say, well, because it had this racial slur, we think it may have had all of these other, you know, African American origins and all of this stuff with it. Vis, vos, vay. The jury did not side with the plaintiffs, and though they appealed, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the initial ruling. Eeny meeny miny mo. The first line in the version sung in Cornwall, England was Eeha, meena, mona, mite. For Theodore Johnson III, who wrote the article, knowledge of that history ruined ice cream trucks for him. American in origin or English? When he's done, Wipe his bum. I can see right through you. 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. 'Eeny, meeny, miny, mo' was rooted in racism Casimiro PT/Shutterstock Versions of the rhyme have existed since before 1820. Eeny, meeny, mony, my, It's all over. ". Many people conveniently forget parts of American history like the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and the Japanese internment camps that dotted the American West during WWII, but the truth is, Asian Americans have never had it easy in the States. What is known is that countless variations of the nursery rhyme exist. RAPHEL: Oh, it's all over the world. Shaftel explains that we usually attach a disclaimer to Bach and explain how his art was a product of his time. Harvard PhD student Adrienne Raphel looked into its origins, and tells NPR's Rachel Martin it's found on playgrounds around the world. (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Why do so many fairy tales contain a hero named Jack? Bolton identifies the first line as plain gibberish. Ting, tay, tong, Catch . I told him, dont you ever let me catch you in Riverside Ca. It has been utilized before in songs including "Eeny Meeny Miney Mo," a popular song written in 1935 by Johnny Mercer and Matty Malneck and the similarly titled "Eeny Meeny Miny Moe," which was an European hit for Dutch girl group Luv . Kling klang, It's safe to say that as classic as "Eeny, meeny, miny, mo" is, the centuries-old nursery rhyme no doubt has a haunted past and not so kid-friendly origins. Ene, mene, ming, mang, Please consider making a one-time contribution to Vox today. Despite language differences, the first lines of each version are remarkably alike. A child points to each item in turn (or alternately), while saying a rhyme starting "Eeny, meeny, miney, moe", moving to the next item after each quarter-line (i.e. While vaguely remembering a controversy surrounding the song, its sinister past left me at a loss of words when facing my children who were waiting for answers. The Racist History of Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Moe. Prior to the popular variation used today that involves catching tigers, a common American variant of the rhyme used a racist slur against Black people instead of the word tiger. Parental Alienation (PA) is the outcome of one parent (the alienating parent) using Parental Alienating Behaviours (PABs) to damage the relationship between their child and the child's other parent (the targeted parent). If he squeals let him go, Get the fascinating stories of your favorite words in your inbox. But when you get money, your little bride Will surely find out where you hide, So there's the door and when I count four, Then out goes you. "Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe" Lyrics Eeny, meeny, miny, moe Catch a tiger by the toe Each country had slightly different lyrics, but the basic structure, melody, and first-line were all similar. Please enter a valid email and try again. The rhyme has existed in various forms since well before 1820[1] and is common in many languages using similar-sounding nonsense syllables. We accept credit card, Apple Pay, and Catch a racist by the toe. Sometimes the child pointed to at the end of one count is the one selected - to be 'It' in a game of hide and seek, for example. The stories we learn from them are painful, but also valuable. For the most part, schools in the U.S. have gone with the latter. In 2004, two African-American sisters sued Southwest Airlines for discrimination on the basis of the nursery rhyme. The use of the word nigger was censored for the American market, being replaced by sailor. Eeny, meeny, miny, moe is part of a large collection of Counting-out rhymes, used in playground games, since the early 19th century. Iona and Peter Opie (1951) quote the following version: This version was similar to that reported by Henry Carrington Bolton as the most common version among American schoolchildren in 1888. 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. Johnson's piece got us thinking about the songs like the ice cream truck song a seemingly innocuous folk song, nursery rhyme, or jingle that we may not have known were racist, and what we should do when we learn about their histories. Each syllable counts a child from a circle, and the game round finishes with the last kid pointed out. You know? This, though the early 2000s, even, says Dr. Nel. RAPHEL: I think the take away is these words sound really good together. This nursery rhyme has been taught to many children to help them learn how to count. Good Luck! [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. Each week, we explore unique solutions to some of the world's biggest problems. Nicki Minaj) Justin Bieber 4,179,003 By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Versions of the Score include: Northern England, southern Scotland: yan, tan, tethera, methera, pimp. In other musical instances, this is not the case. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Years later, in 1982, linguist Derek Bickerton proposed a theory that Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe was actually a distorted version of an African phrase. You seem like the type To love them and leave them And disappear right after the song. We don't always do this with American folk songs. The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. The traders would pinch or twist the slaves toe. On the Wikipedia page Talk: Eeny, meeny, miny, moe, the editors of the rhymes Wiki page were discussing the issue: At school in North London 197278 we used the n***** version, without any ill intention; it was just part of the rhyme, mentioned one of the editors. 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. How the Great Recession paved the way for influencers to inherit the earth, The surprising lesson from a century of Oscar scandals. Children often utilize this rhyme to determine whos it, especially during a game of Hiden Seek. As adults, we might be curious as to whether the words mean anything and what their origin might have been. The song is made up from a number of syllables, (the counting out rhyme). Raphel wrote about eeny meeny miny mo for The Paris Review. If he hollers, let him go. ADRIENNE RAPHEL: Yan, tan, tehtera, methera, pimp, sethera, lethera, hovera, dovera - so you can kind of hear the eeny meeny miny mo in it, right? The lyrics of the song include one about the ole massa gone away, and have been terrorizing Black children for centuries. You . To make matters worse, that song became the basis for an offensive folk song in 1916 titled, "Nigger Love A Watermelon Ha! Shaftel explains that we usually attach a disclaimer to Bach and explain how his art was a product of his time. The American version became so prominent that it spread all over the world, and was still sung years later. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. "These songs are part of a racist history our nation's history. You could rock, paper, scissors for it, or you could do the following ANNA KULBASHNY: Catch a tiger by the toe EMILE BEAUBIEN: If it hollers, let him go MARTIN: Every kid seems to know this rhyme, or at least a variation of it, including the kids you just heard - 11-year-old Cecilia Clemens and Anna Kulbashny, 10-year-old Emile Beaubien and Sarayu Mudiya, age 6. I understand that one of the earlier versions of the rhyme included a racial slur. Please consider making a one-time contribution to Vox today. To pick the very best one British? Nevertheless, there are as many theories as to the origin of Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Moeas there are variations. Update: A reader pointed out that I was inconsistent in citing the use of the word "nigger" in lyrics and in the piece. You know them by heart, but you can do these little, like, switches and flips and variations in them. The words:"Jump down, turn around, pick a bale of cotton. Eeny, meeny, miny, moe The book was published in 1888 and thoroughly describes the authors research into various childrens counting-out rhymes that were popular at the time. Thanks so much for talking with us, Adrienne. ", 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. The sisters claimed the flight attendant was being racist. The original lyrics: "It raind all night de day I left, De wedder it was dry, The sun so hot I froze to def.". Despite language differences, the first lines of each version are remarkably alike. Accuracy and availability may vary. But that decision raises even more questions: what kind of music are we censoring? If he hollers, let him go. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Check it out: England: Eeny Meeny Miny Mo Image Credit: Pexels 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. The first line of a popular children's counting rhyme. We change the songs and scrub them clean. "Do I empower them with the history of our country, or encourage the youthful exuberance induced by the ice cream truck? I contacted Matthew Shaftel, a professor of Music Theory and Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies at Florida State for an expert opinion. 144 Likes, 0 Comments - VW Barstool (@barstool_vw) on Instagram: "eenie meenie miney mo, your season is over, time to go home @barstool_elida" The more you know. Gotta jump down, turn around, Oh, Lordie, pick a bale a day." On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. If he hollers let him go, The Itis In my search, I stumbled upon the book The Counting-Out Rhymes of Children: A Study of Folk-Lore by Henry Carrington Bolton. I mean, there've been several iterations of this since, over these many, many hundreds of years. Related Chasing Games. Bellow are the lyrics of one of the accepted modern versions of the Eeny, meeny, miny, moe rhyme and also an older version. 'Eeny, meeny, miny, mo' is certainly a strange line, so does it mean anything and does curiosity about its origin lead us anywhere? There's also another version that goes. The rhyme appears towards the end of 1949 British black comedy Kind Hearts and Coronets. But these songs, can teach us about our past. If they squeal make them squeal some more. This American childrens song was and is a catchy staple. Or. ine mina mana mu meaning my sisters children in Sa Tomenese sounds very similar to the first line in the childrens rhyme. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. The second line in the American rhyme, Catch a tiger by the toe, has a clearer and more dismal ancestry that traces right back to the United States. Support me by joining Medium via this link: https://eladsi.medium.com/membership. Doo-dah day!". Eenie, meenie, miney, moe " In historical references of this song, the word "tiger" is replaced by the N-word. And tell his mother what he's done. The vinyl release of Radiohead's album OK Computer (1997) uses the words "eeny meeny miny moe" (rather than letter or numbers) on the labels of Sides A, B, C and D respectively.[27]. 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. Another is that it associates Asians with either poor hygiene or subservience. It wasnt until a discussion about the rhyme with my American wife that I discovered any tiger version existed, adds another. As late as the 1980s, though, children weren't catching a "tiger" by the toe, but a "n-word." Counting off has always been a way to group and identify things. And we want to be aware of our racist roots," Shaftel said. The diverse origins of the first line Eenie, meenie, miney, moeare plausible but contested. Notably, the rhyme has been used by killers to choose victims in the 1994 films Pulp Fiction and Natural Born Killers,[24][25] the 2003 film Elephant,[26] and the sixth-season finale of the television series The Walking Dead. [citation needed], In Salman Rushdie's The Moor's Last Sigh (1995), the leading character and his three sisters are nicknamed Ina, Minnie, Mynah and Moor. If he hollers, let him go, Perhaps, therein lies the value of these songs: their existence raises awareness and starts conversations that we wouldn't have if they simply were forgotten. Sign up to receive The Atlanta Black Star Newsletter in your inbox. Definition of eenie meanie, miny, moe in the Idioms Dictionary. Financial contributions from our readers are a critical part of supporting our resource-intensive work and help us keep our journalism free for all. 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. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. The Dark Origins Of The Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Mo Nursery Rhyme. Hahaha.. Who does that Had to be a deep rooted odd fixation in the mind of the song writer'.. Atlanta Black Star is a narrative company. Bach's St. John Passion, for instance, is set to anti-semitic text. An example comes from the Danish region near Kattegat, where the Jack and Jill rhyme, which arrived during the British occupation in the Napoleonic wars, was repeated as: Jeck og JillVent op de hillOg Jell kom tombling efter. Well, as is so often the case in etymology, yes and no. You start saying eeny meeny, and then you go miny mo. Our skimmable newsletter is delivered to your inbox each week, giving you 5 things you need to read and get smarter. To whether the words: '' Jump down, turn around, pick a bale cotton!: the vocabulary used by lyricist Stephen Foster is meant to mimic black speech a catchy staple much. 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