Iko Iko
The Blue Cat Express Lyrics
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My grand-ma told your grand-ma: "I'm gon-na set your flag on fire."
Talk-in' 'bout, Hey now ! Hey now ! I-ko, I-ko, un-day
Jock-a-mo fee-no ai na-né, jock-a-mo fee na-né
Look at my king all dressed in red I-ko, I-ko, un-day.
I bet-cha five dol-lars he'll kill you dead, jock-a-mo fee na-né
Talk-in' 'bout, Hey now ! Hey now ! I-ko, I-ko, un-day
Jock-a-mo fee-no ai na-né, jock-a-mo fee na-né
My flag boy and your flag boy were
Sit-tin' by the fire. - My flag boy told
Your flag boy: "I'm gon-na set your flag on fire."
Talk-in' 'bout, Hey now ! Hey now ! I-KO, I-KO, un-day
Jock-a-mo fee-no ai na-né, jock-a-mo fee na-né
See that guy all dressed in green? I-KO, I-KO, un-day.
He's not a man, he's a lov-in' ma-chine
Jock-a mo fee na-né
Talk-in' 'bout, hey now! Hey now! I-ko, I-ko, un-day
Jock-a-mo fee-no ai na-né, jock-a-mo fee na-né
The lyrics of Iko-Iko by The Blue Cat Express tell the story of two grandmothers who are sitting by the fire. One of them threatens to set the other's flag on fire, and as the song progresses, we are introduced to different characters, such as a king dressed in red who is willing to kill for money, and a guy dressed in green who is described as a loving machine. The chorus repeats the phrase "Hey now! Hey now! I-ko, I-ko, un-day" and "Jock-a-mo fee-no ai na-né, jock-a-mo fee na-né", which are both of African origin.
The song's lyrics are full of African-American Creole phrases and words that are hard to pin down to a specific meaning due to their oral tradition. The phrases "I-ko, I-ko" and "Jock-a-mo fee-no ai na-né" likely derive from the Louisiana Creole language, which is a mix of various African and European languages. "Iko" means "echo," "Jock-a-mo" is likely a reference to the Mardi Gras Indian tribes, who chant "jockamo fee-na-né" as a call and response, and "fee na-né" might mean "every man for himself." Altogether, the song is constructed from different chants and folk tunes of African Americans.
Line by Line Meaning
My grand-ma and your grand-ma were sit-tin' by the fire.
My grandmother and your grandmother were sitting next to the fire.
My grand-ma told your grand-ma: "I'm gon-na set your flag on fire."
My grandmother said to your grandmother that she will set her flag on fire.
Talk-in' 'bout, Hey now ! Hey now ! I-ko, I-ko, un-day
Jock-a-mo fee-no ai na-né, jock-a-mo fee na-né
Saying hey now and singing Iko Iko and Jock-a-mo fee-no ai na-né and jock-a-mo fee na-né.
Look at my king all dressed in red I-ko, I-ko, un-day.
Looking at my king who is dressed in red.
I bet-cha five dol-lars he'll kill you dead, jock-a-mo fee na-né
I bet you five dollars he will kill you, singing jock-a-mo fee-na-né.
My flag boy and your flag boy were
Sit-tin' by the fire. - My flag boy told
Your flag boy: "I'm gon-na set your flag on fire."
My flag boy and your flag boy were sitting by the fire. My flag boy told your flag boy that he was going to set his flag on fire.
See that guy all dressed in green? I-KO, I-KO, un-day.
Looking at the guy dressed in green and singing Iko Iko.
He's not a man, he's a lov-in' ma-chine
Jock-a mo fee na-né
He is not a man, he is a love machine, singing jock-a mo fee na-né.
Talk-in' 'bout, hey now! Hey now! I-ko, I-ko, un-day
Jock-a-mo fee-no ai na-né, jock-a-mo fee na-né
Saying hey now and singing Iko Iko and Jock-a-mo fee-na-né and jock-a-mo fee-na-né.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
Written by: KAY WERNER, SUE WERNER, LINCOLN CHASE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind