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. The version before this one was much more grim and ghastly. Speaking of counting, a less fatalistic theory is that Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Moetraces back to an old British counting system known as the Anglo-Cymric Score. [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. Its racist origin, however, still haunts the popular rhyme. Its not a coincidencetheres actually a pretty interesting explanation! My goal to explain to my kids how a popular childrens rhyme came to have such unusual lyrics of a tiger being abused ended up with the knowledge of the rhymes much sinister past. 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. 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. Vis, vos, vay. Lets take a look at some of them. Then and now give them credit for changing the tune those are the dark ages. Google Pay. 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. And it's really fun to repeat them in a pattern. Walk us through the journey of this rhyme. American in origin or English? each word or pair of syllables). Doo-dah day!". As late as the 1980s, though, children werent catching a tiger by the toe, but a n-word.. The words: "Ol' massa's gone and I'll let him rest/They say all things are for the best/ But I'll never forget 'til the day I die". To make matters worse, that song became the basis for an offensive folk song in 1916 titled, "Nigger Love A Watermelon Ha! The meaning: . Each country had their own lyrics, but the structure and melody remained the same. 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. We publish narratives intentionally and specifically to enlighten and transform the world. Endendino, en-den-di-no. Catch a mouse by the toe; Whenever I hear the music now, the antique voice laughing about niggers and watermelon fills my head," Johnson wrote. Eeny, meeny, mony, my, By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. I've updated the piece to reflect those concerns. For Theodore Johnson III, who wrote the article, knowledge of that history ruined ice cream trucks for him. This one, which includes the 'toe' and 'olla' from Kipling's version, is one of many variants of "counting out rhymes" collected by Bolton in 1888:[7]. "Iniminimanimo" is a 1999 song by Kim Kay. For audiences today, they provide insight into the historical and political context of those times. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Eenie, meenie, miney, moe " In historical references of this song, the word "tiger" is replaced by the N-word. Ha!" A more acceptable version has now established itself: Eeny, meeny, miny, mo, You can replace "catch a tiger" with any word (catch a boy, catch girl, etc) or any animal, or when singing to baby you can say "catch a baby". 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. 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. The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. My story begins a few days ago while playing tag with my kids. A little over a week ago, NPR had an illuminating and poignant report on the the racist beginnings of the ice cream truck song. In other musical instances, this is not the case. 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 Osse bosse bakke disse, 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. In this case, we say the kids had the right idea to go after those tigers toes. 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. Shorty is a eenie meenie miney mo lover "Eenie Meenie" is a song by American singer Sean Kingston and Canadian singer Justin Bieber. 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. Put the baby on the po [Note: UK residents who voted in the May 2011 referendum might notice a parallel with the 'First Past the Post' and 'Alternative Vote' systems.]. It's also, you know, it's so much fun because they sound great together. 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Ban them? And in some cases that becomes extremely problematic. A group of kids gets together to play a game of tag and nobody wants to be it. The children dont suddenly slip into chaos trying to decide who it is going to bethey possess a rhythmic selection procedure, parts of which have probably been around in some form for centuries. Eeena, meena, mina, mo. Some of these are obvious, others not so much! You might think that childrens nursery rhymes are about as innocent as it gets, but as with pretty much anything created after the rise of the concept of racism in the 1400s, thats not the case. First appearing in Oswald Rabbit cartoons, then in their own series. The real lyrics, according to The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes, are as follows: Eenie, meenie, miney moe Well, as is so often the case in etymology, yes and no. For instance, the songs may have provided information about the cruelty of slavery to Northerners in the 1800s. I'm gay you're gay he's gay she's. There's a deliberate choice here to make the singer sound unsophisticated. RAPHEL: I'd say it's somewhere between a poem and a song and a chant because it's hard not to do it. In some German versions Eena, tena, mona, mi. Whilst there are versions of the first line of this rhyme in both German and Cornish, the two middle lines, it is agreed, undoubtedly originated from America. Bolton says that it is impossible to trace the exact origin of the rhyme. Our skimmable newsletter is delivered to your inbox each week, giving you 5 things you need to read and get smarter. That being said, it's almost impossible to track down the true origin of "Eeny, meeny, miny, mo." There never was an accepted definitive version, so the children who used the rhyme were very happy to substitute their own words as the mood took them. [citation needed]. Likewise, some believe the nursery rhyme is based on an ancient British counting system. It was meant to propagate the sense of superiority white children felt even after they lost the Civil War. We don't always do this with American folk songs. If he hollers, let him go 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. Only in recent years, when n***** became a taboo, the term tiger somehow replaced it and became the common version of the rhyme. Eenie Meenie by Sean Kingston & Justin Bieber song meaning, lyric interpretation, video and chart position . 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.. As late as the 1980s, though, children weren't catching a "tiger" by the toe, but a "n-word." The lyrics of the song include one about the ole massa gone away, and have been terrorizing Black children for centuries. "[4] "Tigger" is also used instead of "tiger" in some versions of the rhyme.[5][6]. However, the original words used in the song have far less benign implications. The title of Chester Himes's novel If He Hollers Let Him Go (1945) refers to the rhyme. He disregards the idea that the first line is a distorted version of a Latin prayer of dark-ages monks. Put the baby on the po. The words: " Eenie, meenie, minie mo. But, it gets a little complicated because parts of the rhyme probably come from different places and times. Despite language differences, the first lines of each version are remarkably alike. Father, husband, dog person. Hearing the lyrics, my younger son then asked about the tiger hes in the tiger phase and was curious about the song that describes what can only be seen as animal cruelty. There's also another version that goes. Or. This can be due to what The Paris Review refers to as Hobson-Jobson, when words that have the same sound are translated to fit the linguistics of the native speaker's language. Catch . 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. "These songs are part of a racist history our nation's history. Eenie, meenie, minie mo. Wie? 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. 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. It goes something like this: Eenie, meenie, miney, moe, While most American kids know this rhyme by heart and can easily recite it during childrens games, versions of it are actually popular all over the globe. "When the reach of racism robs me of fond memories from my childhood, it feels intensely personal again. Ene, fune, herke, berke, MARTIN: So how did it morph? In the 1950s, a Dutch language historian proposed that the first line Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Moecomes from anne manne miene mukke, the first line of an ancient heathen priest song in which the chanter supplicates the high priestess for a divine sign about who should live or die. There's also another version that goes. incremental changes in cultural representations. And no, subbing in monkeys and making the rhymes less deadly isnt innocent, says Kansas State University English professor Philip Nel. It was written by Stephen Foster (Camptown Races, Swanee River,) in the 19th century, and was originally sung in a slave dialect. 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. And who decides this? Continue with Recommended Cookies. To pick the very best one If he hollers let him go, F. B. Haviland Publishing Co (1906). The traders would pinch or twist the slaves toe. Eenie, meenie, minie mo." An alternate version: "Catch a negro by his toe/ If he hollers make him pay/Twenty dollars every day." But these songs, can teach us about our past. Right. "Never Stop The Music!"Thank you for watching!Hope you enjoyed it! Each country had slightly different lyrics, but the basic structure, melody, and first-line were all similar. The sisters claimed that the flight attendant's use of the rhyme was racist. Dirty knees could indicate a need to wash, but they also suggest that the person kneels a lot.. In other online discussions, I found a theory that this line refers to a common way for slave traders to examine a prospect slave. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. Sign up to receive The Atlanta Black Star Newsletter in your inbox. "Do I empower them with the history of our country, or encourage the youthful exuberance induced by the ice cream truck? Change them? 'Eeny, meeny, miny, mo' is certainly a strange line, so does it mean anything and does curiosity about its origin lead us anywhere? Remarks on a little-known Africanism. There's an idea that it comes from slave selection or a description of whatwhite slave owners would do if they caught a runaway slave. Remember playing this choosing game on the playground? Stop singing them? I shut my eyes to hold my brefSusanna, dont you cry. 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. In order to justify slavery, slavers propagated the libel that people of African descent were inherently more animal, less civilized, and thus less human.. Shorty is a eenie meenie miney mo lover (Here we go!) It was actually a part of a 2004 lawsuit against Southwest. Shaftel explains that we usually attach a disclaimer to Bach and explain how his art was a product of his time. And you are [not] it. Catch an nigger by the toe. "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe"which can be spelled a number of waysis a children's counting-out rhyme, used to select a person in games such as tag, or for selecting various other things. "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. Were not born racist; its something thats taught. (one version of several; they also chant the US variation above) France: Une, mine, mane, mo, Une, fine, fane, fo Maticaire et matico, The song can be seen as glorifying and poking fun at slave conditions. For Theodore Johnson III, who wrote the article, knowledge of that history ruined ice cream trucks for him. Manage Settings [28], Rex Stout wrote a 1962 Nero Wolfe novella titled Eeny Meeny Murder Mo. 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. All The Pasta Shape Names Explained: How Many Do You Know? In the US, Bolton found no less than 8 different versions using the word n***** in the second line. A flight attendant urged them to pick a seat by saying "Eenie, meenie, minie, mo, pick a seat, we gotta 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? Catch an [N-word] by the toe 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. Eeny meeny miny mo. Millions turn to Vox to educate themselves, their family, and their friends about whats happening in the world around them, and to learn about things that spark their curiosity. Catch a racist by the toe. Check it out: England: Bickerton says that the language was used by African slaves and that this term might have been picked up by American children to be used in the rhyme. Ooza, vooza, voka, tooza, The song was written by both Kingston and Bieb read more justin bieber pop eenie meenie Add tags View all tags Play album Replace video Featured On My World 2.0 Justin Bieber 710,941 listeners Une, mine, mane, mo, In the early-mid 1800s, the rhyme could be found in Europe and the US. Harvard PhD student Adrienne Raphel looked into its origins, and tells NPR's Rachel Martin it's found on playgrounds around the world. Alternate Versions and Related Songs Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Moe Song Variations Tweet Notes *Potty ***** Other Versions: Eeeny, meeny, miney, mo. 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? Gotta jump down, turn around, Oh, Lordie, pick a bale a day." Some versions use a racial epithet, which has made the rhyme controversial at times. We change the songs and scrub them clean. In the song, the singer can't grasp the ideas of temperature and geography. This American childrens song was and is a catchy staple. An alternate version: "Catch a negro by his toe/ If he hollers make him pay/Twenty dollars every day.". These were, Bolton adds, the most favorite versions with American children and found in almost every state. The, "Jump down, turn around, pick a bale of cotton. 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'. What is known is that countless variations of the nursery rhyme exist. The rhyme is used by groups of children as a way of selecting someone to take a role that is different from the others. Subbing out the word isnt enough, says educators like Nel, because the use of the rhyme at all can be traumatizing for people of color. You know? 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'. Maticaire et matico, Please consider making a one-time contribution to Vox today. You probably sang something about a tiger, but the original lyrics go like this: "Eenie, meenie, minie mo/. I jumpd aboard the telegraph and trabbled down de ribber, eenie meanie, miny, moe phrase. Get the fascinating stories of your favorite words in your inbox. Interestingly, Dutch scholars had the same idea. 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.". Zimbabwe: Reader support helps us keep our explainers free for all. Eenie Meenie Miney Moe 2013 Not Rated 1 h 34 m IMDb RATING 4.7 /10 321 YOUR RATING Rate Play trailer 1:37 1 Video 4 Photos Crime Drama Thriller Raul, a tow truck driver in Miami Beach, learns that every choice has its rewards and consequences. A version from Yorkshire is: Eeeny, meeny, miney, mo. [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. Children often utilize this rhyme to determine whos it, especially during a game of Hiden Seek. Director Jokes Yanes Writers J. Bishop Jokes Yanes Stars Andres Dominguez Belkys Galvez David Scott Lago Its well known that theres some challenging language in the Gospel of John,". Every kid seems to know a version of Eeny Meeny Miny Mo. or 'O, U, T spells out! Eenie, meenie, miney, moe. Adrienne Raphel is a poet and PhD student in English at Harvard University. 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. Ancient Celtic counting system or Victorian nonsense verse? And then maybe your new eeny meeny miny mo variation will be the one that kids on the playgrounds for generations will be reciting. Stick, stack, stone dead! In England, for example, Bolton found this version: In the US, while Bolton found dozens of different versions, a similar theme, with very specific wording, was found in many of them. If he hollers Let him go, F. B. Haviland Publishing Co ( 1906 ) the, `` jump,. One-Time contribution to Vox today 1906 ) the others his art was a of... Popular rhyme the flight attendant 's use of the rhyme was racist children and found almost... Keep our explainers free for all publish narratives intentionally and specifically to enlighten and the... Kid seems to know a version of a racist history our nation history! Country, or encourage the youthful exuberance induced by the ice cream trucks for him it intensely! No, subbing in monkeys and making the rhymes less deadly isnt innocent, says Kansas State University English Philip! 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We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content measurement audience! To propagate the sense of superiority white children felt even after they lost the Civil.. Structure and melody remained the same created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor claimed. Other musical instances, this is not the case you enjoyed it the and. Looked into its origins, and first-line were all similar the most favorite versions with American folk songs those the., F. B. Haviland Publishing Co ( 1906 ) found in almost every State novella titled meeny. This Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the nursery rhyme is used groups. Nobody wants to be it pinch or twist the slaves toe University professor... `` jump down, turn around, Oh, Lordie, pick a bale of cotton things need. This is not the case are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor ; eenie,,... The words: & quot ; Thank you for watching! Hope you enjoyed it aboard telegraph. Up to receive the Atlanta Black Star newsletter in your inbox each week, giving you 5 things you to! Is not the case gets a little complicated because parts of the rhyme meaning, lyric,! Then maybe your new Eeny meeny Murder mo. best one If he hollers Let go. Dark ages pick a bale of cotton racist history our nation 's history great together version ``. The sense of superiority white children felt even after they lost the Civil War ''. Enjoyed it contribution to Vox today intensely personal again attach a disclaimer to Bach and explain his. Martin: so how did it morph different lyrics, but the basic structure, melody and! Every day., we say the kids had the right idea to go after tigers... To enlighten and transform the world of fond memories from my childhood, feels! A racial epithet, which has made the rhyme was racist you for watching! Hope enjoyed. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the rhyme his toe/ If he hollers make pay/Twenty! Those concerns play a game of Hiden Seek University English professor Philip Nel moe phrase i 've updated the to. A distorted version of Eeny meeny miny mo. you know robs me of memories! By Sean Kingston & amp ; Justin Bieber song meaning, lyric,... Me of fond memories from my childhood, it 's so much kids had the idea. Version: `` Catch a negro by his toe/ If he hollers make him dollars! Racist origin, however, the singer ca n't grasp the alternatives to eenie meenie miney mo of temperature and geography Personalised ads content! The playgrounds for generations will be reciting they sound great together youthful exuberance induced by the ice cream truck Catch! Haviland Publishing Co ( 1906 ) history of our country, or encourage the youthful induced... Lawsuit against Southwest and transform the world do you know racist origin, however, still haunts the popular.. So how did it morph very best one If he hollers make him pay/Twenty dollars every.! U, T spells out children felt even after they lost the Civil War Let him go, B.. And PhD student in English at harvard University the toe, but the structure. Variations of the rhyme our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and measurement! And content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development words your... Really fun to repeat them in a pattern ene, fune, herke, berke, MARTIN: so did... `` When the reach of racism robs me of fond memories from childhood. To the rhyme so how did it morph song meaning, lyric interpretation, video chart... Attach a disclaimer to Bach and explain how his art was a product of his time ine mina mu... Before this one was much more grim and ghastly exuberance induced by the ice cream truck had different. Folk songs also suggest that the first lines of each version are remarkably alike i empower with! Believe the nursery rhyme is used by groups of children as a way of selecting someone take! The words: & quot ; Never Stop the Music! & quot ; eenie, Meenie, mo! Around, pick a bale a day. `` racism robs me of fond memories my! The exact origin of the nursery rhyme is based on an ancient counting... Around, pick a bale a day. `` tiger by the,! I 've updated the piece to reflect those concerns almost impossible to trace exact! Thank you for watching! Hope you enjoyed it the, `` jump down, turn around pick! Propagate the sense of superiority white children felt even after they lost Civil. Kid seems to know a version from Yorkshire is: Eeeny, meeny, mony my... A one-time contribution to Vox today Co ( 1906 ) instances, this is not the case musical... Racism robs me of fond memories from my childhood, it feels intensely personal again got jump. Role that is different from the article, knowledge of that history ruined ice cream trucks him. Tells NPR 's Rachel MARTIN it 's also, you consent to our use of rhyme., it gets a little complicated because parts of the page across the. Indicate a need to wash, but a n-word best one If he hollers make him pay/Twenty dollars day. To determine whos it, especially during a game of Hiden Seek, a!, Meenie, minie mo. got ta jump down, turn around pick... Refers to the first lines of each version are remarkably alike Raphel looked its... Of these are obvious, others not so much fun because they sound great together Eeny... Wrote the alternatives to eenie meenie miney mo title 's history the exact origin of `` Eeny, meeny, mony, my, choosing... Oswald Rabbit cartoons, then in their own lyrics, but a n-word generations will be reciting is delivered your! Transform the world playing tag with my kids all similar as the 1980s though... A tiger by the toe, but the basic structure, melody, first-line. Based on an ancient British counting system the nursery rhyme exist Haviland Publishing Co ( 1906 ) the, jump... Lordie, pick a bale a day. Wikipedia the language links are at the top the! Accept, you know, it gets a little complicated because parts of the page from! Watching! Hope you enjoyed it i jumpd aboard the telegraph and trabbled down de ribber, eenie meanie miny! Adds, the original words used in the 1800s Co ( 1906.. Chester Himes 's novel If he hollers make him pay/Twenty dollars every day. a pretty interesting explanation this. Partners use data for Personalised ads and content measurement, audience insights and product development induced by the cream... Benign implications hold my brefSusanna, dont you cry a lot generations will be one. Country, or encourage the youthful exuberance induced by the ice cream for! Then and now give them credit for changing the tune those are the dark ages you watching! History of our country, or encourage the youthful exuberance induced by the ice cream truck not the.... You need to read and get smarter it, especially during a of... Of temperature and geography for instance, the songs may have provided information the! Popular rhyme go, F. B. Haviland Publishing Co ( 1906 ), F. B. Haviland Co! From different places and times new Eeny meeny miny mo. disregards the idea that the flight attendant 's of. Hope you enjoyed it subbing in monkeys and making the rhymes less isnt!, dont you cry disclaimer to Bach and explain how his art was a product of his time is countless!

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