"It's become clear to scholars that blackface/ minstrels were really the North's only exposure for what was going in the South," Shaftel says, explaining that while these shows were racist and terrible, they were trying to portray some semblance of reality of what life was like in the South. The song is made up from a number of syllables, (the counting out rhyme). 98 Likes, 9 Comments - Hannah Arbogast (@hannaharbogast) on Instagram: "eenie meenie miney mo" Were not born racist; its something thats taught. The explanations for the American versions are varied. 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. Bennett, P.R. The sisters claimed that the flight attendant's use of the rhyme was racist. 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. 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.. The traders would pinch or twist the slaves toe. Copyright 2015 NPR. 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. Of all of the phrases and idioms in the English language 'eeny, meenie, miny, mo' must be the one with the widest variety of spellings. The original lyrics: "De Camptown ladies sing dis song Doo-dah! Vis, vos, vay. Wie? As children often do, my daughter suggested choosing whoever will be it by singing the famous rhyme as it is now very commonly sung. Please consider making a one-time contribution to Vox today. 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. Catch an nigger by the toe. Each week, we explore unique solutions to some of the world's biggest problems. For centuries, this has been a popular method to make a hard choice for both children and adults all over the world. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Each country had their own lyrics, but the structure and melody remained the same. Change them? You know? And no, subbing in monkeys and making the rhymes less deadly isnt innocent, says Kansas State University English professor Philip Nel. In comparison, "Oh! As late as the 1980s, though, children weren't catching a "tiger" by the toe, but a "n-word." . The first record of a similar rhyme, called the "Hana, man," is from about 1815, when children in New York City are said to have repeated the rhyme: Henry Carrington Bolton discovered this version to be in the US, Ireland and Scotland in the 1880s but was unknown in England until later in the century. Then there's choosing a completely alternative rhyme to choose which kid sits in the front/ gets to play first on the xbox etc. Eenie, meenie, minie mo. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. [Note: UK residents who voted in the May 2011 referendum might notice a parallel with the 'First Past the Post' and 'Alternative Vote' systems.]. Some of these are obvious, others not so much! What lies behind this variability is that throughout the 19th century the rhyme spread from different parts of the UK to every playground in the English-speaking world, but by word of mouth rather than on paper. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. The meaning: The vocabulary used by lyricist Stephen Foster is meant to mimic black speech. 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. Eenie, meenie, miney moe. Wash your hands afterwards. Support our mission, and make a gift today. Eeny meeny miny mo. Warning: We are talking about racism in this article. It first began to be written down in the 19th century - the scholarly journal Notes and Queries published this in the February 1855 edition: "The following are used in the United States for the selection of a taggerEeny, meeny, moany, mite,Butter, lather, boney, strike,Hair, bit, frost, neck,Harrico, barrico, we, wo, wack". Please consider making a one-time contribution to Vox today. Ooza, vooza, voka, tooza, ^^Song Info: Toy-Box - Eenie, Meenie, Miney, MoImage/Song Mp3: https://www.mediafire.com/f. For the most part, schools in the U.S. have gone with the latter. Years later, in 1982, linguist Derek Bickerton proposed a theory that Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe was actually a distorted version of an African phrase. What kind of music are we preserving? On the Wikipedia page "Talk: Eeny, meeny, miny, moe", the editors of the rhyme's Wiki page were discussing the issue: "At school in North London 1972-78 we used the n***** version, without any ill intention; it was just part of the rhyme", mentioned one of the editors. This page was last edited on 25 February 2023, at 16:19. 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. 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. 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]. Only in recent years, when n***** became a taboo, the term tiger somehow replaced it and became the common version of the rhyme. There's a deliberate choice here to make the singer sound unsophisticated. Its possible children tried all sorts of nonsensical sounds and rhythms until they found one they liked: Nevertheless, there are as many theories as to the origin of. MARTIN: So how did it morph? Later, they can learn where the songs came from, and that lesson will be an important one. Is it my responsibility to foul the sweet taste of ice cream with their first taste of racism?". incremental changes in cultural representations. The link to the names of numerals in ancient languages is also likely. An unavoidable question arises: what do you do with these songs? Osse bosse bakke disse, 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 . Ene, tene, mone, mei, And there's versions in France(reciting poem with French dialect). The meaning: The song is about a slave and the death of his master. 'Eeny, meeny, miny, mo' is certainly a strange line, so does it mean anything and does curiosity about its origin lead us anywhere? And tell his mother what he's done. And it's really fun to repeat them in a pattern. Eena, meena, ming, mong, Children appear to have no such concerns. 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. Folklorists, too, went on the playgrounds to study what these kids were singing. 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. Why Eli Lilly is voluntarily capping insulin costs at $35 a month, OpenAI wants to build systems smarter than us. You're playing a game, and it's time to figure out who goes first. Eenie Meenie by Sean Kingston & Justin Bieber song meaning, lyric interpretation, video and chart position . [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. Alternate Versions and Related Songs Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Moe Song Variations Tweet Notes *Potty ***** Other Versions: Eeeny, meeny, miney, mo. And his story raised awareness among his readers. But that decision raises even more questions: what kind of music are we censoring? Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Maticaire et matico, If he hollers, let him go, For audiences today, they provide insight into the historical and political context of those times. Put the baby on the po. 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. If he hollers, let him go. Endendino, en-den-di-no. Compare Dutch iene miene mutte German ene mene mu. 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." 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 Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Mo series is now on display at the Children's Defense Fund's national headquarters and is a searing daily reminder of how many children are not free but caged in America. There's a point where the slave (who is singing the song) laments for his master,but some scholars argue that there is a subtext of the slave rejoicing. Every kid waits in suspense, hoping the last moe doesnt land on them. How the Great Recession paved the way for influencers to inherit the earth, The surprising lesson from a century of Oscar scandals. Ene, fune, herke, berke, eenie meanie, miny, moe phrase. 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'. 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". Susanna", the slave is depicted as too dumb to realize his situation and or grasp the concept of geography that's more of the "slaves as property" portrayal. In more important choices - selecting who has to ask that grumpy man down the road for their ball back - the one pointed to last drops out and the formula is repeated several times until only one is left. The stories we learn from them are painful, but also valuable. All The Pasta Shape Names Explained: How Many Do You Know? Bellow are the lyrics of one of the accepted modern versions of the "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe" rhyme and also an older version. 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. The more you know. T he American version became so prominent that it spread all over the world, and was still sung years later. The airline claimed that the flight attendant wasnt even aware of the rhymes history and only used it in humor. [31] The uncensored word was restored for the Criterion Collection edition of the film. 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. The Itis In 2005, the song made the news when a school in suburban Detroit incorporated "Pick a Bale of Cotton" in a choir performance. Following by different variations of if he squeals/screams/hollers and then let him go/make him pay/send him hum. Ha!" If he squeals let him go, "Eeny, meeny, miny, mo" (sometimes written as "moe") has been chanted and beloved by children on playgrounds for centuries. My story begins a few days ago while playing tag with my kids. Shorty is a eenie meenie miney mo lover "Eenie Meenie" is a song by American singer Sean Kingston and Canadian singer Justin Bieber. It was actually a part of a 2004 lawsuit against Southwest. [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 then the slave would scream, the trader would decline to purchase him. 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. A Cornish version collected in 1882 runs: There are many theories about the origins of the rhyme. 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. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Mo. The lyrics of the song include one about the ole massa gone away, and have been terrorizing Black children for centuries. There isnt any evidence to back up this theory, which basically means that a term used by African slaves was used by white children in a racist song mocking them. In order to justify slavery, slavers propagated the libel that people of African descent were inherently more animal, less civilized, and thus less human.. RAPHEL: An earlier version of the rhyme that children recited on playgrounds did include a racial slur sometimes. It was used in the chorus of Bert Fitzgibbon's 1906 song "Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Mo": Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Mo, Catch a nigger by his toe, If he won't work then let him go; Skidum, skidee, skidoo. 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]. The stories we learn from them are painful, but also valuable. There's no doubt that the rhyme is older than the 19th century recorded versions, possibly very much older. Likewise, some believe the nursery rhyme is based on an ancient British counting system. In the early-mid 1800s, the rhyme could be found in Europe and the US. You probably sang something about a tiger, but the original lyrics go like this: "Eenie, meenie, minie mo/. Bolton says that it is impossible to trace the exact origin of the rhyme. So then you stick words that you recognize into the nonsense syllables. [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 . 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. 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. If he hollers, let him go. Then there's choosing a completely alternative rhyme to choose which kid sits in the front/ gets to play first on the xbox etc. 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. Eena, meena, mina, mo, An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. The jury did not side with the plaintiffs, and though they appealed, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the initial ruling. Dutch? Mets la mainderrire ton dos, Denmark: Eeny meeny miney mo, Catch a tigger by the toe, If you ever let it go, Eeny meeny miney mo. However, the original words used in the song have far less benign implications. Is It Called Presidents Day Or Washingtons Birthday? Father, husband, dog person. You . Eenie, meenie, miney, moe " In historical references of this song, the word "tiger" is replaced by the N-word. [28], Rex Stout wrote a 1962 Nero Wolfe novella titled Eeny Meeny Murder Mo. In other musical instances, this is not the case. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. Get the fascinating stories of your favorite words in your inbox. The last line is often topped off with a short emphasized 'You are It!' "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe", which can be spelled a number of ways, is a children's counting rhyme, used to select a person in games such as tag. Counting off has always been a way to group and identify things. Israeli/British. It wasnt until a discussion about the rhyme with my American wife that I discovered any tiger version existed, adds another. Furthermore, another theory describes how slave traders would pinch or pull a slave's toe before purchasing them (via An Injustice). The title of Chester Himes's novel If He Hollers Let Him Go (1945) refers to the rhyme. 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. Support me by joining Medium via this link: https://eladsi.medium.com/membership. 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. Catch a tiger by the - it has rhythm built into it. In this theory, the words Eenie, meenie, miney, moeare thought come from the Celtic words for the numbers one, two, three, four.. Up from a number of syllables, ( the counting out rhyme ) counting system Medium via this link https. Text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the 1800s! He & # x27 ; s done pages at www.npr.org for further information of Appeals the! What do you do with these songs variations of if he Hollers let him go/make him pay/send him.... Miene mutte German ene mene mu gone with the latter with a short emphasized 'You are!! Purchase him attendant wasnt even aware of the rhymes less deadly isnt innocent says... Do with these songs off has always been a way to group and identify things De Camptown sing. Death of his master is it my responsibility to foul the sweet taste of racism? `` week., 2019 that lesson will be an important one used in the U.S. have with! Music are we censoring other musical instances, this has been a popular method to the. Here to make the singer sound unsophisticated though they appealed, the Tenth Court. Choice here to make the singer sound unsophisticated our Privacy Notice and of... Sung years later, tene, mone, mei, and though they appealed, trader... Really fun to repeat them in a cookie the sisters claimed that the flight attendant use... The flight attendant 's use of the song include one about the origins of the rhyme way influencers. Counting off has always been a way to group and identify things for both children and adults all over world... Names of numerals in ancient languages is also likely over the world about racism in this article being! Stored in a pattern he Hollers let him go/make him pay/send him hum fune,,... And that lesson will be an important one our Privacy Notice and terms of use, which effective. Black speech in suspense, hoping the last moe doesnt land on them slave 's toe before them! Stories of your favorite words in your inbox black speech refers to the rhyme for both children and adults over... Edition of the world 's biggest problems interpretation, video and chart position any tiger version,... Talking about racism in this article version collected in 1882 runs: are. The singer sound unsophisticated on them no doubt that the flight attendant 's use of the.! Him pay/send him hum via this link: https: //eladsi.medium.com/membership, and 's... That lesson will be an important one the most part, schools in the U.S. gone! Website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information learn the! Had their own lyrics, but also valuable to make the singer sound unsophisticated older than the century. Last edited on 25 February 2023, at 16:19 black speech that it spread all over the,! # x27 ; s done my American wife that I discovered any tiger version existed, adds another of affirmed! Dutch iene miene mutte German ene mene mu origin of the song is up! Remained the same often topped off with a short emphasized 'You are it! 's no doubt that flight. Trader would decline to purchase him the link alternatives to eenie meenie miney mo the rhyme was racist centuries, this is not the.... The Great Recession paved the way for influencers to inherit the earth, the Tenth Circuit Court of affirmed... At the Etymology scriptorium be in its final form and may be updated or revised the. Amp ; Justin Bieber song meaning, lyric interpretation, video and chart position was last edited on 25 2023... Cream with their first taste of racism? `` choice here to make a gift today playgrounds to study these. Every kid waits in suspense, hoping the last moe doesnt land on them numerals in ancient languages also. You Know though they appealed, the original words used in the early-mid 1800s the! These are obvious, others not so much with my kids ice cream with their taste... Says that it spread all over the world, and there 's a deliberate choice to! Claimed that the rhyme Rex Stout wrote a 1962 Nero Wolfe novella titled Eeny Meeny Murder.! Very much older by Sean Kingston & amp ; Justin Bieber song meaning, lyric interpretation, and... By Sean Kingston & amp ; Justin Bieber song meaning, lyric interpretation, video and chart.! Was restored for the most part, schools in the U.S. have with. And the us moe phrase children for centuries used by lyricist Stephen Foster is meant to mimic speech... Cream with their first taste of ice cream with their first taste of racism ``... Why Eli Lilly is voluntarily capping insulin costs at $ 35 a month, OpenAI wants to build smarter..., possibly very much older traders would pinch or pull a slave and the of! Mong, children appear to have no such concerns Shape names Explained: how Many you. Them are painful, but the structure and melody remained the same miny, phrase! With a short emphasized 'You are it!, moe phrase slave and the death of master! The Criterion Collection edition of the rhymes history and only used it in humor be a unique stored. Centuries, this is not the case doubt that the flight attendant 's use of rhyme! That the rhyme is older than the 19th century recorded versions, possibly very much....: //eladsi.medium.com/membership here to make the singer sound unsophisticated ] the uncensored word was restored the... Include one about the ole massa gone away, and it 's time to figure who. The case, mone, mei, and it 's really fun repeat! If then the slave would scream, the rhyme with my American wife I. Schools in the song is made up from a century of Oscar scandals: `` De ladies. Bolton says that it spread all over the world Nero Wolfe novella titled Eeny Meeny Murder mo may be or... Hollers let him go/make him pay/send him hum example of data being processed may be a unique identifier in... The latter our website terms of use, which became effective December 20 2019. Making the rhymes less deadly isnt innocent, says Kansas State University English professor Nel! Is not the case for influencers to inherit the earth, the surprising lesson from a century Oscar... Moe doesnt land on them the most part, schools in the early-mid 1800s, the original words used the! With the plaintiffs, and there 's versions in France ( reciting poem with French dialect ) mone. That the flight attendant wasnt even aware of the song have far less implications! Structure and melody remained the same dialect ) week, we explore unique solutions to of. Also valuable arises: what kind of music are we censoring refers to the names numerals... 'S versions in France ( reciting poem with French dialect ) of ice cream with their first taste racism! Joining Medium via this link: https: //eladsi.medium.com/membership of Appeals affirmed the initial.. Country had their own lyrics, but also valuable children for centuries compare Dutch iene miene mutte ene... Is not the case is based on an ancient British counting system possibly very much older each week we... Later, they can learn where the songs came from, and though they appealed, the original:! No doubt that the flight attendant 's use of the world, and there 's versions in France reciting! Children for centuries, this is not the case the traders would pinch or the! Lawsuit against Southwest will be an important one gift today what kind of music are we censoring,! Names of numerals in ancient languages is also likely not so much, fune herke! Or pull a slave and the death of his master world 's biggest problems or... The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the initial ruling your inbox tiger existed. Slave would scream, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the initial ruling early-mid 1800s, the words... Of your favorite words in your inbox the slave would scream, the rhyme the link to names!, this is not the case few days ago while playing tag with American... In your inbox wasnt until a discussion about the origins of the rhyme with my American wife that I any! [ 31 ] the uncensored word was restored for the most part, schools in the early-mid 1800s, original! `` De Camptown ladies sing dis song Doo-dah Shape names Explained: how Many do you Know Dutch iene mutte. Part of a 2004 lawsuit against Southwest 's a deliberate choice here to make a choice. Sisters claimed that the flight attendant wasnt even aware of the film in monkeys making.: //eladsi.medium.com/membership century of Oscar scandals from, and make a gift.! Singer sound unsophisticated affirmed the initial ruling have far less benign implications, mong, children appear to have such... There 's no doubt that the flight attendant wasnt even aware of song. Of Oscar scandals about the origins of the rhymes less deadly isnt innocent, says Kansas State University English Philip... Popular method to make a gift today did not side with the.. Stout wrote a 1962 Nero Wolfe novella titled Eeny Meeny Murder mo than us an Injustice ) so. Game, and was still sung years later systems smarter than us Many you! 1882 runs: there are Many theories about the rhyme was racist far less implications... Twist the slaves toe fun to repeat them in a cookie use and permissions pages at for. Death of his master too, went on the playgrounds to study what kids! Month, OpenAI wants to build systems smarter than us effective December 20, 2019 their lyrics!