Radio XLVII, side B, track 10: “Iko Iko” by The Belle Stars

Oh, The Belle Stars, what an awesome way to start off the week!  The only bad part of kicking off the week with a song this great is that I don’t know if it’s possible for it to get any better, so I fear that everything’s downhill from here on in.  But that’s probably just my neuroses talking.

Anyway, let’s focus on the awesomeness in the here and now, which is this song.  As you can probably imagine, I was absolutely ecstatic that I was able to record this one off the radio.  I think everyone my age has heard this song a thousand times, mainly because everyone my age has seen “Rain Man” a thousand times.  It was a surprisingly quotable movie:  “Wapner’s on at 4.”  “We’re counting cards.”  “I’m an excellent driver.”  It was also the first time any of us had heard the word “autism” and unfortunately made all of us think that having autism wasn’t so bad because you ended up with amazing math skills and could strike it rich in Vegas.  And get to make out with Valeria Golino (“Very wet.”)

But enough about “Rain Man”, The Belle Stars.  It’s this song that we want to celebrate.  I haven’t heard this song in a long time, but as soon as the music started it was like coming back home.  It’s just so great.  Back in the day, I don’t know if I could have put into words what exactly I liked about this song, but I think I have a little better idea now.  Part of it is the progressively rising energy of it.  But another part of it is all the dark undertones.  While the tune seems fun and upbeat, a lot of the lyrics kind of give me the chills.  Particularly the imagery of the king in red who’ll kill you dead.  Part of it is probably because I’m currently reading “The King In Yellow”, which is creepy as hell on its own even without its ties to “True Detective”, so hearing about a murderous king in any color is enough to give me goosebumps.  But then there’s the violence between the grandmothers and the flag boys, and honestly, that guy all dressed in green may be a lovin’ machine, but he still sounds pretty ominous.

Hm.  So maybe this week is off to a bleaker start than I originally thought. . .

“Iko Iko”

<awesome The Belle Stars jam>

My grandma an’ yo grandma
Sittin’ by the fiya

My grandma said to yo grandma “I’m gonna setcho flag on fiya” talkin’ ’bout hey now

Hey now

Iko iko ahnay

Chockimo feeno ah na nay
Chockimo feena nay

Look at my king all dressed in red
Iko iko ahnay

Betcha five dollars he’ll kill you dead
Chockimo feena nay

Talkin’ ’bout hey now (hey now)
Hey now (hey now)
Iko iko ahnay (whoah-oh)
Chockimo feeno ah na nay
Chockimo feena nay

My flag boy an’ yo flag boy
Sittin’ by the fiya

My flag boy said to yo flag boy “I’m gonna setcho flag on fiya” talkin’ ’bout hey now (hey now)
Hey now (hey now)
Iko iko ahnay (whoah-oh)
Chockimo feeno ah na nay
Chockimo feena nay

Chockimo feena nay

<awesome The Belle Stars jam>

(Hey now)

(Hey now)

(Hey now)

(Hey now)

Chockimo feena nay
Iko!

See that guy all dressed in green
Iko iko ahnay

He’s not a man, he’s a lovin’ machine
Chockimo feena nay

Talkin’ ’bout hey now (hey now)
Hey now (hey now)
Iko iko ahnay (whoah-oh)
Chockimo feeno ah na nay
Chockimo feena nay

Talkin’ ’bout hey now (hey now)
Hey now (hey now)
Iko iko ahnay (whoah-oh)
Chockimo feeno ah na nay
Chockimo feena nay

Chockimo feena nay

Chockimo feena nay

Chockimo feena nay

Chockimo feena nay

Chockimo feena nay

Chockimo feena nay

Chockimo feena nay

Chockimo feena nay

Chockimo feena nay

Chockimo feena nay

Chockimo feena nay