Dead Songs in Depth

    
Iko Iko  
w&m: traditional
LASF: http://www.whitegum.com/songfile/IKOIKO.HTM
  

    
Iko Iko 
Lyrics: Traditional
Music: Traditional

Chorus:
Hey now (hey now)
Hey now (hey now)
Iko iko un day
Jockomo feeno ah na nay
Jockomo feena nay

My grandma see your grandpa
Sitting by the Bayou
My grandma see your granpa
Gonna fix your chicken wire

[chorus]

My spy dog see your spy dog
Sitting by the Bayou
My spy dog see your spy dog
Gonna set your tail on fire

[chorus]

My little boy see your little boy
Sitting by the Bayou
My little boy see your little boy
Gonna fix your chicken wire

[chorus]

My grandma see your grandma
Sitting by the Bayou
My grandma see your grandma
Gonna fix your chicken wire

[chorus]
  

    
I have a couple of variants to the lyrics noted that I got from other
grateful dead lyrics collections. Grateful if anyone can can confirm
whether they were sung by Jerry--it's always possible they've been
lifted from other versions. Dates would be great.

One that is widely quoted is:
Well look at that girl all dressed in green
She hides a pistol where it can't be seen

Another is:
My marraine see your parrain
(it appears also as "My Marie ..." but "My marraine" is what Dr John
sings in his version - from the French word for godmother)
  

    
Yes to marraine, no to pistol, from what I can recall
  

    
I always thought it was 'spy boy'.
  

    
I thought it was 'spy boy' some of the time and 'spot dog' others.

Also, Jerry sometimes sang a verse ending with

If you don't like what the Big Chief say
Just jockomo feena nay

Don't remember the first two lines.  I believe this appears in some
older Nawlins versions.
  

    
After the Neville collaborations of the late '80s the Dead
experimented with some of the verses from the Nevilles' version, as I
recall.

Bobby, for example, once added the "Meet the boys on the
battlefront/The Wild Tchoupitoulas gonna stomp some rump" verse to one
show, although at the time and on the tape it sounded kind of like
"wild chump chomp, chomp chomp" to me.
  

    
Interesting post on wikipedia about this song...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iko_Iko
  

    
I heard a very different take of this song today by Zap Mama.  Same basic
rhythm, and some lines began with "Hey..." (not Hey Now), but I couldn't
hear any other lyrical connection between Zap Mama's and the Dixie Cups /
Dead lyrics.
  

    
Zydeco Flames did a stirring Iko at the memorial for Ted Rodden at
Rancho Nicasio last night.