# Belafonte song "Momma look a boo boo" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 26, 2013, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belafonte-song-momma-look-a-boo-boo/654015 "2013-03-26T16:28:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belafonte-song-momma-look-a-boo-boo/654015/1 "2013-03-26T16:28:07Z")
In the song, what are the children calling their father when they call him a “boo boo”? I’m not up on Caribbean dialect, but Urban Dictionary cites primarily are an affectionate diminutive (unlikely, given the context) or variations of shit (!). Other possibilities are a weak or ineffectual person, or definition #33 “someone from deep in the African jungle”. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belafonte-song-momma-look-a-boo-boo/654015/2 "2013-03-26T17:04:02Z")
Shut your mouth. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belafonte-song-momma-look-a-boo-boo/654015/3 "2013-03-26T17:12:51Z")
Go away. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belafonte-song-momma-look-a-boo-boo/654015/4 "2013-03-26T17:28:25Z")
I wonder why nobody don’t like me? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belafonte-song-momma-look-a-boo-boo/654015/5 "2013-03-26T17:30:32Z")
Or is it a fact that I’m ugly? ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belafonte-song-momma-look-a-boo-boo/654015/6 "2013-03-27T21:50:40Z")
Oh no! My Daddy can’t be ugly so! ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belafonte-song-momma-look-a-boo-boo/654015/7 "2013-03-27T23:06:50Z")
I leave my whole house and home. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belafonte-song-momma-look-a-boo-boo/654015/8 "2013-03-27T23:11:23Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > In the song, what are the children calling their father when they call him a “boo boo”? I’m not up on Caribbean dialect, but Urban Dictionary cites primarily are an affectionate diminutive (unlikely, given the context) or variations of shit (!). Other possibilities are a weak or ineffectual person, or definition #33 “someone from deep in the African jungle”. That ain’t no kind of joke to crack. ---
**Author:** ![orderfire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orderfire/32/10908_2.png) [@orderfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orderfire)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belafonte-song-momma-look-a-boo-boo/654015/9 "2013-03-28T03:03:10Z")
Bring the belt, you’re much too insolent.