My flag boy and your flag boy
Were sitting by the fire
My flag boy told your flag boy
I’m gonna set your flag on fire…
Anybody know what a flag boy is?
Or anything else about this song? What are the proper words that sound phonetically like “jocko-mo-fee-na-nay”? Is it Cajun?
As for the flag boys, they’re the tribes’ standard-bearers.
And here I always thought it was “fly-boy”.
cringe That would make the lyrics, “I’m gonna set your fly on fire”, wouldn’t it?
I thought the two ran away together.
My fly-boy and your fly-boy
Sitting by the fire
My fly-boy told your fly-boy
“We’re gonna set this nigh on fire!”
That’s not right, is it?
The version I’m most familiar with refers to spy boys (who run ahead of the tribe in the parades to scout out the rival tribes).
My spy boy saw your spy boy
Sitting on the bayou
Said my spy boy to your spy boy
I’m gonna set your stuff on fire
Or, alternately, I’m gonna fix your chicken wire
I thought someone said in the previous thread, only ‘flag boy’ isn’t discussed there. But the thread did have this link, which is pretty informative.
I’ve been to Mardi Gras a few times, but I don’t remember seeing the Mardi Gras Indians. But signifying banners are part of the krewes. I would assume a flagboy is the one who carries the tribe’s flag, and that the confrontation may be along the lines of Capture The Flag.
They do have Zulus though. 
And a spy dog…?
I found a couple of Mardi Gras Indian websites:
Thanks for the replies and interesting reading, everyone!
I saw the Dixie Cups do this song on the benefit concert the other day, and I could have sworn they sang, “My grandmaw and your grandmaw…”
Ah, the wonders of human hearing…
That’s the second verse.
Hey, what version of this song is everyone listening to? The version I’m thinking of is The Belle Star’s from the Rain Man soundtrack.
I was asking about the original hit by The Dixie Cups. I know it’s been done a million times, but the only other version I know is by Dr. John.
Cyndi Lauper did a version, too.
That’s the one on my iPod.
Why do I feel like the kid that went with the earlier, cheaper textbook in college?
I thought it was “Aiko Aiko”. Didn’t The Grateful Dead and/or Jerry Garcia do it, too?
After hearing the Dixie Cups on NPR a week or so ago, I submitted a query to Cecil asking for a translation of the Afro-Cajun patois. Maybe this thread will attract his attention.
I think I own at least three different versions of Iko Iko.
Just wanted to say (and I’m starting my campaign with this post right here): Where is the Internet Music Database? You know, the one exactly like the IMDB, only about music. We need one. Desperately. Anybody knows how to fire up such a monumental task, feel free to e-mail me. We need an IMuDB.