# "Not even your Eisenhower give you no break"??? - COPS theme song **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 18, 2003, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-even-your-eisenhower-give-you-no-break-cops-theme-song/169523 "2003-04-18T11:13:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-even-your-eisenhower-give-you-no-break-cops-theme-song/169523/1 "2003-04-18T11:13:36Z")
In the theme song for the reality television show COPS, there is a line that sounds to me like: “Not even your Eisenhower give you no break.” What are they saying? ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-even-your-eisenhower-give-you-no-break-cops-theme-song/169523/2 "2003-04-18T11:29:57Z")
Well, the lyrics on [this page]([http://www.metrolyrics.com/lyrics/41815/Inner\_Circle/Bad\_Boys\_(Theme\_From\_)](http://www.metrolyrics.com/lyrics/41815/Inner_Circle/Bad_Boys_(Theme_From_)) are: > [@](#): > > Nobody naw give you no break > Police naw give you no break > Soldier naw give you no break > **Not even you idren naw give you no break** My bolding. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-even-your-eisenhower-give-you-no-break-cops-theme-song/169523/3 "2003-04-18T11:32:39Z")
“Idren” is a Jamaican term for “female friend”. From [here.](http://www.atasteofjamaica.com/m_f.htm) ---
**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-even-your-eisenhower-give-you-no-break-cops-theme-song/169523/4 "2003-04-18T13:48:55Z")
Actually, “idren” can mean male or female friend(s). In this context, it’s sort of the Jamaican equivalent of “homeys”. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-even-your-eisenhower-give-you-no-break-cops-theme-song/169523/5 "2003-04-18T15:34:26Z")
Eisenhower??? I admit, though, it’s kind of a cool mental image… ---
**Author:** ![DisneyWizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@DisneyWizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DisneyWizard)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2013, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-even-your-eisenhower-give-you-no-break-cops-theme-song/169523/6 "2013-08-05T01:22:09Z")
Fact: Captioners often type what is misheard. Fact: “Not even your Eisenhower give you no break.” is definitely misheard. Fact: The closed caption of the **COPS** theme song is mis-captioned “idren naw” Opinion: I hear “Eisenhower” as well, and confirm your truthful observation. > [@Napier](#): > > In the theme song for the reality television show COPS, there is a line that sounds to me like: > “Not even your Eisenhower give you no break.” > What are they saying? You are correct, “Not even your Eisenhower give you no break.” is the actual lyric. Also consider the entire stanza. Enforcers such as para-military and military is the topic. Not friends and lovers. Disregarding the double negative “nah give ya nah break” the point is uniformed gangsters and other thugs in blue organized to legally carry and brandish firearms and other weapons such are dogs and batons, and coordinated by radio can not be depended on to cut perpetrators slack - “give you no break.” Police nor Soldier, not even Eisenhower as military commander or our U.S. president. And that’s the straight dope, so get it Dwight, D. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2013, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-even-your-eisenhower-give-you-no-break-cops-theme-song/169523/7 "2013-08-05T01:56:39Z")
> [@DisneyWizard](#): > > Fact: Captioners often type what is misheard. > Fact: “Not even your Eisenhower give you no break.” is definitely misheard. > Fact: The closed caption of the **COPS** theme song is mis-captioned “idren naw” > Opinion: I hear “Eisenhower” as well, and confirm your truthful observation. > > You are correct, “Not even your Eisenhower give you no break.” is the actual lyric. > Also consider the entire stanza. Enforcers such as para-military and military is the topic. Not friends and lovers. Disregarding the double negative “nah give ya nah break” the point is uniformed gangsters and other thugs in blue organized to legally carry and brandish firearms and other weapons such are dogs and batons, and coordinated by radio can not be depended on to cut perpetrators slack - “give you no break.” Police nor Soldier, not even Eisenhower as military commander or our U.S. president. > > And that’s the straight dope, so get it Dwight, D. Nope, that is an opinion too. 😛 Looking at other lyric places, virtually all agree on “Not even you idren naw give you no break”. As the band that made the song is from Jamaica (No, it was not Bob Marley you clueless youtubers, but _Inner Circle_), the most simple explanation is that that line has its origins in the Rastafarian world of Jamaican patois, and indeed: [http://www.frommers.com/destinations/jamaica/0093020558.html](http://www.frommers.com/destinations/jamaica/0093020558.html) > [@](#): > > The patois has been embellished and altered with the growth of Rastafarianism. Rastas have injected several grammatical concepts, one of the most apparent being the repeated use of “I” – a reminder of their reverence of Ras Tafari. “I” is almost always substituted for the pronoun “me.” It is also substituted for many prefixes or initial syllables. Thus, “all right,” becomes “I’re,” _ **“brethren” becomes “Idren,”** _ and “praises” becomes “Ises.” The Rastafarian changes of Jamaica’s patois are a recent phenomenon and have not always been adopted by non-Rastas. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2013, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-even-your-eisenhower-give-you-no-break-cops-theme-song/169523/8 "2013-08-05T02:32:01Z")
> [@DisneyWizard](#): > > You are correct, “Not even your Eisenhower give you no break.” is the actual lyric. I just listened to it (several times actually) and it’s pretty clearly “not even your idren now give you no breaks”. I can’t get Eisenhower out of it. ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2013, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-even-your-eisenhower-give-you-no-break-cops-theme-song/169523/9 "2013-08-05T03:18:46Z")
zomg! the neighborhood is being overrun by Eisenhowers! ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2013, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-even-your-eisenhower-give-you-no-break-cops-theme-song/169523/10 "2013-08-05T04:17:31Z")
Nixon’s bound to be behind it, I tell you. :: shakes fist :: Damn you, Nixon! ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2013, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-even-your-eisenhower-give-you-no-break-cops-theme-song/169523/11 "2013-08-05T04:59:06Z")
[Rastafarian Generals](http://www.duffelblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/rasta.jpg) knows this is true. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2013, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-even-your-eisenhower-give-you-no-break-cops-theme-song/169523/12 "2013-08-05T05:54:44Z")
But he always seemed so likeable… ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2013, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-even-your-eisenhower-give-you-no-break-cops-theme-song/169523/13 "2013-08-05T05:57:30Z")
Actually it’s “Not even Steve Yzerman will give you no break”. I am absolutely certain 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2013, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-even-your-eisenhower-give-you-no-break-cops-theme-song/169523/14 "2013-08-05T09:31:22Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > Eisenhower??? > > I admit, though, it’s kind of a cool mental image… Mental image of Eisenhower in Crip colors, earrings, bandana on his head, & earrings. Yikes. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2013, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-even-your-eisenhower-give-you-no-break-cops-theme-song/169523/15 "2013-08-05T13:06:52Z")
> [@Manduck](#): > > Actually it’s “Not even Steve Yzerman will give you no break”. I am absolutely certain 🙂 Now this makes sense visually. I picture a dreadlocks toting Yzerman bearing down on the ice towards a criminal, hockey stick up. He shoots, he scores! Justice served; the crowd goes wild! ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2013, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-even-your-eisenhower-give-you-no-break-cops-theme-song/169523/16 "2013-08-05T13:11:43Z")
You never know with some Presidents: [http://img1.etsystatic.com/000/0/5317448/il\_570xN.78182301.jpg](http://img1.etsystatic.com/000/0/5317448/il_570xN.78182301.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2013, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-even-your-eisenhower-give-you-no-break-cops-theme-song/169523/17 "2013-08-05T14:02:51Z")
Those lyrics are still far more intelligible than what they were singing on All In The Family’s “Those Were The Days”. Even when they re-recorded it and emphasized the last obscured line, you couldn’t tell what they were singing. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2013, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-even-your-eisenhower-give-you-no-break-cops-theme-song/169523/18 "2013-08-05T14:27:25Z")
> [@DisneyWizard](#): > > Opinion: I hear “Eisenhower” as well, and confirm your truthful observation. Hmm…I just listened to it now, and it sounds like “idren” (with an “eye” sound for the first syllable.) I don’t hear Eisenhower at all, although I can sort of see how somebody might hear that. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2013, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-even-your-eisenhower-give-you-no-break-cops-theme-song/169523/19 "2013-08-05T15:20:41Z")
I find that _EYE-dren NAH_ resembles _EYE-zen-HOW-er_, in the context of the song where it’s being somewhat muddied by being sung rather than spoken, in an unfamiliar accent, and with instruments in the mix. To someone who had no clue that _idren_ even existed as a word, making it out as _Eisenhower_ seems pretty reasonable to me. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2013, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-even-your-eisenhower-give-you-no-break-cops-theme-song/169523/20 "2013-08-05T16:12:03Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > To someone who had no clue that _idren_ even existed as a word, making it out as _Eisenhower_ seems pretty reasonable to me. Aside from that it makes no sense, of course.😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-even-your-eisenhower-give-you-no-break-cops-theme-song/169523.md?page=2)