Origin of "yipes stripes"

Cafe Society
1

Obviously this is a variation on “yikes,” itself a variation on “yoicks” if one believes Merriam-Webster.

But somewhere along the way, a writer came up with this rhyming pair, and it caught on. I’d like to know when and where.

2

It’s the name of a song in the MST3K episode “Teenage Strangler” (1968), so it’s at least that old.

3

This is a question with a factual answer (or at least something approaching one) rather than something about the arts. It would fit better in General Questions, so I’ll move it over there for you.

TVeblen

4

Well, hell. Maybe it is arty. Where the hell is Ike when he’s needed, hmmm?

Offically confused,
Veb

5

I recall an old commercial for “Fruit Stripe Gum,” where the jingle was “Yipes stripes.” This was the mid-to-late '80s. Don’t ask me why I remember that, since my mom didn’t even allow us to chew gum.

6

Wow. It blows me away that this seems to be common knowledge, because I’ve never heard the term “yipes stripes” in my life.

7

IIRC, Beech Nut and earlier than the 80’s if I’m not mistaken.

8

“Yipes! Stripes! New Beech Nut Fruit Stripe Gum!” was an ad jingle from the early to mid '60s, sung by a cartoon zebra.

This was back when a pack of gum ws five cents.

9

I don’t remember the year (I’m thinking 70s, perhaps earlier), but I do remember the ad and the music:

Yipes! Stripes!
Beechnut’s got 'em.
Yipes! Stripes!
It’s fruit-striped gum! (or Fruit Stripe, not sure)
Yipes! Stripes!
Five different flavors!
Get Beechnut Fruit Stripe gum!

10

A quick Google shows that it’s been included on a DVD of shows from the early 60s, so maybe it’s older than I thought.

11

I recall the Fruit Stripes gum (with the “Yipes Stripes!” expression) from the 1960s, so I’ll confirm Thyristor’s finding.

To tell the truth, I don’t recall it as a song, though, but Ican easily be wrong.

12

Biffy and I are running parallel memories. It had to be during the period when I could wrestle the TV away from my older sisters, but before we got color, so I’d bet somewhere between 1961-1965.

13

Definitely from the 60s. And the phrase is almost certainly from the commercial.