# Talking Drums **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [May 18, 2000, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talking-drums/19830 "2000-05-18T03:59:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2000, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talking-drums/19830/1 "2000-05-18T03:59:45Z")
The Bantu languages have the advantage of being tonal so that allows you to pack in more information along with the rhythm. Spanish, while lacking tones, does have rhythm. This allows Mexican motorists to beep out the familiar rhythm of the obscene insult “Ch\*\*\*a tu madre.” Cholos who do this have been attacked and even killed on the spot by insulted men. Now, the rhythm of this phrase is known to gringos as the old “Shave and a haircut.” So if you’re driving in Mexico, please, PLEASE don’t give into the urge to play “Shave and a haircut”. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2000, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talking-drums/19830/2 "2000-05-18T15:21:13Z")
Cecil’s column can be found on-line at this link: [Are there really such things as “talking drums”? (18-Nov-1994)](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a5_158.html) The column ( **including** Slug Signorino’s illustation) can be found on pages 158-160 of “[_Triumph of the Straight Dope_](http://www.straightdope.com/otheroutlets/books.html)”. The books can be purchased here: [Welcome to the Straight Dope Store](https://securesite.chireader.com/cgi-bin/dopestore/buystuff.bat) ---
**Author:** ![RM\_Mentock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@RM\_Mentock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RM_Mentock)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2000, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talking-drums/19830/3 "2000-05-18T18:18:57Z")
According to a poster in alt.usage.english who represented himself as Reinhold (Rey) Aman, Editor of [Maledicta](http://www.sonic.net/maledicta/): The International Journal of Verbal Aggression, that’s almost true. You are missing a couple beats (duh), and the full phrase is “¡Ch_nga tu madre, c_brón!” Aman is having trouble with the name Maledicta: "Allen spitefully, defiantly and maliciously continues to peddle devil-worshipping books and satanic-ritual shit by misusing our name “Maledicta.” ---
**Author:** ![RM\_Mentock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@RM\_Mentock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RM_Mentock)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2000, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talking-drums/19830/4 "2000-05-18T18:22:21Z")
O yeh, you know what happens when the drums _stop_, don’t you? ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2000, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talking-drums/19830/5 "2000-05-18T19:18:04Z")
When drums stop, then bass solo starts! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2000, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talking-drums/19830/6 "2000-05-20T21:50:31Z")
\> You are missing a couple beats (duh), and the full phrase is “¡Ch_nga tu madre, c_brón!” The funny thing is, adding those two more beats still matches the full gringo rhythm of “Shave and a haircut, six bits.” Still dangerous! ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2000, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talking-drums/19830/7 "2000-05-22T17:00:03Z")
I always thought it was “shave and a haircut, **two** bits.” ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2000, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talking-drums/19830/8 "2000-05-22T17:38:06Z")
Yeah, apparently inflation even affects folk ditties… I liked “two bits” better anyway, as it makes for a nice pun (ok, so there’s no such thing. It’s a mean pun, then.)