TEXT ANALYSIS: "RUN AND TELL THAT" PHRASE IN POPULAR CULTURE

"Text Analysis" is an ongoing Cocojams.com series that provides text analysis of selected playground rhymes, and other songs from oral traditions.

This Text Analysis page traces the use of the phrase "Run And Tell That" in African American religious songs, African American secular songs, and in other examples of African American culture. This page was inspired by the now viral Antoine Dodson "Bed Intruder" song. Setting aside aesthetic appreciation, I'm mostly interested in documenting how people use specific words & phrases, and how those words and phrases may change their meaning over a period time or within the same time. I'm sharing my thoughts on this topic as a community (amateur) folklorist.

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DISCLAIMER:
This text analysis page doesn't purport to be a comprehensive documentation of the use of "Run And Tell That" in African American culture.

**
I'm interested in your comments about this topic as well as links to/information about any other examples you may have of the use of the phrase "run and tell that" in African American culture. Please send your comments/links to cocojams17@yahoo.com.

DEFINITIONS:
The literal meaning of "run and tell that" is "to exhort someone to go quickly and give information or news to another person or persons. However, it's my position that sometimes "run and tell that" has the additional meaning of "declaring to your the adversary who you have bested or will succeed against in the near furture that he or she should let the world world know that fact. This second, added meaning carries the flavor of a taunt, and therefore is said or otherwise communicated with "in your face attude".

A primary example of the literal meaning of "run and go tell it" is the Bishop Michael V. Kelsey Gospel song with that title. However even that song contains a hint of the "bested advesary" taunt, as Jesus' birth can be considered a victory over the devil and death.

A primary example of the added "ending to a smackdown" meaning of "run and go tell that" are the words "run and tell that, homeboy" that were part of the 2010 spontaneous news interview by Antoine Dodson which became the hit autotune "Bed Intruder". Both examples and others are featured below.

FEATURED EXAMPLES:

[Examples are posted in chronological order.]

Go Tell It On The Mountain (African American spiritual, 19th century or earlier)

This spiritual may be the oldest documented use in African American culture of the literal meaning of the currently popular phrase "Run and tell that". "Go Tell It On The Mountain" exhorts people to hurry and spread the news of the birth of Jesus. The phrase "run and tell that" can be taken on face value to mean "go quickly and let others know" some information or news. However, this spiritual also carries at least a hint of the gloating or celebraing the fact that you have been victorious over your enemy/enemies and you want the whole world to know it. That added meaning can come from the belief that Jesus' birth can be considered a victory over death and the devil.

Here are the lyrics to that spiritual (with recognition of the fact that the words to spirituals aren't fixed)

Go, tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born

While shepherds kept their watching
Over silent flocks by night
Behold throughout the heavens
There shone a holy light

Go, tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born

The shepherds feared and trembled
When lo! above the earth
Rang out the angels chorus
That hailed the Savior's birth

Go, tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born

Down in a lowly manger
The humble Christ was born
And God sent us salvation
That blessèd Christmas morn

Go, tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.

http://www.lyricsmania.com/go_tell_it_on_the_mountain_lyrics_kirk_frankl...

**
Numerous videos of "Go Tell It On The Mountain" are found on YouTube. However, the occurances of the exhortations "Go tell it!" and "Run tell it!" in the following video clearly point to the relationship between this song and the contemporary non-religious use of that phrase by Antoine Dodson which became the autotune "Bed Intruders".

Go Tell It On The Mountain

heavyd77477 | December 27, 2007
11th Annual Christmas Concert at the Covenant Glen UMC Church in Missouri City, Texas on December 16, 2007. Dr. Robert Childress, Pastor and W.Keith Eason serves as Minister of Music.

The selection was led by Altonet Malbrough and was arranged by the late Thomas Whitfield.,,

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Denise LaSalle- "Now Run And Tell That" R&B hit song (1971)

From
http://books.google.com/books?id=tDYftTBTFyEC&pg=PA245&lpg=PA245&dq=who+...

Uncloudy days: the gospel music encyclopedia By Bil Carpenter
page 245

Denise LaSalle
“One of the sassiest singers of the old-school soul circuit, LaSalle is probably the probably the best songwriter that genre has ever produced. Along with writing her No 1 R&B hit, 1971’s “Trapped by a thing called love”, LaSalle has written songs for Barbara Mandrell, Rita Coolidge, Ann Peeples, Latimore, Little Milton, and the late Z.Z. Hill. She was born Denise Allen on July 16, 1939 in Belzoni, Mississippi. Her recording for Westbound Records between 1970 and 1973 established her as a R&B artist with a gift for spinning a story that could make one laugh or cry. Among the hits from that period are “Man Sized Job”, Run and Tell That” and “Trapped By A Thing Called Love”….In 1999 LaSalle recorded her first gospel Cd…”

-snip-

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denise_LaSalle
After establishing an independent production company, Crajon, with her then husband Bill Jones,[2] her first major success came in 1971 when her self-penned song, "Trapped By A Thing Called Love", released on Westbound Records, made #1 on the national R&B chart and #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The RIAA gold disc award was made on 30 November 1971 for a million sales.[3] Follow-ups "Now Run And Tell That" and "Man Sized Job" also made the R&B Top Ten, and she continued to have hits on Westbound and then on ABC Records through the mid 1970s"...

-snip-

Here are the lyrics to Now Run And Tell That" from http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/d/denise_lasalle/now_run_and_tell_that....

Every big city man,
Run around town, just...
Even tellin' how he loves,
A man'll put him down, yes...

How he gets what he wants,
Then he'll blow your mind,
Aww, but baby, you met your match this time, yeah yeah.

Hey hey, Mr. Playboy,
Hey Romeo,
It broke your heart,
If I let you go.

You been tellin' everybody where it's at.
Now run and tell that.
(Run on)
That's what you're gonna do.
(Run and tell that)

You say you never met a girl,
That you couldn't win,
That's what you said.

And if you been there once,
You can go back again,
Oh yes you did.

But ain't no two-timin',
Bone-crushin', sweet-talkin' John,
No, baby,
Gonna get my love and then,
Turn it wrong.

Hey hey, Mr. Playboy,
Hey Romeo,
It hurt you bad,
If I let you go.

You been tellin' everybody where it's at.
Now run and tell that.
(Run on)
That's what you better do now.
(Run and tell that)

You said you were the greatest man alive, yeah.
But I made up my mind to put you down in size, oh yeah.
I'll put somethin' on your mind,
You'll never forget, no baby.

I've got you walking in a daze,
You ain't recovered yet, no.

Hey hey, Mr. Big Stuff,
Hey Romeo,
You can tell the world,
That I told you so,
That I was gonna show you where it's at.

You been tellin' everybody where it's at.
Now run and tell that.
(Run on)
Now run on...
(Run and tell that)

[Fade]

-snip-

It seems clear to me that the woman in this song is taunting the man she's leaving with how she's gotten the better of him by leaving him. The icing to her taunt is that she wants him to be sure to tell others that she's hip to his jive and she's given him the boot.

In other words, the title and refrain of LaSalle's song "Now Run And Tell That" means more than telling her former lover to quickly go and tell people the news that they have are no longer a couple. The singer is demanding that that man let others know that she knows about his cheating ways and she has not only kicked him out, but has also given him the tongue lashing (verbal smackdown) that he deserves. This added meaning is not only signaled by the preceding lyrics or spoken/written words-the attitude with which the phrase is uttered, written, or sung is a big indication of its meaning. By "attitude" I mean the intonation and the body language that is used when the phrase "now run and tell that" is spoken.

Unfortunately, I've not been able to find a video of Denise LaSalle's song "Now Run And Tell That". However, I expect that the singer conveys the "in your face attitude" that is drawn by the song's lyrics.

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Martin Lawrence Live - Runteldat [Comedy Routine] 2002

""Runteldat" is a purposeful (non-accidental) translation into African American vernacular English of the phrase "run and tell that".

Here's a definition from http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=runteldat
"Meaning to literally "run tell that" as in go "run and tell that" to your friends "

In 2002 African American comedian Martin Lawrence titled his comedy show "Runteldat". Here's a review of that show

Martin Lawrence Live - Runteldat (Full Screen Edition) (2002)
"Prudes won't survive a single minute of Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat, but those who brave the journey will be duly--albeit conditionally--rewarded. This is surely the dirtiest comedy performance ever released to the general public, but beneath his barrage of profanity, crudeness, and unabashed sexual material, Lawrence gets into some serious truth about life's trials and tribulations, to which (he repeatedly observes) none of us are immune. The title's a hip-hop contraction of "run and tell that"...
--Jeff Shannon; http://www.amazon.com/Martin-Lawrence-Live-Runteldat-Widescreen/dp/B0000...

-snip-

Because Cocojams.com is a family centered website, I'm not including a video ciip of this comedy routine. It's inclusion here is to document an example of the non-musical use of this phrase in African American culture.

The title "runteldat" as used by Martin Lawrence probably conveys more than just the literal meaning of "hurrying up to tell others something". This title may have been meant to evoke a full measure of taunting, in your face, street attitude. It's possible that the material of Lawrence's comedy routine but may be considered by him as a smackdown to folks who had talked down to or talked about that comedian/actor. Or Martin Lawrence may have considered the his ability to get a contract to perform this comedy as retaliation in and of itself for people bad mouthing him or otherwise doing him harm. After telling those folks off, Lawrence may be saying "Yeah. now I told you [off]. Now you can run and tell [others what I did and what I said to you]. It's that attitude of talking back to someone who did you wrong that I believe is reflected in both Denise LaSalle's 1971 "Run Tell That" song and in Antoine Dodson's 2010 news report interview that became the hit autotune song "Bed Intruder.

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Hairspray - "Run And Tell That" (Broadway debut-2002; American movie 2007)

from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hairspray_(musical)
"Hairspray is a musical with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman and a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, based on the 1988 John Waters film Hairspray. The songs include 1960s-style dance music and "downtown" rhythm and blues. In 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, plump teenager Tracy Turnblad's dream is to dance on The Corny Collins Show, a local TV dance program based on the real-life Buddy Deane Show.[1] When Tracy wins a role on the show, she becomes a celebrity overnight. She then launches a campaign to integrate the show. Hairspray is a social commentary on the injustices of parts of American society in the 1960.

The musical's original Broadway production opened on August 15, 2002[2] and won eight Tony Awards out of thirteen nominations. It ran for over 2,500 performances and closed on January 4, 2009.[3] Hairspray has also had U.S. national tours, a London West End production and numerous foreign productions and was adapted for a 2007 musical film. The London production was nominated for a record-setting eleven Laurence Olivier Awards, winning for Best New Musical and in three other categories"...

-snip-

Here's an excerpt of the words to that song from http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/hairspray/runandtellthat.htm

Hey!

I can't see
Why people look at me
And only see the color of my face

And then there's those
That try to help, god knows
But always have to put me in my place

but i won't ask you to be color blind
'Cause if you pick the fruit
Then girl, you're sure to find...

The blacker the berry
The sweeter the juice
I could say it ain't so
But darlin', what's the use?

The darker the chocolate
The richer the taste
And that's where it's at...
... now baby run and tell that!!

ENSEMBLE
Run and tell that!

SEAWEED
Run and tell that!

ENSEMBLE
Run and tell that!

SEAWEED (& ENSEMBLE)
I can't see
Why people disagree
Each time i tell them what i know is true

no no!

And if you come
And see the world i'm from
1 bet your heart is gonna feel it too

Yeah. I could lie
But baby. Let's be bold
Vanilla can be nice
But if the truth be told...

The blacker the berry
The sweeter the juice
I could say it ain't so
But darlin', what's the use

The darker the chocolate
The richer the taste
That's where it's at

oh baby baby run and tell that!!

Seaweed + ENSEMBLE
Run and tell that!...

LI'L INEZ
I'm tired of coverin' up all my pride

SEAWEED & ENSEMBLE
So give me five on the black-hand side

LI'L INEZ
I've got a new way of movin'
And i got my own voice

SEAWEED & ENSEMBLE
So how can i help
But to shout and rejoice

LI'L INEZ
The people 'round here
Can barely pay their rent
They're "try'n to make dollar
Out 'a fifteen cent"
But we got a spirit
Money just cant buy

LI'L INEZ & ENSEMBLE
It's deep as a river
And soars to the sky!

SEAWEED & ENSEMBLE
I cant see
The reason it cant be
The kinda world where we all get our chance

oh yeah!

The time is now
And we can show them how
To turn the music up and let's all dance

'Cause all things are equal
When it comes to love
Well, that ain't quite true
'Cause when push comes to shove...

The blacker the berry
The sweeter the juice
I could say it ain't so
But darlin', what's the use?

The darker the chocolate
The richer the taste
That's where it's at

SEAWEED
... no baby baby baby run and tell that!!

ENSEMBLE
Run and tell that!

SEAWEED
Run and tell that!! oh baby
go run and tell that! g-g-g-g-g-go on!
go run and tell... that-iat-iat-iat!
babbbbbbbbbbbbbby! yeah yeah yeeahah yeahhhh! woah!!!

-snip-

In that song, the phrase "run and tell that" carries more than just its literal meaning. In that song, Seaweed, Li'l Inez, and the ensemble express racial pride and self-confidence. Hairspray's "Run and Tell It" exhorts people to let the world know that the singers reject self hatred and group hatred. Hairspray's "Run and Tell It" also challenges mainstream society's low expectations for and segregation of Black people. That is what the singers demand people to "run and tell".

It should be noted that the lines "the blacker the berry/ the sweeter the juice" is an old and still commonly used African American taunt. A poem/song with those words is included in Thomas W. Talley's now classic collection of Negro Folk Rhymes, Wise & Otherwise that was originally published in 1922, and is still in publication. Other lines from that song such as "tryin to make a dollar outta fifteen cents" are also part of an old African American vernacular tradition, while lines like "give me five on the black hand side" are considerably newer additions to "Black street talk". However, each of these lines have a celebratory/taunting flava to them that, combined together, also convey that the "run and tell that" phrase means more than the actual words.

Here's a video of the song "Run And Tell That" from the 2007 movie. The same song was included in the 2002 Broadway production:

Hairspray - Run And Tell That (with subtitles)

balthazhulu | September 13, 2009

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(Bishop) Michael V. Kelsey- "Run And Tell That" (Gospel), 2004 or 2005

The Gospel song "Run And Tell That" may be an example of a vernacular phrase being included in a secular song, and then being included into a religious song. That is, unless we consider the spiritual "Go Tell It On The Mountain" to be an earlier version of the phrase "run and tell it". This may be a case of "Which came first-the chicken or the egg?". I don't have any documentation of the initial use of the phrase "run and tell it" in spoken everyday conversation, it wouldn't surprise me if the everyday use of the phrase came before its inclusion in either religious or non-religious songs. In any event,

I just happened upon the Gospel song "Run and Tell That" through surfing YouTube. After watching several YouTube videos and reading those videos' viewer comments, I sought information about this Gospel song on other websites. According to cd baby.com, that song was first released in 2004 as part of Bishop Michael V. Kelseyt's Masterpiece Cd. However, according to amazon.com, that Cd's release date was 2005.

Here are the lyrics to Bishop Kelsey- "Run And Tell That" from http://www.music-lyrics-gospel.com/gospel_music_lyrics/run__tell_4286.asp :

Has the Lord done anything for you?
Come on and Sing
(You ought to run and tell that)
I'm a living witness my God will see me through
(You ought to run and tell that)
Picked me up and turn me around place my feet on solid ground
(You ought to run and tell that)
Looked at my hand and they looked new looked at my feet and they did too
(you ought to run and tell that.)

Oh, oh, oh, oh , (y----ou )
you ought to run (you ought to run and tell that)
Oh, oh, oh, oh, you ( yo----u)
you ought to run ( you ought to run and tell that)

Has the Lord done anything for you?
Somebody say now
(You ought to run and tell that)
I' m a living witness my God will see you through, oh
(You ought to run and tell that)
Picked me up and turn me around place my feet on solid ground
(You ought to run and tell that)
Looked at my hand they were new looked at my feet and they were too
(you ought to run and tell that.)

Oh, oh, oh, oh , (y-o-u)
you ought to run( you ought to run and tell that)
Oh, oh, oh, oh, ( y-o-u )
you ought to run (You ought to run and tell that)
Oh, (You ought to run and t---e----l----l)

You ought to run (You ought to run)x times
and tell that(and tell that)

Lead Ad lib:
Let me talk about a man from Galilee (You ought to run - as directed)
Who heal the sick and He loved me
Let me tell you what he done, what he done for me
Let me tell you what he done

He loosed my shackles, ya'll(Yeah)
He loosed my shackles ya'll(Yeah)
He loosed my shackles , yea (yeah)
and set me free
(You ought to run) x times

Let me talk about a man from Galilee (You ought to run as directed)
How He heal the sick and He loved me
I wonder can I get one witness
Everybody clap your hand
You ought to run
You out to run and tell that
Didn't he pick you up
And turn you around
Didn't he place your feet on solid ground
Let me tell you what he done, what he done for me
Let me tell you what he done, ya'll

He loosed my shackles ya'll (Yeah)
He loosed my shackles, ya'll (Yeah)
He loosed my shackles, ya'll (Yeah)
He loosed my shackles, Yea (yeah)
and set me free

Oh, oh, oh, oh , (y----ou )
you ought to run (you ought to run and tell that)
Oh, oh, oh, oh, you ( yo----u)
you ought to run ( you ought to run and tell that

-snip-

The phrase "run and tell that" in Kelsey's Gospel song has the literal meaning of quickly telling others some news. However this song may also be said to include a hint of the "bested adversary" taunt, as Jesus' birth can be considered a victory over the devil and death.

Here's an audio song clip from YouTube of Bishop Kelsey's Run And Tell That" song:

denise896 | August 23, 2009
Praise and Worship video with lyrics

-snip-

Here's a video of a church choir singing Bishop Kelsey's "Run And Tell That"

First Baptist Church Men's Choir (Dayton, Ohio)-Run Tell That

pmaestro24 | November 26, 2008
Pierre Whitlow leading the Men's Choir in song.

-snip-

This song adds still another meaning to the phrase "run and tell that". At the end of the choir's rendition of this song, the minister asks "Do I have any runners in the house"? The camera then shows several church members "getting happy" (expressing the Holy Ghost) and running down the aisle of the church. This is a traditional way that that folk experienced the Holy Ghost, but it's rarely seen nowadays in many African American churches.that aren't of the Chirch of God In Christ (COGIC) or similar demoninations.

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Antoine Dodson & The Gregory Brothers'-Bed Intruder (2010)

from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoine_Dodson
"Kevin Antoine Dodson[1] (born 1985)[2] is a citizen of Huntsville, Alabama whose interview on local television became an Internet sensation and resulted in an auto-tuned song with The Gregory Brothers which "has sold thousands of copies on iTunes and appeared on the Billboard Hot 100 list".[3] Dodson's interview was prompted after a house intruder attempted to rape his sister.

The video of the interview caught attention due to the passionate and flamboyant style of his delivery, speaking directly to the camera, in which he directly addressed the people of his neighborhood as well as the would-be rapist, and his use of street vernacular...

The video of Dodson's television interview "went viral" and then inspired several musical remixes, including a video by musical group The Gregory Brothers, known as the "Bed Intruder Song", which in turn inspired many further covers and remixes..."

-snip-
It should be noted that The Gregory Brothers and Antoine Dodson are splitting half of the proceeds of the sales of the "Bed Intruder" song. As a poster on the political/social networking blog http://weeseeyou.com/ put it "He [Dodson] spoke so lyrically esp at "Hide yo kids, hide yo wife, hide yo husband."

Here's the video of the news interview before parts of it was made into an autotune:

Woman wakes up to find intruder in her bed

iKlNG | July 29, 2010
http://www.waff.com/Global/story.asp?...

HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF) - Huntsville police are searching for a man who broke into a home and got into bed with a woman.

-snip-

Here's a video of the autotune of the newscast which was created by The Gregory Brothers:

Antoine Dodson, The Gregory Brothers-"Bed Intruder"

schmoyoho | Season 1 Ep. 12b | Added: July 31, 2010

-snip-

Here's the lyrics to the "Bed Intruder" song from http://www.metrolyrics.com/bed-intruder-lyrics-antoine-dodson.html

BED INTRUDER
(Antoine Dodson; The Gregory Brothers)

Well. obviously we have a rapist in Lincoln Park [spoken]

[autotune singing begins]

he's climbin in your windows
he's snatchin your people up
tryna rape em so y'all need to
hide your kids, hide your wife
hide your kids, hide your wife
hide your kids, hide your wife
and hide your husband
cuz they're rapin errbody out here
you don't have to come and confess
we're lookin for you
we gon find you
we gon find you
so you can run and tell that,
run and tell that
run and tell that, homeboy
home, home, homeboy

we got your t-shirt
you done left fingerprints and all
you are so dumb
you are really dumb--for real
the man got away leaving behind evidence pspoken by the female tv reporter]
i was attacked by some idiot in the projects [spoken by Kelli]
so dumb, so dumb, so dumb, so

chorus

-snip-

Here's a comment that I wrote on a discussion page about this song that I started on Antoine Dodson's facebook page.

"There’s a lot of racist comments posted on the multiple YouTube viewer comment threads about Kelli Dodson's/Antoine Dodson's newscast and the "Bed Intruder" autotune song. There are also a lot of racist comments posted on threads on Antoine Dodson’s facebook page. But I believe that racism is only one part of this mix. I think what most viewers are finding “funny” about this video is the fact that Antoine is a low income, effeminate young Black man. Unfortunately, many Americans-regardless of their race-consider being effeminate laughable in & of itself.

That said, Antoine does have a unique way of talking. His lyrical manner of speaking, his body language when he speaks, and his use of repetitive/rhyming street sayings* are straight out of traditional & contemporay African American singing & oral traditions (think Rev. Jesse Jackson’s use of rhymed sayings & Attn. Johnny Cochran’s “If the glove doesn’t fit/you must acquit” sentence.) Furthermore, in my opinion, Antoine’s addition of “hide your husband” in his “hide your kids, hide your wife” statements was an unexpected ending which therefore merited a smile.

As an African American woman who was raised in the projects (public housing development)- I love the fact that neither Antoine & Kelli came across as “victims”. In their unscripted interviews both were strong, confident, and defiant in the face of a situation that could have beat them both down. Both Kelli and Antoine looked directly into the camera and said what they felt like saying.

I’m glad that the Gregory Brothers (who produced the autotune video/song) are ethical enough to divide the profits from that 50/50 with Antoine.
I’m glad that Antoine is using his new found fame to help himself and his family. I hope the rapist is caught soon, and I say more power to both Kelli & Antoine!
-Azizi Powell, August 24, 2010; "Why Do You Like This Song?" http://www.facebook.com/#!/topic.php?uid=102461723145137&topic=42

end of quote

Antoine Dodson was full of righteous rage when he spontaneously spoke on camera to the man who attempted to rape his sister. It wasn't just what Dodson said, it was also howhe said it. Check out Antoine Dodson's intonation during that newscast. Brotha was on a roll. He really gave the attempted rapist a royal smackdown. In no uncertain terms, Antoine Dodson let the attempted rapist know that the perpetrator was "so dumb" for leaving behind his fingerprints and a tee shirt. Antoine told the attempted rapitst off. He taunted the attempted rapists by saying that he didn't "have to come and confess/we're lookin for you/we gon find you". Then Dodson ended his royal smackdown by taunting the attempted rapist to "run and tell that, homeboy".

Notice Dodson's body language in that video, especially when he says the word "homeboy". When Antoine Dodson ended the phrase "run and tell that" with the word "homeboy", he upped the demeaning factor by calling the attempted rapist one of the most hated referents for a Black men anyone can use-"boy". Sometimes the word "homeboy" can be a warm referent for a male who is from your city or your neighborhood. But, it definitely wasn't used that way here, which goes to show you that a word (or a phrase) is sometimes much more than the sum of its letters.
-Azizi Powell, September 5, 2010

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December 16, 2010:

Post this under "fascinating similarities", not too long ago I got hep to Pittsburgh jazz singer Eddie Jefferson. His 1975 recording of the song "Chameleon" has some startling similarities to Antoine Dodson's runteldat rant. Here's my transcription of the first verse & the chorus of that song:

Danger is in the air.
Strange feelings everywhere.
I heard a woman shout.
They comin over the sea
to look for you and me.
Chameleons all around.
I saw my daddy frown.
They have big purple eyes.
Their teeth are long and green.
They're burnin down our house.
They're stealing all our clothes.
They're gonna rape your mama.
They're gonna steal our soul.

Chorus:
Oh Lord, Oh Lord
Tell me what do I do now?
Tell me! Tell me!
Hey Lord, Hey Lord.
Tell me what do I do now?
Tell me! Tell me!...

-snip-

Here's a video (sound clip) of that song:

Eddie Jefferson - "Chameleon"

puchersoul | November 28, 2008
jazzfunk (1975 The lp:"Still On The Planet")

-snip-

From reading online comments & reviews about Jefferson's song, I just realized that this tune is based on Herbie Hancock's "Chameleon". Duh :o)

Click http://www.jambalayah.com/node/969 to visit the jambalayah link to this video (along with an edited YouTube viewer comment thread).

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The name "pancocojams" reflects this site's wide range of topics. The name "pancocojams" also reflects this blog's connection to my http://www.cocojams.com website.

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