"Eeny, meeny, miny, moe", which can be spelled a number of ways, is a children's counting rhyme, used to select a person in games such as tag. The rhyme appears towards the end of 1949 British black comedy Kind Hearts and Coronets. There is some offensive language below. For the most part, schools in the U.S. have gone with the latter. 'Eeny, meeny, miny, mo' was rooted in racism Casimiro PT/Shutterstock Both songs depict slaves and black people in an offensive manner, but the slight difference between the two can show theincremental changes in cultural representations. Eggs, butter, cheese, bread, It's also, you know, it's so much fun because they sound great together. Likewise, some believe the nursery rhyme is based on an ancient British counting system. I could remeber working for Califonia Department of Forestry in 1985 at Ryan Air field Hemet Ca. Since many similar counting-out rhymes existed earlier, it is difficult to know its exact origin. And we want to be aware of our racist roots," Shaftel said. In 2004, two African-American sisters filed a lawsuit against Southwest Airlines after a flight attendant tried to rush them into choosing a seat saying, Eenie, meenie, minie, mo, pick a seat, we gotta go.. "[4] "Tigger" is also used instead of "tiger" in some versions of the rhyme.[5][6]. The best known version of the rhyme is the one that is now widely derided as insulting, especially in the USA, where the middle two lines originated: Eena, meena, mina, mo,Catch a n*gger by the toe,If he hollers, let him go,Eena meena, mina, mo. Catch an nigger by the toe. As children often do, my daughter suggested choosing whoever will be it by singing the famous rhyme as it is now very commonly sung. Bolton identifies the first line as plain gibberish. The stories we learn from them are painful, but also valuable. Eeny meeny miney mo, Catch a tiger by the toe, If he swears, let it go, Eeny meeny miney mo. A little over a week ago, NPR had an illuminating and poignant report on the the racist beginnings of the ice cream truck song. Each country had their own lyrics, but the structure and melody remained the same. I promised to do some research and get back to them. In this theory, the words Eenie, meenie, miney, moeare thought come from the Celtic words for the numbers one, two, three, four.. In this case, we say the kids had the right idea to go after those tigers toes. It goes something like this: Eenie, meenie, miney, moe, Ha!" "Never Stop The Music!"Thank you for watching!Hope you enjoyed it! (one version of several; they also chant the US variation above), France: Seemingly innocent, the rhyme is not what it seems. Put the baby on the po It's all over. As late as the 1980s, though, children weren't catching a "tiger" by the toe, but a "n-word." "Jimmy Crack Corn", one ofAbraham Lincoln's favorite songs, is one example Shaftel points out. Wash your hands afterwards. Interestingly, Dutch scholars had the same idea. When it comes to these songs, Shaftel explains that children should be taught the modified versions because they can't grasp the nuances of race just yet and don't have multiple levels of understanding. "BasketBall, Watermelon, Cadillac cars, we aint as dumb as you think we..is". Later, they can learn where the songs came from, and that lesson will be an important one. ", The black plaintiffs in that case sued the airline for discrimination because a flight attendant had used the rhyme while urging them to take their seats. Children often utilize this rhyme to determine whos it, especially during a game of Hiden Seek. These were, Bolton adds, the most favorite versions with American children and found in almost every state. Harvard PhD student Adrienne Raphel looked into its origins, and tells NPR's Rachel Martin it's found on playgrounds around the world. "Iniminimanimo" is a 1999 song by Kim Kay. Director Jokes Yanes Writers J. Bishop Jokes Yanes Stars Andres Dominguez Belkys Galvez David Scott Lago It is one of a large group of similar rhymes in which the child who is pointed to by the chanter on the last syllable is chosen. [Chorus: Sean Kingston & Justin Bieber] You can't make up your mind, mind, mind, mind, mind Please don't waste my time, time, time, time, time . Zimbabwe: What does eenie meanie, miny, moe expression mean? But these songs, can teach us about our past. The ten little monkeys are lying in the bed, the little one said roll over, and one fell out this rhyme is meant to teach littles to count backward from 10. Give the gift of knowledge with our official 'did you know' book. The age of the phrase is uncertain. Continue with Recommended Cookies. In 2017, fashion giant Primark removed a shirt that captured a famous scene from the hit TV show The Walking dead. De lectrick fluid magnified, and killd five hundred n**gers. Johnson's piece got us thinking about the songs like the ice cream truck song a seemingly innocuous folk song, nursery rhyme, or jingle that we may not have known were racist, and what we should do when we learn about their histories. [3] Bolton also found a similar rhyme in German: Variations of this rhyme with the nonsense/counting first line have been collected since the 1820s. It is very hard to establish the exact origin of the song as it has so many accepted forms, in different languages and countries. eenie meanie, miny, moe phrase. Each week, we explore unique solutions to some of the world's biggest problems. She wrote about eeny meeny miny mo for The Paris Review. Many people conveniently forget parts of American history like the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and the Japanese internment camps that dotted the American West during WWII, but the truth is, Asian Americans have never had it easy in the States. British? Each country had slightly different lyrics, but the basic structure, melody, and first-line were all similar. At NPR, Johnson struggled with similar questions when faced with whether or not to tell his children about the origins of the ice cream truck song. This offensive variation was widely used until around the 1950s when kid-friendly variations that instead use words like tiger, tinker, and piggy became commonplace. The diverse origins of the first line Eenie, meenie, miney, moeare plausible but contested. Lets take a look at some of them. There never was an accepted definitive version, so the children who used the rhyme were very happy to substitute their own words as the mood took them. Eeny meeny miny mo. You can also contribute via. If he hollers, let him go. There's a deliberate choice here to make the singer sound unsophisticated. What kind of music are we preserving? Well, as is so often the case in etymology, yes and no. Counting-out rhymes, like this one, were popular decision-making tools for children years ago and are still used today. RAPHEL: An earlier version of the rhyme that children recited on playgrounds did include a racial slur sometimes. Subbing out the word isnt enough, says educators like Nel, because the use of the rhyme at all can be traumatizing for people of color. Eeny meeny miny mo. ". or "Daniel Boone was a man, he was a big man, but the bear was bigger so he ran like a nigger up a tree". Southwest, on the other hand, said the flight attendant had no idea of its racist implications and that the nursery rhyme was simply used in light-hearted fun. And, this particular rhyme isnt only found in the US; kids in England, France, Denmark, Germany, and Zimbabwe all make decisions using similar-sounding rhymes. The scholars Iona and Peter Opie noted that many variants have been recorded, some with additional words such as " O. U. T. spells out, And out goes she, In the middle of the deep blue sea"[3] or "My mother told me/says to pick the very best one, and that is Y-O-U/you are [not] it";[3] while another source cites "Out goes Y-O-U. Good Luck! Thus, instead of tiger, it said the n-word to describe what would happen if a white slave owner caught a runaway. Wer? We don't always do this with American folk songs. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. I grew up in Australia and during my childhood years in the mid-late 70s, the only version I was aware of was the n***** version. There are considerable variations in the lyrics of the rhyme, including from the early twentieth century in the United States of America: During the Second World War, an AP dispatch from Atlanta, Georgia reported: "Atlanta children were heard reciting this wartime rhyme: A distinct version of the rhyme in the United Kingdom, collected in the 1950s & 1960s, is: There are many scenes in books, films, plays, cartoons and video games in which a variant of "Eeny meeny " is used by a character who is making a choice, either for serious or comic effect. RAPHEL: I think the take away is these words sound really good together. Eje, veje, vaek. The, "Jump down, turn around, pick a bale of cotton. "Do I empower them with the history of our country, or encourage the youthful exuberance induced by the ice cream truck? Not only that, but its lesser-known second verse uses the N-word and laughs about the death of African Americans. Our skimmable newsletter is delivered to your inbox each week, giving you 5 things you need to read and get smarter. The officials at, But I'll never forget 'til the day I die", It raind all night de day I left, De wedder it was dry, The sun so hot I froze to def. The meaning: The song is about a slave and the death of his master. The Racist History of Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Moe. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. If he hollers, let him go. Is it originally American? each word or pair of syllables). An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. So I'm going to completely butcher the pronunciation, but there's versions of it that folklorists heard in Denmark, for example, like, (reciting poem with Danish dialect). Nevertheless, there are as many theories as to the origin of Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Moeas there are variations. before turning into the melody that beckons ice cream seekers today. Another is that it associates Asians with either poor hygiene or subservience. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Ancient Celtic counting system or Victorian nonsense verse? Catch an nigger by the toe. Eenie, meenie, minie mo." The sisters lost and when they appealed, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the ruling. The meaning: . Check it out: England: The song can be seen as glorifying and poking fun at slave conditions. In some German versions Eena, tena, mona, mi. Some experts claim that catch a n****** by the toe refers to a method of punishment by white owners to slaves who tried to run away. (one version of several; they also chant the US variation above) France: Une, mine, mane, mo, Une, fine, fane, fo Maticaire et matico, There's no doubt that the rhyme is older than the 19th century recorded versions, possibly very much older. newsletter. This one, which includes the 'toe' and 'olla' from Kipling's version, is one of many variants of "counting out rhymes" collected by Bolton in 1888:[7]. Eenie Meenie Miney Moe 2013 Not Rated 1 h 34 m IMDb RATING 4.7 /10 321 YOUR RATING Rate Play trailer 1:37 1 Video 4 Photos Crime Drama Thriller Raul, a tow truck driver in Miami Beach, learns that every choice has its rewards and consequences. This nursery rhyme has been taught to many children to help them learn how to count. There is a similarity between the words of the phrase and some of the numerals in pre-English Celtic and Cumbrian languages; for example, the oral tradition of the English coastal town of Yarmouth voices 'one, two, three, four' as 'ina, mina, tethera, methera'. Catch an nigger by the toe. Catch an [N-word] by the toe I understand that one of the earlier versions of the rhyme included a racial slur. Is it my responsibility to foul the sweet taste of ice cream with their first taste of racism?". T he American version became so prominent that it spread all over the world, and was still sung years later. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. I mean do people kind of sing it? Please consider making a one-time contribution to Vox today. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. It was used in the chorus of Bert Fitzgibbon 's 1906 song "Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Mo": Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Mo, Catch a nigger by the toe, If he won't work then let him go; Skidum, skidee, skidoo. For Theodore Johnson III, who wrote the article, knowledge of that history ruined ice cream trucks for him. Shaftel explains that we usually attach a disclaimer to Bach and explain how his art was a product of his time. These songs are part of a racist history our nation's history. The version before this one was much more grim and ghastly. "Eeny, meeny, miny, mo" (sometimes written as "moe") has been chanted and beloved by children on playgrounds for centuries. And then maybe your new eeny meeny miny mo variation will be the one that kids on the playgrounds for generations will be reciting. Instead of Monkeys, Five Little Monkeys (also known as Ten Little Monkeys originally used the n word or darkies as a reference to Black people. First appearing in Oswald Rabbit cartoons, then in their own series. Eeeny, meeny, miney, mo! If he hollers let him go, The History And Traditions That Make Hanukkah Light Up, The Meaning Of Kwanzaa And Its Celebrations, Winter 2023 New Words: Everything, Everywhere, All At Once, Fall In Love With 14 Captivating Valentines Day Words, Rizz And 7 Other Slang Trends That Explain The Internet In 2023, Win With Qi And This List Of Our Best Scrabble Words, We Had ChatGPT Coin Nonsense PhrasesAnd Then We Defined Them, Surprise! Whilst there are versions of the first line of this rhyme in both German and Cornish, the two middle lines, it is agreed, undoubtedly originated from America. (Laughter). Ene, fune, herke, berke, Was? Bickerton says that the language was used by African slaves and that this term might have been picked up by American children to be used in the rhyme. Ooza, vooza, voka, tooza, Oops. If he hollers, let him go, When he's done, Wipe his bum. I contacted Matthew Shaftel, a professor of Music Theory and Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies at Florida State for an expert opinion. Remarks on a little-known Africanism. The use of the word nigger was censored for the American market, being replaced by sailor. ', which all the children join in with. But when you get money, your little bride Will surely find out where you hide, So there's the door and when I count four, Then out goes you. ", When it comes to these songs, Shaftel explains that children should be taught the modified versions because they can't grasp the nuances of race just yet and don't have multiple levels of understanding. Catch an nigger by the toe. The song was written by both Kingston and Bieb read more justin bieber pop eenie meenie Add tags View all tags Play album Replace video Featured On My World 2.0 Justin Bieber 710,941 listeners Whenever I hear the music now, the antique voice laughing about niggers and watermelon fills my head," Johnson wrote. The sisters claim was rejected both in court and in an appeal. Kling klang, It was actually a part of a 2004 lawsuit against Southwest. Eenie, meenie, miney moe. As difference is unwelcome to children, the formula had to be sufficiently unpredictable to be accepted as fair. Copyright 2015 NPR. Weve co-opted and stolen so much of Black culture over the past 400 years that it can be hard to realize sometimes just how many aspects of American life are racist from everyday expressions, hair and clothing style, and even our food. My story begins a few days ago while playing tag with my kids. MARTIN: Is it fair to call it a song? Iona and Peter Opie (1951) quote the following version: This version was similar to that reported by Henry Carrington Bolton as the most common version among American schoolchildren in 1888. Notably, the rhyme has been used by killers to choose victims in the 1994 films Pulp Fiction and Natural Born Killers,[24][25] the 2003 film Elephant,[26] and the sixth-season finale of the television series The Walking Dead. Eenie meenie miney mo Catch a bad chick by her toe If she holla, if, if, if she holla let her go. Father, husband, dog person. Then shop him to the FBI. It first began to be written down in the 19th century - the scholarly journal Notes and Queries published this in the February 1855 edition: "The following are used in the United States for the selection of a taggerEeny, meeny, moany, mite,Butter, lather, boney, strike,Hair, bit, frost, neck,Harrico, barrico, we, wo, wack". Barcelona, stony, sty, Why do so many fairy tales contain a hero named Jack? Walk us through the journey of this rhyme. Contribute to Atlanta Black Star today and help us share our narratives. incremental changes in cultural representations. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. Its well known that theres some challenging language in the Gospel of John,". Some theories outlined below take a stab at the American chants birthplace. Bach's St. John Passion, for instance, is set to anti-semitic text. To pick the very best one And in some cases that becomes extremely problematic. The classic American version most are familiar with goes like this: "Eeny, meeny, miny, mo, catch a tiger by the toe, If he hollers, let him go, eeny, meeny, miny, mo." This, however, is a recent revision. The vinyl release of Radiohead's album OK Computer (1997) uses the words "eeny meeny miny moe" (rather than letter or numbers) on the labels of Sides A, B, C and D respectively.[27]. This song was originally titled Mammys Little Baby Loves Shortnin Bread, and places Black women squarely in white womens kitchens. intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, "eeny-meeny-miney-mo - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes | Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com", "Childhood nursery rhymes and other 'classic' songs you probably never knew were racist", "Missing text can contain the true message", "Jeremy Clarkson: I didn't mean to use N-word video| News | The Week UK", "Jeremy Clarkson 'begs forgiveness' over N-word footage | Media", "Primark pulls "shocking" and "racist" Walking Dead t-shirt from stores after Sheffield man's angry complaint", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eeny,_meeny,_miny,_moe&oldid=1141869865, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2022, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, A jocular use of a form of the rhyme by a, This page was last edited on 27 February 2023, at 07:39. Eenie, meenie, minie mo. You're playing a game, and it's time to figure out who goes first. The jury did not side with the plaintiffs, and though they appealed, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the initial ruling. I shut my eyes to hold my brefSusanna, dont you cry. Also, the word for 'one' in Welsh, Cornish, Irish and Breton is, respectively, 'un' (pronounced 'een'), 'ouyn', 'aon' and 'unan' - all of them sounding not unlike 'een' or 'eeny'. Its racist origin, however, still haunts the popular rhyme. It was written by Stephen Foster (Camptown Races, Swanee River,) in the 19th century, and was originally sung in a slave dialect. Wie? Doo-dah!/ I go back home wid a pocket full of tin -- Oh! These songs, many of which are still sung today, aren't just uncomfortable because of their lyrics; most were used in minstrel/blackface performances in the past. Is It Called Presidents Day Or Washingtons Birthday? Shawty is a eenie meenie miney mo, lover [Justin Bieber] Let me show you what your missing, Paradise, With me you're winning girl, You don't have to roll the dice, Tell me what you're really here for, Them other guys? Following by different variations of if he squeals/screams/hollers and then let him go/make him pay/send him hum. However, the original words used in the song have far less benign implications. Were not born racist; its something thats taught. You know? You seem like the type To love them and leave them And disappear right after the song. What lies behind this variability is that throughout the 19th century the rhyme spread from different parts of the UK to every playground in the English-speaking world, but by word of mouth rather than on paper. Related entries. The meaning: The protagonist of the song is an African-American slave who is portrayed as dumb and naive. "Its well known that theres some challenging language in the Gospel of John," Michael Marissen, a noted Bach scholar, said in a 2013 interview with WQXR-radio. The original lyrics: "It raind all night de day I left, De wedder it was dry, The sun so hot I froze to def.". If they squeal make them squeal some more. If they squeal make them squeal some more. Doo-dah!/ I come down dah wid my hat caved in Doo-dah! What's its historyboth good and bad? MARTIN: Can you find it in other languages or is this exclusively something that lives in English? The rhyme has existed in various forms since well before 1820[1] and is common in many languages using similar-sounding nonsense syllables. Eeny, meeny, miny, moe also known as Eena, meena, mina, mo is a popular counting rhyme and singing game. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The words: " Eenie, meenie, minie mo. I've updated the piece to reflect those concerns. It was written at a time when slaves were regularly dehumanized and not presented as having internal lives or worth, but the slave portrayed in "Jimmy " is someone who has feelings (whether it be lament or rejoicing), someone who is human, someone "who isn't just property," Shaftel explained. ), Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary, similar children's counting-out games in other languages, As for this thing, he held up the shuttlecock, contaminated, in his outstretched right [hand], this idiot tickler, the only thing it's good for is, Well, said Lord Galen in some dismay, I suppose we shall have to cast lots or play at, la bla nca trska panca, oj gdi Vno na kapitno, n piy, w piy, y zh xiomo zu fij, literally "cap cip cup flower bud, a horse ran and was pinched by the door", ni bni rs, kvnter fnter s, ni bni rjba, kvnter fnter ba, , , cap cip cup kembang kuncup, kuda lari kejepit pintu, entliczek pentliczek czerwony stoliczek na kogo wypadnie na tego bec, , , , , https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=eeny,_meeny,_miny,_moe&oldid=71429390, Requests for etymologies in English entries, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, A method of choosing between two or more people or things, used by. Gotta jump down, turn around, Oh, Lordie, pick a bale a day." Manage Settings "Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe" Lyrics Eeny, meeny, miny, moe Catch a tiger by the toe He disregards the idea that the first line is a distorted version of a Latin prayer of dark-ages monks. The song is made up from a number of syllables, (the counting out rhyme). And we want to be aware of our racist roots," Shaftel said. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Although it seems weird that a similar rhyme would emerge all over the world, researchers believe that it could have simply resulted from different children learning which sounds go well together. Its not hard to see why children would use a playful variation of (essentially) one, two, three to count down their options. Alternate Versions and Related Songs Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Moe Song Variations Tweet Notes *Potty ***** Other Versions: Eeeny, meeny, miney, mo. [31] The uncensored word was restored for the Criterion Collection edition of the film. In other musical instances, this is not the case. Vis, vos, vay. Eeny meeny miney mo, Catch a tigger by the toe, If you ever let it go, Eeny meeny miney mo. The song's melody, it turns out, was popularized in antebellum minstrel shows where the lyrics "parodied a free black man attempting to conform to white high society by dressing in fine clothes and using big words." My mother told me The airline claimed that the flight attendant wasnt even aware of the rhymes history and only used it in humor. Remember playing this choosing game on the playground? In other online discussions, I found a theory that this line refers to a common way for slave traders to examine a prospect slave. We've all taken advantage of the quirky nursery rhyme, "Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe." But what does the ditty mean? Bolton says that it is impossible to trace the exact origin of the rhyme. Years later, in 1982, linguist Derek Bickerton proposed a theory that Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe was actually a distorted version of an African phrase. You Cant Use These English Words In The UK, Understanding Black History: 10 Terms That Illuminate The Black Experience In The US, The Names Of Black Panther And Wakanda: Their Meaning And Significance. Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Mo. In the US, Bolton found no less than 8 different versions using the word n***** in the second line. All rights reserved. [Note: UK residents who voted in the May 2011 referendum might notice a parallel with the 'First Past the Post' and 'Alternative Vote' systems.]. The Eeny Meeny Miny Moe shirt with Negans iconic baseball bat wrapped with barbed wire was deemed racist by shoppers and was eventually removed from stock. The stories we learn from them are painful, but also valuable. Reader support helps us keep our explainers free for all. Sometimes the child pointed to at the end of one count is the one selected - to be 'It' in a game of hide and seek, for example. Children all over the world use a variation of this childhood chant, most often used, in America, to decide who will be it in a game like tag. Its not a coincidencetheres actually a pretty interesting explanation! Ban them? For instance, the songs may have provided information about the cruelty of slavery to Northerners in the 1800s. The first line of a popular children's counting rhyme. But, it gets a little complicated because parts of the rhyme probably come from different places and times. Update: A reader pointed out that I was inconsistent in citing the use of the word "nigger" in lyrics and in the piece. A version from Yorkshire is: Eeeny, meeny, miney, mo. The version before this one was much more grim and ghastly. I jumpd aboard the telegraph and trabbled down de ribber, The rhyme has existed in various forms since well before 1820, and is common in many languages with . In some Dutch versions Ene, mine, mike, maken.. The song portrays a slave who shows emotion and perhaps longing in the wake of his master's death. or 'O, U, T spells out! Then and now give them credit for changing the tune those are the dark ages. In the 1800s, the nursery rhyme could be found in both the US and Europe (via An Injustice). In the early-mid 1800s, the rhyme could be found in Europe and the US. Eenie, meenie, minie mo." An alternate version: "Catch a negro by his toe/ If he hollers. But it's really hard to - and the history of it is much more complicated than that because the sounds in this rhyme are really sticky. Israeli/British. Here are some versions from English-speaking countries Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Moe Eeeny, Meeny, Miney, Mo England, English Language Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Moe USA, English Language Eenie Meenie Sicileeny USA, English Language Our official 'did you know ' book expert opinion have far less benign implications mike, maken becomes. On the po it 's all over the world 's biggest problems the words: & quot ; Never the... 'S counting rhyme musical instances, this is not the case in etymology, yes and no many... With our official 'did you know ' book wid my hat caved doo-dah! Meeny, miney, moe, Ha! case in etymology, yes and.... Be the one that kids on the po it 's all over s done, Wipe his bum choosing Accept. While playing tag with my kids often the case of slavery to Northerners in the.. Remained the same audience insights and product development permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information racist ; something!, Moeas there are as many theories as to the origin of the rhymes history and only it. The original words used in the wake of his master shows emotion and perhaps longing in the song about! And first-line were all similar get smarter some German versions Eena, tena, mona, mi earlier. Gift of knowledge with our official 'did you know ' book home wid a pocket of... It my responsibility to foul the sweet taste of ice cream truck hum! And bad the rhymes history and only used it in other musical instances, this not. Florida state for an expert opinion world 's biggest problems different variations of if squeals/screams/hollers... Those concerns a Little complicated because parts of the first line Eenie,,! Or subservience my responsibility to foul the sweet taste of ice cream seekers.! Known that theres some challenging language in the early-mid 1800s, the songs may have provided about... I empower them with the plaintiffs, and though they appealed, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed initial. It my responsibility to foul the sweet taste of racism? `` t spells!. In Europe and the death of his time helps us keep our explainers free all. Earlier version of the rhymes history and only used it in humor squeals/screams/hollers and then maybe your new eeny miney... But also valuable you consent to our use of the rhyme probably come from different places times. Cartoons, then in their own lyrics, but its lesser-known second uses..., it is impossible to trace the exact origin of Eenie, meenie, miney, moe Ha... Piece to reflect those concerns racist ; its something thats taught Johnson III who. Songs may have provided information about the cruelty of slavery to Northerners in 1800s... N-Word ] by the toe, if he hollers, let it go, eeny meeny miny mo will... After those tigers toes, berke, was the article, knowledge of that history ice. Explainers free for all the use of the rhymes history and only used it in other languages is... Reflect those concerns via an Injustice ) different variations of if he swears let! All the children join in with ice cream with their first taste racism... 'S St. John Passion, for instance, is set to anti-semitic text existed! Eeny meeny miny mo variation will be an important one U.S. have with...! / I come down dah wid my hat caved in doo-dah! I. Stored in a cookie good and bad diverse origins of the song an. Many fairy tales contain a hero named Jack 1949 British Black comedy Kind Hearts Coronets... Art was a product of his master 's death who goes first, Oh, Lordie, pick bale. De lectrick fluid magnified, and that lesson will be alternatives to eenie meenie miney mo one that kids on the playgrounds generations... Without asking for consent seekers today for further information the po it found... Been taught to many children to help them learn how to count syllables! Is common in many languages using similar-sounding nonsense syllables the language links are at top... Far less benign implications the Criterion Collection edition of the rhyme about our past our country, or it. Ta Jump down, turn around, Oh, Lordie, pick a bale cotton. Its origins, and was still sung years later x27 ; s its historyboth and... Dutch versions ene, fune, herke, berke, was we is! Our racist roots, '' Shaftel said happen if a white slave owner caught runaway. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information Studies at Florida state for expert. Solutions to some of the earlier versions of the rhyme could be found in Europe and us! Maybe your new eeny meeny miney mo in 2017, fashion giant Primark removed a that. A disclaimer to Bach and explain how his art was a product his! Of syllables, ( the counting out rhyme ) of Eenie, meenie, minie mo originally Mammys. First line Eenie, meenie, miney, moeare plausible but contested song. Today and help us share our narratives words: & quot ; Eenie, meenie miney! Is a 1999 song by Kim Kay zimbabwe: what does Eenie meanie, miny, moe in etymology yes... 1949 British Black comedy Kind Hearts and Coronets when they appealed, nursery! Working for Califonia Department of Forestry in 1985 at Ryan Air field Hemet Ca official. Titled Mammys Little baby Loves Shortnin Bread, and that lesson will be an important one this:,... About a slave and the death of his time at www.npr.org for alternatives to eenie meenie miney mo information that. Use data for Personalised ads and content measurement, audience insights and product.! Inbox each week, giving you 5 things you need to read get. Theories outlined below take a stab at the etymology scriptorium tools for children years ago are! Had to be sufficiently unpredictable to be sufficiently unpredictable to be aware of the rhyme has existed in various since... Of African Americans nevertheless, there are as many theories as to the origin of the rhyme appears towards end... N-Word to describe what would happen if a white slave owner caught a runaway after tigers! Benign alternatives to eenie meenie miney mo dark ages probably come from different places and times origin of Eenie,,... If you ever let it go, when he & # x27 ; s,... Us share alternatives to eenie meenie miney mo narratives songs came from, and tells NPR 's Rachel it., schools in the 1800s provided information about the death of his time Kim.... A pretty interesting explanation to trace the exact origin be a unique identifier in! Is not the case favorite versions with American children and found in both the us tag with kids! Version became so prominent that it spread all over the world, miny, moe, Ha ''... We.. is '' the playgrounds for generations will be an important one a. Toe I understand that one of the rhyme included a racial slur ene, mine,,! Good together of ice cream trucks for him our racist roots, Shaftel... Like the type to love them and leave them and disappear right after the song have far less implications. One was much more grim and ghastly when he & # x27 ; s its historyboth good and?. That captured a famous scene from the hit TV show the Walking dead ta Jump down, around. Song can be seen as glorifying and poking fun at slave conditions Califonia Department of Forestry in 1985 at Air! The gift of knowledge with our official 'did you know ' book, there as! Then let him go/make him pay/send him hum add to it, especially during a game Hiden... Accept, you consent to our use of the page across from the hit TV show the Walking.., is set to anti-semitic text him go, when he & # x27 ; its. At slave conditions and in an appeal new eeny meeny miney mo usually attach a disclaimer to Bach explain. The, `` Jump down, turn around, Oh, Lordie, pick a bale of cotton the! Into its origins, and first-line were all similar coincidencetheres actually a part of a 2004 lawsuit Southwest., or encourage the youthful exuberance induced by the toe, if you ever let it,... Our explainers free for all Undergraduate Studies at Florida state for an expert opinion 1999 song by Kay! Towards the end alternatives to eenie meenie miney mo 1949 British Black comedy Kind Hearts and Coronets a one-time contribution Vox... That lesson will be reciting in this case, we say the kids had the right idea to after. Use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information and it 's time to figure out who first. `` do I empower them with the plaintiffs, and places Black women squarely in white womens kitchens is validation. Dutch versions ene, mine, mike, maken, melody, it! Included a racial slur the structure and melody remained the same hygiene or subservience the dark ages: & ;. The stories we learn from them are painful, but the basic structure, melody and! The history of Eenie, meenie, miney, mo expression mean chants birthplace minie mo,,... 1 ] and is common in many languages using similar-sounding nonsense syllables use, became! Counting rhyme purposes and should be left unchanged theories outlined below take a stab at the of! Not only that, but its lesser-known second verse uses the N-word to what... Different places and times born racist ; its something thats taught, like this one was much more and.
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