When I was a little girl considered this song my own personal anthem.
And I guess I’d have to say it still is.
So I’m posting the video here with short info piece from my friends at Wikipedia.
Enjoy….
It’s one of those tunes!
ARTIST: Trad and Anon
TITLE: Iko Iko
Lyrics and Chords
[Originally a folk tune, the version “everyone” is familiar with was
popularized by “Jockamo” James Crawford, ~1950, New Orleans]
My grandma and your grandma
Were sittin’ by the fire
My grandma told your grandma
I’m gonna set your flag on fire
/ D – / – A / A – / – D /
{Refrain}
Talkin’ ’bout hey now, hey now! Hey now, hey now!
Iko, iko unday
Jockamo feeno ai nané
Jockamo fee nané
Look at my king all dressed in red
Iko, iko, unday
I betcha five dollars he’ll kill you dead
Jockamo fee nané
{Refrain}
My flag boy and your flag boy
Were sittin’ by the fire
My flag boy told your flag boy
I’m gonna set your flag on fire
{Refrain}
See that guy all dressed in green
Iko, iko, unday
He’s not a man, he’s a lovin’ machine
Jockamo fee nané
{Refrain}
“Iko Iko” (sometimes titled “Aiko Aiko“) is a much-covered New Orleans song that tells of a parade collision between two “tribes” of Mardi Gras Indians. The lyrics are derived from Indian chants and popular catchphrases. The song, under the original title “Jock-A-Mo“, was written in 1954 by James “Sugar Boy” Crawford in New Orleans, but has spread so widely that many people take it to be a much older folk song. The song is closely identified as a Mardi Gras song, but it is equally known as a Top 40 hit and a Grateful Dead song.
The story tells of a “spy boy” or lookout for one band of Indians encountering the “flag boy” or guidon carrier for another band. He threatens to set the flag on fire.
The lyrics of the song are based on Louisiana Creole French. The phrase Iko Iko may have been derived from one or more of the languages of Gambia, possibly from the phrase Ago!, meaning “listen!” or “attention!”. The line from the chorus, Yock-a-mo feen-o and-dan-day echoes the original title amidst Creole palaver.
Irregular Bones 
I used to love this song but had no idea what it was about or what words I was singing or anything, just liked the bouncy tune and the lyrics (the ones I could understand, that is). Thanks for putting this up and clearing up some mystery for me and for getting this song in my head today where it’ll probably stay until it drives ME CRAZY!!!!
Coming from Louisiana, I should’ve known the history of this song, but didn’t. No wonder they used to play it all the time (parades, football games, you name it).
I’ve never heard this song before nor do I know the story. You have increased my cultural knowledge, AMM. I love that when it happens.
Hi Mari, Kitty and Lori
This is the best song…I’m glad you learned something new about it and if you’re new to it…Happy Listening!
And if it gets stuck in your head say the alphabet backwards until it goes away.
It works 😉
amm
What a great song, and you sang it as a child?? Wow! Up here in dear Wisconsin we learned to sing the Oscar Meyer hot dog song in grade school.
“Hot dogs.
Oscar’s hot dogs.
What kind of kids like Oscar’s hot dogs?
Fat kids, skinny kids…”
You sang a Louisiana Creole song as your anthem;
I sang a hot dog commercial.
I ask. Is life really fair???
Nope, it’s not fair.
But Bo…the Hot Dog Song rockx
amm
Mmmm. Maybe the hot dog song DOES rock, but as a prissy little girl (yes, that was me!), I was horrified to sing about Oscar while the other classes sang Kum-ba-ya and Let There Be Peace On Earth. Now that I think about it, I s’pose we were the lucky ones. Obviously OUR teacher had a wicked sense of humor.