Iko-Iko "I'm gonna set your flag on fire"

"Iko Iko" 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 1953 by James "Sugar Boy" Crawford in New Orleans, but has spread so widely that to popular belief, it is commonly assumed to be a much older folk song.

The story tells of a "spy boy" or "spy dog" i.e. a 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 have been the subject of much conjecture, though no conclusive evidence exists that can support a claim of an African or Native American language origin. Similarly, while the lyrics of the song are believed to be based on Louisiana Creole French language, no authoritative translation of the song's words has ever been offered. The song's origin is traced to the New Orleans Mardi Gras Indians, who were the source of the original lyrics and subject matter of a song composed in 1953 by James "Sugar Boy" Crawford called "Jock-a-mo." Crawford set phrases shouted by Mardi Gras Indians to music for the song. Crawford himself states that he has no idea what the words mean, and that he originally sang the phrase "Chock-a-mo," but the title was misheard by Chess & Checkers Records President Lloyd Price, who misspelled it as "Jock-a-mo" for the record's release. ^[1]

"Jock-a-mo" was the original version of the song "Iko Iko" recorded by The Dixie Cups in 1965. Their version came about by accident. They were in a New York City studio for a recording session when they began an impromptu version of "Iko Iko," accompanied only by drumsticks on a coke bottle [Barbara Hawkins: "We were just clowning around with it during a session using drumsticks on ashtrays. We didn't realize that Jerry and Mike had the tapes running". ]. The tape happened to be running and session producers Leiber and Stoller added bass and drums and released it.^[2]

More on Wiki's page [here]

File: Iko Iko - Belle Stars:

My grandma and your grandma
Were sittin' by the fire.
My grandma told your grandma
"I'm gonna set your flag on fire"

Hey now! Hey now!
Iko, Iko, unday
Jockamo feeno ai nan?
Jockamo fee nan?

Look at my king all dressed in red Iko, Iko, unday.
I betcha five dollars he'll kill you dead
Jockamo fee nan?
{Chours}

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"

See that guy all dressed in green ?
Iko Iko unday
He's not a man He's a lovin' machine.
Jockamo fee nan?

Original version, 1965...