Iko Iko
"Iko Iko" () is a much-covered song from New Orleans, United States, originally titled "Jock-A-Mo" when released in 1953.
The song tells of a parade collision between two tribes of Mardi Gras Indians, and the traditional confrontation. The song, under the original title "Jock-A-Mo", was written and released in 1953 as a single by James "Sugar Boy" Crawford and his Cane Cutters, but it failed to make the charts. It was subsequently covered many times, most notably by the British group the Belle Stars in 1982.
The song was first made popular as "Iko Iko" in 1965 by an American girl group, the Dixie Cups, who scored an international hit with it. In 1967, as part of a lawsuit settlement between Crawford and the Dixie Cups, the trio were given part songwriting credit for the song. In 1972, Dr. John had a minor hit with his version of "Iko Iko".
In the UK, two competing versions of the song were released in 1982—one by the all-female group the Belle Stars and the other by Scottish singer Natasha England. While the Belle Stars' version peaked at 35 in the UK, Natasha's version reached the top 10. However, the Belle Stars version later reached the US Top 20 after being included in the 1988 film Rain Man. Cyndi Lauper covered the song in 1986.
The Grateful Dead began incorporating “Iko Iko” into their live shows in 1977. The song became a staple of their many tours throughout the 1980s, with the band playing it over 180 times until Jerry Garcia’s death in 1995.
"Iko Iko" became a European hit again in 2001 after being covered by the German dance act Captain Jack. An adaptation by Papua New Guinea artist Justin Wellington under the title "Iko Iko (My Bestie)", featuring the Solomon Island duo Small Jam, became an international hit in 2021 after a successful TikTok challenge.
Solstice
- 2019-06-22T00:00:00.000000Z
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