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Iko Iko

"Iko Iko"
Single by The Dixie Cups
from the album Chapel of Love
B-side "Gee Baby Gee" or "I'm Gonna Get You Yet"
Released March 1965
Format 7" vinyl
Recorded 1964
Genre Rhythm and blues
Length 2:05
Label Red Bird
Writer(s) James Crawford, Barbara Hawkins, Rosa Hawkins and Joan Johnson
Producer(s) Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller, Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry
The Dixie Cups singles chronology
"Little Bell"
(1964)
"Iko Iko"
(1965)
"Gee the Moon Is Shining Bright"
(1965)
"Iko Iko"
Single by Dr. John
from the album Dr. John's Gumbo
B-side “Huey Smith Medley”
Released March 1972
Format 7" vinyl
Recorded 1972
Genre Rhythm and Blues
Length 3:10
Label Atco
Writer(s) Barbara Hawkins, Rosa Hawkins, Joan Johnson, James Crawford
Producer(s) Jerry Wexler, Harold Battiste
Dr. John singles chronology
"Wash, Mama, Wash"
(1970)
"Iko Iko"
(1972)
"Right Place Wrong Time"
(1973)
"Iko Iko"
Single by Natasha
from the album Captured
B-side "I Should Have Known"
"I Still Love You" (12")
Released 1982 (UK)
Format 7" vinyl, 12" vinyl
Recorded 1982
Genre Pop
Label Towerbell
Writer(s) Barbara Hawkins, Rosa Hawkins, Joan Johnson
Producer(s) Tom Newman
Natasha singles chronology
"Strangest Feeling"
(1981)
"Iko Iko"
(1982)
"The Boom Boom Room"
(1982)
"Iko Iko"
Single by The Belle Stars
from the album The Belle Stars/Rain Man Soundtrack
B-side "The Reason" (UK)
”Las Vegas” by Hans Zimmer (U.S.)
Released 1982 (UK)
1989 (U.S.)
Format 7" vinyl
Recorded 1982
Genre Pop
Length 2:49
Label Stiff (UK)
Capitol (U.S.)
Writer(s) Barbara Hawkins, Rosa Hawkins, Joan Johnson
Producer(s) Brian Tench
The Belle Stars singles chronology
"Another Latin Love Song"
(1981)
"Iko Iko"
(1982/89)
The Clapping Song"
(1982)
"Iko Iko"
Single by Captain Jack
from the album Top Secret
Released 2001
Format CD single
Recorded 2001
Genre Eurodance
Length 3:13
Label E-Park Records
Writer(s) Barbara Hawkins, Rosa Hawkins, Joan Johnson, James Crawford
Producer(s) Udo Niebergall and Eric Sneo
Captain Jack singles chronology
"Only You"
(2000)
"Iko Iko"
(2001)
"Say Captain Say Wot"
(2001)

"Iko Iko" (/ˈk ˈk/) is a much-covered New Orleans song that 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 as a single in 1953 by Sugar Boy and his Cane Cutters that failed to make the charts. The song first became popular in 1965 by the female pop group The Dixie Cups, who scored an international hit with "Iko Iko". In 1967 as part of a lawsuit settlement between "Sugar Boy" James Crawford and the Dixie Cups, the trio were given part songwriting credit to the song. In 1972, Dr. John had a minor hit with his version of "Iko Iko". The most successful charting version in the UK was recorded by Scottish singer Natasha England who took her 1982 version into the top 10. "Iko Iko" became an international hit again twice more, the first being the Belle Stars in June 1982 and again with Captain Jack in 2001.

The song was originally recorded by and released as a single in November 1953 by James Crawford as "Sugar Boy and his Cane Cutters", on Checker Records (Checker 787). The single features Dave Lastie on tenor saxophone. Crawford's version of the song did not make the charts. The story tells of a "spy boy" (i.e. a lookout for one band of Indians) encountering the "flag boy" or guidon carrier for another "tribe". He threatens to "set the flag on fire". Crawford set phrases chanted 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 Records and Checker Records president Leonard Chess, who misspelled it as "Jock-a-mo" for the record's release.


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