Jun
8
Submitted by webmaster on Tue, 06/08/2010 - 10:09
Posted by chicagogo
September 20, 2009
Video Summary:
Oscar Brown Jr on Chic-A-Go-Go (1996)
"Legendary Chicago poet/singer/playwrite/activist visits Miss Joy on the first season of our cable access dance show (for more info visit www.roctober.com/chicagogo ). He sings his version of the legendary toast Signifying Monkey"
-snip-
Chic-A-Go Go posted this comment about a recording of Don Hammond reading "The Signifying Monkey" that is posted on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJAusfEalfo&feature=related: "This version, I believe, was written by Oscar Brown, Jr. It is a clean version written for his first LP (1960), and in the 80s I often saw him perform it for children."
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1 comment
Here's some information about The Signifying Monkey from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signifying_monkey
"The Signifying Monkey is a character of African-American folklore that derives from the trickster figure of Yoruba mythology, Esu-Elegbara. This character was transported with Africans to the Americas under the names of Exu, Echu-Elegua, Papa Legba, and Papa Le Bas. Esu and his variants all serve as messengers who mediated between the gods and men by means of tricks. The Signifying Monkey is “distinctly Afro-American” and is thought to derive from Cuban mythology, which depicts Echu-Elegua with a monkey at his side.
Numerous songs and narratives concern the Signifying Monkey and his interactions with his friends, the Lion and the Elephant. In general the stories depict the Signifying Monkey insulting the Lion, but claiming that he is only repeating the Elephant’s words. The Lion then confronts the Elephant, who soundly beats the Lion. The Lion later comes to realize that the Monkey has been signifyin(g) and has duped him and returns angrily."