A Ram Sam Sam
| "Ram Sam Sam" | |
|---|---|
| Song | |
| Written | Morocco |
| Songwriter(s) | Traditional |
"Ram Sam Sam" (Arabic: رام سام سام), also known as "A Ram Sam Sam",[citation needed] "Aram Sa-sa",[1] and by other names, is a Moroccan song that has gained popularity as a children's song around the world since the mid-20th century.
Lyrics
In most forms, the song has a few lyrics in the Moroccan dialect of Arabic[2] that are continuously repeated, often with increasing speed or as a round.
| Arabic | Romanization | English |
|---|---|---|
| رام سام سام | Ram sam sam | [Meaningless] |
| قولي قولي قولي قولي | Guli guli guli guli | Tell tell tell tell [ feminine imperative] |
| رفيق رفيق | Rafīq rafīq | Friend friend |
The Liverpool folk group The Spinners presented their version of the song, which they learned from an Israeli singer, with the mistaken claim that the words were in Aramaic[1] and meant "Get up on your horse and gallop away".[3]
Gestures
In Morocco, the song is often performed with gestures, one leader singing the tune and the others performing certain matching actions. Typically, the routine is:[citation needed]
- Ram sam sam — Pound fists, alternating right over left and left over right
- Guli guli... — Pull hands apart as if separating something gooey
- Rafiq rafiq — Spin index fingers on both sides of the head (the "crazy" gesture), then end with all fingers pointed up
History
The Spinners included their version titled "Aram Sa-sa" on their 1964 album Folk at the Phil.[4] Rolf Harris recorded the song in 1971 for Columbia Records with The Mike Sammes Singers,[5] including additional lyrics and a distinctive arrangement with backing vocals. Wee Sing included the song in their 1989 music video Wee Sing in Sillyville. The Basque clown trio Takolo, Pirritx, and Pirrutx (since renamed Pirritx, Porrotx, and MariMotots) recorded a version called "Aran-txan-txan".[where?][when?][citation needed] In 2009, Levon Atayan created a pop dance version called "Aram Zam Zam" and the Russian band Diskoteka Avariya released their version called "The Trendy Dance Aram Zam Zam" (Модный танец Арам Зам Зам", Modnyi tanets Aram Zam Zam). Donikkl und die Weißwürschtl recorded a German version called "Aram Sam Sam".[where?][when?][citation needed] In 2011, Gracey released a Dutch version[clarification needed] that reached #75 on the singles charts in the Netherlands[6] and Lorenz Büffel recorded his French version "Aramsamsam" for his album Après Ski Hits 2011.[citation needed]
Adaptations
- The Jewish educational television series The Magic Door, which aired in the Chicago area from 1962 to 1982, had a theme song "A Room Zoom Zoom", based on the first two lines of "Ram Sam Sam".[7]
- "Ram Sam Sam" featured in the Tom Tom Club's "Wordy Rappinghood" on their 1981 self-titled debut album, subsequently covered by Chicks on Speed on their 2003 album 99 Cents and by Uffie and DJ Mehdi.[8][when?][where?]
- The Boy Scouts of America adapted the song with the lyrics "A good Cub Scout / A good Cub Scout / A new Tiger Cub and a good Cub Scout..."[when?][citation needed]
- Fast Food Rockers recorded a version in 2003 under the title "Fast Food Song" with new lyrics mentioning fast food companies, notably Pizza Hut, Kentucky Fried Chicken and McDonald's.[citation needed]
- DJ Ötzi's 2003 "Burger Dance" is a similar German version with the same fast food companies but sampling some sections of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic".[citation needed]
- DieAussenseiter's "Aram Sam Sam" includes additional lyrics in German and the English refrain "Jump, jump, motherfucker".[9]
References
- ^ a b "A Ram Sam Sam – How to Play on the Glockenspiel / Xylophone : Singing Bell". www.singing-bell.com. 2022-02-08. Retrieved 2023-03-25.
- ^ ""A Ram Sam Sam" from Morocco". The Folk Music Experience. Retrieved 2019-01-21.
- ^ "A ram sam sam – katena.it". Retrieved 2023-03-25.
- ^ "The Spinners - Folk At The Phil!". Discogs. Retrieved 2022-05-16.
- ^ "Rolf Harris - A Ram Sam Sam". Retrieved 5 February 2018.
- ^ "Gracey - A Ram Sam Sam". shop.berkmusic.nl. Archived from the original on 3 October 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
- ^ Neil Gale (February 28, 2017). ""The Magic Door" TV Show, a part of Chicagolands Sunday Morning Programming". The Digital Research Library of Illinois History Journal. Retrieved January 8, 2018.
- ^ uffie - wordy rappinghood (original), retrieved 2023-08-12
- ^ DieAussenseiter (21 December 2012). "Aram Sam Sam (Official Music Video) HD". Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 5 February 2018 – via YouTube.