A Ram Sam Sam

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search
"A Ram Sam Sam (A rum sum sum)"
Song
Written Morocco

"A Ram Sam Sam (A rum sum sum)" is a popular children's song and game which originated in Morocco. Audio file "A Ram Sam Sam.mid" not found. In certain later recordings, other variants were used like "Aram" instead of "A Ram" and "Zam Zam" instead of "Sam Sam".

Lyrics and movements

The song's lyrics are usually:

A ram sam sam, a ram sam sam
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
A ram sam sam, a ram sam sam
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
A rafiq, a rafiq
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
A rafiq, a rafiq
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam

When not played as a game, this song can also be (and very frequently is) sung as a round.

The game is played by a group of children. The song is sung by the group leader and the participants should perform several actions during certain lyrics, usually:

  • A ram sam sam - pound fists, right over left, then left over right.
  • Guli guli - pull hands apart gesturing as if something were gooey
  • A rafiq - spin index fingers on either side of the head (like someone is crazy), ending with the fingers pointed up.

Pop culture usage

  • Rolf Harris recorded the song in 1971 for Columbia Records.[1]
  • Diskoteka Avariya, a well-known Russian band, used the song in their composition "Modnyi Tanets Aram Zam Zam" (In Russian "Модный танец Арам Зам Зам" English title "A Ram Sam Sam: The Trendy Dance") in 2009.
  • Donikkl und die Weißwürschtl recorded a German version "Aram Sam Sam" that charted on the German charts in 2009.
  • Gracey released a Dutch language version in 2011 that reached #75 in the Netherlands
  • Lorenz Büffel made a version entitled "Aramsamsam" that is found on Après Ski Hits 2011 double CD.
  • Johnny Only, an American singer, used the refrain in 2012 for a country-influenced children's song "A Ram Sam Sam" with additional English lyrics: "Turn around, one time, shake shake, shake it while you turn / Wave this wave, wave that way, reach for the light / Wave this wave, wave that way, give a hug so tight"
  • The Learning Station recorded it and included it on its 2012 CD Action! Fun! Dance! For Kids with additional English lyrics "Arms up high, reach for the sky / Let's sing and move along, to the silly Ram Sam song". And as the pace of the song get racier, the lyrics encourage the children to catch up: "If you wanna be a Ram Sam master / You gotta go a little faster". An accompanying music video was also released.[2]
Sampling
Parodies and adaptations
  • The US scout movement adapted the song using new lyrics: A good Cub Scout / A good Cub Scout / A new Tiger Cub and a good Cub Scout...
  • Fast Food Rockers recorded a version in 2003 under the title "The Fast Food Song" with new lyrics sampling on the refrain and mentioning fast food companies, notably Pizza Hut, Kentucky Fried Chicken and McDonald's
  • DJ Ötzi recorded a very similar version in German language titled "Burger Dance" in 2003, mainly being an enumeration of the same fast food companies as that of the Fast Food Rockers
  • Pizza Hut used it in commercial campaigns with amended lyrics[citation needed]
  • Die Außenseiter used it in some parts of their first music video, "Aram Sam Sam" being a comic parody of the song with additional lyrics in German language and a symbolic use of English lyrics in "Jump, jump, motherfucker".[3]

See also

References