song "Feast of the Mau Mau" (Jalacy J. Hawkins)

• BMI work number: 408432
• Songwriter/Composer: Jalacy J. Hawkins (CAE/IPI #13616808)
• Publishers: Unichappell Music Inc. (CAE/IPI #55032802)

The Mau Mau were a militant nationalist movement that originated in 1947 among the Kikuyu people of Kenya. They advocated violent resistance to British domination; the movement was especially associated with the ritual oaths employed by leaders of the Kikuyu Central Association to promote unity in the independence struggle. One of the leader of the Mau Mau was Jomo Kenyatta (1893-1978), later president of Kenya.

The magical roots of the Kikuyu tradition were patent in the Mau Mau initiation ceremonies. In a hut hidden in the forest, the group members cut the throat of a goat whose blood was then mixed with that of the ones taking the oath. Blood was then spilt over banana leaves and handfuls of earth following a liturgy based on the number 7. The initiated were admitted to the group after taking their vows: "May I be struck down if I refuse to bring the head of a white that I've been asked for, may I be struck down if my mates decide to do something and I refuse to obey..."

In the BMI database "Feast of the Mau Mau" is always entitled "Feast of the Mau Maus" (with an additional "s") but it this doesn't seem to be the correct spelling.

Cover versions

1969 Screamin' Jay Hawkins () studio Production: Milan Melvin Recording: 1969.06.23-24 North Hollywood, Club Amigo
1969 Screamin' Jay Hawkins	LP WHAT THAT IS!	Mercury
1988 Screamin' Jay Hawkins	2LP FEAST OF THE MAU
1990 Screamin' Jay Hawkins	2CD SPELLBOUND! 1955-1974	DE: Bear Family CD15530
1983 Screamin' Jay Hawkins () studio

Lyrics

1969 Screamin' Jay Hawkins ..:.. "Feast of the Mau Mau" Studio recording

<poem> OUH OUHH WOAH! HOAHH WOAWOAH!! Cut the fat off the back of a baboon Boil it down to a pound in a spoon Scoop the eyes from a fly flying backwards Take the jaws and the paws off a 'coon Take your time, ain't life for good cookin' Cause the rest of this mess ain't good lookin' Take the fleas from the knees of a demon Tell your pals and gals and come screamin' To the feast with the beast of the Mau Maus They make wine from the spine of a bulldog It's a test for the best for who stays And the feast with the beast of the Mau Maus Brush your teeth with a piece of a goose toenail After death steal a breath from a drunk in jail Pull the skin off your friend with a razor blade And tonight change tomorrow bring back yesterday Shake your hip, bite your lip, shoot your mother-in-law Put on your gorilla suit, drink some elbow soup and have a ball Get it straight, don't be late, it's time for mad fun Feast of the Mau Maus has begun - HAW! At the feast with the beast of the Mau Maus They make wine from the spine of their bulldogs It's a test for the best for who stays And a feast with the beast of the Mau Mau And a feast with the beast of the Mau Mau How they talk, man? They go like this WADEE? HUMDEE MWLADEE And how do the women talk? OU UH! DEWAH! OU UH CACKLE What you want when you wanta tell 'em You want some more to eat, man? Well how 'bout gimme some more of that meat there And pass me some of the inside of that thigh In between the toes, yeah, sock it to me there, ooh Sure tastes good, man Gimme some more of that inside soul, yeah That, what you mean you ain't got no more soul? You won't eat that, WAH Feast of the Mau Mau They make wine from the spine of their bulldogs They stick their thumb in their eyeballs And make [...] olives Yeah, that's what's happenin' Reach into his chest and pull out his ribs, man Let me bite on that cat's bone Sock it to me one time Evil, fellow EVIIIL! Inside [...], please Can I have a fried ear? </poem>

1983 Screamin' Jay Hawkins ..:.. "Feast of the Mau Mau" Studio recording

<poem> HEHE HEHE Cut the fat off the back of a baboon Boil it down to a pound in a spoon Scoop the eyes from a fly flying backwards Take the jaws and the paws off a 'coon Take your time, ain't life for good cookin' Cause the rest of this mess ain't good lookin' Take the fleas from the knees of a demon Tell your pals and gals and come screamin' To the feast with the beast of the Mau Maus They make wine from the spine of a bulldog They dance and romance from the night to day I tell you, it's a test for the best for who stays Brush your teeth with a piece of a goose toenail After death steal a breath from a drunk in jail Pull the skin off a friend with a razor blade And tonight change tomorrow bring back yesterday Shake your hip, bite your lip and shoot your mother-in-law Well, put on your gorilla suit, drink some elbow soup and have a ball Get it straight, don't be late, it's time for mad fun The feast of the Mau Maus has begun At the feast with the beast of the Mau Maus They make wine from the spine of a bulldog They dance and romance from the night to day It's a test for the best for who stays How do they talk in Mau Mau language? OOWOO! WEWEE DADA And how do the man talk when they want to make love? OOGHA BOOGHA and make me love you mad A BEBE WOO WOO WOOH! Ah, would you pass me some more of those ribs? Gimme a piece of that cat's ankle I wanna suck that bone dry Yeah, the feast of the Mau Maus' evil, brother, EVIL! Lay it down to the bone Snip it fast, make it last Around the feast of the Mau Maus We take their tails and make dogs with wow wows We beat up on your ass and have good good food And zebra meat is all so good, too A couple of snakes won't change your mind The lizards may cause you to go blind So eat some river alligators and get it And have yourself a Mau Mau ball Everyone and all Feast of the Mau Mau The good ol' Mau Mau </poem>

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