Double Dutch - Malcolm McLaren

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Malcolm McLaren

About Double Dutch

"Double Dutch" is a 1983 single by Malcolm McLaren. It is taken from his debut album Duck Rock. "Double Dutch" is the follow-up to his successful debut single, "Buffalo Gals", and reached number 3 on the UK Singles Chart, making it his highest-charting single release. The album version is a slight re-edit of the single, with part of the original middle eight moved to the end of the track. The song concerns the skipping game of the same name, with McLaren's narration mentioning several New York double Dutch troupes by name, notably the Ebonettes, whose name is also used as a chant in the chorus. Mbaqanga group The Boyoyo Boys took legal action against McLaren over the similarity of "Double Dutch" with their own hit "3 Mabone". After a lengthy legal battle in the UK, the matter was settled out of court, with payment made to the South African copyright holders, songwriter Petrus Maneli and publisher Gallo Music, but Trevor Horn and McLaren retained their songwriting credits. The track was heavily sampled by British house music group Dope Smugglaz on their 1999 track "Double Double Dutch". The lyrics of the song are referenced in Liz Phair's song "Whip-Smart". The song was featured in the 2013 film The Wolf of Wall Street. more »

Year: 1983 3:57 452 Views All over the world high school girls Take to the ropes and turn them slow Starts a beat and a loop They skip and jump through the hoop They might break and they might fall About the gals from New York City They just start again Start again Heh ebo ebonettes Heh Ebo ebonettes Heh ebo Ebo ebo ebonettes Heh ebo Ebo ebo ebonettes Heh ebo Ebo ebo ebonettes. Hmm The golden angels - aah The Ford green angels The five town diamond skippers The pleasure of rope rippers Those dark and lovely skippers Those five town diamond skippers. Skip they do's the double Dutch That's them dancing Skip they do's the double Dutch That's them dancing Skip they do's the double Dutch That's them dancing Skip they do's the double Dutch That's them dancing Swing those ropes round and around All the teams change your partners now Somersault through the hoop, leap to beat the clicks That keep on coming Heh Watch your feet to win the double Dutch - stay jumping. Heh ebo ebonettes Heh Ebo ebo ebonettes Etc. The mighty motion skippers The pleasure of rope rippers Aah The dark and lovely skippers Hmm Mighty motion skippers The skip they do's the double Dutch That's them dancing The skip they do's the double Dutch That's them dancing Heh girls How many skips can you do?

Malcolm McLaren

Malcolm Robert Andrew McLaren (22 January 1946 – 8 April 2010) was an English impresario, rock-artist, clothes designer and boutique owner, notable for combining these activities in a creative way. more »

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Written by: Petrus Maneli, Trevor Charles Horn, Malcolm Robert, Andrew Mclaren

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Peermusic Publishing

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

10 facts about this song

Genre Classification "Double Dutch" by Malcolm McLaren falls into the genres of Post-Disco and New Wave. It fuses pop, electronic music, and funk into a unique sound representative of McLaren's innovative style.

Album Placement This track is part of Malcolm McLaren's 1983 album "Duck Rock." This album is often considered one of his most groundbreaking works, blending elements from various musical cultures.

Inspiration "Double Dutch" was inspired by McLaren's travels in Africa. The jump-rope routine referred to in the song title is a popular game among children in South Africa.

Collaboration The song prominently features The Ebonettes, a Dutch female vocal trio. Their contribution added a distinct flavor to the track and contributed to its success.

Chart Performance "Double Dutch" enjoyed considerable commercial success. It peaked at No. 3 in the UK Singles Chart in August 1983, making it Malcolm McLaren's highest-charting single in his home country.

Music Video The music video for "Double Dutch" features innovative choreography performed by the Double Dutch Divas, a New York-based jump rope team, highlighting the cross-cultural influences that define the song.

Legacy Over time, the song has been celebrated for its vital role in promoting Double Dutch jump rope as a competitive sport. It even led to the formation of The International Double Dutch League, affiliating double dutch teams from all over the world.

Cultural Influence The song has been sampled and its chorus lines have been used in various other songs over the years, underlining its cultural influence and enduring popularity.

Production The song was co-produced by Trevor Horn, who is renowned for his work with artists like Grace Jones and Frankie Goes to Hollywood.

Social Commentary "Double Dutch" and its parent album "Duck Rock" are often seen as social commentaries, reflecting McLaren's interest in multiculturalism and global pop culture.

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Double Dutch

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Movies soundtrack

Double Dutch

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• The Wolf of Wall Street 2013