Jul 14, 2010

Once I had a fancy...

A lingering song from those days gone by...

Once I had a fancy to see a foreign land
I sailed in a boat in a very good mood
To see the Zulu land

A gentleman sat beside me in a cool and easy way
When I passed my love to him
This is what he said

Eechakka macha eecha poocha chiyangu macha cholo
Chiku chiku cholo chiyangu cholo
Eeya eeya yo!

P.S: A funny song from my college days. Though it doesn't make sense whatever the gentleman says, it appears that he accepts the love but doesn't speak the same language...

57 comments:

Y L said...

makes me to laugh out loud!

though very funny it has a deep inner meaning.

two people can love each other without

understanding what they are talking!

this happens even when they speak the same

language.

Sakha said...

lol..Queenie..u will take me back 15 years...

It is
"A negro sat beside me in a cool and easy way...

that is why it is "Eechakka macha eecha poocha"

I am sorry if the word negro will create any problem coz i am just being truthful to that song. No other intentions. Sorry if i hurt any one.

Do u remember we used to sing that together..

NRIGirl said...

Thank you Amma, Good point.

Sakha! I am glad you remember it Sakha. N word is banned for good from our dictionaries.

Shyam said...

hi i am a stranger to these parts :)

i have been looking for the somg you have mentioned in the post. any idea what its called?

cheers

NRIGirl said...

Hi Shyam! Thanks for stopping by.

Absolutely no idea of the name of the song. Learnt it during college days in Bangalore. If and when you find out more details please share with me.

~ NRIGirl

Appu and Ammu said...

dear,

you took me to my good olden days in the school... our beloved english teacher taught us this song... i loved this song so much... but had forgotten the exact lyrics, now you gave me this... thank you thank you..

as someone said it is "negro" instead of gentleman i do remember that like that...

our teacher taught the answer of the man on the boat as bit different

eachiki poocha eacha poocha
chinaki cholam cholam cholam
chiki chiki cholam chinaki cholam
eeya eeya ho..

thanks to you again...

took back my memmory to about 21 years back..

Ojas said...

I looove it! It was taught to us in Cub/Bulbul in school!

Ojas said...

But the version I learnt was....

Once I had a fancy to see a foreign land
I took a ship, A very fine ship
And sailed to Zulu land

A Negro sat beside me
In a cool and easy way
But when I said hello to him
This is what he said...

Uchikamacha ucha ucha chana ki choram chi
Kichi kichi koram chana ki choram
Iya iya iee
...
Its so cool somebody else learnt it too!

Anonymous said...

Hey... was just browsing for this song and stumbled on ur blog. I used to sing it back with my friends during my schooldays.
I was just curious and tried to translate the verses and used the Google translate and set detect language.
Google thinks this is Quechua Language. Quechua is a Native South American language family and dialect cluster spoken primarily in the Andes of South America, derived from an original common ancestor language, Proto-Quechua. It is the most widely spoken language family of the indigenous peoples of the Americas.
But the translate tool gave me the response as:"
We are not yet able to translate from Quechua into English"
If any one gets the translation please post it...

Anonymous said...

No No NO! It is as follows:

u-chiki macha uncha puncha, chinaki cholam chi
chiki chiki cholam, chinaki cholam eeya eeya ee!

Lavanya said...

wow.. I was 6 then when my amma taught me this song, it was a big hit in my class. lol. love you amma
Thanks for reminding.

Atula Siriwardane said...

We desperately need a recording of this song for a concert in Kindergarten.
Can you please guide.

Vijay said...

This song has probably had many versions to it...learnt this song 30 years back and it went..

One day I set a sailing,
a sailing on the sea
I sailed on a boat, I sailed on a ship
I went to Zulu land
A negro (no offense meant) sat beside me
in a cool and easy way
and when he spoke to me of love,
this is what he said,
"Hey America maaja gooja
samarsa dara negro
Chik Chik Cholam chika kacholam
hiya hiya ho!"

babi said...

what i learnt is a bit different...it says

Abbakkabola abbakkabola abbakkabola negro
chiki chiki bola abbakkabola
iyee iyee iyee yooo!!

Preeti said...

One day I had a fancy
to go to foregnland,
I sailed in a boat, I sailed in a ship,
I sailed to zoolooland

A negro sat beside me
In a bold and easy way
But when I talked to him of love
This is what he say

America Maaza Gunza
Samra ki daara negro
Chik chil chola, chika ki kola,
Haiya, haiya, hey

We shared our joys
we shared our sorrows
we shared our everything
But when I talked to him of love
This is what he said

America Maaza Gunza
Samra ki daara negro
Chik, chik, chola
Chika ki kola
Haiya, haiya, hey

Anonymous said...

Mine went-
Oh once I took a fancy to see a foreign land,
I sat in a boat a very fine boat and set to Switzerland.
A negro sat beside me in a cool and easy way,
But when I turned my face to her this is what she said
Oh amchiki mala puncha poncha semeki mala nigro, pika chakula (which is Swahili) ichi ichi oya, iyai iyai yoo.

Vasanth said...

Brought back great memeories. They taught us this song in Boy Scouts. Thanks for sharing.

Dave said...

Mine was
One day i took a fancy,
To see a foreign land,
I sailed on a boat, on a very boat,
I sailed to New Zealand.
A negro sat beside me
In a cool and easy way
Bit when I pressed my love to her
THis is what she said...

"Hey, Abbi kakuza kuza kuza ... Ama kasika Negro... Chikki Chikki bola Uma Ko Bola..A.E.I.O.U"

Suparna said...

It seems this song has too many versions.The one i had learnt around 19 yrs back goes like this :
"I one day took a fancy
to see a foreign land
I sailed in a boat
in a very fine boat
and i sailed to Zulu land
A negro sat beside me
in a cool and easy way
and when i passed my love to him
this is what he said
Ay amalaka manja oonja samantha negro
chiki chiki cholam
chikai ka cholam
ee ai ai o

Raman said...

Wow. I never realised there were so many versions.
@Vijay - Yours seems to be the version I learnt 30 years ago as well in a school in Madras.

Anonymous said...

My version was
Once I went a sailing, a sailing on the sea.
I sailed by ship, I sailed by boat,
I sailed to Zulu Land.
A negro sat beside me in an old and easy way.
And this is what he said to me, when I held his hand:
Amreica Munza Munza
Samastazala negro
Chik chik cholam chika chikolam
Haiya haiya ho, Ho!

Unknown said...

This was what I teach... :)


Once I had a fancy to see a foreign land
I took a ship, A great big ship
And went to Zulu land

A fat man sat beside me
In a cool and easy way
And when I said hello
This is what he said...

Uchikamacha ucha poocha chana ki cholam chi
Chicki chicki cholam chana ki cholam
Iya iya iee

Anonymous said...

my sis who is prsntly in 1st grade is taught in dis way!! :)) :-

ONCE I HAD A FANCY..!!! :

Once i had a fancy
to see a foreign land
i took a ship a very old ship
and went to Zulu land
a stranger sat beside me
in a cool and easy way
and when i said hello! to him
this is what he said -
{HEY, CHEEKNA CHA UCHA POOCHA
CHEENA KI CHOLAM CHEE
CHEEKI CHEEKI CHOLAM
CHEENA KI CHOLAM
EEYA EEYA EEEE!!!} (twice)

i guess dis is d latest version of dis famous and liked poem!! ;)

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Anonymous said...

Mine went a bit like yours but I don't remember the swahili part. Once I took a fancy to see a foreign land. I sat in a boat a very fine boat to sail to Switzerland a negro sat beside me in a cool and easy way but when I pass my love to him and this is what he said poochi mala poochi saki sela semeki negro chika chikala chiki chiki yaya iya iya oo

Anonymous said...

Hey,
Thank you soo much for sharing this post! I used to sing this with my friends in school days!
So today, while I missed a friend, remembered this song, Google searched the "chik chik chola chinaki cholam" part AND FOUND YOUR POST!
Thank you! soo much! Love the comments too! Cheers!

Unknown said...

hey i think it is wrong song it is...ONCE I HAD A FANCY TOUR TO SEE A FOREIGN LAND,I SAILED IN A BOAT VERY FINE TO JUJULULU LAND,A NEGRO SAT BESIDE ME IN A COOL AND EASY WAY AND WHEN I ASK HIS NAME THIS IS WHAT HE SAY HA..ICHUKUMACHA ICHAMUCHA CHINAKUMACHA CHULAM CHIKI CHIKI CHULAM CHINAKU CHULAM IYYA IYYAYOOO.i think it is correct version

Gaurav said...

This song just crossed my mind. Used to sing this in my school on Folk Music day. My version is similar to Vijay's.
It seems that as the song travelled places, lyrics and music changes, as no one actually knows what it means. Hope to get a mp3 someday.
Nostalgia!
Cheers and Love from Mumbai!

NRIGirl said...

So glad to hear from so many of you. The song from childhood lingers in our hearts and minds across the miles... Isn't that something?!

Anonymous said...

Pretty cool - took me back may decades. Thanks for sharing.
The version I was taught in school:
Hey, Amrika manja gunja
Somra sita rani gru
Chika chika cholam
chika chikolam
Eeya eeya o

Anonymous said...

Hi,

I love this song... taught to cubs and bulbuls when I was in 3/4th grade. all of us used to sing it together.. Sometime when I go on boats, this song comes to my mind. Eechik macha eecha poocha
chiyangu maacha cholo
chik chik cholo
chiyangu cholo
eeya eeya yo...
:) :) :)

NRIGirl said...

:) :) :))

Anonymous said...

Remember it as;
Once I had a fancy to see a foreign land,
I sat in a boat a very fat boat and set to Switzerland.
A negro sat beside me in a cool and easy way,
But when I turned turned myself to him this is what he said
Alah shiki mala incha puncha Alah shiki mala nigro, pika chakula chikili chikili iya iya yoo.

Unknown said...

My Western Music Teacher taught us this, but the version was bit different:

One day i went sailing,
Sailing on the sea.
i sailed on a boat,
i sailed in the ship,
i sailed on the Zulu land,
A negro sat beside me
in a cool and easy way
and when he spoke to me of love,
this is what he said:
Hey, appidika gunja munja,
chika chikolam niko,
chik chik cholam,
chika chikolam
eeya eeya oh......

Anonymous said...

I heard the song today and found the site in my search of the lyrics. I enjoyed this a lot

Anonymous said...

This is so amazing! i learnt it years ago and it is still fresh and crisp in my mind.. though what i learnt back then was a little different.. it went like this..

Once i had a fancy to go to foreign land..
i sat in a boat, a very fine boat
and went to the zulu land..
a negro sat beside me in a calm and cosy way..
And when i said hello to him, this is what he said..

eechak macha eecha poocha..........

Raj said...

OSUM!! got completely Nostalgic...
Use to sing in school days. Always use to murmur the tune, but forgot the correct lyrics. So glad to hear this back again after ages. Never googled though. Today when my son was not sleeping was singing many lullaby's and this strike me.. thought of googling, struggled since i forgot the words.. but few words like Negro, Zulu land first line helped.
Thanks NRIGirl.

Raj

ENLIGHTENED EMPATH said...

https://youtu.be/Ds6XLmNgZwU

Anonymous said...

Hey for me in Kenya the lyrics for the song were like these

Oh once I took a fancy
to see a foreign land
I sat on a boat, a very fine boat
and went to Swazi land

A negroe sat beside me
In a cool and easy way
and when I sayed hallo to him
and this is what he said

Ooh ach kamara uchapucha
samsamala negroe
chikichikichola, chikichola
ia ia ooh!

Anonymous said...

I was taught the following version in Vidyodaya School, by our Western Music Master, Philip.


Once i had a fancy, to see a foreign land,

i sailed in a boat, in a very fine boat,

i sailed to Zulu land.

A negro sat beside me, in a cool and a cozy way,

I passed my love, my love to him,

And this is what he said, hooo...

Enchiki macha, eecha poocha,
chinaanki macha chola,
vuuuu, chikichiki chola, chinaanki chola, chikuchiku chola ho, hohh

PT said...

I just have faint memories of learning this from a distant relative way back 27 years ago. My google searches had resulted fruitless when i had earlier searched with strings like "eechakimacha" etc.
Today I found your page after searching "chiki chiki cholum" :)
Many cholums! :D

Unknown said...

This is what my sir in 9th class said in tuition to us and we are shouting loudly with full happiness
"Once I had a fancy to see the Zululand(2)
I sat in a boat in a very good mood to see the Zululand (2)
A negro came behind me and sat in an easy way (2)
When I asked him what is his name this is what he said (2)
Eechaka pocha ichaaka pocha chunaaka cholo cholo (2)
Chuck Chuck cholo chunaaka cholo cholo Chucku Chucku cholo (3.... ending slowly)
My sir name "Shamiulla sir"
Thank you.


Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

OMG! I am 30 now was searching for this song for a very long time. Back in India, when I was about 14 my music teacher taught this song. I cud hardly remember the words ".....I went to africa.....when I said hello to him". I'm so happy U cud find this song, though it shows many versions I'm thankful to U. Many thanks. Love Ya!

Unknown said...

My second grade class teacher use to make us sing .....I hope she is fine now

Unknown said...

Can anyone say me the meaning of this " Eechakka macha eecha poocha chiyangu macha cholo chiku chiku cholo chiyangu cholo, Eeya eeya oh!

Unknown said...

Can anyone say me the meaning of this " Eechakka macha eecha poocha chiyangu macha cholo chiku chiku cholo chiyangu cholo, Eeya eeya oh!

Jeyakar Vedamanickam said...

Oh yeah, we used to sing couple of other stanzas:
Solomon had a thousand wives
And that's the reason why
He always missed his morning bus by kissing them goodbye.

Peeping through the window darling
What the people say
If you want to marry my daughter
Come in the proper way.

Jeyakar Vedamanickam said...

Oh yeah, we used to sing couple of other stanzas:
Solomon had a thousand wives
And that's the reason why
He always missed his morning bus by kissing them goodbye.

Peeping through the window darling
What the people say
If you want to marry my daughter
Come in the proper way.

Jeyakar Vedamanickam said...

When in school in 1960s the chorus went this way:
America manja gunja gunja
Samrika socha Negro Negro
Chikchik chola chikaka chola
Eeya eey ho.

I've given another two stanzas in an earlier reply.
I was searching for the song and glad to see so many responses to your post. Great.

Jeyakar Vedamanickam said...

When in school in 1960s the chorus went this way:
America manja gunja gunja
Samrika socha Negro Negro
Chikchik chola chikaka chola
Eeya eey ho.

I've given another two stanzas in an earlier reply.
I was searching for the song and glad to see so many responses to your post. Great.

Unknown said...

FANCY
once I had a fancy to visit a foreign land
I took a ship a very fine ship and sailed to zoo loo land
a negro sat beside me in a cool and easy way when I said hello this is what he said
chi ki pacha chiki chiki cholam chiya ki cholam eyaa eyaa eye
that is the real song............

Srinithy said...

Heard this song once in our Pathfinder club (Scout) camp in Hyderabad during 90s

Shahla Naseeb said...

I heard this from our favourite bindu ma'am.. but remember it this way...
Once i went to a far off land...
I went to a fairy land...
I sailed in a boat,,,
A very fine boat...
I sailed to Switzerland...
A negress sat beside me in a fine and easy way...
And when i sought my love to her...
This is what she said...
Aanjuku maanja laanja koonja
Samastha shasthra nigress
Chickhi chikhi chola
Chikaaki cholaa
Iyya iyya ooo

Malavika said...

Oh yeah, I remember singing this song too as a child. Our music teacher taught us the song when we were in 1st/2nd grade. I’m from Mumbai. This is the version I remember :

Once I had a fancy to see a foreign land,
I took a ship, a very old ship & sailed to Zululand.
A negro (no offense meant) sat beside me,
In a cool and easy way,
And when I said hello to him,
This is what he said
Chikkam chaaku chaaku
Chika ki cholam chi chiki chiki cholam chinaki cholam E AA E AA E!

Unknown said...

Remember singing this song in western music class in school long back.
Lyrics weren't as politically correct.
Wokeness wasn't a thing and racism was quite rampant.
The second stanza goes like:
One day god made the negros
He made them in the night
He made them in a hurry
And forgot to paint them white.
America gunja gunja...

Seems quite racist now but then inspite of the lyrics didn't actually make me or any of my friends hold any contempt for any one.

Anonymous said...

Semeki mala puncha pocha, semeki malla nigro. Pika chakula iki iki oya iyai iyaiyooo..
Some swahili there..

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