Zoë writes:
Hey Nikki! So my friend Hutch told me about this AWESOME duo called Milo & Otis, who I
have officially fallen in love with. Anyway, they have a song called
‘Black Sheep’ that I think very readily speaks
to the experience of many young women when they first “go natural” and
the actions of people around them. It could be an anthem of sorts…
perhaps something to share with your readers!
Disclaimer– There is ‘some’ language 😉
Bah bah Black Sheep
Have you any wool?
Yes sir, yes sir
I’ve got a whole head full
(and you can’t touch it)
No You Can’t F’ing Touch My Hair
I like to keep it curly like Angela and Nikki
But stranger fingers come round, and that’s when shit gets tricky
Do I look like a petting zoo to you?
My head is not a book you can peruse
People wanna finger ride a hairline safari
People wanna trick or treat buckets of black kink
Well read my lips when I say this yeah
Read my lips when I say this
No You Can’t F’ing Touch My Hair
[Chorus]Bah bah Black Sheep
Have you any wool?
Yes sir, yes sir
I’ve got a whole head full
(and you can’t touch it)
No You Can’t F’ing Touch My Hair
(hey boy) I’d keep my hands to myself if I were you
(hey boy) I’d keep my hands to myself if I were
Usually I don’t have to say these things
But some folks need a reminder cause they think
My hair is an open invitation, and I can’t understand this odd infatuation
See, since I cut my perm off life ain’t been the same
I been taking long showers and long walks in the rain
I rock my pick with a fist on the daily
Cause I ain’t Rapunzel I don’t need a prince to save me
Bah bah Black Sheep, have you any wool?
Yes sir, yes sir
I’ve got a whole head full
(and you can’t touch it, no you can’t touch it, no you can’t touch it, no you can’t touch it)
No You Can’t F’ing Touch My Hair
(Hey boy) I’d keep my hands to myself if I were you
(Hey boy) I’d keep my hands to myself if I were
Wash your hair put the oil on
Go to bed put the scarf on
Braid it up in the winter
Use a comb but be gentle, heyyyy
These are the waves / These are the waves
That the Lord has made / That the Lord has made
Let us rejoice / Let us rejoice
And be glad in it / And be glad in it
credits
released 22 May 2012
Horn arrangement and performance by Nico Segal of Kids These Days
Contains a mild interpolation of “Black Swan” by Janko Nilovic
What are your experiences with folks wanting to put their hands in your head?
I almost fell over when I heard this song. I'm the only black woman in my office and when I did my BC everyone was in awe. I even had a few clients that would not stop starring at my fro. one old woman tried to "pet" me when she thought I wasn't looking. So this song was just too much when I heard it. I feel like its my work theme! ^_^
The first time I did the BC I don't really remember people wanting to touch my hair. Recently I did the BC again ( I burnt my my hair after 5 months the first time) and I have had two people at my job asking to touch my hair and telling me how soft it is and how much they like it.
Geesh, some of you natural people take it to the far extreme! This is so corny, I can't believe this song was even posted.
Reading the lyrics alone, i chose not to even listen to it with the beat because the profanity really takes away from the objective, which i gathered is to raise awareness of the unwanted attention naturals receive, almost down right looks and actions that you'd see in a petting zoo. I get the point, the approach could've out cleaner, classier and been just as poignant.
I not only love the lyrics of the song I love the tempo and her voice! I'll be downloading it as soon as I get a chance! This is my kind of music
I'm not really a fan. I became natural so people can touch my hair. I didn't like the fact that my hair would feel greasy and dried out with a perm. I also didn't like having to hide behind weaves and braids all the time. I know this song is aimed at strangers but what if my boyfriend was to hear it. He would never touch my hair again.
I'm not really a fan. I became natural so people can touch my hair. I didn't like the fact that my hair would feel greasy and dried out with a perm. I also didn't like having to hide behind weaves and braids all the time. I know this song is aimed at strangers but what if my boyfriend was to hear it. He would never touch my hair again.
This is true but I would like a "cleaner" song to represent natural hair love. This is just saying you cant f****** touch my hair which I want to really say to people who just touch my hair without asking. This song is too aggressive and not a good example for a young children who are natural or become natural. Natural hair is beautiful, a song about embracing and loving your natural curls would be appropriate.
Megan Montgomery
The lyrics are cute, being in entertainment maybe the artists gets this quiet a bit and thought to compose an off-the-cuff song.
I love it!!!!!!!!
This song is amusing, I must say. But all the White and Asian folks around me know unless they ask me, they can NOT touch my hair! It takes too long to style it, why mess it up with your dirty fingers in it? Everyone ALWAYS asks before they touch, but they're usually too afraid of my hair to do more than stare 😉
I can appreciate the motivation for the song and the reality of this "phenomena," but I like the Sesame Street, "I love my hair" song as a natural hair anthem better;). I would want a natural hair anthem to evoke thoughts of the positive things about natural hair instead of the negative (i.e. people with no apparent home training … just like the one's that will touch the belly of a pregnant stranger … WTH is that about?!?!?). But, anywho, you know, that's just me;).
Shelli
It's music; I appreciate that we have it to express ourselves. I appreciate her expressions, but honestly, I don't find hair interesting enough that I want to really hear a song about it. And she uses autotune, so I'm going to pass on this song.
Nobody asks to touch my hair. lol. I'm sad.
wouldn't say it's an anthem. I mean, the song is just "aight" but whatev
I've been wearing my hair out for over a year and so far no one (that I DON'T know) has tried to touch my hair. I DID have some guy smell it and say he was checkin to see if any weed was in there, but he's just silly and dumb 😛 Never really caught anyone staring either but that's cuz I'm just an oblivious person in general…always in my own world… 😀
Hopefully no stranger will ever try to touch it though!
Overkill.
This sure is an anthem! Was she shouting you out Nikki? I like this song a lot!!! Very catchy.
Comes off a bit natural militant to me, with all the swear words and whatnot…but I guess I can't really relate because I don't have to fight off people wanting to touch my hair on a daily basis. Everyone's experience is different.
I saw her perform this song live & nearly died with laughter because it is too true! I was like this is definitely anthem of the year. I relax my hair and still have to deal with this hair touching BS so I would appreciate it if we can recognize that this is not just a natural [hair] experience but seems to a black girl experience. I'm sure we all know at least 1 person who has even had their weaves and wigs felt up in a similar sentiment, too.
I love my hair. It's so soft and cushy. No one has ever asked me to touch it, not even my mom. I wish they would so I could tell them, "YES!" and then hear them say how soft and cushy it feels. Touching w/out asking . . . that's another story.
I'm glad I've yet to have this problem. Like someone else said nobody but family or friends has ever touched my hair without asking. Maybe because I usually wear it in a ponytail and that looks too familiar to be interesting to strangers?
*In my Madea voice*– "Halleluyurrrrr"!
My mother is the main culprit. She's ALWAYS touching my hair (WOMAN…can you at least wait until it's dry). Mostly I just get staring.
I've had kids wanting to touch my hair because they didn't think it would be soft or they thought it would be greasy, smh. Then they wondered how a black girl could have curls. Love the lyrics to this song, very catchy.
Brooke B.
Ha Ha Ha, I I love it! Since going natural I've had a few random women and even one white man who's a coworker, try to touch my hair! No one made contact and I just simply backed away and asked them what they were doing. It was all in good spririts but I think it's weird to want to touch a virtual stranger's hair, regardless of how "cool" it looks.
I like the song very catchy! nobody touches my hair except me and my man!
"These are the waves…these are the waves..that the Lord has made"! Love that – I'ma be singing that all day. Thanks for posting this, Nik!
Yvi 🙂
I like the song btw but i grew up in a mostly white town and a lot of people that black hair was beautiful and because you can do so many things to it.
And I've been natural for about 2 years now with a bit over 6 inches of hair lol
I've never experienced anyone wanting to touch my hair apart from my own family. My mom can't keep her hands out of it usually. My cousins touch it and compliment it all the time. As for strangers and friends, no on reaches for my hair, and no one asks. They do compliment it though. I probably have a standoffish attitude though, maybe.