How Funky is Your Chicken? An Explanation of the Funky Chicken Cheer

People all over the country like to do the Funky Chicken cheer at camps, schools, and sporting events. But what is the Funky Chicken cheer, and how did it become so popular? This article will tell you all about the lyrics, moves, and history of this funky cheer.

What Are the Lyrics to the Funky Chicken Cheer?

The lyrics to the Funky Chicken cheer are

This is a repeat after me cheer!How funky is your chicken? (Jumping up and down with chicken arms)How loose is your goosa?Now shake it to the left ya’llNow shake it to the right ya’llNow shake it just shake it (Stop jumping and shake your whole body)Now shake it but don’t break it (Put up finger as if telling someone to wait, but then shake hand at “but don’t break it”)

At the start of the cheer, people are told that it is a repeat after me cheer. The leader then chants “How funky is your chicken?” as they jump and flap their arms like chicken wings.

The next line is “How loose is your goosa?” inviting participants to get loose and silly.

The cheer then directs people to shake or dance to the left and right before shaking their whole body. The last line reminds everyone to shake it but not break it – in other words, dance and have fun but don’t get too crazy!

What Are the Movements for the Funky Chicken Cheer?

The lyrics give away that most of the moves involve flapping, dancing, and shaking like a chicken. Here is a breakdown of the motions:

• Jump up and down while flapping arms like wings on “How funky is your chicken?”

• Do a crazy dance or shake your body loosely on “How loose is your goosa?”

• Shake hips or dance to the left on “Now shake it to the left ya’ll”

• Shake hips or dance to the right on “Now shake it to the right ya’ll”

• Shake entire body wildly but safely on “Now shake it, just shake it”

• “Wait a minute,” raise one finger, and then shake your hand or finger on “Now shake it, but don’t break it.”

What Are the Origins of the Funky Chicken Cheer?

The roots of the Funky Chicken cheer can be traced back to a 1960s dance move called The Chicken. The Chicken was a popular dance invented in the late 1960s during the emergence of funk music. It involved flapping arms, twisting wrists, and kicking legs in an imitation of a chicken.

In the early 1970s, the dance inspired a funk song called “Do the Funky Chicken” performed by the R&B group Rufus Thomas and Carla Thomas. The song featured lyrics inviting people to dance the Funky Chicken. This helped further popularize and spread the Funky Chicken dance to the mainstream.

It is likely dance teams and cheer squads eventually adapted the Funky Chicken dance into a repeat after me cheer format. They incorporated the funky dance moves with playful lyrics inviting participants to shake and get loose. This transformed the Funky Chicken from a formal dance routine into a more casual cheer performed at school and community events.

The cheer’s popularity has endured over the decades, making it a timeless dance that connects to funk music history while providing a fun group activity. The silly lyrics and movements allow people of all ages to joyfully break it down funky chicken style!

So next time you find yourself participating in the Funky Chicken cheer, you can appreciate the rich cultural history linked to its funky moves. Just don’t break it as you shake it to the left and shake it to the right! Embrace your inner chicken and get down with your funky self.