"Winkie Chant" in "The Wizard of Oz"

[E. Q. Taft]

This morning, on San Diego's "Dave, Shelly, and Chainsaw" radio show, Dave at one point wondered aloud just what it is the witch's guards are chanting in the scene where they're marching into the castle. They promptly received two phone calls from people claiming to have read or heard in some discussion of Oz trivia that they're chanting: Oh we love the Old One -- the Old One presumably meaning the witch. (Later searching suggested it is actually Oh we loathe the Old One.) Someone on the show suggested checking snopes, but apparently they had already learned what it says in sources such as the IMDB:

Audiences have claimed to hear various lyrics to the "Winkie Chant" performed by the Witch's guards. They include "All we own, we owe her"; "Oh we love the old one"; and "Oh we loathe the old one." The screenplay shows that the correct lyrics are "O-Ee-Yah! Eoh-Ah!." The chant acts as a sort of audio inkblot.

Of course, the IMDB, being user-edited, isn't necessary authoritative, but is seems to be backed up by other online sources (such as here, here, and here.) I suppose it could be a case of the viral spread of a wrong answer, but I myself will tend to believe it barring better information.

Or, maybe it really was stealth product placement for Oreo Cookies...

[Syllavus]

I always thought it sounded more like "Oh-ee-oh Eee-oh-whoa!" myself.

[Elsie]

Originally Posted by Syllavus

I always thought it sounded more like "Oh-ee-oh Eee-oh-whoa!" myself.

That's pretty much what i've always heard, as well. I'm pretty flabbergasted that anyone would really think there were lyrics to it.

[snopes]

I believe it's actually "Or-e-o, we need more!"

- snopes

Being an "Oz-o-phile" myself and knowing a lot of stupid trivia about the movie, the original story and having volumes of books available at hand to look up anything that I may have forgotten along the way, IMDB is correct. Its just a cadence that they are chanting as they get into formation before entering the castle, kind of like the little songs or rhymes that people in the military chant while in formation as well. There was never any intention on the part of the composers to make it sound as though the winkys are saying anything in particular.

[llewtrah]

The term "Winkie chant" made me think the guards chanting something inappropriate about genitalia :o: and I wondered what had been hidden in plain sight in The Wizard of Oz for all those years.

[Hyper Squirrel]

I always heard it as "Yo-ee-oh, yo-oo-oh".

[Lady Luzhin]

Did anyone catch the 'sppof' of that scene in the Coen Bros. O Brother, Where Art Thou? ? The KKK were doing that in the movie. Funniest NFBSK I ever saw. But they were chanting 'Enny Minney Moe' or something. Ah, stupid people in large groups...

[mags]

"O-Ee-Yah! Eoh-Ah!" is almost exactly how I always heard it. Only the 'Yah' would be replaced with another 'O'.

[nancyfancypants]

Originally Posted by MissBethiepoo

Being an "Oz-o-phile" myself and knowing a lot of stupid trivia about the movie, the original story and having volumes of books available at hand to look up anything that I may have forgotten along the way, IMDB is correct. Its just a cadence that they are chanting as they get into formation before entering the castle, kind of like the little songs or rhymes that people in the military chant while in formation as well. There was never any intention on the part of the composers to make it sound as though the winkys are saying anything in particular.

Hey, nice to meet another "Oz-o-phile"!

[barbrainey]

I recall watching the movie on TV in the early 60's with my siblings. I was in the second grade when I saw it for the first time. I thought the guards' chant was kind of scary sounding. My older brother thought they sounded like Russian "Volga boatmen." At least I think that's what he meant. He usually said, "They sound like Russians."


B. A. Rainey

[smallpotatoes]

Originally Posted by llewtrah

The term "Winkie chant" made me think the guards chanting something inappropriate about genitalia :o: and I wondered what had been hidden in plain sight in The Wizard of Oz for all those years.

Oh good. I'm not the only one who thought that.

Jaci

[moonfall]

For some reason, I remember the guards being flying monkeys, but it's been awhile since I've seen the movie.

[pob14]

Whenever the kids and I go into, past, or near a Lowes, we chant:

"Low-ee-ohs, Loooow-ohs!"

I also remember hearing (someplace) the chant as: "All we own, we o--owe!"

IIRC, the stage version makes some fun of the chant, but I can't remember exactly how.

[musicgeek]

Originally Posted by pob14

IIRC, the stage version makes some fun of the chant, but I can't remember exactly how.

The chant isn't in the script for the stage version, so it may have been an addition by whatever cast you saw. (We put the chant in when we did it because we figured it would be expected.)

[Dondi]

Why did I think that the title of the thread would have some connection with the TeleTubbies?

[lilnizzie]

Could it be possible that people might be mixing up, or blending the memories of the wizard of Oz chant, and the spoof of it they did in the Simpsons, where there are guards standing in front of Mr. Burns house, and they DO chant "all we own, we all own" or something very similar...

It's possible.

[Brad from Georgia]

I always thought it was

This is my pike,
And this is my gun!
One is for poking,
The other's for---well, same thing, really.

OT, but way back when I was in AFROTC we used to have to go out and drill every Saturday. When it was their turn to be DI's, the other guys would have us all call cadence to "Jody songs" ("Ain't no use in goin' home! / Jody's got yo' girl an' gone!"). They were crude and did not promote the public weal, so when it was my turn, I started them all a-chanting,

Buckle up for safety,
Buckle up!
Buckle up for safety,
Always buckle up!
Pull your seatbelt snug,
Give an extra tug,
Buckle up for safety,
Buckle up!

They loved it! We marched around bellowing that at the top of our lungs, and I reflected that not only had I made the UGA campus a little safer against the Commie threat, but I had also performed a public service.

[Brad from Georgia]

Just realized--should'a used this little guy as my icon in that post!