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

The Funky Chicken cheer is a popular cheer performed at camps, schools, and sporting events across the country. But what exactly is the Funky Chicken cheer and how did it become so widespread? This article will provide a full explanation of the lyrics, moves, and origins of this funky cheer.

What Are the Lyrics to the Funky Chicken Cheer?

The lyrics to the Funky Chicken cheer are

How funky is your chicken? (Jumping up and down with chicken arms) How loose is your goosa? Now shake it to the left, you guys. Now shake it to the right, you guys. Now shake it just shake it (Stop jumping and shake your whole body). Now shake it but don’t break it (Put up your finger like you’re telling someone to wait, then shake your hand at “but don’t break it”).

The cheer starts by instructing participants that it is a repeat after me cheer. Then the leader chants “How funky is your chicken?” while jumping up and down flapping their arms like chicken wings.

The next line asks, “How loose is your goosa?” which means to be silly and loose.

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?

As hinted by the lyrics, most of the movements involve shaking, dancing, and flapping 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”

• Put one finger up as if saying “wait a minute” then shake finger or hand on “Now shake it, but don’t break it”

What Are the Origins of the Funky Chicken Cheer?

The Funky Chicken cheer comes from a dance move from the 1960s called “The Chicken.” People first learned how to do the Chicken dance in the late 1960s, when funk music was becoming popular. It involved moving the arms, wrists, and legs like a chicken by flapping them and twisting them.

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 the next time you do the Funky Chicken cheer, you can enjoy the rich cultural history that goes along with its funky moves. As you shake it to the left and right, don’t break it! Let out your inner chicken and get down with your funky self!