Sitsiritsit Explained

Sitsiritsit, also known as Sitsiritsit Alibangbang, is a Filipino folk song. This humorous song describes a flirtatious woman threatening a storeowner that the ants are going to get him if he is not going to extend credit, as well as unusual situations of exchanging a child for a doll or bagoong. It is said to have originated during the country's Spanish colonization, as its lyrics suggest the ordinary life during that time. The melody of the song is similar to Fly, Fly the Butterfly, another Filipino folk song but in the English language.

Popular culture

• In the children's program Batibot, there are two alien puppets named Sitsiritsit and Alibangbang who love discovering new things, places, and people around them.^[1]
• In the 1920s, a jazzy version performed with a raspy voice by Vicente Ocampo was popularized on the Manila bodabil circuit.
• In 1962, The Rocky Fellers released "South Pacific Twist", a twist-flavored adaptation of the song by Kal Mann and Dave Appell, on the Parkway label as the B-side to their cover of "Long Tall Sally".^[2] Kong Ling, backed by The Fabulous Echoes, released her own version of the song as a single in 1963.^[3]

Notes and References

1. http://www.philonline.com.ph/~pctvf/muppets.html Batibot Muppets' Home Page
2. https://www.45cat.com/record/p836 The Rocky Fellers - Long Tall Sally / South Pacific Twist - Parkway
3. https://www.discogs.com/release/13510941-Kong-Ling-And-The-Fabulous-Echoes-With-The-Diamond-Music-Co-Studio-Orch-South-Pacific-Twist Kong Ling And The Fabulous Echoes With The Diamond Music Co. Studio Orch.* – South Pacific Twist