- Oggy Oggy Oggy
-
Not to be confused with Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi.
The Oggy Oggy Oggy chant (alternately spelt Oggie Oggie Oggie), and its numerous variations, are often heard at sporting events, political rallies and around Scout and Guide campfires, primarily in Britain, Ireland and some Commonwealth nations.
Max Boyce popularised the phrase in the 1970s. It is also considered a Welsh institution. Superstition holds that the origin of the phrase was as a means for Cornish pasty sellers to communicate to workers that it was lunch time. The reasoning for this belief is the presumption that 'Oggy' is from the Cornish hoggan for a pasty.
Contents
Form
The usual form of the chant consists of two groups, one shouting the word "Oggy!" and the other group shouting the word "Oi!" Often a single individual will shout "Oggy" and everyone else will shout the reply. The words are shouted according to the following pattern.
- Oggy Oggy Oggy!
- Oi Oi Oi!
- Oggy Oggy Oggy!
- Oi Oi Oi!
- Oggy!
- Oi!
- Oggy!
- Oi!
- Oggy Oggy Oggy!
- Oi Oi Oi!
Origins
One possible theory for the origin of the chant stems from Cornwall. An Oggy is a slang term for Cornish pasty derived from its Cornish name, "hoggan"[1] Another theory originates from Devonport.[2]
Tin-miners' wives or pasty sellers supposedly shouted "Oggy Oggy Oggy" - the response from any hungry miner or labourer would be Oi!, Oi!, Oi!. The chant is also the chorus of a Cornish folk song and has always been heard at Cornish rugby matches so this seems the most likely origin.[3]
The Oxford English Dictionary (2004) entry for "Oggy" states: "Oggy, noun. West Country regional (orig. Cornwall) and Navy slang. A Cornish pasty. Probably an alteration of Cornish hoggan pastry, pie (18th century), perhaps cognate with Welsh chwiogen muffin, simnel-cake (1562), of unknown origin."[4]
Members of the Royal Navy claim to have used the chant, or a version of it, since the Second World War.[5] The 'Oggie, Oggie, Oggie' chant was used by supporters of the Royal Navy's Devonport Field Gun Team. (The field gun competition was disbanded in 1999 after a hundred years of competition).[6]
It was then adopted at British football grounds at some point during the postwar period, and was certainly in common use by the 1960s.
In the 1970s the Welsh folk singer and comedian Max Boyce popularised the chant in order to excite the crowd at his concerts. Boyce was also a big rugby union fan, and through him it then began to be adopted by Welsh rugby union crowds at international matches. Soon it spread to rugby crowds at club level and eventually to many other sporting occasions at all levels.
The chant was also used by Coventry City football fans during the 1980s and 1990s in appreciation to then goalkeeper Steve Ogrizovic who had been nicknamed 'Oggy'.
Use within Scouting and Guiding
Oggy Oggy Oggy has long been a major chant within Scouting and Guiding, especially within the UK. "An Oggy" as it is termed within Troops and Units is usually used at Scouting events and as a way of expressing thanks to those within and outside Scouting.
Cultural references
In BBC television series The Office, Gareth Keenan (Mackenzie Crook) recited the chant when answering a telephone call from his friend "The Oggmonster" (Stephen Merchant).
Doug, a college instructor in the 2007 UK television series Skins, regularly calls out "Oggy Oggy Oggy!" to his students, to little avail.
Members of Sussex Bonfire Societies recite the chant when passing pubs and large crowds.
Variations
Several variations of the "Oggy" chant have arisen as its cultural significance and recognition has grown. In the early 1970s, Chelsea F.C. soccer fans changed it from "Oggie" to "Ozzie," in honour of Peter Osgood, the soccer player. When Margaret Thatcher came to power in Britain in 1979 a variation of the chant ("Maggie Maggie Maggie, Out Out Out!") was adopted by some of her opponents.
Another variation is the "Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi" chant. It had been heard at Australian sporting events as early as 1987.[7] The chant had found widespread popularity by the time of the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.[8]
At Arizona Diamondbacks games during the 2008-09 seasons, fans would shout "Augie Augie Augie, Oi Oi Oi" in reference to utility infielder Augie Ojeda. (It is worth noting that in many dialects of American English, "Augie" and "Oggy" are homophones).
The chant has also been adopted by the fans of newly promoted English rugby union premiership side, the Exeter Chiefs. They use the same form, but replace the word Oi with the word Chiefs.
The chant is also popular in Calgary, Canada, where a variation has fans of the Calgary Flames shout "Iggy, Iggy, Iggy, Oi Oi Oi" when Jarome Iginla fought or scored in a game. This was especially popular during his 50 goal season in the 2007-08 NHL season.
In Sweden a popular version of the chant is "Bira Bira Bira, Bärs Bärs Bärs". It is a drinking chant in which every word just means Beer.
A more recent variant of the chant has been adopted by fans of the British male singer and former runner up of The X Factor, Olly Murs. Here, it is changed slightly so that the chant becomes "Olly, Olly, Olly, Oi Oi Oi", and it is often chanted at his live concert tours/public appearances or incited by Murs himself at such events as these.
References
- ^ Who invented the Cornish pasty? - Features, Food & Drink - Independent.co.uk
- ^ "Tawney in Depth - The background to some of Cyril's classic songs". Cyriltawney.co.uk. 1977-06-28. http://www.cyriltawney.co.uk/depth.htm. Retrieved 2011-09-18.
- ^ The Cornish Oggy Song
- ^ Oxford English Dictionary, 2004 edition.
- ^ //myweb.tiscali.co.uk/navysong/Data/S0022.HTM Oggie Song
- ^ Portsmouth Field Gun Crew, Whale Island
- ^ Mike Downey, Hoisting a Few' Does Not Just Mean Raising the Sails, Los Angeles Times, Wednesday February 2, 1987
- ^ Luba Vangelova, Oi, Oi, Oy, CNN Sports Illustrated, Wednesday September 27, 2000 [1]
External links
Categories:- Cornish culture
- Cornish music
- Rugby union in Wales
- Football songs and chants
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