: It likely began as an 18th-century marching cadence or a 19th-century work song sung by enslaved people on Southern plantations.
The refers to the 1977 hard rock version of a traditional African-American work song. While Ram Jam's rendition is the most commercially successful, reaching #18 in the US and top 10 in the UK and Australia, the song has deep historical roots: ram_jam_black_betty_official_audio
: Upon its release, the NAACP and CORE called for a boycott of the track due to the modified lyrics, though the boycott was ultimately unsuccessful. : It likely began as an 18th-century marching
: Popularized in 18th-century slang; Benjamin Franklin's The Drinker’s Dictionary (1736) used the phrase "kiss'd black Betty" for being drunk. : Popularized in 18th-century slang; Benjamin Franklin's The
: Frontman Bill Bartlett later stated his version was partially inspired by 1950s pinup queen Betty Page. The "Official Audio" on YouTube
: Blues legend Huddie "Lead Belly" Ledbetter recorded a version in 1939 that added guitar and shaped the arrangement Ram Jam eventually covered. What does "Black Betty" mean?
: Some suggest the name referred to a specific type of firearm.