K-Pop songs really like to include English words and phrases in their songs, some phrases more than others! One that seems to be used quite often in K-Pop is the phrase “head, shoulders, knees, and toes” which is part of a children’s song that was sung as early as the 1950s. Here are a few songs in K-Pop that have used this phrase.

 

 

 

HIP-MAMAMOO

This song is the title track for MAMAMOO’s second studio album, Reality in Black. It was released on November 14, 2019. The phrase appears in the lines “head, shoulder, knee, hip” and “hip, hip, head, shoulder, knee, hip.”

Who’s Your Mama- JYP (feat. Jessi)

This song is from Park Jin Young’s album 24/34 from 2015. The song features Jessi, who sings this phrase in her rap portion.

Ya from head to toe got if from my mama

Even my oriental eyes are taken from my mom

My natural born features to all the calls from guys

Now everyone knows hey Jessi sexy

Head shoulder knees foot knees foot

Ask where I got it from go ahead go ahead.

 

 

 

Ah Yeah- EXID

This song is a part of EXID’s second extended play released in April of 2015. This song made headlines much later after a fan-cam video of member Hani went viral on the internet. The phrase appears in verse 3 during Hani and LE’s part.

Why are you stuttering?

I don’t know what you’re talking about.

Stuttering pretending to be naive

Bad habits are coming out

My head shoulder knee foot knee foot

It’s predictable 100 percent

 

Bboom Bboom- Momoland

This song was the title track from Momoland’s third EP Great! which was released back in 2018. The phrase is sung by member Ahin and it goes, “Right now in my eyes in my eyes your shoulder, knees, feet.”

 

 

Crayon- G-Dragon

This track comes from G-Dragon’s first EP, One of a Kind from 2012. All seven songs on this album was written, co-written, and co-composed by G-Dragon himself. The phrase appears in the intro of this song:

Head, shoulders, knees, and toes
Swag check swag check
Head, shoulders, knees, toes
Swag check swag check

 

 

Head, Shoulders, Knees And Toes- FIESTAR

This song actually has the phrase used as the title of their song. This song is from the group FIESTAR and is a part of their third single album, CURIOUS, which was released in 2013. The phrase also appears in the chorus of the song:

Do you want to do head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes with me?
Will you do head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes next to me?
Whenever it’s time of the day, we will face each other
We look at and know each other, oh

Will you do head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes, today?
Do you, too, have a little interest in me?
If so, don’t just sit, quickly go out
We’re checking each other out, oh baby

 

 

Head Shoulders Knees Toes- DICE

DICE debuted in 2016 under Bros Entertainment and released this song before disbanding in 2017.

 

 

 

 

Something interesting to note is that producer Shinsadong Tiger produced EXID, FIESTAR, and Momoland’s albums that include these songs. This could be his way of leaving his mark in songs through a certain phrase of word.

 

 

What are some other common English phrases found in K-Pop?