Jimmy Jimmy, or gimme rice? How 1982 hit is China’s new protest song

A mega hit song from a Mithun Chakraborty film released in 1982 is being widely viewed and shared on short video platforms in China as a form of protest against the government’s Covid-19 restrictions or “zero Covid” policy.

A mega hit song from a Mithun Chakraborty film released in 1982 is being widely viewed and shared on short video platforms in China as a form of protest against the government’s Covid-19 restrictions or “zero Covid” policy.

Jimmy Jimmy, or gimme rice? How 1982 hit is China’s new protest song

“Jimmy, Jimmy, Aaja Aaja”, from Disco Dancer, has turned out to be the unusual choice for citizens exasperated with lockdowns and Covid-related restrictions to voice their discontent in the lighter vein – through song and dance.

The lyrics of the original song – music by Bappi Lahiri and sung by Parvati Khan – particularly the intonation of the word “Jimmy”, when transliterated to Mandarin sounds like “give me rice” in the language.

So, the song in Chinese is being used on these lines: “Give/borrow me some rice? Who can give/borrow me? I ran out of it. No need to give much rice, my family has only a few members”. The request to borrow rice can be interpreted as a plea from the people to the government to lift restrictions, which are imposed even when a handful of Covid-19 cases are reported from a locality.

Various versions of the song have been viewed millions of times on social media, especially on “Douyin” or China’s version of TikTok. In the videos, users of the social media platforms are shown dancing to the song with empty vessels in their hands – and many of them are wearing improvised “saris” as they sway to the rhythm.

Social media is closely monitored in China with most criticism against the Communist Party of China’s (CPC) leadership or policies swiftly censored. This trend, however, seems to have evaded the censors until now, given its comedic nature.

Even as the rest of the world has moved on to “existing with the virus”, China has refused to do so, doubling down on its “zero-Covid” strategy comprising snap lockdowns, mass tests and strict restrictions on movements.

This has led to growing frustration among citizens across the country.

Despite people’s frustration over Covid-19 control protocols, it’s unlikely that the government will change the rules soon in the backdrop of the rising number of cases being reported.

New Covid-19 cases in mainland China hit 2,898 on Sunday, topping 2,000 for a second straight day, the national health commission (NHC) said on Monday.

“We expect Beijing to maintain its zero-Covid strategy (ZCS) at least until March 2023, the lockdown situation to worsen due to the winter season and more infectious variants, export growth to slide further on a global slowdown and the property sector to deteriorate further on the lack of a comprehensive solution,” the brokerage firm Nomura said in a report on Monday.

As of October 24, 28 cities in China were implementing various levels of lockdown measures. According to Nomura estimates, around 207.7 million individuals were affected by the lockdown measures.

Reuters reported that cities in central China have drawn up plans to isolate workers fleeing to their home towns from an assembly facility of iPhone-maker Foxconn in outbreak-hit Zhengzhou city. “Photographs and videos circulating widely on Chinese social media since Saturday showed Foxconn workers trekking across fields in the day and along roads at night,” the Reuters report said.

The report added that, according to social media posts, in an apparent show of support, residents in the vicinity left bottled water and provisions next to major roads with signs such as: “For Foxconn workers returning home.”