Sooey!
"Sooey!" is a long, drawn-out call used to summon pigs. In Appalachian and Southern farm life, it was a daily sound on hog farms and still survives as a playful holler.
Hillbilly Dude Says...
I remember 'Sooey!' mainly from Johnny Cash. When our hogs get loose, I'd rather holler, 'enjoy your new home!' This one doesn't have the opportunity to be an everday one. Hillbilly Dude Says...
I remember 'Sooey!' mainly from Johnny Cash. When our hogs get loose, I'd rather holler, 'enjoy your new home!' This one doesn't have the opportunity to be an everday one. Pronunciation
[SOO-ee] → drawn out: "Soooo-eeee!"
Meaning & Usage
- Call to summon pigs (exclamation)
Mae:
Sooey! Time to feed!
Sooey! Time to feed!
Earl:
Here they come, gruntin’ and squealin’.
Here they come, gruntin’ and squealin’.- Playful shout (secondary, modern use)
Mae:
Sooey! That was a good hit!
Sooey! That was a good hit!
Earl:
Sounds like you’re callin’ the hogs.
Sounds like you’re callin’ the hogs.variations: soo-ee
su-ee
pig call
hog call
hog holler
sow call
come pig, pig
★ It’s not just random - hogs respond to high-pitched sounds, and "sooey" carries across a farmyard. That’s why the call stuck for generations. ★
Origin and Etymology
Likely from the word "sow" (a female pig), with the "-ee" added to make a long, carrying call. Hog farmers in the South and Appalachia used it daily to round up swine, and it spread into wider American culture as a symbol of country life.
Usage Notes
Still recognized in Appalachian and Southern talk, though less used on real farms today. "Sooey" lives on in playful hollers, sports chants, and as a symbol of rural heritage.
Say It Like a Southerner
Stretch the first syllable, then snap the "ee": "Soooo-eeee!"