HANDCLAP, JUMP ROPE, AND ELASTICS RHYMES
This page contains selected examples, videos, and comments about handclap rhymes, elastics rhymes, and jump rope rhymes. Jump rope rhymes and elastics rhymes will be identified by that category's name.* All other rhymes in this section are handclap rhymes.
*Many jump rope rhymes are also used as ball bouncing rhymes. For a description of elastic jumping (also known as "French skipping" and other names), see this comment that I re-posted on this Mudcat Discussion Forum thread about elastics:
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=46932&messages=103#2345619
You'll notice that this Cocojams page contains multiple versions of the certain rhymes. I'm interested in posting multiple versions of rhymes as a way of documenting the way that the words of a particular rhyme may change in different geographical locations or among different populations within the same city, state, or nation. Posting multiple examples of the same rhyme also documents the way that the words of a rhyme may change over time.
SOURCES OF RHYMES THAT ARE FEATURED ON THIS PAGE
Many of the rhymes on this page were sent in by Cocojams visitors. See the information below about where & how to send rhyme examples for possible posting on this site.
Examples of rhymes & cheers are almost always posted the way that readers send them to this website. Some of these examples have typos and other accidental spelling errors or have text messaging, slang, or otherwise purposely misspelled words & phrases. Many of these examples are written without any capitalization at the beginning of a line or punctuation mark at the end of line. Posting examples written this way may result in difficulty understanding the examples. However, I believe that it is important to keep the examples' original form for authenticity's sake and as a means of showcasing the examples' "flavor".
Selected rhymes are from my childhood memories, and/or from my collection efforts (mostly among African Americans in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1990s to date)
Many examples of rhymes featured on this page are reposted from other websites. Cocojams includes rhyme examples from other websites to help ensure that these examples are preserved and to help demonstrate how the words and performance activities of specific rhyme examples may vary over time and within certain populations.
My thanks also goes to http://www.mudcat.org/threads.cfm; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php10/1/2003,
and http://www.inthe80s.com/rhymes.shtml for permission to repost selected examples from their websites.
Also thanks to http://www.youtube.com/ for granting others permission to repost videos found on their website for cultural and educational use. Video examples of some of these rhymes are posted below a version of that rhyme. I've also posted additional videos at the end of this page. New videos are added periodically.
This page also includes selected rhymes that are found on http://www.homeschool.co.uk/resource/skipping-rope-jump-rope-hopscotch-s...
I've attempted to contact that site's editor for permission to post. However, to date, I've not been successful in doing so. If I'm contacted and asked to remove the examples from that website, I will do so. Thanks!
A few rhymes on this page are from selected, hard to find books. In each of those cases, I have included the title and publisher of those books and the editors' name/s. I've included those examples to help increase readers' familiarity with those examples and with those books. If I am asked to remove those examples, I will do so. Thanks!
SENDING IN EXAMPLES OF RHYMES
Please send examples of rhyme for possible posting on this website to cocojams17@yahoo.com .
Although it is not required, please include information about how this rhyme is performed. Also, for the sake of folkloric research, please include the following demographical information: where you learned the rhyme (please include the city & state if within the USA, and the nation, if outside the USA); when you learned this rhyme {year or decade such as 2008, the 1990s, or the mid 1970s); and who performed this rhyme {age, gender, race/ethnicity).
Thanks to all those who have sent in examples for possible posting on Cocojams. Special thanks to all those who remember to include performance information and demographical information (particularly location, and when the rhyme was performed) along with the text of the rhyme itself.
EXAMPLES OF CHILDREN'S HANDCLAP, JUMP ROPE, AND/OR ELASTIC RHYMES
ABC (Version #1)
A.B.C.
It’s easy as 1.2.3.
My momma takes care of me.
My father don’t yell at me.
Caught you with your boyfriend.
Naughty, Naughty.
Didn’t do the dishes.
Lazy, Lazy.
Ate all the candy
Greedy, greedy.
Jumped out the window.
Man, you’re crazy!
- anonymous woman (White; Washington, D. C), collected by Azizi Powell,1999; posted on Cocojams on 2/26/2006
****
A B C (Version #2)
A B C
it's easy as 1 2 3
yer mama's got funky feet
oosh ahsh I want a piece of squash
sqhash too sweet I want a piece of meat
meat too tough I wanna ride a bus
Buss too full I wana buy a bull
bull too black I want my money back
money too green I want a limosine
Limosine too long
I wanna write a song
song too old I want a pot of gold
gold to yella' I wanna kiss a fella
fella too fat
and that's the end of that
or
gold too yellow I'll Tickle you with a feather (and you reach out and try to tickle the person who you're playing with)
that's all I can remember right now...
-Reebob; 2/12/2004; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=4300&messages=155; Children's Street Songs
Editor:
See other examples of this rhyme below in the "O" section. Also see other examples of this rhyme on http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=26926 Lyr Req: Oh my, I want a piece of pie
****
A B C (Version #3)
I was reading Oh Ah in the handclaps and it sounds really similar to something my friends and I use to play. I dont think its different because I live in Hawaii. A-B-C, Its easy as 1-2-3, My momma takes care-of-me, My daddy says, Oh Ah, I wanna piece of pie, Pie to sweet, I wanna piece of meat, Meat to tough, I wanna ride the bus, Bus to full, I wanna go to school, School to hard, I wanna jeely-bean, Jelly-Bean to green, Indiana Jones dont move or talk.
-Kaylen ; 3/27/2007
****
A B C (Version #4)
abc, easy as 123, my momma takes care of me, my daddy watches mtv, ooh ahh i want a piece of pie, pie to sweet i wanna piece of meat, meat to rough i wanna ride a bus, bus too full i wanna ride a bull, bull not black i want my money back, money back too green i wanna jelly bean, jelly bean not cooked i wanna read a book, book not read i wanna go to bed, bed not made i want some lemonade, lemonade too sour i wanna take a shower, shower too cool i wanna go to school, school too dumb i wanna suck my thumb, thumb to dirty i wanna ride a birdie, birdie too slow and thats all i know, so close your eyes and count to ten, whoever messes up starts all over again, 12345678910...noone messed up so thats the end!
-elle ; 4/3/2007
****
ABC HIT IT
[Editor: "ABC Hit It" is part of the huge "Brickwall Waterfall" family of rhymes. I'm including this example here because some people may be looking for this rhyme under that name. Though it is of no importance to children chanting this rhyme, structurally the phrase"ABC Hit It" can be said to be an introductory phrase which (at least theoretically) serves basically the same function as "Ready Set Go".]
A.B.C. HIT IT
A.B.C.
Hit it!
Thats the way uh huh uh huh i like it uh huh uh huh
Thats the way uh huh uh huh i like it uh huh uh huh
peace puch captain crunch
break a wall waterfalls,girl you think you know it all you dont i do so, poof with the attitude
wait, come back, you need a tic tac not a tic not a tac but the whole six pack
yo mamma, yo daddy, your bald headed granny
she 99 she thinks shes fine, she going out with frankenstein go granny go go, go granny wooooo
-stariewitch; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkgtAELLndA&feature=related ; April 26, 2008. (words also posted on by Kagome342 http://www.youtube.com/comment_servlet?all_comments&v=ZkgtAELLndA&fromur...)
**
Notice that the girls chanting this rhyme said "Break a wall" instead of "Brickwall". The poster Kagome342 also wrote "Break a wall". This is an example of "folk etymology" when a word or phrase is misremembered, or misheard, or is misunderstood, and a more other word or phrase (usually a more familiar word or phrase) is substituted for it.
Here's starlewitch's video of ABC Hit it:
ABC Hit-it
stariewitch
April 26, 2008
"These are my niece's playing one of their hand games. Arn't they cute. Ignore my son in the background. He was just being silly. I have more funny videos to check out too!"
Editor: This video is also reposted to Cocojams' School Yard Taunts page http://www.cocojams.com/content/schoolyard-taunts
as a number of text examples of "Brickwall Waterfall" which include the "ABC Hit It" introduction are found on that page.
Another video of "ABC Hit It" is posted below under the entry for "Double Double This".
****
A-B-C-TOGETHER
My youngest sister is helping me with this post. She's just left Primary 7 (she's 12, in other words), so her 'help' should contain pretty modern versions...
My sister's version of "A-B-C-Together" goes:
Put your hands together, fingers pointing at the person opposite.
A (slap backs of left hands together, own palms still joined)
B (same with the back of right hands)
C (A but stay together, rather than slapping past)
Together (each clap right hand against own left hand)
Up (Right hands clap above the 'together' hands)
Together (bring back together)
Down (Right hands clap below the 'together' hands)
Together (bring back together)
Back (slap backs of hands together with other person, palms facing you)
To front (clap palms with the other person [ie, above^ but backwards])
knee (touch knee with right hand)
To toe (touch foot with right hand)
Wiggle your bum (basically, do 'the Twist')
Around you go (spin on the spot)
Pull the chain (make a 'pulling chain' action)
Start again.
-Viracocha [Sian] & her sister; (Portlethen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, 2007);http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=18352&messages=48 Lyr Req: Playground songs; 8/03/2007
****
ABULATA CUBALATA VISTA
You start with your hands together in prayer position facing each other, and then you put your left palm up and your right palm down as you clap the first time, then clap your own hands together, then clap palms together straight across, and you continue alternating until the final "MpShhhh!" where you clap hands straight across and then move your hands up and out and apart in a sort of finale. The rhyme goes thus: Abalata Cubalata Cubalata Vista Abalata Cubalata Cubalata Vista Nah Nah Nah Nah Nah NaVista Nah Nah Nah Nah Nah NaVista Eenie Meanie Desameani Oohwah Ahwatameani Eenie Meanie Desameani Oohwah Ahwatameani Bop Billy Op Billy Op MpShhhhh!
I learned this girl handclapping rhyme in Shawnee, Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City, in Johnson County, one of the richest, whitest and most cultureless counties in the USA. So it may have come to us from some gal who came from a more interesting place... I enjoyed reading the other rhymes on your website, I recently heard of a "Daring Book for girls" on NPR, the author mentioned that in these days of videogames and such it's important not to lose these important components of handed down girl culture. I would love to know if any of these words mean anything at all in another language. When we were girls we had some notion it was "African" but of course we had no idea then there were so many African languages... I wonder if someone had learned it from an African American girl. I loved it and still love it, and I teach it to my friends. It's a great "party trick" to give men - and women who have forgotten - a glimpse into the magical powerful world of girl culture that goes on and grows on, handed down girl to girl perhaps since the beginning of time.
-Amy H.; 12/8/2007
Editor:
Thanks, Amy! I appreciate your compliments and your comments about the importance of children's rhymes. With regard to the origin & meanings of these words, I believe that most of the words are nonsensical words that have no meanings. But, I wonder if "Cubalata Vista" might come from the Spanish phrase "como la vista". I wrote a comment about that theory on 7/4/2006 in this Mudcat thread {discussion}: http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=47148 . My theory is that "Abulata Cubalata Vista" belongs to a family of children's handclap rhymes that I call the "Como La Vista" family. I've posted examples of some other rhymes that I've found which I think also belong to that rhyme "family". I've given those rhymes these titles "and other rhymes featured on this page {thus far-"Ama Lama Kuma La Vista"; "Coomalata Beestay" and "Oo The Beestay". Most of these rhymes include the word "la vista". Many of these rhymes also begin with the words "Flea.. Flea fly.. Flea Fly Flow". In my opinion, those words serve as an introduction to the actual rhyme. Therefore, I used the next words as the title of that particular example. As to my theory about the Spanish origin of these rhymes, that theory stands on rather shaky ground as it's based on the inclusion of the word {words?} "la vista" or a word that is pronounced like it {"beestay"/"veestay"}. Needless to say, I may be completely wrong about the Spanish origin of this children's rhyme.
Also, Amy, let me say that other folks who are from Shawnee, Kansas might take exception to your description of this suburb as being cultureless. After all, every place as some culture. :o)
****
ACKABAKA
See entries for "My Mother, Your Mother" on this page.
Also, visit Cocojams' Counting Out Rhyme page for additional examples of these rhymes.
****
AH BEEP BEEP (Version #1)
Ah Beep Beep
Walkin down the street
Ungawa. Ungawa
That means Black power.
White boy.
Destroy..
I said it. I meant it
And I’m here to represent it.
Soul sister number 9
Sock it to me one more time.
Uh hun! Uh Hun!
Source: Tracey S., African American female; childhood memories of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 1968 ; collected by Azizi Powell, 2000
Editor:
I believe that the line "Ooh Shellita/walking down the street" from the Big movie version of "Down Down Baby" and other versions of that rhyme that have the "Oh Shelly's Out" phrase are folk etymology forms of "Ah beep beep/walkin down the street".
"Ungawa" is a movie industry made up expression found in Tarzan movies where it supposedly was how Native Americans, or Africans or other non-White people greeted each other or talked to each other. During the late 1960s, this word was taken up by Afro-centric Black Americans who added the rhyming phrase "Black power" {power pronounced here as "powa". Thus the mocking meaning of this word was turned around and "ungawa" was used as a word/sound that positively connected us [Black people] to our African roots & the emerging Black power (Black nationalist) movement.
"Sock it to me!" was a popular African American slogan during the 1960s that probably originated as a sexualized expression. However, my keenest remembrance of this saying is from Aretha Franklin's R&B song "Respect" in which she sings "Sock it to me", "Sock it to me", "Sock it to me". In the context of that record (at least for me) that line meant something like "Give it to me" or "Com' on with it" (with "it" being something good). When I was first heard Aretha Franklin singing "sock it to me", I thought she meant "Give me respect". And maybe that is what she meant. But in the context of that song, she certainly didn't mean "hit me". That's a whole 'nuther meaning for the slang word "sock".
I think the line "sock it to me one more time" in "Ah Beep Beep" also didn't originally have anything to do with hitting. Yet, (again probably because some non-Black people who learned this rhyme didn't know the Black meaning of the slang phrase "sock it to me" or didn't care about that meaning, in the movie Big version of "Down Down Baby", "sock it to me" is converted to mean "physically hit me".
See examples of "Down Down Baby" below.
****
AH BEEP BEEP (Version #2)
OMG i'm finally remembering it...
ahh beep beep walkin down the street
10 times a week...
ungawa, ungawa this is black power
destroy
white boy
i said it
i meant it
i really represent it
i'm a soul soul sista from a soul soul town
aint too many sista gonna keep me down.
if you don't like my apples
don't shake my tree
cuz i'm a soul soul sista named... Ja-nie
LOL
again i'm not black.
- Guest,duh (Janie) ; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=6600#2574126 "Downtown Baby"; 2/23/2009
****
AH BEEP BEEP (Version #3)
Hello,
I think your website is awesome. I was looking through it and found a chant that is similar to the one we did on our bus ride home from school.
There would always be a couple of the older kids holding a beat by hitting the seats for a kick drum and tapping the windows for a snare effect. Our version was a little different. The lyrics were as follows:
AAAhhh Beep Beep,
Walking down the street,
Ten times a week,
Ugawa, ugawa,
This is Black Power,
So sweet, so sour.
Soul sister number 9, sock it to me one more time,
Uh, ah, I really needed it,
AAAH beep beep,
Walking down the steet,
10 times a week,
…and it would go on and on til there were no more kids on the bus. I remember this one out of all of them because it was my favorite and I like how it went back into itself to make an infinite chorus.
-Lem B., Raleigh, North Carolina., African American children; 7 or 8 years old (1977, 78-recited during long bus rides across town to attend majority white school); 11/30/2009
Editor:
Lem B., thanks for your compliment about Cocojams.com. Thanks to you and to all others contributors, Cocojams.com has become the go-to website for English language examples of contemporary children's playground rhymes & cheers.
Although your version of "Ah Beep Beep" wasn't performed as a handclap rhyme, I posted it along with the other two versions of that rhyme that I've found to date. It's remarkable that these versions are so similar.
****
A LADY ON ONE FOOT (Jump Rope Rhyme)
A lady on one foot one foot one foot a lady on two foot two foot two foot a lady on three foot three foot three foot a lady on four foot four foot four foot a lady on five foot five foot five foot a lady on six foot six foot six foot a lady no foot no foot no foot.
- De'Azia, age 8, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 3/24/2006
Editor:
When I was growing up, we did this up to "four foot". We started out
with "Lady on two foot". This meant jumping with two feet touching the ground. "Lady on one foot" meant jumping with on foot touching the ground. "Three foot" meant jumping with two feet and while touching the ground with one hand without missing. "Four foot" meant jumping with two feet while touching the ground with both hands without missing. Then we'd say "Jump out" which might be what "no foot" means here. I'm not sure what "five foot" & "six foot" means. However, the explanation for "five feet" that is found on this page with the rhyme "Blue Bell" (try to touch all hands and butt to the ground in one jump) may also be what "five feet" means in this "Lady On One Foot" rhyme. But if so, then what does "six feet" mean? Three jumpers?
****
ALL IN TOGETHER (Jump Rope Rhyme)
All in together
Every kind of weather
January, February,
March, April,
May, June July,
August, September, October,
November, December
{Jump out on your birthday month}
-various sources, including Azizi Powell's childhood memories (Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1950s)
****
ALL THE GIRLS IN FRANCE (Jump Rope Rhyme)
All the girls in France
Do the Hula Hula dance
And they don't wear pants
When they do the Hula dance.
-various sources, including Azizi Powell's memories of Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1950s
Editor:
I remember singing this while jumping rope or bouncing ball. But my clearest memories of this song is dancing like a "hula hula" girl from Hawaii while I sang this song. There may have been other words to this rhyme, but I can't remember them. I remember thinking it was kinda risque' to sing about people dancing without wearing pants. I thought the words referred to "panties" (underwear) and not pants like jeans.
See similar rhymes on this page such as "In The Land of France" and "In The Land of Mars." Also, see this Mudcat thread for additional examples & information about this family of rhymes:
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=102055&messages=43 Folklore: Play Ground Hand Jives
****
AMA LAMA KUMA LA VISTA
What about the song that goes like this..
Flea.. Flea fly.. Flea Fly Flow. Ama lama kuma lama kuma la vista, Oh oh oh oh not the vista vista, issilini dissilini Oo aa aa malini, akaraka, cukara ich bam boom, ip diddly ope en bope why not shout and bout........ssssssss.... Bang!
Anybody else know this?..."
-Danny; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php10/1/2003 ; 10/1/2003
Editor:
I believe that this is another example of a rhyme that belongs to the "Como La Vista" family of children's handclap rhymes. Of course, this is just my opinion.
****
ALL IN TOGETHER (Version #1) (Jump rope rhyme)
All in together
Very fine weather
January, February, March, April etc (jump out on your birthday month)
-multiple sources including Cocojams' editor's memory of her childhood, Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1950s
****
ALL IN TOGETHER (Version #2) (Jump rope rhyme)
All in together girls Mighty fine weather girls When is your birthday Please run out January February March April May June July August September October November December Bluebells, cockleshells Eevie ivy over My mother sent me to the store And this is what she sent me for Salt Vinegar Mustard Pepper. (turn rope quickly on "pepper")
- http://www.homeschool.co.uk/resource/skipping-rope-jump-rope-hopscotch-s... Dec 13 2004
****
APPLES ON A STICK (Version #5)
this is a hand clap very similar to others! apple on a stick it makes me sick makes my heartbeat...246 not because im dirty not because i kissed a boy behind a magazine hey girls having lots of fun (your two names) are having lots of fun we can do the rumble we can do the splits bet ya bet ya can't do this close your eyes and count to ten whoever mucks it up is a big fat hen (count to ten if you muck it up say "(who mucked it up name)so thats the end " if no one mucks it up you say " no one mucked it up so thats the end"
-Annie; 5/30/2008
****
APPLES ON A STICK (Version #1
I used to spend recesses against the wall for jumping out of the swings in mid-air, and playing tag on the tornado slide, and the girls jumped the rope on the wide walkway there. Here [is one rhymes} that I recall hearing, but the words may be out of order, as this was a while ago.
Apples on a stick, make me sick (slick?).
make my arms (heart?) go two-four-six!
It's not because i'm dirty
It's not because i'm clean
It's not because I kiss the boys
behind a magazine (behind a _____ machine?)
Hey girls, let's have fun!
Here comes a cop with his (vest?) undone!
He can shammey he can shake
He can do the hoochie-koo
But I bet a dollar he can't catch you!
One, two, three, etc.....
Chanted to a double jumprope, I heard this on the schoolyard in Spirit Lake, Iowa around 1982-5. The count continued untill the jumproper missed a lick.
-Neighmond (Chaz J), http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=56361
Editor: This version is performed while jumping rope (skipping rope). However. it appears that this rhyme is usually chanted while doing hand clap routines.
Here's a video of two young girls doing various handclap games including "Apple On A Stick" and "Miss Susie Hand A Steamboat":
Granddaughters hand claps
Posted by joannjohnson
December 22, 2006
**
Here's another video of two girls chanting "Apple On A Stick" while doing handclaps:
cayleyyyyy
November 16, 2006
"Apple on a stick, Makes me sick, Makes my heart beat 2-4-6. Not because you're dirty, Not because you're clean, Just 'cause you kiss the boys behind the magazine... And so on!!
And so on!!"
****
APPLES ON A STICK (Version #2)
Apples on a the stick
make me sick.
Make my heart go
Two forty six
Not because I’m dirty
Not because I’m clean
Not because I kissed a boy
Behind a magazine.
-multiple sources, including girls ages 7-10 years; Millview Acres Housing Development (Clairton, Pennsylvania) 2002; collected by Azizi Powell, 2002
Editor:
I have found this rhyme written separately or as the beginning of a longer rhyme. The girls in Millvue Acres did intricate partner handclap rhymes while chanting this rhyme.
****
APPLES ON A STICK (Version #3)
The space goes
apple on a stick just makes me sick make my tummy go 2 4 6
not because im hunrgy
not because im clean
just because i kiss a boy behind the magazine
hey girls lets have some fun
here comes (name) with his pant undone
he can wiggle he can wobble he can do the twist
but most of all he cant do this close your eyes and count ten if you messs up start ova again
1, 2, 3, 4, ...
- Cece http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php; 10/9/2005
Editor:
In my opinion, the word "space" in the introductory phrase "The space goes" was originally the word "spades". "Spades" is a colloquial, and often derogatory referent for Black people (African Americans). I believe that this introductory term means that the rhyme is being recited or performed the way that Black people did it.
See "Down Down Baby" (from the American movie titled "Big") below for an example of another rhyme that contains the introductory phrase "The space goes".
****
APPLES ON A STICK (Version #4)
Apple on a stick makes me sick makes my heart beat 2-46 not because you're dirty not because you're clean not because you kissed the boy behind the magazine hey girls you wanna have some fun cause here come a lady with a big fat bum she can wibble she can wobble she can even do the splits but i bet ya i bet ya she can't do this close your eyes and count to ten if you muck it up you're a big fat hen. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 (if you didn't muck up) we didn't muck it up so that's the end. we're best friends. (if you did muck up) we mucked up and that's the end so start again cause we're not best friends.
-Allie; 2/15/2007
Editor:
"Muck it up" means "mess up".
****
A SAILOR WENT TO SEA (Version #1)
A sailor went to sea sea sea
To see what he could see see see
And all that he could see see see
Was the bottom of the deep blue sea sea sea
A sailor went to chop chop chop
A sailor went to knee knee knee
A sailor went to oohwhatchakaw
A sailor went to stand by me
Its more to it than this..
-Cheryl G.; electronic message to her aunt Doris H. who forwarded this and other rhymes to Azizi Powell,
11/18/2004
Here's one handclap routine for this rhyme:
simpseng
March 14, 2007
"performance for song" A sailor went to sea"
****
A SAILOR WENT TO SEA (Version #2)
And an Oz version of
A sailor went to sea sea sea
to see what he could sea sea sea
and all that he could sea sea sea
was the bottom of the deep blue sea sea sea.
went (to one clapping pattern)
A sailor went to Diz Diz Diz
to see what he could Diz Diz Diz
and all that he could Diz Diz Diz
was the bottom of the deep blue Diz Diz Diz.
then (to another clapping pattern)
A sailor went to knee knee knee
to see what he could knee knee knee
and all that he could knee knee knee
was the bottom of the deep blue knee knee knee.
then (to yet another clapping pattern)
A sailor went to land land land
to see what he could land land land
and all that he could land land land
was the bottom of the deep blue land land land.
and finally (to a combination of all three clapping patterns)
A sailor went to Disneyland
to see what he could Disneyland
and all that he could Disneyland
was the bottom of the deep blue Disneyland.
-Rowan; (Australia), http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=18352&messages=48 Lyr Req: Playground songs; 8/02/2007}
****
A SAILOR WENT TO SEA (Version #3)
At my elementary school in Willoughby Hills, Ohio (far east suburbs of Cleveland, white, middle & working class) about 1965-70, the girls had some additional verses to the handclap rhyme "A sailor went to sea sea sea": A sailor went to sea sea sea To see what he could see see see But all that he could see see see Was the bottom of the deep blue sea sea sea A sailor went to Amsterdam To see what he could Amsterdam But all that he could Amsterdam Was the bottom of the deep blue Amsterdam [I think there were a few more verses with three-syllable place names, but the only ones I can think of now don't seem quite right. Establishing the three-syllable pattern makes the next verse funnier.] A sailor went to Chiiii-na To see what he could Chiiii-na But all that he could Chiiii-na Was the bottom of the deep blue Chiiii-na A sailor went to Frank Frank Frank To see what he could Frank Frank Frank But all that he could Frank Frank Frank Was the bottom of the deep blue Frank Frank Frank A sailor went to En En En To see what he could En En En But all that he could En En En Was the bottom of the deep blue En En En A sailor went to Stein Stein Stein To see what he could Stein Stein Stein But all that he could Stein Stein Stein Was the bottom of the deep blue Stein Stein Stein A sailor went to Frankenstein To see what he could Frankenstein But all that he could Frankenstein Was the bottom of the deep blue Frankenstein The handclap pattern, of which I've forgotten the details, was the same for every verse. It was usually done in pairs, but could be done by any number in a circle. Sometimes after completing all the verses it would be repeated at increasing speed until our hands couldn't keep up or we dissolved with laughter. I found your site through your postings on Mudcat.org, and it's brought back a lot of memories. Lots of stuff here is familiar, and I'll post the versions I remember as I get time. Thanks so much.
-Elizabeth ; 2/17/2008
Editor:
Elizabeth, thank you for sending in that version of "A Sailor Went To Sea Sea Sea". Thanks also for remembering to include performance instructions and demographical information {elementary school, race, economic class, and geographical location}. I'm glad that you found this website through http://www.mudcat.org/threads.cfm. I look forward to the possibility of you sharing more rhymes with Cocojams!
For those who aren't familiar with that website, Mudcat is an online, international folk and blues discussion forum. There are a number of threads (series of discussions) on that forum on children's rhymes. One such thread is http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=94034&messages=153 Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky. Hyperlinks to other children's rhymes threads can be found on that page. Membership is free at that forum, and guests can also posts examples and comments, and also start new threads. Try it. You may like it!
****
AWAY IN FRANCE
This song I learned when I was a school girl in Oxon Hill, Maryland in the 1960s: Away in France where the alligators dance, One wouldn't dance so they kicked him in the pants, The pants he wore cost a dollar ninety-four -- And you can get them in your grocery store! (I remember my father singing a variation about Away in France where the women wear no pants, away in France where the men do the same", but Mom snapped, "Douglas, don't be vulgar!", so that's all I remember.)
-Ann N.; 4/29/2007
Editor: This rhyme is actually part of a large family of the "There's A Place In France". See examples of those rhymes and the very closely related "There's A Place In Mars" and "There's A Place In Oz" rhymes in the "T" page of Cocojams Handclap Rhymes. All of those rhymes are also very closely connected to "In The Land of France" examples. See some of those examples on the "I" page of Cocojams' Handclap Rhymes.
****
BALLERINA (Jump Rope Rhyme)
Ballerina ballerina
Turn around
Ballerina ballerina
Touch the ground
Ballerina ballerina
Double quick
Ballerina ballerina
Do the splits!
{The trick was to do it all skipping.}
-Viracocha [Sian] ; (from Portlethen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, in the early 1990s),http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=18352&messages=48 Lyr Req: Playground songs; 7/30/2007
Editor:
"Skipping" here means jumping rope.
****
BANANA, BANANA, BANANA IN (Elastics Jumping)
Banana, Banana, Banana, in
Banana, banana, banana, out
Banana, banana, banana, on
Banana, banana, banana, out
(On banana, you straddle one elastic - ie one leg in, one leg out, so that you are juming to and fro over the elastics, on "in" you jump inside the elastic, the first "out" involves straddling the elastic with both legs out, whereas the last out was jumping clear of the elastic to finish. Oh and "on" meant you had to land on the elastics.
-Guest; 2/14/2008; http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=46932&messages=98; Child's Game: Elastics
Editor:
"Elastics" is one name for a children's jumping game that is played with long rubber bands or string instead of one rope or two ropes. Throughout many English speaking countries, or English speaking populations in various countries, this jumping game has also been called "Chinese Jump Rope", "French Skipping", "German Skipping", "African Jump Rope", "Yogi", or other names. Rhymes are usually chanted while playing this game. Sometimes the words of the rhymes indicated how the player was supposed to jump.
Tem42 on 9/21/2006, posting on http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1841337 provided this explanation of one way elastics is played: "You will need three players and a loop of string, rubber bands, or elastic rope. Two players stand inside either end of the loop with their ankles spread slightly apart, the loop pulled tight so as to raise it 3-4 inches off the ground. The third person hops over this rope in a predetermined pattern. If they hop the pattern correctly, the loop is raised up to knee level, and they try the pattern again. Next is hip level (AKA hipsies or underbums); obviously you are not hopping at this point, but leaping. (I have never played with anyone whose hip level was higher than mid-thigh on me, but even so I was exhausted after one round)...The loop of string may be crossed in the center (making a figure eight), allowing for more complex patterns. It may be held higher at one end than the other. Turns and spins may also be added. Footwork can get pretty fancy, especially among older kids. "
Click on that website for more information about jumping elastics. Also, click on the Mudcat Discussion Forum hyperlink presented above for another discussion about "elastics" and for additional examples of rhymes that children (mostly girls) chanted while playing that game. Additional examples of "elastics" rhymes are also found on this Cocojams page.
Do you remember playing elastics or do you play it now? If so, send examples & information about this game to cocojams17@yahoo.com
****
BANANA SPLIT (Version #1)
Banana Split,
It makes me sick.
Oogah laggah
Oogah laggah
2, 4, 6
If you say 5 you’re out of the game.
Oogah laggah
Oogah laggah
2, 4, 6
-African American girls & boys; ages 6-12 years from the Auburn Terrace after school program {East Liberty section of Pittsburgh}; 2001; Collected by Azizi Powell, 2001
Editor:
Here's how I saw this game being played:
More than three children stand in circle and begin to chant in unison. After the last line of the unison chant (i.e.“2, 4, 6”), one child quickly says “1”, and the child standing next to him or her in clockwise position says “2”, and so on, but skips the number "5" or any number with "5" in it {they say the next number and not that one}. For instance, after children say 1, 2, 3, 4, the next child must say 6. Any child says “5” or any number with “5” in it (such as “15” or “25”} is out of the game. Children who take too long to say the correct number} is also out of the game. Ideally, there is not supposed to be any breaks in children giving the next number. Children have to remember The last child in the game is "the winner". Because the counting could go on forever, players may want to decide ahead of time which number ends this game.
****
BANANA SPLIT (Version #2)
Banana Split makes me split ookalocka ookalocka 246 not because ya dirty not because ya clean not because ya daddy got a dirty limosine I betcha 5 dollars I betcha 50 cent. I betcha 5.50 U cant do this {clap up and down with a partner and then u hit your elbow wit yo hand and then at the end u do da same but u clap 2 times with your hands clap together}
-Alahna; 8/19/2006
****
BAZOOKA ZOOKA BUBBLE GUM (Version #1)
My mom gave me a penny
She said to buy a henny
But I didn't buy no henny
Instead, I bought BUBBLE GUM
BAZOOKA, ZOOKA BUBBLE GUM
My mom gave me a nickel
She said to buy a pickle
But I didn't buy no pickle
Instead, I bought BUBBLE GUM
BAZOOKA, ZOOKA BUBBLE GUM
My mom gave me a dime
She said to buy a lime
But I didn't buy no lime
Instead , I bought BUBBLE GUM
BAZOOKA, ZOOKA BUBBLE GUM
My mom gave me a quarter
She said to buy some water
But I didn't buy no water
Instead, I bought BUBBLE GUM
BAZOOKA, ZOOKA BUBBLE GUM
My mom gave me a dollar
She said to buy a collar
But I didn't buy no collar
Instead, I bought BUBBLE GUM
BAZOOKA, ZOOKA BUBBLE GUM
My mom gave me a five
She said to stay alive
But I didn't stay alive
Instead, I choked on BUBBLE GUM
BAZOOKA, ZOOKA BUBBLE GUM
i learned that one in elementary school... not sure how i remembered it! have fun... whoever needs this
-i know hand games! ; 12/22/2005; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php
Editor:
The official Bazooka Zooka Bubble Gum commercial and five other parody type Bazooka Zooka Bubble Gum commercials are posted on this page of Cocojams's sister website, jambalayah.com : http://www.jambalayah.com/node/157
****
BAZOOKA ZOOKA BUBBLE GUM (Version #2)
I was reading and i was amazed to not see a certain ryme...
My mom gave me a nickle she said to buy a pickle I did not buy a pickle instead i bought some bubblegum BAZOOKA ZOOKA bubble gum!
MY mom gave me a dime she said to buy a lime I did not buy a lime instead I bought some bubblegum BAZOOKA ZOOKA bubblegum.
MY mom gave me a quarter she said to buy some water I did not buy some water instead I bought some bubblegum BAZOOKA ZOOKA bubblegum.
MY mom gave me a five she said to stay alive I did not stay alive instead I choked on bubblegum! BAZOOKA ZOOKA bubblegum.
-Guest, BBG; 1/4/2007; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=81350 ; I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
****
BAZOOKA ZOOKA BUBBLE GUM (Version #3)
this is one i learned along time ago: my momma she gave me a dime she told me buy a lime but i aint buy no lime i bought some bubble gum bazooka zooka bubble gum (repeat 2x) my momma she gave me a nickel she told me buy a pickle but i aint buy no pickle i bought some bubble gum bazooka zooka bubble gum (repeat 2x) my momma she gave me a quarter she told me buy some water (pronounced woarder) but i aint buy no water i bought some bubble gum bazooka zooka bubble gum (repeat 2x) my momma she gave me a dollar she told me buy a collar but i aint buy no collar i bought some bubble gum bazooka zooka bubble gum (repeat 2x)
-Nancy ; 5/14/2008
****
BILLY BOY
Two people sit facing each other. I'll do my best to describe the handclap motions... Cross down - start by crossing both hands over your chest, with your finger tips touching your shoulders, then uncross them and smack your thigh's. Your left hand will smack your left thigh and right hand, right thigh. The next step is to clap. When you clap, you begin singing the song. (For example: (cross down) (Clap), When Billy Boy was one..... (now begin claping with your partner - your right hand claps with their right hand - then you clap your hands together, next your left hand claps with your partner's left hand, then you clap your hands together. Repeat until the verse is over. When you start the next verse, begin again with cross down, slap your thighs, When Billy Boy was two...etc.
Verses: When Billy Boy was one, he learned to suck his thumb. Thumb Billy, Thumb Billy, half past one. When Billy Boy was two, he learned to tie his shoe. Shoe Billy, Shoe Billy, half past two. When Billy Boy was three, he learned to climb a tree. Tree Billy, Tree Billy, half past three. When Billy Boy was four, he learned to close the door. Door Billy, Door Billy, half past four. When Billy Boy was five, he learned to swim and dive. Dive Billy, Dive Billy, half past five. When Billy Boy was six, he learned to pick up sticks. Sticks Billy, Sticks Billy, half past six. When Billy Boy was seven, he learned to pray to heaven. Heaven Billy, Heaven Billy, half past seven. When Billy Boy was eight, he learned to roller skate. Skate Billy, Skate Billy, half past eight. When Billy Boy was nine, he learned to tell the time. Time Billy, Time Billy, half past nine. When Billy Boy was ten, he learned to catch the hens. Hens Billy, Hens Billy, half past ten. Cross down, then end!
-Jackie; 8/28/2007
Editor:
See "Poor Pinocchio" on this page for a similar handclap rhyme.
****
BIG MAC (Version #1)
Big Mac
Filet of Fish
Quarter pounder
French fries
Icy coke
Milk shakes,
Sundaes and apple pie.
You deserve a break today
At McDonalds!
And the dish ran away with the spoon
-T.M.P., remembrances from the 1980s (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
Editor:
This is a version of a McDonald's menu commercial that aired in the 1980s. The actual words to this ad were
"Big Mac/ filet of fish/ quarter pounder/ french fries, icy coke/ thick shakes/ sundaes/ and apple pie/ If you're hungry then for goodness sake / Give yourself a tasty break / With Big Mac, Filet-O-Fish, Quarter Pounder, French Fries / Icy Coke, Thick Shakes, Sundaes, Apple Pie / At McDonald's! "
Notice how my daughter and friends added a line from a nursery rhyme at the end. I asked my daughter why she thought that line was added, and she said "because it fit". So that's that.
****
BIG MAC (Version #2)
the hand game. big mac, filet-o-fish, quarter pounder, french fries, icey coke, thick shakes, sundaes and apple pie!
-Born&raised: maui_girl; 9/2008
Editor:
See "Welcome To McDonalds" on this page for a rhyme that is from the same commercial source.
****
BLUE BELLS COCKLE SHELLS (Jump Rope Rhyme/Skipping Rhyme) (Version #1)
Blues Bells cockle shells
Blues Bells cockle shells
Eevey, ivy, over
-from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DrGijdmBqU&feature=related
Here's that vintage BBC television video clip that includes "Blue Bells Cocke Shells" and other examples of British children's street play:
Posted by BFIfilms
February 13, 2008
Visit http://www.jambalayah.com/node/701 to view this same video and read selected viewer comments from its YouTube viewer comment thread.
****
BLUE BELLS TACO SHELLS (Version #2 of Blue Bells Cockle Shells; Jump Rope Rhyme)
(Start swinging rope back and forth without doing a full turn) Blue Bells Taco Shells eevy ivy ooover (now regular jump rope) i went down town to see james (or charlie) brown he gave me a nickle to buy me a pickle the pickle was sour he gave me a flower the flower was dead and this is what he said, he said: johnney jump on one foot one foot one foot, johnney jump on two feet, two feet, two feet, johnney jump on three feet, three feet, three feet, johnney jump on four feet four feet four feet johnney jump on FIVE FEET! (try to touch all hands and butt to the ground in one jump. everybody messed up here)
-Talia G.;12/5/2006
Editor: I love the folk etymology change of "cockle shell" to "taco shell". I'm sure that Talia is much more familiar with taco shells than cockle shells. Me too :o)
****
BLUE BELLS COCKLE SHELLS (Version #3; Jump Rope Rhyme/Skipping Rhyme)
Bluebells, cockle shells,
Eevie, ivy, over;
I like coffee, I like tea;
I like the boys, and the boys like me.
Tell your mother to hold her tongue;
She had a fellow when she was young.
Tell your father to do the same;
He had a girl and he changed her name.
-http://www.homeschool.co.uk/resource/skipping-rope-jump-rope-hopscotch-songs.html
(assessed 5/23/2010)
****
BLUE BELLS COCKLE SHELLS (Version #4, Jump Rope Rhyme/Skipping Rhyme)
Bluebells, cockle shells,
Eevie, ivy, over;
Mother went to market
To buy some meat;
Baby's in the cradle
Fast asleep.
The old clock on the mantel says
One o'clock, two o'clock..
(to twelve o'clock)
-http://www.homeschool.co.uk/resource/skipping-rope-jump-rope-hopscotch-songs.html
(assessed 5/23/2010)
****
BLUE BELLS COCKLE SHELLS (Version #5, Jump Rope Rhyme/Skipping Rhyme)
Blue Bells Cockle Shells Eevie Ivy Over My Dogs name is Rover He died last
October January......(keep counting until the person reaches their birthmonth)
1..2..3...(keep counting until the person reaches their bithday)
-http://www.homeschool.co.uk/resource/skipping-rope-jump-rope-hopscotch-songs.html
(assessed 5/23/2010)
****
BLUE BELLS COCKLE SHELLS (Version #6 (Jump Rope Rhyme/Skipping Rhyme)
Bluebells, cockle shells,
Eevie, ivy, over;
Mother went to market
To buy some meat;
Baby's in the cradle
Fast asleep.
The old clock on the mantel says
One o'clock, two o'clock..
(to twelve o'clock)
--http://www.homeschool.co.uk/resource/skipping-rope-jump-rope-hopscotch-songs.html
(assessed 5/23/2010)
****
BANG BANG CHOO CHOO TRAIN & BRICKWALL WATERFALL
See Cocojams’ School Yard Taunting Rhymes page and Cocojams' Cheerleading Cheers Page for examples of “Bang Bang Choo Choo Train” and "Brick Wall Water Fall.”
****
C
CATS DOGS IN OUT (Elastics Jumping)
Cats (straddle one elastic) in (both legs in)
Dogs (straddle the other elastic) out (both legs out)|In out in on
Out twist (jump, straddle the elastic and twist so that it gets twisted around your legs) out
In on in out (jump clear of the elastics to start/finish position), out (straddle both elastics) twist out (back to start/finish position)
-Guest; 2/14/2008; http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=46932&messages=98 ; Child's Game: Elastics
****
CEE CEE MY PLAYMATE
See Playmate on this page.
****
CHING CHING CHINA
Ching Ching China
Sitting on a bench,
Tried to make a dollar
Out of 65 cents.
She did it, she did it
She did it like this...
(you had to jump w/ this one. first feet apart, then legs crossed, then feet apart again (on and on) and if you landed on "this" with your feet apart, you were a boy, and if your legs were crossed, you were a girl :o )
-Grace Kim, http://battery-d.livejournal.com/87113.html ; 12/17/2005
Editor:
This example is very similar to a rhyme called "Shimmy Shimmy China" that I saw performed in the 1990s in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and in some towns near Pittsburgh. See "Shimmy Shimmy China" on the "S" page of the Cocojams' Handclap Rhymes section. Also, see the example "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" is a related rhyme. Also, see several other examples from http://battery-d.livejournal.com/87113.html in this section of rhymes.
I have attempted to contact the editor of that page. If someone knows how to get in touch with her I would appreciate you emailing me that information.
Note: Old songs that insulted Chinese people probably are one of the sources for this rhyme. In the bad old days (which still may occur today), the line probably was "Ching Chong Chinaman". Unfortunately, there are many offensive children's rhymes that include the words "Ching Chong". However, it's probable that most children whom I've observed singing "Shimmy Shimmy China" don't associate the word "China" in this rhyme with the nation of China or with Chinese people. In my opinion, few African American children singing this song in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (and probably elsewhere) know about the horrendous American treatment of Chinese and other Asian people that is typified in the racist "ching chong Chinaman" cartoons & songs. But quite a number of African American children know girls with the name "China" or some other name beginning with the "Sh" sound and ending with the "ah" sound. I think that the girls who I've observed singing "Shimmy Shimmy China" think that "China" is a girl who is sitting on a fence...
All of this to say, that I believe that adults should be cautious about reading their troubling issues in the words of children's rhymes.
****
CHINESE CHECKERS
Chinese checkers.
I can do karate.
Chinese checkers.
I can call my mommy.
Chinese checkers.
ooh I’m sorry.
you better be sorry.
cause I’m not sorry.
itsy bitsy soda pop.
itsy bitsy ooh.
itsy bitsy soda pop.
A boy likes you.
-transcription of handclap game; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Svwim3MzAJ0&feature=related
Chinese Checkers and Lemonade (Beat it Once)
Posted by 44raytz
June 12, 2008
Editor:
This handclap game was performed by three girls. See examples of "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" below. Also, see "Shimmy Shimmy China" for a rhyme that is very similar to "Chinese Checkers".
****
CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG (Version #1)
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Sittin on a fence.
Tryin to make a dollar
out of 15 cents
She missed, she missed, she missed like this.
She missed, she missed, she missed like this.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
I can do ka-ra-te.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang!
I can hurt somebody.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang!
Oops! I’m sorry.
-Black boys & girls , around ages 6-10 years, (Duquesne, Pennsylvania), 1998, collected by Azizi Powell, 1998
Editor:
I've seen this rhyme performed as a partner handclap routine with some corresponding movements* or just sung with corresponding movements. The words "karate" and "sorry" are pronounced so that they rhyme (kah-RAH-tay" and "sor-ray").
On the words "Oops, I'm so sorry, each handclap partner pretends to slap or to punch the other one. The girls or boys lean back so that they won't be touched by the other person. While they sang the words "She missed she missed etc, the children did criss cross jumps. At the end of the rhyme if your feet weren't side by side, you were out. * Boys said "he" instead of "she". See "Ching Chong China" on this page and "Shimmy Shimmy China" for examples of very similar rhymes. (However, "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" may not have been performed the same way as these other two rhymes. Also, see my comments about the word "China" that I posted to the "Ching Ching China" example.
*I've never seen any children do "karate" movements when they said this word, but I'm sure that those kinds of movements are sometimes done with this rhyme.
****
CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG (Version #2)
this is one we did in school chitty chitty bang bang chitty chitty bang bang im sitting on a fence trying to make a dollar but all i can do is holler she missed she missed she missed like this she missed she missed she missed like this chitty chitty bang bang i can do karate chitty chitty bang bang i can hurt somebody chitty chitty bang bang opps im sorry
-mariah; 2/26/2009
Editor:
* mariah spelled the word "chitty" with an "s". I took the liberty to substitute that letter with a "c" because I want to ensure that this website is available in educational facilities which might block access because of "bad" words.
The source of this rhyme is probably the "Ching Chong Chinaman" rhymes. I am concerned about how they were and could still be used to demean Chinese and other Asian people. The change to "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" was probably influenced by the Disney movie about a talking car that has that name.
****
CINDERELLA DRESSED IN YELLA (Version #1 ; Jump Rope Rhyme)
From my eleven-year-old daughter come these jump rope rhymes. She says they don't sing them, they are more of a chant than a song. They do this at school during recess.
Cinderella, dressed in yella, went upstairs to kiss a fella,
Made a mistake and kissed a snake, how many doctors would it take?
1, 2, 3, 4,...(count until jumper misses.)
Cinderella, dressed in blue, went outside to tie her shoe,
Goodness gracious, she'll be late. How many seconds did it take?
1, 2, 3, 4,...(count until jumper misses.)
-Jon W.; 3/10/98; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=4300 ;Cinderella Dressed In Yella
****
CINDERELLA DRESSED IN YELLOW (Version #2 ; Jump Rope Rhyme)
cindreella dressed in yellow went upstairs to kiss her fellow. accidentlly kissed a snake how many doctors did it take 1 2 3...keep going until someone missed the jump rope.
-db, 3/8/2006
****
CIN-DER-ELLA (Version #3 ; Jump Rope Rhyme)
a jump rope song we used to sing went like this: cin-der-ell-a, cin-der-ell-a kissed a frog, and lost her fell-a how many kissed did he get? (then you count how many jumps from there)
-Anna; 9/1/2007
****
CINDERELLA DRESSED IN YELLOW (Version #4; Jump Rope Rhyme)
Cinderella dressed in yella,
wen' upstairs to kiss her fella,
she made a mistake,
and kissed her snake,
how many doctors did it take? 1234 . . . ect.
Most of the jump-rope rymes are rather morbid no?
-Tommaeee http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php; at April 1, 2007
****
COCA COLA (Version #1)
Coca Cola, Coca Cola
Allley Alley pussy cat
Alle Alle pussy cat
Coca Cola, Coca Cola
Allley Alley pussy cat
Alley Alley pussy cat
The boys got the muscles,
The teacher can't count,
The girls got the sexy legs
So you better watch out.
The boys go tsh tsh *
The girls go Whoo!!
- weeneilly;(Wolverhampton, England) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nf8uQbAkJjc&feature=related; May 10, 2009
* The "tsh tsh" sound is given as "X X" in the transcription that is provided at
http://thevicarswife.wordpress.com/2009/05/11/playground-rhymes-1-coca-c...
Here's that video:
Note that the transcription link given above also includes a posted of that video as well as comments from the video's uploader and others.
****
PEPSI COLA (Version #2) of Coca Cola
We Do This At School But Our Words Are:
Pepsi-Cola
Pepsi-Cola
Alley Alley Pussycat
Alley Alley Pussycat
Pepsi-Cola
Pepsi-Cola
Alley Alley Pussycat
Alley Alley Pussycat
Boys Got The Muscles
Teacher Can’t Count
Girls Got The Trendy Looks
You Better Watch Out
Hypnotise Ya
Paralyse Ya
Turn Around And Faint
But With Different Actions :]]
-Chloe (Great Britain?); http://thevicarswife.wordpress.com/2009/05/11/playground-rhymes-1-coca-c... July 13, 2010
Editor:
Note that Jori, a commenter on that blog who described himself (or herself) as a Dutch musicology student who collects children's rhymes, posted this comment:
"Your version seems to be the most related one to that one I heard in Amsterdam. The first part is exactly the same untill ‘You better watch out’. And then they sing:
hit me baby, hit me baby
turn around and fall down
-snip-
Visit http://www.cocojams.com/content/childrens-cheerleader-cheers to find examples of "Pepsi Cola".
****
COCA COLA WENT TO TOWN (Version #1)
Coca Cola (clap clap clap)
went to town (clap clap clap)
Hi-C (clap clap clap)
knocked him down (clap clap clap)
7up (clap clap clap)
picked him up (clap clap clap)
Dr. Pepper (clap clap clap)
gave him (clap clap clap)
sleeping pills (clap clap clap)
jelly rolls (clap clap clap)
Theres a place on Mars
where the ladies smoke cigars
every puff they take
is enough to kill a snake
when the snake is dead
you put diamonds in his head
when the diamonds break
it's enough to bake a cake
when the cake is done
it is 1991
when you tie your shoe
it is 1992
when you get stung by a bee
it is 1993
when you slam a door
it is 1994
when you dance the jive
it is 1995
when you pick up sticks
it is 1996
when you like a boy named devon
it is 1997
when you close the gate
it is 1998
when you're feelin' fine
it is 1999
then it gets all cold
then you
FREEZE!
- Miranda; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php at August 19, 2004
Editor:
This example includes the rhyme "There's A Place Called Mars". See other examples of "There's A Place Called Mars" and similar named rhymes on this page.
****
COCA COLA WENT TO TOWN (Version #2)
I have a great song for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(To the tune of Stella-Ella-Olla!!) coca cola went to town, diet pepsi knocked em down,doctor pepper fixed em, now were drinking 7 up, 7 up got the flu, now were drinking mountain dew, mountain dew fell off the mountain now were drinking from the fountain, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5!
-amia ; 6/15/2007
****
COCA COLA WENT TO TOWN (Version #3)
another coca cola song...
coca cola went to town diet pepsi shot him down
dr. pepper fixed him up, now were drinking 7up
7up got the flu now were drinking mountain dew
mountain dew fell off a mountain now were drinking from a fountain
the fountain broke an now were back to drinking coke
-Guest, mathy, http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=94034; Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky;
3/17/2007
****
COCA COLA CAME TO TOWN (Version #4)
Coca cola came to town
Diet Pepsi shot him down
Dr. Pepper picked him up
Now we all drink 7up
Bom Bom
Run around around around
Crash Beep Beep
Honk Honk
Run around around around
Crash Beep Beep
Oh Oh
Run around around around
Crash Beep Beep
Whoosh!
Crash Beep Beep
-adam, hope, lana (United Kingdom) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3xDuBQeqg8&feature=related; January 20, 2009 [transcription by Azizi Powell.4/16/2010. If I've made mistakes with the transcription, please let me know]
Here's that video which was posted by daniellegolding
****
COOMALATA BEESTAY
flea (flea)
fly (fly)
flea fly flew (ditto)
coomalata coomalata coomalata beestay
no no no no not the beestay
and ended in a sort of scat-rhythm: eee-biddlety-oaten-doaten-wahbat-skee-watten-tatten-SHHHHHHHHHHHHH !!!!
-Bonnie S.; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=47148 RE: eena meena mackeracka (children's rhymes);7/1/2006
Editor:
I think this rhyme is part of a family that I call "Como La Vista". My theory is that this rhyme may have a Spanish language source. I suggested that in the Mudcat discussion whose link is provided above. With regard to that possibility, Bonnie S. wrote: Interesting point about "beestay"'s origins - I spelled it that way because Mark did so above, but I can also remember hearing it sung as "veestay". This was in California where there was/is a lot of Spanish spoken (I was saying Ay Caramba DECADES before Bart Simpson did)...
The example from Mark that Bonnie mentions is titled "Oo The Beestay" on this page..
****
CONCENTRATION
Editor: This handclap game has various names including "Concentration", "Concentration 64"; "Hands Up To Eighty-Five", and others. I'm including examples of these rhymes here, regardless of their name. These examples are posted in chronological order with the earlest dates posted first.
For an entirely different children's rhyme called "Concentration (people are dying)" visit this Mudcat Cafe thread:
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=85915 Origins: Concentration (Kids Game)
ZING ZING ZING (Concentration handclap game, Version #1)
Zing-Zing-Zing
Zing-zing-zing, and away we go
To the Jackie Gleason studio.
Calaree! Calarah!
One apiece,
No repeats
Or hesitations
Or demonstrations!
Name some...
Foods: "Ham." "Turkey." "Eggs." "Cheeseburger." "Bacon," "Sausage." "Hot dog." "Watermelon." "What?" "Watermelon." "Toast."
"Hamburger." "I said hamburger." "No you didn't," ALL: "Yes she did. You out!"
Cars: "Mustang. ""Pinto." "What!? What you all naming? Oh." "Mustang II." "Firebird." "Mercury." "Cutlass Supreme." "Cadillac."
"Mustang." "Supreme II." "Cutlass S." "Um ...F'irebird." "You out!"
-Washington, D.C., schoolgirls, vocals.
"Old Mother Hippletoe: Rural and Urban Children's Songs" (Recorded in 1976 at the Smithsonian Institution Festival of American Folklife, Washington, D.C.; New World NW 29); http://www.newworldrecords.org/linernotes/80291.pdf ;
****
CONCENTRATION 64 (Concentration handclap game, Version #2)
This is how I used to play it.
Two people stand facing each other with their hands out. Both their right hands are on the top and left is on the bottem. They move their hands up and down clapping 3 times in between. They are chanting
"Concentration.64. No mistakes. Or hesitations. I'll go first. and you go second. The topic is --make up a topic--." Keep going on with the topic until someone messes up. The other person wins.
P.S. In the quotes, when you see a period(.) that is where you clap three times.
-Guest Ami; Origins: Concentration (kids' game)
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=85915; 5/9/2000
Here's a YouTube video of a version of this game:
Posted by sbgal8
July 14, 2007
"Alyssa and Terra trying to concentrate on the game"
****
HANDS DOWN VANILLA FIVE (Concentration handclap game, Version #3)
How about this: remember this game that was played, usually with five or more people, and you have to name a certain number of things that was related to a particular subject? The chant went something like this:
Hands down vanilla five (Clap Clap) Gonna get (Clap Clap) One a-piece (Clap Clap) To no a-piece (Clap Clap) No Hesitation...(Clap Clap) No Demonstration (Clap Clap) Subject (Clap Clap) Names of (Clap Clap) (enter subject name here)" Usually, the subject name was boys, or cars, or teachers....and after each round, the number of things you had to name went up....that used to be my FAVORITE GAME!! lol"
-PrettyPetite (African American woman; ATL, GA by way of Miami, FL;
; http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=4123&page=3; 12/29/2000
****
HANDS UP TO EIGHTY-FIVE (Concentration handclap game, Version #4)
Ours went like this:
Hands up to eighty-five (clap, clap), Gonna get (clap, clap), Names of (clap, clap),_________(fill in the blank w/ names of boys, colors, food, whatever), No hesitation (clap, clap), No demonstration (clap, clap) So let's go...."
-ZChi4Life (African American woman); http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=4123&page=3; 12/30/2000
****
HANDS UP TO EIGHTY-FIVE (Concentration handclap game, Version #5)
Okay....our Hands up for 85 wnet like this:
Hands up for '85 (clap clap) it's gonna be (clap clap) a big surprise (clap clap) no repeats or hesitation-concentration (clap clap) naaames oooof _____________ (category) (clap clap) starting with ___________(persons name).
It's interesting to see how the same hand game had different verses. I wonder if it depended on your region or your era
-Diamon,(African American woman; New Jersey; http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=4123&page=3;1/01/2001
****
CONCENTRATION (Concentration handclap game, Version #6)
Just remembered another game I used to play called Concentration. It was a hand game. Everyone sat in a circle and set a rhythm by twice slapping their knees, then clapping twice and repeating that pattern. All words were accompanied by slaps, and claps would fill the silence between lines. The game began with everyone chanting "Concentration. (clap clap) Are you ready? (clap clap) If so (clap clap), let's go (clap clap). Starting with (clap clap) names of (clap clap) ________." Fill in the blank. Birds, for example. The first person would say, for instance, "raven, raven". The next would say "raven raven, parrot parrot". Then "parrot parrot, sparrow sparrow", and so on until someone either forgets what the person prior said or can't think of another bird name. It was kind of fun.
-JennyD; Origins: Concentration (kids' game); http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=85915; 10/31/2005
Here's an old Sesame Street video of girls performing a Concentration handclap game whose words were changed to reflect the educational nature of that show:
Sesame Street - Three Girls clap a song about Vegetables
Posted by wattamack4
July 31, 2007
[Visit http://www.cocojams.com/content/foot-stomping-cheers-0 to read my transcription of this game]
****
CONCENTRATION (Concentration handclap game, Version #7)
there's a rather popular competition handclap game called "Concentration" that I've seen performed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area. Unlike most other handclap routines, elementary school boys don't have a problem playing "Concentration" -i.e. it's not considered a "girl's game.". But on second thought, I've seen "girls only" play this game but not "boys only"...so???
Here's how the game is played:
The girls {and boys}stand in a wide circle. Each child alternately claps the hands of the children standing on either side, and then claps her or his own hands. When clapping the hands of the children standing on either side, one palm is up and the other palm is down.
The hands are clapped on beat-of course.
While they are clapping the children chant in a sing song voice:
"Concentration
No repeats or hesitations
Name of ____ "
On "name of" someone [an older child, or a child who is a forceful, leader type] selects a category such as "Cars". "Girl's Names", "colors", "Fruits", "Sports"....
While reciting the first part of the rhyme {"Concentration, no repeat or hesitation, name of ___ ", one at a time, going around the circle in clock wise order from some starting point, each child has to quickly name something in the declared category-and like the rhyme says, there can be no repeats and no hesitations. If someone names something that doesn't belong to that category,or if she or he hesitates too long, or says something outside that category, or repeats something in that category that had been already been said, than, she or he is "Out".
Eventually there will be four childen doing handclaps {standing facing each other in two sets of "partners"}; then three children doing handclaps {standing in a triangle formation, and then two children standing facing each other doing partner style handclaps.
The object of the game is to be the last person remaining. That person is "The Winner".
I don't remember playing "Concentration" when I was a child. But this game must be played elsewhere as I have seen questions about it and examples of it posted elsewhere on the Internet,..
-Azizi; Origins: Concentration (kids' game); http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=85915; 10/31/2005
Here's a short YouTube video of this game:
Posted by cornpopsYO18
July 03, 2008
"the biggest game of concentration i've seen!"
****
CONCENTRATION 64 (Concentration handclap game, Version #8)
concentraction( clap clap) 64 (clap clap)no repeats ( clap clap) or hesitation (clap clap) i go first ( clap clap) you go second ( clap clap)the topic is ( clap clap)names : and you keep clapping and example :KEKE (clap clap) kiara ( clap clap) and every time someone say a name you go clap clap and go in order so know one won't miss a turn and they or you say what an another person says your or they is out and if someone stop or you stop your there out
-Guest345; Origins: Concentration (kids' game); http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=85915, 4/28/2009
****
CONCENTRATION 64 (Concentration handclap game, Version #9)
This is how I used to play it.
Two people stand facing each other with their hands out. Both their right hands are on the top and left is on the bottem. They move their hands up and down clapping 3 times in between. They are chanting
"Concentration.64. No mistakes. Or hesitations. I'll go first. and you go second. The topic is --make up a topic--." Keep going on with the topic until someone messes up. The other person wins.
P.S. In the quotes, when you see a period(.) that is where you clap three times.
-GuestaAmi; Origins: Concentration (kids' game); http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=85915, 5/09/2009
Here's a YouTube video that is similar to this example:
Concentration 64
Posted by tianshiangel
February 12, 2008
****
CONCENTRATION (Concentration handclap game, Version #10)
Our Concentration game was a rhythm elimination game - great for b-day parties. Everyone sat in a circle, slap knees, clap hands, snap left hand, snap right hand while saying "con-cen-tra-tion, keep in rhy-thm, cat-e-gor-y, names of _____________" (boys, girls, foods, cars, etc.) Whoever broke rhythm or repeated was out, until one was left, who was the winner.
-Guest Nanny150; Origins: Concentration (kids' game); http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=85915, 11/29/2009
****
CONCENTRATION 64 (Concentration handclap game, Version #11)
In 3rd grade we used to play a hand game called 'Concentration'
If I remember it it went something like...
Concentration (clap clap) 64 (clap clap) Do not open (clap clap) the bathroom door (clap clap) if you do (clap clap) you will die (clap clap) concentration (clap clap) 64.
Then we would usually start another hand game, but sometimes we would continue and it would go like...
no repeats (clap clap) or hesitation (clap clap) the topic is
-something-
You'd have to keep in beat (examples)
The topic is, names. Ophelia (clap clap) Alexander (clap clap)
Then you would pass it on to someone else and if you missed the beat you had to sit down (a stand-up circle)
Hehe.
Looking back this is kinda creepy!!
I had no idea what it meant when I was playing it, yikes!
-Guest; Origins: Concentration (kids' game); http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=85915, 12/19/2009
****
THIS IS CONCENTRATION (Concentration handclap game, Version #12)
Dude, I'm a kid. The game is
This is (clap, clap, clap)
Concentration(clap, clap, clap)
No Mistakes(clap, clap, clap)
Or hesitation(clap, clap, clap)
I'll go first(clap, clap, clap)
You go last(clap, clap, clap)
Category is(clap, clap, clap)
____(clap, clap, clap)
Ex. and first person to hesitate or repeat loses.
-Guest, Origins: Concentration (kids' game); http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=85915, 2/10/2010
****
HANDS UP FOR ONE EIGHTY-FIVE (Concentration handclap game, Version #13)
I'm from Queens,NY. The game we used to play is as follows:
Hands up for one eighty-five (clap-clap)
It's gonna be (clap-clap)
A big surprise (clap-clap)
No repeats (clap-clap)
No hesitations (clap-clap)
No demonstrations (clap-clap)
Starting with (clap-clap)
Names... (clap-clap)
Of... (clap-clap)
(colors, girls, boys, etc...) (clap-clap)... repeat names until someone loses.
The first person to repeat, hesitate, or demonstrate any word lost the game.
Multiple people stood in a circle and clapped hands with kids to the right and left of them. If only 2 people, they faced each other.
I now play this game with my kids. They love it!
-Guest, Melissa Origins: Concentration (kids' game); http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=85915, 6/2/2010
****
COWBOY JOE (Jump Rope Rhyme)
Cowboy Joe from Mexico,
Hands up (as if someone were pointing a gun at you)
Stick them up (make guns out of your hands and point them straight ahead)
Don't forget to pick them up (pretend to pick up your guns from the ground)
Cowboy Joe, go blow! (escape)
Jump rope rhymes mid 1960s, Oxon Hill, Maryland.
By the way, "Blue bells, cockle shells, eevy, ivy, over" was the preface to most of our jump rope games.
-Ann N., 4/30/2007
Editor:
See "Blue Bells" on thIs page for another rhyme that included the "Blue Bell Cockle Shells etc" line.
D
DOGS DOGS
I have a rhyme i had made up and I wanted to share it with you, actually i have two rhymes that I wanted to share my friends did them and when i told them i made them up they didn't beleive me. So here they are City: Phoenix, AZ U.S. recited by a girl,me, 2007 1ST ONE dogs dogs, so harmless and sweet, dogs dogs, they just can't be beat, dogs dogs, so many everywhere, dogs dogs, how many are there? 1,2,3, etc.
-sarah ; 3/10/2007
****
DOUBLE DOUBLE THIS
Double double this this
Double double that that
Double this
Double that
Double this and that.
-African American girls, ages 7-10 years; Fort Pitt Elementary School (Pittsburgh, PA). collected by Azizi Powell, 2003
Editor:
I've seen this rhyme performed by two children standing facing each other, by four children (two sets of partners who take turns slapping the hands of the two people across from them), and by three children )(standing in a triangle formation).
I've also seen "Double Double This" performed by more than four children (standing in a circle formation).
Method of playing in a circle:
If the handclap rhyme is played with more than four children, one person is selected to starts the game. The children chant together. On the first word the starter lightly slaps the hand of the person to her or his right. On the next word, that person slaps the next person to his or her right and so on. The person whose hand is slapped on the last word of the rhyme is out. When only two people are left in the circle, they face each other and slap hands with each word. At this point, the two usually perform a standard handclap routine with the chant becoming faster and faster each time it is repeated. The person who messes up the routine is out, and the last person remaining is the winner.
Method of playing with a partner, with four children, or with three children:
This handclap routine can be done with two partners or with three children. A standard routine for pairs is:
Select a partner. Face partner. In the case of three children, there are no partners, but the handclapping routine alternates with each child.
Here's a standard handclap routine:
On “double double” use your upheld right hand to lightly slap the upheld left palm of partner.
On “This This” hold up both hands and lightly slap partners hands two times. On “Double this and that” hit partners’ two hands with your two hands.
Children may dip when they chant, and slap high, slap low, slap under their legs, and add hip shaking and body swaying movements. Sometimes children may also fancy up a handclap routine by combining body pats such as chest pats and pats to the soles of their feet. However, handclap routines are performed "in place". There is little if any movement away from the spot where the child is standing.
The most important part of the handclap rhyme is maintaining the correct sequence of hand clap exchanges. The chant helps children do this because you can remember which hand motion goes with which word.
Usually each time "Double Double This" is chanted, it goes faster. When this is played as a partner game with one or more sets of partners, those who perform the wrong motion, or don't perform fast enough are out. The person who is the last one remaining is the winner.
**
Here's a video of three girls doing handclaps together while reciting this rhyme:
Double Double Clapping Game
Posted by sharonmnich
October 04, 2009
**
Here's a video that begins with "ABC Hit It" but also includes the rhyme "Double Double This". Note that the two girls speed up the tempo of the chant and its accompanying fist motions with each rendition of the rhyme.
ABC Hit It by Samantha and Lauren
scacciata
October 28, 2008
"Samantha and Lauren demonstrate some hand clapping games".
**
Also, see the video posted with the entry for "Lemonade" for other examples of handclap routines that begin with the line "double double this".
****
DOWN BY THE BANKS OF THE HANKY PANKY
Editor: Regardless of their titles, all examples of "Hanky Panky" rhymes posted on Cocojams are considerd to be versions of each other.
This video shows one way the winner can be decided between the last two people in the "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" game":
DOWN BY THE BANKS WITH THE HANKITY PANKS (Version #1 of "Down By The Banks of the Hanky Panky")
Down by the banks
with the hankity panks
where the bull frog
jumped from
bank to bank
with an
eep
ip
oop
op
hes got on the lilly with a big
ker-plop!
::at ker-plop the players would try to a) freeze b) clap hands or c) hit each other on the head (depending on the version)
-contortme, http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php; 9/16/2003
It appears that some young adults like to chant "Down By The Banks of the Hanky Panky" as a lightly competitive group handclapping game. Here's a short video of men
****
DOWN BY THE LAKE WITH THE HANKY PANKY (Version #2)
down by the lake with the hanky panky
where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
singing fee fi fo fum
ure momma looks like king kong
didley dong i went to school with nothing on
iu asked the teacher what to wear
polka dotted underwear
not too big not too small
just the size of dadeland mall (or w/e mallu choose
-no name given, Octoblog
“Schoolyard games”, 9/16/2003
erwunia
May 05, 2007
"Real men play clapping games"
.
****
DOWN BY THE BANKS OF THE HANKY PANKY (Version #3)
I grew up in Pittsburgh (went to Liberty, Frick, and Schenley (High School) c/o 2000)
I know a circle hand clap game with chants called: Down by the bank. It is an elimination game because the children stand in a circle and try to eliminate (or not get eliminated) at the end of the song. The setup is that both of your hands are palms up. Your right hand is under the hand of the person next to you and your left hand is in the palm of the person next to you. When your right hand gets tapped you tap the hand in your left and return your hand to the resting position. To be eliminated if the last note of the song gets on you and you are to hit the hand of the other person and fail to do so before they pull their hand away you must leave. If the person whose hand is to be hit gets hit, they are eliminated. When only two people are left they alternate their wrists until the game is over and then arm wrestle to figure out the winner.
The words start:
Down by the bank with the hanky panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
Singing eep opp orp opp
- Flojaune G. (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), private email to Azizi
Powell, August 2004
****
BULL FROGS (Version #4)
down by the banks of the hanky panky where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky where the epps orps ops triple cycadelic cur-plops.
-Makina L.; Canada 10/18/2005
****
DOWN BY THE RIVER NEAR THE HANKY PANKY (Version #5)
Down by the river near the hanky panky Where the bull frogs jump from bang to bang singing E I O U Your momma stinks and so do you So ping pong, ding dong your daddy smells like King Kong Under his feet and under his toes your daddy wears pink panty hose
-Missy , 2/26/2006
****
DOWN BY THE BANKS OF THE HANKY PANKY Down (Version #6)
Here's how this rhyme is done by kids in Keene, NH these days:
Down by the banks
of the hanky-panky
where the bull frog
jumps from
bank to banky
with a
hip
hop
flip
flop
Missed that banky and went
ker-plop!
The kids sit or stand in a circle, palms up, arms extended to the side, left hand over neighbor's right palm. One child starts by slapping his/her left hand across to his/her right, passing the slap around the circle until "kerplop" when the child about to be slapped has to pull his/her hand out of the way, or else be eliminated. ...the children often try to slap pretty hard on the last syllable of "kerPLOP!"- of course, if the next child pulls back successfully, the slapper ends up slapping his/her self!
-Animaterra; click on http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=94034&messages=13; "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky"; 8/22/2006
****
DOWN BY THE BANKS WIT DA HANKY PANK (Version #7)
Down by the bank wit da hanky pank where da bull frogs jump from bank 'bank say eeee ahhh eee haa haa skittle dittle kernal pop I pledge alligence to the flag Michel Jackson makes me gag Coca Cola has no taste Don't make me look at your face You run round you hit the ground i can hear the sound all the way back at the 'down by the bank wit da hank pank where dem bull frogs jump from bank to bank singing eee ahh haaa haa skittle dittle kernal POP!!
-Diana M.; 10/17/2006
****
DOWN BY THE RHYTHM OF THE HANKY SPANKY (Version #8)
Down by rhythm of the hanky spanky do that do that hanky spanky fe fi fo fum listen to the beat of the drum micky mouse had a house donald duck messed it up who will pay the consequenses Y-o-u.
i learned this in private school blacks and whites sang it along with a different version of "Brick Wall Waterfall" and they sang it before 2003
-gaby,age 12; (usa); 11/15/2006
****
DOWN BY THE BANKS OF THE HANKY PANKY (Version #9)
Down by the river in the hanky pank where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank singin e i o u your mama stinks and so do you ping pong donky kong went to school with nothin on asked the teacher what to wear polka dotted underwear not to big and not to small just the size of broward mall hide and seek and playing tag michael jackson is a fag reeses pieces buttercup now we're drinkin 7up 7up has no cafine now we'r drinkin gasoline gasoline is bad for you now we're giinkin mountain dew mountain dew fell of the mountain now we're drinkin from the fountain 1, 2, 3 ,4, 5, 6 ,7 ,8 ,9 ,10.
-x_angel_girl_xox; 1/25/2007
Editor:
I am including this rhyme and other rhymes with the "Michael Jackson is a fag" line for the folkloric record. However, I want it known that I strongly disapprove of people being called 'fags'.
****
DOWN BY THE RIVER (Version #10)
I usually like cheers but I like this Hand Clap. It's called Down By The River! It goes like this: Down By The River With The Hankey-Pankey Where The BullFrogs Jump From Bank To Bank They Say E-Pa E-Pa-Pa Skittel-Diddel-Kurnal-POP! Cherry-Cola Came To Town! Dr. Pepper Nocked Him Down! 7-Up Picked Him Up! Now We're Drinkin' 7-Up! 7-Up Got The Flu! Now We're Drinkin' Mountain Dew! Mountian Dew Fell Off The Mountian! Now We're Drinkin' From The Fountain. Oh-No The Fountian Broke! Now We're Drinkin' Plain-Old, Ice-Cold, Regular, Diet Coke! (By: **!!Enforcers Cheer Girl!!** Date Recited: ?-2007 Recited By: Me, My Friends, And A Lot Of Other People (Boys And Girls) Category: Hand Clap
-Cheer Girl; 2/2/2007
****
DOWN BY THE BANKS OF THE HANKY PANKY (Version #11)
down by the river by the hanky pank where the bull frog jumps from bank to bank sayin E I O U yo mama stinks and so do you so ping pong ding dong your daddy smells like king kong on your feet and on your toes your brother wears pink panty hoes coca cola stir it up now you've got 7-Up 7-Up has no caffeine so now you are caffeine free so 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10!
-chelsea ; 3/27/2007
****
DOWN BY THE BANKS OF THE HANKY PANKY (Version #12)
i learned this from chole,elizibeth1,elizibeth2,abby
Down by banks of hankey-panky were the bullfrogs jumps from bank to bank sayin' eeps iips ohp sacadillain - kerplunk!
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 mickey mouse had a house dohnald duck messed it up who shall pay the caonceacuences mouse or duck (or duck or mouse)1 person said duck or mouse and if it ends up on you you pull your hand away so the other person is out then but if they hit your hand your out
-Guest; 6/21/2007; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=94034&messages=168 ; 6/21/2007; Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
****
DOWN BY THE BANKS OF THE HANKY PANKY (Version #13)
this is a game that me and my friends play down by the banks of the hanky pank where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank singing eeps iips oops ummps chilly willy ding dong i plege alligence to the flag micheal jack makes me gag coca-cola burned it's butt now we're talkin 7-up 7-up has no caffeine now we're talkin billy jean billy jean is outta sight now we're talkin dynamite dynamite blows up the school now we're talkin really cool 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
-Allie ; 7/14/2007
Editor:
I'm sure that everybody else reading this knows that it isn't safe to play with dynamite. And of course I'm sure that you and everyone else reading this knows that blowing up the school or any other place without the proper authority and safeguards is a definite no no. See Cocojams Teacher Taunts page for other rhymes that also aren't meant to be taken literally.
****
DOWN BY THE BANKS OF THE HANKY PANKY (Version #14)
Down by the river with the hanky bankys
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
say an
epp
opp
epp
bop
bop
Skittle dittle curly pop
I pledge allegence to the flag
That Micheal jackson makes me gag
Diet Pepsi came to town
Coca-Cola pushed him down
Orange soda picked him up
Now I'm drinking 7 up
7up caught the flu
Now I'm drinking Moutain Dew
Moutain Dew fell off the moutain
Now I'm drinking from a fountian
Foutain Broke
Now I'm drinking plain old Coke
-Guest; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=940347/15/2007 ; Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky;7/15/2007
****
DOWN BY THE BANKS OF THE HANKY PANKY (Version #15)
down by the bank with the hanky panky where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky with the e i o u eastside westside ding dong see that house on top of that hill that's where me and my boyfriend live smell that chicken smell that rice come on yall let's shoot some...dice
-Guest; 12/15/2007; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=940347/15/2007; Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
Editor:
Click on the Mudcat link provided above to read many other examples of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" rhymes and while you are there, add your own version :o)
****
DOWN BY THE BANKS RIVER AND THE HANKY PANK (Version #16)
Down by the river and the hanky pank Where the bullfrog jumps from bank to bank Goin’ “Ee Ei Oh U Your mama smells and so do you Ping pong ding dong Your daddy smells like king kong!” Teacher teacher comb my hair, Polka dotted underwear Not too big Not too small Just the size of city hall! [I am white. This was taught to me by a Hispanic girl. This is a hand slap game.
-Liz; 9/24/2008
****
DOWN BY THE BANKS OF THE HANKY PANKY (Version #17)
Down by the river with the hanky bankys
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
With a hip hop soda pop
And the first one out is a bull frog
-3kaylasue; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2CSWmfiNKM; July 28, 2009; transcribed by Azizi Powell
****
DOWN BY THE BANKS OF THE HANKY PANKY (Version #18)
Down by the river with the hanky banky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
With an oops ops
oops opps
Opps go tiddley [??]
and don't go stop [??]
-RacheyraE;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpiVE72Itgg&feature=related ; May 25, 2007; attempted transcription :o) Azizi Powell [The question marks in brackets mean that I'm not sure what the girls were saying.]
Down by the Bay
"That song with the hand jive... Jazmine vs. Kaitlin for the ultimate victory. Jazzy won".
Editor: Note that the title "Down By The Bay" that the video uploader gave for this rhyme is incorrect. "Down By The Bay" is an entirely different children's song.
****
DOWN DOWN BABY
Editor:
"Down Down Baby" is a large family of rhymes which (like many other children's rhymes) is made up of a number of independent or semi-independent verses. "Down Down Baby" is also known as "Shimmy Shimmy Co Co Pa", "Shimmy Shimmy Cocoa Puffs", or some similarly sounding title. For the purpose of this collection, I'm including examples of "Shimmy Shimmy CoCo Pa" in this section of "Down Down Baby" rhymes. I also am including a closely related rhyme that is titled "Checkoslovakia" in this section. Lines from "Shimmy Shimmy Co Co Pa" have been included in several R&B and Rap hit recordings, most notably Little Anthony and the Imperials' 1950's hit song "Shimmy Shimmy Ko-Ko Bop" and Nellie's 2000's hit hip-hop recording "Country Grammar" which is definitely not for children (though a lot of children chanted along with and danced to that record).
Many "Shimmy Shimmy Co Co Pa"/"Down Down Baby" rhymes are very closely related to the "I Love Coffee I Love Tea" family of rhymes. Examples of "I Love Coffee I Love Tea" are found in the "I" section of this page. Some "Down Down Baby"/"Shimmy Shimmy Co Co Pa" verses are also found in certain examples of "Last Night, The Night Before" and "Not Last Night But The Night Before" rhymes. Visit the "L" section and the "N" section of this page to read examples of those rhymes.
"Down Down Baby" rhymes are performed as movement rhymes with or without handclap routines. "Down Down Baby" rhymes have also been performed as jump rope rhymes. It's interesting to read the different ways that this rhyme is chanted in the United States.
DOWN DOWN BABY (Example #1)
Down, down baby
Down by the roller coaster
Sweet, sweet baby
I'll never let you go.
Shimmy shimmy coco pa
Shimmy shimmy pow!
Shimmy shimmy coco pa
Shimmy shimmy pow!
Grandma, Grandma sick in bed.
Called the doctor and the doctor said,
Let's get the rhythm of the head.
Ding dong.
Let's get the rhythm of the hands
Clap, clap.
Let's get the rhythm of the feet
Stomp, stomp.
Let;s get the rhythm of the
Hot dog.
Put it all together and what do you get?
Ding-dong, clap, clap. Stomp, stomp. Hot dog.
Say it all backwards and what do you get?
Hot dog. Stomp, stomp. Clap, clap. Ding dong!
-multiple sources, including the editor's (Azizi Powell)'s memory of childhood in Atlantic City, New Jersey in the 1950s. (This was a movement rhyme,and not a partner handclap rhyme)
Editor:
A version of the verse beginning with the line "Grandma, Grandma sick in bed" was collected by Thomas W. Talley, and included in his 1922 bookNegro Folk Rhymes, Wise & Other Wise.
A hip shaking winding movement is usually performed for the phrase "Hot dog".
Here's a video of two young children reciting a version of "Down Down Baby":
"down down baby"
Posted by bubblegumpunk72
May 16, 2006
-snip-
Another video of "Down Down Baby" is found on this page under the entry for "Lemonade
****
SHIMMY SHIMMY COKE CA POP (Example #2 of "Down Down Baby")
The Blacks go down down baby
Down by the roller coaster
Sweet sweet baby
I don't wanna let you go
Shimmy shimmy shimmy shimmy
shimmy shimmy-pop!
Shimmy shimmy shimmy shimmy
shimmy shimmy coke-ca-pop!
-John Langstaff, Carol Langstaff, editor Shimmy Shimmy Coke-Ca-Pop!, A Collection of City Children's Street Games & Rhymes (Garden City, New York, Double Day & Co; p. 76; 1973)
Editor:
In my opinion, the phrase "The Blacks go" in the first line of this rhyme means "this is the way Black people say this rhyme". I also believe that "The spades go" and "the space go" are other ways of saying "The Blacks go", However, it's likely that the children chanting these rhymes aren't aware of the orginal meanings of any of these phrases. (See examples of "The Space goes, and The Spades go" in the rhyme "Two Lips" on this page. Also read my comments about that phrase in the Cocojams page "Text Analysis-Down Down Baby" (from the movie "Big").
****
DOWN DOWN BABY (Example #3) Jump Rope Rhyme
[Editor: This initial comment is in response to a person's request for the words to a song he heard his children sing that he called "Downtown Baby".]
Rex, I hate to stir things up, but I wonder if the song in question is something your kids heard at school, maybe what they heard was what I'm remembering as a "jump rope song" instead of this 50's song Shimmy Shimmy Ko-Ko-Bop. What I remember from memory (we're talking LONG term memory here...) goes like:
Down, down baby
Down by the roller coaster
Sweet sweet baby
I'll never let you goShimmy shimmy ra
Shimmy shimmy ko ko bop
Shimmy shimmy ra
I met a girlfriend a triscuit
She said a triscuit a biscuit
Ice cream, soda pop,vanilla on the top
something, something
Walking down the street, 10 times a week
I said it, I meant it
I stole my momma's credit
I'm cool, I'm hot
something, something
Then again, this may be totally NOT what you're kids had in mind. The reason I think so is because you are calling it "Downtown Baby" and that is the first line to this jump rope song.
-rosebrook; "Downtown Baby"; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=6600; 9/21/1998
****
DOWN DOWN BABY (Example #4)
Down Down Baby
Down by the Roller Coaster
Ah Biscuit
Shimmy Shimmy Coco Pah
Ah Biscuit
Um Shar Shara
Uh she she ahwa
Ah Biscuit
I had ah boyfriend*
Ah Biscuit
He’s so fine **
Ah Biscuit
Like a cherry pie
AH Biscuit
Shimmy Shimmy Coco Pah
Um Shar Shara
Uh she she ahwa
I wanna tickle you.
-Diamond, Quala. Ashley, (African American females) ; Quinton, Javonte (African American males); Duquesne, Pennsylvania, 7/1999; Collected by Azizi Powell
*Boys said “girlfriend”
** Boys said “she”
Editor: This rhyme was performed as a three person, and two person handclap game. The word "pie" in the line "like a cherry pie" was probably originally "wine" since "wine" rhymes with "fine". The children probably changed the word to "pie" since they are more familiar with "cherry pie" than with "cherry wine". If my conjecture is correct, this is an example of children changing the words of a rhyme so that the rhyme makes more sense to them.
****
DOWN DOWN BABY (Example #5)
Down, down baby
Down down the roller coaster
Boom Boom baby
I never let you go
Jimmy Jimmy Coco Puff
Listen to me now.
Down down the roller coaster
Listen to me now.
-Donald (9 years old African American male, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania); May 2000; collected by Azizi Powell
Editor:
Changing “Shimmy” to “Jimmy” is a delightful example of folk etymology. Donald also changed the phrase “cocoa pop” to “Coco Puffs”, the name of a commercially sold sweetened breakfast cereal. The command “Listen to me now” shows the influence of the 2000 hip-hop song "Country Grammar" by Nellie. That recording has very explicit (x rated) lyrics that includes this revised version of lines from the "Shimmy Shimmy Co Co Pa"/"Down Down Baby" children's rhyme: "I'm goin down down baby/yo' street in a Range Rover/ Street sweeper baby...Shimmy shimmy cocoa what?/listen to it pound."
****
DOWN DOWN BABY (Examples # 6 & #7)
The version I know goes:
Down, Down Baby
Down by the rollercoaster
Sweet, Sweet Baby
Please won't you hold me closer
(then some vague stuff about Ooo, Ahh)
-Kari
**
Well, "hold me closer" sure makes more sense.
The next lines (for the version I know) were:
Caught you with your boyfriend,
Naughty! Naughty!
Wouldn't do the dishes,
Lazy! Lazy!
Jumped out the window,
Crazy! Crazy!
-Kari (June 11, 2003) and Halifax (June 13, 2003); "Schoolyard games"; Octoblog
Editor:
I'm guessing that Kari's comment "then some vague stuff about Ooo, Ahh" refers to the verses "Ooh Ah I wanna piece of pie". Examples of those rhymes are found on this page under the title "Take A Peach (Piece) Take A Plum".
Since Halifax's comment refers to Kari's example, I'm reposting them together on this page. In 2003, I posted rhyme examples on the Octoblog website along with a request to reposts selected examples from that website on Cocojams. I was given blanket permission to repost examples from Octoblog by Halifax, one of that blog's members. According to a private email message that Halifax sent me, that small blog's members were university friends and the "Schoolyard games" section of that blog was the only section that accepted posts from non-members. From the comments that accompanied many of those examples, it appeared that quite a number of the rhyme examples were posted by pre-teens, and teenagers.
Unfortunately, the web address that I have for that website http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php no longer leads to that website and I can't locate the email for Halifax to identify the current email address, if one exist. For that reason, I'm just posting the website's name "Octoblog".
Notice the similarity between Halifax's example and the rhyme "ABC" (Version #1) that is found on this page.
****
DOWN DOWN BABY (Example #8)
Down, down baby
Down, down the roller coaster
Sweet, sweet baby
I'll never let you go
Chimey chimey cocoa pop
Chimey, chimey pow
Chimey, chimey cocoa pop
Chimey, chimey pop
I like coffee, I like tea
I like a colored boy and he likes me
So lets here the rhythm of the hands, (clap, clap) 2x
Let hear the rhythm of the feet (stomp, stomp) 2x
Let's hear the rhythm of the head (ding dong) 2x
Let's hear the rhythm of the hot dog
Let's hear the rhythm of the hot dog
Put em all together and what do you get
(Clap clap, stomp stomp), ding dong, hot Dog!
-Yasmin Hernadez; memories of a New York City Latino/ African American neighborhood in the 1980s; 3/2004
****
DOWN DOWN BABY (Example #9)
down down baby down by the roller coaster sweet sweet baby ill never let u go shimmy shimmy cocoa puff shimmy shimmy wow . shimmy shimmy cocoa puff .. here we go now -cassi; Octoblog; May 6, 2004
****
DOWN DOWN BABY (Example #10)
Down Down Baby,
Down By the Rollercoaster,
Sweet sweet Baby,
I'll never let you go,
Shimmy Shimmy Coco Pop,
Shimmy Shimmy Rock,
I met a girlfriend,
A triscit,
She said a Triscit a Biscit,
I ce Cream,
Soda pop,
Vanilla on the top,
OOOH Johny,
Walkin down the street,
Ten Times a week,
I met it I said it
I stole my momma credit,
I'm cool,
I'm Hot,
Sock me in the stomach one more time...
I think that's how that goes, at least it does on the movie BIG....
-Ashley, Octoblog; August 10, 2003
Editor: The version of this rhyme that was recited in the movie "Big" is found on this page as Example #18.
****
DOWN DOWN BABY (Example #11)
I asked my sons (ages 8 and 10) if the girls play "hand clap" games at their school. They don't!
Here's one I remember from the 1970s in NW Ohio that had hand motions. From looking online today, I think we combined a bunch into one long rhyme:
Down, down baby
Rocky-rocky roller coaster
Sweet-sweet baby
I don't wanna let you go (make arm motions like rocking a baby)
Shimmy shimmy cocoa-cola
Shimmy shimmy swirrrrrrl (make swirl motion with hand)
Shimmy shimmy cocoa-cola
Shimmy shimmy swirrrrrl
I like coffee
I like tea
I like a little boy
And he likes me
- W. Lomano, Octoblog; November 10, 2004
****
DOWN DOWN BABY (Example #12)
I remember
Down Down Baby Down Down the rollercoaster
Sweet Sweet Baby I'll never let you go
Shimmy shimmy cocoa puff shimmy shimmy I
Shimmy shimmy cocoa puff shimmy shimmy I
I like coffee I like tea
I like a colored boy and he likes me
so step back white boy
you don't cause a cool colored boy gonna bet your behind
He'll beat it once he'll beat it twice
He'll beat it beat it beat it
So let's get the rhythm of the head
Ding dong
Sho' got the rhythm of the head head
Ding dong
Let's get the rhythm of the hands
(Clap,Clap)
Sho' got the rhythm of the hands
(Clap,Clap)
Let's get the rhythm of the feet
(Stomp, Stomp)
Sho' got the rhythm of the feet
(Stomp, Stomp)
Let's get the rhythm of the Hot Dog (While doing the snake)
Sho' got the rhythm of the Hot Dog
Ding dong, clap,clap,stomp,stomp,Hot Dog
-Guest ,Pazzion; "I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes"http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=81350; ; 5/26/2005
****
DOWN DOWN BABY (Example #13)
Down down baby
down down the roller coaster
sweet sweet baby
sweet sweet i love you so
Jimmy Jimmy coco puffs
Jimmy Jimmy pow
Jimmy Jimmy coco puffs
Jimmy Jimmy pow
take a peach
take a plum
take a stick of bubblegum
no peach
no plum
just a stick of bubblegum
I like coffee and i like tea
I like a colored boy and he likes me
So step back whiteboy you don't shine
I'll get my colored boy to beat ya behind
He beat ya high
he beat ya low
he beat you all the way to Mexico
-Aiakya; Octoblog; April 4, 2006
Editor:
Here's my take on that "you don't shine" phrase:
In this context, "shine" means to be as radiant as the sun or stars. Saying "you don't shine" to a boy means that you don't think that he is anything special (in looks, and/or in actions, or in his very being) as he or she thinks he is. Perhaps that use of "shine" comes from the outer (or inner glow) that people are said to have because of their auras or their spirit. Theorectically , the aura* of a good or great person shines brighter than that of a person who is evil or ordinary. And a charismatic person would be described as shining brightly. [Auras are usually unseen colored lights that surround a person's body; the different colors are said to reflect the person's thoughts and feelings.
A somewhat related use of "shine" is when a person says "I took a "shine" to him (meaning "I liked him").
It should be noted that the word "shine" in "Down Down Baby" children's rhymes doesn't have the same meaning as the word "Shine" in African American male urban "raps" or toasts. In those toasts "Shine" is the name of the anti-hero who is the central character in those oral narratives. The name "Shine" has its origin in the derogatory referent "shine" which is said to mean either Black people in general or very dark skinned Black people (because our/their skin was so black that it was said to shine just like boot black [black shoe polish] makes shoes shine. Of course black skin doesn't really shine. However, that that doesn't change the meaning of this referent. The character Shine is a bad guy who is celebrated because of his exploits. Some of the most documented toasts about Shine feature him as a worker on the ill-fated ship named the Titantic. For more information about the character "Shine", read "The African American Toast Tradition"
by Mona Lisa Saloy http://www.louisianafolklife.org/LT/Articles_Essays/creole_art_toast_tra...
Also read this comment in the Mudcat Discussion thread: "Folklore: Who's this 'Shine' guy?" http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=97381#1916154 as well as my other comments in that thread.
*****
DOWN DOWN BABY (Example #14)
Down Down Baby, down by the roller coaster
Sweet Sweet Baby, my heart's in love
Ooh, che-chihuahua
Biscuit
I solemnly love her
Biscuit
She is so sweet
Biscuit
Like a cherry treat
Biscuit
Touche Turtle, pull down your girdle
Biscuit
-Ruth Archer (White femaie, Atlantic City, New Jersey); "Down Down Baby-Race in Kid's Rhymes"; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=100653' 4/10/2007
Editor: I started this Mudcat thread to provide an opportunity for posting examples of "Down Down Baby" rhymes that included racial references or did not include any racial references. I was surprised to learn that this Mudcat member was born & raised in my hometown of Atlantic City, New Jersey, though she is at least a decade younger than me. For the record, I don't recall this version of "Down Down Baby" from my childhood.
****
DOWN DOWN BABY (Example #15)
Hand Jives I've learned as a kid living in VA. Please Post some that you know!!!
Down down baby, down by the rollercoaster
Sweet sweet baby, mama never let you go
Shimmy shimmy coca pop, shimmy shimmy pow!
I like coffee, I like tea,
I like a color boy and he likes me
So step back white boy, you don't shine
I'll get the color boy to beat yo' behind
Let get the rhythm of the hands (clap, clap)
We've got the rhythm of the hands (clap, clap)
Let's get the rhythm of the feet (stomp,stomp)
We've got the rhythm of the feet (stomp, stomp
Lets get the rhythm of the head DING-DONG
(move head side to side)
We've got the rhythm of the head DING-DONG (move head side to side)
Let's get the rhythm of the HOT-DOG
(move body around)
We've got the of the HOT-DOG
(move body around)
Put all together and and what do you get....
clap, clap, stomp, stomp, ding-dong, hot-dog
Say them all backwards and what do you get....
hot-dog, ding-dong, stomp, stomp, clap, clap!
-Guest, Natasha W.; "Folklore: Play Ground Hand Jives" http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=102055; 5/30/2007
****
CHECKOSLOVAKIA (Example #16 of "Down Down Baby")
In Brooklyn, in the late 50s and very early 60s:
"Checkoslovakia" (A circle clapping game)
Checkoslovakia, boom, boom, boom
Now, Yugoslavia, boom, boom, boom.
Let's get the rhythm of the hands (clap clap)
We've got the rhythm of the hands (clap clap)
Let's get the rhythm of the feet (clap clap)
We've got the rhythm of the feet (clap clap)
Let's get the rhythm of the eyes (clap clap)
We've got the rhythm of the eyes (clap clap)
Let's get the rhythm of the number nine (clap clap)
We've got the rhythm of the number ... (clap clap)
(Then you count one at a time by fives starting with 5 until someone is out.)
-Guest, "Folklore: Play Ground Hand Jives" http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=102055; 7/27/2007
****
DOWN DOWN BABY (Example #17)
For 'Down Down Baby' our ordering was different here in Atlanta
we did
Let's get the rhythm of the head ding dong... etc (the ding dong part came first)
"put it all to together what do ya get
ding dong (head side to side)
clap clap
stomp stomp
hooot dooog (move your body like a snake)"
and then did it all in reverse of course
"do it all backwards and what do you get
hooot doog
stomp stomp
clap clap
ding dong, other than that everything was the same (except we didn't say color, we said black, must be an era thing)
-Guest, CutieFromGA, "Folklore: Play Ground Hand Jives" http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=102055; 12/5/2008
Editor:
I believe that "CutiefromGA" (Georgia) meant "Colored" when she wrote "we didn’t say color, we said black” as in I like a black boy and he likes me". "Colored" is a now retired reference for Black people (African Americans). This comment references another example that was posted on that thread. From the examples I've collected, it seems that these confrontational racial references date from the 1990s and are likely a reflection of the racial tensions that were (are still?) associated with school integration.
****
DOWN DOWN BABY (Example #18) The Big Movie version
The space goes down, down, baby, down, down the roller coasters
sweet, sweet baby, sweet, sweet, don't let me go
Shimmy shimmy cocoa pop, shimmy shimmy rock
Shimmy shimmy cocoa pop, shimmy shimmy rock
I met a girlfriend, a triscuit
She sad a triscuit, a biscuit
Ice cream, soda pop, vanilla on the top
Ooh, Shalita, walkin' down the street
Ten Times a week
I read it, I said it,
I stole my momma's credit,
I'm cool, I'm hot
Sock me in the stomach three more times
- transcription, Cocojams editor October 17, 2009 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9z2hJwJuqg “Tom Hanks does the 'Big' rap - Friday Night with Jonathan Ross - BBC One; May 2009
Here's a video of that scene from the movie "Big"
Editor:
Most of the transcriptions of the "rap" from the 1988 movie "Big" give the "Oh Shalita, walkin down the street" line as "Oh, Shelly's out, walking down the street". However, it seems clear to me from listening to that particular interview that Tom Hanks is NOT saying "Shelly's out". Some people give the word "Shalita" (which I think is a female name) as "Shelita" or Shalida" or Shalitah". Any of these names fit what Hanks is saying better than "Shelly"s out".
I think that "Shelly's out" is given so frequently in this rhyme/rap because it's given so frequently. What I mean by this is that it seems that many people have copied what they found posted elsewhere without carefully checking to see if that was what was actually chanted in that movie. I believe that another reason why the phrase "Shelly's out" is given so often is that it appears to makes more sense and is more familiar to some people than the word "Shalita", "Shelita" or "Shalida". These words remind me of many contemporary African American female names. Those names may be modifications of the Arabic female name "Shahida".. In that interview, Tom Hanks mentions that he got this rhyme from his son, who, in turn, learned it in camp. Tom Hanks didn't mention this in that interview, but he may be aware that "Down Down Baby" is a children's rhyme from African American traditions. The fact that "Down Down Baby" is an African American rhyme may be reflected in the inclusion of a personal name from contemporary African-American practices.
bhackett777, one of the viewers of that video whose link is given above wrote this statement about the introductory phrase "the space goes: "i think its spades (black men) in the movie "Big". I think bhackett777 is right about this.
For more discussion of Down Down Baby (from the movie "Big") visit this Cocojams' page: http://www.cocojams.com/content/text-analysis-down-down-baby-movie-big
Also, see examples of "I like Coffee I Like Tea" {I Love Coffee I Love Tea"} rhymes that are posted on this page. Those rhymes contain lines that are very similar to some lines in "Down Down Baby" rhymes. In addition, see examples of "Enie Meenie Justaleenie" as well as examples of "Down Down Baby I Know Karate" that are posted below.
****
DOWN DOWN BABY (Example #19)
I went downtown to see Charlie Brown
He gave me a nickle to buy a pickle
The pickle was sour so he gave me a flower
The flower was dead so this is what he sai
Down Down Baby
Down Down The Roller Coaster
Sweet sweet baby sweet sweet I love you so
Shimmy Shimmy coco pop
Shimmy shimmy rah
Shimmy shimmy coco pop
shimmy shimmy rah
I had a boyfriend
a biscuit!
He's so cute...
a triscuit!
Apples on the table,
Peaches on the floor
Step out baby I dont love you anymore!
To the front
To the back
To the side side side
To the front
to the back
to the side side side
Abraham Lincoln sat on a bench
tried to make a dollor out of 50 cents
He missed
He missed
He missed like this !
-KaitlynReneeG; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdl8NVSJ_Jo&feature=related; 5/03/2009
Editor: The words to this version were included in the video summary. Unfortunately, they are difficult to decipher in the video. However the video gives a sense of the actions that some people do while reciting this rhyme.
Here's that video
"Blast from the Past"
****
DOWN DOWN BABY, I KNOW KARATE (Version #1)
Down, down baby,
I know karate.
Down, down baby,
I can shake my body.
Down, down baby,
I can call my mommy.
Oops! I’m so sorry *
Down, down baby,
to the front,
to the back,
to the side, side, side **
Watch me do the butterfly ***
-Teneisha (female, 11 years) and Antoinette (female, 10 years); Pittsburgh, PA., 1999
* both girls simultaneously “accidentally” tap each other player on the forehead
** to the beat, both girls jump to the front, then to the back, then to the right, then to the left, and back to the right
*** both girls do “the butterfly”, a hip wiggling R&B dance that was popular around 1994.
Editor:
"Down Down Baby I Know Karate" is a variant form of the widely known rhyme "Down Down Baby" which is also widely known as "Shimmy Shimmy Co Co Pa".
****
DOWN DOWN BABY, I KNOW KARATE (Version #2)
A two-person game!
Down down baby
I can do karate (do some judo chops here)
Down down baby
I can shake my body (wiggle around)
Down down baby
I can phone my mommy (pretend you're phoning someone)
Down down baby
Oops! (smack the other person LIGHTLY on the forehead)
I'm sorry!
-Charlotte; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php ; February 4, 2007
****
DOWN IN THE VALLEY THE GREEN GRASS GROW (Example #1) Jump Rope Rhyme
Down in the valley where the green grass grows
There sat [girl's name] as sweet as a rose
She sang she sang she sang so sweet
Along came [boy's name] who kissed her on the cheek.
How many kisses did she get?
Ah 1, Ah 2, Ah 3 {keep counting until you miss}
-Azizi; memories of childhood, 1950s; Atlantic City, New Jersey
Editor:
This jump rope rhyme is also titled "Down In The Meadow Where The Green Grass Grows". This rhyme could be sung while jumping rope by yourself or while jumping rope with other kids. As I remember jumping rope with a group of other kids, the jumper didn't sing, but concentrated on jumping. The people who sang were the "enders" who turned the rope, and-sometimes-other kids waiting for their turn as jumper{s}. Once in a while, boys also jumped rope with the girls. If the person jumping was a boy, the gender was changed to "he sang he sang he sang so sweet & along came {girl's name} & kissed him on the cheek" etc.
****
DOWN IN THE VALLEY WHERE THE GREEN GRASS THE VALLEY WHERE THE GREEN GRASS GROWS (Example #2) Jump Rope Rhyme
Down in the valley where the green grass grows along came (a name) as sweet as a rose he sang, he sang, he sang so sweet, how many kisses did he get on his cheek? (start counting until they get out with the jump-rope or you could step to it)
-Daelon, age 8; & Shacora, age 11; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania}; 3/21/2006
*****
DOWN IN THE MEADOW WHERE THE GREEN GRASS GROWS {Example #3} Jump Rope Rhyme
Down in the meadow where the green grass grows, there sat (name of person jumping) as sweet as a rose. She/He sang he/she sang she/he sang so sweet and along came (other person of opposite sex) and kissed her/him on the cheek. How many kisses did he/she get that week. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, .............. keep going until they mess up on jumping
-miley ; 11/21/2007
****
DOWN IN MISSISSIPPI
[This is] A jump rope rhyme I remember that probably has an African American origin: Down in Mississippi where the boats go "pushy-whooshy" (Two girls would jump together, and one would pretend to push the other out at the end of the "rhyme." I'm 60 years old and learned these on the playground in Waterbury Connecticut in the early 50s.
-Ellen R.; 11/9/2007
Editor:
Thanks, Ellen R., for sending in that example. I've never "heard" that rhyme before. Thanks, also for sending in an example of "Little Sally Waters" which I posted on Cocojams' Games Children Play page. I also appreciate the fact that you included demographical information {your age, and when & where you remembered learning these rhymes}. Keeping a record of demographical information helps researchers track & study the continuity & changes that may occur in rhymes over time and space. Also, Ellen R., thanks for including your opinion about the African American origin of this rhyme. Since I've never heard or read this rhyme before, I have no opinion, and haven't seen any documentation that can support or disprove your opinion about the origin of this rhyme. If any Cocojams readers know this rhyme or know one like it, please send in those examples and remember to include demographical information & other comments. Thanks!
E,F
EENIE MEENIE OOP PAH LEENIE (Example #1; Jump Rope)
Eenie Meanie
Oop pah leenie
Ooh aah umbaleenie
Ashie Mashie
Koh kah lashie
I_ love_ you
-Azizi Powell, childhood memories (Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1950s)
Editor:
These words are written phonetically. I have no idea what the correct spelling is. The underscore means that there is a space before saying the next word. See examples of "Eenie Meenie" choosing it rhymes on Cocojams' Choosing It Rhymes page. those rhymes.
****
EENIE MEEINE PEPSA DEENIE (Example #2)
Eenie Meanie Justa Leanie
Ooca Acla Trackalacka, I love you.
Take a peach, Take a plum
Take a piece of bubble gum.
Teacher, Teacher, Dummy Dum
Gimme back my bubble gum.
Saw you with your boyfriend last night.
How do you know?
I was peekin' through the keyhold.
NOSY
Wash them dishes
LAZY
Jump out the window
CRAZY
Peaches on the tree, Bananas on the floor
Jump back baby. I Don't Love You No More!
-Donetta A. (Pittsburgh, PA 1984); collected by Azizi Powell,
1998; posted on Cocojams by Azizi on 2/26/2006
Editor:
Donetta, an African American woman I know, said she learned this rhyme when she was growing up from her cousin who visited her from the South. There are many versions of this rhyme. For instance, I've seen the line "Jump back, baby I don't love you no more", often given as "Step back, baby etc". See "Ooh Ah" rhymes below for other examples that I believe are related to this large family of rhymes.
****
EENIE MEEINE PEPSA DEENIE (Example #3)
Under the Hand Clapping rhymes right after the ABC rhyme is part of a song I learned from an Elementary music teacher in Jackson, TN in 1977! I was a student teacher and she taught it as such.
X X X X
Eenie meenie pepsa deenie
X X X X
Be bop, bop a deenie
X X X X
Education, liberation
X X X X
I love you. Tootie Fruitie,
X X X X
Down, down su-gar
X X x x
Down by the roller coaster
X X X X
Sweet sweet honey -
X X X X
no place to go _ _ _ _
X X X X
a-oh _ _ _
X X X X
Shamrock, Shamrock
X X X X
shammy shammy shamrock
X X X X
Caught you with my girlfriend
(scrape your pointer finger at each other)
Naughty naughty
X X X X
Didn't do the dishes
(two hands together and place beside head, tilted as in sleeping)
Lazy, Lazy
X X X X
Ate all the candy
(Open palms facing partner fingers spread out squeezing the outer digit)
Greedy, Greedy
X X X X
Jumped out the window
(right hand pointer finger circle the ear)
Crazy, Crazy!
samirich (Sammy R.) ; private electronic message to Azizi via Mudcat Discussion Forum; 3/2006
Editor:
My assumption is that the Xs represent the clapping pattern that is used while reciting this rhyme. Notice that some lines in this rhyme are very similar to lines that are found in the "Down Down Baby" (Shimmy Shimmy Co Co Pa) and "I Love Coffee I Love Tea" family of rhymes
Here's a video of two grils doing a handclap game to a version of this rhyme:
Eenie Meanie Sassaleeny Clapping Songs
Posted by sharonmnich
October 02, 2009
"Kids Clapping Songs"
****
ENGLAND, IRELAND (Version #1, Elastics)
I used to play this in Brisbane, Australia back in the early 90s. The rhymes I can remember are:
England
Ireland
Scotland
Wales
Inside
Outside
Inside
Out
-Guest; 2/14/2008; http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=46932&messages=98 ; Child's Game: Elastics
****
ENGLAND, IRELAND (Elastics; Version #2)
Elastics used to be something everyone played... [Sidney, Australia]
Yeah, we used knickers elastics too, and it went from ankles, to knees, under-bums, hips, armpits then necks.
England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales. Inside outside inside on. Basically the same (as the movements she wrote for "Jingle Jangle) You basically, straddle one side, bounce until you get to the next word. At inside outside, you do just that, jump inside then out side, continue the bouncing, then step on it]
-Guest,Cath.; 3/1/2008; http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=46932&messages=98 ; Child's Game: Elastics
Editor: See "Jingle Jangle" posted below.
****
ET FROM OUTER SPACE
ET. ET.
ET from outer space.
He has an ugly face.
Sittin in a rocket
eatin very tocket
watchin the clock go
Tick tock
tick tock shawally wally
ABCDEFG
You betta get your black hands offa me
You gotta smoooth cho
You gotta smoooth cho
You gotta smooth, smooth, smooth, smooth, smooth.
Now Freeze!
(alternative last line: My mama said "Black eye peas").
-Kiera, African American girl, 8 years old, (Pleasantville, New Jersey) and Kion, African American male, 6 years old, (Pleasantville, New Jersey), 11/8/2008
Editor:
I want to thank my young niece & nephew, Kiera and Kion, for sharing this rhyme with me. Their mother, Kiemon, told me that she recited this same rhyme when she was a child. The "ET" in the rhyme is the lead character from the hit 1982 American science fiction movie, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E.T._the_Extra-Terrestrial for more information about this movie.
The rhyme "ET From Outer Space" is a version of the rhyme "Miss Sue From Alabama". In answer to my question, I learned that neither Kiemon nor her children knew the "Miss Sue From Alabama" rhyme. See examples of that rhyme on the "M" section of this page.
If this were a more text analysis oriented page, I'd have quite a bit to say about the line "get your black hands off of me". But this page is mostly just for presenting examples of rhymes. So the only thing I'll say is that unfortunately, this version of "ET From Outer Space" isn't the only one example of a Black children's rhymes where "black" skin color is mentioned in an uncomplimentary way.
F,G,H
GIMME A BREAK (Version #1)
Gimme a break,gimme a break, break me off a piece of that kit kat bar
Gimme a break, gimme a break
Break me off a piece of that
Kit Kat bar
-anonymous, October 20, 2005 (Alberta Canada)
****
GIMME A BREAK (Version #2)
We do this in Grade 5
Gimme a break,gimme a break, break me off a piece of that kit kat bar
choclaty taste, makes my day, break me of a piece of that kit kat bar
i don't care what people say, just break me off a piece of that,gotta have a piece a that, gimme a piece of that KIT KAT BAR!
- Guest, me; Folklore: Do kids still do clapping rhymes? http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=63097; June 22, 2009
****
HAMBONE
Click http://www.cocojams.com/content/african-american-secular-slave-songs to find text examples & information about doing the "Hambone" .
****^
HANDS UP EIGHTY-FIVE
See the entry for Concentration
****
HELLO HELLO HELLO SIR (Jump Rope & Elastics Jumping)
Hello Hello Hello sir
meet you at the show sir
no sir
why sir
'cause I've got a cold sir
where'd you get the cold sir
at the north pole sir
what you dioing there sir
catching polar bears sir
how many did you catch sir
one sir
two sir
three sir
four sir
.... ten sir
all the rest were dead sir
how did they die sir
eating apple pie sir
what was in the pie sir
three dead flies sir
what was in the flies sir
three dead germs sir
what was in the germs sir
I don't know sir
shall we start again sir
no sir
why sir
because I've got a cold sir....
-Guest; 1/2/2007; http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=46932&messages=98 ; Child's Game: Elastics
****
Editor: Regardless of their "titles", examples of rhymes in this family are considered to be versions of each other.
****
HIGH LOW PECCALOW (Version #1)
my name is high low peccalow,
peccalow,high low high low
peccalow peccalow yo
thats my name don't ware it out..
high low peccalow peccalow Yo
(try to tap the other person on the forehead before they tap you)
-Guest-me and my friends love this one; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=63097 "Folklore: Do kids still do clapping rhymes?"; 6/5/2007
****
HIGH LOW JACKALO (Version #2)
Very interesting how these rhymes etc. are spread across continents.
Version of the above, called "Jackalo", as a handclapping song, played by middle-class white British girls in private school, Essex, just outside Greater London, end 20th/beginning 21st century:
My name is [each partner holds hands together, palm to palm, as if "praying", then each pair of hands brushes the other]
Hands now parted. Partners face each other.
[Whilst the rest of the song is sung, left hand is held straight out, as if waiting to shake hands. Right hands meet, high and low, to match the rhythm of the song]:
Hi, low, Jackalo, Jackalo, Jackalo,
Hi, low, Jackalo, Jackalo and HIGH !
- jeanie; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=100807; Gigalo & other children's rhymes &cheers; 4/15/2007
Editor:
Thanks jeanie for giving me permission to repost your example on Cocojams! Cocojams readers, click on that link to visit Mudcat Cafe. That website has a number of threads (discussions) about children's rhymes. Both guests and members can join in the discussion and add more examples. Also, don't forget to check out Cocojams Foot Stomping Cheers page for examples of the cheer "Gigalo" which are very much like these "High Low Piccalow" and "Hi Low Jackalo" handclap rhymes.
****
HIGH LOW PECCALOW (Version #3)
We have a different version of "high low peccalow" here (Herts, England).
Instead of peccalow it reads:
My names is ....
High Low Jigga-low
Jigga-low high Low
High Low Jigga-low
Jigga-low high
You hold onto your friend's right hand with yours and your left hands make contact.
When the song says high, you clap above the joined hands, when the song says low you clap below and when the song says Jigga you clap on the joined hands.
The aim is to run through the song as fast as possible without mucking up the clapping.
We're 17 now, but we still sometimes play it if we've nothing better to.
Usually the most muck ups happen on the second line where it goes low high.
-Guest ,Amon; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=63097
"Folklore: Do kids still do clapping rhymes?"; 11/25/2007
****
HOLLYWOOD GOES SWINGIN'
Both girls:
Hollywood, Hollywood
Hollywood goes swingin
Partner #1:
My name is Raya and I'm number 2
Kickin it with Scooby Doo
Hit me high
Hit me low
Hit me where you wanna go.
Repeat the entire rhyme with the partner #1 saying the lines that partner #1 said, but substitute her name or nickname and (preferably) change the number rhyme
-ConRaya E. (11 years); Sha'Ona K. (11 years); African American girls; Pittsburgh, PA; 6/12/2008
Editor:
There are a number of similar titles for this rhyme. Among them are "Hollywood", "Hollywood Rocks Swingin", and "Hollywood Keeps Swinging". The rhyme is based on the 1973 R&B song "Hollywood Swinging" that was recorded by Kool & The Gang. Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kz2evj6YfS4&feature=related for a YouTube video of this song. The tune for the handclap rhyme (and the foot stomping cheer with the same name) is very similar to this song, although the tempo is somewhat faster.
"Hollywood Swinging" was also performed in the late 1970s and 1980s as a foot stomping cheer. I'm not sure which performance activity came first-the handclap routine or the foot stomping cheer. Unfortunately, few people I have spoken with in Pittsburgh, PA area remember this rhyme being performed to foot stomps. In my opinion,"Hollywood Goes Swingin'" is different from the unison structure of most handclap rhymes because it retains the two part structure of foot stomping cheers.
See "Hollywood Goes Swingin" in the "H" section of Cocojams' Foot Stomping Cheers page.
I,J
I’M A LITTLE DUTCH GIRL (Dressed In Blue) Jump Rope Rhyme
Hi All,
In Brooklyn, in the late 50s and very early 60s
I'm a little Dutch girl dressed in blue
Here are the things I'm taught to do
Salute to the captain
Bow to the queen
Turn my back on the US Marines
(No idea what this meant)
-Guest, Folklore (Brooklyn, New York); http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=102055; Play Ground Hand Jives; July 27, 2007
****
I AM A PRETTY LITTLE DUTCH GIRL [as pretty as can be]
Editor: I'm subtitling this large family of rhymes "as pretty as can be" to distinguish it from the preceding rhyme. Examples of the "I Am A Pretty Little Dutch Girl" always include the lines "my boyfriend's name is ___/He comes from __ (a city whose name rhymes with the boyfriend's name).
Contemporary (post 1990s) versions of these rhymes that I've collected often start with the line "I'm a little __ grader" or "I'm a pretty little __ grader". This may be because the children know that they are not of "Dutch" descent, or the children don't know what "Dutch" means. The chanters recite the grade that they are in (for instance one girl might chant "I'm a pretty little second grader" while at the same time her partner might chant "I'm a pretty little third grader").
Examples of this rhyme are posted in this section regardless of their first line or title.
I'M A LITTLE DUTCH GIRL (Version #1)
I'm a little Dutch girl,
As pretty as can be,
And all the boys on the baseball team
Are crazy over me.
They gave me all their apples.
They gave me all their pears.
They gave me fifty cents
And kicked me down the stairs.
My mother wanted peaches.
My brother wanted pears.
My father wanted fifty cents
To fix the broken stairs.
My boyfriend gave me peaches.
My boyfriend gave me pears.
My boyfriend gave me fifty cents
To fix the broken stairs.
My mother ate the peaches.
My brother ate the pears.
My father ate the fifty cents
And fell right down the stairs.
My mother gave me peaches.
My father gave me pears.
My boyfriend kissed me on the cheek
And fell right down the stairs.
I am a little Dutch girl
As pretty as can be be be
And all the boys around my block
Are crazy over me me me.
-http://www.mudcat.org/jumprope/jumprope_display.cfm?rhyme_number=133; sources given Abrahams (1969), Knapp (1976), Hastings (1990)
Editor: Note the similarities between the references to "_gave me 50 cents/and kicked him down the stairs" and those lines in the "Miss Suzy Had A Steamboat" rhymes.
Here's a video clip of "I Am A Pretty Little Dutch Girl". In this clip the little girl recites "My boyfriend's name is Mello/He comes from the land of Jello":
"My little sister, singing Pretty Little Dutch Girl."
Posted by thebexperson
May 02, 2007
****
WOOBLE WOOBLE WOOBLE (Version #2 of I Am A Pretty Little Dutch Girl)
Wooble Wooble Wooble
And ah 1, 2, 3
I am a lit tle first grader
as pretty as can be be.
and all the boys around my house
go crazy over me me.
My boyfriend's name is Yel low.
He comes from Ala ba ma
with 25 toes
and a pickle on his nose
and this is how the story goes
One day I was ah walk ing
I saw my boyfriend talk ing
to a very pretty girl
with strawberry curls.
And this is what she said
"I l. o. ve love you."
"I k. i. ss kiss you."
"I a d.ore adore you"
So s .t .o .p. STOP!
-female first grade students Tarea, Kayla, Kaylin (African American), and Ha and Hung (Vietnamese, ages 5-7 years old); Fort Pitt Elementary School {Pittsburgh Pa, 2000}; collected by Azizi Powell, 2000
Editor:
"Wooble Wooble Wooble/ and ah 1 2 3" is an introductory phrase. This line is also given as "Wooble Wooble Wooble and the deep blue sea". This rhyme is performed as a competitive handclap game. The group formed a circle and each person held the "pinky" (small finger) of the person standing next two them on each side. In unison, the group recited the introductory line "Wooble Wooble Wooble and ah 1 2 3" while swinging their arms back and forth in rhythm with each word. The words "Deep blue sea is chanted faster than "Wooble Wooble Wooble." The group then let go of their little fingers and in unison, begans chanting the rhyme.
At an acknowledged starting point in the circle, one person lightly slapped the hand of the person to her right as she and the group chanted one word of the song. With each word or syllable {such as "lit tle"}, the next person lightly slapped the person to her right. With no change in the tempo of the recitation, the person whose hand had been slapped then slaps the hand of the person on her right. The action continues around the circle. The person whose hand is slapped at the last word "Stop" is out.
When the number of players was down to two people, these two stood facing each other and took turns slapping each other's hand with each word. At some point in the recititation, one of the 'competitors' moved her hand away to soon, or otherwise missed her slap, and therefore was out. The object of the game is to be the last person in the game.
****
ZING ZING ZING AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA (Version #3 of I Am A Pretty Little Dutch Girl)
Zing Zing Zing
at the bottom of the sea.
I am a little __ second grade
as pretty as can __ be be. ("___" indicates one beat before recitation begins again).
And all the boys around my house
go crazy over __ me me.
My boyfriend's name is __ Yellow.
He comes from Ala__bama
with 25 toes
and a pickle on his nose
and this is how the story goes.
One day I was ah __ walkin
I saw my boyfriend __ talking
to a very pretty girl
with cherry pie curls
And this is what she said
"I L-O-V-E __ love you."
"I K-I-S-S __ kiss you."
"I A-D-O-R-E __ adore you"
So S-T-O-P. STOP!
1-2-3-4
Get your black hands off of me!
- Diarra, K'azsa, and Michelle (African American girls), Fort Pitt Elementary School, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Septemperr 2004; collected by Azizi Powell, September 2004
Editor: I collected this example while visiting my daughter’s after-school classroom in the
beginning of a new school year. Zing Zing Zing/at the bottom of the sea" is an introductory phrase similar to "Wooble Wooble Wooble/ and [in] the deep blue sea".
Two of the girls started to sing “I’m a little first grade”, but changed to “second grade” because they remembered that they had moved up to that grade. After they had finished, I asked them which grade they usually use and was told that grade mentioned depending on the grade of the girls reciting this song. "First grade” and “second grade” probably mean “first grader” and “second grader”.
This rhyme was chanted as a three person handclap game. The three girls stood in a triangle formation and took turns clapping each other's hands and their own hands. I have also seen this same rhyme-without that last line-performed as a two partner handclap routine and as a group routine (more than four people). In this rendition, when they said “Get your black hands off of me”, the girls did a chest high, flicking motion with their right hand as if to say "get out of here.
At this same school, I have also heard this line given as "strawberry curls". However, because almost 100% of the students in the school are Black, and, because I don't believe that any White teacher in that school has red hair, the students may not have known that strawberry curls means "red hair". That said, the phrase "cherry pie curls" was probably almost as meaningless as "strawberry curls". But, at least these children had probably heard of-even if they may not have tasted-cherry pies.
"1 2 3 4" at the end of the rhyme was probably originally was "1-2-3" since "three" rhymes with "me". The "Get your black hands off of me!" line suggests that "black" skin color may still be viewed as a negative.
Note: In April 2010, I collected the same rhyme from two 9 year old African American girls Takeya and Alexus) who live in the same neighborhood as Fort Pitt Elementary School (now titled Fort Pitt Accelerated Learning Academy). When the rhyme called for the girls to give their grades, one girl chanted "I am a second grader" and the other girl chanted "I am a third grader". Both girls said the "get your black hands off of me" line.
I also heard the beginning of this same rhyme chanted by a third grade African American girl in the lunchroom of the same school in May 2010 when I was substitute teaching there. That girl said "I am a third grader"/as pretty as can be be be". Unfortunately, I wasn't able to hear the rest of the rhyme.
****
I'M A LITTLE SIX GRADER (Version #4 of I Am A Pretty Little Dutch Girl)
imma little six grader as pretty as can be be my boyfriend name is bow wow he lives in ohio and this is how my story goes one day I was walking I saw my boyfriend talking to the ugliest girl in the whole wide world and this is how my story goes k-i-s-s kiss you l-o-v-e love you m-i-s-s miss you and this is how my story goes a b c d so keep yo hands away from me. - http://www.home-school.com.au/resource/skipping-rope-jump-rope-hopscotch... 3/21/2005
****
I AM A PRETTY LITTLE DUTCH GIRL [as pretty as can be] Version #5
I Am A Pretty Little Dutch Girl (Pretty as pretty can be)...Longview Washington in the 1950s...23rd street, St. Rose School...
I am a pretty little Dutch girl
Pretty as pretty can be
And all the boys around my house
Are crazy over me me me
My boyfirend's name is Patty
He comes from Cincinatti
With 28 toes and a pickle in his nose
And that's the way my story goes
First he gave me peaches
And then he gave me pears
And then he gave me fifty cents
And kissed me on the stairs
My father he was .>>>>>>>>>>
My mother she was too
My sister was so jealous that
She didn't know what to do....
-Mary Garvey (Longview Washington); Folklore: Skipping Rhymes & Playground Games; March 07. 2007
Editor: “>>>” stands for words that are forgotten
****
MY BOYFRIEND'S NAME IS NICO (Version #6 of "I Am A Pretty Little Dutch Girl")
I grew up in NYC the 1970s and remember hearing this one: My boyfriend's name is Nico He comes from Puerto Rico With four flat toes and a turned up nose And that's the way my story goes One day when I was walking I heard my boyfriend talking To a little girl with a strawberry curl And this is what he said to her: I K-I-S-S kiss you I L-O-V-E love you Then he fell in a lake and ate a snake And ended up with a belly ache.
-kmoser ; 3/19/2008
****
I AM A PRETTY LITTLE DUTCH GIRL [as pretty as can be] (Version #7)
I am a pretty little Dutch girl
As pretty as I can be
And all the boys
In the neighborhood
Are crazy over me
My boyfriend’s name is Patty
He comes from the Cincinnati
With 48 toes
And a pickle for a nose
And this is how my story goes
One day as I was walking,
I saw my boyfriend talking
To a pretty little girl
with a strawberry curl
and this is what he said to her
I L-O-V-E, love you
I'll K-I-S-S, kiss you
Then I pushed him in a lake
And he swallowed a snake
And ended up with a tummy ache
Dad called the doctor
Mum called the nurse
Sister called the lady with the alligator purse
In came the doctor
In came the nurse
In came the lady with the alligator purse
"Measles", said the doctor
"Chicken-pox", said the nurse
"Smallpox", said the lady with the alligator purse
Out went the doctor
Out went the nurse
Out went the lady with the alligator purse
-multiple sources including http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pretty_Little_Dutch_Girl; assessed 5/23/2010
Editor:
The Wikipedia page for "I'm A Pretty Little Dutch Girl" indicates that "The earliest record found so far is for New York around 1940. It seems to have spread over the USA by the 1950s and reached Britain in 1959, where it was taken up very quickly across the country to become one of the most popular skipping rhymes among girls"...
The editors of that Wikipedia page indicated these lyrics were "common versions". However, the first verse appears to be the one that is most often chanted for this rhyme. The other two verses appear to be familiar versions of the "Miss Lucy Had A Baby" rhyme. Examples of that rhyme are found on this page.
****
I CAN DO THE TURN AROUND (Jump Rope)
From late 1940s - early 1960s; Manchester UK
Girls were active participants in skipping, boys merely sometime interested observers - the following skipping rhyme gives a clue. Each line was accompanied by appropriate actions:
I can do the turn around
I can do the splits
I can do the crouch down
Picking up sticks
I can do the hootchy-cootch
Sister showed me how
The girls show their knickers
And the boys say, "Wow!"
A flash of female knickers [underpants] was a BIG DEAL in those [slightly] more innocent times!
-Meic; 3/30/2007; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=2998&messages=112 ; Naughty kids' greatest hits II
Editor:
In England & other parts of the United Kingdom (UK), and elsewhere, "jumping rope" is known as "skipping".
****
I DON'T WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL
Shame shame shame
I don't wanna go to school no more more more
There's a big fat teacher by the door door door
If she grabs you by the collar
Lord you better holler
I don't want to go to school no more more more
I've also heard a version of this where it was Mexico and a policeman
-Pogo; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=81350 "I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes":
5/22/2005
Editor:
"I Don't Want To Go To School" is a member of the "I Don't Want To Go To Macy's No More" /"I Don't Want To Go To Mexico No More" rhyme family.
****
I DON'T WANNA GO TO MEXICO NO MORE (Example #1)
Shame Shame Shame.
I don't want to go to Mexico
no more, more, more.
There's a big fat policeman
at door, door, door.
If he pulls you by the collar
girl, you better holler.
I don't want to go to Mexico
no more, more, more.
Shame.
-African American girls & boys, ages 5-12; (Pittsburgh, PA)
collected in 1998 by Azizi Powell, posted on Cocojams 5/12/2004
Editor:
I've placed these rhyme under "I" and not "S" because in my opinion, "Shame Shame Shame" is an introductory phrase and not the beginning of the actual rhyme.
I collected this version in 1998 from a number of school aged African American girls and boys living in various Pittsburgh, PA. neighborhoods.
"I Don't Want To Go To Macy's" (and similarly worded titles that include the word "Macy's") is probably the source for "I Don't Want To Go To Mexico" and other related children's rhymes. Roger Abraham notes in his collection Jump-Rope Dictionary that "I Don't Want To Go To Macy's" was documented as being performed by American children in 1938. "Macy's is the name of a chain of department stores. The most famous Macy's store is located in New York City. My theory is that these children substituted "Mexico" for "Macys" since they weren't familiar with the "Macy's" store or the word "Macy's". This is an example of "folk etymology." Folk etymology occurs when people change foreign words or unfamiliar words into familiar words or sounds that are similar to the word they don't know.
****
I DON'T WANNA GO TO MEXICO NO MORE (Example #2)
Shame Shame Shame.
I don't want to go to Mexico
no more, more, more.
There's a big fat policeman
at door, door, door.
He'll grab you by the collar
and make you pay a dollar.
I don't want to go to Mexico
no more, more, more.
Shut the door!
-Breeana W. & Tonoya W. (Philadelphia, PA);
collected in 2001 by Azizi Powell, posted on Cocojams 5/12/2004
Editor:
I asked several of my young cousins at a family reunion if they knew any handclapping songs. They performed this one as a partner handclap (two people stand still, facing each other and alternately clap or slap one or two of the other person's hands). Each partner tries to be the first to say "shut the door!" Whoever says it first, lightly flicks the other player on the side of their forehead and then points to them in a "Got ya!" manner. Each girl leans back to try to not get flicked or tapped on the forehead. It's possible for both of them to get flicked or tapped at the same time. But no one is supposed to get angry about this. This is just one of several rhymes that I have collected that involve children getting flicked, tapped, hit, or pushed during a rhyme or at the end of a rhyme.
"Shame Shame Shame" is a common introductory phrase for children's rhymes from African American traditions. Although this phrase may have originally meant "You should be ashamed" (of the words that follow that phrase), I think that "Shame Shame Shame" is chanted now just as a formulaic phrase. Some rhymes that begin with this phrase also end with the word "Shame" instead of the phrase "Shut the door". That word is usually a signal to try to flick or hit or push your partner before she touches you.
****
I DON'T WANT TO GO TO MEXICO (Example #3)
I don't want to go to mexico no more more more.
there's a big fat person's name ______ at the door door door. if you
pull em by the coller man she/he is gonna holler! i don't wanna go to mexico no more more more.
-grhzsr; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=81350 "I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes"; 11/25/2008
Here's an example of how some children do the handclap rhyme "I Don"t Want To Go To Mexico" Note that in where I live Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and also in its surrounding communities, African American children say that they do hand claps. They don't say that they "play" or "perform" hand claps.
I dont wanna go to Mexico no mo mo m o
Posted by PencilComput
March 28, 2007
"New Orleans students doin they rhyme thang".
**
Editor: Notice the slightly different way these two adults do hand movements to this same rhyme:
I Don't Wanna Go to Mexico No More.
PakPrincess92
February 16, 2009
"My friends Alex and Michael showing their amazing skills at old nursery rhymes. "
-end of quote-
Editor: For the record, the title of this video is mistaken. "I Don't Want To Go To Mexico" is a children's recreational rhyme and not a nusery rhyme.
****
I LIKE (LOVE) COFFEE I (LOVE) TEA
Editor: There are many different versions of the rhyme "I Love Coffee, I Love Tea" ("I Like Coffee, I Like Tea"). This family of rhymes is very closely related to the rhyme "Down Down Baby".
Since at least the late 1990s, or early 2000s, racial references and lines about fighting have become a part of some of these rhymes. I'm uncertain why that is, but wonder if these lines reflect the racial tensions between school children that may have occurred with the increased integrations of schools. Visit the "D" page of Cocojams' Handclap Rhymes Page for examples of "Down Down Baby" rhymes.
****
I LOVE COFFEE. I LOVE TEA (Example #1; Jump Rope Rhyme)
I love coffee
I love tea
I love {boy's name} and he loves me
-traditional; multiple sources
I LOVE COFFEE. I LOVE TEA (Example #2; Jump Rope Rhyme)
I love coffee
I love tea
I love the boys and they love me
-traditional; multiple sources
****
I LIKE COFFEE. I LIKE TEA (Version #3)
Zing, Zing, Zing,
and ah 1-2-3.
I like coffee, I like tea.
I like a black boy and he likes me.
So step back, white boy, you don't shine.
I'll get the black boy to beat your behind.
Last night and the night before.
I met my boyfriend at the candy store.
He bought me ice cream he bought me cake.
He brought me home with a belly ache.
Mama, mama, I feel sick
Call the doctor, quick, quick, quick
Doctor, doctor, will I die?
Close your eyes and count to five
1-2-3-4-5
I'm Alive!
See that house up on the hill.
That's where me and my baby live.
Eat a piece of meat
Eat a piece of bread.
Come on baby. let's go to bed
-Kayla. age 5; recited for Alafia Children's Ensemble, Fort Pitt Elementary School chapter, (Pittsburgh, PA), 2000; collected by Azizi Powell, 2000; posted on Cocojams, 2003
Editor:
This example of "I Like Coffee. I Like Tea" was collected during the "Show & Tell" segment of the after-school game song group, Alafia Children's Ensemble that I started and coordinated from 1997-2007. In these portion of the group, children were invited to share rhymes and game songs that they knew. A girl or boy could share these examples along, or with one or more other members of the group. It was customary for children to "sing" along if they knew the "song" that the child or children presented.
The rest of the group enthusiastically recited the words to "I Like Coffee I Like Tea with 5 year old Kayla. The girl ended her show & tell turn with the words "I'm Alive" and then started to go back to her seat. However, she stopped and continued saying the rest of the rhyme. It appeared as though the rest of the group didn't know the words to that part of the rhyme because they didn't say those words along with her as they had previously done. Furthermore, many children in the group started sniggering when Kayla chanted the lines "Come on baby, let's go to bed. Kayla looked around in confusion. It seemed clear that she didn't understand why the other members of the group were laughing. I thanked Kayla and said some innocuous grown-up thing like "They were married", and quickly moved on to the next child who wanted to share a rhyme with the rest of group.
Before Kayla left the group session that day, I privately asked her where she learned that rhyme. She said her mother had taught it to her. Interestingly enough, in the ten years that I conducted once a week after-school game song groups or special event (one time) game song sessions throughout many African American neighborhoods of Pittsburgh and some other surrounding communities, only one other child recited that entire verse. Coincidentally, that child was also a five year old girl who said she learned it from her mother. For the record, the two neighborhoods where these girls lived were very distant from each other (Garfield & Northview Heights). As was the case in first time this entire rhyme was recited, the other group members who were older had recited the rest of the rhyme along with the girl who volunteered to share it, but appeared not to know the last, somewhat risque', verse.
"Zing Zing Zing and a 1 2 3" is a common introductory phrase in children's rhymes from African American traditions. It should be noted that African Americans usually pronounce the word "a" and the letter "a" as "ah". I'm not sure why this is, but it may be related to the fact that this is the way that "a" is pronounced in many (most?) traditional African languages. Examples of traditional African languages which pronounce "a" as "ah" are Yoruba (Nigeria), Hausa (Nigeria), Akan (Ghana), Lingala (The Congo-both nations), Swahili (East Africa & parts of Central Africa), and other traditional African languages. "A" is also pronounced "ah" in Arabic (North Africa, East Africa, and parts of West Africa). It should be noted that most enslaved Black Americans were from regions where some of these languages (except Swahili) were spoken. It is therefore likely that the "ah" pronunciation is an African retention.
****
I LOVE COFFEE. I LOVE TEA (Example #4)
Does anyone remeber the one that has I like coffee i like tea i like a black boy and he likes me so stand back white boys i know your shy I'll get a black boy to beat your behind he'll beat it rough he'll be it tough he'll beat it till you almost had enough.
-Guest, Kerry; "Children's Street Songs", http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=4300; 8/26/2005
****
I LOVE COFFEE. I LOVE TEA (Example #5)
I love coffee
I love tea
I love a Black boy and he loves me
so step back White boy
you don't shine
I'mma get a Black boy to beat your behind
I met my boyfriend at the candy store.
He bought me ice-cream, he bought me cake,
he brought me home with a belly-ache.
Mamma, Mamma, I feel sick.
Call the doctor - quick, quick, quick.
Doctor, Doctor, will I die?
Count to five and you'll be alive.
1-2-3-4-5. I'm alive.
-collected by Azizi Powell, 1980s-2006; posted on 2/26/2006
Editor:
This version is widely recited among African American girls in the Pittsburgh, Penn area from about the late 1980s-early 1990s to date {2006}. I've found the same or similar contemporary versions of this rhyme on various Internet sites for contemporary children's rhymes. I've also received the same version of this rhyme from persons in New York City, Georgia, and Maryland. This leads me to believe that this version may be quite widespread. Some examples of the Pittsburgh, PA rhyme that I've collected have this rhyming line at the end: "1-2-3-4-5. I'm alive." Less often, I've heard children say at the end "I'm Alive. And on channel 5". [This was added before there was a channel 5 television station in this area. There still may not be such a channel. The "5" was added because it rhymed with the word "alive"."]
****
TAKE A PEACH TAKE A PLUM (I Like Coffee, I Like Tea ; Version #6)
take a peach take a plum take a stick of bubblegum
no peach no plum just a stick of bubblegum
I like coffee and i like tea
I like a colored boy and he likes me
So step back whiteboy you don't shine
I get my colored boy to beat ya behind
He beat ya high
he beat ya low
he beat you all the way to Mexico
I saw you with ya boyfriend last night
How Do I know
I peeked out the window
Nosey!
I ate a bunch of candy
greedy!
I didn't take a shower
Dirty!
I didn't do my homework
Stupid!
*i forgot the rest*
- GeminiChix http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php ; February 28, 2006
****
I LIKE COFFEE. I LIKE TEA (Example #7)
I was taught this version of -I like coffee, I like tea- when I worked at a summer camp in Inkster, MI (suburb of Detroit) in 2002: I like coffee I like tea I like the colored boy an' he likes me so step back white boy you ain't fly i'll get the colored boy to beat your behind last night the night before i met my boyfriend at the candy store he bought me ice cream he bought me cake he brought me home with a belly ache momma, momma will i die close your eyes and count to 5 1-2-3-4-5 i'm alive
-Emily; 12/26/2007
****
I LIKE COFFEE I LIKE TEA (Version #8 )
I went to elementary school starting in 1980, in Bloomfield, Connecticut (adjacent to Hartford). The girls (including my sister) did clapping games on the bus everyday it seemed, and when they hung out in the street, etc. Demographic note: my family is White; Blacks (including many Jamaicans) are a majority in the town, and were most of our playmates.
The version to this one went:
"I like coffee, I like tea
I like a Black/White boy an' he likes me
So step back White/Black boy, you don't shine
I'll get a Black/White boy to beat your behind."
The girls would switch the race of the boy, depending on who was singing. Sometimes there'd be confusion if a White and a Black girl were playing together, and they'd sort of get jumbled up on that word and try to push their version. Sometimes they would agree on a skin tone based on a previous conversion about who the girl whose "turn" it was actually "likes." The reason why I remember distinctly that they did it both ways was that as a little kid I tried to imagine what "you don't shine" meant. I'd try to reason what skin tone "shined" more! Needless to say, I never figured it out!
-Gibb; Not Last Night But The Night Before-rhyme; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=115045&messages=66; 3/5/2009
Editor: I was very interested to learn that "The girls would switch the race of the boy, depending on who was singing.". I found one example online in which the girl recited "step back white girl/you don't shine/ I'm gonna get a black girl to beat your behind". Unfortunately, I wasn't given permission to repost that example. However, Gibs comments are the first time that I've read that that children might say "step back Black boy/I'mma get a White boy to beat your behind. I think that's interesting and significant.
In my opinion, the phrase "you don't shine" has nothing to do with the sheen of a person skin. I believe it means that "you're not important". Read my comments about this phrase in "Down Down Baby" *Version #11).
****
I'M A LITTLE NAVY GIRL (Jump Rope Rhyme)
I'm a little navy (or sailor) girl dressed in blue,
This is what I have to do:
Salute to the captain, (salute & jump)
Curtsey to the queen, (curtsey & jump)
Touch the bottom of the dirty submarine!
(bending over and touching the ground without missing my jump was always difficult for me)
At this point, the jumper had to escape without being hit by the rope.
Jump rope rhymes mid 1960s, Oxon Hill, Maryland
-Ann N; 4/30/2007
****
I'M A NUT IN A HUT
I learned this hand clap from girls that I worked with at a summer camp in Inkster, MI (suburb of Detroit) in 2002: I'm a nut in a hut I stole my momma's pocket book so what (whatcha gonna do, kick my butt?) I'm craaazy I'm foooolish I'm crazy, I'm foolish I'm crazy, I'm foolish I'm C-O-O-L, cool don't you move ~While spelling out cool (C-O-O-L), you use your hand to form the letters, and afterwards fold your arms (and look tough!), stare at each other, and whoever moves first (like a staring contest) loses.
-Emily; 12/26/2007
****
I MET MY BOYFRIEND AT THE CANDY STORE (Version #1)
remember this...
uno deuce tres
i say east-west
i met my boyfriend at the candy store
he brought me ice cream
he brought me cake
he brought me home with a belly ache
mama mama i feel sick
call the doctor
quick quick quick
doctor doctor
will i die
close your and eyes and count to five
1
2
3
4
5
i'm alive!
-MaMaBuddha (Harlem); 7/31/2000, http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/archive/index.php/t-5627.html ; "Remember When"
Editor:
See the "I Like Coffee, I Like Tea rhymes" that are posted above for very similar rhymes.
****
I MET MY BOYFRIEND AT THE CANDY STORE (Version #2)
(count to two in spanish) i met my boyfriend at the candy store
he bought me ice cream he bought me cake
he took me home with a belly ache
i said momma,momma im so sick
call the doctor quick,quick
doctor doctor will i die
he said close your eye's and count to five
1...2...3...4..5...
im alive on channel five
see that house on top of that hill
thats where me and my boyfriend live
cookin that chicken cookin that rice
come on baby lets shoot some dice
-arlisa c.; 11/12/ 2009
Editor:
"Uno, dos" is how you count to two in Spanish.
****
IN THE LAND OF FRANCE
In the land of France
Where the elephants all dance
One wouldn't dance
so they kicked him in the pants.
The pants he wore
cost a dollar eighty four.
-Guest; 3/31/2008 ; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=46932 ; Child's Game: Elastics
****
IN THE LAND OF MARS (Version #1)
In the land of mars
where the ladies smoke cigars
and the smoke they make
is enough to kill a snake
when the snake is dead
they put roses in its head
when the rose has dies
they put diamonds in his eyes
when the diamonds fade
in the year of seventeen seventeen seventeen EIGHT
-steve http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php ; 12/3/2006
****
IN THE LAND OF MARS (Version #2)
In the land of mars where the babys smoke cigars and the men wear bikinis and the women drink martinis and the stuff they drink is enough to kill a mink when the mink is dead they put flowers in its head when the flowers die they put diamonds in its eyes when the diamonds break its enough to bake a cake when the cake is baked its 1991, 92,93,94,95,96,97,98,99, 2000!
We sang that in elementary school in Pennsylvania.
-Aubri; 4/15/2007
****
I PLEDGE ALLlANGE TO THE FLAG (Version #1)
I was reading along with my kids and laughing at ones I remember from when I was little... I particularly liked the one with Michael Jackson in it - it also asked if there were different versions we could share... I lived in Hawaii in 1984 when the "commercial accident" occurred and this was the version I learned: I pledge allegiance to the flag Michael Jackson makes me gag Pepsi-Cola burned him up And now he's drinking 7-Up!
-Rhonda; 6/28/2007
Editor:
"I Pledge Allegiance To The Flag" is often recited as a section of many "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" rhymes. As you mentioned, the examples that refer to pop singer Michael Jackson allude to the accident that occurred when his head got burned while he was filming a Pepsi Cola commercial. (See examples of those rhymes above).
I'm curious if there are any examples of "I Pledge Allegiance To The Flag" that don't mention Michael Jackson or this incident. If anyone knows any examples like that, please send them in so they can be shared with Cocojams readers!
****
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG (Version #2)
i pledge alegence to the flag michael jackson is a fag coca-cola beat him up doctor pepper fix him up now you're drinking 7-up we use to say this in grade school in the 90's
-Samantha; 3/15/2008
Editor:
Samantha, thanks for sending in this rhyme. I would like to say, however, that I'm very much against people calling anyone a "fag".
My comment should not be interpreted to mean that I think that Michael Jackson was homosexual.
****
I STEP IN
I step in you step out. you hop in i hop out. When i jump in you hop out. When i spin in you spin out. When i jump in you sit down. When i clap one time you clap two times. You stand up i sit down. I jump clap i hop clap also i can spin and clap.
-Raaziq, age 8, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 3/24/2006
****
I WENT DOWNTOWN TO MEET CHARLIE BROWN (Example #1)
heres one that me and my friends do:
i Went down town to meet charlie brown
he gave me a nickle that bought me a pickle
the pickle was sour so he bought me a flower
the flower was dead so this is what he said:
down dow baby down by the rollercoaster
sweet sweet baby never wana let you go
just because i kissed you doesnt mean i love you
shimmy shimmy coco puffs
shimmy shimmy pow
shimmy shimmy coco puffs
shimmy shimmy pow
My momy your momy live across the street
18,19 Alligator street
Boom Bang Choo Choo Train
wind me up i do my thang
( hit the person beside you)
Oops i'm Sorry!"
-Sarah, Octoblog, Schoolyard games; 7/17/2005
Editor:
I’ve posted all of these "I went downtown to see ____" rhyme together regardless of their first line which I’m using as their title. It’s interesting to note how a number of these examples include “floating verses" from other playground rhymes.
****
I WENT DOWNTOWN TO SEE JAMES BROWN (Example #2)
I went downtown to see James Brown
I gave him a nickel to buy me a pickle
The pickle was sour, so he gave me a shower
The shower was cold, so he gave me a bowl
The bowl was cracked, so he gave me a snack
Now I want my money back, Jack
-bettingonalice, http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php, Octoblog, Schoolyard Games, 1/1/2007
****
I WENT DOWNTOWN TO SEE CHARLIE BROWN (Example #3)
i went down town to see Charlie Brown
he gave me a nickle so i bough a pickle
the pickle was sour so he gave me a flower
the flower was dead and this is what he said
"down down baby down by the ocean,
sweet sweet baby never should i let you go,
chity chity bang bang i know kar-out-tay,
chity chity bang bang show off your body,
chity chity bang bang freeze.
and never ever let your mama say tell you to say please
-Guest, Baby*Shake; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=81350 I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes; 1/31/2008
****
I WENT TO THE CHINESE RESTAURANT
Editor: Many examples of "I Went To The Chinese Restaurant" are very insulting to Chinese people, to other Asian people, and/or to Indian people. People affiliated with Cocojams.com do NOT approve of rhymes that taunt, make fun of, attack, or put down people because of their race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, or other reasons no matter how innocent the intentions of the person chanting those kinds of rhymes might be. These rhymes can be very hurtful to Asian people and Indian people. I really wish that children wouldn't chant the versions of these rhymes that include those put down, ridiculing lines and their accompanying actions.
Although I've collected a number of examples of offensive racialized rhymes, I choose not to include most of those rhymes on Cocojams.com. Those racialized rhymes that are included on Cocojams.com are presented here for their folkloric & historical purposes. (By "racialized rhymes", I mean rhymes that include a racial, ethnic, or nationality referent. These referents may be neutral, positive, or offensive). See "I'm A Pretty Little Dutch Girl" on this page for examples of "neutral" racialized rhymes. See "There's A Brown Girl In The Ring" on Cocojams' Game Song page for an example of a positive racialized rhyme.
I WENT TO THE CHINESE RESTAURANT (Version #1)
My daughter, who is eight, is still doing clapping rhymes, though the ones she does are different from the ones I did in the 50s and 60s. (These, by the way, are in England). The one she seems to do mostly is:
I went to a Chinese restaurant
To buy me a loaf of bread, bread, bread.
He wrapped it up in a five pound note
And this is what he said, said, said:
My name is
Elvis Presley,
Girls are sexy
Sitting in the back seat
Drinking pepsi.
Where's your father?
Died in a fishtank..Last night
What did he die of?..Raw fish.
How did he die..Like this.
-MBSLynne; 9/21/2003; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=63097#1022419 ; "Folklore: Do kids still do clapping rhymes?"
-snip-
There are a lot of different versions of "I Went To A Chinese Restaurant", Here is a YouTube video of one version of that widely known rhyme:
Chinese Restaurant
Posted by gdl121110
April 03, 2009
****
I WENT TO A CHINESE RESTAURANT (Version #2)
I went to a Chinese restaurant to buy a loaf of bread bread bread.
And when he put it in the oven, this is what he said said said.
My name is nee-ay nee-ay nicka nicka-lodeon pom pom poodle willy willy whisker
My name is freeze
(At that point we'd freeze and whoever moved was out.)
-Sarah H., White female, from her memories of her childhood in Oil City, PA in the mid 1990s; collected by Azizi Powell, 4/23/2005
****
I WENT TO A CHINESE RESTAURANT (Version #3)
I went to a Chinese resturant to buy a loaf of bread
The waiter asked my name and this is what I said:
My name is Eli Eli
Chickali Chickali
Pom Pom Beauty
Extra Cutie
I know karate
Punch you in the body Oops! I'm sorry
Tell my Mommy
Don't wanna miss yah
Don't wanna kiss yah
Chinese
Chapstick
Indian
Freeze!
(this one was soooo hard to memorize =__= first one to move loses)
-Grace Kim, http://battery-d.livejournal.com/87113.html; 12/17/2005
****
I WENT TO A CHINESE RESTAURANT (Version #4)
I went to a Chinese resturant to buy a loaf of bread
The waiter asked my name and this is what I said:
My name is Eli Eli
Chickali Chickali
Pom Pom Beauty
Extra Cutie
I know karate
Punch you in the body Oops! I'm sorry
Tell my Mommy
Don't wanna miss yah
Don't wanna kiss yah
Chinese
Chapstick
Indian
Freeze!
(this one was soooo hard to memorize =__= first one to move loses)
-Grace Kim, http://battery-d.livejournal.com/87113.html; 12/17/2005
****
I WENT TO A CHINESE RESTAURANT (Version #5)
i went to a chinese restuarant
to buy a loaf of bread bread bread
the waiter asked me whats my name and this is what i said said said
myy name is ching ching charlie
Pompom cutie
punch ya in the belly
oops i'm sorry
chinese japanese look at these dirty knees
POW!
-Guest, mcr; 8/7/2006; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=63097#1022419 :
"Folklore: Do kids still do clapping rhymes?"
****
I WENT TO A CHINESE RESTAURANT (Version #6)
i went to a chinese restuarant
to buy a loaf of bread bread bread
the waiter asked me whats my name and this is what i said said said
myy name is ching ching charlie
Pompom cutie
punch ya in the belly
oops i'm sorry
chinese japanese look at these dirty knees
POW!
-Guest, mcr; 8/7/2006; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=63097#1022419 :
"Folklore: Do kids still do clapping rhymes?"
****
I WENT TO A CHINESE RESTAURANT (Version #7)
This is a hand clap game that we always did in elementary school:
I went to a Chinese restaurant to buy a loaf of bread, bread, bread.
They asked me what my name was and this is what I said, said, said.
My name is...
Elvis Presley
Boys are messy
Sittin’ in a hot tub
Drinkin’ diet Pepsi
My name is...
Eli Eli
Ikini, ikini
Pom pom poodles
Willy wally wiskers
My name is...
Chief! Roast Beef! (or bang bang you’re dead. Brush your teeth and go to bed) (or I know karate, punch you in the body, oops! I’m sorry, don’t tell my mommy)
-Katie S. (White female, age 17; Dallas, Texas), 10/6/2009
Editor:
I want to thank Katie and other persons who remembered to include demographical information. That information helps those folklorists who study which populations chant certain rhymes and when those rhymes are known in certain geographical locations.
****
I WOKE UP SUNDAY MORNING (also known as Skeeters and the Bedbugs, or "The Whipper Whopper Song" or similar sounding titles)
Editor's Note: I'm including this camp song on this page since a couple of lines from it were included in a video of "Rockin Robin" (see below). However, I've only heard this sung without any accompanying hand motions, and there's no mention of it being chanted to handclaps or jump rope in the other examples I;m posted on this page.
****
OH I WOKE UP SUNDAY MORNIN (Version #1)
Oh I woke up Sunday mornin
I looked up on the wall.
I saw a gang of roaches
playin a game of basketball.
The score was nine to nothing.
The roaches had the lead.
I went and got my roach spray
And sprayed them 1, 2, 3.
You better stop them roaches
crawlin up my wall.
Feed them chicken & rice
and some day they'll be
shootin dice.
-Miss Crystal (African American woman, about mid 30s; Duquesne, Pennsylvania; from memories of her childhood in that city)'; collected by Azizi Powell, 2002.
Editor:
I collected this song at an indoor summer camp for children (around ages 6-10 years old). I went there to collect playground rhymes from the children. However, I was delighted when the staff person offered to chant this and another song. "Oh The Preacher Went Down" (to the cellar to pray (given at http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=75082#2094615 on the "Aint Gonna Grieve My Lord No More" thread)*
.
The children's response was a kinda blank "Okay"... They definitely didn't know this song. And neither did I. But, since then I've read some versions of this song/poem here on Mudcat Discussion Forum and elsewhere.
* Warning! At least one poster to that thread used the complete spelling of the "n word".
****
SKEETERS AND THE BEDBUGS (Version #2 of " I Woke Up Sunday Morning")
CHORUS
Singing eenie meenie and a meinie moe.
Catch a wiffer woffer by the toe.
And if he hollers hollers hollers, let him go.
Singing eenie meenie and a minie moe.
I woke up Sunday morning and looked upon the wall.
The skeeters and the bedbugs were having a game of ball.
The score was nineteen-twenty, the skeeters were ahead.
The bedbugs hit a homer and knocked me out of bed. CHORUS
I woke up Monday morning... Tuesday... Wednesday...
This wildly annoying song is meant to be sung slowly on Sunday and fast by the end when the person wakes up on Saturday. Clap on the chorus, it makes the song incredibly exciting. "
-The Good Book Of Peter Henry, page "S"; http://itsafrogslife.net/goodbook/s.htm; accessed on 2/3/2009; Azizi Powell
-snip-
**
A longer version of this rhyme/song is posted online at http://dragon.sleepdeprived.ca/songbook/songs5/S5_79.htm. The title indicates that the rhyme is "also called The Whipper Whopper Song (Eener Meener)"
****
SKEETERS AND THE BEDBUGS (Version #3 of "I Woke Up Sunday Morning")
I woke up Sunday morning
And looked up on the wall
The skeeters and the bedbugs
Were playing a game of ball
The score was ten to nothing
The skeeters were a head
The bed bugs hit a home run
And knocked me out of bed
Singing eenie meenie and a miney moe
Catch a whipper whopper by his toe
And if he hollers, hollers, hollers
Don’t let him go
Singing eenie, meenie and a miney moe.
- http://kilowan.wordpress.com/2006/09/02/skeeters-and-the-bed-bugs/
Editor:
Here's information about kilowan.wordpress.com :"This is site is dedicated to the collective memories from Camp Kilowan, a Camp Fire summer camp located in the foothills of the coast range mountains near Falls City, Oregon."
Click http://kilowan.wordpress.com/2006/09/02/skeeters-and-the-bed-bugs/#comments for additional versions and other comments about this song.
****
JELLY ON A PLATE (Jump Rope Rhyme, Version #1)
We used to play skipping ropes to this song: Jelly on a plate, jelly on a plate, wibble wobble, wibble wobble, jelly on a plate. We would skip pretending we were wobbling like a jelly.
The next verse was: Sausage in a pan, sausage in a pan, sizzle sazzle, sizzle sazzle, sausage in a pan. To that we would cross and uncross our feet as we jumped. There were many other verses but I can't remember them. Anyone else know?
-Guest PM; 2/21/2000; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=18352 Playground songs
Editor:
A related rhyme "Sweeties In The Jar" is posted below.
****
JELLY ON A PLATE (Elastics; Version #2)
I have just remembered we used this rhyme for French skipping (elastics):
Jelly on a plate, jelly on a plate
Wibble-wobble-wibble-wobble, jelly on a plate.
(that was - left (straddle the left band)/ middle/ right/ middle/ left-right-left-right, middle/ stamp). The rhythm was filled out by little snatch-backs onto the balls of the feet (/).
-Greenacres; 3/2/2008; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=46932&messages=102 ; Child's Game: Elastics
****
JINGLE JANGLE (Elastics)
Elastics used to be something everyone played... [Sidney, Australia]
Yeah, we used knickers elastics too, and it went from ankles, to knees, under-bums, hips, armpits then necks.
Some rhymes:
Jingle Jangle, inside outside, jingle jangle on. [You basically, straddle one side, bounce until you get to the next word. At inside outside, you do just that, jump inside then out side, continue the bouncing, then step on it.]
-Guest,Cath.; 3/1/2008; http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=46932&messages=98 ; Child's Game: Elastics
****
JUMP IN THE CAR
I was reading some of these examples and I remember doing alot of them being that im only 17...so0o heres one that i remember playing around 95'-96'...
Jump in car (clap 3X) Step on the gas {3x} Move to the side, and let (name) pass Eh-Hey, Ooh-Ahh Lookin at Lady, Ooh-Ahh Aint she fine, Ooh-Ahh Betta no touch her, ooh-ahh Cuz she'll blow your mind! Turn around (clap 3X) Touch the ground {clap 3x} I said a get a get a get a get on down Say what!?! get a get a get a get on down
Setup of the game: the kids who are playing have to stand in two lines like soul train... when they say "jump in the car" everyone jumps once then claps..."step on the gas" everone stretches out their right foot and stomps it down...."move to the side"...everyone moves back...and let (NAME) pass" the first person in the line goes down the middle and does a dance while the other kids say "ooh ah lookin at lady, ooh ahh aint she fine, ooh ahh betta not touch her, ooh ahh cuz she'll blow your mind. ...when they say "turn around" the girl in the line turns..."touch the ground" the same girl touches the ground...then " i said a get a get a get a get on down" the girl has to get down as low as she can...when the person in the middle is done, the next person goes.
-MeLLi ; 5/12/2007
K,L
KEEP THE KETTLE BOILING (Jump Rope Rhyme)
Diamonds, Rubies, Pearls and Aces
Keep the kettle boilin n leave no spaces.
We use to jump rope to this in the early 60's in Stow, Ohio. "Leave no spaces" meant as soon as one person in the double dutch jumping, another one in line had to jump right in behind her - without letting the rope come around again.
-Guest, Belinda; 8/22/2007
Editor:
I'd like to thank Guest Belinda and other Mudcat Discussion Forum guests for contributing examples to the Cocojams collection of rhymes. I've titled this example "Keep The Kettle Boiling" though it could be titled "Diamonds, Rubies etc" or "Leave no places".
Incidentally, I first heard this rhyme sung in 2007 by African American girls {about 9-12 years old} in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The rhyme was performed in the exact same way as is given above, except the girls were playing with a single rope. The Pittsburgh students told me that they had learned this rhyme from one of their female teachers.
The teacher and I both had recess duty, and I asked her about that rhyme. She said she sung "Keep The Kettle Boiling" when she was a child in Pittsburgh in the 1980s. During that conversation we both lamented the fact that, at least in this school, girls rarely sing any rhymes when they jump rope. Also, for what it's worth, girls in this inner city school don't do handclap routines or foot stomping cheers during recess. And it's not because they are shy around boys, because the girls and boys have separate lunches and recess. I've collected handclaps, cheerleader cheers, and foot stomps a number of these students so I know they know them. My sense is girls don't do them "in public" because they are concerned about being teased by their female (or male) peers.
****
LAST NIGHT AND THE NIGHT BEFORE (Jump Rope Rhyme; Version #1)
Last night the night before
twenty five robbers at my door.
I got up to let them in.
and this is what they said to me.
Lady bird, lady bird
turn all around around around
Lady bird, lady bird
touch the ground the ground, the ground
Lady bird, lady bird
say your prayers, your prayers, your prayers
Lady bird, lady bird
step right OUT!
-Azizi Powell; childhood memories of Atlantic City, New Jersey; 1950s
Editor:
The person jumping does the movements as directed by the words, but does not sing the words. On the word "OUT", the jumper jumps out, and the next jumper jumps in. "Lady bird" probably originally was "lady bug".
See the related examples of "Not Last Night But The Night Before" and "I Love Coffee I Love Tea" on this page.
In addition, some lines from this rhyme are found in certain examples of "Down Down Baby" (also known as "Shimmy Shimmy Co Co Pa") that are posted on this page..
****
LAST NIGHT AND THE NIGHT BEFORE (Version #2)
Here is a song we used to do on the playground in Birmingham, AL back in the 80s: Last night and the night before I met my boyfriend at the candy store He brought me ice cream he brought me cake he brought me home with a stomachache mama mama i feel sick call the doctor quick quick quick doctor doctor will i die close you eyes and count to five i said a one, a two, a three, a four, a five I'm alive [Optional part] we would do sometimes (a little risque for little girls): see that house on top of that hill that's where me and my baby gon' live we gon' cook some cornbread cook some meat come on baby let's go to bed and do the boom boom boom.
-Joi; 3/23/2008
****
LEMONADE, CRUNCHY ICE (Version #1)
Lemonade (clap, clap, clap)
Crunchy ice (clap, clap, clap)
Beat it once (clap, clap, clap)
Beat it twice (clap, clap, clap)
Lemonade, crunchy ice,
Beat it once, beat it twice,
Lemonade, crunchy ice,
Beat it once, beat it twice (gets faster and faster and continues until someone misses a clap)
-Guest, Sharon; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=63097
"Folklore: Do kids still do clapping rhymes?" ; 9/22/2007
**
Here's a YouTube video of two sisters doing a number of handclap games including "Lemonade" and "Mailman" (directly below).
Hand Clap by the Parreño Sisters
Posted by frappp1
March 30, 2009
The Parreño Sisters, Christine (11) and Regina (8), perform eight hand-clapping games: 1. Slide, 2. Lemonade, 3. Mailman, 4. Handshake, 5. Down Down Baby, 6. Bubblegum, 7. Playground, and 8. Hotdog...
-snip-
Here's a video of three girls doing handclaps to "Lemonade, Crunchy Ice" in Spanish:
sweetbeginnings
July 22, 2008
**
Also see an example of "Lemonade" performed in the video poated above for for "Chinese Checkers".
****
LEMONADE, CRUNCHY ICE (Version #2)
Duh silly we still do hand clappys, it makes us happy!!!!! Love ya`ll !
Lemonade ( clap clap clap )
Crunchy ice ( clap clap clap )
Beat it once ( clap clap clap )
Beat it twice ( clap clap clap )
Lemonade, crunchy ice
Beat it once, beat it twice
Lemonade, crunchy ice
Beat it once, beat it twice
Turn around ( literally )
Touch the ground ( literally )
Give that partner a high five ( literally )
We made 20 dollars at a lemonade stand
Just exactly as we planned
Now how should I should I spend the money with my friends
How bout the candy store
But daddy say don't spend it on that
Cause mommy say that will give you cavities and make you fat
Take it Back
Take it Back
The way you say that, gave me a slap
Right in the back
Slap Slap
Nick Nack
slap slap
aimed exactly too my back
candy bars ( clap clap clap)
lollypops (clap clap clap)
eat it once ( clap clap clap)
eat it twice ( clap clap clap)
Candy bars, jelly beans
now looky there our teeth turned green
now looky there my butt dont fit in my brand new jeans!
Slap Slap
Now I am fat
Mommy aint to happy, thats a fact!
From the Hot Hottie's from Europe
Love Ya`ll ! KISSY WISSY! Like Totally! DUH!
- Guest,The Hotties from Europe; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=63097 : "Folklore: Do kids still do clapping rhymes?"; 6/14/2007
Editor:
This example may be at least two rhymes strung together. If so, the 2nd rhyme might start at the line "We made 20 dollars at a lemonade stand". The word "literally" which is in parenthesis is probably not spoken but describes the movement that you are supposed to do when saying that word.
****
LEMONADE CRUSHED ICE (Version #3)
lemonaid crushed ice
beat it once beat it twice
lemonde crushed ice beat it one beat it twice
turn around touch the ground break it down kick your boyfriend out
of town and freeze.
-Guest, Lex11; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=63097
"Folklore: Do kids still do clapping rhymes?" ; 10/29/2007
****
LEMONADE ICE TEA (Version #4 of Lemonade Chunchy Ice)
lemonade ice tea coca cola pepsi (faster) lemonade ice tea coca pepsi spin around touch the ground kick ur boyfriend outta town FREEZE!
-sk8tergal513,112/2009; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqzGuHSI7O4&feature=rec-r2-2r-4-HM (This video is posted on this page after Version #1 of this rhyme)
****
LOOK AT THAT
Look at that girl
Walkin down the street
Her jeans so tight
I bet she can't breathe.
Her shirt so high
You can see her belly.
Look at that guy
Walkin down the street.
His pants so low
His underwear show.
Look at that child
Walkin down the street
With a toy in his hand
and nothin* on his feet.
Look at that baby
Crawlin down the street
With a diaper on his butt
And it's real soggy.
Look at that city-It's ghetto.
Look around teh corner
You see a drunk fellow.
-Maleka and Malikia; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yev3pkuxHu8&feature=related
(transcribed by Azizi Powell, 3/28/2010)
* I'm not sure about this word.
Here's the video of this handclap rhyme:
look at that the real one by maleka and malikia **
Posted by maleka911
September 13, 2008
** The title of this video refers to the fact that there were two earlier "takes" for this video before this one was filmed.
M, N
MABLE MABLE (Jump rope rhyme)
Mable Mable set the table
Don't forget the red. hot. PEPPER (the rope is turned much faster on the word "pepper")
-multiple sources including Cocojams' editor's childhood memories of Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1950s.
****
MAILMAN. MR. MAILMAN (Version #1 of "Mailman Mailman"
Handclap Rhyme Race-All Florida/Throughout Elementary- Mailman Mr. Mailman do you duty Here comes a lady with a big fat booty She can do the pom pom She can do the twist Most of all she can kiss kiss kiss K - I - S - S Ok. Well ITS like any patty cake rhyme ( the way you move your hands) When you do the K I S S you move your legs and feet out to do a split. But you Dont do a total split. You keep doing this until someone reaches a split, or someone falls. Truly the object of this I think is to do a split.
-Lori; 4/20/2008
Editor:
The entry for a very similar rhyme "Policeman Policeman" is posted below.
Here's a video that shows one way of performing this rhyme:
Mailman, Mailman
Posted by celinababe29
June 24, 2009
" My little sister and her cousin playing Mailman, Mailman after i taught them an hour earlier".
Editor:
"A lady with an African booty" means a lady with a big butt. This phrase is based on the belief that Black women have big butts and that's an African trait. This is considered a compliment and not a put down.
See "Policeman Policeman" and "Police Lady Police Lady" below for similar rhymes.
****
MAIL MAN MAIL MAN (Version #2)
This is in an hand clap version of this song.
Mail Man
Mail Man
Do your Duty
Here comes Miss American Beauty
She can do the Pom Poms
She can do the Twist
But most of all she can
Kiss Kiss Kiss"
K-I-S-S
In the Version of Mail Man Mail Man I was taught as a kid for the " "K-I-S-S" part you inched your feet apart, so you were starting to go into the splits. Then you'd do it again and get your feet farther apart in the next round, until someone fell. It was part of the game to go faster or hit your hands harder together to try to made the other person get off balance and fall.
~Erin; 12/23/2009
****
MAIL MAN MAIL MAN (Version #3)
Mail man, mail man
Do your duty
Here comes the girl
With the big 'ol booty
She can do the hot stuff
She can do the splits
But most of all she can
Kiss, kiss, kiss
K-I-S-S
-http://www.inthe80s.com/rhymes.shtml; assessed 6/13/2010
Editor: Two very similar rhymes ,"Policeman Policeman" and "Police Lady Police Lady" are found below.
****
MISS LUCY HAD A BABY
Editor: Because they are in the same rhyme family, regardless of their "titles", I'm considering examples of Miss Lucy Had A Baby to be versions of each other.
MISS LUCY HAD A BABY (Version #1)
Miss Lucy had a baby
His name was Tiny Tim
She put him in the bathtub
To see if he could swim.
He drank up all the water
He ate up all the soap
He tried to eat the bathtub
But it wouldn't fit down his throat.
Miss Lucy called the doctor
The doctor called the nurse
The nurse called the lady
with the alligator purse.
In came the doctor
In came the nurse
In came the lady
with the alligator purse.
"Measles," said the doctor
"Mumps," said the nurse
"Nothing," said the lady
with the alligator purse.
Out went the doctor
Out went the nurse
Out went the lady
with the alligator purse.
-Anonymous (White woman; from her childhood memories of Washington, D.C. in the 1980s); collected by Azizi Powell, 1999
Editor:
This version is very much like my childhood memories of "Miss Lucy Had A Baby". However, in the version I remember, the line was "but (the bathtub) wouldn't go down his throat". Also, the version I remember didn't include the "Measles said the doctor" verse. Also, I remember a verse "out said the rat/out said the cat/out said the lady with the see/saw hat". But that verse might go with have gone to a whole 'nother handclap rhyme.
Btw, my theory is that "the lady with the alligator purse" was an herbalist. I also believe that "Miss Lucy Had A Baby" and another very widely known rhyme"Miss Susie Had A Steamboat" come from the same rhyme source "Bang Bang Lulu". Clickhttp://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=84511#2469827 to read a discussion on this theory, and find examples of "Bang Bang Lulu" (Bang Bang Rosie). Examples of "Miss Susie Had A Steamboat" are found downthread (down below).
****
MS. SUZIE HAD A BABY (Version #2)
ms. suzie had a baby, she named him tiny tim
she put him the bathtub
to see if he could swim
he drank up all the water
he ate up all the soap
he tried to eat the bathrub
but it wouldn't go down his throat
ms. suzie called the doctor
ms. suzie called the nurse
ms. suzie called the lady-with the alligator purse
crazy said the doctor
stupid said the nurse
hungry said the lady-with the alligator purse
ms. suzie kicked the doctor
ms. suzie punched the nurse
ms. suzie paid the lady-with the alligator purse
-butters; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php; 6/7/2003
****
I HAD A LITTLE DOG (Version #3)
I had a little dog
His name was Tiny Tim
Put him in the bathtub to see if he could swim
Drank all the water
Ate all the soap
Had to phone the doctor before he choked
In came the doctor
In came the nurse
In came the lady with the big fat purse
Out went the doctor
Out went the nurse
Out went the lady with the big fat purse.
-Metoshin, www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm ;Lyr Add: ???; 2/21/2006
Editor:
This rhyme is also given as "I Had A Little Brother"
****
DONNA HAD A BABY (Version #4; Jump Rope Rhyme)
I may have mentioned this before, Azzizi, if not, in the neighborhood where I grew up, both girls and boys jumped rope, some times in mixed groups and some times in "girls only" or "boys only" groups--this was in the middle fifties--I can't remember the whole thing, but here is the basic part--
Donna had a baby,
Named it Tiny Tim,
Put him in the bathtub
To see if he could swim
Drank up all the water
Ate up all the soap
Died last night
With a bubble in his throat.
Momma called the doctor,
Momma called the nurse,
Mama called the doctor
Mama called the nurse
Mama called the lady
With the Alligator Purse.
Too late for the doctor
Too late for the nurse
Too late for the lady
With the Aliigator Purse
One, two, three, four, etc.
My neighborhood was not one of the better ones, and we knew the lady with the alligator purse to be a social worker,because wherever misfortune visited, she followed --
The "bubble", it was later explained to me, was not from the soap, it was the membrane in the throat associated with diphtheria--
-M. Ted; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=90418#1713528; 4/21/2006
****
MISS LUCY HAD A BABY (Example #5)
Miss lucy had a baby
his name was tiny tim
she put him in the bath tub
to see if he could swim
he drank up all the water
he ate up all the soap
he tried to eat the bathtub but it wouldn't go down his throat
Miss lucy called the doctor
the doctor called the nurse
the nurse called the lady with the alligator purse
Mumps! said the doctor
Measles! said the nurse
Nothing! said the lady with the alligator purse
Shots! said the doctor
Medicine! said the nurse
Pizza! said the lady with the alligator purse
Miss lucy punched the doctor
Miss lucy kicked the nurse
Miss lucy payed the lady with the alligator purse.
(we didn't sing the in and "out" verses, but that was probably because we used it as a clapping game and not a jump rope game.
-Guest, girl; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=90418#1713528;
Folklore: Lady's alligator purse? Her own thread; 4/21/2006
****
MISS MARY MACK (Example #1)
Miss Mary Mack Mack Mack
All dressed in black black black
With silver buttons buttons buttons
Up and down her back back back.
She asked her mother mother mother
For fifteen cents cents cents
To see the elephant elephant elephant
Jump the fence fence fence
He jumped so high high high
He touched the sky sky sky
And he never came back back back
Till the fourth of July ly ly
-multiple sources, including my childhood memories of Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1950s
Editor:
"(Miss) Mary Mack: appears to be the most widely known handclap rhyme, at least among African American girls & boys and African American adults. I knew it as a child. And most Black American children who have participated in my game song groups usually know it.
The people I've asked about this rhyme (from my "adopted" city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and from my hometown of Atlantic City, New Jersey) only know this version of "Miss Mary Mack" (though the amount of money had changed from 15 cents to fifty cents. However, some books that I've read include this verse at the end of "Miss Mary Mack":
July can't walk.
July can't talk.
July can't eat
with a knife and fork.
-snip-
Here's another verse that is sometimes added to the end of the "standard" version of Miss Mary Mack:
She went up stairs, stairs, stairs
To make her bed, bed, bed
She bumped her head, head, head
On a piece of corn bread.
-snip-
I've also read versions of "Mary Mack" that include these traditional verses:
She went to the river, river, river
But she couldn't get across, cross, cross
So she paid five dollars
for an old gray horse horse horse
And the horse wouldn't pull pull pull
So she traded it for a bull bull bull etc
-snip-
Vocalist Ella Jenkins recorded this version of "Mary Mack":
May-Ree Mack, dressed in black
Buttons all up and down her back
Hi-yo, hi-yo, hi-yo-o, hi-yo
Give me a nickel, give me a dime
See my honey baby all the time
Hi-yo, hi-yo, hi-yo-o, hi-yo
Went to the river, couldn't get across
Got in trouble with my boss
Hi-yo, hi-yo, hi-yo-o, hi-yo
Words and Music: Ella Jenkins
1968 Ella Jenkins (ASCAP)
Here's a song track of that song: http://saintsandspinners.blogspot.com/2007/10/song-of-week-may-ree-mack....
-snip-
What version of "Miss Mary Mack" do you know? Send it in!
**
Here are a few videos of children doing handclaps while chanting "Miss Mary Mack". Notice the different ways they do the hand routines, and notice the slightly different words that they chant:
Miss Mary Mac!
Miss Mary Mac!
Posted by evrlastingbeauti
September 26, 2007
**
Hailey and Julie Singing Miss Mary Mack"
Posted by arlenebabb53
July 13, 2008
**
B-I-N-G-O and Miss Mary Mack by Samantha and Lauren
Posted byscacciata
April 23, 2009
"Samantha and Lauren show hand clapping games"
****
OLD MARY MACK (Example #2)
Hi, When I was growing up, we learned Old Mary Mack a little differently. The first 4 lines were the same, the remaining lines went like this: She cannot read read read She cannot write write write But she can smoke smoke smoke Her father's pipe pipe pipe Not very PC, (politically correct) but what do you expect from a kid from Boston! (grin) Take care.
-Judy ; 6/2/2007
Editor:
When I was growing up in Atlantic City, New Jersey in the 1950s, I learned this verse from my mother: "Can you read?/can you write?/ Can you smoke your daddy's pipe?" However, that rhyme wasn't combined with Miss Mary Mack.
****
MISS MARY MACK (Example #3)
Miss Mary Mack, Mack Mack
All dressed in Black, Black Black.
With silver Buttons, buttons buttons,
all down her back back back.
She asked her mother, mother, mother
for fifty cents cents cents.
To see the elephants, elephants, elephants
jump over the fence, fence, fence.
They jumped so high, high, high
they reached the sky, sky, sky
they never came back, back, back
till the fourth of july, ly,ly.
She went upstairs, stairs, stairs
to make her bed, bed,bed
she made a mistake, stake, stake
and she bumped her head, head, head
she went downstairs, stairs, stairs
to make some cookies, cookies, cookies
she made a mistake stake stake
and she ate her boogies boogies boogies.
she went outside, side side
to mow the grass grass grass
she made a mistake stake stake
and she mowed her ass, ass ass
she went inside side side
to tell her mother, mother, mother
she made a mistake stake stake
and she told her brother, brother, brother!
-Rae, http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php; Schoolyard Games,
8/10/2006
****
MRS MARY MACK (Example #4)
Mrs Mary Mack Mack Mack.
All dressed in black black black.
with silver buttons buttons buttons buttons
all down her back back back
she asked her mother mother mother
for 15 cents cents cents
to see the elephants elephants elephants
jump over the fence fence fence
she jumped so high high high
she touched the sky sky sky
and she never came back back back
till the fourth of July ly ly
A jump rope chant from the 1980's Elkhart Indiana
-Sonjala A; 3/15/2008
Editor:
I think of "Mary Mack" as a handclap rhyme, so I appreciate the fact that Sonjala wrote that she remembers reciting it while jumping rope.
****
MISS SUE FROM ALABAMA (Version #1)
Miss Sue
Miss Sue from Alabama
Hey you,
scooby do
your Mama's got the measles
Your papa's got the flu
magic measles
magic flu
Take an a b c d e f g
Take an h i j k l.m.n.o.p.
Take a smooth shot
Take a smooth shot
and now freeze.
-Eleanor Fulton, Pat Smith; Let's Slice The Ice, (Magnamusic-Baton, 1978;
St. Louis, Mo.; p 16)
****
MISS SUE FROM ALABAMA (Version #2)
Miss Sue, Scooby Doo
Miss Sue from Alabama
Sittin at the table
peeling mashed potatoes.
Waitin for the clock to go
boom tick tock.
boom ticky wally wally.
Boom tick tock
Boom ticky wally wally.
Stop!
Ah 2 more time.
Boom tick tock.
Boom ticky wally wally.
Boom tick tock.
boom ticky wally wally.
Ah 1 more time.
Boom tick tock
Boom ticky wally wally
Boom tick tock.
Boom ticky wally wally.
Ah no more times.
-Alafia Children's Ensemble, Pittsburgh, PA; 1999 & 2001; Collected by Azizi Powell, 1999 & 2001, posted by Azizi, 2004
Editor:
Miss Sue can be performed by partners or various numbers of girls and boys. Two children stand facing each other and perform intricate handclap routines. The handclap motions can be alternated between three children on each side of one child, or between two sets of partners. Here's the way that I've seen in play with more than four children: the children stand in a circle formation. The children place one of their hands palm up and their other hand palm down. While reciting the rhyme, girls and boys simultaneously clap the hands of the persons standing on their right side and their left side. An up and down dipping motion often accompanies the hand clapping and recitation.
Prior to beginning the rhyme, either one of the players or an adult group leader determines how many times the "boom tick tock" portion of the rhyme is given. After chanting "no more times", the rhyme is over.
"Scooby Doo" is a cartoon character of a dog that was created by Hanna Barbara. The name "Scooby Doo" was probably added to this traditional verse for rhythmic effect ("Doo" rhymes with "Sue")
****
MISS SUE FROM ALABAMA (Version #3)
Hi,
I was searching the web for handclap songs and came across your website and you asked for more versions of "Miss Sue from Alabama". My daughter is 6 years old, we live in Northern California and this is what the kids on her playground are singing:
Miss Sue
Miss Sue
Miss Sue from Alabama
Her real name is Susanna
Sittin' in the rocking chair eating baby crackers watching the clock go
Tick tock tick tock bananna rock, tick toc, tic toc bananna rock
A-B-C-D-E-F-G wash those spiders off of me,
Mooscha, Mooscha, I want my mommy
Mooscha mooscha I know karate
Mooscha moosch oops I am sorry
Mooscha mooscha FREEZE!
-Deena GS; 12/15/2002
Editor:
"Eating baby crackers" probably came from the phrase "eating Betty Crocker". "Betty Crocker" is the invented name for a fictitious cook who represented the General Mills company. "Betty Crocker" cookbooks contain all kinds of easy to use recipes, including recipes for bake goods such as cookies, pies, and cakes. Thus "eating Betty Crocker" more than likely means eating some baked goods that were created by using a Betty Crocker recipe. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betty_Crocker for more information about "Betty Crocker".
****
MISS SUE FROM ALABAMA (Version #4)
Hi:-) I just wanted to submit a very popular version of the 'handclap rhyme' song "Miss Sue From Alabama".
I lived in Indiana my whole life although I changed schools alot, and this song seemed to be known by every other African American child I met. Here's how we all sang it:
Miss Sue! *clap clap*
Miss Sue! *clap clap*
Miss Sue from Alabama
Her real names Suzyanna
Sittin in a rockin chair
Eatin Betty Crocker bread
Watchin the clock go
Tick tock tick tock Banana rock!
Tick tock tick tock Banana rock!
A-b-c-d-e-f-g Wash them spots right offa me!
Moocha Moocha Moocha Freeze!
*literally freeze on the last clap,
try to stay still longer than your friend
-darlenevil; 2/1/2005
****
MISS SUE FROM ALABAMA (Version #5)
Miss Sue
Miss Sue
Miss Sue from Alabama
Her real name is Susanna
Sittin' in her rocker
eatin' Betty Crocker
Watching the clock go
Tick Tock Tick Tock banana rock
Tick Tock Tick Tock banana rock
A B C D E F G
Wash those spiders off of me
Moosha Moosha I want my mommy
Moosha Moosha I know karate
Moosha Moosha oops I'm sorry
Moosha Moosha FREEZE!
(lots of hand movements to this one! and the first one to move loses C:)
-Grace Kim; http://battery-d.livejournal.com/87113.html ; 12/17/2005
****
MISS SUE FROM ALABAMA (Version #6)
You said you needed more Ms.Sue hand games. This is what I have heard: Ms sue(clap clap) Ms Sue(clap clap) Ms sue from alabama alaska nebraska sittin' in a rockin' chair eatin' peanut butter watching the clock go tick tock tick tock chihuahua tick tock tick chihuahua a,b,c,d,e,f,g wash these cookies off of me musha musha walkin with a cane musha musha it's all to the same to me musha musha oops excuse me I hope you enjoy this hand game
-Haley, 11/5/2006
****
MISS SUE FROM ALABAMA (Version #7)
We had a different version of Miss Sue in the early 70's in New Orleans. It went something like this: Miss Sue Miss Sue Miss Sue from Alabama Hey little girl with a zip-a-dee-doo Ya mama got the measles and ya papa does, too Take an a,b,c,d,e,f,g Ya take an h,i,j,k,l,m,n,o,p Ya take a booster shot Ya take a booster shot Take a booster shot and...FREEZE!
-Adriana; 1/11/2007
Editor:
See this comment about this example that comes via the Internet from Dave in China:
"Just want to compliment you on this fascinating collection and confirm "Miss Sue #6". I'm a 39yo white male originally from New Orleans. I woke up from a nap today in China, with the phrase "take a booster shot and freeze" inexplicably stuck in my head. I had no idea what it meant, but I Googled it and out popped this site. Very interesting to see all the variations and curious about their development as well as many related topics. (I'm looking into studying ethnomusicology next year. This site could come in handy.) This one from New Orleans was exactly what my sister was singing in one of my earliest memories circa 1971".
-Dave; 6/22/2007
-snip-
Thanks for the compliment, Dave! I also enjoy reading these examples. And I'm glad this collection may be of interest to folks studying ethnomusicology and other subjects.
****
MISS SUE FROM ALABAMA (Version #8)
Hi there. I'm from Mississippi and was in elementary school in the late 80's through early 90's. the version of "Miss Sue" I remember was not listed here. I thought I'd help you out. Last time I heard it, I think it had varied ever so slightly from when I was in school, but this is how I remember it: Miss Sue (clap clap clap) Miss Sue (clap clap clap) Miss Sue from Alabama Sittin' in a rocker eatin' betty crocker watchin' that clock go tick-tock, tick-tock-banana-nana tick-tock, tick-tock banana-nana ABCDEFG-wash those stains right out'a my knees MUSHKA, MUSHKA, MUSHKA FREEZE (as fast as you can) 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10! I never got the last part...sometimes the rule was you had to stay still while you counted, and sometimes it was to count the fastest. The most distinct difference I remember is that there were always three claps after "Miss Sue." I hope that was helpful.
-Allison (Mississippi; late 1980s, early 1990s); 2/28/2007
****
MISS SUE FROM ALABAMA (Version #9)
Heres another version of miss Sue. We sang this in Pennsylvania
Miss Sue (clap clap) Miss Sue (clap clap) Miss sue from alabama we call her susyanna sitting in her rocker (moving arms like rocking chair) eating betty crocker watching the clock go ticktock tick tock shawalwalla (moving fingers like clock then rolling hands) ticktock tick tock shawalwalla a-b-c-d-e-f-g wipe those dirty hands off me (wipe your hands on other person) moocha moocha moocha freeze (during moocha moocha moocha find position and freeze and try to stay still for longer than other person)
- Aubri ; 4/15/2007
****
MISS SUE FROM ALABAMA (Version #10)
I know of another version of "Miss Sue From Alabama" and if you don't mind I'll write it below and the instructions as well as I can. I met a Sue from Alabama, Nebraska, Alaska, we call her Suziana (pause here) Sitting in a rocking chair, eating Betty Crocker, watching the clock go tick, tock, tick tock Phenominock, tick, tock, tick tock Phenominock A-B-C-D-E-F-G, I got Plastic Surgery! Mishka, Mishka, I want my mommy! Mishka, Mishka, I do karate! Mishka, Mishka, Oops, I'm sorry! Mishka, Mishka, FREEZE! Instructions: In the very beginning of the song, on the word "I", you pat your knees (this is a 2 person game). Then on "I met a Sue from Alabama..." you clap your own hands, extend your right hand to the other person's right hand, clap your own hands again, extend your left hand to the other person's left hand, clap you own hands, and keep on doing this until the words "Sitting in a rocking chair". On those words you rock your hands to and fro like a rocking chair. On "eating Betty Crocker" you pretend to hold a spoon to your mouth, on "Watching the clock go Tick, tock, tick tock Phenominock" you put your hands together, swishing them side to side on the "tick tock" parts, on "Phenominock" (pronounced Fi-nom-in-ock) you put both your hands around your ears and circle them. You repeat this until you get to "A-B-C-D-E-F-G". On that, you circle your finger around your face. On "I got Plastic Surgery!" you put both hands inside your both, pulling the insides of your cheeks. On "Mishka, Mishka", you extend both of your hands to meet the other person's, and clap them twice. On "I want my mommy" you pretend to suck your thumb. Extend and clap hands twice again for "Mishka Mishka" and then on "I know karate!" Cross your arms or do any karate pose. Same thing again on the next "Mishka Mishka" and on "Oops, I'm sorry!" hit the other person on the head. Mishka, Mishka... then when you say "Freeze!" You get into any position and stay in it. It's also a blinking contest, and whoever blinks first loses. I hope that my instructions made you understand!
-Janice ; 2/20/2008
****
MISS SUE FROM ALABAMA (Version #11)
Mis Sue from Alabama
Let's make a movie
Sitting in a rocking chair
Eating Betty Crocker
Watching the clock say
Tick Tock Boom Boom Banana
Tick Tock Boom Boom Banana
Hey white girl whatcha going to do
Momma got the measles Daddy got the flu
Give me a ABCDEFG HIJKLMNOP
Take a flue shot take a flu shot
and FREEZE
-Guest, Mom From Bama [who indicates she learned this from her two small girls]; 5/2/2008 http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=102055&messages=48 ; Folklore: Play Ground Hand Jives
****
MISS SUE FROM ALABAMA (Version #12)
Mis Sue Mis Sue
Mis Sue from Alabama
Let's make a movie
Sitting in a rocking chair
Eating Betty Crocker
Watching the clock say
Tick Tock Boom Boom Banaa
Tick Tock Boom Boom Banaa
Hey Little white girl watcha going to do
Momma got the mesals Daddy got the flu
Give me a ABCDEFG HIJKLMNOP
Take a flu shot take a flu shot
And FREEZE
-Guest,MOM from BAMA; 5/2/2008; http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=102055&messages=44#2090519
Folklore: Play Ground Hand Jives
****
MISS SUE FROM ALABAMA (Version #13)
Here is the song to a hand game we played: Ms. Sue! (clap hands 3 times) Ms. Sue! (Clap hands 3 times) Ms. Sue from Alabama (Do patty cake hand thing-a-majig) They call her Suziana 'cuz she's... (Move arms as if you're in rocking chair) Sittin' in a rocking chair Eating Betty Crackers (Act like you're eating crackers) Watchin' the clock go tick tock (Point index fingers up and move them left right left right) Tick tock FINALLYALLY! (At Finallyally move both fingers around ears as if you're saying someone's crazy) Tick Tock Tick Tock FINALLYALLY A B C D E F G (Dot down your body) Wash those boy germs off of me! (Wipe off your shirt) BOOPA! BOOPA! (Throw out open hands) I WANT MY MOMMY! (Cuddle hands) BOOPA BOOPA! I know Karate! (Act like you know Karate) BOOPA BOOPA! OOPS I'M SORRY! (Bump someone in the arm) BOOPA BOOPA FREEZE! AMERICAN CHEESE! (Freeze) Don't let those ______ touch me! (Replace _____ with something like Arms, Elbows, pinkies...Then do jingle over again this time using arms/elbows/pinkies...until you want to continue with song) The boys are in the bathroom (Now continue with patty cake motions) Slurping up their flies are in the meadow Ms. Sue is with her boyfriend Kissing in the D-A-R-K D-A-R-K D-A-R-K DARK DARK DARK! Darker than the ocean! Darker than the sea! Darker than the underwear my grandma made for me! My mother is godzilla! My Father is king kong, My brother is the boy who made me sing this stupid song! HEY!
-Alicia; 3/4/2009
****
MISS SUSIE HAD A STEAMBOAT
Editor: Examples from this rhyme family are considered versions of each other regardless of the main character's name or what type of boat is mentioned.
MISS SUSIE HAD A TUG BOAT (Version #1)
Miss Susie had a tug boat, her tugboat had a bell, Miss Susie went to heaven her tug boat went to HELL...o operator please give me number nine, and if you disconnect me I'll cut of you're behind the 'fridgerator there lay a piece of glass Miss Susie sat upon it and cut her little ASS...k me no more questions, I'll tell you no more lies the boys are in the bathroom zipping up their flies are in the meadow, the bees are in the park, Miss Susie and her boyfriend are kissing in the D-A-R-K, D-A-R-K, dark dark dark. The dark is like the movies, the movies' like the show, the show is like tv and that is all I know know know, I know I know my ma I know I know my pa, I know I know my sister with the 49'rs bra. The bra is for the boobies, the boobies for the milk, the milk is for the babies with diapers made of silk.
-Kristeena; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php ; June 7, 2003
Editor:
Thanks to Hall from Octoblog (the website whose link is given above) for permission to post examples from that site's Schoolyard games thread.
****
MISS SUSIE HAD A STEAMBOAT (Version #2)
Miss Susie had a steamboat,
the steamboat had a bell ding ding,
the steamboat went to heaven,
Miss susie went to
hello operator,
give me number nine,
and if you disconnect me,
I'll chop off your
behind the refrigerator
there lay a piece of glass
Miss susie sat upong it
and broke her little
ask me no more questions
tell me no more lies
the boys are in the bathroom
zipping up their
flies are in the city
bees are in the park
Miss susie and her boyfriend
are kissing in the
d-a-r-k
d-a-r-k
d-a-r-k
dark dark dark
the dark is like the movies,
the movies like the show
the show is like the tv set
and that is all i know know know
i know i know my ma
i know i know my pa
i know i know my sister
with the sixty dollar, sixty dollar sixty dollar bra bra bra
my mother is godzilla
my father is king kong
my brother is the stupid one
who made up this song
my mother gave me a nickel
my father gave me a dime
my sister gave me a boyfriend
his name was frankenstein
he made me do the dishes
he made me wash the floors
he made me clean his underweard
then i kicked him out the door
i kicked him over london
i kicked him over france
i kicked him over hollywood and he lost his underpants
-Erin; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php ; 4/19/2004
Here's a video clip of two girls reciting a version of "Miss Susie Had A Steamboat" whose ending is simlar to the version of the above example:
Posted by rosebudandgrumpers
October 02, 2007
"The twins playing hand games"
****
MRS MARY HAD A STEAMBOAT (Version #3)
Mrs Mary had a steam boat, the boat had a bell toot toot.
Mrs Mary went to heaven, the steamboat went to
hell-o operator give me number nine,
And it you disconnect me I'll kick you from
behind the yellow certain their lay a piece of glass
Mrs Mary fell opon it and cut her big fat
as-k me no more questions and tell me no more lies.
The boys are in the bath room doing up their flys. The bees are in the park,
Mrs Mary and her boyfriend are kissing darker than the ocean, darker than the sea,
darker than the underwear my mommy puts on me.
-elizabeth; (Canada); 10/28/2005
****
MS. SUSIE HAD A STEAMBOAT (Version #4)
This is a clap game...early [19]80's Baton Rouge, LA playground:
Ms. Susie had a steamboat...The steamboat had a bell...Ms Susie
went to heaven...The steamboat went to Hell-o operator give me number nine...if you disconnect me...I'll kick your big Be-hind the fridgerator...There was a piece of glass...Ms. Susie sat upon it and broke her big ole As-k me know more questions...tell me no more lies...The cows are in the barnyard.. Eating chocolate pie!!!
Note: It was hilarious as a kid!! :)
-Felicia; 2/25/2006
****
MS. SUSIE HAD A STEAMBOAT (Version #5)
ms.susie had a steamboat the steamboat had a bell ms.susie went to hevan and ms.susie went to hell_o perator please give me number nine and if u disconact me i will kick you right behind the rafigerator there was a peice of glass ms.susie sat upon it and broke her little as_K me know more questions teel me no more lies the boys are in the bathroom the bees are in the park ms.susie and her boyfriend are kissing in the d-a-r-k d-a-rk dark dark dark the movies is the show the show is all i know.i know i know my pa i know i know my ma.
-katie; 5/15/2006
****
MS. LUCY HAD A STEAMBOAT (Version #6)
Me and lilly have another rhyme for handclaps it goes....
Ms. Lucy had a steamboat the steamboat had a bell ding ding, The steamboat went to heaven and Ms. Lucy went to hell-o operator please give me Number 9 and if you disconnect me i will kick you right behind-the refrigerater there laid a peice of glass ms. Lucy feel Upon it and she broke her little as-k me no more questions tell me no more lies, Ms. lucy fell upon it the day before she died-her hair all purple she died her hair all pink she died her hair all polka dot and washed it in the sink-me in the ocean sink me in the sea sink me in the toilet but please dont pee on me!! psssss woops!
-Marlee & Lilly; 5/14/2006
****
MISS SUSIE HAD A STEAMBOAT (Version #7)
Miss Susie had a steamboat, The steamboat had a bell, The steamboat went to heaven, Miss Susie went to, Hell-o operator, Give me number nine, And if you disconnect me, I'll chop off your, Behind- the refrigerator, There was a piece of glass, Miss Suzie sat upon it, And cut her little, Ass-k me any question, I tell no lies, The boys are in the girl's bathroom, Zipping down their, Flies- are in the city, Bees are in the park, (Friend�s name) and her(his) boy(girl)friend, Are kissing in the, D-a-r-k, D-a-r-k, D-a-r-k, Dark dark dark, The dark is like the movies, The movies like the show, The show is like the TV set, And that is all I know, I know I know my ma, I know I know my pa, I know I know my sister, With the forty acre bra, My mother is Godzilla, My father is King Kong, My brother is the stupid one, Who taught me this song, My mother gave me a nickel, My father gave me a dime, My sister gave me her old boyfriend, His name was Frankenstein, He made me do the dishes, He made me wash the floors, He made me clean his underwear, So I kicked him out the door, I kicked him over London, I kicked him over France, I kicked him over Hawaii where he learned the hula dance, He swam across the ocean, He swam across the sea, He swam across the tub, Just to get to me, I flushed him down the tub, I drained the water good, I kicked him out just like my mama said I should, In Hawaii he met the good girls, In Hawaii he met the bad, Half way through Hawaii he ran into my dad, The good girls go to heaven, So the bad girls go to, Hell-o operator, Give me number ten, And if you disconnect me, I'll sing this song again!
-Elle F.; 11/18/2006
****
MS. SUSIE HAD A STEAMBOAT (Version #8)
My friend jessica and I learned ms. susie this way... Ms Susie had a steamboat, her steamboat had a bell (TOOT TOOT!)Ms susie went to heaven, he steamboat went to hell-o operater, give me number 9, and if you disconnect me, i'll kick your big be- hind the frigerator, there was a piece of glass, ms susie slipped apon it, and broke her big fat as-k me no more question, tell me no more lies, the boys are in the bathroom, zipping up their flies are in the meadow, bees are in the park, ms susie and her boyfriend, are kissing in the d-a-r-k, d-a-r-k, d-a-r-k, darker than the ocean, darker than the sea, darken then those black birds, chasing after me! i know i know my pa, i know i know my ma, i know i know my sister with the 40 acre bra!!!
-Sydney and Jessica; 9/23/2007
****
MS. SUZIE HAD A STEAMBOAT (Version #9)
ms. suzie had a steamboat, the steamboat had a bell *ding ding* ms. suzie went to heaven, the steamboat went to hell-o operator, connect me number 9. and if you disconnect me, i'll kick your front-behind the frigerator, there was a piece of glass. ms. suzie sat upon it, and broke her little ass-k me no more questions, i'll tell you no more lies. the boys are in the bathrooms, zipping up their flies-are in the meadow, the bees are in the hive, me. suzie and her boyfriend, are kissing in the D-A-R-K, D-A-R-K, DARK DARK DARK. the dark is like the movies, the movies like the show. the show is like my tv set and that is all i know! i know i know my ma, i know i know my pa. i know my older sister wears a 40-acre bra!
-Kat ; 10/10/2007
****
MISS SUSIE HAD A STEAMBOAT (Version #10)
miss susy had a steam boat the steam boat had a bell ding-ding miss susy went to heaven the stem boat went to hell-o operator please give me number 9 and is you siconect me i'll chop off your behind...the fridgerator there layed a piece of glass miss susy sat upon it and broke her little..ask me no more questions tell me no more lies the boys are in the bathroom zipping up their...flies are in the meadows bees are in the park miss susy and her boyfriend were kissing in the d-a-r-k d-a-r-k d-a-r-k dark dark dark the dark is like the movies the movies like the show the show is like a t.v screen and that is all i know i know i know my mom i know i know my pa i know i know my sister with the 80 meter 80 meter 80 meter bra bra bra the bra is black & purple as purple as can be the bra is stuck with cotton balls and thats the end of me me me my mom is like godzilla my dad is like king-kong my sister is the stupid one that made up this dumb song another one...
-Samantha; 3/15/2008 (learned in the 1990s)
****
MISS SUSIE HAD A STEAMBOAT (Versions #11, 12, 13, 14)
here are 1 I know and 3 i learned from my friends their all the same but worded differently their really kinda funny Miss Susie had a steamboat the steamboat had a bell Miss Susie went to heaven the steamboat went to Hello (hell) operator please give me number nine and if you disconnect me I'll kick you from behind the refrigerator there was a piece of glass Miss Susie sat upon it and cut her little (ass) ask me no more questions tell me no more lies the boys are in the bathroom zipping up their flies are in the meadow, the bees are in the park Miss Susie and her boyfriend are kissing in the dark is like a movie a movie's like a show a show is like a tv screen and that is all i know i know my ma i know i know my pa i know i know my sister with the 80 acre alligator bra
OR
Miss Susie had a steamboat the steamboat had a bell Miss Susie went to Heaven the steamboat went to hello (hell) operator please give me number nine and if you disconnect me, I'll paddle your Behind the refrigerator there was a piece of glass Miss Susie sat upon it and broke her little (ass) ask me no more questions tell me no more lies the boys are in the girls' room pulling down their flies Miss Susie and her boyfriend are kissing in the D-A-R-K D-A-R-K D-A-R-K [fast] DARK, DARK, DARK dark is like a movie a movie's like a show a show is like a TV screen and that is all I know I know I know my mother I know I know my pa I know I know my sister with the alligator bra!
OR
Miss Susie had a steamboat the steamboat had a bell Miss Susie went to heaven the steamboat went to...(hell) Hello operator please give me number nine and if you disconnect me i'll kick you from... behind the refrigerator there was a piece of glass Miss Susie fell upon it and cut her little...(ass) ask me no more questions tell me no more lies Miss Susie told me everything the day before she... Died her hair in purple, died her hair pink, died her hair in polka-dots and washed it down the... Sink me in the ocean, Sink me in the sea, Sink me in/down the toilet, But please don't pee on me!
OR
Miss Suzie had a steamboat. The steamboat had a bell TOOT TOOT! Miss Suzie went to heaven. The steamboat went to, Hell-o operator I'm dialing number 9 and if you disconnect me ill kick your little, Behind the refrigerator I lay a piece of glass, Miss Suzie sat upon it and broke her little, Ask me no more questions I'll tell you no more lies, The boys are in the bathroom zipping up their, Flies are in the meadow the bees are in the park, Miss Suzie kissed her boyfriend in the, D-A-R-K D-A-R-K DARK DARK DARK! Oh hello operator I'm dialing number 10 and if you disconnect me ill sing this song again!
-Courtney ; 3/27/2008
Editor:
Courtney, thanks for sending in those different versions of "Miss Susie Had A Steamboat". To make it easier to read the different examples, I separated them from each other after the word "OR" which you had capitalized in the message that you had submitted. I applaud you for being alert to the differences in words in the examples of this rhyme that you and your friends know.
When I was growing up, I assumed that everybody knew the same rhymes as my friends and I did, and everybody "did" them the same way as we did. Internet websites such as Cocojams demonstrate that some children's rhymes have multiple versions. These versions usually have the same tune, but have slightly different or significantly different words. I enjoy collecting different versions of the same rhymes. Maybe you do too!
I think it's interesting that these different versions that you sent in are from people who presumably live in the same neighborhood or who go to the same school. Usually, what I've found in my admittedly informal study of rhymes is that children/teens who are the same or similar age group, and who are the same gender, race/ethnic group, and who live in the same neighborhood and go to the same school recite the same version of a particular rhyme. That's why, Courtney, I'd love to know if you and your friends have different versions of "Miss Susie/Miss Suzie Had A Steamboat" share the same demographical markers {age, gender, race, and geographical location, including attending the same school}. I look forward to the possibility of receiving more information from you. Thanks again!
****
MISS SUSIE HAD A TUGBOAT (Version #15)
miss susie had a tug boat the tugboat had a bell choo-choo
miss susie went to heaven the tugboat went to
hello operator please give me number nine
and if you disconnect me i will chop of your
behind the 'fridgerator there was a piece of glass
miss susie sat upon it and broke her big fat
ask me no more questions tell me no more lies
the boys are in the bathroom zipping up their
flies are in the meadow bees are in the park
miss susie and her boyfriend are kissing in the
D-A-R-K D-A-R-K DARK DARK
dark is at the movies
the movies are a show
a show is like a tv show and that is all i know know know
i know i know my ma
i know i know my pa
i know i know my sister with the 80 mile bra
it's not too big it's not too small it's just the size of city hall
city hall's in portland portland is in maine
maine is in the united states and this song is insane
miss susie had a tugboat the tugboat had a bell
miss susie went to heaven the tugboat went to
hello operator please give me number ten
and if you disconnect me i will sing this song again
-lissandsara; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mJ_f8Vczok&feature=related ; August 30, 2008
Liss and Sara... Awesome Hand Clapping Games
****
MISS SUSIE HAD A STEAMBOAT (Versions #16)
[My older sister taught me this one. We're both white girls.]
Ms Susie had a steam boat Her steam boat had a bell Ms. Susie went to heaven Her steamboat went to Hell-o operator Please give me number nine If you disconnect me I'll chop off your Behind the 'frigerator There lies a piece of glass Ms. Susie sat upon it and broke her big fat Asssss-k me no more questions Tell me no more lies The boy are in the bathroom Zipping up their Flies are in the meadow The bees are in the park Ms. Susie and her boyfriend are kissing in the D-A-R-K D-A-R-K DARK Darker than the ocean Darker than the sea Darker than the underwear my mother puts on me Now I know I know my ma Now I know I know my pa Now I know I know my sister with the forty acre bra!
-Liz; 9/24/2008
****
MISS SUSIE HAD A STEAMBOAT (Versions #17)
(Patty cake motions) Ms. Suzie had a steam boat Her steam boat had a bell Ding Ding (Pretend to pull cord that activates "ding ding" sound) Ms. Suzie went to heaven Her steamboat went to HELLO Operator Gimme number 9! And if you disconnect me, I'll cut off your BEHIND the 'fridgerator there sat a piece of glass Ms. Suzie sat upon it and broke her little AS-K me no more questions I'll tell you no more lies that's the thing Ms. Suzie said the day before she died HEY!
-Alicia; 4/4/2009
Editor's Note:
As a reminder, for the benefit of folkoric research, it would be great if those who submit examples for possible posting on Cocojams would also include demographical information, particularly where the rhyme comes from (city, state if in the USA, city, nation if outside the USA) and when it was performed (year or decade such as 2003 or late 1990s).
It would also be helpful if you would include information about the gender (girls and/or boys) and race/ethnicity of the performers. In addition, it would be great if you added information about how you learned this rhyme (for example, from friends, or from an older sister).
Finally, information about how the rhyme is performed (such as with a partner, or in a circle with lots of people) would also be very
helpful for people who study rhymes. Thanks again for sharing rhymes with Cocojams!
Here's a video of one v ersion of "Miss Susie Had A Steamboat":
Miss Susie
Posted by novemberose88
November 24, 2007
"Kristen and Kylie doing hand-clapping"
****
MOMMA MOMMA CAN'T YOU SEE (Version #1)
Momma momma can't you see
What the army's done to me
Took away my MTV
Now I got to watch Barney
Tic Tac Toe
Three in a row
Barney got killed
By GI Joe.
Don't stop till your hands get hot
Don't stop till your hands get red
(After this line, partners do a series of fast handclaps; the first person who moves her or his hand away so that the hand won't be hit, loses)
-African American girls and boys; around 8-10 years old; Duquesne, Pennsylvania, 7/1999
Editor:
A military cadence may be the source of this children's rhyme. Visit Cocojams' Military Cadence page to find a video that includes this rhyme:
http://www.cocojams.com/content/military-cadences-other-cadences
****
MOMMA MOMMA CAN'T YOU SEE (Version #2)
Momma momma can't you see
What the army's done to me
Said Michael Jackson was a fag
But him in a plastic bag
Made me clean the living room
Made me clean the bathroom
Don't stop till your hands get hot
Don't stop till your hands get red.
-8 year old African American boy, Fort Pitt Elementary School; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 11/2001
Editor:
Cocojams presents examples of rhymes for their creative & folkloric value. I definitely do not approve of anyone calling a person a "fag"
****
MOMMA MOMMA CAN'T YOU SEE (Version #3)
Momma momma can't you see
What the army's done to me
Took away my MTV
Now I got to watch Barney
Tic Tac Toe
Three in a row
Your mama got killed
By GI Joe.
Don't stop till your hands get hot
Don't stop till your hands get red
-African American girls, ages 9 years old; Fort Pitt Elementary School; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 10/2006
Editor:
"Momma Momma Can't You See" appears to be a rather widely known handclap rhyme in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area. It appears to be performed by girls [up to the age of about 12 years] and boys up to the age of about 8 years old].
The "your mama got killed" line appears to have replaced the "Barney got killed by GI Joe" line that I first heard recited by African American boys and girls in 1999 in Duquesne, Pennsylvania, a city about 12 miles from downtown Pittsburgh. If that is so, I find it very troubling that the line about Barney (the fictitious television character that "older" children love to hate) getting killed has been replaced with a line about a mother getting killed.
From 1999-2007, I heard the "Barney got killed by GI Joe" line within this rhyme on a number of occasions throughout numerous African American neighborhoods in Pittsburgh, PA area. Fort Pitt Accelerated Learning Academy (formerly Fort Pitt Elementary School) is a Pittsburgh Public School that has 99.99% African American students. I'm not sure how widespread that "momma got killed" line was or is. However, I also heard that specific line chanted at the same school-with different girls of the same ages-in 2007. At that time, I asked the girls to repeat the rhyme again to see if they would say it the same way, and they did so. More research needs to be done to ascertain if this replacement line is widespread and if this rhyme is still even "done" in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere.
If you know this rhyme, please send in the version that you know!
****
MOMMA MOMMA CAN'T YOU SEE (Version #4)
Momma momma can't you see
What this baby has done to me
Took away my MTV
Now I'm stuck watching Barney
Barney got shot by GI Joe
Now I'm watching the Cosby show
Cosby show got fired
Now I'm getting tired.
-Guest, Mom From Bama [who indicates she learned this from her two small girls]; 5/2/2008 http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=102055&messages=48 ; Folklore: Play Ground Hand Jives
****
MOMMA MOMMA CAN'T YOU SEE (Version #5)
Momma momma can't you see.
What that army done to me.
It made me watch Barney.
Tick tack toe
Three in a row.
Barney got killed by GI Joe.
Don't stop till your hands are hot.
Don't stop till your hands get red.
-Conraya E. age 11; Sha'Ona K. age 11; African American girls; (Pittsburgh, PA); 6/12/2008
Editor:
Conraya ("Raya") and Sha'Ona performed "Momma Momma Can't You See" as a two person handclap. For the first two lines, the girls held both of their partner's hands and performed a back & forth tugging motion to the beat. They then alternated one hand up & one hand down claps with two hand claps. After the line "Don't stop till your hand gets hot", the girls did a fast paced one hand up/one hand down handclapping routine. These claps sting the partner's hands. The person who moves their hand away first, because she doesn't want to feel the sting, is the loser.
Because this version of the rhyme didn't refer to MTV as did most of the examples I've collected, I asked Raya and Sha'Ona did this rhyme have a line about a television station. They say they didn't know that line. I also mentioned to the girls that I had heard some girls say "Your mama got killed by GI Joe". Sha'Ona said that they don't say it that way because "that would be talkin about somebody's mother and you aren't supposed to do that". Sha'Ona and Raya told me that another way they and other girls they know say this rhyme is Michael Jackson got killed by GI Joe". Because it didn't seem as though that pop singer's whole name would fit the beat of the rhyme, I asked them if they said his entire name. Sha'Ona said that they only said "Michael got killed by GI Joe" but everyone knew that "Michael" meant Michael Jackson.
****
MRS D (Jump Rope Rhyme)
Mrs D
Mrs D, Mrs I, Mrs F F I,
Mrs C, Mrs U, Mrs L T Y!
-Guest, Longrope; www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm ; 10/6/2006
****
MY AUNTIE ANNA (Version #1)
my aunty anna used to play piano 24 hours a day.
[do] splits etc until one fall down and the other 1 [is the] winner!!!!!!
-my aunty anna; 7/15/2006
****
MY AUNTIE ANNA (Version #2)
We used to play a similar game during recess when I was about 8. Played with 2+ people, I learned it at the YMCA summer camp in Ridgewood, NJ, and the lyrics I knew were: Anna banana/ plays the piana/ all she could play was the 'Star Spangled Banna'/ OOPS (here, jump up with feet slightly wider apart) She's an idiot (start over from beginning, until one person's feet are so far apart she can't keep her balance in the split) Anyone who could do a straddle split almost always automatically won this game, because it was considered bad form to not have as deep a split as your opponent(s)
-Tori; 6/13/2007
****
MY AUNTIE ANNA (Version #3)
Clapping game:
My auntie Anna
Plays the piana [no, we don't usually pronounce it like that]
24 hours a day
SPLIT
[and with each "SPLIT" you move your feet a little bit further apart, then repeated the verse, still clapping. You had to try not to fall over - and, of course, try to stay on a level where you could still clap with your partner.]
-Viracocha (Scotland); http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=18352 ; Lyr Req: Playground songs; 8/3/2007
****
MY BOYFRIEND GAVE ME AN APPLE
A clapping rhyme:
Myyyyyy boyfriend gave me an apple
My boyfriend gave me a pear
My boyfriend gave me a [pretend to kiss other person's cheeks x3]
And I threw him down the stairs
I threw him over London
I threw him over France [fran(t)ss]
I threw him over the USA
And he lost his underpants [note: 'underpants' is just to scan, we usually used 'pants']
IIIIII gave him back his apple
I gave him back his pear
I gave him back his [pretend to kiss other person's cheeks x3]
And he threw me down the stairs
He threw me over London
He threw me over France
He threw me over the USA
And I lost my underpants
There was another verse, but I honestly can't remember where it goes from here.
-Viracocha (Portlethen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, in the early 1990s); http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=18352&messages=48 Lyr Req: Playground songs; 7/30/2007
Editor: These verses are often found in "Miss Susie Had A Steamboat" rhymes.
****
MY BOYFRIEND IS A CHEATER
My boyfriend is a cheater, He's off with cousin Ri-ta, And when I ask him where he goes, He says he's off at Un-cle Moe's! I know he is a liar, So I spend his money at My-er, And when I bought a diamond ring, I started to dance and sing! It's over, move over, I'll take the dog Ro-ver, Who's taking the cat, And it's fur-ry mat? Don't start to lie, I know how and why, How could you do such a thing, And ruin our sum-mer fling! Like I said, it's over, move over!
Ages: 7-12 Gender: Girls Type: hand clap rhyme No. of people: 2 Instructions: Partners face each other, and clap their hands together then do a diagnoal clap to their partners hand, then clap hands together again and do diagonal clap the oposite direction repeat throughout the song, but on the last two syllables of every second line you clap both your hands with your partners (like a high ten). On the last line (Like I said, it's over, move over) you do a high ten for the first word (Like), point to yourself for the second word (I), then another high ten for the third word (Said), put your hands together and slap them against your partners for the next two words (it's o-ver) altogether there should be three slaps (two for over), keep your hands in the middle and clap your hands once for the sixth word (Move), and then for the seventh word (o-ver) your outside hands goes up and meets your partners outside hand then the same hand goes below and does the same thing.
-Nicole and Zoe, 12/30/2005
****
MY MOTHER AND YOUR MOTHER
Editor: I've given subtitles to "My Mother And Your Mother" (Boys Are Rotten") examples and "My Mother And Your Mother (What Color Was The Blood) rhymes in order to help differentiate their titles from each other. The My Mother And Your Mother (what color was the blood)" rhymes are usually Choosing it rhymes while the My Mother And Your Mother (boys are rotten) rhymes are usually hand clap rhymes. One example from the My Mother And Your Mother (what color was the blood) family is found on this page as the poster indicated that it was used as a jump rope rhyme .
MY MOTHER AND YOUR MOTHER ("Boys Are Rotten"; Version #1)
my mother your motha
live down da street
18, 19 marble street
and evry nite
dey had a fite
and dis is wat dey told me
girls are sexy drink lots of pepsi
boys are rotten chew on sum cotten
ishy wishy lollypop
ishy wishy woo
ishy wishy lollypop
da guyz luv YOU
-Duilz ; 10/28/2004; http://octopuses.chaoticinsanity.com/000518.php
****
MY MOTHER AND YOUR MOTHER (Boys Are Rotten; Version #2)
XOXOXOX
My mother and your mother
live across the street
eighteen nineteen Blueberry Street
Every night about half past five
they have a fight
and this is what they say
Boys are rotten
made out of cotton.
Girls are dandy
made out of candy
Boys that are beautiful
to get more stupider.
Girls that are wilder
To get more milder.
Boys drink beer
To get nowhere.
Girls drink Pepsi
To get more sexy.
-mostly girls ages 6-12 years; Millview Acres; Clairton, PA, 1999
Editor:
XOXOX serves as an introductory phrase for this rhyme. I believe that "XOXOX" means "hugs and kisses" as is its meaning when placed at the end of letters & notes.
****
MY MOTHER AND YOUR MOTHER ("Boys Are Rotten"; Version #3)
My mother, your father lived across the street
Eighteen, nineteen Broadway street
Every time they had a fight this is what they said st night
Boys are rotten made out of cotton
Girls are sexy made out of pespi
Boys go to Jupiter to get more stupider
Girls go to college to get more knowledge
Mumble mumble clap clap
Mumble mumble stomp stomp
Mumble mumble kick kick
Mumble mumble jump jump
Mumble mumble freeze
5,6,7,8
To the front
To the back
To the side
To the Side
Front
Back
Side to side
Let me see you butterfly
Turn around
Touch the ground
Let me see you break it down
This of course looks so much better with the hand movements!!!!
-Guest Shelby; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=4300&messages=155 ; Children's Street Songs; 11/27/2008
Editor:
To the front, back, side to side" is a common verse in children's rhymes. Girls move to the beat of the rhyme as indicated by those words. The "butterfly" is an old R&B dance. "Break it down" means "to really show how well you can dance".
****
MY MOTHER AND YOUR MOTHER (What Color Was The Blood)
My mother and your mother were hanging up the clothes. Your mother hit my mother right in the nose. What colour was the blood? Red, black, red, black,....
i think the rope went fast on 'red, black...', and you jumped until you tripped the rope. does that one sound familiar to anyone?
-black walnut; 2/21/2000; http://www.mudcat.org/threads.cfm ; "Playground songs"
Editor:
Visit Cocojams' Choosing It, Counting Out Rhymes page http://www.cocojams.com/content/choosing-it-rhymes for other examples from the Mother/Your Mother-What Color Was The Blood" family of rhymes.
****
NOT LAST NIGHT BUT THE NIGHT BEFORE (robbers) Jump Rope Rhyme; Version #1)
Gosh ,I guess there are so many versions of all these. Here is what I remember:
Not last nite but the nite before,
24 robbers came knocking at my door
as i ran out, They ran in
hit me on the head with a bowling pin
I asked them what they wanted and this is what they said.
Spanish dancers turn around,
Spanish dancers touch the ground
etc, etc etc.
-mulfig; 5/29/1999 ; http://www.streetplay.com/discus/ Girl Games: Clap & rhyme Archive through June 8, 2000
****
NOT LAST NIGHT BUT THE NIGHT BEFORE (robbers) Jump Rope Rhyme; Version #2)
Not last night,
But the night before,
Twenty-four robbers came
knocking at my door.
I asked them what
they wanted
and this is what they said:
Spanish dancer, do the
splits, splits, splits!
Spanish dancer, do the
twist, twist, twist!
Spanish dancer.
turn around.
touch the ground.
and out the back door.
Source: Veronica Chambers, Double Dutch, A Celebration of Jump Rope, Rhyme, and Sisterhood (New York, Hyperion Books for Children, 2002; p. 49)
****
NOT LAST NIGHT BUT THE NIGHT BEFORE (robbers; Version #3) Fragment
Not last night but the night before, 24 robbers knocked at my door. I got up to let them in and they all took a chair and began to sing.
- Judy, 10/5/2008
****
NOT LAST NIGHT BUT THE NIGHT BEFORE (robbers; Jump Rope Rhyme; Version #4)
Not last night but the night before
24 robbers came to my door
They stole my watch and they stole my ring
and then they all began to sing
"Policeman, policeman, do your duty here comes (name) the American beauty!
She can wiggle; She can wobble;
She can do the split;
but she can't wear her dresses above her hips!"
Contributed by Toni Jaskoski; http://www.gameskidsplay.net/jump_rope_ryhmes/jump_not_last_night.htm
****
NOT LAST NIGHT BUT THE NIGHT BEFORE (3 little pigs)
Not last night but the night before,
3 little pigs came knocking at the door,
the first had a trumpet, the second had a drum,
and third had a pancake stuck to it's bum
-rhyzla; 9/9/2005; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=84508#1559841; Lyr Req: Pig with a pancake on his bum
Editor:
"Bum" is British English for "butt"/"behind".
****
NOT LAST NIGHT BUT THE NIGHT BEFORE (3 little tomcats)
Not last night, but the night before,
Three old tomcats knocking at the door
One had whisky, one had rum
And one had a pancake stuck to his bum
-Snuffy; 2/21/2000; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=18352#182450 ; Lyr Add: ???
****
NOT LAST NIGHT BUT THE NIGHT BEFORE (3 little witches)
not last night but the night before
three wee witches came to the door
the first had a trumpet, the second had a drum
and third had a pancake stuck to it's bum
-Tam the man; 9/9/2005; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=84508#1559841 ; Lyr Req: Pig with a pancake on his bum
Editor:
Visit the "L" page of Cocojams' Hand Clap Rhyme section for examples of "Last Night And The Night Before". Also see examples of a related rhyme, "I Love Coffee I Love Tea" on the "I" page of this section.
****
O,P
OO THE BEESTAY
I remember a call-and-response song/game called "The Beestay" that I learned in the early 60's in Philadelphia. Each line is said/sung by person A and then repeated by person B. When person B says the "Oo" at the end of the last phrase, person A repeats "Oo" and their roles are then reversed. I have no idea what a Beestay is.
Oo (Oo)
Oo ah (Oo ah)
The Beestay (The Beestay)
[sung] Oh, no, no, no, not the Beestay (Oh, no, no, no, not the Beestay)
Eeny-meeny-dissaleeny-oo-ah-ah-maleeny-otcha-kotcha-kumarotcha-akawa-oo (Eeny-meeny-dissaleeny-oo-ah-ah-maleeny-otcha-kotcha-kumarotcha-akawa-oo)
-Mark C; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=47148; RE: eena meena mackeracka (children's rhymes); 8/21/2007
****
OOH AAH I WANNA PIECE OF PIE
Editor: Examples from this large family of rhymes are posted together regardless of their title or their first line.
OOH AH I WANT A PIECE OF PIE (Version #1)
I learned it at summer camp as a clapping game:
Winston tastes good just like a cigarette should
Just like an - ooh, ah, I want a piece of pie
Pie too sweet, I want a piece of meat
Meat too brown, I want to go to town
Town too far, I'll have to take a car
Car too black, I want my money back
Money too green, I want a limosine
..... I want some lemonade
Lemonade too sour, by now we have the power
To close our eyes and count to ten
Whoever messes up has to do it again.
And at this point, the clapping pattern got more complicated and the players closed their eyes and counted to ten.
-Guest, Chocolate Pi; 10/26/2000; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=26926 Lyr Req: Oh my, I want a piece of pie
****
WINSTON (Version #2 of Ooh Aah I Wanna Piece of Pie)
winston takes bageslika
cigarette not lika
oh ah, i wanna piece of pie
pie too sweet i wanna piece of meat
meat too rough i wanna ride a bus
bus too full i wanna ride a bull
bull too black i want my money back
money back too green i wanna jellybean
jellybean too red i wanna go to bed
bed not made i want some lemonade
lemonade too sour we got the power
to close our eyes and count to ten
whoever messes up starts over again
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10!
-lissandsara; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mJ_f8Vczok&feature=related
August 30, 2008
Editor:
I believe that the first couple of lines are an example of folk etymology-the words were changed due to misremembering, misreading, or misunderstood what was heard. Those lines were probably "Winston taste bad/like a cigarette should"
The lines "winston takes bageslika/cigarette not lika" is a corrupted version of a line from a widely used commercial and ad for Winston cigarettes "Winston taste good/like a cigarette should". In light of the campaign against cigarette smoking, it's interesting to see that that line has changed to a put down of smoking.
See "Miss Susie Had A Tugboat (Version #15) for a video of this rhyme.
****
123 (Version # 3 of "Ooh Ah I Want A Piece Of Pie")
123, My mama takes care of me.
My daddy watches ABC.
Ohh ahh! I wanna piece of pie.
Pie too sweet. I wanna piece of meat.
Meat too rough. I wanna ride a bus.
Bus too full. I wanna ride a bull.
Bull too black. I want my money back.
Money too green. I want a jelly bean.
Jelly bean not cooked. I wanna read a book.
Book not read. I wanna go to bed.
Bed not made. I want some lemonade.
Lemonade too sour. I wanna take a shower.
Shower too cold. I want a piece of gold.
Gold too shiny. I wanna pet a kitty.
Kitty too fat. Now that's the end of that.
Now close your eyes and count to ten.
Whoever messes up has to start all over again!
1, 2, 3, 4, 5....
- Guest, Georgia A; Lyr Req: Oh my, I want a piece of pie
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=26926#2593100; July 21, 2008
note all versions do not include brand names. Some have line take a peach take a plum and then go into the l like coffee I like tea verses
****
OWWW IIIIII I WANNA PIECE OF PIE (Version #4 of Ooh Aah I Wanna Piece of Pie)
owww iiiiii,
i wanna peice of pie,
pie to sweet i wanna peice of meat,
meat to red i wanna go to bed,
bed not made i want some lemonade,
lemonade is sour to give us the power to try to count to ten,
who ever messes up must start over again!
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10!
-Guest, Mary Grace; 12/28/2008; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=26926 Lyr Req: Oh my, I want a piece of pie
Editor:
See this excerpt from a comment posted on that same Mudcat discussion thread by Jim Dixon (20 Aug 02 - 09:44 PM)
"The following variation is quoted in a short story, "Big Boy Leaves Home," from "Uncle Tom's Children" by Richard Wright (1938). The story concerns a group of black boys who entertain themselves by singing and chanting rhymes.
(from http://xroads.virginia.edu/~drbr/w_right.html)
Bye 'n' bye, Ah wanna piece of pie.
Pie's too sweet. Ah wanna piece of meat.
Meat's too red. Ah wanna piece of bread.
Bread's too brown. Ah wanna go t' town.
Town's too far. Ah wanna ketch a car.
Car's too fas'. Ah fall 'n' break mah ass.
Ah'll understan' it better bye 'n' bye.
****
OH AH I WANT A PIECE OF PIE (Version #5)
I play it like this- abc my momma's takin care of me my papa says do rei me.ooh,aah,i want a piece of pie.pie too sweet i want a piece of meat.meat too rough i wanna ride a bus.bus too full i wanna buy a bowl.(i know it's supposed to be ride a bull,but,oh well)bowl too black i want my money back.money back too green i want a jelly bean.jelly bean to red i wanna go to bed.bed not made i want a lemonade.lemonade too sour i wanna take a shower.shower to cold i wanna pot of gold.pot of gold
-cookieidiot546; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROdiNkrmtnU&playnext_from=TL&videos=S7_ZN... ; 6/26/2010
****
OH DON'T LAUGH WHEN THE HEARSE GOES BY (also known as "The Hearse Song")
There's also the hearse song, which is mostly what I learned from my friends, with a mixture of lines from my dad: Oh don't you laugh when the hearse goes by 'Cause you may be the next to die They wrap you up in a dirty sheet And drop you in a hole six feet deep (Dad) Oh the worms crawl in, the worms crawl out The worms play pinnochle on your snout (friends again) Your stomach turns a slimy green And pus pops out like shaving cream! You whip it up on a piece of bread, That's what you eat when you are dead -- Made by Nabisco!
-Ann N; 4/29/2007
****
OLD LADY LEARY (Elastics)
Old Lady Leary Lit A Lantern In The Shed, When the cow kicked it over She winked her eye and said, There will be a hot time in the old town tonight, Fire Fire, Water Water, Jump Lady Jump, AHHHHH SPLAT!"
"SLAT" of course was when you landed with both feet on both elastics after an intricate series of ins and outs and overs, in progressive heights as describe above.
-Guest, Mrs Brown AUS; 4/2/2008; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=46932&messages=102; Child's Game: Elastics
Editor:
For directions for Elastic jumping, see "England Ireland" version #3 on this page.
****
OMOLATA FEESTA
I enjoyed seeing all the different accounts of the "Como La Vista" family. Here's the version I learned at Girl Scout Camp Margaret Bates in Macedonia, Summit County, northeast Ohio, in 1969. The demographics were probably 95+% white, the counselors age 17-early 20s and the campers 9-12. I remember it as only a chant, without clapping or motions, though it seems a natural candidate for them. It's done by two people or groups, or a leader and group. The first seven lines are said by one party then repeated by the other, the last two are in unison. The fifth, sixth, and seventh lines have a sort of melody, the eighth is chanted on a descending pitch, and the last shouted. Flea [repeated] Fly [repeated] Flea fly flow [repeated] Feesta [repeated] Oomalata oomalata oomalata feesta [repeated] O no no no-no na feesta [repeated] Eeny meeny decimeeny oo-wat-a-watameeny exclameeny zylameeny oo-wat-a-wat [repeated] [Unison] Beep biddly oaten-doten bobo bedeeten-dotten shhhhhhh Flea! As much variation as you get in folk lyrics in any language, when the words are nonsense all bets are off. Even if all the counselors who taught it to us pronounced the words exactly the same way, I'm sure we heard it differently, and none of us would have written it the same. But with all that, the different versions people have reported are recognizable to me. I'd love to compare recorded versions, though that will have to wait until I upgrade my equipment.
-Elizabeth ; 2/17/2008
****
OM POMPEII
There was one hand-clap game I'll never forget- the clapping was slightly different than usual and it went (I've no idea how it was supposed to be spelled!):
Om Pompeii
Cally-ey
Cally oski
Om Pompeii
Cally-ey
Mr Turnip
Apple Turnip
Mr Turnip
Boom boom.
I am fairly sure this was a corruption of something that at one time actually made some kind of sense! In fact I think a number of ours were originally full songs that someone had half picked up.
-seren; January 22, 2008; http://www.ukskeptics.com/forum/showthread.php/2012-Playground-childhood...
Editor:
Visit http://www.cocojams.com/content/choosing-it-rhymes to find the exact words to this rhyme given as a portion of the example listed as "Ickie Ackie".
I agree with seren that this rhyme is a corruption (meaning a probably accidental modification) of an earlier rhyme or of earlier rhymes/songs. My theory is that "Om Pompeii" as given above has its source in the playground rhymes "Ackabaka" (also given as "Ickabacka"):
Ackabaka soda cracker
Ackabaka boo
In goes out
And out goes YOU.
-snip-
I also believe that the apparently well known (in the USA) children's cheerleader cheer "Firecracker Firecracker" also has its source in the "Ackabaka boo" rhymes (the word "firecracker" being folk etymology for the unfamiliar word "akabacka" and the word "boom" being substituted for the word "boo".
Visit http://www.cocojams.com/content/childrens-cheerleader-cheers to find examples of "Firecracker Firecraker".
ONE TWO THREE
One, two, three
Mother caught a flea.
She put in the tea pot
To make a cup of tea.
The flea jumped out -
Mother shouted out
"Here comes a copper (police man)
With his arse hanging out!".
-Bryn Pugh; (Great Britain) Not Last Night But The Night Before-rhyme; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=115045&messages=92; 4/07/2010 (Skipping rhyme "jump rope rhyme)
****
PANDA BEAR
panda bear panda bear turn around, panda bear panda bear touch the ground panda bear panda bear do some splits and kicks, panda bear panda bear climb up the stairs, panda bear panda bear clap ten times, panda bear panda bear say good night
(as you know i have based this on teddy bear although i did it quite differnetly, i have tried clapping and it is not as easy as it looks) (also when you sing the song you have to do what it says, such as jumping really high when climbing the stairs) ( and when the song finishes up with say good night you must run out then back in and then start over again.)
-sarah ; 3/10/2007
****
PEA SOUP
i have a clapping song
pea soup
pea soup pea soup
flying in a rocket eating merry chocolate
waiting for the clock to go tick tock whirly whirly tick tock
a b c d e f g
wipe those boy germs off of me
moonshine moonshine moonshine clear
first one to laugh is a bumble bee
not me
recited by girls in 2000s
-hannan d; 12/1/2009
Editor:
This rhyme is very similar to "Miss Sue" (from Alabama) and "ET" (from outespace)
****
PLAYMATE (Version #1)
"I have two daughters, 9 and 11, and they very much sing and chant street songs. Mostly used for clapping games, some jump rope, and some just for the heck of it. I can't recall them all but will do a little field research and see if I can capture a few."
Since I wrote that I talked my girls at dinner tonight. They supplied the following which has some tune to it. Done as a hand jive. Two versions, nice and not nice.
Playmate
Say say my playmate
Come out and play with me
and Bring your dollies three
Climb up my apple tree
Slide down my rainbow
and we'll be playmates forever more.
Enemy
Say say my enemy
Come out and fight with me
And bring your devils three
Climb up my poison tree
Slide down my razor
Slam! into the dungeon door
And we'll be enemies forever more.
-Marc B; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=4300&messages=155 ; Children's Street Songs; 3/11/1998
-snip-
Here's a YouTube video of two girls chanting "See See My Playmate" while doing a handclap routine to that chant:
Posted by danaleeling
January 05, 2009
According to the poster's comment, these two girls in the video are Kosraean, from a small tropical island in the Pacific. I also cross-posted this video on Cocojams' sister website, jambalayah. Visit http://www.jambalayah.com/node/111 to read selected comments from that video's viewer comment thread.
****
PLAYMATE (Version #2)
My little playmate
Come out and play with me
And bring your dollies, 3
Climb up my apple tree
Slide down my rain barrel
Into my cellar door
And we'll be jolly friends
Forever more!
My little enemy
Come out and fight with me
And bring your ..., 3
Climb up my poison oak
Slide down my razor blade
Into my dungeon door
And we'll be horrible enemies
Forever more!
I can't remember what the enemy was supposed to bring 3 of...I'm guessing it wasn't dollies though.
-Kari; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php; 8/1/2003
****
CECE MY PLAYMATE (Playmate; Version #3)
cece my playmate
come out and play w/ me
and bring ure dollies 3
climb up my apple tree
slide down my rainbow
into my cellar door
and well be jolly friends
forever more 1234
when i was younger
i used to play w/ toys
but now im oooooooolder
i play w/ b-o-y-s b-o-y-s boys boys boys boys boys boys
criss cross applesauce do me a favor and get lost
-anonymous; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php ; 9/18/2003
****
MY SAEMI (Version #4 of Playmate)
Song: My saemi, Why don't you play with me Under the apple tree With all my friends and dollys Under the apple tree Singing and playing Dollys
[Repeat as many times as you can]
-Ashleigh; 7/16/2006
****
SEE SEE MY PLAYMATE (Version #5 of Playmate)
Then there's the ever-classic,
See see my playmate
Come out and play with me
And bring your dolly friends
Climb up my apple tree
Slide down my rainbow
Into my pot of gold
And we'll be jolly friends
Forever more, more
Shut the door
I don't like you anymore
-Charlotte; 2/4/1007; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php
****
PLAYMATE (Version #6)
My father (3/4ths white, 1/4 Cherokee), who was born in Oklahoma in 1924, taught me the Playmate song this way: Playmate, won't you come out and play with me, Bring out your dollies three, climb up my apple tree, Look down your rain barrel, slide down your cellar door, And we'll be jolly friends forevermore. It was a sunny day, She couldn't come out to play, With tears in her eyes, she did cry and I did hear her say, Playmate, I can't come out and play with you, My dollies have the flu, boo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo Can't look down my rain barrel or slide down my cellar door, But we'll be jolly friends forevermore.
-Ann N.; 4/29/2007
****
PLAYMATE (Version #7)
Black girls, Denver, Colorado - late 70's/early 80's 3 Say-Say Songs: (Say-Say Happy Song - sung upbeat) Say-say oh playmate Come out and play with me And bring your dollies-three Climb up my apple tree Slide down my rainbow Into my cellar door And we'll be jolly friends Forever more, more - shut the door (Say-Say Sad Song - Sung slowly, imitating crying) Say say oh playmate I cannot play with you My dolly has the flu She spit up in my shoe Ain't got no rainbow Ain't got no cellar door And we'll be jolly friends Forever more, more - shut the door (Say-Say Angry Song) Say say oh enemy Come out and fight with me And bring your pistols-three Climb up my poison tree Slide down my spider web Into my dungeon door And we'll be jolly enemies Forever more more, shut the door
-Jeanae; 6/14/2008
****
PLAYMATE (Version #8)
i thought i learned it like this:
(it was a hand game)
(see see?) my playmate,
come out and play with me,
and bring your (jolly?) seed,
climb up my apple tree,
slide down my rainbow,
into my pot of gold,
and we'll be jolly friends,
forever more,
1-2-3-4, (clap clap),
when i was younger,
i used to play with toys,
but now i'm oold-er,
i play with
b-o-y-s,
boys boys boys boys,
boys boys boys boys,
criss-cross,
apple sauce,
do me a favor and
get,
lost.
-Guest; 12/15/2008; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=4300&messages=155; Children's Street Songs
****
POLICEMAN POLICEMAN DO YOUR DUTY (Jump Rope Rhyme; Version #1)
Policeman, Policeman, do your duty.
Here comes Debby
An American beauty,
She can wiggle
She can wobble
She can do the split.*
But I betcha five dollars
She can't do this.
Lady on one foot, one foot, one foot
Turn all around, around, around.
Lady on two foot, two foot, two foot
Touch the ground, the ground, the ground.
Lady on three foot, three foot, three foot
Say your prayers, your prayers, your prayers.
Lady on four foot, four foot, four foot
Jump right out.
-Azizi Powell, Atlantic City, New Jersey, mid 1950s.
*Substitute the name or nickname of the girl who is jumping rope. "Do the split" was sometimes given as "do the flip" {meaning the acrobatic movements}. However, these words were changed to "do the twist" in the 1960s when that dance became popular. Btw, I've also seen this rhyme written as "Mailman, Mailman Do Your Duty" and "Postman, Postman, Do your Duty".
Editor:
Here's what I believe are the meanings of "one foot, "two foot" etc. Someone please correct me if I'm misremembering this: "One foot" means hopping. One foot touches touching the ground when you jump. Two foot" is jumping with both feet off the ground. "Three foot" is two hands touching the ground and then one foot . "Four foot" is jumping with both hands and both feet touching the ground.
****
POLICE LADY POLICE LADY DO YOUR DUTY (Jump Rope Rhyme; Version #2;)
Police lady, police lady.
Do your duty.
Here comes Keisha
with ah African booty.
She can wiggle.
She can wobble.
She can do the split.
But I betcha five dollars
She can't do this.
Lady on one foot, one foot, one foot
Turn all around, around, around.
Lady on two foot, two foot, two foot
Touch the ground, the ground, the ground.
Lady on three foot, three foot, three foot
Say your prayers, your prayers, your prayers.
Lady on four foot, four foot, four foot
Jump right out.
-TMP. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, mid 1980s
Editor:
I think the change from "policeman" to "police lady" is significant. When I was growing up, there were no female police officers that I knew of.
****
POOR PINOCCHIO
1. Poor Pinocchio he learned to suck his thumb, thumb
after thumb after thumb, after thumb after thumb.
Cross over *
2. Poor Pinocchio he learned to tie his shoe, shoe after
shoe, after shoe, after shoe . Cross over *
3. Poor Pinocchio he learned to climb a tree, tree after tree,
after tree, after tree. Cross over *
4. Poor Pinocchio he learned to shut the door, door after
door, after door, after door. Cross over *
5. Poor Pinocchio he liked to kick bee hives, hives after
hives, after hives, after hives. Cross over *
6. Poor Pinocchio he learned to pick up sticks, sticks after
sticks, after sticks ,after sticks. Cross over *
7. Poor Pinocchio he learned all about heaven, heaven after
heaven, after heaven, after heaven. Cross over *
8. Poor Pinocchio he learned to shut the gate, gate after
gate, after gate after gate. Cross over *
[and so on up to 11-use any word that rhymes with those numbers]
* When you say "cross over" you fold your arms crisscross over your chest, and the other girl you are doing the handclap with does the same thing at the same time.
-Natashia, age 13; Alberta, Canada; 10/21/2005
Editor:
See "When Billy Boy Was One", "When Pebbles Was A Baby" and "When Lucy Was A Baby" on this page for examples of what I call "life stage rhymes that are very similar to "Poor Pinocchio".
Q,R,S
QUACK DILLY OSO
Editor: The featured examples from this rhyme family are posted together regardless of their given title or their first line.
QUACK DILLY OSO (Version #1)
quack dilly oso
quack quack quack
senyourico rico rico rico
flora flora flora
with ah 1 2 3 4 5
-African American girls; and African American boys usually ages 7-12 years (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), appears to be remembered from at least the mid 1980s; this example was collected by Azizi Powell in November 2001
Editor:
See "Slap Billy-Ola" below for performance directions.
Here's an old Sesame Street video clip of children performing a version of "Quack Diddley Oso". I'm having difficulty transcriping this rhyme.
Sesame Street - Girls play a clapping game
Posted by wattamack4
July 08, 2007
Also, see videos on this page of a closely related hand clap game "Stella Ella Ola" (or similar sounding names).
****
QUACK DILLY OSO (Version #2)
i work with 1st graders the whole summer long and they love them!
[another rhyme was posted and then this one]
Quack Diddily Oso is also a favorite
there are many versions to it
quack diddily oso quack quack quack
from sandiego ego ego ego
delore delore
they spilled it on the floor-a
1-2-3-4
*better with lots of people person who's hand gets slapped on 4 is out of the game
--Guest, mcr; 8/7/2006; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=63097#1022419 :
"RE: Folklore: Do kids still do clapping rhymes?"
Editor:
Guest, mcr's referent to a person's hand getting "slapped on 4" is an indication that this rhyme is performed as a circle hand game.
Here's the way that I have seen this game played {and that I have played it} in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area: Starting with a designated person, while everyone chants the rhyme, one person after another stays in place but slaps the hand of the person who is standing to their right. The person whose hand is slapped when the number four is recited, is out. When the game gets down to two people, those two stand facing each other and perform a partner handclap routine, with each person alternating slapping the palm of the other person's hand. As in the circle version of the game, the person whose hand is slapped when the number 4 is recited is out, and the remaining person is the winner.
****
QUACK DIDDLY OSO (Version #3)
This is the version of "Quack-diddly-oso" that I and all of my friends learned back in kindergarten or earlier. We played it all the time pretty much up to junior high. Never heard any other version played in this area. (Puget Sound/Seattle region.) Quack diddly oso quack quack quack, Si semorico, rico rico rico, Flo-ra Flo-ra, flora flora flor, fa-lora! One, two, three, four! Same rules as listed for "Stella Ella Ola" only when you get down to two people, you clasp your right hands between you like you're shaking hands, and you each hold up your left hand to make "walls" on either side of the clasped right hands. Then you swing your clasped right hands back and forth, hitting one of the "walls" (left hands) at each beat. The person who's left hand is hit on four loses. (Oh, and every round is chanted a little faster, until you can barely keep up when you're down to two. I guess it's these sort of games that teach us Northwesterners to talk so fast when we grow up!)
-Lisa P. ; 12/20/2007
Editor:
Lisa P, thanks for sharing that version of Quack Diddly Oso. Thanks also for including demographical information-where you live, and when you played this rhyme. Thanks also for including your performance instructions for this rhyme! I'm wondering if "semorico" is the correct spelling for the way you pronounced this word or did you meant to type the word "senorico"?
****
QUACK DIDDLY ARMORE (Version #4 of Quack Diddly Oso)
*I have no idea how we got this version of the chant, but we called it Quack Diddly Almore. Maybe someone heard it wrong, I don't know* Quack Diddly Almore quack quack quack! singin hey, chicky chicky chicky chicky chicky chat! Flow, flow, flow, flow, flow, go! 1 2 3 4 5!
-Jayla S., 5/31/2008
Editor:
Thanks, Jayla S., for sending in that version. It's possible that someone could have misheard, misread, or misremembered the words to "Quack Diddly Oso", but then again, where did those words come from? There are really no right or wrong versions of children's rhymes-just different versions.
****
CLAP DIDDLY OSO (Version #5)
I learned this one growing up
Clap diddly oso, clap, clap, clap,
Say seniorita -Rita -Rita Rita.
Flora, Flora, Fa-lora, fa-lora, fa-lora!
One, two, three, four!!!!!
-aveman3; "Stella Ella Ola"; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulb3oV0B1g0&NR=1; 4/2009
Editor:
This example was given as a YouTube viewer comment. The version that the video uploader chants and the video itself are posted below on this page as Version #7 of "Stella Ella Ola". Until I saw this version I never considered the possiblity that the word "Quack" may have originally been "Clap". Now that I think of that, it seems reasonable to me. But I guess we'll never know for certain whether "clap" was the "original" word or what "diddly oso" means.
****
QUACK DIDDLY OSO (Version #6)
I learned it "Quack diddly oso quack quack quack singing sam-a-rico rico rico rico flora flora flora flora flora 1 2 3 4" Anyway, it's quite amazing to see the variations throughout the country.
-wbasc; "Stella Ella Ola"; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulb3oV0B1g0&NR=1; 4/2009
Editor: This example was given as a YouTube viewer comment. The version that the video uploader chants and the video itself are posted below on this page as Version #7 of "Stella Ella Ola"
****
RED WHITE AND BLUE
Red, White and Blue-
The dirty kangaroo
Went behind the dustbin
To do a number two.
(dustbin = trash can ; I don't need to explain number two, do I ?)
--Bryn Pugh; (Great Britain) Not Last Night But The Night Before-rhyme; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=115045&messages=92; 4/07/2010 (Skipping rhyme "jump rope rhyme)
****
RED WHITE AND YELLER
Red, White and Yeller
Me mother had a feller.
The feller died, me mother cried
Red, White and Yeller.
--Bryn Pugh; (Great Britain) Not Last Night But The Night Before-rhyme; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=115045&messages=92; 4/07/2010 (Skipping rhyme "jump rope rhyme)
****
REESES PIECES BUTTER CUP
I have another Hand Clap that I like. It's called Resses Peices Butter-Cup! It goes like this: Resses Peices Butter-Cup Come On Girl(or your name) Show your Stuff: My Back Aches, My Skirts Too Tight, My Hips Shake From Left To Right: Left To Right, Left-Left To Right-Right, Left To Right, Left-Left To Right! (By: **!!Enforcers Cheer Girl!!** Date Recited: ?-2007 Recited By: Me, My Friends, A Lot Of Other People, And Cheerleaders Around The World (Boys And Girls) Category: Cheerleadng Hand Clap Round
-Cheer Girl; 2/11/2007
****
REPORT CARD REPORT CARD (Jump Rope Rhyme)
It was a Jump Rope song when I was in elementary school. I'm in middle school now. (2000-2003) Florida Ive seen Boys do it but its mostly girls. Report Card Report Card What did you get? A B C D F (The A B C D F go on until you mess up , the letter you mess up on , is basically the grade you get)
-Lori, 4/20/2008
****
RIBENA SASSATINA
Ribena.
Sassatina.
Drink one. [?] *
Crazy girl.
[increase the rhyme's tempo]
Ribena.
Sassatina.
Drink one.
Crazy girl.
Statue! [strike a dramatic pose]
(Baby!) * [pronounced "Bay Baay!]
-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDBE1wRZrJU; weeneilly's daughter & son Wolverhampton, UK; July 20, 2010 transcribed by Azizi Powell on 7/28/2010
* I'm not sure if this is what was said.
** "Baby!" may be an optional addition to this rhyme
Weeneilly alerted me about this video's posting via YouTube personal message. In that message he shared with me that "Ribena" is a brand name for a non-carbonated soft drink sold in the United Kingdom. Click for more information about "Ribena".
Here's that video:
weeneilly | July 20, 2010
The Queen and the Joker with a different rhyme: Ribena, Sassatina. From their playground in Wolverhampton, UK.
-snip-
See the entry for "Coca Cola" on this page for another rhyme that is performed by "The Queen and the Joker".
****
RICH MAN, POOR MAN (Jump Rope Rhyme; Version #2)
We also used the old "Rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief; Doctor, lawyer, Indian chief" rhyme with jump rope. The jumper called out only one type of man per jump. Whatever man you called out when you missed was the type you were going to marry when you grew up.
-Ann N.; 4/30/2007
****
RICH MAN, POOR MAN (Jump Rope Rhyme; Version #1)
Rich man, poor man
beggar man, thief.
Doctor, lawyer,
Indian chief
-Azizi P.; childhood memories of Atlantic City, New Jersey; 1950s
Editor:
I remember hoping that when I missed it would be on the words "rich man"; "doctor", or "lawyer" because when you miss that was the description of the man you were going to marry. I now know that the other children and I didn't realize that we were being racist when we connected being a thief with Indians (in this context, meaning Native Americans). Now I know that we also were being racists when we hoped not to miss jumping on "Indian" and "Indian chief" because we had come to believe (from all those Western television shows) that being an Indian was just as bad as being a "beggar man". It's significant that we didn't even think that being married to an Indian chief, the leader of a group of Indians, was a good thing. The only leaders who mattered to us were presidents or kings and queens. And we didn't think any of them were People of Color (though we didn't use that term in the 1950s).
I hope that children nowadays are more enlightened than I was way back then.
****
ROCKIN ROBIN (Version #5)
There was also the street Rockin Robin that I heard/played in the same [Boston summer] camps.*
Tweedily diddly dee(3x)
tweet tweet, your breath stinks.
Rockin' in the treetop all day long
huffin' and a puffin' just singin' that song
all the little birdies on jail bird street
love to hear the birdies go tweet tweet tweet
Rockin' robin tweet tweet tweet
Rockin' robin tweet tweet tweet
All the little birdies on jail bird street tonight
tweet tweet tweet
Momma's in the kitchen, cookin' rice
Daddy's on the corner, shootin' dice
Brother's in jail, raisin' hell
Sister's on the corner selling fruit cock tail
Rockin' robin tweet tweet tweet
Rockin' robin tweet tweet tweet
All the little birdies on jail bird street tonight
tweet tweet tweet
-Guest, Spain; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=81350&messages=221 ,I'm Rubber. You're Glue: Children's Rhymes, 5/30/2006
****
ROCKIN ROBIN (Also known as Tweedleelee, Version #4)
A tweet a tweet a bumble bee
She rocks in the tree top all day long
Huffin and puffin and singing that song
All the little birdies on Jacob st.
Love to hear that song go TWEET TWEET TWEET
rockin robin
tweet tweet-a-lee
rockin robin
tweet tweet-a-lee
Mommas in the kitchen
making fried chicken
dads in bed
half way dead
sisters in skool
acting like a fool
brothers in jail
trying to post bail
rockin robin
tweet tweet-a-lee
rockin robin
tweet tweet-a-lee
-socalgal89; 6/16/2005; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php
****
TWEEDLEELEE (also known as Rockin Robin; Version #3)
Tweedle leedle leedle
Tweedle leedle leedle
Tweedle leedle lee, treetop; tweedle leedle lee (repeat), twist it baby, twist it baby, your breath stinks, so--Rockin Robin song.
Afterwards the rhyme continues with "Mama's in the kitchen,
cookin' friend chicken, Daddy's in the bed, halfway dead, Brother's in school actin' like a fool, Sister's in the corner sayin' fruit-cock-tail."
>Ethnicity: Samoan/Filipino
>Grew up: Norfolk, VA USA
>Learned hand games: Elementary school, age 5-10
-Janette C ; 4/28/2004
****
TWEEDLE TWEEDLE DEE (also known as Rockin Robin; Version #2)
...remember hand games....
tweedle tweedle dee
treetop
tweedle tweedle dee
treetop
tweet baby tweet baby
your mama says
she rocks in a treetop
all day long
huffin and puffin
and saying a song
all the little birds
james bell street
love the little robins
go tweet tweet tweet
rockin robin
tweet tweet tweet
rockin robin
tweet tweet tweet
i went down town to get a stick of butter
and saw james brown sitting (people cursed on my block) in the gutter i took a piece of glass and stuck it up his (you know what)
i never saw a (kids are mean) run so fast.
we even played that in college.
hmmm...those hand games were violent and had curses in them, huh?
holla at me if you remember
- MaMaBuddha (Harlem, NY); 7/31/2000, http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/archive/index.php/t-5627.html ; "Remember When"
Editor:
I've tried to contact the greekchat forum for permission to post this example, but I've had no success. I will remove this example if notified to do so.
BTW: In every "performance" of this handclap rhyme that I've seen, when they say the "fruit cocktail" words to "sister on the corner sellin fruit cocktail", the words "cock" and "tail" are chanted separatedly, and the girls stick their butt to the side and pat it. It didn't take me too long to figure out that the girls meant that sister was selling something other than fruit.
****
ROCKIN ROBIN (also known as Tweedleelee, Version #1)
Tweedleelee
(Treetop)
Tweedleelee
(My Prop)
Tweedleelee
Popsicle, popsicle
Your butt stinks
He rocks in the tree top
all day long
huffin and ah puffin
and ah singin his song.
All the little birds on Jay Bird street
Love to hear the bird go
Tweet Tweet Tweet!
Rockin Robin
Tweet Tweetdalee
Rockin Robin
Tweet Tweetdalee
I went downtown
To get ah stick of butter.
I saw James Brown
layin in the gutter.
I saw a piece of glass
stickin in his butt.
I never saw a Black man
run so fast.
Mama's in the kitchen
cookin rice.
Daddy's outside
shootin dice.
Brother's in jail
raisin bail.
Sister's on the corner
Selling Fruit Cock Tail.
Rockin Robin
Tweet Tweetdalee
Rockin Robin
Tweet Tweetdalee
-girls and boys ages 6-13 years old; Pittsburgh, Pa, 1999, Northview Heights after-school program
Editor:
This handclap rhyme (and those with similarly spelled titles) is inspired by the Jackson 5's 1971 version of "Rockin Robin". That version begins with the refrain "tweed lee ldiddly dee" or some such words. Here's a link to a YouTube clip of the Jackson 5 performing that song on an American television station: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4VCUbL7jsc&feature=related
Another name for this handclap rhyme is "Swing Swing Swing" , That's because of the introductory lines that some people use that may"Swing Swing Swing/ By the river and the sea" or similar lines.
(Notice: Speecific YouTube videos may be removed because of one reason or another.)
Some African American women in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania have told me that they recited this rhyme in the 1970s basically the same way it is given above. During my cultural presentations on children's rhymes with children who attended after-school programs [mostly in the housing projects of Pittsburgh, PA area from 1998-2003], I would ask the group what handclap 'songs' or cheers did they know. At times, I would ask groups of children if they knew this rhyme. At other times, I would wait to see what rhymes the children would come up with without prompting. My experiences with these cultural sessions leads me to believe that "Tweeleelee" was one of the most widely known children's rhymes, if not the most widely known children's rhyme among African American children in that area.
Although it was usually girls who volunteered to recite & perform handclaps to this {and other rhymes}, usually the boys who were present in the room who were around 10 years of age and under, would also join the female group members in enthusiastically reciting this rhyme. I should note that, sometimes when I specifically asked about this rhyme, a child or children would tell me that it was "dirty". I would say something like "It's okay. I'm just trying to collect examples of handclap "songs" kids know. I used the referent "songs" because I found out that is how children refer to these rhymes. Because they were concerned about the words of this rhyme, often the adult supervisors of these after-school or summer sessions for elementary school age girls & boys, would suggest that the children "sing other songs." But sometimes, particularly if the supervisor was under forty years old, she would sing along with the children. Although I've collected "dirty" versions of this rhyme, I've decided not to post them on this website.
"Tweedleelee" (or similar sounding names) still appears to be widely known among African American children & youth in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and other African American communities in the USA in 2008.
I'm curious if you know this rhyme. If so, please send in the version that you know so that it can be shared with others. Also, please don't forget to include the area {city/state and country if outside the USA} where you live, and when {what year} you first heard or remember reciting this rhyme.
There are several YouTube videos of teens and young adults performing the "Rockin Robin" handclap:game. These games are usually done by 4 people whose feet don't move from where they are standing but who perform up & down/over & under movements while alternately clapping hands with the other people who are playing the game. Here's a very short video which demonstrates these movements:
Rockin' Robin
KatiiV3nom
February 20, 2009
"My friends and I after school: Kari(orange), Jalen(brown), Jetrin(navy blue), Me(black). Shake, shake, shake to the bottom of the lake!"
-snip-
In my area (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), African American children don't say that they "play" handclaps. They say that they "do" handclaps.
**
Here's another version of the rhyme "Rockin Robin" that includes lines from "I Woke Up Sunday Morning" (Examples of that song/rhyme are posted on this page under the letter "I")
Rockin' Robin part 2
Posted by OMGxxWeeWaa
July 01, 2007
"science class, last day of school"
****
****
RONALD MCDONALD (Version #1)
Ronald McDonald
was ah Hamburger
Ronald McDonald
was ah hamburger
Ooh! Wishie Washie
Ah hamburger
Ooh! Wishie Washie
Ah hamburger
It tasted good, like
Ah hamburger
It tasted good, like
Ah hamburger
Ice cream soda
with a cherry on top.
Now shake it baby
Ah boom bang!
-Donetta A.(who said her younger sister taught it to her around 1976, 1977 in Pittsburgh, PA); collected by Azizi Powell, early 1990s.
Editor:
I'm considering each of these Ronald McDonald rhymes as belonging to the same rhyme family.
In the repeated phrase "a biscuit", the word "a" is pronounced "ah". This is the usual way that many African Americans pronounce the word "a", a least informally
****
RONALD MCDONALD (Version #2)
Ronald McDonald
loves ah__ hamburger *
Ooh she she wah wah
ah___ hamburger
I fell in love
With ah __
Hamburger
Big Mac
Quarter Pounder
Icey coke
Milk shake
Sundaes
and apple pie.
You deserve a beak today
so get up and get away
At McDonald's!
And the dish ran away with the spoon.
* __ signifies a pause for one beat before saying the next word
-T.M.P.; mid 1980s; Pittsburgh, PA . T.M.P., my daughter, is an elementary school teacher. She has shared with me that to date (2008) African American elementary school age girls & boys in her school still "do" this exact same "song" to handclaps, particulary during school bus rides to field trips}
The first lines up until "you deserve etc" is a recitation of the exact words of that McDonald's commercial. "You deserve a break today/so get up and get away/at McDonald's" is sung in the same tune and the same way as that commercial."
"And the dish ran away with the spoon" is recited; That line is from a Mother Goose rhyme (Which one??). I asked my daughter why she added that line to this rhyme and she said "Because it fit". :o)
****
RONALD MCDONALD (Version #3)
This is a song two girls used to do together facing each other. It was kind of a combination handclap/dance routine. Whenever you said "a biscuit" you shook both hands in front of you as if you were flicking off water. And on the "going down" bit, you got down leaning back as far as you could, and came back up on the "coming up" part. And you ended in a karate pose. I'm posting this because I can't remember the rest of the movements, and it's driving me crazy! I did this in elementary school (mostly black kids, but some whites and latinos) in Boston during the early-mid 90s.
Ronald McDonald had a biscuit
Ronald McDonald had a biscuit
Oooh, chee chee wah wah a biscuit
I had a boyfriend a biscuit
he was so fine a biscuit
like a cherry pie a biscuit
now watch me, now watch me, now watch me do my thing
I said a popcorn cherry pie
bang bang choo choo train
chally wally shake my body
tutti frutti shake my booty
uh i'm goin down uh into the ground
uh i'm comin up uh like hot stuff uh
she push me down uh into the ground
uh i'm comin up uh to kick your but
i'm sorry, i'm sorry, i thought you did karate!
-Tierney; 2/36/2009
Editor:
I've heard African American girls recite this rhyme from the mid 1980s to 2009. (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania). I've also heard this rhyme recited with a slightly faster tune by an African American woman in her mid 30s from Cleveland, Ohio. But I'm sorry that I can't describe the hand clap movements that were/are done with this rhyme.
See "Shimmy Shimmy China" below for a rhyme with similar lines as the ending of this rhyme. Also see "Down Down Baby, I Know Karate" on the "D" page of Cocojams' Handclap section for a hand clap rhyme with a similar ending.
****
SAY SAY MY PLAYMATE
see Playmate above on this page
****
SHIMMY SHIMMY CHINA
Shimmy Shimmy China
I can do karate
Shimmy Shimmy China
Oops I'm so sorry.
Shimmy Shimmy China
Sittin on a bench
Tryin to make a dollar
Out of 65 cents
She* missed
She* missed
She missed like this like this like this.
-various African American girls & boys; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and surrounding communities & Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; 1990s
Editor:
See the comments that I posted for "Ching Chong China" and "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang"
****
SHIMMY SHIMMY CO CO PA
See the examples of "Down Down Baby" on this page.
****
SKETTERS AND BEG BUGS
See examples on this page under "I Woke Up Sunday Morning"
****
SLIDE (Also know as "Slide Baby")
Editor: In some versions of Slide, the clappers count to a certain number such as the number five.
One
One two
One two three
One two three four
One two three four five.
Sesame Street - Two Girls clap out five
Posted by wattamack4
August 10, 2007
In other versions of slide such as this one below, no words are spoken.
ldssplash1
June 10, 2009
**
Editor: In other versions of "Slide" such as the one performed in the video "Hand Clap by the Parreño Sisters" that is posted on this page under "Lemonade, Crunchy Ice" the numbers 1-10 are said while doing the corresponding handclap clap routine.
****
SOMEONE ONCE TOLD ME
Here is a song i always sing with my friends on the bus. (to the tune of the song from shrek): Somebody once told me the world was macaroni so i took a bite out of a tree. It tasted kind of funny so i spited out a bunny and the bunny started swearing at me.
(There is handclapping and foot stomping in this song.)
-kennedy d.; 2/16/2009
****
STELLA ELLA OLA
Editor: This competitive circle handclap game is known by a number of different names. Members of this rhyme family are posted together regardless of their given name or their first line.
STROLLA OLA OLA (Version #1)
Strolla olla olla
Slap, slap, slap.
With ah "s" cheeka cheeka
cheeka cheeka flap jack.
Fah lay, fah lay,
fah lay, fah lay , fah lay
With ah 1- 2- 3- 4- 5.
-African American girls & boys (ages 6-12 years), Fort Pitt Elementary School, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; 10/2000; also my daughter, Tazi M. Powell's childhood remembrances of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; in the mid 1980s
Editor:
"Strolla Ola Ola", "Stella Ella Ola" and other rhymes with similar names belong to the same family of handclap games. In my opinion, "Quack Dily Oso" belongs to this same "family". Folks who are interested in finding more examples of "Stella Ella Ola" and related rhymes as well as reading and/or participating in a discussion about the origin of these rhymes are encouraged to click on this hyperlink: http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=77066&messages=30 Kids chant Stella Ola Ola / Stella Ella Ola
****
SLAP BILLY-OLA (Version #2)
Slap billeola slap, slap, slap, slap.
Sandarico, rico, rico, rico
With ah 1-2-3-4-5.
-African American girls & boys and Vietnamese girls (ages 8-11 years); Alafia Children's Ensemble, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Garfield neighborhood); Collected by Azizi Powell 10/2000
Editor:
This rhyme is related to "Stella Ella Ola" and rhymes with similar names. It may be played as a partner handclap rhyme, with three people or two sets of partners. When there are more than four people, this rhyme is played as a circle game. Here are the directions for "Slap Billy-Ola" when it is played as a circle game:
The group forms a circle. Someone in the group is designated the start position for the slapping movement. Before starting the chant, the group also decides which number will be the last number chanted [(ote that it is "4" in this example, but I've often seen it be the number "5". Having too high a number would spoil the anticipation of the final elimination "slap"). The group then begins the game by chanting the words to this game in unison. The chanting remains the same tempo throughout the entire game. At the same time that the group begins to chant the words, the person in the designated starting position uses his or her left hand to gently slap the right hand of the person standing to the right of him or her. The slap corresponds to one separate word of the chant. ("Hit It" is an optional part of the chant. This phrase counts as one word; the person's hand is slapped after the word "it"). The person whose hand is slapped at the end of the rhyme (on the last number chanted) is out. That person leaves the circle and the rhyme begins again. When there are only two people left from the group, these two stand in front of each other and alternate slap each other's hands. The chant is repeated until there is no one left. That person is the winner.
****
STELLA ELLA HOLA (Version #3)
There was also a fun clapping game:
stella ella hola,
clap clap clap
singing es chico chico, chico chico chap
singing es chico chico
velo
velo
velo velo velo,
saying 1 2 3 4 5 [on 5, whoever clapped last would be out]
you would sit in a large circle, and put your hands 1 on top of the person beside you, the other hand below.- when the person beside you clapped their hand onto yours, you would repeat the clap, with each sound. If your hand was hit on 5, you would be out - you could lift your hand really fast and the person would clap themselves out instead)
-Emma; November 16, 2004; re-posted from http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php
****
STELLA ELLA OLA (Version #4)
Stella Ella Ola
Clap Clap Clap
Singing S Tella Ola chicko chicko clap clap
Fallo Fallo Fallo Fallo Fallo
Is what I remember my sister singing.
-Guest Jake, 6/5/2007; re-posted from http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=77066#1370542 "RE: Kids chant Stella Ola Ola / Stella Ella Ola"
****
STELLA ELLA OLA (Version #5)
Stella Ella Ola
Clap Clap Clap
Say yes chico chicko chicko chicko chap
Say yes chico chico
Hello hello, hello hello hello
Say 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,7,8, 9
-wadaferal; "Stella ella ola"; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loltwWPM0Uo&feature=related; 7/2008
Here's that video:
Editor:
I gather from watching this video that these two men are camp counselors who are teaching this game to the girl campers. This is the way I've seen this game played (and also joined in playing it). The girls & boys (as well as the teens & adults) who I've seen play this game in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's African American neighborhoods and other nearby African American communities always stood up in a circle to play this game. In contrast, the video accompanying Version #7 shows teens sitting down in a circle and playing this game.
****
STELLA ELLA OLA (Version #6)
stella ella ola clap clap clap sing it s chiga chiga chiga chiga chat chat s chiga chiga love love love love love love 5 4 3 2 1
-dropdeadxhaylee; "Stella Ella Ola"; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulb3oV0B1g0&NR=1; 8/22/2008
Here's that video:
"playing stella ella ola at my sweet 16 birthday party :D "
****
STELLA ELLA OLA (Version #7)
Hello! I'm a high school teacher in Toronto and my students taught me this version of Stella-Ella-Ola this week. They're in grade 9 or 10 and learned this version in Toronto when they were in elementary school (i.e. in the last 10 years). Stella-Ella-Ola, quack quack quack Say YES! Chico chico, chico chico chack Say YES! Chico chico, fellow, fellow, the toilet overflows Say 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-----10! Love your site!
-Muni ; 10/25/2008
Editor:
Muni, I appreciate your compliment about this website. Cocojams has become the 'go to' website for examples of English language children's playground rhymes & cheers because children, teens, and adults send in examples of rhymes they know. Thank you all!
****
STELLA ELLA OLA (Version #8)
the song changes from place to place, in Pittsburgh its stella ella olla clap clap clap clap S chika chika chika chika slapjack go slow go slow go slow 1 2 3 4
-1234t1234; "Stella Ella Ola"; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulb3oV0B1g0&NR=1; 3/2009
Editor:
The viewer comment section for this video includes a number of other examples of "Stella Ella Ola" (and similar sounding names). If this viewer meant Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, this is an indication that different versions of a rhyme can be found in the same city at the same time. See Versions # 1 and #2 for two other Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania versions..
****
STELLA ELLA OLA (Version #9)
I'm from manitoba, Canada and we would sing the rythm like this :
Stella stella hola
Clap clap clap
Say es chico chico
Chico chico
Craker jack
Es chico chico
Balogne,balogne
With cheese and macaroni
Say 1,2,3,4,5
-Guest Julia, "Kids chant Stella Ola Ola / Stella Ella Ola" http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=77066&messages=61; 6/2/2010
****
SWEETIES IN THE JAR (Jump Rope Rhyme)
Sweeties in the jar, Sweeties in the jar, Pick them out, pick them out, Sweeties in the jar.
Sausages in the pan, sausages in the pan, Turn them over, turn them over, Sausages in the pan.
Biscuits in the tin, Biscuits in the tin, Shake them up, Shake them up, Biscuits in the tin.
Fire on the floor, Fire on the floor, Stamp it out, Stamp it out, Fire on the floor.
Ghosties in the house, Ghosties in the house, Shoo them out, Shoo them out, Ghosties in the house.
-black walnut; 2/21/2000; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=18352 Playground songs
T,U,V
TAKE A PEACH TAKE A PLUM
Editor: Rhymes in this family often start with an introductory phrase but include the line "take a peach (piece) and a plum/take a piece of bubble gum". These rhymes also often include the line "ooh ah/ I wanna piece of pie". I'm including various examples in this rhyme in this section regardless of their beginning line or title.
TAKE A PEACH TAKE A PLUM (Example #1)
Shake, shake, shake
Eeny meeny
That's a queeny
Ooh ba Thumbalina
Ah cha ca che Liberace
Oh baby I love you
Yes I do.
Take a peach
Take a plum
Take a piece of bubble gum
No peach
No plum
Just a piece of bubble gum
Oooshe ahshe
Oooshe ahshe
I want a piece of pie
The pie too sweet
I want a piece of meat
The meat too tough
I want to ride the bus
The bus too full
I want to ride the bull
The bull too black
I want my money back
The money too green
I want a diamond ring.
{Source Barbara Michels, Bettye White, Apples On A Stick,
The Folklore of Black Children (Houston, Texas; 1983, p. 17)
Editor:
See examples of "I Love Coffee I Love Tea" and "Ooh Ah" on this page for other versions of children's rhymes that include many of these words.
****
TAKE A PEACH, TAKE A PLUMB (Example #2)
here's one we used to play at school. (some words are not really words but are pronounced that way, this is not really the beginning to the song but the middle because I didn't know how to pronounce those words)
Take a peach take a plumb take a piece of bubble gum
No peach no plumb just a piece of bubble gum
Oche Iche, I want a piece of pie
The Pie to sweet
i want a piece of meat
the meat to rough
i wanna ride the bus
the bus to full
i wanna ride the bull
the bull to black
i want my money back
my money to green
i want a jelly bean
the jelly bean to white
goodnight sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite
if they do get a shoe an beat the black and blue
down by the river with the hangy pangy
where the bulldog jumped from bang to bang
there set a
A
E
I
O
U
That's all there set a
A
E
I
O
U
Listen to the beat
-R.S.; Octoblog; November 7, 2003
****
TAKE A PIECE, TAKE A PLUM (Example #3)
Ziz Zag zag
take a piece take a plum
take a piece 0f bubble gum
do you like it?
do you love it?
do the alabama shake it
shake it up
shake it down
shake it all around
Spying on my boy friend - baby
didn't do the dishes - lazy
jumped out the window - crazy
and thats the facts of boys boys boys
-Miranda R. ; 12/5/2004
****
TAKE A PIECE, TAKE A PLUM (Example #4)
take a piece, take a plum take a piece of bubble gum. no piece, no plum no piece of bubble gum. i like coffee, i like tea, i like the preety boy and he likes me so step back dumb boy, you dont shine, i'll meet you round the corner and beat your behind. last night, the night before, i met my boyfriend at the candy store. he bought me ice cream, he bought me cake, he bought me home with a stomach ache. i said "mama, mama, i feel sick. call the doctor QUICK,QUICK,QUICK! doctor, doctor before i die. i close my eyes and i count to five. 1..2..3,4,5 i'm alive." see that house on top of that hill? that's where me and my boyfriend live. cook that chicken, burn that rice. com on baby, lets shoot some dice!
-lesa; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php ,"Schoolyard games", April 10, 2005
****
OH GOSH SHE'S CRAZY (Example #5 of "Take A Piece, Take A Plum")
Oh gosh she crazy
Oh gosh she crazy
Take a piece
Take a plum
Take a piece of bubble gum
No piece, no plum, no piece of bubble gum
I like coffee
I like tea
I like a color boy and he likes me
So step that white boy you don't shine
I'll take you 'round the corner and beat ya behind
Last night, the night befo'
I met my boyfriend at the candystore
He bought me ice-creme, he bought me cake
He bout me home with a stomach ache
I say momma momma I feel sick
Cal the doctor quick quick quick
Doctor doctor if I die, I'll close my eyes and I'll count to 5
1,2,...3,4,5
See that house on top of that hill
Thats where me and my boyfriend live
Cook that chicken, stir that rice
C'mon baby lets shoot some dice
-Guest,183756823%Diva; Playground songs; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=18352; 1/28/2008
Editor:
The word "color" In the line "I like a color boy and he likes me" is folk etymology for the now retired racial referent "Colored". Note the floating verses in this rhyme that are also found in the "I Like Coffee I Like Tea" rhymes.
****
SPADES (Example #6 of "Take A Piece, Take A Plum")
the spades go eenie meaning pop zuchinni
oh ah, oobaleenie
atchie katchie liveratchie say the magic words
a peach a plum a half a stick of chewing gum
and if you want the other half
this is what you say
amen amen a men of san diego hocus pocus alerocus
ses ses ses boom bah
rivers rivers rah rah rah
boo boo boo
criss cross apple sauce
do me a favor and get lost
while your at it drop down dead
either that or lose your head
banging on a trash can
banging on a tin can
you can i can nobody else can
sitting around, with nothing to do, along comes grandma
and gootchie gootchie goo!
- lissandsara' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mJ_f8Vczok&feature=related ; August 30, 2008
Editor:
"The Spades" was the title given to this YouTube video. The video of the two girls reciting this rhyme is found in the entry for "Miss Susie Had A Tugboat (Version #15)
"The spades go" or "the space goes" are introductory phrases that are found in several children's recreational rhymes. In my opinion "the spades" mean "the Black people" [say and/or perform this rhyme this way]. "The space goes" are folk etymology versions of "the spades go". Therefore, "the space go" can be said to have the same (original) meaning as "the spades go".
"Spades" is a usually derogatory referent for Black people. However, I don't think that many children are aware of that word's connotation. Many children just repeat chants from rote memory and don't spend time thinking about what each word means. Nowadays these phrases probably have no meaning.
Several other "the spades go" and "the space goes" rhymes are found on this page.
****
TEDDY BEAR TEDDY BEAR (Jump Rope Rhyme; Example #1)
When I was growing up the jump rope song to Teddy bear lullabye went like this:
Teddy bear, teddy bear turn around,
teddy bear, teddy bear touch the ground,
teddy bear , teddy bear go upstairs ,
teddy bear , teddy bear say your prayers,
teddy bear teddy bear turn out the light,
teddy bear , say good night.
We also did actions while jumping, ie: turned around in a circle,
touched the ground, picked up high knees to go up stairs,
folded hands to say prayers, flicked a finger to turn out the light,then jumped out of the rope to the side to say goodnight, this ended your turn. That sure was alot of fun! I came to this site to learn others to teach my daughter.Thanks alot everyone!
-Guest, ginger; 3/16/2004; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=4300; "Children's Street Songs"
Editor:
I remember saying this same rhyme as a child while jumping rope the same way you describe (Atlantic City, New Jersey in the 1950s).
****
TEDDY BEAR TEDDY BEAR (Jump Rope Rhyme; Example #2)
In London in the late [19]40s it wasn't a Ballerina, it was
Teddy bear, teddy bear turn around
Teddy bear, teddy bear touch the ground
Teddy bear, teddy bear go up stairs
Teddy bear, teddy bear say your prayers (hold hands together)
Teddy bear, teddy bear turn out the light
Teddy bear, teddy bear say goodnight
Goodnight
I seem to remember doing it skipping in a long rope
-Mo the caller ; Req: Playground songs"; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=18352&messages=48 Lyr ; 8/1/2007
Editor:
In London, England where Mo the caller lives, the terrm "skipping" rope is used instead of "jumping rope". Mo's comment about "Ballerina" refers to an example posted in the "B" section Cocojams' Handclap Rhyme section.
****
THE DR PEPPER SONG
I drink Dr. Pepper don't you know.
It's the most favorite thing that I love so.
I drink Dr. Pepper everywhere I go.
I'm a Pepper. You're a Pepper.
Would you like to be a Pepper too?
Be a Pepper. Drink Dr. Pepper.
Be a Pepper. Drink Dr. Pepper.
Mein L.(age 10) and Phoebe L. (age 8) ; (Alexandria, Virginia) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Swe99oRW4wY&feature=related ; January 19, 2010 (transcribed by Azizi Powell 4/8/2010)
Here's the video:
Dr. Pepper Hand Clapping Game
Posted by joelamountain
January 19, 2010
"My daughters met a couple kids at the beach when we were on vacation. The older, a girl, taught them a hand clapping game. But instead of singing the familar "Miss Mary Mack," the clapping was done to the tune and words of an old Dr. Pepper television commercial ("I'm a Pepper"). I've since been thinking about how a 30+ year old commercial, which probably has not aired in years, can live on in childhood games like this. Did it happen naturally? Did the Dr. Pepper company create the game and spread it among our children? Or is there something else going on? All I know is that the folks at Dr. Pepper have succeeded."
end of quote
Editor: The two girls introduced themselves before they began their performance of this handclap rhyme. I believe that they said that their names are Phoebe & Maine. They indicated that they learned the rhyme from a girl named Kiara who lives in Houston, Texas. Kiara, in turn, said she learned it from her teacher. Incidentally, the girls indicated that they were in Mexico when they learned this rhyme. So that rhyme was taught to children from a teacher and then the rhyme traveled from Houston, Texas by way of Mexico to wherever these girls live (and who knows where else before that and after that-thanks, in part to the Internet :o)
****
THE SPACE GOES DOWN DOWN BABY
(See Example #16 of "Down Down Baby" on this page. Also visit http://www.cocojams.com/content/text-analysis-down-down-baby-movie-big for comments about "the space goes" phase in those examples and in "The Space Goes Two Lips".)
****
THE SPACE GOES TWO LIPS
The spades go two lips together
Tie them forever
Bring back my love to me.
What is the meaning of this?
For all the fellows I've kissed
They tell the story
the story of l-o-v-e.
-Various Souces, including http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=81350#1921649
Editor: The words "two lips" is also given as "tulips" (the flower). "Tulips" may be the word which was originally used. In that case the "tie them together" phrase makes sense in that tulips may have been tied together as a potion to help bring one's love back.
****
TEN LITTLE ANGELS (Example #1)
Ten little angels
dressed in white
tryin to get to heaven
on the tail of a kite.
But the kite string broke
and down the fell.
Instead of goin to heaven
they went to
Nine little angels {repeat the rest of the words}.
Eight little angels...
Seven little angels...
Six little angels...
Five little angels...
Four little angels....
Three little angels...
Two little angels...
One little angel
dressed in white
tryin to get to heaven
on the tail of a kite.
But the kite string broke
and down she fell
instead of going to heaven
she went to
HELL!
-Azizi Powell (childhood memories, Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1950s)
Editor:
I believe that the source for "Ten Little Angels" and its variant rhyme "Ten Little Devils" is the first verse of an early 20th century or earlier African American secular {non-religious} folk rhyme or dance song called "Raise A Rucus Tonight". That rhyme is included in Thomas W. Talley's now classic 1922 book Negro Folk Rhymes, Wise and Otherwise. Here's that verse with asterisks used in place of letters of the racially offensive "n word":
Raise A "Rucus" Tonight
Two liddle N****** all dressed in white, (Raise a rucus to-night.)
Want to go to Heaben on de tail of a kite, (Raise a rucus to-night.)
De kite string broke, dem Ni******* fell; (Raise a rucus to-night.)
Whar dem N******* go, I hain't gwineter tell. (Raise a rucus to-night.)
-Thomas W. Talley: Negro Folk Rhymes, Wise & Otherwise (Port Washington, N.Y, Kennikat Press, Inc. edition, 1968; p. 90; originally published 1922, The Macmillan Company)
**
I don't know what tune was used for this song way back in the early 20th century American South. But the tune that I remember is very similar to the rhyme "Ten little monkeys jumping in the bed/one fell down and broke his head/mommy called the doctor and the doctor said/no more monkey's jumping in the bed".
By the way, the word "rucus" ("rukus") means "the act of making a noisy disturbance". However, in the context of this rhyme, to raise a rucus probably meant "to have a heck of a good time". How's that for another example of profanity avoidance :o)
****
THREE LITTLE ANGELS (Example #2)
Three little angels, all dressed in white
Tried to get to Heaven on the end of a kite
The Kitestring broke and down they all fell
Instead of going to Heaven, they all went to
Two little angels......
One little angel.... Instead of going to heaven, they all went to
Three little devils, all dresses in red
Tried to get to Heaven on the end of a thread
Thread-string broke and down they all fell
Instead of going to heaven they all went to
Two little devils....
One little devil, all dressed in red
Tried to get to Heaven on the end of a thread
Tread string broke and down they all fell
Instead of going to Heaven they all went to BED!
-campfire; 5/17/1999 http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm ; Counting Songs
Editor:
For another example of "Three Little Devils", visit this website:
http://odps.org/glossword/index.php?a=term&d=3&t=913 Seedy Songs and Rotten Rhymes - the poetry of the playground.
****
THAT'S THE WAY
Editor:
"That's the way" is often recited at the beginning of rhymes such as "Brickwall Waterfall" and "Bang Bang Choo Choo Train".
See examples of "That's The Way I Like It" on Cocojams' Taunting Rhyme page. Also, click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBwYwZNO928 to see & hear the video of KC And The Sunshine Band's 1975 hit song "That's The Way I Like It"
****
THE GIRLS IN SPAIN
we had a clapping rhyme that went:
The girls in Spain
Put their knickers in champagne
And the boys in France
Do a hula-hula dance
And the dance they do
Is enough to tie a shoe
And the shoe they tie
Is enough to tell a lie
And the lie they tell
Is enough to ring a bell
And the bell they ring
Goes "DING-A-LING-A-LING!"
The Girls in Spain" WASN'T a clapping game between two people, it was in a ring of about 5 people.
-Viracocha; [Sian] {from Portlethen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, in the early 1990s} reposted with permission from http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=18352&messages=48 Lyr Req: Playground songs; 8/2/2007
****
THERE'S A PLACE IN MARS (Version #1)
there is a place on mars where the women smoke cigars and the guys wear bikinis and the children sip Marines when a snake is dead you put Mustard in his eyes when the mustard dries you put Diamonds his eyes when the diamonds break. it's time to bake a cake when the cake is done its 1991 FREEZE
-no name; 1/22/2007
****
THERE'S A PLACE IN MARS (Version #2)
Coca Cola .. Came to town
Diet Pepsi ... Come on down
Theres a place on mars where the women smoke cigars
Every puff they take is enough to kill a snake
When the snake is dead they put roses on its head
When the roses die . they put diamonds in its eyes
When the diamond break .. they begin to make a cake
When the cake is done ... it'll be 1991
- heather; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php ; 3/18/2006
****
THE WASHING CLOTHES SONG
the washing clothes song that someone suggested: Down in the jungle where nobody goes there's a boogie woogie washer woman washing her clothes with a boogie woo here and and boogie woo there, a boogie woogie washer woman washing her clothes doobity bop o a boogity woogie, doobity bop o a boggity woogie, doobity bop o a boogity woogie... a boogie woogie washer woman washing her clothes
-Janice (Los Angeles, Ca); from girls scouts around 1992; 10/12/2006
****
UNO DOS EEE ESSA
Uno dos eee esssa. I said a east. A west. I met my boyfriend at the candy store. He bought me ice cream. He bought me cake. He bought me home with a belly ache. Mama mama, I'm so sick. Call the doctor. Quick quick quick. Doctor doctor will I die. Just count to 5 and you'll be alive. 12345, I'm alive.
I heard this sometime in the mid to late 1980's in Northern Virginia where I went to elementary school.
-Terrassa, Octblog; March 12, 2004
Editor: This rhyme is probably a part of the "I Love Coffee I Love Tea" family of rhymes. I believe that the line "uno dos eee esssa" is folk etymology for the Spanish numbers uno, dos, tres (one two three). This phrase probably serves as an introductory line. See my comment about the website "Octoblog" that I posted in Example #4 of "Down Down Baby".
W,X,Y,Z
WELCOME TO MCDONALDS
Welcome to McDonalds
Can I take your order?
Hamburger
Candy fries
Chicken nuggets
Apple Pies.
[complicated [handclap] action sequence followed by these words]
I win you lose
Now you've got a big bruise.
-private electronic message to Azizi Powell from Uke (who learned it from his daugher); August 29, 2006
Editor:
Uke wrote that he got this rhyme from his daughter who attends an international school in Japan.
****
WHEN BILLY BOY WAS ONE
Two people sit facing each other. I'll do my best to describe the handclap motions... Cross down - start by crossing both hands over your chest, with your finger tips touching your shoulders, then uncross them and smack your thigh's. Your left hand will smack your left thigh and right hand, right thigh. The next step is to clap. When you clap, you begin singing the song. (For example: (cross down) (Clap), When Billy Boy was one..... (now begin claping with your partner - your right hand claps with their right hand - then you clap your hands together, next your left hand claps with your partner's left hand, then you clap your hands together. Repeat until the verse is over. When you start the next verse, begin again with cross down, slap your thighs, When Billy Boy was two...etc.
Verses: When Billy Boy was one, he learned to suck his thumb. Thumb Billy, Thumb Billy, half past one. When Billy Boy was two, he learned to tie his shoe. Shoe Billy, Shoe Billy, half past two. When Billy Boy was three, he learned to climb a tree. Tree Billy, Tree Billy, half past three. When Billy Boy was four, he learned to close the door. Door Billy, Door Billy, half past four. When Billy Boy was five, he learned to swim and dive. Dive Billy, Dive Billy, half past five. When Billy Boy was six, he learned to pick up sticks. Sticks Billy, Sticks Billy, half past six. When Billy Boy was seven, he learned to pray to heaven. Heaven Billy, Heaven Billy, half past seven. When Billy Boy was eight, he learned to roller skate. Skate Billy, Skate Billy, half past eight. When Billy Boy was nine, he learned to tell the time. Time Billy, Time Billy, half past nine. When Billy Boy was ten, he learned to catch the hens. Hens Billy, Hens Billy, half past ten. Cross down, then end!
-Jackie; 8/28/2007
****
WHEN I WAS A BABY
In Brooklyn, in the late 50s and very early 60s:
When I was a baby, a baby, a baby
When I was a baby boom boom boom
It was crying this-a-way
Crying that-a-way
Crying this-a-way
Boom boom boom
(This goes through "child," "teenager kissing," then I think "when I got married" and then "had a baby" then "when my husband died" ending with
When I died, dies, died,
When I dies boom boom boom
It was six feet under, six feet under, six feet under boom boom boom.
-Guest; 7/27/2007; http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=102055 Folklore: Play Ground Hand Jives; 5/16/2007
****
WHEN PEBBLES WAS A BABY (Version #1)
I am 25 now and was recently playing a hand game with my 6 year old cousin at a family gathering and was thinking about some of the games I used to play as a little girl. I am a Black female from Easter North Carolina. One I remember yet have no idea where it came from was called Pebbles and it basically followed the life of this girl. Each section of life had some type of hand gesture you had to do with it. and you had to remember the whole thing as it added on new lines. It basically went like this When pebbles was a baby, a baby a baby When pebbles was a baby she went like this cry cry. (then the group would act like they were wiping their tears) When pebbles was a toddler, a toddler a toddler when pebbles was a toddler she went like this cry cry, tie my shoe. (then we would wipe our tears, and reach down and touch our shoes) When pebbles was a 5 year old, a 5 year old, a 5 year old when pebbles was a 5 year old she went like this cry cry, tie my shoe, i want this i want that (you would do the previous motions plus point at left then right) When pebbles was a teenager, a teenager, a teenager when pebbles was a teenager she went like this cry cry, tie my shoe, i want this i want that, Ohh Ah I lost my bra I must have left it in my boyfriends car. ( on this part you would do the previous motions then also cross your hands over your chest and sort of shake your hips) This is a long song there is way more too it but it takes her through motherhood and then being a grandma and finally the end of her life. I think its basically to see who can and can't remember all the things that happened before. Its been a really long time since I did this one.
-Erica ; 1/3/2008
Editor:
I wonder if the name "Pebbles" came from the name of the baby girl in "The Flintstones" cartoon?
****
WHEN PEBBLES WAS A BABY (Version #2)
When Pebbles was a baby, a baby, a baby, When Pebbles was a baby, She used to go like this: Wah wah!
When Pebbles was a toddler, a toddler, a toddler, when Pebbles was a toddler, She used to go like this: Wah wah, suck my thumb!
When Pebbles was a schoolgirl, a schoolgirl, a schoolgirl, when Pebbles was a schoolgirl, She used to go like this: Wah wah, suck my thumb, gimme a piece of bubble gum!
When Pebbles was a teenager, a teenager, a teenager when Pebbles was a teenager, She used to go like this: Wah wah, suck my thumb, gimme a piece of bubble gum, Ooh Ah lost my bra, left it in my boyfriend's car!
When Pebbles was a mother, a mother, a mother, when Pebbles was a mother, She used to go like this: Wah wah, suck my thumb, gimme a piece of bubble gum, Ooh Ah lost my bra, left it in my boyfriend's car, oh no my water broke!
When Pebbles was a grandma, a grandma, a grandma, When Pebbles was a grandma, She used to go like this: Wah wah, suck my thumb, gimme a piece of bubble gum, Ooh Ah lost my bra, left it in my boyfriend's car, oh no my water broke, What'd you say, I can't hear you!
When Pebbles had a heart attack, a heart attack, a heart attack, when Pebbles had a heart attack, She used to go like this: Wah wah, suck my thumb, gimme a piece of bubble gum, Ooh Ah lost my bra, left it in my boyfriend's car, oh no my water broke, What'd you say, I can't hear you, HELP ME, HELP ME!
When Pebbles was dead, dead, dead, When Pebbles was dead, She used to go like this: I'm dead!
- http://www.inthe80s.com/rhymes.shtml ; assessed on 10/15/2008
****
WHEN PEBBLES WAS A BABY (Version #3)
its like this
when pebbles was a baby a baby she went like this wahh wahh
when pebbles was a toddler a toddler she wenr like this wahh wahh suck my thumb
when pebbles was a kid a kid she went like this wahh wahh suck my thumb give me a peice of bubblegum
when pebbles was a school girl a school she went like this waahh wahh suck my thumb give me a peice of bubblegum teach teacher i have to go the bathroom
when pebbles was a teenager a teenagers she went like this waahh wahh suck my thumb give me a piece of buble gum teacher teacher i ahve to go the bathroom uhh ohh i lost my bra must of left in my boyfrinds car
when pebbles was a mother a mother she went like this wahh wahh suck my thumb give me a pieceof bubblegum teacher teach i have to go the bathroom uhh oh i lost my bra must of left in my boyfreinds car brush your teeth comb your hair and dont forget clean underwear
when pebbles was a grandma she went like this wahh wahh suck my thumb give me a peice of bubble gum teacher teacher i ahve to go the bathtroom uhh ohh i lost my bra must of left in my boyfriends car brush your teeth comb your hair and dont forget clean underwear ahh wheres my cane wheres my cane
when pebbple went to heave was to heaven went like this wahh wahh suck my thumb give me a peice of bubble gum teacher teacher i ahve to go the bathroom uhh ohh i lost my bra must left in in my boyfriends car brush your teeth comb ur hair and dont forget clean underwhere ahh where my cane wheres my cane boo boo im dead and thats the end
the dead parts not right but that how i sang it does anyone now the teenager part cuz its not uhh ohh i lost my bra must of left in my boyfriends car parts not right i cant think of that part its something tottally different
-GUEST,kkdmtp2129; http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=109480&messages=56 "Children's rhyme: When Susie Was A Baby"; February 20, 2010
****
WHEN PEBBLES WAS A BABY (Version #4)
Well this a different version of pebbles this is how i used to play it
pebbles is a baby a baby a baby pebbles is a baby and she went like this :wah wah (act like your crying)
pebbles is a toddler a toddler a toddler pebbles is a toddler she went like this:wah wah (act like your crying),want my bottle (act like your sucking your thumb)
pebbles is a kid a kid a kid pebbles is a kid she went like this:wah wah(act like your crying),want my bottle(act like your sucking your thumb), tie my shoe (pretend to tie your shoe)
pebbles is a teenager a teenager a teenager pebbles is a teenager she went like this : wah wah (act like your crying),want my bottle(act like your sucking your thumb), tie my shoe(pretend to tie your shoe),ooo la la (shake your hips)
pebbles is a grownup a grownup a grownup pebbles is a grown up she went like this : wah wah (act like your crying),want my bottle(act like your sucking your thumb),tie my shoe(pretend to tie your shoe),ooo la la (shake your hips), kiss kiss(blow two kisses)
pebbles is married married married pebbles is married she went like this: wah wah(act like your crying),want my bottle(act like your sucking your thumb), tie my shoe(pretend to tie your shoe), ooo la la(shake your hips) ,kiss kiss(blow two kisses),go to your room (shake your finger as if your scolding someone)
pebbles is old old old pebbles is old she went like this:wah wah(act like your crying),want my bottle(act like your sucking your thumb)
,tie my shoe(pretend to tie your shoe),ooo la la(shake your hips), kiss kiss(blow two kisses),go to your room(shake your finger as if your scolding someone),ouch in my back(hold your back as if it hurts)
pebbles is dead dead dead dead pebble is dead she went like this:wah wah(act like your crying),want my bottle(act like your sucking your thumb)tie my shoe(pretend to tie your shoe),ooo la la (shake your hips),kiss kiss (blow two kisses),got to your room(shake your finger as if your scolding someone),ouch in my back(hold your back as if it hurts),FREEZE!!!(obviously FREEZE!!! the one who most lasts frozen wins)
-Guest Momo; Children's rhyme: When Susie Was A Baby; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=109480&messages=64; 5/25/2010
****
WHEN MISS SUZIE WAS A BABY (Version #1)
when miss suzie was a baby a baby a baby when miss suzie was a baby she went like this weh weh: when miss suzie was a toddler a toddler a toddler when miss suzie was a toddler she went like this weh weh gimme a sucker: when miss suzie was a child a child a child when miss suzie was a child she went like this weh weh gimme a sucker mommy mommy tie my shoe: when miss suzie was a teenager a teenager a teenager when miss suzie was a teenager she went like this weh weh gimme a sucker, mommy tie my shoe, ooh aah I lost my bra I think I left it in my boyfriend's car: when miss suzie was a parent a parent a parent when miss suzie a parent she went like this weh weh gimme a sucker, mommy mommy tie my shoe, ooh aah i lost my bra I think I left it in my boyfriend's car, shut up kids im on the phone im tryin to get your father home: when miss suzie was grandma a grandma a grandma when miss suzie was a grandma she went like this weh weh gimme a sucker, mommy mommy tie my shoe, ooh aah i lost my bra i think i left it in my boyfriend's car, shut up i'm on the on the phone tryin to get your father home, cane cane where's my cane i need my cane where's my cane: when miss suzie was in heaven in heaven in heaven when miss suzie was in heaven she went like this weh weh gimme a sucker, mommy mommy tie my shoe, ooh aah i lost my bra i think i left it in my boyfriend's, car shut up kids im on the phone tryin to get your father home, cane cane where's my cane i need my cane where's my cane, look at my beautiful halo and shiny dress.
-http://www.inthe80s.com/rhymes.shtml; assessed on 10/15/2008
****
WHEN SUZIE WAS A BABY (Version #2)
From what I remember it was:
Whan miss Suzy was a baby a baby a baby when miss suzy was a baby shw went like this, waa waa
Whan miss suzy was a toddler a toddler a toddler when miss suzy was a toddler she went like this, waa waa, tie my shoe.
It continued untill it ended up like this:
Baby: waa waa
Toddler: tie my shoe
Child: give me back my dollie
Teenager: Oh Ah lost my bra in my boyfriends car
Adult: Hey girls look at my ring
Mother: Rock a bye baby
Grandmother: Oh my achy breaky back
Then me and my friend's added on verses that we liked
Dead: I'm flying I'm flying
Ghost: I'm invisable
At the end we say: I'm back!
- Guest http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=109480&messages=56 "Children's rhyme: When Susie Was A Baby"; January 29, 2010
****
ADDITIONAL EXAMPLES OF CHILDREN'S HANDCLAP AND JUMP ROPE VIDEOS:
Hand-clap games
stepheel23
April 16, 2007
"I got pretty good, but I am pretty sure I was the one slowing the kids down".
****
Elastic Game With The NZ (New Xealand) Girls
topgun2311
March 24, 2008
"Elastic Game With Janna, Annie, Rachel and Dugald"
****
object width="340" height="285">
Chinese Jump Rope
mizflipster
July 01, 2008
"Dan, John, Lisa, & Kriz play chinese jump rope
Editor: Warning! Playing this game can be dangerous.
****
hand claps
Posed by edntiri
May 11, 2007
[The girls may be speaking Jamaican Patois. See the comments in that YouTube video's comment section.]
****
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29WIwKR0e2o&feature=related
Posted by bodgiefahey
November 12, 2006
"australian girls clapping song more at http://www.warrenfahey.com"
-snip-
Also see several videos of children performing handclaps on Cocojams' Focus On page.
****
Please send examples of handclap rhymes to cocojams17@yahoo.com for possible posting on this website.
Your email address is never posted or shared.
Cocojams - Share! Learn! Enjoy! - cocojams17@yahoo.com
Copyright © 2001-2010 Azizi Powell; All Rights Reserved