Teacher Taunts

TEACHER TAUNTS

This page contains examples of insult rhymes that are directed toward teachers and other school personnel. Some people call these insult rhymes "taunts" or "rips". To "taunt" or "rip on a person" means to tease, insult, mock, harass, ridicule, or harass that person. This page also includes rhymes or one line responses that children make to taunts and rips. It should be emphasized that most children who chant these rhymes and most,teens, and adults who have shared their memories of these taunting rhymes indicate that the words aren't supposed to be taken seriously. When they chant these types of rhymes, children are engaging in what they consider to be a mild form of naughtiness and rebellion against authority figures.

These examples are collected and posted for their creative, folkloric value. However, I strongly advise against using these taunts & insult rhymes in real life situations because it's likely that some people may get very angry or hurt because of what you are saying. In addition, reciting these taunts in the wrong place & time (such as in schools) may lead to consequences from school officials and/or other adults.

COMMENT ABOUT THE VIOLENCE CONTENT OF THESE RHYMES
Reading through the children's rhymes that I have collected, it appears that a significant number of these rhymes have themes of violence. A number of other children's rhymes I've collected also have performance activities that include such violent actions as pinching, hitting, or slapping. Given the violence at Columbine, Deer Lake and other schools, it seems to me that a possible area of folkloric study would be the possible psycho-social meanings & consequences of contemporary English rhymes that have violent themes, words, and/or performance activities.

OTHER EDITORIAL COMMENTS
i'm an African American female, and I don't remember hearing or reciting these teacher taunt rhymes from my childhood/teen years. I've informally surveyed other African Americans including my daughter, my brother, and my sister-who are or have been public school teachers and/or school administrators in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Nevada. None of them remember hearing or reciting these teacher taunts among African Americans in their schools.

This does not mean that African Americans don't know or recite these parodies. However, I think it would be an interesting research project for someone to document the familiarity with these parodies within racial populations, and then consider what it means if there are significant differences. For instance, in 2001, a Pittsburgh Pennsylvania African American high school teacher who I happened to converse with about these rhymes, told me that she was unfamiliar with these parodies. She also said that she was appalled by them, a familiar sentiment that I've gotten from other Black and non-Black adults. But what was so interesting to me was that high school teacher's opinion that "Black kids don't need to recite this parodies because they have "rap" (meaning hip hop music). Of course, it's been documented that quite a number of non-Black teenagers listen to rap music. But, if it's true that fewer Black teens than White teens-for example- know and recite teacher taunts, I'm wondering whether any cultural variables account for this difference. Cocojams readers, please feel free to share your thoughts about this. Thanks!

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SEND IN EXAMPLES OF TEACHER TAUNTS
Please send examples of teacher taunts to cocojams17@yahoo.com.

Your email address is never posted or shared.

Or, if you are on facebook, visit me at cocojams jambalayah, and befriend me, or send me a private message!

I reserve the right not to post examples of rhymes on this page that are exactly the same as a previously posted example. I also reserve the right not to post examples of rhymes that I feel don't meet the standards of this website.

Although it is not required, please include information about how these taunts are 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!

Please be aware that by sharing your examples or comments with me, you are giving me permission to include it in a book or in any other off-line publication

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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".

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thanks to all who submit teacher taunting rhymes to Cocojams! Special thanks to those who remember to include demographical information.

My thanks to http://www.mudcat.org/threads.cfm; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php (Octoblog) and The Annex http://www.jonbanjo.com/forum/forum.php for permission to repost selected examples & comments from their websites.

Unfortunately, Octoblog and The Annex are no longer available online. I'm keeping their links with the example for documentation purposes

Ms. Azizi Powell, Founder/Editor
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Last update: September 13, 2011

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EXAMPLES OF TEACHER TAUNTS
(Examples are listed in alphabetical order, The newest postings are indicated by their dates.)

A,B
APRIL FOOL
April Fool
Go to school.
Tell your teacher she's
a fool.
If she hits you with a rule
pack your bags
and leave that school.
-various sources, including the editor's childhood memories,
Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1950s

Editor:
In the context of this rhyme, "rule" means "ruler"

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BUILD A BONFIRE (Version #1)
Build a bonfire, build a bonfire
Put the teachers on the top
Put Miss Manning (substitute yr own head teacher) in the middle
And burn the whole lot
-KingBrilliant; 10/15/2001; http://www.mudcat.org/threads.cfm What did you sing as a kid?; KingBrilliant;15 Oct 01 {location: Great Britain}

Editor:
Coincidentally, “Manning” is my maiden name. :o)
But given that rhyme, maybe I should say :o(

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BUILD A BONFIRE (Version #2)
Build a bonfire, build a bonfire,
Put the teachers on the top,
Put the heidie in the middle,
and we’ll burn the bloomin lot.

(Bad children didn’t say ‘bloomin’ btw).
-Fiona; 8/18/2005; http://www.jonbanjo.com/forum/forum.php ; “The Annexe”, (United Kingdom)

Editor:
Because I also was unfamiliar with the term “heidie”, I posted a request on The Annex discussion forum for its definition. Fiona responded with these comments: “'Heidie' means "headmaster", and headmasters are the same as principals. [in Britain] Teachers used to be called "schoolmasters". A prefect was an older pupil with some responsibly, I think the US equivalent would be monitor.”

Fiona also responded to my request for more information about her memories of children’s taunts and other rhymes from her childhood with these comments:

“I remember it being mostly primary school age (5-11). Boys chanted more so than girls, especially very rude ones. As for adults, some would have been more tolerant than others, some would have thought it cheeky. To have been rude to a teacher would have been unthinkable for me, I would have been in big trouble at home.”
As for 'violent' games, the circle game The farmer wants a wife' had the unfortunate 'bone' gatting thumped on the back and we played a form of tag called 'kiss, kick or torture' where that was your choice if you were caught (torture was usually a Chinese burn)….

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BUILD A BONFIRE (Version #3)
Build a bonfire out of schoolbooks,
Put the teacher on the top,
Put the prefects in the middle
And we'll burn the bloody lot.

Come to our school, Come to our school,
For it is the very best,
There's a notice at the entrance
Saying "Welcome to the Rest".

Don't believe it, Don't believe it,
For it's all a pack of lies,
If it wasn't for the teachers
It would be a paradise.
-Paul B,; 3/3/2006; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=89297; anti-school songs

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BUILD A BONFIRE (Version #4)
Another, to the tune of Clementine, ran:
Build a bonfire, build a bonfire
Put the teacher on the top
Put the prefects in the middle
And burn the bloody lot

(prefects being senior pupils with badges and authority)
-Colin R. (Great Britain); 6/23/2008 by electronic mail to Azizi Powell

Editor:
Here's a link to Colin's essay about corporal punishment in British schools in the 1950s, http://www.salutnorth.com/2007/12/the-cane-the-sl.html, "The cane and the Bunsen burner tube. That'll teach you...." Thanks for giving your permission to post that link, Colin!!

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BURNING OF THE SCHOOL/GREAT GREEN GLOB
my version of great green gobs seemed to combine great green gobs with the burning of the school... It started out with the burning of the school and ended with ......

and we went walkin' down the hall and ill tell you what we saw
Great green gobs of greasy grimy gopher guts,
Chopped up baby parekeet,
Mutalated monkey meat, french fried eyeballs,
Fryin in a fryin pan.. and i forgot my spoon.
-Alec; 12/15/2006

Click http://www.cocojams.com/content/gross-out-rhymes to find more examples of "Great Green Gobs" and other "gross out" rhymes.

C,D
DECK THE HALLS (Version #1)
One more song:

Deck the halls with poison ivy
Fa la la la la, la la la la
Tis the season to be naughty
Fa la la la la, la la la la
Break a window, pop a tire
Fa la la, la la la, la la la
Set an old man's pants on fire
Fa la la la la, la la la la
-D. Jones; 3/30/2006

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DECK THE HALLS (Version #2)
Sing To Deck The Halls:

Deck The Hall With Gasoline
Fa la la la la la la la la
Light A Match And Watch It Gleam
Fa la la la la la la la la
Watch The Teachers Kick And Scream
Fa la la la la la la la la
Now The School Has Burned Down To Ashes
Fa la la la la la la la laaaaaa
-anonymous; 4/10/2006

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DECK THE HALLS (Version #3)
This is my version of deck the halls for teacher taunts.

Deck the halls with gasoline
fa la la la la la la la la
Light a match and watch it gleam
fa la la la la la la la la
Watch the school burn down to ashes
Fa la la la la la la la la
Aren't you glad you played with matches
fa la la la la la la la la
-Kat ;10/29/2006

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DECK THE HALLS (Version #4)
Deck the halls with gasoline;
fa la la la la, la la la la;
Light a match and watch it gleam;
fa la la la la, la la la la;
Watch the school burn down to ashes;
fa la la, la la la, la la la;
Aren't you glad you played with matches; fa la la la la, la la la la. -

Obviously a common one, though it didn't occur to us at the time that it couldn't have originated in Australia due to the gasoline reference.
-Kale M.; 12/17/2008

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DROP A BOMB
Sung to the melody of "Round and Round" by Perry Como 1957 :

Drop a bomb and it goes down, down, down,
Till it hits the school with a happy sound.
All the teachers Will go round, round, round,
While the school is burning to the ground.

This was a popular song to sing when I was a kid living on the South side of Chicago back in the late 1950s and early 60s...
-Johnny B; 9/29/2006

E,F
FROM THE HALLS OF MONTEZUMA (Version #1)
From the halls of Montezuma
To the Shores of PTA
We will fight our teacher's battles
With spitballs and with clay.
We will fight for more recess,
And to keep our desks a mess.
We are proud to claim the title
Of the teacher's little pests.

From the halls of dear old school,
We will always teach the teachers
That we love them all so dearly,
We're angelic little creatures.
Yes, we love them all so dearly
And we love them most we say,
From the 30th day of June,
Right up to Labor Day!

From the halls of our dear old school
To the science and the math room
I tripped and lost my pretty books
On the way to the bathroom
I'm afraid they fell into the sink
ANd my soul was really crushed
SO I turned the wet water on
And down the drain they flushed.

From the halls of Montezuma
To the Shores of PTA
We will fight our teacher's battles
With spitballs and with clay.
We will fight for more recess,
And to keep our desks a mess.
We are proud to claim the title
Of the teacher's little pests.

Well that is all i have so uh...enjoy i guess.
-Miranda; 8/19/2004; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php ; “Schoolyard games”

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FROM THE HALLS OF THE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE (Version #2 of From The Halls Of Montezuma)
From the halls of the principal's office
To the shores of the PTA
We will fight our teacher's battles,
with spit balls and with clay.
First to fight for right and freedom and to keep our desks a mess.
We are proud to claim the title of the teachers' greatest pests…
-LadyJean; {Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania}; 3/6/2006 http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=89297 ; “anti-school songs”

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FROM THE HALLS OF MONTEZUMA (Version #3)
Of course we also sang this version of the Marine's Hymn:

From the halls of Montezuma
To the shores of P.T.A. (or Bubble-gum Bay),
We will fight our teachers battles,
With spitballs, gun, and play!
First to fight for more recess,
And to keep our desks a mess!
We are proud to claim the title, Of teacher's little pests!
-Ann N.; 4/29/2007

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FROM THE HALLS OF MAPLE (Version #4 of From The Halls Of Montezuma)
My personal favorite [rhyme] is one the children in my class wrote in grade four and having never encountered a version even similar anywhere, I'd guess we were actually creating a new one. Sung to the tune of the Marine Hymn:

From the halls of Maple (our school) prison,
to the shores of Bubblegum Bay
We will fight our teachers battles with spits wads and red clay
First to fight for longer recesses,
and to keep our desks a mess
We are proud to claim the title of the teachers little Pest.
-Susan S; 12/22/2007 (Oregon)

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FROM THE HALLS OF[School's Name] (Version #5 of From The Halls Of Montezuma)
This to the tune of the Marine's Hymn (apologies to any in the service)

From the Halls of [name] school,
to the shores of bubble gum bay,
we will fight the teacher's rule,
with spit wads and with clay,

First we'll fight for longer recess,
then to keep our desks a mess (A MESS!),
We are proud to claim the title of United Teacher's Pests!

(Which is all a bit funny now that I'm a teacher...)
-Mika Selm ; http://blogs.herald.com/dave_barrys_blog/2005/05/a_readers_plea/comments... ; November 29, 2007

G,H
GIVE A CHEER
Hi, My daughter and I came to your site by Googling "Miss Susie had a steamboat." I found some old favorites, especially in the teacher taunts! Here's one from my 1960s Wisconsin (very white) neighborhood:
Give a Cheer (to the tune of "the caissons go rolling along") give a cheer, give a cheer, for the teachers who drink beer in the cellars of (school name here) school they are brave they are bold for the whiskey they can hold in the cellars of (---) school for it's guzzle guzzle guzzle as they pour it down their muzzle give out a cheer- loud and clear! - "More Beer!" they were lying on the floor when the cops came in the door in the cellars of (----) school
-Anne H.; 5/2/2006

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GLORY GLORY HALLELUJAH (Version #1)
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the lord
he is driving 'round the corner in a polka dotted Ford
one hand is on the throttle
and the other on a bottle
of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer
Glory glory halleluja
teacher hit me with a ruler
I hit him on the bean
with a rotten tangerine
there's no more school for me
-bassen; 2/20/99; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=2998&messages=112
Naughty kids' greatest hits II

As a reminder, please be careful about using these taunts in real life. You could get into a lot of trouble if you say these taunts to the wrong person or the wrong group of people or in the wrong place (such as in school).

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GLORY GLORY HALLELUJAH (Version #2)
To the tune of, well, you know the tune—

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord,
He was rambling round the corner in a Ninteen Fifty Ford
With one hand on the throttle, and the other on a bottle
Of Mogen-David Wine!

Glory, Glory, What's it to ya?
Teacher hit me with a ruler
So I cracked her on the bean
With a rotten tangerine
And that teacher don't teach no more!

Glory, Glory, What's it to ya?
Teacher hit me with a ruler
So I met her at the door
With a loaded forty-four
And that teacher don't teach no more!
- M.Ted; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=40139
“What did you sing as a kid?”' October 16.2001

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GLORY GLORY HALLELUJAH (Version #3)
ok so this one repeats but wen u do a claping game u repeat as many times as u can .. or as long as u can ... here u go i call it "glory glory here's my story "

Mine eyes have seen the glory
Of the burning of the school
We have torched all the teachers
We have broken every rule
We broke into the office
And we murdered the principal
Our truth is marching on!

Glory, glory hallelujah
Teacher hit me with a rulah
I met her at the door
With a loaded .44
And she ain't gonna teach no more!

Mine eyes have seen the glory
Of the end of PTA
Now my dad can see my mom again,
She doesn't have to say,
"I'm sorry, dear, there's a meeting,
I won't be home today."
My dad goes marching on.

Glory, glory hallelujah
Teacher hit me with a rulah
I met her at the door
With a loaded .44
And she ain't gonna teach no more!

Mine eyes have seen the glory
Of a great big long vacation
It will help to make the boys and girls
The leaders of the nation
Then we'll perform an operation
On the board of education
Our truth goes marching on.

Glory, glory hallelujah
Teacher hit me with a rulah
I met her at the door
With a loaded .44
And she ain't gonna teach no more!

ok ok ... its bad but its not 4 your lil kids .. of course ... yes i am a bad lil gurl hehe...
-Cassi; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/001392.php
Schoolyard games”; 4/17/2004

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GLORY GLORY HALLELUJAH (Version #4)
Here is the version we sang when I was a kid in the 80's. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the burning of the school We have tortured all the teachers We have broken all the rules We have barbequed the janitor We've hung the principle Our truth is marching on Glory, Glory hallelujah Teacher hit me with a ruler met her at the door with a loaded 44 And she ain't my teacher no more.
-D. Jones; 3/30/2006

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GLORY GLORY HALLELUJAH (Version #5)
I knew several variants of "the burning of the school", but I think the one I thought of as canonical went:

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the burning of the school,
We have tortured all the teachers, we have broken every rule,
We're marching down the hall to hang the principal,
Us kids are marching on!

Glory, glory, halleujah!
Teacher beat me with a ruler,
I knocked her to the floor with a loaded forty-four,
And that teacher don't teach no more.

This was, of course, sung with no intention of shooting (or hanging) anybody, and the adults in our vicinity knew better than to take it so.
-Harou; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=2795#12230
“Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe!; April 5, 2005

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GLORY GLORY HALLELUJAH (Version #6)
oh, duh, I almost forgot--

remember this one?

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the burning of the school
we have tortured all the teachers we have broken every rule
we are marching to the office now to kill the principal
the school is burning down!
Glory glory halelujah teacher hit me with a ruler
well, I bopped her on the bean with a rotten tangerine
the school is burning down!
-GUEST; 5/12/2008; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=91338 "On Top of Old Smokey - parody problem" [A discussion about the efficacy of children singing these kinds of parodies in schools nowadays]

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GLORY GLORY HALLELUJAH (Version #7)
I was a military brat, but I spent 4th grade (1963-64 through 9th grade (1968-1969) in Oxon Hill, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, D.C. My schools then were white. The variation of "Mine Eyes Have Seen" that I learned there: Mine eyes have seen the glory of the burning of the school. We have tortured every teacher, we have broken every rule. We marched into the office and killed the principal. Our truth is marching on! Glory, Glory Hallelujah, Teacher hit me with a ruler, I bopped her on the bean with a rotten tangerine, And her teeth came marching out!
-Ann N; 4/29/2007

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GLORY GLORY HALLELUJAH (Version #8)
We are gathered here today to see the burning of the school. We have tortured every teacher, we have broken every rule. We have shot the secretary, and we hanged the principal. Our truth goes marching on. Glory Glory hallelujah. Teacher hit me with a ruler. So I met her at the bank, in a Sherman Army tank or I hid behind the door with a loaded .44 or I blew her up to heaven with an AK-47. And she doesn't teach no more.

Early Eighties Rural New Mexico (30 minutes North of Albuquerque); Of course now that I have achieved the ability to perform a little bit of critical thought, I wonder how we thought is was possible to have killed a forty foot wide woman with a green (or red) rubber band. I think that after incidents like Columbine and VT, this sort of thing carries more weight, but I don't believe that I or any of my friends ever had any intent to do harm to our teachers. We just memorized the things that older siblings and upper classman (5th and sixth graders) sang and then passed them on once we were older. I don't remember these songs ever progressing beyond my elementary school days. They certainly were not present in high school or college, where apparently, violent children's rhymes metamorphose from musical fantasy into horrible reality.
-Ethan ; 5/5/2007

Editor:
Most persons whose comments I have received or who I have talked with agree with your position that when these taunts were recited in the past, they were definitely not meant to be taken literally. However, given the school violence that has occurred lately, I think that nowadays it would absolutely NOT be either wise or appropriate for students to recite these types of rhymes in school.

Cocojams includes examples of teacher taunts and other taunts for their creative & folkloric value.

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GLORY GLORY HALLELUJAH (Version #9)
here is a new version of battle hymn. i invented it at work as we changed our wellies talking about what we sung at school. glory glory haleluja the teacher hit me with a ruler then she missed and smashed a telly so she hit me with a wellie so the headmaster showed her the door.
-peter o. ; 6/9/2007

Editor:
"Wellie" are rubber boots

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GLORY GLORY HALLELUJAH (Version #10)
One more variation on the Glory, Glory Hallilua Glory, glory hallilua Teacher hit me with a ruler Took her in the shed and I hit her on the head And I made sure she was dead. We sung the full song, starting with Mine eyes have seen the glory of the burning of the school... and included the verse about the loaded 44 and the rotten tangerine as well. While no harm was intended (we really did like our teachers) it was tremendous fun. I have taught some of these to my children with very strict instructions that they cannot say them at school (no longer taken as a joke). Sung in the Bristol VA area schools, 1970s, all white at that time
-Betty; 1/9/2008

Editor:
Betty, I appreciate your inclusion of information about why you and other students chanted these types of rhymes. And I agree with your admonitions to your children that these taunts should never be chanted {or written} in school nowadays.

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GLORY GLORY HALLELUJAH (Version #11)
Glory Glory Hallelujah - The version I learned in Monterey CA in the early 70s had a slight variation to the ones I see here; it concluded with

Glory Glory Hallelujah,
teacher hit me with a ruler.
I hit her in the butt
with a rotten coconut,
and she ain't my teacher no more.

Pretty uncouth, I suppose. As per the question of why did we sing it, well, some of my teachers were really mean. I don't ever remember have any intentions of violence towards them, of course, but to sing about burning down the school and hitting my teacher in the butt with a rotten coconut gave me a feeling of joy.
-Tim ; 2/4/08

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GLORY GLORY HALLELUJAH (Version #12)
My contribution isn't particularly original, but multiple examples help confirm patterns, right? A Glory, glory variation from Southern California, Monterey Park, late 1950s:

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord
He is driving 'round the corner in a polka dotted Ford
One hand is on the throttle and the other on a bottle
Of Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer
Sing Glory glory hallelujah
Teacher hit me with a ruler
I hit him on the bean
With a rotten tangerine
There's no more school for me.

One thing I never thought about at the time but in retrospect, the phrase "one hand is on the throttle" would seem to date the version to a time when hand throttled cars were the rule, the 1920s???
-Bassen ; 3/8/2008

Editor:
See example #1 on this page. That example was originally posted on Mudcat Discussion Forum and this one was submitted to Cocojams. I'm not sure if both of these examples were posted by the same person. Regardless, I think that the information included in this second example makes posted both of them worthwhile.

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GLORY GLORY HALLELUJAH (Version #13)
OK, here's one from my rather twisted childhood, late 1960's early 1970's small town in CA all white except for the janitor's family who were Spanish.

Glory, glory Hallelujah!
Teacher hit me with a Ruler!
The problem is - I liked it!
So I kept on bein BAD
Oh what a year we HAD!
She sent me to detention when I busted all the chalks,
She sent me to the principal, he gave me fifteen swats.
The problem was - I liked it
So I just kept doing MORE!
What a keckuva way to win a war!

(I think that last bit may have been a refernce to the ongoing "Vietnam Conflict" of the time.
-Lori: 3/13/2008

Editor:
Thanks Lori for including racial demographics along with other demographics. The reference to racial demographics is for the possible benefit of folklorists who (like me) may be interested in researching whether race/ethnicity influences the rhymes that children know.

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GLORY GLORY HALLELUJAH (Version #14)
I learned this as a kid in the mid-1970s in El Paso. My school was mostly Anglo (i.e., Caucasian) and Hispanic (in that order), with some African-Americans and Asian-Americans; it was always other Anglos I heard sing this and always boys, never girls. (Sung to the tune of "Battle Hymn of the Republic")

My eyes have seen the glory of the burning of the school
We have tortured all the teachers,
we have broken all the rules
We are planning to hang the principal tomorrow afternoon
And we go marching on.
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Teacher hit me with a ruler
Met her at the door with a loaded .44
And the teacher ain't around no more!
-Mark; 3/23/2008

Editor:
Thanks for including racial demographical information, Mark. My theory is that teacher taunts are more often chanted by Anglo-Americans than African Americans, Of course, I may be wrong about this, but I've a number of teachers in my family (in several states) all of whom are African Americans teaching in predominately African American elementary/middle schools. And all of them indicate that neither they or their students remember these chants [except "No more pencils/no more books/no more teachers/dirty looks" and "I See London" , and "Teacher, Teacher, I Declare" which are also the ones that I remember.]

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GLORY GLORY HALLELUJAH (Version #15)
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the burning of the school.
We have tortured every teacher,
we have broken every rule.
We marched into the office and killed the principal.
Our truth is marching on!
Glory, Glory Hallelujah,
Teacher hit me with a ruler,
So I met her in the attic
with a loaded automatic and she don't teach no more.
-Devin (Kansas); 12/20/2008

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GLORY GLORY HALLELUJAH (Version #16)
Glory, Glory Hallelujah,
Teacher hit me with a ruler,
Shot her in the butt
With a rotten coconut,
and she don't teach no more.
-Michael S.; late 1970s, elementary school boys, Centerville, Ohio, a predominately White suburb of Dayton; 6/19/2009

Editor:
I appreciate Michael S including demographical information about the racial make-up of his community. As a reminder, although it's optional, I ask that persons sending in examples include such information as it may be helpful to folkloric research.

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GLORY GLORY HALLELUJAH (Version #16)
New poem:

Glory, Glory, HALLELUJAH!
My teacher hit me with a rulah'
Stood Behind the door,
with a loaded .44
she ain't no teacher any more ANY MORE!

Author: The Wolf
-David Kline (aka The Wolf); May 15, 2011

Editor:
As a reminder, these examples are posted for their folkloric value, and certainly are not to be acted on "in real life".

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HAIL TO THE BUS DRIVER (Example #1)
Hail to the busdriver, busdriver, busdriver
Hail to the busdriver, busdriver man.
He drinks and he cusses,
And smokes on the busses,
All hail the busdriver, busdriver, busdriver
All hail the busdriver, busdriver man.
-Source: Cassi ; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php:
April 17, 2004

Editor:
"Hail to The Bus Driver" is an insulting song that was featured on the April 23, 1992 episode of animated American television show "The Simpsons". Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Otto_Show for information abot that episode. Also click http://www.playgroundjungle.com/2009/12/hail-to-bus-driver.html#comments for the full lyrics to The Simpson's version of that rhyme. By the way, a commenter on that site indicates that he or she remembers the "he drinks and he cusses/and wreaks all the busses" verse of "Hail To The Bus Driver" from the 1980s in Tucson, Arizona. This was long before The Simpsons show was first aired.

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HOORAY FOR THE BUS DRIVER (Example #2)
hooray for the busdriver,the busdriver,
the busdriver hooray for the busdriver the busdriver hooray
he drinks and he cusses
he wrecks all our busses
horray for the busdriver the busdriver hooray
-Anonymous; 3/17/2007

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HI-HO HI-HO . i BIT MY TEACHER'S TOE (Version #1)
Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho,
I bit my teacher's toe,
That dirty rat
She bit me back Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho...
-Guest, Adrienne; http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=40139 "What did you sing as a kid?" ; 10/15/2001

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HEIGH HO HEIGH HO IT'S OFF TO WORK WE GO (Version #2)
(To the tune of heigh ho, heigh ho it's off to work we go)
Heigh ho, heigh ho, it's off to school we go!
With hand grenades and bloody blades, heigh ho, heigh ho, heigh ho
Heigh ho, heigh ho, I bit the teacher's toe.
She bit me back that dirty rat, Heigh ho, heigh ho!
-Guest, 11/3//2006; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=89297; anti-school songs

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HERE IS THE STORY OF THE BURNING OF THE SCHOOL
Here is the story of the burning of the school.
Iv broken every teacher
and Iv broken every rule
I BBQed the princeable
and cooked the pizza yaaa
and the kids go marching on.
Row row row your boat
gentaly down the stream
throw your teacher overboard
and listen to her scream
5 weeks later she was floting down the Delawar
chewing on her underwear
wish she had another pair
10 weeks later she was eaten by a poler bear
and thats how the poler bear died
On top of old smokey all covered in sand
I shot my old teacher
with a red ruber band
I shot her with plesher
I shot her with pride
o how could I miss her
she was 40 feet wide
I went to her funaral
I went to her grave
when people threw flowers
I threw a gernade
then on the news
they said shes alive
o how I wish that teacher would die
Glory glory hallelujah
teacher hit me with a ruler
poped her in the bean
with a rotten tangareen
and she aint gana teach no more
-Davonna; 7/15/2006

Editor:
Here are some comments from Davonna in response to several questions that I asked her:
"I am an african american 13 year old girl. at the moment I am in japan. That is were I learned the song. yes my teachers get on my nerves but I would never do any thing like whats in the songs to my teachers. The songs are funny. thats the only reason I like them.

Also (like I e-mailed before) there are teacher taunts here in japan. I learned teacher taunts from a 10 year old. the year is of course 2006. No one would realy kill there teachers or hang them. they are just for fun".

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HI DEE HAY
Hi dee hay,
hi de ho
Only one more day to go
You'll be here,
I'll be dar
Sipping on an ice cold rootbeer.
-Wil ; 6/12/2007

I,J
I'M A CHIQUITA BANANA
We also sang this lively little song:
I'm a Chiquita banana
and I'm hear to say,
If you want to get rid of your teacher today,
Take a Chiquita banana and put it on the floor,
And watch your teacher go flying out the door!
-Ann N.; 4/29/2007

Click http://www.cocojams.com/content/childrens-parodies-0 to find more examples of Chiquita Banana.

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I LONDON
I see London I see France
I see teachers underpants
-Azizi P. memories of childhood in Atlantic City, New Jersey in the 1950s

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I SEE PARIS
I see Paris I see France
I see teachers underpants.
-Dharmabum; 12/7/2001; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=41824; Nasty Nursery Rhymes

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JOY TO THE WORLD (Version #1)
This is a song we would sing at the end of the day, especially when they wanted us to sing Christmas carols.
(This was at my elementary school,, 1990-1998 was when I went there - the games I played lasted until 1995, when I stopped playing them)

Joy to the world,
the school burnt down
and all the teachers are dead
the principle is gone,
we flushed him down the john
The janitor is dead
we shot him in the head
and now it's up to us
to burn the school bus.
-http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/001392.php ; "Schoolyard games”; posted by Emma at November 16, 2004

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JOY TO THE WORLD (Version #2)
Joy to the world
our teacher's dead.
We barbecued her head.
What happened to her body?
We flushed it down the potty
And around and around it goes.
And around and around it goes.
And round and round and round it goes.
-Sara P., University of Pittsburgh student; recited at Catholic middle school in Dayton, Ohio, mid to late 1990s; collected by Azizi Powell,
September, 2005

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JOY TO THE WORLD (Version #3)
There's also:

Joy to the world! The school burned down
And all... the teach...ers died,
Except for the principal, he's standing on the flagpole,
And we won't let him down, and we won't let him down,
And we, and we won't let him down.
-Guest Marionl 3/2/2006; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=89297 ; anti-school songs

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JOY TO THE WORLD (Version #4)
Another song we sang:

Joy to the world
The school burnt down
And all the teachers died
They're looking for the principle
Who's hanging from the flag pole
With a rope around his neck
With a rope around his neck
With a rope, a rope around his neck
-D. Jones; 3/30/2006

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JOY TO THE WORLD (Version #5)
Another version of the teacher-taunt Joy to the World

Joy to the world
The teacher's dead
We barbequed her head
What happened to her body
We flushed it down the potty
Ten years later they found her in the Delaware
Chewing on her underwear
Can't afford another pair.

early 1990s New Jersey.
-Katie; 9/18/2006

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THE TEACHER IS DEAD (Version #6 of Joy To The World)
Here is one I learned in 4th grade PS I'm in six grade now.
The teacher is dead:

The teacher is dead
we barbecue her head
what happened to her body
we flushed down the potty
and around it went
and around and round it went.
Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah the teacher is DEAD.!!!!!!!!.
I'LL BE COMING 4 YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU.!!!!!!!!!!!.

Thanks to Qudsiyyah (could-see-ya),Aaliyah(i-Le-ya),and Trixie(Trick-see).
-Deja R. GO WCS; 10/5/2008

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JOY TO THE WORLD (Version #7)
To the tune of Joy to the World:

Joy to the world
the teachers dead
we barbequed her head
what happened to her body
we flushed it down the potty
and round and round it went
and round and round it went
and round and round and round it went!
-Sherri; 11/24/2009

K,L
LET US HEAR
I was going to John Hanson Jr. High School when I learned the beer one:

Let us hear, let us cheer
for the boys who make our beer,
In the cellars of JHJH!
They are brave, they are bold
for the liquor they uphold,
In the cellars of JHJH!
For it's run, run, run,
Teacher's got a gun,
Hide all the bottles of beer!
If a teacher does appear,
Just say, Teacher have a beer,
From the cellars of JHJH!
-Ann N; 4/29/2007

M,N
MARIJUANA
This one's not a teacher taunt, but interesting anyway. Sung to the tune of "Frere Jacques".

Marijuana Marijuana,
LSD, LSD.
College students make it.
High school students take it.
Why can't we? Why can't we?
-Michael S.; late 1970s, elementary school boys, Centerville, Ohio, a predominately White suburb of Dayton; 6/19/2009

Editor:
The reference to race in this comment & other contributors' comments on this site are in response to my request to include race/ethnicity (meaning Latino/Hispanic in the USA) along with other demographical information. I requested this information as a means of assisting researchers who may want to document which types of children's rhymes, and which rhymes specifically where recited by certain populations.

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MURDER! POLICE
Help,Help!
murder police
________slipped in the grease
(_____:put in teachers name)
-Connor; 12/8/2008

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NO MORE PENCILS. NO MORE BOOKS (Version #1)
No more pencils
No more books
No more teachers
Dirty looks.
-Azizi Powell (African American female; remembrance of childhood/youth, Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1950s)

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NO MORE PENCILS. NO MORE BOOKS (Version #2)
... here's a little ditty I 'member from when I was in middle school:

No more pencils,
no more books,
no more teachers' dirty looks
kick the tables,
kick the chairs,
kick the teachers down the stairs!
-kiwi; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=2794#13996 Naughty kids'greatest hits ; October 5,1997

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NO MORE PENCILS. NO MORE BOOKS (Version #3)
This is a really interesting method of collecting folk material from the U.S! Way to go! My submission would be the old standard that seems suspiciously absent. The following is simply chanted, usually at the end of the school day or year:

No more pencils,
No more books,
No more teachers' dirty looks.
When the teacher rings the bell
Drop your books and run like hell.
-Kat; 4/3/2007

Editor:
Thanks for your comment Kat. Here's one important correction, most of the examples/comments posted on Cocojams.com are probably from the United States because it appears that most bloggers are from the USA, but I hope that people from other English speaking nations and communities will send in examples for possible posting on this site. Examples can be sent to cocojams17@yahoo.com

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NO MORE PENCILS. NO MORE BOOKS (Version #4)
Here's a version I heard when I was 11
No more pencils
No more books
No more teachers Dirty Looks
When you hear the final bell
Burn your books and run like Hell
-Anonymous; 11/29/2008

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NO MORE PENCILS. NO MORE BOOKS (Version #5)
no more teachers no more books
no more teachers dirty looks
kick the tables
kick the chairs
kick your teacher down the stairs
-emily; 12/19/2008

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NO MORE PENCILS. NO MORE BOOKS (Version #6)
no more pencils, no more books
no more teachers dirty looks
reading science and arithmetic
none months of that can make you sick
-Guest, Sami; http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=41985&messages=20 ; No more days of school' (Kids song); August 27, 2010

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NO MORE PENCILS. NO MORE BOOKS (Version #7)
No more teachers no more books
No more teachers dirty looks
No more math tests No more school
No more class cause I'm no fool.
No more homework No more lunch
No more class I'd rather be a dunce
School is over, Let the party begin
School is over, It's the kids who now win
-David Kline (aka The Wolf); 4/27/2011

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NO MORE SCHOOL, NO MORE STICK
Here's one from my schooldays in County Durham [Great Britain]

No more school, no more stick
No more rotten arithmetic.
No more English, no more French
No more sitting on the old school bench.....

The "stick" was, of course, the cane that teachers wielded almost as a first resort punishment.
-Colin R.; 6/23/2008; by electronic mail to Azizi Powell

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NO MORE TABLES, NO MORE CHAIRS
Sorry don't know that one but it has reminded me of one we used to sing (early eighties Scotland) to the tune of 'This old man came rolling home' :

No more tables, no more chairs,
Kick the teachers down the stairs,
No more English, no more French,
No more sitting on the old school bench.
There were several verses but I can't remember the rest.
-weepiper; http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=41985&messages=20 'No more days of school' (Kids song); December 11, 2001

Editor:
Also find "We Break Up" on this page for a very similar chant to these "No more etc" teachers' taunts.

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NOW I LAY ME DOWN TO SLEEP
Ok here is one that we did in grade school. I t was a song we sang on the bus...
Now I lay me down to sleep,
I hope i pass tomorows test,
And if i die before I wake,
Thats one less test Ill have to take
-Alec; 12/15/2006

O,P
ONE MORE DAY OF SCHOOL (Version #1)
On the penultimate day of school we used to sing a couple of wee ditty's:

One more day of school,
One more day of sorrow,
One more day of this and that
We'll be home tomorrow.

We used to make up the rest of the verses, usually about some teacher we all loved to hate.
-Laoise; 9/15/1997; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=2794 Naughty kids' greatest hits

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ONE MORE DAY OF SCHOOL (Version #2)
hey this is the one

one more day of school
one more day of sorrow
one more day of this old dump
and ill be home tomorrow
god made the bees
the bees made the honey
we do all the hard work
and the teachers get the money
-Guest; http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=41985&messages=20 ; No more days of school' (Kids song); June 27, 2010

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ONE MORE DAY OF SCHOOL (Version #3)
one more day of school,
one more day of sorrow,
one more day in this old dump and we'll be home tomorrow

school breaks up, school breaks down,
we dont care if the school falls down,
no more english, no more french,
no more sitting on the old school bench

if that teacher interfears,
blew her up and box her ears
my mum taught me that at a very young age :)
-Guest; http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=41985&messages=20 ; No more days of school' (Kids song); July 19, 2010

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ON TOP OF OLD SMOKEY (Version #1)
The old ones are the best...

"On top of old Smoky, all covered with snow
I shot my old teacher with arrow and bow

I shot her with pleasure, I shot her with pride
No-one could miss her, she's 40 feet wide

I went to her funeral, I stood by the grave
Some people threw flowers, but I threw grenades"
-Grab; 3/3/2006;
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=89297; anti-school songs

Editor:
A number of examples of teacher taunts based on the song "On Top of Old Smokey" are posted on this page. For those who may not be familiar with the tune of this song, and those who just like the song, here's a YouTube video of Hank Williams and another vocalist singing the American folk song, "On Top Of Old Smokey": http://youtube.com/watch?v=PGTCZJ-RBPw&feature=related

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ON TOP OF OLD SMOKEY (Version #2)
on top of old smokey all covered in blood
i saw my poor teacher drowning in mud
- Jordan; 7/4/2006

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ON TOP OF OLD SMOKEY (Version #3)
(this was posted, but I have more/different verses)

On top of old smokey
All covered in blood
I shot my poor teacher
with a .44 slug

I shot her for pleasure
I shot her for fear
I shot her for drinking
My Budweiser beer

I went to her funeral
I went to her grave
Some people threw flowers
But I threw grenades

I looked in her coffin
She wasn't quite dead
So I took a machete
And cut off her head

They took me to prison
Put me in a cell
So I grabbed a bazooka
And blew them to hell

I probably first heard these in 4th grade or so, maybe 3rd.
-JeremyC; 1/5/2007; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=89297; anti-school songs

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ON TOP OF OLD SMOKEY (Version #4)
Sung to "On Top of Old Smokey"

On top of old Smokey,
all covered with blood,
I shot my poor teacher with a 44 slug
I laughed at her funeral
I danced at her grave
And instead of throwing flowers
I threw hand grenades

Used in the Bristol VA area schools in the 1970s, all white schools (no African Americans lived in the community at that time)
-Betty; 1/7/2008

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ON TOP OF OLD SMOKEY (Version #5)
Hi, I came across your teacher taunts page, and wanted to send you another version of "On Top of Old Smokey" that we used to sing in primary (elementary) school in Western Australia in the 1980s:

On top of Old Smokey
All covered in sand
I shot my poor teacher
With a green rubber band
I shot her with pleasure
I shot her with pride
I couldn't have missed her
She was forty feet wide
I went to her funeral
I went to her grave
Some people threw flowers
I threw a grenade
The coffin went up
The coffin went down
The coffin went splat
All over the ground
-Simone C. C.; 2/17/2008

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ON TOP OF OLD SMOKEY (Version #6)
I learned this version of "On Top Of Old Smokey" as a kid in the mid-
1970s in El Paso. My school was mostly Anglo (i.e., Caucasian) and Hispanic (in that order), with some African-Americans and Asian-Americans; it was always other Anglos I heard sing this and always boys, never girls.

On top of Old Smokey
All covered with blood
I shot my teacher With a .44 gun.
I went to her funeral
I went to her grave
Instead of throwing flowers
I threw a grenade.
-Mark; 3/23/2008

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ON TOP OF OLD SMOKEY (Version #7)
On top of old Smokey (NZ version 1980's) I learnt this one and I have still never heard the original. Some of the words never made sense to me (we always said "forty foot slug", now I see that was probably a corruption of "44"

On top of Old Smokey
All covered with mud
I shot my poor teacher
With a forty-foot slug
I went to her funeral
and stood by the grave
some people threw flowers
I threw a grenade
The body went up
the body came down
the body went splat!
All over the ground (alternate ending "all over the town)"
-Mihke; 5/5/2008

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ON TOP OF THE SCHOOLHOUSE (Version #8)
[to the tune of "On Top of Old Smokey"]

On top of the schoolhouse, all covered with sand,
I shot my poor teacher with a red rubber band.
I shot her with pleasure, I shot her with pride,
I couldn't have missed her, she was forty feet wide.
I went to her funeral, I went to her grave,
I blew up her gravestone with a live hand grenade.

(collected in my youth, ca. 1982 in Simsbury, CT;
- Hal J. http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/001392.php; electronic mail to Azizi Powell ; 8/17/05

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ON TOP OF MOUNT LOFTY (Version #9)
This is just a few of the songs we sang in primary school in Adelaide, SA, Australia in the early-mid nineties.

On top of Mount Lofty,
all covered with sand;
I shot my poor teacher,
with a red rubber band;
I shot her with pleasure,
I shot her with pride;
How could I miss her,
She's forty foot wide;
I went to her funeral,
I went to her grave;
Some people threw flowers,
I threw a grenade;
I looked in her coffin,
and she still wasn't dead;
So I took a bazooka,
and blew off her head;
I met her in heaven,
I met her in hell;
She left off a big one,
and boy did it smell.

(Mount Lofty is a prominent SA landmark - which explains the alteration)
-Kale M (Adelaide, SA, Australia); 12/17/2008

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IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SCHOOLYARD (Version #10 of On Top Of Old Smokey)
In the version of 'On top of old smoky' we sang in Sydney, Australia in the early 1980's is very simmilar to the version already posted, that was sung in New Zealand:

In the middle of the school yard,
all covered in blood,
I shot my poor teacher
With a forty foot slug,
Her body went up,
her body came down,
and then it went splat!
All over the ground.
But the poor teacher still wasn't dead,
so I got a bazooka
and blew of her head.
I went to her funeral,
I went to her grave,
I didn't throw flowers,
I threw hand grenades.
-Andrew (Australia), 2/12/2009

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ON TOP OF OLD SMOKEY (Version #11)
to the tune of ‘On Top Of Old Smoky’ (or Spaghetti, depending on when and where you learned it). We had a version, too:

The school is all bloody
It’s all over the floor
‘Cause I shot my poor teacher
With an old .44

I went to her funeral
I went to her grave
Some people threw flowers
I threw a grenade

S/he climbed out of the coffin
S/he wasn’t quite dead
So I took a bazooka
And blew off her/his head

Her/his head started rolling
Like a red bowling ball
So I called in a bomb strike
And friends, that is all.

Lethbridge, AB, Canada around the early nineties and Vancouver, BC, Canada through the mid-to-late nineties
- Farore; http://kateharding.net/2009/10/02/miss-lucy-had-friday-fluff/ Shapely Post; October 5, 2009

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OUR WEE SCHOOL'S A GOOD WEE SCHOOL (Version #1)
Our wee school's a good wee school
The best wee school in Glasgae
The only thing that's wrang wi it
Is a baldie heided master
He goes te the pub on Saturday
He goes te the Kirk on Sunday
Te pray te the Lord te give him strength
Te welter the weeans on Monday
-bil/s {Scotland}; 3/5/2005; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=2795#12230; Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe!”

Editor:
Different forms of English can sometimes be a foreign language to English speakers. Here are some "translations" of words in that rhyme: "Glasgae" means Glasgow, Scotland. "Wee" means "little", "master" means "headmaster". "The "headmaster" is the school principal. Also, "pub" means "bar"; "kirk" means "church"; "welter" means "beat", and "weeans" means "children".

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OUR SCHOOLHOUSE IS A FINE SCHOOLHOUSE (Version #2)
From rapidly fading memory - not sure of spelling

Our schoolhouse is a fine schoolhouse
It's the best schoolhouse in Glasgae,
The only thing wrong with our schoolhouse
Is the baldy heided master.
He gaes tae the pub on Saturday night,
He gaes tae the kirk on Sunday,
Tae pray tae the lord tae gi' him the strength
Tea murder the weans on Monday.
-Guest {Scotland}; 3/3/2006; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=89297 ; anti-school songs

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PANCAKE TUESDAY
Editor: On this page all "Pancake Tuesday" rhymes are considered versions of each other regardless of their titles.

PANCAKE TUESDAY IS A HOLIDAY (Version #1)
One I remember from my childhood in Belfast in the 50s was:
Pancake Tuesday is a holiday.
If we don't get off, we'll all run away.
Where shall we run?
Down the wee lane.
Who should we meet, but the teacher with the cane.
What shall we do?
We'll chop her up in two & leave her at the hospital at half past two! (? not totally clear in the memory department on the last half of the last line!)
-Guest; Chris M. ; 3/31/2008; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=4300; Children's Street Songs

Editor:
According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrove_Tuesday "In Ireland, the UK, and amongst Anglicans, Lutherans and possibly other Protestant denominations in Canada including Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick, Shrove Tuesday [the day before Ash Wednesday] is known as Pancake Day, [because] it is customary to eat pancakes on this day". That website also indicates that in French speaking countries and in the USA, Pancake Tuesday is called Mardi Gras.
-snip-

Also, "wee" in the line "down the wee lane" means little or small.

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PANCAKE TUESDAY IS A VERY HAPPY DAY *Version #2)
Pancake Tuesday, a very happy day
If you don't give us a holiday, we'll all run away.
Where shall we run to ? Down Cotton Lane !
Here comes Teacher with a big fat cane!
Eating toffees, cracking nuts,
Swallowing pancakes down her guts.

Cotton Lane was the street on which the reformatory - sorry - infants and juniors school - which I attended, was to be found.
-Bryn Pugh; Not Last Night But The Night Before-rhyme; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=115045&messages=92; 4/07/2010

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POKAREKARE ANA (Teacher Taunt Version #1)
I grew up in New Zealand where there is a famous folk song called Pokarekare Ana, we sung a version like this about our teachers about when corporal punishment was allowed.

Pokarekare Ana,
I had a squashed banana
I threw it at my teacher,
It hit her in the face.
She said "Come here",
I said "No, Fear"
"Because you're gonna hit me in the rear!"
-Siobhan ; 9/24/2007

Editor:
As Siobhan has mentioned, Pokarekara Ana is a much loved New Zealand folk song that originates from the Maori people. An English name for that song is "Come Here To Me". Knowing that helps me understand the schoolyard taunting version of this song. The words to Pokarekara Ana {including an English translation} and its tune are found on a number of websites, including these two sites: http://awanderingminstreli.tripod.com/pokarekareana.htm and this one http://folksong.org.nz/pokarekare/index.html.

Also, here's two links to videos of the traditional version of this song. I have posted these videos on Cocojams' sister website Jambalayah. The first video is one of a group of Maori women and men singing Pokarekara Ana- http://www.jambalayah.com/node/616
The second video is one of New Zealand singer Hayley Westenra singing this song. English subtitles are provided on that video: http://www.jambalayah.com/node/616. Enjoy!

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POKAREKARE ANA (Teacher Taunt Version #2)
We sang slightly different words when I was a kid:

Po kare kare ana
I bought a squashed banana
And threw it at the teacher
And made her cry.
She said 'Come here
I'll box your ear.'
I said 'No fear'
And I ran away.

It was always sung at about double speed.
-Little Robyn (New Zealand); reposted with permission from http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=16338&messages=11
"Lyr Req: Maori Song 'Po Kare Kare Ana' "; 9/25/2007

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POKAREKARE ANA (Teacher Taunt Version #3)
I sang this in choir in primary school. In the playground we sung this version:

O curry and bananas
I squashed a banana
I threw it at the teacher
She said "Come here!"
I said "No fear"
(can't remember 2 lines)
.. with a bottle of beer.
-freda underhill; Po Kare Kare Ana /Pokarekare Ana (Maori); http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=16338&messages=17; August 12. 2010

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KIRI KIRI TE KANAWA (Teacher Taunt Version #4 of Pokarekare Ana)
Kiri Kiri Te Kanawa
She had a rotten banana
She threw it at the teacher
-the teacher said 'come here'.
Poor Kiri Te Kanawa
she said 'No fair!'.

Kanawa, banana and teacher were drawn out, while 'come here' and 'no fair' were punctuated, to imitate the rhythm of the original song. 'Poor' was pronounced closer to 'Po' for the same reason.

And on 'come here' we'd beckon as the teacher with our finger.

...[The version I remember] was similar to the ones you've got, but the initial line Pokarekare Ana, was replaced to reference a well known New Zealand opera singer Dame Kiri Te Kanawa

I went to school during this period in Christchurch and Oxford, in New Zealand, around the mid 80s to early 90s, and it would've been sung by preteens.
-Dean B; 8/18/2011

Q,R,S
REUBEN, REUBEN, I'VE BEEN THINKING
Reuben, Reuben, I been thinking-What a fine world this would be!
If all the teaches were deported, far beyond the southern sea!
Rachel, Rachel I been thinking, If they went beyond the sea,
Every boy would get an "A" and every girl would get a "D".
-Neighmond {Chaz James}; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=36629 "Back Of The Bus Songs"; 1/24/2005

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ROW ROW ROW YOUR BOAT (Version #1)
Row row row your boat gently down the stream
Throw the teacher overboard and listen to her scream
-Guest Didi, 3/10/2003; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=2998; Naughty kids' greatest hits II

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ROW ROW ROW YOUR BOAT (Version #2)
Row row row your boat
Gently down the stream,
Throw your teacher overboard
Listen to her scream: 'Aaah!'

Ten days later
All that you could see
Was your teacher's underwear
Floating down the stream.

(sung to the 'Row your Boat' tune)
-Uke (New Zealand); 8/29/2006; electronic mail to Azizi Powell;

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ROW ROW ROW YOUR BOAT (Version #3)
Row Row Row ur bote
Row Row Row ur bote
gently down the stream
throw ur teacher overboard
just to make her scream.
5 days later
she is chewing on her under wear
wishing she had another pair.
10 days later she is eating by a polar bear.
That is what made the polar bear die.
E haw! I think that is so funny.

We sing that when go on field trips.
-Anonymous; 10/25/2006

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ROW ROW ROW YOUR BOAT (Version #4)
Row, Row, Row your boat
Gently down the stream
Throw the teacher overboard
Listen to her scream

(then, to a different tune--I don't know why, but I've never heard the two apart)

Five days later, floating down the Delaware
Chewing on her underwear, doesn't have another pair
Ten days later, eaten by a polar bear
Wonder why the polar bear died.

That last bit is to the tune of a Burl Ives song I can't remember the title to. Something about "I knew a man who had a horse."
-JeremyC; 1/5/2007; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=89297; anti-school songs

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ROW ROW ROW YOUR BOAT (Version #5)
wrow wrow your baot
jently down the streem
throw your teacher out
and lissen to her scraem
5 min. latter shes eaten by a gator!
-brook c.; 4/30/2007

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SCHOOL GOES UP. SCHOOL GOES DOWN
Anyone heard..
School goes up,
school goes down,
I don't care if school falls down,
No more English,
no more french,
No more sitting on the old school bench,
If the teacher interfers,
tie her up an box her ears,
if that does not do the trick,
dynamite will do it quick!
-Guest Bec; 8/29/2008; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=2998&messages=112; Naughty kids' greatest hits II

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SCHOOL'S OUT
In a sing-song voice:

School's out, school's out,
Teacher let the brats out.
-Mary in Kentucky; 8/20/2005; http://www.jonbanjo.com/forum/forum.php ; “The Annexe”

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ST ANTHONYS IS OUR PRISON
St Anthony's is our prison, our cell is number 4
Johnetta is our warden and she can go to Hell-
O operator, give me number nine, if she doesn't
answer it I'll kick from behind-
the frigerator, I found a piece of glass,
If she doesn't sit on it I'll stick it up her ass-
K me no more questions, tell me no more lies,
cause I found a boy down there with baby blue eyes.

Sung At St. Anthony's school back in the early sixties about our teacher, Sister Johnetta.
- K ; http://blogs.herald.com/dave_barrys_blog/2005/05/a_readers_plea/comments... ; November 27, 2008

Editor:
This is a variant form of "Miss Suzie Had A Steamboat." Click http://www.cocojams.com/content/handclap-jump-rope-and-elastics-rhymes-2 for numerous examples of that rhyme.

T, U, V
TA RA RA BOOM DE AY (Version #1)
Tah-rah-rah-boom-si-ay
We have no school today
Our teacher passed away
We shot her yesterday
We threw her in the bay
She scared the sharks away
Tah-rah-rah-boom-si-ay
We have no school today
-marymarymary; 10/15/2001; http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=40139 "What did you sing as a kid?"

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TA RA RA BOOM DE AY (Version #2)
Ta ra ra boom de ay
Our teacher passed away
We threw her in the bay
She scared the sharks away
-Joan C.; from Atlantic City, New Jersey, late 1970s; electronic message to Azizi Powell; 2/11/2007

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TA RA RA BOOM DE AY (Version #3)
I'm 47 and many of these were very popular with my children, growing up in Oregon, USA. Our variants did differ often from those printed on your page, though [example]

Ta ra ra boom de-ay,
our teacher died today
We threw her in the bay
and watched her float away
The sharks had lunch today,
ta ra ra boom de-ay
-Susan S; (Oregon); 12/22/2007

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TA RA RA BOOM DE AY (Version #4)
Tarara boomde ay
There is no school today
Our teacher has passed away
We threw her in the bay
She scare the fish away
To Cal-i-for-ni-a
Tarara boomde ay
There is no school today

Sheesh-- I just realized how classically American these versions are -- rampant violence is lionized, but any reference to human sexuality has been deleted.
Posted by: Ivory Bill ; http://blogs.herald.com/dave_barrys_blog/2005/05/a_readers_plea/comments... ; | August 12, 2008

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TA RA RA BOOM DE AY (Version #5)
Ta ra ra boom-de-ay
There is no school today
The teacher passed away
She died from tooth decay
They threw her in the bay
The fishes swam away
They went and dredged her out
She smelled like sauerkraut
Ta ra ra boom-de-ay
There is no school to day

There's probably more verses that I've forgotten
-lanternland 9/28/09

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TEACHER TEACHER I DECLARE (Version #1)
Teach[er] teacher,
I declare I can see your underwear
is it black or is it white?
oh my god it's dynamite!
-Guest Bec; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=2998&messages=112; Naughty kids' greatest hits II ; 8/29/2008

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TEACHER TEACHER I DECLARE (Version #2)
Here's some playground songs that me and my friends used to do ALL the time:

Teacher, Teacher I dispare,
I can see your underwear,
are they black or are they white,
Oh my gosh they're dynamite!

Kick the tables kick the chairs,
kick the school boys down the stairs,
give the boys a kiss on the lips,
then run off with the dinner chips!
- Guest; HelpfulHints; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=18352 Lyr Req: Playground songs; August 7, 2009

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TEACHER TEACHER I DECLARE (Version #3)
Teacher teacher I declare
I can see your underwear
Is it black
Or is it white?
Oh my god it's dynamite!

(At this point shout BOOM!)
-http://www.odps.org/glossword/index.php?a=term&d=3&t=620; Seedy Songs and Rotten Rhymes - the poetry of the playground; retrieved August 25, 2010

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TEACHER TEACHER I DECLARE (Version #4)
Teacher teacher I declare
I see bedbugs in your hair
-RA Musick, V Randolph; Children's Rhymes from Missouri - Journal of American Folklore, 1950; retrieved August 25, 2010

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TEACHER TEACHER I DECLARE (Version #5)
Teacher teacher I declare
I see holes in your underwear
--RA Musick, V Randolph; Children's Rhymes from Missouri - Journal of American Folklore, 1950; retrieved August 25, 2010

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THERE GOES TEACHER
How about this verse for the Old Gray Mare? version 2.0

This song was resurrected in a Tom Arnold movie, I forget the name.

There goes teacher floating down the Delaware
Chewing on her underwear
Cant afford another pair
Ten days later bitten by a polar bear
Thats how the polar bear died.
-Squid; 9/16/1997; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=2794 Naughty kids' greatest hits

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THREE CHEERS FOR THE BUS DRIVER
Here's one I remember from my childhood (in the late 70's in a predominently white suburb of Chicago):

Three cheers for the bus driver, bus driver, bus driver!
Three cheers for the bus driver, he drinks and he smokes!
He drinks and he smokes and he tells dirty jokes!
Three cheers for the bus driver, he drinks and he smokes!

Note that this was sung, not recited. As I recall, we kids would change the gender of the driver in the song to match the gender of the person driving the bus. I remember most of the bus drivers didn't seem to care that we sang this on their bus, but there was one lady driver who got really annoyed. That surprised me at the time, because I thought (while a 4th grader) that as these sort of songs went, it was somewhat admiring of the bus driver as sort of a devil-may-care "bad boy."
-Kathy W; 10/7/2009

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TING A LINGA LING
Ting-a-ling-a-ling
The school bell ring
The teacher hop
She panty drop
And everybody see she lollipop
-Yeux; Which Playground Rhyme Do You Remembe The Most? http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/389058; 9/16/2007

Editor:
Jamaican Dancehall Reggae artist Shabba Rank recorded a song called
"Ting a Ling a Ling". It's possible that this song came before the children's rhyme, but my bet is that title and the chorus "Ting-ling-a-ling/school bells ring" is lifted from this children's rhyme.

The phrasing "She panty drop/ and everybody see she lollipop" is an indication that this rhyme problably comes from the Caribbean.

I'm not sure how this rhyme is performed. If anyone knows it, or a rhyme like it, please contact cocojams17@yahoo.com. Thanks!

Visit http://www.cocojams.com/content/foot-stomping-cheers-0 to read a foot stomping cheer that has lines which are similar to this children's playground rhyme.

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UNDER THE BAMBOO
i learnt this in prep. im now in year 7 at christian college, geelong, victoria, australia.

oh, under the tree tops
cha cha true love
for me my darling,
true love for me
and we'll be married
16 children ina row
12 + 12 is 24.
hit that teacher at the door
if she says no,
dont do that
hit her on the head with a base ball bat
1-2-3-4 teacher, teacher i declare
i can see your underwear
is it pink or is it blue?
oh my gosh she's done a poo

alternate version:
under the bamboo
oh, under the tree tops
cha cha true love for me my darling,
true love for me
and we'll be married 16 children
ina row 12 + 12 is 24.
hit that teacher at the door
if she says no,
dont do that hit her on the head
with a base ball bat
1-2-3-4 teacher, teacher
i declare i can see your underwear
is it pink of is it brown
oh my gosh its falling down!
-Mia ; (Victoria, Australia);11/24/2007

W,X,Y,Z
WE DON'T NEED NO EDUCATION
We don't need no education, Stingley, Cline, or Incarnation.

No chalk or pencils,
normore classrooms.
Teachers leave those kids alone.

[Stingley and Cline are public elementary schools and Incarnation is a private school]
-Michael S.; late 1970s, elementary school boys, Centerville, Ohio, a predominately White suburb of Dayton; 6/19/2009

Editor:
Michael S. informed me that "We Don't Need No Education" is sung to the tune of "Another Brick In The Wall" by Pink Floyd. Thanks, Michael!

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WELL, IF YE GO TAE SCHOOL DINNERS
A Scottish one to the tune of "16 Tons"

Well, if ye go tae school dinners,
better leave them aside,
A lot o' kids didnae
and a lot o' kids died.
The meat is like iron,
the potatoes are steel,
And if they don't get ye
then the pudding will.
I did sixteen sums,
and what did I get?
Fifteen wrong and six o'the belt.
Now, teacher don't ya call me 'cos
I can't come I'm stuck
tae ma seat wi' chewing gum.
-Alex; 9/29/1997; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=2795#12230 ; Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe!”

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Please send examples of & comments about teacher taunts and other taunts that mention school personnel and/or school bus drivers to cocojams17@yahoo.com for possible posting on this website.

Your email address is never posted or shared.

Your email address is never posted or shared.

Or, if you are on facebook, visit me at cocojams jambalayah, and befriend me, or send me a private message!

I reserve the right not to post examples of rhymes on this page that are exactly the same as a previously posted example. I also reserve the right not to post examples of rhymes that I feel don't meet the standards of this website.

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See other taunting rhymes on Cocojams' School Yard Taunting Rhymes page.
http://www.cocojams.com/content/schoolyard-taunts

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