TEXT ANALYSIS: HOOKA TOOKA SODA CRACKER

Chubby Checker - Hooka Tooka

9thWardJukeBoxAnX | January 08, 2010

-snip-

This "Text Analysis" page focuses on the rhymes/songs "Hooka Tooka Soda Cracker"; Green Green Rocky Road", and related songs & singing games.

Both "Green Green Rocky Road" and "Hooka Tooka Soda Cracka" have their source in African American playground songs. However, both of those playground songs are creative adaptations of children's singing games-and before that-children's counting out rhymes- that originated in the United Kingdom.

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-Ms. Azizi Powell (Founder/Editor of Cocojams.com ; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
latest revision 2/6/2011

EXAMPLES, VIDEOS OF & COMMENTS ABOUT "GREEN GREEN ROCKY ROAD"

GREEN GREEN ROCKY ROAD (Version #1)
(Len Chandler and Robert Kaufman)

The following version was copyrighted in 1961 by Len Chandler and Robert Kaufman and appears in the Sing Out! reprints. The notes say the song was collected from the children of Lilly Chapel School in York, Alabama and is found in "Negro Songs From Alabama" by Harold Courlander.

When I go by Baltimore,
Ain't no carpet on the floor.
Come along and follow me.
Must go down to Galilee
singin' Green, green rocky road
Promenade in' green
Tell me who ya love,
Tell me who ya love.

Hooka, tooka , soda cracker,
Does your mamna chew tobacker?
If your mama chew tobacker,
Hooka, tooka soda cracker.
singin' Green, green rocky road
Promenade in' green
Tell me who ya love,
Tell me who ya love.

If you seem me comin' fast,
Sweep the yard and cut the grass;
Girls who kiss are bound to fall,
Boys who kiss will soon tell all.

Singin' Green, green rocky road
Promenade in green
Tell me who ya love,
Tell me who ya love.

Ya better tell me honey
Tell me who ya love
Ya better tell be baby
Tell me who ya love
Oh can't ya tell me who ya love,
Ya better tell me who ya love.
-posted on http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=27047 ; green green rocky road by rich r; October 28, 2000

Editor: Here is a video of Dave Van Ronk's version of "Green Green Rocky Road":

GtrWorkShp | April 14, 2008
"Green Green Rocky Road" performed by Dave Van Ronk in a 1980 concert, prefaced by some 2001 remarks about the origin of the song. From the DVD "Dave Van Ronk Memories." More info at http://guitarvideos.com/dvd/13094dvd.htm

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GREEN GREEN ROCKY ROAD (Version #2)
This is my best memory of the Len Chandler / Robert Kaufman version as Bob Kaufman transmitted it to me. Kaufman was not a collector or singer, he was one of the North Beach (San Francisco) unknown Beat poets (I'm pretty sure "The Abomunist Manifesto" was his best known work.)

See that man walkin' down the street?
There's a man with-a happy feet.
See that man with the happy feet,
Come a-walkin' on down the street?

Cho:
And it's a green, green rocky road, my honey
Promenadein' to green,
And tell me who y'all love,
And tell me who y'all love.

Now when you come to Baltimore
Need no rug upon your floor
And when you come a-visiting,
Don't you knock, just you walk right in.

See that bird up in the sky,
He don't walk, baby, he just fly.
He don't walk and-a he don't run
Jus' keeps climbing up to the sun.

Little missey walk up to the wall,
Don't you stumble and don't you fall;
Jus' take a walk and-a go with me
And we'll go down to Galilee.
- posted on http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=27047 ; green green rocky road by Abby Sale ; October 30, 2000

Editor:
Here's a comment from Abby Sales (same thread; November 1, 2001) that provides a easy to understand chronology of this song:

"As a side issue (if you read the cited threads) the reason there are three distinct approaches to the song are that 1) Chandler traveled East, gave the song to Van Ronk who did his vanronkian thing 2) Kaufman traveled West, taught it to San Francisco people (perhaps including Tim Hardin - I haven't heard the record & can't remember) with a much gentler interpretation 3) the Alabama children continued to use it as they had, as a street, play song. Nice song, yes."

-snip-

The "threads" that are cited in the above comment are additional discussion pages that are hyperlinked on the top of that particular Mudcat Discussion Forum page. The "street play version" referenced by Abby Sale is found below as Version #4 of Green Green Rocky Road.

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GREEN GREEN ROCKY ROAD (Version #3)
When I go to Baltimore, need no carpet on my floor
Come along and follow me, we'll go down to Galilee

*Green Green Rocky Road, Promenade in green
Tell me who you love tell, me who you love

See that crow up in the sky, he don't walk no he just fly
He don't walk and he don't run, keeps on flappin to the sun

*
Little miss Jane run to the wall, don't you stumble, don't you fall
Don't you sing and don't you shout, when I say come runnin out

*
Ooka Dooka Soda cracker, does your momma chew tobacco
If your momma chews tobacco, sing ooka dooka soda cracker
- posted on http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=27047 ; green green rocky road by ddwditty; November 4, 2000

Editor:
The verse "When I go to Baltimore/need no carpet on my floor" is very much like the 19th century or earlier African American floating verse about having a house in Baltimore made ten feet tall filled with chicken pie.

The "don't you sing and don't you shout/when I say come runnin out" verse suggests that this verse-if not other verses in this song" was used for children's singing games.

****
GREEN GREEN ROCKY ROAD (Version #4; Children's singing game)
These are the lyrics from "Negro Songs From Alabama" by Harold Courlander (1963 Oak Publications).

Green, green, rocky road,
Some lady's green rocky road.
Tell me who you love, rocky road,
Tell me who you love, rocky road.

Minnie Town. (spoken)

Dear Miss Minnie you name's been called,
Come take a seat beside the wall,
Give her a kiss and let her go,
She'll never sit in that chair no more.

Green, green, rocky road,
Some lady's green rocky road.
Tell me who you love, rocky road,
Tell me who you love, rocky road.
Minnie Town. (spoken)
Dear Miss Minnie you name's been called,
Come take a seat beside the wall,
Give her a kiss and let her go,
She'll never sit in that chair no more.
- posted on http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=27047 green green rocky road by rich r; November 11, 2001

Editor:
Harold Courlander's notes indicate that this song was collected from the children of Lilly Chapel School in York, Alabama. This song is also found in "Negro Songs From Alabama" by Harold Courlander. The story that Courlander tells is that children sang the song to warn prostitutes that the police were coming. If that story is true, then presumably this song was also sung at other times and wasn't just a police warning song.

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ROCKY ROAD (Version #5)
(by Yarrow/Stookey/Grossman -Pepamar Music- ASCAP) 1963

Red light green light 'round the town,
I found a penny on the ground
Met a friend I never know'd,
walkin' down ol' Rocky Road.

Red Green ol' Rocky Road, tell me what you see.
Tell me inside out, tell me upside down,
All around the block, all around the town.
Red Green ol' Rocky Road, tell me what you see.

Jimmy, come out and play.
Well Red Light, Green Light and I'll be "it" today.
Red Green ol' Rocky Road, tell me what you see.

Hey Jimmy Huggins your name's been called
Come and stand beside the wall.
Pick a girl that you know well
You can kiss and you can tell.
Red Green ol' Rocky Road, tell me what you see.

Jenny, come out and play.
Well Red Light, Green Light and I'll be "it" today.
Red Green ol' Rocky Road, tell me what you see.

Little Miss Jenny, don't you hide
Papa's gonna take you for a pony ride.
One potato, two potato, three potato, four
Cross the line and close the door.

Red Green ol' Rocky Road, tell me what you see
Tell me inside out, tell me upside down,
All around the block, all around the town.
Red Green ol' Rocky Road, tell me what you see.

Red light green light 'round the town,
I found a penny on the ground
Met a friend I never know'd,
walkin' down ol' Rocky Road.
- Source http://www.peterpaulandmary.com/music/f-03-04.htm

Editor:
This version of "Green Green Rocky Road" may be the source of the children's game "Simon Says" type game called "Red Light Green Light". A designated caller stands on home base, far away from other children and count "1,2,3,4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10" and then arbitrarily call out a traffic light color, either "red light" or "green light" or "yellow light" and then say "stop" after saying that color.

On red light, girls and boys would freeze in place (in dramatic poses). On "green light", kids would walk as fast as we could (running wasn't allowed). On the word "Stop!" we would halt in place (also making dramatic freeze in place poses). On yellow light, we would have to walk slowly.

The object of the game is to be the first person to reach "home base", That person becaomes the next caller. If I recall correctly from my childhood memory of this game in Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1950s), the caller was named "the leader".

African American girls and boys {ages 5-12 years} who I've worked with in after-school groups, and summer camps in Pittsburgh. Pennsylvania area {1997-2005} also knew and played "Red Light Green Light". To clarify, I was prepared to teach this game to them, but they already knew it :o)

Of course, this song might have nothing to do with the "Red Light, Green Light" game. But my position is that this is probably a later development of "Green Green Rocky Road". So it has rightfully earned its place on this page.

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ROCKY ROAD (Version #6)
(arrangement: Tal Mahal)

[Instrumental]

When I go by Baltimore
Make me ah bed upon your floor.
Make it long and make it strong
So real good may be rest upon.
On ah rocky road
Green green rocky road.
On ah rocky road
Promanade in green.

Love me baby like you said you do.
Do anything in the world for you.
Love you babe now keep you warm.
Will do anything to keep you from harm.
On ah rocky road
Promanade in green
On ah rocky road
Promanade in green

Ooh hookah tookah soda cracka.
Do your mama chaw tobacca.
If your mama chaw tobacca.
Say hooka tooka tooka tooka soda cracker.
Oh ah green
Baby green green rocky road.
On ah green
Promanade in green.

[Instrumental]

When i go by Baltimore
Make me ah bed upon your floor.
Make it long and make it strong
So real good may be rest upon

On ah rocky road
Promanade in green
On ah rocky road
Promanade in green [repeat chorus 4x]
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yAeoVX4oYk posted by Annecysavoie on December 27, 2008 ; (transcription Azizi Powell, 2/6.2011

Here's that video:
Taj Mahal & André Christovam - Green Green Rocky Road

Annecysavoie | December 27, 2008
Heineken Concerts - Bourbon Street - São Paulo - 2000 -

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GREEN GREEN ROCKY ROAD (The McGarrigle Hour;Version #7)
When I go to baltimore
Got no carpet on my floor
Come along and follow me
We'll go down in history

Green green rocky road
Promenade in green
Tell me who d'you love
Tell me who d'you love

See that crow up in the sky
He don't crow nor can he fly
He can't walk no can he run
He's black paint splattered on the sun

Green green rocky road
Promenade in green
Tell me who d'you love
Tell me who d'you love

Little miss jane runnin' to the ball
Don't you stumble don't you fall
Don't you sing and don't you shout
When I sing come runnin' out

Green green rocky road
Promenade in green
Tell me who d'you love
Tell me who d'you love

Hooka tooka soda cracker
Does your mama chew tobacco
If your mama chew tobacco
Hooka tooka soda cracker

Green green rocky road
Promenade in green
Tell me who d'you love
Tell me who d'you love

When I go to baltimore
Got no carpet on my floor
Please get up and follow me
'We'll go down in history

Green green rocky road
Promenade in green
Tell me who d'you love
Tell me who d'you love
-From The McGarrigle Hour Hannibal Rykodisc 1998 Garden Court Music ASCAP
http://www.cowboylyrics.com/tabs/harris-emmylou/green-green-rocky-road-5...
(retrieved February 6, 2011)

EXAMPLES, VIDEOS OF & COMMENTS ABOUT "HOOKA TOOKA SODA CRACKER"

HOOKA TOOKA MY SODA CRACKER (Chubby Checker version)
Hooka Tooka my soda cracker
Does your momma chaw tobacca
If ya momma chaw tobacca,say
Hooka Tooka my soda cracker
Hooka Tooka my soda cracker
Does your momma chaw tobacca
If ya momma chaw tobacca,say
Hooka Tooka my soda cracker
Who your love, Who your love I say
You know I love my mother-in-law
If your love momma like you say
Why can't momma chaw
Everybody yup
Hooka Tooka my soda cracker
Does your momma chaw tobacca
If ya momma chaw tobacca,say
Hooka Tooka my soda cracker
Momma loves momma loves you all
And you know I'm her son-in-law
If you love me like you say you do
Chaw tobacca too
Hey Ar
Hooka Tooka my soda cracker
Does your momma chaw tobacca
If ya momma chaw tobacca,say
Hooka Tooka my soda cracker
Hooka Tooka my soda cracker
Hooka Tooka my soda cracker...fade
- posted on http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-533567.html Hooka Tooka Soda Cracker and other very obscure songs by AcroSteve; 02/21/2005

Editor:
A sound file of the original version of Chubby Checker singing "Hooka Tooka" is found at the beginning of this post.

****
DREAM DREAM ROCKY ROAD (Version # 8 of Green Green Rocky Road)
I have a distinct memory of a Sesame Street segment (probably in the late 1960s or early 1970s) of African American girls (about 7-9 years old) chanting portions of what I remember as "Dream Dream Rocky Road". The girls stood in a Soul Train -like formation (two horizontal lines facing each other with one person at the top of the line at a time strutting down the middle of the line). When I saw that segment, I didn't know anything about folk etymology or folk processing, but I probably did it anyway because my recollection was that the girls sang:

Dream dream rocky road
Come ah ladies' dream
Rocky road.
Tell me who you love
Rocky road
Tell me who you love
Rocky road.

Dear (a girl's name)
Your name's been called
Come and take a seat down the hall
If you stumble do not fall
We're gonna sing your rocky road.

-snip-

I've not been able to find an online version of that Sesame Street segment. Nor have I ever found anyone else who remembers it. But I think it's likely that the girIs sang "Green Green Rocky Road" and partly because I wasn't familiar with that rhyme, I changed the words to "Dream Dream Rocky Road". Incidentally, I've no memory at all of those girls singing any "hooka tooka/ chew tobacco" lines, though they might have. Yet my memory of song is so strong (because I liked the rhyme and tune) that I believe that I would have remembered lines as "weird" as hooka tooka soda cracka/does your mama chew tobacca".
-Azizi Powell; February 6, 2011

Here's a link to girls performing a similar horizontal line formation while chanting other playground rhymes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2YodFqZ7nQ
Pizza Pizza Daddy-O

****
HOOKA TOOKA MY SODA CRACKER (Cher version)
For lack of anything better to do, here are the lyrics as Cher sung them

Hooka Tooka my soda cracker
Does your momma chaw tobacca
If ya momma chaw tobacca,say
Hooka Tooka my soda cracker
Hooka Tooka my soda cracker
Does your momma chaw tobacca
If ya momma chaw tobacca,say
Hooka Tooka my soda cracker

Green green, a rocky road I say
Green green a rocky road again
Green green a rocky road
Prominade in green
Tell me who your love, Who your love I say
Prominade in green

See that crow up in the sky hey Lord
He don't walk, no he just fly
He don't crawl, he don't run, I say
Keep on a flappin' to the sun

Hooka Tooka my soda cracker
Does your momma chaw tobacca
If ya momma chaw tobacca,say
Hooka Tooka my soda cracker

Green green, a rocky road I say
Green green a rocky road again
Green green a rocky road
Prominade in green
Tell me who your love, Who your love I say
Prominade in green

Hooka Tooka my soda cracker
Does your momma chaw tobacca
If ya momma chaw tobacca,say
Hooka Tooka my soda cracker
-posted on http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-533567.html Hooka Tooka Soda Cracker and other very obscure songs by AcroSteve; 02/21/2005

Editor:
In his earlier post to that forum, AcroSteve wrote that the lyrics for Cher he was seeking were those that "Cher sung live back in the 70's or possibly early 80's. It includes several minutes of spoken introduction."

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HOOKA TOOKA MY SODA CRACKER (Children's singing game)
I see that it's been several years since this thread has been posted on, but I'll toss in my two cents anyways. Came looking for lyrics when this tune popped into my mind and I was trying to teach it to my kids but couldn't remember very many words. I learned it at a (very white)Girl Scout camp somewhere in the Northeast sometime in the early 1980's. My recollection says the song went something like:

Hooka tooka my soda cracker?
Does your Mama Chaw tobacca? (Yes she does)
If your mama chaws tobacca,
Then it's hooka tooka my soda cracker

Red and Green oh Rocky Road
I said
Red and Green oh Rocky Road
I said
Red and Green oh Rocky Road
I said
Promenading Green

Now, granted, the song never made any sense to me so I am probably not likely to have remembered it accurately and I make no promises that my recollection of how the song goes is anything like how they sung it at camp. But, interestingly, my mother was a big fan of PP&M and when I came home singing the song it was completely unfamiliar to her or any one else in my suburban neighborhood...
-Guest; http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=27047 Green, Green Rocky Road; November 1, 2001

-snip-

Here's a sound file of campers having fun singing "Hooka Tooka" . This version is similar to the words posted above from Guest, November 2001:

redheadedberry | February 22, 2009

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EXAMPLES, VIDEOS OF & COMMENTS ABOUT PROBABLE SOURCE SONGS OR RELATED SONGS & RHYMES

Editor: I am including examples of children's singing games and counting out (choosing it) rhymes in this section along with other songs because it's my opinion that those recreational songs and rhymes (or similar songs & rhymes) are probable the earliest sources for "Green Green Rocky Road" and "Hooka Tooka Soda Cracker".

GREEN OAK TREE
This dance song from Thomas W. Talley's 1922 collection Negro Folk Songs, Wise and Otherwise [p. 81, Kennikat Press edition] may have been one of the sources of the children's game song "Green Green Rocky Road"

Green oak tree! Rocky'O! Green oak tree! Rocky'O!
Call dat one you loves, who it may be,
To come an' set by de side o' me.
"Will you hug 'im once an' kiss 'em twice?
"W'y! I wouldn't kiss 'im once fer to save 'is life!"
Green oak tree! Rocky'O! Green oak tree! Rocky'O!

-snip-

"Green Oak Tree" may have been based on the English game song "Walking On The Green Grass".

-snip-

WALKING ON THE GREEN GRASS (Version #1)
Walking on the green grass,
Walking side by side,
Walking with a pretty girl,
She shall be my bride.

And now we form a round ring,
The girls are by our sides,
Dancing with the pretty girls
Wo shall be our brides.

And now the king upon the green
Shall choose a girl to be his queen,
Shall lead her out his bride to be,
And kiss her, one, two, three.
Now take her by the hand, this queen,
And swing her 'round and 'round the green.

And now we'll go around the ring,
And every one we'll swing.

Oh, swing the king and swing the queen,
Oh, swing the king and swing the queen,
Oh, swing 'em 'ound and 'round the green,
Oh, swing 'em 'round the green.
- Source : W.W. Newell, Games and Songs of American Children, New York, 1883 (Dover reprint, New York, 1963), p. 228. ;
-posted by Azizi Powell on http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=80573 Lyr Add: Walking on the Green Grass ; January 225, 2009

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WE GO WALKING ON THE GREEN GRASS (Version #2)
Words to "Soldier Boy for Me" (No. 272A in Sharp & Karpeles, English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians):

We go walking on the green grass, thus, thus, thus,
Come all you pretty fair maids,
Come walk along with us.
So pretty and so fair
As you take yourself to be,
I'll choose you for a partner,
Come walk along with me.

I would not be a blacksmith
That smuts his nose and chin,
I'd rather be a sailor boy
That sails through the wind.
Sailor boy, sailor boy,
Sailor boy for me,
If ever I get married,
A sailor's wife I'll be.

Additional versions from 272A:

I would not marry a doctor,
He's always killing the sick;
I'd rather marry a soldier boy
That marches double quick,
Soldier boy, soldier boy, etc.

I would not marry a farmer,
He's always selling grain;
I'd rather marry a soldier boy
That marches through the rain.
Soldier boy, soldier boy, etc.

Jerry Epstein does it on his cd "Time Has Made a Change in Me" (Minstrel JD-212), using the green grass verse as a chorus, and using all the verses. He says he got it from John Langstaff, who got it from Sharp & Karpeles.
-posted on http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=53515 lyrics req`d- I went walking through the...by Desert Dancer; November 12, 2002

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ICKABAKA SODA CRACKER (Version #1; Children's Counting Out/Choosing It Rhyme)
Icka backa soda cracker
Icka backa boo.
In comes out.
And out goes YOU!
-2nd grade student; Fort Pitt Elementary School, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; 2002

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EENI MEENI MACKA RACKA (Version #1)
We had a second verse to enna meena etc
Enni Meeni macka racka
Rare ri dominacka
Chicka poppa lollipoppa
rum pum push

Rare ri reeta
chickapocka Lita
o - u - t spells OUT
with a jolly good clout!!
-Guest; Cheryll UK; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=47148&messages=116
eena meena mackeracka (children's rhymes); July 1, 2006

Editor: Given the other posts on that thread, I'm very confident that the "first verse to enna meena" that Guest Cheryl Uk referred to is the still familiar "Eenie Meenie Minie Mo/ Catch a ___ * by the toe".

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EENA MEENA MACCA RACCA (Version #2)
the one I learned from my mother. she was born in Darlington, uk in 1915., and she told me that she used to sing it with her friends around the street lamps near her house in central Darlington. I teach it now to my class of pupils in school.

'eena meena macca racca raro dominaca
alabacca jukalaca om pom push
-Guest, annwebster http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=47148&messages=116 eena meena mackeracka (children's rhymes) ; October 8, 2009

* insert various words, including the derogatory "n word" , although it appears that other words such as "tiger" have been largely substituted for that word.

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MY MOTHER AND YOUR MOTHER (Live Across The Way), Version #4 of Acakaba Soda Cracker [Jump Rope Rhyme/ Counting Out Rhyme]
My mother, your mother lived across the way,
Eighteen, nineteen East Broadway.
Every night, they'd have a fight
And this is what they'd say:
Acka-backa soda cracker
Acka-backa boo.
Acka-backa soda cracker
Out goes you!
-Source material; http://www.mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=122

Editor:
Notice that the words "ickabacka", "ackabaca"; "alabacca" ,"macka racka" and "dominacka" rhyme with the word "tobacca" and the phrase "soda cracka" which is how the word "cracker" and "tobacco" are pronounced in the "Hooka Tooka" song.

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