HANDCLAP RHYMES

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HANDCLAP, JUMP ROPE, AND ELASTIC RHYMES

This page contains selected examples and comments about handclap rhymes, elastics rhymes, and jump rope rhymes. Jump rope rhymes and elastics rhymes will be identified by that category's name.* All other rhymes on this page are handclap rhymes.

*Many jump rope rhymes are also used as ball bouncing rhymes. For a description of elastic jumping {also known as "French skipping" and other terms, see this comment that I re-posted on this Mudcat Discussion Forum thread about elastics:
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=46932&messages=103#2345619 .

You'll notice that this page contains multiple versions of the same rhyme. I'm interested in posting multiple versions of rhymes as a way of documenting the way that the words of a particular rhyme may be the same or different in various cities, towns, and/or nations. Posting multiple examples of the same rhyme also documents the way that the words of a rhyme may change over time.

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click here to send in examples of handclap & jump rope rhymes.

Although it is not required, please include information about how this rhyme is performed. Also, for the sake of folkloric research, please include the following demographical information: where you learned the rhyme {please include the city & state if within the USA, and the nation, if outside the USA}; when you learned this rhyme {year or decade such as 2008, the 1990s, or the mid 1970s}; and who performed this rhyme {age, gender, race/ethnicity}. Thanks!

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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. This free flowing writing style appears to be the prevailing way that many youth and young adults informally write on the Internet. 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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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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Special thanks to http://www.mudcat.org/threads.cfm; and http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php10/1/2003 for permission to repost selected examples from their websites.

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Examples of Rhymes:

A,B
A B C {Version #3}
ABC abc, easy as 123, my momma takes care of me, my daddy watches mtv, ooh ahh i want a piece of pie, pie to sweet i wanna piece of meat, meat to rough i wanna ride a bus, bus too full i wanna ride a bull, bull not black i want my money back, money back too green i wanna jelly bean, jelly bean not cooked i wanna read a book, book not read i wanna go to bed, bed not made i want some lemonade, lemonade too sour i wanna take a shower, shower too cool i wanna go to school, school too dumb i wanna suck my thumb, thumb to dirty i wanna ride a birdie, birdie too slow and thats all i know, so close your eyes and count to ten, whoever messes up starts all over again, 12345678910...noone messed up so thats the end!
-elle ; 4/3/2007

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A B C {Version # 2}
I was reading Oh Ah in the handclaps and it sounds really similar to someting my friends and I use to play. I dont think its different because I live in Hawaii. A-B-C, Its easy as 1-2-3, My momma takes care-of-me, My daddy says, Oh Ah, I wanna piece of pie, Pie to sweet, I wanna piece of meat, Meat to tough, I wanna ride the bus, Bus to full, I wanna go to school, School to hard, I wanna jeely-bean, Jelly-Bean to green, Indiana Jones dont move or talk.
-Kaylen ; 3/27/2007

Editor, thanks, Kaylen, for sending in this rhyme. Thanks also for remembering to include information about where you live. It's interesting to see how widely these rhymes are known. "Indiana Jones dont move or talk" is an interesting way to say "Freeze!".

ABC {Version #1}
A.B.C.
It’s easy as 1.2.3.
My momma takes care of me.
My father don’t yell at me.

Caught you with your boyfriend.
Naughty, Naughty.
Didn’t do the dishes.
Lazy, Lazy.
Ate all the candy
Greedy, greedy.
Jumped out the window.
Man, you’re crazy!
-multiple sources including an anonymous White woman {Washington, D. C}, collected by Azizi Powell,1999; posted on Cocojams on 2/26/2006

Editor:
I collected this version of "ABC" in 1999 from an anonymous White woman who responded to a written survey on children's rhymes that I requested colleagues at my place of work to complete. In her comments, this woman provided the information that she remembered this rhyme from her childhood in the 1980s. She wrote that she grew up in a predominately Black neighborhood of Washington, D.C. The woman also wrote that there was more to this rhyme, but she couldn't remember it. I have also collected the same or similarly worded examples from African American women, and African American girls & female teenagers. The lines "A B C/ it's easy as 1, 2, 3" come from the Jackson Five's 1970 hit R&B song "ABC".

Also, see "Eenie Meanie Justaleenie" below for an example of another handclap rhyme with some of the same lines that are found in this example of "ABC {It's as easy as 1 2 3}. Lines that are used in more than one rhyme are called "floating lines" {or floating/traveling verses}.

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A-B-C-Together
My youngest sister is helping me with this post. She's just left Primary 7 (she's 12, in other words), so her 'help' should contain pretty modern versions...

My sister's version of "A-B-C-Together" goes:

Put your hands together, fingers pointing at the person opposite.
A (slap backs of left hands together, own palms still joined)
B (same with the back of right hands)
C (A but stay together, rather than slapping past)
Together (each clap right hand against own left hand)
Up (Right hands clap above the 'together' hands)
Together (bring back together)
Down (Right hands clap below the 'together' hands)
Together (bring back together)
Back (slap backs of hands together with other person, palms facing you)
To front (clap palms with the other person [ie, above^ but backwards])
knee (touch knee with right hand)
To toe (touch foot with right hand)
Wiggle your bum (basically, do 'the Twist')
Around you go (spin on the spot)
Pull the chain (make a 'pulling chain' action)
Start again.
-Viracocha [Sian] & her sister; {from Portlethen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, 2007} reposted with permission from http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=18352&messages=48 Lyr Req: Playground songs; 8/03/2007}

Editor:
Thanks, Viracocha, for giving me permission to repost this and other children's rhymes from Scotland!

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Abulata Cubalata Vista
You start with your hands together in prayer position facing each other, and then you put your left palm up and your right palm down as you clap the first time, then clap your own hands together, then clap palms together straight across, and you continue alternating until the final "MpShhhh!" where you clap hands straight across and then move your hands up and out and apart in a sort of finale. The rhyme goes thus: Abalata Cubalata Cubalata Vista Abalata Cubalata Cubalata Vista Nah Nah Nah Nah Nah NaVista Nah Nah Nah Nah Nah NaVista Eenie Meanie Desameani Oohwah Ahwatameani Eenie Meanie Desameani Oohwah Ahwatameani Bop Billy Op Billy Op MpShhhhh!

I learned this girl handclapping rhyme in Shawnee, Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City, in Johnson County, one of the richest, whitest and most cultureless counties in the USA. So it may have come to us from some gal who came from a more interesting place... I enjoyed reading the other rhymes on your website, I recently heard of a "Daring Book for girls" on NPR, the author mentioned that in these days of videogames and such it's important not to lose these important components of handed down girl culture. I would love to know if any of these words mean anything at all in another language. When we were girls we had some notion it was "African" but of course we had no idea then there were so many African languages... I wonder if someone had learned it from an African American girl. I loved it and still love it, and I teach it to my friends. It's a great "party trick" to give men - and women who have forgotten - a glimpse into the magical powerful world of girl culture that goes on and grows on, handed down girl to girl perhaps since the beginning of time.
-Amy H.; 12/8/2007

Editor:
Thanks, Amy! I appreciate your compliments and your comments about the importance of children's rhymes. With regard to the origin & meanings of these words, I believe that most of the words are nonsensical words that have no meanings. But, I wonder if "Cubalata Vista" might come from the Spanish phrase "como la vista". I wrote a comment about that theory on 7/4/2006 in this Mudcat thread {discussion}: http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=47148 . My theory is that "Abulata Cubalata Vista" belongs to a family of children's handclap rhymes that I call the "Como La Vista" family. I've posted examples of some other rhymes that I've found which I think also belong to that rhyme "family". I've given those rhymes these titles "and other rhymes featured on this page {thus far-"Ama Lama Kuma La Vista"; "Coomalata Beestay" and "Oo The Beestay". Most of these rhymes include the word "la vista". Many of these rhymes also begin with the words "Flea.. Flea fly.. Flea Fly Flow". In my opinion, those words serve as an introduction to the actual rhyme. Therefore, I used the next words as the title of that particular example. As to my theory about the Spanish origin of these rhymes, that theory stands on rather shaky ground as it's based on the inclusion of the word {words?} "la vista" or a word that is pronounced like it {"beestay"/"veestay"}. Needless to say, I may be completely wrong about the Spanish origin of this children's rhyme.

Also, Amy, let me say that other folks who are from Shawnee, Kansas might take exception to your description of this suburb as being cultureless. After all, every place as some culture. :o)

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Ackabaka {See entries for "My Mother, Your Mother" on this page}

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Ah Beep Beep
Ah Beep Beep
Ah Beep Beep
Walkin down the street
Ugawa. Ugawa
That means Black power.
White boy.
Destroy..
I said it. I meant it
And I’m here to represent it.
Soul sister number 9
Sock it to me one more time.
Uh hun! Uh Hun!
Source: Tracey S., Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; childhood remembrance,1968

Editor:
In a personal conversation, Tracey indicated that, although she was in kindergarten she distinctly remembers the older girls and girls her age standing on their porches reciting this rhyme as both an expression of Black pride and as a taunt to the White policeman who were in her neighborhood during the riots that occurred as a result of Martin Luther King’s assassination.

Given her input, it’s my conjecture that “white boy. Destroy” means “Destroy white boys”. “Sock it to me!” was a popular African American slogan during that time that could have sexual meaning but usually was taken to mean “Give it to me!” meaning "show me what you’ve got, {for instance in the case of dancing it meant “Do you best dance moves”. Of course, the best dance moves were also usually the sexy, hip shaking moves. So in a way, we’re full circle.

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A Lady On One Foot {Jump Rope Rhyme}
A lady on one foot one foot one foot a lady on two foot two foot two foot a lady on three foot three foot three foot a lady on four foot four foot four foot a lady on five foot five foot five foot a lady on six foot six foot six foot a lady no foot no foot no foot.
- De'Azia, age 8, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 3/24/2006

Editor:
When I was growing up, we did this up to "four foot". We started out
with "Lady on two foot". This meant jumping with two feet touching the ground. "Lady on one foot" meant jumping with on foot touching the ground. "Three foot" meant jumping with two feet and while touching the ground with one hand without missing. "Four foot" meant jumping with two feet while touching the ground with both hands without missing. Then we'd say "Jump out" which might be what "no foot" means here. I'm not sure what "five foot" & "six foot" means. However, the explanation for "five feet" that is found on this page with the rhyme "Blue Bell" (try to touch all hands and butt to the ground in one jump) may also be what "five feet" means in this "Lady On One Foot" rhyme. But if so, then what does "six feet" mean?=two jumpers with one butt, two hands, and two feet each?

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All In Together ; Jump Rope Rhyme
All in together
Every kind of weather
January, February,
March, April,
May, June July,
August, September, October,
November, December
{Jump out on your birthday month}
-various sources, including Azizi Powell's childhood memories {Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1950s}

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All The Girls In France ; Jump Rope Rhyme
All the girls in France
Do the Hula Hula dance
And they don't wear pants
When they do the Hula dance.
-various sources, including Azizi Powell's memories of Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1950s

Editor:
I remember singing this while jumping rope or bouncing ball. But my clearest memories of this song is dancing like a "hula hula" girl from Hawaii while I sang this song. There may have been other words to this rhyme, but I can't remember them. Also, I think Hula Hula dance was originally "Hootchie Cootchie" dance, or maybe I just remember reading those words somewhere. I remember thinking it was kinda risque' to sing about people dancing without wearing pants. I thought the words referred to "panties" {underwear} and not pants like jeans. See similar rhymes on this page such as "In The Land of France" and "In The Land of Mars." Also, see this Mudcat thread for additional examples & information about this family of rhymes:
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=102055&messages=43 Folklore: Play Ground Hand Jives

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Ama Lama Kuma La Vista
What about the song that goes like this..

Flea.. Flea fly.. Flea Fly Flow. Ama lama kuma lama kuma la vista, Oh oh oh oh not the vista vista, issilini dissilini Oo aa aa malini, akaraka, cukara ich bam boom, ip diddly ope en bope why not shout and bout........ssssssss.... Bang!

Anybody else know this?..."
-Danny; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php10/1/2003 ; 10/1/2003

Editor:
In my opinion, this is another example of a rhyme that belongs to the "Como La Vista" family of children's handclap rhymes. A listing of what I think are members of this "family of rhymes" is found in my comments to "Abulata Cubalata Vista".

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Sour Apples Make Me Sick {Version #7 of Apples On A Stick}
this is called sour apples Sour apples make my sick make my heart go 2-46 2-46 not because im dirty not becaus im clean not because i kissed a by in a magazine. hey girl u=you wanna have some fun here comes Austin with his zipper un-done close your eyes and count to ten if you mess up you have to marry him 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10.(if you dont mess up do this.)hey hey we didnt mess up good for us we have our trust. (If you do mess up do this.) oh no we messed up hurry up lets run.(if yuo messed up u had to kiss a boy and RUN.)
-zoe; 8/7/2008

Editor:
Thank you, zoe, for sharing that version of "Apple On A Stick". Thanks, also for including performance instructions. I wrote the boy's name you gave in italics, as any other boy's name could be substituted for that one.

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Apples On A Stick {Version #6}
this is a hand clap very similar to others! apple on a stick it makes me sick makes my heartbeat...246 not because im dirty not because i kissed a boy behind a magazine hey girls having lots of fun (your two names) are having lots of fun we can do the rumble we can do the splits bet ya bet ya can't do this close your eyes and count to ten whoever mucks it up is a big fat hen (count to ten if you muck it up say "(who mucked it up name)so thats the end " if no one mucks it up you say " no one mucked it up so thats the end"
-Annie; 5/30/2008

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Apples On A Stick {Version #4}
Apple on a stick makes me sick makes my heart beat 2-46 not because you're dirty not because you're clean not because you kissed the boy behind the magazine hey girls you wanna have some fun cause here come a lady with a big fat bum she can wibble she can wobble she can even do the splits but i bet ya i bet ya she can't do this close your eyes and count to ten if you muck it up you're a big fat hen. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 (if you didn't muck up) we didn't muck it up so that's the end. we're best friends. (if you did muck up) we mucked up and that's the end so start again cause we're not best friends.
-Allie; 2/15/2007

Editor:
"Muck it up" means "mess up".

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Apples On A Stick {Version #3}
The space goes
apple on a stick just makes me sick make my tummy go 2 4 6
not because im hunrgy
not because im clean
just because i kiss a boy behind the magazine
hey girls lets have some fun
here comes (name) with his pant undone
he can wiggle he can wobble he can do the twist
but most of all he cant do this close your eyes and count ten if you messs up start ova again
1, 2, 3, 4, ...
- Cece http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php; 10/9/2005

Editor:
In my opinion, the word "space" in the introductory phrase "The space goes" was originally the word "spades". "Spades" is a colloquial, and often derogatory referent for Black people {African Americans}. The introductory term "The spades go" means that the rhyme is being recited or performed the way that Black people did it. See "Down Down Baby" {from the Big movie} on Cocojams' Game Songs and Movement Rhymes page for another example of a rhyme that contains the introductory phrase "The space goes".

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Apple On A Stick {Version #2}
Apples on a the stick
make me sick.
Make my heart go
Two forty six
Not because I’m dirty
Not because I’m clean
Not because I kissed a boy
Behind a magazine.
-multiple sources, including girls ages 7-10 years; Millview Acres Housing Development (Clairton, PA) 2002; collected by Azizi Powell, 2002

Editor:
I have found this rhyme written separately or as the beginning of a longer rhyme. The girls in Millvue Acres did intricate partner handclap rhymes while chanting this rhyme.

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Apple On A Stick {Version #1) [Jump Rope Rhyme]
I used to spend recesses against the wall for jumping out of the swings in mid-air, and playing tag on the tornado slide, and the girls jumped the rope on the wide walkway there. Here [is one rhymes} that I recall hearing, but the words may be out of order, as this was a while ago.

Apples on a stick, make me sick (slick?).
make my arms (heart?) go two-four-six!
It's not because i'm dirty
It's not because i'm clean
It's not because I kiss the boys
behind a magazine (behind a _____ machine?)
Hey girls, let's have fun!
Here comes a cop with his (vest?) undone!
He can shammey he can shake
He can do the hoochie-koo
But I bet a dollar he can't catch you!
One, two, three, etc.....

Chanted to a double jumprope, I heard this on the schoolyard in Spirit Lake, Iowa around 1982-5. The count continued untill the jumproper missed a lick.
-Neighmond {Chaz J.}; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=56361

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A Sailor Went To Sea Sea Sea {Version #3}
At my elementary school in Willoughby Hills, Ohio (far east suburbs of Cleveland, white, middle & working class) about 1965-70, the girls had some additional verses to the handclap rhyme "A sailor went to sea sea sea": A sailor went to sea sea sea To see what he could see see see But all that he could see see see Was the bottom of the deep blue sea sea sea A sailor went to Amsterdam To see what he could Amsterdam But all that he could Amsterdam Was the bottom of the deep blue Amsterdam [I think there were a few more verses with three-syllable place names, but the only ones I can think of now don't seem quite right. Establishing the three-syllable pattern makes the next verse funnier.] A sailor went to Chiiii-na To see what he could Chiiii-na But all that he could Chiiii-na Was the bottom of the deep blue Chiiii-na A sailor went to Frank Frank Frank To see what he could Frank Frank Frank But all that he could Frank Frank Frank Was the bottom of the deep blue Frank Frank Frank A sailor went to En En En To see what he could En En En But all that he could En En En Was the bottom of the deep blue En En En A sailor went to Stein Stein Stein To see what he could Stein Stein Stein But all that he could Stein Stein Stein Was the bottom of the deep blue Stein Stein Stein A sailor went to Frankenstein To see what he could Frankenstein But all that he could Frankenstein Was the bottom of the deep blue Frankenstein The handclap pattern, of which I've forgotten the details, was the same for every verse. It was usually done in pairs, but could be done by any number in a circle. Sometimes after completing all the verses it would be repeated at increasing speed until our hands couldn't keep up or we dissolved with laughter. I found your site through your postings on Mudcat.org, and it's brought back a lot of memories. Lots of stuff here is familiar, and I'll post the versions I remember as I get time. Thanks so much.
-Elizabeth ; 2/17/2008

Editor:
Elizabeth, thank you for sending in that version of "A Sailor Went To Sea Sea Sea". Thanks also for remembering to include performance instructions and demographical information {elementary school, race, economic class, and geographical location}. I'm glad that you found this website through http://www.mudcat.org/threads.cfm. I look forward to the possibility of you sharing more rhymes with Cocojams!

For those who aren't familiar with that website, Mudcat is an online, international folk and blues discussion forum. There are a number of threads {series of discussions} at the forum on children's rhymes. One such thread is http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=94034&messages=153 Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky. Hyperlinks to other children's rhymes threads can be found on that page. Membership is free at that forum, and guests can also posts examples and comments, and also start new threads. Try it. You may like it!

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A Sailor Went To Sea Sea Sea {Version #2}
And an Oz version of
A sailor went to sea sea sea
to see what he could sea sea sea
and all that he could sea sea sea
was the bottom of the deep blue sea sea sea.

went (to one clapping pattern)

A sailor went to Diz Diz Diz
to see what he could Diz Diz Diz
and all that he could Diz Diz Diz
was the bottom of the deep blue Diz Diz Diz.

then (to another clapping pattern)

A sailor went to knee knee knee
to see what he could knee knee knee
and all that he could knee knee knee
was the bottom of the deep blue knee knee knee.

then (to yet another clapping pattern)

A sailor went to land land land
to see what he could land land land
and all that he could land land land
was the bottom of the deep blue land land land.

and finally (to a combination of all three clapping patterns)

A sailor went to Disneyland
to see what he could Disneyland
and all that he could Disneyland
was the bottom of the deep blue Disneyland.
-Rowan; {Australia; reposted with permission from http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=18352&messages=48 Lyr Req: Playground songs; 8/02/2007}

Editor:
Rowan, thanks for giving me permission to repost your example on Cocojams!

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A Sailor Went To Sea Sea Sea {Version #1}
A sailor went to sea sea sea
To see what he could see see see
And all that he could see see see
Was the bottom of the deep blue sea sea sea

A sailor went to chop chop chop
A sailor went to knee knee knee
A sailor went to oohwhatchakaw
A sailor went to stand by me

Its more to it than this..
-Cheryl G.; electronic message to her aunt Doris H. who forwarded this and other rhymes to Azizi Powell,
11/18/2004

Editor:
Thanks Cheryl and Doris!!!

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Away In France
This song I learned when I was a school girl in Oxon Hill, Maryland in the 1960s: Away in France where the alligators dance, One wouldn't dance so they kicked him in the pants, The pants he wore cost a dollar ninety-four -- And you can get them in your grocery store! (I remember my father singing a variation about Away in France where the women wear no pants, away in France where the men do the same", but Mom snapped, "Douglas, don't be vulgar!", so that's all I remember.)
-Ann N.; 4/29/2007

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Ballerina [Jump Rope Rhyme]
Ballerina ballerina
Turn around
Ballerina ballerina
Touch the ground
Ballerina ballerina
Double quick
Ballerina ballerina
Do the splits!

{The trick was to do it all skipping.}
-Viracocha [Sian] ; {from Portlethen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, in the early 1990s} reposted with permission from http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=18352&messages=48 Lyr Req: Playground songs; 7/30/2007

Editor:
"Skipping" here means jumping rope.

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Banana, Banana, Banana In {Elastics Jumping}
Banana, Banana, Banana, in
Banana, banana, banana, out
Banana, banana, banana, on
Banana, banana, banana, out
(On banana, you straddle one elastic - ie one leg in, one leg out, so that you are juming to and fro over the elastics, on "in" you jump inside the elastic, the first "out" involves straddling the elastic with both legs out, whereas the last out was jumping clear of the elastic to finish. Oh and "on" meant you had to land on the elastics.
-Guest; 2/14/2008; http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=46932&messages=98; Child's Game: Elastics

Editor:
"Elastics" is one name for a children's jumping game that is played with long rubber bands or string instead of one rope or two ropes. Throughout many English speaking countries, or English speaking populations in various countries, this jumping game has also been called "Chinese Jump Rope", "French Skipping", "African Jump Rope", "Yogi", or other names. Rhymes are usually chanted while playing this game. Sometimes the words of the rhymes indicated how the player was supposed to jump. Tem42 on 9/21/2006, posting on http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1841337 provided this explanation of one way elastics is played: "You will need three players and a loop of string, rubber bands, or elastic rope. Two players stand inside either end of the loop with their ankles spread slightly apart, the loop pulled tight so as to raise it 3-4 inches off the ground. The third person hops over this rope in a predetermined pattern. If they hop the pattern correctly, the loop is raised up to knee level, and they try the pattern again. Next is hip level (AKA hipsies or underbums); obviously you are not hopping at this point, but leaping. (I have never played with anyone whose hip level was higher than mid-thigh on me, but even so I was exhausted after one round)...The loop of string may be crossed in the center (making a figure eight), allowing for more complex patterns. It may be held higher at one end than the other. Turns and spins may also be added. Footwork can get pretty fancy, especially among older kids. "

Click on that website for more information about jumping elastics. Also, click on the Mudcat Discussion Forum hyperlink presented above for another discussion about "elastics" and for additional examples of rhymes that children {mostly girls} chanted while playing that game. Additional examples of "elastics" rhymes are also found on this Cocojams page. Do you remember playing elastics or do you play it now? If so, send examples & information about this game to Cocojams!

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Banana Split {Version #2}
Banana Split makes me split ookalocka ookalocka 246 not because ya dirty not because ya clean not because ya daddy got a dirty limosine I betcha 5 dollars I betcha 50 cent. I betcha 5.50 U cant do this {clap up and down with a partner and then u hit your elbow wit yo hand and then at the end u do da same but u clap 2 times with your hands clap together}
-Alahna; 8/19/2006

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Banana Split {Version #1} {Elimination handclap game}
Banana Split,
It makes me sick.
Oogah laggah
Oogah laggah
2, 4, 6
If you say 5 you’re out of the game.
Oogah laggah
Oogah laggah
2, 4, 6
-African American girls & boys; ages 6-12 years from the Auburn Terrace after school program {East Liberty section of Pittsburgh}; 2001; Collected by Azizi Powell, 2001

Performance directions:
More than three children stand in circle and begin to chant in unison. After the last line of the unison chant (i.e.“2, 4, 6”), one child quickly says “1”, and the child standing next to him or her in clockwise position says “2”, and so on, but skips the number "5" or any number with "5" in it {they say the next number and not that one}. For instance, after children say 1, 2, 3, 4, the next child must say 6. Any child says “5” or any number with “5” in it (such as “15” or “25”} is out of the game. Children who take too long to say the correct number} is also out of the game. Ideally, there is not supposed to be any breaks in children giving the next number. Children have to remember The last child in the game is "the winner". Because the counting could go on forever, players may want to decide ahead of time which number ends this game.

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Bazooka Zooka Bubble Gum {Version #3}
this is one i learned along time ago: my momma she gave me a dime she told me buy a lime but i aint buy no lime i bought some bubble gum bazooka zooka bubble gum (repeat 2x) my momma she gave me a nickel she told me buy a pickle but i aint buy no pickle i bought some bubble gum bazooka zooka bubble gum (repeat 2x) my momma she gave me a quarter she told me buy some water (pronounced woarder) but i aint buy no water i bought some bubble gum bazooka zooka bubble gum (repeat 2x) my momma she gave me a dollar she told me buy a collar but i aint buy no collar i bought some bubble gum bazooka zooka bubble gum (repeat 2x)
-Nancy ; 5/14/2008

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Bazooka Zooka Bubble Gum {Version #2}
I was reading and i was amazed to not see a ceartain ryme...

My mom gave me a nickle she said to buy a pickle I did not buy a pickle instead i bought some bubblegum BAZOOKA ZOOKA bubble gum!
MY mom gave me a dime she said to buy a lime I did not buy a lime instead I bought some bubblegum BAZOOKA ZOOKA bubblegum.
MY mom gave me a quarter she said to buy some water I did not buy some water instead I bought some bubblegum BAZOOKA ZOOKA bubblegum.
MY mom gave me a five she said to stay alive I did not stay alive instead I choked on bubblegum! BAZOOKA ZOOKA bubblegum.
-Guest, BBG; 1/4/2007; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=81350 ; I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes

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Bazooka Zooka Bubble Gum {Version #1}
My mom gave me a penny
She said to buy a henny
But I didn't buy no henny
Instead, I bought BUBBLE GUM
BAZOOKA, ZOOKA BUBBLE GUM

My mom gave me a nickel
She said to buy a pickle
But I didn't buy no pickle
Instead, I bought BUBBLE GUM
BAZOOKA, ZOOKA BUBBLE GUM

My mom gave me a dime
She said to buy a lime
But I didn't buy no lime
Instead , I bought BUBBLE GUM
BAZOOKA, ZOOKA BUBBLE GUM

My mom gave me a quarter
She said to buy some water
But I didn't buy no water
Instead, I bought BUBBLE GUM
BAZOOKA, ZOOKA BUBBLE GUM

My mom gave me a dollar
She said to buy a collar
But I didn't buy no collar
Instead, I bought BUBBLE GUM
BAZOOKA, ZOOKA BUBBLE GUM

My mom gave me a five
She said to stay alive
But I didn't stay alive
Instead, I choked on BUBBLE GUM
BAZOOKA, ZOOKA BUBBLE GUM

i learned that one in elementary school... not sure how i remembered it! have fun... whoever needs this
-i know hand games! ; 12/22/2005; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php

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Billy Boy
Two people sit facing each other. I'll do my best to describe the handclap motions... Cross down - start by crossing both hands over your chest, with your finger tips touching your shoulders, then uncross them and smack your thigh's. Your left hand will smack your left thigh and right hand, right thigh. The next step is to clap. When you clap, you begin singing the song. (For example: (cross down) (Clap), When Billy Boy was one..... (now begin claping with your partner - your right hand claps with their right hand - then you clap your hands together, next your left hand claps with your partner's left hand, then you clap your hands together. Repeat until the verse is over. When you start the next verse, begin again with cross down, slap your thighs, When Billy Boy was two...etc.

VERSES When Billy Boy was one, he learned to suck his thumb. Thumb Billy, Thumb Billy, half past one. When Billy Boy was two, he learned to tie his shoe. Shoe Billy, Shoe Billy, half past two. When Billy Boy was three, he learned to climb a tree. Tree Billy, Tree Billy, half past three. When Billy Boy was four, he learned to close the door. Door Billy, Door Billy, half past four. When Billy Boy was five, he learned to swim and dive. Dive Billy, Dive Billy, half past five. When Billy Boy was six, he learned to pick up sticks. Sticks Billy, Sticks Billy, half past six. When Billy Boy was seven, he learned to pray to heaven. Heaven Billy, Heaven Billy, half past seven. When Billy Boy was eight, he learned to roller skate. Skate Billy, Skate Billy, half past eight. When Billy Boy was nine, he learned to tell the time. Time Billy, Time Billy, half past nine. When Billy Boy was ten, he learned to catch the hens. Hens Billy, Hens Billy, half past ten. Cross down, then end!
-Jackie; 8/28/2007

Editor:
Jackie, thanks so much for sending in that example and the instructions on how you play it! It's sounds like it would be fun to do!

See "Poor Pinocchio" below for a similar handclap rhyme.

you put diamonds in his head
when the diamonds break
it's enough to bake a cake
when the cake is done
it is 1991
when you tie your shoe
it is 1992
when you get stung by a bee
it is 1993
when you slam a door
it is 1994
when you dance the jive
it is 1995
when you pick up sticks
it is 1996
when you like a boy named devon
it is 1997
when you close the gate
it is 1998
when you're feelin' fine
it is 1999
then it gets all cold
then you
FREEZE!
- Miranda; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php at August 19, 2004

Editor:
I'd like to thank Halifax and other members of Octoblog for giving me permission to repost examples from that website's page on school yard rhymes. Also, see other examples of "There's A Place Called Mars" and similar named rhymes below.

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Cowboy Joe ; Jump Rope Rhyme
Cowboy Joe from Mexico,
Hands up (as if someone were pointing a gun at you)
Stick them up (make guns out of your hands and point them straight ahead)
Don't forget to pick them up (pretend to pick up your guns from the ground)
Cowboy Joe, go blow! (escape)

Jump rope rhymes mid 1960s, Oxon Hill, Maryland.

By the way, "Blue bells, cockle shells, eevy, ivy, over" was the preface to most of our jump rope games.
-Ann N., 4/30/2007

Editor:
Thanks, Ann N., for sending in this example and other examples of rhymes. I appreciate your inclusion of performance information and other commentary.

See "Blue Bells" on this page for another example of the "Blue Bell Cockle Shells etc" line.

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Dogs Dogs
I have a rhyme i had made up and I wanted to share it with you, actually i have two rhymes that I wanted to share my friends did them and when i told them i made them up they didn't beleive me. So here they are City: Phoenix, AZ U.S. recited by a girl,me, 2007 1ST ONE dogs dogs, so harmless and sweet, dogs dogs, they just can't be beat, dogs dogs, so many everywhere, dogs dogs, how many are there? 1,2,3, etc.
-sarah ; 3/10/2007

Editor:
Sarah, thank you so much for sharing your rhymes with me and the rest of the Cocojams readers. I also appreciate you remembering to include demographical information {geographical location, and your gender}. The second rhyme you made up "Panda Bear" is posted on this page under the letter "P". Keep using your creativity!

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Double Double This
Double double this this
Double double that that
Double this
Double that
Double this and that.
-Azizi Powell; observation of African American girls, ages 7-10 years
old; Fort Pitt Elementary School {Pittsburgh, PA}. collected in 2003
by Azizi Powell, posted by Azizi in 2005

Editor:
I've seen this rhyme performed by two children standing facing each other, by four children (two sets of partners who take turns slapping the hands of the two people across from them), and by three children {standing in a triangle formation}.
I have also seen this rhyme performed by more than four children {standing in a circle formation}.

Method of playing in a circle:
If the handclap rhyme is played with more than four children, one person is selected to starts the game. The children chant together. On the first word the starter lightly slaps the hand of the person to her or his right. On the next word, that person slaps the next person to his or her right and so on. The person whose hand is slapped on the last word of the rhyme is out. When only two people are left in the circle, they face each other and slap hands with each word. At this point, the two usually perform a standard handclap routine with the chant becoming faster and faster each time it is repeated. The person who messes up the routine is out, and the last person remaining is the winner.

Method of playing with a partner, with four children, or with three children:
This handclap routine can be done with two partners or with three children. A standard routine for pairs is:
Select a partner. Face partner. In the case of three children, there are no partners, but the handclapping routine alternates with each child.
Here's a standard handclap routine:
On “double double” use your upheld right hand to lightly slap the upheld left palm of partner;
On “This This” hold up both hands and lightly slap partners hands two times.
On “Double this and that” hit partners’ two hands with your two hands.

Children may dip when they chant, and slap high, slap low, slap under their legs, and add hip shaking and body swaying movements. Sometimes children may also fancy up a handclap routine by combining body pats such as chest pats and pats to the soles of their feet. However, handclap routines are performed "in place". There is little if any movement away from the spot where the child is standing.

The most important part of the handclap rhyme is maintaining the correct sequence of hand clap exchanges. The chant helps children do this because you can remember which hand motion goes with which word.

Usually each time "Double Double This" is chanted, it goes faster. When this is played as a partner game with one or more sets of partners, those who perform the wrong motion, or don't perform fast enough are out. The person who is the last one remaining is the winner.

**
See this YouTube video of an Australian version of "Double Double This":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ul7xIhmTe6k&mode=related&search=
[Added November 12, 2006; From bodgiefahey]

See also http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibDns2Py8_o&search=handclap "A Soldier"
[Added November 12, 2006; From bodgiefahey]

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Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky {Version #17}
down by the bank with the hanky panky where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky with the e i o u eastside westside ding dong see that house on top of that hill that's where me and my boyfriend live smell that chicken smell that rice come on yall let's shoot some...dice
-Guest; 12/15/2007; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=940347/15/2007; Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky

Editor:
A variation {variant form} of the lines "see that house on top of that hill" etc. are found in an example of "I Love Coffee I Love Tea" posted on this page under the name "Kyla". Verses used in multiple rhymes and songs are called "floating verses" or "traveling verses". Click on the Mudcat link provided above to read many other examples of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" rhymes.

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Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky {Version #16}
Down by the river with the hanky bankys
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
say an
epp
opp
epp
bop
bop
Skittle dittle curly pop
I pledge allegence to the flag
That Micheal jackson makes me gag
Diet Pepsi came to town
Coca-Cola pushed him down
Orange soda picked him up
Now I'm drinking 7 up
7up caught the flu
Now I'm drinking Moutain Dew
Moutain Dew fell off the moutain
Now I'm drinking from a fountian
Foutain Broke
Now I'm drinking plain old Coke
-Guest; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=940347/15/2007; Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
7/15/2007

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Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky {Version #15}
this is a game that me and my friends play down by the banks of the hanky pank where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank singing eeps iips oops ummps chilly willy ding dong i plege alligence to the flag micheal jack makes me gag coca-cola burned it's butt now we're talkin 7-up 7-up has no caffeine now we're talkin billy jean billy jean is outta sight now we're talkin dynamite dynamite blows up the school now we're talkin really cool 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
-Allie ; 7/14/2007

Editor:
Thanks Allie, for sharing that version of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky"! I'm assuming that 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 is the countdown that occurs before the dynamite fuses are lit. Of course, I'm sure that you and everybody else reading this knows that it isn't safe to play with dynamite. And of course I'm sure that you and everyone else reading this knows that blowing up the school or any other place without the proper authority and safeguards is a definite no no. See Cocojams Teacher Taunts page for other rhymes about schools and school officials that also aren't meant to be taken seriously.

In addition, I'm going to take this opportunity to repeat this question to Cocojams visitors-Does anyone know a version of "I pledge allegiance to the flag" that doesn't refer to Michael Jackson? If so, I'd love for you to send it in to Cocojams!

Also, click http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=94034 "Origins: Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" to find examples of & discussion about this particular handclap rhyme. I've taken the liberty of reposting to that thread* some examples of Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky that Cocojams readers have sent in.

Thanks!!!

*Note: a "thread" is a series of comments that are "posted" on an Internet discussion forum. Internet discussion forums are also called "message boards", "bulletin boards", "diaries" that include comments, and/or "blogs". The word "blog" was created by combining part of the word "web" with the word "log" {in this context "log" means "a written record"}. See Cocojams' page on Blog Terms for the meanings of selected other terms that are used on the Internet.

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Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky {Version #14}
i learned this from chole,elizibeth1,elizibeth2,abby

Down by banks of hankey-panky were the bullfrogs jumps from bank to bank sayin' eeps iips ohp sacadillain - kerplunk!
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 mickey mouse had a house dohnald duck messed it up who shall pay the caonceacuences mouse or duck (or duck or mouse)1 person said duck or mouse and if it ends up on you you pull your hand away so the other person is out then but if they hit your hand your out
-Guest; 6/21/2007;
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=94034&messages=168 ;
Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky'

Editor:
Thank you, Guest, 6/21/2007 and your friends!

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Down By The River {Version #13 of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky"}
I usually like cheers but I like this Hand Clap. It's called Down By The River! It goes like this: Down By The River With The Hankey-Pankey Where The BullFrogs Jump From Bank To Bank They Say E-Pa E-Pa-Pa Skittel-Diddel-Kurnal-POP! Cherry-Cola Came To Town! Dr. Pepper Nocked Him Down! 7-Up Picked Him Up! Now We're Drinkin' 7-Up! 7-Up Got The Flu! Now We're Drinkin' Mountain Dew! Mountian Dew Fell Off The Mountian! Now We're Drinkin' From The Fountain. Oh-No The Fountian Broke! Now We're Drinkin' Plain-Old, Ice-Cold, Regular, Diet Coke! (By: **!!Enforcers Cheer Girl!!** Date Recited: ?-2007 Recited By: Me, My Friends, And A Lot Of Other People (Boys And Girls) Category: Hand Clap
-Cheer Girl; 2/2/2007

Editor:
Cheer Girl, Thanks for sending in the all of that demographical information along with the words to this handclap rhyme.
I've been collecting versions of this rhyme for awhile, and the version you sent is new to me. I'm going to add this version to a thread {series of comments} that I started on this rhyme at this website: http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=94034
Look for it there!

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Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky {Version #12}
Down by the river in the hanky pank where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank singin e i o u your mama stinks and so do you ping pong donky kong went to school with nothin on asked the teacher what to wear polka dotted underwear not to big and not to small just the size of broward mall hide and seek and playing tag michael jackson is a fag reeses pieces buttercup now we're drinkin 7up 7up has no cafine now we'r drinkin gasoline gasoline is bad for you now we're giinkin mountain dew mountain dew fell of the mountain now we're drinkin from the fountain 1, 2, 3 ,4, 5, 6 ,7 ,8 ,9 ,10.
-x_angel_girl_xox; 1/25/2007

Editor:
I am including this rhyme and other rhymes with the "Michael Jackson is a fag" line for the folkloric record. However, I want it known that I strongly disapprove of people being called 'fags'.

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Down By The River By The Hanky Panky {Version #11}
down by the river by the hanky pank where the bull frog jumps from bank to bank sayin E I O U yo mama stinks and so do you so ping pong ding dong your daddy smells like king kong on your feet and on your toes your brother wears pink panty hoes coca cola stir it up now you've got 7-Up 7-Up has no caffeine so now you are caffeine free so 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10!
-chelsea ; 3/27/2007

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Down By The Rhythm Of The Hanky Spanky {Version #10}
Down By rhythm of the hanky spanky do that do that hanky spanky fe fi fo fum listen to the beat of the drum micky mouse had a house donald duck messed it up who will pay the consequenses Y-o-u.
i learned this in private school blacks and whites sang it along with a different version of "Brick Wall Waterfall" and they sang it before 2003
-gaby {age 12; usa}; 11/15/2006

Thanks, Gaby for sending in that example. Thank you also for including demographical information about who sang this, when, and where. Given your comment, it seems that this version of Hanky Panky was used as an elimination rhyme {a counting put rhyme, or choosing "It" rhyme}. Would you let us know if this rhyme was recited by one person while pointing to other kid's shoes or fist, and that way determining who was out or who was "It"? By the way, Gaby, I'd also love it if you could also send in that different version of Brick Wall Water Fall.

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Down By The Banks Wit Da Hanky Pank {Version #9}
Down by the bank wit da hanky pank where da bull frogs jump from bank ' bank say eeee ahhh eee haa haa skittle dittle kernal pop I pledge alligence to the flag Michel Jackson makes me gag Coca Cola has no taste Don't make me look at your face You run round you hit the ground i can hear the sound all the way back at the 'down by the bank wit da hank pank where dem bull frogs jump from bank to bank singing eee ahh haaa haa skittle dittle kernal POP!!
-Diana M.; 10/17/2006

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Down By The Banks Of The Handy Mandy {Version #8}
I heard a version of this [Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky] rhyme from my daughter last year; she was aged 7 at the time. She told me that lots of her friends knew it at her school in the Hutt Valley, New Zealand.

Her words went:

Down by the banks of the handy mandy,
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank,
I said a hip hop
Swaggle waggle hop.
I said a hip hop,
Full stop.

It had a quite complex clapping system between two children to go with it - certainly more complicated than the usual three-part hand clap systems she usually showed me. I videoed her performing this, but can't easily describe it.

Anyway, the rhyme game has made it to New Zealand...
-Uke {Michael B,}; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=94034&messages=13|
"Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" ; 8/23/2006

Editor:
Thanks Uke for giving me permission to repost your example. There's a lot of examples of this rhyme in that Mudcat thread. Check it out! You can also add your example there too if you want to.

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Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky {Version #7}
Here's how this rhyme is done by kids in Keene, NH these days:

Down by the banks
of the hanky-panky
where the bull frog
jumps from
bank to banky
with a
hip
hop
flip
flop
Missed that banky and went
ker-plop!

The kids sit or stand in a circle, palms up, arms extended to the side, left hand over neighbor's right palm. One child starts by slapping his/her left hand across to his/her right, passing the slap around the circle until "kerplop" when the child about to be slapped has to pull his/her hand out of the way, or else be eliminated. ...the children often try to slap pretty hard on the last syllable of "kerPLOP!"- of course, if the next child pulls back successfully, the slapper ends up slapping his/her self!
-Animaterra; 8/22/2006; click on http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=94034&messages=13
{thread title "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky"} for examples of & discussion about this rhyme.

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Down By The River Near The Hankey Pank {Version #6}
Down by the river near the hankey pank where the bullfrogs jump from bank, to bank, and they say E I O U, your momma stinks and so do you so ping pong ding dong your daddy smells like king kong. Ask your teacher what she wears, polka dotted underwear. Not too big and not too small, just the size of city hall. Michael Jackson went to town, coca-cola brought him down. Coca-cola brought him up, now he's drinking 7up. 7up with no cafiene, now he's seein' belgain (pronounced beligene). Belgain is outta sight, now we're talking dynamite. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, BAM!
-Veggie; 8/21/2006

Editor:
Veggie. I've seen this performed as a handclap rhyme. Is this the way you do it? I'm particularly glad to see the part about Michael Jackson.

By the way, that part about "coca-cola brought him down" is probably a reference to an accident that occurred in 1984. Twenty-five year old R&B singer Michael Jackson was singing his hit song "Billie Jean" for a Pepsi Cola [not Coca-Cola] tv commercial in Los Angeles when the special effects went wrong. The fire works set R&B singer Michael Jackson's jheri curl treated hair on fire. The word " beligene" that Veggie uses in that example is actually the the name "Billie Jean". This is an example of folk etymology {when a word or phrase is changed because it is mis-heard, mis-remembered, or is unfamiliar to the person who heard it}. In the case of an unfamiliar word, the word is changed to a similar sounding word that is more familiar.

Does anyone else know other examples of this rhyme? If so, please send them in. For the historical record, it would be great if you would also include what state or nation {if outside of the United States} that you are from. Thanks!

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Down By The River Near The Hanky Panky {Version #5}
Down by the river near the hanky panky Where the bull frogs jump from bang to bang singing E I O U Your momma stinks and so do you So ping pong, ding dong your daddy smells like King Kong Under his feet and under his toes your daddy wears pink panty hose
-Missy , 2/26/2006

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Bull Frogs {Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky"; Version #4}
down by the banks of the hanky panky where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
where the epps orps ops triple cycadelic cur-plops.
-Makina L.; Canada 10/18/2005

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Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky {Version #3}
I grew up in Pittsburgh (went to Liberty, Frick, and Schenley {High School} c/o 2000)
I know a circle hand clap game with chants called: Down by the bank. It is an elimination game because the children stand in a circle and try to eliminate (or not get eliminated) at the end of the song. The setup is that both of your hands are palms up. Your right hand is under the hand of the person next to you and your left hand is in the palm of the person next to you. When your right hand gets tapped you tap the hand in your left and return your hand to the resting position. To be eliminated if the last note of the song gets on you and you are to hit the hand of the other person and fail to do so before they pull their hand away you must leave. If the person whose hand is to be hit gets hit, they are eliminated. When only two people are left they alternate their wrists until the game is over and then arm wrestle to figure out the winner.

The words start:
Down by the bank with the hanky panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
Singing eep opp orp opp
- Flojaune G. {Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania}, private email to Azizi
Powell, August 2004

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Down By The Lake With The Hanky Panky {Version #2}
down by the lake with the hanky panky
where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
singing fee fi fo fum
ure momma looks like king kong
didley dong i went to school with nothing on
iu asked the teacher what to wear
polka dotted underwear
not too big not too small
just the size of dadeland mall (or w/e mallu choose
-no name given, http://octopuses.chaoticinsanity.com
“Schoolyard games”, 9/18/2003

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Down By The Banks With The Hankity Panks {Version #1 of Down By The Banks of the Hanky Panky}
Down by the banks
with the hankity panks
where the bull frog
jumped from
bank to bank
with an
eep
ip
oop
op
hes got on the lilly with a big
ker-plop!

::at ker-plop the players would try to a) freeze b) clap hands or c) hit each other on the head (depending on the version)
-http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php; posted by contortme at September 16, 2003

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Down Down Baby
See examples of Down Down Baby {also know as "Shimmy Shimmy Co Co Pa"} on Cocojams' Game Songs & Movement Rhymes page. Also, see examples of "I like Coffee I Like Tea" {I Love Coffee I Love Tea"} rhymes that are posted on this page. Those rhymes contain lines that are very similar to some lines in "Down Down Baby" rhymes. In addition, see examples of "Enie Meenie Justaleenie" as well as examples of "Down Down Baby I Know Karate" that are posted below.

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Down Down Baby, I Know Karate {Version #2}
A two-person game!

Down down baby
I can do karate (do some judo chops here)
Down down baby
I can shake my body (wiggle around)
Down down baby
I can phone my mommy (pretend you're phoning someone)
Down down baby
Oops! (smack the other person LIGHTLY on the forehead)
I'm sorry!
-Charlotte; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php ; February 4, 2007

****
Down Down Baby, I Know Karate {Version #1}
Down, down baby,
I know karate.
Down, down baby,
I can shake my body.
Down, down baby,
I can call my mommy.
Oops! I’m so sorry *
Down, down baby,
to the front,
to the back,
to the side, side, side **
Watch me do the butterfly ***
-Teneisha (female, 11 years) and Antoinette (female, 10 years); Pittsburgh, PA., 1999

* both girls simultaneously “accidentally” tap each other player on the forehead
** to the beat, both girls jump to the front, then to the back, then to the right, then to the left, and back to the right
*** both girls do “the butterfly”, a hip wiggling R&B dance that was popular around 1994.

Editor:
"Down Down Baby I Know Karate" is a variant form of the widely known rhyme "Down Down Baby" {also widely known as "Shimmy Shimmy Co Co Pa"}. It appears that "Down Down Baby I Know Karate" is usually performed as by two, three, or four or more children clapping hands with another person while chanting this rhyme. That performance activity distinguishes this rhyme from versions of "Down Down Baby" that are done with individual handclaps {when the person claps her or his own hands and not another persons' hands}. Visit Cocojams' Game Song and Movement Rhymes page for numerous examples of "Down Down Baby".

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Down In The Meadow Where The Green Grass Grows {Example #3} Jump Rope Rhyme
Down in the meadow where the green grass grows, there sat (name of person jumping) as sweet as a rose. She/He sang he/she sang she/he sang so sweet and along came (other person of opposite sex) and kissed her/him on the cheek. How many kisses did he/she get that week. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, .............. keep going until they mess up on jumping
-miley ; 11/21/2007

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Down In The Valley Where The Green Grass Grows {Example #2} Jump Rope Rhyme
Down in the valley where the green grass grows along came (a name) as sweet as a rose he sang, he sang, he sang so sweet, how many kisses did he get on his cheek? (start counting until they get out with the jump-rope or you could step to it)
-Daelon, age 8; & Shacora, age 11; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania}; 3/21/2006

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Down in the Valley Where The Green Grass Grows {Example #1} Jump Rope Rhyme
Down in the valley where the green grass grows
There sat [girl's name] as sweet as a rose
She sang she sang she sang so sweet
Along came [boy's name] who kissed her on the cheek.
How many kisses did she get?
Ah 1, Ah 2, Ah 3 {keep counting until you miss}
-Azizi; memories of childhood, 1950s; Atlantic City, New Jersey

Editor:
This jump rope rhyme is also titled "Down In The Meadow Where The Green Grass Grows". This rhyme could be sung while jumping rope by yourself or while jumping rope with other kids. As I remember jumping rope with a group of other kids, the jumper didn't sing, but concentrated on jumping. The people who sang were the "enders" who turned the rope, and-sometimes-other kids waiting for their turn as jumper{s}. Once in a while, boys also jumped rope with the girls. If the person jumping was a boy, the gender was changed to "he sang he sang he sang so sweet & along came {girl's name} & kissed him on the cheek" etc.

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Down In Mississippi
[This is] A jump rope rhyme I remember that probably has an African American origin: Down in Mississippi where the boats go "pushy-whooshy" (Two girls would jump together, and one would pretend to push the other out at the end of the "rhyme." I'm 60 years old and learned these on the playground in Waterbury Connecticut in the early 50s.
-Ellen R.; 11/9/2007

Editor:
Thanks, Ellen R., for sending in that example. I've never "heard" that rhyme before. Thanks, also for sending in an example of "Little Sally Waters" which I posted on Cocojams' Games Children Play page. I also appreciate the fact that you included demographical information {your age, and when & where you remembered learning these rhymes}. Keeping a record of demographical information helps researchers track & study the continuity & changes that may occur in rhymes over time and space. Also, Ellen R., thanks for including your opinion about the African American origin of this rhyme. Since I've never heard or read this rhyme before, I have no opinion, and haven't seen any documentation that can support or disprove your opinion about the origin of this rhyme. If any Cocojams readers know this rhyme or know one like it, please send in those examples and remember to include demographical information & other comments. Thanks!

E,F
Eenie Meenie Pepsa Deenie {Example #3}
Under the Hand Clapping rhymes right after the ABC rhyme is part of a song I learned from an Elementary music teacher in Jackson, TN in 1977! I was a student teacher and she taught it as such.

X X X X
Eenie meenie pepsa deenie
X X X X
Be bop, bop a deenie
X X X X
Education, liberation
X X X X
I love you. Tootie Fruitie,
X X X X
Down, down su-gar
X X x x
Down by the roller coaster
X X X X
Sweet sweet honey -
X X X X
no place to go _ _ _ _
X X X X
a-oh _ _ _
X X X X
Shamrock, Shamrock
X X X X
shammy shammy shamrock
X X X X
Caught you with my girlfriend
(scrape your pointer finger at each other)
Naughty naughty
X X X X
Didn't do the dishes
(two hands together and place beside head, tilted as in sleeping)
Lazy, Lazy
X X X X
Ate all the candy
(Open palms facing partner fingers spread out squeezing the outer digit)
Greedy, Greedy
X X X X
Jumped out the window
(right hand pointer finger circle the ear)
Crazy, Crazy!
samirich {Sammy R.} ; private electronic message to Azizi {Mudcat Discussion Forum}:
3/3/2006

Editor:
Thanks, samirich, for this example. My assumption is that the Xs represent the clapping pattern that is used while reciting this rhyme. Notice that some lines in this rhyme are very similar to lines that are found in the "Down Down Baby" {Shimmy Shimmy Co Co Pa} and "I Love Coffee I Love Tea" family of rhymes

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***
Eenie Meenie Justaleanie {Example #2}
Eenie Meanie Justa Leanie
Ooca Acla Trackalacka, I love you.
Take a peach, Take a plum
Take a piece of bubble gum.
Teacher, Teacher, Dummy Dum
Gimme back my bubble gum.
Saw you with your boyfriend last night.
How do you know?
I was peekin’ through the keyhold.
NOSY
Wash them dishes
LAZY
Jump out the window
CRAZY
Peaches on the tree, Bananas on the floor
Jump back baby. I Don't Love You No More!
- Donetta A. {Pittsburgh, PA 1984}; collected by Azizi Powell,
1998; posted by Azizi on 2/26/2006

Editor:
Donetta, an African American woman I know, said she learned this rhyme when she was growing up from her cousin who visited her from the South. There are many versions of this rhyme. For instance, I've seen the line "Jump back, baby I don't love you no more", often given as "Step back, baby etc". See "Ooh Ah" rhymes below for other examples that I believe are related to this large family of rhymes.

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Eenie Meenie {Example #1}
Eenie Meanie
Oop pah leenie
Ooh aah umbaleenie
Ashie Mashie
Koh kah lashie
I_ love_ you
-Azizi Powell, childhood memories {Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1950s}

Editor:
These words are written phonetically. I have no idea what the correct spelling is. The underscore meaning a space before saying the next word. In my opinion, these Eenie Meenie rhymes aren't part of the "Eenie Meenie Minie Mo" family of rhymes, though they have that one line in common. However, there are many other children's rhymes that I believe are part of this family of rhymes. See other "Eenie Meenie" rhymes on this page. I've chosen to post together all of the examples starting with some form of "Eenie Meenie Oop Pah Leenie" or some such wording. I'm I'd love to post other versions of these rhymes. Send 'em in!

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England, Ireland {Elastics} {Version #3}
I played elastics in country Victoria, Australia in the mid seventies.
My children are now early primary school and I found "elastics" on the shelf at the toy shop... so I am researching and introducing it to my BOYS(to my husband's dismay - as it is a "girl's game") when we go camping next week.

The rhymes I remember are:
England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Inside, Outside, Monkey Pants
England, Ireland, Scotland Wales, Inside, Outside, Monkey Pants.
....
-Guest, Mrs Brown AUS; 4/2/2008; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=46932&messages=102; Child's Game: Elastics

Editor:
See "Old Lady Leary" below for another example from Guest, MrsBrown AUS.

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England, Ireland {Elastics} {Version #2}
Elastics used to be something everyone played... [Aus, Sydney]

Yeah, we used knickers elastics too, and it went from ankles, to knees, under-bums, hips, armpits then necks.

Some rhymes;
See "Jingle Jangle" posted below

England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales. Inside outside inside on. [Basically the same.] as the movements she wrote for "Jingle Jangle" [You basically, straddle one side, bounce until you get to the next word. At inside outside, you do just that, jump inside then out side, continue the bouncing, then step on it]
-Guest,Cath.; 3/1/2008; http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=46932&messages=98 ; RE: Child's Game: Elastics

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England, Ireland {Elastics} {Version #1}
I used to play this in Brisbane, Australia back in the early 90s. The rhymes I can remember are:

England
Ireland
Scotland
Wales
Inside
Outside
Inside
Out
-Guest; 2/14/2008; http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=46932&messages=98 ; RE: Child's Game: Elastics

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Omolata Feesta {Example #3 of Flea Fly Flo}
I enjoyed seeing all the different accounts of the "Como La Vista" family. Here's the version I learned at Girl Scout Camp Margaret Bates in Macedonia, Summit County, northeast Ohio, in 1969. The demographics were probably 95+% white, the counselors age 17-early 20s and the campers 9-12. I remember it as only a chant, without clapping or motions, though it seems a natural candidate for them. It's done by two people or groups, or a leader and group. The first seven lines are said by one party then repeated by the other, the last two are in unison. The fifth, sixth, and seventh lines have a sort of melody, the eighth is chanted on a descending pitch, and the last shouted. Flea [repeated] Fly [repeated] Flea fly flow [repeated] Feesta [repeated] Oomalata oomalata oomalata feesta [repeated] O no no no-no na feesta [repeated] Eeny meeny decimeeny oo-wat-a-watameeny exclameeny zylameeny oo-wat-a-wat [repeated] [Unison] Beep biddly oaten-doten bobo bedeeten-dotten shhhhhhh Flea! As much variation as you get in folk lyrics in any language, when the words are nonsense all bets are off. Even if all the counselors who taught it to us pronounced the words exactly the same way, I'm sure we heard it differently, and none of us would have written it the same. But with all that, the different versions people have reported are recognizable to me. I'd love to compare recorded versions, though that will have to wait until I upgrade my equipment.
-Elizabeth ; 2/17/2008

Editor:
Thanks, Elizabeth, for sending in that version of what I'm calling the "Como La Vista" family of children's rhymes. Thanks also for the demographical information that you included with that example. I very much appreciate your comments. I'm glad that someone is recording how these rhymes sound. It's my hope that Cocojams will eventually have sound clips and video clips of rhyme & cheer performances.

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The Beestay {Example #2 of Flea Fly Flo}
I remember a call-and-response song/game called "The Beestay" that I learned in the early 60's in Philadelphia. Each line is said/sung by person A and then repeated by person B. When person B says the "Oo" at the end of the last phrase, person A repeats "Oo" and their roles are then reversed. I have no idea what a Beestay is.

Oo (Oo)
Oo ah (Oo ah)
The Beestay (The Beestay)
[sung] Oh, no, no, no, not the Beestay (Oh, no, no, no, not the Beestay)
Eeny-meeny-dissaleeny-oo-ah-ah-maleeny-otcha-kotcha-kumarotcha-akawa-oo (Eeny-meeny-dissaleeny-oo-ah-ah-maleeny-otcha-kotcha-kumarotcha-akawa-oo)
-Mark C; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=47148; "eena meena mackeracka (children's rhymes); 8/21/2007

Editor:
Thanks Mark for permission to repost this example on Cocojams. It's interesting to speculate about where the words to this rhyme may have come from. The "eenie meenie" part certainly sounds like that "eenie meenie minie mo" rhyme, doesn't it?

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Flea Fly Flo
flea (flea)
fly (fly)
flea fly flew (ditto)
coomalata coomalata coomalata beestay
no no no no not the beestay

and ended in a sort of scat-rhythm: eee-biddlety-oaten-doaten-wahbat-skee-watten-tatten-SHHHHHHHHHHHHH !!!!
-Bonnie S.; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=47148 RE: eena meena mackeracka (children's rhymes);7/1/2006

Editor:
Thanks Bonnie, for permission to repost this example. I think this rhyme may have a Spanish language source. I suggested that in the Mudcat discussion whose link is provided above. With regard to that possibility, Bonnie S. wrote: Interesting point about "beestay"'s origins - I spelled it that way because Mark did so above, but I can also remember hearing it sung as "veestay". This was in California where there was/is a lot of Spanish spoken (I was saying Ay Caramba DECADES before Bart Simpson did)...

The example from Mark that Bonnie mentions and other rhymes in the "Fly Fly Flo" family {or what I have called the "coma la vista" family} are posted on this page. Also, click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Don8Pb0LePc&feature=related to hear a YouTube clip of The Red Hot Chili Pepper's version of this rhyme. The words that RHCP used for this rhyme are posted in that clip summary.

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Fudge, Fudge, Call The Judge
Fudge, fudge, call the judge, (Sally's*) having a baby.
Wrap it up in toilet paper, send it down the elevator,
What shall it be?
Boy, girl, twins, triplets, boy, girl, twins, triplets...
(repeat until jumper misses)
*substitute jumper's name
-Jon W.; 3/10/98 {from his 11 year old daughter}; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=4300 ;Cinderella Dressed In Yella

G,H
Girls Are Better
Girls are better! Girls drink pepsi to get more sexy! Boys drink beer to grow more
hair! Girls go to college to get more knowledge! Boys go to Jupiter to get more
stupider! Girls go to Mars to be super stars! Boys go to school to act like a fool!
-Ciera; age 10 {Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania}; 3/21/2006

Editor:
The "Girls drink pepsi" lines are often found in "My Mother & Your Mother" {live
across the street} handclap rhymes. See some examples of those rhymes below.

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He Brought Me Ice Cream
He bought me ice-cream, he bought me cake He sent me home with a stomach ache Mama mama, I feel sick Call the docter, quick quick quick! Docter, docter, am I gunna die? Close your eyes and count to five 1,2,3,4,5- I'M ALIVE!!!!!!
-charley ; 5/23/2008

Editor:
This verse is often recited as part of the "Down Down Baby" {I Love Coffee I Love Tea} rhymes.

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Hello Hello Hello Sir {Jump Rope; Elastics Jumping}
Hello Hello Hello sir
meet you at the show sir
no sir
why sir
'cause I've got a cold sir
where'd you get the cold sir
at the north pole sir
what you dioing there sir
catching polar bears sir
how many did you catch sir
one sir
two sir
three sir
four sir
.... ten sir
all the rest were dead sir
how did they die sir
eating apple pie sir
what was in the pie sir
three dead flies sir
what was in the flies sir
three dead germs sir
what was in the germs sir
I don't know sir
shall we start again sir
no sir
why sir
because I've got a cold sir....
-Guest; 1/2/2007; http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=46932&messages=98 ; RE: Child's Game: Elastics

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High Low Peccalow {Version #3}
We have a different version of "high low peccalow" here (Herts, England).
Instead of peccalow it reads:

My names is ....
High Low Jigga-low
Jigga-low high Low
High Low Jigga-low
Jigga-low high

You hold onto your friend's right hand with yours and your left hands make contact.
When the song says high, you clap above the joined hands, when the song says low you clap below and when the song says Jigga you clap on the joined hands.
The aim is to run through the song as fast as possible without mucking up the clapping.
We're 17 now, but we still sometimes play it if we've nothing better to.
Usually the most muck ups happen on the second line where it goes low high.
-Guest ,Amon; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=63097 "RE: Folklore: Do kids still do clapping rhymes?"; 11/25/2007

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High How Jackalo {Version #2}
Very interesting how these rhymes etc. are spread across continents.

Version of the above, called "Jackalo", as a handclapping song, are played by middle-class white British girls in private school, Essex, just outside Greater London, end 20th/beginning 21st century:

My name is [each partner holds hands together, palm to palm, as if "praying", then each pair of hands brushes the other]

Hands now parted. Partners face each other.
[Whilst the rest of the song is sung, left hand is held straight out, as if waiting to shake hands. Right hands meet, high and low, to match the rhythm of the song]:

Hi, low, Jackalo, Jackalo, Jackalo,
Hi, low, Jackalo, Jackalo and HIGH !
- jeanie; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=100807; Gigalo & other children's rhymes &cheers; 4/15/2007

Editor:
Thanks jeanie for giving me permission to repost your example on Cocojams! Cocojams readers, click on that link to visit Mudcat Cafe. That website has a number of threads {discussions} about children's rhymes. Both guests and members can join in the discussion and add more examples. Also, don't forget to check out Cocojams Foot Stomping Cheers page for examples of the cheer Gigalo which are very much like these "High Low Piccalow" and "Hi Low Jackalo" handclap rhymes.

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High Low Peccalow {Version #1}
my name is high low peccalow,
peccalow,high low high low
peccalow peccalow yo
thats my name don't ware it out..
high low peccalow peccalow Yo

(try to tap the other person on the forehead before they tap you)
-Guest-me and my friends love this one; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=63097 "RE: Folklore: Do kids still do clapping rhymes?"; 6/5/2007

Editor:
Cocojams readers, click on the link featured above for examples of handclap rhymes from the United States, the United Kingdom, and elsewhere. Also, visit Cocojams' Foot Stomping Cheers page for examples of "Gigalo". That cheer includes the line "my hands up/ high my feet down low" which is similar to lines in this handclap rhyme.

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Hollywood
Both girls: Hollywood, Hollywood
Hollywood goes swingin
Partner #1: My name is Raya and I'm number 2
Kickin it with Scooby Doo
Hit me high
Hit me low
Hit me where you wanna go.
Repeat the entire rhyme with the partner #1 saying the lines that partner #1 said, but substituting her name or nickname and preferably changing the number rhyme}
-ConRaya E. {11 years}; Sha'Ona K. {11 years}; African American girls; Pittsburgh, PA; 6/12/2008

"I Don’t Want To Go To Macy’s" {and similarly worded titles that include the word "Macy's"} is probably the source for "I Don't Want To Go To Mexico" and other related children's rhymes. Roger Abraham notes in his collection Jump-Rope Dictionary that "I Don't Want To Go To Macy's" was documented as being performed by American children in 1938. “Macy’s” is the name of a chain of department stores. The most famous Macy's store is located in New York City. My theory is that these children substituted "Mexico" for "Macys" since they weren't familiar with the "Macy's" store or the word “Macy’s”. This is an example of “folk etymology” Folk etymology occurs when people change foreign words or unfamiliar words into familiar words or sounds that are similar to the word they don’t know.

I've posted a variant form of "I Don't Want To Go To Macy's" that is titled "I Won't Go To Macy's" below on this page. My theory is that these children substituted "Mexico" for "Macys" since they weren't familiar with the "Macy's" store or the word “Macy’s”. While I've seen a number of children perform "I Don't Want To Go To Mexico" in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area {as well as seeing my Philadelphia cousins perform it}, I've never seen anyone recite the words "I Don't Want To Go To Macy's". Also, no example of "I Don't Want To Go To Macy" that I have read includes the "Shame Shame Shame" introductory phrase or any introductory phrase. I've noticed these kinds of introductory phrases in a large number of African American children's rhymes. Often there also may be an ending phrase such as is found in this example. One seven year old Pittsburgh girl recited the same version that is presented above, but she started the rhyme by saying “Shine, shine, shine”. Because it appears to me that children try to make sense out of their rhymes, and being ashamed of being caught by a policeman makes more sense in these rhymes than the word shine, I believe that "shine” is another example of “folk etymology” with the source word being "shame".

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I Like Coffee. I Like Tea {Example #7}
I was taught this version of -I like coffee, I like tea- when I worked at a summer camp in Inkster, MI (suburb of Detroit) in 2002: I like coffee I like tea I like the colored boy an' he likes me so step back white boy you ain't fly i'll get the colored boy to beat your behind last night the night before i met my boyfriend at the candy store he bought me ice cream he bought me cake he brought me home with a belly ache momma, momma will i die close your eyes and count to 5 1-2-3-4-5 i'm alive
-Emily; 12/26/2007

Editor:
Emily, thanks for sending in this version of "I Like Coffee. I Like Tea". Thanks also for including demographical information {the geographical location where you learned this rhyme, how you learned this rhyme, and the year you learned this rhyme}.

Cocojams readers, see the handclap rhyme titled "I'm A Nut In A Hut" that Emily also sent in.

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Take A Peach Take A Plum/ I Love Coffee, I love Tea {Version #6}
take a peach take a plum take a stick of bubblegum
no peach no plum just a stick of bubblegum
I like coffee and i like tea
I like a colored boy and he likes me
So step back whiteboy you don't shine
I get my colored boy to beat ya behind
He beat ya high
he beat ya low
he beat you all the way to Mexico
I saw you with ya boyfriend last night
How Do I know
I peeked out the window
Nosey!
I ate a bunch of candy
greedy!
I didn't take a shower
Dirty!
I didn't do my homework
Stupid!

*i forgot the rest*
- GeminiChix http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php ; February 28, 2006

Editor:
See examples of "Eenie Meenie Pepsa Deenie" on this page for rhymes that contain similar lines as this version of the "I Like Coffee I Like Tea" rhymes.

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I Like Coffee. I Like Tea {Example #5}
Does anyone remeber the one that has I like coffee i like tea i like a black boy and he likes me so stand back white boys i know your shy I'll get a black boy to beat your behind he'll beat it rough he'll be it tough he'll beat it till you almost had enough.
do you remeber what was first i remember it had have a peach have a plum have a stick of bubble gum bot peach no plum no stick of bubble gum. But something comes before that
-Guest ,kerry; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=4300 , “Children's Street Songs”, 26 Aug 05

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I Love Coffee. I Love Tea {Example #4}
I love coffee
I love tea
I love a Black boy and he loves me
so step back White boy
you don't shine
I'mma get a Black boy to beat your behind

I met my boyfriend at the candy store.
He bought me ice-cream, he bought me cake,
he brought me home with a belly-ache.
Mamma, Mamma, I feel sick.
Call the doctor - quick, quick, quick.
Doctor, Doctor, will I die?
Count to five and you'll be alive.
1-2-3-4-5. I'm alive.
-collected by Azizi Powell, 1980s-2006; posted on 2/26/2006;

Editor:
This version is widely recited among African American girls in the Pittsburgh, Penn area from about the late 1980s-early 1990s to date {2006}. I've found the same or similar contemporary versions of this rhyme on various Internet sites for contemporary children's rhymes. I've also received the same version of this rhyme from persons in New York City, Georgia, and Maryland. This leads me to believe that this version may be quite widespread. Some examples of the Pittsburgh, PA rhyme that I've collected have this rhyming line at the end: "1-2-3-4-5. I'm alive." Less often, I've heard children say at the end "I'm Alive. And on channel 5". [This was added before there was a channel 5 television station in this area. There still may not be such a channel. The "5" was added because it rhymed with the word "alive"."]
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I Like Coffee I Like Tea {Version #3}
Zing, Zing, Zing,
and ah 1-2-3.
I like coffee, I like tea.
I like a black boy and he likes me.
So step back, white boy, you don't shine.
I'll get the black boy to beat your behind.

Last night and the night before.
I met my boyfriend at the candy store.
He bought me ice cream he bought me cake.
He brought me home with a belly ache.

Mama, mama, I feel sick
Call the doctor, quick, quick, quick
Doctor, doctor, will I die?
Close your eyes and count to five
1-2-3-4-5
I'm Alive!

See that house up on the hill.
That’s where me and my baby live.
Eat a piece of meat
Eat a piece of bread.
Come on baby. let’s go to bed
- Kayla {5 years old}; 2000
collected by Azizi Powell {Alafia Children’s Ensemble, Fort Pitt Elementary School, Pittsburgh, PA, 2000}

Editor:
This example was collected during the "Show & Tell" segment of the after-school game song group, Alafia Children's Ensemble that I started and coordinated from 1997-2007. In these portion of the group, children were invited to share rhymes and game songs that they knew. A girl or boy could share these examples along, or with one or more other members of the group. It was customary for children to "sing" along if they knew the "song" that the child or children presented. The group enthusiastically recited the words to this example along with the 5 year old girl. The girl ended with the words "I'm Alive" and the started to go back to her seat. However, she stopped and continued saying the rest of the rhyme. It appeared as though the rest of the group didn't know the words to that part of the rhyme. Also, many children in the group started sniggering when Kayla chanted the lines "Come on baby, let’s go to bed}. Kayla looked around in confusion. It seemed clear that she didn't understand why the other members of the group were laughing. I thanked Kayla and said some innocuous grown-up thing like "They were married", and quickly moved on to the next child who wanted to share a rhyme with the rest of group. Before Kayla left the group session that day, I privately asked her where she learned that rhyme. She said her mother had taught it to her. Interestingly enough, in the ten years that I conducted once a week after-school game song groups or special event {one time} game song sessions throughout many African American neighborhoods of Pittsburgh and some other surrounding communities, only one other child recited that entire verse-and that child was also a five year old girl who said she learned it from her mother. For the record, the two neighborhoods where these girls lived were very distant from each other {East Liberty & Northview Heights}. As was the case in first time this entire rhyme was recited, the other group members who were older had recited the rest of the rhyme along with the girl who volunteered to share it, but appeared not to know the last, somewhat risque', verse of that rhyme.

My thanks to all former members, staff & volunteers of Alafia Children's Ensemble! I greatly appreciated the rhymes and game songs that you shared with other group members and me!

Also, see Guest, 12/15/2007's version of "Down By The Banks of The Hanky-Panky" on this page for a very similar use of that last verse that Kyla & the other 5 year old whose name I didn't record, used in their recitation of "I Love Coffee I Love Tea."

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I Love Coffee. I Love Tea {Example #2} Jump Rope rhyme
I love coffee
I love tea
I love the boys and they love me
-traditional; multiple sources

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I Love Coffee. I Love Tea {Example #1} Jump Rope rhyme
I love coffee
I love tea
I love {boy's name} and he loves me
-traditional; multiple sources

Editor:
There are many different versions of the rhyme "I Love Coffee, I Love Tea" {"I Like Coffee, I Like Tea"}. This family of rhymes is very closely related to "Down Down Baby". Since at least the late 1990s, or early 2000s, racial references and lines about fighting have become a part of some of these rhymes. I'm uncertain why that is, but wonder if these lines reflect the racial tensions between school children that may have occurred with the increased integrations of schools. Visit Cocojams' Game Songs and Movement Rhymes Page for examples of "Down Down Baby" rhymes.

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I'm A Little Navy Girl {Jump Rope Rhyme}
I'm a little navy (or sailor) girl dressed in blue,
This is what I have to do:
Salute to the captain, (salute & jump)
Curtsey to the queen, (curtsey & jump)
Touch the bottom of the dirty submarine!

(bending over and touching the ground without missing my jump was always difficult for me)
At this point, the jumper had to escape without being hit by the rope.

Jump rope rhymes mid 1960s, Oxon Hill, Maryland
-Ann N; 4/30/2007

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I'm A Nut In A Hut
I learned this hand clap from girls that I worked with at a summer camp in Inkster, MI (suburb of Detroit) in 2002: I'm a nut in a hut I stole my momma's pocket book so what (whatcha gonna do, kick my butt?) I'm craaazy I'm foooolish I'm crazy, I'm foolish I'm crazy, I'm foolish I'm C-O-O-L, cool don't you move ~While spelling out cool (C-O-O-L), you use your hand to form the letters, and afterwards fold your arms (and look tough!), stare at each other, and whoever moves first (like a staring contest) loses.
-Emily; 12/26/2007

Editor:
Thanks, Emily, for sending in this handclap rhyme. Thanks, also for including information about where, how, and when you learned this rhyme. It's also interesting to read how important drama is in the performance of this rhyme and many other children's rhymes. Although I've heard the "stole my mother's pocket book", I've never heard or read this rhyme before. I'm wondering if any other Cocojams readers know this rhyme or know one that is similar to it.

****
In The Land Of France
In the land of France
Where the elephants all dance
One wouldn't dance
so they kicked him in the pants.
The pants he wore
cost a dollar eighty four.
-GUEST; 3/31/2008 ; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=46932 ; Child's Game: Elastics

Editor:
Thanks to GUEST, and all other Mudcat Discussion Forum members and guests whose examples of rhymes are reposted on Cocojams. Learn about the children's game of elastics which is also known as "French skipping" by clicking on that link. The rhyme "In The Land of France" is part of the family of children's rhymes which include the titles "All The Girls In France"; In The Land Of Mars", In The Land of Oz"; "There's A Place In France" and There's A Place In Mars". See examples of some of these rhymes on this page. Also, visit http://everything2.com/index.pl?node=There%20is%20a%20place%20in%20France for more examples from this family of rhymes. Do you remember reciting any versions of these rhymes? Please send them in to Cocojams! Along with the words that you remember, please include demographical information, particularly where you played the rhyme you remember {city, state & nation, if outside the USA}, when you played first remember playing it {year or decade}, and how you played it {jump rope rhyme, handclap rhyme, elastics or ??} Thanks!

****
In The Land Of Mars {Version #2}
In the land of mars where the babys smoke cigars and the men wear bikinis and the women drink martinis and the stuff they drink is enough to kill a mink when the mink is dead they put flowers in its head when the flowers die they put diamonds in its eyes when the diamonds break its enough to bake a cake when the cake is baked its 1991, 92,93,94,95,96,97,98,99, 2000!
We sang that in elementary school in Pennsylvania.
-Aubri; 4/15/2007

Editor:
Thanks, Aubri, for sending in this rhyme. I've wondered why no one has sent in a version of this rhyme before. Btw, thanks also for adding demographical information {the name of your state and, maybe, the year you started reciting this rhyme and stopped reciting it since you started the years with 1991 and ended with the year 2000.

****
In The Land Of Mars {Version #1}
In the land of mars
where the ladies smoke cigars
and the smoke they make
is enough to kill a snake
when the snake is dead
they put roses in its head
when the rose has dies
they put diamonds in his eyes
when the diamonds fade
in the year of seventeen seventeen seventeen EIGHT
-steve http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php ; 12/3/2006

****
I Pledge Allegiance To The Flag {Version #2}
i pledge alegence to the flag michael jackson is a fag coca-cola beat him up doctor pepper fix him up now you're drinking 7-up we use to say this in grade school in the 90's
-Samantha; 3/15/2008

Editor:
Samantha, thanks for sending in this rhyme. I would like to say, however, that I'm very much against people using the word "fag" as a sexual orientation reference or taunt {My comment should not be interpreted to mean that I think that Michael Jackso is homosexual}. However, Samantha, I want to that you for including demographical information along with that rhyme and also that you for sending in two other handclap rhymes. Those rhymes are also posted in the "M" section of this page.

****
I Pledge Allegiance To The Flag {Version #1}
I was reading along with my kids and laughing at ones I remember from when I was little... I particularly liked the one with Michael Jackson in it - it also asked if there were different versions we could share... I lived in Hawaii in 1984 when the "commercial accident" occurred and this was the version I learned: I pledge allegiance to the flag Michael Jackson makes me gag Pepsi-Cola burned him up And now he's drinking 7-Up!
-Rhonda; 6/28/2007

Editor:
Thanks, Rhonda, for your comment about Cocojams. Thanks also for sending in your example of "I Pledge Allegiance To The Flag". I also appreciate your inclusion of demographical information {information about where & when you learned this rhyme}. I didn't know that incident happened in Hawaii.

Btw, "I Pledge Allegiance To The Flag" is often recited as a section of many "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" rhymes. As you mentioned, the examples that refer to pop singer Michael Jackson allude to the accident that occurred when his head got burned while he was filming a Pepsi Cola commercial. {See examples of those rhymes above}. I'm curious if there are any examples of "I Pledge Allegiance To The Flag" that don't mention Michael Jackson or this incident. If anyone knows any examples like that, please send them in so they can be shared with Cocojams readers!

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I Step In
I step in you step out. you hop in i hop out. When i jump in you hop out. When i spin in you spin out. When i jump in you sit down. When i clap one time you clap two times. You stand up i sit down. I jump clap i hop clap also i can spin and clap.
-Raaziq, age 8, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 3/24/2006

Editor:
I'm not sure if this is a jump rope rhyme or Simon says/follow the leader type game. I hope that Raaziq or someone else who knows will write in and let us know.

****
I Went To A Chinese Restaurant {Version #3}
i went to a chinese restuarant
to buy a loaf of bread bread bread
the waiter asked me whats my name and this is what i said said said
myy name is ching ching charlie
Pompom cutie
punch ya in the belly
oops i'm sorry
chinese japanese look at these dirty knees
POW!
-Guest, mcr; 8/7/2006; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=63097#1022419 :
"RE: Folklore: Do kids still do clapping rhymes?"

****
I Went To A Chinese Restaurant {Version #2}
I went to a Chinese restaurant to buy a loaf of bread bread bread.
And when he put it in the oven, this is what he said said said.
My name is nee-ay nee-ay nicka nicka-lodeon pom pom poodle willy willy whisker
My name is freeze
(At that point we'd freeze and whoever moved was out.)
-Sarah H. Oil City, PA {Caucasian; from her memories of her childhood in the mid 1990s}; interview with A.Powell,
University of Pittsburgh, 4/23/2005

****
I Went To A Chinese Restaurant {Version #1}
My daughter, who is eight, is still doing clapping rhymes, though the ones she does are different from the ones I did in the 50s and 60s. (These, by the way, are in England). The one she seems to do mostly is:

I went to a Chinese restaurant
To buy me a loaf of bread, bread, bread.
He wrapped it up in a five pound note
And this is what he said, said, said:

My name is
Elvis Presley,
Girls are sexy
Sitting in the back seat
Drinking pepsi.

Where's your father?
Died in a fishtank..Last night
What did he die of?..Raw fish.
How did he die..Like this.
-MBSLynne; 9.21/2003; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=63097#1022419 :
"RE: Folklore: Do kids still do clapping rhymes?"

****
Jelly On A Plate {Elastic Jumping}
I have just remembered we used this rhyme for French skipping (elastics):
Jelly on a plate, jelly on a plate
Wibble-wobble-wibble-wobble, jelly on a plate.
(that was - left (straddle the left band)/ middle/ right/ middle/ left-right-left-right, middle/ stamp). The rhythm was filled out by little snatch-backs onto the balls of the feet (/).
-Greenacres; 3/2/2008; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=46932&messages=102 ; Child's Game: Elastics

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Jingle Jangle {Elastics Jumping}
Elastics used to be something everyone played... [Aus, Sydney]

Yeah, we used knickers elastics too, and it went from ankles, to knees, under-bums, hips, armpits then necks.
Some rhymes:
Jingle Jangle, inside outside, jingle jangle on. [You basically, straddle one side, bounce until you get to the next word. At inside outside, you do just that, jump inside then out side, continue the bouncing, then step on it.]
-Guest,Cath.; 3/1/2008; http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=46932&messages=98 ; RE: Child's Game: Elastics

****
Joy To The World
heres a barney song

joy to the world, barney is dead
we barbecued, his head!
dont worry about the body, we flushed it down the potty,
round and round it goes
round and round it goes
Round and round it goes,

on top of a building, all covered with blood,
i shot poor barney with a 44. stud
when i read in the newspaper that he was not dead
i took my bazooka and blew off his head

i went to his funeral i went to his grave
people threw flowers but i threw grenade

its raining its pouring the old barneys boring
he went to his bed with a bomb on his head and blew up in the morning!!

i just love this song XD

http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php posted by starkmad;
July 25, 2006 [reposted with permission of that blog's members]

Editor:
I posted this rhyme on the page for handclap rhymes because rhymes like it are often performed as a handclap rhyme. See similar rhymes on Cocojams' Teacher Taunts page.

****
Jump In The Car {Handclap line game}
I was reading some of these examples and I remember doing alot of them being that im only 17...so0o heres one that i remember playing around 95'-96'...

Jump in car (clap 3X) Step on the gas {3x} Move to the side, and let (name) pass Eh-Hey, Ooh-Ahh Lookin at Lady, Ooh-Ahh Aint she fine, Ooh-Ahh Betta no touch her, ooh-ahh Cuz she'll blow your mind! Turn around (clap 3X) Touch the ground {clap 3x} I said a get a get a get a get on down Say what!?! get a get a get a get on down

Setup of the game: the kids who are playing have to stand in two lines like soul train... when they say "jump in the car" everyone jumps once then claps..."step on the gas" everone stretches out their right foot and stomps it down...."move to the side"...everyone moves back...and let (NAME) pass" the first person in the line goes down the middle and does a dance while the other kids say "ooh ah lookin at lady, ooh ahh aint she fine, ooh ahh betta not touch her, ooh ahh cuz she'll blow your mind. ...when they say "turn around" the girl in the line turns..."touch the ground" the same girl touches the ground...then " i said a get a get a get a get on down" the girl has to get down as low as she can...when the person in the middle is done, the next person goes.
-MeLLi ; 5/12/2007

Editor:
Thanks, MeLLi, for sending in that example! Thanks also for including demographical information about when you played this handclap line game. I really appreciate the information about how the game is played!!! It's sounds like a lot of fun!

K,L
Last Night And The Night Before {Version # 2; no performance activity given}
Here is a song we used to do on the playground in Birmingham, AL back in the 80s: Last night and the night before I met my boyfriend at the candy store He brought me ice cream he brought me cake he brought me home with a stomachache mama mama i feel sick call the doctor quick quick quick doctor doctor will i die close you eyes and count to five i said a one, a two, a three, a four, a five I'm alive [Optional part] we would do sometimes (a little risque for little girls): see that house on top of that hill that's where me and my baby gon' live we gon' cook some cornbread cook some meat come on baby let's go to bed and do the boom boom boom.
-Joi; 3/23/2008

Joi, thanks for sending in that example. Thanks, also for including demographical information {the city/state where you lived when you performed this rhyme, and the decade when you performed this rhyme}.

****
Last Night And The Night Before [Jump Rope Rhyme] Version #1
Last night the night before
twenty five robbers at my door.
I got up to let them in.
and this is what they said to me.
Lady bird, lady bird
turn all around around around
Lady bird, lady bird
touch the ground the ground, the ground
Lady bird, lady bird
say your prayers, your prayers, your prayers
Lady bird, lady bird
step right OUT!

{or as an alternate, "go to bed, bed, bed"}
-Azizi Powell; childhood memories of Atlantic City, New Jersey; 1950s

Editor:
On the word "OUT", the person jumping in the middle jumped out and it was the next person’s turn to jump in the middle. "Lady bird" may have originally been "lady bug". An older version of this rhyme says:
"I got up and let them in/hit'em in the head with a rolling pin".

Other forms of this rhyme that are titled "Not Last Night But The Night Before" are posted on this page. Also, see examples of "Down Down Baby/Shimmy Shimmy Co Co Pa" on Cocojams' Game Songs & Movement Rhymes page.

****
Lemonade Crushed Ice {Version #3}
lemonaid crushed ice
beat it once beat it twice
lemonde crushed ice beat it one beat it twice
turn around touch the ground break it down kick your boyfriend out
of town and freeze.
-Guest, Lex11; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=63097:
"RE: Folklore: Do kids still do clapping rhymes?" ; 10/29/2007

****
Lemonade Crunchy Ice {Version #2}
Duh silly we still do hand clappys, it makes us happy!!!!! Love ya`ll !

Lemonade ( clap clap clap )
Crunchy ice ( clap clap clap )
Beat it once ( clap clap clap )
Beat it twice ( clap clap clap )
Lemonade, crunchy ice
Beat it once, beat it twice
Lemonade, crunchy ice
Beat it once, beat it twice
Turn around ( literally )
Touch the ground ( literally )
Give that partner a high five ( literally )
We made 20 dollars at a lemonade stand
Just exactly as we planned
Now how should I should I spend the money with my friends
How bout the candy store
But daddy say don't spend it on that
Cause mommy say that will give you cavities and make you fat
Take it Back
Take it Back
The way you say that, gave me a slap
Right in the back
Slap Slap

Nick Nack
slap slap
aimed exactly too my back

candy bars ( clap clap clap)
lollypops (clap clap clap)
eat it once ( clap clap clap)
eat it twice ( clap clap clap)
Candy bars, jelly beans
now looky there our teeth turned green
now looky there my butt dont fit in my brand new jeans!

Slap Slap
Now I am fat
Mommy aint to happy, thats a fact!

From the Hot Hottie's from Europe
Love Ya`ll ! KISSY WISSY! Like Totally! DUH!
- Guest,The Hotties from Europe; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=63097:
"RE: Folklore: Do kids still do clapping rhymes?" ; 6/14/2007

Editor:
This example may be at least two rhymes strung together. If so, the 2nd rhyme might start at the line "We made 20 dollars at a lemonade stand". The word "literally" which is in parenthesis is probably not spoken but describes the movement that you are supposed to do when saying that word. Thanks to Hot Hotties from Europe and a big Thank You to the chief moderator of Mudcat Cafe for permitting me to repost examples from guests! Be sure to visit that website by clicking on the links I've provided. I'm a member of Mudcat, and that online community has both members and guests, and anyone can post or start a thread {discussion on a specific topic}. That discussion forum has a lot of threads on children's rhymes. Check it out!

****
Lemonade Crunchy Ice {Version #1}
Lemonade (clap, clap, clap)
Crunchy ice (clap, clap, clap)
Beat it once (clap, clap, clap)
Beat it twice (clap, clap, clap)
Lemonade, crunchy ice,
Beat it once, beat it twice,
Lemonade, crunchy ice,
Beat it once, beat it twice (gets faster and faster and continues until someone misses a clap)
-Guest, Sharon; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=63097:
"RE: Folklore: Do kids still do clapping rhymes?" ; 9/22/2003

M,N
Momma Momma Can't You See {Version #5}
Momma momma can't you see.
What that army done to me.
It made me watch Barney.
Tick tack toe
Three in a row.
Barney got killed by GI Joe.
Don't stop till your hands are hot.
Don't stop till your hands get red.
-Conraya E. {11 years}; Sha'Ona K. {11 years}; African American girls; Pittsburgh, PA; 6/12/2008

Editor:
Conraya & Sha'Ona performed this rhyme and other rhymes & cheers for me. They also wrote down the list of the rhymes & cheers that they did {hence the spelling of "momma" instead of "mama}". See examples of the cheers that they performed for me on Cocojams Cheerleading Cheer page. The other handclap rhymes that they performed were "Hollywood" {see that example on this page}, "Miss Mary Mack" {the same words as Example #1 of that rhyme on this page}, and "Miss Sue From Alabama" {the same words as Version #2 of that rhyme on this page}.

Conraya {"Raya"} and Sha'Ona performed "Momma Momma Can't You See" as a two person handclap. For the first two lines, the girls held both of their partner's hands and performed a back & forth tugging motion to the beat. They then alternated one hand up & one hand down claps with two hand claps. After the line "Don't stop till your hand gets hot", the girls did a fast paced one hand up/one hand down handclapping routine. These claps sting the partner's hands. The person who moves their hand away first, because she doesn't want to feel the sting, is the loser.

Because this version of the rhyme didn't refer to MTV as did most of the examples I've collected, I asked Raya and Sha'Ona did this rhyme have a line about a television station. They say they didn't know that line. I also mentioned to the girls that I had heard some girls say "Your mama got killed by GI Joe". Sha'Ona said that they don't say it that way because "that would be talkin about somebody's mother and you aren't supposed to do that". Sha'Ona and Raya told me that another way they and other girls they know say this rhyme is Michael Jackson got killed by GI Joe". Because it didn't seem as though that pop singer's whole name would fit the beat of the rhyme, I asked them if they said his entire name. Sha'Ona said that they only said "Michael got killed by GI Joe" but everyone knew that "Michael" meant Michael Jackson.

See Version #2 of this rhyme for another example of "Momma Momma Can't You See" that mentions pop singer Michael Jackson. Also, see numerous "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" rhymes that also mention Michael Jackson.

****
Momma Momma Can't You See {Version #4}
Momma momma can't you see
What this baby has done to me
Took away my MTV
Now I'm stuck watching Barney
Barney got shot by GI Joe
Now I'm watching the Cosby show
Cosby show got fired
Now I'm getting tired.
-Guest, Mom From Bama [who indicates she learned this from her two small girls]; 5/2/2008 http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=102055&messages=48 ; Folklore: Play Ground Hand Jives

****
Momma Mommaa Can't You See {Version #3}
Momma momma can't you see
What the army's done to me
Took away my MTV
Now I got to watch Barney
Tic Tac Toe
Three in a row
Your mama got killed
By GI Joe.
Don't stop till your hands get hot
Don't stop till your hands get red
-African American girls, ages 9 years old; Fort Pitt Elementary School; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 10/2006

Editor:
"Momma Momma Can't You See" appears to be a rather widely known handclap rhyme in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area. It appears to be performed by girls [up to the age of about 12 years] and boys up to the age of about 8 years old].

The "your mama got killed" line appears to have replaced the "Barney got killed by GI Joe" line that I first heard recited by African American boys and girls in 1999 in Duquesne, Pennsylvania, a city about 12 miles from downtown Pittsburgh. If that is so, I find it very troubling that the line about Barney {the fictitious television character that "older" children love to hate} getting killed has been replaced with a line about a mother getting killed.

From 1999-2007, I heard the "Barney got killed by GI Joe" line within this rhyme on a number of occasions throughout numerous African American neighborhoods in Pittsburgh, PA area. Fort Pitt Accelerated Learning Academy {formerly Fort Pitt Elementary School} is a Pittsburgh Public School that has 99.99% African American students. I'm not sure how widespread that "momma got killed" line was or is. However, I also heard that specific line chanted at the same school-with different girls of the same ages-in 2007. At that time, I asked the girls to repeat the rhyme again to see if they would say it the same way, and they did so. More research needs to be done to ascertain if this replacement line is widespread and if this rhyme is still even "done" in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere. See Version #5 for a June 2008 example of this rhyme from the same school but other children. One indication that the children's rhyme "Mama Mama Can't You See [and not the military cadence version] is known outside of Pittsburgh is that rhyme being posted by Mom from Bama as reposted on this page.

If you know this rhyme, please send in the version that you know!

****
Momma Momma Can't You See {Version #2}
Momma momma can't you see
What the army's done to me
Said Michael Jackson was a fag
But him in a plastic bag
Made me clean the living room
Made me clean the bathroom
Don't stop till your hands get hot
Don't stop till your hands get red.
-8 year old African American boy, Fort Pitt Elementary School; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 11/2001
performed same way as Version #1

****
Momma Momma Can't You See {Version #1}
Momma momma can't you see
What the army's done to me
Took away my MTV
Now I got to watch Barney
Tic Tac Toe
Three in a row
Barney got killed
By GI Joe.
Don't stop till your hands get hot
Don't stop till your hands get red
[After this line, partners do a series of fast handclaps; the first person who moves her or his hand away so that the hand won't be hit, loses]
-African American girls and boys; around 8-10 years old; Duquesne, Pennsylvania, 7/1999;
also Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 1999-2006

****
Mrs Mary Mack {Example #4}
Mrs Mary Mack Mack Mack.
All dressed in black black black.
with silver buttons buttons buttons buttons
all down her back back back
she asked her mother mother mother
for 15 cents cents cents
to see the elephants elephants elephants
jump over the fence fence fence
she jumped so high high high
she touched the sky sky sky
and she never came back back back
till the fourth of July ly ly

A jump rope chant from the 1980's Elkhart Indiana
-Sonjala A; 3/15/2008

Editor:
Thanks Sonjala, for sending in this example. Thanks also for including demographical information. I usually think of "Mary Mack" as a handclap rhyme, so I appreciate you indicating that you remember reciting it while jumping rope.

****
Miss Mary Mack {Example #3}
Miss Mary Mack, Mack Mack
All dressed in Black, Black Black.
With silver Buttons, buttons buttons,
all down her back back back.
She asked her mother, mother, mother
for fifty cents cents cents.
To see the elephants, elephants, elephants
jump over the fence, fence, fence.
They jumped so high, high, high
they reached the sky, sky, sky
they never came back, back, back
till the fourth of july, ly,ly.
She went upstairs, stairs, stairs
to make her bed, bed,bed
she made a mistake, stake, stake
and she bumped her head, head, head
she went downstairs, stairs, stairs
to make some cookies, cookies, cookies
she made a mistake stake stake
and she ate her boogies boogies boogies.
she went outside, side side
to mow the grass grass grass
she made a mistake stake stake
and she mowed her ass, ass ass
she went inside side side
to tell her mother, mother, mother
she made a mistake stake stake
and she told her brother, brother, brother!
-http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php; posted by Rae at August 10, 2006

****
Old Mary Mack {Miss Mary Mack; Example #2}
Hi, When I was growing up, we learned Old Mary Mack a little differently. The first 4 lines were the same, the remaining lines went like this: She cannot read read read She cannot write write write But she can smoke smoke smoke Her father's pipe pipe pipe Not very PC, (politically correct) but what do you expect from a kid from Boston! (grin) Take care.
-Judy ; 6/2/2007

Editor:
Judy, thanks for sending in that version of Mary Mack. Thanks also for including demographical information {where you learned that version}. When I was growing up in Atlantic City, New Jersey in the 1950s, I learned this verse from my mother: "Can you read?/can you write?/ Can you smoke your daddy's pipe?" However, that rhyme wasn't combined with Miss Mary Mack. I also find it interesting that you remember Mary Mack's title as "Old Mary Mack" while I learned it as "Miss Mary Mack". I'd love to hear from other people who remember this rhyme. If you have any different versions of this rhyme, please share them with other Cocojams readers.

****
Miss Mary Mack {Example #1}
Miss Mary Mack Mack Mack
All dressed in black black black
With silver buttons buttons buttons
Up and down her back back back.
She asked her mother mother mother
For fifty cents cents cents
To see the elephant elephant elephant
Jump the fence fence fence
He jumped so high high high
He touched the sky sky sky
And he never came back back back
Till the fourth of July ly ly
- multiple sources, including my childhood memories of Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1950s

Editor:
"Miss Mary Mack" used to be one of the most widely known children's rhymes among African American girls and boys and African American adults. As a child growing up in Atlantic City, New Jersey in the 1950s I recited this version of Miss Mary Mack, though I can't remember doing any handclaps or other movement activities to it. As a child, teen, and young adult, I assumed that the version I knew of Miss Mary Mack was the only version of that rhyme. It wasn't till I got older that I read versions of that rhyme that included one or both of these two verses after what I had thought was the end of that rhyme:

July can't talk.
July can't eat
with a knife and fork

and
She went up stairs, stairs, stairs
To make her bed, bed, bed
She bumped her head, head, head
On a piece of corn bread.

The "she went upstairs to make her bed" verse may be recited along with or in place of the "elephant jump the fence" verse.
I've also read versions of "Mary Mack" that include these traditional verses:

She went to the river, river, river
But she couldn't get across, cross, cross
So she paid five dollars
for an old gray horse horse horse
And the horse wouldn't pull pull pull
So she traded it for a bull bull bull etc

-snip-

Singer Ella Jenkins has recorded this version of "Mary Mack":

May-Ree Mack, dressed in black
Buttons all up and down her back
Hi-yo, hi-yo, hi-yo-o, hi-yo

Give me a nickel, give me a dime
See my honey baby all the time
Hi-yo, hi-yo, hi-yo-o, hi-yo

Went to the river, couldn't get across
Got in trouble with my boss
Hi-yo, hi-yo, hi-yo-o, hi-yo

Words and Music: Ella Jenkins
© 1968 Ella Jenkins (ASCAP)

Here's a song track of that song: http://saintsandspinners.blogspot.com/2007/10/song-of-week-may-ree-mack.html
And here's some information about Ella Jenkins: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ella_Jenkins

**
After completing college in New Jersey, I moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and found out that African American girls and boys in that city also did two, three, and four person handclap routines while standing and chanting the same version of Miss Mary Mack that I knew when I was growing up. And judging from the comments and examples posted on this Pittsburgh blog, http://theburghblog.com/2007/08/24/lettucecheesepicklesonions/ , in the 1980s, the "Miss Mary Mack" handclap rhyme was also popular with non-African American children too. This rhyme may still be widely known among American children {particularly girls} regardless of their race or ethnicity.

What versions of "Miss Mary Mack" do you know? Send them in to Cocojams!

Note: In an earlier version of this comment, I wrote about the possible origins of "Miss Mary Mack". One theory is that the verse "Mary Mack/dressed in black/silver buttons/all down her back" comes from an old British riddle about a coffin. There are other theories about the origin of the children's rhyme "Mary Mack" . I'm currently working on a book about possible origins of contemporary children's rhymes. One of the chapters of that book will be all about "Miss Mary Mack".
{Azizi Powell, 7/11/2008}

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Miss Sue From Alabama {Version #11}
Mis Sue Mis Sue
Mis Sue from Alabama
Let's make a movie
Sitting in a rocking chair
Eating Betty Crocker
Watching the clock say
Tick Tock Boom Boom Banaa
Tick Tock Boom Boom Banaa
Hey Little white girl watcha going to do
Momma got the mesals Daddy got the flu
Give me a ABCDEFG HIJKLMNOP
Take a flu shot take a flu shot
And FREEZE
-Guest,MOM from BAMA; 5/2/2008; http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=102055&messages=44#2090519
Folklore: Play Ground Hand Jives

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Miss Sue From Alabama {Version #10}
Mis Sue from Alabama
Let's make a movie
Sitting in a rocking chair
Eating Betty Crocker
Watching the clock say
Tick Tock Boom Boom Banana
Tick Tock Boom Boom Banana
Hey white girl whatcha going to do
Momma got the measles Daddy got the flu
Give me a ABCDEFG HIJKLMNOP
Take a flue shot take a flu shot
and FREEZE
-Guest, Mom From Bama [who indicates she learned this from her two small girls]; 5/2/2008 http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=102055&messages=48 ; Folklore: Play Ground Hand Jives

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Miss Sue From Alabama {Version #9}
I know of another version of "Miss Sue From Alabama" and if you don't mind I'll write it below and the instructions as well as I can. I met a Sue from Alabama, Nebraska, Alaska, we call her Suziana (pause here) Sitting in a rocking chair, eating Betty Crocker, watching the clock go tick, tock, tick tock Phenominock, tick, tock, tick tock Phenominock A-B-C-D-E-F-G, I got Plastic Surgery! Mishka, Mishka, I want my mommy! Mishka, Mishka, I do karate! Mishka, Mishka, Oops, I'm sorry! Mishka, Mishka, FREEZE! Instructions: In the very beginning of the song, on the word "I", you pat your knees (this is a 2 person game). Then on "I met a Sue from Alabama..." you clap your own hands, extend your right hand to the other person's right hand, clap your own hands again, extend your left hand to the other person's left hand, clap you own hands, and keep on doing this until the words "Sitting in a rocking chair". On those words you rock your hands to and fro like a rocking chair. On "eating Betty Crocker" you pretend to hold a spoon to your mouth, on "Watching the clock go Tick, tock, tick tock Phenominock" you put your hands together, swishing them side to side on the "tick tock" parts, on "Phenominock" (pronounced Fi-nom-in-ock) you put both your hands around your ears and circle them. You repeat this until you get to "A-B-C-D-E-F-G". On that, you circle your finger around your face. On "I got Plastic Surgery!" you put both hands inside your both, pulling the insides of your cheeks. On "Mishka, Mishka", you extend both of your hands to meet the other person's, and clap them twice. On "I want my mommy" you pretend to suck your thumb. Extend and clap hands twice again for "Mishka Mishka" and then on "I know karate!" Cross your arms or do any karate pose. Same thing again on the next "Mishka Mishka" and on "Oops, I'm sorry!" hit the other person on the head. Mishka, Mishka... then when you say "Freeze!" You get into any position and stay in it. It's also a blinking contest, and whoever blinks first loses. I hope that my instructions made you understand!
-Janice ; 2/20/2008

Editor:
Thanks, Janice, for sending in that version of "Miss Sue From Alabama". Also, thanks for including performance instructions with the words to this rhyme!

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Miss Sue From Alabama {Version #8}
Heres another version of miss Sue. We sang this in Pennsylvania
Miss Sue (clap clap) Miss Sue (clap clap) Miss sue from alabama we call her susyanna sitting in her rocker (moving arms like rocking chair) eating betty crocker watching the clock go ticktock tick tock shawalwalla (moving fingers like clock then rolling hands) ticktock tick tock shawalwalla a-b-c-d-e-f-g wipe those dirty hands off me (wipe your hands on other person) moocha moocha moocha freeze (during moocha moocha moocha find position and freeze and try to stay still for longer than other person)
- Aubri ; 4/15/2007

Editor:
Thanks, Aubri for including the demographical information about where you live with your example. I like finding out how widely known a rhyme is and how the words of the rhyme may change in different geographical areas. Thanks also for including information about how this handclap rhyme is performed. I'm assuming that the "clap clap in parenthesis aren't spoken but mean you are supposed to clap your hands two times to the beat of the rhyme. Anyway that's the way I've seen it done.

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Miss Sue From Alabama {Version #7}
Hi there. I'm from Mississippi and was in elementary school in the late 80's through early 90's. the version of "Miss Sue" I remember was not listed here. I thought I'd help you out. Last time I heard it, I think it had varied ever so slightly from when I was in school, but this is how I remember it: Miss Sue (clap clap clap) Miss Sue (clap clap clap) Miss Sue from Alabama Sittin' in a rocker eatin' betty crocker watchin' that clock go tick-tock, tick-tock-banana-nana tick-tock, tick-tock banana-nana ABCDEFG-wash those stains right out'a my knees MUSHKA, MUSHKA, MUSHKA FREEZE (as fast as you can) 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10! I never got the last part...sometimes the rule was you had to stay still while you counted, and sometimes it was to count the fastest. The most distinct difference I remember is that there were always three claps after "Miss Sue." I hope that was helpful.
-Allison {Mississippi; late 198os, early 1990s}; 2/28/2007

Editor:
Allison, thanks for sending that example "Miss Sue From Alabama". It's interesting to read about about when people performed a specific rhyme, how old they were when they first remember doing so, and where different people lived when they remember performing that particular rhyme, and how they remembered performing it. Thanks for including all of that information! r

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Miss Sue From Alabama {Version #6}
We had a different version of Miss Sue in the early 70's in New Orleans. It went something like this: Miss Sue Miss Sue Miss Sue from Alabama Hey little girl with a zip-a-dee-doo Ya mama got the measles and ya papa does, too Take an a,b,c,d,e,f,g Ya take an h,i,j,k,l,m,n,o,p Ya take a booster shot Ya take a booster shot Take a booster shot and...FREEZE!
-Adriana; 1/11/2007

Editor:
Adriana, thanks for including demographical information {when & where you remember this version}!

Also, see this comment about this example that comes via the Internet all the way from Dave in China:
"Just want to compliment you on this fascinating collection and confirm "Miss Sue #6". I'm a 39yo white male originally from New Orleans. I woke up from a nap today in China, with the phrase "take a booster shot and freeze" inexplicably stuck in my head. I had no idea what it meant, but I Googled it and out popped this site. Very interesting to see all the variations and curious about their development as well as many related topics. (I'm looking into studying ethnomusicology next year. This site could come in handy.) This one from New Orleans was exactly what my sister was singing in one of my earliest memories circa 1971".
-Dave; 6/22/2007

-snip-

Thanks for the compliment, Dave! I also enjoy reading these examples. And I'm glad this collection may be of interest to folks studying ethnomusicology and other subjects.

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Miss Sue From Alabama {Version #5}
You said you needed more Ms.Sue hand games. This is what I have heard: Ms sue(clap clap) Ms Sue(clap clap) Ms sue from alabama alaska nebraska sittin' in a rockin' chair eatin' peanut butter watching the clock go tick tock tick tock chihuahua tick tock tick chihuahua a,b,c,d,e,f,g wash these cookies off of me musha musha walkin with a cane musha musha it's all to me musha musha oops excuse me I hope you enjoy this hand game
-Haley, 11/5/2006

Editor:
Thanks, Haley! I appreciate you sending in the version of this rhyme. I especially like the "tick tock tick tock chihuahua" part.
I'm wondering if this line "it's all to me" means "its all the same to me". I also wonder if these words are recited while doing a handclap routine with another person. If so, do the two people try to hit or smack each other {playfully} when they say these lines "musha musha oops excuse me". I hope to hear from you or someone else who might also know the answers to these questions.

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Miss Sue From Alabama {Version #4}
Hi:-) I just wanted to submit a very popular version of the 'handclap rhyme' song "Miss Sue From Alabama".
I lived in Indiana my whole life although I changed schools alot, and this song seemed to be known by every other
African American child I met. Here's how we all sang it:

Miss Sue! *clap clap*
Miss Sue! *clap clap*
Miss Sue from Alabama
Her real names Suzyanna
Sittin in a rockin chair
Eatin Betty Crocker bread
Watchin the clock go
Tick tock tick tock Banana rock!
Tick tock tick tock Banana rock!
A-b-c-d-e-f-g Wash them spots right offa me!
Moocha Moocha Moocha Freeze!
*literally freeze on the last clap,
try to stay still longer than your friend
-darlenevil; 2/1/2005

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Miss Sue From Alabama {Version #3}
Hi,
I was searching the web for handclap songs and came across your website and you asked for more versions of "Miss Sue from Alabama". My daughter is 6 years old, we live in Northern California and this is what the kids on her playground are singing:

Miss Sue
Miss Sue
Miss Sue from Alabama
Her real name is Susanna
Sittin' in the rocking chair eating baby crackers watching the clock go
Tick tock tick tock bananna rock, tick toc, tic toc bananna rock
A-B-C-D-E-F-G wash those spiders off of me,
Mooscha, Mooscha, I want my mommy
Mooscha mooscha I know karate
Mooscha moosch oops I am sorry
Mooscha mooscha FREEZE!
-Deena GS; 12/15/2002

Editor:
Thanks, Deena GS for that example. "Eating baby crackers" probably came from the phrase "eating Betty Crocker". "Betty Crocker" is the invented name for a fictitious cook who represented the General Mills company. "Betty Crocker" cookbooks contain all kinds of easy to use recipes, including recipes for bake goods such as cookies, pies, and cakes. Thus "eating Betty Crocker" more than likely means eating some baked goods that were created by using a Betty Crocker recipe. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betty_Crocker for more information about "Betty Crocker".

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Miss Sue {Version #2}
Miss Sue, Scooby Doo
Miss Sue from Alabama
Sittin at the table
peeling mashed potatoes.
Waitin for the clock to go
boom tick tock.
boom ticky wally wally.
Boom tick tock
Boom ticky wally wally.
Stop!
Ah 2 more time.
Boom tick tock.
Boom ticky wally wally.
Boom tick tock.
boom ticky wally wally.
Ah 1 more time.
Boom tick tock
Boom ticky wally wally
Boom tick tock.
Boom ticky wally wally.
Ah no more times.
- Alafia Children’s Ensemble, Pittsburgh, PA; 1999 & 2001; Collected by Azizi Powell, 1999 & 2001, posted by Azizi, 2004

Editor:
“Miss Scooby Doo” can be performed by partners or various numbers of girls and boys. Two children stand facing each other and perform intricate handclap routines. The handclap motions can be alternated between three children on each side of one child, or between two sets of partners. Here's the way that I've seen in play with more than four children: the children stand in a circle formation. The children place one of their hands palm up and their other hand palm down. While reciting the rhyme, girls and boys simultaneously clap the hands of the persons standing on their right side and their left side. An up and down dipping motion often accompanies the hand clapping and recitation.

Prior to beginning the rhyme, either one of the players or an adult group leader determines how many times the “boom tick tock” portion of the rhyme is given. After chanting “no more times“, the rhyme is over.

“Scooby Doo” is a cartoon character of a dog that was created by Hanna Barbara. The name “Scooby Doo” was probably added to this traditional verse for rhythmic effect {“Doo” rhymes with “Sue”}

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Miss Sue From Alabama {Version #1}
Miss Sue
Miss Sue from Alabama
Hey you,
scooby do
your Mama’s got the measles
Your papa’s got the flu
magic measles
magic flu
Take an a b c d e f g
Take an h i j k l.m.n.o.p.
Take a smooth shot
Take a smooth shot
and now freeze.
-Eleanor Fulton, Pat Smith; Let’s Slice The Ice,
{St. Louis, Mo, Magnamusic-Baton, 1978; p 16}

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Miss Susie Had A Steamboat {Versions #11, 12, 13}
here are 1 I know and 3 i learned from my friends their all the same but worded differently their really kinda funny Miss Susie had a steamboat the steamboat had a bell Miss Susie went to heaven the steamboat went to Hello (hell) operator please give me number nine and if you disconnect me I'll kick you from behind the refrigerator there was a piece of glass Miss Susie sat upon it and cut her little (ass) ask me no more questions tell me no more lies the boys are in the bathroom zipping up their flies are in the meadow, the bees are in the park Miss Susie and her boyfriend are kissing in the dark is like a movie a movie's like a show a show is like a tv screen and that is all i know i know my ma i know i know my pa i know i know my sister with the 80 acre alligator bra

Miss Susie had a steamboat the steamboat had a bell Miss Susie went to Heaven the steamboat went to hello (hell) operator please give me number nine and if you disconnect me, I'll paddle your Behind the refrigerator there was a piece of glass Miss Susie sat upon it and broke her little (ass) ask me no more questions tell me no more lies the boys are in the girls' room pulling down their flies Miss Susie and her boyfriend are kissing in the D-A-R-K D-A-R-K D-A-R-K [fast] DARK, DARK, DARK dark is like a movie a movie's like a show a show is like a TV screen and that is all I know I know I know my mother I know I know my pa I know I know my sister with the alligator bra!

Miss Susie had a steamboat the steamboat had a bell Miss Susie went to heaven the steamboat went to...(hell) Hello operator please give me number nine and if you disconnect me i'll kick you from... behind the refrigerator there was a piece of glass Miss Susie fell upon it and cut her little...(ass) ask me no more questions tell me no more lies Miss Susie told me everything the day before she... Died her hair in purple, died her hair pink, died her hair in polka-dots and washed it down the... Sink me in the ocean, Sink me in the sea, Sink me in/down the toilet, But please don't pee on me!

Miss Suzie had a steamboat. The steamboat had a bell TOOT TOOT! Miss Suzie went to heaven. The steamboat went to, Hell-o operator I'm dialing number 9 and if you disconnect me ill kick your little, Behind the refrigerator I lay a piece of glass, Miss Suzie sat upon it and broke her little, Ask me no more questions I'll tell you no more lies, The boys are in the bathroom zipping up their, Flies are in the meadow the bees are in the park, Miss Suzie kissed her boyfriend in the, D-A-R-K D-A-R-K DARK DARK DARK! Oh hello operator I'm dialing number 10 and if you disconnect me ill sing this song again!
-Courtney ; 3/27/2008

Editor:
Courtney, thanks for sending in those different versions of "Miss Susie Had A Steamboat". To make it easier to read the different examples, I separated them from each other after the word "OR" which you had capitalized in the message that you had submitted. I applaud you for being alert to the differences in words in the examples of this rhyme that you and your friends know. When I was growing up, I assumed that everybody knew the same rhymes as my friends and I did, and everybody "did" them the same way as we did. But internet sites such as Cocojams demonstrate that some children's rhymes have multiple versions. These versions usually have the same tune, but have slightly different or significantly different words. I enjoy collecting different versions of the same rhymes. Maybe you do too! I think it's interesting that these different versions that you sent in are from people who presumably live in the same neighborhood or who go to the same school. Usually, what I've found in my admittedly informal study of rhymes is that children/teens who are the same or similar age group, and who are the same gender, race/ethnic group, and who live in the same neighborhood and go to the same school recite the same version of a particular rhyme. That's why, Courtney, I'd love to know if you and your friends have different versions of "Miss Susie/Miss Suzie Had A Steamboat" share the same demographical markers {age, gender, race, and geographical location, including attending the same school}. I look forward to the possibility of receiving more information from you. Thanks again!

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Miss Susy Had A Steamboat {Version #10}
miss susy had a steam boat the steam boat had a bell ding-ding miss susy went to heaven the stem boat went to hell-o operator please give me number 9 and is you siconect me i'll chop off your behind...the fridgerator there layed a piece of glass miss susy sat upon it and broke her little..ask me no more questions tell me no more lies the boys are in the bathroom zipping up their...flies are in the meadows bees are in the park miss susy and her boyfriend were kissing in the d-a-r-k d-a-r-k d-a-r-k dark dark dark the dark is like the movies the movies like the show the show is like a t.v screen and that is all i know i know i know my mom i know i know my pa i know i know my sister with the 80 meter 80 meter 80 meter bra bra bra the bra is black & purple as purple as can be the bra is stuck with cotton balls and thats the end of me me me my mom is like godzilla my dad is like king-kong my sister is the stupid one that made up this dumb song another one...
-Samantha; 3/15/2008 {learned in the 1990s}

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Ms. Susie Had A Steamboat {Version #9}
ms. suzie had a steamboat, the steamboat had a bell *ding ding* ms. suzie went to heaven, the steamboat went to hell-o operator, connect me number 9. and if you disconnect me, i'll kick your front-behind the frigerator, there was a piece of glass. ms. suzie sat upon it, and broke her little ass-k me no more questions, i'll tell you no more lies. the boys are in the bathrooms, zipping up their flies-are in the meadow, the bees are in the hive, me. suzie and her boyfriend, are kissing in the D-A-R-K, D-A-R-K, DARK DARK DARK. the dark is like the movies, the movies like the show. the show is like my tv set and that is all i know! i know i know my ma, i know i know my pa. i know my older sister wears a 40-acre bra!
-Kat ; 10/10/2007

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Ms. Susie Had A Steamboat {Version #8}
My friend jessica and I learned ms. susie this way... Ms Susie had a steamboat, her steamboat had a bell (TOOT TOOT!)Ms susie went to heaven, he steamboat went to hell-o operater, give me number 9, and if you disconnect me, i'll kick your big be- hind the frigerator, there was a piece of glass, ms susie slipped apon it, and broke her big fat as-k me no more question, tell me no more lies, the boys are in the bathroom, zipping up their flies are in the meadow, bees are in the park, ms susie and her boyfriend, are kissing in the d-a-r-k, d-a-r-k, d-a-r-k, darker than the ocean, darker than the sea, darken then those black birds, chasing after me! i know i know my pa, i know i know my ma, i know i know my sister with the 40 acre bra!!!
-Sydney and Jessica; 9/23/2007

Editor:
Thanks, Sydney & Jessica for submitting that version of Ms. Susie had a steamboat. This is the first time that I've heard that
"darker than the ocean, darker than the sea, darken then those black birds, chasing after me!" line before with this rordarker than the ocean etc" line before. As a matter of fact, I really haven't "heard" it yet, have I? ;o)

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Miss Susie Had A Steamboat {Version #7}
Miss Susie had a steamboat, The steamboat had a bell, The steamboat went to heaven, Miss Susie went to, Hell-o operator, Give me number nine, And if you disconnect me, I'll chop off your, Behind- the refrigerator, There was a piece of glass, Miss Suzie sat upon it, And cut her little, Ass-k me any question, I tell no lies, The boys are in the girl’s bathroom, Zipping down their, Flies- are in the city, Bees are in the park, (Friend’s name) and her(his) boy(girl)friend, Are kissing in the, D-a-r-k, D-a-r-k, D-a-r-k, Dark dark dark, The dark is like the movies, The movies like the show, The show is like the TV set, And that is all I know, I know I know my ma, I know I know my pa, I know I know my sister, With the forty acre bra, My mother is Godzilla, My father is King Kong, My brother is the stupid one, Who taught me this song, My mother gave me a nickel, My father gave me a dime, My sister gave me her old boyfriend, His name was Frankenstein, He made me do the dishes, He made me wash the floors, He made me clean his underwear, So I kicked him out the door, I kicked him over London, I kicked him over France, I kicked him over Hawaii where he learned the hula dance, He swam across the ocean, He swam across the sea, He swam across the tub, Just to get to me, I flushed him down the tub, I drained the water good, I kicked him out just like my mama said I should, In Hawaii he met the good girls, In Hawaii he met the bad, Half way through Hawaii he ran into my dad, The good girls go to heaven, So the bad girls go to, Hell-o operator, Give me number ten, And if you disconnect me, I’ll sing this song again!
-Elle F.; 11/18/2006

Editor:
Wow, Elle! I hadn't seen that version before. Thanks for sending it in!

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Ms Lucy Had A Steamboat {Version #6}
Me and lilly have another rhyme for handclaps it goes....
Ms. Lucy had a steamboat the steamboat had a bell ding ding, The steamboat went to heaven and Ms. Lucy went to hell-o operator please give me Number 9 and if you disconnect me i will kick you right behind-the refrigerater there laid a peice of glass ms. Lucy feel Upon it and she broke her little as-k me no more questions tell me no more lies, Ms. lucy fell upon it the day before she died-her hair all purple she died her hair all pink she died her hair all polka dot and washed it in the sink-me in the ocean sink me in the sea sink me in the toilet but please dont pee on me!! psssss woops!
-Marlee & Lilly; 5/14/2006

Editor:
This is the first time that I've 'heard' that ending to that popular rhyme. Of course, "Ms Lucy Had A Steamboat" is another version of "Ms Susie Had A Steamboat". And I've heard other names given to the woman who had a steamboat {or a tugboat}. If you have a different version to this rhyme, please send it in! Also if you jump rope instead of do hand clap rhymes to this rhyme, I'd love you that mention that. As always, I'm interested in knowing where this rhyme is performed {in which city/state, or nation if outside of the United States}. Thanks!

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Ms. Susie Had A Steamboat {Version #5}
ms.susie had a steamboat the steamboat had a bell ms.susie went to hevan and ms.susie went to hell_o perator please give me number nine and if u disconact me i will kick you right behind the rafigerator there was a peice of glass ms.susie sat upon it and broke her little as_K me know more questions teel me no more lies the boys are in the bathroom the bees are in the park ms.susie and her boyfriend are kissing in the d-a-r-k d-a-rk dark dark dark the movies is the show the show is all i know.i know i know my pa i know i know my ma.
-katie; 5/15/2006

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Ms. Susie Had A Steamboat {Version #4}
This is a clap game...early [19]80's Baton Rouge, LA playground:
Ms. Susie had a steamboat...The steamboat had a bell...Ms Susie
went to heaven...The steamboat went to Hell-o operator give me number nine...if you disconnect me...I'll kick your big Be-hind the fridgerator...There was a piece of glass...Ms. Susie sat upon it and broke her big ole As-k me know more questions...tell me no more lies...The cows are in the barnyard.. Eating chocolate pie!!!
Note: It was hilarious as a kid!! :)
-Felicia; 2/25/2006

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Mrs Mary Had A Steamboat {Version #3}
Mrs Mary had a steam boat, the boat had a bell toot toot.
Mrs Mary went to heaven, the steamboat went to
hell-o operator give me number nine,
And it you disconnect me I'll kick you from
behind the yellow certain their lay a piece of glass
Mrs Mary fell opon it and cut her big fat
as-k me no more questions and tell me no more lies.
The boys are in the bath room doing up their flys. The bees are in the park,
Mrs Mary and her boyfriend are kissing darker than the ocean, darker than the sea,
darker than the underwear my mommy puts on me.
-elizabeth; {Canada}; 10/28/2005

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Miss Susie Had A Steamboat {Version #2}
Miss Susie had a steamboat,
the steamboat had a bell ding ding,
the steamboat went to heaven,
Miss susie went to
hello operator,
give me number nine,
and if you disconnect me,
I'll chop off your
behind the refrigerator
there lay a piece of glass
Miss susie sat upong it
and broke her little
ask me no more questions
tell me no more lies
the boys are in the bathroom
zipping up their
flies are in the city
bees are in the park
Miss susie and her boyfriend
are kissing in the
d-a-r-k
d-a-r-k
d-a-r-k
dark dark dark
the dark is like the movies,
the movies like the show
the show is like the tv set
and that is all i know know know
i know i know my ma
i know i know my pa
i know i know my sister
with the sixty dollar, sixty dollar sixty dollar bra bra bra
my mother is godzilla
my father is king kong
my brother is the stupid one
who made up this song
my mother gave me a nickel
my father gave me a dime
my sister gave me a boyfriend
his name was frankenstein
he made me do the dishes
he made me wash the floors
he made me clean his underweard
then i kicked him out the door
i kicked him over london
i kicked him over france
i kicked him over hollywood and he lost his underpants
-Erin; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php ; April 19, 2004

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Miss Susie Had A Steamboat {Version #1}
Miss Susie had a tug boat, her tugboat had a bell, Miss Susie went to heaven her tug boat went to HELL...o operator please give me number nine, and if you disconnect me I'll cut of you're behind the 'fridgerator there lay a piece of glass Miss Susie sat upon it and cut her little ASS...k me no more questions, I'll tell you no more lies the boys are in the bathroom zipping up their flies are in the meadow, the bees are in the park, Miss Susie and her boyfriend are kissing in the D-A-R-K, D-A-R-K, dark dark dark. The dark is like the movies, the movies' like the show, the show is like tv and that is all I know know know, I know I know my ma I know I know my pa, I know I know my sister with the 49'rs bra. The bra is for the boobies, the boobies for the milk, the milk is for the babies with diapers made of silk.
-Kristeena; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php ; June 7, 2003

Editor:
Thanks to Hall from Octoblog {the website whose link is given above} for permission to post examples from that site's Schoolyard games thread.

There are numerous versions of "Miss Susie Had A Steamboat. "Miss Susie Had A Steamboat" rhymes appear to usually be recited while doing handclap routines. Btw, the name given for the woman is "Ms. Susie" or "Miss Suzie", or "Miss Lucy" or "Miss Molly" and probably others. In these rhymes Miss Susie {or Miss some other name} had a steamboat, a tug boat, or a sail boat. I'll post each version of that rhyme along with other rhymes in that family, regardless of the main character's name or what type of boat is mentioned.

"Miss Susie Had A Steamboat" is a profanity avoidance rhyme. There are two types of "profanity avoidance rhymes" are children's or adult's rhymes. The first type ends each rhyming line with no word given. However, those people who know the language and societal mores can pretty easily guess which "naughty", "risque", or "bad" word has been left off. These lines from an adapted version of the 19th century African American folk rhyme "Raise A Rucus Tonight" can serve as an example of this type of profanity avoidance rhyme: "two little angels dressed in white/tryin to get to heaven by the tail of a kite/but the kite string broke and down they fell/instead of goin to heaven they when to ____." The rhyme then restarts with three little angels and begins another rhyming pattern which again ends with an fairly obvious unspoken "profanity" word. The first part of "Miss Susie Had A Steamboat" rhymes* demonstrate the second type of profanity avoidance rhyme". In these types of rhymes, a rhyming word or part of a word that has a risque meaning and a socially acceptable meaning serves as both the end word {or part of the end word or phrase} of one line and at the same time as the beginning word of the next line. When that word is used this way, people can deny that they said a bad word, or they can claim that they when they said that word they really meant the "clean", socially accepted meaning of that word or phrase. For example, the end word "HELL...O" that is found in every version of "Miss Susie Had A Steamboat" rhymes is used at the end line to mean "hell" and used as the first in the next sentence as the greeting word "hello".

*As I am using that term, "the second part" of "Miss Susie Had A Steamboat" rhymes begin when there is no longer any use of profanity avoidance rhymes. In the example given above, the second part begins with the line "the bees are in the park" since no other end/beginning word rhyme after "fly" has both a risque and a socially acceptable meaning,

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Mother, Mother, I Feel Sick
Mother, Mother, I feel sick.
Send for the doctor, quick, quick, quick.
Mother, Mother, shall I die?
Yes, my darling, by and by.

(Less than cheerful, isn't it?)
-Ann N; 4/30/2007

Editor:
This floating verse is found in an "I Love Coffee/I Love Tea" rhyme posted above.

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Mrs D ; Jump Rope Rhyme
Mrs D
Mrs D, Mrs I, Mrs F F I,
Mrs C, Mrs U, Mrs L T Y!
-Guest, Longrope; www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm ; Oct. 6, 2006
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My Aunty Anna {Version #2}
We used to play a similar game during recess when I was about 8. Played with 2+ people, I learned it at the YMCA summer camp in Ridgewood, NJ, and the lyrics I knew were: Anna banana/ plays the piana/ all she could play was the 'Star Spangled Banna'/ OOPS (here, jump up with feet slightly wider apart) She's an idiot (start over from beginning, until one person's feet are so far apart she can't keep her balance in the split) Anyone who could do a straddle split almost always automatically won this game, because it was considered bad form to not have as deep a split as your opponent(s)
-Tori; 6/13/2007

Editor:
Tori, thanks for responding to the question I posed almost a year ago. I really appreciate you sending in the words to & the performance directions for "My Aunty Anna". Thanks also for indicating the end of a line by writing an slanted line. I also want to thank you for remembering to include demographical information {your age, your city & state, and the fact that your learned this rhyme at a YMCA camp.

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My Aunty Anna {Version #1}
my aunty anna used to play piano 24 hours a day.
[do] splits etc until one fall down and the other 1 [is the] winner!!!!!!
-my aunty anna; 7/15/2006

Editor:
I'm not sure if this is a handclap rhyme or another kind of rhyme. I think that the second line is an explanation of what you do while you are saying that rhyme, but I'm not sure. I hope that "my aunty anna" will write in and tell us more about this rhyme.

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My Boyfriend Gave Me An Apple
A clapping rhyme:

Myyyyyy boyfriend gave me an apple
My boyfriend gave me a pear
My boyfriend gave me a [pretend to kiss other person's cheeks x3]
And I threw him down the stairs

I threw him over London
I threw him over France [fran(t)ss]
I threw him over the USA
And he lost his underpants [note: 'underpants' is just to scan, we usually used 'pants']

IIIIII gave him back his apple
I gave him back his pear
I gave him back his [pretend to kiss other person's cheeks x3]
And he threw me down the stairs

He threw me over London
He threw me over France
He threw me over the USA
And I lost my underpants

There was another verse, but I honestly can't remember where it goes from here.
{from Portlethen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, in the early 1990s} reposted with permission from http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=18352&messages=48 Lyr Req: Playground songs; 7/30/2007

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Mr. Mailman Mr. Mailman
Handclap Rhyme Race-All Florida/Throughout Elementary- Mailman Mr. Mailman do you duty Here comes a lady with a big fat booty She can do the pom pom She can do the twist Most of all she can kiss kiss kiss K - I - S - S Ok. Well ITS like any patty cake rhyme ( the way you move your hands) When you do the K I S S you move your legs and feet out to do a split. But you Dont do a total split. You keep doing this until someone reaches a split, or someone falls. Truly the object of this I think is to do a split.
-Lori; 4/20/2008

Editor:
Lori, thank you for sending in this handclap rhyme. Thanks, also for remembering to include demographical information {when you recited this rhyme, where-your state; and who-elementary school children of all races. I also want to thank you for including performance directions. I'm glad that you mentioned that you and your classmates did this as a handclap rhyme because I've read about this rhyme being recited while jumping rope. For instance, see "Policeman, Policeman" down thread {in the "P" section. Also, Cocojams readers, see the jump rope rhyme "Report Card Report Card" that Lori sent in that is posted in the "R" section of this page.

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My Auntie Anna
Clapping game:
My auntie Anna
Plays the piana [no, we don't usually pronounce it like that]
24 hours a day
SPLIT
[and with each "SPLIT" you move your feet a little bit further apart, then repeated the verse, still clapping. You had to try not to fall over - and, of course, try to stay on a level where you could still clap with your partner.]
-Viracocha ; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=18352 ; RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs;
8/3/2007 {Scotland}

Editor:
Thanks Viracocha, for giving me permission to repost this example. Cocojams readers, click on that link to read a number of other examples of handclap rhymes that Viracocha and others {including me} posted to that thread. And you can still add more examples to that thread!

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My Boyfriend Is A Cheater
My boyfriend is a cheater, He's off with cousin Ri-ta, And when I ask him where he goes, He says he's off at Un-cle Moe's! I know he is a liar, So I spend his money at My-er, And when I bought a diamond ring, I started to dance and sing! It's over, move over, I'll take the dog Ro-ver, Who's taking the cat, And it's fur-ry mat? Don't start to lie, I know how and why, How could you do such a thing, And ruin our sum-mer fling! Like I said, it's over, move over!
Ages: 7-12 Gender: Girls Type: hand clap rhyme No. of people: 2 Instructions: Partners face each other, and clap their hands together then do a diagnoal clap to their partners hand, then clap hands together again and do diagonal clap the oposite direction repeat throughout the song, but on the last two syllables of every second line you clap both your hands with your partners (like a high ten). On the last line (Like I said, it's over, move over) you do a high ten for the first word (Like), point to yourself for the second word (I), then another high ten for the third word (Said), put your hands together and slap them against your partners for the next two words (it's o-ver) altogether there should be three slaps (two for over), keep your hands in the middle and clap your hands once for the sixth word (Move), and then for the seventh word (o-ver) your outside hands goes up and meets your partners outside hand then the same hand goes below and does the same thing.
-Nicole and Zoe, 12/30/2005

Editor:
Thanks Nicole & Zoey for sending in that cheer and for remembering to include demographical information. Thanks also for including information about how you perform this cheer!!!

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My Boyfriend's Name Is Nico
I grew up in NYC the 1970s and remember hearing this one: My boyfriend's name is Nico He comes from Puerto Rico With four flat toes and a turned up nose And that's the way my story goes One day when I was walking I heard my boyfriend talking To a little girl with a strawberry curl And this is what he said to her: I K-I-S-S kiss you I L-O-V-E love you Then he fell in a lake and ate a snake And ended up with a belly ache.
-kmoser ; 3/19/2008

Editor:
kmoser, thanks for sharing that example. Thanks also for remembering to include demographical information {your geographical location and the decade you remember hearing this rhyme. I posted this rhyme on this page because it "sounds" like either a handclap rhyme or a jump rope rhyme {or both}. How do you remember it being played?

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My Mother And Your Mother {Boys Are Rotten} Example #2
XOXOXOX
My mother and your mother
live across the street
eighteen nineteen Blueberry Street
Every night about half past five
they have a fight
and this is what they say
Boys are rotten
made out of cotton.
Girls are dandy
made out of candy
Boys that are beautiful
to get more stupider.
Girls that are wilder
To get more milder.
Boys drink beer
To get nowhere.
Girls drink Pepsi
To get more sexy.
-mostly girls ages 6-12 years; Millview Acres; Clairton, PA, 1999
Editor:
I placed this handclap rhyme under "M" instead of "X" because I believe that XOXOX is an introductory phrase and not the beginning of the actual rhyme. I believe that XOXOX means "hugs and kisses" as per its meaning when placed at the end of letters & notes.

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My Mother Your Mother {Boys Are Rotten} Example #1; Jump Rope Rhyme, Handclap Rhyme}
my mother your motha
live down da street
18, 19 marble street
and evry nite
dey had a fite
and dis is wat dey told me

girls are sexy drink lots of pepsi
boys are rotten chew on sum cotten
ishy wishy lollypop
ishy wishy woo
ishy wishy lollypop
da guyz luv YOU
-Duilz ; 10/28/2004; http://octopuses.chaoticinsanity.com/000518.php

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My Mother, Your Mother-What Color Was The Blood
My mother and your mother were hanging up the clothes. Your mother hit my mother right in the nose. What colour was the blood? Red, black, red, black,....

i think the rope went fast on 'red, black...', and you jumped until you tripped the rope. does that one sound familiar to anyone?
-black walnut; 2/21/2000; http://www.mudcat.org/threads.cfm ; “ Playground songs”

Editor:
Visit Cocojams' Choosing It, Counting Out Rhymes page for other examples from this large family of rhymes can be found under the name "My Mother/Your Mother-What Color Was The Blood".

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Nickel And Dime [Jump Rope Rhyme]
My aunt who grow up in Brooklyn during the '60s and '70s taught kids 5-14 this at summer camp. Nickle and a dime, be on time Cuz the school bus leaves at a quarter to nine Take a ab, cd, ef, gh, and so on. One person jumps until ab, then jumps out. Another person jumps in for cd, then jumps out and another person jumps in for de. You have to be on time and jump right after the other person jumps out.
-Shannon; 8/7/2008

Editor:
Thanks, Shannon, for sharing this rhyme that your aunt shared with you. Thanks, also for including demographical information {the geographical location, the decades in which your aunt heard this rhyme, and the age of children who sung it at summer camp}. I also appreciate the fact that you remembered to include play instructions. Although, I've chosen not to post them, I also appreciate you sending other material for possible posting on Cocojams.

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Not Last Night But The Night Before [Jump Rope Rhyme, Handclap Rhyme]
Gosh ,I guess there are so many versions of all these. Here is what I remember:
...[another rhyme was posted and then this one]

Not last nite but the nite before,
24 robbers came knocking at my door
as i ran out, They ran in
hit me on the head with a bowling pin
I asked them what they wanted and this is what they said.
Spanish dancers turn around,
Spanish dancers touch the ground
etc, etc etc.
-mulfig; 5/29/1999 ; http://www.streetplay.com/discus/ Girl Games: Clap & rhyme Archive through June 8, 2000

Editor:
Also, see the entries on this page for "Last Night And The Night Before". Also, see this excerpt that I believe is a part of the "Not Last Night But The Night Before" rhyme:

There was a much longer one, but all I remember is:

As I ran out (escape without being hit by the rope)
They ran in (get back in without tripping)
Hit me over the head
With a rolling pin.
-Ann N.; 4/30/2007

O,P
Oh Don't Laugh {also known as "The Hearse Song"}
There's also the hearse song, which is mostly what I learned from my friends, with a mixture of lines from my dad: Oh don't you laugh when the hearse goes by 'Cause you may be the next to die They wrap you up in a dirty sheet And drop you in a hole six feet deep (Dad) Oh the worms crawl in, the worms crawl out The worms play pinnochle on your snout (friends again) Your stomach turns a slimy green And pus pops out like shaving cream! You whip it up on a piece of bread, That's what you eat when you are dead -- Made by Nabisco!
-Ann N; 4/29/2007

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Old Lady Leary {Elastic Jumping}
Old Lady Leary Lit A Lantern In The Shed, When the cow kicked it over She winked her eye and said, There will be a hot time
in the old town tonight, Fire Fire, Water Water, Jump Lady Jump, AHHHHH SPLAT!"

"SLAT" of course was when you landed with both feet on both elastics after an intricate series of ins and outs and overs, in progressive heights as describe above.
-Guest, Mrs Brown AUS; 4/2/2008; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=46932&messages=102; Child's Game: Elastics

Editor, for those directions, see "England Ireland" version #3 posted above.

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Panda Bear
panda bear panda bear turn around, panda bear panda bear touch the ground panda bear panda bear do some splits and kicks, panda bear panda bear climb up the stairs, panda bear panda bear clap ten times, panda bear panda bear say good night

(as you know i have based this on teddy bear although i did it quite differnetly, i have tried clapping and it is not as easy as it looks) (also when you sing the song you have to do what it says, such as jumping really high when climbing the stairs) ( and when the song finishes up with say good night you must run out then back in and then start over again.)
-sarah ; 3/10/2007

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Police Lady Police Lady Do Your Duty {Version #2} Jump Rope Rhyme
Police lady, police lady. Do your duty.
Here comes Keisha
with ah African booty.
She can wiggle.
She can wobble.
She can do the split.
But I betcha five dollars
She can't do this.
Lady on one foot, one foot, one foot
Turn all around, around, around.
Lady on two foot, two foot, two foot
Touch the ground, the ground, the ground.
Lady on three foot, three foot, three foot
Say your prayers, your prayers, your prayers.
Lady on four foot, four foot, four foot
Jump right out.
-TMP. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, mid 1980s

Editor:
I think the change from "policeman" to "police lady" is significant. When I was growing up, there were no female police officers that I knew of.

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Policeman Policeman Do Your Duty {Version #1} Jump Rope Rhyme
Policeman, Policeman, do your duty.
Here comes Debby
An American beauty,
She can wiggle
She can wobble
She can do the split.*
But I betcha five dollars
She can't do this.
Lady on one foot, one foot, one foot
Turn all around, around, around.
Lady on two foot, two foot, two foot
Touch the ground, the ground, the ground.
Lady on three foot, three foot, three foot
Say your prayers, your prayers, your prayers.
Lady on four foot, four foot, four foot
Jump right out.
-Azizi Powell, Atlantic City, New Jersey, mid 1950s.

*Substitute the name or nickname of the girl who is jumping rope. "Do the split" was sometimes given as "do the flip" {meaning the acrobatic movements}. However, these words were changed to "do the twist" in the 1960s when that dance became popular. Btw, I've also seen this rhyme written as "Mailman, Mailman Do Your Duty" and "Postman, Postman, Do your Duty".

Here's what I believe are the meanings of "one foot, "two foot" etc. Someone please correct me if I'm misremembering this: "One foot" means hopping. One foot touches touching the ground when you jump. Two foot" is jumping with both feet off the ground. "Three foot" is two hands touching the ground and then one foot . "Four foot" is jumping with both hands and both feet touching the ground.

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Poor Pinocchio
1. Poor Pinocchio he learned to suck his thumb, thumb
after thumb after thumb, after thumb after thumb.
Cross over *
2. Poor Pinocchio he learned to tie his shoe, shoe after
shoe, after shoe, after shoe . Cross over *
3. Poor Pinocchio he learned to climb a tree, tree after tree,
after tree, after tree. Cross over *
4. Poor Pinocchio he learned to shut the door, door after
door, after door, after door. Cross over *
5. Poor Pinocchio he liked to kick bee hives, hives after
hives, after hives, after hives. Cross over *
6. Poor Pinocchio he learned to pick up sticks, sticks after
sticks, after sticks ,after sticks. Cross over *
7. Poor Pinocchio he learned all about heaven, heaven after
heaven, after heaven, after heaven. Cross over *
8. Poor Pinocchio he learned to shut the gate, gate after
gate, after gate after gate. Cross over *

[and so on up to 11-use any word that rhymes with those numbers]

* When you say "cross over" you fold your arms crisscross over your chest, and the other girl you are doing the handclap with does the same thing at the same time.
-Natashia, age 13; Alberta, Canada; 10/21/2005

Editor:
Thanks, Natasha, for sharing this rhyme. Thanks also for including demographical information {your age, and where you live}. Thanks also for including information about the motions you do when you say "cross over". Cocojams readers, see "When Billy Boy Was One", "When Pebbles Was A Baby" and "When Lucy Was A Baby" on this page for examples of what I call "life stage rhymes that are very similar to "Poor Pinocchio".

Q,R,S
Quack Diddly Almore (Version #4 of Quack Diddly Oso}
*I have no idea how we got this version of the chant, but we called it Quack Diddly Almore. Maybe someone heard it wrong, I don't know* Quack Diddly Almore quack quack quack! singin hey, chicky chicky chicky chicky chicky chat! Flow, flow, flow, flow, flow, go! 1 2 3 4 5!
-Jayla S., 5/31/2008

Editor:
Thanks, Jayla S., for sending in that version. It's possible that someone could have misheard, misread, or misremembered the words to "Quack Diddly Oso", but then again, where did those words come from? There are really no right or wrong versions of children's rhymes-just different versions.

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Quack Diddly-Oso {Version #3}
This is the version of "Quack-diddly-oso" that I and all of my friends learned back in kindergarten or earlier. We played it all the time pretty much up to junior high. Never heard any other version played in this area. (Puget Sound/Seattle region.) Quack diddly oso quack quack quack, Si semorico, rico rico rico, Flo-ra Flo-ra, flora flora flor, fa-lora! One, two, three, four! Same rules as listed for "Stella Ella Ola" only when you get down to two people, you clasp your right hands between you like you're shaking hands, and you each hold up your left hand to make "walls" on either side of the clasped right hands. Then you swing your clasped right hands back and forth, hitting one of the "walls" (left hands) at each beat. The person who's left hand is hit on four loses. (Oh, and every round is chanted a little faster, until you can barely keep up when you're down to two. I guess it's these sort of games that teach us Northwesterners to talk so fast when we grow up!)
-Lisa P. ; 12/20/2007

Editor:
Lisa P, thanks for sharing that version of Quack Diddly Oso. Thanks also for including demographical information-where you
live, and when you played this rhyme. Thanks also for including your performance instructions for this rhyme! I'm wondering if "semorico" is the correct spelling for the way you pronounced this word or did you mean to type "senorico"?

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Quack Dilly Oso {Version #2}
i work with 1st graders the whole summer long and they love them!

[another rhyme was posted and then this one]

Quack Diddily Oso is also a favorite
there are many versions to it

quack diddily oso quack quack quack
from sandiego ego ego ego
delore delore
they spilled it on the floor-a
1-2-3-4
*better with lots of people person who's hand gets slapped on 4 is out of the game
--Guest, mcr; 8/7/2006; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=63097#1022419 :
"RE: Folklore: Do kids still do clapping rhymes?"

Editor:
Guest, mcr's referent to a person's hand getting "slapped on 4" is an indication that this rhyme is performed as a circle hand game. Here's the way that I have seen this game played {and that I have played it} in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area: Starting with a designated person, while everyone chants the rhyme, one person after another stays in place but slaps the hand of the person who is standing to their right. The person whose hand is slapped when the number four is recited, is out. When the game gets down to two people, those two stand facing each other and perform a partner handclap routine, with each person alternating slapping the palm of the other person's hand. As in the circle version of the game, the person whose hand is slapped when the number 4 is recited is out, and the remaining person is the winner.

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Quack Dilly Oso {Version #1}
quack dilly oso
quack quack quack
senyourico rico rico rico
flora flora flora
with ah 1 2 3 4 5
-African American girls; and African American girls and boys; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania {children usually around ages 7-12 years}, remembered from at least the mid1980s; this example was collected by Azizi Powell in 11/2001

Editor:
See "Slap Billy-Ola" below for performance directions. If you know this rhyme or related elimination handclap rhymes such as "Stella Ella Ola" or "Slap Billy-Ola", please send in the example you remember. For the sake of the folkloric record, please remember to include demographical information. I'm particularly interested in where you live {city, state, and nation if outside of the USA}; and when you performed this rhyme. I'm also interested in who performed it {ages, gender, race/ethnicity} and how it is or was performed {such as "partner handclap rhyme" and/or circle handclap rhyme with people being eliminated at the end of the chanting, etc}. Thanks!!!

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Reeses Pieces Butter Cup
I have another Hand Clap that I like. It's called Resses Peices Butter-Cup! It goes like this: Resses Peices Butter-Cup Come On Girl(or your name) Show your Stuff: My Back Aches, My Skirts Too Tight, My Hips Shake From Left To Right: Left To Right, Left-Left To Right-Right, Left To Right, Left-Left To Right! (By: **!!Enforcers Cheer Girl!!** Date Recited: ?-2007 Recited By: Me, My Friends, A Lot Of Other People, And Cheerleaders Around The World (Boys And Girls) Category: Cheerleadng Hand Clap Round
-Cheer Girl; 2/11/2007

**
See this comment from Cheer Girl:
Oh!!! During Resses Peices Butter-Cup From: My Back Aches, Til The End of the Hand Clap/Cheer the person who had their name called comes into the middle of the circle and 'Shows Their Stuff'!
-snip-

Thanks, Cheer Girl for sending in that demographical information, as well as information on how this cheer/rhyme is performed!
See similar rhymes on Cocojams' Taunting Rhymes and Cheerleader Rhymes pages.

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Report Card Report Card ; Jump Rope Rhyme
Jump Rope It was when I was in elementary. I'm in middle school now. (2000-2003) Florida Ive seen Boys do it but its mostly girls. Report Card Report Card What did you get? A B C D F (The A B C D F go on until you mess up , the letter you mess up on , is basically the grade you get)
-Lori, 4/20/2008

Editor,
Lori, thanks very sending in this jump rope rhyme. Thanks also for remembering to include demographical information {when you recited this rhyme, where-your state; and who-girls more often than boys. I also want to thank you for including performance directions-when the jumper misses on a letter grade, that's the grade she or he "gets". Cocojams readers, I've never "heard" this rhyme before. Have you? If so, please let us know!

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Rich Man, Poor Man {Jump Rope Rhyme}; Version #2
We also used the old "Rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief; Doctor, lawyer,
Indian chief" rhyme with jump rope. The jumper called out only one type of
man per jump. Whatever man you called out when you missed was the type you
were going to marry when you grew up.
-Ann N.; 4/30/2007

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Rich Man, Poor Man {Jump Rope Rhyme}; Version #1
Rich man, poor man
beggar man, thief.
Doctor, lawyer,
Indian thief
-Azizi P.; childhood memories of Atlantic City, New Jersey; 1950s

Editor:
I remember hoping that I'd miss on the words "rich man"; "doctor", or "lawyer" because when you miss that person was who you were supposed to marry.

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Salamio {Jump Rope Rhyme}
(every time one says salamio, the people holding the jump ropes spin it quickly above the heads of the jumpers as jumpers duck) 1,2,3 salamio 4,5,6 salamio 7,8,9 salamio 10 salamio 123456789(really fast jumping) 10 salamio. *repeat*
-Talia G.; 12/5/2006

Editor:
My theory is that the word "salamio" comes the Italian song "O Solo Mio". See this wikipedia excerpt about that song:
'O sole mio" is a globally famous Neapolitan* song written in 1898. It has been performed and covered by countless artists, including such stalwarts of opera as Enrico Caruso, Mario Lanza, Luciano Pavarotti, as well as rock/pop stars such Bryan Adams and Elvis Presley. The lyrics were written by Giovanni Capurro, and the melody was composed by Eduardo di Capua. Though there are versions in other languages, 'O sole mio is usually sung in the original Neapolitan dialect. 'O sole mio translates literally as "My Sun" ("O" being the article)." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/'O_Sole_Mio

*"Neapolitan" here means [a song] from Naples, Italy.

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Slap Billy-Ola
Slap billeola slap, slap, slap, slap.
{Hit it!}
Sandarico, rico, rico, rico
Slap 1-2-3-4.
-African American girls & boys and Vietnamese girls (ages 8-11 years); Alafia Children's Ensemble, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Collected by Azizi Powell 10/2000

Editor:
This rhyme is related to "Stella Ella Ola" and rhymes with similar names. It may be played as a partner handclap rhyme, with three people or two sets of partners. When there are more than four people, this rhyme is played as a circle game. Here are the directions for "Slap Billy-Ola" when it is played as a circle game: The group forms a circle. Someone in the group is designated the start position for the slapping movement. Before starting the chant, the group also decides which number will be the last number chanted [note that it is "4" in this example, but I've often seen it be the number "5". Having too high a number would spoil the anticipation of the final elimination "slap"}. The group then begins the game by chanting the words to this game in unison. The chanting remains the same tempo throughout the entire game. At the same time that the group begins to chant the words, the person in the designated starting position uses his or her left hand to “gently” slap the right hand of the person standing to the right of him or her. The slap corresponds to one separate word of the chant. {"Hit It" is an optional part of the chant. This phrase counts as one word; the person’s hand is slapped after the word "it"}. The person whose hand is slapped at the end of the rhyme {on the last number chanted} is out. That person leaves the circle and the rhyme begins again. When there are only two people left from the group, these two stand in front of each other and alternate slap each other’s hands. The chant is repeated until there is no one left. That person is the winner.

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Say Say My Playmate
see Playmate above on this page

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Strolla Ola Ola
Strolla olla olla
Slap, slap, slap.
With ah “s” cheeka cheeka
cheeka cheeka flap jack.
Fah lay, fah lay,
fah lay, fah lay , fah lay
With ah 1- 2- 3- 4- 5.
-African American girls & boys {ages 6-12 years}, Fort Pitt Elementary School, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; 10/2000;
also TMP's childhood remembrances of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; in the mid 1980s

Editor:
This handclap rhyme is related to "Stella Ella Ola". It has the same tune and is played the same way as the instructions given in "Slap Billy-Ola" example above.

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Stella Ella Hola
There was also a fun clapping game:
stella ella hola,
clap clap clap
singing es chico chico, chico chico chap
singing es chico chico
velo
velo
velo velo velo,
saying 1 2 3 4 5 [on 5, whoever clapped last would be out]

you would sit in a large circle, and put your hands 1 on top of the person beside you, the other hand below.- when the person beside you clapped their hand onto yours, you would repeat the clap, with each sound. If your hand was hit on 5, you would be out - you could lift your hand really fast and the person would clap themselves out instead)
-Emma; November 16, 2004; re-posted from http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php

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Stella Ella Ola {version #2}
Stella Ella Olla clap clap clap sing'n schiga chiga chiga chat chat schiga love,love,love,love love ,love 54321.
-awewsomegir; 10/7/2007

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Stella Ella Ola {version #1}
Stella Ella Ola
Clap Clap Clap
Singing S Tella Ola chicko chicko clap clap
Fallo Fallo Fallo Fallo Fallo

Is what I remember my sister singing.
-Guest Jake, 6/5/2007: re-posted from http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=77066#1370542 "RE: Kids chant Stella Ola Ola / Stella Ella Ola"

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T,U,V
Take A Piece, Take A Plum {Example #3}
take a piece, take a plum take a piece of bubble gum. no piece, no plum no piece of bubble gum. i like coffee, i like tea, i like the preety boy and he likes me so step back dumb boy, you dont shine, i'll meet you round the corner and beat your behind. last night, the night before, i met my boyfriend at the candy store. he bought me ice cream, he bought me cake, he bought me home with a stomach ache. i said "mama, mama, i feel sick. call the doctor QUICK,QUICK,QUICK! doctor, doctor before i die. i close my eyes and i count to five. 1..2..3,4,5 i'm alive." see that house on top of that hill? that's where me and my boyfriend live. cook that chicken, burn that rice. com on baby, lets shoot some dice!
-lesa; 4/10/2005; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php ,”Schoolyard games”

Editor:
See examples of "I Love Coffee I Love Tea" on this page for other versions of children's rhymes that include many of these words.

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Take A Piece, Take A Plum {Example #2}
Ziz Zag zag
take a piece take a plum
take a piece 0f bubble gum
do you like it?
do you love it?
do the alabama shake it
shake it up
shake it down
shake it all around
Spying on my boy friend - baby
didn't do the dishes - lazy
jumped out the window - crazy
and thats the facts of boys boys boys
-Miranda R.; 12/5/2004; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php, ”Schoolyard games”

Editor:
My thanks to Hal from blog.oftheoctopuses.com {Whee Blog!} for giving me permission to repost these examples. And, of course, I'd like to thank all those persons who posted on Whee Blog!, and all those persons who submit examples for posting on Cocojams!

See examples listed on this page under the title "ABC" for lines that are similar to the second part of this "Take A Piece Take A Plum" rhyme.

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Take A Piece, Take A Plum {Example #1}
...here's one we used to play at school.

(some words are not really words but are pronounced that way, this is not really the beginning to the song but the middle because I didn't know how to pronounce those words)

Take a peach take a plumb take a piece of bubble gum
No peach no plumb just a piece of bubble gum

Oche Iche, I want a piece of pie
The Pie to sweet
i want a piece of meat
the meat to rough
i wanna ride the bus
the bus to full
i wanna ride the bull
the bull to black
i want my money back
my money to green
i want a jelly bean
the jelly bean to white
goodnight sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite
if they do get a shoe an beat the black and blue
down by the river with the hangy pangy
where the bulldog jumped from bang to bang
there set a
A
E
I
O
U
That's all there set a
A
E
I
O
U
Listen to the beat
-R.S; 11/7/2003; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php ,”Schoolyard games”

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Teddy Bear Teddy Bear ; Jump Rope Rhyme {Example #2}
In London in the late [19]40s it wasn't a Ballerina, it was
Teddy bear, teddy bear turn around
Teddy bear, teddy bear touch the ground
Teddy bear, teddy bear go up stairs
Teddy bear, teddy bear say your prayers (hold hands together)
Teddy bear, teddy bear turn out the light
Teddy bear, teddy bear say goodnight
Goodnight

I seem to remember doing it skipping in a long rope
-Mo the caller {http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=18352&messages=48 Lyr Req: Playground songs; 8/1/2007

Editor:
In London, England where Mo the caller lives, the terrm "skipping" rope is used instead of "jumping rope". Mo's comment about "Ballerina" refers to an example posted in the "B" section of this page.

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Teddy Bear Teddy Bear ; Jump Rope Rhyme {Example #2}

When I was growing up the jump rope song to Teddy bear lullabye went like this:
Teddy bear, teddy bear turn around,
teddy bear, teddy bear touch the ground,
teddy bear , teddy bear go upstairs ,
teddy bear , teddy bear say your prayers,
teddy bear teddy bear turn out the light,
teddy bear , say good night.

We also did actions while jumping, ie: turned around in a circle,
touched the ground, picked up high knees to go up stairs,
folded hands to say prayers, flicked a finger to turn out the light,then jumped out of the rope to the side to say goodnight, this ended your turn. That sure was alot of fun! I came to this site to learn others to teach my daughter.Thanks alot everyone!

Guest, ginger; 3/16/2004; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=4300; "Children's Street Songs"

Editor:
I remember saying this same rhyme as a child while jumping rope the same way you describe {Atlantic City, New Jersey in the 1950s}.

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Three Little Angels {Example #2}
Three little angels, all dressed in white
Tried to get to Heaven on the end of a kite
The Kitestring broke and down they all fell
Instead of going to Heaven, they all went to

Two little angels......

One little angel.... Instead of going to heaven, they all went to

Three little devils, all dresses in red
Tried to get to Heaven on the end of a thread
Thread-string broke and down they all fell
Instead of going to heaven they all went to

Two little devils....

One little devil, all dressed in red
Tried to get to Heaven on the end of a thread
Tread string broke and down they all fell
Instead of going to Heaven they all went to BED!
-campfire; 5/17/1999 http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm ; Counting Songs

Editor:
My thanks to Mudcat Discussion Forum's chief moderator for giving me permission to re-post comments from that forum from guests and inactive members. For another example of "Three Little Devils", visit this website:
http://odps.org/glossword/index.php?a=term&d=3&t=913 Seedy Songs and Rotten Rhymes - the poetry of the playground.

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Ten Little Angels {Example #1}
Ten little angels
dressed in white
tryin to get to heaven
on the tail of a kite.
But the kite string broke
and down the fell.
Instead of goin to heaven

they went to
Nine little angels {repeat the rest of the words}.
Eight little angels...
Seven little angels...
Six little angels...
Five little angels...
Four little angels....
Three little angels...
Two little angels...
One little angel
dressed in white
tryin to get to heaven
on the tail of a kite.
But the kite string broke
and down she fell
instead of going to heaven
she went to
HELL!
-Azizi Powell {childhood memories, Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1950s}

Editor:
Although I have clear memories of the words to this rhyme, I have less clear memories about what performance activities if any were done while we sang it. I think that "Ten Little Angels" was performed as a handclap rhyme and not a jump rope or ball bouncing rhyme {since jump rope rhymes were usually also recited as ball bouncing rhymes}. But, I'm not sure. However, I believe that sometimes the word "hell" was replaced by the word "shush" {meaning be quiet}. Which makes sense since this is what I call a "profanity avoidance" rhyme. In profanity avoidance rhymes, the "bad word" is either not said, or it is implied, or it is said, but in a coded, hidden, plausible deniability. In "Ten Little Angels" for example, the word "hell" isn't said until the very end of the rhyme, when it is shouted out. But in the widely circulated profanity avoidance rhyme "Miss Susie Had A Steamboat", the "bad words" are hidden in clear sight by their use at the end of a line or at the beginning of another line to form another, socially accepted word.

The source for "Ten Little Angels" and its variant rhyme "Ten Little Devils" is the first verse of an early 20th century or earlier African American secular {non-religious} folk rhyme or dance song called "Raise A Rucus Tonight". That rhyme is included in Thomas W. Talley's now classic 1922 book Negro Folk Rhymes, Wise and Otherwise. Here's that verse {with asterisks used in place of letters of the racially offensive "n word"}:

Raise A "Rucus" Tonight
Two liddle N**gers all dressed in white, {Raise a rucus to-night.}
Want to go to Heaben on de tail of a kite, {Raise a rucus to-night.}
De kite string broke, dem Ni**gers fell; {Raise a rucus to-night.}
Whar dem N**gers go, I hain't gwineter tell.
{Raise a rucus to-night.}
-snip-
{Thomas W. Talley: Negro Folk Rhymes, Wise & Otherwise {Port Washington, N.Y, Kennikat Press, Inc. edition, 1968; p. 90; originally published 1922, The Macmillan Company}

I don't know what tune was used for this song way back in the early 20th century American South, but the tune I recall is very similar to the rhyme "Ten little monkeys jumping in the bed/one fell down and broke his head/mommy called the doctor and the doctor said/no more monkey's jumping in the bed". Btw, the definition for "rucus" {"rukus"} is "the act of making a noisy disturbance". However, in the context of this rhyme, to raise a rucus probably meant "to have a heck of a good time". How's that for another example of profanity avoidance :o)

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That's The Way {Handclap rhyme}
That’s the way
Un hun Un hun
I like it
Un hun Un hun
That’s the way
Un hun Un hun
I like it
-TMP, memories of Pittsburgh in the early 1980s

Editor:
"That's the way" is often recited at the beginning of rhymes such as "Brickwall Waterfall" and "Bang Bang Choo Choo Train".
See examples of "That's The Way I Like It" on Cocojams' Taunting Rhyme page. Also, click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBwYwZNO928
to see & hear the video of KC And The Sunshine Band's 1975 hit song "That's The Way I Like It"

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The Girls In Spain
we had a clapping rhyme that went:

The girls in Spain
Put their knickers in champagne
And the boys in France
Do a hula-hula dance
And the dance they do
Is enough to tie a shoe
And the shoe they tie
Is enough to tell a lie
And the lie they tell
Is enough to ring a bell
And the bell they ring
Goes "DING-A-LING-A-LING!"

The Girls in Spain" WASN'T a clapping game between two people, it was in a ring of about 5 people.
-Viracocha; [Sian] {from Portlethen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, in the early 1990s} reposted with permission from http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=18352&messages=48 Lyr Req: Playground songs; 8/2/2007

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There’s A Place On Mars {Version #2}
Coca Cola .. Came to town
Diet Pepsi ... Come on down

Theres a place on mars where the women smoke cigars
Every puff they take is enough to kill a snake
When the snake is dead they put roses on its head
When the roses die . they put diamonds in its eyes
When the diamond break .. they begin to make a cake
When the cake is done ... it'll be 1991
- heather; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php ; March 18, 2006

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There's A Place On Mars {Version #1}
there is a place on mars where the women smoke cigars and the guys wear bikinis and the children sip Marines when a snake is dead you put Mustard in his eyes when the mustard dries you put Diamonds his eyes when the diamonds break. it's time to bake a cake when the cake is done its 1991 FREEZE
-pipin; 1/22/2007

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Tweedle Leedle lee {Version #2}
Tweedle leedle leedle
Tweedle leedle leedle

Tweedle leedle lee, treetop; tweedle leedle lee (repeat), twist it baby, twist it baby, your breath stinks, so--Rockin Robin song. Afterwards the rhyme continues with "Mama's in the kitchen,
cookin' friend chicken, Daddy's in the bed, halfway dead, Brother's in school actin' like a fool, Sister's in the corner sayin' fruit-cock-tail."

>Ethnicity: Samoan/Filipino
>Grew up: Norfolk, VA USA (didn't know if you still wanted this data)
>Learned hand games: Elementary school, age 5-10
-Janette C ; April 28, 2004

Editor:
Janette C; thank you very much for sending that example. Thanks also for remembering to include demographical information. I'm interested in who, what, where, why, and how rhymes are performed. In my opinion, collecting, preserving, and sharing this data will help document the recreational activities of various groups of children who lived during particular times & in particular places. An analysis of children's rhymes may also help to provide insight on what kinds of things children valued, hoped for, and were concerned about. I hope more people will remember to include demographical information with their examples.

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Tweedleelee {Version #1}
Tweedleelee
(Treetop)
Tweedleelee
(My Prop)
Tweedleelee
Popsicle, popsicle
Your butt stinks

He rocks in the tree top
all day long
huffin and ah puffin
and ah singin his song.
All the little birds on Jay Bird street
Love to hear the bird go
Tweet Tweet Tweet!

Rockin Robin
Tweet Tweetdalee
Rockin Robin
Tweet Tweetdalee

I went downtown
To get ah stick of butter.
I saw James Brown
layin in the gutter.
I saw a piece of glass
stickin in his butt.
I never saw a Black man
run so fast.

Mama’s in the kitchen
cookin rice.
Daddy’s outside
shootin dice.
Brother’s in jail
raisin bail.
Sister’s on the corner
Selling Fruit Cock Tail.

Rockin Robin
Tweet Tweetdalee
Rockin Robin
Tweet Tweetdalee
-girls and boys ages 6-13 years old; Pittsburgh, Pa, 1999;
collected by Azizi Powell, 1999; posted 8/8/2006

Editor:
This handclap rhyme comes from the Jackson 5 version of "Rockin Robin". Some African American adults in Pittsburgh have shared with me that they recited this rhyme in basically the same form in the 1970s. During my cultural presentations on children's rhymes with children who attended after-school programs [mostly in the housing projects of Pittsburgh, PA area from 1998-2003], I would ask the group what handclap 'songs' or cheers did they know. Although the children would sometimes preface their recitation of "Tweetdalee" by saying that this rhyme was "dirty", and though sometimes an adult supervisor would try to get the children to say another rhyme, I found that "Tweetdalee" {or some other similar sounding title} was extremely well known. During those sessions where one child was selected to recite a rhyme, that child would usually call someone up with her {or him} to do the handclap routine while saying the rhyme. And most times the whole group would enthusiastically join in the recitation, with other children-sometimes both boys and girls- would also do partner or three person handclaps.

But, I don't have a clue why the rhyme talks bad about James Brown and has him layin in the gutter in what has to be a painful and embarrassing condition. Your guess about this is as good as mine.

I'm curious if you know this rhyme. If so, please send in the version that you know so that it can be shared with others. And -as James Brown might say "Baby please please please" don't forget to include the area {city/state and country if outside the USA} where you live, and when {what year} you first heard or remember reciting this rhyme.

W,X,Y,Z
When Billy Boy Was One {Handclap Rhyme}
Two people sit facing each other. I'll do my best to describe the handclap motions... Cross down - start by crossing both hands over your chest, with your finger tips touching your shoulders, then uncross them and smack your thigh's. Your left hand will smack your left thigh and right hand, right thigh. The next step is to clap. When you clap, you begin singing the song. (For example: (cross down) (Clap), When Billy Boy was one..... (now begin claping with your partner - your right hand claps with their right hand - then you clap your hands together, next your left hand claps with your partner's left hand, then you clap your hands together. Repeat until the verse is over. When you start the next verse, begin again with cross down, slap your thighs, When Billy Boy was two...etc.

VERSES When Billy Boy was one, he learned to suck his thumb. Thumb Billy, Thumb Billy, half past one. When Billy Boy was two, he learned to tie his shoe. Shoe Billy, Shoe Billy, half past two. When Billy Boy was three, he learned to climb a tree. Tree Billy, Tree Billy, half past three. When Billy Boy was four, he learned to close the door. Door Billy, Door Billy, half past four. When Billy Boy was five, he learned to swim and dive. Dive Billy, Dive Billy, half past five. When Billy Boy was six, he learned to pick up sticks. Sticks Billy, Sticks Billy, half past six. When Billy Boy was seven, he learned to pray to heaven. Heaven Billy, Heaven Billy, half past seven. When Billy Boy was eight, he learned to roller skate. Skate Billy, Skate Billy, half past eight. When Billy Boy was nine, he learned to tell the time. Time Billy, Time Billy, half past nine. When Billy Boy was ten, he learned to catch the hens. Hens Billy, Hens Billy, half past ten. Cross down, then end!
-Jackie; 8/28/2007

Editor:
Jackie, thanks for sending in this rhyme. Thanks also for including performance directions for this rhyme.

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When I Was A Baby
In Brooklyn, in the late 50s and very early 60s:

When I was a baby, a baby, a baby
When I was a baby boom boom boom
It was crying this-a-way
Crying that-a-way
Crying this-a-way
Boom boom boom

(This goes through "child," "teenager kissing," then I think "when I got married" and then "had a baby" then "when my husband died" ending with
When I died, dies, died,
When I dies boom boom boom
It was six feet under, six feet under, six feet under boom boom boom.
-Guest; 7/27/2007; http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=102055 Folklore: Play Ground Hand Jives

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When Lucy Was A Baby
you can do this with a jump rope, or a hand clap, i did it with hand claps. just an old Florida rhyme: When Lucy was a baby, a baby When Lucy was a baby She went a little like this: Wah Wah When Lucy was a toddler, a toddler, a toddler, When Lucy was a toddler She went a little like this: Wah Wah, suck my thumb When Lucy was a kid, a kid, a kid When Lucy was a kid She went a little like this: Wah Wah, suck my thumb, give me a piece of bubble gum When Lucy was a teenager, a teenager, a teenager When Lucy was a teenager She went a little like this: Wah Wah, suck my thumb, give me a piece of bubble gum, ohh, ahh, lost my bra, left it in my boyfriend's car When Lucy was a grown up, a grown up, a grown up When Lucy was a grown up She went a little like this: Wah Wah, suck my thumb, give me a piece of bubble gum, ohh, ahh, lost my bra left it in my boyfriend's car, shh shh babies sleeping When Lucy was an grandma, a grandma, a grandma When Lucy was a grandma She went a little like this: Wah Wah, suck my thumb, give me a peice of bubble gum, ohh, ahh lost my bra, left it in my boyfriend's car, shh babies sleeping, god i'm old. When Lucy was dead, dead, dead, When Lucy was dead She went a little like this: Wah Wah, suck my thumb, give me a piece of bubble gum, ohh, ahh, lost my bra left it in my boyfriend's car, shh babies sleeping, god i'm old, great i'm dead
-Morgan; 5/16/2007

Editor:
Thanks, Morgan for sending in this rhyme. Thanks also for including the fact that it might be chanted while doing handclaps or while jumping rope. I also appreciate you including demographical information -"just an old Florida rhyme"

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When Pebbles Was A Baby
I am 25 now and was recently playing a hand game with my 6 year old cousin at a family gathering and was thinking about some of the games I used to play as a little girl. I am a Black female from Easter North Carolina. One I remember yet have no idea where it came from was called Pebbles and it basically followed the life of this girl. Each section of life had some type of hand gesture you had to do with it. and you had to remember the whole thing as it added on new lines. It basically went like this When pebbles was a baby, a baby a baby When pebbles was a baby she went like this cry cry. (then the group would act like they were wiping their tears) When pebbles was a toddler, a toddler a toddler when pebbles was a toddler she went like this cry cry, tie my shoe. (then we would wipe our tears, and reach down and touch our shoes) When pebbles was a 5 year old, a 5 year old, a 5 year old when pebbles was a 5 year old she went like this cry cry, tie my shoe, i want this i want that (you would do the previous motions plus point at left then right) When pebbles was a teenager, a teenager, a teenager when pebbles was a teenager she went like this cry cry, tie my shoe, i want this i want that, Ohh Ah I lost my bra I must have left it in my boyfriends car. ( on this part you would do the previous motions then also cross your hands over your chest and sort of shake your hips) This is a long song there is way more too it but it takes her through motherhood and then being a grandma and finally the end of her life. I think its basically to see who can and can't remember all the things that happened before. Its been a really long time since I did this one.
-Erica ; 1/3/2008

Editor:
Erica, thanks for sending in that handclap rhyme. Thanks also for including demographical information {your race, gender, location}. I also appreciate your inclusion of performance information. As you can see, this rhyme is very similar to the example that is titled "When Lucy Was A Baby" and "When Miss Lucy Was A Baby". Also, I wonder if the name "Pebbles" came from the name of the baby girl in the "The Flintstones" cartoon?

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When Miss Susy Was A Baby
when miss susy was a baby a baby a baby when miss susy was a baby she use to go like this... (roll fists around eyes) wa wa (pretend to suck your thumb) suck my thumb when miss susy was a kid a kid a kid when miss susy was a kid she use to go like this... (roll fists around eyes) wa wa (pretend to suck your thumb) suck my thumb (open hands like a book) read a book (bend down and pretend to tie shoe) tie my shoe when miss susy was a teen a teen a teen when miss susy was a teen she use to go like this... (roll fists around eyes) wa wa (pretend to suck your thumb) suck my thumb (open hands like a book) read a book (bend down and pretend to tie shoe) tie my shoe (put arms over chest) oo ah i lost my bra i think i left it in my boyfriends car when miss susy was a grown-up a grown-up a grown-up when miss susy was a grown-up she use to go like this... (roll fists around eyes) wa wa (pretend to suck your thumb) suck my thumb (open hands like a book) read a book (bend down and pretend to tie shoe) tie my shoe oo (cross right hand over left side of chest) ah (cross left hand over right side of chest) i lost my bra i think i left it in my boyfriends car (put hands over chest same way) oo ah i lost my bra i think i left it in my husbands car when miss susy was an old lady an old lady an old lady when miss susy was an old lady she use to go like this... (roll fists around eyes) wa wa (pretend to suck your thumb) suck my thumb (open hands like a book) read a book (bend down and pretend to tie shoe) tie my shoe oo (cross right hand over left side of chest) ah (cross left hand over right side of chest) i lost my bra i think i left it in my boyfriends car (put hands over chest same way) oo ah i lost my bra i think i left it in my husbands car (put hand to ear) speak up sonny i can't hear you when miss susy was dead was dead was dead when miss susy was dead she use to go like this... (drop to floor and act dead)
-Samantha; 3/15/2008 {learned in the 1990s}

Editor:
Thanks, Samantha, for sending in this example and including performance instructions!

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HANDCLAP, JUMP ROPE, AND ELASTICS RHYMES

This page contains selected examples and comments about handclap rhymes, elastics rhymes, and jump rope rhymes. Jump rope rhymes and elastics rhymes will be identified by that category's name.* All other rhymes on this page are handclap rhymes.

*Many jump rope rhymes are also used as ball bouncing rhymes. For a description of elastic jumping {also known as "French skipping" and other terms, see this comment that I re-posted on this Mudcat Discussion Forum thread about elastics:
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=46932&messages=103#2345619 .

You'll notice that this page contains multiple versions of the same rhyme. I'm interested in posting multiple versions of rhymes as a way of documenting the way that the words of a particular rhyme may be the same or different in various cities, towns, and/or nations. Posting multiple examples of the same rhyme also documents the way that the words of a rhyme may change over time.

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click here to send in examples of handclap & jump rope rhymes.

Although it is not required, please include information about how this rhyme is performed. Also, for the sake of folkloric research, please include the following demographical information: where you learned the rhyme {please include the city & state if within the USA, and the nation, if outside the USA}; when you learned this rhyme {year or decade such as 2008, the 1990s, or the mid 1970s}; and who performed this rhyme {age, gender, race/ethnicity}. Thanks!

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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. This free flowing writing style appears to be the prevailing way that many youth and young adults informally write on the Internet. 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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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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Special thanks to http://www.mudcat.org/threads.cfm; and http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php10/1/2003 for permission to repost selected examples from their websites.

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Examples of Rhymes:

Numbers

A,B
A B C {Version #3}
ABC abc, easy as 123, my momma takes care of me, my daddy watches mtv, ooh ahh i want a piece of pie, pie to sweet i wanna piece of meat, meat to rough i wanna ride a bus, bus too full i wanna ride a bull, bull not black i want my money back, money back too green i wanna jelly bean, jelly bean not cooked i wanna read a book, book not read i wanna go to bed, bed not made i want some lemonade, lemonade too sour i wanna take a shower, shower too cool i wanna go to school, school too dumb i wanna suck my thumb, thumb to dirty i wanna ride a birdie, birdie too slow and thats all i know, so close your eyes and count to ten, whoever messes up starts all over again, 12345678910...noone messed up so thats the end!
-elle ; 4/3/2007

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A B C {Version # 2}
I was reading Oh Ah in the handclaps and it sounds really similar to someting my friends and I use to play. I dont think its different because I live in Hawaii. A-B-C, Its easy as 1-2-3, My momma takes care-of-me, My daddy says, Oh Ah, I wanna piece of pie, Pie to sweet, I wanna piece of meat, Meat to tough, I wanna ride the bus, Bus to full, I wanna go to school, School to hard, I wanna jeely-bean, Jelly-Bean to green, Indiana Jones dont move or talk.
-Kaylen ; 3/27/2007

Editor, thanks, Kaylen, for sending in this rhyme. Thanks also for remembering to include information about where you live. It's interesting to see how widely these rhymes are known. "Indiana Jones dont move or talk" is an interesting way to say "Freeze!".

ABC {Version #1}
A.B.C.
It’s easy as 1.2.3.
My momma takes care of me.
My father don’t yell at me.

Caught you with your boyfriend.
Naughty, Naughty.
Didn’t do the dishes.
Lazy, Lazy.
Ate all the candy
Greedy, greedy.
Jumped out the window.
Man, you’re crazy!
-multiple sources including an anonymous White woman {Washington, D. C}, collected by Azizi Powell,1999; posted on Cocojams on 2/26/2006

Editor:
I collected this version of "ABC" in 1999 from an anonymous White woman who responded to a written survey on children's rhymes that I requested colleagues at my place of work to complete. In her comments, this woman provided the information that she remembered this rhyme from her childhood in the 1980s. She wrote that she grew up in a predominately Black neighborhood of Washington, D.C. The woman also wrote that there was more to this rhyme, but she couldn't remember it. I have also collected the same or similarly worded examples from African American women, and African American girls & female teenagers. The lines "A B C/ it's easy as 1, 2, 3" come from the Jackson Five's 1970 hit R&B song "ABC".

Also, see "Eenie Meanie Justaleenie" below for an example of another handclap rhyme with some of the same lines that are found in this example of "ABC {It's as easy as 1 2 3}. Lines that are used in more than one rhyme are called "floating lines" {or floating/traveling verses}.

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A-B-C-Together
My youngest sister is helping me with this post. She's just left Primary 7 (she's 12, in other words), so her 'help' should contain pretty modern versions...

My sister's version of "A-B-C-Together" goes:

Put your hands together, fingers pointing at the person opposite.
A (slap backs of left hands together, own palms still joined)
B (same with the back of right hands)
C (A but stay together, rather than slapping past)
Together (each clap right hand against own left hand)
Up (Right hands clap above the 'together' hands)
Together (bring back together)
Down (Right hands clap below the 'together' hands)
Together (bring back together)
Back (slap backs of hands together with other person, palms facing you)
To front (clap palms with the other person [ie, above^ but backwards])
knee (touch knee with right hand)
To toe (touch foot with right hand)
Wiggle your bum (basically, do 'the Twist')
Around you go (spin on the spot)
Pull the chain (make a 'pulling chain' action)
Start again.
-Viracocha [Sian] & her sister; {from Portlethen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, 2007} reposted with permission from http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=18352&messages=48 Lyr Req: Playground songs; 8/03/2007}

Editor:
Thanks, Viracocha, for giving me permission to repost this and other children's rhymes from Scotland!

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Abulata Cubalata Vista
You start with your hands together in prayer position facing each other, and then you put your left palm up and your right palm down as you clap the first time, then clap your own hands together, then clap palms together straight across, and you continue alternating until the final "MpShhhh!" where you clap hands straight across and then move your hands up and out and apart in a sort of finale. The rhyme goes thus: Abalata Cubalata Cubalata Vista Abalata Cubalata Cubalata Vista Nah Nah Nah Nah Nah NaVista Nah Nah Nah Nah Nah NaVista Eenie Meanie Desameani Oohwah Ahwatameani Eenie Meanie Desameani Oohwah Ahwatameani Bop Billy Op Billy Op MpShhhhh!

I learned this girl handclapping rhyme in Shawnee, Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City, in Johnson County, one of the richest, whitest and most cultureless counties in the USA. So it may have come to us from some gal who came from a more interesting place... I enjoyed reading the other rhymes on your website, I recently heard of a "Daring Book for girls" on NPR, the author mentioned that in these days of videogames and such it's important not to lose these important components of handed down girl culture. I would love to know if any of these words mean anything at all in another language. When we were girls we had some notion it was "African" but of course we had no idea then there were so many African languages... I wonder if someone had learned it from an African American girl. I loved it and still love it, and I teach it to my friends. It's a great "party trick" to give men - and women who have forgotten - a glimpse into the magical powerful world of girl culture that goes on and grows on, handed down girl to girl perhaps since the beginning of time.
-Amy H.; 12/8/2007

Editor:
Thanks, Amy! I appreciate your compliments and your comments about the importance of children's rhymes. With regard to the origin & meanings of these words, I believe that most of the words are nonsensical words that have no meanings. But, I wonder if "Cubalata Vista" might come from the Spanish phrase "como la vista". I wrote a comment about that theory on 7/4/2006 in this Mudcat thread {discussion}: http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=47148 . My theory is that "Abulata Cubalata Vista" belongs to a family of children's handclap rhymes that I call the "Como La Vista" family. I've posted examples of some other rhymes that I've found which I think also belong to that rhyme "family". I've given those rhymes these titles "and other rhymes featured on this page {thus far-"Ama Lama Kuma La Vista"; "Coomalata Beestay" and "Oo The Beestay". Most of these rhymes include the word "la vista". Many of these rhymes also begin with the words "Flea.. Flea fly.. Flea Fly Flow". In my opinion, those words serve as an introduction to the actual rhyme. Therefore, I used the next words as the title of that particular example. As to my theory about the Spanish origin of these rhymes, that theory stands on rather shaky ground as it's based on the inclusion of the word {words?} "la vista" or a word that is pronounced like it {"beestay"/"veestay"}. Needless to say, I may be completely wrong about the Spanish origin of this children's rhyme.

Also, Amy, let me say that other folks who are from Shawnee, Kansas might take exception to your description of this suburb as being cultureless. After all, every place as some culture. :o)

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Ackabaka {See entries for "My Mother, Your Mother" on this page}

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Ah Beep Beep
Ah Beep Beep
Ah Beep Beep
Walkin down the street
Ugawa. Ugawa
That means Black power.
White boy.
Destroy..
I said it. I meant it
And I’m here to represent it.
Soul sister number 9
Sock it to me one more time.
Uh hun! Uh Hun!
Source: Tracey S., Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; childhood remembrance,1968

Editor:
In a personal conversation, Tracey indicated that, although she was in kindergarten she distinctly remembers the older girls and girls her age standing on their porches reciting this rhyme as both an expression of Black pride and as a taunt to the White policeman who were in her neighborhood during the riots that occurred as a result of Martin Luther King’s assassination.

Given her input, it’s my conjecture that “white boy. Destroy” means “Destroy white boys”. “Sock it to me!” was a popular slogan during that time that loosely meant “Give it to me” or "show me what you’ve got”.

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A Lady On One Foot {Jump Rope Rhyme}
A lady on one foot one foot one foot a lady on two foot two foot two foot a lady on three foot three foot three foot a lady on four foot four foot four foot a lady on five foot five foot five foot a lady on six foot six foot six foot a lady no foot no foot no foot.
- De'Azia, age 8, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 3/24/2006

Editor:
When I was growing up, we did this up to "four foot". We started out
with "Lady on two foot". This meant jumping with two feet touching the ground. "Lady on one foot" meant jumping with on foot touching the ground. "Three foot" meant jumping with two feet and while touching the ground with one hand without missing. "Four foot" meant jumping with two feet while touching the ground with both hands without missing. Then we'd say "Jump out" which might be what "no foot" means here. I'm not sure what "five foot" & "six foot" means. However, the explanation for "five feet" that is found on this page with the rhyme "Blue Bell" (try to touch all hands and butt to the ground in one jump) may also be what "five feet" means in this "Lady On One Foot" rhyme. But if so, then what does "six feet" mean?=two jumpers with one butt, two hands, and two feet each?

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All In Together ; Jump Rope Rhyme
All in together
Every kind of weather
January, February,
March, April,
May, June July,
August, September, October,
November, December
{Jump out on your birthday month}
-various sources, including Azizi Powell's childhood memories {Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1950s}

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All The Girls In France ; Jump Rope Rhyme
All the girls in France
Do the Hula Hula dance
And they don't wear pants
When they do the Hula dance.
-various sources, including Azizi Powell's memories of Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1950s

Editor:
I remember singing this while jumping rope or bouncing ball. But my clearest memories of this song is dancing like a "hula hula" girl from Hawaii while I sang this song. There may have been other words to this rhyme, but I can't remember them. Also, I think Hula Hula dance was originally "Hootchie Cootchie" dance, or maybe I just remember reading those words somewhere. I remember thinking it was kinda risque' to sing about people dancing without wearing pants. I thought the words referred to "panties" {underwear} and not pants like jeans. See similar rhymes on this page such as "In The Land of France" and "In The Land of Mars." Also, see this Mudcat thread for additional examples & information about this family of rhymes:
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=102055&messages=43 Folklore: Play Ground Hand Jives

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Ama Lama Kuma La Vista
What about the song that goes like this..

Flea.. Flea fly.. Flea Fly Flow. Ama lama kuma lama kuma la vista, Oh oh oh oh not the vista vista, issilini dissilini Oo aa aa malini, akaraka, cukara ich bam boom, ip diddly ope en bope why not shout and bout........ssssssss.... Bang!

Anybody else know this?..."
-Danny; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php10/1/2003 ; 10/1/2003

Editor:
In my opinion, this is another example of a rhyme that belongs to the "Como La Vista" family of children's handclap rhymes. A listing of what I think are members of this "family of rhymes" is found in my comments to "Abulata Cubalata Vista".

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Apples On A Stick {Version #6}
this is a hand clap very similar to others! apple on a stick it makes me sick makes my heartbeat...246 not because im dirty not because i kissed a boy behind a magazine hey girls having lots of fun (your two names) are having lots of fun we can do the rumble we can do the splits bet ya bet ya can't do this close your eyes and count to ten whoever mucks it up is a big fat hen (count to ten if you muck it up say "(who mucked it up name)so thats the end " if no one mucks it up you say " no one mucked it up so thats the end"
-Annie; 5/30/2008

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Apples On A Stick {Version #4}
Apple on a stick makes me sick makes my heart beat 2-46 not because you're dirty not because you're clean not because you kissed the boy behind the magazine hey girls you wanna have some fun cause here come a lady with a big fat bum she can wibble she can wobble she can even do the splits but i bet ya i bet ya she can't do this close your eyes and count to ten if you muck it up you're a big fat hen. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 (if you didn't muck up) we didn't muck it up so that's the end. we're best friends. (if you did muck up) we mucked up and that's the end so start again cause we're not best friends.
-Allie; 2/15/2007

Editor:
"Muck it up" means "mess up".

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Apples On A Stick {Version #3}
The space goes
apple on a stick just makes me sick make my tummy go 2 4 6
not because im hunrgy
not because im clean
just because i kiss a boy behind the magazine
hey girls lets have some fun
here comes (name) with his pant undone
he can wiggle he can wobble he can do the twist
but most of all he cant do this close your eyes and count ten if you messs up start ova again
1, 2, 3, 4, ...
- Cece http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php; 10/9/2005

Editor:
In my opinion, the word "space" in the introductory phrase "The space goes" was originally the word "spades". "Spades" is a colloquial, and often derogatory referent for Black people {African Americans}. The introductory term "The spades go" means that the rhyme is being recited or performed the way that Black people did it. See "Down Down Baby" {from the Big movie} on Cocojams' Game Songs and Movement Rhymes page for another example of a rhyme that contains the introductory phrase "The space goes".

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Apple On A Stick {Version #2}
Apples on a the stick
make me sick.
Make my heart go
Two forty six
Not because I’m dirty
Not because I’m clean
Not because I kissed a boy
Behind a magazine.
-multiple sources, including girls ages 7-10 years; Millview Acres Housing Development (Clairton, PA) 2002; collected by Azizi Powell, 2002

Editor:
I have found this rhyme written separately or as the beginning of a longer rhyme. The girls in Millvue Acres did intricate partner handclap rhymes while chanting this rhyme.

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Apple On A Stick {Version #1) [Jump Rope Rhyme]
I used to spend recesses against the wall for jumping out of the swings in mid-air, and playing tag on the tornado slide, and the girls jumped the rope on the wide walkway there. Here [is one rhymes} that I recall hearing, but the words may be out of order, as this was a while ago.

Apples on a stick, make me sick (slick?).
make my arms (heart?) go two-four-six!
It's not because i'm dirty
It's not because i'm clean
It's not because I kiss the boys
behind a magazine (behind a _____ machine?)
Hey girls, let's have fun!
Here comes a cop with his (vest?) undone!
He can shammey he can shake
He can do the hoochie-koo
But I bet a dollar he can't catch you!
One, two, three, etc.....

Chanted to a double jumprope, I heard this on the schoolyard in Spirit Lake, Iowa around 1982-5. The count continued untill the jumproper missed a lick.
-Neighmond {Chaz J.}; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=56361

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A Sailor Went To Sea Sea Sea {Version #3}
At my elementary school in Willoughby Hills, Ohio (far east suburbs of Cleveland, white, middle & working class) about 1965-70, the girls had some additional verses to the handclap rhyme "A sailor went to sea sea sea": A sailor went to sea sea sea To see what he could see see see But all that he could see see see Was the bottom of the deep blue sea sea sea A sailor went to Amsterdam To see what he could Amsterdam But all that he could Amsterdam Was the bottom of the deep blue Amsterdam [I think there were a few more verses with three-syllable place names, but the only ones I can think of now don't seem quite right. Establishing the three-syllable pattern makes the next verse funnier.] A sailor went to Chiiii-na To see what he could Chiiii-na But all that he could Chiiii-na Was the bottom of the deep blue Chiiii-na A sailor went to Frank Frank Frank To see what he could Frank Frank Frank But all that he could Frank Frank Frank Was the bottom of the deep blue Frank Frank Frank A sailor went to En En En To see what he could En En En But all that he could En En En Was the bottom of the deep blue En En En A sailor went to Stein Stein Stein To see what he could Stein Stein Stein But all that he could Stein Stein Stein Was the bottom of the deep blue Stein Stein Stein A sailor went to Frankenstein To see what he could Frankenstein But all that he could Frankenstein Was the bottom of the deep blue Frankenstein The handclap pattern, of which I've forgotten the details, was the same for every verse. It was usually done in pairs, but could be done by any number in a circle. Sometimes after completing all the verses it would be repeated at increasing speed until our hands couldn't keep up or we dissolved with laughter. I found your site through your postings on Mudcat.org, and it's brought back a lot of memories. Lots of stuff here is familiar, and I'll post the versions I remember as I get time. Thanks so much.
-Elizabeth ; 2/17/2008

Editor:
Elizabeth, thank you for sending in that version of "A Sailor Went To Sea Sea Sea". Thanks also for remembering to include performance instructions and demographical information {elementary school, race, economic class, and geographical location}. I'm glad that you found this website through http://www.mudcat.org/threads.cfm. I look forward to the possibility of you sharing more rhymes with Cocojams!

For those who aren't familiar with that website, Mudcat is an online, international folk and blues discussion forum. There are a number of threads {series of discussions} at the forum on children's rhymes. One such thread is http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=94034&messages=153 Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky. Hyperlinks to other children's rhymes threads can be found on that page. Membership is free at that forum, and guests can also posts examples and comments, and also start new threads. Try it. You may like it!

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A Sailor Went To Sea Sea Sea {Version #2}
And an Oz version of
A sailor went to sea sea sea
to see what he could sea sea sea
and all that he could sea sea sea
was the bottom of the deep blue sea sea sea.

went (to one clapping pattern)

A sailor went to Diz Diz Diz
to see what he could Diz Diz Diz
and all that he could Diz Diz Diz
was the bottom of the deep blue Diz Diz Diz.

then (to another clapping pattern)

A sailor went to knee knee knee
to see what he could knee knee knee
and all that he could knee knee knee
was the bottom of the deep blue knee knee knee.

then (to yet another clapping pattern)

A sailor went to land land land
to see what he could land land land
and all that he could land land land
was the bottom of the deep blue land land land.

and finally (to a combination of all three clapping patterns)

A sailor went to Disneyland
to see what he could Disneyland
and all that he could Disneyland
was the bottom of the deep blue Disneyland.
-Rowan; {Australia; reposted with permission from http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=18352&messages=48 Lyr Req: Playground songs; 8/02/2007}

Editor:
Rowan, thanks for giving me permission to repost your example on Cocojams!

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A Sailor Went To Sea Sea Sea {Version #1}
A sailor went to sea sea sea
To see what he could see see see
And all that he could see see see
Was the bottom of the deep blue sea sea sea

A sailor went to chop chop chop
A sailor went to knee knee knee
A sailor went to oohwhatchakaw
A sailor went to stand by me

Its more to it than this..
-Cheryl G.; electronic message to her aunt Doris H. who forwarded this and other rhymes to Azizi Powell,
11/18/2004

Editor:
Thanks Cheryl and Doris!!!

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Away In France
This song I learned when I was a school girl in Oxon Hill, Maryland in the 1960s: Away in France where the alligators dance, One wouldn't dance so they kicked him in the pants, The pants he wore cost a dollar ninety-four -- And you can get them in your grocery store! (I remember my father singing a variation about Away in France where the women wear no pants, away in France where the men do the same", but Mom snapped, "Douglas, don't be vulgar!", so that's all I remember.)
-Ann N.; 4/29/2007

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Ballerina [Jump Rope Rhyme]
Ballerina ballerina
Turn around
Ballerina ballerina
Touch the ground
Ballerina ballerina
Double quick
Ballerina ballerina
Do the splits!

{The trick was to do it all skipping.}
-Viracocha [Sian] ; {from Portlethen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, in the early 1990s} reposted with permission from http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=18352&messages=48 Lyr Req: Playground songs; 7/30/2007

Editor:
"Skipping" here means jumping rope.

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Banana, Banana, Banana In {Elastics Jumping}
Banana, Banana, Banana, in
Banana, banana, banana, out
Banana, banana, banana, on
Banana, banana, banana, out
(On banana, you straddle one elastic - ie one leg in, one leg out, so that you are juming to and fro over the elastics, on "in" you jump inside the elastic, the first "out" involves straddling the elastic with both legs out, whereas the last out was jumping clear of the elastic to finish. Oh and "on" meant you had to land on the elastics.
-Guest; 2/14/2008; http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=46932&messages=98; Child's Game: Elastics

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Blue Bells ; Jump Rope Rhyme
(Start swinging rope back and forth without doing a full turn) Blue Bells Taco Shells eevy ivy ooover (now regular jump rope) i went down town to see james (or charlie) brown he gave me a nickle to buy me a pickle the pickle was sour he gave me a flower the flower was dead and this is what he said, he said: johnney jump on one foot one foot one foot, johnney jump on two feet, two feet, two feet, johnney jump on three feet, three feet, three feet, johnney jump on four feet four feet four feet johnney jump on FIVE FEET! (try to touch all hands and butt to the ground in one jump. everybody messed up here)
-Talia G.; 12/5/2006

C,D
Cats Dogs In Out {Elastics Jumping}
Cats (straddle one elastic) in (both legs in)
Dogs (straddle the other elastic) out (both legs out)
In out in on
Out twist (jump, straddle the elastic and twist so that it gets twisted around your legs) out

In on in out (jump clear of the elastics to start/finish position), out (straddle both elastics) twist out (back to start/finish position)
-Guest; 2/14/2008; http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=46932&messages=98; Child's Game: Elastics

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Cee Cee My Playmate
see Playmate below on this page

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Cinderella Dressed In Yellow {Version #2} Jump Rope Rhyme
Cinderella dressed in yella,
wen' upstairs to kiss her fella,
she made a mistake,
and kissed her snake,
how many doctors did it take? 1234 . . . ect.

Most of the jump-rope rymes are rather morbid no?
-Tommaeee http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php; at April 1, 2007

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Cin-der-ell-a {Version #3} ; Jump Rope Rhyme
a jump rope song we used to sing went like this: cin-der-ell-a, cin-der-ell-a kissed a frog, and lost her fell-a how many kissed did he get? (then you count how many jumps from there)
-Anna; 9/1/2007

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Cinderella Dressed In Yellow {Version #2} ; Jump Rope Rhyme
cindreella dressed in yellow went upstairs to kiss her fellow. accidentlly kissed a snake how many doctors did it take 1 2 3...keep going until someone missed the jump rope.
-db, 3/8/2006

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Cinderella Dressed In Yella {Version #1} ; Jump Rope Rhyme
From my eleven-year-old daughter come these jump rope rhymes. She says they don't sing them, they are more of a chant than a song. They do this at school during recess.
Cinderella, dressed in yella, went upstairs to kiss a fella,
Made a mistake and kissed a snake, how many doctors would it take?
1, 2, 3, 4,...(count until jumper misses.)

Cinderella, dressed in blue, went outside to tie her shoe,
Goodness gracious, she'll be late. How many seconds did it take?
1, 2, 3, 4,...(count until jumper misses.)
-Jon W.; 3/10/98; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=4300 ;Cinderella Dressed In Yella

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Coca Cola Went To Town {Version #2}
another coca cola song...

coca cola went to town diet pepsi shot him down
dr. pepper fixed him up, now were drinking 7up
7up got the flu now were drinking mountain dew
mountain dew fell off a mountain now were drinking from a fountain
the fountain broke an now were back to drinking coke
-Guest, mathy, http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=94034; Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky;
3/17/2007

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Coca Cola Went To Town {Version #1}
I have a great song for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(To the tune of Stella-Ella-Olla!!) coca cola went to town, diet pepsi knocked em down,doctor pepper fixed em, now were drinking 7 up, 7 up got the flu, now were drinking mountain dew, mountain dew fell off the mountain now were drinking from the fountain, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5!
-amia ; 6/15/2007

Editor:
Amia, thanks for sending in words to "Coca Cola Went To Town". Thanks also for including the information that you sing it to the tune of "Stella Ella Olla". I'm wondering if you play it the same way as people play "Stella Ella Ola" {This is the spelling I prefer, There's no right or wrong spelling for this rhyme title}. I haven't received any examples of Stella Ella Ola yet from Cocojams Readers. However, I have observed the game "Stella Ella Ola" being played in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but the name of the game was "Strolla Ola Ola" or "Slap Billy-Ola". I've collected these rhymes and other versions of Stella Ella Ola. Since you mentioned that rhyme, I'll post some versions of "Stella Ella Ola" and related rhymes on this page under the "S" section of this page. By the way, I've also collected examples of "Coca Cola Went To Town" but haven't seen or heard it played. I've noticed that "Coca Cola Went To Town" is sometimes combined with other rhymes such as "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky". See examples of that below.

I'm interested in finding out if people who know the tunes to both "Stella Ella Ola" and "Coca Cola Went To Town" would agree that they are sung using the same tune. Also I'm wondering if people who have played "Coca Cola Went To Town" do so using the same performance directions as "Stella Ella Ola" {see those directions under the first example of that rhyme below}. Please send in more information about these two rhymes. Thanks!!!

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Coca Cola Went To Town/There’s A Place On Mars
Coca Cola (clap clap clap)
went to town (clap clap clap)
Hi-C (clap clap clap)
knocked him down (clap clap clap)
7up (clap clap clap)
picked him up (clap clap clap)
Dr. Pepper (clap clap clap)
gave him (clap clap clap)
sleeping pills (clap clap clap)
jelly rolls (clap clap clap)
Theres a place on Mars
where the ladies smoke cigars
every puff they take
is enough to kill a snake
when the snake is dead
you put diamonds in his head
when the diamonds break
it's enough to bake a cake
when the cake is done
it is 1991
when you tie your shoe
it is 1992
when you get stung by a bee
it is 1993
when you slam a door
it is 1994
when you dance the jive
it is 1995
when you pick up sticks
it is 1996
when you like a boy named devon
it is 1997
when you close the gate
it is 1998
when you're feelin' fine
it is 1999
then it gets all cold
then you
FREEZE!
- Miranda; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php at August 19, 2004

Editor:
I'd like to thank Halifax and other members of Octoblog for giving me permission to repost examples from that website's page on school yard rhymes. Also, see other examples of "There's A Place Called Mars" and similar named rhymes below.

****
Coomalata Beestay
flea (flea)
fly (fly)
flea fly flew (ditto)
coomalata coomalata coomalata beestay
no no no no not the beestay

and ended in a sort of scat-rhythm: eee-biddlety-oaten-doaten-wahbat-skee-watten-tatten-SHHHHHHHHHHHHH !!!!
-Bonnie S.; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=47148 RE: eena meena mackeracka (children's rhymes);7/1/2006

Editor:
Thanks Bonnie, for permission to repost this example. I think this rhyme is part of a family that I call "Como La Vista". My theory is that this rhyme may have a Spanish language source. I suggested that in the Mudcat discussion whose link is provided above. With regard to that possibility, Bonnie S. wrote: Interesting point about "beestay"'s origins - I spelled it that way because Mark did so above, but I can also remember hearing it sung as "veestay". This was in California where there was/is a lot of Spanish spoken (I was saying Ay Caramba DECADES before Bart Simpson did)...

The example from Mark that Bonnie mentions is titled Oo The Beestay and in the "O" section of this page. See other examples of the "Como La Vista" family of children's rhymes on this page.

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Cowboy Joe ; Jump Rope Rhyme
Cowboy Joe from Mexico,
Hands up (as if someone were pointing a gun at you)
Stick them up (make guns out of your hands and point them straight ahead)
Don't forget to pick them up (pretend to pick up your guns from the ground)
Cowboy Joe, go blow! (escape)

Jump rope rhymes mid 1960s, Oxon Hill, Maryland.

By the way, "Blue bells, cockle shells, eevy, ivy, over" was the preface to most of our jump rope games.
-Ann N., 4/30/2007

Editor:
Thanks, Ann N., for sending in this example and other examples of rhymes. I appreciate your inclusion of performance information and other commentary.

See "Blue Bells" on this page for another example of the "Blue Bell Cockle Shells etc" line.

****
Dogs Dogs
I have a rhyme i had made up and I wanted to share it with you, actually i have two rhymes that I wanted to share my friends did them and when i told them i made them up they didn't beleive me. So here they are City: Phoenix, AZ U.S. recited by a girl,me, 2007 1ST ONE dogs dogs, so harmless and sweet, dogs dogs, they just can't be beat, dogs dogs, so many everywhere, dogs dogs, how many are there? 1,2,3, etc.
-sarah ; 3/10/2007

Editor:
Sarah, thank you so much for sharing your rhymes with me and the rest of the Cocojams readers. I also appreciate you remembering to include demographical information {geographical location, and your gender}. The second rhyme you made up "Panda Bear" is posted on this page under the letter "P". Keep using your creativity!

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Double Double This
Double double this this
Double double that that
Double this
Double that
Double this and that.
-Azizi Powell; observation of African American girls, ages 7-10 years
old; Fort Pitt Elementary School {Pittsburgh, PA}. collected in 2003
by Azizi Powell, posted by Azizi in 2005

Editor:
I've seen this rhyme performed by two children standing facing each other, by four children (two sets of partners who take turns slapping the hands of the two people across from them), and by three children {standing in a triangle formation}.
I have also seen this rhyme performed by more than four children {standing in a circle formation}.

Method of playing in a circle:
If the handclap rhyme is played with more than four children, one person is selected to starts the game. The children chant together. On the first word the starter lightly slaps the hand of the person to her or his right. On the next word, that person slaps the next person to his or her right and so on. The person whose hand is slapped on the last word of the rhyme is out. When only two people are left in the circle, they face each other and slap hands with each word. At this point, the two usually perform a standard handclap routine with the chant becoming faster and faster each time it is repeated. The person who messes up the routine is out, and the last person remaining is the winner.

Method of playing with a partner, with four children, or with three children:
This handclap routine can be done with two partners or with three children. A standard routine for pairs is:
Select a partner. Face partner. In the case of three children, there are no partners, but the handclapping routine alternates with each child.
Here's a standard handclap routine:
On “double double” use your upheld right hand to lightly slap the upheld left palm of partner;
On “This This” hold up both hands and lightly slap partners hands two times.
On “Double this and that” hit partners’ two hands with your two hands.

Children may dip when they chant, and slap high, slap low, slap under their legs, and add hip shaking and body swaying movements. Sometimes children may also fancy up a handclap routine by combining body pats such as chest pats and pats to the soles of their feet. However, handclap routines are performed "in place". There is little if any movement away from the spot where the child is standing.

The most important part of the handclap rhyme is maintaining the correct sequence of hand clap exchanges. The chant helps children do this because you can remember which hand motion goes with which word.

Usually each time "Double Double This" is chanted, it goes faster. When this is played as a partner game with one or more sets of partners, those who perform the wrong motion, or don't perform fast enough are out. The person who is the last one remaining is the winner.

**
See this YouTube video of an Australian version of "Double Double This":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ul7xIhmTe6k&mode=related&search=
[Added November 12, 2006; From bodgiefahey]

See also http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibDns2Py8_o&search=handclap "A Soldier"
[Added November 12, 2006; From bodgiefahey]

****
Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky {Version #17}
down by the bank with the hanky panky where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky with the e i o u eastside westside ding dong see that house on top of that hill that's where me and my boyfriend live smell that chicken smell that rice come on yall let's shoot some...dice
-Guest; 12/15/2007; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=940347/15/2007; Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky

Editor:
A variation {variant form} of the lines "see that house on top of that hill" etc. are found in an example of "I Love Coffee I Love Tea" posted on this page under the name "Kyla". Verses used in multiple rhymes and songs are called "floating verses" or "traveling verses". Click on the Mudcat link provided above to read many other examples of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" rhymes.

Editor:
ConRaya and Sha'Ona demonstrated the performance of this rhymes and other rhymes & cheers for me. See "Momma Momma Can't You See, Version #5 on this page}. In response to my question, they confirmed that the line "hit me where you wanna go" refers to the girl's butt. See examples of this rhyme on Cocojams' Foot Stomping Cheers page. This rhyme was also performed in the late 1970s and 1980s as a foot stomping cheer. I'm not sure which performance activity came first-the handclap routine or the foot stomping cheer. Unfortunately, few people I have spoken with in Pittsburgh, PA area remember this rhyme being performed to foot stomps. However, this example retains the foot stomping lyrical structure and is therefore differentiated from the structure of most other handclap rhymes.

I,J
I Don't Want To Go To School Anymore
Shame shame shame
I don't wanna go to school no more more more
There's a big fat teacher by the door door door
If she grabs you by the collar
Lord you better holler
I don't want to go to school no more more more

I've also heard a version of this where it was Mexico and a policeman
-Pogo; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=81350 "I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes":
5/22/2005

Editor:
See below for other versions of this rhyme. Also, remember to visit Cocojams' Teacher Taunts page. I placed this rhyme under "I" and not "S" because I believe that "Shame Shame Shame" is an introductory phrase and not the beginning of the actual rhyme.

****
I Don’t Want To Go To Mexico {Example #3}
Shame Shame Shame.
I don’t want to go to Mexico
no more, more, more.
There’s a big fat policeman
at door, door, door.
He’ll grab you by the collar
and make you pay a dollar.
I don’t want to go to Mexico
no more, more, more.
“Shut the door!”
-Breeana W. & Tonoya W.{Philadelphia, PA};
collected in 2001 by Azizi Powell, posted on Cocojams 5/12/2004

Editor:
I asked several of my young cousins at a family reunion if they knew any handclapping songs. They performed this one as a partner handclap {two people stand still, facing each other and alternately clap or slap one or two of the other person's hands}. Each partner tries to be the first to say “shut the door!” Whoever says it first, lightly flicks the other player on the side of their forehead and then points to them in a “Got ya!” manner. Each girl leans back to try to not get flicked or tapped on the forehead. It's possible for both of them to get flicked or tapped at the same time. But no one is supposed to get angry about this. This is just one of several rhymes that I have collected that involve children getting flicked or tapped or hit during a rhyme or at the end of a rhyme.

****
I Don’t Want To Go To Mexico {Example #2}
Shame Shame Shame.
I don’t want to go to Mexico
no more, more, more.
There’s a big fat policeman
at door, door, door.
If he pulls you by the collar
girl, you better holler.
I don’t want to go to Mexico
no more, more, more.
Shame.
-African American girls & boys {5-12 years}, Pittsburgh, Penn.
collected in 1998 by Azizi Powell, posted on Cocojams 5/12/2004

Editor:
I collected this version in 1998 from a number of school aged African American girls and boys living in various Pittsburgh, PA. neighborhoods.

"I Don’t Want To Go To Macy’s" {and similarly worded titles that include the word "Macy's"} is probably the source for "I Don't Want To Go To Mexico" and other related children's rhymes. Roger Abraham notes in his collection Jump-Rope Dictionary that "I Don't Want To Go To Macy's" was documented as being performed by American children in 1938. “Macy’s” is the name of a chain of department stores. The most famous Macy's store is located in New York City. My theory is that these children substituted "Mexico" for "Macys" since they weren't familiar with the "Macy's" store or the word “Macy’s”. This is an example of “folk etymology” Folk etymology occurs when people change foreign words or unfamiliar words into familiar words or sounds that are similar to the word they don’t know.

I've posted a variant form of "I Don't Want To Go To Macy's" that is titled "I Won't Go To Macy's" below on this page. My theory is that these children substituted "Mexico" for "Macys" since they weren't familiar with the "Macy's" store or the word “Macy’s”. While I've seen a number of children perform "I Don't Want To Go To Mexico" in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area {as well as seeing my Philadelphia cousins perform it}, I've never seen anyone recite the words "I Don't Want To Go To Macy's". Also, no example of "I Don't Want To Go To Macy" that I have read includes the "Shame Shame Shame" introductory phrase or any introductory phrase. I've noticed these kinds of introductory phrases in a large number of African American children's rhymes. Often there also may be an ending phrase such as is found in this example. One seven year old Pittsburgh girl recited the same version that is presented above, but she started the rhyme by saying “Shine, shine, shine”. Because it appears to me that children try to make sense out of their rhymes, and being ashamed of being caught by a policeman makes more sense in these rhymes than the word shine, I believe that "shine” is another example of “folk etymology” with the source word being "shame".

****
I Like Coffee. I Like Tea {Example #7}
I was taught this version of -I like coffee, I like tea- when I worked at a summer camp in Inkster, MI (suburb of Detroit) in 2002: I like coffee I like tea I like the colored boy an' he likes me so step back white boy you ain't fly i'll get the colored boy to beat your behind last night the night before i met my boyfriend at the candy store he bought me ice cream he bought me cake he brought me home with a belly ache momma, momma will i die close your eyes and count to 5 1-2-3-4-5 i'm alive
-Emily; 12/26/2007

Editor:
Emily, thanks for sending in this version of "I Like Coffee. I Like Tea". Thanks also for including demographical information {the geographical location where you learned this rhyme, how you learned this rhyme, and the year you learned this rhyme}.

Cocojams readers, see the handclap rhyme titled "I'm A Nut In A Hut" that Emily also sent in.

****
Take A Peach Take A Plum/ I Love Coffee, I love Tea {Version #6}
take a peach take a plum take a stick of bubblegum
no peach no plum just a stick of bubblegum
I like coffee and i like tea
I like a colored boy and he likes me
So step back whiteboy you don't shine
I get my colored boy to beat ya behind
He beat ya high
he beat ya low
he beat you all the way to Mexico
I saw you with ya boyfriend last night
How Do I know
I peeked out the window
Nosey!
I ate a bunch of candy
greedy!
I didn't take a shower
Dirty!
I didn't do my homework
Stupid!

*i forgot the rest*
- GeminiChix http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php ; February 28, 2006

Editor:
See examples of "Eenie Meenie Pepsa Deenie" on this page for rhymes that contain similar lines as this version of the "I Like Coffee I Like Tea" rhymes.

****
I Like Coffee. I Like Tea {Example #5}
Does anyone remeber the one that has I like coffee i like tea i like a black boy and he likes me so stand back white boys i know your shy I'll get a black boy to beat your behind he'll beat it rough he'll be it tough he'll beat it till you almost had enough.
do you remeber what was first i remember it had have a peach have a plum have a stick of bubble gum bot peach no plum no stick of bubble gum. But something comes before that
-GUEST,kerry; http://www.mudcat.org/threads.cfm , “Children's Street Songs”, 26 Aug 05

****
I Love Coffee. I Love Tea {Example #4}
I love coffee
I love tea
I love a Black boy and he loves me
so step back White boy
you don't shine
I'mma get a Black boy to beat your behind

I met my boyfriend at the candy store.
He bought me ice-cream, he bought me cake,
he brought me home with a belly-ache.
Mamma, Mamma, I feel sick.
Call the doctor - quick, quick, quick.
Doctor, Doctor, will I die?
Count to five and you'll be alive.
1-2-3-4-5. I'm alive.
-collected by Azizi Powell, 1980s-2006; posted on 2/26/2006;

Editor:
This version is widely recited among African American girls in the Pittsburgh, Penn area from about the late 1980s-early 1990s to date {2006}. I've found the same or similar contemporary versions of this rhyme on various Internet sites for contemporary children's rhymes. I've also received the same version of this rhyme from persons in New York City, Georgia, and Maryland. This leads me to believe that this version may be quite widespread. Some examples of the Pittsburgh, PA rhyme that I've collected have this rhyming line at the end: "1-2-3-4-5. I'm alive." Less often, I've heard children say at the end "I'm Alive. And on channel 5". [This was added before there was a channel 5 television station in this area. There still may not be such a channel. The "5" was added because it rhymed with the word "alive"."]
****

****
I Pledge Allegiance To The Flag {Version #1}
I was reading along with my kids and laughing at ones I remember from when I was little... I particularly liked the one with Michael Jackson in it - it also asked if there were different versions we could share... I lived in Hawaii in 1984 when the "commercial accident" occurred and this was the version I learned: I pledge allegiance to the flag Michael Jackson makes me gag Pepsi-Cola burned him up And now he's drinking 7-Up!
-Rhonda; 6/28/2007

Editor:
Thanks, Rhonda, for your comment about Cocojams. Thanks also for sending in your example of "I Pledge Allegiance To The Flag". I also appreciate your inclusion of demographical information {information about where & when you learned this rhyme}. I didn't know that incident happened in Hawaii.

Btw, "I Pledge Allegiance To The Flag" is often recited as a section of many "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" rhymes. As you mentioned, the examples that refer to pop singer Michael Jackson allude to the accident that occurred when his head got burned while he was filming a Pepsi Cola commercial. {See examples of those rhymes above}. I'm curious if there are any examples of "I Pledge Allegiance To The Flag" that don't mention Michael Jackson or this incident. If anyone knows any examples like that, please send them in so they can be shared with Cocojams readers!

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I Step In
I step in you step out. you hop in i hop out. When i jump in you hop out. When i spin in you spin out. When i jump in you sit down. When i clap one time you clap two times. You stand up i sit down. I jump clap i hop clap also i can spin and clap.
-Raaziq, age 8, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 3/24/2006

Editor:
I'm not sure if this is a jump rope rhyme or Simon says/follow the leader type game. I hope that Raaziq or someone else who knows will write in and let us know.

****
I Went To A Chinese Restaurant {Version #3}
i went to a chinese restuarant
to buy a loaf of bread bread bread
the waiter asked me whats my name and this is what i said said said
myy name is ching ching charlie
Pompom cutie
punch ya in the belly
oops i'm sorry
chinese japanese look at these dirty knees
POW!
-Guest, mcr; 8/7/2006; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=63097#1022419 :
"RE: Folklore: Do kids still do clapping rhymes?"

****
I Went To A Chinese Restaurant {Version #2}
I went to a Chinese restaurant to buy a loaf of bread bread bread.
And when he put it in the oven, this is what he said said said.
My name is nee-ay nee-ay nicka nicka-lodeon pom pom poodle willy willy whisker
My name is freeze
(At that point we'd freeze and whoever moved was out.)
-Sarah H. Oil City, PA {Caucasian; from her memories of her childhood in the mid 1990s}; interview with A.Powell,
University of Pittsburgh, 4/23/2005

****
I Went To A Chinese Restaurant {Version #1}
My daughter, who is eight, is still doing clapping rhymes, though the ones she does are different from the ones I did in the 50s and 60s. (These, by the way, are in England). The one she seems to do mostly is:

I went to a Chinese restaurant
To buy me a loaf of bread, bread, bread.
He wrapped it up in a five pound note
And this is what he said, said, said:

My name is
Elvis Presley,
Girls are sexy
Sitting in the back seat
Drinking pepsi.

Where's your father?
Died in a fishtank..Last night
What did he die of?..Raw fish.
How did he die..Like this.
-MBSLynne; 9.21/2003; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=63097#1022419 :
"RE: Folklore: Do kids still do clapping rhymes?"

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Jelly On A Plate {Elastic Jumping}
I have just remembered we used this rhyme for French skipping (elastics):
Jelly on a plate, jelly on a plate
Wibble-wobble-wibble-wobble, jelly on a plate.
(that was - left (straddle the left band)/ middle/ right/ middle/ left-right-left-right, middle/ stamp). The rhythm was filled out by little snatch-backs onto the balls of the feet (/).
-Greenacres; 3/2/2008; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=46932&messages=102 ; Child's Game: Elastics

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Jingle Jangle {Elastics Jumping}
Elastics used to be something everyone played... [Aus, Sydney]

Yeah, we used knickers elastics too, and it went from ankles, to knees, under-bums, hips, armpits then necks.
Some rhymes:
Jingle Jangle, inside outside, jingle jangle on. [You basically, straddle one side, bounce until you get to the next word. At inside outside, you do just that, jump inside then out side, continue the bouncing, then step on it.]
-Guest,Cath.; 3/1/2008; http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=46932&messages=98 ; RE: Child's Game: Elastics

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Joy To The World
heres a barney song

joy to the world, barney is dead
we barbecued, his head!
dont worry about the body, we flushed it down the potty,
round and round it goes
round and round it goes
Round and round it goes,

on top of a building, all covered with blood,
i shot poor barney with a 44. stud
when i read in the newspaper that he was not dead
i took my bazooka and blew off his head

i went to his funeral i went to his grave
people threw flowers but i threw grenade

its raining its pouring the old barneys boring
he went to his bed with a bomb on his head and blew up in the morning!!

i just love this song XD

http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php posted by starkmad;
July 25, 2006 [reposted with permission of that blog's members]

Editor:
I posted this rhyme on the page for handclap rhymes because rhymes like it are often performed as a handclap rhyme. See similar rhymes on Cocojams' Teacher Taunts page.

***
Jump In The Car {Handclap line game}
I was reading some of these examples and I remember doing alot of them being that im only 17...so0o heres one that i remember playing around 95'-96'...

Jump in car (clap 3X) Step on the gas {3x} Move to the side, and let (name) pass Eh-Hey, Ooh-Ahh Lookin at Lady, Ooh-Ahh Aint she fine, Ooh-Ahh Betta no touch her, ooh-ahh Cuz she'll blow your mind! Turn around (clap 3X) Touch the ground {clap 3x} I said a get a get a get a get on down Say what!?! get a get a get a get on down

Setup of the game: the kids who are playing have to stand in two lines like soul train... when they say "jump in the car" everyone jumps once then claps..."step on the gas" everone stretches out their right foot and stomps it down...."move to the side"...everyone moves back...and let (NAME) pass" the first person in the line goes down the middle and does a dance while the other kids say "ooh ah lookin at lady, ooh ahh aint she fine, ooh ahh betta not touch her, ooh ahh cuz she'll blow your mind. ...when they say "turn around" the girl in the line turns..."touch the ground" the same girl touches the ground...then " i said a get a get a get a get on down" the girl has to get down as low as she can...when the person in the middle is done, the next person goes.
-MeLLi ; 5/12/2007

Editor:
Thanks, MeLLi, for sending in that example! Thanks also for including demographical information about when you played this handclap line game. I really appreciate the information about how the game is played!!! It's sounds like a lot of fun!

K,L
Last Night And The Night Before {Version # 2; no performance activity given}
Here is a song we used to do on the playground in Birmingham, AL back in the 80s: Last night and the night before I met my boyfriend at the candy store He brought me ice cream he brought me cake he brought me home with a stomachache mama mama i feel sick call the doctor quick quick quick doctor doctor will i die close you eyes and count to five i said a one, a two, a three, a four, a five I'm alive [Optional part] we would do sometimes (a little risque for little girls): see that house on top of that hill that's where me and my baby gon' live we gon' cook some cornbread cook some meat come on baby let's go to bed and do the boom boom boom.
-Joi; 3/23/2008

Joi, thanks for sending in that example. Thanks, also for including demographical information {the city/state where you lived when you performed this rhyme, and the decade when you performed this rhyme}.

****
Last Night And The Night Before [Jump Rope Rhyme] Version #1
Last night the night before
twenty five robbers at my door.
I got up to let them in.
and this is what they said to me.
Lady bird, lady bird
turn all around around around
Lady bird, lady bird
touch the ground the ground, the ground
Lady bird, lady bird
say your prayers, your prayers, your prayers
Lady bird, lady bird
step right OUT!

{or as an alternate, "go to bed, bed, bed"}
-Azizi Powell; childhood memories of Atlantic City, New Jersey; 1950s

****
Miss Mary Mack {Example #3}
Miss Mary Mack, Mack Mack
All dressed in Black, Black Black.
With silver Buttons, buttons buttons,
all down her back back back.
She asked her mother, mother, mother
for fifty cents cents cents.
To see the elephants, elephants, elephants
jump over the fence, fence, fence.
They jumped so high, high, high
they reached the sky, sky, sky
they never came back, back, back
till the fourth of july, ly,ly.
She went upstairs, stairs, stairs
to make her bed, bed,bed
she made a mistake, stake, stake
and she bumped her head, head, head
she went downstairs, stairs, stairs
to make some cookies, cookies, cookies
she made a mistake stake stake
and she ate her boogies boogies boogies.
she went outside, side side
to mow the grass grass grass
she made a mistake stake stake
and she mowed her ass, ass ass
she went inside side side
to tell her mother, mother, mother
she made a mistake stake stake
and she told her brother, brother, brother!
-http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php; posted by Rae at August 10, 2006

****
Old Mary Mack {Miss Mary Mack; Example #2}
Hi, When I was growing up, we learned Old Mary Mack a little differently. The first 4 lines were the same, the remaining lines went like this: She cannot read read read She cannot write write write But she can smoke smoke smoke Her father's pipe pipe pipe Not very PC, (politically correct) but what do you expect from a kid from Boston! (grin) Take care.
-Judy ; 6/2/2007

Editor:
Judy, thanks for sending in that version of Mary Mack. Thanks also for including demographical information {where you learned that version}. When I was growing up in Atlantic City, New Jersey in the 1950s, I learned this verse from my mother: "Can you read?/can you write?/ Can you smoke your daddy's pipe?" However, that rhyme wasn't combined with Miss Mary Mack. I also find it interesting that you remember Mary Mack's title as "Old Mary Mack" while I learned it as "Miss Mary Mack". I'd lvoe to hear from other people who remember this rhyme. If you have any different versions of this rhyme, please share them with other Cocojams readers.

****
Miss Mary Mack {Example #1}
Miss Mary Mack Mack Mack
All dressed in black black black
With silver buttons buttons buttons
Up and down her back back back.
She asked her mother mother mother
For fifty cents cents cents
To see the elephant elephant elephant
Jump the fence fence fence
He jumped so high high high
He touched the sky sky sky
And he never came back back back
Till the fourth of July ly ly
- multiple sources, including my childhood memories of Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1950s

Editor:
I've found {Miss] Mary Mack to be one of the most widely known handclap rhyme among African American girls and boys {and African American adults}. I knew it as a child and most Black American children who have participated in my game song groups usually know it. However, generally [in Pittsburgh, PA} anyway, most people only know the version of the rhyme presented above. I found that most children and adults in Pittsburgh, Pennslyvania don't think that there are other versions of this rhyme. However, in some books that I've read, this verse is placed at the end of the rhyme:

July can't walk.
July can't talk.
July can't eat
with a knife and fork.

-snip-

Here's another verse that is sometimes added to the rest or that is recited instead of the elephant jumping the fence lines:

She went up stairs, stairs, stairs
To make her bed, bed, bed
She bumped her head, head, head
On a piece of corn bread.

-snip-

I've also read versions of "Mary Mack" that include these traditional verses:

Vocalist Ella Jenkins has recorded this version of "Mary Mack":

May-Ree Mack, dressed in black
Buttons all up and down her back
Hi-yo, hi-yo, hi-yo-o, hi-yo

Give me a nickel, give me a dime
See my honey baby all the time
Hi-yo, hi-yo, hi-yo-o, hi-yo

Went to the river, couldn't get across
Got in trouble with my boss
Hi-yo, hi-yo, hi-yo-o, hi-yo

Words and Music: Ella Jenkins
© 1968 Ella Jenkins (ASCAP)

Here's a song track of that song: http://saintsandspinners.blogspot.com/2007/10/song-of-week-may-ree-mack.html
And here's some information about Ella Jenkins: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ella_Jenkins

**
What version of "Miss Mary Mack" do you know? Send it in!

Miss Sue From Alabama {Version #11}
Mis Sue Mis Sue
Mis Sue from Alabama
Let's make a movie
Sitting in a rocking chair
Eating Betty Crocker
Watching the clock say
Tick Tock Boom Boom Banaa
Tick Tock Boom Boom Banaa
Hey Little white girl watcha going to do
Momma got the mesals Daddy got the flu
Give me a ABCDEFG HIJKLMNOP
Take a flu shot take a flu shot
And FREEZE
-Guest,MOM from BAMA; 5/2/2008; http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=102055&messages=44#2090519
Folklore: Play Ground Hand Jives

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Miss Sue From Alabama {Version #10}
Mis Sue from Alabama
Let's make a movie
Sitting in a rocking chair
Eating Betty Crocker
Watching the clock say
Tick Tock Boom Boom Banana
Tick Tock Boom Boom Banana
Hey white girl whatcha going to do
Momma got the measles Daddy got the flu
Give me a ABCDEFG HIJKLMNOP
Take a flue shot take a flu shot
and FREEZE
-Guest, Mom From Bama [who indicates she learned this from her two small girls]; 5/2/2008 http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=102055&messages=48 ; Folklore: Play Ground Hand Jives

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Miss Sue From Alabama {Version #9}
I know of another version of "Miss Sue From Alabama" and if you don't mind I'll write it below and the instructions as well as I can. I met a Sue from Alabama, Nebraska, Alaska, we call her Suziana (pause here) Sitting in a rocking chair, eating Betty Crocker, watching the clock go tick, tock, tick tock Phenominock, tick, tock, tick tock Phenominock A-B-C-D-E-F-G, I got Plastic Surgery! Mishka, Mishka, I want my mommy! Mishka, Mishka, I do karate! Mishka, Mishka, Oops, I'm sorry! Mishka, Mishka, FREEZE! Instructions: In the very beginning of the song, on the word "I", you pat your knees (this is a 2 person game). Then on "I met a Sue from Alabama..." you clap your own hands, extend your right hand to the other person's right hand, clap your own hands again, extend your left hand to the other person's left hand, clap you own hands, and keep on doing this until the words "Sitting in a rocking chair". On those words you rock your hands to and fro like a rocking chair. On "eating Betty Crocker" you pretend to hold a spoon to your mouth, on "Watching the clock go Tick, tock, tick tock Phenominock" you put your hands together, swishing them side to side on the "tick tock" parts, on "Phenominock" (pronounced Fi-nom-in-ock) you put both your hands around your ears and circle them. You repeat this until you get to "A-B-C-D-E-F-G". On that, you circle your finger around your face. On "I got Plastic Surgery!" you put both hands inside your both, pulling the insides of your cheeks. On "Mishka, Mishka", you extend both of your hands to meet the other person's, and clap them twice. On "I want my mommy" you pretend to suck your thumb. Extend and clap hands twice again for "Mishka Mishka" and then on "I know karate!" Cross your arms or do any karate pose. Same thing again on the next "Mishka Mishka" and on "Oops, I'm sorry!" hit the other person on the head. Mishka, Mishka... then when you say "Freeze!" You get into any position and stay in it. It's also a blinking contest, and whoever blinks first loses. I hope that my instructions made you understand!
-Janice ; 2/20/2008

Editor:
Thanks, Janice, for sending in that version of "Miss Sue From Alabama". Also, thanks for including performance instructions with the words to this rhyme!

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Miss Sue From Alabama {Version #8}
Heres another version of miss Sue. We sang this in Pennsylvania
Miss Sue (clap clap) Miss Sue (clap clap) Miss sue from alabama we call her susyanna sitting in her rocker (moving arms like rocking chair) eating betty crocker watching the clock go ticktock tick tock shawalwalla (moving fingers like clock then rolling hands) ticktock tick tock shawalwalla a-b-c-d-e-f-g wipe those dirty hands off me (wipe your hands on other person) moocha moocha moocha freeze (during moocha moocha moocha find position and freeze and try to stay still for longer than other person)
- Aubri ; 4/15/2007

Editor:
Thanks, Aubri for including the demographical information about where you live with your example. I like finding out how widely known a rhyme is and how the words of the rhyme may change in different geographical areas. Thanks also for including information about how this handclap rhyme is performed. I'm assuming that the "clap clap in parenthesis aren't spoken but mean you are supposed to clap your hands two times to the beat of the rhyme. Anyway that's the way I've seen it done.

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Miss Sue From Alabama {Version #7}
Hi there. I'm from Mississippi and was in elementary school in the late 80's through early 90's. the version of "Miss Sue" I remember was not listed here. I thought I'd help you out. Last time I heard it, I think it had varied ever so slightly from when I was in school, but this is how I remember it: Miss Sue (clap clap clap) Miss Sue (clap clap clap) Miss Sue from Alabama Sittin' in a rocker eatin' betty crocker watchin' that clock go tick-tock, tick-tock-banana-nana tick-tock, tick-tock banana-nana ABCDEFG-wash those stains right out'a my knees MUSHKA, MUSHKA, MUSHKA FREEZE (as fast as you can) 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10! I never got the last part...sometimes the rule was you had to stay still while you counted, and sometimes it was to count the fastest. The most distinct difference I remember is that there were always three claps after "Miss Sue." I hope that was helpful.
-Allison {Mississippi; late 198os, early 1990s}; 2/28/2007

Editor:
Allison, thanks for sending that example "Miss Sue From Alabama". It's interesting to read about about when people performed a specific rhyme, how old they were when they first remember doing so, and where different people lived when they remember performing that particular rhyme, and how they remembered performing it. Thanks for including all of that information! r

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Miss Sue From Alabama {Version #6}
We had a different version of Miss Sue in the early 70's in New Orleans. It went something like this: Miss Sue Miss Sue Miss Sue from Alabama Hey little girl with a zip-a-dee-doo Ya mama got the measles and ya papa does, too Take an a,b,c,d,e,f,g Ya take an h,i,j,k,l,m,n,o,p Ya take a booster shot Ya take a booster shot Take a booster shot and...FREEZE!
-Adriana; 1/11/2007

Editor:
Adriana, thanks for including demographical information {when & where you remember this version}!

Also, see this comment about this example that comes via the Internet all the way from Dave in China:
"Just want to compliment you on this fascinating collection and confirm "Miss Sue #6". I'm a 39yo white male originally from New Orleans. I woke up from a nap today in China, with the phrase "take a booster shot and freeze" inexplicably stuck in my head. I had no idea what it meant, but I Googled it and out popped this site. Very interesting to see all the variations and curious about their development as well as many related topics. (I'm looking into studying ethnomusicology next year. This site could come in handy.) This one from New Orleans was exactly what my sister was singing in one of my earliest memories circa 1971".
-Dave; 6/22/2007

-snip-

Thanks for the compliment, Dave! I also enjoy reading these examples. And I'm glad this collection may be of interest to folks studying ethnomusicology and other subjects.

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Miss Sue From Alabama {Version #5}
You said you needed more Ms.Sue hand games. This is what I have heard: Ms sue(clap clap) Ms Sue(clap clap) Ms sue from alabama alaska nebraska sittin' in a rockin' chair eatin' peanut butter watching the clock go tick tock tick tock chihuahua tick tock tick chihuahua a,b,c,d,e,f,g wash these cookies off of me musha musha walkin with a cane musha musha it's all to me musha musha oops excuse me I hope you enjoy this hand game
-Haley, 11/5/2006

Editor:
Thanks, Haley! I appreciate you sending in the version of this rhyme. I especially like the "tick tock tick tock chihuahua" part.
I'm wondering if this line "it's all to me" means "its all the same to me". I also wonder if these words are recited while doing a handclap routine with another person. If so, do the two people try to hit or smack each other {playfully} when they say these lines "musha musha oops excuse me". I hope to hear from you or someone else who might also know the answers to these questions.

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Miss Sue From Alabama {Version #4}
Hi:-) I just wanted to submit a very popular version of the 'handclap rhyme' song "Miss Sue From Alabama".
I lived in Indiana my whole life although I changed schools alot, and this song seemed to be known by every other
African American child I met. Here's how we all sang it:

Miss Sue! *clap clap*
Miss Sue! *clap clap*
Miss Sue from Alabama
Her real names Suzyanna
Sittin in a rockin chair
Eatin Betty Crocker bread
Watchin the clock go
Tick tock tick tock Banana rock!
Tick tock tick tock Banana rock!
A-b-c-d-e-f-g Wash them spots right offa me!
Moocha Moocha Moocha Freeze!
*literally freeze on the last clap,
try to stay still longer than your friend
-darlenevil; 2/1/2005

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Miss Sue From Alabama {Version #3}
Hi,
I was searching the web for handclap songs and came across your website and you asked for more versions of "Miss Sue from Alabama". My daughter is 6 years old, we live in Northern California and this is what the kids on her playground are singing:

Miss Sue
Miss Sue
Miss Sue from Alabama
Her real name is Susanna
Sittin' in the rocking chair eating baby crackers watching the clock go
Tick tock tick tock bananna rock, tick toc, tic toc bananna rock
A-B-C-D-E-F-G wash those spiders off of me,
Mooscha, Mooscha, I want my mommy
Mooscha mooscha I know karate
Mooscha moosch oops I am sorry
Mooscha mooscha FREEZE!
-Deena GS; 12/15/2002

Editor:
Thanks, Deena GS for that example. "Eating baby crackers" probably came from the phrase "eating Betty Crocker". "Betty Crocker" is the invented name for a fictitious cook who represented the General Mills company. "Betty Crocker" cookbooks contain all kinds of easy to use recipes, including recipes for bake goods such as cookies, pies, and cakes. Thus "eating Betty Crocker" more than likely means eating some baked goods that were created by using a Betty Crocker recipe. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betty_Crocker for more information about "Betty Crocker".

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Miss Sue {Version #2}
Miss Sue, Scooby Doo
Miss Sue from Alabama
Sittin at the table
peeling mashed potatoes.
Waitin for the clock to go
boom tick tock.
boom ticky wally wally.
Boom tick tock
Boom ticky wally wally.
Stop!
Ah 2 more time.
Boom tick tock.
Boom ticky wally wally.
Boom tick tock.
boom ticky wally wally.
Ah 1 more time.
Boom tick tock
Boom ticky wally wally
Boom tick tock.
Boom ticky wally wally.
Ah no more times.
- Alafia Children’s Ensemble, Pittsburgh, PA; 1999 & 2001; Collected by Azizi Powell, 1999 & 2001, posted by Azizi, 2004

Editor:
“Miss Scooby Doo” can be performed by partners or various numbers of girls and boys. Two children stand facing each other and perform intricate handclap routines. The handclap motions can be alternated between three children on each side of one child, or between two sets of partners. Here's the way that I've seen in play with more than four children: the children stand in a circle formation. The children place one of their hands palm up and their other hand palm down. While reciting the rhyme, girls and boys simultaneously clap the hands of the persons standing on their right side and their left side. An up and down dipping motion often accompanies the hand clapping and recitation.

Prior to beginning the rhyme, either one of the players or an adult group leader determines how many times the “boom tick tock” portion of the rhyme is given. After chanting “no more times“, the rhyme is over.

“Scooby Doo” is a cartoon character of a dog that was created by Hanna Barbara. The name “Scooby Doo” was probably added to this traditional verse for rhythmic effect {“Doo” rhymes with “Sue”}

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Miss Sue From Alabama {Version #1}
Miss Sue
Miss Sue from Alabama
Hey you,
scooby do
your Mama’s got the measles
Your papa’s got the flu
magic measles
magic flu
Take an a b c d e f g
Take an h i j k l.m.n.o.p.
Take a smooth shot
Take a smooth shot
and now freeze.
-Eleanor Fulton, Pat Smith; Let’s Slice The Ice,
{St. Louis, Mo, Magnamusic-Baton, 1978; p 16}

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Miss Susie Had A Steamboat {Versions #11, 12, 13}
here are 1 I know and 3 i learned from my friends their all the same but worded differently their really kinda funny Miss Susie had a steamboat the steamboat had a bell Miss Susie went to heaven the steamboat went to Hello (hell) operator please give me number nine and if you disconnect me I'll kick you from behind the refrigerator there was a piece of glass Miss Susie sat upon it and cut her little (ass) ask me no more questions tell me no more lies the boys are in the bathroom zipping up their flies are in the meadow, the bees are in the park Miss Susie and her boyfriend are kissing in the dark is like a movie a movie's like a show a show is like a tv screen and that is all i know i know my ma i know i know my pa i know i know my sister with the 80 acre alligator bra

Editor:
kmoser, thanks for sharing that example. Thanks also for remembering to include demographical information {your geographical location and the decade you remember hearing this rhyme. I posted this rhyme on this page because it "sounds" like either a handclap rhyme or a jump rope rhyme {or both}. How do you remember it being played?

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My Mother And Your Mother {Boys Are Rotten} Example #2
XOXOXOX
My mother and your mother
live across the street
eighteen nineteen Blueberry Street
Every night about half past five
they have a fight
and this is what they say
Boys are rotten
made out of cotton.
Girls are dandy
made out of candy
Boys that are beautiful
to get more stupider.
Girls that are wilder
To get more milder.
Boys drink beer
To get nowhere.
Girls drink Pepsi
To get more sexy.
-mostly girls ages 6-12 years; Millview Acres; Clairton, PA, 1999
Editor:
I placed this handclap rhyme under "M" instead of "X" because I believe that XOXOX is an introductory phrase and not the beginning of the actual rhyme. I believe that XOXOX means "hugs and kisses" as per its meaning when placed at the end of letters & notes.

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My Mother Your Mother {Boys Are Rotten} Example #1; Jump Rope Rhyme, Handclap Rhyme}
my mother your motha
live down da street
18, 19 marble street
and evry nite
dey had a fite
and dis is wat dey told me

girls are sexy drink lots of pepsi
boys are rotten chew on sum cotten
ishy wishy lollypop
ishy wishy woo
ishy wishy lollypop
da guyz luv YOU
-Duilz ; 10/28/2004; http://octopuses.chaoticinsanity.com/000518.php

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My Mother, Your Mother-What Color Was The Blood
My mother and your mother were hanging up the clothes. Your mother hit my mother right in the nose. What colour was the blood? Red, black, red, black,....

i think the rope went fast on 'red, black...', and you jumped until you tripped the rope. does that one sound familiar to anyone?
-black walnut; 2/21/2000; http://www.mudcat.org/threads.cfm ; “ Playground songs”

Editor:
Visit Cocojams' Choosing It, Counting Out Rhymes page for other examples from this large family of rhymes can be found under the name "My Mother/Your Mother-What Color Was The Blood".

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Not Last Night But The Night Before [Jump Rope Rhyme, Handclap Rhyme]
Gosh ,I guess there are so many versions of all these. Here is what I remember:
...[another rhyme was posted and then this one]

Not last nite but the nite before,
24 robbers came knocking at my door
as i ran out, They ran in
hit me on the head with a bowling pin
I asked them what they wanted and this is what they said.
Spanish dancers turn around,
Spanish dancers touch the ground
etc, etc etc.
-mulfig; 5/29/1999 ; http://www.streetplay.com/discus/ Girl Games: Clap & rhyme Archive through June 8, 2000

Editor:
Also, see the entries on this page for "Last Night And The Night Before". Also, see this excerpt that I believe is a part of the "Not Last Night But The Night Before" rhyme:

There was a much longer one, but all I remember is:

As I ran out (escape without being hit by the rope)
They ran in (get back in without tripping)
Hit me over the head
With a rolling pin.
-Ann N.; 4/30/2007

O,P
Oo The Beestay
I remember a call-and-response song/game called "The Beestay" that I learned in the early 60's in Philadelphia. Each line is said/sung by person A and then repeated by person B. When person B says the "Oo" at the end of the last phrase, person A repeats "Oo" and their roles are then reversed. I have no idea what a Beestay is.

Oo (Oo)
Oo ah (Oo ah)
The Beestay (The Beestay)
[sung] Oh, no, no, no, not the Beestay (Oh, no, no, no, not the Beestay)
Eeny-meeny-dissaleeny-oo-ah-ah-maleeny-otcha-kotcha-kumarotcha-akawa-oo (Eeny-meeny-dissaleeny-oo-ah-ah-maleeny-otcha-kotcha-kumarotcha-akawa-oo)
-Mark C; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=47148; RE: eena meena mackeracka (children's rhymes); 8/21/2007

Thanks Mark for permission to repost this example on Cocojams. In my opinion, this example is part of what I call the "Como La Vista" family of rhymes. See other examples of this rhyme family on this page.

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Ooh Aah
Ooh Aah
I want a piece of pie.
The pie too sweet,
I wanna piece of meat.
The meat too rough,
I wanna ride the bus.
The bus too full,
I wanna ride ah bull.
The bull too black,
I want my money back.

[additional verses]
My money too green,
I want a jelly bean.
jelly bean too white,
Goodnight. Sleep tight.
Don't let the bed bugs bite.
If they do get a shoe
and beat them black and blue.
-multiple print and Internet sources; posted by Azizi Powell,
2/26/2006

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Oh Don't Laugh {also known as "The Hearse Song"}
There's also the hearse song, which is mostly what I learned from my friends, with a mixture of lines from my dad: Oh don't you laugh when the hearse goes by 'Cause you may be the next to die They wrap you up in a dirty sheet And drop you in a hole six feet deep (Dad) Oh the worms crawl in, the worms crawl out The worms play pinnochle on your snout (friends again) Your stomach turns a slimy green And pus pops out like shaving cream! You whip it up on a piece of bread, That's what you eat when you are dead -- Made by Nabisco!
-Ann N; 4/29/2007

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Old Lady Leary {Elastic Jumping}
Old Lady Leary Lit A Lantern In The Shed, When the cow kicked it over She winked her eye and said, There will be a hot time
in the old town tonight, Fire Fire, Water Water, Jump Lady Jump, AHHHHH SPLAT!"

"SLAT" of course was when you landed with both feet on both elastics after an intricate series of ins and outs and overs, in progressive heights as describe above.
-Guest, Mrs Brown AUS; 4/2/2008; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=46932&messages=102; Child's Game: Elastics

Editor, for those directions, see "England Ireland" version #3 posted above.

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Omolata Feesta
I enjoyed seeing all the different accounts of the "Como La Vista" family. Here's the version I learned at Girl Scout Camp Margaret Bates in Macedonia, Summit County, northeast Ohio, in 1969. The demographics were probably 95+% white, the counselors age 17-early 20s and the campers 9-12. I remember it as only a chant, without clapping or motions, though it seems a natural candidate for them. It's done by two people or groups, or a leader and group. The first seven lines are said by one party then repeated by the other, the last two are in unison. The fifth, sixth, and seventh lines have a sort of melody, the eighth is chanted on a descending pitch, and the last shouted. Flea [repeated] Fly [repeated] Flea fly flow [repeated] Feesta [repeated] Oomalata oomalata oomalata feesta [repeated] O no no no-no na feesta [repeated] Eeny meeny decimeeny oo-wat-a-watameeny exclameeny zylameeny oo-wat-a-wat [repeated] [Unison] Beep biddly oaten-doten bobo bedeeten-dotten shhhhhhh Flea! As much variation as you get in folk lyrics in any language, when the words are nonsense all bets are off. Even if all the counselors who taught it to us pronounced the words exactly the same way, I'm sure we heard it differently, and none of us would have written it the same. But with all that, the different versions people have reported are recognizable to me. I'd love to compare recorded versions, though that will have to wait until I upgrade my equipment.
-Elizabeth ; 2/17/2008

Editor:
Thanks, Elizabeth, for sending in that version of what I'm calling the "Como La Vista" family of children's rhymes. Thanks also for the demographical information that you included with that example. I very much appreciate your comments. I'm glad that someone is recording how these rhymes sound. It's my hope that Cocojams will eventually have sound clips and video clips of rhyme & cheer performances.

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Panda Bear
panda bear panda bear turn around, panda bear panda bear touch the ground panda bear panda bear do some splits and kicks, panda bear panda bear climb up the stairs, panda bear panda bear clap ten times, panda bear panda bear say good night

(as you know i have based this on teddy bear although i did it quite differnetly, i have tried clapping and it is not as easy as it looks) (also when you sing the song you have to do what it says, such as jumping really high when climbing the stairs) ( and when the song finishes up with say good night you must run out then back in and then start over again.)
-sarah ; 3/10/2007

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Playmate {Version #6}
Black girls, Denver, Colorado - late 70's/early 80's 3 Say-Say Songs: (Say-Say Happy Song - sung upbeat) Say-say oh playmate Come out and play with me And bring your dollies-three Climb up my apple tree Slide down my rainbow Into my cellar door And we'll be jolly friends Forever more, more - shut the door (Say-Say Sad Song - Sung slowly, imitating crying) Say say oh playmate I cannot play with you My dolly has the flu She spit up in my shoe Ain't got no rainbow Ain't got no cellar door And we'll be jolly friends Forever more, more - shut the door (Say-Say Angry Song) Say say oh enemy Come out and fight with me And bring your pistols-three Climb up my poison tree Slide down my spider web Into my dungeon door And we'll be jolly enemies Forever more more, shut the door
-Jeanae; 6/14/2008

Editor:
Jeanae, thanks for sending in those examples. Thanks also for remembering to provide demographical information {race, geographical location, and the decades you remember these songs. I never heard the line "[my dolly] spit up in my shoe" before, but it makes sense since she has the flu. :o) Btw, I've posted examples of Playmate on the "Handclap rhymes" page because that's how I've seen these songs performed. However, these songs certainly could be sung while doing other movement activities or without any movement activity. Jeanae, I'm curious what if any movement is done while saying the last "shut the door". I recall another handclap rhyme in which the partners tried to be the first one to say this phrase and -at the same time-tried to slap or flick the partner on the forehead. Do you recall anything occurring like that when children recited or sung "shut the door" at the end of this song?

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Playmate {Version #5}
My father (3/4ths white, 1/4 Cherokee), who was born in Oklahoma in 1924, taught me the Playmate song this way: Playmate, won't you come out and play with me, Bring out your dollies three, climb up my apple tree, Look down your rain barrel, slide down your cellar door, And we'll be jolly friends forevermore. It was a sunny day, She couldn't come out to play, With tears in her eyes, she did cry and I did hear her say, Playmate, I can't come out and play with you, My dollies have the flu, boo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo Can't look down my rain barrel or slide down my cellar door, But we'll be jolly friends forevermore.
-Ann N.; 4/29/2007

Editor:
Thanks, Ann, for including demographical information with this rhyme.

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See See My Playmate {Version #4 of Playmate}
Then there's the ever-classic,

See see my playmate
Come out and play with me
And bring your dolly friends
Climb up my apple tree
Slide down my rainbow
Into my pot of gold
And we'll be jolly friends
Forever more, more
Shut the door
I don't like you anymore
-Charlotte; 2/4/1007; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php

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My Saemi {Example #3 of Playmate}
Song: My saemi, Why don't you play with me Under the apple tree With all my friends and dollys Under the apple tree Singing and playing Dollys
[Repeat as many times as you can]
-Ashleigh; 7/16/2006

Editor:
Thanks for sending this example in Ashleigh. This rhyme "sounds" a lot like "Playmate/come out and play with me/bring out your dollys three/under the apple tree". If so, the word 'saemi" may have been created by folk etymology to replace the word 'playmate". Folk etymology happens when we hear a word that is unfamiliar to us and we replace it with a word or sound that we thought we heard or that makes more sense to us. "Saemi" could be a made up word that rhymes with "me" that was used instead of the word "playmate". See my comments about the rhyme "Salamio" below for a possible meaning of the word "Saemi".

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Cece My Playmate {Playmate; Version #2}
cece my playmate
come out and play w/ me
and bring ure dollies 3
climb up my apple tree
slide down my rainbow
into my cellar door
and well be jolly friends
forever more 1234
when i was younger
i used to play w/ toys
but now im oooooooolder
i play w/ b-o-y-s b-o-y-s boys boys boys boys boys boys
criss cross applesauce do me a favor and get lost
-posted by __ http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php ; at September 18, 2003;

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Playmate {Version #1}
My little playmate
Come out and play with me
And bring your dollies, 3
Climb up my apple tree
Slide down my rain barrel
Into my cellar door
And we'll be jolly friends
Forever more!

My little enemy
Come out and fight with me
And bring your ..., 3
Climb up my poison oak
Slide down my razor blade
Into my dungeon door
And we'll be horrible enemies
Forever more!

I can't remember what the enemy was supposed to bring 3 of...I'm guessing it wasn't dollies though.
-posted by Kari; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php; at August 1, 2003

Editor:
Thanks to Sarah S. for requesting examples of this rhyme on 4/4/2007; The song "Playmate" became a children's jump rope and handclap rhyme. This song/rhyme has a number of different names. I've listed the examples presented here under the name "Playmate". Do you know other versions of this song? Please send them in.   Also, visit Cocojams' Children's Parody page for additional examples of this rhyme.

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Police Lady Police Lady Do Your Duty {Version #2} Jump Rope Rhyme
Police lady, police lady. Do your duty.
Here comes Keisha
with ah African booty.
She can wiggle.
She can wobble.
She can do the split.
But I betcha five dollars
She can't do this.
Lady on one foot, one foot, one foot
Turn all around, around, around.
Lady on two foot, two foot, two foot
Touch the ground, the ground, the ground.
Lady on three foot, three foot, three foot
Say your prayers, your prayers, your prayers.
Lady on four foot, four foot, four foot
Jump right out.
-TMP. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, mid 1980s

Editor:
I think the change from "policeman" to "police lady" is significant. When I was growing up, there were no female police officers that I knew of.

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Policeman Policeman Do Your Duty {Version #1} Jump Rope Rhyme
Policeman, Policeman, do your duty.
Here comes Debby
An American beauty,
She can wiggle
She can wobble
She can do the split.*
But I betcha five dollars
She can't do this.
Lady on one foot, one foot, one foot
Turn all around, around, around.
Lady on two foot, two foot, two foot
Touch the ground, the ground, the ground.
Lady on three foot, three foot, three foot
Say your prayers, your prayers, your prayers.
Lady on four foot, four foot, four foot
Jump right out.
-Azizi Powell, Atlantic City, New Jersey, mid 1950s.

*Substitute the name or nickname of the girl who is jumping rope. "Do the split" was sometimes given as "do the flip" {meaning the acrobatic movements}. However, these words were changed to "do the twist" in the 1960s when that dance became popular. Btw, I've also seen this rhyme written as "Mailman, Mailman Do Your Duty" and "Postman, Postman, Do your Duty".

Here's what I believe are the meanings of "one foot, "two foot" etc. Someone please correct me if I'm misremembering this: "One foot" means hopping. One foot touches touching the ground when you jump. Two foot" is jumping with both feet off the ground. "Three foot" is two hands touching the ground and then one foot . "Four foot" is jumping with both hands and both feet touching the ground.

****
Poor Pinocchio
1. Poor Pinocchio he learned to suck his thumb, thumb
after thumb after thumb, after thumb after thumb.
Cross over *
2. Poor Pinocchio he learned to tie his shoe, shoe after
shoe, after shoe, after shoe . Cross over *
3. Poor Pinocchio he learned to climb a tree, tree after tree,
after tree, after tree. Cross over *
4. Poor Pinocchio he learned to shut the door, door after
door, after door, after door. Cross over *
5. Poor Pinocchio he liked to kick bee hives, hives after
hives, after hives, after hives. Cross over *
6. Poor Pinocchio he learned to pick up sticks, sticks after
sticks, after sticks ,after sticks. Cross over *
7. Poor Pinocchio he learned all about heaven, heaven after
heaven, after heaven, after heaven. Cross over *
8. Poor Pinocchio he learned to shut the gate, gate after
gate, after gate after gate. Cross over *

[and so on up to 11-use any word that rhymes with those numbers]

* When you say "cross over" you fold your arms crisscross over your chest, and the other girl you are doing the handclap with does the same thing at the same time.
-Natashia, age 13; Alberta, Canada; 10/21/2005

Editor:
Thanks, Natasha, for sharing this rhyme. Thanks also for including demographical information {your age, and where you live}. Thanks also for including information about the motions you do when you say "cross over". Cocojams readers, see "When Billy Boy Was One", "When Pebbles Was A Baby" and "When Lucy Was A Baby" on this page for examples of what I call "life stage rhymes that are very similar to "Poor Pinocchio".

Q,R,S
Quack Diddly Almore (Version #4 of Quack Diddly Oso}
*I have no idea how we got this version of the chant, but we called it Quack Diddly Almore. Maybe someone heard it wrong, I don't know* Quack Diddly Almore quack quack quack! singin hey, chicky chicky chicky chicky chicky chat! Flow, flow, flow, flow, flow, go! 1 2 3 4 5!
-Jayla S., 5/31/2008

Editor:
Thanks, Jayla S., for sending in that version. It's possible that someone could have misheard, misread, or misremembered the words to "Quack Diddly Oso", but then again, where did those words come from? There are really no right or wrong versions of children's rhymes-just different versions.

****
Quack Diddly-Oso {Version #3}
This is the version of "Quack-diddly-oso" that I and all of my friends learned back in kindergarten or earlier. We played it all the time pretty much up to junior high. Never heard any other version played in this area. (Puget Sound/Seattle region.) Quack diddly oso quack quack quack, Si semorico, rico rico rico, Flo-ra Flo-ra, flora flora flor, fa-lora! One, two, three, four! Same rules as listed for "Stella Ella Ola" only when you get down to two people, you clasp your right hands between you like you're shaking hands, and you each hold up your left hand to make "walls" on either side of the clasped right hands. Then you swing your clasped right hands back and forth, hitting one of the "walls" (left hands) at each beat. The person who's left hand is hit on four loses. (Oh, and every round is chanted a little faster, until you can barely keep up when you're down to two. I guess it's these sort of games that teach us Northwesterners to talk so fast when we grow up!)
-Lisa P. ; 12/20/2007

Editor:
Lisa P, thanks for sharing that version of Quack Diddly Oso. Thanks also for including demographical information-where you
live, and when you played this rhyme. Thanks also for including your performance instructions for this rhyme! I'm wondering if "semorico" is the correct spelling for the way you pronounced this word or did you mean to type "senorico"?

****
Quack Dilly Oso {Version #2}
i work with 1st graders the whole summer long and they love them!

[another rhyme was posted and then this one]

Quack Diddily Oso is also a favorite
there are many versions to it

quack diddily oso quack quack quack
from sandiego ego ego ego
delore delore
they spilled it on the floor-a
1-2-3-4
*better with lots of people person who's hand gets slapped on 4 is out of the game
--Guest, mcr; 8/7/2006; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=63097#1022419 :
"RE: Folklore: Do kids still do clapping rhymes?"

Editor:
Guest, mcr's referent to a person's hand getting "slapped on 4" is an indication that this rhyme is performed as a circle hand game. Here's the way that I have seen this game played {and that I have played it} in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area: Starting with a designated person, while everyone chants the rhyme, one person after another stays in place but slaps the hand of the person who is standing to their right. The person whose hand is slapped when the number four is recited, is out. When the game gets down to two people, those two stand facing each other and perform a partner handclap routine, with each person alternating slapping the palm of the other person's hand. As in the circle version of the game, the person whose hand is slapped when the number 4 is recited is out, and the remaining person is the winner.

****
Quack Dilly Oso {Version #1}
quack dilly oso
quack quack quack
senyourico rico rico rico
flora flora flora
with ah 1 2 3 4 5
-African American girls; and African American girls and boys; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania {children usually around ages 7-12 years}, remembered from at least the mid1980s; this example was collected by Azizi Powell in 11/2001

Editor:
See "Slap Billy-Ola" below for performance directions. If you know this rhyme or related elimination handclap rhymes such as "Stella Ella Ola" or "Slap Billy-Ola", please send in the example you remember. For the sake of the folkloric record, please remember to include demographical information. I'm particularly interested in where you live {city, state, and nation if outside of the USA}; and when you performed this rhyme. I'm also interested in who performed it {ages, gender, race/ethnicity} and how it is or was performed {such as "partner handclap rhyme" and/or circle handclap rhyme with people being eliminated at the end of the chanting, etc}. Thanks!!!

****
Reeses Pieces Butter Cup
I have another Hand Clap that I like. It's called Resses Peices Butter-Cup! It goes like this: Resses Peices Butter-Cup Come On Girl(or your name) Show your Stuff: My Back Aches, My Skirts Too Tight, My Hips Shake From Left To Right: Left To Right, Left-Left To Right-Right, Left To Right, Left-Left To Right! (By: **!!Enforcers Cheer Girl!!** Date Recited: ?-2007 Recited By: Me, My Friends, A Lot Of Other People, And Cheerleaders Around The World (Boys And Girls) Category: Cheerleadng Hand Clap Round
-Cheer Girl; 2/11/2007

**
See this comment from Cheer Girl:
Oh!!! During Resses Peices Butter-Cup From: My Back Aches, Til The End of the Hand Clap/Cheer the person who had their name called comes into the middle of the circle and 'Shows Their Stuff'!
-snip-

Thanks, Cheer Girl for sending in that demographical information, as well as information on how this cheer/rhyme is performed!
See similar rhymes on Cocojams' Taunting Rhymes and Cheerleader Rhymes pages.

****
Report Card Report Card ; Jump Rope Rhyme
Jump Rope It was when I was in elementary. I'm in middle school now. (2000-2003) Florida Ive seen Boys do it but its mostly girls. Report Card Report Card What did you get? A B C D F (The A B C D F go on until you mess up , the letter you mess up on , is basically the grade you get)
-Lori, 4/20/2008

Editor,
Lori, thanks very sending in this jump rope rhyme. Thanks also for remembering to include demographical information {when you recited this rhyme, where-your state; and who-girls more often than boys. I also want to thank you for including performance directions-when the jumper misses on a letter grade, that's the grade she or he "gets". Cocojams readers, I've never "heard" this rhyme before. Have you? If so, please let us know!

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Rich Man, Poor Man {Jump Rope Rhyme}; Version #2
We also used the old "Rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief; Doctor, lawyer,
Indian chief" rhyme with jump rope. The jumper called out only one type of
man per jump. Whatever man you called out when you missed was the type you
were going to marry when you grew up.
-Ann N.; 4/30/2007

****
Rich Man, Poor Man {Jump Rope Rhyme}; Version #1
Rich man, poor man
beggar man, thief.
Doctor, lawyer,
Indian thief
-Azizi P.; childhood memories of Atlantic City, New Jersey; 1950s

Editor:
I remember hoping that I'd miss on the words "rich man"; "doctor", or "lawyer" because when you miss that person was who you were supposed to marry.

****
Ronald McDonald {Version #2}
Ronald McDonald
loves ah hamburger
Ooh she she wah wah
ah hamburger
I fell in love
With ah
Hamburger
Big Mac
Quarter Pounder
Icey coke
Milk shake
You deserve a break today
At McDonald’s! {use the commercial tune to sing this and the line before it}
And the dish ran away with the spoon {recite this line}

{Repeat entire rhyme, each time substitute "French fries" or another product sold at Mc Donalds for the word "hamburger".
-TMP; late 1980s, Pittsburgh, PA.

Editor:
I'd like to thank my daughter, TMP, for sharing this rhyme and many other rhymes and cheers that are in this collection. TMP said that "Ronald McDonald" used to be a very popular handclap rhyme. The "dish ran away with the spoon" is from a Mother Goose rhyme. TMP's girlfriend from Cleveland, Ohio also remembers this rhyme from the late 1980s. The words are very similar to the ones presented in both these examples. However, that example doesn't end with the line from Mother Goose, and its tempo is somewhat faster than both of the Pittsburgh, PA examples I've heard.

****
Ronald McDonald {Version #1}
Ronald McDonald
was ah Hamburger
Ronald McDonald
was ah hamburger
Ooh! Wishie Washie
Ah hamburger
Ooh! Wishie Washie
Ah hamburger
It tasted good, like
Ah hamburger
It tasted good, like
Ah hamburger
Ice cream soda
with a cherry on top.
Now shake it baby
Ah boom bang!
-Donetta A.; {African American}; around 1976, 1977; Pittsburgh, PA.

Editor:
Thanks, Donetta for sharing that rhyme. This rhyme is based on a McDonald commercial. Donetta said that her her younger sister taught her this handclap rhyme. Although the verses are repeated as though they are call & response, Donetta said that the words are recited in unison

Ronald McDonald is the clown mascot who represents McDonald’s
fast food restaurants in many of its commercials.

****
Salamio {Jump Rope Rhyme}
(every time one says salamio, the people holding the jump ropes spin it quickly above the heads of the jumpers as jumpers duck) 1,2,3 salamio 4,5,6 salamio 7,8,9 salamio 10 salamio 123456789(really fast jumping) 10 salamio. *repeat*
-Talia G.; 12/5/2006

Editor:
My theory is that the word "salamio" comes the Italian song "O Solo Mio". See this wikipedia excerpt about that song:
'O sole mio" is a globally famous Neapolitan* song written in 1898. It has been performed and covered by countless artists, including such stalwarts of opera as Enrico Caruso, Mario Lanza, Luciano Pavarotti, as well as rock/pop stars such Bryan Adams and Elvis Presley. The lyrics were written by Giovanni Capurro, and the melody was composed by Eduardo di Capua. Though there are versions in other languages, 'O sole mio is usually sung in the original Neapolitan dialect. 'O sole mio translates literally as "My Sun" ("O" being the article)." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/'O_Sole_Mio

*"Neapolitan" here means [a song] from Naples, Italy.

****
Slap Billy-Ola
Slap billeola slap, slap, slap, slap.
{Hit it!}
Sandarico, rico, rico, rico
Slap 1-2-3-4.
-African American girls & boys and Vietnamese girls (ages 8-11 years); Alafia Children's Ensemble, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Collected by Azizi Powell 10/2000

Editor:
This rhyme is related to "Stella Ella Ola" and rhymes with similar names. It may be played as a partner handclap rhyme, with three people or two sets of partners. When there are more than four people, this rhyme is played as a circle game. Here are the directions for "Slap Billy-Ola" when it is played as a circle game: The group forms a circle. Someone in the group is designated the start position for the slapping movement. Before starting the chant, the group also decides which number will be the last number chanted [note that it is "4" in this example, but I've often seen it be the number "5". Having too high a number would spoil the anticipation of the final elimination "slap"}. The group then begins the game by chanting the words to this game in unison. The chanting remains the same tempo throughout the entire game. At the same time that the group begins to chant the words, the person in the designated starting position uses his or her left hand to “gently” slap the right hand of the person standing to the right of him or her. The slap corresponds to one separate word of the chant. {"Hit It" is an optional part of the chant. This phrase counts as one word; the person’s hand is slapped after the word "it"}. The person whose hand is slapped at the end of the rhyme {on the last number chanted} is out. That person leaves the circle and the rhyme begins again. When there are only two people left from the group, these two stand in front of each other and alternate slap each other’s hands. The chant is repeated until there is no one left. That person is the winner.

****
Say Say My Playmate
see Playmate above on this page

****
Strolla Ola Ola
Strolla olla olla
Slap, slap, slap.
With ah “s” cheeka cheeka
cheeka cheeka flap jack.
Fah lay, fah lay,
fah lay, fah lay , fah lay
With ah 1- 2- 3- 4- 5.
-African American girls & boys {ages 6-12 years}, Fort Pitt Elementary School, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; 10/2000;
also TMP's childhood remembrances of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; in the mid 1980s

Editor:
This handclap rhyme is related to "Stella Ella Ola". It has the same tune and is played the same way as the instructions given in "Slap Billy-Ola" example above.

****
Stella Ella Hola
There was also a fun clapping game:
stella ella hola,
clap clap clap
singing es chico chico, chico chico chap
singing es chico chico
velo
velo
velo velo velo,
saying 1 2 3 4 5 [on 5, whoever clapped last would be out]

you would sit in a large circle, and put your hands 1 on top of the person beside you, the other hand below.- when the person beside you clapped their hand onto yours, you would repeat the clap, with each sound. If your hand was hit on 5, you would be out - you could lift your hand really fast and the person would clap themselves out instead)
-Emma; November 16, 2004; re-posted from http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php

****
Stella Ella Ola {version #2}
Stella Ella Olla clap clap clap sing'n schiga chiga chiga chat chat schiga love,love,love,love love ,love 54321.
-awewsomegir; 10/7/2007

****
Stella Ella Ola {version #1}
Stella Ella Ola
Clap Clap Clap
Singing S Tella Ola chicko chicko clap clap
Fallo Fallo Fallo Fallo Fallo

Is what I remember my sister singing.
-Guest Jake, 6/5/2007: re-posted from http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=77066#1370542 "RE: Kids chant Stella Ola Ola / Stella Ella Ola"

****
T,U,V
No Peach No Plum {Example #2 of Take A Peach, Take A Plum}
My little sister is ten and they have a modified version of Take a peach rhyme:

they call me
eeny meeny
teeny weeny
ooh ah thumbalini
ah chi pachi liverini
i hate you

no peach
no plum
no stick of bubble gum
no peach
no plum
no stick of bubble gum

last night
i saw you with my boyfriend
how do i know
looked through the window
nosy
didnt take a shower
stinky
didn't do the dishes
lazy
jumped through the window
must be crazy

that's why they call me
eeny meeny
teeny weeny
ooh ah thumbalini
ah chi pachi liverini
i hate you
Guest, katsa; 8/24/2006 http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=81350#1486259 "I'm Rubber. You're Glue: Children's Rhymes"

****
Take A Piece, Take A Plum {Example #1}
take a piece, take a plum take a piece of bubble gum. no piece, no plum no piece of bubble gum. i like coffee, i like tea, i like the preety boy and he likes me so step back dumb boy, you dont shine, i'll meet you round the corner and beat your behind. last night, the night before, i met my boyfriend at the candy store. he bought me ice cream, he bought me cake, he bought me home with a stomach ache. i said "mama, mama, i feel sick. call the doctor QUICK,QUICK,QUICK! doctor, doctor before i die. i close my eyes and i count to five. 1..2..3,4,5 i'm alive." see that house on top of that hill? that's where me and my boyfriend live. cook that chicken, burn that rice. com on baby, lets shoot some dice!
-lesa; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php ,”Schoolyard games”, April 10, 2005

Editor:
See examples of "ABC", "I Love Coffee I Love Tea" and "Ooh Ah" on this page for other versions of children's rhymes that include many of the words of this rhyme.

****
Teddy Bear Teddy Bear ; Jump Rope Rhyme {Example #2}
In London in the late [19]40s it wasn't a Ballerina, it was
Teddy bear, teddy bear turn around
Teddy bear, teddy bear touch the ground
Teddy bear, teddy bear go up stairs
Teddy bear, teddy bear say your prayers (hold hands together)
Teddy bear, teddy bear turn out the light
Teddy bear, teddy bear say goodnight
Goodnight

I seem to remember doing it skipping in a long rope
-Mo the caller {http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=18352&messages=48 Lyr Req: Playground songs; 8/1/2007

Editor:
In London, England where Mo the caller lives, the terrm "skipping" rope is used instead of "jumping rope". Mo's comment about "Ballerina" refers to an example posted in the "B" section of this page.

****
Teddy Bear Teddy Bear ; Jump Rope Rhyme {Example #2}

When I was growing up the jump rope song to Teddy bear lullabye went like this:
Teddy bear, teddy bear turn around,
teddy bear, teddy bear touch the ground,
teddy bear , teddy bear go upstairs ,
teddy bear , teddy bear say your prayers,
teddy bear teddy bear turn out the light,
teddy bear , say good night.

We also did actions while jumping, ie: turned around in a circle,
touched the ground, picked up high knees to go up stairs,
folded hands to say prayers, flicked a finger to turn out the light,then jumped out of the rope to the side to say goodnight, this ended your turn. That sure was alot of fun! I came to this site to learn others to teach my daughter.Thanks alot everyone!

Guest, ginger; 3/16/2004; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=4300; "Children's Street Songs"

Editor:
I remember saying this same rhyme as a child while jumping rope the same way you describe {Atlantic City, New Jersey in the 1950s}.

****
Three Little Angels {Example #2}
Three little angels, all dressed in white
Tried to get to Heaven on the end of a kite
The Kitestring broke and down they all fell
Instead of going to Heaven, they all went to

Two little angels......

One little angel.... Instead of going to heaven, they all went to

Three little devils, all dresses in red
Tried to get to Heaven on the end of a thread
Thread-string broke and down they all fell
Instead of going to heaven they all went to

Two little devils....

One little devil, all dressed in red
Tried to get to Heaven on the end of a thread
Tread string broke and down they all fell
Instead of going to Heaven they all went to BED!
-campfire; 5/17/1999 http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm ; Counting Songs

Editor:
My thanks to Mudcat Discussion Forum's chief moderator for giving me permission to re-post comments from that forum from guests and inactive members. For another example of "Three Little Devils", visit this website:
http://odps.org/glossword/index.php?a=term&d=3&t=913 Seedy Songs and Rotten Rhymes - the poetry of the playground.

****
Ten Little Angels {Example #1}
Ten little angels
dressed in white
tryin to get to heaven
on the tail of a kite.
But the kite string broke
and down the fell.
Instead of goin to heaven
they went to
Nine little angels {repeat the rest of the words}.
Eight little angels...
Seven little angels...
Six little angels...
Five little angels...
Four little angels....
Three little angels...
Two little angels...
One little angel
dressed in white
tryin to get to heaven
on the tail of a kite.
But the kite string broke
and down she fell
instead of going to heaven
she went to
HELL!
-Azizi Powell {childhood memories, Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1950s}

Editor:
Although I have clear memories of the words to this rhyme, I have less clear memories about what performance activities if any were done while we sang it. I think that "Ten Little Angels" was performed as a handclap rhyme and not a jump rope or ball bouncing rhyme {since jump rope rhymes were usually also recited as ball bouncing rhymes}. But, I'm not sure. However, I believe that sometimes the word "hell" was replaced by the word "shush" {meaning be quiet}. Which makes sense since this is what I call a "profanity avoidance" rhyme. In profanity avoidance rhymes, the "bad word" is either not said, or it is implied, or it is said, but in a coded, hidden, plausible deniability. In "Ten Little Angels" for example, the word "hell" isn't said until the very end of the rhyme, when it is shouted out. But in the widely circulated profanity avoidance rhyme "Miss Susie Had A Steamboat", the "bad words" are hidden in clear sight by their use at the end of a line or at the beginning of another line to form another, socially accepted word.

The source for "Ten Little Angels" and its variant rhyme "Ten Little Devils" is the first verse of an early 20th century or earlier African American secular {non-religious} folk rhyme or dance song called "Raise A Rucus Tonight". That rhyme is included in Thomas W. Talley's now classic 1922 book Negro Folk Rhymes, Wise and Otherwise. Here's that verse {with asterisks used in place of letters of the racially offensive "n word"}:

Raise A "Rucus" Tonight
Two liddle N**gers all dressed in white, {Raise a rucus to-night.}
Want to go to Heaben on de tail of a kite, {Raise a rucus to-night.}
De kite string broke, dem Ni**gers fell; {Raise a rucus to-night.}
Whar dem N**gers go, I hain't gwineter tell.
{Raise a rucus to-night.}
-snip-
{Thomas W. Talley: Negro Folk Rhymes, Wise & Otherwise {Port Washington, N.Y, Kennikat Press, Inc. edition, 1968; p. 90; originally published 1922, The Macmillan Company}

I don't know what tune was used for this song way back in the early 20th century American South, but the tune I recall is very similar to the rhyme "Ten little monkeys jumping in the bed/one fell down and broke his head/mommy called the doctor and the doctor said/no more monkey's jumping in the bed". Btw, the definition for "rucus" {"rukus"} is "the act of making a noisy disturbance". However, in the context of this rhyme, to raise a rucus probably meant "to have a heck of a good time". How's that for another example of profanity avoidance :o)

****
That's The Way {Handclap rhyme}
That’s the way
Un hun Un hun
I like it
Un hun Un hun
That’s the way
Un hun Un hun
I like it
-TMP, memories of Pittsburgh in the early 1980s

Editor:
"That's the way" is often recited at the beginning of rhymes such as "Brickwall Waterfall" and "Bang Bang Choo Choo Train".
See examples of "That's The Way I Like It" on Cocojams' Taunting Rhyme page. Also, click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBwYwZNO928
to see & hear the video of KC And The Sunshine Band's 1975 hit song "That's The Way I Like It"

****
The Girls In Spain
we had a clapping rhyme that went:

The girls in Spain
Put their knickers in champagne
And the boys in France
Do a hula-hula dance
And the dance they do
Is enough to tie a shoe
And the shoe they tie
Is enough to tell a lie
And the lie they tell
Is enough to ring a bell
And the bell they ring
Goes "DING-A-LING-A-LING!"

The Girls in Spain" WASN'T a clapping game between two people, it was in a ring of about 5 people.
-Viracocha; [Sian] {from Portlethen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, in the early 1990s} reposted with permission from http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=18352&messages=48 Lyr Req: Playground songs; 8/2/2007

****
There’s A Place On Mars {Version #2}
Coca Cola .. Came to town
Diet Pepsi ... Come on down

Theres a place on mars where the women smoke cigars
Every puff they take is enough to kill a snake
When the snake is dead they put roses on its head
When the roses die . they put diamonds in its eyes
When the diamond break .. they begin to make a cake
When the cake is done ... it'll be 1991
- heather; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php ; March 18, 2006

****
There's A Place On Mars {Version #1}
there is a place on mars where the women smoke cigars and the guys wear bikinis and the children sip Marines when a snake is dead you put Mustard in his eyes when the mustard dries you put Diamonds his eyes when the diamonds break. it's time to bake a cake when the cake is done its 1991 FREEZE
-pipin; 1/22/2007

****
Rockin Robin, {Version #10}
He rocks in the tree top
all night long
ah huffin and ah puffin
and ah singin his song.

All the little birds on Jay Bird street
Loves to hear the robin go
TWEET TWEET TWEET

Rockin Robin
Tweet Tweetdalee
Rockin Robin
Tweet Tweetdalee

Oh rockin Robin ur Really gonna rock tonight!
TWEET TWEET, tweetdalee

Mama’s in the kitchen
Bakein’ fried chicken.
Daddy’s in bed
HALF WAY DEAD
-Christianne; 10/9/2005 ; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php

****
Rockin Robin, {Version #9}
HA HA All these posts made my day!

A tweet a tweet a bumble bee
She rocks in the tree top all day long
Huffin and puffin and singing that song
All the little birdies on Jacob st.
Love to hear that song go TWEET TWEET TWEET
rockin robin
tweet tweet-a-lee
rockin robin
tweet tweet-a-lee
Mommas in the kitchen
making fried chicken
dads in bed
half way dead
sisters in skool
acting like a fool
brothers in jail
trying to post bail
rockin robin
tweet tweet-a-lee
rockin robin
tweet tweet-a-lee
-socalgal89; 6/16/2005; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php

****
Rockin Robin {Version #8}
Swing, Swing, Swing to the USA, HEY-HEY.
rockin' in the treetop all day long.
Huffin' and a puffin' and a singing this song.
all the little birds on Jabor street
had a little song that goes tweet-tweet-tweet
Rockin' robins, tweet-tweedalee, Rockin' robins, tweet-tweedalee.
Momma's in the kitchen cooking rice.
Daddy's in the bathroom acting nice.
sister's at school, being cool
Brother's in jail, sending mail.
- Liz; 4/12/2005 ; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php

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Rockin Robin {Version #7}
swing swing swing to te usa hey hey rockin in atreeto all day long huffin and a puffin and singin that song all the lil birdies on jaybird street love to here therobins go tweet tweet tweet rockin robintweet tweetalee rockin robin tweet tweetalee mama in he kitchen cookin fried rice daddy oUt side shootin some dice brothA in jail drinkin gingerale sista roun te corner sellin FRUIT COCTAIL rockin robin tweet tweetalee rockin robin tweet tweetalee batman and robin flyin in the air batman lost his underwear batmn said i dont care cause robingoin to by me azillion more pair rockinrobin tweet tweetalee iwent down town to getsum btta saw james brown sittin ina gutta gotta piece of glass stuck it up his i neva seen a black man runso fast rockinrobin tweet tweet alee
-j-mil; 3/19/2005 ; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php

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Tweedle Leedle lee {Version #6}
Tweedle leedle leedle
Tweedle leedle leedle

Tweedle leedle lee, treetop; tweedle leedle lee (repeat), twist it baby, twist it baby, your breath stinks, so--Rockin Robin song. Afterwards the rhyme continues with "Mama's in the kitchen,
cookin' friend chicken, Daddy's in the bed, halfway dead, Brother's in school actin' like a fool, Sister's in the corner sayin' fruit-cock-tail."

>Ethnicity: Samoan/Filipino
>Grew up: Norfolk, VA USA
>Learned hand games: Elementary school, age 5-10
-Janette C ; April 28, 2004

Editor:
Janette C; thank you very much for sending that example. Thanks also for remembering to include demographical information. I'm interested in who, what, where, why, and how rhymes are performed. In my opinion, collecting, preserving, and sharing this data will help document the recreational activities of various groups of children who lived during particular times & in particular places. A study of children's rhymes may also help to show what kinds of things children value, hope for, and are concerned about {now & in the past}. I hope more people will remember to include demographical information with their examples.

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Rockin Robin {Version #5}
rockin robin i barely rember ither its somethin like
momas in the kitchen coookin fried chickin
dads in bed sick or something
i forgot brother
and sisters eating fruit cock tail rockin robin tweeet tweedilie

i can try to find the rest of the lyrics somewhere but ill post when i do
if i think of any more ill let you know im gonna go play that mash game
-Karie ; 9/21/2003; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php

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Rockin Robin {Version #4}
Swing Swing Swing to the USA
Hey Hey. we rocking in the treetop
all day long. Huffing and puffing and a singing that song.
All the little birdies on Jambird St,
love to haer the robin go tweet-tweet-tweet
Rockin Robin, tweet, tweet, tweet
Rockin Robin.
-Jasmine; 12 year old African American girl; collected in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, around 2003, no date given, girl said she was visiting from another city, no city indicated, girl wrote the words down herself.

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Tweedle Tweedle dee {Version #3}
remember hand games....

tweedle tweedle dee
treetop
tweedle tweedle dee
treetop
tweet baby tweet baby
your mama says
she rocks in a treetop
all day long
huffin and puffin
and saying a song
all the little birds
james bell street
love the little robins
go tweet tweet tweet

rockin robin
tweet tweet tweet

rockin robin
tweet tweet tweet

i went down town to get a stick of butter
and saw james brown sitting (people cursed on my block) in the gutter
i took a piece of glass and stuck it up his (you know what)
i never saw a (kids are mean) run so fast.

we even played that in college.

hmmm...those hand games were violent and had curses in them, huh?

holla at me if you remember
-MaMaBuddha; Harlem {New York, New York}; 7/31/2000,
http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/archive/index.php/t-5627.html

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Tweeleelee; {Version #2}
Tweeleelee
Treetop
Tweeleelee
My Prop
Tweeleelee
Popsicle, popsicle
Your butt stinks. {or "Your breath stinks"}

He rocks in the tree top
all night long
ah huffin and ah puffin
and ah singin his song.
All the little birds on Jay Bird street
Love to hear the robin go
Tweet Tweet Tweet

Rockin Robin
Tweet Tweedalee
Rockin Robin
Tweet Tweedalee
I went downtown
to get a stick of butter.
I s