Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post provides lyrics and three YouTube examples of the contemporary protest song "Ella’s Song: We Who Believe In Freedom Cannot Rest Until It Comes".
Information about Ella Baker, the woman who inspired this song is also included in this post along with information about Sweet Honey In The Rock, whose founding member Bernice Johnson Reagon composed this song.
The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Ella Baker for her life's legacy. Thanks also to Bernice Johnson Reagon for composing this song and thanks to the vocal group Sweet Honey In The Rock for performing it. Additional thanks to all those who are quoted in this post, and to the publishers of these featured YouTube videos.
-snip-
Most of the text of this post was originally published on my blog https://civilrightssongs.blogspot.com. However, this pancocojams post includes two different YouTube examples than that earlier post.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT THIS SONG
"Ella’s Song: We Who Believe In Freedom Cannot Rest Until It Comes" is a contemporary protest song that was composed by Bernice Johnson Reagon for the a capella African American heritage vocal group Sweet Honey In the Rock.
Here's a quote from Nan Dillard's review of "Ella Song" on http://ellabakercenter.org/blog/2013/12/ellas-song-we-who-believe-in-freedom-cannot-rest-until-it-comes :
"Ella’s Song: “We Who Believe in Freedom Cannot Rest Until it Comes”] "is an anthem, a meditation on the ultimate lesson of the freedom fight passed down generationally by Ms. Ella herself that is meant to be spoken boldly out loud or under one’s breath as the situation demands to empower both purpose and resolve."
****
INFORMATION ABOUT ELLA BAKER
Here's information about Ella Baker, the civil rights activist whose life work inspired this song:
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ella_Baker
"Ella Josephine Baker (December 13, 1903 – December 13, 1986) was an African-American civil rights and human rights activist. She was a largely behind-the-scenes organizer whose career spanned over five decades. She worked alongside some of the most famous civil rights leaders of the 20th century, including W. E. B. Du Bois, Thurgood Marshall, A. Philip Randolph, and Martin Luther King, Jr. She also mentored many emerging activists such as Diane Nash, Stokely Carmichael, Rosa Parks, and Bob Moses. She was a critic of professionalized, charismatic leadership and a promoter of grassroots organizing and radical democracy.[1] She has been called "One of the most important African American leaders of the twentieth century and perhaps the most influential woman in the civil rights movement."
****
INFORMATION ABOUT SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCK
From http://sweethoneyintherock.org/
"Sweet Honey In The Rock® is a performance ensemble rooted in African American history and culture. The ensemble educates, entertains and empowers its audience and community through the dynamic vehicles of a cappella singing and American Sign Language interpretation for the Deaf and hearing impaired. Sweet Honey’s audience and community comes from diverse backgrounds and cultures throughout the United States and around the world, and includes people of all ages, economic/education/social backgrounds, political persuasions, religious affiliations, sexual preferences and differing abilities."
****
LYRICS: ELLA'S SONG
(Composed by Bernice Johnson Reagon)
Refrain:
We who believe in freedom cannot rest
We who believe in freedom cannot rest until it comes
Verses
Until the killing of Black men, Black mothers’ sons
Is as important as the killing of White men, White mothers’ sons
And that which touches we most is that I had a chance to work with people
Passing on to others that which was passed on to me
To me young people come first, they have the courage where we fail
And if I can shed some light as they carry us through the gale
The older I get the better I know that the secret of my going on
Is when the reins are in the hand of the young who dare to run against the storm
Not needing to clutch for power, not needing the light just to shine on me
I need to be just one in the number as we stand against tyranny
Struggling myself don’t mean a whole lot I come to realize
That teaching others to stand up and fight is the only way my struggle survive
I’m a woman who speaks in a voice and I must be heard
At time I can be quite difficult, I’ll bow to no man’s word
-Source: http://www.bernicejohnsonreagon.com/ella.shtml
****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS
Example #1: Sweet honey in the rock - Ella's Song
Geepereet, Published on Dec 2, 2008
****
Example #2: We Who Believe in Freedom
debstearns, Published on Apr 3, 2015
Video by Deborah C. Stearns, Ph.D.
Ella's Song written by Bernice Johnson Reagon, copyright Songtalk Publishing Co., performed by Sweet Honey in the Rock
****
Example #3: We Who Believe in Freedom (Ella's Song)
Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revivalm Published on Apr 6, 2017
During our Midwest Tour in the summer of 2016, Charon Hribar and Keisha Soleil lead a Detroit congregation in singing "We Who Believe in Freedom (Ella's Song)," by Sweet Honey in the Rock
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Translate
Monday, January 21, 2019
Sunday, January 20, 2019
Gospel Quartet The Swan Silvertones At The Newport Jazz Festival (1966) - "Only Believe" (information, video, lyrics, & comments)
Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post provides information about The Swan Silvertones and showcases a video of the Gospel group The Swan Silvertones performing their version of "Only Believe".
Selected comments from that video's discussion thread are also included in this post.
My attempted transcription of the lyrics to that song from that video are included in this post.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/11/seven-songs-by-swan-silvertones-gospel.html for an earlier pancocojams post entitled
That post includes additional information about The Swan Silvertones.
The content of this post is presented for religious, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to The Swan Silvertones for their musical legacy and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post. Special thanks to pancocojamss visitor Luigi Erba for requesting a transcription of this song.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SWAN SILVERTONES
From https://sites.google.com/site/pittsburghmusichistory/pittsburgh-music-story/gospel/swan-silvertones
"The Swan Silvertones, one of the greatest Gospel groups of all time along with the Dixie Hummingbirds and the Soul Stirrers, made their home in Pittsburgh from the late 1940s through the 1960s. Over their thirty year career they were one of the most influential and revered vocal groups.
Their uptempo jubilee shout style gospel music, rich harmonies, and lead falsetto influenced Doo Wop and R&B singers. They recorded for the King, Specialty, Vee-Jay, HOB, and Savoy labels releasing over sixty singles and several albums between 1946 and 1979. Their music has been reissued on ten Swan Silvertones compilations since their breakup. Their biggest hit "Oh Mary Don't You Weep" with the line "I'll be a bridge over deep water..." inspired Paul Simon to compose "Bridge Over Troubled Water". The Swan Silvertones were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2002 and the International Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2003.
Claude Jeter, the lead singer and founder of the Swan Silvertones is credited for influencing the singing styles of Sam Cooke, Al Green, Smokey Robinson, Curtis Mayfield, Drifters founder Clyde McPhatter, and Eddie Kendricks. Jeter pioneered falsetto singing in African American music and is credited as the father of fallsetto.. His strong falsetto leads backed by three-part harmonies was adapted by Doo-wop and R&B groups. Jeter was elected into the American Gospel Quartet Convention Hall of Fame in 1996."...
-snip-
This excerpt is reformatted to enhance its readability.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SWAN SILVERTONES AT THE NEWPORT JAZZ FESTIVAL (1966)
From https://www.nepr.net/post/swan-silvertones-gospel-newport#stream/0
"The legendary Claude Jeter made one of his final appearances as leader of the Swan Silvertones at the 1966 Newport Folk Festival. The Silvertones founder was 52 at the time, and he would live another 42 years, but by then he'd tired of the ceaseless travel and modest reward of the gospel highway. In his groundbreaking chronicle The Gospel Sound: Good News and Bad Times, Tony Heilbut began his chapter on Jeter and Julius Cheeks of the Sensational Nightingales by noting that, "Vocal styles cannot be copyrighted, and it's a cause of endless frustration for the gospel singers to see the world enrich their disciples while they sing for free-will offerings in store-front churches." Heilbut titled the chapter, "The Fathers of Soul," and names a few of their iconic disciples: the Temptations, the Impressions, James Brown, and Wilson Pickett.
[...]
The Silvertones' Newport appearance came one year after Paul Butterfield, Mike Bloomfield, and Bob Dylan set off sparks that placed the festival in the forefront of new directions in American music. For Newport '66, the festival's board put together a more traditional program with gospel by the Silvertones, Dixie Hummingbirds, and the Original Gospel Harmonettes; blues by Skip James, Bukka White, and Son House; a showcase called 'The City' with Howlin' Wolf, and Chuck Berry; "plain folksinging" by Phil Ochs, Judy Collins, and Carolyn Hester; bluegrass by Dock Boggs and Hazel Dickens; and what festival producer George Wein called "a small but noteworthy concession to the folk-rock trend," the Blues Project and the Lovin' Spoonful"...
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: The Swan Silvertones - Only Believe (Live)
JAMESP0WER, Published on Mar 28, 2015
The Swan Silvertones
Claude Jeter
Louis Johnson
Paul Owens
William "Pete" Connor
-snip-
Here are selected comments from that video's discussion thread:
Debbie Mcintosh, 2017
"My Lord, this is what you call good old gospel singing love it.
thanks for posting"
**
Terry Arnold, 2017
"Just called in for my weekly fix of this magnificent piece of gospel music. Their voices blend so beautifully that it really is such a pleasure to hear the gorgeous harmony of these wonderful singers. This is so good and healing it should be available on prescription. Just wonderful and live vocals too.."
**
Emanuel Burrell, 2018
"This is the music my mother sang as she cooked and cleaned in our home and it just found a place in my heart and in remembrance of her I can still visualize her 40+ years later singing this inspirational hymn. I find it most comforting when I am wondering about life's ups and downs. It can be very reassuring to the spirit and mind. The men who sang this were heavenly inspired and gifted."
**
amenra54, 2018
"That tenor is sweeeeeeeeet and controlled excellent!!!!"
**
Stan Aoki, 2018
"the Swan Silvertones were one of the major influences of the greatest blues/rb guitarist SHUGGIE OTIS! You can hear their solo singing and improvisation in SHUGGIE'S playing and his licks!"
**
thad g, 2018
"Bass player is harmonizing like crazy."
**
Stan Aoki, 2018
"One of the pioneers of Gospel and they sing with the Spirit! God bless the SWANS and Claude Jeter!!"
**
Kelvin Hall, 2018
"These fellas were too tough!!! Jeter and Johnson together on this classic is hard to beat!!! Early quartet style...."
****
LYRICS: ONLY BELIEVE
(as sung by The Swan Silvertones)
Soloist #1- Only believe
Only believe
Believe
Group- I know
Soloist #1- All things
Are possible
Group- possible
yes they are, oh
Soloist #1- If you only believe.
Soloist #2 - I can image hearing Jesus when he was talking to the lame man
Group- ooo- ooo
Soloist #2 - A long time ago
Group – [continues their clapping routine to the beat]
Soloist #2: This is what I hear
Soloist #1- Oh, I heard the best songs
oh just I did
Soloist #2- If you ever meet Him
Soloist #1 – It was early one morning
Soloist #1- Oh
Soloist #2- Listen
Master!
Soloist #1- My soul
Soloist #2- was feeling bad
Soloist#1- feeling so bad
Soloist #2- let me tell you
about my heart
Soloist #- My heart [stretch the word "heart" out]
Soloist #2- Yes, man.
It was heavy leaden.
Yes it was.
Group-[continues clapping to the beat and humming “ooo”]
Church, you know what I had.
Soloist #1- I had ah bow.
Soloist #2- Let me see your hands if you ever had ah bow down head.
Soloist #1- Ah bow down head.
Soloist #2- You know what God done for me.
Soloist #1- Ah!
Soloist #1- He paid me a kindness.
Picked me up once early in the morning.
He lifted my burdens.
Oh, yes he did.
Soloist #2- Not tomorrow, but
Soloist #1: Right now.
Soloist #2- Right now.
Soloist #1- My soul
is glad.
Jesus it is.
Soloist #2- That’s why I can stand here tonight and say that ALL things
Soloist #1 – All things
Group - All things are possible
Soloist #1- are possible
Group- with God
Soloist #1- And remember that I told you this
if I never see you no more
Group- Oh yeah
Oh
Soloist #1- If you will only
Ah, only believe
Group- [humming- eh e eh e; eh, e, eh, e]
-snip-
Transcription by Azizi Powell. I'm not sure about some words in this transcription. Additions and corrections are welcome.
Note: The group (except for Soloist #1 and Soloist #2) clap to the beat and hum throughout the entire song-when they aren't singing themselves.
Also, the word "lame" means unable to walk.
"A head bow" (pronounced "Ah head bow" means a person whose head is bowed down (in sadness). That term isn't used in everyday English. Maybe it's an old Southern phrase that I'm not familiar with.
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This pancocojams post provides information about The Swan Silvertones and showcases a video of the Gospel group The Swan Silvertones performing their version of "Only Believe".
Selected comments from that video's discussion thread are also included in this post.
My attempted transcription of the lyrics to that song from that video are included in this post.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/11/seven-songs-by-swan-silvertones-gospel.html for an earlier pancocojams post entitled
That post includes additional information about The Swan Silvertones.
The content of this post is presented for religious, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to The Swan Silvertones for their musical legacy and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post. Special thanks to pancocojamss visitor Luigi Erba for requesting a transcription of this song.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SWAN SILVERTONES
From https://sites.google.com/site/pittsburghmusichistory/pittsburgh-music-story/gospel/swan-silvertones
"The Swan Silvertones, one of the greatest Gospel groups of all time along with the Dixie Hummingbirds and the Soul Stirrers, made their home in Pittsburgh from the late 1940s through the 1960s. Over their thirty year career they were one of the most influential and revered vocal groups.
Their uptempo jubilee shout style gospel music, rich harmonies, and lead falsetto influenced Doo Wop and R&B singers. They recorded for the King, Specialty, Vee-Jay, HOB, and Savoy labels releasing over sixty singles and several albums between 1946 and 1979. Their music has been reissued on ten Swan Silvertones compilations since their breakup. Their biggest hit "Oh Mary Don't You Weep" with the line "I'll be a bridge over deep water..." inspired Paul Simon to compose "Bridge Over Troubled Water". The Swan Silvertones were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2002 and the International Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2003.
Claude Jeter, the lead singer and founder of the Swan Silvertones is credited for influencing the singing styles of Sam Cooke, Al Green, Smokey Robinson, Curtis Mayfield, Drifters founder Clyde McPhatter, and Eddie Kendricks. Jeter pioneered falsetto singing in African American music and is credited as the father of fallsetto.. His strong falsetto leads backed by three-part harmonies was adapted by Doo-wop and R&B groups. Jeter was elected into the American Gospel Quartet Convention Hall of Fame in 1996."...
-snip-
This excerpt is reformatted to enhance its readability.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SWAN SILVERTONES AT THE NEWPORT JAZZ FESTIVAL (1966)
From https://www.nepr.net/post/swan-silvertones-gospel-newport#stream/0
"The legendary Claude Jeter made one of his final appearances as leader of the Swan Silvertones at the 1966 Newport Folk Festival. The Silvertones founder was 52 at the time, and he would live another 42 years, but by then he'd tired of the ceaseless travel and modest reward of the gospel highway. In his groundbreaking chronicle The Gospel Sound: Good News and Bad Times, Tony Heilbut began his chapter on Jeter and Julius Cheeks of the Sensational Nightingales by noting that, "Vocal styles cannot be copyrighted, and it's a cause of endless frustration for the gospel singers to see the world enrich their disciples while they sing for free-will offerings in store-front churches." Heilbut titled the chapter, "The Fathers of Soul," and names a few of their iconic disciples: the Temptations, the Impressions, James Brown, and Wilson Pickett.
[...]
The Silvertones' Newport appearance came one year after Paul Butterfield, Mike Bloomfield, and Bob Dylan set off sparks that placed the festival in the forefront of new directions in American music. For Newport '66, the festival's board put together a more traditional program with gospel by the Silvertones, Dixie Hummingbirds, and the Original Gospel Harmonettes; blues by Skip James, Bukka White, and Son House; a showcase called 'The City' with Howlin' Wolf, and Chuck Berry; "plain folksinging" by Phil Ochs, Judy Collins, and Carolyn Hester; bluegrass by Dock Boggs and Hazel Dickens; and what festival producer George Wein called "a small but noteworthy concession to the folk-rock trend," the Blues Project and the Lovin' Spoonful"...
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: The Swan Silvertones - Only Believe (Live)
JAMESP0WER, Published on Mar 28, 2015
The Swan Silvertones
Claude Jeter
Louis Johnson
Paul Owens
William "Pete" Connor
-snip-
Here are selected comments from that video's discussion thread:
Debbie Mcintosh, 2017
"My Lord, this is what you call good old gospel singing love it.
thanks for posting"
**
Terry Arnold, 2017
"Just called in for my weekly fix of this magnificent piece of gospel music. Their voices blend so beautifully that it really is such a pleasure to hear the gorgeous harmony of these wonderful singers. This is so good and healing it should be available on prescription. Just wonderful and live vocals too.."
**
Emanuel Burrell, 2018
"This is the music my mother sang as she cooked and cleaned in our home and it just found a place in my heart and in remembrance of her I can still visualize her 40+ years later singing this inspirational hymn. I find it most comforting when I am wondering about life's ups and downs. It can be very reassuring to the spirit and mind. The men who sang this were heavenly inspired and gifted."
**
amenra54, 2018
"That tenor is sweeeeeeeeet and controlled excellent!!!!"
**
Stan Aoki, 2018
"the Swan Silvertones were one of the major influences of the greatest blues/rb guitarist SHUGGIE OTIS! You can hear their solo singing and improvisation in SHUGGIE'S playing and his licks!"
**
thad g, 2018
"Bass player is harmonizing like crazy."
**
Stan Aoki, 2018
"One of the pioneers of Gospel and they sing with the Spirit! God bless the SWANS and Claude Jeter!!"
**
Kelvin Hall, 2018
"These fellas were too tough!!! Jeter and Johnson together on this classic is hard to beat!!! Early quartet style...."
****
LYRICS: ONLY BELIEVE
(as sung by The Swan Silvertones)
Soloist #1- Only believe
Only believe
Believe
Group- I know
Soloist #1- All things
Are possible
Group- possible
yes they are, oh
Soloist #1- If you only believe.
Soloist #2 - I can image hearing Jesus when he was talking to the lame man
Group- ooo- ooo
Soloist #2 - A long time ago
Group – [continues their clapping routine to the beat]
Soloist #2: This is what I hear
Soloist #1- Oh, I heard the best songs
oh just I did
Soloist #2- If you ever meet Him
Soloist #1 – It was early one morning
Soloist #1- Oh
Soloist #2- Listen
Master!
Soloist #1- My soul
Soloist #2- was feeling bad
Soloist#1- feeling so bad
Soloist #2- let me tell you
about my heart
Soloist #- My heart [stretch the word "heart" out]
Soloist #2- Yes, man.
It was heavy leaden.
Yes it was.
Group-[continues clapping to the beat and humming “ooo”]
Church, you know what I had.
Soloist #1- I had ah bow.
Soloist #2- Let me see your hands if you ever had ah bow down head.
Soloist #1- Ah bow down head.
Soloist #2- You know what God done for me.
Soloist #1- Ah!
Soloist #1- He paid me a kindness.
Picked me up once early in the morning.
He lifted my burdens.
Oh, yes he did.
Soloist #2- Not tomorrow, but
Soloist #1: Right now.
Soloist #2- Right now.
Soloist #1- My soul
is glad.
Jesus it is.
Soloist #2- That’s why I can stand here tonight and say that ALL things
Soloist #1 – All things
Group - All things are possible
Soloist #1- are possible
Group- with God
Soloist #1- And remember that I told you this
if I never see you no more
Group- Oh yeah
Oh
Soloist #1- If you will only
Ah, only believe
Group- [humming- eh e eh e; eh, e, eh, e]
-snip-
Transcription by Azizi Powell. I'm not sure about some words in this transcription. Additions and corrections are welcome.
Note: The group (except for Soloist #1 and Soloist #2) clap to the beat and hum throughout the entire song-when they aren't singing themselves.
Also, the word "lame" means unable to walk.
"A head bow" (pronounced "Ah head bow" means a person whose head is bowed down (in sadness). That term isn't used in everyday English. Maybe it's an old Southern phrase that I'm not familiar with.
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Saturday, January 19, 2019
The Textual (Word) Diversity Of "Miss Sue From Alabama" Rhymes, Part III - Examples Of "Wipe Those Cooties Off Of Me" And/Or "Take A Smooth Shot" Lines That Are Found In "Miss Sue From Alabama" Rhymes
Edited by Azizi Powell
Part III of this pancocojams series presents a small list of folk processed titles for "Miss Sue" ("Miss Sue From Alabama") children's rhymes.
This post also presents a small sample of variant forms of the lines "Wipe those cooties off of me" and/or "Take a smooth shot" that are found in some examples of "Miss Sue From Alabama" rhymes.
The Addendum to this post lists variations of the title "Miss Sue [from Alabama]" that I've come across.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-textual-diversity-of-miss-sue-from.html for Part I of this series. This post provides information about a 1934 example of "Miss Sue From Alabama" as given on a Wikipedia page. My comment casting doubt about some of the content of that Wikipedia page is also included in this post.
Part I also provides my analysis of verses for three examples of "Miss Sue From Alabama" from 1965, 1976, and 1978. A comparison of those three examples demonstrate the textual (word) diversity of "Miss Sue From Alabama"'s large family of children's rhymes.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-textual-word-diversity-of-miss-sue_19.html for Part II of this series. Part II presents a small list of verses from stand alone rhymes that are found in "Miss Sue From Alabama" rhymes.
The content of this page is presented for folkloric and recreational purposes.
Thanks to all who contributed examples of this rhyme that are included in this post. Thanks also to all who are quoted in this post. Special thanks to burgundyblake who shared an example of a "Mazoo From Alabama" rhyme with pancocojams on January 17, 2019. That example prompted me to continue my research on this rhyme family.
-snip-
Previous pancocojams posts on "Miss Sue From Alabama" can be found by clicking the "Miss Sue From Alabama" tag that is found below this post.
****
DEFINITION OF "FOLK PROCESSED"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folk_process
"In the study of folklore, the folk process is the way folk material, especially stories, music, and other art, is transformed and re-adapted in the process of its transmission from person to person and from generation to generation. The folk process defines a community—the "folk community"—in and through which folklore is transmitted. While there is a place for professional and trained performers in a folk community, it is the act of refinement and creative change by community members within the folk tradition that defines the folk process."...
-snip-
This excerpt is quoted as it was found on that Wikipedia page.
"Folk processing" (also known as "folk etymology" can occur accidentally due to mis-hearing or mis-remembering or can occur on purpose. When a song or rhyme is accidentally or purposely folk processed an unfamiliar word or phrase is often substituted for a familiar word or phrase. Often this substituted word or phrase rhymes with the word or phrase that was used before.
****
EXAMPLES OF FOLK PROCESSED TITLES [FIRST LINES] FOR "MISS SUE" ("MISS SUE FROM ALABAMA") RHYMES
These examples are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only. This isn't meant to be a comprehensive list of these titles.
1. Miss sue from Alabama, Alaska, Nebraska
2. Miss Soup
3. Pea Soup
4. Mazoo
5. My Soup From California
6. Miss Sue From Parramatta
7. ET (ET from outer space)
8. Mrs Soup
9. Miss Sou
****
DEFINITION OF "COOTIES"
From https://www.google.com/search?q=cooties+definition&oq=cooties+de&aqs=chrome.0.0j69i57j0l4.5734j1j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
"Cooties:
a body louse.
a children's term for an imaginary germ or repellent quality transmitted by obnoxious or slovenly people."
-snip-
"Cooties” isn't a sexual referent, but I wonder if some children thought that "boy germs" and some other substitutions for "cooties" in this "Miss Sue From Alabama" rhymes had (have) a sexualized meaning.
****
SOME EXAMPLES OF "WIPE THOSE COOTIES OFF OF ME" & VARIATIONS OF THAT LINE IN "MISS SUE FROM ALABAMA" RHYMES
Pancocojams Editor's Note for this section and for the "take a smooth shot" section below:
These examples are from the United States and from other English speaking nations (Australia, United Kingdom) etc.
Unfortunately, as is the case with almost all online examples of children's rhymes, few examples include geographical location or performance year/s or decade/s.
These variant forms are written in italics to highlight those lines within examples of this rhyme. They are given in no particular order and aren't a comprehensive listing of those types of verses/lines that are found in "Miss Sue From Alabama" rhymes.
Examples are numbered for referencing purposes only.
1. "Me and my friends do it this way
"Miss sue, miss sue
Miss sue from Alabama, Alaska, Nebraska
Sittin' in a rocker eating Betty Crocker watching that clock go tic toc, tic toc chiwawa, tic toc, tic toc chiwawa
A b c d e f g, wash those cooties off of me
I betcha, I betcha, I betcha can't freeze as long as me!"
And then who ever freezes the longest wins
- Victoria Golden, 2017; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-svfUMX3BM
**
2. MY SOUP FROM CALIFORNIA
"We sung those Barney songs too and I live in Australia. We also used to do this weird one called My Soup which was weird. It went like this:
My soup clap clap clap
My soup clap clap clap
My soupd from california waiting on a rock to go
tick tock tick tock shawalawala tick tock tick tock shawalawala abcdefg wash those boy germs out of me
Moonshine moonshine moonshine
Freeze!
And then we all had to freeze.”...
Rochelle Foley, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55TnrD5re5g2015, 2015
-snip-
With the exception of the italics, this is how this example was given in that YouTube discussion thread.
**
3. "It is ms su 👏👏 ms su 👏👏 ms su from Alabama Nebraska she was sitting in a rocking chair chewing a on her under where watching the clock go tic toc banana rock tic toc banana rock ABCDFG
wash those Cooney's off of me wisha wisha we daddy had a donkey donkey died daddy cried indie biddy donkey but cute"
Ayla Holt, 2018; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qig_7pdDkHQ
**
4. "back in my day it went a little something like this:
Miss Sue (clap clap clap)
Miss Sue (clap clap clap)
Miss Sue from Alabama, her real name's Suzianna
she's sittin in a rocker, eatin Betty Crocker
watch the clock go tick tock tock tock, banana rock
tick tock tick tock banana rock
ABCD123
wash those spiders off of me
mooshka, mooshka, i see mommy
mooshka, mooshka, i know karate
mooshka, mooshka, oops i'm sorry
mooshka, mooshka, FREEZE."
-RespectMyThickness, 2015; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-svfUMX3BM
**
5. "At my school it is completely different it goes
My soup, my soup
My soup from California
Sitting in a rocket
Eating chocolate waiting for the Time to go
Tic tic cicawawa tic tic cicawawa
A b c d e f g
Gummy bears are chasing me
One is red
One is blue
One is peeing on my shoe
I'm running running for my life
Cause the red one has a knife
CACHING"
- The Colour English, 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-svfUMX3BM
**
6. "This is the way I sang it in Elementary School (I love seeing all the different versions!):
Miss Sue
Miss Sue
Miss Sue from Alabama
Her real name's Suzianna
Sittin' in a rocker
Eatin' Betty Crocker
Watchin' the clock go
Tick Tock
Tick-tock Banana-wana
Tick Tock
Tick-tock Banana-wana
ABCDEFG
Wipe that Blue Stuff (or "Those Boy Germs") off of me
HIJKLMNOP
I have plastic surgery
Oocha Boocha
Turn around and FREEZE!
-Jenalyn Barton; 2016; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-svfUMX3BM
**
7. "here is how i sang it.
miss sue( clap clap) miss sue ( clap clap)
miss sue from Alabama her real name was Susana sitting in that rocking
chair mixing that porage like tick tock tick tock shoo walla walla abcdefg wash that moosha off of me moosha moosha
all on me and who
ever moves is the black eye pea"
-Mikya Thomas, 2016; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-svfUMX3BM
**
8. "My Miss Sue was
Miss Sue (clap clap)
Miss Sue (clap clap)
Miss Sue from Alabama her name was Suzzianna sitting in her rocker eatin Betty Crocker watchin that clock go tick tock tick tock sha wa wa tick tock tick tock sha wa wa abcdefg ya betta wash that chocolate off of me I said a mooooshka I said a mooooshka I said a mooshka mooshka mooshka freeze."
-Felicia Villermaux, 2016; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-svfUMX3BM
**
9. "No it's
Miss sue
Miss sue
Miss sue from Alabama
her real name's Suzianna
Mama's having a baby
Daddy's going crazy
If it's a boy I'll give it a toy
If it's a girl I'll give it a curl
Wrap it up in toilet paper
Shoot it down the elevator
First floor stop
Second floor stop
Third floor you better watch out
For the S-T-O-P spells stop.
I said an A B C D E F G
Wipe those crumbs right off of me
You better freeze like a peice of cheese
Don't show no teeth😶"
-Isaiah Guiden, 2015; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-svfUMX3BM
**
10. "mine is: miss sue,miss sue,miss sue from albama they call her suzieanna sitt'in in a rocker eati'n bettie-crockertick- watchin that clock go tick-tock tick-tock shawawa tick-tock tick-tock shawawa abcdefg wash them boy cooties off of me moosha moosha i know karate moosha moosha i want my momy moosha moosha im so sorry moosha moosha FREEZE! have a staring contest"
-Sadie Fletcher, 2013; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-svfUMX3BM
**
11. "Me and my friends go ms sue clap clap clap ms sue from Alabama Alaska Nebraska she was sitting in her rocking chair chewing on her under ware watching the time go tick toc tick toc banana rock tic toc tick toc banana rock abcdefg wash these kittens off of my mushka mushka mushka freeze icky icky donkey daddy had a donkey donkey died daddy cried icky icky donkey
-Jennifer Lofgren, 2018; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNkxEU3OFbU
**
12."I do miss sue miss sue miss sue from Alabama Siting on a rocker eating Betty Crocker Watching the clock go tick-tock. Tick tock fanna mana tick tock tick tock fanna mana wipe those black spots off of me moon shine moon shine moon shine freeze"
-Adam Flanders, 2018; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4L-H86olg8
**
13. "I do it differently I do it like this
Miss Sue, miss Sue
Miss Sue from Alabama, Alaska, Aribaska she was
Sitting on her rocking chair,
Chewing on her sock
Watching the clock go
Tick tock tick tock balabala x2
ABCDEFG
Wash those groodies of me
Wishka wishka wishka freeze.
Inky dinky donkey Daddy had a donkey donkey died
Daddy cried inky dinky donkey"
-Holly Bailey, 2018; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4L-H86olg8
**
14. "miss sue miss sue miss sue from Alabama they call her Susieanna. siting in a rocker eating Betty crocker watching that clock go tick tock tick tock chawlwa tick tock tick tock chawlwa abcdefg wip those blue germs off of me if they slap you don't you cry slap them back and wave bye bye
Robin, 2015; https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100521121653AAqa6Lq
**
15. "This was how I knew it growing up in Utah as you clapped it out with a friend:
Mazoo
Mazoo
Mazoo from Alabama
Sittin' in a rocker
Eatin' Betty Crocker
Listen to the clock go
Tick Tock
Tick Tock Banana-Rock
Tick Tock
Tick Tock Banana-Rock
A-B-C-D-E-F-G
Wipe that blue stuff off of me
Mushka Mushka Mushka
Freeze!
And then you froze and had a staring contest"
-burgundyblake; January 17, 2019 [comment]; http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/09/selected-examples-of-hand-clap-rhyme.html Selected Examples Of The Hand Clap Rhyme "Miss Sue From Alabama" (1965-1990s)
****
MY THOUGHTS ABOUT THE MEANING OF SMOOTH SHOT"
The word "smooth" is an adjective whose 1970s slang meaning is "doing something difficult without effort, with finesse." The word "smooth" was often used this way when someone performed a difficult action in a way that made that action seemed easy.
I believe that the non-folk processed form of "take a smooth shot" was "take a flu [influenza] shot [immunization]. However, I've not found any examples of "Miss Sue From Alabama" that includes the "take a flu shot" line.
My guess is that the slang meaning of "smooth" was what children meant when they chanted "take a smooth shot", if they considered the meaning of the term at all when they performed this rhyme or before/afterwards they performed this rhyme.
****
SOME EXAMPLES OF VARIANT FORMS OF THE LINE "TAKE A SMOOTH SHOT" IN "MISS SUE FROM ALABAMA" RHYMES
Pancocojams Editor's Note
Based on my online research, the line "take a smooth shot" or its variants appear to be found in far fewer examples of
Miss Sue From Alabama" than the "wipe those cooties" line and its variant forms.
I believe that "take a smooth shot" was probably chanted in the 1960s- 1970s or earlier examples of "Miss Sue From Alabama" and was largely retired after that.
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, editors Let's Slice The Ice, (Magnamusic-Baton, 1978; St. Louis, Missouri; p. 16)
**
2. "How I remember miss sue miss sue miss sue from alabama jer real name suseanna sittin In the rocking eatin popcorn watchin that clock go tick tock boom boom bananas +2 hey little white girl what u gone do your momma got the chicken pox ur daddy got the flu take a
A b c d e f g. H I J K L M N O P take a boooo shot take a boo shotFREEZE
Makyia Ballentine, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-svfUMX3BM Miss Sue Playground Song; 2014
**
3. E.T. FROM OUTER SPACE
E-T.
E-T.
E-T from outer space.
He has an ugly face.
Sitting in a rocker,
Eating Betty Crocker,
Watching the clock go tick-tock
Tick-tock ski-wa-dee-da-dee
A-B-C-D-E-F-G
Wipe those crumbs off of me!
I've got a smooth shirt.
I've got a smooth shirt.
I've got a smooth smooth smooth smooth smooth shirt.
Now freeze!
-KeepOnSingin, http://www.dance.net/topic/7106059/1/General/Do-you-remember-those-old-rhymes-you-d-sing-as-a-kid.html re: Do you remember those old rhymes you'd sing as a kid?, Apr 20, 2008
**
4. "Miss Sue, (clap, clap)
Miss Sue (clap, clap)
Miss Sue from Alabama,
Let's make a movie,
Sittin' in a rocker,
Eatin' Betty Crocker,
Hey wise girl,
Whatcha gonna do,
When your mama's at work,
Baby's got the flu,
Daddy's got the chicken pox,
And so do you?
Take an a b c d e f g,
Take an h i j k l m n o p,
Take a booty shot,
take a booty shot,
And FREEZE!!"
- Ashley, 2010 https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100521121653AAqa6Lq
**
5. "Miss Sue
Miss Sue
Miss Sue from Alabama
Her name was Suzianna
Sitting in a rocker
eating Betty Crocker
Watching the clock go
Tick Tock
Tick all around go
Tick Tock
Tick all around
A-B-C-D-E-F-G
Gotta wash that stain right out of me
Gotta Boom-shot
Gotta Boom-shot
Gotta crick in my side
Gotta crick in my side
Salt and pepper said "DO NOT MOVE"
(alternate ending)
Salt and pepper said" DO NOT MOVE,
FIRST ONE TO MOVE IS A BLACK-EYED-PEA
SECOND ONE TO MOVE IS A BEAUTY QUEEN
-Dani (White American, Southern USA), http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=63097 "Folklore: Do kid still do clapping rhymes?", September 22, 2003
****
This concludes Part III of this three part pancocojams series on the textual diversity of "Miss Sue From Alabama" rhymes.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Part III of this pancocojams series presents a small list of folk processed titles for "Miss Sue" ("Miss Sue From Alabama") children's rhymes.
This post also presents a small sample of variant forms of the lines "Wipe those cooties off of me" and/or "Take a smooth shot" that are found in some examples of "Miss Sue From Alabama" rhymes.
The Addendum to this post lists variations of the title "Miss Sue [from Alabama]" that I've come across.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-textual-diversity-of-miss-sue-from.html for Part I of this series. This post provides information about a 1934 example of "Miss Sue From Alabama" as given on a Wikipedia page. My comment casting doubt about some of the content of that Wikipedia page is also included in this post.
Part I also provides my analysis of verses for three examples of "Miss Sue From Alabama" from 1965, 1976, and 1978. A comparison of those three examples demonstrate the textual (word) diversity of "Miss Sue From Alabama"'s large family of children's rhymes.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-textual-word-diversity-of-miss-sue_19.html for Part II of this series. Part II presents a small list of verses from stand alone rhymes that are found in "Miss Sue From Alabama" rhymes.
The content of this page is presented for folkloric and recreational purposes.
Thanks to all who contributed examples of this rhyme that are included in this post. Thanks also to all who are quoted in this post. Special thanks to burgundyblake who shared an example of a "Mazoo From Alabama" rhyme with pancocojams on January 17, 2019. That example prompted me to continue my research on this rhyme family.
-snip-
Previous pancocojams posts on "Miss Sue From Alabama" can be found by clicking the "Miss Sue From Alabama" tag that is found below this post.
****
DEFINITION OF "FOLK PROCESSED"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folk_process
"In the study of folklore, the folk process is the way folk material, especially stories, music, and other art, is transformed and re-adapted in the process of its transmission from person to person and from generation to generation. The folk process defines a community—the "folk community"—in and through which folklore is transmitted. While there is a place for professional and trained performers in a folk community, it is the act of refinement and creative change by community members within the folk tradition that defines the folk process."...
-snip-
This excerpt is quoted as it was found on that Wikipedia page.
"Folk processing" (also known as "folk etymology" can occur accidentally due to mis-hearing or mis-remembering or can occur on purpose. When a song or rhyme is accidentally or purposely folk processed an unfamiliar word or phrase is often substituted for a familiar word or phrase. Often this substituted word or phrase rhymes with the word or phrase that was used before.
****
EXAMPLES OF FOLK PROCESSED TITLES [FIRST LINES] FOR "MISS SUE" ("MISS SUE FROM ALABAMA") RHYMES
These examples are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only. This isn't meant to be a comprehensive list of these titles.
1. Miss sue from Alabama, Alaska, Nebraska
2. Miss Soup
3. Pea Soup
4. Mazoo
5. My Soup From California
6. Miss Sue From Parramatta
7. ET (ET from outer space)
8. Mrs Soup
9. Miss Sou
****
DEFINITION OF "COOTIES"
From https://www.google.com/search?q=cooties+definition&oq=cooties+de&aqs=chrome.0.0j69i57j0l4.5734j1j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
"Cooties:
a body louse.
a children's term for an imaginary germ or repellent quality transmitted by obnoxious or slovenly people."
-snip-
"Cooties” isn't a sexual referent, but I wonder if some children thought that "boy germs" and some other substitutions for "cooties" in this "Miss Sue From Alabama" rhymes had (have) a sexualized meaning.
****
SOME EXAMPLES OF "WIPE THOSE COOTIES OFF OF ME" & VARIATIONS OF THAT LINE IN "MISS SUE FROM ALABAMA" RHYMES
Pancocojams Editor's Note for this section and for the "take a smooth shot" section below:
These examples are from the United States and from other English speaking nations (Australia, United Kingdom) etc.
Unfortunately, as is the case with almost all online examples of children's rhymes, few examples include geographical location or performance year/s or decade/s.
These variant forms are written in italics to highlight those lines within examples of this rhyme. They are given in no particular order and aren't a comprehensive listing of those types of verses/lines that are found in "Miss Sue From Alabama" rhymes.
Examples are numbered for referencing purposes only.
1. "Me and my friends do it this way
"Miss sue, miss sue
Miss sue from Alabama, Alaska, Nebraska
Sittin' in a rocker eating Betty Crocker watching that clock go tic toc, tic toc chiwawa, tic toc, tic toc chiwawa
A b c d e f g, wash those cooties off of me
I betcha, I betcha, I betcha can't freeze as long as me!"
And then who ever freezes the longest wins
- Victoria Golden, 2017; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-svfUMX3BM
**
2. MY SOUP FROM CALIFORNIA
"We sung those Barney songs too and I live in Australia. We also used to do this weird one called My Soup which was weird. It went like this:
My soup clap clap clap
My soup clap clap clap
My soupd from california waiting on a rock to go
tick tock tick tock shawalawala tick tock tick tock shawalawala abcdefg wash those boy germs out of me
Moonshine moonshine moonshine
Freeze!
And then we all had to freeze.”...
Rochelle Foley, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55TnrD5re5g2015, 2015
-snip-
With the exception of the italics, this is how this example was given in that YouTube discussion thread.
**
3. "It is ms su 👏👏 ms su 👏👏 ms su from Alabama Nebraska she was sitting in a rocking chair chewing a on her under where watching the clock go tic toc banana rock tic toc banana rock ABCDFG
wash those Cooney's off of me wisha wisha we daddy had a donkey donkey died daddy cried indie biddy donkey but cute"
Ayla Holt, 2018; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qig_7pdDkHQ
**
4. "back in my day it went a little something like this:
Miss Sue (clap clap clap)
Miss Sue (clap clap clap)
Miss Sue from Alabama, her real name's Suzianna
she's sittin in a rocker, eatin Betty Crocker
watch the clock go tick tock tock tock, banana rock
tick tock tick tock banana rock
ABCD123
wash those spiders off of me
mooshka, mooshka, i see mommy
mooshka, mooshka, i know karate
mooshka, mooshka, oops i'm sorry
mooshka, mooshka, FREEZE."
-RespectMyThickness, 2015; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-svfUMX3BM
**
5. "At my school it is completely different it goes
My soup, my soup
My soup from California
Sitting in a rocket
Eating chocolate waiting for the Time to go
Tic tic cicawawa tic tic cicawawa
A b c d e f g
Gummy bears are chasing me
One is red
One is blue
One is peeing on my shoe
I'm running running for my life
Cause the red one has a knife
CACHING"
- The Colour English, 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-svfUMX3BM
**
6. "This is the way I sang it in Elementary School (I love seeing all the different versions!):
Miss Sue
Miss Sue
Miss Sue from Alabama
Her real name's Suzianna
Sittin' in a rocker
Eatin' Betty Crocker
Watchin' the clock go
Tick Tock
Tick-tock Banana-wana
Tick Tock
Tick-tock Banana-wana
ABCDEFG
Wipe that Blue Stuff (or "Those Boy Germs") off of me
HIJKLMNOP
I have plastic surgery
Oocha Boocha
Turn around and FREEZE!
-Jenalyn Barton; 2016; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-svfUMX3BM
**
7. "here is how i sang it.
miss sue( clap clap) miss sue ( clap clap)
miss sue from Alabama her real name was Susana sitting in that rocking
chair mixing that porage like tick tock tick tock shoo walla walla abcdefg wash that moosha off of me moosha moosha
all on me and who
ever moves is the black eye pea"
-Mikya Thomas, 2016; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-svfUMX3BM
**
8. "My Miss Sue was
Miss Sue (clap clap)
Miss Sue (clap clap)
Miss Sue from Alabama her name was Suzzianna sitting in her rocker eatin Betty Crocker watchin that clock go tick tock tick tock sha wa wa tick tock tick tock sha wa wa abcdefg ya betta wash that chocolate off of me I said a mooooshka I said a mooooshka I said a mooshka mooshka mooshka freeze."
-Felicia Villermaux, 2016; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-svfUMX3BM
**
9. "No it's
Miss sue
Miss sue
Miss sue from Alabama
her real name's Suzianna
Mama's having a baby
Daddy's going crazy
If it's a boy I'll give it a toy
If it's a girl I'll give it a curl
Wrap it up in toilet paper
Shoot it down the elevator
First floor stop
Second floor stop
Third floor you better watch out
For the S-T-O-P spells stop.
I said an A B C D E F G
Wipe those crumbs right off of me
You better freeze like a peice of cheese
Don't show no teeth😶"
-Isaiah Guiden, 2015; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-svfUMX3BM
**
10. "mine is: miss sue,miss sue,miss sue from albama they call her suzieanna sitt'in in a rocker eati'n bettie-crockertick- watchin that clock go tick-tock tick-tock shawawa tick-tock tick-tock shawawa abcdefg wash them boy cooties off of me moosha moosha i know karate moosha moosha i want my momy moosha moosha im so sorry moosha moosha FREEZE! have a staring contest"
-Sadie Fletcher, 2013; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-svfUMX3BM
**
11. "Me and my friends go ms sue clap clap clap ms sue from Alabama Alaska Nebraska she was sitting in her rocking chair chewing on her under ware watching the time go tick toc tick toc banana rock tic toc tick toc banana rock abcdefg wash these kittens off of my mushka mushka mushka freeze icky icky donkey daddy had a donkey donkey died daddy cried icky icky donkey
-Jennifer Lofgren, 2018; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNkxEU3OFbU
**
12."I do miss sue miss sue miss sue from Alabama Siting on a rocker eating Betty Crocker Watching the clock go tick-tock. Tick tock fanna mana tick tock tick tock fanna mana wipe those black spots off of me moon shine moon shine moon shine freeze"
-Adam Flanders, 2018; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4L-H86olg8
**
13. "I do it differently I do it like this
Miss Sue, miss Sue
Miss Sue from Alabama, Alaska, Aribaska she was
Sitting on her rocking chair,
Chewing on her sock
Watching the clock go
Tick tock tick tock balabala x2
ABCDEFG
Wash those groodies of me
Wishka wishka wishka freeze.
Inky dinky donkey Daddy had a donkey donkey died
Daddy cried inky dinky donkey"
-Holly Bailey, 2018; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4L-H86olg8
**
14. "miss sue miss sue miss sue from Alabama they call her Susieanna. siting in a rocker eating Betty crocker watching that clock go tick tock tick tock chawlwa tick tock tick tock chawlwa abcdefg wip those blue germs off of me if they slap you don't you cry slap them back and wave bye bye
Robin, 2015; https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100521121653AAqa6Lq
**
15. "This was how I knew it growing up in Utah as you clapped it out with a friend:
Mazoo
Mazoo
Mazoo from Alabama
Sittin' in a rocker
Eatin' Betty Crocker
Listen to the clock go
Tick Tock
Tick Tock Banana-Rock
Tick Tock
Tick Tock Banana-Rock
A-B-C-D-E-F-G
Wipe that blue stuff off of me
Mushka Mushka Mushka
Freeze!
And then you froze and had a staring contest"
-burgundyblake; January 17, 2019 [comment]; http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/09/selected-examples-of-hand-clap-rhyme.html Selected Examples Of The Hand Clap Rhyme "Miss Sue From Alabama" (1965-1990s)
****
MY THOUGHTS ABOUT THE MEANING OF SMOOTH SHOT"
The word "smooth" is an adjective whose 1970s slang meaning is "doing something difficult without effort, with finesse." The word "smooth" was often used this way when someone performed a difficult action in a way that made that action seemed easy.
I believe that the non-folk processed form of "take a smooth shot" was "take a flu [influenza] shot [immunization]. However, I've not found any examples of "Miss Sue From Alabama" that includes the "take a flu shot" line.
My guess is that the slang meaning of "smooth" was what children meant when they chanted "take a smooth shot", if they considered the meaning of the term at all when they performed this rhyme or before/afterwards they performed this rhyme.
****
SOME EXAMPLES OF VARIANT FORMS OF THE LINE "TAKE A SMOOTH SHOT" IN "MISS SUE FROM ALABAMA" RHYMES
Pancocojams Editor's Note
Based on my online research, the line "take a smooth shot" or its variants appear to be found in far fewer examples of
Miss Sue From Alabama" than the "wipe those cooties" line and its variant forms.
I believe that "take a smooth shot" was probably chanted in the 1960s- 1970s or earlier examples of "Miss Sue From Alabama" and was largely retired after that.
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, editors Let's Slice The Ice, (Magnamusic-Baton, 1978; St. Louis, Missouri; p. 16)
**
2. "How I remember miss sue miss sue miss sue from alabama jer real name suseanna sittin In the rocking eatin popcorn watchin that clock go tick tock boom boom bananas +2 hey little white girl what u gone do your momma got the chicken pox ur daddy got the flu take a
A b c d e f g. H I J K L M N O P take a boooo shot take a boo shotFREEZE
Makyia Ballentine, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-svfUMX3BM Miss Sue Playground Song; 2014
**
3. E.T. FROM OUTER SPACE
E-T.
E-T.
E-T from outer space.
He has an ugly face.
Sitting in a rocker,
Eating Betty Crocker,
Watching the clock go tick-tock
Tick-tock ski-wa-dee-da-dee
A-B-C-D-E-F-G
Wipe those crumbs off of me!
I've got a smooth shirt.
I've got a smooth shirt.
I've got a smooth smooth smooth smooth smooth shirt.
Now freeze!
-KeepOnSingin, http://www.dance.net/topic/7106059/1/General/Do-you-remember-those-old-rhymes-you-d-sing-as-a-kid.html re: Do you remember those old rhymes you'd sing as a kid?, Apr 20, 2008
**
4. "Miss Sue, (clap, clap)
Miss Sue (clap, clap)
Miss Sue from Alabama,
Let's make a movie,
Sittin' in a rocker,
Eatin' Betty Crocker,
Hey wise girl,
Whatcha gonna do,
When your mama's at work,
Baby's got the flu,
Daddy's got the chicken pox,
And so do you?
Take an a b c d e f g,
Take an h i j k l m n o p,
Take a booty shot,
take a booty shot,
And FREEZE!!"
- Ashley, 2010 https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100521121653AAqa6Lq
**
5. "Miss Sue
Miss Sue
Miss Sue from Alabama
Her name was Suzianna
Sitting in a rocker
eating Betty Crocker
Watching the clock go
Tick Tock
Tick all around go
Tick Tock
Tick all around
A-B-C-D-E-F-G
Gotta wash that stain right out of me
Gotta Boom-shot
Gotta Boom-shot
Gotta crick in my side
Gotta crick in my side
Salt and pepper said "DO NOT MOVE"
(alternate ending)
Salt and pepper said" DO NOT MOVE,
FIRST ONE TO MOVE IS A BLACK-EYED-PEA
SECOND ONE TO MOVE IS A BEAUTY QUEEN
-Dani (White American, Southern USA), http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=63097 "Folklore: Do kid still do clapping rhymes?", September 22, 2003
****
This concludes Part III of this three part pancocojams series on the textual diversity of "Miss Sue From Alabama" rhymes.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
The Textual (Word) Diversity Of "Miss Sue From Alabama" Rhymes, Part II - A Small List Of Verses From Stand Alone That Are Found In "Miss Sue From Alabama" Rhymes
Edited by Azizi Powell
Part II of this series presents a small list of verses or lines from stand alone rhymes that are found in "Miss Sue From Alabama" rhymes.
Most of these examples of "Miss Sue From Alabama" are from online sources.
These examples reflect the textual (word) diversity that appears to be a dominate feature of "Miss Sue From Alabama" rhymes.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-textual-diversity-of-miss-sue-from.html for Part I of this series. This post provides information about a 1934 example of "Miss Sue From Alabama" as given on a Wikipedia page. My comment casting doubt about some of the content of that Wikipedia page is also included in this post.
Part I also provides my analysis of verses for three examples of "Miss Sue From Alabama" from 1965, 1976, and 1978. A comparison of those three examples demonstrate the textual (word) diversity of "Miss Sue From Alabama"'s large family of children's rhymes.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-textual-word-diversity-of-miss-sue_90.html for Part III of this series. Part III presents a partial lists of versions of the line "wipe those cooties off of me" and the "take a smooth shot" lines that are found in some examples of "Miss Sue From Alabama" children's rhyme.
The content of this page is presented for folkloric and recreational purposes.
Thanks to all who contributed examples of this rhyme that are included in this post. Thanks also to all who are quoted in this post. Special thanks to burgundyblake who shared an example of a "Mazoo From Alabama" rhyme with pancocojams on January 17, 2019. That example prompted me to continue my research on this rhyme family.
-snip-
Previous pancocojams posts on "Miss Sue From Alabama" can be found by clicking the "Miss Sue From Alabama" tag that is found below this post.
****
EXAMPLES OF STAND ALONE RHYMES IN "MISS SUE FROM ALABAMA"
Pancocojams Editor's Note
This post presents one example or two examples each of a stand alone rhyme that is found in some examples of "Miss Sue From Alabama" children's rhymes. These examples are from the United States and from other English speaking nations (Australia, United Kingdom) etc.
Unfortunately, as is the case with almost all online examples of children's rhymes, only one of these examples includes geographical location and none of these examples include performance year/s or decade/s.
These sub-categories are given in no particular order and aren't a comprehensive listing of those types of verses/lines that are found in "Miss Sue From Alabama" rhymes.
Examples are numbered for referencing purposes only. The stand alone verses are given in italics. There may be more than one stand alone verse in each of these selected examples of "Miss Sue From Alabama, but I've only highlighted one stand alone rhyme for each example.
EXAMPLE #1: [stand alone verse: "Sittin In A Rocker/Eatin Betty Crocker"]
"one goes back and forth between the people playing the game; I'll just use my name (Monica)
(both)Miss Sue, Miss Sue
Miss Sue from Alabama
Her real name is Susannah
(Boom chicka boom chicka boomboomboom)
Mommy's got the measles, Daddy's got the flu
I ain't lyin', nor are you.
(other person) Hey Monica!
(me) Who's callin' my name?
(other person) Hey Monica!
(me) Stop playin' my game!
(other person) Someone's on the telephone!
(me) If it ain't my baby tell 'em I ain't home!
(both) Sittin' in her rocker, eatin' peanut butter
Watchin' the clock go
Boom ticky wah wah boom tick tock
Boom ticky wah wah clock says stop!
-getoffmyskittle; http://archive.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=38901&page=4 "Does anyone remember this?? (goofy kid-rhymes)" February 6th, 2006
***
EXAMPLE #2 [stand alone verse: "Telephone"]
"My sister and her friends used to say:
Miss Sue
Miss Sue
Miss Sue from Alabama
Let's make a movie
You got the ABCDEFG
You got the HIJKLMNOP
You got the smooth legs
You got the smooth legs
You got the bald head
You got the bald head
Hey (friend's name), somebody called your name
Hey (another friend's name), somebody wants you on the telephone
It ain't my momma, sittin at the table
Peeling the potatoes
Tick tock boom boom
Tick tock boom boom
BOOM!
-Andey McFarlin, 2018; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-svfUMX3BM
-snip-
This example of "Miss Sue From Alabama" includes some words from the "Telephone". Three foot stomping cheers that include versions of these words are found in this pancocojams post http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/09/foot-stomping-cheers-alphabetical-list_22.html
****
EXAMPLE #3 [stand alone verse: "I Love Karate"]
1.
"back in my day it went a little something like this:
Miss Sue (clap clap clap)
Miss Sue (clap clap clap)
Miss Sue from Alabama, her real name's Suzianna
she's sittin in a rocker, eatin Betty Crocker
watch the clock go tick tock tock tock, banana rock
tick tock tick tock banana rock
ABCD123
wash those spiders off of me
mooshka, mooshka, i see mommy
mooshka, mooshka, i know karate
mooshka, mooshka, oops i'm sorry
mooshka, mooshka, FREEZE.
-RespectMyThickness, 2015; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-svfUMX3BM
**
2.
===Ms. Sue=== (alternate on LI [long Island], New York)
"Ms. Sue (2 claps) Ms Sue (2 claps)
Ms. Sue from Alabama, her real name's Suzy Anna
Sitting on a rocker, chewing on her underwear, wish she had another pair
Watching the clocker going
Tick Tock Tick Tock, banana rock
Tick Tock Tick Tock, banana rock
ABCDEFG, Wash those spots right off of me
HIJKLMNOP, I got plastic surgery
Moocha Moocha, I know karate (pose)
Moocha Moocha, I love my mommy (hug)
Moocha Moocha, oops! I'm sorry! (push opponent as hard as you can)
Moocha Moocha freeze! Whoever moves is American cheese! (first to move - even an eye twitch or a blink loses!)"
-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk%3AClapping_game/Examples [no date]
****
EXAMPLE #4: [stand alone verse: "Inky Dinky Donkey"
1.
"It is ms su 👏👏 ms su 👏👏 ms su from Alabama Nebraska she was sitting in a rocking chair chewing a on her under where watching the clock go tic toc banana rock tic toc banana rock ABCDFG
wash those Cooney's off of me wisha wisha we daddy had a donkey donkey died daddy cried indie biddy donkey but cute
-Ayla Holt, 2018; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qig_7pdDkHQ
**
2.
"Me and my friends go ms sue clap clap clap ms sue from Alabama Alaska Nebraska she was sitting in her rocking chair chewing on her under ware watching the time go tick toc tick toc banana rock tic toc tick toc banana rock abcdefg wash these kittens off of my mushka mushka mushka freeze icky icky donkey daddy had a donkey donkey died daddy cried icky icky donkey
-Jennifer Lofgren, 2018; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNkxEU3OFbU
****
EXAMPLE #5: [stand alone verse: "Your Mama's Got The Measles"]
"Ms Sue, Ms Sue,
Ms Sue from Parramatta
Hey you! Scooby Doo
Yo Mamma got the measles and your father got the flu
Magic measles magic flu
Take an A B C D E F G
Take a H I J K L M N O P
Take a smooth shot, take a smooth shot
NOW FREEZE"
-Smriti, 2015; https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091210140932AAZOeGy
****
EXAMPLE #6: [stand alone verse: First One To Move Is A Black Eye Pea/a Beauty Queen]
1.
Miss Sue (Clap clap clap)
Miss Sue (Clap clap clap)
Miss Sue from Alabama, her name is Suzianna
Sitting in a rocking chair, eating butter crackers
Watching the clock go
tick tock, tick tock
walawala
tick tock, tick tock
walawala
ABCDEFG
Wipe those boy germs off of me
I bet 'cha, I bet 'cha
I bet 'cha can't freeze, first one to move is the black eyed pea,
second one to move is the beauty queen,
between, between, between you and me,
starting... NOW.
-Allison L., 2016; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-svfUMX3BM
**
2.
"Miss Sue
Miss Sue
Miss Sue from Alabama
Her name was Suzianna
Sitting in a rocker
eating Betty Crocker
Watching the clock go
Tick Tock
Tick all around go
Tick Tock
Tick all around
A-B-C-D-E-F-G
Gotta wash that stain right out of me
Gotta Boom-shot
Gotta Boom-shot
Gotta crick in my side
Gotta crick in my side
Salt and pepper said "DO NOT MOVE"
(alternate ending)
Salt and pepper said" DO NOT MOVE,
FIRST ONE TO MOVE IS A BLACK-EYED-PEA
SECOND ONE TO MOVE IS A BEAUTY QUEEN
-Dani (White American, Southern USA), http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=63097 "Folklore: Do kid still do clapping rhymes?", September 22, 2003
****
EXAMPLE #7: [stand alone verse: "Gummy Bears Are Chasing Me"]
"At my school it is completely different it goes
My soup, my soup
My soup from California
Sitting in a rocket
Eating chocolate waiting for the Time to go
Tic tic cicawawa tic tic cicawawa
A b c d e f g
Gummy bears are chasing me
One is red
One is blue
One is peeing on my shoe
I'm running running for my life
Cause the red one has a knife
CACHING"
The Colour English, 2016; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-svfUMX3BM
****
This concludes Part II of this three part series on The Textual Diversity Of Miss Sue From Alabama Rhymes.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Part II of this series presents a small list of verses or lines from stand alone rhymes that are found in "Miss Sue From Alabama" rhymes.
Most of these examples of "Miss Sue From Alabama" are from online sources.
These examples reflect the textual (word) diversity that appears to be a dominate feature of "Miss Sue From Alabama" rhymes.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-textual-diversity-of-miss-sue-from.html for Part I of this series. This post provides information about a 1934 example of "Miss Sue From Alabama" as given on a Wikipedia page. My comment casting doubt about some of the content of that Wikipedia page is also included in this post.
Part I also provides my analysis of verses for three examples of "Miss Sue From Alabama" from 1965, 1976, and 1978. A comparison of those three examples demonstrate the textual (word) diversity of "Miss Sue From Alabama"'s large family of children's rhymes.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-textual-word-diversity-of-miss-sue_90.html for Part III of this series. Part III presents a partial lists of versions of the line "wipe those cooties off of me" and the "take a smooth shot" lines that are found in some examples of "Miss Sue From Alabama" children's rhyme.
The content of this page is presented for folkloric and recreational purposes.
Thanks to all who contributed examples of this rhyme that are included in this post. Thanks also to all who are quoted in this post. Special thanks to burgundyblake who shared an example of a "Mazoo From Alabama" rhyme with pancocojams on January 17, 2019. That example prompted me to continue my research on this rhyme family.
-snip-
Previous pancocojams posts on "Miss Sue From Alabama" can be found by clicking the "Miss Sue From Alabama" tag that is found below this post.
****
EXAMPLES OF STAND ALONE RHYMES IN "MISS SUE FROM ALABAMA"
Pancocojams Editor's Note
This post presents one example or two examples each of a stand alone rhyme that is found in some examples of "Miss Sue From Alabama" children's rhymes. These examples are from the United States and from other English speaking nations (Australia, United Kingdom) etc.
Unfortunately, as is the case with almost all online examples of children's rhymes, only one of these examples includes geographical location and none of these examples include performance year/s or decade/s.
These sub-categories are given in no particular order and aren't a comprehensive listing of those types of verses/lines that are found in "Miss Sue From Alabama" rhymes.
Examples are numbered for referencing purposes only. The stand alone verses are given in italics. There may be more than one stand alone verse in each of these selected examples of "Miss Sue From Alabama, but I've only highlighted one stand alone rhyme for each example.
EXAMPLE #1: [stand alone verse: "Sittin In A Rocker/Eatin Betty Crocker"]
"one goes back and forth between the people playing the game; I'll just use my name (Monica)
(both)Miss Sue, Miss Sue
Miss Sue from Alabama
Her real name is Susannah
(Boom chicka boom chicka boomboomboom)
Mommy's got the measles, Daddy's got the flu
I ain't lyin', nor are you.
(other person) Hey Monica!
(me) Who's callin' my name?
(other person) Hey Monica!
(me) Stop playin' my game!
(other person) Someone's on the telephone!
(me) If it ain't my baby tell 'em I ain't home!
(both) Sittin' in her rocker, eatin' peanut butter
Watchin' the clock go
Boom ticky wah wah boom tick tock
Boom ticky wah wah clock says stop!
-getoffmyskittle; http://archive.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=38901&page=4 "Does anyone remember this?? (goofy kid-rhymes)" February 6th, 2006
***
EXAMPLE #2 [stand alone verse: "Telephone"]
"My sister and her friends used to say:
Miss Sue
Miss Sue
Miss Sue from Alabama
Let's make a movie
You got the ABCDEFG
You got the HIJKLMNOP
You got the smooth legs
You got the smooth legs
You got the bald head
You got the bald head
Hey (friend's name), somebody called your name
Hey (another friend's name), somebody wants you on the telephone
It ain't my momma, sittin at the table
Peeling the potatoes
Tick tock boom boom
Tick tock boom boom
BOOM!
-Andey McFarlin, 2018; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-svfUMX3BM
-snip-
This example of "Miss Sue From Alabama" includes some words from the "Telephone". Three foot stomping cheers that include versions of these words are found in this pancocojams post http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/09/foot-stomping-cheers-alphabetical-list_22.html
****
EXAMPLE #3 [stand alone verse: "I Love Karate"]
1.
"back in my day it went a little something like this:
Miss Sue (clap clap clap)
Miss Sue (clap clap clap)
Miss Sue from Alabama, her real name's Suzianna
she's sittin in a rocker, eatin Betty Crocker
watch the clock go tick tock tock tock, banana rock
tick tock tick tock banana rock
ABCD123
wash those spiders off of me
mooshka, mooshka, i see mommy
mooshka, mooshka, i know karate
mooshka, mooshka, oops i'm sorry
mooshka, mooshka, FREEZE.
-RespectMyThickness, 2015; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-svfUMX3BM
**
2.
===Ms. Sue=== (alternate on LI [long Island], New York)
"Ms. Sue (2 claps) Ms Sue (2 claps)
Ms. Sue from Alabama, her real name's Suzy Anna
Sitting on a rocker, chewing on her underwear, wish she had another pair
Watching the clocker going
Tick Tock Tick Tock, banana rock
Tick Tock Tick Tock, banana rock
ABCDEFG, Wash those spots right off of me
HIJKLMNOP, I got plastic surgery
Moocha Moocha, I know karate (pose)
Moocha Moocha, I love my mommy (hug)
Moocha Moocha, oops! I'm sorry! (push opponent as hard as you can)
Moocha Moocha freeze! Whoever moves is American cheese! (first to move - even an eye twitch or a blink loses!)"
-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk%3AClapping_game/Examples [no date]
****
EXAMPLE #4: [stand alone verse: "Inky Dinky Donkey"
1.
"It is ms su 👏👏 ms su 👏👏 ms su from Alabama Nebraska she was sitting in a rocking chair chewing a on her under where watching the clock go tic toc banana rock tic toc banana rock ABCDFG
wash those Cooney's off of me wisha wisha we daddy had a donkey donkey died daddy cried indie biddy donkey but cute
-Ayla Holt, 2018; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qig_7pdDkHQ
**
2.
"Me and my friends go ms sue clap clap clap ms sue from Alabama Alaska Nebraska she was sitting in her rocking chair chewing on her under ware watching the time go tick toc tick toc banana rock tic toc tick toc banana rock abcdefg wash these kittens off of my mushka mushka mushka freeze icky icky donkey daddy had a donkey donkey died daddy cried icky icky donkey
-Jennifer Lofgren, 2018; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNkxEU3OFbU
****
EXAMPLE #5: [stand alone verse: "Your Mama's Got The Measles"]
"Ms Sue, Ms Sue,
Ms Sue from Parramatta
Hey you! Scooby Doo
Yo Mamma got the measles and your father got the flu
Magic measles magic flu
Take an A B C D E F G
Take a H I J K L M N O P
Take a smooth shot, take a smooth shot
NOW FREEZE"
-Smriti, 2015; https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091210140932AAZOeGy
****
EXAMPLE #6: [stand alone verse: First One To Move Is A Black Eye Pea/a Beauty Queen]
1.
Miss Sue (Clap clap clap)
Miss Sue (Clap clap clap)
Miss Sue from Alabama, her name is Suzianna
Sitting in a rocking chair, eating butter crackers
Watching the clock go
tick tock, tick tock
walawala
tick tock, tick tock
walawala
ABCDEFG
Wipe those boy germs off of me
I bet 'cha, I bet 'cha
I bet 'cha can't freeze, first one to move is the black eyed pea,
second one to move is the beauty queen,
between, between, between you and me,
starting... NOW.
-Allison L., 2016; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-svfUMX3BM
**
2.
"Miss Sue
Miss Sue
Miss Sue from Alabama
Her name was Suzianna
Sitting in a rocker
eating Betty Crocker
Watching the clock go
Tick Tock
Tick all around go
Tick Tock
Tick all around
A-B-C-D-E-F-G
Gotta wash that stain right out of me
Gotta Boom-shot
Gotta Boom-shot
Gotta crick in my side
Gotta crick in my side
Salt and pepper said "DO NOT MOVE"
(alternate ending)
Salt and pepper said" DO NOT MOVE,
FIRST ONE TO MOVE IS A BLACK-EYED-PEA
SECOND ONE TO MOVE IS A BEAUTY QUEEN
-Dani (White American, Southern USA), http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=63097 "Folklore: Do kid still do clapping rhymes?", September 22, 2003
****
EXAMPLE #7: [stand alone verse: "Gummy Bears Are Chasing Me"]
"At my school it is completely different it goes
My soup, my soup
My soup from California
Sitting in a rocket
Eating chocolate waiting for the Time to go
Tic tic cicawawa tic tic cicawawa
A b c d e f g
Gummy bears are chasing me
One is red
One is blue
One is peeing on my shoe
I'm running running for my life
Cause the red one has a knife
CACHING"
The Colour English, 2016; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-svfUMX3BM
****
This concludes Part II of this three part series on The Textual Diversity Of Miss Sue From Alabama Rhymes.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)