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Thursday, June 1, 2023

Comparisons Between Two Versions Of The Singing Game "Three Dukes A-Riding" And The African American Singing Game "We're Riding Here To Get Married"

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents information about and comparisons between two versions of the singing game "Three Dukes A-Riding" and the only version of African American singing game "We're Riding Here To Get Married" that I know about.

The content of this post is presented for folkloric, cultural, and entertainment purposes.  

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the composers of these songs and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/08/african-american-versions-of-english.html "We're Riding Here To Get Married" & "Johnny Cuckoo" Are African American Versions Of The Scottish Children's Singing Game "Three Dukes A Riding" for a previous pancocojams post on this subject. 

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LYRICS AND NOTES - "THREE DUKES A RIDING" (Version #1) 

(Duke:) Here come three dukes a-riding, a-riding, a-riding,
Here come three dukes a-riding,
Ransam, tansam, tism, tee.

(Children:)
Pray what is your good will Sir, (etc)

(Duke:)
My will is for to marry, (etc)

(Children:)
Pray, whom will you marry? (etc)

(Duke:)
You're all too black and brown for me, (etc)

(Children:)
We're quite as white as you Sir, (etc)

(Duke:)
You're all as stiff as pokers, (etc)

(Children:)
We can bend as well as you, Sir (etc).

(Duke:)
Go through the kitchen and through the hall,
And take the fairest of them all.
The fairest one that I can see
Is [Jemima Spriggins] so come to me.

Source: Lucy Broadwood and J A Fuller Maitland. 1893, English County Songs, Leadenhall Press, London

Notes:
Lucy Broadwood wrote:
In this choosing game one child, representing the duke, advances towards a line of children who hold hands and walk backwards and forwards in front of him. He names the child he wishes for, who takes his hand and joins him in his song. In most versions, the duke sings the "Go through the kitchen," &c. to the tune of "Nancy Dawson," better known as "Here we go round the mulberry bush." The game goes on until all the children and won over to the duke's side. The above tune is that sung in many counties to these words a version is given in the Hon. E. M. Plunket's Merrie Games in Rhyme. A very elaborate version of the game is sent from Masham, Yorkshire, in which the whole thing is gone through, first with one duke, then with two, and lastly with three. After choosing the child by name, the dialogue, "I will buy thee a watch and chain" (See "I will give you the keys of Heaven", Cheshire), is gone through, as far as the offers are concerned, the chosen child replying "No" to each."

Online source -  http://www.joe-offer.com/folkinfo/songs/792.html
-snip-
*Notes for a version of "Three Dukes" from https://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/folk-song-lyrics/Three_Dukes.htm
(1) Gomme II.245, from the West of Scotland [Folklore Record, IV.174]
(2) Gomme II.247, from Biggar;
(3) ibid., from Rosehearty, Pitsligo.
(4) Greig FSNE art. clii.2, from Sandwick, Orkney.
 [Another instance of the tribal marriage imitated by children, for at least a thousand years. Gomme suggests that the chorus preserves an old slogan or war cry.]
(5) Rodger Lang Strang (1948), 32. Three boys play the dukes,
advancing and retiring with st. 1; the girls in a line take hands and advance
and retire with the second stanza, etc.
(6) Gomme & Sharp, Children's Singing Games I (1909), 20;
(7) Opies Singing Game (1985), 76 (no. 11), with refs.
(8) Roud: 730 (Search Roud index at VWML) 
-snip-
The adjectives "black and brown" in this song probably refers to White people with dark hair and/or darker complexions (compared to other White people).

The adjective "fair" ("fairest") in this song means "prettiest".  

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LYRICS AND NOTES - "TWO DUKES A RIDING" (Version #2)
(Jean Ritchie)

Here comes two dukes a riding riding riding
Here comes two dukes a riding Ring tim a ding to my johnnie o

Why do you riding here for, here for, here for?
Why do you riding here for? Ring tim a ding to my johnnie o

Riding here to get married, married, married
Riding here to get married Ring tim a ding to my johnnie o

Do you want any of us sir, us sir, us si?r
Do you want any of us sir? Ring tim a ding to my johnnie o

You’re all too dirty and greasy, greasy, greasy
You’re all too dirty and greasy. Ring tim a ding to my johnnie o

We just as good as you are, you are, you are
We just as good as you are. Ring tim a ding to my johnnie o

Won’t have nobody but Mary, Mary, Mary.
Won’t have nobody but Mary. Ring tim a ding to my johnnie o

Will you come? No!

Old dirty dish rag, she won’t come out, she won’t come out, she won’t come out.
 Old dirty dish rag, she won’t come out. Ring tim a ding to my johnnie o

Will you come out? Yes!

Pretty little girl, she will come out, she will come out, she will come out.
Pretty little girl, she will come out  Ring tim a ding to my johnnie o

Online Source - https://greatsong.net/PAROLES-JEAN-RITCHIE,TWO-DUKES-A-RIDING,102673666.html
-snip-
Click 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYrRaktgRAk for a YouTube sound file of Jean Ritchie singing "Two Dukes A Riding"

Here's some information about Jean Ritchie from her Wikipedia page 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Ritchie
"Jean Ruth Ritchie (December 8, 1922 – June 1, 2015) was an American) American folk singer, songwriter, and Appalachian dulcimer player,[1] called by some the "Mother of Folk".[2] In her youth she learned hundreds of folk songs in the traditional way (orally, from her family and community), many of which were Appalachian variants of centuries old British and Irish songs, including dozens of Child Ballads.[3][4] In adulthood, she shared these songs with wide audiences,[5] as well as writing some of her own songs using traditional foundations.[4]

[...]
 
She also spent time collecting folk music in the United States and in Britain and Ireland,[6][7] in order to research the origins of her family songs and help preserve traditional music.[4]"...

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LYRICS AND NOTES - "WE'RE RIDING HERE TO GET MARRIED

Directions: The girls form a horizontal line and stand facing boys who have also formed a horizontal line. In the 1st part of this singing game, the girls sing and skip four steps for each phrase toward the boys and the boys sing while skipping four steps for each phrase toward the girls. The singing game turns into a chasing game at a specific part of the chant.

Girls:

We're riding here to get married
Married, Married
Riding here to get married.
Ah Rhythm Ah Diddee
Ah Diddee High Oh

Boys:
Who you gonna marry?
Marry, Marry
Who you gonna marry?
Ah Rhythm Ah Diddee
Ah Diddee High Oh

Girls:
We're gonna marry Johnny *
Johnny, Johnny
We're gonna marry Johnny
Johnny, Johnny
Ah Rhythm Ah Diddee
Ah Diddee High Oh

Boys:
How ya gonna get him?
Get Him, Get Him
How ya gonna get him
Ah Rhythm Ah Diddee
Ah Diddee High Oh

Girls:
We'll break the doors and windows
Windows, Windows
We'll break the doors and windows
Ah Rhythm Ah Diddee
A Diddee High Oh

Boys:
You'll get all dirty and greasy
Greasy, Greasy
You'll get all dirty and greasy
Ah Rhythm Ah Diddee
Ah Diddee High Oh

Girls:
We're not as greasy and you are
You are, You are
We're not as greasy as you are
Ah Rhythm A Diddee
A Diddee High Oh

Girls:
Are you coming? [Spoken loudly]

Boys:
NO! [Yelled]

* another boy's name can be substituted for "Johnny"

Part II:
When the boys yell "No!", the girls began to chase the boys. They are suppose to particularly focus on the boy whose name had been given in the chant. The boys run away. They are suppose to try to protect the boy whose name had been called from being caught by the girls. But, actually, when this game was played, the girls tried to catch any boy playing the game, and particularly focused on the boy/s who they liked.
-Barbara Ray, (African American woman), memories of growing up in the 1950s in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; collected by Azizi Powell, 1997, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

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Visitor comments are welcome. 

Tuesday, May 30, 2023

"If You Stop You will Get Popped" & Certain Other Changes In The Words To The Children's Recreational Rhyme "Mama Mama Can't You See"

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post documents certain changes in the words for the children's recreational rhyme "Mama Mama Can't You See" from 2011 through the year this post was published (2023).

This post particularly focuses on examples of these rhymes that include "if you stop, you will get popped" lines that extend that rhyme.

The content of this post is presented for folkloric, cultural, and recreational purposes,

This post demonstrates how examples of particular children's recreational rhymes can change over time within the same nation. Although no geographical data is included with these examples, this compilation suggests that these particular word changes in "Mama Mama Can't You See" children's rhymes appear in various parts of the United States. 

My guess is that these changes are spread as the result of children reading online examples and as a result of children sharing those rhymes in their communication with other children while they are in their home cities and during their travels outside those cities..     

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. 
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/01/hand-clap-rhymes-that-mention-mp3s-cell.html for the pancocojams post entitled "Hand Clap Rhymes That Mention Mp3s, Cell Phones, HDTV, & Computers." 

Also, click 
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/08/childrens-examples-of-mama-mama-cant.html "Children's Examples Of The Hand Clap Rhyme "Mama Mama Can't You See" (without mps, cell phones, computers, or HDTV)"

Additional examples of this children's rhyme are very welcome.

Please remember to include where you chanted this rhyme (city/state if in the USA, and add nation if outside of the USA) and when (year or decade such as 1990s). Please also remember to include information about any accompanying activity you did while chanting this rhyme (for example, a two person hand clap game, group hand clap game, jump rope rhyme etc.)

If you are sharing an online example of this rhyme, please add the link to that example.

Thanks in advance for adding examples to this compilation

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WHAT "IF YOU STOP" MEANS IN THESE RHYMES
"If you stop" means "if you stop exchanging hand claps during this game" (because the palms of your hands are getting red and hurting because of the rapid hand claps).

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WHAT "YOU WILL GET POPPED" MEANS IN THESE RHYMES
The person who stops exchanging hand claps is considered the loser of the hand game and will be "popped" (i.e. hit [on purpose] usually on the forehead.
 
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A "STANDARD" "MAMA MAMA CAN'T YOU SEE" RHYME (from 1999) 

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 hand claps; 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, collected by Azizi Powell, 7/1999

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EXAMPLES OF "MAMA MAMA CAN'T YOU SEE" CHILDREN'S RHYMES WITH "IF YOU STOP YOU WILL GET POPPED" LINES & SOME OTHER POST 2010 EXAMPLES OF THAT RHYME

Source #1: https://hobbylark.com/party-games/Recess-is-BACK-Hand-Clapping-Games
1. "this is called mama mama can you see mama mama can you see what this baby done to me she took away my mtv now i have to wacj dumb barney tic tac toe 3 in a row mama got shot by a j i joe if you stop you will get poped
-rhiannon yvonne camp on October 17, 2011, 

**

Source #2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zEcsIfe6lU&t=0s

1."For Mama Mama at the end we say dont stop clapping til your hands get red
- Itzyofavv A, 2019

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Reply
2. " We say if u stop u will get popped"
-braceface zai, 2020

**
Reply
3. "And it get faster and faster until your hands is burning"
-Tiara battiste, 2020

**
Reply
4. " Yeah"
-Bre Skii, 2020

**
Reply
5. LuvlyVee, 2020
"Now we say if you stop you’ll get a pop all the way to the candy shop -_-"

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Reply
6. "Yeah we say Keep on playing till your hands get red"
-kero•inu , 2020

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Reply
7. "Ikr"
-Typicalxsxmmies,2020

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Reply
8. "@braceface zai  SAME"
-Emixox, 2020

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Reply
9. "Same"
-Mwa 💕, 2021

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Reply

10. "@braceface zai  no they say if you stop you get a knock"
-nneka chidoka, 2021

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Reply
11. "
LMAO we said till you see the babies head 🤣"
-PUPPIESGOARF, 2021

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Reply
12. " 
We say eating cornbread under my bed"
-Fay Abner, 2021

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Aleisa Tv, 2019
13. "Our mama mama go like mama mama can’t you see what the army done to me ? They took away my favorite toys now I’m watching stupid boys, I saw a lady chewing gum💁🏽‍♀️ I asked her can I have some ? She looked at me like I was dumb so I shot her with my Bebe gun pow pow fist fist boy you take a look at this you see my pinky you see my thumb you see my fist you better run😂😂                      part 2 goes like mama mama can’t you see what the army done to me they took away my mp3 & abcs now I’m watching Barney oops Barney’s dead , I shot him in the heaaaad under my bedddd eating cornbreadddd , don’t stop till yo hands get red( then you keep go crazy & keep doing the shake till yo hands get tired)"


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14. "My mama mama can’t you see was somewhat different if was low key like numbers and we said “ if you stop you will get popped all the way to the candy shop “ and you keep clapping until somebody stops and you pop the person who stops lol"
-Rizma K, 2022

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Source #3: https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090501175248AAWDxOq ; "does anyone know the hand game mama mama can't you see word?" [This link is no longer active]

Mama mama can't you see
Look what the baby done to me
He took away my mtv
Now I'm watching dumb Barney
Tic tac toe three in a row
Momma got shot by GI joe
If you stop you get a pop
All the way to candy shop
-Tina, 2016 

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Source #4: http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/08/childrens-examples-of-mama-mama-cant.html

1. "mama can't you see, what these babies done to me, they took away my mtv, now watching barney, tic tac toe three in a row, barney got shot by gi joe, oops barneys dead, shot in the head, eating cornbread, with uncle fred, peeing in the bed, now don't stop til ya hands get realllll hot, apple peaches cream and butter tell yo mama who your lover

a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

i

j

k

l

m

n

o

p

q

r

s

t

u

v

w

x

y

z"
-umm, September 23, 2021,  

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2. " my version was

mama mama can’t you see
what the baby done to me
she took away my mtv
now i’m watching dumb barney
dumb barney is so wack
now i’m watching men in black
men in black is so cool
it makes me want to go to school
tic tac toe thee in a row
momma got shot by g.i joe
if you stop you get a pop
all the way to the candy shop
-Anonymous, December 16, 2022

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Source #5:  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zEcsIfe6lU&ab_channel=Geneas

1.  "For me Mama Mama Can't You See went


Mama can't you see
What these babies done to me
Took away my new TV
Now I'm stuck with old Barney
Oops Barney's deaddd
Shot in the headdd
Eating cornbreaddd
Under my beaddd
STOP!
Now go
Drop it fast it move it real slow


And then we did the little dance lol"
-pika, 2021 

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Visitor comments are welcome.


Monday, May 29, 2023

Children's Recreational Rhymes That Include The Name Chris Brown

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents information about the African American celebrity Chris Brown.

This post also presents all of the examples of children's recreational rhymes that I have come across that include the name "Chris Brown".  

The content of this post is presented for folkloric, cultural, and entertainment purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those whose examples are quoted in this post.
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/08/playground-rhymes-that-include-names-of_30.html "Names Of Famous People In Children's Recreational Rhymes (Part II- rhymes whose titles begin with A-L" and http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/08/playground-rhymes-that-include-names-of_54.html  "Names Of Famous People In Children's Recreational Rhymes (Part II- rhymes whose titles begin with M-Z)"

Please share examples of children's recreational rhymes that you know that mention Chris Brown and/or other celebrities.

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INFORMATION ABOUT CHRIS BROWN 
Excerpt #1
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Brown
"
Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. According to Billboard, Brown is one of the most successful R&B singers of his generation,[2][3]

[...]

Brown has sold over 197 million records worldwide, making him one of the world's best-selling music artists. He is also one of the highest-grossing African American touring artists of all time.[22] Brown has the most Billboard Hot 100 entries of any male singer in history;[23] as well as the most top 40 hits of any R&B singer in history.[24] Brown was also ranked third on Billboard's top R&B/Hip-Hop artists of the 2010s decade chart, behind Drake and Rihanna in first and second, respectively.[25] Throughout his career, Brown has won several awards, including a Grammy Award, eighteen BET Awards, four Billboard Music Awards, and fourteen Soul Train Music Awards. Brown has also pursued an acting career. In 2007, he made his on-screen feature film debut in Stomp the Yard, and appeared as a guest on the television series The O.C. Other films Brown has appeared in include This Christmas (2007), Takers (2010), Think Like a Man (2012), and Battle of the Year (2013) and She Ball (2020)."...
-snip-
Chris Brown is also known for his contemporary dancing skills as noted in Excerpt #2.

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Excerpt #2
From https://www.capitalxtra.com/artists/chris-brown/lists/dancing-in-music-videos/ 12 Moments That Prove Chris Brown’s Dance Moves Are Out Of This World" [no author or publishing date were given with this article. This article was retrieved on May 29, 2023.)
..."As far as performers go, Chris Brown is a triple threat.

He's got one of the most distinctive voices in modern R&B, he's appeared on the big and small screen, and his epic dance moves take centre stage in most of his music videos.

Breezy has been blowing people away with his dancing since his career debut 'Run It' in 2005 and, 12 years later, his routines are still as slick as ever."...
-snip-
"Breezy" is Chris Brown's nickname.

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EXAMPLES OF RECREATIONAL RHYMES THAT MENTION CHRIS BROWN
These examples are given in chronological order based on the first letter of the example's title. I added italics for the first use of Chris Brown's name in each of these examples.
 

I LOVE COFFEE I LOVE TEA
I love coffe I love tea
I love Chris Brown and he loves me
I met my boyfriend at the candy store He brought me ice cream He brought me cake
He brought me home with a bellyache Momma Momma I feel sick Call the doctor quick quick quick Docter Docter will I die Count to five and you will be alive
12345 I'm alive 678910 I'm dead again
-shima, http://www.streetplay.com/discus/, March 13, 2007 [This link is no longer accessible.]

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I'M A PRETTY FIRST GRADER (Example #1)
 I am a pretty __ first grader
As pretty as can___ be be.
My boyfriend's name is__ Chris Brown
He lives in Ala__bama.
One day when I was___walking
I saw my boyfriend __ talking
To the ugliest girl in the whole wide world.
And this is what he said.
I K-I-S-S
I M-I-S-S miss you.
I L-O-V-E love you.
ABCDEFG
Get your black hands off of me.
I K-I-S-S Kiss you!
-Naijah S. (African American female, 9 years old; Hazelwood section of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania); January 14, 2011; Collected by Azizi Powell 1/14/2011
-snip-
The dash indicates that the chanter paused for one beat.

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I'M A LITTLE ____  GRADER (Example #2)
for swing swing swing our school did this

c,c,c at the bottom of the c
im a little (whatever grade or age) pretty as can be be
and all the boys around my blox are fightin over me me
my boyfriends name is CHRIS BROWN!
He lives in alabama with 25 toes and a big fat nose and this is how my story goes
see my pinky see my thumb see my fist you better run hold up wait come back you needa tic tac not one not two but the whole six pack
not ya mama not ya daddy but ya bald headed granny she wish she wish she wish she had hair like this
-Lauren, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zEcsIfe6lU&t=1s "90’s hands games !!!!!" published by Geneas, Nov. 2018
-snip-
The discussion thread for this video and Part II of this video isn't affected by YouTube's prohibition on comments for children's videos because no children are featured in the videos. 

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MAMA MAMA CAN'T YOU SEE
I thought it was mama mama can’t you see look what Chris brown did to me he too away my tv now I can’t watch BET he took away my mini skirt now I can’t go out to flirt he has some bubblegum I ask him can I have some he looked at me like I was dumb so I shot him with my BB gun
-Kay, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zEcsIfe6lU&t=1s "90’s hands games !!!!!" published by Geneas, Nov. 2018

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Visitor comments are welcome.

Saturday, May 27, 2023

Examples Of "Apple On A Stick" Children's Hand Clap Rhymes That Include Contributor's City, State, Or Nation

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents some versions of the children's recreational rhyme "Apple On A Stick" that include the geographic location (city, state and/or nation) where the contributor chanted this rhyme or remembers this rhyme.

The content of this post is presented for folkloric, cultural, and recreational purposes

In addition to noting where (and when) these examples where chanted, this post documents a few of the different versions of this rhyme.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all the contributors and collectors of the examples of this rhyme that are compiled in this post.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/03/its-not-because-youre-dirty-line-in_12.html?sc=1685226354833#c1837683121109857895 "
The Precursor Of & Early Examples Of "Apple On A Stick" (Not Because You're Dirty/Not Because You're Clean") Rhymes"and http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2018/11/youtube-comments-about-apple-on-stick.html  "YouTube Comments About "Apple On A Stick" Rhymes That Demonstrate How Children Respond To Differences In Hand Clap Rhymes Words And/Or Performances" for previous pancocojams posts about "Apple On A Stick" recreational rhymes.

Examples of "Apple On A Stick" (and other children's recreational rhymes) that are given in those pancocojams posts and elsewhere online rarely include any mention of geographical location or any other demographic information. If an online example of a recreational rhyme includes demographic information that doesn't mean that everyone in that location and/or otherwise fitting those demographics at that time chanted and performed that rhyme the same way. 

Also, click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2023/05/jump-rope-hand-clap-other-recreational.html for a related pancocojams post entitled "Children's Recreational Rhymes That Include Names Of Cities, States Or Nations".


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A, B

Arizona (United States)

 “Candy on a stick that makes me sick,
It makes my tummy go two-forty-six,
Not because you’re dirty, not because you’re clean,
Not because you kissed a boy behind a magazine.
Hey boys do you wanna fight
I see a guy with his pants on tight
He can wibble he can wobble he can even do the splits,
But I bet ya ten bucks that he can’t do this.
Close your eyes and count to ten, and if you mess up start over again”


Background:
The informant used to perform this song as part of clapping game in pre-school and elementary school in Arizona."...
-Scott Gilman, May18, 2021 University of Southern California, http://folklore.usc.edu/childrens-clapping-game-candy-on-a-stick/ 


**

Arkansas (United States)

"Apples on a stick just make me sick. They make my heart go 2/46...2/46. Not because they're yellow not because they're green. Not because I kissed a boy behind a magazine, singing 'hey girl. You wanna have some fun? Here comes (insert a name) with his pants undone. He can wibble, he can wabble, he can do the splits, but I bet you five bucks he can't do this. Close your eyes and count to ten. Whoever messes up is a big fat hen!' " That is how they usually do it in Arkansas."
-Max Guevara, 2013 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sygUDQzShdM [video discussion thread]

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Australia

Apple on a stick
Make me sick
Makes my heart beat 246
Not because you’re dirty
Not because you’re clean
Not because you kissed a boy behind a magazine
Girls, boys having fun
Here comes a girl with the blueberry bum
She can wiggle she can wobble she can do the twist
But I betcha I betcha she cant do this
Count to ten with your eyyyes* shut
If you mess up, start again.
1,2, 4, 5, 6,7, 8, 9, 10
You didn’t mess up, now she’s your girlfriend
That’s the end of chapter 10
Bam!
-
LivingHealthyAus, Published on Nov 2, 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sygUDQzShdM&t=1s , Louise and Reese playing " Apple on a Stick " Hand clapping game. [Australia]

**

"I know there are a lot of different ways he in Australia yeah Australia mate we say apple on a stick makes me sick makes my heart beat 246 not because your dirty not because you’re clean not because you kissed a boy behind a magazine girls boys having fun here comes the teacher with a big fat bum she can leave or Second World War she can do the splits but I bet you 10 bucks she can’t do this close your eyes and count to 10 if you muck up you’re not my friend 123456 78 910 you didn’t muck up so you’re my friend best friends"
-
Karly Fisher, 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRrRWg4pEWs [video discussion comment]

**

"Apple on a stick is a clapping game, normally played by girls. There can be variations to the standard rhyme.

Details

At School 17

Apple on a stick makes me sick,
Makes my heart beat two-forty-six,
Not because you're dirty, not because you're clean,
Just because you kissed a boy behind a magazine.

Girls, boys, have a lot of fun,
Here comes Johnny with a pickle up his bum,
He can wibble he can wobble he can even do the splits,
But I bet ya ten bucks that he can't do this.

Close your eyes and count to ten,
If you muck it up you're not my friend. (eyes closed)
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,
You didn't muck it up so you're my best friend.

 

Alternative version:

You mucked it up, so you're not my friend.

 

At School 09

There were about four versions of the rhyme at the school.

 

One variation:

Replace the line

Here comes Johnny with a pickle up his bum,

with

Here comes the the teacher with the big fat bum.

 

Players: 2
Girls
Age: 7-8

Apple on a stick, makes me sick
Makes my heart beat two, forty six,
Girls, girls have a lot of fun
Here comes us with blue jeans on,
Close your eyes and count to ten
If you muck up you're a big fat hen,
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten
We didn't muck up so that's the end

 

Another Variation

Apple on a stick, makes me sick,
Makes my heart beat two, forty six,
Not because you're dirty, not because you're clean
Not because you see a boy, kiss a magazine,
Boys, boys having such fun, here comes one with a hairy bum.
He can do the wibble, the wobble and the twist
But I betcha, betcha you can't do this,
Close your eyes and count to ten
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten

 

At School 05
Players: 2
Girls
Age: 8

Apple on a stick, makes me sick,
Makes my heart beat two forty-six,
Not because you're dirty, not because you're clean,
Not because you kissed a boy behind a magazine.
Girls, boys, have a lot of fun,
Here comes Madonna with a pickle up her bum,
She can wibble, she can wobble, she can even do the splits,
I bet you can't even do this:
Count to ten, you're a big fat hen.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. (Clap with eyes closed while counting)
You didn't muck it up so you're my best friend. (Hug each other)"
-https://ctac.esrc.unimelb.edu.au/biogs/E000060b.htm , University of Melbourne [Australia], © Childhood, Tradition & Change 2011

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E, F
England
"
In england it goes like:


Apple on a stick, gonna make me sick, gonna make my heartbeat, 2,4,6. Not because you're dirty, not because you're clean. NOT because you kissed the boy behind the magazine. Boys, boys. They're no fun, but here comes the girl with the blue jeans on, they can wiggle, they can wobble, they can do the splits, but I bet you 10 bucks that you can't do this! 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10, you didn't mess up, so you're my friend!"
-
Audrey Draws, 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRrRWg4pEWs [video discussion comment]

**

Apple on a stick it makes me sick-
(Heart go 4-26, not because dirty/clean, kissed boy - magazine)
Boys boys want to fight, but here comes a girl with her knickers up tight
She can walk, she can talk, she can even do the splits
But I bet you 10 pounds you can’t do this.
Close your eyes and count to ten,
if you can’t do this you’re not my friend
1-10
And that’s the end of chapter ten
Amen (pron Ah-men)


Central London, couldn’t bother to write out whole thing. Couldn’t remember the last line and it was bugging me so I came here to find it lmao
-Unknown, September 30, 2020, https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/03/its-not-because-youre-dirty-line-in_12.html [post discussion comment]

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G, H

Houston, Texas (United States)

Apple on a stick
Makes me sick
Makes my tummy go
Two forty six
Not because it’s dirty
Not because it’s clean
Not because I kissed my momma
Behind the magazines
Girls, girls
Do you wanna fight?
Here come Dickey
With her pants on tight.
She can wiggle
She can woggle
She can do all that
I bet you ten dollars
You can’t do this
Count to ten with your eyes closed
A-baby one
A-baby two
A-baby three, four, five
Baby, I don’t take no little jive
A-baby six
A-baby seven
A-baby eight, nine, ten
You better back it up and do it again
-Barbara Michels and Bettye White, Apples On A Stick*  (New York: Coward / McCann, Inc, 1983, page 11)

* This book is a collection of playground rhymes from Black children in Houston Texas, 


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I, J

Iowa (United States)

"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 "Folklore: Skipping Rhymes & Playground Games"

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K, L

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M, N

New Zealand

Apple on a stick
Makes me sick
My heart beat
2-4-6
Not because you’re dirty
Not because you’re clean
Not because you kiss the boys
Behind the magazine.
The boys boys having fun
Here comes a lady with some blueberry buns
She can wriggle
She can rock
She can even do the splitz
But I bet ya 10 bucks
She can’t do this
Close your eyes and count to 10
If you make a mistake
You’re a big fat hen.
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10
You did/didn’t make a mistake
So that’s the end
And we are friends.
-NZ Playground Language Clapping Games, ©Laurie and Winifred Bauer 2002, Victoria University of Wellington, https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/lals/research/our-research-areas/new-zealand-english/language-in-the-playground-project/publications/lip70.pdf 


**

Apple on a stick
Makes me sick
Makes my heart jump forty six
Not because you’re dirty
Not because you’re clean
Just because you kiss the boys behind the magazine.
Boys boys having fun
Here comes a man with a big shot gun
She wiggles and she woggles and she does the splits
I bet you a thousand bucks that 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-…10 [with eyes shut]
You didn’t muck it up, so that’s the end.
--NZ Playground Language Clapping Games, ©Laurie and Winifred Bauer 2002, Victoria University of Wellington, https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/lals/research/our-research-areas/new-zealand-english/language-in-the-playground-project/publications/lip70.pdf 

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Q, R

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S, T

Scotland


"I live in Scotland and we do it like "apple on a stick, gonna make me sick, gonna make my heart beat 2,4,6 not because your ugly, not because your clean, not because you kissed a boy behind a magazine, boys, girls, having all the fun, here comes Charlie with his button undone, he can do the splits but I bet you ten bucks that he can't do this, close your eyes and count to ten if you mess up then start again,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 you didn't mess up so your my beat friend" "
-Kerry-ann Sharkey, 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRrRWg4pEWs [video discussion comment]

**
"I do it like this: apple on a stick makes me sick makes my heart beat 2/4/6 not because you're dirty not because you're clean just because you kissed the boy behind the magazine. Boys boys having all the fun here comes Mike with his tie undone he can do the wibble wobble he can do the splits but I bet you 10 dollars he Canne dae this close your eyes and count to ten if you mess up you have to start again

1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10

You didne mess up so you're ma best friend

BTW I live in Scotland so we use slang in ours
-
Latifa Yakubu,  2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ht4h61GAZUc [video discussion comment]

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W, X

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Y, Z

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