Edited by Azizi Powell
In the United States, one of the most widely known examples of a playground rhyme that was inspired in part by a military cadence is "Mama Mama Can't You See".
This post features two versions of the United States Marine Corps cadence "Mama Mama Can't You See" and two versions of the hand clap rhyme "Mama Mama Can't You See".
Without any further introductory comments, here are the featured examples of this cadence/rhyme:
UNITED STATES MARINE CORP CADENCE
Video #1: USMC cadence ''Mama can't you see'' with lyrics
Uploaded by DanceOnOldSchool on Aug 31, 2008
Cadence of the USMC ''mama can't you see''.
MaaMaMa cant you see? What this corp has done for me.
Put me in a barbers chair, SNIP SNAP and I had no hair.
And if I die in a combat zone, Box me up and ship me home.
Put me in a set of dress blues, Comb my hair and shine my shoes.
Pin my medals upon my chest, Tell my mama I did my best.
MaaMaMa don't you cry, Marine Corp Motto is do or die!
left right layo, left right layo, low right layo, lefty right low
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Video #2: MAMA MAMA CAN'T YOU SEE (excerpt)
Here is "Mama, mama can't you see". Needless to say, there are plenty of variants...
Mama Mama can't you see
What this road is doing to me
Mama Mama can't you see
What this road is doing to me
Chorus is a chant of the tune
(Whoa whoa), (Yay yay) or (Da da dada)....
Joined the army to get in shape
But all I do is hurry and wait
They put me in a barber's chair
Shaved my head 'til it was bare.
Use to wear designer jeans
Now I'm dressed in jungle greens
Thought I'd get to get to have some fun
But all I do is shoot my gun....
They took away my set of wheels
Now I've blisters on my heels....
Up in the morning much too soon
We're still marching after noon.
Standing tall and looking good
We ought to be in Hollywood....
Ain't no use in going slow
There are many miles to go
Ain't no point in going fast
We shall never be the last
(Someone's name) Don't be blue
Frankenstein was ugly too....
-CET {Edmund}; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=10803 "Cadence or Marching Songs", 9/30/2004
-snip-
Click http://cocojams.com/content/military-cadences-other-cadences for information about military cadences (jody) as well as additional examples of this cadence & other cadences.
Please be aware that Cocojams.com contains family friendly versions of military cadences. However, many examples of those cadences that are found on other sites may not be suitable for children.
HANDCLAP RHYMES
Video #1: mama can't you see?
Uploaded by vdsmdac98mcs on Jun 11, 2010
juego de manos
hand shake games
-snip-
The two girls speak Spanish prior to starting the handclap game, and speak English while playing the game.
Here are the words to the version found in the video:
Mama,Mama can't you see
[clap clap clap clap clapclap]
What the baby's done to me
[clap clap clap clap clapclap]
Took away my MTV.
[clap clap clap clap clapclap]
Now I’m watching dumb Barney
[clap clap clap clap clapclap]
tic tac toe three in a row
[clap clap clap clap clapclap]
barney got shot got shot by GI Joe
[clap clap clap clap clapclap]
who ever got stop get a bump in the head
[clap clap clap clap clapclap]
and that is how the game will end
[clap clap clap clap clapclap]
-vdsmdac98mcs on Jun 11, 2010 (my transcription from video)
-snip-
I placed this version first because it's more similar to the examples of this rhyme that I've collected than the second featured example. The examples that I collected - African American girls & boys (ages 6-12 years old) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1999-2009 - usually say "what the army done to me" (instead of what the baby done to me, although I have also heard that version. And somewhere around 2004, instead of "Barney got shot by GI Joe", I started hearing children chant "your mama got shot by GI Joe". I consider this to quite a disturbing change in wording.
GI Joe is the small American army figurine toy that may not be as popular now as it was in the 1960s or so.
I should also mention that in most of the versions that I've seen online and in person, the tempo is faster in the beginning of the rhyme and MUCH faster at the end. The end lines that I've heard (and the end lines found in a number of online examples) are:
don't stop until your hands get hot/don't stop until your hands get red".
The palms of the hands get hot & red because of the fast paced slapping that is done in this competitive portion of this game. Those slaps can sting! The person who misses a hand slap because she or he moves her or his hands out the way (so the hands won't get slapped) is out. The last person remaining in the game is the winner.
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Video #2: Mama Mama Can't You See?
daledot4kids | August 22, 2007
Silly Megan with the boys...
-snip-
Here's the words to this version:
Mama mama can't you see,
What the army done to me.
They took away my favorite toys,
Now I'm playin' with boys.
They took away my MP3,
Now I'm watching Barney.
They took away my favorite jeans,
Now I'm wearin' army greens.
I saw a lady chewin' gum,
I asked her if i could have some.
She looked at me like I was dumb,
That's when I said
See my pinky
See my thumb
See my fist
You betta run!
- daledot4kids | August 22, 2007 [transcription by Azizi Powell given without the boys' sound effects]
-snip-
All of the playground rhyme videos of "Mama Mama Can't You See" that I have seen and all of the performances of that rhyme that I have observed use the same tune. Notice that the tune used for the playground rhyme is different from the tune used for the military cadence.
Also, notice the reference to Mp3s. To date, versions of "Mama Mama Can't You See" are the only examples of playground rhymes that I've collected that mention "Mp3s" (or any other Ipod type music player).
Click http://cocojams.com/content/handclap-jump-rope-and-elastics-rhymes-2 for many other versions of "Mama Mama Can't You See" and other hand clap rhymes.
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My thanks to each person featured in these videos, and thanks also to the uploaders of those videos.
The content of this page is presented for its folkloric and aesthetic value.
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