Song Sources For Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky

Edited by Azizi Powell

Eep, Ipe, Wanna Piece of Pie - Fats Waller



Published on Mar 23, 2012 by Chad Maydwell

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This post showcases nine examples of songs or rhymes that influenced the development of the playground rhyme "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" or versions of that rhyme.*

The content of this post is presented for historical, educational, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes. The copyrights remain with their owners.

My thanks to the composers and performers of this music. My thanks also to the videographers and uploaders of these featured videos.

This is published as a companion piece to the following posts:

http://cocojams.com/content/text-analysis-down-banks-hanky-panky

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http://cocojams.com/content/references-michael-jackson-playground-rhymes-part-i

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http://cocojams.com/content/references-michael-jackson-playground-rhymes-part-ii

*Disclaimer:
I don't mean to indicate or imply that the featured songs in this post are the only songs or the only creative works that influenced the development of the huge family of playground rhymes known as "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" (or similar first lines/titles).

Significantly, this post only includes two "frog in the well" songs, although many more of these very very old songs are important to the development of the playground rhyme "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky".

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FEATURED EXAMPLES
Example #1: King Kong Kitchie - "Chubby" Parker



Uploaded by alan moores on Oct 4, 2008

"Zoologic Miscegeny Achieved In Mouse Frog Nuptuals, Relatives Approve" - Harry Smith."Chubby" Parker and His Old Time Banjo . 1928. "In the register of the London Company of Stationers for November 2, 1580, there is an entry titled 'a moste strange weddinge of the frogge and the mouse'- probably this same composition" - Harry Smith, again.

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Example 2: "Foolish Frog" by Blind Blake (1952)



Uploaded by folkgrassboy on Jul 30, 2008

Featured on VOLUME 2 of his Art Records releases. Calypso from the Bahamas.
-snip-
The uploader's comments include the lyrics of this song. The lyrics begin
"Away down yonder in Yankety Yank
A bullfrog jumped from bank to bank"
-snip-
Also, click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CImi8VwNN1A for the Pete Seeger version of this 19th century song.

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Example #3: Eep, Ipe, Wanna Piece of Pie - Fats Waller
This video is placed at the top of this page.

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Example #4: Joe Perkins - Little Eeefin' Annie (1963)



Uploaded by TheLimePopsicle on Aug 15, 2009

Charted at #76 on Billboard Hot 100 in September 1963. Vocal by Joe and the "eefin" is performed by Jimmie Riddle. This was Joe's only Hot 100 entry.
-snip-
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eefing:

"Eefing (also written eeephing, eephing, eeefing, eefin, or eefn' and doubtless other ways) is an Appalachian (United States) vocal technique similar to beatboxing, but nearly a century older. Jennifer Sharpe describes it as "a kind of hiccupping, rhythmic wheeze that started in rural Tennessee more than 100 years ago.""...

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Example #5: David Seville My Friend The Witch Doctor 1958



oldtimer874, Uploaded on Oct 20, 2011

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Example #6: The Jetsons - Eep Opp Ork Ah-Ah



ladythatsmyskull, Uploaded on Jan 22, 2007

Originally performed by Howard Morris. Jetsons music video featuring 'Jet Screamer' from 60's TV show.

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Example #7: Michael Jackson - Billie Jean



Uploaded by michaeljacksonVEVO on Oct 2, 2009

Music video by Michael Jackson performing Billie Jean. © 1982 MJJ Productions Inc.

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Example #8: Coca cola went to town



Published on Mar 21, 2012 by Nadia Smalling

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Example #9: Manfred Mann Do Wah Diddy Very Good quality Live, 1964



videosMLR, Uploaded on Jul 6, 2011
-snip-
I put this song after "Coca Cola Went To Town" because the "do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do" line is found in some versions of that rhyme. This line is particularly found when "Coca Cola..." is combined with certain versions of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" that mention Michael Jackson. Examples of those rhymes can be found by clicking http://cocojams.com/content/references-michael-jackson-playground-rhymes-part-i.

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