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Monday, January 21, 2013

"Brick Wall Waterfall" (Examples & Analysis)

Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest Update: January 26, 2024

This pancocojams post presents general information, and text & video examples of the contemporary children's playground rhyme "Brick Wall Waterfall". Also included in this post is an analysis of the meaning of certain lines from that rhyme.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.

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GENERAL INFORMATION & COMMENTS ABOUT "BRICKWALL WATERFALL"
"Brick Wall Waterfall" is a self-bragging/taunting playground rhyme. The rhyme appears to be either chanted while performing partner handclap routines*, or chanted while standing still & acting out (doing mime-like movements) for certain recited words.

In 2013, I wrote "Judging from the frequency of internet postings of "Brick Wall Waterfall" (including the number of examples of this rhyme that have been sent in to my cocojams* cultural website*) "Brick Wall Waterfall" appears to be one of the most widely known contemporary playground rhymes in the United States since 2003."

*My cocojams.com cultural website was launched in 2001. After 2003 until Nov, 2014 when I deactivated that website, the "Brick Wall Waterfall" (either separately or in combination with "Bang Bang Choo Choo Train") was by far the hand clap rhyme that was most often submitted to that site by children. preteens, and teens."

[Update: January 2024
It appears to me that "Brick Wall Water Fall" isn't nearly as popular in the United States post 2014 than it previously was. Most of the examples of "Brick Wall Waterfall" that I come across now online begin with the "That's The Way un hun un hun I Like It" line which repeats itself before the "Brick wall waterfall" verses. In some other examples, after the "That's the way" lines, "Bang bang choo choo train" or some other lines from children's recreational rhymes appear before the "Brick wall waterfall" lines.
-end of January 2024 update- 

The popularity of "Brick Wall Waterfall" was probably due to that rhyme being featured two times in the 2003 American movie Dickie Roberts, Former Child Star. Here's information about that comedy from the Wikipedia page about that movie:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dickie_Roberts:_Former_Child_Star  
"Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star is a 2003 American comedy film directed by Sam Weisman and starring David Spade (who also co-wrote the film with Fred Wolf), Mary McCormack, Jon Lovitz, Craig Bierko, Alyssa Milano, and Rob Reiner.[1] Spade portrays a child actor who fell into obscurity as an adult and who attempts to revive his career by getting a part in Rob Reiner's next film. In addition, the movie shows Dickie interacting with numerous former child stars, played by over two dozen actual former stars lampooning their careers, such as Gary Coleman, Leif Garrett, Barry Williams, Maureen McCormick, Dustin Diamond, and Danny Bonaduce.

[…]

Sally's "Brick wall, waterfall" routine was something Jenna Boyd was doing on the set between takes. The filmmakers liked it and worked it into the script – twice."...
-snip-
A clip of one of that first "Brick Wall Waterfall" scene in the Dickie Roberts movie is found below.
Here are the exact words that "Sally Finey" chanted in that movie:
From https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0325258/characters/nm0101799

"Sally Finney : Brick wall, waterfall, Dickie thinks he got it all but he don't, and I do so Boom with that attitude. Peace punch, Capt'n Crunch, I've got something you can't touch. Bang-bang choo-choo train, wind me up I do my thing. No Reeses Pieces, 7-Up, you mess with me, I'll mess you up."

According to http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0325258/trivia, [the character Sally Finney's] "Brick wall, waterfall" routine was something [actress] Jenna Boyd was doing on the set between takes. The filmmakers liked it and worked it into the script -- twice."
-snip-
I'm not sure where Jenna Boyd got this rhyme from or if she composed it herself. Be that as it may, I haven't come across any versions of "Brick Wall Waterfall" that predate the 2003 Dickie Roberts movie.

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"BRICK WALL WATERFALL" RHYME COMBINED WITH A "BANG BANG CHOO CHOO TRAIN" RHYME
Lines 6-13 of the standard example of "Brick Wall Waterfall" that is found above are the same as those lines that are found in many versions of the also widely known handclap rhyme "Bang Bang Choo Choo Train".
What distinguishes these two rhymes from each other is that examples of "Bang Bang Choo Choo Train" don't include the first six lines of "Brick Wall Waterfall".

"Bang Bang Choo Choo Train" is much older than "Brick Wall Waterfall". The earliest example of the "Bang Bang Choo Choo Train" children's rhyme that I've found is from the early 1970s.

The "Bang Bang Choo Choo Train" rhyme probably is a relatively clean version of the very dirty (vulgar) "Bang Bang Lulu" rhyme. The earliest documented version of that rhyme is from 1902.  

In 2006 one person who sent an example of "Brick Wall Waterfall" to my cocojams website included a comment that "Brick wall Waterfall" was part of the "Bring It On movies". I've repeated that comment on that website and elsewhere on the internet. I apologize for repeating what I now believe to be a well meaning mistake.

I think what that respondent was referring to was that the Clovers, the predominately African American cheerleading squad in the first movie of that series Bring It On (2000)chanted lines from "Bang Bang Choo Choo Train" in one of their routines. The initial verse of "Bang Bang Choo Choo Train" is often recited after "Brick wall Waterfall's "standard" lines.

Here are the standard lines for "Brick Wall Waterfall":

 Brick Wall Waterfall
Girl, you think you got it all.
You don't. I do.
So BOOM with that attitude.
Peace Punch Captain Crunch.
I got something you can't touch.

**
Here's an example of "Brickwall Waterfall" with "Bang Bang Choo Choo Train" lines
(given with the lines numbered for analysis purposes)

1. Brick Wall Waterfall
2. Girl, you think you got it all.
3.You don't. I do.
4. So BOOM with that attitude.
5. Peace Punch Captain Crunch.
6. I got something you can't touch.
7. Bang Bang Choo Choo Train
8. Wind me up I do my thang.
9. Reeses piece 7 Up
10.Mess with me I'll kick your butt.
11.Elbow elbow, wrist wrist.
12 Shut up girl,
13. You just got dissed.
-snip-
Here's a summary of that rhyme. (This summary is written as though both the person speaking and the person being spoken to are females. Of course, either one or both of them could be males.)

The girl speaking confronts her un-named opponent. The speaker brags about herself, and proceeds to hurl a string of insults at her opponent. The girl tells her opponent that she better quickly change her actions (or whatever else her opponent has done to annoy her) for if she doesn't, she will be in big trouble.

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OTHER EXAMPLES OF BRICK WALL WATERFALL (given in no particular order)
"Brick wall Waterfall" may include additional lines prior to or after the end of the "standard" version that is given above.

Example #1
1 , 2, 3,
HIT IT!
that's the way
uh huh uh huh
i like it
uh huh uh huh
that's the way
uh huh uh huh
i like it
uh huh uh huh
peace. punch
captain crunch.
brick wall. waterfall.
girl you think you know it all?
you don't! i do!
so poof with the attitude.
loser loser with a twist
elbow elbow wrist wrist.
wipe a tear. blow a kiss.
kiss this.
hunnie u aint got none of this.
-posted by k.c. at June 20, 2006 [from a site called Octoblog which is no longer active]
-snip-
This example begins with the introductory lines "1, 2, 3/ HIT IT". Hit it" is lifted from a musical term which basically means "to play the note just right". The "that's the way, I like it" lines are of lifted from KC & The Sunshine Band's 1975 Pop hit "That's The Way (I Like It)." Those lines show up in a number of other playground rhymes.

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Example #2:
brick wall waterfall
girl you think you got it all
you dont i do
so boom with that attitude
yo momma yo dadda
yo bald headed grandma
she 99 she think she fine
she goin out with frankinstien
shes hip shes fat
she needs a tictac
not a tic not a tac
but the whole six pack
sorry to be mean
but she needs some listerene
not a sip not a swallow
but the whole dang bottle oh!!!!!!!
-ash; cocojams.com, 10/26/2007

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Example #3:

I learned like dis:

Brick wall water fall girl you think you got it all you know I do so poof with your attitude poof with your attitude now go wait comeback you need a tic tac not one not two but the whole six pack im not tryin to be mean but ya need some listerene not a sip not a swallow but the whole dang elbow elbow wrist wrist turn around and kiss this
-_ayeeitskalyn, 2014,  http://www.wittyprofiles.com/q/974285

**
Example #4

brick wall, waterfall

Girl You Think You Got It All?

you don't. I do.

So, [p    o    o    f] with that attitude.
Elbow, elbow, wrist, wrist

Fly Like A Birdy Kiss This

Bang,  bang,  choo-choo  train,  wind  me  up;  I'll  do  my  thing

I know karatie,      I know kung-fuu,      you mess with me,

I'll Mess With you :)
*Credit to XOiRiShSwEeTiEXO... my edit*,   http://www.wittyprofiles.com/q/974285

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Example #5

"I learned it like this:

Break the wall, waterfall, girl you think you know it all. You don't, I do, so poof with the attitude. Wait, come back, you need a tick tack. Not one or two but the whole six pack.! Sorry to be mean but you need some listerine, not a sip, not a swallow, but the whole dang bottle. Reecy piecy buttercup you mess with me I mess you up. Mmhmm, mmhmm, word. Don't make me snap my fingers in a Z formation, EXclimation, PUNCHuation, BEAUTYmation, BUTlertation. Talk to the hand, talk to the fist, boom boom girl you just got dissed.!"
-Cherii_bomb,  http://www.wittyprofiles.com/q/974285, 2013

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Example #6

That’s the way

uh huh, uh huh,

We like it

uh huh, uh huh,

Peace, Punch,

Captain Crunch

Brick Wall, Waterfall

Girl, you think you know it all

You don’t

I do

So POOF with the attitude

POOF with the attitude

Talk to the hand cause the girl not speaking

Talk to the hand cause the girl not thinking

Elbow Elbow

Wrist Wrist

Fly like a birdy

Kiss Kiss

See my pinkie

See my thumb

See my fist you better run
- Schoolyard play Sept 19, 2014 clapping games, https://schoolyardplay.net/poof-attitude/


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TEXT ANALYSIS OF SELECTED LINES FROM BRICKWALL WATERFALL
Here's my take on the meanings of several commonly found lines in "Brickwall Waterfall" (I've used female nouns & pronouns in this analysis, although I'm aware that males may also say this rhyme.)

"so boom with that attitude" = the girl saying this line is warning the person she's talking to [her opponent] that she better get rid of her "attitude" (bad temper, negative feelings or mannerism directed to her) quick, fast, and in a hurry - or else. "Boom" is the sound that dynamite makes when it quickly explodes. This line is also given as "so poof with that attitude". "Poof" also conveys that the opponent better quickly change her attitude, that is, her opponent's bad temper better disappear quickly like things disappear in a puff of smoke in a magic trick.
-snip-
"I got something you can't touch" - the girl saying this line continues to "brag on" (brag about) herself.

The line "I've got something you can't touch" probably was inspired by M.C. Hammer's 1990 Hip-Hop song "U Can't Touch This.", but I very much doubt that many children reciting this rhyme would be aware of that. In the rap song "this" in "U Can't Touch This" probably referred to the rapper's overall being, particularly his dancing skills. It certainly didn't refer to his butt. In the context of that rap, and, I believe also in the context of the children's rhyme, "touch" in the line "U can't touch this" and "I got something you can't touch" meant "best" as in "You can't do better than me, an/or "You're not as good as me".

However, notice that the girl in the Dickie Roberts movie pats her butt while saying this line. In African American urban culture that's a shorthand way of saying that the female is more attractive and more sexually appealing than her opponent. That said, I don't think that many girls who recite this line realize the meaning of that particular gesture.
-snip-
"wind me up and I'll do my thang" = if you keep on provoking me me (getting me winded up/ edging me on), I'll do my thing (fight you, or otherwise show you I can win in any confrontation that will occur).
-snip-
peace punch Captain Crunch - this rhyming line may not mean anything, but I'm intrigued about whether "peace punch" may have anything to do with the "pinch punch/first of the mohth" tradition in the United Kingdom (where people would say this rhyme on the first day of the month and pihch someone while they said it). Click http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=110019for comments about "pinch punch".

According to http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0325258/quotes the phrase used in the Dickie Roberts movie was "peace punch" and not "pinch punch" or "peach punch".
-snip-
The line "mess with me I'll mess you up" basically means the same thing as "wind me up and I'll do my thang".
-snip-
"loser loser double loser" = the girl who is saying these lines continues to insult her opponent by calling her a "double loser".
-snip-
elbow, elbow, wrist, wrist - the instructions given to beauty pagent contestants as to the proper way to wave their hands [in the context of this taunting rhyme, this alludes to the fist "waving" that will occur if the opponent doesn't quickly get rid of her "attitude" toward the speaker.]
-snip-
kiss this - means "kiss my butt"
-snip-
you just got dissed - you just got insulted ["Diss" is a clip of the word "disrepected"]

TWO VIDEOS EXAMPLES OF "BRICKWALL WATERFALL"
Example #1: lilbiatchrhyme



gumija23, Uploaded on Nov 28, 2009

brick wall
water fall
dickie thinks he got it all,
but he dont i do
so booom with that attitude
peace punch captain crunch
i got sumthin u cant touch
bang bang chewchew train
wind me up i do my thing
no reese's pieces 7up
mess with me i' ll mess you up

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Example #2: brick wall



Posted by bodgiefahey, November 12, 2006 [Australia]

"hand clapping game and sung"

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RELATED LINKS
Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dickie_Roberts:_Former_Child_Star for information about the movie Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to the unknown composer/s of these rhymes. Thanks also to all those associated with these featured videos, and those whose rhyme examples are featured in this post. My thanks also to the uploaders of these featured videos.

Also, thank you for visiting pancocojams.

Viewer comments are welcome

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