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Sunday, December 15, 2013

"Eeny Meenie Sisaleenie" Rhymes That Include The "Saw You With Your Boyfriend" Verse (Analysis & Examples)

Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest Revision- April 18, 2023

This pancocojams post features examples of the playground rhyme that begins with the "eenie meenie sisaleenie" (or similar spelling) verse and also includes the "saw you with your boyfriend" verse. Text analysis and other comments about these rhymes and some other related rhymes are also included in this post.

The content of this post is provided for folkloric and recreational purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube. 
-snip-
DISCLAIMER
The presentation of certain rhymes and certain singing games on pancocojams isn't meant to mean or infer that all of those rhymes originally come from African American or other Black people.

However, given their structure and words (as found below), I believe that some, early examples of "Eenie Meaning Sissaleenie (Saw You With Your Boyfriend)" rhymes (and not the "Eenie Meenie Minie Mo" rhymes that are their sources) originated with African Americans.

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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S ANALYSIS OF "EENIE MEENIE SISALEENIE" RHYMES 
"Eenie Meenie Sissaleeni" (or similarly pronounced spelling) is a large family of playground rhymes (children's recreational rhymes) that originated in the United States. Those rhymes can be chanted as a three or four line verse without the addition of certain other rhymes. However, it appears that that rhyme's three line or four line "core verse is usually combined with certain other rhymes. Read the section below. 

"Eenie Meenia Sissaleeni" is an extension of the earlier "Eenie Meenie Miney Mo" children's rhymes that are used for counting out (choosing it).

According to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eeny,_meeny,_miny,_moe ,
the earliest "Eenie Meenie Miny Mo" rhyme is documented from children in New York City in 1815.  That Wikipedia page indicates that "Variations of this rhyme with the nonsense/counting first line have been collected since the 1820s. This one, which includes the 'toe' and 'olla' from Kipling's version, is one of many variants of "counting out rhymes" collected by Bolton in 1888:[7]

Eenie, Meenie, Tipsy, toe;

Olla bolla Domino,

Okka, Pokka dominocha,

Hy! Pon! Tush!"...

**
THE CORE VERSE: THREE LINE STRUCTURE OF EENIE MEENIE SISALEENIE (SAW YOU WITH YOUR BOYFRIEND" RHYME
Some versions of "Eenie Meenie Sissaleeni" (or similar words) have a three line structure
such as: 
Eenie Meanie Justa Leanie
Ooca lacka Trackalacka
I love you.

In those examples, the first line contains an internal rhyme based on the "eenie" syllable, and the second line contains an internal rhyme based on the "acka" syllable.

**
SOME CORE VERSES FOR "EENIE MEENIE SISALEENIE" RHYMES
I categorize the three line or four line verses given above as the "core verses" for "Eenie Meenie Sisaleenie". Those verses recited after the core rhyme flow into each other without any transitioning words or phrases.

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CORE VERSE: FOUR LINE STRUCTURE 
I chanted a four line version of this rhyme while doing a partner hand clap routine (Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1950s). We sang: 

Eenie meenie epsodeenie
Ooh aah umbaleenie
Ashie mashie kohkah lashie
I_ love_ you 

[The dashes represent one pause in the beat.]

In the four line "eenie meenie sissalini" verse, the first line contains an internal rhyme made from the the "eenie" syllable.

The last word of the second line also ends with the "eenie" sound and thus rhymes with the first line.

The third line contains an internal rhyme made by the "ie" (pronounced "ee") syllable, and thus rhymes with the first and second lines.

The fourth line is the only one that does not have an internal or end word rhyme.
 -snip-
Here's a four line version of this rhyme from the early 2000s:

Eenie meanie sassaleeny. 
Oops ah tumbalini.
Achi achi liberace. 
I love you.

**   
Since at least the 1970s, it appears that some examples of "Eenie Meenie Sissaleeni" rhymes begin with the four line "eenie meenie sissaleeni" verse and repeat that same verse at the end of the rhyme. 

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ANALYSIS OF SOME WORDS THAT ARE FOUND IN THESE RHYMES 
The words "eenie meenie" undoubtedly have their source in the very old European counting out rhyme "Eeny meenie minie mo". Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eeny,_meeny,_miny,_moe for information about that rhyme. 

**
The word "sisaleenie" or similarly pronounced words is a made-up rhyming word with no meaning.

**
I believe that the word "liberace" (also found as "Liberachi", "Liborachi" or similar spellings) is a newer substition for made-up rhyming phonetic phrases such as "kohkah lashie" which have no meaning. "Liberace" (also written as "Liberachi") has its origins in the last name of the flamboyant American pianist/vocalist known by his last name "Liberace" (May 16, 1919 – February 4, 1987) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberace. However, I doubt that most people who've recited that rhyme are aware of that informational tidbit.

**
To date, I've only collected one example of "saw you with.your girlfriend" that replaces the word "boyfriend" e.g. "caught you with your girlfriend". 

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SAW YOU WITH YOUR BOYFRIEND
"Saw You With Your Boyfriend" verses are a series of non-rhyming lines that are each followed by a two word or one word response to that particular line - for instance "looked through the key hole/nosy nosy" (or "nosy"). My guess is that the two word response is the earliest version of the responding line as it appears to me to be the more rhythmic than the single word. However, that is just a guess. In some contemporary versions of this rhyme "looked through the key hole" and "looked through the peep hole" has been changed to "looked through the window".

Other independent rhymes (such as verses of the "Down Down Baby" rhymes) may be combined with "eenie meenie sissaleeni" without the "saw you with your boyfriend" lines. Or other independent rhyme*s might be combined with the core verse and be placed before or after those "saw you with your boyfriend" lines.
-snip-
*I refer to "saw you with your boyfriend" as a rhyme that can be chanted by itself (i.e. an independent rhyme, or a stand alone rhyme). However, to date (Oct. 2020) I've only come across this rhyme in combination with certain other rhymes". Read the Addendum below for two examples of "saw you with your boyfriend" verses in other rhymes.  

Examples of  those rhymes are given later in this post.
  
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TUNE 
To date, I've heard two different tunes for "Eeny Meenie Sisaleenie" rhymes. I believe that the most common tune in the United States is the one used in video example given as example #1 and example #2 below. That is the tune that I used when I chanted this rhyme in the 1950s.

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HOW "EENIE MEENIE SISALEENIE" RHYMES AE PERFORMED
As is the case with most playground rhymes in the United States, "Eeny Meenie Sisaleenie" rhymes were originally chanted while jumping rope. However, since at least the 1970s, they are usually chanted as a partner hand clap game. And, as it appears to often be the case with many hand clap rhymes in the United States, those rhymes are also performed with actions which mimic the words that are chanted.

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VIDEO EXAMPLES WITH TRANSCRIPTIONS
[I made these transcriptions after listening to their videos. Additions and corrections are welcome.]

Video Example #1: Eenie Meanie Sassaleeny Clapping Songs



sharonmnich, Uploaded on Oct 2, 2009

Kids Clapping Songs
-snip-
Transcription:

Eenie meanie sassaleeny.
Oops ah tumbalini.
Achi achi liberace.
I love you.
Take a peach.
Take a plum.
Take a stick of bubble gum.
No peach.
No plum.
No stick of bubble gum.
Saw you with my boyfriend
last night.
How'd you know.
Peekin through the peep hole*
Nosy
Ate a lot of candy
Greedy
Didn't do the dishes
Lazy
Jumped out the window
Doggone crazy
And that's why they call you.
Eenie Meanie Sassaleeny,
Ooh ah babalini,
Achi atchi Liberace,
I love you.
-snip-
*One of the girls seemed to start to chant "looked out" instead of "peeped through".

Additional examples of this rhyme are found in the viewer comment section of this video.

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Video Example #2: Eenie meenie sissalini



Miamichellekaraoke, Published on May 19, 2012

Mia and Michelle demonstrate their new hand game
-snip-
Transcription: Rhyme begins at .021

Ready. Go.

Eenie meanie sassaleeny,
Ooh ah babalini,
Achi cachi Liberace,
I love you,
Take a peach,
Take a plum,
Take a stick of bubble gum,
No peach
No plum
Just a stick of bubble gum
Saw you with my boyfriend
last night
How'd you know
I looked through my window
Nosy
Ate a lot of cookies
Greedy
Didn’t flush the toilet
Nasty
Didn't do the dishes
Lazy
And that's why they call you.
Eenie Meanie Sassaleeny,
Oops ah tumbalini.
Achi cachi Liberace,
I love you.
Oops ah tumbalini,
Achi cachi Liberace,
I love you!

****
Video Example #3: eenie mini dissemini fun and easy clapping games!



Mitzi Brennan, Published on Apr 28, 2013
-snip-

Transcription:
Eenie mini dissemini
You are the one and only
Education
Liberation
I like you.
Downtown baby
Down by the roller coaster
Sweet sweet cherry
No place to go
Didn’t do the dishes
Lazy lazy
Stole a box of chocolates
Greedy greedy
Snogged your boyfriend
Naughty naughty
Jumped out the window
Flippin crazy
Eenie mini dissemini
You are the one and only
Education
Liberation
I like you.
-snip-
"Italics" mean that I'm not sure of this word.

From the girls' accents, I assumed that this example of "Eenie Meanie" is from outside of the United States.

[Update: December 16, 2013: I corrected the words that I was uncertain about as per a comment from that video uploader Mitzi Brennan, who thanked me for featuring her video. Mitzi confirmed that she lives in England.]

"Education liberation", "downtown baby", "down by the rollercoaster" etc. are phrases that either come from or are folk etymology forms of phrases that are found in some versions of the playground rhyme "Down Down Baby". For example, "downtown baby” is folk etymology for "down down baby" and "Sweet sweet cherry/No place to go" is a folk etymology form of "sweet sweet baby/I really love you so".

Similar examples of "Eeny Meenie Sisaleenie" that include phrases from "Down Down Baby" are found in the viewer comments threads for the video given as Example #1 in this post.

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OTHER TEXT EXAMPLES
Example #1
Eenie Meanie Justa Leanie
Ooca lakca Trackalacka, I love you.
Take a peach, Take a plum
Take a piece of bubble gum.
Teacher, Teacher, Dummy Dum
Gimme back my bubble gum.
Saw you with your boyfriend last night.
How do you know?
I was peekin' through the keyhold.
NOSY
Wash them dishes
LAZY
Jump out the window
CRAZY
Peaches on the tree, Bananas on the floor
Jump back baby. I Don't Love You No More!
-Donetta A. (Pittsburgh, PA 1984); collected by Azizi Powell,
1998; posted on Cocojams by Azizi on 2/26/2006
-snip-
Donetta A (African American woman) responded to a voluntary written survey of playground rhymes that I conducted at my former work place. Donetta said she learned this rhyme when she was growing up from her cousin who visited her from the South. She indicated that she performed it as a partner hand clap game.

The line "peaches on the tree, bananas' on the floor" reminds me of the "apples on the shelf /I'm so tired of living by myself" verse that is found in in Thomas W. Talley's 1922 book Negro Folk Rhymes Wise And Otherwise.* Versions of that line are found in other African American playground rhymes, Blues songs, and other compositions along with the line "I've seen the line "Jump back, baby I don't love you no more" or similar lines such as "Step back, baby/I don't love you no more".

*This is the last verse of the rhyme entitled "Mama's Darling" (p. 188) http://www.gutenberg.org/files/27195/27195-h/27195-h.htm
"I has apples on de table,
An' I has peaches on de shelf;
But I wish I had a husband—
I'se so tired stayin' to myself."

****
Example #2:
Eenie meenie sicileenie ooh ahh combaleenie ochie cochie liverochi C-O-D
Take a peach, take a plum, take a stick of bubblegum
No peach, no plum, just a stick of bubblegum
Saw you with your boyfriend last night
How'd you know?
Peeked through the peek hole
Noisy
Didn't do the dishes
Lazy
Ate a box of candy
Greedy
Jumped out the window
Now I know you're really crazy, thats why we call you
Eenie meenie sicileenie ooh ahh combaleenie ochi cochi liverochi C-O-D
Source:
Me and my friends used to love this!
-qwerty, http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080126135642AA0Q3LB "Hand clap game.. What are the words?", 2007
-snip-
Asker's rating [the highest rating 5 stars] & comment
"Haha so did we! i was trying to think of it the other day and i couldnt. Thanks!
-ashley jonasss; (asked 2007).o

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Example #3:
Eenie Meanie Sassaleeny,
Opps ah tumbalini,
Achi cachi Liberace,
I love you,
Take a peach,
Take a plum,
Take a stick of bubble gum,
No peach
No plumb
No stick of bubble gum
Saw you with your boyfriend
last night
How'd you know
I was peaking through the key hole
Nosy
Didn't do the dishes
Lazy
Stole a box of candy
Greedy
Jumped out the window
Dog on crazy*
That's why they call me...
Eenie Meanie Sassaleeny,
Opps ah tumbalini,
Achi cachi Liberace,
I love you!
- http://funclapping.com/Eenie.php

****
Example #4
eenie meenie sissaleney
o a tumbaline
achie gachif temberachi
i love you
take a peach
take a plum
take a sitck of bubble gum
no peach no plum
just a stick a bubble gum
saw you with your boyfreind last night
you werea huggin anda kissin
anda holdin on tight
how do i know
LOOK THROUGH THE WINDOW
NOSEY
ATE ALL YA COOKIES
GREEDY
DIDNT DO THE DISHES
LAZY THATS WY DEY CALL ME
eenie meenie sissaleney
o a tumberlinie
achie gachie liverachie
i love you
-jazz09932, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0C2cBh_NZNU, 2012
-snip-
This version of "Eeny Meenie Sisaleenie" is found in the comment thread for this video. I reformatted this example from its paragraph form (a form that seems to be the default for YouTube.com) to lined poetry form. However, I left the capitalizations that the blogger wrote "as is". I think those words were capitalized to serve as a "correction" for the words to the rhyme that were chanted in the video. Btw, I also believe that the tempo in that video is slower than the tempo that I've usually found for this rhyme.

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ADDENDUM - TWO EXAMPLES OF "SAW YOU WITH YOUR BOYFRIEND" VERSE WITHOUT THE "EENIE MEANIE SISALEENI" VERSE

Example #1:
A.B.C.
It’s easy as 1.2.3.
My momma takes care of me.
My father don’t yell at me.

Caught you with your boyfriend.
Naughty, Naughty.
Didn’t do the dishes.
Lazy, Lazy.
Ate all the candy
Greedy, greedy.
Jumped out the window.
Man, you’re crazy!
- anonymous woman (White; Washington, D. C), collected by Azizi Powell,1999
-snip-
This example was collecting via a voluntary written survey that I conducted at my former workplace. As per my directions, the woman indicated the geographical location where she performed this rhyme. She wrote that she learned it when she was a child living in a "mostly Black neighborhood". She also wrote that she performed it as a hand clap game.

"ABC it's easy as 1, 2, 3" is lifted from the Jackson Five R&B song "ABC". That song could help to date the earliest examples of rhymes with that introductory verse.

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Example #2
Ziz Zag zag
take a piece take a plum
take a piece of bubble gum
do you like it?
do you love it?
do the alabama shake it
shake it up
shake it down
shake it all around
Spying on my boy friend - baby
didn't do the dishes - lazy
jumped out the window - crazy
and thats the facts of boys boys boys
- Miranda R, http://octopuses.chaoticinsanity.com (also given as "Octoblog- "Schoolyard games"), December 5, 2004. [This website is no longer available].

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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

25 comments:

  1. In the mid-70s in Yreka, California, my friends and I chant-sang the following -- and it always made sense to me as a story about a girl who was, or fancied herself as, a gypsy queen and thought she could have a secret boyfriend only to learn that she was caught out and her friends knew all along. I had no idea there were different versions, of course.

    Eenie meenie gypsy queenie
    Ooh ah allimeenie
    Atchie Caughtchie Liberace
    I love you. [pause]
    Saw your boyfriend the other day
    What's his name?
    John Wayne.
    How did you know?
    Peekin' through the keyhole.
    Nosy!
    Hate to do the dishes.
    Lazy!
    Jumpin' through the window.
    Crazy!
    Eenie meenie gypsy queenie
    Ooh ah allimeenie
    Atchie Caughtchie Liberace
    I love you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. One more note as I skim through all the variations in your post -- this was a small and nearly all-white town. In my grade level (and one or two up and down), there were no people of color except for one Native American girl from the local tribe -- until Junior High when an African American family moved to town.

      Delete
    2. Hello, ramblerla.

      Thanks for sharing that example of "Eenie Meanie" and thanks for including demographical information, including the racial composition of your town (Btw, is "Yreka" pronounced the same as the word "eureka"?)

      Your example is one that I hadn't come across before.

      I added your example to another pancocojams post http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/08/playground-rhymes-that-include-names-of_30.html Playground Rhymes That Include Names Of Famous People (Part I) .

      Thanks again!

      Delete
    3. Also, ramblerla, I meant to note that your version of "Eenie Meanie" suggests that my theory may be correct that children often try to make sense out of the words to their playground rhymes.

      Best wishes!

      Delete
  2. 1950s NYC. Counting out game for who is it for hide and seek, tag, etc. This sissaleen version seems to be a more recent adaptation.

    Ernie meenie gypsadeeny
    Ooh gah gabalini
    Hotchy potchy goombalachy
    Out goes Y-O-U

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Anonymous for sharing your memories of "Eenie Meenie".

      This is the fist time that I've heard (meaning "read") a version of that counting rhyme that includes the "words" gypsadeeny, gabalini, and goombalchy before. That said, "gypsadeeny" sounds like "gypsy queenie" that ramblerla from California shared above on September 23, 2015.

      Best wishes!

      Delete
  3. We played this game as a double dutch chant in the 70's in Philadelphia Pa. It went like this:

    Eeny meany sisaleenie.. ooh ah chacha leenie ocka bocka liberacha I love you choo choo shampoo.
    I saw ya with your boyfriend last night
    What was his name?
    Charlie White
    How do you know?
    Because I Peeked through the peephole
    Nosey!
    Wash those dishes! Lazy!
    Jump out the window! Crazy!
    Oh I can do the oochi coochi,
    I can do a split!
    Betcha 5 dollars you can't do this!
    Lady on 1 foot
    Lady on 2 foots
    close your eyes and count to ten.
    If you miss you've got the ends
    1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Unknown, thanks for sharing that version of "Eeny Meany".

      And thanks for adding demographic information and the information that this rhyme was chanted while playing double dutch jump rope.

      Was this rhyme primarily chanted by African Americans in Philadelphia?

      And did the boyfriend's name change with each jumper?

      Also, as explanation, sometimes "enders" is the term that is used for the two people who turn the two ropes that are held together and turned for double dutch (That term is also used for the two people who turn the one rope that is used for jump rope with three or more people). That explains the line that Unknown shared "If you miss you've got the ends".

      Thanks again!

      Delete
  4. In Ontario in the mid 80s, we sang this as a clapping game:
    Eenie meenie popsa meenie
    Oo wop bop sa meenie
    Education, liberation
    I_ like_ you.
    Dowtown baby, down by the roller coaster,
    Sweet, sweet baby, no place to go.
    Caughtcha with your boyfriend,
    Naughty, naughty,
    Didn't do the dishes,
    Lazy, lazy,
    Stole a piece of candy,
    Greedy, greedy,
    Jumped out the window,
    Nutso, nutso-
    Eenie meenie popsa meenie
    Oo wop bop sa meenie
    Education, liberation,
    I_ like_ you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for sharing that example of "Eenie meenie", Anonymous.

      And thanks for remembering to include demographics.

      Delete
  5. As a 10 year old white girl in upstate New York my sister and I and my school bus friends used to chant and clap:
    Eenie meenie stepaseenie
    Ooja bagga hamaleenie
    Umm bah icky poo spells out goes you!
    Just a peach just a plum not a stick of bubble gum
    Not a peach not a plum just a stick of bubblegum.
    Saw you with your boyfriend last night
    How do you know?
    I peeked through the keyhole
    Nosy
    Ate a box of candy
    Greedy
    Didn't wipe the toilet seat
    Nasty
    Jumped off a skyscraper now I know you're crazy now I know to call you
    Eenie meenie stepaseenie ooja bagga hamaleenie umm bah icky poo
    Spells
    I
    Hate
    You!
    ******
    The hands at the end would be going back and forth, try to be last to slap the other persons on the you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Jules for sharing that version of "Eenie Meenie".

      There's LOTS of versions of that rhyme. Yours is one I hadn't come across before.

      Thanks again!

      Delete
  6. Living in Staten Island, I remember that when I sang this as a kid probably ten years ago, we sang “I hate you” instead of “I love you.” I also remember some lyrics saying something along the lines of “kissing behind a magazine.”

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Unknown, thanks for sharing demographics (location and decade) along with your remembrances of this "Eenie Meanie Sisaleenie" rhyme. I wonder when the "I love you" ending changed to "I hate you". Given how children are, I wouldn't be surprised if it happened soon after this rhyme was first chanted.

      The "kissing behind a magazine" words are probably from the "Apple on a stick" rhyme. The basic words to that rhyme are:

      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.

      -snip-
      Like other children's recreational rhymes, that "Apple On A Stick" verse is often combined with other rhymes.

      When you wrote that you remember some lyrics saying "kissing behind a magazine" did you mean that you chanted "Eenie Meenie Sisaleenie" with that "kissing behind a magazine" rhyme?

      Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/03/its-not-because-youre-dirty-line-in_12.html for a 2014 pancocojams post on "Apple On A Stick".

      Delete
  7. Just found this thread...my sister and I were laughing today about a song we sang as kids that is similar to these. I'm certain I have the words mangled! Hope this thread is still going after all these years.

    Coomala Coomala Coomalalaveestay
    Coomala Coomala Coomalaalveestay
    Oh na na na na lalaveestay
    Oh na na na n lalalveestay
    Eenie meenie disaleenie oooh ah ah a beenie
    Acha kacha kookaracha ooh ah ah
    Eeesh kidalee oten boten be bop and what op and Shhhh.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello, Anonymous April 29, 2020.

      Yes, this thread is still going on after all of these years, thanks to Google blog's format, Google search and other search engines.

      Thanks for sharing the version of Coomala Coomala Coomalalaveestay that you remember.

      That version combines the Coomala... verses with a version of "Eenie Meenie..." and a version of the oten boten rhymes.

      Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/01/flea-fly-flow-cumala-vista-rhyme-songs.html for a 2013 pancocojams post entitled "The Flea Fly Flow" ("Cumala Vista") Rhyme & Songs That Helped It Grow".

      Examples of that rhyme appear to often include the oten boten words.

      Thanks again!

      Delete
  8. I have just come across this as I try to remember things from my 1970s UK childhood to teach to my class of 5 and 6 year olds to keep them amused at playtime. Our version went something like this:
    Eenie Meenie Disaleenie
    You are larmaleenie
    Archer carcher coomerarcher
    You waa waa
    Ish billy opum bopum
    Boo boo ber dis n dat
    Peach plum....

    Here my memory fails. I suspect that plum rhymed with a line ending in 'bum' as this would have been a slightly naughty word for a 1970s playground!

    Fascinating to think how this rhyme has morphed and spread.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Anonymous for sharing your memory of this rhyme. Also, thanks for adding demographic information.

      I also suspect that the ending line that you don't remember probably ended with the "naughty" word "bum".

      And I agree that it's fascinating to come across so many variants of this rhyme. Although I understand that YouTube's banned comments in children's videos to protect children, one unfortunate result of that ban is that folklorists losts a great way to collect contemporary versions of rhymes.

      Best wishes!

      Delete
  9. The version I learned in Georgia from my sister was this:
    Eeny meany chipsalini
    Ooh caw alameeny
    Awtchy cawtchy Liverawchy,
    means I love you Baby Sue, boom boom!
    Saw your boyfriend last night.
    What’s his name?
    Bruce Wayne.
    How d’you know?
    Peeked through the keyhole—last night.
    Nosey!
    Give me some candy.
    Stingy [pronounced “Stain-jeee”]!
    Wash them dishes!
    Lazy!
    Jump out the window—like crazy!
    So eene meany chipsalini
    Ooh caw alameeny
    Awtchy cawtchy Liverawchy,
    means I love you Baby Sue, boom boom!

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    1. Hello, Anonymous. Thanks for sharing that version of "Eeny Meenie". I've never come across that one before.

      When did you learn that version (what decade) and did you do a hand clap routine while you chanted it?

      My guess is that Baby Sue was chanted just to rhyme with the word "you" that came before it.

      I wonder if "Bruce Wayne" was originally "John Wayne".

      Best wishes!

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    2. It just occurred to me that "Bruce Wayne" is the real name for "Batman". Since the actor John Wayne is an old reference, that name in that rhyme probably refers to the Batman superhero.

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  10. Greetings Azizi,
    I am currently doing a project in grad school in relation to playground games and the African American experience. My mom who was raised in Washington DC in the 1970s remembered a little bit of "Eenie Meenie Gypsaleenie", but she remembers it as a way to pick something from a lineup, with the words "I pick this one right over here, but I change my mind to pick this one right over here" as she pointed at each thing per word. Also, I found out that a Detroit-based girl group named The Debonaires made a record song in 1965 "Eenie Meenie Gypsaleenie". It was only popular in Detroit, and not naiton-wide, but very much something that could have been inspired by the African American rhyme at the time. What do you think?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9bYz6QiWdQ

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  11. Hello, Rhamira.

    I'd love to know more about your grad school project that focuses on playground rhyme and the African American experience (experiences). Please share more here or email me at azizi p 17 at yahoo dot com.

    Your comment motivated me to re-read this 2013 pancocojams post and rewrite a portion of this post and add some information about the "Eenie Meenie Miny Mo" counting out rhymes. As you noted in your comment, those rhymes were used (and are still used) for counting out/choosing it.

    Thanks for adding the way that your mother remembers playing the rhyme "Eenie Meenie Gypsaleenie" and thanks for sharing some demographic information.

    Thanks also for alerting me and other pancocojams readers to the link to that YouTube sound file of the Debonaires' 1965 record "Eenie Meenie Gypsaleenie", Here's that hyperlink: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9bYz6QiWdQ

    I didn't know about that record before reading your comment. I definitely believe that the lyrics to that song are based on an African American extended version of the much older "Eenie Meenie Miny Mo" counting out rhyme.

    Best wishes!

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  12. This is the version I grew up with in Pittsburgh in the 1960's. It starts out similar to many of the others then really deviates! It was a favorite hand clap on the playground during recess.

    Eenie meenie pepsideeni
    Bah Bah boobileeni
    Hachi tachi Liberace
    I pick you up.
    Have a peach have a plum
    Have a stick of chewing gum
    If you want another one this is what you yell
    Anem anem San Diego hocus pocus
    Yay Beagles
    Sittin’ in the bandstand beatin’ on a tin can
    Who can, we can
    Nobody else can
    Sis sis sis boom bah
    Vivo vivo rah rah rah!

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    1. Hello, The Vintage Chateau. Thanks for sharing that version of "Eeny Meany Sisaleenie" and thanks for including where and when you played that hand clap game.

      It's interesting what we remember from our childhood and teen years and how those rhymes that stick with us were said differently by other people.

      The "sittin in the bandstand beatin on a tin can" lines are usually given as "sitting on a grandstand".

      Also, the words "sis boom bah" were part of the earliest documented American cheer :
      "On November 6, 1869, the United States witnessed its first intercollegiate football game. It took place between Princeton and Rutgers University, and marked the day the original “Sis Boom Rah!” cheer was shouted out by student fans."... https://clearlakeiowa.com/rah-rah-sis-boom-bah/#:~:text=On%20November%206%2C%201869%2C%20the,shouted%20out%20by%20student%20fans.

      Best wishes!

      Btw: I moved to Pittsburgh, Pa in 1969 and I'm still living here. Pittsburgh represent!

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