Edited by Azizi Powell
Latest Update: October 18, 2019 5:01 PM
This pancocojams post provides text examples of the hand games "When Billy Boy Was One" & "Poor Pinocchio".
Two video examples of "When Billy Boy Was One" are included in this post.
The content of this post is presented for folkloric and recreational, purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
Hat tip to the editor and contributors of Mama Lisa's World: International Music & Culture https://www.mamalisa.com/blog/can-anyone-help-with-the-tune-to-when-billy-boy-was-one/. I've added two examples of "When Billy Boy Was One" from that page, one of which indicates the 1960s as the decade that the contributor learned that version. I've also added a link for an audio file of the tune that a Mama Lisa blog contributed shared for this rhyme.
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A considerable amount of this post's content was published in this 2013 pancocojams post http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/12/when-billy-boy-was-one-poor-pinocchio.html">http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/12/when-billy-boy-was-one-poor-pinocchio.html.
Although this blog focuses on music, dance, and language practices from African Americans and other Black people throughout the world, I sometimes also showcases examples of children's rhymes and singing games which may not be from those populations because that is another interest of mine. Although the textual structure, the percussive rhythm, and accompanying hand clap & body patting movements of these rhymes strongly suggest that these rhymes are of African American origin, I don't know if that population was the original source of these rhymes.
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INFORMATION ABOUT "WHEN BILLY BOY WAS ONE" AND "POOR PINOCCHIO"
"When Billy Boy Was One" isn't the folk song "Billy Boy" ("Oh where have you been Billy Boy") and "Poor Pinocchio" isn't the nursery rhyme character "Pinocchio". However, it's highly probably that the characters' names in both of those playground rhymes were lifted from those widely known cultural sources.
I collected one example of "Poor Pinocchio" (from a Canadian school girl) and three other examples of that rhyme online. Each of these examples are found below. However, there are considerably more examples of "When Billy Boy Was One" online. Five of those examples are found below.
I think that "Poor Pinocchio" is a spin off of "When Billy Boy Was One", but I don't have any way of proving that.
"When Billy Boy Was One" (also known as "Billy Boy" and "Billy") and "Poor Pinocchio" are what I call a "life stages" playground rhyme. A "life stages" rhyme is one that chants a line about a person starting with age one and successively moving to an agreed upon age [usually age ten]. The first line of those two line rhyming verses usually begins with the word "when" and indicates the person's age. The second line indicates an activity that is supposedly characteristic of that age:
When Billy Boy was one
He learned to suck his thumb
Or the second line ends with a word that rhymes with the age that was given in the first line:
When Billy Boy was seven
He went to heaven
Similarly, here are examples from "Poor Pinocchio":
1*. Poor Pinocchio he learned to suck his thumb, thumb
after thumb after thumb, after thumb after thumb.
Cross over
4*. Poor Pinocchio he learned to shut the door, door after
door, after door, after door. Cross over
[The numbers at the beginning of this example are chanted.]
-snip-
Another form of "life stage" rhyme is one which instead of ages mentions periods pf a person's life -from babyhood to death and sometime beyond. The rhymes "When I Was A Baby" ("When Susie Was A Baby", "When Pebbles Was A Baby" etc.)* are examples of those kinds of life stages children's rhymes. However, in addition to being "life stages" rhymes, "When I Was A Baby" etc. is also a cumulative rhyme, in that each line that is chanted includes a portion from each preceding line.
As is the case with the "When I Was A Baby" rhymes, mimicking actions are performed while chanting the second line of "When Billy Boy Was One" and the second line of "Poor Pinocchio". For instance, while chanting "He learned to suck his thumb", the chanters mimic sucking their thumb. However, I'm not certain if any mimicking action is done for the "went to heaven" line that is usually chanted for the number "seven" verse, unless it is flapping your arms in imitation of angel's wings.
The term "cross-down", "cross over" or "crosstown"* is usually found in the "When Billy Boy Was One" rhymes. That word not only serves to separate the successive age verses, but also describes an action or series of actions that is/are always done when that word is said. Read my comments in the "Performance Activity" section about those motions.
"*Crosstown" is probably a folk etymology form of "cross down", a description of the direction of a hand movement.
I think that "When Billy Boy Was One", the similarly chanted rhyme "When Pebbles Was A Baby*" and the rhyme "Poor Pinocchio" all came from the same source and I believe that source was "Miss Susie Had A Steamboat".
The only example of "When Billy Boy Was One" and "Poor Pinocchio" that I've heard chanted "in real life"(Example #2 of "Poor Pinocchio") had the same or very similar tune as "Miss Susie Had A Baby". However, from examples that I've subsequently heard online and from comments that I've read, it appears that different tunes are used for "When Billy Boy Was One" (and presumably, also for versions of "Poor Pinocchio".
Also, click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/11/when-pebbles-was-baby-part-ii.html for Part II of "When Pebbles Was A Baby" to find text examples and videos of those rhymes.
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PERFORMANCE ACTIVITIES
"When Billy Boy Was One" and "Poor Pinocchio" appear to usually be recited as two partner hand clap game with accompanying mimicking motions.
Each of these rhymes includes the word "cross down" or some variant form of that word. Saying "cross down" is a signal to begin a crossing movement that may also be combined with a body patting motion. Here's one description of the "cross down" performance action from one of the examples found below:
"Cross down - start by crossing both hands over your chest, with your finger tips touching your shoulders, then uncross them and smack your thigh's. Your left hand will smack your left thigh and right hand, right thigh."
Criss-cross jumping (crossing your feet when you jump) could be done instead of the actions given below.
Performance directions are found in some of the examples below.
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FIVE TEXT EXAMPLES OF "WHEN BILLY BOY WAS ONE"
(These examples are given in chronological order based on the date in which the example was posted online, with the oldest dated example given first.)
Example #1: WHEN BILLY BOY WAS ONE
I'm an elementary teacher from Minnesota. I'd like to add a hand clapping, patting game I learned from some first grade girls back in the 1970's. They called it "Billy Boy." As they chanted the lyrics they clapped their own hands, then the opposite hand of their partner, then their own opposite shoulders, and finally their knees.
When Billy Boy was one (sung as two syllables) he learned to suck his thu-umb, (two syllables again.)
Thumb-dee-ah-dah, thumb-dee-ah-dah,
Half past one, cross down,
When Billy boy was two-o, he learned to tie his shoe-oo,
Two-dee-ah-dah, two-dee-ah dah,
Half past two cross down." etc.
three: climb a tree,
four: shut the door,
five: jump and dive,
six: pick up sticks,
seven: got to heaven,
eight: clean his plate,
nine: sing this rhyme,
ten: he learned to say, 'THE END!'"
-Skeezyks, http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=4300 Children's Street Songs, January 31, 2005
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Example #2: WHEN BILLY BOY WAS ONE
Two people sit facing each other. I'll do my best to describe the handclap motions...
Cross down - start by crossing both hands over your chest, with your finger tips touching your shoulders, then uncross them and smack your thigh's. Your left hand will smack your left thigh and right hand, right thigh.
The next step is to clap. When you clap, you begin singing the song.
(For example: (cross down) (Clap), When Billy Boy was one..... (now begin claping with your partner - your right hand claps with their right hand - then you clap your hands together, next your left hand claps with your partner's left hand, then you clap your hands together.
Repeat until the verse is over.
When you start the next verse, begin again with cross down, slap your thighs, When Billy Boy was two...etc.
Verses: When Billy Boy was one, he learned to suck his thumb. Thumb Billy, Thumb Billy, half past one.
When Billy Boy was two, he learned to tie his shoe. Shoe Billy, Shoe Billy, half past two.
When Billy Boy was three, he learned to climb a tree. Tree Billy, Tree Billy, half past three.
When Billy Boy was four, he learned to close the door. Door Billy, Door Billy, half past four.
When Billy Boy was five, he learned to swim and dive. Dive Billy, Dive Billy, half past five.
When Billy Boy was six, he learned to pick up sticks. Sticks Billy, Sticks Billy, half past six.
When Billy Boy was seven, he learned to pray to heaven. Heaven Billy, Heaven Billy, half past seven.
When Billy Boy was eight, he learned to roller skate. Skate Billy, Skate Billy, half past eight.
When Billy Boy was nine, he learned to tell the time. Time Billy, Time Billy, half past nine.
When Billy Boy was ten, he learned to catch the hens. Hens Billy, Hens Billy, half past ten. Cross down, then end!
-Jackie; cocojams.com, 2/28/2007 [Cocojams was the name of my cultural blog which I voluntarily deactivated in 2015.]
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Example #3: WHEN BILLY BOY WAS ONE
then there was about billy boy
cross down when billy boy was 1
he learned to suck his thumb
thumb after thumb after half past one
2 was tie his shoe
3 was climb a tree
4 was shut the door
5 was swim and dive
6 was pick up sticks
7 was pray to Heaven
8 was shut the gate
9 was pay the fine
10 was say the end
and at the end it was
... end after end after half past ten
cross down the end.
-Guest, Julie, http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=4300 Children's Street Songs, December 5, 2007
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Example #4
From https://www.mamalisa.com/blog/can-anyone-help-with-the-tune-to-when-billy-boy-was-one/
patty Says:
October 30th, 2015 at 7:37 pm
I used to sing a similar one when I was in elementary school but it went like this: (not sure about the spelling on the second line of each verse)
When Billy boy was cero, he learned to be a hero
so herioca, herioca, half past cero.
When Billy Boy was one, he learned to suck his thumb,
So thumbioca, thumbioca, half past one.
When Billy Boy was two, he learned to tie his shoes,
so shoe-ioca, shoe-ioca, half past two.
When Billy Boy was three, he learned to climb a tree,
So treeioca, treeioca, half past three.
When Billy Boy was four, he learned to shut the door,
so doorioca, doorioca, half past four.
When Billy Boy was five, he learned to swim and dive,
so diveioca, diveioca, half past five.
When Billy Boy was six, he learned to pick up sticks,
so stickioca, stickioca, half past six.
When Billy Boy was seven, he learned to climb to heaven,
so heavy-oca, heavy-oca, half past seven.
When Billy Boy was eight, he learned to shut the gate,
so gate-ioca, gate-ioca, half past eight.
When Billy Boy was nine, he learned to stand in line,
so lineioca, lineioca, half past nine.
When Billy Boy was ten, he learned to feed the hens,
so henioca, henioca, half past ten.
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Example #5
From https://www.mamalisa.com/blog/can-anyone-help-with-the-tune-to-when-billy-boy-was-one/
Jen Says:
December 10th, 2017 at 5:01 am
We used to play this game in grammar school in the 60’s in Southern California. The lyrics were similar on each line except we used to say “olioca” twice, then “half past (whatever number was next)” then “cross-down” and then start the next line. For instance:
When Billy Boy was one, he learned to suck his thumb,
Olioca, Olioca, half past one, cross-down,
When Billy Boy was two, he learned to tie his shoe,
Olioca, Olioca, half past two, cross-down,
and so on…
I don’t know, it’s just the way I learned it from other kids. I like everyone else’s version too. I love the internet enabling us to look up these old games and songs!
-snip-
Mama Lisa's blog includes additional examples of and comments about this rhyme, including this comment:
"Gary Says:
December 15th, 2016 at 9:26 pm
We played this game back in the 1960’s. But instead of saying “thumb de-li-da-la” or “thumbioca”, we said: “thumb billy-ona”. This was in the south central Pennsylvania area of the US"
In addition, Miriam McLatchey (September 4th, 2018 at 3:15) shared this link to an audio file for "When Billy Boy Was One" on Mama Lisa's blog: https://mysongfile.com/songs/when_billy_was_one
Another contributor indicated that the tune sounded like the theme song used for "Loony Tune" cartoons.
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SHOWCASE VIDEOS OF "WHEN BILLY BOY IS ONE"
Video #1: Heart sisters. School rhymes- Wjen Billy was one
Ania Heart, Apr 17, 2017
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Video #2: Farrell - When Billy Was One - OCES September 2018
Ms. Boyd, Oct 22, 2018
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FIVE EXAMPLES OF "POOR PINOCCHIO" (complete and partial examples)
(These examples are given in chronological order based on the date in which the example was posted online, with the oldest dated example given first.)
Example #1: POOR PINOCCHIO
1. Poor Pinocchio he learned to suck his thumb, thumb
after thumb after thumb, after thumb after thumb.
Cross over *
2. Poor Pinocchio he learned to tie his shoe, shoe after
shoe, after shoe, after shoe . Cross over *
3. Poor Pinocchio he learned to climb a tree, tree after tree,
after tree, after tree. Cross over *
4. Poor Pinocchio he learned to shut the door, door after
door, after door, after door. Cross over *
5. Poor Pinocchio he liked to kick bee hives, hives after
hives, after hives, after hives. Cross over *
6. Poor Pinocchio he learned to pick up sticks, sticks after
sticks, after sticks ,after sticks. Cross over *
7. Poor Pinocchio he learned all about heaven, heaven after
heaven, after heaven, after heaven. Cross over *
8. Poor Pinocchio he learned to shut the gate, gate after
gate, after gate after gate. Cross over *
[and so on up to 11-use any word that rhymes with those numbers]
* When you say "cross over" you fold your arms crisscross over your chest, and the other girl you are doing the handclap with does the same thing at the same time.
-Natashia, (White female, age 13; Hinton, Alberta, Canada; October 21, 2005; collected by Azizi Powell
-snip-
[The numbers at the beginning of this example are chanted.]
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Example #2: POOR PINOCCHIO
I vaguely remember a clapping song that went something like
Poor Pinocchio one
He used to suck his thumb
But poor P-I-N-O-C-C-H-I-O
cross down and
Poor Pinocchio two
He (something something) shoe (learned to tie?)
But poor P-I-N-O-C-C-H-I-O
that's all I remember...does this ring a bell to anyone else?
-Enjal, http://msgboard.snopes.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=95;t=000442;p=1 "Topic: Skipping and clapping rhymes", 20 February 2003
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Example #3
"Poor Pinocchio
Does anyone remember the jump rope song about "Poor Pinocchio"?" https://www.flickr.com/photos/mrshoffy/7331562194
published on May 13, 2012 with a photograph:
"Poor Pinocchio 1, he learned to suck his thumb..."
-snip-
The reference to "Poor Pinocchio" as a "jump rope song" is interesting as it suggests that this rhyme was probably chanted before the performance activity for many "jump rope songs" converted to hand clapping (some where around the 1970s and 1980s).
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Example #4:
I vaguely remember a clapping song that went something like
Poor Pinocchio one
He used to suck his thumb
But poor P-I-N-O-C-C-H-I-O
cross down and
Poor Pinocchio two
He (something something) shoe (learned to tie?)
But poor P-I-N-O-C-C-H-I-O
that's all I remember...does this ring a bell to anyone else?
-Enjal, 20 February, 2003, http://msgboard.snopes.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=95;t=000442;p=1
-snip-
This contributor's location is given as "the other Portland (US)"
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