Changes To The "Mama Mama Can't You See" Hand Clap Rhymes (post the 1990s)

Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest Update - May 1, 2026

This pancocojams post documents certain changes in the words for the "Mama Mama Can't You See" children's recreational rhyme. .

This post focuses versions of that children's recreational rhymes that include the "if you stop, you will get popped" line. However, some additional versions of that rhyme are also included in this post.

The examples in this post were published online from 2011 through 2025.

In some examples in this compilation the contributors' preface the words to their version with "We say" (or similar words). This implies that the contributors are sharing an example that they currently chant.

Some other examples in this compilation are probably from the contributors' memories of their childhood in the 1990s or some earlier decade.

The content of this post is presented for folkloric, cultural, and recreational purposes,

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. 
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Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/01/hand-clap-rhymes-that-mention-mp3s-cell.html for the pancocojams post entitled "Hand Clap Rhymes That Mention Mp3s, Cell Phones, HDTV, & Computers." 

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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
This post demonstrates how examples of particular children's recreational rhymes can change over time within the same nation. Although no geographical data is included with these examples, this compilation suggests that these particular word changes in "Mama Mama Can't You See" children's rhymes appear in various parts of the United States. 

My guess is that these changes are spread as the result of children reading online examples and as a result of children sharing those rhymes in their communication with other children while they are in their home cities and during their travels outside those cities

Additional examples of this children's rhyme are very welcome.

Please remember to include where you chanted this rhyme (city/state if in the USA, and add nation if outside of the USA) and when (year or decade such as 1990s). Please also remember to include information about any accompanying activity you did while chanting this rhyme (for example, a two person hand clap game, group hand clap game, jump rope rhyme etc.)

If you are sharing an online example of this rhyme, please add the link to that example.

Thanks in advance for adding examples to this compilation

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EXPLANATION OF THE LINE "IF YOU STOP YOU WILL GET POPPED" IN THESE RHYMES
"If you stop" means "if you stop exchanging hand claps during this game" (because the palms of your hands are getting red and hurting because of the rapid hand claps).

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The person who stops exchanging hand claps is considered the loser of the hand game and will be "popped" (i.e. hit [on purpose] usually on the forehead.
 
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A "STANDARD" "MAMA MAMA CAN'T YOU SEE" RHYME (from 1999) 

Momma momma can't you see
What the army's done to me
Took away my MTV
Now I got to watch Barney
Tic Tac Toe
Three in a row
Barney got killed
By GI Joe.
Don't stop till your hands get hot
Don't stop till your hands get red

(After this line, partners do a series of fast hand claps; the first person who moves her or his hand away so that the hand won't be hit, loses)
-African American girls and boys; around 8-10 years old; Duquesne, Pennsylvania, collected by Azizi Powell, 7/1999

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EXAMPLES OF "MAMA MAMA CAN'T YOU SEE" CHILDREN'S RHYMES WITH "IF YOU STOP YOU WILL GET POPPED" LINES & SOME OTHER POST 2010 EXAMPLES OF THAT RHYME

Source #1: https://hobbylark.com/party-games/Recess-is-BACK-Hand-Clapping-Games
1. "this is called mama mama can you see mama mama can you see what this baby done to me she took away my mtv now i have to wacj dumb barney tic tac toe 3 in a row mama got shot by a j i joe if you stop you will get poped
-rhiannon yvonne camp on October 17, 2011, 

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Source #2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zEcsIfe6lU&t=0s 90’s hands games !!!!!, published by Geneas, Nov 4, 2018
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In 2019 YouTube policy prohibited comments from children's YouTube videos. However, the comment section in this YouTube discussion thread is still open because the vloggers are young women.

1."For Mama Mama at the end we say dont stop clapping til your hands get red"
- Itzyofavv A, 2019

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2. " We say if u stop u will get popped"
-braceface zai, 2020

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3. "And it get faster and faster until your hands is burning"
-Tiara battiste, 2020

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4. " Yeah"
-Bre Skii, 2020

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5. LuvlyVee, 2020
"Now we say if you stop you’ll get a pop all the way to the candy shop -_-"

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6. "Yeah we say Keep on playing till your hands get red"
-kero•inu , 2020

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7. "Ikr"
-Typicalxsxmmies,2020

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8. "@braceface zai  SAME"
-Emixox, 2020

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9. "Same"
-Mwa 💕, 2021

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10. "@braceface zai  no they say if you stop you get a knock"
-nneka chidoka, 2021

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11. "LMAO we said till you see the babies head 🤣"
-PUPPIESGOARF, 2021

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12. " We say eating cornbread under my bed"
-Fay Abner, 2021

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Aleisa Tv, 2019
13. "Our mama mama go like mama mama can’t you see what the army done to me ? They took away my favorite toys now I’m watching stupid boys, I saw a lady chewing gum💁🏽‍♀️ I asked her can I have some ? She looked at me like I was dumb so I shot her with my Bebe gun pow pow fist fist boy you take a look at this you see my pinky you see my thumb you see my fist you better run😂😂                      part 2 goes like mama mama can’t you see what the army done to me they took away my mp3 & abcs now I’m watching Barney oops Barney’s dead , I shot him in the heaaaad under my bedddd eating cornbreadddd , don’t stop till yo hands get red( then you keep go crazy & keep doing the shake till yo hands get tired)"

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14. "My mama mama can’t you see was somewhat different if was low key like numbers and we said “ if you stop you will get popped all the way to the candy shop “ and you keep clapping until somebody stops and you pop the person who stops lol"
-Rizma K, 2022

Added April 13, 2024
15.mama mama can’t you see what that baby done to me took away my auntie TV now I said Barney TicTac toe in a row OK now this doesn’t make any sense I don’t know the lyrics
-CheRaeBellamy-bk6xf, 2024

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Source #3: https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090501175248AAWDxOq ; "does anyone know the hand game mama mama can't you see word?" [This link is no longer active]

Mama mama can't you see
Look what the baby done to me
He took away my mtv
Now I'm watching dumb Barney
Tic tac toe three in a row
Momma got shot by GI joe
If you stop you get a pop
All the way to candy shop
-Tina, 2016 

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Source #4: http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/08/childrens-examples-of-mama-mama-cant.html

1. "mama can't you see, what these babies done to me, they took away my mtv, now watching barney, tic tac toe three in a row, barney got shot by gi joe, oops barneys dead, shot in the head, eating cornbread, with uncle fred, peeing in the bed, now don't stop til ya hands get realllll hot, apple peaches cream and butter tell yo mama who your lover

a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

i

j

k

l

m

n

o

p

q

r

s

t

u

v

w

x

y

z"
-umm, September 23, 2021,  

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2. " my version was

mama mama can’t you see
what the baby done to me
she took away my mtv
now i’m watching dumb barney
dumb barney is so wack
now i’m watching men in black
men in black is so cool
it makes me want to go to school
tic tac toe thee in a row
momma got shot by g.i joe
if you stop you get a pop
all the way to the candy shop
-Anonymous, December 16, 2022

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Source #5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zEcsIfe6lU&ab_channel=Geneas [This video is no longer available.]

1.  "For me Mama Mama Can't You See went

Mama can't you see
What these babies done to me
Took away my new TV
Now I'm stuck with old Barney
Oops Barney's deaddd
Shot in the headdd
Eating cornbreaddd
Under my beaddd
STOP!
Now go
Drop it fast it move it real slow

And then we did the little dance lol"
-pika, 2021 

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Source #6: https://www.tiktok.com/@essiajay._/video/7500758064157445419?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7623684776109573662, "Y'all remember these hand games?", essiajay, April 20, 2025 

[A few of these comments are general statements about hand clap rhymes that they remember from the childhood.]  

1.simplym0_ney, 2025-5-10
"DOES ANYONE KNOW “mama mama can’t you see what the army did to me”😫"

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2. Yuri(name of an oc), 2025-5-13
"I always did it what these babies did to me 😭"

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3. Anahiiii <3, 2025-5-15
"Barney got Sh0t by a GI Joe, tic tac toe 3 in a row."

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4.Trivialove_xo, 2025-5-15
""Crazy how there were so many versions, mine was “mama mama can’t you see, what this baby done to me, he took away my mtv, now I’m watching Barney.” LMAOO"

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5 Jazmyn 🌺, 2025-5-17
"yesss! 😭 what these babies done to me"

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6. simplym0_ney, 2025-5-17
"right😂every time I mention it everyone looks confused 💀"

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7. LoAdInG…-Lost_soul, 2025-5-18
"What the army done to me"

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8.‧₊˚❀༉‧₊˚. 𝟧 𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓇 𝒶𝒾𝓇𝓎, 2025-5-18
""Now I’m watching dumb barney"

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9. Haley Haggermaker, 2025-5-18
"Barney got shot by GIJO , now I’m watching Cosby show"

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10.. Kenziebaby_, 2025-5-18
"Hands use to really be on fire"

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11. nianicole, 2025-6-9
"momma momma can’t you see”

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12. Halie Nicole1105, 2025-6-9
"Thissss was the oneeeeee😩😩"

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13. Tai 💖🌸, 2025-6-9
"this was mineeee!😫"

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14. bri, 2025-6-9
"Bro that was our games as as kids 😂☠️"

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15. Emma | CLT, NC, 2025-6-11
"We all had the same hand games before social media. Wild"

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16. aaliyahmariahh1, 2025-6-18
"You just brought back hella childhood memories 💕😭"

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17. najeebrry,2025-7-1
"Broo unlocked so many memories"

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18. Jillian3, 2025 -2025-7-3
"Now every kid is on there phone"

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19. nderxGround.Liaxoxo, 2025-8-18
"That game was so funny but people would slap your hands harder in purpose 😭"

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20. Lexze, 2025-12-9
"you just unlocked a memory I forgot I had😭😭😭 I miss being a kid😔"

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