Jamaican Examples Of The Children's Recreational Rhyme "Rockin Robin" ("Twee Twee Twee")

gracia cutie,  March 24, 2021

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Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest revision - January 10, 2024

This pancocojams post showcase one video example and presents text (word only) examples of Jamaican versions of "Rockin Robin" ("Twee Twee Twee"). 

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are featured in this video and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-

The R&B song "Rockin Robin" was first recorded in 1958 by African American singer Bobby Day.

Michael Jackson recorded "Rockin Robin" in 1972. That was Michael Jackson's second solo record independent of his singing with his siblings The Jackson 5. The "tweeleelee" title and refrain for "Rockin Robin" recreational rhymes mimics the "tweeting" sound that robins and other birds make.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2022/07/some-rockin-robin-twee-lee-lee-rhymes.html for Part I of a two part pancocojams series that presents text (word only) examples of "Rockin Robin" ("Tweeleelee") rhymes. With the exception of the two examples that are showcased in this January 9, 2024 pancocojams post, all of the examples in that pancocojams series are from African Americans. 

Also, click the "Rockin Robin" tag below for additional pancocojams post of that recreational rhyme.

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FEATURED EXAMPLES

These examples are given in no particular order.

Example #1. [This is my transcription of the first rhyme that is chanted in the embedded video. Additions and corrections are welcome.]

TWEET TWEET TWEET

Tweet tweet tweet
and away we go
Rockin in the treetop
All day long
Rockin and talkin and singing this song
All the little girls from JBC
Like to hear the robin go tweet tweet tweet
Go wash your body
Tweet TweetTweetTweet
Go wash your body
Tweet TweetTweetTweet
Mother in the kitchen
Cookin rice and chicken
Father upstairs drinkin milk
Drinkin milk is a very good thing
So when I run out
You run in
When I count to twenty
The room must be empty
5, 10, fifteen, twenty

-snip-
Video description: A Black woman and a Black girl are shown standing outside and performing a partner handclap routine while chanting this rhyme.

The Jamaican custom of chanting "Rockin Robin" as a recreational rhyme almost certainly was adopted from the United States.

The words beginning with "So when I run out" document that this was originally chanted as a jump rope rhyme. It's likely that "Rockin Robin" was also originally chanted as a jump rope rhyme in the United States before the performance activity changed (like so many other recreational rhymes in the 1970s) to doing hand clap routines while chanting. 
 
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Example #2

twee twee twee, and the way we go,
so rocking in the tree top,
all the days long,
rocking and puffing and singing the song,
all the little girls from JBC,
like to here the robin go twee twee twee,
go wash bagie,
twee twee twee

jonny and i went to the beach
jonny bruk a bottle and throw it on me,
mom told dad,
dad told mom,
mom got a beaten with a mmm stick,

so freezy american cheese,
don't skin your dirty teeth
colgrate is very cheap.
-babygirl200922, March 2012 ; [ comment in discussion thread for] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpexeCmzKjM Jamaican Children Playing, published by Josh Christenson, Feb. 11, 2010
-snip-
This example was given as a comment in this YouTube video's discussion thread. Unfortunately, all comments are now deleted.

"bruk"= broke

"colgrate"= misspelling of the American toothpaste brand "Colgate"

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Do you know any examples of "Rockin Robin" ("Twee Twee Twee") from Jamaica or any other countries outside of the United States? If so, please add to the folkloric record by sharing the words to example/s that you know in the comment section below. Please remember to add demographic information (where you learned that version, when you learned it, and how you performed it i.e. hand clap rhymes, jump rope rhyme etc.) Thanks!

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Recollections Of Children Self-Censoring The Words To Their Hand Clap Rhymes

Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest Update: April 9, 2025 

This pancocojams post presents a few examples of children self-censoring the words to their hand clap rhymes.

By "children self-censoring", I mean children purposely changing a word, or words, and/or actions of a hand clap rhyme in front of adults and/or in front of other children, replacing a curse word or another socially unacceptable word, words,and/or actions with a more socially  acceptable substitute.  

This post highlights some of my recollections of hosting after-school cultural sessions in the East Liberty/Garfield section of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as well as my recollections of hosting one time cultural presentations in various (mostly Black) neighborhoods in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and some of its surrounding communities. 

This post also includes online examples of children self-censoring the words to their hand clap rhymes. 

Please add to the folkloric record by sharing in the comment section below any recollections that you have about any rhymes whose words were changed around adults. 

Remember to add demographic information, especially where (city, state, or nation outside of the United States) and when (decade that you remember chanting or hearing this rhyme chanted.)

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who contributed these rhymes.

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MY RECOLLECTIONS OF CHILDREN SELF-CENSORING THE WORDS TO THEIR HAND CLAP RHYMES 

Numbers are added numbers for referencing purposes.

1. 
Here's my distinct recollection of a cultural session on West African folktales that I facilitated around 2001 in the Northview Heights area of Pittsburgh (Northview Heights is some distance from the East Liberty area where I lived/live and where I had already collected some examples of what the children called "Tweeleelee" or "Tweedleelee").

I began that session on  African folktales by talking about Black children's rhymes and other oral traditions in this country (the United States).

As usual, when I asked the children assembled at this session which hand claps they knew, lots of children raised their hands and/or just called out the title to "Tweedleelee" hand clap rhyme. I recall that I picked four children to come up to the front of the room -three girls and one boy. (Unlike a number of other hand clap rhymes, boys LOVED to chant this rhyme, but in my experience, they didn't like to do the hand claps in public as much as the girls did.) Tweeleelee was and still is usually performed as a four person hand clap rhyme. My plan was to pick two sets of performers, but for the second set, one boy who I selected decided not to go to the front of the room, and so that group only had three players. But that was okay since "Tweeleelee" is often performed with three players.

The children who were chosen and most of the other children enthusiastically chanted this rhyme. However, when the rhyme came to a certain point, one teenage girl (who I believe was an assistant at that community center) loudly yelled out "Squash!". All the children in the room -except for one young girl-immediately stopped chanting. The teenager even more loudly said "SQUASH!" and the girl stopped chanting.

At that time I didn't know why that teenager wanted the group to stop sharing that rhyme with me. I remember an adult working there saying something like "They shouldn't finish that." At the conclusion of my cultural session-which included me sharing my adaptation of a West African folk tale with a song- I privately went up to the teenage girl and asked her would she share the rest of the Tweeleelee rhyme with me, but she declined to do so.

A few years later (around 2003-2004) I collected a version of "Tweeleelee" from some elementary school age girls in Fort Pitt school in the East Liberty/Garfield area of Pittsburgh. That version probably included the verse or a similar verse that the teenage girl didn't want the children to chant.  Here's that verse:

"I went downtown to get a stick of butter
I saw James Brown* sittin in the gutter
He had a piece of glass
Stickin in his butt
I never saw a black man run so fast."
-end of quote-
It wasn't until years later that I learned (from reading some online even "dirtier" versions of "Rock Robin"/"Twee Lee Lee") that the verse that is given above is a much cleaner version of that risque rhyme. My guess is that the children who shared that rhyme with me learned that verse that way and didn't change the words because they were reciting it for me. However, I'm not 100% sure of that.
-snip-
*The R&B performer James Brown is the person who is usually named in that verse. Some later examples of this rhyme substitute the name of R&B performer Chris Brown for James Brown, but according to his Wikipedia page Chris Brown didn't start performing to 2002 and the first cultural section I mentioned that was held in North View Heights occurred in 2001.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2022/07/some-rockin-robin-twee-lee-lee-rhymes_21.html "Some "Rockin Robin" ("Twee Lee Lee") Rhymes" With Geographic Locations (Part II: K - Z)" . That post includes one version of "Rockin Robin" /"Twee Lee Lee" with two very dirty verses. That version was contributed by JeSuisMelBell from New York, 2020, with the contributor's amended spelling for the profanity/sexual references in that example.

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2. Around 2004 -2006 my daughter and I hosted a once a week after school cultural session for girls at Fort Pitt Elementary School in the East Liberty/Garfield section of Pittsburgh. (My daughter was a teacher at that school). Prior to the beginning of one session, when we were alone in that gymnasium, I asked three girls if they knew the rhyme "Tweeleelee" and whether they would share it with me. Here's a part of their version:

I went downtown to get a stick of butter.
I saw James Brown laying in the gutter
He had a piece of glass stickin in his butta
I never saw a Black man run so fast."
-end of quote-
One of the girls said "sticking in his butt" but another girl-who clearly had the strongest personality of these three girls- loudly chanted the word "butta" and the third girl also said "butta".  I asked these girls why they said "butta" in that line and the girl who had loudly chanted that word said "Because that is how it goes" [meaning that's the way the rhyme is supposed to be chanted"]. It seemed clear to me that that girl (and therefore?) the other girls thought that "butt" was a "bad word", but I didn't ask her if that was what she thought.

I don't know if those girls chanted that rhyme that way among themselves and among other children or just changed that word in front of an adult.  

Incidently, the girl who insisted that "butta" was the word that should be chanted was seven years old while the other girls were eight years old. That showed me that strong personalities can influence how a group chants a rhyme even if they are the youngest person in that group.   

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3. On January 14, 2011 I told a few adapted African folktales and led an interactive presentation of traditional African instruments at a cultural program in the Hazelwood section of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. That community program was sponsored by members of a historically Black sorority Zeta Phi Beta, Inc. Before that program began, I took the opportunity to collect rhyme examples from Naijah S, an African American girl, age 9, who arrived early with her family. Naijah's mother is a Zeta.  Here's one of those rhymes:

Twee lee lee
Tree top
Twee lee lee
My bra
Popscicle popscicle
Your breath stinks.

He rocks in the treetop all day long
huffin' and a puffin' and singin' that song.
all the little birdies on jay bird street
love to hear the robin go tweet tweet tweet.

Momma's in the kitchen, cookin' rice.
Daddy's outside shootin' dice
Brother's in jail ringin that bell.
Sister's outside playing fruit cock tail.

I went to the store to get a stick of butter
I saw Chris Brown singing in the gutter
He had a piece of glass stuck up his sssh
I never knew a Black man run so fast.
-snip-
When I asked Naijah what "sssh" meant, she said it was a bad word and instead of the word, kids said "sssh".  

This is an example of children purposely changing a word or words of rhyme among themselves and not only when they chant that rhyme in front of adults  

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ONLINE RECOLLECTIONS ABOUT RHYME BEING CHANGED AROUND ADULTS

Example #1
from http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2018/11/documenting-some-examples-of-verse-from.html "The Origin & Examples Of Rockin Robin/ Tweeleelee" Hand Clap Rhyme's "Mama In The Kitchen" Verse [discussion thread comment]

 Anonymous, July 21, 2022 

In Virginia Beach in 1991 we used to sing:

 "Swing swing swing on a summery day
Hey! hey!

Rockin in the tree top all day long
Huffin and a puffin and a singing my song
All the little birdies on jaybird street
Like to hear the Robin go

Tweet tweet tweet!
Rocking Robin
tweet tweet a leet
Rocking Robin
tweet tweet a leet

Mama's in the kitchen cooking fried chicken
Daddy's in bed, half way dead
Brothers in school acting a fool
Sisters down the street singing
Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do"

We also sang the last line as "selling fruit cocktail" but we were all aware of what it meant and did the hand motions, and if our moms heard us we couldn't sing it that way any more!

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Example #2
From https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=115045&messages=160
Subject: RE: Not Last Night But The Night Before-rhyme
From GUEST, Van
Date: 06 Jun 16 - 12:27 PM

When I was a kid in Georgia (about 1960), it was "rolling pin" when there were adults around, otherwise it was "bottle of gin".

Not last night but the night before,
Twenty-four robbers came knocking at my door
As I ran out, they ran in,
Hit them on the head with a bottle of gin
One, Two, ... Twenty-four
(If you made it to 24)
Spanish dancer, do the splits
Spanish dancer, do the twist
Spanish dancer, turn around
Spanish dancer, get out of town
-snip-
Warning - Some examples in this discussion thread include what is commonly known as "the n word" as well as some sexually explicit references. 

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Example #3
From  http://www.inthe00s.com/archive/inthe80s/smf/1109960765.shtml Those clapping songs from the 1980s Subject: Rockin Robin

"When I was a kid it was Miss Lucy rather than Suzy.  And in our rhyme, the BATHTUB "wouldn't go down his throat." <lol>

We had a dirty-ish one, that went to the tune of "Rockin' Robin"

Mama's in the kitchen, cookin' rice

Daddy's outside, shootin' dice

Brother's in jail, raising bail,

Sister's on the corner selling fruit cocktail

(on "fruit" we crossed our arms over our chests, "cock" we put out hands on our, well...y'know...and "tail," we put our hands on our butts.)

Of course we did NOT do this in front of adults! :)"
- AnnieBanannie,  04/30/05 

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AN EXAMPLE OF A WORD IN A RHYME CHANGED AND A WORD LEFT OUT TO BE "NAUGHTY"

[added Sept. 2, 2022]

https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=94034&page=5

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From:  GUEST: CutiefromGA
Date: 05 Dec 08 - 10:10 PM

How come nobody remembers the yanky doodle rhyme at the end? I was born in '84 and grew up in the early nineties and in Atlanta we did it like this:
Down by the river of the hanky panky
where the bullforogs jump from bank to bank
singing eep, ipe, oop, opps
Chillie willy ding dong
Play a game of ping pong
I pledge alligence to the flag
Michael Jackson is a fad (we didn't even know what fag meant growing up let alone say it)
Coca-cola burned him up
Now He's drinking 7-up
7-up has no caffine
now we're singin' "Billie Jean"
"Billie Jean" is out of style
Now we're singing Bobbie Brown
Bobbie Brown is not a song... I forgot what came next as everything goes hazy from here
but then it went into this:
Michael Jackson went to town, riding on a pony
stuck a feather in his hat and called it macoroni
Girl Scout, Girl Scout,
Do your duty,
Don't forget to wash your booty (or tooti if we were naughty... tooti was our slang for vagina)
Boy Scout Boy Scout
Do your trick
don't forget to wash your...

Oh and we didn't jump rope to this, we did the circle hand clap like a few other people said.
-snip-
The contributor didn't clarify if the word that rhymed with "trick" was actually said at the end of that rhyme or just alluded to as is done for the "Miss Susie Had A Steamboat" rhymes.

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CHANGING THE NAME OF A CELEBRITY OUT OF RESPECT FOR THE DECEASED (MICHAEL JACKSON'S NAME CHANGED IN "DOWN BY THE BANKS OF THE HANKY PANKY" AFTER HE DIED) 

We used to do this all the time at school and at camp, sometimes we freshmen still do it before gym class starts when we're all sitting around. You sit in a circle with your left hand on top of someone else's right and your right hand under someone else's left, and you go in a circle smacking each other's hands as you sing the song:

Down by the banks of the hanky panky
where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
Singing eep, op, eep-op-op
bubblegum and soda pop
I pledge allegiance to the flag
Michael Jackson is a fag
Coca-cola brought him up
Now we're drinking 7-up
7-up has no caffeine
Now we're wearing Levi jeans
Levi jeans are out of style
Now we're talking for a while
skiddle diddle piddle bop
bubblegum and soda POP!

 

and whoever's hand is hit on the last 'pop' is out. Then you repeat the song getting faster and faster until somebody finally wins.

Sadly we really did and still do sing the line about Michael Jackson being a fag. In elementary and middle school we also had a similar rhyme ("I pledge allegiance to the flag and Michael Jackson is a fag. He used to play with little toys but now he plays with little boys.") and I can remember saying it at a very young age, before I had any idea what a 'fag' was. It was meant to be innocent and not offensive to anybody. Also, since Michael Jackson's death (may he R.I.P.) many people have substituted Lady Gaga or Miley Cyrus for Michael Jackson or changed that line to "Michael Jackson makes me gag". My particular group of friends has done both ("Lady Gaga makes me gag") and I think it's kind of a nice modern version of the song.

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Visitor comments are welcome.

Some "Rockin Robin" ("Twee Lee Lee") Hand Clap Rhymes With Geographic Locations (Part II: K - Z)

Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest Update- April 9, 2025

This is Part II of a two part pancocojams series which presents some examples  of or comments about the hand clap rhyme that is known as "Rockin Robin", "Twee Lee Lee" or other titles such as "Tweet Baby" and "Swing Swing Swing". 

There are LOTS of different examples of "Rockin Robin hand games", but all of these examples in this collection include notes about where (city, state, district [Washington, D.C.] region, or country) these versions of this rhyme were performed.

This post provides examples or comments about this rhyme from geographic locations in the United States and elsewhere that begin with letter K through letter Z.  

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2022/07/some-rockin-robin-twee-lee-lee-rhymes.html for Part I of this pancocojams post. That post provides examples and comments for geographic locations in the United States and elsewhere that begin with letter A through letter J. 

WARNING: A number of versions of the hand clap game "Rockin Robin" ("Twee lee lee" or other names) are risque ("dirty") and some versions of that hand clap rhyme are very risque. Those risque versions of "Rockin Robin" include  references to sex and/or violence and or profanity.  Some of these examples may also include what is commonly known as "the n word".

Part I of this pancocojams series does not include any risque versions of "Rockin Robin". However, a few versions of risque ("dirty") versions of "Rockin Robin" are included in Part II of this series. Those examples have amended spelling for profanity and/or sexually explicit/violent references. "The n word" is also given with amended spelling. 

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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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
This collection documents a very small number of "Rockin Robin"/ "Twee Lee Lee" rhymes. 

The examples are given under the first letter of the name of the state with the city (or borough and/or neighborhood in the case of New York City) given after the state, if given in the comments that are with those examples.  

Unless otherwise noted, all of the cities and states that are listed in this collection are located in the United States. 

Countries or regions outside of the United States are also given under the first letter of that country/region. 

Links are added for the online sources for these examples, and provided numbers for those examples from that link that are given under that letter. These examples are numbered for referencing purposes only.

Please add to the folkloric record by sharing the examples with demographic information that you remember. And please remember to include demographic information (where-city, state, or country if outside of the United States and when (the decade) you first chanted this rhyme. Also, please add how you performed this rhyme (such as with two people or four people or otherwise.) Thanks! 

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EXAMPLES OF ROCKIN ROBIN (TWEE LEE LEE) RHYMES WITH GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS (K- Z)

K, L

KANSAS
Wichita, Kansas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfzHL_1PdbY "Let's Discuss: Black Girl Childhood Hand Games and Sing Songs", published by EbonyJanice Peace, Aug 4, 2014 

[comment]

Rebecca Martin, 2018
"I'm from Wichita, KS and we had the SAME  ones - only we would say sister on the corner saying p**sy for sale - or Ima get my n**ga to kick your behind- my cousins would come down from Colorado for summers and teach us new ones. Looking back yes they were CLEARLY inappropriate but in the back of my mind I knew it was part of our culture that we didn't have to share with white people and I was proud of the fact that the white girls at my school couldn't do it. It was like our own thing. And with all the cultural misappropriation now days, I'm glad we call have that commonality as black girls growing up. I'm actually getting my degree in child development and was searching for reminders here on youtube for the hand eye coordination aspect of the rhymes and hand movements. We'll just have to use REVISED versions of them. LOL! Thanks for sharing your story."
-snip-
sister on the corner saying p**sy for sale" is part of one version of the "Mama's in the kitchen" verse in some examples of "Rpckin Robin" ("Twee lee lee)" hand clap rhymes. 
The "Ima get my n**ga to beat your behind" line comes from a contemporary racialized version of "I Like Coffee I Like Tea" (also known as "Down Down Baby"). Click  http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2018/10/contemporary-united-states-examples-of.html for a pancocojams post entitled "Contemporary United States Examples Of & Comments About "I Like Coffee" Children's Rhymes That Include Racial References."

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LOUISIANA 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uP38jUEhF8 "Old School Game👐 Rockin Robin" published by Ms. C D,  Mar 16, 2016 

[comment]

Jean Coco, 2017
"The black girls taught us this clap game during the first year of integration in third grade. That was in 1969, in a small town in Louisiana.  I count clap games as one of the many fabulous lessons I learned from the desegregation of our public schools."
-snip-
Jean Coco's 1969 date is a misremembering of when she was taught this hand clap rhyme since the "Rockin Robin" hand game is based on Michael Jackson's 1972 record "Rockin Robin".  

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M, N
MARYLAND 
http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php [website no longer active]; published by j-mil; 3/19/2005 ; (African American male; Maryland)

[comment]

swing swing swing to the usa
hey hey
rockin in a tree to
all day long
huffin and a puffin
and singin that song
all the lil birdies on jaybird street
love to here therobins
go tweet tweet tweet

rockin robin
tweet tweetalee rockin
robin tweet tweetalee

mama in he kitchen cookin fried rice
daddy oUt side shootin some dice
brothA in jail drinkin gingerale
sista roun te corner sellin FRUIT COCTAIL

rockin robin tweet tweetalee
rockin robin tweet tweetalee

batman and robin flyin in the air
batman lost his underwear
batmn said i dont care cause
robin goin to by me azillion more pair

rockin robin tweet tweetalee

i went down town to getsum btta
saw james brown sittin ina gutta
gotta piece of glass stuck it up his
i neva seen a black man
runso fast

rockinrobin tweet tweet alee
-snip-
This is how that version was written on that discussion thread for children's recreational rhymes. "btta" = butter; The line that reads "glass stuck it up his" ends that way. That is an example of profanity avoidance. Some risque examples of this rhyme include the profanity word "mf" instead of "Black man" and some risque versions use what is commonly known as "the n word".
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MASSACHUSETS

Boston, Massachusets
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=81350&messages=221 ,I'm Rubber. You're Glue: Children's Rhymes

[comment]

GUEST, Spain, 5/30/2006
"There was also the street Rockin Robin that I heard/played in the same [Boston summer] camps.

Tweedily diddly dee(3x)
tweet tweet, your breath stinks.

Rockin' in the treetop all day long
huffin' and a puffin' just singin' that song
all the little birdies on jail bird street
love to hear the birdies go tweet tweet tweet

Rockin' robin tweet tweet tweet
Rockin' robin tweet tweet tweet
All the little birdies on jail bird street tonight
tweet tweet tweet

Momma's in the kitchen, cookin' rice
Daddy's on the corner, shootin' dice
Brother's in jail, raisin' hell
Sister's on the corner selling fruit cock tail

Rockin' robin tweet tweet tweet
Rockin' robin tweet tweet tweet
All the little birdies on jail bird street tonight
tweet tweet tweet

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MISSISSIPPI 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1sGAd9ea3A&ab_channel=ProjectEsperanzaVids "Rockin' Robin Hand Clap", published by ProjectEsperanzaVids, Jan 13, 2013

[comment]

Jane Ayers,2020
"Ha I learned this in the late 70s in Mississippi. Totally forgot how to do it, but it seemed like there were maybe 10 of us that would get into a circle! It was so much fun, did it almost every day at recess. Can't believe this is out there on youtube !"

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MISSOURI

St Louis, Missouri

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uP38jUEhF8&t=18s&ab_channel=Ms.CD, published by Ms C.D, Mar 16, 2016

[comment]

Bricks Montana, 2020
"Yep thats the version we did here in St. Louis MO!!! Wish they did the 4 way we used to do at summercamp"

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NEW YORK

[This location in this example could refer to New York City and/or to other parts of New York state.]

http://forum.blackhairmedia.com/lil-girls-hand-games_topic128043_page4.html "Lil Girls .. Hand Games!" (This link is no longer active)

[comment]

1. dijah.love (Location: New York),Apr 25 2008

TWEET BABY TWEET BABY
MY MOMMA SAID SHE ROCKS IN THE TREETOP
ALL DAY LONG
HUFFIN AND A PUFFING
AND SINGING THAT SONG
ALL THE LIL BIRDIES ON JAY BIRD STREET
LOVE THE WAY MOMMA GOES TWEET TWEET TWEET

ROCKING ROBIN, TWEET TWALLEE
ROCKIN ROBIN TWEET TWALEE

BATMAN AND ROBIN
FLYING IN THE AIR
WHEN BATMAN LOST HIS UNDERWEAR
BUT BATMAN SAD
IDC
MY MOMMAS GONNA BY ME A BRAND NEW PAIR

ROCKING ROBIN, TWEET TWALLEE
ROCKIN ROBIN TWEET TWALEE

MOMMA IN THE KITCHEN COKKING RICE
BROTHERS OUTSIDE SHOOTIN DICE
DADDYS IN JAIL DRINKING GINERALE
SISTERS OUT SIDE GOING FRUIT COCKTAIL

ROCKING ROBIN, TWEET TWALLEE
ROCKIN ROBIN TWEET TWALEE

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New York City

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zEcsIfe6lU&t=2s "90’s hands games !!!!!"
published by Geneas, Nov 4, 2018  

[comment]

JeSuisMelBell, 2020 NYC
…We called it Rocking Robin: She rocks in the treetops all day long. huffing and a puffing and ah singing a song. all the little birdies on jaybird street, love to hear the robin singing tweet tweet tweet. rocking robin. tweet twerly . rockin robin tweet twirly. I went downtown to get a stick of butter. I saw James Brown s*hittin in the gutter. I took a piece of glass, and stuck it up his arse. I never saw a motherFkqa run so fast~ rockin robin tweet twirly... then the other verses... like: grandma grandma you aint sick, all you need is grandpas d*iq rocking robin"...
-snip-
This is how this portion of this comment is written in that discussion thread. That long comment with a number of rhymes included LOTS of profanity and/or sexually explicit  references. 

****
New York City [Bedford- Stuyvesant in the borough of Brooklyn] 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPHPgM4RhcI "Old school hand game (tweet tweet)", published by Sharon Humes,  Aug 31, 2014 

[comment]

willow407, 2015
I LOVE THIS Thank y'all for posting it...gonna play this with my friends. I'm 52. Reminds me of my Bed-Stuy early days playin this! Y'all was great, including the video recording guy , the singing guy. GREAT FUN ! Thanks!
-snip-
Bed Suy (correct spelling "Bed-Stuy") is an abbreviation for Bedford–Stuyvesant. Bedford–Stuyvesant is a neighborhood in Brooklyn. Brooklyn is one of five boroughs of New York City, New York. 

**
New York City [borough of the Bronx] 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uP38jUEhF8 "Old School Game👐 Rockin Robin" published by Ms. C D,  Mar 16, 2016 

[comment]

LifeWorks, ndh enterprises,llc., 2018
"I'm coming from the Bronx and there was a nasty verison of that hand game. but I really loved this one so swinging and all together,just use your hand like miss Mary mack."

**
New York City [borough of Mahattan, neighborhood of Harlem]

http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/archive/index.php/t-5627.html

[comment]

MaMaBuddha; [African American female]; 7/31/2000], 

...remember hand games....

tweedle tweedle dee
treetop
tweedle tweedle dee
treetop
tweet baby tweet baby
your mama says

she rocks in a treetop
all day long
huffin and puffin
and saying a song
all the little birds
james bell street
love the little robins
go tweet tweet tweet

rockin robin
tweet tweet tweet
rockin robin
tweet tweet tweet

i went down town to get a stick of butter
and saw james brown sitting (people cursed on my block) in the gutter
i took a piece of glass and stuck it up his (you know what)
i never saw a (kids are mean) run so fast.

we even played that in college.

hmmm...those hand games were violent and had curses in them, huh?

holla at me if you remember 

**
New York City [borough of Manhattan, neighborhood of East Harlem] 
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=63097 ; Folklore: Do kids still do clapping rhymes?

[comment]

GUEST KLC, ; July 11, 2008

Tweet baby tweet baby,
my mama said:
shes rocking in the tree top
all day long
huffing and a puffing and singing that song
all the little girls on dainburn street
love to hear the birds go tweet tweet tweet,

rocking robin tweet twirly
rocking robin tweet twirly.

Batman and robin flying in the air
batman lost his underwear
batman says I don't care
mamas gonna buy me a brand new pair,

rocking robin tweet twirly
rocking robin tweet twirly,

I went down town to get a stick a butter
all i saw was james brown sitting in a gutter
took a piece of glass shoved it up his ahhhhh...
never saw a motha sucka run so fast (crazy isnt it)

rocking robin tweet twirly
rockin robin tweet twirly,

went to the movies to see king kong
all I saw was a rubber ding dong

rocking robin tweet twiyly
rocking robin tweet twirly,

mothers in the kitchen cooking rice,
poppa's in the bathroom shooting dice,
brothers in jail raising hell,
sister's in the corner selling fruit cocktail

rocking robin (some children sing other parts not to sure what they are, the words were the same since I was young but now they add things that relate to their time)
-snip-
KLC wrote her location as East Harlem, New York, New York. I put her comments about the rhyme in italics to distinguish them from the actual rhyme.

In response to my request for demographical information, KLC posted this information on that same Mudcat thread:
"The children that play these games range from 5 - 12 years old. Both boys and girls play these games but girls are more into it and know a lot more hand games then the boys. The children that I see playing these games are Hispanic, African American, Caribbean, Caucasian and Asian because that is the population that I serve at my program."

****
NEW JERSEY

Newark, New Jersey

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zEcsIfe6lU "90’s hands games !!!!!" [from 3:59 to 4:16 in that video] published by Geneas, Nov 4, 2018 

Swing, swing swing
to the bottom of the tree
Rockin in the tree top
All day long
huffin and a puffin and a singing that song
All the little birds on j-bird street
Love to hear the robin go
tweet tweet tweet

Rockin robin
tweet tweet a lee
rockin robin
tweet tweet a lee

I went downtown
to see James Brown
He gave me a nickel
To buy me a pickle
The pickle was sour
He gave me shower
The bowl was cracked
So he gave me a smack
-snip-
Two young African American women perform hand games that they remember from their childhood. In this video the title for the "Rockin Robin"/"Twee Lee Lee" rhyme is "Swing Swing Swing". That title sometimes also refers to the hand clap rhyme "I Am A Pretty Little Third Grader" (or another grade). Those rhymes are contemporary forms of "I Am A Pretty Little Dutch Girl".

At the end of this version of "Swing Swing Swing" the partners tries to be the first to smack the other one.

****
NORTH CAROLINA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfzHL_1PdbY "Let's Discuss: Black Girl Childhood Hand Games and Sing Songs", published by EbonyJanice Peace, Aug 4, 2014 

[comment]

Atum RaBomb, 2016
"Love this...  Thanks for sharing!  I grew up in rural coastal North Carolina... In grade school, while all the other kids played on the monkey bar half dome, i would sit quietly by myself and watch the black girls handclap miss mary Mack,  rockin Robin, skip rope and braid each other's hair.  Honestly some of my most favorite memories."...

****
O, P

PENNSYLVANIA

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
[examples collected by Azizi Powell]
1.  
[From African American girls and boys ages 6-13 years old, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania*, 1999, Northview Heights' section of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for the Buddy Program; a coed after-school program for elementary school children]; collected by Azizi Powell, 1999]

Tweedleelee
(Treetop)
Tweedleelee
(My Prop)
Tweedleelee
Popsicle, popsicle, Your butt stinks

He rocks in the tree top
all day long
huffin and ah puffin
and ah singin his song.
All the little birds on Jay Bird street
Love to hear the bird go
Tweet Tweet Tweet!

Rockin Robin
Tweet Tweetdalee
Rockin Robin
Tweet Tweetdalee

I went downtown
To get ah stick of butter.
I saw James Brown
layin in the gutter.
I saw a piece of glass
stickin in his butt.
I never saw a Black man
run so fast.

Mama's in the kitchen
cookin rice.
Daddy's outside
shootin dice.

Brother's in jail
raisin bail.
Sister's on the corner
Selling fruit cock tail

Rockin Robin
Tweet Tweetdalee
Rockin Robin
Tweet Tweetdalee
-snip-
From 2000-2005, the years that I actively collected playground rhymes in African American communities in and around Pittsburgh, Pennsylbania, the most widely known rhyme and what appeared to be the favorite rhyme was "Rockin Robin". That rhyme was most often known as "Tweeleelee", "Tweedalee", "Tweet Baby" or some similar sounding word or words. That said, children self-censored around me and I never heard any version of "Twee Lee Lee" (as it was usually called in Pittsburgh and its surrounding communities) that included profanity or sexually explicit/violent references that weren't "cleaned up". 

**
2. 
From Naijah S. (African American girl, age 9, Hazelwood section of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) ; January 14, 2011; collected by Azizi Powell

Twee lee lee
Tree top
Twee lee lee
My bra
Popscicle popscicle
Your breath stinks.

He rocks in the treetop all day long
huffin' and a puffin' and singin' that song.
all the little birdies on jay bird street
love to hear the robin go tweet tweet tweet.

Momma's in the kitchen, cookin' rice.
Daddy's outside shootin' dice
Brother's in jail ringin that bell.
Sister's outside playing fruit cock tail.

I went to the store to get a stick of butter
I saw Chris Brown singing in the gutter
He had a piece of glass stuck up his sssh
I never knew a Black man run so fast.
-snip-
When I asked her what "sssh" meant, Naijah said it was a bad word and instead of the word, kids said "sssh".  

****
Q, R

****

S, T
THE SOUTH (the Southern region of the United States)
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/likeomigoditsthe80s/childhood-songs-and-games-t1526.html, published by purplepanda636, Feb. 11, 2003

Great topic Madame Duran! I love stuff like this. 

I grew up in the South and the handclapping game I remember the most is "Miss Mary Mack." I think there's
a different version done in schools.... 
We also did the handclapping game "Rockin' Robin":
Twee lee Twee
Twee lee lee Twee
Twee lee lee Twee
And your mama stinks
He rocks in the treetops all day long
a rockin and a boppin and ah singin his song.
All the little birds on Jay bird street
like to hear the robin
go "tweet, tweet tweet."
Mama's in the kitchen cookin rice.
Daddy's downstairs shootin' dice.
Brother's in jail payin' bail.
Sister's on the corner sellin' fruit cocktail.

****
TEXAS 

http://forum.blackhairmedia.com/lil-girls-hand-games_topic128043_page4.html "Lil Girls .. Hand Games!" *
smootches87 [Location: US - Texas], Apr 25 2008

"tweet-a-leet-a-leet

tweet-a-leet-a-leet

tweet-a-leet-a-leet

tweet-a-leet-a-leet

tweet-a-leet-a-leet

tweet baby tweet baby your breath stinks
she rocks in the tree top all day long huffing and a puffing and a singing that song all little birdies on jay bird street love to hear the robins go suck my feet rockin robin tweet tweet a leet rockin robin tweet tweet a leet mommy's in the kitchen cooking fried chicken daddys in bed half way dead brothers at school actin like a fool sisters on the corner selling fruitcock tail grandmas in the shower for an half an hour..........forgot the rest"

-snip-
*This link is no longer active. 

**
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5BgrGEQaBQ&t=1s&ab_channel=CostaRicaRich "Rockin' Robin Hand Game 2017!" published by Costa Rica Rich, Jan 6, 2017

[comments]

1. sb_blah, 2020
"I did this exact version in 1997 in Texas! O: It's so great to see it being played in other countries so many years later, too! <3"

**
Reply [Dallas, Texas]
2. NV LOONY, 2021
"Yes in texas!! Dallas for me"

****
U, V
VIRGINIA

Virginia Beach, Virginia

from http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2018/11/documenting-some-examples-of-verse-from.html "The Origin & Examples Of Rockin Robin/ Tweeleelee" Hand Clap Rhyme's "Mama In The Kitchen" Verse [discussion thread comment]

 Anonymous, July 21, 2022 

In Virginia Beach in 1991 we used to sing:

 "Swing swing swing on a summery day
Hey! hey!

Rockin in the tree top all day long
Huffin and a puffin and a singing my song
All the little birdies on jaybird street
Like to hear the Robin go

Tweet tweet tweet!
Rocking Robin
tweet tweet a leet
Rocking Robin
tweet tweet a leet

Mama's in the kitchen cooking fried chicken
Daddy's in bed, half way dead
Brothers in school acting a fool
Sisters down the street singing
Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do"

We also sang the last line as "selling fruit cocktail" but we were all aware of what it meant and did the hand motions, and if our moms heard us we couldn't sing it that way any more!

****
W, X

WASHINGTON D.C.
http://www.afrocentriconline.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=33952&sid=20e079412142da6abbee2eb0ed11f670 "Childhood Chants/Songs/Clapping games.." -Mint, Jul 21, 2005 [This link is no longer active.]

I remember this one too, but our went:

Momma's in the kitchen cooking rice
Daddy's outside shooting dice
Brother's in jail raising hell
Sister's on the corner yelling pussy for sale.

(Rockin Robin...70's SE DC version)"

****
WEST INDIES (the region also known as the Caribbean)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPHPgM4RhcI&t=1s&ab_channel=SharonHumes  published by Sharon Humes Aug 31, 2014

[comment]

trinigyul, 2017
"I love you guys for this, it was also very heart warming to see the big ass men in  doo rags playing clap games. Brings back memories of west indian primary school days. We couldnt wait til recess and after school to form clap game cliques lol. Well done guys!"
-snip-
The commenter's name suggests that she is from Trinidad. 

****
Y , Z 

****
This concludes Part II of this two part pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Some "Rockin Robin" ("Twee Lee Lee") Rhymes" With Geographic Locations (Part I: A -J)

Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest Update -April 7, 2025

This is Part I of a two part pancocojams series which presents some examples  of or comments about the hand clap rhyme that is known as "Rockin Robin", "Twee Lee Lee" or other titles such as "Tweet Baby" and "Swing Swing Swing".

There are LOTS of different examples of "Rockin Robin hand games", but all of these examples in this collection include notes about where (city, state, district [Washington D.C.], region, or country) these versions of this rhyme were performed.

This post provides examples or comments about this rhyme from geographic locations in the United States and elsewhere that begin with letter A through letter J.   

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2022/07/some-rockin-robin-twee-lee-lee-rhymes_21.html for Part II of Some "Rockin Robin" (Twee Lee Lee") Rhymes" With Geographic Locations (K - Z).

WARNING: A number of versions of the hand clap game "Rockin Robin" ("Twee lee lee" or other names) are risque ("dirty") and some versions of that hand clap rhyme are very risque. Those risque versions of "Rockin Robin" include  references to sex and/or violence and or profanity.  Some of these examples may also include what is commonly known as "the n word".

Part I of this pancocojams series does not include any risque versions of "Rockin Robin". However, a few versions of risque ("dirty") versions of "Rockin Robin" are included in Part II of this series. Those examples have amended spelling for profanity and/or sexually explicit/violent references. "The n word" is also given with amended spelling. 

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. 

****
PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
This collection documents a very small number of "Rockin Robin"/ "Twee Lee Lee" rhymes. 

The examples are given under the first letter of the name of the state with the city (or borough and/or neighborhood in the case of New York City) given after the state, if given in the comments that are with those examples.  

Unless otherwise noted, all of the cities and states that are listed in this collection are located in the United States. 

Countries or regions outside of the United States are also given under the first letter of that country/region. 

Links are added for the online sources for these examples, and provided numbers for those examples from that link that are given under that letter. These examples are numbered for referencing purposes only.

Please add to the folkloric record by sharing the examples with demographic information that you remember. And please remember to include demographic information (where-city, state, or country if outside of the United States and when (the decade) you first chanted this rhyme. Also, please add how you performed this rhyme (such as with two people or four people or otherwise.) Thanks! 

****
EXAMPLES OF ROCKIN ROBIN (TWEE LEE LEE) RHYMES WITH GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS (A-J)

A, B
ARKANSAS 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1sGAd9ea3A
 "Rockin' Robin Hand Clap, published by ProjectEsperanzaVids,  Jan 13, 2013
-snip-
Here's the verse that is chanted after the beginning Rockin Robin (Twee Lee Lee) rhyme:
Batman and Robin flyin through the air
Batman man lost his underwear
Batman said "I don't care.
Mama's gonna buy me another pair."   

[comment from that video's discussion thread.]

near Pine Buff, Arkansas
Pati Heinz, 2016
"OMG!!  This brought back so many memories!!!  I LOVED playin' that game! I was in 5th grade when my parents moved us to Arkansas (near Pine Bluff), some really nice girls taught this to me, and I'll ALWAYS be thankful, now I can teach it to my daughter (who's 20!) and my niece (12). I had forgotten some of the movements & order!! 1976 was a minute ago--or so. THANKS SO MUCH!! And God Bless!!  :)"

****
BAHAMAS [country in the Caribbean]
1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lpzGSpd5Z8 "Bahamian Hand Games/Ringplay: Twe Lee" published by LeeKimberley Minors, Apr 17, 2013  Students from the ENG 108 class of the College of The Bahamas playing Twe Lee Lee
-snip-
I didn’t try transcribe this video because I didn’t understand too many of the words. However, it sounds like the Twee Lee Lee example continues with a version of what appears to be a widely known clean but usually dirty (sexually explicit) rhymes that include the lines “My mother was surprised/To see my belly rise/my daddy jumped for joy/It was a baby boy."

****
BARBADOS [country in the Caribbean]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5BgrGEQaBQ Rockin' Robin Hand Game 2017! published by Costa Rica Rich, Jan 6, 2017
-snip-
This video shows two Black females and two Black males who are members of a family that emigrated to Costa Rica from the United States doing a hand clap routine to Michael Jackson's "Rockin Robin" record. No rhyme is chanted.

[comment]

1. LifeWorks, ndh enterprises,llc., 2018
"take me back to camp too🙌😅😅😅😅😅😅☺️🤗🙂😀👑💋😘 love you king. thanks Barbados."

****
C, D
COLORADO

Read the Rebba Martin (Wichita, Kansas"'s entry In Part II in which the contributor shares a risque  example of "Rockin Robin" and writes that "Rebecca Martin, 2018

"I'm from Wichita, KS and we had the SAME  ones ...."my cousins would come down from Colorado for summers and teach us new ones."

****
E, F

****
G, H

****

I, J
ILLINOIS

Detroit, Illinois
1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uP38jUEhF8 "Old School Game👐 Rockin Robin" published by Ms. C. D; March 18, 2016

[comment]

Rayna Thompson, 2016
"Wonderful! I wanted to show my husband how we did the Rockin' Robin clapping game in grade school. After watching several simplified versions online, this was the closest I could find to our early 70s west side Detroit version. My husband and I think you made a great video. Thanks!

****
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5BgrGEQaBQ "Rockin' Robin Hand Game 2017!" published by Costa Rica Rich, Jan 6, 2017
[comments]

Shadforth W, 2020
"we did this in the 70s in Detroit-where does it originate, I wonder..."

**
Shadforth W, 2020

"I did it outside Detroit in the 70s- but it was the black girls the taught us white girls:)"

**

East St. Louis, Illinois

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zEcsIfe6lU&t=2s "90’s hands games !!!!!", published by Geneas, Nov 4, 2018  Part 2 of the 90s hand games is out

 Tyisha Borders, 2021

"I’m from East St. Louis are rockin robbin went a lil different"

****
JAMAICA [country in the Caribbean]

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpexeCmzKjM&context=C4073e20ADvjVQa1PpcFPnnebeReOtf8G_6F2ZCR3a9Rl0MRFFkRc= , 

[comment]

-babygirl200922, March 2012

twee twee twee, and the way we go,
so rocking in the tree top,
all the days long,
rocking and puffing and singing the song,
all the little girls from JBC,
like to here the robin go twee twee twee,
go wash bagie,
twee twee twee

jonny and i went to the beach
jonny bruk a bottle and throw it on me,
mom told dad,
dad told mom,
mom got a beaten with a mmm stick,

so freezy american cheese,
don't skin your dirty teeth
colgrate is very cheap.
-snip-
"bruk"= broke
"colgrate"= misspelling of the American toothpaste brand "Colgate"
-snip-
This was given as a comment in that video's discussion thread. [as of January 8, 2024 if not earlier, this video's comment section is deleted]

****
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GShzvXLNU9E How Jamaican🇯🇲 kids play hand game and the differen type of games 🦋🦋

garcia cutie, Mar 24, 2021

TWEET TWEET TWEET

Tweet tweet tweet
and away we go

rockin in the treetop
all day long
rockin and talkin and singing this song
all the little girls from JBC
like to hear the robin go tweet tweet tweet
Go wash your body
tweet TweetTweetTweet
Go wash your body
Tweet TweetTweetTweet
Mother in the kitchen
cookin rice and chicken
Father upstairs drinkin milk
Drinkin milk is a very good thing
So when I run out
You run in
When I count to twenty
The room must be empty
5, 10, fifteen, twenty

-snip-

This is my unofficial transcription of the video. Additions and corrections are welcome.

A woman and a girl perform a partner hand clap rhyme standing up outdoors. 
The ending portion of this rhyme beginning with "so when I run out" documents that this used to be performed as a jump rope rhyme.

****
This concludes Part I of this two part pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome. 

Phil Wright #TheParentJam to Michael Jackson's "Rockin Robin" (featuring parents dancing with their kids, and two women dancing in wheelchairs)

Phil Wright, Aug 28, 2017

#TheParentJam

...Come Visit me at IDA Hollywood in LA, Every Monday 6pm! Open Hiphop. All souls are Welcome!

[...]

Dancers Isaiah Russel / Mom Chelsie Hill / Friend Natalia Vazquez / Mom Gabriel / Mom Jace / Mom & Dad / Family and More... Film & Edit : Rickie "Typo" Crouch
-snip- The time stamp for the clip in this video of the two women dancing in wheelchairs is 2:14-3:15) -snip- Statistics as of January 23, 2022 at 9:24 AM ET total views - 1,671,003 total likes - 11K total dislikes -This feature's results isn't working. total comments - 360

****
Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a YouTube video of Phil Wright Choreography dancers dancing to Michael Jackson's 1972 Rhythm & Blues record "Rockin Robin". This Phil Wright choreography #parentjam video features clips of various parents dancing with their child and also features two women dancing in wheelchairs.

Selected comments from this video's discussion thread are included in this post. I particularlly included some of the comments in that discussion thread about the two women dancing in wheelchairs. Several of those comments are from two other people who use wheelchairs- and one of those commenters had negative reactions to the way that a number of commenters "gushed over"* the women who danced in their wheelchairs.

*These are my words for how that commenter described others' reactions to the women dancing in wheelchairs.  

The content of this post is presented for socio-cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Michael Jackson for his music. Thanks to Phil Wright for his dance sessions and his choreography. Thanks also to the dancers, the videographer, and all those who are quoted in this post.

****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS VIDEO'S DISCUSSION THREAD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kpr-fYjohio&ab_channel=PhilWright

These comments are given in relative chronological order, except for replies. Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.  

2017

1. Alexia Denson
"Love ittttt!!!!!😍😍😍😍"

**
2. Madison
"These are the best, always put a smile on my face 😄"

**
3. Richard Campbell
"So much fun! I loved that families dancing together! And I'm recognizing some of them in other videos which is fun. Future president, I look forward to seeing you dance in the White House! Love the dancing by the dancers who are using wheelchairs. You rock it! :)"

**
4. kenedy taylor
"I love watching these! they make me happy"

**
5. claudette dalton
"2 cool the ladies in the wheelchairs whoo hoo love this its awesome xox"

**
6. Erika Johnson
"I love how Phil is such an inclusive choreographer. He truly utilizes his dances to the best of their abilities. Great job!

**
7. LaT How
"I just the second group if they arent twins. YAAAAAAASSSSSS, third group. Fantastic.  That baby in the Los angeles shirt didnt come to play.   The dad and daughter whoop whoop. Phil you're always on time with these vid. They always brighten my day. Everyone is having so much fun. Thanks for sharing."

**
8. Richard Campbell
"So much fun! I loved that families dancing together! And I'm recognizing some of them in other videos which is fun. Future president, I look forward to seeing you dance in the White House! Love the dancing by the dancers who are using wheelchairs. You rock it! :)"

**
9. DeWanda Lindsey
"I love these videos. They are why I subscribed. But please stop zooming in and out. My vertigo doesn't like it and makes me want to vomit. Or give us dizzy? ditsy? people a heads up.

I wish you were in Texas! I want to dance too.😊

Keep up the awesome work and amazing videos. 👍"

**
10. know thy self
"I love that the beautiful ladies in the wheelchairs are out there getting busy, making me feel lazy 😶"

**
Reply
11. Kewl Beans
"maybe you're just lazy. it's so ridiculous that people see somebody in a wheelchair doing anything and lose their minds over it. :/"

**
Reply
12. Dr. Eeky is in, 2018
"@Kewl Beans   You are so right! Pretty sure it's no big deal for them....I mean, sh-t* happens right? Not like there's not a gazillion people out there in wheelchairs. ☺🙄😑

Most of them probably don't want peoples pity.

But I bet that most of them don't mind when people throw a positive comment their way. They probably don't mind if someone out there gets inspired by them or by what they're doing. They probably don't even realize that something they are doing COULD be the motivation for someone else (that has recently found themselves in this situation) to except what has happened to them and to get on with their own lives.

Yep, I can see how all this would become totally annoying.  😒😧"
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this comment.

**
13. Letty Pecina, 2019
"Love those beautiful ladies in the wheelchairs.You go girls!😱😍💃💃💃💃💃"

**
Reply
14. Letty Pecina, 2019
"@Anthony Harris  Yeah no heart.🤔

 **
Reply
15. Me Here, 2021
"@Kewl Beans  agreed! That said, they're pretty good :)

The over the top praise stuff though is pretty insulting & demeaning, I've even been clapped & told "well done, you're so brave, I'm so proud of you" by a stranger on a bus, cause I managed to wheel up a wheelchair ramp onto the bus & into the dedicated wheelchair spot. This man then decided he was going to insist on talking to me the whole trip & told me how he would cill himself if he ever needed a wheelchair & how life couldn't be worth living in a wheelchair. I have no time for losers like that! People need to see the person NOT the wheelchair! Most of those heaping unjustified praise on people in wheelchairs are in fact the ones that make life incredibly difficult for those in wheelchairs, refusing to allow us to live a normal life, refusing to even make venues accessible, cause they don't believe we're capable of attending them without carers!

Anyway, I'm just looking for a version of this song that's good for birds to watch, cause I've rescued a couple of abused lorikeets & seen lots of parrots seem to like this song, so hoping mine will too, if accompanied by the right visuals. I don't think this one's quite right for them, so I'll be continuing my search now (unless anyone has any tips on this?)"

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16. Segun Delu
"Momma in the beginning came THROUGH!!!!"

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17. Martin Marley, 2018
"Momma got some moves"

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18. Rosemary James, 2018
"She killed it go mama"

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19. Fire 🔥🔥, 2020
"I felt that happy vibe in Texas! ✨🙌🏼"

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2018
20. MikeyBigWheel
"the second pair were good. mom and daughter. mom's a cutie too !"

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21. Coffee Lover
"They're all fun to watch ..specially the first mama ,she got the moves !!!"

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22. Martin Marley
"If i lived in hollywood i would be there every monday 😁"

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23. Melissa Williams
"This is the best... always will put u in a great mood"

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24. Fred Flintstone
"I love it!   Handicap? What handicap??"

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25. Kewl Beans
"oh shut up lol. this is why i can't buy groceries by myself because people like you are amazed by literally anything anyone using a wheelchair does."

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26. BrightLights Big City
"Momma in the beginning really rocked the whole nest and knocked it out of the tree. And her son is flipping Amazing 😉"

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2019

27. Ericka Walker
"The kid in the first one is Shaka off of  Family Reunion on Netflix"

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28. Lisa Medina
"love the wheelchair duo!! <3 <3"

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29. Chariss Sadler
"OMG who are the two lady's in the wheelchairs there not only good at dancing in a wheelchair there AMAZING at dancing in a wheelchair❤️I LOVE THEM❤️❤️They can even dance better then me and I'm not in a wheelchair"

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30. deliriumtrigger1024
"Chariss Sadler its Edna Serrano and  Chelsea Hill. They’re part of a dance group called the Rollettes"

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31. Verily Bored
"Am I going crazy or is that first mom from the movie honey 2??"

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32. Sabrina F
"How dare someone not like this they're having fun and a great time!!! That's what dancing is about! And this is the FIRST time I ever saw people dancing in their chairs with the biggest smiles on their face."

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33. Shana R. Stanley
"Watching your videos gives me joy.  BUT, HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE GIRLS IN THEIR CHAIRS.  I AM ENCOURAGED TODAY ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!!!! Thank You"

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34. themori3
"Beautiful ladies in the chairs killed it. I felt their joy. Awesome.😍"

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35. Pamela Johnson
"Ladies in wheelchairs get it girls hey now 🎉"

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36. Mean3GLotusOkar
"That little boy did that SHOOT DANCE dance yoooooo he killed it"

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37. Sara Chumpitaz de rosas
"Me encanto como bailan y por q incluyeron a personas discapacitadas que son igual a todas"
-snip-
Google translate from Spanish to English: "I loved how they dance and why they included disabled people who are the same as all."

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38. Tyler Cole
"The first mom is the girl from honey 2"
-snip-
From https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1657283/
2011 movie; summary: "Recently released from juvenile detention, talented dancer Maria Ramirez finds an outlet for her passion with a new dance crew".
 
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39. EDGAR DA SILVA SANTOS
"Once I've discovered your videos, I can't stop watching now!

How these people dance so much !!!

They are all to be congratulated !!

These two wheelchair girls are giving a show, showing that it takes willpower and determination to achieve their goals.

I live in Brazil and I leave you all my hug."

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40. Anthony Harris
"Bruh....I got nuthin'but respect for ya. Kudos.😔"

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41. Lisa Medina
"love the wheelchair duo!! <3 <3"

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42. Sara Chumpitaz de rosas
"Me encanto como bailan y por q incluyeron a personas discapacitadas que son igual a todas"
-snip-
Google translate from Spanish to English: “I loved how they dance and why they included disabled people who are the same as all”

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2020

43. Sirena The FAN
"YES!!! To the Amazing ladies in the wheelchairs getting their dance grooves on!!! Keep on dancing!!!"

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44. Rudolph Sadaraka
"The one thing that sticks out for me is no matter what your skill set when it comes to dancing is the joy in everyone's eyes and being happy an feeling good about them selfs ,Well done to the Dance Teacher."

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45. Stormy Bear
"you have some very talented young people in your videos.  That "I'm your future president" kid has my vote. I really love the "roller babes" in chairs.  they were crushing it nicely!"

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46. juan manuel granados davila
"Excellent work !, children, parents, grandparents, babies with their mothers or fathers, people with disabilities, etc. A great example to follow."

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47. Nan Jensen Abilityworx
"I lOVE YOUR VIDEOS - they are the happiest thing on the internet at the moment. Whenever I need to smile, laugh, cry or relax, I put one on. Keep on doing your thing Phil Wright!! Will definitely look for your studio next time I am in LA. Am also interested in disability inclusion and it is great to see your inclusion of wheelchair dancers."

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48. Nicole Gordon
"Go ahead you guys. I see you Future President”! Yes dear ladies in wheelchairs. Little man was just waiting for the improv part. Lol!"

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49. Claudia Cristina
"Esso é lindo demais! ♥♥♥Michael você sempre contagiando o mundo todo com suas músicas! ♥♥♥
-snip-
Google translate from Portuguese to English: "This is too beautiful! ♥♥♥Michael you always infecting the whole world with your songs! ♥♥♥"

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50. Stormy Bear
"you have some very talented young people in your videos.  That "I'm your future president" kid has my vote. I really love the "roller babes" in chairs.  they were crushing it nicely!"

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 51. juan manuel granados davila
"Excellent work !, children, parents, grandparents, babies with their mothers or fathers, people with disabilities, etc. A great example to follow."

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52. MrLow86
"mad props to the ladies  in the wheel chairs"

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53. Sabrina N
"I like the t shirt on the first young man...great dancer, too!"

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54. Greg Blackley
"Can I add, It's so good seeing such a positive, happy bunch really enjoying themselves in Dance - credos to you Phil."

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55. Shilpa Nagasamudra
"Love watching videos like this.....love how the parents are dancing with the kids. Love it, love it, love it"

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2021

56. ItsEverything
"Take notes tiktokers"

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57. kimbers 123
"Awesome having the chairs. I have limited mobility and this is encouraging"

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58. jean Moi
"Super , j'adore  je suis para  merci

!!!"
-snip-
French to English: "Super. I really love it. Thanks!!!"
-snip-
Google translate from French to English didn't translate the word "para". This is my guess about the English translation of that sentence. 

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59. Miss Adams
"Watching with Joy 🤩 in 2021. Nice job folks💃🏻🥰👍🏻👍🏻"

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60. LovingAtlanta
"👍😍🤩Oooh oooh oooh my heart melted when I saw the ladies in the wheelchairs rockin it!!!!💝"

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61. Cosmic Indigo
"The goodness in this world shall prevail.... Just beautiful from start to finish ❤️🎶"

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62. Carmen Plemmons
"I am an elementary Physical Education teacher who just came across your #ParentJam.  I love it!!!!!   Now that Break Dancing is an Olympic sport, I think these dances are a way to introduce my students to a new dance skill set.  So many of the TikTok's have vulgar language or vulgar dance moves.  This was very refreshing to see.  I LOVE< LOVE>LOVE how it was child and parent involvement.  I would love to speak with you to pick your mind about how to develop this kind of energy and passion at my school.  I might be 55 years old and a PE teacher for 33 years but I can still " Bring it."
-snip-
Here's information about Break Dancing being included in the Olympics: 
From https://www.smh.com.au/sport/breakdancing-is-now-an-olympic-sport-what-does-it-take-to-win-a-medal-20201208-p56lqp.html#:~:text=But%20breakdancing%20is%20now%20not,at%20the%202024%20Paris%20Games. Breakdancing is now an Olympic event. What will it take to win a medal?

Paris has staked its claim for a fresh, new sport at the 2024 Olympics: breakdancing. Why? We break it down.

By Sarah Keoghan, July 16, 2021
…"breakdancing is now not only a famous hip-hop dance style, it is a sport. And not just any sport, it's an Olympic sport – following a bold decision by the International Olympic Committee to have BBoys and BGirls compete at the 2024 Paris Games."...

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