Some Examples Of & Comments About "Rockin Robin" ("Tweeleelee") Hand Clap Rhymes That Include Introductory Words

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents  examples of  and comments about introductory words in "Rockin Robin" ("Tweeleelee" and similar titles) handclap rhymes.

WARNING- Some of the examples that are included in this post include a reference to violence and (somewhat self-censored) profanity.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all of those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2026/11/the-custom-of-chanting-introductory.html for the closely related pancocojams post entitled "The Custom Of Chanting Introductory Words In African American Children's Hand Clap Rhymes" for a closely related pancocojams post on this subject. 

****
EXAMPLES OF & COMMENTS ABOUT INTRODUCTORY WORDS IN "ROCKIN ROBIN" ("TWEELEELEE") HAND CLAP RHYMES

These examples and comments are presented in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only. 

1.
TWEEDLEELEE
"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"
-African American girls and boys ages 6-13 years old, Pittsburgh, Pa, 1999, Northview Heights [The Buddy Program; a coed after-school program for elementary school children]; collected by Azizi Powell, 1999
-snip-
As is the case with almost all hand clap rhymes, this example is chanted in unison.

Read my comment about this version of Tweeleelee" in this post's discussion section.
 
**
2.
"I'm sorry but I didn't get the way you said it.

Ring, ring, ring to the rhythm machine

We're gonna rock to the tree top all day long

Hoppin and bobbin and singing his song

All the little birds on Jabber street

Love to hear little Robbin go tweet, tweet, tweet

Rockin Robin say tweet, tweedly (2x)

Mamas in the kitchen burning rice

Daddys outside shooting dat dice

Brother in jail raised in hell

Sister 'round the corner sellin fruit cock tail

Rockin Robbin say tweet, tweedly (2x)

Batman stepped On robins foot

Robin said don't do no more

Batman said I'm super fly

Robin said you a god damn lie

Rockin Robbin say tweet, tweedly (2x)

    Something like that. :))"
-@BookReviewsByLonnie, 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wC5HeD6li3k "Rockin Robin Hand Game"
-snip-
This is from the comment section of a video that shows a group of Black teens and White teens outdoors performing this rhyme. The introductory words that those teens said are "Tweet baby Tweet baby/Your mama said".  After those words the actual rhyme begins with the line "She rocks in the tree top all day long". That's the standard first line for all versions of "Rockin Robin" ("Tweeleelee") that I have come across.

The first sentence in this comment refers to how these teens chanted this rhyme and isn't a part of the rhyme itself. The words "Something like that" is the commenter' statement about this version of that rhyme and also isn't a part of the rhyme itself.

**
3.
ROCKIN ROBIN
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

iwent 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
run so fast
rockin robin tweet tweet alee
- j-mil; 3/19/2005 ; (African American male; Maryland), http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php
-snip-
btta=butta (butter)

Pancocojams' Editor's Note:
This link is no longer active. blog.oftheoctopuses.com (also known as "Whee Blog") was a multi-page blog with a small group of members who knew each other off-line. My understanding from communicating by email with one of those members was that the page of playground rhymes was the only page that was open to non-members. I added several examples of rhymes on that page. After j-mil published this example. I requested that he share his race and gender. He responded by sharing that he is a Black American male. 

**
4.
TWEEDLE TWEEDLE DEE
...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"
-MaMaBuddha; [African American female]; Harlem, New York, New York}; 7/31/2000]
http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/archive/index.php/t-5627.html
-snip-
Commenters on this blog were members of United States historically Black Greek lettered sororities. The commenters shared their memories of examples of childhood rhymes and games. Based on the examples and some of the comments that they shared, my guess is that their "childhood" was in the 1990s.

This version of "Rockin Robin" is a self-censored form of a version that includes profanity and the "n word".  

**
5.
"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"
-Guest, Spain (Boston, Mass);  5/30/2006, http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=81350&messages=221 "I'm Rubber. You're Glue: Children's Rhymes,

**
6.
ROCKIN ROBIN
"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
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)"
-Guest KLC,(East Harlem, New York, New York, http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=63097 ; Folklore: Do kids still do clapping rhymes?; July 11, 2008
-snip-
After the line "never saw a motha sucka run so fast", Guest KLC wrote the observation "(crazy isnt it). That comment isn't part of the rhyme itself.
-snip-
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."

**
7.
TWEE LEE LEE
"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."
-Naijah S. (African American girl, age 9, Hazelwood section of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) ; January 14, 2011; collected by Azizi Powell
-snip-
This was how Naijah recited that rhyme. When I collected this rhyme, Chris Brown was a young Black male singer who was popular with many Black American children and teens. 

**
8.
SWING SWING SWING TO THE USA [fragment]
"Ha i heard of a handshake kinda simliar to this but I don't know the whole thing here it is (dont know if u looking for this)

Swing,Swing,Swing to the U S A Hey hey!
Momma's in the kitchen cooking fried chicken
Dad's in bed half way dead
Sisters at School Looking like a fool (or acting like a fool)
Brothers In Jail Drinking Ginger Ail
And i dont know the rest...”
- GUEST,Kjnnhh22, 17 Dec 10, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=84591 "Lyr Req: Boogie Woogie ???????????????"
-snip-
WARNING: Many of the examples on that page contain profanity and sexually explicit references.

**
9.
"the new one is "ching ching ching to the rythm to the beat,were gonna rock to the tree top all night long huffin n a puffin n a singing that song,all the lil birdies on daver's street huffin and a puiffin singin tweet tweet tweet,rockin robins ,tweet-tweet a-leet,rockin robins,tweet-tweet a-leet,momma's in the kitchen,cookin fried chicken,daddy's in bed,half-way dead,sister's in school acting all cool/like a fool,brother's in jail eating fruit cock tail.!!
-Larasgun3, 2011, http://www.youtube.com/all_comments?v=VjGAwEEBn0c "Rockin Robin", 2011

**
10.
"We used to start it with "twist it baby, twist it baby, yo momma stink (sweet...depending on who was around lol)"
- @vettech10, 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPHPgM4RhcIOld school hand game (tweet tweet) **I DO NOT OWN THE RIGHTS TO THIS SONG**, published by Sharon Humes, Aug 31, 2014
-snip-
This video shows three African American women and one African American man performing the standard four person hand clap routine to Michael Jackson's 1972 "Rockin Robin" record. (They aren't chanting along with the record.)

**
11.
. "Thought it was "swing, swing" not tweet"
-@kaitlyncleary3424, 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPHPgM4RhcIOld school hand game (tweet tweet)  etc. , Sharon Humes, Aug 31, 2014
-snip-
This is a reply to comment #3 in this pancocojams post.

**
12.
"Ours started out (after the tweetle leetle lee) "Twista baby twista baby your breath real stinks" lmaoo"
-@tortugabug, 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5BgrGEQaBQ&t=2s "Rockin' Robin Hand Game 2017!, published by Costa Rica Rich, Jan 6, 2017
-snip-
This video shows siblings from an African American family who moved to Costa Rica performing the standard four person hand clap routine to Michael Jackson's 1972 "Rockin Robin" record. The girls and boy don't chant along to the record.

[As of November 9, 2026 and probably some time before that date comments to this video are turned off.]

**
13.
"Im suprised they aint do " tweet baby tweet baby my mama said she rocks in a treetop all day long, huffin & a puffin & singing that song, all them girls on chambers street, huffin and a puffin goin tweet tweet tweet " LMAO IDK IF I SAID IT RIGHT"
-.@teedior4445, 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwhAP3nwJWQ90’s HAND GAMES WITH TAKEEYA LA’TI ( HILARIOUS 🤣 ), published by Vibing With P, January 11, 2021

**
14.
"Ours went like “Chain chain chain (or shing shing shing - just depends) & a rhythm a beat, I’m gonna rock to the tree top all day long. Huffin & a puffin and singing that song. All the little birds on jabber street. All the little birds go tweet tweet tweet rock a robbin tweet tweedle -eet rock a robbin tweet tweedle -eet” and then I think ours continued into “mommas in the kitchen cookin fried chicken. Dads in bed halfway dead. Sisters at school acting like a fool. Brothers in jail moving like a snail..rock a Robbin tweet tweedle -eet rock a Robbin tweet tweedle -eet."
-@TheCRYSTALLURE, 2023, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwhAP3nwJWQ&t=22s "90’s HAND GAMES WITH TAKEEYA LA’TI ( HILARIOUS 🤣 )", Vibing With P, Jan 11, 2021

**
15.
"Zing zing like a washing machine 🎶😂 OMG this make me feel old kids don’t play anymore"
- @CodeNameTY, 2020. This comment is from a no longer available YouTube video on 1990s hand clap rhymes that featured two young African American women from Newark, New Jersey demonstrating various rhymes. Their first 90's hand clap rhyme video was published in 2018 and their second 90s hand clap rhyme video was published in 2020. That first video included a demonstration for the "Rockin Robin" hand clap rhyme. That rhyme was titled "Swing Swing Swing". "Zing zing like a washing machine" is one of the introductory phrases that is used for "Twee lee lee' ("Rockin Robin") hand clap games. 

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/04/hand-clap-rhyme-examples-comments-from.html for the pancocojams post "Comments From The Discussion Threads For Two Now Deleted Geneas & Aliyah YouTube Videos About 1990s Hand Clap Rhymes".

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

The Custom Of Chanting Introductory Words In African American Children's Hand Clap Rhymes

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part I of a three part pancocojams series on the African American originated custom of chanting an introductory word, phrase, or lines that are chanted before the actual beginning of certain hand clap rhymes.

This post presents an overview of this African American originated custom of chanting an introductory word, phrase, or lines before the actual beginning of certain hand clap rhymes.

This post also includes a partial list of introductory words that are found in some examples of certain African American children's hand clap rhymes.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/01/six-videos-of-african-american.html for Part II of this pancocojams series showcases some YouTube videos of hand clap rhymes that include an introductory word, phrase, or lines before the actual beginning of those rhymes. 

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/01/hyperlinks-for-some-pancocojams-posts.html for Part III of this pancocojams series presents hyperlinks to some pancocojams posts that showcase information, videos, and word only examples of hand clap rhymes that include  introductory words before the actual beginning of those rhymes.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who contributed rhyme examples that are included in this post.
-snip-
This post replaces a 2024 pancocojams post had no comments. 
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2026/11/some-examples-of-comments-about-rockin.html for the closely related pancocojams post entitled "Some Examples Of & Comments About "Rockin Robin" ("Tweeleelee") Hand Clap Rhymes That Include Introductory Words".

****
OVERVIEW - THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CUSTOM OF CHANTING AN INTRODUCTORY WORD, PHRASE, OR LINES IN HAND CLAP RHYMES BEFORE THE ACTUAL BEGINNING OF THAT RHYME 
by Azizi Powell, originally written on January 27, 2024, latest edition November 8, 2026 

This overview is provided as a series of notes that I've written about this subject. I haven't found any other information online about this custom besides some statements that I have previously made.

Additions, corrections, and observations about this subject are very welcome. 

**
A small sub-set of African American originated children's recreational rhymes begin with certain a certain word or certain phrases or certain non-rhyming or rhyming lines.

These introductory features serve the same purpose as saying "Ready, set, go!" in races, i.e. They alert chanters that the rhyme is getting ready to begin and prepare the chanters to get "on beat". For example, the words "Hit it!" which are said at the end of some introductory features means the same thing as the word "Go!" in "Ready Set Go" (Get ready. Get set. Go!"

Over time, these introductory features have often been used as the name (title) for the specific rhymes that they are re most often associated with. For example, "Shame" or "Shame Shame Shame" is usually associated with the rhyme "I Don't Want To Go To Mexico". However, using these words and lines as the names of rhymes can be confusing because the same words/phrases are used as introductory features for more than one specific hand clap rhyme, i.e. "Shame Shame Shame" is also used as the name (title) of "I Am A First Grader" rhymes.(Read the partial list that is given below.)  

**
Often in African American children's recreational rhymes, the introductory words or lines in hand clap rhymes may be distinguished from the other words in the actual rhymes* because the movements that the chanters perform while chanting those introductory words or lines are different from the hand clapping pattern that immediately begins at the end of those introductory vocalizations.

The hand clapping pattern/routine that begins at the end of the introductory feature continues without pausing throughout the rest of any iteration of that rhyme. For example, in some four persons performances of the hand clap rhyme "Twee lee lee", the four people who chant that rhyme hold the hands of the person they are facing and swing their arms in to the rhythm of those introductory words before they being chanting the actual rhyme and doing the hand clap pattern of that rhyme.

*I use the term "actual rhyme" because I don't consider "introductory features" to be the first verse of those hand clap rhymes. For example, here's a portion of the rhyme "I Don't Want To Go To Mexico" which is widely known among African American children and teens as "Shame Shame Shame":

**
The introductory lines that are used for some African American children's hand clap rhymes don't necessarily rhyme. Often those lines are disses (insults). For instance, some examples of "Rockin Robin" begin with the introductory lines
"Tweedleelee
(Treetop)
Tweedleelee
(My Prop)
Tweedleelee
Popsicle, popsicle, Your butt stinks"
-snip-
"Your butt stinks" mzy be given as "your mama stinks".

As is the case with almost every hand clap rhyme, all of these words are chanted in unison. s

**
Children usually are much more concerned with getting the words and the movements right for the recreational rhymes they are chanting rather then focusing on what the rhyme itself means. However, this is not to say that African American children's (and other children's) recreational rhymes don't mean anything. 

Some introductory phrases don't make any sense now because they are folk processed forms of earlier introductory phrases. For instance, I believe that the introductory phrases "zing zing zing" and "swing swing swing" are patterned after the words "tweet, tweet, tweet" in "Rockin Robin" ("Tweeleelee" rhymes. The words "tweet tweet tweet" are sung in the "Rockin Robin" records where they represent the sound that the dancing ("rockin') robin makes.

Here are my guesses about the history and meaning of other introductory words that are sometimes used in the beginning of some African American children's hand clap rhymes:

-The saying "zing zing zing like a washing machine (or "zing zing zing and a washing machine") refer to old fashioned wringer washing machines that made loud noises.

-"Swing swing swing" may have been a folk processed form of "zing zing zing" or vice versa.

-"Swing swing swing on the tree top" refers back to the "Rockin Robin" lyrics when the robin is dancing in the tree top (i.e. on a branch that's at the top of a tree.) 

-"Swing swing swing on a summer day" refers to the actual children's play ground activity of sitting in a swing at the playground or in your backyard.   

-"C.c c" is a folk processed form of the word "sea". The saying "sea sea sea at the bottom of the sea" inverts the (probably) earlier reference to "on the tree top".

-The word "wooble" in the line "Wooble wooble wooble and the deep blue sea" comes from the use of the movement term "Wiggle and "wooble", meaning do some quick dance like side to side/ up and down shaking movements. In hand clap introductory lines the word "wooble in the deep blue sea" can mean "wading into the water and moving like a duck".   

-The introductory word phrase "Shame" and the repeated word "Shame Shame Shame" probably evolved as an attempt by children to help the "I Don't Want To Go To Mexico" rhymes make sense. "Shame: means "You ought to be ashamed" (because of  what just happened or because of what you did).  

-At least two introductory lines are lifted from the popular song "ABC" by the Jackson 5. (ABC Hit it!" and "123 Hit it!". 

**
I consider the beginning lines "ABC/It's easy as 123", "ABC/It's easy as do re mi", "ABC/My mama takes care of me" (and other such beginning lines) to be the first verse of those rhymes that are now often called "ABC hand games". These lines may have started out as introductory features, but I don't believe they meet the definition of introductory features now because their hand clapping routine is the same as the rest of those rhymes.

For that same reason, I don't believe that the lines "That's the way un hun un hun/ I like it" are introductory features in the hand clap rhymes that are known by the title "That's The Way I Like it " because it appears from the YouTube videos that I've watched that the hand clapping pattern for those words is the same as the hand clapping pattern for the rest of the rhyme. 

In addition, I don't categorize "Winston taste good like a cigarette should (or its variant form 'Winston taste good like a coconut should" or "Snickers taste good like a candy bar should) as introductory features because it appears from YouTube video that the hand clapping pattern for those words is the same as the hand clapping pattern for the rest of the rhyme

**
It's important to emphasize that, although this feature of hand clap rhymes originated with African Americans, based on YouTube videos that I've watched, this textual feature is often found in hand clap rhymes that are chanted by non-African Americans in the USA and probably elsewhere. The use of this textual (word) structure is largely because those types of hand clap rhymes have been disseminated via YouTube video.

****
A PARTIAL LIST OF INTRODUCTORY WORD/S, PHRASES, AND VERSES
Based on my informal research of African American children's hand clap rhymes from the late 1980s to the mid 2020s, I believe that these introductory word/s, phrases, and verses are the ones that are most often used in those rhymes: 

NUMBERS

"1, 2, 3,
HIT IT!"  -associated with "That's The Way" hand clap rhymes

**

A, B

"ABC Hit It!" - associated with "ABC hand clap rhymes"; These rhymes begin with those introductory words and include a combination of rhymes such as "Ooh Aah I Wanna Piece Of Pie", "Bang Bang Choo Choo Train", "Brick Wall Water Fall" and usually other lines from additional rhymes.  

****

C, D

"c c c to the bottom of the c Hey Hey!" - Read the entry for "Swing Swing Swing"
-snip-
The words "Hey Hey" may not be added to the rest of these words.

 ****

E, F -Q, R

****

S, T

“Sea, sea, sea the bottom of the sea" - most often associated with "I Am A Little First Grader" rhymes (or other titles that give the chanter's grade in school such as "I Am A Little Third Grader".

**
"Shake shake shake to the bottom of the lake." -associated with "Twee lee lee" ("Rockin Robin" rhymes)

**

"Shame!" -most often associated with "I Don't Want To Go To Mexico" rhymes (and its variant place versions such as "I Don't Want To Go To College" and "I Don't Want To Go To Hollywood"). Some American hand clap rhymes that begin with the word "Shame" or the word "Shame Shame Shame" may sometimes also end with the word "Shame!" or the words "Shame on you" or the words "Shut the door!"

**

"Shame, Shame, Shame" -most often associated with "I Don't Want To Go To Mexico" rhymes and its variant place versions such as "I Don't Want To Go To College" and "I Don't Want To Go To Hollywood") 

Some African American originated hand clap rhymes that begin with the word "Shame" or the word "Shame Shame Shame" may sometimes also end with the word "Shame!". Those rhymes may also end with  the words "Shame on you",  or they may end wih words "Shut the door!.

**
"Shame Shame Shame" -associated with "That's The Way I Like It" rhymes

**
"Swing Swing Swing" -most often associated with "I Am A Little First Grader" rhymes (or other titles that give the chanter's grade in school such as "I Am A Little Third Grader").

"Swing Swing Swing Hit It " is also sometimes associated with "Tweeleelee" [Rockin Robin] rhymes)

**
"Swing Swing Swing On A Summer Day"-most often associated with "Tweeleelee" ("Rockin Robin") rhymes

These words may also be associated with "I Am A Little First Grader' rhymes 

**
"Swing swing swing to the USA, Hey hey" -associated with "Tweeleelee" ("Rockin Robin") rhymes)

**
"Swing Swing Swing to the bottom of the sea" -most often associated with "I Am A Little First Grader" rhymes (or other titles that give the chanter's grade in school such as "I Am A Little Third Grader".)

**
"Twee lee lee" -  only associated with the hand clap game "Tweeleelee" ("Rockin Robin")

**

"Twee lee lee
Tree top!
Twee lee lee
My prop.
Popsicle, popsicle
Your breathe stinks!" (or "your butt stinks" or "your mama stinks") - only associated with "Tweeleelee" ("Rockin Robin") rhymes
-snip-
"Prop" is an African American Vernacular English word that comes from the word "proper" and is used as a shortened form of the words "proper respect" ("respect that is owed a person for being themselves or for something that they have said or done".)

The words "popsicle, popsicle/ your breathe stinks" probably mean "Your breathe sinks so eat a popsicle [so that your breathe will smell better]. The "Your butt stinks" and "Your mama stinks" are later forms of "Your breathe stinks".

**
"Tweet tweet tweet and away we go" - only associated with "Tweeleelee" ("Rockin Robin") rhymes.

****
U, V

****

W, X
Wooble Wooble Wooble and the deep blue sea" - only associated with "I Am A Little First Grader" rhymes (and other rhymes that substitute the chanter's grade [year] in school.)

****

Y, Z

**
"Zing, Zing, Zing and ah washing machine

Popsicle Popsicle your butt stinks" (or "your mama stinks') - only associated with "Twee lee lee ("Rockin Robin")  

**
"Zing Zing Zing like a washing machine"- only associated with "Twee lee lee ("Rockin Robin")  

****
A FEW RHYME EXAMPLES OF THIS CUSTOM

No titles are included for these examples. These examples begin with the first line that is chanted or a comment about the rhyme that the contributor wrote. .

Numbers are added for referencing purposes only 

1.. 

"Zing, Zing, Zing like a washing machine.
You're gonna rock to the treetops all day long

Huffen and a puffen and a singing a song.
All the little birdies on Jay Bird Street
Love to hear the robin go Tweet, Tweet, Tweet.
Chorus: Rockin' Robin, tweet tweet, tweetl-eet.
Rockin Robin, tweet tweet, tweetl-eet.

Submitter comment: Sung while playing a clapping game.

Where learned: Detroit, Michigan

Date learned: 00-00-1987"
-https://libraries.udmercy.edu/archives/special-collections/cfa/index.php?field=boggsNum&term=C750.522&start=50 The James T.Calloway Computerized Folklore Archive, University of Detroit

****
2. 

"Shame Shame Shame.
I don’t want to go to Mexico
no more, more, more.
There’s a big fat policeman
at door, door, door.
He’ll grab you by the collar
and make you pay a dollar.
I don’t want to go to Mexico
no more, more, more.
Shame.
-African American girls and boys from various Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania neighborhoods, collected by Azizi Powell, 1998

****
3.

"The way me and my sister and cousins do “Swing, swing, swing” goes like this:

Sea, sea, sea the bottom of the sea. I am a little first grader, pretty as can be be. All the boys from around my block go crazy over me me. My boyfriends name is Rello. He lives in Alabama, with 25 tokens and a big fat nose and this is how my story goes. One day I was walking, I saw my boyfriend talking to the ugliest girl in the whole wide world and this is what I said to her: see my pinky, see my thumb, see my fist, you better run. Hold on, wait, come back. You need a Tic Tac. Not one, not two, but the whole six pack. Sorry to be mean but you need some listerine. Not a sip, not a cup, not a sip, not a cup, but the whole dang bottle peace!”
-exposed,2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zEcsIfe6lU&t=2s

****
4.  

"For shame shame shame me and my sisters learned

C c c I don't wanna go to college any
More more more
There's a big fat policeman at my
Door door door
He pulled my by the collar
He made me pay a dollar
See what I mean you big jellybean
Wash yo face with gasoline
Went to the lake and swallowed a snake
Came back home with a bellyache
I said mama mama call the doctor
Doctor doctor will I die
Count to three and you'll be alive
I said one two three
Now im alive
- Kenleigh L, 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zEcsIfe6lU&t=2s

**
5. 

"for swing swing swing our school did this

c,c,c at the bottom of the c
im a little (whatever grade or age) pretty as can be be
and all the boys around my blox are fightin over me me
my boyfriends name is CHRIS BROWN!
He lives in alabama with 25 toes and a big fat nose and this is how my story goes
see my pinky see my thumb see my fist you better run hold up wait come back you needa tic tac not one not two but the whole six pack
not ya mama not ya daddy but ya bald headed granny she wish she wish she wish she had hair like this
Lauren, 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zEcsIfe6lU&t=2s

**
6.

 Thats different then how we do it. we do it like

"Shame shame shame hit it
thats the way uhhuh uhuh i like it
uhhuh uhhuh (X2)
brickwalll waterfall
girl u think u kno it alll.
u dont i do
so boom witcho attiitude
so boom withcho attitude.
wait come back
i think u need a tic tack.
not 1 not 2
but the whole 6 pack.
sorry to be mean
but u need somme listerene
not a sip not a swollow
but the whole dang bottlle."

then we see who yells shame on u 1st @ the end of it."
-paris porter, , 2013 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=br9fAi7HdDk

****
7.

 "I learned it at summer camp as a clapping game:

Winston tastes good just like a cigarette should
Just like an - ooh, ah, I want a piece of pie
Pie too sweet, I want a piece of meat
Meat too brown, I want to go to town
Town too far, I'll have to take a car
Car too black, I want my money back
Money too green, I want a limosine
..... I want some lemonade
Lemonade too sour, by now we have the power
To close our eyes and count to ten
Whoever messes up has to do it again.

And at this point, the clapping pattern got more complicated and the players closed their eyes and counted to ten."
-Guest, Chocolate Pi; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=26926 "Lyr Req: Oh my, I want a piece of pie", October 10, 2000

****
8. 

"Winston smells good just like a coconut just like a ooh a i wanna piece of pie,pie to sweet i wanna piece of meat,meat not cooked i wanna read a book,book not read i wanna go to bed,bed not made i want some lemonade,lemonade to sour stay up for an hour,thats all i know."
-Yolo, https://www.mamalisa.com/blog/are-you-familiar-with-%E2%80%9Cwant-to-read-a-book-book-done-read/ May 1, 2013

****
9.

 .."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 
-MaMaBuddha; Harlem, New York, New York}; 7/31/2000], 
http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/archive/index.php/t-5627.html

****

10.

"1, 2, 3,
HIT IT!
that's the way
uh huh uh huh
i like it
uh huh uh huh
that's the way
uh huh uh huh
i like it
uh huh uh huh
peace. punch
captain crunch.
brick wall. waterfall.
girl you think you know it all?
you don't! i do!
so poof with the attitude.
loser loser with a twist
elbow elbow wrist wrist.
wipe a tear. blow a kiss.
kiss this.
hunnie u aint got none of this."
-k to the c, http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php/, 6/20/2006 [This website is no longer active]

****
11. 

"A.B.C.
Hit it!
Thats the way uh huh uh huh
i like it uh huh uh huh
Thats the way uh huh uh huh
i like it uh huh uh huh
peace puch captain crunch
break a wall waterfalls,girl you think you know it all
you dont i do so, poof with the attitude
wait, come back, you need a tic tac
not a tic not a tac but the whole six pack
yo mamma, yo daddy, your bald headed granny
she 99 she thinks shes fine,
she going out with frankenstein
go granny go go, go granny wooooo"
-stariewitch; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkgtAELLndA&feature=related ; April 26, 2008

****
12.

"Wooble Wooble Wooble and the deep blue sea
I am a little __ * first grade
as pretty as can __ be be.
And all the boys around my house
go crazy over __ me me.

My boyfriend's name is __ Yellow.
He comes from Ala__bama
with 25 toes
and a pickle on his nose
and this is how the story goes.

One day I was ah __ walkin
I saw my boyfriend __ talking
to a very pretty girl
with strawberry curls.
And this is what she said

"I L-O-V-E __ love you."
"I K-I-S-S __ kiss you."
"I A-D-O-R-E __ adore you"
So S-T-O-P. STOP!"
- two African American and one Vietnamese elementary school age girls {6 years old} Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 2000
-snip-
*The dash indicates that you pause for a beat before saying the next word or the next syllable.

****
13.
A.B.C.
Hit it!
Thats the way uh huh uh huh
i like it uh huh uh huh
Thats the way uh huh uh huh
i like it uh huh uh huh
peace puch captain crunch
break a wall waterfalls,girl you think you know it all
you dont i do so, poof with the attitude
wait, come back, you need a tic tac
not a tic not a tac but the whole six pack
yo mamma, yo daddy, your bald headed granny
she 99 she thinks shes fine,
she going out with frankenstein
go granny go go, go granny wooooo
-stariewitch; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkgtAELLndA&feature=related ; April 26, 2008.

****
14.
"Shame, Shame, Shame.
Hit it!
That’s the way, un hun un hun
I like it, un hun un hun.
That’s the way, un hun un hun
I like it, un hun un hun.
Rain fall waterfall
Girl, you think you know it all
you don’t I do.
So POOF with that attitude.
Welcome to McDonalds
May I take your order.
See my pinkie.
See my thumb.
See my fist.
You BETTA run."
-Elizabeth Brooks, August 27, 2011 [This is the publisher of http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=br9fAi7HdDk  "Shame Shame Shame (hand game)"]
-snip-
This is the version of this rhyme that is chanted by two young African American girls in that video.

****

15.
"It goes shame shame shame hit it that's the way uh huh uh huh I like it uh huh uh huhx2 splish splash waterfall girl u think u know it all u dont I do so boo with yo attitude wait come back u need a tick tack not one not two but the whole six pack see my pinky see my thumb see my fist u better run peanutbuutter recee cup u mess with me ill jack u up!thats how my school says it,butt theres many different versions." 
-Alexa 29, 2014; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=br9fAi7HdDk "Shame Shame Shame (hand game)", published by Elizabeth Brooks, August 27, 2011

****
16.

ABC hit it
that's the way uh huh uh huh
I like it uh huh uh huh
that's the way uh huh uh huh
I like it uh huh uh huh.
You got the moves,
I got the grooves
so peace punch cap'n crunch.
Break the wall a water fall
girl you think you got it all,you don't. I do.
So poof with your attitude
your mother,your daddy,your bald headed granny.
She's 99 she's online,
she's going out with Frankenstein.
Go granny,go go go granny woo!
-Hannah; 10/29/2008, cocojams.com [Cocojams was the name of my cultural website that was online from January 2001 to November 2014. A lot of the examples on that website were submitted by children, preteens, and teenagers using that site's easy to submit page that didn't require contributors to give an email address. Some of those examples are included on my pancocojams blog and my cocojams2 blog.]    

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

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

The Caribbean Children's Song "Mosquito 1 Mosquito 2" (video, information, and lyric examples)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a YouTube video of the Caribbean (West Indian) children's song "Mosquito One Mosquito Two".

This post also includes information about "Mosquito One Mosquito Two" and some lyric examples of that song .

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the unknown original composers of  "Mosquito One Mosquito Two." Thanks to the early singers and collectors of this song. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the singer featured in this showcase video and the publisher of that video.
-snip-
This post is part of an ongoing pancocojams series on "trading" songs and rhymes. In "trading songs and rhymes" one item (or situation) is found to be faulty or unsatisfying for one reason or another and is then "traded" (exchanged) for another item or situation that is also found to be faulty or unsatisfying. This pattern continues until the end of the song.  The song "Hush Little Baby" is probably the most widely known example of that formulaic pattern in the 2020s United States. 

Click the tags below for other pancocojams posts on trading songs & rhymes. 

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO - Mosquito 1 Mosquito 2 | Aunty Martina | Children’s Music



AuntyMartina, Oct 24, 2026

A popular Caribbean nursery rhyme brought to life by Aunty Martina! Copy the moves as you sing and dance along!

****
INFORMATION ABOUT THIS SONG/RHYME
From AI Overview

AI Overview [This write-up is the result of my November 8, 2026 Google search query about when and where was the earliest collection of this rhyme/song and when and where was the earliest recording of this rhyme/song.]

"Because "Mosquito One, Mosquito Two" is a traditional Caribbean folk rhyme and counting game, its history involves parallel efforts by folklorists across different islands.

The two primary instances where it was first formally collected, transcribed, and recorded in the 20th century include:

 🇬🇾 Guyana (West Indies)

• Collected by: Doris Harper-Wills

• Background: As a pioneering Guyanese folklorist, storyteller, and educator who began her prominent cultural work in the mid-1960s, Harper-Wills collected and adapted the rhyme as a rhythmic children's fingerplay and hand-clapping counting game.

• The Version: This variant features a structured counting pattern from one to ten, with lines like:"A mosquito one, a mosquito two, a mosquito jump in the old man shoe..."

🇻🇮 St. Croix (U.S. Virgin Islands) 

• Collected by: Mary Jane Soule

• Background: The rhyme was documented through a live-sound field recording on the island of St. Croix. It was officially published alongside its musical notation and game instructions in her cross-cultural resource book and accompanying audio cassette titled Domino: 60 Traditional Children's Songs, Chants, Games, Proverbs, and Culture Collected from the American Virgin Islands.

• The Version: This field recording preserved the localized rhythmic cadence used by children in the Virgin Islands, often incorporating regional vocabulary like jumping into the callaloo (a popular Caribbean dish).

🎶 First Commercial Audio Recording

• Recorded by: Dennis Alcapone

• When & Where: 1971 in Kingston, Jamaica

• Background: The phrase was first brought into commercial music by the legendary reggae/dancehall deejay Dennis Alcapone. He used the folk rhyme as a lyrical chant for his track titled "Mosquito 1". It was produced by Duke Reid at the famous Treasure Isle studio and officially released on the 1971 album Soul to Soul DJ's Choice via Trojan Records."

****
EXAMPLES OF THE CARIBBEAN RHYME/SONG "MOSQUITO 1 MOSQUITO 2

These examples are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.

1.
from https://poetrybyheart.com/poems/mosquito-one

Mosquito One (1970)

Mosquito one,

Mosquito two,

Mosquito jump in de callaloo.

 

Mosquito three,

Mosquito four,

Mosquito fly out de ol’ man door.

 

Mosquito five,

Mosquito six,

Mosquito break up de ol’ man bricks.

 

Mosquito seven,

Mosquito eight,

Mosquito open de ol’ man gate.

 

Mosquito nine,

Mosquito ten,

Mosquito tickle de ol’ man hen.

Poem © Out of copyright
-snip-
In American English I believe that the word "callaloo" is pronounced "cah-lah-LOU".
I'm not sure if it's pronounced that way in the Caribbean. [Information and corrections are welcome.]
 
Here's a definition for the noun "callalo" from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/callaloo
"the edible young green leaves of a plant (such as taro or a member of the genus Xanthosoma) of the arum family used as greens

2. a soup or stew made with greens, onions, and crabmeat or pork "
-snip-
The second definition is the meaning of the word in these rhymes/songs.

***
2.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Guyana.Pictures.Group/posts/604179567246543/ "T & T Throwbacks"

[Pancocojams Editor's note "T&T"= the Caribbean nation of "Trinidad and Tobago".]

Ana Da Silva Ferreira, 2021:

"Who remembers this rhyme and used to say it?

Mosquito One, Mosquito two

English Dialect)

Mosquito One, Mosquito two

Mosquito jump

in de ole man’s shoe

 

The shoe was too hot

He jump in de pot

The pot was too cole

He jump in de hole

The hole was too deep

He jump in de jeep

De jeep was too fast

He jump in de grass

An ole man pass

And kicked him in he a*s"
-snip-
Here are selected comments from the discussion thread of that Facebook post, with numbers given for referencing purposes only. 

1. Denese Stanley, 2021
"Never heard this version"

**
2. Budbeer Naraine, 2021
"Never heard it."

**
3. Carmen P Thomas, 2021
I know it another way !

Mosquito one

Mosquito two

Mosquito jump in

The ole man shoe ,

Tell goriah don't

Marry to Jacob just

Because he does

Walk and shake up ..we all had fun......who else knows this version???"

**
3. Ana Da Silva Ferreira, Author, 2021
"Carmen P Thomas That one was very funny to me ... 😆😅🤣😂😂😂🤣🤣😂😃😅😃😅😅😆😆"

**
4. Marva Harmon, 2021
"Carmen P Thomas this is the one I know but the woman’s name is Mariah"

**
5. More Fyah Cummings, 2021
"Lol nice one my father used to sing this d whole time 🤣"

**
6. Util Richmond-Thomas, 2021
"Mosquito one

Mosquito 2

Mosquito jump in the ole man shoe

Mosquito married to sandfly daughter..."

****

3.
From https://www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=3867 "Songs & Rhymes From West Indies - Caribbean Mosquito One, Mosquito Two"

Mosquito One, Mosquito Two

Nursery Rhyme (English Dialect)

Mosquito one,

Mosquito two,

Mosquito jump

In de ole man shoe;

De shoe too hot

He jump in de pot

De pot too cole

He jump in de hole

De hole too deep

He jump in de jeep

De jeep too fass

He jump in de grass

Ah ole man pass

An kick him in he a*s.

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.