The 1916 Song M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I And 20th Century Spelling "Mississippi" Children's Rhymes/Songs

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a YouTube audio file of a 1916 song entitled "M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I" .

This post also presents examples of spelling "Mississippi" children's rhymes and comments about those rhymes.

In addition, this pancocojams post presents a YouTube of female Country singer Bobbie Gentry performing her song "Mississippi Delta" on television in 1968. That song begins with spelling the word "Mississippi".

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

 
Thanks to the known and unknown composers of these songs and rhymes. Thanks to the singers who are featured in these videos and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
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Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2026/04/names-of-cities-states-or-nations-in.html for a related pancocojams post entitled "Names Of Cities, States, Or Nations In Children's Hand Clap Rhymes & Other Recreational Rhymes (Complete Reprint)".

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SHOWCASE VIDEO - M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I (1916)

Sheet Music Singer, Nov 4, 2020

A 1916 spelling song. Words by Bert Hanlon. Music by Benny Ryan and Harry Tierney. Published by William Jerome Publishing Corp.

 Lyrics

1. When I was seven years of age

I used to go to school

And when it came to spelling

I was awful as a rule

I couldn’t spell a single word

When “S’s” were concerned

I’ve tried to overcome my lisp

And success came in return

Now that word Mississippi

Was awful hard to spell

But now I will convince you

That I can spell it well

Chorus:

M-I-S S-I-S S-I-P-P-I

That used to be so hard to spell

It used to make me cry

But since I’ve studied spelling

It’s just like pumpkin pie

M-I-S S-I-S S-I-P-P-I

2. A lot of words would puzzle me

Bananas was no cinch

Sasaparilla that was hard though

I’d spell it in a pinch

But words like Cincinnati

Psychological and such

Gee when it came to spelling those

I surely was in Dutch

I can’t spell Cinderella

And sausages that’s tough

But I can spell Mississippi

And believe me that’s enough

---- 

Midi sequence by James Pitt-Payne.

Vocal and video by Fred Feild.
-snip-
Here's information about this 1916 song from an AI Overview write up about MISSIPPI spelling rhymes:
The 1916 Ragtime Novelty Chant
"Other discussions [on Mudcat discussion threads] point to the commercialized spelling song originally written in 1916 by Bert Hanlon, Benny Ryan, and Harry Tierney, which later became a country hit for Red Foley in 1950."... 
-snip- 
Here are most of the comments from the discussion thread of that showcased YouTube video (with numbers added for referencing purposes only):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEkOXEcqD6k

1.@natalya6091, 2020
"Is the expression

" it is like pumpkin pie"

Is an idiom?

What does it mean?

Cheers.

Awaiting your soonest reply."

**
Reply
2. @GLepRagtimeChronicle, 2024
"It's a simile indicating that something is easy."

**
3. @redchandler, 2020
"Kind of remind us me of the mickey mouse club song in that spelling part."

**
Reply
4. @merlin8675309, 2023
"What? Disney stealing?!?!"

**
5. @orangie8426, 2023
"I'm 50 years old..

And my grandmother sang this to me all the time when i was around 7 years old..

She passed away from cancer right before Christmas of 1990..

I miss her tremendously..

She was always my guide and mentor..."

**
6. @Bogframe, 2024
"I have been looking for this song for years! I remember it as a "Follow the bouncing ball" cartoon that doesn't seem to exist anywhere but in my memories. Thank you!"

**
7. @UrLocalBackupChannelGuy, 2026
"The "MIS-SIS" part sounds like part of the SpongeBob theme song."

**
Reply
8. @atwajesper9434, 2026
"It’s probably the other way around."

**
Reply
9. @UrLocalBackupChannelGuy, 2026
"​ @atwajesper9434 I know, since this song came first before SpongeBob."

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EXAMPLES OF & COMMENTS ABOUT SPELLING "MISSISSIPPI"
These examples and comments are from several online sites. These websites are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.

"Em" in these comments refer to how the letter "m" is pronounced in the English language.

SOURCE #1
From https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=59186
[Pancocojams editor's note: Only a few comments in that Mudcat discussion thread (which is still open for comments on November 5, 2026) are about the spelling songs/rhymes/about Mississippi (a deep Southern state in the United States). Most of the comments refer to or provide lyrics of  20th century recordings of songs about that state.

Here are the discussion thread comments about the Mississippi spelling song/rhymes.  These numbers refer to their placement in this pancocojams post and not to when they were published on that Mudcat folk music forum. 

1. Subject: RE: The Songs of Mississippi.
From: Burke
Date: 27 Apr 03 - 12:59 PM

"Em, eye, double ess, eye, double ess, eye, double pea, eye

[something I've forgotten]

Does anyone know the rest of it?"

**
2. Subject: RE: The Songs of Mississippi.
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 27 Apr 03 - 01:10 PM

"Em eye crookity ess crookity ess eye crookity ess crookity ess eye humpback humpback eye. Heard from my wife's Georgia grandfather many years ago."

**
3. Subject: RE: The Songs of Mississippi.
From: masato sakurai
Date: 28 Apr 03 - 02:51 AM

"Burke, this (from the Levy collection) may not be the one, but a spelling song.

Title: Frances White's Spelling Song M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I.

Composer, Lyricist, Arranger: Lyric by Bert Hanlon and Benny Ryan. Melody by Harry Tierney.

Benny Ryan Harry Tierney Publication: New York: William Jerome Publishing Corp., Strand Theatre Bldg., 47th St., 1916.

Form of Composition: strophic with chorus

Instrumentation: piano and voice

First Line: When I was seven years of age I used to go to school

First Line of Chorus: M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I, That used to be so hard to spell 

~Masato"

**
4. Subject: Lyr Add: MISSISSIPPI DELTA (Bobbie Gentry)
From: Burke
Date: 29 Apr 03 - 06:22 PM

"Here's on that I was thinking of.

MISSISSIPPI DELTA By Bobbie Gentry

M I double S I double S I double P I.

M I double S I double S I double P I.

Right in the middle of the cotton belt,

Down in the Mississippi Delta,

Wearin' last years possum belt,

Smack dab in the Mississippi Delta.

 

Have me a little that Johnny cake,

A little bit of that apple pan dowdy.

Picking them scuppernon's off that vine.

Chigger bite, it's goin' to beat howdy.

 

Ate me a bucket of Muscadine,

Sit on the riverbank after dark.

Drop my line down a crawdad hole,

Do him in with a scaly bark.

 

One-ree-o-ree-ee-reeanni.

Fidderliss-farce-nickory-john-queery-quan.

 

M I double S I double S I double P I.

M I double S I double S I double P I.

Right in the middle of the cotton belt,

Down in the Mississippi Delta,

Wearin' last years possum belt,

Smack dab in the Mississippi Delta.

 

Sittin and scratchin' mosquito bites.

Old fox done give him the slip.

Watchin' the mornin' glories grow,

In Biloxi on an overnight trip.

 

I bet five dollars to win two bits,

Eat a peppermint stick on Sunday.

Ain't no use in'a hurrying up,

Can't leave till a week from Monday.

 

One-ree-o-ree-ee-reeanni.

Fidderliss-farce-nickory-john-queery-quan.

 

In the Mississippi Delta,

Miss-iss-siss-ippi Delta.

 

Mississippi Delta: Bobbie Gentry.

Written by Bobbie Gentry.

(© Northridge Music Company/Universal MCA Music Publishing.)

From "Golden Classics of Bobbie Gentry", © 1998, Collectables.

Originally © 1967, Capitol Records.

Lyrics from www.coquet-shack.com"
-snip-
Here's a YouTube video of Bobbie Gentry singing that song:

Bobbie Gentry- Mississippi Delta

David Frochoso Rubia, Dec 17, 2025

Live Show: "Bobby Gentry" 1968

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKNYeJVWYT8
-snip-
The discussion thread for that video only has one comment as of November 5, 2026. That comment consists of the word "super". 

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SOURCE #2
From https://herecomestheplanet.com/2013/11/20/mississippi/ "Here Comes The Planet.com"
"Mississippi 
by Miss Penny Black, November 20, 2013
"Every time I see the word ‘Mississippi’ I sing that rhyme – ‘Mrs M, Mrs I, Mrs SSI Mrs SSI Mrs PPI.. MISSISSIPPI!’… I hope someone out there knows what I’m talking about or this will look mighty strange. "...
-snip-
The rest of that interior design page consists of photographs and descriptions of the author's luxurious hotel bedroom. 

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SOURCE #3
From https://www.reddit.com/r/DoesAnybodyElse/comments/1ekfmsb/does_anybody_else_remember_how_they_were_taught/ "Does anybody else remember how they were taught to spell Mississippi?", August 5, 2024 

[These are selected comments from that reddit.com discussion thread. These numbers don't necessarily correspond to the numbers on that discussion thread.]

1.  r/DoesAnybodyElse
TabbyVolatile, August 5, 2024
"Does anybody else remember how they were taught to spell Mississippi?

School never actually taught me the same way... My mom taught me and it was.. M-I- Crooked letter-Crooked letter-I-Crooked letter- Crooked letter-I-Humpback humpback-I. I'm just curious how many people learned the same way."

**
2. gynoceros, 2024
"EM eye ess ess EYE ess ess EYE peepee EYE"

**
3. TabbyVolatile, OP  [original poster], 2024
"I've heard that one! But it was pee pee in your eye lol"

**
4.  lotiloo, 2024
"Never heard that! I was taught by singing M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I to a little tune."

**
5. TabbyVolatile, OP, 2024
"Pretty sure that's how school taught me. So I remember that as well!"

**
6. Due_Smoke5730, 2024
"We would always have a game where we had to spell it as fast as possible over and over so now I can only spell it fast."

**
7. Ordinary-Painter-598, 2024
"I learned it like this (I’m using solid caps to indicate a stressed syllable): EM eye ess ESS eye ess ESS eye pee pee EYE Still find myself reciting that in my head whenever I need to spell Mississippi. Similarly, “The school principal should be your PAL” was how I was taught to differentiate between “principal” and “principle”. I’m sure there were other spelling tricks, but none come to mind at the moment."

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MY CHILDHOOD MEMORY OF THIS RHYME
I remember the "spell Mississippi" rhyme being used this way (in the late 1950s -early 1960s in Atlantic City, New Jersey, African American girls)

Girls would try to trick other girls into publicly saying the mildly inappropriate phrase "pee pee" (meaning "to urinate").

A girl would approach another girl and ask "How do you spell "Mississippi". If the girl who was asked this question wasn't aware of the trick, she would answer "Miss iss ippi".

The first girl would say something like "How did you spell the end of that word?" and the second girl would respond "i pp i". Then the first girl would laugh and point at the second girl and say "You pee peed?!  You pee peed?! on yourself".

It only took one time before girls approached by some other girl/s to spell the word Mississippi refused to do so. 

I don't remember any boys approaching girls or other boys to play (or try to play) this trick on someone.

I also don't remember ever hearing the Mississippi spelling rhyme with the crooked letter, humpback words. That rhyme was new to me when I first read it in a children's rhyme book when I was an adult.
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ADDENDUM - Explanation for the lyrics in the Spelling Mississippi Rhyme

From AI Overview
"The classic children's jump-rope chant and spelling mnemonic for Mississippi is the famous "M-I crooked letter" rhyme. [The source that is cited is  https://www.reddit.com/r/DoesAnybodyElse/comments/1ekfmsb/does_anybody_else_remember_how_they_were_taught/  "Does anybody else remember how they were taught to spell Mississippi?", August 5, 2024 

Most users on Reddit agree that this rhythmic chant was a staple of school playgrounds for generations to memorize a tricky word.

 The Rhyme

 • M - I

• Crooked letter, crooked letter, I (for the first two Ss and I)

• Crooked letter, crooked letter, I (for the next two Ss and I)

• Humpback, humpback, I (for the two Ps and the final I)

 How It Works

 • Crooked letter: Refers to the letter S because of its curvy, winding shape.

• Humpback: Refers to the letter P because of its rounded top loop."

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Kool & The Gang's 1980 Song "Celebration" (with information about the origin of that song & what the word "Yahoo!" means in that song)

 

Kool & The Gang - Celebration

KoolandthegangShow, Oct 5, 2009  

REMASTERED IN HD!

Official Music Video for Celebration performed by Kool & The Gang.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GwjfUFyY6M

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases the official YouTube video of Kool & The Gang's 1980 mega-hit "Celebration".

This post also presents information about "Celebration" as well as the lyrics for that song.

The Addendum to this post presents information about the meanings of the word "Yahoo!" in this 1980s R&B song.

The content of this post is presented for historical, linguistic, political, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Kool & The Gang for their musical legacy and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
This pancocojams post is published on November 4, 2026- the day after the United States' midterm election that transferred control of the United States House and Senate to the Democrats.

Let's celebrate this historic Blue Tsunami!!
 
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INFORMATION ABOUT KOOL &THE GANG'S SONG "CELEBRATION"    
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celebration_(Kool_%26_the_Gang_song)
" "Celebration" is a song by American band Kool & the Gang. Released in October 1980 by De-Lite Records as the first single from their twelfth album, Celebrate! (1980), it was the band's first and only single to reach number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. In 2016, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.[3]

In 2021, the Library of Congress selected "Celebration" for preservation in the National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant".[4]

Origins

Co-founder Ronald Bell, the group's saxophonist and musical arranger, said "Celebration" was inspired by the Quran:

I was reading the passage, where God was creating Adam, and the angels were celebrating and singing praises. That inspired me to write the basic chords, the line, 'Everyone around the world, come on, celebration.'[5][6]

In The Guardian, Alexis Petridis stated that Bell liked telling people that "Celebration" was inspired by the Quran but that Robert "Kool" Bell had a different explanation of the song's origin. "Kool" recalled Ronald was listening to the band's earlier hit "Ladies' Night" (1979) and noticed the lyric "This is your night tonight, come on, let’s all celebrate." Then, Ronald decided to build a song out of that lyric.[7]

Composition

"Celebration" … was written as a collaboration by the whole band.

[...]

Commercial performance

"Celebration" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on February 7, 1981, and held that position for two weeks before Dolly Parton's "9 to 5" overtook it.[11] It remains the band's only Billboard number one hit.

By late 1980, the song had also reached number one on both the Billboard Dance and R&B charts. The song was featured heavily on the radio throughout the year. It has since been frequently used in weddings and parties,[11] and is a popular anthem for sporting events, including serving as the theme song for the St. Louis Cardinals after winning the 1982 World Series. In 1981, it was commonly played by radio stations in honor of the release of US hostages from captivity in Iran.[12] It was also an international hit, reaching number seven in the United Kingdom on November 29, 1980, spending 13 weeks in the chart.">>>

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LYRICS - "CELEBRATION"
(composers- Kool &The Gang)

"[Intro]

Yahoo! (This is your celebration)

Yahoo! (This is your celebration)

Celebrate good times, come on (Let's celebrate)

Celebrate good times, come on (Let's celebrate)

[Verse]

There's a party goin' on right here

A celebration to last throughout the years

So bring your good times and your laughter too

We gonna celebrate your party with you

Come on now

[Chorus]

(Celebration) Let's all celebrate and have a good time

(Celebration) We gon' celebrate and have a good time

[Refrain]

It's time to come together

It's up to you, what's your pleasure?

(Everyone around the world, come on)

[Pre-Chorus]

Yahoo! It's a celebration

Yahoo!

[Chorus]

Celebrate good times, come on (It's a celebration)

Celebrate good times, come on (Let's celebrate)

[Verse]

There's a party goin' on right here

A dedication to last throughout the years

So bring your good times and your laughter too

We gonna celebrate and party with you

Come on now

[Chorus]

(Celebration) Let's all celebrate and have a good time, yeah-yeah

(Celebration) We gon' celebrate and have a good time

[Refrain]

It's time to come together

It's up to you, what's your pleasure?

(Everyone around the world, come on)

[Pre-Chorus]

Yahoo! It's a celebration

Yahoo! It's a celebration

[Chorus]

Celebrate good times, come on (Let's celebrate, come on now)

Celebrate good times, come on (Let's celebrate)

[Bridge]

We're gonna have a good time tonight

Let's celebrate, it's all right

We're gonna have a good time tonight

Let's celebrate, it's all right, baby

We're gonna have a good time tonight (Celebration)

Let's celebrate, it's all right

We're gonna have a good time tonight (Celebration)

Let's celebrate, it's all right

[Pre-Chorus]

Yahoo!

Yahoo!

[Chorus]

Celebrate good times, come on (Let's celebrate)

Celebrate good times, come on (It's a celebration)

Celebrate good times, come on (Let's celebrate)

Celebrate good times, come on (Come on and celebrate tonight)

(Baby everything's gonna be alright, let's celebrate)

Celebrate good times, come on

Celebrate good times, come on (Let's have a great time, celebrate)

Celebrate good times, come"
-snip-
online source- https://genius.com/Kool-and-the-gang-celebration-lyrics

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ADDENDUM - Information about the meaning of the word "Yahoo!" in this song
[These online sources are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.]
Source#1
From AI Overview [This write up is the result of my question "What does the word "Yahoo!" mean in Kool & The Gang's hit song "Celebration"?
"In Kool & The Gang’s hit 1980 anthem "Celebration," the word "Yahoo!" is simply an enthusiastic, joyful exclamation used to pump up the crowd. It holds no hidden meaning, nor does it have anything to do with the technology company of the same name, which wasn't founded until 1994.

The background of how the exclamation ended up in the track comes directly from the band:

• The Southern Porch Vibe: Bandleader and co-founder Robert “Kool” Bell explained that the song was conceptualized after they won two American Music Awards for their track "Ladies' Night". They wanted to capture a soulful, down-home groove. As Robert Bell described it, the track was meant to feel like you were "down south, sitting on the porch in your grandmother's rocking chair," and you suddenly yelled out, "Yahoo! How are you feeling today?!" to express pure, unbridled excitement.

• Spiritual Origins: While "Yahoo!" provides a casual, fun party exclamation, the underlying inspiration for the song actually came from a deep place. Co-founder Ronald Bell conceived the track after reading a passage in the Quran about angels celebrating the creation of mankind. He wanted a universal shout that invited everyone around the world to partake in that ultimate joy."
-snip-
citations given in this AI Overview write-up:
https://www.kcrw.com/shows/press-play-with-madeleine-brand/stories/kool-and-the-gang-celebration

and 

https://www.songfacts.com/facts/kool-the-gang/celebration

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Source #2
From https://www.songfacts.com/facts/kool-the-gang/celebration "Songfacts: Kool & The Gang - "Celebration"
..."Kool & the Gang had something to "Celebrate" when it went to #1 in February 1981, a few month after it was released in October 1980. only American #1. For the next 40+ years it was the closing number at their live shows, sending fans home on a high.

"Celebration" has a much deeper meaning beneath the surface. Kool & the Gang's sax player Ronald Bell, whose Muslim name is Khalis Bayyan, told Billboard that the song came out of a time of religious study. "The initial idea came from reading the Q'uran," he explained. "I was reading the passage where God was creating Adam, and the angels were celebrating and singing praises. That inspired me to write the basic chords and the line, Everyone around the world, come on, let's celebrate."

Bell recalled that he was staying at a hotel in Manhattan when he read the bit of scripture that inspired the song. He says the song is essentially about the creation of mankind, and everyone is invited to this celebration: "Everyone around the world, come on!"

After coming up with the idea, he brought it to the band and they completed the song, with all members contributing. Kool & the Gang generally contributed to the songwriting together and shared the credits.

This song was foreshadowed in the 1979 Kool & the Gang hit "Ladies Night" with the lyrics "Come on, let's all celebrate" near the end. According to Ronald Bell, that was "the key to finishing 'Celebration' ". [...]

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Some Examples Of "Bragging and Confrontational" Foot Stomping Cheers [2026 Complete Reprint]

Edited by Azizi Powell 

[This is a complete reprint of a pancocojams post with this title that was reprinted in 2025. The original post was deleted from this blog, but the 2025 post remains on this blog.

As of 5:58 AM EST there haven't been any other visitor comments to that 2025 reprint of that post.] 

This pancocojams post presents some examples of a sub-category of foot stomping cheers that I refer to as "bragging and confrontational" foot stomping cheers.

"Bragging and confrontational" foot stomping cheers are the second largest sub-set of foot stomping cheers that I have found online and off-line. Chanters in these cheers brag about themselves or their group and speak in confrontational ways toward an unnamed person or persons.

As a reminder, based on their words, foot stomping cheers often fit into more than one category of cheers.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/07/some-examples-of-introduce-yourself-my.html for the pancocojams post whose title is  "Some Examples of "Introduce Yourself (My Name Is ___"  foot stomping cheers". [This is the largest sub-category of foot stomping cheers that I have come across,]

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/07/some-examples-of-dance-style-foot.html for the pancocojams post whose title is "Some Examples Of Dance Style Foot Stomping Cheers That Don’t Include Dance Names"

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/07/some-black-american-girls-ideas-about.html for the pancocojams post whose title is "Some Black American Girls' Ideas About & Expectations Of Romantic Relationships As Suggested By Certain Foot Stomping Cheers"

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/07/some-examples-of-dance-style-foot.html for the pancocojams post whose title is "Information About And A Video Of The Game "Tetherball" With Three Examples of "Tetherball" Foot stomping Cheers". Those cheers are examples of "sports and games" foot stomping cheers..

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those whose memories of these foot stomping cheers are included in this compilation. 
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/09/foot-stomping-cheers-alphabetical-list.html for Part I (Numbers - C) for Part I of a five part alphabetized pancocojams series of foot stomping cheers that I have come across online and/or off-line. The links to the other parts of this series are given in each post.

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SUB-CATEGORIES OF FOOT STOMPING CHEERS
I've placed the foot stomping cheers that I've come across into these five different sub-categories:

-Introduce Yourself (My name is __) cheers

-Dance style foot stomping cheers

-Bragging/confrontational cheers

--Romantic relationships cheers

-Sports & games cheers

Most foot stomping cheers are combinations of more than one of these sub-categories.

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SOME EXAMPLES OF BRAGGING AND CONFRONTATIONAL  FOOT STOMPING CHEERS
These examples are presented in relative alphabetical order based on the first letter of the cheer's name.   

This compilation doesn't include all of the  small number of examples of this sub-category of foot stomping cheers that I have come across online or off-line. 

A, B

AH RAH RAH AH BOOM TANG
Group: Ah Rah Rah Ah Boom Tang
Ah Rah Rah Ah Boom Tang
Ah Rah Rah Ah Boom Tang, baby
Ah Rah Rah Ah Boom Tang
Ah Rah Rah Ah Boom Tang
Soloist #1:My name is Renee
Group: Ah Boom Tang
Soloist # 1:They call me Nae
Group: Ah Boom Tang
Soloist #1: And when they see me
Group: Ah Boom Tang
Soloist #1: They say “Ah Rah Rah
You look good, baby.”
Soloist #2:My name is Jennifer
Group: Ah Boom Tang
Soloist # 2:They call me Jenay
Group: Ah Boom Tang
Soloist #2: And when they see me
Group: Ah Boom Tang
Soloist #2: They say “Ah Rah Rah
Twist it, baby.”

(Repeat entire cheer with new soloist until everyone has had a turn).
-Tazi M.Powell (African American female, from her memories of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the mid 1980s)

The words said as the last line in each soloist's turn may repeat what was previously said or may be different as long as the words stay on beat. 

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BANG BANG CHOO CHOO TRAIN (Example #1)
Group: Bang, Bang Choo Choo Train.
Watch Indonesia do her thang.
Soloist #1: I can’t.
Group: Why not?
Soloist #1: I can’t.
Group: Why not?
Soloist #1: Because my back is achin.
My bra’s too tight.
My hips keep movin’ from the left to the right.
Group: Her back is achin.
Her bra’s too tight.
Her hips keep movin from the left to the right.

(Repeat chant with the next soloist who gives her name or nickname. The cheer continues with this pattern until everyone has had one chance as soloist.)
-African American girls ages 7-12 years; (Alafia Children's Ensemble, Braddock, Pennsylvania), 10/1997; collected by Azizi Powell. 10/97; also collected by Azizi Powell from African American girls 7-12 years; Pittsburgh, PA (11/2001 & additional dates through 2005 as a hand clap rhyme)
-snip-
I believe that "Bang Bang Choo Choo Train" originated as a foot stomping cheer. However,  around 2005, "Bang Bang Choo Choo Train" began to be performed as a partner hand clap rhyme.

"Bang Bang Choo Choo Train" is (was) often combined with the children's rhyme "Brick Wall Waterfall". These were by far the most popular recreational rhymes or cheers that were submitted to my cocojams.com website which was online from January 2001 to Oct. 2014.

A lot of children and preteens added examples of rhymes and cheers to that website by writing those examples on an easy to use page that didn't requite an email address. To protect underaged contributors, people who shared examples were asked to use either their first names only or their first name and the initial of their last name. ]

However, I've observed that "Bang Bang Choo Choo Train" was (is?) usually performed since around 2005 as a hand clap rhyme and not as a foot stomping cheer. And, to my knowledge,  "Brick Wall Waterfall" has never been performed as a foot stomping cheer. 

****

BOOM TICK TOCK 
Boom tick tock
Look at that girl.
Boom tick tock
Look at that girl.
In the mini skirt.
You mess with her
You get your feelings hurt.
She knows karate
From the front to the back.
Jump ____* [Someone randomly calls out an action word; insert a girl's name] She's all that. 
-Naijah S.; (African American female, 9 years old; Hazelwood section of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; January 14, 2011; Collected by Azizi Powell

****
C, D

CALL REPUTATION
this is a saying call reputation

my name is yonnqa
i'm number one
my reputation has just begun
so if you see me step a side
cause i don't take no jive
oh think she cool
correction baby i no i'm cool
i no karate
i no kunfu
you miss with me
i co it on you
rasasol o dazzo o ox2
-yaya ; 2/23/2007, cocojams.com
-snip-
This is a form of the "Hula Hula" cheer.
-snip-
"cocojams.com" is the name of my cultural website that was online from January 2001-November 2014 when I voluntarily de-activated it. Children, pre-teens, and teenagers contributed many of the examples of children's rhymes and cheers on that website via an easy to use webpage.  

****
E,F

****
G, H

GATORS
All: Gaaators *
(clap two tines and stomp four times while turning around)
Gaaators
(clap two tines and stomp four times while turning around)
Soloist #1:
Gator’s aint wid it
So Homewood betta quit it **
All: Gaaators
(clap two tines and stomp four times while turning around)
Gaaators
(clap two times and stomp four times while turning around)
Soloist #2: Homewood betta chill out
cause I’ll put their tracks out. ***

Directions:
Repeat entire sequence two more times; start facing forward, first time you say it, you turn to your right while you are clapping two times, 2nd time on the beat, you turn to the back, 3rd time you turn to your left forth time, you turn to the front; then to the “chorus”. Continue the same pattern of the group reciting the first part while a new soloist recites a new different two line mocking or confrontational verse.
-Sha’ona and Conraya; (African American females, 11 years old; Garfield neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, collected by Azizi Powell, June 2008

*The Garfield Gators is the name of a community football team in the Garfield section of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Garfield is a mostly African American working class neighborhood.

**Homewood is a nearby and rival mostly African American, working class Pittsburgh neighborhood.

***
"tracks" is another term for "(hair) weaves" - fake or real hair that is attached to a female's hair to lengthen it and/or give it more body

****
 ___ HAS THE POWER
All:(including soloist named or nickname):
Ree Ree* has the power
to scream and shout.
But Deandre** has the power
to knock
you
out.
Say what?
To knock
you
out.
Okay.

[Repeat the entire cheer with another girl’s name or nickname or with another boy’s name or nickname]
-Riantai (*Ree Ree); African American female, age 8; Faison Primary School (Homewood area of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, October 30, 2009; collected by Azizi Powell, October 30, 2009


* a nickname of a girl in your competitor' cheerleading squad’s name or nickname
** a name of a girl in your cheerleading squad

****

HOLLYWOOD ROCK SWINGING (Example #1)

Hollywood rock swinging.
Hollywood rock swinging.
My name is Aniesha
I'm number one
My reputation is having fun
So if you see me just step aside
"Cause mighty Aniesha don't take no jive.

Hollywood rock swinging.
Hollywood rock swinging.
My name is katrina
I'm number two
My reputation is me and you
So if you see me just step on back
'Cause mighty Katrina don't take no slack.

Hollywood rock swinging.
Hollywood rock swinging.
My name is Natasha
I'm number twelve
My reputation is ringing that bell
So if you see me just step aside
"Cause mighty Aniesha don't take no jive
-Apples On A Stick: The Folklore Of Black Children by Barbara Michels and Bettye White (1983; p. 14);
-snip-

That book's preface indicates that the source of all of the examples in that book were Black children from Houston, Texas.

****
HOLLYWOOD GOES SWINGIN (Example #2)
All: Hollywood goes swingin
Hollywood goes ___swingin
Swingin for the good times
Swingin for the bad times
Soloist #1: My name is Zizi
I’m cool and the gang
Mess with me. I’ll do my thang
If you see me walkin down the street
You betta speak.
Long time, no see
Sexy as I wanna be
Some hittin me high
Some hittin me low
Some hittin me on my-
Don’t ask what
Group: What?
Soloist #1: My b-u-tt butt
That's what.
- Tazi M.Powell, (African American female, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1985-1986); also collected by Tazi Powell from African American girls, Pittsburgh [Lillian Taylor Camp], 1989 & 1990
-snip-
(Repeat from the beginning with the next soloist who says her name or nickname. Continue this pattern until every girl in the group has had one turn as the soloist)
* ___ pause for a beat

The group members decide the order of soloists by the fastest ones to shout out 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. They then form a line (or a half circle facing their usually imaginary audience) in that order. The girls begin stepping for a short while before they start saying the cheer. This is to make sure that everyone is "on beat". They keep doing the step routine when they begin chanting throughout the entire cheer. If someone "messes up the beat", the cheer must start all over again from the beginning using the same order of cheerleaders. At the end of the cheer, the entire cheer begins again with a new soloist. This pattern continues until everyone in the group has the same equal turn as the soloist.

****

HOLLYWOOD GOES SWINGING (Version #3)
All: Hollywood goes swingin;.
Swingin’ for the good times.
Swingin’ for the bad times.
Soloist #1: My name is Ebony.
(And) I’m cool and the gang.
You mess with me
And I’ll do my thang.
My sign is Libra
And that’s alright.
Cause all Libra’s
Are out of sight.
All: Hey you,
Check it out!
You! You!
Check it out!
-Tazi M Powell, Pittsburgh, PA, mid 1980s; Collected by Azizi Powell, 1996
-snip-
Repeat cheer with next soloist who gives her astrological sun sign.
The cheer continues until everyone has had one turn as the soloist.

****

HOLLYWOOD NOT SWINGING (Version #4)

When we were kids, what were some of your favorite hood cheers? Post 'em here. Mine was "Hollywood Not Swingin'"

Hollywood not swingin', Hollywood not...swingin'

Hollywood not swingin', Hollywood not...swingin'

 

Well my name is Yella, my number's 1,

My reputation is havin' fun,

So if you see me just step aside,

Because this light chick don't take no jiiiiiiiiivvveeee.
-Cocaine,Aug 18, 2006, https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/hood-cheers.43158/ "Hood Cheers"

****

HULA HULA (Example #1)
Group: Hula Hula.
Who think they bad?
Soloist #1: I do.
Group: Hula Hula
Who think they bad?
Soloist #1: I do.
Well, I think I’m bad cause
Cara’s my name
and love is my game
I got this boy on my mind
and Lord knows he’s fine.
I got his name on my shirt
And don’t call it dirt.
Group: Ooh, she thinks she’s bad.
Soloist #1: Correction, baby I KNOW I’m
bad.
Group: Ooh, she thinks she’s fine.
Soloist #1:Fine enough to blow YOUR
mind.
-TMP.; Pittsburgh, PA, memories of mid. 1980s (cassette recorded in 1992 ; transcribed in 1996 by Azizi Powell)
-snip-
My guess is that the word "hula" in this cheer's title is a folk processed English form of the Spanish word "hola" meaning "hello". I believe that the "Hula Hula" title has nothing to do with the "hula hoop" exercise toy.

Judging from the multiple examples of foot stomping cheers that I have found with lines from "Hula Hula", it appears that this foot stomping cheer used to be popular with Black girls who chanted and performed foot stomping cheers throughout the United States. There are multiple titles for this cheer,  including "Who Now Who name" and similar spellings. 

As is the case with all foot stomping cheers, this cheer continues without any breaks in the chanting/stepping until everyone has had one turn as soloist. If some one "messes up" (misses the beat or messes up the rhythm by hesitating in their solo part), the cheer has to begin again from the beginning. Consequently, if someone isn't sure that they know this cheer, they'll sit it out rather than attempt to perform it.

Foot stomping cheers always start with the right foot.

"Hula Hula’s" beat is stomp clap; stomp stomp clap. "Stomp clap; stomp stomp clap" appears to be the most often used foot stomping beat. Another beat is stomp clap, stomp clap).

****
HULA HULA (Example #2)
Hula Hula
Who thinks she's bad now
Hula Hula
Who thinks she's bad)

I think I'm bad
'Cause Shelly's my name
Black is my color
And love is my game

(Ooh, She think she bad)
[posturing] Ooh, I know I'm bad.

(Ooh, she think she bad)

Ooh, I know I'm bad

(Ooh, she think she bad)
Chile, go kiss my ass (or “Chile, your breath is bad” or “Chile go take a bath”)

repeat rhyme from the beginning.
-bublackberry (African American woman); Connecticut; emailed to Azizi Powell, 11/11/05 .

****
HULA HULA (Example #3)
Hula Hula
Now who thinks they bad
Hula Hula
Now who thinks they bad
I think  I'm bad
'Cause Acie my name
Take a sip of my potion
And dance in slow motion
Uh-huh
She think she bad
Baby baby don't make me mad
Uh-huh
She think she cool
Baby baby don't act a fool
Uh-huh
She think she sweet
Sweetest person you ever meet
Uh-huh
She think she fine
Baby baby I'll blow your mind
-Apples On A Stick: The Folklore Of Black Children by Barbara Michels and Bettye White (1983; p. 13); That book's preface indicates that Black children from Houston, Texas were the source of all of the examples in that book.

****

HUMP DE DANDA
All: Hump De Danda
Hump Hump De Danda
Hump De Danda
Hump Hump De Danda
Soloist #1: (Well) My name is Toya.
Group: De Danda, Hump Hump De Danda
Soloist #1: I’m super cool.
Group: De Danda Hump, Hump De Danda
Soloist #1: You mess with me
Group: De Danda Hump, Hump De Danda
Soloist #1: and you’re a fool.
Group: De Danda Hump, Hump De Danda
Soloist #1: I’m goin down
Group: De Danda Hump, Hump De Danda
Soloist #1: to touch the ground.
Group: De Danda, Hump, Hump De Danda
Soloist #1: I’m comin up
Group: De Danda, Hump Hump De Danda
Soloist #1: to mess you up.
All: Humpty Dumpty
sat on ah wall
Humpty Dumpty
had a great fall.
Oosh, ain’t that funky now.
Oosh, aint that funky now.
Oosh, ain’t that, Oosh ain’t that
Oosh, ain’t that funky now.

(Repeat the entire cheer with the next soloist)
-African American girls (ages 6-12 years old; Lillian Taylor camp, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, collected by Tazi Powell, 1991 or 1992 (transcribed from audio tape by Azizi Powell, 1997)

****
I, J

JUMP IN THE CAR
Jump in the car

Put your foot on the gas

Jump back and let ___ pass

She got that whip, whop

Look at that booty

Whip, whop

Don't it look good

Whip, whop

I know you want some

Whip, whop

But you can't get none

Whip, whop
-hotsunset28, August 18, 2006, https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/hood-cheers.43158/ "Hood cheers"

****
K, L

LIKE THAT
One person from the group: Attention Attention 1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3
Like that. Ready. Okay.
Soloist #1: My name is Tatayane
And I’m LIKE THAT.
Mess with me and you will get a __* KICK BACK.
All you haters talkin this and that.
I’ll pass it to my home girl Sydney
__ Like that.
Soloist #2 : My name is Sydney
And I’m LIKE THAT.
Mess with me and you will get a __ PUNCH BACK.
All you haters talkin this and that.
I’ll pass it to my home girl Jacquala
___Like that.
Soloist #3 : My name is Jacquala
And I’m LIKE THAT.
Mess with me and you will get a __ SLAP BACK.
All you haters talkin this and that.
I’ll pass it to my home girl Kristina
___ Like that.
-Muffin (African American female, age 10; Garfield neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania;10/2007; Collected by Azizi Powell
-snip-
"___" indicates that you pause one beat before saying the next word.

****
M, N

MY NAME IS __ (Example #4)
I remembered this cheer from when I was little. (Say this with attitude) You say:

"My name is _________ and I'm a star you mess with me I'll take you far." Others say: "Woo, she thinks she's bad." You say: "Correction baby, I know I'm bad." Others say: "Woo, she thinks she's bad." You say: "Child, please!" (As you say the last line, you put your hand up as if motioning "stop") You repeat this cheer until everyone on the squad has had a turn.
-kelly, 9/27/2006, cocojams.com

****
MY NAME IS ___ (Example #6, Fragment)
My name is Shakeila and I’m number one
I step to the beat and I no it’s fun
all these haters go to hate like this so all
I got to do is left right left.
-Shakeila; age 11; Garfield neighborhood ,Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 10/16/2007, [from a written survey that I gave out to students in after-school classes]
-snip-
Shakeila wrote "no" instead of "know". 

****
MY NAME IS ____ (Example #7)
I learned this from my girl sara My name is (enter your name)
and as u can see i the finest chick in Albany
im rough and though cant touch my stuff m
fly like a butterflie i sting like a bee thats why all the boys
tell me break it down shawty
-Samantha; 11/25/2008, cocojams.com

****
NEICY THINKS SHE BAD*
Neicy think she bad yall

"Who me?"-Neicy

Neicy think she bad

Neicy- It aint me who think i'm bad its you who think you bad your underarms your in between, oh girl its killing me (while fanning nose)

One thing you should know is take a bath your dirty ho

Neicy think she bad yall

Neicy think she bad

 

A neighboring cheering squad is usually on the receiving end of this and a fight will most likely break out by second verse
-NicoleBitchie, Aug 18, 2006 https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/hood-cheers.43158/ “Hood Cheers”
-snip-
*This cheer is a variant of "Hula Hula".     

****
O, P

****
Q, R,

ROCK THE BOAT (Example #1)
Hey all! Did anyone do cheers? Me and my girls used to "battle" other groups of girls from different neighborhoods. My favorite:

Rock the boat
rock, rock the boat
Rock the boat
rock rock the boat
My name is Mocha
(chorus sings) Rock the boat
I'm feeling fine
(chorus)Rock the boat
Just like my sign
(chorus)rock the boat
My sign is GEMINI
I say bang, bang choo-choo train
wind me up and I do my thang
Reeses Pieces, Butter cup
you mess with me and I'll F*ck you up


If my momma EVER knew I was cursing like that!!
-Sexy Mocha (Brooklyn, New York), http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=5627 Remember When, 7/31/2000
-snip-
This is the way this cheer was written in that comment.

****
ROCK THE BOAT (Example #2)
We are the {school's mascot} rock the boat! We're feelin fine rock the boat! Mess with us rock the boat! We'll blow your mind rock the boat! I said a bing-bang choo-choo train come on {school's mascot} lets do our thang. our reeces peices our buttercup all you gotta do is warm us up! we know karate we know cungfu..mess with us and we'll use it on you!
-Kelley; 12/10/2006, cocojams.com

****
ROCK THE BOAT [Example #3]
this is how we do it at my school:

rock the boat dont tip it over
rock the boat dont tip it over
my name is __
yeah!
im feelin fine!
yeah!
u mess with me
yeah!
ill blow ur mind
so bang bang choo choo train
u look at me and i do my thang
no recces pieces no butter cup
i kno karate i kno kung fu
u mess with ill mes with u!

i kno its tottaly off to wat everyone else is sayin but thats wat we sing on the bus all the time.
-slimeshady100, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9QuTsAtQPY, 2010

****
ROLL CALL 
I learned this from Bring It On (awesome movie RECOMENED!) Roll Call! My name is (your name)(i am rough and tough,etc.) yeh ( and when i shake it Etc.)
yeah (The boys go I Mommy etc.) Whoo Roll call ( next person in line does the same thing until every one is done Every body all together - we are the (your team name) And we are tough And when once we've won we've kicked some but. Goooo (your team's name) I love your site it is one of my resources to get some new awesome cheers from all the great captains or not.
Luv ya
-K-del ; 6/11/2007, cocojams.com
-snip-
This is the way that comment was written on cocojams.com.

In the line "The boys go I Mommy", the word "I" is probably the still currently popular interjection "Aye" ("Ayye" and other similar spellings.). "Aye" means something like "Hey!".

Some African Americans and people of other races/ethnicities in the United States may informally refer to females who aren't adults (particularly elementary school age girls) as "mommy" or "little mama".

**
The words "we've kicked some but"= "butt" and mean something like "We really overpowered that other team".

****
S,T

TABA
This is a call and response chant from the late 70's early 80's Elkhart Indiana

All: Taba Taba Tab. First person: My name is Sonji.
Rest of Group: Tab. First person: I go to school.
Group: Tab. First person: I'm supercool.
Group: Tab I used to gamble. Group: Tab
First person: But now I don’t. Group: Tab
First person: And never will. Group: Tab
First person: Me and my man. Group: Tab
First person: In the van. Group: Tab
First person: Had a fight. Group: Tab
First person: Last night. Group: Tab
First person: He knocked me down.
Group: Tab. First person: I got back up
Group: Tab. First person: And kicked his butt childhood.

The chant starts over again with the next person in the group and so on.
-Sonjala A. (African American female); 3/15/2008, collected by Azizi Powell
-snip-
The term "childhood, in this example, is probably a folk processed form of the exclamation “chile please”.

****

TELL IT (Version #1)
My name is Mocha (Tell it, tell it)
I'm on the line (Tell it, tell it)
I wanna do it (tell it, tell it)
with Nas' sign (Tell it, tell it)
And you know what? (what?)
My man will rough you up.
Hey!!!

The alternate version said, "and you know what? My man don't do enough".
-Miss Mocha, http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=31403&page=5,03-28-2003
-snip-
"Tell It' foot stomping cheers can also be considered "romantic relationship" cheers.

WARNING-  Most of the examples of "Tell It" foot stomping cheers that I have come across can be considered "nasty" (sexually explicit or alluding to sexual explicit actions.)
  
* "Nas" is the stage name for an American rapper. His Wikipedia page https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nas indicates that he started his recording career in 1991, but his highly regarded album Illmatic wasn't released until 1994. This information suggests that this version of "Tell It" was probably not chanted until 1994. The word "sign" here means Nas' astrological sun sign, or by inference, with Nas or with a male who has Nas' sun sign.

"Nas" in this cheer is not Lil Nas X who recorded "Old Town Road".
Btw, my guess is that these "Tell it" girls' rhymes were inspired by the 1966 hit R&B song "Tell It Like It Is" which was recorded by Aaron Neville and then by other vocalists.

****
TELL IT (Version #2, added March 26, 2020)
One of my line sisters remembered this "mannish" version of "Tell It":

My name is ___________ (Tell it, tell it)
I'm on the line (Tell it, tell it)
smoking reefer and drinking wine
And you know what (What?)
And you know what (What?)
I have a man (Tell it, tell it)
He looks alright (Tell it, tell it)
But he can do it do it do it do it allllll night (Say what!)


She swears they used to say this in elementary school (We're both 23/24). I wonder what those little girls are chanting now.
-Symphony08, http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/archive/index.php/t-31403.html, 03-26-2003
-snip-
"Line sisters" -women who pledged and joined a particular chapter of a historically Black Greek letter sorority at the same time.

****
TELL IT (TELL IT LIKE IT IS) (Version #3)
tell it, tell it, tell it like it is
uh oh!
tell it, tell it, tell it like it is

me: my name is Goddess
homegirls: tell it, tell it

me: I'm on the line
homegirls: tell it, tell it

me: and I'm gon' do it
homegirls: tell it, tell it

me: with a Scorpio sign
homegirls: tell it, tell it

me: and you know what?
homegirls: what?

me: and you know what?
homegirls: what?

(alternate replies)

me: my man was rollin on the ocean, he was rollin on the sea, and the best part about it, he was rolling on me (insert fast azz 8 year old sexy move here)

OR

me: I'm just gon' kick yo butt
-GODDESS!,  August,18,2006,https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/hood-cheers.43158/ "Hood Cheers"

****
TELL IT TELL IT (Version #4) 
"tell it, tell it
tell it like it is.
I go to school
(tell it tell it)
Smoking kools
(tell it tell it)
I walk the streets
(tell it tell it)
10 times a week
(tell it tell it)
I'm number third
(tell it tell it)
Smoking herb (tell it tell it)....


& the nonsense continues. Smh... my grandmother wouldn't let us sing that one.
-Chrystal Smith (Chicago, Illinois), July 14, 2017 (comment in discussion thread for vlog https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfzHL_1PdbY
Let's Discuss: Black Girl Childhood Hand Games and Sing Songs")
-snip-
I reformatted this example from sentence form to line form.

"Number third" is probably a typo for "Number three".  

****
TELL IT (TELL IT LIKE IT IS (Version #5)
Tell it tell it tell it like it is (uh hun)
tell it tell it tell it like it is
My name Nicole (tell it tell it)
I’m on the line (tell it tell it)
And I can do it (tell it tell it)
To the Capricorn sign (tell it tell it)
And you know what? (what?)
And you know what (what?)
Your man was in my body and he did some karate and he
knocked on my door, but he didn’t get no more.
-Black Girlhood Celebration: Toward a Hip-hop Feminist Pedagogy
By Ruth Nicole Brown, published in 2008; Page 43 Google books.
-snip-
WARNING- The second to the last line in this example moves it to the "dirty" [sexually explicit] category.

****
TELL IT TELL IT (Version #6)
My name is ______________ (Tell it Tell it)
Zodiac sign my sign (Tell it Tell it)
And if you don't like it (Tell it Tell it)
You can kiss my behind (Tell it Tell it)
You know what? (What?)
You know what? (What?)
My name ________and I can do it like this! (do a dance)
-Honeykiss1974, http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/archive/index.php/t-31403.html, 03-26-2003
-snip-
The "1974" in her screen name is probably her date of birth which means that this cheer may be from the mid 1980s.

****
TELL IT LIKE IT IS (Version #7)
" **sings**
tell it, tell it, tell it like it is,
tell it, tell it, tell it like it is,
my name is Cyn (tell it, tell it)
im on the line (tell it, tell it)
and i can do it (tell it, tell it)
with the 'quarius sign (tell it, tell it)
and you know what (what)
and you know what (what)
my man was knockin at my door
he was beggin for some more
he was all on my body
so i had to use karate
then karate didnt work so i did kung fu
and kung fu didnt work so i left it up to you

tell it, tell it, tell it like it is,"
-cyndependent, Location Whycago, 7-24-2007, https://www.nappturality.com/forums/threads/81695-Clapping-Rhymes-hand-Games/page2 {This website is no longer available.]

****

TWO WAY PASS AWAY
All: Two way pass away. Two way pass away.
Soloist #1: Well, my name is Shana.
Group: Two way pass away.
Soloist #1: And if you don’t like it,
Group: Two way pass away.
Soloist #1: You can kiss what I twist.
And I don’t mean my wrist.
-African American girls (around 8-12 years old), Braddock, Pennsylvania*, collected by Azizi Powell, 1985

(Repeat the entire cheer from the beginning with the next soloist and continue repeating until every member of the group has had one turn as the soloist.)

****
U, V

****
W, X

WHAT YOUR HEART BEATING FOR
What your heart beatin for?
What your heart beatin for?
You scared?
What your heart beatin for?
You scared?
I’m not
But they is.
I’m not
But they is.
They betta fall back
Before they get slapped [or cracked].
My name is Raya
And I’m not with that.
[the next soloist immediately starts the cheer again and says the same thing except she gives her name or nickname at the end.
-Canraya E, African American female, 11; and Sha’ona K, age 11, collected by Azizi Powell, June 2008
-snip-
This is a cheerleading cheer that the girls learned from the Garfield Gators. They showed it to me during "free time"during their after lunch break (I was a substitute teacher at their school that day). Usually more than two girls do this cheer.

This taunting cheer was performed to foot stomps that alternated with (individual) hand claps}. Both girls said the first two lines and then one girl said the rest of the cheer. 

The soloist continues doing the foot stomping routine while she speaks. The second girl does the same foot stomping beat as the soloist while the soloist speaks but she is silent and expressionless..

The cheer was then repeated from the beginning with the new "soloist" who says her name and the exact same words. Sometimes minor changes are made, for instance instead of saying "slapped", you can say "cracked".

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Y, Z

YOU AINT GOIN NO WHERE
Entire Group: You ain’t goin no where
no where
You ain’t goin no where
You ain’t goin no where
no where
You ain’t goin no where
Hey Shadeya
Shadeya
(Soloist #1): Too shy
Group: Introduce yourself
Shadeya: I’ll try
My name is Shadeya
I cheer for Garfield.
My sign is Libra.
And when I’m up
Group: When she’s up.
Shadeya: I’m hot stuff.
Group: She’s hot stuff.
Shadeya: And when I’m down.
Group: And when she’s down.
Shadeya: Don’t mess around.
Group: Don’t mess around
Shadeya: Don’t make me scream
cause you will be _knocked _out.
-snip-
" __ " means to pause a beat. * name your community or school athletic cheerleading team; "my sign" means the person's astrological sun sign.

Repeat the entire cheer from the beginning with the next soloist who says her name or nickname, the name of the sport or community team she cheers for. The girl doesn't have to really be a cheerleader. She is engaging in dramatic play- that is-she's pretending to be a cheerleader.

Continue this pattern until every one in the group has had one turn as the soloist.
-Shadaya, Fort Pitt School; (Garfield), 2002; collected by Azizi Powell; I also collected the exact same cheer in 2008 from Conraya and another girl from the same school.

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