Edited by Azizi Powell
This is a partial reprint of the 2013 pancocojams post that features some analysis and some examples of hand clap rhymes that begin with the "eenie meenie sisaleenie" (or similar spelling) verse and also includes the "saw you with your boyfriend" verse.The full 2013 post includes some additional analysis, YouTube videos, and examples of those rhymes. Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/12/eeny-meany-sisaleenie-rhymes-that.html for that pancocojams post.
All of the discussion thread comments from that 2013 post are reprinted in this 2026 post.
Additional visitor comments are welcome for that 2013 post and comments are welcome for this 2026 post.
The content of this post is provided for folkloric and recreational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
-snip-
DISCLAIMER
The presentation of certain rhymes and certain singing games on pancocojams isn't meant to mean or infer that all of those rhymes originally come from African American or other Black people.
However, given their structure and words (as found below), I believe that some early examples of "Eenie Meaning Sissaleenie (Saw You With Your Boyfriend" rhymes originated with African Americans.
I also believe that the source of those rhymes are the much older counting "Eenie Meenie Minie Mo" counting out rhymes. Those rhymes didn't originate with African Americans.
-snip-
This pancocojams post includes the statement that additional examples of these rhymes are found in the discussion threads for these showcased YouTube videos. However, the comments for most of these videos have been deleted and the comment feature has been turned off for safety reasons as a result of YouTube's February 28, 2019 policy about publishing comments on channels that feature children.
Fortunately, I had retrieved some comments from various YouTube videos of children's recreational rhymes, cheers, and singing games folkloric purposes prior to that unexpected YouTube policy change.
****
PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S ANALYSIS OF "EENIE MEENIE SISALEENIE" RHYMES
"Eenie Meenie Sissaleeni" (or similarly pronounced spelling) is a large family of playground rhymes (children's recreational rhymes) that originated in the United States. Those rhymes can be chanted as a three or four line verse without the addition of certain other rhymes. However, it appears that that rhyme's three line or four line "core verse is usually combined with certain other rhymes. Read the section below.
"Eenie Meenia Sissaleeni" is an extension of the earlier "Eenie Meenie Miney Mo" children's rhymes that were used and may still be used by children for counting out (choosing it).
According to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eeny,_meeny,_miny,_moe ,
the earliest "Eenie Meenie Miny Mo" rhyme is documented from children in New York City in 1815. That Wikipedia page indicates that "Variations of this rhyme with the nonsense/counting first line have been collected since the 1820s. This one, which includes the 'toe' and 'olla' from Kipling's version, is one of many variants of "counting out rhymes" collected by Bolton in 1888:[7]
Eenie, Meenie, Tipsy, toe;
Olla bolla Domino,
Okka, Pokka dominocha,
Hy! Pon! Tush!"...
[...]
****
ANALYSIS OF SOME WORDS THAT ARE FOUND IN THESE RHYMES
The words "eenie meenie" undoubtedly have their source in the very old European counting out rhyme "Eeny meenie minie mo". Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eeny,_meeny,_miny,_moe for information about that rhyme.
**
The word "sisaleenie" or similarly pronounced words is a made-up rhyming word with no meaning.
**
I believe that the word "liberace" (also found as "Liberachi", "Liborachi" or similar spellings) is a newer substition for made-up rhyming phonetic phrases such as "kohkah lashie" which have no meaning. "Liberace" (also written as "Liberachi") has its origins in the last name of the flamboyant American pianist/vocalist known by his last name "Liberace" (May 16, 1919 – February 4, 1987) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberace.
However, I doubt that most people who've recited that rhyme are aware of that informational tidbit.
**
"SAW YOU WITH YOUR BOYFRIEND" VERSES
"Saw You With Your Boyfriend" verses are a series of non-rhyming lines that are each followed by a two word or one word response to that particular line - for instance "looked through the key hole/nosy nosy" (or "nosy" said one time).
I think that early on those responses may have been vocalized in a call & response manner-meaning one person says "looked through the key hole and another person says "nosy nosy". However, eventually the entire rhyme was probably vocalized in unison (everyone saying the same thing-even those responses-at the same time.
My guess is that the two word response is the earliest version of the responding line as it appears to me to be the more rhythmic than the single word. However, that is just a guess. In some contemporary versions of this rhyme "looked through the key hole" and "looked through the peep hole" has been changed to "looked through the window".
"Saw saw you with your boyfriend" is a rhyme that can be chanted by itself (i.e. It is an "independent" rhyme, or a "stand alone" rhyme). However, to date (Oct. 2020) I've only come across this rhyme in combination with certain other rhymes". Read the Addendum below for two examples of "saw you with your boyfriend" verses in other rhymes.
To date, I've only come across one example of this rhyme that uses the word "girlfriend" instead of "the word "boyfriend" e.g. "caught you with your girlfriend".
Unfortunately, I didn't retrieve the source for that example.
ANALYSIS OF SOME WORDS THAT ARE FOUND IN THESE RHYMES
The words "eenie meenie" undoubtedly have their source in the very old European counting out rhyme "Eeny meenie minie mo". Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eeny,_meeny,_miny,_moe for information about that rhyme.
**
The word "sisaleenie" or similarly pronounced words is a made-up rhyming word with no meaning.
**
I believe that the word "liberace" (also found as "Liberachi", "Liborachi" or similar spellings) is a newer substition for made-up rhyming phonetic phrases such as "kohkah lashie" which have no meaning. "Liberace" (also written as "Liberachi") has its origins in the last name of the flamboyant American pianist/vocalist known by his last name "Liberace" (May 16, 1919 – February 4, 1987) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberace.
However, I doubt that most people who've recited that rhyme are aware of that informational tidbit.
**
"SAW YOU WITH YOUR BOYFRIEND" VERSES
"Saw You With Your Boyfriend" verses are a series of non-rhyming lines that are each followed by a two word or one word response to that particular line - for instance "looked through the key hole/nosy nosy" (or "nosy" said one time).
I think that early on those responses may have been vocalized in a call & response manner-meaning one person says "looked through the key hole and another person says "nosy nosy". However, eventually the entire rhyme was probably vocalized in unison (everyone saying the same thing-even those responses-at the same time.
My guess is that the two word response is the earliest version of the responding line as it appears to me to be the more rhythmic than the single word. However, that is just a guess. In some contemporary versions of this rhyme "looked through the key hole" and "looked through the peep hole" has been changed to "looked through the window".
"Saw saw you with your boyfriend" is a rhyme that can be chanted by itself (i.e. It is an "independent" rhyme, or a "stand alone" rhyme). However, to date (Oct. 2020) I've only come across this rhyme in combination with certain other rhymes". Read the Addendum below for two examples of "saw you with your boyfriend" verses in other rhymes.
To date, I've only come across one example of this rhyme that uses the word "girlfriend" instead of "the word "boyfriend" e.g. "caught you with your girlfriend".
Unfortunately, I didn't retrieve the source for that example.
[...]
ALL OF THE COMMENTS FROM THE DISCUSSION THREAD OF THE 2013 POST [as of November 10, 2026]
Visiting comments are welcome.
Visiting comments are welcome.
In the mid-70s in Yreka, California, my friends and I chant-sang the following -- and it always made sense to me as a story about a girl who was, or fancied herself as, a gypsy queen and thought she could have a secret boyfriend only to learn that she was caught out and her friends knew all along. I had no idea there were different versions, of course.
Eenie meenie gypsy queenie
Ooh ah allimeenie
Atchie Caughtchie Liberace
I love you. [pause]
Saw your boyfriend the other day
What's his name?
John Wayne.
How did you know?
Peekin' through the keyhole.
Nosy!
Hate to do the dishes.
Lazy!
Jumpin' through the window.
Crazy!
Eenie meenie gypsy queenie
Ooh ah allimeenie
Atchie Caughtchie Liberace
I love you!
One more note as I skim through all the variations in your post -- this was a small and nearly all-white town. In my grade level (and one or two up and down), there were no people of color except for one Native American girl from the local tribe -- until Junior High when an African American family moved to town.
DeleteHello, ramblerla.
DeleteThanks for sharing that example of "Eenie Meanie" and thanks for including demographical information, including the racial composition of your town (Btw, is "Yreka" pronounced the same as the word "eureka"?)
Your example is one that I hadn't come across before.
I added your example to another pancocojams post http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/08/playground-rhymes-that-include-names-of_30.html Playground Rhymes That Include Names Of Famous People (Part I) .
Thanks again!
Also, ramblerla, I meant to note that your version of "Eenie Meanie" suggests that my theory may be correct that children often try to make sense out of the words to their playground rhymes.
DeleteBest wishes!
1950s NYC. Counting out game for who is it for hide and seek, tag, etc. This sissaleen version seems to be a more recent adaptation.
ReplyDeleteErnie meenie gypsadeeny
Ooh gah gabalini
Hotchy potchy goombalachy
Out goes Y-O-U
Thanks, Anonymous for sharing your memories of "Eenie Meenie".
DeleteThis is the fist time that I've heard (meaning "read") a version of that counting rhyme that includes the "words" gypsadeeny, gabalini, and goombalchy before. That said, "gypsadeeny" sounds like "gypsy queenie" that ramblerla from California shared above on September 23, 2015.
Best wishes!
We played this game as a double dutch chant in the 70's in Philadelphia Pa. It went like this:
ReplyDeleteEeny meany sisaleenie.. ooh ah chacha leenie ocka bocka liberacha I love you choo choo shampoo.
I saw ya with your boyfriend last night
What was his name?
Charlie White
How do you know?
Because I Peeked through the peephole
Nosey!
Wash those dishes! Lazy!
Jump out the window! Crazy!
Oh I can do the oochi coochi,
I can do a split!
Betcha 5 dollars you can't do this!
Lady on 1 foot
Lady on 2 foots
close your eyes and count to ten.
If you miss you've got the ends
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10!
Unknown, thanks for sharing that version of "Eeny Meany".
DeleteAnd thanks for adding demographic information and the information that this rhyme was chanted while playing double dutch jump rope.
Was this rhyme primarily chanted by African Americans in Philadelphia?
And did the boyfriend's name change with each jumper?
Also, as explanation, sometimes "enders" is the term that is used for the two people who turn the two ropes that are held together and turned for double dutch (That term is also used for the two people who turn the one rope that is used for jump rope with three or more people). That explains the line that Unknown shared "If you miss you've got the ends".
Thanks again!
In Ontario in the mid 80s, we sang this as a clapping game:
ReplyDeleteEenie meenie popsa meenie
Oo wop bop sa meenie
Education, liberation
I_ like_ you.
Dowtown baby, down by the roller coaster,
Sweet, sweet baby, no place to go.
Caughtcha with your boyfriend,
Naughty, naughty,
Didn't do the dishes,
Lazy, lazy,
Stole a piece of candy,
Greedy, greedy,
Jumped out the window,
Nutso, nutso-
Eenie meenie popsa meenie
Oo wop bop sa meenie
Education, liberation,
I_ like_ you.
Thanks for sharing that example of "Eenie meenie", Anonymous.
DeleteAnd thanks for remembering to include demographics.
As a 10 year old white girl in upstate New York my sister and I and my school bus friends used to chant and clap:
ReplyDeleteEenie meenie stepaseenie
Ooja bagga hamaleenie
Umm bah icky poo spells out goes you!
Just a peach just a plum not a stick of bubble gum
Not a peach not a plum just a stick of bubblegum.
Saw you with your boyfriend last night
How do you know?
I peeked through the keyhole
Nosy
Ate a box of candy
Greedy
Didn't wipe the toilet seat
Nasty
Jumped off a skyscraper now I know you're crazy now I know to call you
Eenie meenie stepaseenie ooja bagga hamaleenie umm bah icky poo
Spells
I
Hate
You!
******
The hands at the end would be going back and forth, try to be last to slap the other persons on the you.
Thanks, Jules for sharing that version of "Eenie Meenie".
DeleteThere's LOTS of versions of that rhyme. Yours is one I hadn't come across before.
Thanks again!
Living in Staten Island, I remember that when I sang this as a kid probably ten years ago, we sang “I hate you” instead of “I love you.” I also remember some lyrics saying something along the lines of “kissing behind a magazine.”
ReplyDeleteUnknown, thanks for sharing demographics (location and decade) along with your remembrances of this "Eenie Meanie Sisaleenie" rhyme. I wonder when the "I love you" ending changed to "I hate you". Given how children are, I wouldn't be surprised if it happened soon after this rhyme was first chanted.
DeleteThe "kissing behind a magazine" words are probably from the "Apple on a stick" rhyme. The basic words to that rhyme are:
Apple on a stick makes me sick,
Makes my heart beat two-forty-six,
Not because you're dirty, not because you're clean,
Just because you kissed a boy behind a magazine.
-snip-
Like other children's recreational rhymes, that "Apple On A Stick" verse is often combined with other rhymes.
When you wrote that you remember some lyrics saying "kissing behind a magazine" did you mean that you chanted "Eenie Meenie Sisaleenie" with that "kissing behind a magazine" rhyme?
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/03/its-not-because-youre-dirty-line-in_12.html for a 2014 pancocojams post on "Apple On A Stick".
Just found this thread...my sister and I were laughing today about a song we sang as kids that is similar to these. I'm certain I have the words mangled! Hope this thread is still going after all these years.
ReplyDeleteCoomala Coomala Coomalalaveestay
Coomala Coomala Coomalaalveestay
Oh na na na na lalaveestay
Oh na na na n lalalveestay
Eenie meenie disaleenie oooh ah ah a beenie
Acha kacha kookaracha ooh ah ah
Eeesh kidalee oten boten be bop and what op and Shhhh.
Hello, Anonymous April 29, 2020.
DeleteYes, this thread is still going on after all of these years, thanks to Google blog's format, Google search and other search engines.
Thanks for sharing the version of Coomala Coomala Coomalalaveestay that you remember.
That version combines the Coomala... verses with a version of "Eenie Meenie..." and a version of the oten boten rhymes.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/01/flea-fly-flow-cumala-vista-rhyme-songs.html for a 2013 pancocojams post entitled "The Flea Fly Flow" ("Cumala Vista") Rhyme & Songs That Helped It Grow".
Examples of that rhyme appear to often include the oten boten words.
Thanks again!
I have just come across this as I try to remember things from my 1970s UK childhood to teach to my class of 5 and 6 year olds to keep them amused at playtime. Our version went something like this:
ReplyDeleteEenie Meenie Disaleenie
You are larmaleenie
Archer carcher coomerarcher
You waa waa
Ish billy opum bopum
Boo boo ber dis n dat
Peach plum....
Here my memory fails. I suspect that plum rhymed with a line ending in 'bum' as this would have been a slightly naughty word for a 1970s playground!
Fascinating to think how this rhyme has morphed and spread.
Thanks, Anonymous for sharing your memory of this rhyme. Also, thanks for adding demographic information.
DeleteI also suspect that the ending line that you don't remember probably ended with the "naughty" word "bum".
And I agree that it's fascinating to come across so many variants of this rhyme. Although I understand that YouTube's banned comments in children's videos to protect children, one unfortunate result of that ban is that folklorists losts a great way to collect contemporary versions of rhymes.
Best wishes!
The version I learned in Georgia from my sister was this:
ReplyDeleteEeny meany chipsalini
Ooh caw alameeny
Awtchy cawtchy Liverawchy,
means I love you Baby Sue, boom boom!
Saw your boyfriend last night.
What’s his name?
Bruce Wayne.
How d’you know?
Peeked through the keyhole—last night.
Nosey!
Give me some candy.
Stingy [pronounced “Stain-jeee”]!
Wash them dishes!
Lazy!
Jump out the window—like crazy!
So eene meany chipsalini
Ooh caw alameeny
Awtchy cawtchy Liverawchy,
means I love you Baby Sue, boom boom!
Hello, Anonymous. Thanks for sharing that version of "Eeny Meenie". I've never come across that one before.
DeleteWhen did you learn that version (what decade) and did you do a hand clap routine while you chanted it?
My guess is that Baby Sue was chanted just to rhyme with the word "you" that came before it.
I wonder if "Bruce Wayne" was originally "John Wayne".
Best wishes!
It just occurred to me that "Bruce Wayne" is the real name for "Batman". Since the actor John Wayne is an old reference, that name in that rhyme probably refers to the Batman superhero.
DeleteGreetings Azizi,
ReplyDeleteI am currently doing a project in grad school in relation to playground games and the African American experience. My mom who was raised in Washington DC in the 1970s remembered a little bit of "Eenie Meenie Gypsaleenie", but she remembers it as a way to pick something from a lineup, with the words "I pick this one right over here, but I change my mind to pick this one right over here" as she pointed at each thing per word. Also, I found out that a Detroit-based girl group named The Debonaires made a record song in 1965 "Eenie Meenie Gypsaleenie". It was only popular in Detroit, and not naiton-wide, but very much something that could have been inspired by the African American rhyme at the time. What do you think?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9bYz6QiWdQ
Hello, Rhamira.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to know more about your grad school project that focuses on playground rhyme and the African American experience (experiences). Please share more here or email me at azizi p 17 at yahoo dot com.
Your comment motivated me to re-read this 2013 pancocojams post and rewrite a portion of this post and add some information about the "Eenie Meenie Miny Mo" counting out rhymes. As you noted in your comment, those rhymes were used (and are still used) for counting out/choosing it.
Thanks for adding the way that your mother remembers playing the rhyme "Eenie Meenie Gypsaleenie" and thanks for sharing some demographic information.
Thanks also for alerting me and other pancocojams readers to the link to that YouTube sound file of the Debonaires' 1965 record "Eenie Meenie Gypsaleenie", Here's that hyperlink: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9bYz6QiWdQ
I didn't know about that record before reading your comment. I definitely believe that the lyrics to that song are based on an African American extended version of the much older "Eenie Meenie Miny Mo" counting out rhyme.
Best wishes!
This is the version I grew up with in Pittsburgh in the 1960's. It starts out similar to many of the others then really deviates! It was a favorite hand clap on the playground during recess.
ReplyDeleteEenie meenie pepsideeni
Bah Bah boobileeni
Hachi tachi Liberace
I pick you up.
Have a peach have a plum
Have a stick of chewing gum
If you want another one this is what you yell
Anem anem San Diego hocus pocus
Yay Beagles
Sittin’ in the bandstand beatin’ on a tin can
Who can, we can
Nobody else can
Sis sis sis boom bah
Vivo vivo rah rah rah!
Hello, The Vintage Chateau. Thanks for sharing that version of "Eeny Meany Sisaleenie" and thanks for including where and when you played that hand clap game.
DeleteIt's interesting what we remember from our childhood and teen years and how those rhymes that stick with us were said differently by other people.
The "sittin in the bandstand beatin on a tin can" lines are usually given as "sitting on a grandstand".
Also, the words "sis boom bah" were part of the earliest documented American cheer :
"On November 6, 1869, the United States witnessed its first intercollegiate football game. It took place between Princeton and Rutgers University, and marked the day the original “Sis Boom Rah!” cheer was shouted out by student fans."... https://clearlakeiowa.com/rah-rah-sis-boom-bah/#:~:text=On%20November%206%2C%201869%2C%20the,shouted%20out%20by%20student%20fans.
Best wishes!
Btw: I moved to Pittsburgh, Pa in 1969 and I'm still living here. Pittsburgh represent!
Grew up in MN this was our version:
ReplyDeleteZig zag zee.
Eenie meenie bob-a-lean-ee icy spicy liver icee
I like you.
Take a peach, take a plum, take a stick of chewy bubble gum.
No more teachers, no more books, no more children's dirty looks.
Yeah!
Anonymous, thanks for sharing that version "Eeny meenie sisaleenie" with pancocojams. I hadn't come across that one before although I knew that exact version of "no more teachers etc." in Atlantic City, New Jersey in the 1950s.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes!
So funny how things differ. In small town Iowa circa 1995ish ours was a little less sweet-
ReplyDeleteZig zag zig
Eenie meanie [a couple lines of jibberish similar to what you stated]
I h*te you
Take a peach take a plum
take a stick of chewing gum
Turn it in turn it out turn it into sauerkraut
Saw you w/ your bf last night
How do you know?
Peeping through a keyhole snoopy
Didn’t do the dishes lazy
What’d ya eat? sweet bread
What’d ya drink? Cold blood
[repeat the eenie meanie & jibberish]
I H*TE YOU
We just did a simple 3 motion clap. 1 palm up one down/ both forward/ then clap & repeat
Anonymous, thanks for sharing that version of "Eeeny Meany".I hadn't come across it before and therefore is welcomed into this rhyme family.
DeleteBest wishes!
Grew up in the 80s in Waukesha WI and only knew white kids (suburban segregation). Our version was a handclap game. The first three words you would grab hands with the other person and move them back and forth (side to side).
ReplyDeleteZing zing zing!
Eenie meanie gipsolini
Oomp bop bopolini
Atchie kotchie liberace
I love you!
Take a peach, take a plum, take a stick of chewing gum,
No more school, no more books,
No more teachers dirty looks!
Hello, Anonymous. Thanks for sharing the version of that rhyme that you remember from your childhood. Thanks also for including demographic information, including race.
With regard to the two lines that began in your version with "No more school", I remember chanting "No more pencils, no more books/no more teachers dirty looks" (This was in the mid 1950s or the early 1960s, Atlantic City, New Jersey ( Black children and possibly also White children if it was in the early 1960s as I attended segregated schools up to the 6th grade and integrated school thereafter.)
I also remember chanting a version of "Eenie Meenie Miney Mo" (as I shared earlier in this post). But I don't think these two rhymes were combined.
Best wishes!