Hand Clap Rhymes That Include The "Winston Taste Good" Cigarette Jingle Or Adaptations Of That Jingle

Winston Cigarettes Commercial (1955)

Throwback, Oct 15, 2009

 • SUMMARY •

"Winston tastes good like a *clap* *clap* cigarette should!"  This is the classic commercial from 1955 with the catchy slogan used from 1954 (when Winston was introduced) to 1972 in advertising campaigns.  The first appearance of the slogan was on a print ad in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in September 1954.

________________________________________________

 

THIS VIDEO DOES NOT ENDORSE TOBACCO USE!

________________________________________________

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post documents a few examples of  the LARGE family of children's rhymes that include the "Winston Taste Good" cigarette jingle or adapted versions of that jingle.

These rhymes are part of the even LARGER "Oo ah I wanna piece of pie" / "take a peach, take a plum" family of children's recreational rhymes.

This post is part of an ongoing pancocojams series on brand names in children's recreational rhymes.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/08/brand-names-jump-rope-hand-clap-rhymes.html for the 2017  pancocojams post entitled "Brand Names In Children's Jump Rope & Hand Clap Rhymes". 

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.

****
PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
This pancocojams post does not promote cigarette smoking. These examples are presented to document how American children often combine a line or lines from product jingles with verses from recreational rhymes to create another rhyme. 

Notice how some of the examples in this compilation suggests that the chanters didn't know that "Winston" is a brand name for cigarettes. Also, notice that in two of the examples in this compilation "Winston" is changed to "Snickers". "Snickers" is a brand name for a chocolate candy bar.     

The earliest example that I've come across for the "Winston Taste Good" cigarette jingle in children's rhymes or adaptations of that cigarette jingle is 1967. If you remember that rhyme from the 1960s (or earlier), please share the example you remember in the comment section below. Remember to add demographic information, especially the year (decade) you remember chanting this rhyme or hearing it chanted, and the city/state or country if outside of the United States) where you chanted this rhyme. Thanks in advance!

****
EARLY SOURCES FOR THE "OO AH I WANNA PIECE OF PIE" LINES IN THESE RHYMES
quoting https://www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=5610
"The oldest known version of this rhyme goes back to the childhood of Richard Wright who grew up in the 1910's – 20's. It can be found in his short story called, "Big Boy Leaves Home" from Uncle Tom's Children (1938)…

Bye n bye
Ah wanna piece of pie
Pies too sweet
Ah wanna piece of meat
Meats too red
Ah wanna piece of bread
Breads too brown
Ah wanna go t town
Towns too far
Ah wanna ketch a car
Cars too fas
Ah fall n break mah a*s
Ah'll understan it better bye n bye ."

**
Another early example of the "oo ah I wanna piece of pie" line in these children's recreational rhymes is found in Fats Waller's 1941Jazz song "Eep, Ipe, Wanna Piece Of Pie". Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z61bvAdlM4o&ab_channel=OnlyJazzHQ for a sound file of that song. 

****
EXAMPLES OF CHILDREN'S RHYMES THAT INCLUDE THE WINSTON TASTE GOOD JINGLE OR ADAPTATIONS OF THAT JINGLE

These examples are given in no particular order. Numbers are added for referencing purposes. 

1. "Hand clapping game 

Winston tastes good like a cigarette should like oh ah wanta piece of pie pie to sweet, want a piece of meat meat to tough, want ride a bus bus to full want to ride a bull bull to fast want my money back money to green want a jelly bean bean to red want to go to bed now close your eyes and count to ten, if you miss start over again 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10"
- http://www.inthe80s.com/rhymes.shtml

**
2. "I know this one…

Winston smells good
Just like a (pause) coconut
Just like a — ooh Ahh
I want a piece of pie
pie’s too sweet
I want a piece of meat
meat’s too tough
I want to ride a bus
bus’s too full
I want to buy a mule
mule’s too fast
I want my money back
money’s back to clean
I want a jumpin’ bean
jumpin’ bean to hot
I want to lick the pot
pot’s not there
I want to dye my hair
Hair’s too wet
I want to make a bet
game’s been fixed
I want to take some pics
pics all blurry
I want to eat some curry
curry too gray
I want to go and play
ground too muddy
I want to see my buddy
time’s too late
I think i have a date
date’s in a hole
I want to hug a vole
vole’s too vile
I guess I’ll wait awhile
Time’s clocked up
I want to spend a buck
store’s all closed
I want to strike a pose
pose too cute
I want to go on mute
mute too long
I want to sing a song
voice too bad
I want to start a fad
fads too red
I want to go to bed
beds not made
I want some lemonade
lemonade’s too sour
we have the power
to close out eyes
and count to ten
whoever messes up
starts all over again
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
we didn’t mess up
so thats the end!"
-Emily Kassie ,  https://www.mamalisa.com/blog/are-you-familiar-with-%E2%80%9Cwant-to-read-a-book-book-done-read/, June 25, 2008
-snip-
mamalisa.com's blog page has A LOT of examples of "Oo Ah I Wanna Piece Of Pie"/"Take A Peach Take A Plum"  rhymes. A number of those examples begin with the "Winston Taste Good" jingle or an adaptation of that jingle. A few more examples from that page are included in this pancocojams compilation.

**
3. "This is what I remember from when i was a child. (with hand movements)

Snickers is good,
just like a candy bar should be
with a
umm ahh,
Wanna piece of pie
pie to sweet
wanna piece of meat
meat to rough
gotta ride the bus
bus to full
gotta rid a bull
bull to fast
want my money back
money to green
want a jelly bean
bean to red,
gotta go to bed
bed to soft
throw the pillow off
now close your eyes and
count to ten
if you mess up, try again
1

2

3…."
-Pat, https://www.mamalisa.com/blog/are-you-familiar-with-%E2%80%9Cwant-to-read-a-book-book-done-read/, July 20th, 2008 

**
4. "Winstin smells good just like a coke-a-nut just like a ooh ahh

i wanna piece of pie, too sweet i wanna piece of meat, meat too tough i wanna ride a bus, bus too full i wanna ride a bull bull too black i want my money back money back too free i want a maple-tree maple tree too green i wanna a jellybean jellybean not cooked i wanna read a book book not read i wanna go to bed bed not made i wanna a lemonaid lemonaid too sour i wanna take a shower shower too cool i wanna go to school let’s get the power to count to ten and the loser has to start all over again 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10"
-Cucci. https://www.mamalisa.com/blog/are-you-familiar-with-%E2%80%9Cwant-to-read-a-book-book-done-read/, December 7th, 2009

**
5. "This is the version I learned a few years ago.

Winston smells good just like a,
cigarette just like a,
ooh ah,
I wanna piece o’ pie,
pie too sweet I wanna piece o’ meat,
Meat too tough, I wanna ride a bus,
Bus too full, I wanna ride a bull,
Bull too black, I want my money back,
Money back not free, I wanna jellybean
Jellybean not cooked, I wanna read a book
Book too read, I wanna go to bed
Bed not made, I want some lemonade,
lemonade too sour, we’ve got the power,
close your eyes and count to ten,
whoever messes up starts it all over again
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10.

The way I learned it was with hand movements too, after you go through it once, you start over but also jumping up and down. The third time, you do it jogging on the spot.
-emily, https://www.mamalisa.com/blog/are-you-familiar-with-%E2%80%9Cwant-to-read-a-book-book-done-read/, Jan. 24, 2010

**
6. "Winston so sweet just like a coconut, just like a ooh ahh I wanna peice of pie, pie too sweet! I wanna peice of meat, meat too tough I wanna ride a bus, bus too full I wanna buy a bull, bull not black I want my money back, money not green, I want some jelly beans, jelly beans not cooked I wanna read a book, book is read I wanna go to bed bed not made I went some lemonade, lemonade too sour now we got the power to count to ten, whomever messes up has to start again, so 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 no one messed up so I guess this is the end!"
-Kiara Marie, https://www.mamalisa.com/blog/are-you-familiar-with-%E2%80%9Cwant-to-read-a-book-book-done-read/, June 3rd, 2012 

**
7. "Winston smells good just like a chocolate chip just like a…
Oo ah i want a piece of pie
pie to sweet
i want a piece of meat
meat to tough
i want to ride a bus
bus to full a want to ride a bull
bull to black
i want my money back
money not back i want to take a nap
bed not made
i want some lemon aid
lemon aid to sour
i want to take a shower
shower not clean
i want a jelly bean
jelly bean not cooked
i want to read a book
book to boring
now i’m mad
close my eyes and count to ten
who ever stops is a buffle head!
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10"
-Cameryn, https://www.mamalisa.com/blog/are-you-familiar-with-%E2%80%9Cwant-to-read-a-book-book-done-read/,June 25th, 2012 

**
8. "Winston smells sweet just like a

Can of Coca-Cola

Ooh, ah, I want a piece of pie

Pie too sweet I want a piece of meat

Meat too tough, I want to ride a bus

Bus too full, I want to ride a bull

Bull too black, I want my money back

Money back too cheap, I want a jellybean

Jellybean not cooked, I want to read a book

Book not read, I want to go to bed

Bed not made, I want some lemonade

Lemonade too sour, but we’ve got the power

So let’s close our eyes and count to ten,

Whoever messes up starts all over again

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

We didn’t mess up, so that’s the end"
-Michelle,  https://www.mamalisa.com/blog/are-you-familiar-with-%E2%80%9Cwant-to-read-a-book-book-done-read/, September 15th, 2012 

**
9. "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

**
10. "My friends told me.

Winston smells good just like a

coconut just like a ooh ahh

I want a piece of pie

pie to sweet I want a piece of meat

meat to rough I want to ride a bus

bus too full I want to ride a bull

bull not black I want my money back

money back to green I want a jelly bean

jelly bean not cooked i want to read a book

book not read i want to go to bed

bed not made i want some lemonade

lemonade to sour i want to take a shower

shower to cool i want to go to school

school to dumb i want to suck my thumb

thumb to dirty i want to ride a birdie

birdie to slow and thats all i know so close your eyes and count to 10

who ever messes up starts all over again.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

 

(If some one messes up)
Someone messed up so we need to start again

(If no one messes up)

No one messed up so thats the end

we do not need to sing this game again!
-Alex, https://www.mamalisa.com/blog/are-you-familiar-with-%E2%80%9Cwant-to-read-a-book-book-done-read/ , May 30th, 2015 

**
11. "Winston smells good just like a. Coconut just like a

ohh ahh I wanna piece of pie pie too sweet I wanna piece of meat

meat too tough I wanna ride a bus

Bus too full I wanna ride a bull

bull to black I want my money back money back to green I wanna jellybean

Jellybean not cooked I wanna a read a book

book already read I wanna go to bed

bed not made I want some lemonade

lemonade too sour I wanna take a shower

shower too cool I wanna go to school

School not awesome I wanna ride a possum

Possum too slow but that’s all we now so we close our eyes and count to ten

Whoever messes up has to start again so

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

We didn’t mess up so that’s the end
-Angel, https://www.mamalisa.com/blog/are-you-familiar-with-%E2%80%9Cwant-to-read-a-book-book-done-read/, May 21, 2015

**
12. "The version I remember is sung to the old Winston cigarette jingle.

Winston taste good like. A cigarette should . Winston taste. Like ahh I want a. A piece of Pie. Pie too sweet. Want a piece of . meat. meat too tough. Want to ride the bus. . bus too full. Want to ride a bull. Bull too black Want to go back to my old Cadillac. Bonk Bonk.

We sang this along with clapping like patty cake. And I learned this version sometime between 1971 & 1973, when I was in the 5th and 6th grade."

-Sandra, https://www.mamalisa.com/blog/are-you-familiar-with-%E2%80%9Cwant-to-read-a-book-book-done-read/, July 25th, 2018 

**
13. "I learned:

Winston tastes good just like a piece of pie

just like a ohh ahh I wanna piece of pie

pie to sweet, I wanna piece of meat

meat to tough, I wanna ride a bus

bus too full, I wanna ride a bull

bull not black, want my money back

money not green, I wanna a jelly bean

jellybean not cooked, I wanna read a book

book not read, I wanna go to bed

bed not made, I want some lemonade

lemonade too sour, we’ve got the power to count to ten

who ever messes up starts over again

1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10

we didn’t mess up so thats the end
-Kat, https://www.mamalisa.com/blog/are-you-familiar-with-%E2%80%9Cwant-to-read-a-book-book-done-read/, March 19th, 2018

 **
14. "Learned this in 6th grade inner city NYC school. 1967. It was performed as a Black Rap. OO i wanna piece of pie, pie too sweet, wanna piece of meat, meat too tough wanna ride a bus, bus too full wanna ride a bull, bull too black want my money back, Winston tastes bad like the one i just had no filter no taste just a god da-n* .40 cent waste."

-MATTHEW MESHEKOFF, https://www.mamalisa.com/blog/are-you-familiar-with-%E2%80%9Cwant-to-read-a-book-book-done-read/, July 18th, 2019 

-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this example. 

**
15. "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

**
16. "Snickers they taste just like a, candy bar just like a.

Ohh Ahh I wan't some pie,

pie to sweet I want a piece of meat,

meat to tough I want to ride the bus,

bus too full I want to ride a bull,

bull to flat I want my money back,

Money back 2 3 I want a jelly bean,

Jelly bean to red I want to go to bed,

bed no made I want a cream egg,

This is how I count to ten,

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Start again.
-GUEST,Lalala, http://awe.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=26926&desc=yes : RE: Lyr Req: Oh my, I want a piece of pie, 06, Jul, [20]11

**
17. "I learned it like this...

Winston tastes good just like a

Cigarette just like a

Ooo ah I wanna piece of pie

Pie to sweet I wanna piece of meat

Meat to tough I wanna ride a bus

Bus to full I wanna ride a bull

Bull not black I want my money back

Money back to green I wanna jelly bean

Jelly bean 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 I wanna take a shower

Shower to cold I wanna piece of gold

Gold to shiny I wanna kiss a heinie

Heinie too dirty I wanna count to thirty

Thirty too high I wanna say goodbye

Goodbye too sad I wanna call my dad

Dad too tall I wanna go to the mall

Mall not cheap I wanna say beep beep

Close your eyes

Count to ten

Whoever messes up starts all over again so

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10

We didn't mess up so that's the end"
-Guest, http://awe.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=26926&desc=yes : RE: Lyr Req: Oh my, I want a piece of pie, 05 Aug  [20] 17 

**
18. "Winston tastes good just like a cigarette should

ou ah I want a piece of pie

pie too sweet

I want a piece of meat

meat too rough

I wanna ride a bus

bus too full

I wanna. Ride a bull

bull to black

I want my money back

money back too green

I want a jelly bean

jelly bean too red

I wanna go to bed

bed not made

I want some lemonade

lemonade too sour

I wanna take a shower

shower too cool

I wanna go to school

schools too dumb

I wanna sck my thumb

thumb too dirty I wanna ride a biddy

birdy too slow

and that's all I know

so close you're eyes

count to ten

if you mess up start all over again

(count to ten)"
 GUEST,Anonomyums. http://awe.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=26926&desc=yes : RE: Lyr Req: Oh my, I want a piece of pie, 26 Sept,[20]10

**
19. "Winston stays good just like a, candy should, just like a

Oooh Ahh

Want a piece of pie

pie too sweet

want a piece of meat

meat too tough

want to ride the bus

bus too full

want to ride a bull

bull too fat

want my money back

money back

money too green

want a jelly bean

jelly bean too red

want to go to bed

bed not made

want some lemonade

lemonade too sour

want to take a shower

shower too cool

want to go to school

school to dumb

want to suck my thumb

suck my thumb

suck my thumb
-Guest, http://awe.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=26926&desc=yes : RE: Lyr Req: Oh my, I want a piece of pie, 20 Oct. [20] 11

 **
20. "You changed the words! It’s actually: Windson smells good just like a, coconut just like a. Ooh ahh! I want a piece of pie, pie too sweet I want a piece of meat. Meat to tuff I want to ride a bus. Bus too full I want to ride a bull. Bull to fat I want my money back. Money back too green I want a jellybean. Jellybean to sour I want to take a shower. Shower too cool I want to go to school. School too dumb I want to lick me thumb. Thumb too dirty I want to ride a birdy. Birdy to slow and that’s all I know so close your eyes and count to ten, whoever messes up has to start again! “ 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10”. We didn’t mess up so that’s the end! You changed up a few words in their and made a new version."
-PB - 08CR 728122 Alloa PS,  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mP2WtPXTV7A&ab_channel=JanetAtkinson. Winston One Stand Hand Game, [comment, 2018]

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.