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Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post presents examples of the children's taunting rhyme "See my pinkie see my thumb".
The content of this post is presented for folkoric, cultural, and recreational purposes.
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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
"See My Pinky". See My Thumb" is a children's recreational rhyme that can be chanted by itself (as an independent rhyme) with accompanying motions (such as partner hand claps) or without any motions. (The word "pinky" refers to the smallest finger on the hand.) In contemporary children's recreational rhymes" (after 1970s) "Pinky" is often spelled "pinkie".
See my pinky, see my thumb,
See my fist, you better run.
"I am a little first grader. As pretty as can be be. And all the boys around my block go crazy over me me. My boyfriend name is Jello. He lives in Alabamo. With a big fat nose and 35 toes and this is how my story goes. One day I was walking. I saw my boyfriend talking to the the ugliest girl named (insert ugly girl name) in the world and this is what he said to her. M-I-S-S miss you. K-I-S-S kiss you. L-O-V-E love you and this is what I said to her.
See my pinkie. see my thumb. See my fist you better run. Recesse's Recesse's Coco Puff mess with my man I'll mess you up."
-Cidnei Gregory, 2019; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfzHL_1PdbY&t=2s&ab_channel=EbonyJanicePeace "Let's Discuss: Black Girl Childhood Hand Games and Sing Songs" (location: Chicago, Illinois)
The "see my pinky See my thumb" lines are also usually chanted toward the end of the "Brick Wall Waterfall" rhymes. Here's an example of "See My Pinky" See My Thumb" lines that in some "Brickwall Waterfall" rhymes:
uh huh, uh huh,
We like it
uh huh, uh huh,
Peace, Punch,
Captain Crunch
Brick Wall, Waterfall
Girl, you think you know it all
You don’t
I do
So POOF with the attitude
POOF with the attitude
Talk to the hand cause the girl not speaking
Talk to the hand cause the girl not thinking
Elbow Elbow
Wrist Wrist
Fly like a birdy
Kiss Kiss
See my pinkie
See my thumb
See my fist you better run
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"See my pinkie, see my thumb,
See my fist, you better run.
But wait, come back,
You need a tic-tac,
Not-a one, not-a two,
But a whole Six-Pack!
Sorry to be mean
But you need some Listerine.
Not a sip. Not a swallow
But the whole dang bottle."
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In my experience, the "See My Pinky. See My Thumb" taunting rhyme was usually chanted without any accompanying motions. In contrast, the Tik Tok clips show people mimicking the actions indicated by the words while they of the words while they chant that version of the "See My Pinky. See My Thumb" rhyme (as shown in the video given as #2 directly below.)
SHOWCASE VIDEO #2: U Need Some Listerine Musically
Musically Sweet Watermelon, March 12, 2017
-snip-
"See my pinky. See my thumb.
See my fist you better run.
Hold up, wait!
Come back. You need a Tic-Tac.
Not one, not two, but the whole
six pack.
Sorry to be mean,
But you need some Listerineeeee [Elongate the word Listerine]
Aww shoot, I forgot the rest."
-snip-
The people in these Tik Tok clips lip-synch to another video of this rhyme (perhaps the other showcase video in this post) while they perform some actions that mimic the words that are being chanted. The people featured in these Tik Tok clips then lip synch the words "Aww, shoot. I forgot the rest", meaning that they forgot the rest of the longer version (actually versions) of the "See My Pinky. See My Thumb" taunting rhyme.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/10/examples-of-taunting-rhyme-see-my-pinky.html for Part II of this pancocojams series to read some more examples of "See My Pinky. See My Thumb" or some examples of other rhymes that include the "See My Pinky. See My Thumb" rhyme.
Note: "Tic Tacs" is a brand name for candy that are breath fresheners. "Listerine" is a brand name for a mouth wash. Mouth washes are used to freshen people's breath.
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Visitor comments are welcome.
The date that products were invented or when their brand name changed can be used to establish the earliest date for versions of rhyme or cheers that mention those products.
ReplyDeleteFor example, the breath fresheners that are known as "tic tacs" were given that name in 1970s. Therefore no rhyme that mentions "tic tacs" could have been composed before 1970s.
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tic_Tac#:~:text=Tic%20Tac%20(stylized%20as%20%22tic,flavours%20in%20over%20100%20countries
"Tic Tac (stylized as "tic tac") is a brand of small, hard mint manufactured by the Italian company Ferrero. They were first produced in 1968 and are now available in a variety of flavours in over 100 countries.
Tic Tac are usually sold in small transparent plastic boxes with a flip-action living hinge lid. Originally, Tic Tac were dyed specific colours for different flavours, although in many countries the transparent plastic boxes are now coloured and the actual Tic Tacs are white.
History
Tic Tac were first introduced by Ferrero in 1968, under the name "Refreshing Mints." In 1970, the name was changed to Tic Tacs, after the distinctive sound of the mints rattling in their container.”…
-snip-
For the record, the brand name "Listerine" was first coined in 1879.
From https://www.listerine.com/about
"1860
Louis Pasteur’s theory that invisible germs are the cause of numerous infections inspires an English doctor named Joseph Lister.
1865
Lister becomes the first surgeon to perform an operation in a chamber sterilized by pulverizing antiseptic in the air. Mortality rates begin to fall.
1876
Lister publicly recognizes the work of two men working to modernize surgical practices: Dr. Joseph Lawrence and Robert Wood Johnson, founder of Johnson & Johnson."
1879
Inspired by Lister, Lawrence creates LISTERINE® mouthwash, a unique antiseptic for use in surgeries and bathing wounds."