Edited by Azizi Powell
Latest revision- August 8, 2025
This is Part II of a two part series that provides an alphabetized list of text (word only) examples of Double Dutch rhymes ot Double Dutch rhymes that have been chanted in the United States. I'm referring to this compilation as the pancocojams (Azizi Powell) compilation of Double Dutch rhymes)
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2022/04/pancocojams-compilation-of-double-dutch.html for Part I (Numbers- H) of this pancoocjams series.*
The content of this post is presented for folkloric purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
*For some reason, this post doesn't show up in my comprehensive list of published pancocojams post. However, that link is still active (meaning that post is still available.)
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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
This is a partial listing of the English language recreational Double Dutch rhymes that have been chanted and/or still are chanted in the United States. "Recreational Double Dutch" is sometimes referred to as "street Double Dutch".
**
"Double Dutch" is a sub-category of children's jump rope recreational play. 1973 (New York City) marks the beginning of Double Dutch as a recreational sport. One of the key differences between recreational Double Dutch and the sport of Double Dutch is that chantng rhymes/singing songs while jumping isn't a part of the Double Dutch sport.
Many of the rhymes (also known as "songs" or "ditties") that are chanted for single rope jumping are also chanted for Double Dutch (and vice versa). Since at least the 1970s, many jump rope rhymes have been chanted as hand clap rhymes. For that reason, the words for a number of Double Dutch rhymes are the same as or very similar to rhymes that are most often performed while playing hand clap games.
Most of the examples in this pancocojams compilation of Double Dutch rhymes are from Recess Battles: Playing, Fighting, and Storytelling edited by Anna R. Beresin or from a chapter that Anna R. Beresin wrote that is included in a book on children's recreational play. At few other examples are from other books. All of these rhymes were collected from African American children/pre-teens.
The other examples of Double Dutch rhymes in this compilation are from various YouTube discussion threads or other internet websites in which the commenters/contributors specifically refer to jumping Double Dutch, and not those rhymes examples that are mentioned in connection with "jumping (skipping) rope".
It's likely that most - if not all- of the YouTube commenters are African Americans because they have self-identified as such, and/or based on their knowledge of a rhyme that is only associated or most often associated with African Americans who play Double Dutch that is or was since at least the 1940s or 1950s) most often considered a "Black girls' game. vity game since at least the 1940s or 1950s).
The commenters from other discussion threads or internet sites have either self-identified as Black (African American) or can be assumed to be Black based on the title of the discussion thread, and/or based on the fact that those discussion threads are geared to (or for) Black people or specifically to (or for) Black women. For example, all of the participants in the Greekchat.com discussion threads that are quoted in this compilation are members of
**
Click the Double Dutch rhyme tag below for additional pancocojams posts about Double Dutch. Those posts may include more information about playing Double Dutch and more information about one or more of the rhymes that are included in this compilation.
These examples are presented in alphabetical order based on the first number or the first letter of the first letter of the first word. The source (i.e. book, direct collection, or website) is given below the example along with demographic information and/or comments.
Comments or a brief excerpt from the cited source may be given with some of these examples. A brief editorial comment from me may also follow a specific example.
I, J
ICE CREAM CHERRY ON TOP (Example #1)
"Ice cream, ice cream cherry on top, how many boyfriends do you got?"
-Sweetpea43, Aug, 12, 2020, https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/double-dutch-jump-rope-rhymes.3807765/ Double Dutch rhymes?
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ICE CREAM CHERRY ON TOP
“Ice cream, ice cream / Cherry on top / How many boyfriends does (NAME) got / 1, 2, 3, 4…"
-Shireal Carrol, October 29, 2020, https://www.essence.com/news/flashback-fridays-double-dutch/ Flashback Fridays: Double Dutch
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IN THE DARK DARK WORLD
In the dark, dark world,
-from The Jump Rope Book & the Jump Rope Paperback by Elizabeth Loredo (Author), Martha Cooper, quoted in "Self, Other, and Jump Rope Community: The Triumphs of African American Women", 2007 Georgia Southern University dissertation, by Wynnetta Ann Scott-Simmons https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?There is a dark, dark country.
In the dark, dark country,
There is a dark, dark wood.
In the dark, dark wood
There is a dark, dark house.
In the dark, dark, house
There is a man trying to fix the fuse!
-
-snip-
The jump rhyme examples in this dissertation are from African American female Wynnetta Ann Scott-Simmons and three of her African American school girlfriends' memories of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the 1960s.
IN [YOUR TOWN'S NAME]
In (your town's name)
There is a school,
In that school
There is a class,
In that class,
There is a desk,
In that desk,
There is a book,
In that book,
There is a picture,
In that picture,
There is a ghost!
-The Jump Rope Book & the Jump Rope Paperback by Elizabeth Loredo (Author), Martha Cooper, quoted in "Self, Other, and Jump Rope Community: The Triumphs of African American Women", 2007 Georgia Southern University dissertation, by Wynnetta Ann Scott-Simmons https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1507&context=etd
I WAS STANDING ON THE CORNER
I was standing on the corner,
Not doing any harm.
Along came the policeman
Who took me by the arm.
He took me round the corner,
And he rang a little bell.
Along came a police car
And took me to my cell
I woke up in the morning
And looked up at the wall
The cooties and the bedbugs
Were playing a game of ball
The score was six to nothing
The bedbugs were ahead
The cooties hit a homerun
And knocked me out of bed.
-The Jump Rope Book & the Jump Rope Paperback by Elizabeth Loredo (Author), Martha Cooper, quoted in "Self, Other, and Jump Rope Community: The Triumphs of African American Women", 2007 Georgia Southern University dissertation, by Wynnetta Ann Scott-Simmons https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1507&context=etd
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I WON'T GO TO MACY'S
I won't go to Macy's any more, more, more,
There's a great big policeman at the door, door, door.
He grabs you by the collar,
And makes you pay a dollar.
I won't go to Macy's any more, more, more.
-The Jump Rope Book & the Jump Rope Paperback by Elizabeth Loredo (Author), Martha Cooper, quoted in "Self, Other, and Jump Rope Community: The Triumphs of African American Women", 2007 Georgia Southern University dissertation, by Wynnetta Ann Scott-Simmons https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1507&context=etd
J I GYPSY
"When we were jumping rope we used to go through all the
numbers first 2-4-6-8-10, 1-0 2-0 3-0 etc. and then bust out this rhyme:
J-I gypsy
where she been
she been around the world and back home again
she's a lover undercover
get down with ya mama
so spell your name on 1 foot (then she did it)
now spell your name on 2 feet (then she did it)
or
J-I gypsy
Muhammad Ali
Where on earth could her lover be?
I don't think anybody got further than that or either I
forget the rest.
- Symphony08 (Location: Illinois), 03-26-2003,
http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=31403&page=3, "Old School Chants"
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JACK BE NIMBLE
Jack be nimble
Jack be quick
Jack hoofed up over the candlestick
Foot, hop, around the side
Un huh, that girl from
North Philly
She don’t take no stuff
From nobody
She’s up
She’s down
She’s all around
-African American girls playing Double Dutch, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in
Recess Battles: Playing, Fighting, and Storytelling, edited by Anna
R. Beresin, page 96 , collected in 1992
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JUMP SHAMADOR
Good Morning to you Joseph
Good Morning to you too.
What is your intention?
I want to be a doctor
You canít be a doctor.
I will be a doctor!
Well, Jump shamador my darling,
Jump shamador my dear.
-The Jump Rope Book & the Jump Rope Paperback by Elizabeth Loredo (Author), Martha Cooper, quoted in "Self, Other, and Jump Rope Community: The Triumphs of African American Women", 2007 Georgia Southern University dissertation, by Wynnetta Ann Scott-Simmons https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1507&context=etd
K, L
KINGS AND QUEENS AND PARTNERS TOO
Kings and Queens and partners too,
Here are the things that you must do;
Stand at ease,
Bend your knees
Salute to the east,
Bow to the west,
Shake to the one,
That you like best.
-The Jump Rope Book & the Jump Rope Paperback by
Elizabeth Loredo (Author), Martha Cooper, quoted in "Self, Other, and Jump
Rope Community: The Triumphs of African American Women", 2007 Georgia Southern
University dissertation, by Wynnetta Ann Scott-Simmons
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1507&context=etd
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KITTY KAT BAR
kitty Kat Bar
Gonna be on time
Cause the school bell rings
At a quarter to nine
Don’t be late
At a quarter to eight
1, 2, 3 oh 9
Late, late, late, late
1, 2, 3, oh 9
(Repeats until a jumper enters the rope)
-African American girls playing Double Dutch, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in
Recess Battles: Playing, Fighting, and Storytelling edited by Anna R. Beresin,
page 95, collected in 1992
M, N
MINI SKIRT
Look at that girl with the mini skirt
You mess with her
Get your feelings hurt
She knows karate
From the front to the back
Foot, she’s all that
Hop, she’s all that
Bounce, she’s all that
--African American girls playing Double Dutch, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in
Recess Battles: Playing, Fighting, and Storytelling edited by Anna R. Beresin,
page 93, collected in 1999
MISS MARY MACK
Miss Mary Mack, Mack, Mack,
All dressed in black, black, black,
With silver buttons, buttons, buttons,
All down her back, back, back.
She went upstairs to make her bed,
She made a mistake and bumped her head;
She went downstairs to wash the dishes,
She made a mistake and washed her wishes;
She went outside to hang her clothes,
She made a mistake and hung her nose
****
Mother ran the butcher shop,
Father cut the meat.
I was just their little kid,
Running cross the street.
How many times do I cross?
One, two, three
-The Jump Rope Book & the Jump Rope Paperback by Elizabeth Loredo (Author), Martha Cooper, quoted in "Self, Other, and Jump Rope Community: The Triumphs of African American Women", 2007 Georgia Southern University dissertation, by Wynnetta Ann Scott-Simmons https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1507&context=etd
MY MOTHER AND YOUR MOTHER (were hanging the clothes)
"My mother and your mother where hanging the clothes.
My mother punched your mother right in the nose" What color was the Blood
Red, R E D another color then spell....I Don't know the rest...
-
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NIKE
Nike Nike
Who can do the Nike?
Foot to the N-I-K-E
Hop to the N-I-K-E
Walk to the N-I-K-E
Bounce to the N-I-K-E
Turn to the N-I-K-E
Criss to the N-I-K-E
-African American girls playing Double Dutch, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in Recess Battles: Playing, Fighting, and Storytelling edited by Anna R. Beresin, page 66, collected in 1992, 2004)
-snip-
NIKE is pronounced NI (rhymes with "why") + key
-snip-
"Nike" is a popular brand of athlete shoes.
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O, P
OBADIAH JUMPED IN THE FIRE
Obadiah jumped into the fire.
The fire was hot so he jumped in the pot.
The pot was black, so he jumped in a sack.
The sack was full, so he jumped in a pool.
The pool was wet, so he jumped in a net.
The net was fishy, so he jumped in a dishy.
The dishy was hard, so he jumped in the yard.
The yard was yuk, so he jumped in a truck.
The truck was loud, so he jumped in a cloud.
The cloud flew away, so he jumped in the hay.
The hay was just right, so he stayed there all night.
-Joy Cowley, Story Chest: Small Read Together Books - Obadiah Stage 1 (Story Chest S.) [quoted in https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=72705 "Obadiah (jumped in the fire)
-snip-
There are many versions of this rhyme which is also given as Old Aunt Mariah Jumped In The Fire" (given directly below) and other names. Two examples are given in Part I of this series.
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OLD AUNT MARIAH JUMPED IN THE FIRE
Old Aunt Mariah, jumped in the fire
Fire too hot, jumped in the pot
Pot too black, jumped in the crack
Crack too shallow, jumped in the tallow
Tallow too soft, jumped in the loft
Loft too high, jumped in the sky
Sky too blue, jumped in canoe
Canoe too rotten, jumped in the cotton
Cotton so white she stayed there all night!
-masato sakurai, 05 Feb 05, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=72705 Old man 'badiah/Jumped in the fire quoting Mrs Wiley, March 23, 2004,
https://www.tagsrwc.com/chitchat/archive/2004_03_29.html
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OLIVER TWIST
Oliver Twist, he canít do this,
So whatís the use of trying?
Number One: Touch your tongue.
Number Two: Touch your shoe.
Number Three: Bend your knee.
Number Four: Touch the floor.
Number Five: Wave good-bye.
Number Six: Do the splits.
Good-bye, Oliver Twist.
-The Jump Rope Book & the Jump Rope Paperback by Elizabeth Loredo (Author), Martha Cooper, quoted in "Self, Other, and Jump Rope Community: The Triumphs of African American Women", 2007 Georgia Southern University dissertation, by Wynnetta Ann Scott-Simmons https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1507&context=etd
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ON A MOUNTAIN STANDS A LADY
On a mountain stands a lady.
Who she is, I do not know.
All she wants is gold and silver.
All she wants is Big Fat Joe.
So jump in - - -
And jump out, - - -
On a mountain stands a lady
-he Jump Rope Book & the Jump Rope Paperback by Elizabeth Loredo (Author), Martha Cooper, quoted in "Self, Other, and Jump Rope Community: The Triumphs of African American Women", 2007 Georgia Southern University dissertation, by Wynnetta Ann Scott-Simmons https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?
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Q, R
REEBOK [title]
REEBOK
R-E-E
B-O-K
Do your footsies the Reebok way
R-E-E
B-O-K
Do your hopsies the Reebok way
R-E-E
B-O-K
Do your footsies the Reebok way
R-E-E
B-O-K
Do your walksies the Reebok way
R-E-E
B-O-K
Do your bouncies the Reebok way
R-E-E
B-O-K
Do your turnsies the Reebok way
R-E-E
B-O-K
Do your crisses the Reebok way
-African American girls playing Double Dutch, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in Recess Battles: Playing, Fighting, and Storytelling edited by Anna R. Beresin, page 66, collected in 1992, 2004)
-snip-
"Reebok" is a popular brand of athlete shoes. It was (is?) a national sponsor of double dutch competitions
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S, T
SHABADOOBA ONE
I’ve been told been / When a boy meets a girl / You take
a trip around the world / Shabadooba dop one, Shabadooba two, two, Shababooda
three— and your aim was to get up to 100…
-Cassie Owens, May 30, 2016, "Philly Girls Jump: How mothers are working to keep Double Dutch alive", https://billypenn.com/2016/05/30/philly-girls-jump-how-mothers-are-working-to-keep-double-dutch-alive/
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SOUL TRAIN COMES ON CHANNEL FIVE
..."Kids these days just don't know the fun we had playing outside when we were younger.
Did we have TVs...Yes. Game consoles...Sure! However, although a different world, Mario Bros and Sonic The Hedgehog were entertaining, there was nothing like the competition of seeing who could last the longest doing dance steps, while singing "Soul Train Comes On Channel Five" between two clothes lines that doubled as disciplinary tools (If you know, you know.)
After the song was chosen, and my favorite was "Big Mack" (again, if you know you know), then it was time to get the party started"...
-Dr. Ebony White, April 26, 2020, https://www.drebonywhite.com/blog/2016/9/12/lorem-ipsum-dolor-sit-amet-3-xgt35
Double Dutch, April 26, 2020
-snip-
It was time to get the party started" means that it was time to actually begin jumping Double Dutch.
I haven't found the words to (or any other reference for) the song/rhyme "Soul Train Comes On Channel Five".
The word “Mack” in “Big Mack” is probably a folk processed form of the word “Mac”(if
not a misspelling of that word”). Read examples of "Big Mac" in Part I of this compilation.
****.
TEACHER NEARLY HAD A FIT
Teacher nearly had a fit
When I learned the alphabet.
Seems I wasnít very bright ñ
I could never get it right.
I always got stuck after
A, B, C, D…
-The Jump Rope Book & the Jump Rope Paperback by Elizabeth Loredo (Author), Martha Cooper, quoted in "Self, Other, and Jump Rope Community: The Triumphs of African American Women", 2007 Georgia Southern University dissertation, by Wynnetta Ann Scott-Simmons https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1507&context=etd
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TRAVEL
"I still remember the words to the Travel ditty. The way it worked was you had to run clear through the turning rope without jumping or touching the rope. As you run through, your rope turners (and everyone else playing) would sing Tra-vel.; Once everyone traveled, the lyrics became: Travel in and out. This meant that you jumped in, skipped rope for one or two beats and then you exited on the next beat (without letting the rope trip you up on the way out.) On the jumper’s next go, the song continues, with a new command for the jumpers each try (Travel in/Cross your legs/Turn around/And out). [end of quote] www.debbierigaud.com Travel In and Out"
-snip-
This paragraph was quoted by Zapatos, August 12, 2011 in quoted in https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/dbl-dutch.323634/ Dbl Duth.
I haven't found the "Travel In And Out" post, but in her website, Debbie Rigaud describes herself as a Black woman of Haitian descent who grew up in New Jersey.Zapatos, Aug 12, 2011
-snip-
"Travel" is also mentioned in this discussion thread: https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/dbl-dutch.323634/ however, the commenters couldn't remember how it was played.
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U, V
****
W, X
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Y, Z
ZEROOOOOO------ ZEROOOOO----- ZIG ZIG god no higher!!!!!!
Game rules:
3 Jumps/turn per person
1 do over
you have to turn for your jumps
-Mellie York, Aug, 12, 2020, https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/double-dutch-jump-rope-rhymes.3807765/ Double Dutch Jump Rope Rhymes
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This concludes Part II of this two part pancocojams series.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
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