Edited by Azizi Powell
Latest Update: August 10, 2022
This pancocojams post presents some examples of English language children's recreactional rhymes that include at least one name of a fictiional character.
This post is presented for folkloric and recreational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who have contributed examples of these playground rhymes.
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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
The general mission of this pancocojams blog is "to showcase the music, dances, language practices and customs of African Americans and of other people of Black descent throughout the world,"
Many of the recreational rhymes, children's singing games, and children's cheerleader cheers (including foot stomping cheers) that I showcase on this pancocojams blog may be very familiar to African Americans now or may have been very familiar to African Americans in the past.
However, some other examples of children's rhymes and singing games that I feature on this blog may be (or may have been) much less familiar or not at all familiar to African Americans in particular and/or to other Black people throughout the world. As such, some pancocojams posts on these subjects may largely or even completely fall outside of the scope of the above cited mission statement for this blog.
I feature those examples of rhymes, singing games, and cheers on pancocojams because I'm interested in those subjects in general and because I want to use this platform to document, enjoy, analyze, and archive those subjects.
I encourage pancocojams readers to join me in collecting, enjoying, sharing, analyzing, and archivinge examples of children's playground rhymes, singing games, and cheerleader cheers so that people now and in future generations will know and better understand those creative composition and performance routines.
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This pancocojams compilation is not intended to be comprehensive.
Among the sub-categories of recreational rhymes that are not included in this compilation are "choosing it rhymes", taunting rhymes, and "Miss Mary Mack", "Miss Sue From Alabama", "Miss Susie Had A Steamboat, "Miss Lucy Had A Baby", and "Little Sally Walker" rhymes (unless those examples contain a name or names of other fictitious character/s.)
Examples of Christmas rhymes, or any other holiday rhymes are also not included in this compilation, except for several examples that begin with the words "jingle bells" and include the name of a fictititious character.
This pancocojams compilation also doesn't include any examples of singing games or nursery rhymes as those are separate categories of compositions for children.
Furthermore, this compilation doesn't include any examples of children's cheerleader cheers (including that sub-category of foot stomping cheers) although some people may consider those examples to be "recreational rhymes".
The examples in this compilation don't include any profanity that is writen without amended spelling. Also, none of these examples contain sexually explicit content.
WARNING. Some examples on certain online websites that are cited in this post include profanity without amended spelling and/or include sexually eplicit content.
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This pancocojams compilation also doesn't include examples of recreationalrhymes whose content I consider to be excessively violent and/or examples of recreational rhymes that have lyrics and/or performance motions/gestures that I consider to be racist or otherwise pejorative.
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These examples are usually given without my editorial comments.
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Pancocojams posts on a specific rhyme may be found by using google search for that rhyme's title followed by the word pancocojams.
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SOME EXAMPLES OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE PLAYGROUND RHYMES THAT INCLUDE FICTITIOUS CHARACTERS
These examples are given in alphabetical order based on the title used for the rhyme or song parody. The names of the fictitious characters are given in italics the first time that they are mentioned in the rhyme.
Multiple examples from the same rhyme family are usually given in chronological order with the oldest example (by publishing date or direct collection date) given first.
A, B
BLONDIE AND DAGWOOD (Jump Rope Rhyme), Example #1
"and does anyone remeber this:
blondie and dagwood went to town
blondie bought a dressing gown
dagwood bought the evening paper
and this is what it said
close your eyes and count to ten
if your out you'll hold an end
one two three (to ten doing pepper)"
-Guest, guest; http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=46932&messages=132 Child's Game: Elastics; November 18, 2008
BLONDIE AND DAGWOOD (Jump Rope Rhyme), Example #2
Blondie and Dagwood went to town
Blondie bought a dressing gown
Dagwood bought the paper, and this is what it said
Close your eyes and count to ten, If you miss take an end!
One two three four five
six seven eight nine ten!
-https://campussuite-storage.s3.amazonaws.com/prod/744391/30f170c3-c0dc-11e6-b7b7-22000bd8490f/1069325/9f229aa6-32bf-11e7-9e05-124f7febbf4a/file/JumpRopeRhymes.pdf Lemont-Bromberek Combined School District 113A
Wellness Committee Resources- Jump Rope Rhymes
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C, D
CINDERELLA DRESSED IN YELLOW (Example #1)
| "From my eleven-year-old daughter come these jump rope rhymes. She says they don't sing them, they are more of a chant than a song. They do this at school during recess. Cinderella, dressed in yella, went upstairs to kiss a fella, |
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CINDERELLA DRESSED IN YELLOW (Example #2)
Cinderella, dressed in yella
Went downtown to get some musta'd
[mustard] On the way her girdle busted
How many people were disgusted?
Red, hot, PEPPER!
...and the number of times you could jump fast ("pepper") was the number of people who were disgusted. lol
-eShirl; http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=270x290#291 ; Anybody remember jumprope rhymes?; July, 5, 2006
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CINDERELLA DRESSED IN YELLOW (Example #3)
"Cinderella, dressed in yella
Tell me, have you got a fella?
The girls holding the rope chanted this and the jumper kept time. She answered with a name and spelled it ("P-A-U-L spells 'Paul'") and this went on untill the jumper missed a lick."
-Neighmond, 03 Feb 03, Folklore: Skipping Rhymes & Playground Games, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=56361
-snip-
This commenter wrote that he remembered girls playing this while jumping rope (Spirit Lake, Iowa in the early '80's)
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CINDERELLA DRESSED IN YELLOW (Example #4)
"Cinderella, dressed in yellow
Went upstairs to kiss a fellow
Made a mistake and kissed a snake
How many doctors did it take?
(Jumper counts off until they miss a lick.)"
-Neighmond, 03 Feb 03, Folklore: Skipping Rhymes & Playground Games, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=56361
-snip-
Here's a comment from Neigmond: "Me again! I am watching a friend's three kids today, and I heard them in the basement (playroom) skipping rope. They were doing a version of IV that went like so"
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COCA COLA CAME TO TOWN
coca cola came to town
pepsi cola shot him down
dr. pepper stiched him up
now we all drink 7-up
i'm a nut, i'm a nut, i'm a nut, i'm a nut, i'm a nut
romeo and juliet
on a balcony they met
scram you guys i got a date
shakespeare's coming in a '48
i'm a nut, etc.
this song had another verse i think, and if you look it up online it comes out as "sweet cream soda pop" but i can't remember putting that into the song at all."
-bendergoonie1985, 09/01/05, http://www.inthe00s.com/archive/inthe80s/smf/1109960765.shtml Those
clapping songs
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DOWN BY THE BANKS OF THE HANKY PANKY (with "MICKY MOUSE HAD A HOUSE verses) Example #1
i learned "down by the bbaks of the hanky panky where the bull frogs jump from bank to banky with an eeps opps oopsakadaily (idk wut haha but its prob like that) and a ker plop 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 mickey mouse had a house donald duck messed it up who shall pay the consequenses mouse or duck?" and then you spell out the choice and the person it lands on is outtt hah
-Swimmer0715, 2010 [comment]; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZC8INeM0w5A Down on the Banks of the Hanky Panky
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DOWN BY THE BANKS OF THE HANKY PANKY (with "MICKY MOUSE MADE A HOUSE verses) Example #2
...the way i was taught was:
Down by the banks with a hankey pankey
where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bankey
sayin ooh aah skit skat
big fat dirty rat
i pledge allegiance to the flag
michael jackson is so bad
pepsi cola burnin up
now we're drinking 7-up
7-up has no caffine
now we're dating billy jean
billy jean went out of town
now we're watchin charlie brown
charlie brown went out of style
now we're watchin x-files
x-files way too scary
now we're watchin tom&jerry
tpm&jerry went to lunch
now we're watchin brady bunch
brady bunch went out of town riding on a pony
stuck a feather in his hat and called it macaroni
johnny ate a booger
and it taste like sugar
johnny wanna know who ate that booger
mickey mouse
made a house
doanld duck
messed it up
who will pay the consequences
y-o-u spells you!!
the ending veried from
mickey mouse
made a house
donald duck
messed it up
to
mickey mouse
made a house
made out of glass
donald duck
messed it up
mickey kicked his a**
;D
-Infiniti, 10/28/12, http://www.inthe00s.com/archive/inthe80s/smf/1109960765.shtml Those clapping songs
-snip-
This is the way this example was written on that page.
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DOWN BY THE RIVER WITH THE HANKY PANKY (Example #3)
Down by the river with the hanky panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
Singing E, I, O, U, your mama stinks and so do you
King Kong, Donkey Kong, went to school with nothing on
Asked the teacher what to wear, polka dotted underwear!
Not too big and not too small, just the size of Broward Mall
I pledge allegiance to the flag, Michael Jackson makes me gag
Pepsi cola burnt him up, now we’re drinking 7-up
7-up has no caffeine, now we’re singing Billy Jean
Billy Jean is out of sight, now we’re talking dynamite
Dynamite blew up the school, now we’re talking really cool
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Whoever was clapped on one was I guess out. Actually I remember that my first ever exposure to Michael Jackson was through these rhymes, I remember quite a few featured him. We also had a lot of songs about killing our teachers and burning down the school, you know, innocent schoolyard games!...
-Elle, October 3, 2009, https://kateharding.net/2009/10/02/miss-lucy-had-friday-fluff/
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DOWN BY THE RIVER OF HANKY PANKY (Example #4)
I grew up in Memphis and this is how I personally heard the
song for the game goes:
Down by the river of hanky Panky
Bullfrog jumps from bank to bank he
Says "ooh! Ah! Skittle skat! Big fat dirty rat!"
I pledge allegiance to the flag, Michael Jackson is so bad
Coca-cola burnin' up, now it's time for seven up
Seven up has no caffeine, now it's time for billy Jean
Billy Jean went out of town riding on a pony
Stuck a feather in his head and called it macaroni
Mickey Mouse had a house
Donald Duck messed it up
Who will pay the con-se-quenc-es
Y-O-U
Caitlin
Shaddock, December 10, 2020 (from the discussion thread for
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/01/hand-clap-rhymes-that-mention-mp3s-cell.html
"Hand Clap Rhymes That Mention Mp3s, Cell Phones, HDTV, &
Computers"
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DOWN DOWN BABY
Then there's one me and my friends made up:
This thing goes, Down down, baby. Down down the roller coaster. Sweet sweet, baby. I'll never let you go. If you wanna kiss me, just say you love me. Shimmy-shimmy cocoa puff, shimmy-shimmy ride. Shimmy-shimmy cocoa puff, shimmy-shimmy ride. I like ice cream. I like tea. I like a boyfriend, he likes me! So step back **white boy** you ain't shy. I bet'cha five dollars I can beat'cha behind. Said last night, the night before. I met my boyfriend at the candy store. He bought me ice cream, he bought me cake; he brought me home with a belly ache. I said 'Mamma, mamma! I'm so sick! Call the docter--QUICK QUICK QUICK! Docter, Docter, shall I die?' 'Just close your eyes and count to five.' Said, 'One, two, three, four, five. I'M ALIVE!' 'See that house up on the hill? That's where me and my boyfriend live. So cut the ice cream, cut the cake, come on, baby, let's celebrate!' Said, '1, 2, 3, 4, I'm a alive on channel 5, Scooby-doo on Channel 2, Frakenstein on Channel 9, and a big fat lady on Channel 80 and all the rest on PBS( or CBS)"
-FudgeSundae22, 01/16/12,
http://www.inthe00s.com/archive/inthe80s/smf/1109960765.shtml Those clapping songs
E, F
ET FROM OUTER SPACE (Example #1)
ET. ET.
ET from outer space.
He has an ugly face.
Sittin in a rocket
eatin very tocket
watchin the clock go
Tick tock
tick tock shawally wally
ABCDEFG
You betta get your black hands offa me
You gotta smoooth cho
You gotta smoooth cho
You gotta smooth, smooth, smooth, smooth, smooth. Now Freeze!
(alternative last line: My mama said "Black eye peas").
-Kiera, African American girl, 8 years old, (Pleasantville, New Jersey) and Kion, African American male, 6 years old, (Pleasantville, New Jersey), 11/8/2008l collected by Azizi Powell
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ET FROM OUTER SPACE (Example #2)
E.T.::clap clap::
E.T.::clap clap::
E.T. from outer space
he had an ugly face
sittin in a rocker eatin betty crocker
watchin the clock go tick tock
tick tock she walla wala
tick tock she walla wala
A. B.C.D. E. F.G.
YOU BETTA CET CHO BLACK HANDS OFFA ME
I gota smooth shaa(?)
I gota smooth shaa(?)
I gota smooth smooth smoth smooth shaa(?)
and then u say sumthin like ya name and then go FREEZE! LOL!
-SharmaineB; (African American female; no location given), http://bn-in.facebook.com/notes.php?id=505682703&_fb_noscript=1 “HandClaps Throwbacks”; posted 2007; retrieved 9/15.2009
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ET FROM OUTER SPACE (Example #3)
ET
ET
ET from outer space.
He had an ugly face.
Sitting in a rocket.
Eating chocolate.
Watching soap operas
All day long.
A B C D E F G
Get your black hands off of me. *
Now freeze! **
-Naijah S.; (African American female, 9 years old; Hazelwood section of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Collected by Azizi Powell 1/14/2011
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ET FROM OUTER SPACE (Example #4)
E.T....E.T....
E.T from outer space he has an ugly face, sitting in the rocker, eating betty crocker, watching the clock go tick tock, tick tock shawawa(sp)(x2), a-b-c-d-e-f-g betta get your mama off of me, betta get your mama off of me musha, musha, musha, freeze.
-i heart the 90s, http://nothingliketheninetys.blogspot.com/2008/08/etet.html , August 3, 2008
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FAT ALBERT GOT SOME STINKY DRAWS
My cousins and I use to sing:
"Fat Albert got some stanky draws. I saw him when he took them off. He put them in the washing machine...but the washing machine broke down...he put'em on Santa Claus...Ho Ho who's these funky draws?"
Those were the days.
-AnydayNow, 12,30/2000; http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=4123&page=3 Childhood Chants And Games
-snip-
This chant was probably adapted from "Yo Mama Don't Wear No Draws" (Read some examples below in this post.) "Draws" (drawers) mean "underwear".
Participants in that discussion were members of historically Black Greek letter sororities.
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FLINSTONES
"An article in the current "Children's Folklore Review" has some good ones. Here are a couple.
Flintstones, Flintstones, yabba, yabba, doo!
Fred does the bow,
Wilma does the curtsy,
Pebbles shows her knickers,
And we all go "Wow!"
- Q (Frank Staplin), 29 Nov 09, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=20909 Children's rhymes and playground songs
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G, H
HI MARSHAL DILLON
Hi Marshall Dillon*
How about a date?
Meet me in the corner
At half past eight.
Bring along your horse,
Bring along your mule,
Don't bring the teacher
Cause I hate school.
Source: Hastings (1990)
-https://mudcat.org/jumprope/jumprope_display_all.cfm
-snip-
Marshall Matt Dillon was the central character in the United States Western (cowboy) series Gunsmoke https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunsmoke
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HOLLYWOOD GOES SWINGIN'
Both girls:
Hollywood, Hollywood
Hollywood goes swingin
Partner #1:
My name is Raya and I'm number 2
Kickin it with Scooby Doo
Hit me high
Hit me low
Hit me where you wanna go.
Repeat the entire rhyme with the partner #1 saying the lines that partner #1 said, but substitute her name or nickname and (preferably) change the number rhyme
-ConRaya E. (11 years); Sha'Ona K. (11 years), African American girls; Pittsburgh, PA; 6/12/2008
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I, J
IT'S HOWDY DOODY TIME (Example #1)
Buffalo Bob: Say kids, what time is it?
Kids: It's Howdy Doody Time!
It's Howdy Doody Time.
It's Howdy Doody Time.
Bob Smith and Howdy Do
Say Howdy Do to you.
Let's give a rousing cheer,
Cause Howdy Doody's here,
It's time to start the show,
So kids let's go!
-http://www.lyricsondemand.com/tvthemes/howdydoodylyrics.html
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HOWDY DOODY (Example #2)
Parody:
It's Howdy Doody Time
This show ain't worth a dime,
And as for Clarabell,
He can just go to hell;
and as for Buffalo Bob,
He is a big fat slob...
Memory, and perhaps the parody too, trails off at that point.
-fretless; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=87050 Lyr Req: Kid's Parodies, 2/14/2007
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I MADE YOU LOOK
You dirty crook, I made you look,
you stole your mother's
pocket book.
You stole a dime, bought some wine,
now you look like
Frankenstein.
Your Mama, Your Daddy, Your Greasy Granny
gotta hole in her
panty.
She go beep beep beep down Sesame Street!"
-E.J. Westlake, March 8, 2016, http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/03/yo-greasy-grimey-granny-black-talk-in.html
Yo Greasy Grimey Granny - Black Talk In Playground Chants Yo
Greasy Grimey Granny - Black Talk In Playground Chants
-snip-
EJ Westlake first wrote on that pancocojams discussion thread April 24, 2015 "I remember reciting "greasy granny" in primary school in 1970, so it's been around for a long, long time." In response to my request for more informtion, that commenter shared the rhyme given above* and wrote "I
first heard it in my predominantly African American primary school in Dayton,
Ohio in 1970. I don't remember any actions that went with it Later, when I was in a mixed white and black high school
(Colonel White) in 1980, we worked this into a cheer the band did at football
games."
*That rhyme was given in paragraph form. I converted it to poetry form to enhance it's readability.
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I MET MY BOYFRIEND AT THE CANDY STORE
Chachi loves Joni, Joni loves Chachi,
East, West,
I met my boyfriend at the candy store
he bought me ice cream
he bought me cake
he brought me home witha belly ache
I said Mama mama I feel sick call the doctor quick quick
quick,
Doctor doctor will I die? Count to five and you'll survivie
..1... 2...3..4..5.. Im Alive!
or if someone messed up the rythm
We'd say I died!
-:
chel-bert , 04/21/05, http://www.inthe00s.com/archive/inthe80s/smf/1109960765.shtml
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I WENT DOWNTOWN TO MEET CHARLIE BROWN (Example #1)
heres one that me and my friends do:
i Went down town to meet charlie brown
he gave me a nickle that bought me a pickle
the pickle was sour so he bought me a flower
the flower was dead so this is what he said:
down down baby down by the rollercoaster
sweet sweet baby never wana let you go
just because i kissed you doesnt mean i love you
shimmy shimmy coco puffs
shimmy shimmy pow
shimmy shimmy coco puffs
shimmy shimmy pow
My momy your momy live across the street
18,19 Alligator street
Boom Bang Choo Choo Train
wind me up i do my thang
( hit the person beside you)
Oops i'm Sorry!"
- Sarah, Octoblog, Schoolyard games; 7/17/2005
-snip-
The name "Charlie Brown" replaced the name "Miss Brown" or "Mrs. Brown" in earlier examples of these rhymes probably because "Charlie Brown" is the name of the widely known cartoon character. "James Brown" or "Chris Brown" are also used in these rhymes instead of "Miss Brown", "Mrs Brown", or "Charlie Brown". Those are the names of two well known African American singers.
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I WENT DOWNTOWN TO SEE CHARLIE BROWN (Example #2)
I went downtown to see Charlie Brown
He gave me a nickel so
I bought me a pickle
The pickle was sour so I bought me a flower
The flower was
dead so this is what I said.
Down down baby
Down down the roller coaster
Sweet
sweet baby
I love the roller coaster
Shemmie shemmie coco puff
Shemmie shemmie
ri shemmie
Shemmie coco puff shemmie ri
I like coffee I like tea
I like the
boys and the boys like me
No more coffee no more tea
No more boys to marry me…
With the beginning you clap hands with friend(s)
Then at down down you move
your hands like a wave
Roller coaster your arms going to the side like this ~
To the side you keep doing that
Then for shemmie you cress cross arms and legs
till the end
And at the end no more boys to marry me however you land on with
your legs and arms
crossed or not depends if your married or not. if not
crossed not married. If crossed marrid.
-https://fornoob.com/how-does-this-song-go/ How does this song go? [no contributor name and no publishing dates are given' retrieved April 22, 2022]
-snip-
This rhyme was given in paragraph form on that website with run on sentences and very few capital letters. I converted it to a poetry format to enhance its readability.
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I WENT TO THE CHINESE RESTAURANT (Example #1)
I went to a Chinese Restaurant
To buy a loaf of bread, bread, bread
He wrapped it up in a five pound note
And this is what he said, said, said
My name is Andy Pandy Sugar and Candy
Roly Poly Chinese chopsticks
King does a bow
Queen does a curtsy
Boys give a kiss
Girls go Wow."
-Bobby, 5'3/2012, http://www.inthe00s.com/archive/inthe80s/smf/1109960765.shtmlThose clapping songs
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I WENT TO THE CHINESE RESTAURANT (Example #2)
I went to a Chinese restaurant to buy a loaf of bread bread bread, they wrapped it up in a five pound note and this is what he said said said
My name is Andy Pandy, sugar and candy rolling down the hill, queens go curtsy, kings go bow, boys go mwa mwa (kissing noise) girls go pow (pretend punch in face)
Nic56imf, 13/03/2015 https://www.netmums.com/coffeehouse/being-mum-794/parenting-advice-192/434766-playground-clapping-rhymes-your-childhood-5.html
****
JINGLE BELLS (Example #1)
Jingle bells,
Batman smells,
Robin laid an egg.
The Batmobile lost a wheel
And Joker took ballet.
- http://www.inthe80s.com/rhymes.shtml Children's Rhymes From the Eighties
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JINGLE BELLS (Example #2)
"In Australia in the ( politically incorrect) 1980’s it was:
Jingle bells,
Batman smells,
Robin flew away,
Wonder Woman lost her boobies
Flying TAA- hey!
( TAA was a now-defunct domestic airline company)
-Jeremy Cheung, Sep 17, 2018, https://www.quora.com/What-s-the-last-line-of-the-song-Jingle-Bells-Batman-smells
JINGLE BELLS (Example #3)
Jingle Bells
Batman Smells
Robin Laid an Egg
The Batmobile
Lost A Wheel
And The Joker Got Away
-
****
K, L
KISS MY ACRABACK
kiss my acraback
you soda pack
you b-u-t-t butty wack
your moma, your papa, your greasy, greasy grandmomma
got holes in your pants like frankenstein
goin' join the beat on sesame street
goin' join the gang on soul train
goin' to the bunny hop
to you just can't stop, just can't stop no
more
stop, blank, aaaaa.
aaaahhh the country south. :lol:
-jenoy,7/24/2007,
****
M, N
MICKEY MOUSE BUILT A HOUSE
...And this one I remembered from this game we used to play:
Mickey Mouse built a house
Donald Duck messed it up
Who will pay the consequences and responsibility
Y-O-U means you are out
-Fred, August 9, 2013; https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/ghetto-childhood-rhymes.553524/page-3
****
MOMMA MOMMA CAN'T YOU SEE (Example #1)
Momma momma can't you see
What the army's done to me
Took away my MTV
Now I got to watch Barney
Tic Tac Toe
Three in a row
Barney got killed
By GI Joe.
Don't stop till your hands get hot
Don't stop till your hands get red
(After this line, partners do a series of fast handclaps; the first person who moves her or his hand away so that the hand won't be hit, loses)
-African American girls and boys; around 8-10 years old; Duquesne, Pennsylvania, collected by Azizi Powell, 7/1999
****
MAMA MAMA CAN'T YOU SEE (Example #2)
Mama mama can't you see,
What the army done to me.
They took away my favorite toys,
Now I'm playin' with boys.
They took away my MP3,
Now I'm watching Barney.
They took away my favorite jeans,
Now I'm wearin' army greens.
I saw a lady chewin' gum,
I asked her if i could have some.
She looked at me like I was dumb,
That's when I said
See my pinky
See my thumb
See my fist
You betta run!
-Dot Ramirez. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhIXn5dauvk, August 22, 2007 [transcription by Azizi Powell]
****
MOMMA MOMMA CAN'T YOU SEE (Example #3)
Momma momma can't you see
What this baby has done to me
Took away my MTV
Now I'm stuck watching Barney
Barney got shot by GI Joe
Now I'm watching the Cosby show
Cosby show got fired
Now I'm getting tired.
-Guest, Mom From Bama http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=102055&messages=48 "Folklore: Play Ground Hand Jives", 5/2/2008
****
MAMA MAMA CAN'T YOU SEE (Example #4)
The one we sang growing up was
Mama mama can’t you see what this baby’s done to me
Toll away my MTV now I’m watching Barney
Barney got shot by GI Jo now he’s missing a pinky toe
-Caitlin Shaddock (Memphis Tennessee(, December 10, 2020 (from the discussion
thread for http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/01/hand-clap-rhymes-that-mention-mp3s-cell.html
"Hand Clap Rhymes That Mention Mp3s, Cell Phones, HDTV, &
Computers"
***
MISS SUSIE HAD A STEAMBOAT (Example #1)
Miss Susie had a steamboat,
the steamboat had a bell ding ding,
the steamboat went to heaven,
Miss susie went to
hello operator,
give me number nine,
and if you disconnect me,
I'll chop off your
behind the refrigerator
there lay a piece of glass
Miss susie sat upong it
and broke her little
ask me no more questions
tell me no more lies
the boys are in the bathroom
zipping up their
flies are in the city
bees are in the park
Miss susie and her boyfriend
are kissing in the
d-a-r-k
d-a-r-k
d-a-r-k
dark dark dark
the dark is like the movies,
the movies like the show
the show is like the tv set
and that is all i know know know
i know i know my ma
i know i know my pa
i know i know my sister
with the sixty dollar, sixty dollar sixty dollar bra bra bra
my mother is godzilla
my father is king kong
my brother is the stupid one
who made up this song
my mother gave me a nickel
my father gave me a dime
my sister gave me a boyfriend
his name was frankenstein
he made me do the dishes
he made me wash the floors
he made me clean his underweard
then i kicked him out the door
i kicked him over london
i kicked him over france
i kicked him over hollywood and he lost his underpants
-Erin; Octoblog, 4/19/2004
****
MISS SUZIE HAD A STEAMBOAT (Example #2)
Miss Suzie had a steamboat,
her steamboat had a bell (ding ding),
Miss Suzie went to heaven,
her steamboat went to...
HELL...o operator
please give me number nine,
And if you disconnect me
I'll cut off your...
Behind the refridgerator
there lay a piece of glass
Miss Suzie sat upon it and cut her big fat...
Ask me no more questions,
I'll tell you now more lies
The boys are in the bathroom
zipping up their..
Flies are in the meadow,
the bees are in the park,
Miss Suzie and her boyfriend
are kissing in the...
D-a-r-k, d-a-r-k, dark dark dark.
The dark is like the movies,
the movies' like the show,
The show is like tv
and that is all I know...
Know know,
I know I know my ma
I know I know my pa,
I know I know my sister
with the 80 meter bra.
My mother is Godzilla,
my father is King Kong.
My sister is the idiot
who made up this dumb song.
My mother gave me a nickle,
my father gave me a dime
My sister gave me a boyfriend,
his name was Frankenstein.
He made me do the dishes,
he made me wash the floor
He made we wash his underpants
and I kicked him out the door!
I kicked him over London,
I kicked him over France,
I kicked him over Hollywoood
and he lost his underpants.
Miss Suzie had a baby,
she named him Tiny Tim.
She put him in the bathtub
to see if he could swim.
He drank up all the water,
he ate up all the soap.
He tried to eat the bathtub
but it wouldn't fit down his throat.
Miss Suzie called the doctor,
Miss Suzie called the nurse
Miss Suzie called the lady
with the alligator purse.
Chicken pox said the doctor,
measles said the nurse
Nothing said the lady
with the alligator purse.
Pennicillan said the doctor,
caster oil said the nurse.
Pizzia said the lady
with the alligator purse!
Miss Suzie knocked the doctor.
Miss Suzie punched the nurse.
Miss Suzie paid the lady with the alligator purse!
-http://www.inthe80s.com/rhymes.shtml
****
MISS SUSIE HAD A STEAMBOAT (Example #3)
"Miss Suzie had a steamboat the streamboat had a bell. Miss Suzie went to heaven.The steamboat went to----Hello operater give me number nine,And if you disconnect me Ill cut off your behind the fridgerater there was a peice of glass. Miss Suzie sat upon it and broke her little--Ask me no more questions. Tell me no more lies. The boys are in the bathroom. Zipping up their flies Are in the meadow the bees are in the park. Miss Suzie and her boyfriend are kissing in the d-a-r-k d-a-r-k d-a-r-k DARK DARK DARK. I know i know my ma. i know i know my pa. I know i know my sister with a 40 acre bra. My mom gave me a nickle.My dad gave me a dime. My sister gave me her boyfriend. He kissed me all the time. My mom took back her nickle. My dad took back his dime. My sister took back her boyfriend and gave me Frankenstien. I kicked him over China, I kicked over France.I kicked to Hawaii where he learn the hula dance OI!
-posted by XxBloodyRosexX at February 11, 2005, http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php [Octoblog.com- website no longer active)
MY MOTHER GAVE ME A NICKEL
My mother gave me a nickel
My father gave me a dime
My sister gave me a lover boy
Who loved me all the time
My mother took back her nickel
My father took back her dime
My sister took back her lover boy
And gave me Frankenstein
He made me do the dishes
He made me mop the floor
I got so sick and tired of him
I kicked him out the door.
-Simon J. Bronner (editor), American Children's Folklore, 1988, page 62
****
O, P
ON A MOUNTAIN STANDS A CASTLE
We had one which I'm struggling to remember
On a mountain stands a castle
Whose the owner? Frankenstien
And his daughter, Pansy Porter
She's his only valentine
-Gooseyloosie, www.mumsnet.com/Talk/other_subjects/375176-skipping-rhymes , 21-Aug-07 05
****
POPEYE THE SAILOR MAN (Example #1)
I'm Popeye the sailor man
I live in a garbage can.
I eats all the worms
And spits out the germs
I'm Popeye the sailor man.
I'm Popeye the sailor man
I live in a frying pan
I turn up the heat
And burn up my feet
I'm Popeye the sailor man
I'm Popeye the sailor man
I've never stepped foot on the land
I like to go swimmin'
With them mermaid women
And float on my back to get tan.
-https://www.boyscouttrail.com/content/song/popeye_the_sailor_man-1379.asp
****
POPEYE THE SAILOR MAN (Example #2)
popeye the sailor man full stop
lives in a caravan full stop
when he goes swimming
he kisses all the women
hes popeye the sailor man full stop
-Anonymous, 19/08/2014 https://www.netmums.com/coffeehouse/being-mum-794/parenting-advice-192/434766-playground-clapping-rhymes-your-childhood-4.html
****
Q, R
RIN TIN TIN
I've just remembered one from my childhood - growing up in an Australian country town in the 50's. I remember it being done very rhythmically, but I don't remember there being any actions though. I don't think I've ever heard it since - don't know why I remembered it now:
Rin Tin Tin
Swallowed a pin
He went to the doctor
The doctor wasn't in.
He walked (ran?) through the door
And fell through the floor
And that was the end of
Rin Tin Tin.
-GUEST, Jenny O, 22 May 05; https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=81350
I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's' Rhymes
****
RONALD MCDONALD (Example #1)
Ronald McDonald
was ah Hamburger
Ronald McDonald
was ah hamburger
Ooh! Wishie Washie
Ah hamburger
Ooh! Wishie Washie
Ah hamburger
It tasted good, like
Ah hamburger
It tasted good, like
Ah hamburger
Ice cream soda
with a cherry on top.
Now shake it baby
Ah boom bang!
-Donetta A.(African American female), who said her younger sister taught it to her around 1976/1977 ;collected by Azizi Powell, early 1990s.
****
RONALD MCDONALD (Example #2)
Ronald McDonald
loves ah__ hamburger [The dash means to pause one beat before saying the next syllable]
Ooh she she wah wah
ah___ hamburger
I fell in love
With ah __
Hamburger
Big Mac
Quarter Pounder
Icey coke
Milk shake
Sundaes
and apple pie.
You deserve a beak today
so get up and get away
At McDonald's!
And the dish ran away with the spoon.
-T.M.P. (African American female); mid 1980s; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
****
RONALD MCDONALD A BISCUIT (Example #3)
Ronald McDonald a biscuit, a biscuit
Are shu shu wanna wanna biscuit
I’ve got a boyfriend, a biscuit
He’s soo sweet, a biscuit,
Ice cream cherry on the cherry on the top.
Ice cream cherry on the cherry on the bottom.
Down down baby
Down down the roller coaster
Sweet sweet baby,
I don’t wanna let ya go. [actually let cha]
Gimme gimme lollipops
Gimme gimme pow
Gimme gimme coco pops
Gimme gimme stick-ups!
-bunnyfrogs,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bunnyfrogs/galleries/72157624912523550/ "Clapping Rhymes"
****
S, T
THAT'S THE WAY I LIKE IT
A.B.C.
Hit it!
Thats the way uh huh uh huh i like it uh huh uh huh
Thats the way uh huh uh huh i like it uh huh uh huh
peace puch captain crunch
break a wall waterfalls/,girl you think you know it all
you dont i do/ so, poof with the attitude
wait, come back,
you need a tic tac
not a tic not a tac but the whole six pack
yo mamma, yo daddy,
your bald headed granny
she 99
she thinks shes fine,
she going out with frankenstein
go granny go go,
go granny wooooo
-stariewitch; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkgtAELLndA ; April 26, 2008.
****
THE ADDAMS FAMILY STARTED
The Addams Family started
When Uncle Fester farted
He farted through the keyhole
And paralysed the cat
The cat was so excited
He shouted Man. United
And Man. United shouted
The Addams Family.
-https://groups.google.com/g/alt.culture.us.1970s/c/25GUvi8yqqo?pli=1 skipping rhyme
****
THE SIMPSONS (Example #1)
The Simpsons
Bart Simpson
Lisa Simpson
Homer and Marge
That’s not all-
Bart’s in double trouble
Bart Simpson
Lisa Simpson
Homer and Marge
That’s not all-
Bart’s in double trouble
Criss Cross
Apple sauce
Pump up the volume
Pump up the volume
Pump up the volume
Pump up the volume
Pump up the volume
Freeze!
Pump up the volume
Pump up the volume
Pump up the volume
Pump up the volume
For the last time
Freeze!
-Tamia, (12 year old African American girl, Maryland) Oct 29, 2005; collected by Marimba for Azizi Powell
****
THE SIMPSONS (Example #2)
lisa simpson, bart simpson, homer simpson, bart
B-A-R-T B-A-R-T B-A-R-T BART
i said a deep da deep da deep trouble
i said a deep da deep da deep trouble
-Anietie, http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=2204285338&topic=2724&post=25803#topic_top, October 7, 2006
****
THE SIMPSONS (Example #3)
Sin Sin Sin
We do twist
And I do twist
And Maggie Maggie Maggie twist
And Mart is double trouble
Mart is double trouble
Criss cross
The apple sauce
Pump up the volume
Pump up the volume
Pump up the volume
Now freeze 1 time
Pump up the volume
Pump up the volume
Pump up the volume
Now freeze
- Alecia and Arianna, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJ9PPA7MaJk&feature=grec_index , April 25, 2009; transcribed by Azizi Powell on September 5, 2010
****
THE SIMPSONS (Example #4)
bart simpson lisa simpson homer and marge
thats not all maggie maggie magie
barts in trouble trouble
criss cross jhonny apple sause
pump up the volume pump up the volume
now freeze!
-http://forum.blackhairmedia.com/childhood-handgame-lyrics_topic242465_page5.html [This link is no longer active.]
****
THE SIMPSONS (Example #5)
The Simpsons:
Bart Simpson
Lisa Simpson
Homer and Marge
????
????
????
????
Criss Cross
Apple sauce
Pump up the volume
Pump up the volume
Pump up the volume
Pump up the volume
Pump up the volume
Freeze!
Pump up the volume
Pump up the volume
Pump up the volume
Pump up the volume
And Freeze!
-renjs, August 27, 2008 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehR2-Sa5qYQ&t=1s
video summary: "Ren, Eric, Alex, Renee doing what Renee wants to do... again"
video description- Black father does four person hand claps with his children.
-snip-
This is my partial transcription of this video. Additions and corrections are welcome.
U, V
****
W, X
WHEN PEBBLES WAS A BABY
When Pebbles was a baby, a baby, a baby
When Pebbles was a baby, she used to go like this:
"Wah! Wah!" (mime crying)
When Pebbles was a toddler, a toddler, a toddler
When Pebbles was a toddler she used to go like this:
"Wah! Wah!"
"Give me a Sucker" (mimes lollipop)
When Pebbles was a kid, a kid, a kid
When Pebbles was a kid she used to go like this:
"Wah! Wah!"
"give me a sucker"
"I know the answer!" (waves hand in air)
When Pebbles was a teenager, a teenager, a teenager
When Pebbles was a teenager she used to go like this:
"Wah! Wah!"
"Give me a sucker"
"I know the answer"
"Ohh! Ah! I lost my bra! I must have left it in my boyfriends car!!" (cover chest)
When Pebbles was a mother, a mother, a mother
When Pebbles was a mother she used to go like this:
"Wah! Wah!"
"Give me a sucker"
"I know the answer"
"Ohh! Ah! I lost my bra! I must have left it in my boyfriends car!!"
"Ding Dong Dinner's ready!" (mime pulling bell)
When Pebbles was a grandma, a grandma, a grandma
When Pebbles was a grandma she used to go like this:
"Wah! Wah!"
"Give me a sucker"
"I know the answer"
"Ohh! Ah! I lost my bra! I must have left it in my boyfriends car!!"
"Ding Dong Dinner's ready!"
"Oh! my aching back!" (bend over)
When Pebbles was in heaven, in heaven, in heaven
When Pebbles was in heaven, she used to like this:
"Wah! Wah!"
"Give me a sucker"
"I know the answer"
"Ohh! Ah! I lost my bra! I must have left it in my boyfriends car!!"
"Ding Dong Dinner's ready!"
"Oh! my aching back!"
"Alleuia!" (throw arms up)
- Marai, https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080731094608AARt5vg "HELP does anyone know the lyrics to this childhood handgame", 2008
Y, Z
YO MAMA DON'T WEAR NO DRAWS (Example #1)
"Your mama don't wear no draws. I saw when she took em off. She threw em in the sky, and superman refused to fly."
dst10spr97, Jul 13, 2010; https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/finish-the-verse-yo-mama-dont-wear-no-draws.245106/ Finish the verse..."yo mama don't wear no draws"
-snip-
In many versions of this rhyme, after each line people who chant "a ding dong ah dingy dong dong" (or similar words) or the refrain "hump deedump, deedump".
****
YO MAMA DON'T WEAR NO DRAWS (Example #2)
Yo mama don't wear no draws. I seent her pull 'em off
She put 'em on the fence, them birds ain't been back since.
She put 'em in the washing machine, out jumped Mr. Clean.
She put 'em on the track, that train went rolling back.
-phatgirl, July 13, 2010, https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/finish-the-verse-yo-mama-dont-wear-no-draws.245106/ Finish the verse..."yo mama don't wear no draws"
****
YO MAMA DON'T WEAR NO DRAWS (Example #3)
Yo mama don't wear no draws
I saw 'em when she took them off
She put 'em out on the line
Now the sun don't even shine
Yo mama don't wear no draws
I saw 'em when she took them off
She draped 'em on the top of the head (toilet)
And now the Tidy Bowl man is dead
Yo mama don't wear no draws
I saw 'em when she took them off
She put 'em out on a dish
I could've sworn we was havin' fish!
-Maxine Shaw,
****
YO MAMA DON'T WEAR NO DRAWS (Example #4)
"Yo momma don't wear no draws,
I saw her when she took them off,
she threw them in the tree,
them birds said 'twee-lee-lee!'"
Other versions
"she threw them in the air,
Superman said 'I declare!'"
We were the goofiest kids EVER!!! :glee::glee::glee:
-
****
YO MAMA YO GREASY GREASY GRAND MAMMY (Example #1)
I am 25 now and learned this when I was in KG, i'm from North Carolina.
yo mamma
yo, mamma,
yo greasy greasy grand mammy,
she got a big behind like frankinstine,
it goes beat beat beat like sesame street.
-Erica, cocojams.com, 1/3/2008
****
YOUR MAMA, YOUR DADDY, YOUR GREASY GREASY GRANNY (Example #2)
your mama,
your daddy,
your greasy greasy granny
with the hole in her panties,
with a big behind,
like frankenstein-
going beep beep beep
down sesame street!
-AMY!, cocojams.com, 6/28/2007
****
YO MAMA YO DADDY YO GREASY STANK GRANNY (Example #3)
Yo mama
yo daddy
yo greasy stank granny
she got holes in her panties
she got a big behind
like Frankenstein
your mama got a big ole butt
-CinciDiva, Yo Mama, Yo Daddy, Yo greasy stank granny!; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMtZXXIHLwY&ab_channel=CinciDiva, Feb 13, 2011
****
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