Edited by Azizi Powell
Latest Update- July 15, 2022 including title change
This pancocojams post presents a collection of some English language children's recreational rhymes and children's songs that include one or more nationality and/or ethnic group references.
The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, and educational purposes and not for recreational or entertainment purposes.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
I consider almost all of the examples in this collection to be pejorative if not racist"-and yes, I realize that "racist" may not be the linguistically correct term when refering to nationalities and ethnic groups and not races.
Examples that include pejorative actions/gestures (such as the examples of "I Went To The Chinese Restaurant" and "Chinese Japanese" that are given below) increase those rhymes' offensiveness.
To be clear, I hope that no one chants or sings those types of rhymes & songs for entertaining or recretional purposes.
That said, it's important to note that referencing nationality, ethnic group (or race) doesn't have to be pejorative. A nationality name may be informational with neither positive or negative valuation. An example of this is the nationality referent "Mexican" in the version of the rhyme entitled "I Don't Want To Go To Mexico" that is given in this collection. (As an aside, the word "Mexico" in "I Don't Want To Go To Mexico" rhymes is a folk processed replacement for the word "Macys", the name of a large department store. After being replaced by the word "Mexico", the word "Macys" has itself been replaced by the word "Hollywood", or "college", or by another location noun.)
Nationality references and/or ethnic references may also have positive associations. For instance, in some versions of "Not Last Night But The Night Before" Spanish dancers or Chinese Ladiesor are used as self-referents or references for other jumpers. The use of the nationality referent "Chinese" contrasts with the pejorative use of "Chinese" for people in rhymes such as "I Went To The Chinese Restaurant", "Me Chinese", and some other rhymes that are included in this pancocojams collection,
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EXAMPLES OF CHILDREN'S RECREATIONAL RHYMES/SONGS THAT INCLUDE NATIONALITY, AND/OR ETHNIC GROUP REFERENCES
These rhymes are given in alphabetical order based on the first letter of the rhyme's title. The first use of the nationality, ethnic group, or religious reference in that example is given in italics to highlight that use only.
There are multiple versions of most children's recreational rhymes. The examples in this compilation may not be the most widely known version/s of these rhymes.
A, B
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C, D
CHINESE JAPANESE (Example #1)
I hadn't thought about this in years… In mid-to-late 1970s
Southington, CT, every kid knew the "Chinese, Japanese, Dirty knees, Look
at these" rhyme. (There were no Chinese kids in town until after I got to
middle school almost ten years later, around 1986-1987. There were very few
kids who were anything but European-American in town at all; mostly
Italian-Americans, with significant numbers of Irish- and Polish-Americans
among the remainder. The demographics haven't changed much in the last 30
years, though happily I no longer live there.) The rhyme was accompanied by the
upward then downward pulling of the skin around the eyes, then stooping
slightly to cup both knees with the hands, then grasping one's shirt over the
nipples and pulling outward to simulate 'breasts' pointier than even a Gaultier
bra. It never occurred to me before that "Look at these!" might refer
to anything other than the (pretend) breasts.
Then again, it never occurred to me before today what
"Dirty knees" was probably meant to refer to, since to my
six-year-old mind it was a nonsense rhyme.
-Anonymous, June 18, 2010, http://playgroundjungle.com/2009/12/me-chinese-me-play-joke.html
WARNING: Some of the comments to this article include
sexually explicit language. No examples with sexually explicit language are
included in this pancocojams collection.
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CHINESE JAPANESE (Example #2)
About 5 years ago, I was fishing near Truckee. A family
rolled up within earshot of where I was fishing in their Chevy Tahoe w Nevada
plates, and decided to picnic there. The little girl, about 5 yrs of age, was
playing in the water with her mom. The mom started chanting "Chinese,
Japanese, Dirty knees, look at these" and the girl soon joined her. I
looked over, and sure enough, the mom and daughter were looking at me (I'm
Asian American). I was going to say something to the mom, about how
inappropriate that is, and setting a bad example, etc, but realized that trying
to have such a discussion with such a person would only result in my own anger.
I convinced myself that they were trying to get rid of me,
so I refused to leave my spot. Maybe that was just my imagination…
-Anonymous, July 29, 2011, http://playgroundjungle.com/2009/12/me-chinese-me-play-joke.html
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CHINESE JAPANESE (Example #3)
Chinese, Japanese,
Portuguese, money please!
We'd stretch our eyes for the first two and then hold out
our hands as though begging for the last line.
Awful!
South Africa (late 1960s and 1970s)
-
**
CHINESE JAPANESE (Example #4)
On Long Island in the ’70s we sang:
Chinese (slant eyes upward)
Japanese (slant eyes downward)
Dirty knees (touch hands to knees)
Look at these
Big, fat boobies! (pull shirt out)
We thought it was hysterically funny then and
had absolutely no clue as to the offensive sexual connotations of dirty kneed
Asian women. It was funny because it rhymed and because we said “boobies”. SMH
-Cathy, January 21, 2018,
-snip-
"Long Island" is a large island that is part of New York City's metropolitan area.
"boobies" = breast
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E, F
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G, H
HI SHOE ELLA (and similar titles, Example #1)
I know a little Dutch girl
Called
Hi
Shoe
Ella
All the boys at the football club say
Hi
Shoe
Ella
How is your father
All right
Died at the chip shop
Last night
What was he eating
Raw fish
How did it happen
Like this
-DevilBunny; February 13, 2003
http://msgboard.snopes.com/message/ultimatebb.php?/ubb/get_topic/f/95/t/000442/p/1.html Skipping and Clapping Rhymes
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HIGH HEEL TRANNER (and similar titles, Example #2)
One day I met an Irish girl
Called High Heel Tranner (stand on tiptoe, touch heel, show off wiggles)
All the boys t the football pitch
Said High Heel Tranner
How’s your mother
All right
Died in a fish shop
Last night.
What did she die of?
Rotten fish (wavy hand motion)
How did she die of
Like this (fall back in partner’s arms)
LETCHLADE, 2010
This rhyme has been around at least since the 1980s, when it began “I’m a little Dutch girl /Called Hi Susie Anna"...
-https://books.google.com, Steve Round, The Lore of the Playground: One hundred years of children's traditions , Clapping games [page] 323; 2010
HI SHOE SHRVANNA (and similar titles, Example #3)
There was a little gypsy girl called
Hi-Shoe-Shirvanna (no idea what that is lol!)
All the boys on the football team go
Hi-Shoe-Shirvanna
How is your Mother?
All right!
She died in the fish chop
Last night!
What was she eating?
Raw fish!
How did she die?
Liiiiiiiiiiike this!
*mimics dying*
God how morbid! This one had actions to go with it inbetween the claps to!
-Sheryl L(10), 15/06/2012; https://www.netmums.com/coffeehouse/being-mum-794/parenting-advice-192/434766-playground-clapping-rhymes-your-childhood-2.html
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EYE SHOE SHALALALALA (and similar titles, Example #3)
When I was younger me and my friends used to do:
I met a little Indian girl called eye, shoe, shalalalala
All the boys on the football pitch loved eye, shoe, shalalalala
How's your father (alright)
Died In the chip shop (last night)
What was he eating (raw fish)
How did he die?
Like this!! Then you fall in the others arms
-Tre55dhb, 27/05/2014, https://www.netmums.com/coffeehouse/being-mum-794/parenting-advice-192/434766-playground-clapping-rhymes-your-childhood-3.html
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EYE SHOE ALANA (and similar titles, Example #4)
There was a little Irish girl called
Eye, shoe, Alana
And all the boys on the football pitch said
I heart Alana
How is your da-ad?
Alright
Died in the chip shop
Last night
What did he die of?
Raw fish
What did he die like?
Like this!
(Fall into eachother)
-Aspen Orion, 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zEcsIfe6lU
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HOLY MOSES I AM DYING
One common when I was a youth in the Glasgow area in the
years after the war,
Holy Moses I am dying
Just one wish before I go
If you see a German soldier
Stick a bayonet up his hole
to the tune of What a Friend we have in Jesus.
There were a lot of anti German songs around for quite a
long time following the last world war. Not very PC or relevant these days of
course, but historically interesting.
-John MacKenzie, 31
Jan 05, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=4300, Children's
Street Songs
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I, J
I'M A LITTLE DUTCH GIRL
I'm a little Dutch girl
Dressed in blue.
Here are the things
I like to do:
Salute to the captain,
Bow to the queen,
Turn by back
On the submarine.
I can do the tap dance,
I can do the split,
I can do the holka polka
Just like this.
- https://buyjumpropes.net/jump-rope-rhymes/im-a-little-dutch-girl/I'm a Little Dutch Girl, 4th Jul 2014 [no name given]
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I AM A LITTLE DUTCH GIRL
We also used to have one:
I am a little Dutch Girl
I come from Alabama
My boyfriend is a hippie
He comes from Mis-suh-sippi
One day when I was walking
I saw my boyfriend talking
To the prettiest girl with the strawberry curl
And this is what he said
I L-O-V-E, love you
I'll K-I-S-S, kiss you
He jumped in a lake
And kissed a snake
And then he came out with a
BELLYACHE [reach to tickle the belly of your friend]
-carboncopysue, 7/24/2007, https://www.nappturality.com/forums/threads/81695-Clapping-Rhymes-hand-Games/page2
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I AM A PRETTY LITTLE DUTCH GIRL
I am a pretty little Dutch girl,
As pretty as pretty can be,
and all the boys in the neighborhood,
go crazy over me,
My boyfriend's name is Tony,
He lives in the land of baloney (bologna I suppose we meant)
with baloney on his nose and baloney on his toes
and this is how my story goes,
One day as I was walking,
I heard my boyfriend talking,
To the pretty little girl with the strawberry curls,
and this is what he said to her,
I K-i-s-s kiss you
I L-o-v-e love you
I K-i-s-s kiss you
In the D-a-r-k Dark Dark Dark
-GUEST, Julie, 05 July 07, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=4300, Chldren's Street Songs
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I DON'T WANT TO GO TO MEXICO NO MORE
I dont wanna go to mexico (???) no more, more, more
there's a big fat mexican at the door, door, door
he grabbed me by the collar
and made me pay a dollar
i dont wanna go to mexico no more more more
-
-snip-
The question marks were included in this example, implying that the contributor wasn't sure about that word.
-KB, location CA [California], 7,24, 2007; https://www.nappturality.com/forums/threads/81695-Clapping-Rhymes-hand-Games/page4
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IPSY GYPSY
Ipsy Gypsy
A skipping and 2- ball game.
Ipsy Gypsy lived in a tent, Couldn't afford to pay the rent,
The rentman came, The very next day, So Ipsy Gypsy ran away, Over the hills and far away.
- https://folkonwight.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/games-remembered-1.pdf
"This is a collection of comments in response to the question ‘What singing games
do you remember playing as a child on the Isle of Wight’? Most comments were
made on Facebook groups which share historical material. Updated December 2020.
There were lots of skipping games played in the school playground when I first came to teach about
35 years ago. They were mainly sung by girls, but not always. Back then we had 75 minutes lunch
time, when the Continental Day came in with a 30 minute lunch it all stopped!" [retrieved July 12, 2022]
-snip-
The Isle of Wight is an island in England.
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I WENT TO A CHINESE RESTAURANT (Example #1)
I remember one that goes:
I went to a Chinese restaurant
to buy a loaf of bread, bread, bread
they put it in a brown paper bag
and this is what i said said said
My name is...
P I pickle eye, pom pom beauty, ice cream cutie
chinese, japanese, taiwan free
dirty knees, christmas trees, look at these
i know there has to be more between the ice cream cutie and
chinese, but i can't remember what it was.. can anyone help?
-GUEST Guest Star, 27 June 05, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=4300, Children's Street Songs
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I WENT TO A CHINESE RESTAURANT (Example #2)
I went ot a chinese returaunt to buy a loaf of bread, bread, bread, the waiter asked what my name was and this is what i said, said, said...
my name is Eli, Eli, Chikali, Chikali Pom Pom beauty african cutie, i know karate punch you in the body oops! i'm sorry tell my mommy. don't wanna miss yah! don't wanna kiss yah! Chinese, japinese, indian chief!
Source: Posted By Kaitlin on Tuesday, February 17, 2004
http://www.streetplay.com/discus/cgi-discus/show.cgi?75/77.html
-snip-
This link is no longer active.
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I WENT TO A CHINESE RESTAURANT (Example #3)
Our semi-racist song/chant (circa 1995, New Jersey)
I went to a Chinese restaurant
To buy a loaf of bread
He wrapped it up in bubble gum and this is what he said
My name is
L.I, L.I, Nikoli, Nikoli
Pom-Pom Beauty
Seven cups of whiskey
Chinese (pull corners of eyes up)
Japanese (pull corners of eyes down)
Indian (imitate feather headdress with hand)
Chief! (cross arms)
- http://playgroundjungle.com/2009/12/me-chinese-me-play-joke.html
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I WENT TO A CHINESE RESTAURANT (Example #4)
I did I went to a Chinese restaurant differently
I went to a Chinese restaurant to buy a loaf of bread bread
bread. They wrapped it up in bubblegum and this is what they said said said. My
name is chicka chicka boom boom I like karate. Punch you in the stomach. Oops
I'm sorry. Don't tell mommy. Chinese, Japanese criss-cross apple sauce. Do me a
favor and just get lost.
-Aneyka, 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0KMFSj-FrQ
-snip-
In my opinion, this verson isn't pejorative if no stereotypical gestures are made while saying the referents "Chinese" and/or "Japanese".
K, L
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M, N
MAIL MAN MAIL MAN (Example #1)
"Mailman, mailman, do your duty, here comes miss american beauty.
She can do the can-can, she can do the splits,
but most of all she can kiss-kiss-kiss!
K…I…S…S…(on each letter the child moves his or her feet more and more outward, doing better and better splits. the first one to fall loses)
- http://www.homeschool.co.uk/jump-rope-rhymes/mailman-jump-rope-rhymes/
-snip-
This rhyme is also given as "Postman" or "Policeman" (or rarely), "Policelady".
**
MAILMAN MAILMAN IExample #2)
Mail man, Mail man
Do your duty
Here comes a lady with an African Booty
She can do the pom pom
She can do the twist
First of all, she can kiss kiss kiss
With her red hot lips K-I-S-S
Lain, 2015; https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080508163109AAg6S8B
-snip-
"Booty" in this rhyme means "butt", "behind". "African booty" means "a big butt". As such, I'm making an exception to the criteria for which rhymes can be featured in this compilation, since the examples are supposed to be limited to national or ethnic group references.
-snip-
Read the directions above about the action that is done each time the chant gets to the spelling for K-I-S-S.
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ME CHINESE (Example #1)
Here’s the version I heard… it’s an interactive joke &
pretty racist.
Two people face each other.
Person A puts their hands together as if in prayer.
Person A says “Open the refrigerator”.
Person B opens Person A’s hands.
Person A: “Open the Coke.”
B: Opens an imaginary Coke.
A: “Drink the Coke!”
B: Drinks the imaginary Coke.
A: “Close the refigerator!”
B: Closes Person A’s hands so they look like they are in
prayer.
A: Bows up and down and says “Me Chinese! Me play joke! Me
put pee pee in your Coke!”
So that’s the version I know anyways. However, I’m sure that
asking for the origin is like asking for the origin of “Why did the chicken
cross the road” and hoping that the answer is something like Bill Smith,
Michigan, 1942
-, https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-me-chinese-me-play-joke-saying/123855/6
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ME CHINESE (Example #2)
The version I heard was a mirror image of fatdave’s – except
that instead of bowing at the end, person A pulls back the corners of his eyes
with both hands while saying “Me Chinese, me play joke.”
Pretty god---n* racist – and I’m black. I wouldn’t DREAM of doing something like this now, and I’d smack my kids upside the head if I caught them doing something like this. (If I had kids.)
Incidentally I heard this in Flint, Michigan in the mid 70s.
-Askia, August 2002, https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-me-chinese-me-play-joke-saying/123855/6
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this comment.
WARNING- Several other comments in that discussion thread include profanity.
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MY MOTHER SAID NEVER PLAY WITH THE GYPSIES IN THE WOODS
My mother said,
I never should
Play with the Gypsies
In the wood
If I did, she would say,
Naughty little girl to disobey.
Your hair shan't curl,
Your shoes shan't shine,
You gypsy girl,
You shan't be mine.
And my father said
If I did,
He'd rap my head
With the teapot lid.
The wood was dark,
The grass was green,
In came Sally
With a tambourine.
I went to sea -
No ship to get across,
So I paid ten shillings (shillings pronounced shillins)
For a blind white horse,
(horse pronounced hoss)
I up on his back,
And was off in a crack -
Sally, tell my mother
I never shall come back.
Anon [Anonymous]
-http://kloggers-randomramblings.blogspot.com/2013/10/gypsy-skipping-song-my-mother-said-i.html
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NEBUCHADNEZZAR KING OF THE JEWS (Example #1)
Nebuchadnezzar, King of the Jews
Bought his wife a pair of shoes;
When the shoes began to wear
Nebuchadnezzar began to swear
When the swearing had to stop
Nebuchadnezzar bought a shop
When the shop began to sell
Nebuchadnezzar bought a bell
When the bell began to ring
Nebuchadnezzar began to sing:
(choose any nursery rhyme)
-grannyactivist, 11-Mar-18, https://www.gransnet.com/forums/other_subjects/1246118-Rhymes
-snip-
Examples of "Nebuchadnezzar King of the Jews" may or may not be outside of this compilation's criteria (that rhymes include one or more nationality or ethnic references. Click https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/are-jews-a-nation-or-a-religion for an article entitled "Are Jews A Nation Or A Religion?"
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NEBUCHADNEZZAR KING OF THE JEWS (Example #2)
We had a slightly different Nebuchadnezzar in South Wales
Nebuchadnezzar the King of the Jews
Bought his wife a pair of shoes.
When the shoes began to wear.
Nebuchadnezzar began to swear.
Tarra ze za zoo, Tarra ze za zoo
Tarra whopper, Tarra whopper.
Tarra ze za zoo
-BBbevan https://www.gransnet.com/forums/other_subjects/1246118-Rhymes, Sun 11-Mar-18
NEBUCHADNEZZAR KING OF THE JEWS (Example #3)
And for tossing two balls (juggling style sort of up against a wall):
Ebecunkeber King of the Jews
Brought his wife a pair of shoes
When the shoes began to wear
Ebecunkeber began to swear
When the shoes began to leak
Ebecunkeber began to squeak
When the shoes began to crack
Ebecunkeber said "Take them back!"
when the store refused to trade
Ebecunkeber began to rage
When the rage began to stop
Ebecunkeber..... I can't remember any more - and I have no idea how the King's name is spelt... This is a phoentic rendition of how I remember saying it
-GUEST, Guest Tess, 19 March15, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=4300 , Children's Street Songs
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NEBUCHADNEZZAR KING OF THE JEWS (Example #4)
Nebuchadnezzar King of the Jews (see also Ball Games)
We used to skip to Nebuchadnezzar. When we got to ‘When the
shoes began to wear, Nebuchadnezzar
bought a chair, When the chair began to rot, Nebuchadnezzar
bought a yacht ( Or When the chair began
to break, Nebuchadnezzar bought a snake). We lived at
Haylands, near Ryde. I am close to my mid-80s
now, so this was in the 1940s.
Nebuchadnezzar was a fast double skip on the word Jews and
again on the word shoes and each
rhyming word thereafter. I think the doubles were called
bumps, but it was a long long time ago.
Happy days. I played mostly on the concrete path surrounding
the house and in the garden with local
friends in the Parkhurst/Northwood area, probably also at
Northwood primary school. I guess it was
around 1950/52
Nebuchadnezzar King of the Jews was used for skipping at
Denmark Rd School in Cowes.
-
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NOT LAST NIGHT BUT THE NIGHT BEFORE (Example #1)
Not last night but the night before
24 robbers came to my door
They stole my watch and they stole my ring
and then they all began to sing
"Policeman, policeman, do your duty here comes (name) the American beauty!
She can wiggle; She can wobble;
She can do the split;
but she can't wear her dresses above her hips!"
-Toni Jaskoski; http://www.gameskidsplay.net/jump_rope_ryhmes/jump_not_last_night.htm
-snip-
"Policeman, policeman" is also given as "Mailman, Mailman" below in this collection.
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NOT LAST NIGHT BUT THE NIGHT BEFORE (Example #2)
Not last night, but the night before
24 Robbers came knocking at my door
As I ran out (Run out of the jump rope)
They ran in (Run back in the jump rope and start jumping
again)
I asked them what they wanted and this is what they said:
Spanish dancer turn around (turn ½ turn each time you jump)
Spanish dancer touch the ground (touch ground once when you
are jumping)
Spanish dancer give a high kick (kick in the air once)
Spanish dancer get out before you miss (get out of the jump
rope)
If you stay in, someone yells "Hot Potatoes" and
then they (they ones holding the rope)start turning the rope real fast and
someone counts to see how many "hot potatoes" you do.
-Kim Presson,
-snip-
"Spanish Dancer" is also given below in this collection.
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NOT LAST NIGHT BUT THE NIGHT BEFORE (Example #3)
Not last night,
But the night before,
Twenty-four robbers came
knocking at my door.
I asked them what
they wanted
and this is what they said:
Spanish dancer, do the
splits, splits, splits!
Spanish dancer, do the
twist, twist, twist!
Spanish dancer.
turn around.
touch the ground.
and out the back door.
-Veronica Chambers, Double Dutch, A Celebration of Jump Rope, Rhyme, and Sisterhood (New York, Hyperion Books for Children, 2002; p. 49
****
NOT LAST NIGHT BUT THE NIGHT BEFORE (Example #4)
Here is what we did in Longview, Washington, USA in the mid 50s..
Not last night but the night before
24 Spaniards (gypsies?) came knocking at my door
Asked them what they wanted this is what they said
Spanish dancers do the splits
Spanish dancers give a high kick
Spanish dancers turn around
Spanish dancers leave the town
-mg, 05 Jan 09, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=115045 Not Last Night But The Night Before-rhyme
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NOT LAST NIGHT BUT THE NIGHT BEFORE (Example #5)
Not last night but the night before
twenty four robbers came knocking at my door,
as i ran out, they ran in
and hit me on the head with a rolling pin,
i asked them what they wanted,
and this is what they said,
chinese lady turn around,
chinese lady touch the ground,
chinese lady do a high kick,
chinese lady get out of here quick!
-GUEST, Avaree, 24 May 10, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=115045 Not Last Night But The Night Before-rhyme
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NOT LAST NIGHT BUT THE NIGHT BEFORE (Example #6)
In the early 90'S, in country South Australia, i remember singing
Not last night but the night before. 24 RObbers came knocking on the door. I went out to let them in and this is what they said to me,, chinese ladies turn around. chinese ladies touch the ground. Chinese ladies do high kicks, chinese ladies do the splits.
We also had a version that went chinese ladies dance like this, chinese ladies do the splits.
-GUEST, 20 Feb 11, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=115045 Not Last Night But The Night Before-rhyme
****
O, P
ONE LITTLE TWO LITTLE THREE LITTLE INDIANS
One little two little three little Indians
Four little five little six little Indians
Seven little eight little nine little Indians
Ten little Indian boys
Well, they jumped in a boat
And the boat tipped over
They jumped in a boat
And the boat tipped over
They jumped in a boat
And the boat tipped over
No little Indian boys
Ten little, nine little, eight little Indians
Seven little six little five little Indians
Four little, three little, two little Indians
One little Indian boy
-Azizi Powell's childhood memories in Atlantic City, New Jersey in the 1950s
-snip-
I don't know how I learned this song (It was sung not chanted.) I remember that this was one of the songs that my mother didn't allow my sisters and me to sing. By then she was single parenting so I must have been at least eight years old. But maybe I learned it even earlier because I didn't realize that the boys drown when the boat tipped over and I didn't realize that this song was talking bad about Indians' intelligence (as they should have realized that packing in to a small boat was dangerous.) But, I thought that all those boys didn't actually drown because that last verse ends with one Indian boy.
****
Q, R
RICH MAN POOR MAN
Rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief,
Doctor, lawyer, Indian Chief.
Her shoes will be
Wood, leather, high heel, low heel, sandals, wooden.
Her dress will be made of
Silk, satin, cotton, batten, rags.
Her house will be
Big house, little house, pigpen, barn.
Her rings shall be made of
Diamonds, rubies, emeralds, glass.
How many children will she get?
1, 2, 3 . . . . .
-https://jumpropesongs.wordpress.com/2013/05/18/jump-rope-songs-and-skipping-rope-rhymes/
****
RONALD MCDONALD
Ronald McDonald, how do you like my lover?
A-biscuit, a-biscuit.
Ooh chi chi awa-wa-a-biscuit.
How do you love my lover?
He's so fine Just like cherry wine.
Take a smoooth shot Take a smoooth shot.
Don't show your dirty teeth You could roll your eye You can
suck your tea Now, Puerto Rican, you don't beat me.
-Susan Campbell, Courant Staff Writer, The Hartford Courant,
https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-xpm-1993-06-09-0000100990-story.html
"Girls Love To While Away Hours With Slap-Clap Games And Rhymes"
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S, T
SPANISH DANCER (Example #1 & Example #2)
Spanish dancer, do the split.
Spanish dancer, give a kick.
Spanish dancer, turn around.
Spanish dancer, get out of town.
Alternate Version
Spanish dancer, do the splits,
Spanish dancer, do high kicks.
Spanish dancer, clicks a shoe,
Spanish dancer, chooses YOU!
-Adele Greil, 4th Jul 2014, https://buyjumpropes.net/jump-rope-rhymes/spanish-dancer-do-the-split/#:~:text=Spanish%20dancer%2C%20do%20the%20splits,Spanish%20dancer%2C%20chooses%20
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SPANISH DANCER (Example #3)
Spanish dancer do the splits, splits, splits.
Spanish danceR do the kicks, kicks, kicks.
Spanish dancer turn around, 'round, 'round.
Spanish dancer jump up and down, down, down.
Spanish dancer get out of town. (run out)
-http://www.saskschoolsinfo.com/gym/skiprhymes1.html
-snip-
"Run out" means to jump out of the rope (or ropes in the case of "Double Dutch") that is (are) being turned by "enders" (two people holding the end of the rope/ s).
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TAFFY WAS A WELSHMAN (Example #1 & Example #2)
Here's the version from An Alphabet Of Old Friends (1874) by Walter Crane (that's recited in the mp3):
Taffy was a Welshman,
Taffy was a thief,
Taffy came to my house,
And stole a leg of beef.
I went to Taffy's house,
Taffy was not at home;
Taffy came to my house,
And stole a marrow-bone.
I went to Taffy's house,
Taffy was in bed;
I took the marrow-bone,
And broke Taffy's head.
Here's another version of this rhyme from A History of Nursery Rhymes (1899) by Percy B. Green:
Taffy was a wicked Welshman,
Taffy was a wicked thief,
Taffy came to my house
And stole a piece of beef.
I went to Taffy's house,
Taffy was in bed,
I got the poker
And hit him on the head.
-https://www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=1488
-snip-
A Welshman is a man from Wales. Here's information about this rhyme from https://allnurseryrhymes.com/taffy-was-a-welshman/
"Taffy Was A Weshman"...dates back to the late 18th century England, and was first recorded in the Pretty Song Book by Nancy Cock, 1780, London.
It used to be a very popular anti-Welsh song sung by English people usually on St. David Day. The name Taffy derives from the common Welsh name “Dafydd” and it is also related with the “Taff” river
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TAFFY WAS A WELSHMAN (Example #3)
Taffy was a Welshman, Taffy was a thief,
Taffy came to our house and stole a leg of beef.
I went to Taffys house Taffy werent at home
He was down the garden chewing on the bone.
-Fliss, 05, Feb, 05, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=41824 Nasty Nursery Rhymes
WARNING: A number of rhymes in that discussion thread contain profanity and/or sexually explicit references. One of those examples has the first line "three German officers in a tank" GUEST, Ed, 13 Feb 06 and the second has the first line "Two Dutchmen" Cluin, Date: 18 Jul 07 - 11:34 PM. A much longer (and therefore more risque version) of Three German Soldiers was posted in that same discussion thread by GUEST, FuBar, 20 Sept 07.
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THE LITTLE BALD HEADED CHINESE
My mother she told me to open the door
The little bald headed Chinese nese nese
I opened the door He fell on the floor
The little bald headed Chinese nese nese
My mother she told me to get him a drink
The little bald headed Chinese nese nese
I gave him a drink He peed in the sink
The little bald headed Chinese nese nese
--Azizi Powell's childhood memories in Atlantic City, New Jersey in the 1950s.
-snip-
I don't know how I learned this song (It was sung not chanted.) I remember that this was one of the songs that my mother didn't allow my sisters and me to sing.
This reinforces for me that adults have to be more open about explaining why children shouldn't sing certain songs (or chant certain rhymes).
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Y, Z
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