Edited by Azizi Powell
This is Part II of a two part pancocojams series on the Hoochie Coochie Dance.This presents some examples of English language children's recreational rhymes that include a reference to the "Hoochie Coochie dance".
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2022/09/the-history-of-hoochie-coochie-dance.html for Part I of this pancocojams series, That post showcases a 19th century film clip of what is now called "the Hoochie Coochie dance".
That post also presents a long excerpt from a 2016 blog post written by Peter Jensen Brown. Peter Jensen Brown's blog post presents some history about what is now called "the Hoochie Coochie dance". I'm particularly interested in portions of that blog post that provides information about early forms of that dance name and portions of that post that provides information about and lyrics for the African American song "The Ham Fat Man".
The content of this post is presented for folkloric and recreational purposes,
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
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These examples are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only. These numbers don't necessarily coincide with the comments order in their discussion threads.
I've given the line that refers to the hoochie coochie dance in italics for highlighting purposes only.
I haven't added any editorial comments about these selected examples.
Source #1
From https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-the-girls-in-france-do-the-hoochie-coochie-dance/213304
1. Eve, Guest, Nov'03
"
“All the girls in France Do the hoochie-coochie dance,
And the way they shake, it could really kill a snake.
When the snake is dead, they will tie it 'round their head .
. .”
Now, that can’t be right. I mean the lyircs, I don’t mean the entire female population of France hoochie-coochie-ing with dead snakes tied around their heads. I have never been to France, but I trust that is not the state of affairs there.
What are the lyrics to this ditty you heard as a tot?"
**
Source #2
From http://www.sciforums.com/threads/all-the-girls-in-france-do-the-hoochie-coochie-dance.30610/
1. rb962, Jun 16, 2013
"I remember this song as a kid. we would jump rope or
something else to the words. i didnt realize there were so many variations!
all the girls in france
do the hoochie coochie dance
every move they make
is enough to kill a snake
when the snake is dead
they put roses round its head
when the roses die
they put diamonds in his eyes
when the diamonds break
it is 1968!
i have seen some alternate lyrics on various site that were
more crude or racists, but this is the one i recall"
**
2. Cheerful2mara, Aug 4, 2019
"This is the song I learned in, I believe, 1964-65.
All the girls in France
Do the hoochie coochie dance.
You should see them shake, it’s enough to kill a snake.
When the snake is dead
You put roses by its head.
When the roses die
You put tulips by its side.
When the tulips die
It is 1895.
Years later, probably in my late 20’s, I sang this to my grandmother, who was born in 1894. She started laughing, and told me that when she was a child, she sang very similar lyrics to the identical tune. When she sang her version to me, which I wish I could remember in its entirety, the last line was, “It is 1825!”
Source #3
From https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=2794 Subject: RE: Naughty kids'greatest hits; Alice C. (of Cleveland) - PM, 24 Sep 97 - 10:18 PM
"Hi there--and especially to Jerry ___ who does indeed remember the same local versions as I do! How delightful. I was at Fairfax Elementary 1971-76. And you?
Hey, does anyone else remember this playground taunt -- let's say you want to embarass two other kids named Richard and Kathy:
Kathy loves Richard,
Sittin' in the tree,
K-I-S-S-I-N-G.
First comes love,
Then comes marriage,
Then comes Kathy with the baby carriage!
Suckin' her thumb,
Chewin' her pants,
Doin' the hootchy-kootchy dance!
****
Source #4
From https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=56361 Folklore: Skipping Rhymes & Playground Games, Neighmond, 03 Feb 03 - 01:57 AM
"I used to spend recesses against the wall for jumping out of
the swings in mid-air, and playing tag on the tornado slide, and the girls
jumped the rope on the wide walkway there. Here are a few that I recall
hearing, but the words may be out of order, as this was a while ago.
Apples on a stick, make me sick(slick?).
make my arms
(heart?) go two-four-six!
It's not because
i'm dirty
It's not because
i'm clean
It's not because I
kiss the boys
behind a magazene
(behind a _____ machine?)
Hey girls, let's
have fun!
Here comes a cop
with his (vest?) undone!
He can shammey he
can shake
He can do the
hoochie-koo
But I bet a dollar
he can't catch you!
One, two, three,
etc.....
Chanted to a double jumprope, I heard this on the schoolyard
in Spirit Lake, Iowa around 1982-5. The count continued untill the jumproper
missed a lick."
****
Source #5
Google Books: Weep Not, My Wanton: Stories & Poems by Maggie Dubris ; David R. Godine Publisher, 2002
"Hi, Roy Rogers how about a date
Meet me on the corner at half past eight,
I can do the shing-a-ling,
I can do the twist
I can do The hootchie-cootchie
And it goes like this"
****
Source #6
From http://www.kathrynbashaar.com/2015/05/1960s-jump-rope-rhymes/
"One of my favorite things to do as a little girl was jump
rope. I could go and go and go, jumping
on my own, but the most fun was jumping with other little girls. Two girls would turn the rope and one or more
girls would jump, until they missed and has to take turns turning the rope so
the other girls could jump. We never did
anything fancy like Double-Dutch, but I remember some of the rhymes we jumped
to……
I’m a little Dutch girl dressed in blue
These are the duties that I must do
Salute to the captain, curtsey to the queen
Turn my back on the dirty submarine
I can do the hootchie-kootchie, I can do the twist
I can do the turn-around and I can do the split"
****
Source #7
From https://www.google.com/books/edition/Recess_Battles/Wsm-IE3srh4C?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=doing+the+hoochie+coochie+dance+in+children%27s+rhymes&pg=PA90&printsec=frontcover Recess Battles: Playing, Fighting, and
Storytelling by Anna R. Beresin · 2011 ·
"Girl Scout Girl Scout
Do your duty
Cause you got a thing
And that’s all that
Salute to the captain
Bow to the queen
Turn all around like a submarine
Oh, I can do the hoochie koochie
I can do the split
Bet you five dollars
You can’t do this
Lady on one foot
Lady on two foot
Close your eyes and count to ten
If you miss you got too tense
1,2,3, 4, 5…
(1992/1999)"
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