The Wiggles, Mar 11, 2023 #TheWiggles #counting
Join Tsehay, John, Dorothy the Dinosaur and Wags the Dog as
they sing and dance along to 'Doctor Knickerbocker'!
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Edited by Azizi Powell
Latest revision - April 5, 2023
This pancocojams post showcases two YouTube video of the children's rhyme "Dr. Knickerbocker" (also given as "Dr. Knickerbocker Number Nine".
This post also presents two versions of the lyrics to this children's rhyme as well as information about the history of the word "knickerbocker".
The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, linguistic, and recreational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to the unknown composer/s of this children's rhyme. Thanks to the publisher of these videos on YouTube, and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
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SHOWCASE VIDEO #2 - Dr. Knickerbocker/Tic-Tac (medley)
Various Artists-Topic, May 30, 2015
Click
is a precursor of the contemporary American camp song that is known as "The Telephone Song".
Excerpt #1
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diedrich_Knickerbocker#:~:text=Diedrich%20Knickerbocker%20is%20an%20
"Diedrich Knickerbocker is an American literary character who
originated from Washington Irving's first novel, A History of New-York from
the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty, by Diedrich
Knickerbocker (1809). He is a Dutch-American historian who is dressed in a
specific type of baggy-kneed trousers referred to as knickerbockers, later
shortened to knickers. The word knickerbocker is also used to refer to people
who live in Manhattan,[1] and was adopted in a shortened form as the Knicks by
the city's NBA professional basketball team.
History
In 1809 Washington Irving wrote his first novel, A
History of New-York from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch
Dynasty, by Diedrich Knickerbocker. It was a satire of the politics of the
day and history books. To promote the book he started a hoax by contacting
various newspapers in New York City that "well-known Dutch historian
Diedrich Knickerbocker had disappeared from his hotel". Irving informed
people that if Mr. Knickerbocker remained absent he would publish a manuscript
that the man had left behind. Many people at the time believed the story and
when Irving finally revealed it was all made up he gained enough local fame to
help his book become an instant success, practically launching his literary
career.[2]
One of Irving's friends was actually named Knickerbocker: Herman Knickerbocker (1779–1855). Herman Knickerbocker, in turn, was of the upstate Knickerbocker clan, which descended from a single immigrant ancestor, Harmen Jansen van Wijhe Knickerbocker. Jansen van Wijhe invented the name upon arriving in New Amsterdam and signed a document with a variant of it in 1682.
In popular culture
Father Knickerbocker punches out the Tammany Tiger, Puck 1901.
In the 19th century a literary group was named after the
character: Knickerbocker Group, who also had their own magazine, The
Knickerbocker (1833–1865).[3] In the first and second issue Knickerbocker gave
a supposed interview.[4][5]
The name "knickerbocker" has become a popular nickname for people who reside in Manhattan.[6] It also inspired the name of a type of baggy-kneed trousers for boys: knickerbockers. The New York basketball team New York Knickerbockers (more commonly known as the Knicks) also derived their name from this character.[7] It also inspired a beer brand by Jacob Ruppert, the first sponsors of the TV show Tonight!.[8]
Igor Cassini, a gossip columnist, used the name "Cholly Knickerbocker" as his pseudonym.
"Father Knickerbocker" served the role of civic
personification of New York City in the illustrated Daily Graphic newspaper,
Puck magazine, and elsewhere. In May 1949, city official James J. O’Brien
toured the globe dressed as Father Knickerbocker on behalf of the New York
World Trade Week Committee."
-snip-
This Wikipedia page doesn’t mention the children’s rhyme “Dr. Knickerbocker”.
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Excerpt #2
From https://math.answers.com/other-math/What_is_the_origin_of_dr_knickerbocker_number_nine
"What is the origin of dr knickerbocker number nine?
THE NAME ...
The term "Knickerbockers" traces its origin back to the Dutch settlers who came to the New World -- and especially to what is now New York -- in the 1600s. Specifically, it refers to the style of pants the settlers wore ... pants that rolled up just below the knee, which became known as "Knickerbockers," or "knickers".
Through history, the Dutch settler "Knickerbocker" character became synonymous with New York City. The city's most popular symbol of the late 19th and early 20th centuries was "Father Knickerbocker," complete with cotton wig, three-cornered hat, buckled shoes, and, of course, knickered pants.
The Knickerbocker name had its first use in the world of sports in 1845, when Alexander Cartwright's Manhattan-based Baseball team -- the first organized team in baseball history -- was named the "New York Knickerbockers" or the "Knickerbocker Nine." The Knickerbocker name stayed with the team even after it moved its base of operations to Elysian Fields at Hoboken, N.J. in 1846. (The baseball link may have prompted Casey Stengel to joyously exclaim, "It's great to be back as the manager of the Knickerbockers!" when he was named pilot of the newborn Mets in 1961.)
Thus, the Knickerbocker name was an integral part of the New York scene when the Basketball Association of America granted a charter franchise to the city in the summer of 1946. As can best be determined, the final decision to call the team the "Knickerbockers" was made by the club's founder, the legendary Ned Irish.
"The name came out of a hat," recalled Fred Podesta, the longtime Garden executive who passed away at age 86 in 1999. "We were all sitting in the office one day -- Irish, (public relations director) Lester Scott and a few others on the staff. We each put a name in the hat, and when we pulled them out, most of them said Knickerbockers, after Father Knickerbocker, the symbol of New York City. It soon was shortened to Knicks."
In keeping with another New York tradition, the team's
colors have always (except for the years from 1980-81 through 1982-83) been
orange, blue and white. . .the official colors of New York City."
****
Excerpt #3
From https://academic.oup.com/book/40025/chapter-abstract/340389396?redirectedFrom=fulltext Prankery, Ralph Keyes, https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190466763.003.0005
Pages 52–66, Published: May 2021
"Abstract
The history of word-coining is rich with cases of neologisms
created as part of pranks that went on to become part of our lexicon. The
surname of Washington Irving’s faux historian of New York, Diedrich
Knickerbocker, inspired a nickname for New Yorkers, and, shortened, to a type
of underwear: knickers.
****
THREE LYRIC VERSIONS OF THE CHILDREN'S RHYME "DR. KNICKERBOCKER"
These versions of these lyrics are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.
Version #1
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jsn7AwFbWOo [These lyrics are in the summary for the video that is embedded in this pancocojams post.]
Doctor Knickerbocker, Knickerbocker, number nine
He likes to dance and keep in time
Now let's get the rhythm of the feet
Now we've got the rhythm of the feet
Now let's get the rhythm of the number nine
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine!
Doctor Knickerbocker, Knickerbocker, number nine
He likes to dance and he keeps in time
Now let's get the rhythm of the hips
Now we've got the rhythm of the hips
Now let's get the rhythm of the feet
Now we've got the rhythm of the feet
Now let's get the rhythm of the number nine
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine!
Doctor Knickerbocker, Knickerbocker, number nine
He likes to dance and he keeps in time
Now let's get the rhythm of the hands
Now we've got the rhythm of the hands
Now let's get the rhythm of the hips
Now we've got the rhythm of the hips
Now let's get the rhythm of the feet
Now we've got the rhythm of the feet
Let's get the rhythm of the number nine
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine!
Doctor Knickerbocker, Knickerbocker, number nine
He likes to dance and he keeps in time
Now let's get the rhythm of the head
Now we've got the rhythm of the head
Now let's get the rhythm of the hands
Now we've got the rhythm of the hands
Now let's get the rhythm of the hips
Now we've got the rhythm of the hips
Now let's get the rhythm of the feet
Now we've got the rhythm of the feet
Now let's get the rhythm of the number nine
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine!
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Version #2
Doctor [extend the beginning of the word "doctor")
Knickerbocker, Knickerbocker 1, 2, 3
Now let's get the rhythm of the hands
Now you got the rhythm of the hands
[Continue that same pattern for feet, shoulders, eyes]
Now let's gett he rhythm of the hips (whoo-ooh!)
Now you got the rhythm of the hips (whoo-ooh!)
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Version #3
From https://childrenlovetosing.com/kids-action-song/doctor-knicker-bocker/
Leader: Doctor Knickerbocker,
Knickerbocker number nine.
Well, I just got back and I'm feeling fine.*
Now let's get the rhythm of the hands.
Group: Now we've got the rhythm of the hands.
Leader:Now let's get the rhythm of the feet.
Group: Now we've got the rhythm of the feet.
Leader: Now let's get the rhythm of the head.
Group: Now we've got the rhythm of the head.
Leader: Now let's get the rhythm of the hips.
Group: Now we've got the rhythm of the hips.
Leader: Now let's get the rhythm of the number nine.
Group: One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine!
-snip-
* This line is sometimes given "He just got back and he's feeling fine".
"Dr. Knickerbocker" is also chanted in unison.
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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
I don't recall chanting "Dr. Knickerbocker" as a child and I haven't seen or heard any version of that rhyme during my direct rhyme collection activities in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The earliest online version of "Dr. Knickerbocker" rhyme that I've come across is from 1973 (showcase video #2). That version is from the Gullah people of South Carolina. Because of its geographic isolation, a large number of African American folk songs (including children's recreational rhymes) come from the Gullah people.
All of the examples of "Dr. Knickerbocker" that I've happened upon have the same or similar textual structure and lyrics. I haven't found any examples of Dr. Knickerbocker" being combined with other rhymes.
The YouTube example of "Dr. Knickerbocker" that is given as showcase video #2 in this pancocojams post has the sound of hand clapping with children chanting. I think it's likely that group or partner handclapping was the accompaniment that was typically performed with early versions of "Dr. Knickerbocker". In all the YouTube video versions of Dr. Knickerbocker, people chant this rhyme while doing dance motions.
The children's recreational rhyme "Down Down Baby" includes the lyrics "Let's get the rhythm of the hands" etc. that are found in "Dr. Knickerbocker". Judging from its online presence, "Down Down Baby" is MUCH more widely known than "Dr. Knickerbocker" in the United States. Since the 1960s, "Down Down Baby" rhymes have been performed as two person or group hand clap rhymes. Since at least 1960, partner or group hand clapping routines are usually performed while chanting "Down Down Baby".
Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5K-FpmUUc7U for a YouTube video of a Sesame Street clip of Black girls playing "Down Down Baby".
Some "Down Down Baby" rhymes are also combined with certain other recreational children's rhymes. I sub-set of "Down Down Baby" rhymes are often combined with versions of "I Like Coffee I Like Tea" rhymes.
I'm curious which came first, "Dr. Knickerbocker" rhymes or "Down Down Baby rhymes"?
Please share any information and examples that you know about early examples of both of these rhymes. Thanks!
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