"Hey Mr. Willy" And Other Folk Processed Forms Of "Frog Missed The Lily Pad" In "Down ByThe Banks Of The Hanky Panky Rhymes (with geographical locations)

Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest revision - December 10, 2023

This pancocojams post presents the sources for the words "Frog missed the lily pad and went kerplop" words in "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" children's recreational rhymes.

This post also defines what I mean by "folk processing" as it pertains these rhymes and  presents some examples of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" that include folk processed forms of those words. These featured rhyme examples in this post are given with their  geographical locations (as noted by their contributors).  

A lot of other versions of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" can be found online without their contributors noting their geographic locations.

The content of this post is presented for folkloric purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who contributed examples to this compilation.
-snip-
This is part of an ongoing pancocojams series on the recreational rhyme "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky". There are LOTS of pancocojams posts about this rhyme.  
 
Some examples that are included in this post may also be found in previous pancocojams posts on this rhyme including https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/03/part-i-of-some-examples-of-down-by_22.html  "Part I of Some Examples Of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" Rhymes With Geographic Locations (A - J)" 

and

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/03/part-ii-of-some-down-by-banks-of-hanky.html "Part II of Some "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" Rhymes" With Geographic Locations (K - Z)" .

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THE 1955 SOURCE FOR THESE WORDS
Folk singer Pete Seeger's 1955 "Foolish Frog" book and song is the direct source of "Froggy missed the lily pad and went kerplop" and their folk processed versions in "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" rhymes. 

Here's that portion of that book/song:
"There was a big old bullfrog, hopping from bank to bank. (Sound effects). Well, the bullfrog looked up and saw the farmer and decided to show off. He took an extra special big hop - z-z-z-z-tt! He landed, splash! in the water and got himself all wet."

Click https://genius.com/Pete-seeger-the-foolish-frog-lyrics for the complete lyrics for Pete Seeger's "Foolish Frog"

Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NksJ32bjFd4 for a sound file of Pete Seeger's "Foolish Frog".

Pete Seeger's "Foolish Frog" book and song is built on earlier songs, particularly the 1830s or 1840s poem "Minstrels Of The Pasquotank" by James Biddle Shepherd and the composition that is known as "May Irwin's Frog Song" that was written in 1896 by Charles E. Trevathan and recorded in 1907 by vaudeville singer May Irwin.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2023/11/how-certain-song-sources-other-real.html for sources for Pete Seeger's "Foolish Frog". 

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AN EXAMPLE OF THOSE WORDS IN A "STANDARD" EXAMPLE OF 'DOWN BY THE BANKS OF THE HANKY PANKY"

https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=63097 Folklore: Do kids still do clapping rhymes?
GUEST,ADalton, 04 Oct 14 

"I was in elementary school when this thread started. I remember:

Down by the banks of the Hanky-Panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
Where the eeps, ops, soda-pops,
Froggy missed a lilly and he went ker-plop."...
-snip-
This comment also included portions of two other independently chanted rhymes.

In a subsequent comment A Dalton wrote "Forgot to add that I went to school in Los Angeles, CA. "

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WHAT I MEAN BY "FOLK PROCESSED" WORDS IN RELATION TO CHILDREN'S RECREATIONAL RHYMES 
I use the term "folk processing" In relation to children's recreational rhymes to refer to
1. the unintentional changing of a word or words in a rhyme because of mishearing or misremembering.

2. knowingly (on purpose) replacing an unfamiliar word or words with a more familiar word or words so that what is being said makes sense (or makes more sense) to that person

3. knowingly (on purpose) changing a word or words (or leaving out words) that is (are) considered to be socially unacceptable or socially problematic (such as profanity)

4. knowingly (on purpose) replacing a word or words with an updated (more contemporary) word or words, such as changing an old slang word with a currently used slang word that  basically means the same thing or changing the name of an old dance with the name of a currently popular dance

5. knowingly (on purpose) replacing a word or words with a topical referent or references (such as replacing the name of a city or state with the name of your city or state)  

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folk_process provides this definition of "folk processing" that is much mor scholarly than the one that I've given above:
"In the study of folklore, the folk process is the way folk material, especially stories, music, and other art, is transformed and re-adapted in the process of its transmission from person to person and from generation to generation. The folk process defines a community—the "folk community"—in and through which folklore is transmitted. While there is a place for professional and trained performers in a folk community, it is the act of refinement and creative change by community members within the folk tradition that defines the folk process.[1]"

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Here's an excerpt from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folk_music about changing the words of a song (btw, in this context "songs" also include "rhymes") that I quoted in a 2007 Mudcat discussion thread about "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky":
"Music transmitted by word of mouth through a community will, in time, develop many variants, because this kind of transmission cannot produce word-for-word and note-for-note accuracy. Indeed, many traditional folk singers are quite creative and deliberately modify the material they learn[citation needed].

Because variants proliferate naturally, it is naïve to believe that there is such a thing as the single "authentic" version of a ballad such as "Barbara Allen (song)." Field researchers in folk song (see below) have encountered countless versions of this ballad throughout the English-speaking world, and these versions often differ greatly from each other. None can reliably claim to be the original, and it is quite possible that whatever the "original" was, it ceased to be sung centuries ago. Any version can lay an equal claim to authenticity, so long as it is truly from a traditional folksinging community and not the work of an outside editor."

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Here's one definition from http://www.folklib.net/folkfile/f.shtml  (a dictionary of folk music terms)  that I quoted in that same 2007 comment:
"folk process (see also oral tradition) the method of learning a song, forgetting some of it, adding bits of your own, and then teaching the song to someone else, complete with changes. This happens all the time, with the expected result that there are often no definitive versions of songs."

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SOME FOLK PROCESSED EXAMPLES OF THESE TYPES OF "HANKY PANKY' RHYMES

These examples are only a small number of  this type folk processed versions of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" of "Frog Missed The Lily Pad" that I've come across.

These examples are given in no particular order.

The online sources (or other sources) and date and place citations are given without their time stamps. I added italics to highlight the folk processed form of  "Froggy missed the lily pad and went kerplop" words.

This is only one type of "Hanky Panky" rhymes that include folk processed words. One other group of folk processed "Hanky Panky" rhymes are those that include the name "Billie Jean" or a folk processed form of that name.  Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/04/forms-of-name-billie-jean-in-down-by.html for a 2014 pancocojams post entitled "Forms Of The Name "Billie Jean" In "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" Rhymes"

Here's the examples of rhymes that are featured in this post: 

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/03/part-ii-of-some-down-by-banks-of-hanky.html [comments]

Version #1
Anonymous, February 2, 2023 

"From Utah 80's/90's:

Down by the banks of the Hanky Panky
Where the bullfrog jumps from bank to banky
Singing ee ee ii ii oh oh oo oo
Oops slap a dilly and a bar roo"

**
Version #2
Anonymous, November 8, 2023 

..."I’m from the Lacey/Toms River area of Central Jersey/Jersey Shore and this was the variety we sang at the Toms River YMCA summer camp between 2003-2007 (when I was 7-11). A lot of kids learned it there similar to this, but we had variations there too:

“Down by the banks of the hanky panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
Saying eep, pop, eep, pop pop
Skiddle diddle kernel pop!
I pledge allegiance to the flag
Michael Jackson makes me gag
Coca Cola messed me up
Now I’m drinking 7-Up
7-Up has no caffeine
Now I’m drinking gasoline
Gasoline ran out of fuel (or: gave me the flu) (or: isn’t good for you)
Now I’m drinking Mountain Dew
Mountain Dew fell off the mountain
Now I’m drinking from a fountain
The fountain broken
So now I’m drinking plain old coke”

Sometimes we had a verse in there like:
“7-Up has no caffeine
Now we’re talking jelly beans
Jelly beans are out of style
Now we’ve been talking for a while”

And a verse with Sprite also that I forget.
Also we had little add-ons like counting down and stuff, with clapping I think? “10, 9, 8, 7"
-snip-
This contributor also shared some other rhymes in that comment. 

**
Version #3

Amia, November 24, 2023 
"hello, i'm from utah and wanted to share the variation i learned in girl scouts ! unfortunately i don't know the actual lyrics to the last half of the song, only what it sounds like it was saying, and i haven't been able to find anyone else posting a variation like this online.

"down by the banks of the hanky panky, where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky, saying ee ee ah ah oh oh oo" is the part i know for sure, then after that it's something like "boom slap-a-dilly with a ba-roo on you" but i dont actually know what it says, that's just what it sounds like."

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Version #4
Anonymous, November 28, 2023
"Grew up in Northern Illinois, the state-line area between Wisconsin and Illinois. We always did the following:

“Down by the banks of the Hanky Panky, where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky, singing eeps, ipes, Opes, Ohps, me sock-a-dilly and a ding dang dong!”

**
Version #5
Anonymous, November 28, 2023
"This is the version that I remember playing in Denver, Colorado from the 2010s:

Down by the banks of the hanky banky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
With a heaps hops, over the tops
And lands on a lilly pad with a kerplops

I pledge allegiance to the flag
that Justin Bieber makes me gag
Coca-Cola has caffeine
and now we're talking Billie Jeans
Billie Jeans went out of style
Now lets sit and talk a while

There's a party round the corner
wont you please, please come
Bring your own cappuccino
and your own chewing gum
What is your boyfriends name
(The person who it landed on would say someone's name)
__ loves __ yadda yadda yadda
__ loves __ yadda yadda yadda
O-U-T spells you are out!

Sometimes we would just do the first part, or just the last part, depending on who we were playing with."

**
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/02/down-by-banks-of-hanky-panky-video.html [comments] 

Version #6
Anonymous, June 3, 2023 

"I learned the version I know as a kid in the early 2000's I think I was in 4th grade so that will be around 2003-2004 in Northwest Louisiana. The version we sang was quite a bit shorter and we would sit in a circle and do a hand slapping game until one person was left.
The lyrics went

Down by the riverfront hanky panky where the bullfrogs say your booties stanky and a hip hop lollipop AEIOU bamboo on YOU."   

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https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=94034&messages=454&page=1  Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky [Page 1 of a 10 page discussion thread. I started this Mudcat discussion thread in 2006. . Although it is given as page 1, on pancocojams I use it as a citation for all of the pages of that Mudcat discussion thread. For some reason, this discussion thread has another link which appears to be only a portion of these rhymes. That link may also be used for Mudcat "Origins" etc. ] 

Version #7
GUEST, 07 Apr 09

"The version that I learned as a child (Arizona in the 1980s) were:

Down by banks of the hanky panky
where the bullfrog jumps from bank to banky
With a hip, hip, hip, hop
He jumps from a lilypad --
KERPLOP

 

This was sung, so it was likely taught to us by adults at summer camp.

My friends and I also had variants of the other rhymes, but they were separate"

**
Version #8
GUEST, 08 Jul 08
"when i was growing up in northern california, the lyrics i learned went, "Down by the banks of the hanky panky

Where the bullf
Fogs jump from bank to banky
With an eeps ipes opes opps
Hey Mr. Bullfrog goes kerplop!"

**
Version #9
GUEST,Amanda, 13 Oct 09
 "Beverly Hills, CA, 1984-1988. What I remember:

 Down by the banks of the hanky pank
where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
with an eeps, eips, opse, opps
me socka dilly with a kerplop

For the record, I was always confused by the socka dilly line, but that's what everyone sang so there you go. Seeing some of the lily pad versions is very interesting and I love all the variations!"....

**
Version #10
GUEST, David Taylor, 05 Jul 08 
"I remember when i was in 6th grade Crowley Elementary ( Visalia, Ca year 1991 ) and we sung it like this:

down by the river of the hanky pank
where the bull frog jumped from bank to bank
going eep opp soda pop
Hey Mr Willy...and he went ker-plop

 

and if you were smacked on the sound plop...you were out..and the circle got smaller...man...RECESS was fun!!!!

remember double dutch!!!" 

**
Version #11
GUEST,Emily - GA, 30 Dec 07
"I'm from GA, and my most vivid memory of playing this hand game was at girlscout camp in north ga. It was probably sometime around 1993-1995.

Our version was:

Down by the banks of the hanky panky
where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
you go eeps iips opes oops
chilly willy ding dong!

 

It fascinates me the number of variations on this there are. I had no idea! I sure do hope children still play these games - I have such fond memories"

**
Version #12
GUEST, Max, 15 Dec 19
"I heard this one in elementary school in Atlanta, GA, probably between '05-'08. Some variations on here got close to mine, but not quite. Here's the version I remember best:

Down by the banks of the Hanky Pank
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
Singin' eeps, ipes, opes, ups
Chilly willy ding dong
I pledge allegiance to the flag
Michael Jackson makes me gag
Coca Cola, burn it up
Now we're talkin' 7-Up
7-Up has no caffeine
Now we're talkin' Billie Jean
Billie Jean is out of sight
Now we're talkin' dynamite
Dynamite blew up the school
Now we're talkin' really cool
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1!"

**
Version #13
GUEST, 28 Nov 10
"Here's mine from either Indiana or Virginia in the mid 90's, mainly sung by girls, but boys also. we sat in a circle, with our hands interlocking, whoever it landed on was out, and so forth like many others above.

Down by the banks of the hnaky panky
where the bullfrog jump from bank to banky
with an eips aeips, opps oops,
oomph flop a dilly and an om flop flop.

**
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZDI_VchOmo "Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky"

Version #14
@morgan_heyyy, 2022
"theres so many different versions

i learned:

down by the banks of the hanky panky where the bullfrog jumps from banks to banks saying eeps ops sodapops froggy missed a lilypad and when kerplops"

**
https://www.reddit.com/r/nostalgia/comments/pme8mi/down_by_the_banks_of_the_hanky_panky/


Version #15
Armedwithlysol, 2021
"In the Chicago suburbs:

Down by the banks of the hanky panky, where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank, with an eeps, an opps, an oo-sock-a-dilly and a kerrr-plop!"

**
Version #16
StillHereInSomewhere, 2021
"Columbus OH Down by the banks of the hanky panky. Where the bull frogs jump from bank to banky. With an eep ipe ope oop. Oowop ditty and a bottle of rum."

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Version #17
Former_Ad_329, 2023
"Mine was down by the bank of the Hanley Panky, where the bull frogs jump from bank to banky, saying eeps ieps ohps awps, one fell down and went ker-plop"

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Version #18
winehoe, 2023
"This is super old but popped up when I googled the song. Central coast of California, born in the 80s: down by the banks of the hanky panky where the bull frog jumps from bank to banky. With an eeps, ops, tiddilly dops. Foggy missed the lily pad and went ker plops!"

**
Version #19
Defiant_Care_7438, 2023
Hey i lived in arizona and then kansas! the version i learned was

"down by the banks of Hanky Pankys where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank with the ee ii oo uhhp- each little billy was a (rest) ker-plop"

**
Version #20
lanky_leo34, 2023
"From the Midwest Down by banks of the hanky panky where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky with an eeps ipes opes umps each slapadilly with a big kerplup 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10"

**
Version #21
Emelinerandall, 2023
"I’m from the chicago subarbs and mine went: Down by the banks of the hanky panky, where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank, with an eeps, opps, an oo-sock-a-dilly and a kerr-plops. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8, micky mouse, built a house, donald duck, messed it up, who will pay the consequences, mouse or duck? (whoever it lands on is out)"

**
Version #22
Flimsy_Ad_8032, 2023
"Indiana :

Down by the banks of the Hankey Pankey, where the bull frog jumped from bank to bankey with an eeps, ipes, opes, oops, oop flop a dilly and an oop flop flop. Pepsi, cola, ginger ale, ginger ale, ginger ale, ginger ale, ginger ale, pepsi, cola, ginger ale, 7 up, 7up, 7up, you're out."

**
Version #23
fangirl5301, 2023
"In the Houston suburbs, it was down by the banks of the hanky-panky, where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank saying eeps, ieps, opps, oops, chili Willy dingdong your breath smells like King Kong Coca-Cola fills you up now you’re drinking 7-Up 7-Up has no caffeine now you’re drinking gasoline gasoline was made for cars now you’re eating candy bars, candy bars was madefrom fat now now you’re eating just like that"

**
Version #24
novantinuum, 2023
"I’m so glad I found this post- I was trying desperately to remember the general lyrics of this jingle. After reading a few variations, I finally recalled the (Oregon) version I remember-

Down by the banks of the hankity pank, where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank- With an eeps, ieps, oops, opps- there goes the lily with a big kerplop"

**
Version #25
dftbaRachel, 2023
"wow there are so many versions! i learned this from arizona friends in the 2010s, never heard it where im from in kansas.

down by the banks of Hanky Panky where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky with the eeps, ipes, opes, ops, and a wee flipperfilly and a keerplop!”

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https://kcls.org/content/down-by-the-banks-of-the-hanky-panky/ "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky", published by KCLS, August 26, 2009 [King County Library System Headquartered in Issaquah, Washington]

Version #26

[Pancocojams Editor: This page includes a YouTube video that was made by an adult associated with KCLS] 

"Many different versions abound and can be found online!

Down by the banks of the Hanky Panky,
Where the bull frogs jump from bank to banky,
With a hip, hop, hippity, hop,
Leap off a lily pad and go KERPLOP!
Down by the banks of the Hanky Panky,
Where the bull frogs jump from bank to banky,
With a flip, flop, flippity, flop,
Leap off a lily pad and go KERPLOP!
Down by the banks of the hanky panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
With an eep, ipe, ope, op,
Ee-sock-a-diddly and go KERPLOP!"
-snip-
The woman who shared this rhyme described it as a jumping rhyme (meaning a rhyme that is chanted while jumping rope.j

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https://www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=1769

Version #27

"Katie Nance wrote 

 "In a fit of nostalgia tonight this song came back to me. Here's how I learned it in 2004 in Southern California:

 (Two people link hands, then to the rhythm of the song pull their arms back and forth between them.)

 Down by the banks of the hanky panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
And a hips, hops, soda pops
Jumped on the lily and went kerplop.

 

(Now it's just chanting)

I pledge allegiance to the flag
Michael Jackson makes me gag
Coca Cola has caffeine
Now we're talking jelly beans
Jelly beans are out of style
Now we're taking for a while
Charlie Brown is it (whoever the hands were closest to was "it")."

****
https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=94034&page=2

Version #28
GUEST,Karen, 24 May 07
"Wow, all of these different versions, and yet, the one I learned as a kid is still slightly different. Very cool. I really like the "frog missed the banky" version.

Here's mine... it starts out the same, but the vowel sounds at the end are different. I learned mine in Utah somewhere between 1986 and 1988.

Down by the banks of the hanky panky

Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky

With an EE EE I, I, OH, OH, OOH, OOH,

Ump slop-a-dilly and a BAROOM!

****
https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=94034&page=3

Version #29
GUEST, Lily from the Midwest, 18 Jan 08

As for how the final winner was tallied-- when I was in elementary school (currently am 22), the final two would hold onto one another's forearms and stand over some line or crack in the ground. They'd move their arms back and forth until the final word at which point it would become a tug-of-war. Whoever stepped over the crack or line lost.

 

The version I remember best is:

 Down by the banks (and/where) the hanky-panky

And the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky

With an eeps ops soda-pop

Land on a lily and go ker-plop.

 

 But I do know there was a longer version. It just became unpopular after the first couple days. The bits above about Coca-Cola and 7-Up sound familiar, but not the parts about Michael Jackson.

****

https://www.reddit.com/r/nostalgia/comments/pme8mi/down_by_the_banks_of_the_hanky_panky/

Version #30
dftbaRachel, 2023
"wow there are so many versions! i learned this from arizona friends in the 2010s, never heard it where im from in kansas.

down by the banks of Hanky Panky where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky with the eeps, ipes, opes, ops, and a wee flipperfilly and a keerplop!”

****
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOlfkjl55rA

Version #31
@thejaroszfamily2855, 2023
"This is amazing! It is interesting how people have so many versions of this song, I always have known it as “down by the banks of the hanky-panky where the bullfrogs jump from bank to panky with a epp ipe ope op dear Mr. Willy went kerplop.”

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