Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post presents some examples of long form versions of the children's recreational rhymes "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky".
There are other long form versions of that rhyme, but these particular long form versions include the words "out of sight" (or folk processed forms of that phrase) or these versions include the words "out of style".
My analysis of this sub-set of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" rhymes is included in this post.
The content of this post is presented for linguistic, folkloric, and socio-cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/02/james-browns-1964-r-song-out-of-sight.html for the related pancocojams post entitled "James Brown's 1964 R&B Song "Out Of Sight" and Some History Of The Use Of The Phrase "Out of Sight" With The Meaning "Amazing" Or "Great" ".
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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
Based on my informal research, I believe that there are more examples of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" rhymes than there are for any other English language children's recreational rhyme. I also believe that "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" has more versions (different words) than any other Ennglish language children's recreational rhyme. "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" has a number of different short form versions and a number of different long form versions. A lot of the text (words) of these long form versions are made by combining lines and complete verses from one or more other stand alone children's recreational rhymes (rhymes that can be chanted by themselves).
The examples of this rhyme that include the words "out of sight" and "out of style" represent what I believe is a relatively small sub-set of "longer" versions of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" rhymes. This post only includes ten examples of this rhyme that include the words "out of sight" as well as ten examples of this rhyme that includes the words "out of style". this sub-set (versions) of long forms of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky". I've come across many more examples of this rhyme online* that include the words "out of sight" or "out of style" and I'm sure that there are a lot more examples of these versions of that rhyme that I haven't come across. That said, I haven't come across any example of the "out of sight" or "out of style" versions of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" in YouTube videos. Almost all of those videos are of short form examples of that rhyme such as
"Down by the banks of the Hanky Panky
Where the bullfrog jumps from bank to banky
With n eep, bop, eep bop bop,
He hit the lily and went Kerplop!"
Before 2019, some examples of these and other long forms of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" used to be found in some discussion threads for YouTube videos of that rhyme and in YouTube discussion threads for videos of multiple hand clapping rhymes. However, in early 2019 YouTube disabled comments for most of its children's videos and at the same time deleted the discussion threads for those videos. A few YouTube children's videos retained their discussion option and some adult hosted YouTube vlogs (video logs) still have discussion threads. Luckily, before 2019 I retrieved some examples of short form and long "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" along with examples of some other children's recreational rhymes from various YouTube discussion threads. And since 2019, I've continued to retrieve examples of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" and other children's recreational rhymes from YouTube videos, YouTube discussion threads, and other online sites including from the discussion threads of this pancocojams blog.
"Out of sight" is an English language phrase whose African American Vernacular English meaning "amazing", great, "exceptional" etc. became particularly popular in the 1960s. However, it appears to me that many children chanting a sub-set of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" rhymes that include the words "out of sight" don't know that that phrase meant something or someone amazing etc. Instead, the phrase "out of sight" almost always has its literal meaning of "someone or something that people are unable to see".
I've reached this conclusion based on the way that the words "out of sight" or folk processed forms of that phrase are used in those rhymes. One reason for using folk processed forms of a word or words is because the "original" word or words are unfamiliar and more a word or words that is/are more familiar and/or makes more sense to the person chanting is substituted for that unfamiliar word/words.
That children chanting these rhymes may not be familiar with the positive meaning of the phrase "out of sight" is further suggested by the use of the phrase "out of style" instead of "out of sight". Many of the examples in the "out of style" subset of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" rhymes refer to "billy jeans" instead of the name "Billy Jean". In these rhymes, the word "billy" is used as a brand name for a type of jeans (i.e. "blue jeans", meaning "casual pants" that are worn by males or females).
The use of "billy jeans" as a type of jeans suggests to me that these children arem't familiar with Michael Jackson's hit record entitled "Billie Jean" in which that name referred to a woman the singer had a relationship with. This unfamiliarity may be because in the United States the name "Billie Jean" and the nickname "Billie" are rarely given to females.
After reading many post 2014 or so examples of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky",I also believe that a number of children don't know that the name "Michael Jackson" refers to an actual man who was the King of Pop music. (Michael Jackson died in June 2009).
*Although "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" is the children's recreational rhyme that I've written the most about on pancocojams.com, it's interesting that in my years of directly collecting children's rhymes and cheers from African American neighborhoods in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and some of its nearby cities (from the mid 1989s to 2009), I've never observed or otherwise collected any example of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky". All of the examples of this rhyme that I've documented are from the internet.
This pancocojams blog has a number of posts about the children's rhyme "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky". Among those posts are
https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/08/playground-rhymes-that-include-names-of_30.html which includes some examples of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" that include the lyrics "Michael Jackson is my dad" or confuse the name "Michael Jordan" with the name "Michael Jackson".
Also, click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/04/forms-of-name-billie-jean-in-down-by.html "Forms Of The Name "Billie Jean" In "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" Rhymes"
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SOME EXAMPLES OF "DOWN BY THE BANKS OF THE HANKY PANKY" THAT INCLUDE THE WORDS "OUT OF SIGHT" OR FOLK PROCESSED FORMS OF THOSE WORDS
These examples are numbered for referencing purposes only.
The phrase "out of sight" or folk processed forms of that phrase are given in italics for highlighting reasons only.
1.
Down by the river near the hankey pank
where the bullfrogs jump from bank, to bank,
and they say E I O U,
your momma stinks and so do you
so ping pong ding dong
your daddy smells like king kong.
Ask your teacher what she wears,
polka dotted underwear.
Not too big and not too small,
just the size of city hall.
Michael Jackson went to town,
coca-cola brought him down.
Coca-cola brought him up,
now he's drinking 7up.
7up with no cafiene, now he's seein' belgain (pronounced
beligene).
Belgain is outta sight,
now we're talking dynamite.
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, BAM!
-Veggie; August 21, 2006, cocojams.com
-snip-
Cocojams. com was my cultural website. That website was online from Jan. 2001 to Nov. 2014 and received a large number of rhyme examples from self-identified children, pre-teens, and teens.
**
2.
Down by the river with the hank to pank
where the bullfrog jumped from bank to bank
saying eeps ipes opes oops
chilly willy ding dong
i pledge allegiance to the flag
michael jackson sings so bad
coca cola roots me up
now we're talkin 7Up
7Up has no caffine
now we're talkin billy gene
billy gene whent outta sight
now we're talkin bobby white
bobby white went out of town
riding on a rocket
stuck a feather in his hat
and called it hershey's chocolate"
-Guest, Deana Ashley :);
http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=81350 "I’m Rubber; You’re
Glue", August 24, 2008
-snip-
Notice the folk processed form of the name "billy gene".
It's likely that "Bobby White" is a folk processed form of the name "Bobby Brown". I believe that's the case since the last name "Brown" rhymes with the word "town" and because "Bobby Brown" was a famous R&B singer. Besides those points, the fact that there are other "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" mention Bobby Brown also suggests that that was the name that was "originally" included in this version of that rhyme.
**
3.
Down by the bank of the hanky panky,
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky,
To the Hip Hop Shirley Pop,
I pledge allegience to the flag,
of Michael Jackson makes me gag,
Coca-Cola burnt his butt,
Now he's drinking Seven-Up
Seven-Up has no caffeine,
So Now he's drinking Jelly Bean
Jelly Bean is out of sight,
So Now he's drinking Sprite
Spell it!
S-P-R-I-T-E!"
-Guest, Madison from Metro Detroit, Michigan, March 31, 2010 Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky" https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=94034&messages=454&page=1 (heeafter given as "Mudcat: Origin: Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky)
This is the link to the first page of a discussion thread that I started in August 2006. That discussion thread is still open as of Feb. 15, 2024 and has 10 pages as of that date. The rhymes are given in chronological order by their publishing date, with the newest added rhymes given in later.
**
4.
down by the banks of the hanky panks
fe fi fo fom me say ding dang dong
i pledge allegiance to the flag
Michel Jackson makes me gag
cocola fizes up
now i am talking 7up
7up has no caffeine now
i am talking jelly bean
jellybean is outa sight
now i im talking dynamite
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 boom
and who ever boom land on is out
-Kissyxblythe; 2011, http://www.youtube.com/all_comments?v=iqhvCN0Uvfk , 2011
**
5.
"I learned this version in Elementary school in North
Carolina.
Down in the banks with the hanky pants
Where the bullfrog jumps from bank to bank
Singing epes ipes opes oops chilly willy ding dong
I pledge allegiance to the flag
Justin Beiber makes me gag
Coca-Cola brought him up now we’re talking 7 up
7 up has no caffeine now we’re talking Billy Jean
Billy Jean ran 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.
The last person clapped obviously being out. When two people
were left they would lock hands so that one person’s arms were crossed and the
others wasn’t. They would then sing the song and try to make sure their arms
weren’t crossed at the end."
- GUEST,
22 Nov 18, " Mudcat: Origins Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky"
**
6.
"nah nah, everyone in the comments are way too calm. we’d do
this in about 1.75x speed, mind you
down to the banks of the hanky panks where the bullfrogs
jump from bank to bank, saying eets ites oats oots, chilly willy ding dong i
pledge allegiance to the flag, michael jackson makes me gag, coca cola burnt
his butt, now we’re talking 7up- 7up has no caffeine, now we’re talking billy
jean, billy jean is out of sight, now we’re dynamite- dynamite blew up the
school, now we’re talking really cool, really cool is really neat, now we’re
talking stinky feet- stinky feet is way too smelly, now we’re talking big fat
belly, big fat belly is way too much, now we’re talking double dutch, double
dutch is 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1"
-
7.
"Central Florida here I don’t know if I fully remember this
all but this is what I do remember
Down by river and the hanky pank
The bullfrogs jump from bank to bank sayin
E I O U your momma stinks and so do you
So ding dong ping pong
Your daddy looks like king kong
Tell your teacher what to wear
Polka dotted underwear
Not to big
Not to small
Just the size of city hall
City Hall
Coca-Cola no caffeine
Now we’re talking Billie Jean
Billie Jean blew out of sight
Now we’re talkin dynamite
Dynamite blew up the school
Now we’re talkin pretty cool
Pretty cool
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1"
-Anonymous, May 28, 2023, https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/03/part-ii-of-some-down-by-banks-of-hanky.html
**
8.
"at the summer camp I went to it was like “Down by the river
from bank to bank, where bullfrogs jump from bank to bank saying e-i-o-u, your
momma stinks and so do u, say king kong, king kong your daddy smells like king
kong, ask you teacher what to wear polka dotted underwear, not to big, not to
small, just the size of city hall, coca cola shake it up, now we’re talking
7-up, 7-up has not caffeine, now we’re talking bellajeen, bellajeen is out of
sight now we’re talking dynamite, 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1” idk what bellajeen is
but that’s what we said."
-AgitatedElk1327, 2023, https://www.reddit.com/r/tipofmytongue/comments/13lddtd/tomtsong1990s_down_by_the_banks_variant/
**
9.
"in Georgia, metro Atlanta area, in the mid to late 2000s, I
learned:
down by the river in the hanky panks
where the bullfrogs jump from banks to banks
sayin' eeps, ipes, opes, ops
chilly willy ding dong
I pledge allegiance to the flag
Michael Jackson makes me gag
coca-cola burns my butt
now we're talkin' 7-up
7-up has no caffeine
now we're talkin' willy jean
willy jean is outta 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, BOOM!"
-Elias, August 16, 2023, https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/03/part-i-of-some-examples-of-down-by_22.html
10.
"ours (st louis mo) went something like this
Down by the Banks of the hanky panky where bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
say fee fi fo fun mi say mi say ding dang dong
I pledge allegiance to the flag, micheal jackson is my dad
(don't remember this line)
cocoa cola fizzes up, now we're talking seven up
seven up has no caffeine, now we're talking jelly beans
jelly beans went 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
tarzan the monkey man swinging from a rubber band
he slips he falls he breaks his eyeballs
(idk this line)
then someone would pick a number and we would go over that many people
then the person it was going to land on could attempt to yank out their hand"
-Anonymous, January 19, 2024, https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/03/part-ii-of-some-down-by-banks-of-hanky.html
****
SOME EXAMPLES OF "DOWN BY THE BANKS OF THE HANKY PANKY" THAT INCLUDE THE WORDS "OUT OF STYLE "
These examples are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.
The words "out of style" are given in italics for highlighting reasons only.
I learned this and forgot most of it (not complete! but it goes sort of like this....
Down by the bay in beverly hills
where the bull frog jumps from bank to banky
and the heeps hops, coffee shops,
we all drink mochas and we wear flip flops
(faster)
I pledge allegence to the flag
Michal jackson makes me gag
coca cola has cafeine and now we're talking billy jean
billy jean when out of style now lets sit and talk a while
diddy diddy donkey
daddy had a donkey
donkey died, daddy cried
diddy diddy donkey!
theres a party round the corner wont you please please come
bring your own cappuchinos and your own chewing gum
what is your boy friends name?______ (whoever the clap lands on has to come up with a name)
_______ will be there blowing kisses in the air saying I love ______ (who ever came up with the name) saying I love_____ saying O U T spells you are out!
OR
______will be there blowing kissed in the air singin' I... Love...Ma..Ma...Mia, singin' I love ma...ma...mia singin' O U T spells you are out!
-Guest,mooseormeece?, May 21, 2008, http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=94034 [hereafter given as Mudcat: Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky]
2.
"Down by the river of the hanky panky
where the bullforogs jump from bank to bank
singing eep, ipe, oop, opps
Chillie willy ding dong
Play a game of ping pong
I pledge alligence to the flag
Michael Jackson is a fad (we didn't even know what fag meant
growing up let alone say it)
Coca-cola burned him up
Now He's drinking 7-up
7-up has no caffine
now we're singin' "Billie Jean"
"Billie Jean" is out of style
Now we're singing Bobbie Brown
Bobbie Brown is not a song... I forgot what came next as
everything goes hazy from here
but then it went into this:
Michael Jackson went to town, riding on a pony
stuck a feather in his hat and called it macoroni
Girl Scout, Girl Scout,
Do your duty,
Don't forget to wash your booty (or tooti if we were
naughty... tooti was our slang for vagina)
Boy Scout Boy Scout
Do your trick
don't forget to wash your...
Oh and we didn't jump rope to this, we did the circle hand
clap like a few other people said"
-GUEST,CutiefromGA, 05 Dec 08, Mudcat: Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky
-snip-
I don't know if the children chanting this said the "dirty" word that rhymes with "trick" or not.
3.
Down by the banks of the hanky panky
where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
Singing eep, op, eep-op-op
bubblegum and soda pop
I pledge allegiance to the flag
Michael Jackson is a fag
Coca-cola brought him up
Now we're drinking 7-up
7-up has no caffeine
Now we're wearing Levi jeans
Levi jeans are out of style
Now we're talking for a while
skiddle diddle piddle bop
bubblegum and soda POP!
and whoever's hand is hit on the last 'pop' is out. Then you repeat the song getting faster and faster until somebody finally wins.
Sadly we really did and still do sing the line about Michael Jackson being a fag. In elementary and middle school we also had a similar rhyme ("I pledge allegiance to the flag and Michael Jackson is a fag. He used to play with little toys but now he plays with little boys.") and I can remember saying it at a very young age, before I had any idea what a 'fag' was. It was meant to be innocent and not offensive to anybody. Also, since Michael Jackson's death (may he R.I.P.) many people have substituted Lady Gaga or Miley Cyrus for Michael Jackson or changed that line to "Michael Jackson makes me gag". My particular group of friends has done both ("Lady Gaga makes me gag") and I think it's kind of a nice modern version of the song."
-
**
4.
-@meghanlsatterfield, 2014, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zoMAvwKGfk&t=4s
-snip-
This commenter had originally written "bulldog" but immediately corrected that
word to bullfrog in the next comment.
5.
"Greetings, all! I hope everyone is well! I was wondering about the Down By The River handclap circle game ever since I taught my youngest sister it. So, I’d like to contribute my location’s variation on the rhyme! I learned it from the older girls at school (in RI, USA) sometime around the later 2010s, and I believe it went something like this:
Down by the river with the hanky-panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank-y
Saying ee bop ee bop bop, skittle diddle lollypop
I pledge allegiance to the flag, Michael Jackson makes me gag/is a fag
Coca Cola has caffeine
Now we're talking jelly beans
Jelly beans are out of style
We've been talking for a while
Ee bop ee bop bop, skittle diddle lollypop
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten!
I’m not exactly sure how the middle part (paragraph) goes, as it’s been a while. I feel like it was longer, too, and that sometimes we sang “Billy Jean” instead of “jelly bean,” but I am probably wrong.
I hope that one day, we can collect all of the variations and keep them going! Some of these are cool and others hilarious! <3"
-GUEST,Repeep, 23 Aug 19, Mudcat: Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky"
6.
"DOWN BY THE RIVERSIDE HANKY PANKY
WHERE THE BULLFROG JUMPED FROM BANK TO BANK
I SAID A E I O U BEETLEJUICE
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
MICHAEL JACKSON IS MY DAD
COCA COLA BURNS HIS BUTT
NOW HES DRINKING 7 UP
7 UP HAS TOO MUCH CAFFEINE
NOW HES DRINKING GASOLINE
GASOLINE IS MADE FOR CARS
NOW HES EATING CANDY BARS
CANDY BARS HAVE TOO MUCH FAT
NOW HES DRIVING A CADILLAC
CADILLACS ARE OUTTA STYLE
NOW HE HAS TO WALK AN EXTRA EXTRA EXTRA MILE"
-GUEST,Lexi; The Deep South’s Version, 22 Jul 19,
**
7.
"I’ve been interested in the different versions of this rhyme since forever and can’t believe it took so long to find this site! All versions I know are from the mid 2000s.
Heard in a Christian camp in Mississippi:
Down by the valley of the Hanky Panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
Sayin’ ooh, ah, skittle, skattle, big, fat, bull, frog
I pledge allegiance to the flag
Michael Jackson is so bad
Pepsi-Cola, burnin’ up
Now we’re drinkin’ 7-Up
7-Up has no caffeine
Now we’re wachin’ Billy Jean
Billy Jean went out of style
Now we’re wachin’ X-Files
X-Files, way too scary
Now we’re wachin’ Tom and Jerry
Tom and Jerry’s way too funny
Now we’re wachin’ Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny’s way too lame
Now we’re playin’ video games
Video games are way too boring
Then one morning I woke up snoring"
-GUEST, Lavender, 30 Jul 20, Mudcat: Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky
-snip-
This commenter shared several examples of this rhyme from various states. All of those examples are from the mid 2000s. This first example that was shared (from Mississippi) has Guest, Lavender's beginning comment.
8.
"Down by the riverside
Hanky Panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
I said a a-e-i-o-u beetle juiceI pledge allegiance to the flag
Michael Jackson is so fat
Coca-Cola bust his butt
Now he's drinking 7 Up.
7 Up has no caffeine
Now he's drinking gasoline.
Gasoline was made for cars
Now he's eating candy bars.
Candy bars have too much fat
Now he's driving Cadillacs.
Cadillacs are out of style.
Now. He. Has. To. Walk. A. Mile."
-
-snip-
This same guest contributor also wrote that same day "That's how black kids in Louisiana that were born in the 90's play it!"
**
9.
"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” "...
-Anonymous, Nov. 8, 2023, https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/03/part-ii-of-some-down-by-banks-of-hanky.html
**
10.
"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!
-Anonymous, November. 28, 2023,https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/03/part-ii-of-some-down-by-banks-of-hanky.html
****
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