Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post presents a few examples of children's cumulative life stages rhymes that I've come across online that include the contributor's geographic location.
Most of the examples that are given in this collection have the titles "When Susie Was A Baby", and "When Pebbles Was A Baby".
This collection is only a small part of this sub-set of children's recreational rhymes that I have come across online. Most of the online examples don't includes the contributor's location or any other demographic information.
I haven't come across any cumulative life stages rhymes in my direct collection experiences in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania or anywhere else.
This collection doesn't include examples (with or without the contributor's geographic location) of the closely related rhyme "When Billy Boy Was One".
The content of this post is presented for folkloric, cultural, and recreational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/04/when-pebbles-was-baby-played-as-circle.html for the closely related pancocojams post entitled "When Pebbles Was A Baby" Played As A Circle Game With One Girl In The Middle" Or Chanted As A Cumulative Life Stages Rhyme"
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EXAMPLES OF CHILDREN'S CUMULATIVE LIFE STAGES RHYMES (with the contributor's geographic location and other demographic information)
These examples are given in no particular order within their geographical place category. Numbers are assigned for referencing purposes only.
Italic font is used for each example's geographic information and other demographic information to highlight that information.
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AUSTRALIA
1."Hey, The version i used to sing when i was in year 2 in 2001
is:
When Suzie was a baby, a baby, a baby, when suzie was a baby
she went like this: Waaaa Waaaaa
When Suzie was a toddler, a toddler, a toddler, when Suzie
was a toddler she went like this: Waaa Waaaa, Gimme my dummy
When Suzie was a school girl, a school girl, a school girl,
when Suzie was a school girl she went like this: Waaa Waaa, Gimme my dummy,
Miss Miss i cant do this!
When Suzie was a teenager, a teenager, a teenager, when
Suzie was a teenager she went like this: Waaaa Waaaa, Gimme my dummy, Miss Miss
i cant do this, Ooooo Ahhhh i lost my bra, left it in my boyfriends car
When Suzie was married, married, married, when Suzie was
married she went like this: Waaaa Waaa, Gimme my dummy, Miss Miss i cant do
this, Oooo Ahhh i lost my bra, left it in my boyfriends car, Ooooo i think i
love you, Oooo i think i do
When Suzie was a mummy, a mummy, a mummy, when Suzie was a
mummy she went like this: Waaaa Waaa, Gimme my dummy, Miss Miss i cant do this,
Oooo Ahhh i lost my bra, left it in my boyfriends car, Ooooo i think i love
you, Oooo i think i do, Go to your room
When Suzie was a grandma, a grandma, a grandma, when Suzie
was a grandma she went like this: Waaa Waaa, Gimme my dummy, Miss Miss i cant
do this, Ooooo Ahhh i lost my bra, left it in my boyfriends car, Ooooo i think
i love you, Oooo i think i do, Go to your room, What's that deary
When Suzie was dead, dead, dead, when Suzie was dead she
went like this: Waaa Waaa etc. (Silence)
When Suzie was a ghost, a ghost, a ghost, when Suzie was a
ghost she went like this: Waaa Waaa etc. BOOOOO (Then we would all start
laughing)
We used to play this as a clapping game... We used to forget
words and make them up again, I'm from Australia
-GUEST,Catherine, 04
Jul 09, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=109480,109480 "Children's rhyme: When Susie Was A Baby"
**
2. "The only part I remember is:
When Susie was a teenager, a teenager, a teenager, when
Susie was a teenager she went like this - Ooo Ahh, I've lost my bra, I don't
know where my knickers are, Ooo Ahh there they are sitting in my boyfriend's
car. Or another version is the same as above except the ending where it says:
Ooo Ahh there they are sitting in the policeman's car.
Australia in the 80s."
-GUEST, 15
Jul 10, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=109480,109480 "Children's rhyme: When Susie Was A Baby"
****
CANADA
1. "When Miss Suzie was a baby, a baby, a baby... when Miss
Suzie was a baby she went like this: wah wah.
When Miss Suzie was a kid, a kid, a kid... when Miss Suzie was a kid she went like this: wah wah, gimmie sucker!
When Miss Suzie was a teenager, a teenager, a teenager... when Miss Suzie was a teenager she went like this: wah wah, gimmie sucker, oooh lala lost my bra.
When Miss Suzie was a mother, a mother, a mother... when Miss Suzie was a mother she went like this: wah wah, gimmie sucker, oooh lala lost my bra, shh baby's sleeping.
When Miss Suzie was a grandma, a grandma, a grandma... when Miss Suzie was a grandma she went like this: wah wah, gimmie sucker, oooh lala lost my bra, shh baby's sleeping, ack my aching back.
When Miss Suzie was a ghost, a ghost, a ghost... when Miss Suzie was a ghost she went like this: wah wah, gimmie sucker, oooh lala lost my bra, shh baby's sleeping, ack my aching back, boo BOO!
When Miss Suzie was a devil, a devil, a devil... when miss Suzie was a devil she went like this: wah wah, gimmie sucker, oooh lala lost my bra, shh baby's sleeping, ack my aching back, boo boo, pointy horns to poke your eye.
When Miss Suzie was a angel, a angel, a angel... when Miss Suzie was a angel she went like this: wah wah, gimmie sucker, oooh lala lost my bra, shh baby's sleeping, ack my aching back, boo boo, pointy horns to poke your eye, on wings I fly! ... ... ... ... FINALLY!
(Clapping through the whole thing but actions to mimic what
she says.
Balled fists for wah wah. Hand out to get lollipop for
gimmie sucker. Crossed arms over chets for oooh lala lost my bra. Finger on
lips to shh for shh baby's sleeping. Grabbing a hand at your lower back and
bending forward for ack my aching back. Surprise hands for boo boo. Places hand
on top of head with pointy fingers out as horns for pointy horns to poke your
eye. And lastly hands on your shoulders and wave for wings for on wings I fly.)
-
****
ENGLAND (GREAT BRITAIN, UK)
1. "
When Suzy was a baby, a baby suzy was she went a wa wa wa wa wa
When Suzy was a toddler, a toddler suzy was she went a scribble, scribble, scribble, scribble scribble
When Suzy was a school girl, a school girl Suzy was she went a skip, skip, skip skip skip
When Suzy was a teenager, a tennager suzy was, she went a "ooh, aah, I've lost my bra, I've left my knickers in my boyfriend's car"
When Suzy was a mummy, a mummy suzy was, she went a bake bake bake bake bake
When suzy was a grandma, a grandma suzy was, she went a knit, knit, knit, knit knit
When Suzy was a skeleton, a skeleton suzy was she went a jingle, a jangle, a jingle jangle jangle
when suzy was an angel, an angel suzy was she went ah ha, ah ha ah ha ha ha
As I remember, we used to forget some of the lyrics and make up new ones. Each of the verses had actions
Hope this helps, Rachel
-GUEST,RACHEL, 20 Nov 08, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=109480,109480 "Children's rhyme: When Susie Was A Baby"
**
2. "Just remembered a couple of alternatives - probably the
correct ones
Grandma - "knit, knit, I've lost a stitch"
--GUEST,RACHEL, 20 Nov 08, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=109480,109480 "Children's rhyme: When Susie Was A Baby"
**
3. "All I remember was the teenager bit that was - oooh ahh,
iv'e lost my bra and I don't know where my knickers are! I remember us saying
this v. quietly (aged 10) so that the dinner ladies didn't hear! I really can't
remember the rest apart from Susie died?"
-GUEST, Vicki - London in the 70s!, 29
Mar 11, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=109480,109480
"Children's rhyme: When Susie Was A Baby"
**
4. "England early 80's (clapping rhyme)
When suzy was a baby a baby suzy was was was and all the she could say to me was gaa gaa a gaa gaa gaa
When suzy was a schoolgirl a schoolgirl suzy was was was and all that she could say to me was miss miss I cant do this I got my knickers in a terrible twist
when suzy was a teenager a teenager suzy was was was and all the she could say to me was ooh ahh I lost my bra I left it in my boyfriends car
when suzy was a mother a mother suzy was was was and all that she could say to me.......(cant remember this one which is why i found this thread)
when suzy was a nanny a nanny suzy was was was and all that
she could say to me was a knit knnit a knit knit knit"
-GUEST, 27 Aug 12, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=109480,109480 "Children's rhyme: When Susie Was A Baby"
**
5. "I remember the same version as Rachel above does, in England
in the mid to late 1990s. We sang "When Susie was a baby, a baby Susie
was" rather than repeating "a baby, a baby, a baby." "
-GUEST,Phoebe, 08 Nov 10, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=109480,109480 "Children's rhyme: When Susie Was A Baby"
6. "
-GUEST,Vicki - London in the 70s!, 29 Mar 11, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=109480,109480 "Children's rhyme: When Susie Was A Baby"
**
7. "When Susie was a baby, a baby Susie was.
She went waa, waa!, ah waa waa waa!
When Susie was a schoolgirl, a schoolgirl Susie was.
She went, Miss! Miss! I can't do this! (or sometimes i need
a p*ss)
When Susie was a teenager, a teenager she was.
She went Ooh Aah, I lost my bra! I left my knickers in my
boyfriend's car!!"
-jolima71, 13-02-2008, https://forums.doyouremember.co.uk/forum/culture/school-days/9039-playground-school-songs/page2 Do
You Remember the 70s, 80s, and 90s Playground
/school Songs! [uk]
****
NEW ZEALAND
toddler. suck my thumb
kid. criss cross candy floss
teen. where’s my bra ahh
woman. don’t throw the baby out the window!
sadly it’s all i can remember
learnt it so long ago in nz
-
****
UNITED STATES
1. "Hi All,
When I was a baby, a baby, a baby
When I was a baby boom boom boom
It was crying this-a-way
Crying that-a-way
Crying this-a-way
Boom boom boom
(This goes through "child," "teenager kissing," then I think "when I got married" and then "had a baby" then "when my husband died" ending with
When I died, dies, died,
When I dies boom boom boom
It was six feet under, six feet under, six feet under boom
boom boom."
-GUEST,27
Jul 07.https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=102055, Folklore:
Play Ground Hand Jives
**
2. "When I went to elementary school in South Jersey, we used to
sing a different version of 'Miss Suzie was a baby', except we said 'Pebbles'
When Pebbles was a baby, a baby, a baby, when Pebbles was a baby, she used to go like this: Wah, wah, suck my thumb, gimme a piece of bubblegum.
When Pebbles was a kid, a kid, a kid, when Pebbles was a kid, she used to go like this: Teacher, Teacher, tie my shoe.
When Pebbles was a teenager, a teenager, a teenager, when Pebbles was a teenager, she used to go like this: Ooh, ah, lost my bra, left it in the cafeteri-ah. Over there, on the chair, is where I put my underwear!
When Pebbles was a mom, a mom, a mom, when Pebbles was a mom, she used to go like this: Brush your teeth, comb your hair, and don't forget your underwear!
When Pebbles was a grandma, a grandma, a grandma, when Pebbles was a grandma, she used to go like this: Ooh, ah, my achin back!
And then there was something about Pebble's death that I
remember being amusing to a second grader, maybe Pebbles dying, going to
heaven, then maybe being sent to hell..? If anyone remembers, I would really
love to know.
-bettingonalice; 1/1/2007;
http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php [This website is no longer available.]
"South Jersey" is a region of the state of New Jersey.
-snip-
bettingonalice posted another rhyme and then wrote this:
"Wait I remember now!
When Pebbles was dead, was dead, was dead, when Pebbles was dead, she used to go like this: [say loudly and spin around and flap your arms] WHEEE! I CAN FLY!"
3. "WHEN PEBBLES WAS A BABY
I am 25 now and was recently playing a hand game with my
6 year old cousin at a family gathering and was thinking about some of the
games I used to play as a little girl. I am a Black female from Easter North
Carolina. One I remember yet have no idea where it came from was called Pebbles
and it basically followed the life of this girl. Each section of life had some
type of hand gesture you had to do with it. and you had to remember the whole
thing as it added on new lines. It basically went like this
When pebbles was a baby, a baby a baby
When pebbles was a baby she went like this cry cry. (then
the group would act like they were wiping their tears)
When pebbles was a toddler, a toddler a toddler
When pebbles was a toddler she went like this cry cry,
tie my shoe. (then we would wipe our tears, and reach down and touch our shoes)
When pebbles was a 5 year old, a 5 year old, a 5 year old
When pebbles was a 5 year old she went like this cry cry,
tie my shoe, i want this i want that (you would do the previous motions plus
point at left then right) When pebbles was a teenager, a teenager, a teenager
When pebbles was a teenager she went like this cry cry,
tie my shoe,
i want this i want that,
Ohh Ah I lost my bra I must have left it in my boyfriends
car. ( on this part you would do the previous motions then also cross your
hands over your chest and sort of shake your hips)
This is a long song there is way more too it but it takes
her through motherhood and then being a grandma and finally the end of her
life. I think its basically to see who can and can't remember all the things
that happened before. Its been a really long time since I did this one.
-Erica ; 1/3/2008"; www.cocojams.com [cocojams.com was the
name of my cultural website that was active from 2001-11.2014.]
-snip-
This was written as a paragraph. I reformatted it into
poetry form to enhance its readability
**
4. "In central Ohio, late 80s early 90s I remember this:
When susy was a baby a baby a baby, when susy was a baby she went like this wah wah.
Toddler, wah wah, tie my shoe.
Teenager, wah wah tie my shoe, oo ah lost my bra (in my boyfriends car)
I think it was a clapping game with the motions mentioned
above like rubbing eyes, touching shoe, etc. Sorry I don't remember the rest."
-GUEST, 26 Mar 12, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=109480,109480 "Children's rhyme: When Susie Was A Baby"
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