Examples Of "My Boyfriend Gave Me An Apple" Rhymes & Verses From Australia, Canada, Great Britain, New Zealand, Scotland, & The United States

Andrew Cameron, Aug 29, 2012

Crosbie sings the current playground favourite and "does the eyebrow thing" at the end.

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a YouTube video of a girl from Great Britain (?) singing a version of the recreational song "My Boyfriend Gave Me An Apple".

This post also presents the lyrics to that version of "My Boyfriend Gave Me An Apple". This post also includes a few other examples of that song/rhyme from Australia, Canada, Great Britain, New Zealand, and Scotland.
 
This post also includes a few examples of certain recreational rhymes from the United States which  include verses that are adaptations of  "My Boyfriend Gave Me An Apple" rhymes.

The content of this post is presented for historical, folkloric, recreational, and socio-cultural purposes.

Thanks to the girl who is featured in this showcase video, and the publisher of that video on YouTube. Thanks also to all those all who are quoted in this post. 

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DISCLAIMER-
There are LOTS of versions of "My Boyfriend Gave Me An Apple" rhyme and there are LOTS of examples of other rhymes that include lines from "My Boyfriend Gave Me An Apple". 

This post doesn't mean to imply that these are the only nations where examples of  "My Boyfriend Gave Me An Apple" can be found. This post also doesn't mean to imply that these showcased examples are the only versions of those rhymes or are the most common versions of those rhymes.

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LYRICS FOR SHOWCASE VIDEO EXAMPLE #1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VjjnbHjENE

my boyfriend gave me an apple
My boyfriend gave me a pear
My boyfriend gave me a kiss on lips
And threw me down the stair

I gave him back the apple
I gave him back the pear
I gave him back the kiss on the lips
And threw him down the stairs

I made him wash the dishes
I made him wash the floor
I made him lick the baby's bum in 1994

I threw him over Africa
I threw him over Spain
I threw him over the whole wide world
And he never came back again

I saw him in a sweety shop buying bubble gum
and when he wasn't looking
I stuck it up his bum.

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ADDITIONAL EXAMPLES
These examples are sub-divided under the English speaking nation where they were collected. The nations are listed in alphabetical order and numbers are added under each nation for referencing purposes only. 

AUSTRALIA
Examples #1-#3

https://ctac.esrc.unimelb.edu.au/biogs/E000096b.htmChildhood, Tradition and Change Australian Childhood: Tradition and Change [Australian Children’s Recreational Rhymes]

"My Boyfriend Gave me An Apple

Functions - Clapping Game, Hand and Finger Play, Language Play and Physical Play
Alternative Names  Apple and a Pear (At School 19)

My Boyfriend gave me an Apple is a clapping game accompanied by a rud(ish) rhyme.

Details

At School 17
Players: 4
Girls
Age: 11

One variation on the rhyme is:

My boyfriend gave me an apple,
My boyfriend gave me a pear,
My boyfriend gave me a kiss on the lips,
Then threw me down the stairs.

I gave him back the apple,
I gave him back the pear,
I gave him back the kiss on the lips,
Then pushed him down the stairs.

I kicked him over London,
I kicked him over France,
I kicked him over the USA
In just his underpants.

At School 09
Players: 2
Girls
Age: 6

A Sydney variant of this rhyme goes:

Instead of:

I kicked him over the USA

In just his underpants.

Insert,

I threw him over the Harbour Bridge without his underpants.

The rest of the verse goes:

I went to the bubblegum shop,
To buy some bubblegum.
And when he wasn't looking,
I stuck it up his bum.

I made him do the dishes,
I made him do the floor.
I made him change the baby's nappy
At 1894.

****
Example #4
https://www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=4121 My Boyfriend Gave Me an Apple [Australian version]
Hand Clapping Song
Copyright ©2025 by Lisa Yannucci. All rights reserved.

My boyfriend gave me an apple,
My boyfriend gave me a pear,
My boyfriend gave me a kiss on the lips,
And threw me down the stairs.

I gave him back his apple,
I gave him back his pear,
I gave him back his kiss on the lips,
And threw him down the stairs.

I threw him over London,
I threw him over France,
I threw him over the USA
In just his underpants.

I took him to the movies
To see a scary film
And when I wasn't looking
He kissed another girl.

I went to the bubblegum store,
To buy some bubblegum.
And when he wasn't looking,
I stuck it up his bum."

****
CANADA

(This example is given on that website as Version 6 - Western Canada, 1960s)
https://www.clapping-rhymes.com/clapping-rhymes/1/  Pretty Little Dutch Girl

"I am a pretty little Dutch girl,
As pretty as pretty can be, be, be,
And all the boys on the baseball team
are chasing after me, me, me.

My father came from England,
My mother came from France, France, France.
My boyfriend came from the USA
to teach me how to dance, dance, dance.

My boyfriend gave me apples,
My boyfriend gave me pears, pears, pears.
My boyfriend gave me fifty cents
and kissed me up the stairs, stairs, stairs.

I gave him back his apples,
I gave him back his pears, pears, pears.
I gave him back his fifty cents
and kicked him down the stairs, stairs, stairs.

...with a pickle on his nose and 3 sore toes,
that's the way it goes, goes, goes."

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GREAT BRITAIN

Example #1
https://tygertale.com/2012/10/04/the-poetry-of-the-playground/

[Pancocojams Editor-This rhyme is included in “I Saw Esau: The Schoolchild's Pocket Book

by Iona Opie (Editor), Peter Opie (Editor), first published Jan 1, 1947]

"MY BOYFRIEND GAVE ME AN APPLE
My boyfriend gave me an apple
My boyfriend gave me a pear
My boyfriend gave me a kiss on the lips and threw me down the stairs
I gave him back his apple

I gave him back his pear
I gave him back his kiss on the lips and threw him down the stair

I took him to the sweet shop
To buy some bubble gum
But when he wasn’t looking I stuck it up his bum

I made him lick the dishes
I made him lick the floor
I made him lick the babies bum in 1994"
-snip-
If I correctly understood that article, the Opies- the editors of this book-indicated that the verse beginning with "I made him lick the dishes" was a later addition to that rhyme. 

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Example #2 [This website also includes an example from the United States] 
https://designsandlines.co.uk/blog/hand-clapping-games/

Pretty Little Dutch Girl

"This children’s nursery rhyme was first published in the 1940s, and American versions vary considerably from British ones because many people in the UK wouldn’t have been familiar with the references the original lyrics made at the time. As such, a common version in the US might go something like this:

I am a pretty little Dutch girl
As pretty as can be
And all the boys in the neighbourhood
Are crazy over me

My boyfriend’s name is Mello
He comes from the land of Jello
With pickles for his toes and a cherry for his nose
And that’s the way my story goes

 

But a common version in the UK might go like this:

My boyfriend gave me an apple
My boyfriend gave me a pear
My boyfriend gave me a kiss on the lips and he threw me down the stairs

I gave him back his apple
I gave him back his pear
I gave him back his kiss on the lips and I threw him down the stairs

I threw him over London
I threw him over France
I threw him over the football pitch and he lost his underpants

His underpants were yellow
His underpants were green
His underpants were black and white and smelled like rotten cheese"

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Example #3
https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=47148
Subject: RE: eena meena mackeracka (children's rhymes)
From: GUEST,Kelly Maxwell
Date: 24 Nov 11

"i got another one my sister sung it: my boyfriend gave me an apple my boyfriend gave me a pear my boyfriend gave my a kiss on the lips and threw me down the stairs. i gave him back his apple i gave him back his pear i gave him back his kiss on the lips and threw him down the stairs.

the next day we went to the sweet shop to buy some bubble gum and when he wasn't looking i stuck it up his bum. then we went to the movies to watch a horror film and when i wasn't looking he kissed another girl. i threw him over london i threw him over france i threw him over belgium bridge and ripped his underpants. (pants is pronounced Parnts to go with France)"

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Example #4 & Example #5
https://www.netmums.com/coffeehouse/being-mum-794/parenting-advice-192/434766-playground-clapping-rhymes-your-childhood-4.html Playground clapping rhymes from your childhood - Page: 4 [Great Britain]

"Anonymous, 06/09/2014

My boyfriend gave me an apple,
my boyfriend gave me a pair,
my boyfrind gave me a kiss on the lips and threw me down the stairs,

I went to the sweet shop to buy some bubble gum,
And when he wasn't looking I stuck it up his bum,

We went to the cinema to watch a dirty film and when i wasnt looking he kissed another girl"

**
Reply
"Anonymous
06/09/2014 

In answer to

Anonymous

[…]

My boyfriend gave me an apple,
My boyfriend gave me a pear,
My boyfriend gave me a kiss on the cheek so I threw him down the stairs,

I threw him over London,

I threw him over France,

I threw him over the U.S.A and he lost his underpants!"
snip-
The brackets that are given here refer to another rhyme that the commenter remembered.

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NEW ZEALAND

https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/lals/research/our-research-areas/new-zealand-english/language-in-the-playground-project/publications/lip70.pdf  NZ [New Zealand] Playground Language Clapping Games, ©Laurie and Winifred Bauer 2002

Examples #1 and Example #2

"Clapping Games

[page 7 & page 8]

W8 – AK43

My boyfriend gave me a [sic] apple
My boyfriend gave me a pear
My boyfriend gave me a kiss on the lips
And he then threw me down the stairs

**

I gave him back his apple
I gave him back his pear
I gave him back his kiss on the lips
And I threw him down the stairs

**

I threw him over London
I threw him over France
I threw him over the Harbour Bridge
And he lost his underpants.

 

Q26 –

My boyfriend bought me an apple
My boyfriend bought me a pear
My boyfriend bought me a kiss on the lips
And I threw him down the stair

**

I threw him down the football field
And over China
And threw him back again.

**

He took me to the movies
And bought me chewing gum

…

I stuck it up his bum"

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SCOTLAND
https://folklore.usc.edu/clapping-game-scotland/ USC DigitalFolklore Archives

"A database of folklore performances

Clapping Game – Scotland
Nationality: Scottish
Age: 18
Residence: Glasgow
Performance Date: 11 April 2011
Primary Language: English
This is a game Christabel learned when she was a child in Scotland.

Basically, you’d sit opposite someone and clap your hands against the other persons’ in a set pattern, and chant the rhyme in time to the claps. There were a lot of verses, but the ones I remember go like this;

My boyfriend gave me an apple
My boyfriend gave me a pear
My boyfriend gave me a kiss on the lips
And threw me down the stair

He threw me over Paris
He threw me over France
He threw me over London-town
Then took me to the dance

I gave him back his apple
I gave him back his pear
I gave my boy a kiss on the lips
Then kicked him down the stair

I kicked him over Paris
I kicked him over France
I kicked him over London-town
Then went off to the dance

However, sometimes the verses changed to:

He threw me over Paris
He threw me over France
He threw me over London-town
And lost his underpants

 

and

I kicked him over Paris
I kicked him over France
He had to go to Mothercare
To buy new underpants

 

These rhymes are very similar to several rhymes that are common in American culture- the “Cinderella, dressed in yellow/went upstairs to kiss her fella” jump-rope rhyme and the ever-popular “I see London, I see France” rhyme. All three share similar elements- they are games played with other people, generally of one’s own gender (although “I see London” tends to cross all boundaries when there is an underpants incident), and they all include vaguely transgressive elements- suggestions of liaisons with boys, for example- and although the children may not (probably don’t) recognize the underlying suggestion, these rhymes are indicative of a gradual coming-of-age. “Cinderella” and “My boyfriend gave me an apple” actually make use of liminal space in the air between jumps and claps. One crosses a threshold, and then crosses back over it into innocence.

This entry was posted in Childhood, Game, general on May 11, 2011 by Mary Overbey."

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UNITED STATES

[In these examples "My Boyfriend Gave Me An Apple" verse/s are given in italics for highlighting purposes only.]

https://www.clapping-rhymes.com/clapping-rhymes/1/ [United States] "Pretty Little Dutch Girl" 

[Example #1]
I am a pretty little Dutch girl,
As pretty as pretty can be,
And all the boys around the block
Go crazy over me.

My boyfriend's name is Billy,
He comes from good ole Philly,
With a cherry on his nose
And ten fat toes,
And that's the way my story goes.

My boyfriend gave me peaches,
My boyfriend gave me pears,
My boyfriend gave me fifty cents
And kissed me on the stairs.

I gave him back his peaches,
I gave him back his pears,
I gave him back his fifty cents
And kicked....him....down.....the.....stairs!

** 
Example #2

Pretty Little Dutch Girl (given as Version 4 on that website)

I am a pretty little Dutch girl,
As pretty as I can be be be
and all the boys in the neighborhood
come chasing after me me me.

My boyfriend's name is Tony,
he comes from the land of bologna,
with a pickle on his nose and 3 sore toes
and that's the way the story goes!

One day he gave me peaches,
one day he gave me pears,
one day he gave me 50 cents
and took me to the fair!

After the fair was over,
I asked him to take me home,
he ran off with another girl
and left me all alone!

I gave him back his peaches.
I gave him back his pears.
I gave him back his 50 cents,
and kicked him down the stairs!

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Example #3
https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=29995
Subject: Lyr Add: I'M A LITTLE DUTCH GIRL (jumprope chant)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 Jan 01 

"Here are the verses collected by Stan Kulikowski for the Jumprope Hypertext Archive, which I hope to again see on the Web soon. This is not the version that was requested, but it's worth adding.

-Joe Offer-

I'm a little Dutch girl,
As pretty as can be,
And all the boys on the baseball team
Are crazy over me.

They gave me all their apples.
They gave me all their pears.
They gave me fifty cents
And kicked me down the stairs.

My mother wanted peaches.
My brother wanted pears.
My father wanted fifty cents
To fix the broken stairs.

 

My boyfriend gave me peaches.
My boyfriend gave me pears.
My boyfriend gave me fifty cents
To fix the broken stairs.

 

My mother ate the peaches.
My brother ate the pears.
My father ate the fifty cents
And fell right down the stairs.

 

My mother gave me peaches.
My father gave me pears.
My boyfriend kissed me on the cheek
And fell right down the stairs.

 

I am a little Dutch girl
As pretty as can be be be
And all the boys around my block
Are crazy over me me me."

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Example #4
https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=29995
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I'm a little dutch girl
From: Azizi
Date: 03 Nov 05 

..."Here's another version that I collected from a great thread on schoolyard rhymes. See the source below.

"I Made Up one with my cousin when i was in the fourth grade it goes a little like this...

MY boyfriends name is tony
he came from the land of balogna
with a pickle for a nose
and 3 flat toes
thats my boyfriend TONY!!

One day he gave me peaches
One day he gave me pears
One day he gave me fifty cents and
took me to the fair

and when the fair was over
i asked him to take me home
he said he had another date
so he better go alone

I gave him back his peaches
i gave him back his pears
i gave him back his fifty cents
and kicked him down the STAIRS! "

Source: http://octopuses.chaoticinsanity.com/000518.php 

posted by A. Clemens at April 21, 2005"
-snip-
That website is no longer available. It was also known as 'Whee! Blog" and "octoblog". 

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Example #5
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I'm a little dutch girl
From: Azizi
Date: 03 Nov 05

"Children's rhymes are made by stringing together alot of different verses that can stand alone, or which can be used in other rhymes.

A version of the "kicked him..." line that is used in the "Dutch Girl" rhymes may also be used in the extremely popular {handclap?} rhyme "Miss Susie {or "Miss Lucy" etc} Had A Steamboat {Tuboat}":

Here is one of the numerous versions of that rhyme from the Wheee! Blog thread:

Miss Susie as I remember it:

 

Miss Susie had a steamboat,
the steamboat had a bell ding ding,
the steamboat went to heaven,
Miss susie went to

hello operator,
give me number nine,
and if you disconnect me,
I'll chop off your

behind the refrigerator
there lay a piece of glass
Miss susie sat upong it
and broke her little

ask me no more questions
tell me no more lies
the boys are in the bathroom
zipping up their
flies are in the city
bees are in the park
Miss susie and her boyfriend
are kissing in the

d-a-r-k
d-a-r-k
d-a-r-k
dark dark dark

the dark is like the movies,
the movies like the show
the show is like the tv set
and that is all i know know know

i know i know my ma
i know i know my pa
i know i know my sister
with the sixty dollar, sixty dollar sixty dollar bra bra bra

my mother is godzilla
my father is king kong
my brother is the stupid one
who made up this song

my mother gave me a nickel
my father gave me a dime
my sister gave me a boyfriend
his name was frankenstein

he made me do the dishes
he made me wash the floors
he made me clean his underweard
then i kicked him out the door

i kicked him over london
i kicked him over france
i kicked him over hollywood and he lost his underpants"

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