SchfiftyThree628, Feb 1, 2016
Maya Angelou shows Big Bird and some kids a ring game she knows, called "Little Sally Walker."
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The ring game begins around 1:26 in this Sesame Street television series video. Here are the lyrics to that version of "Little Sally Walker (Sitting In A Saucer).
"Little Sally Walker
Sittin in the saucer
Rise, Sally, rise
Wipe your weeping eyes
Put your hands on your hips
And let your backbone slip
Shake it to the east
Shake it to the west
Shake it to the one that you love the best."
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Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post showcases three video examples of the circle singing game (ring game) "Little Sally Walker (Sitting In A Saucer)". The lyrics to these versions of that singing game are presented after each video.
Addendum #1 of this pancocojams post showcases a sound file of an African American woman singing "Little Sally Walker" between 1934 and 1942.
Addendum #2 of this pancocojams post
The content of this post is presented for folkloric and recreational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
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Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/05/how-let-your-backbone-slip-is-performed.html for the closely related pancocojams post entitled "What The Word "Backbone" Means & How "Let Your Backbone Slip" Is Performed In The "Little Sally Walker" (Sitting In A Saucer) Singing Game."
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SHOWCASE VIDEOS & THE LYRICS FOR THESE EXAMPLES
Except for Example #1, these examples are given in chronological order based on their publishing date.
Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.
These numbers don't reflect how old this traditional children's game is. "Little Sally Walker" is an adaptation of the nursery rhyme and game entitled "Little Sally Water". That rhyme and game are believed to have originated in the 1800s in England and have been in the U.S. since at least 1848. (AI Overview).
Notice that all the videos of "Little Sally Walker (Sittin In A Saucer" show people circling counter-clockwise around the person in the center of the circle.
Showcase Video #1
This example is given at the top of this post.
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Showcase Video #2- Little Sally Walker
Vincent Bates, Apr 19, 2011
Little Sally Walker, sittin' in a saucer,
cryin' and a-weepin' over all she's done.
Rise, Sally, rise.
Wipe the tears from your eyes.
Put your hands on you hips.
Let you back-bone slip.
Shake it to the East.
Shake it to the West.
Shake it to the very one that you love the best.
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Showcase Video #3 - Little Sally Walker Bessie Jones
ichagall, Apr 20, 2010
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Here's the words to this version of "Little Sally Walker":
"Little Sally Walker
Sitting in a saucer
A weepin and a cryin over all she has done.
Rise Sally rise*
Wipe your weepin eyes*
Turn to the east
And turn to the west
Turn to the very one that you love the best.
And put your hands on your hips
And let your backbone slip
Oh, shake it to the east, Sally
Shake it to the west, Sally.
Shake it to the very one that you love the best."
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An alternate version: "Rise up from your seat/Wipe your cheeks".
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Notice that in this video, the man who was chosen as center person is also known as the female character "Little Sally Walker".
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ADDENDUM #1 - Little Sally Walker
Eva Grace Boone, Oct 3, 2014
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Field Recordings Vol. 4: Mississippi & Alabama (1934-1942)
℗ 1997 Document Records
Released on: 2005-09-13
Auto-generated by YouTube.
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Here's the lyrics to this version of "Little Sally Walker":
"Little Sally Walker
Sittin in a saucer
Riiiiiiise, little Sally, rise
Oh, cry Sally, cry
Oh, wipe your cheeks
Oh, shake it to the east.
Oh, shake it to the west.
Oh, shake it to the very one
You love the best."
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ADDENDUM #2- Little Sally Walker Walking Down The Street"
AnnaGraceBananaFace, Feb 25, 2009
Playing little sally walker in the munchkin room at the show
in Irving on the 23rd!!
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Here's the words to the version of that singing game that is shown in this video .
Little Sally Walker walkin down the street [clap clap]
She didn't know what to do so she stepped in front of me
Hey girl, [or "Hey, boy] do your thing
Do your thing and switch.
Hey girl [or "Hey boy"] do your thing.
Do your thing and switch.
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On the words "Stepped in front of me", the person in the center of the circle randomly stands in front of someone forming the circle. The words "Do your thing" is a command for the center person to perform some dance motion of gymnastic motion such as doing jumping jacks. At the same time, the person who the center person stands in front of (and the other people forming the circle) also perform the same movements.
The word "switch" means that the center person and the person she or he is standing in front of trade places.
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The earliest examples of "Little Sally Walker Walking Down The Street" that I've found online are from the early 2000s. However, I directly observed an example of that singing game in 1999 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2022/02/a-few-examples-of-little-sally-walker.html for the very similar words to that version of "Little Sally Walker Walking Down The Street".
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