The Phrase "Boom Chicka Boom" In Some Examples Of Children's Hand Clap Rhymes or Cheers

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part III of a four part pancocojams series on the American children's camp song "Boom Chicka Boom" (also known as "I Said A Boom Chicka Boom". 

This post presents a compilation of children's recreational rhymes or cheers that include the phrase "boom chicka boom" or a very similar phrase. All of the examples that I have come across thus far are from the "Miss Sue From Alabama" family of children's recreational rhymes/cheers.

For the folkloric record, please share other examples of recreational rhymes that include the  "boom chicka boom" phrase or a similar phrase in the comment section below. 
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Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/08/three-songs-with-title-boom-chicka-boom.html for Part I of this pancocojams series. That post presents information about three songs other than the repeat-after-me children's camp song "Boom Chicka Boom" that have that title or a similar title. 

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/08/the-origin-of-boom-chicka-boom.html or Part II of this pancocojams post. That post showcases three YouTube videos of the  "Boom Chicka Boom" repeat-after-me children's camp song. This post also presents information about the origin of that camp song.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/08/information-about-boom-chick-boom.html for Part IV of this pancocojams series. That post presents information about the  instrumental music pattern known as "boom chick boom".

The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, entertainment, and recreational purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all the contributors of examples that are included in this compilation.

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CHILDREN'S RECREATIONAL RHYMES OR CHEERS THAT INCLUDE THE PHRASE "BOOM CHICKA BOOM" OR A SIMILAR PHRASE
These examples are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.

The "boom chicka boom" phrase or a similar phrase in these examples is written in italics the first time it is given in each example for highlighting purposes only. 

1. 
"I loved these games when I was a kid! I was really good at them, it's probably my only talent in life, LOL. Too bad it's not worth much!

 ….How about this one:

Miss Sue, Miss Sue,

Miss Sue's from Alabama,

She's having a party,

Chick a boom, chick a boom, chick a boom boom boom (shaking butt)"
-tinams8, 08-31-2003; Location: New England, http://www.mothering.com/forum/35-parenting/83013-hand-clapping-recess-games.html

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2.
"MISS SUE FROM ALABAMA
"one goes back and forth between the people playing the game; I'll just use my name (Monica):

(both)Miss Sue, Miss Sue

Miss Sue from Alabama

Her real name is Susannah

(Boom chicka boom chicka boomboomboom)

Mommy's got the measles, Daddy's got the flu

I ain't lyin', nor are you.

(other person) Hey Monica!

(me) Who's callin' my name?

(other person) Hey Monica!

(me) Stop playin' my game!

(other person) Someone's on the telephone!

(me) If it ain't my baby tell 'em I ain't home!

(both) Sittin' in her rocker, eatin' peanut butter

Watchin' the clock go

Boom ticky wah wah boom tick tock

Boom ticky wah wah clock says stop!"
-getoffmyskittle, http://archive.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=38901&page=4 "Does anyone remember this?? (goofy kid-rhymes)" February 6th, 2006 [This link is no longer active.]
-snip-
This example may have been performed as a foot stomping cheer. Its words are a combination of the hand clap rhyme "Miss Sue From Alabama" and the foot stomping cheer "Telephone". 

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3.

Miss Sue (clap clap clap)

Miss Sue (clap clap clap)

Miss Sue from Alabama

Now let’s have a party.

 

Chicka boom chicka boom

chicka boom boom boom

Now let’s have a tic tac toe

Ah tic ah tac ah tic tac toe

My mother’s in the kitchen peelin white potatoes

My father’s in the alley drinkin lemonade-o

Brother in the clink waitin for the clock to go

boom tic tock boom tick a wally wally (7x)

boom tic tock

 

Miss Sue (clap clap clap)

Miss Sue (clap clap clap)

Miss Sue from Alabama

She ma

My mother had a baby

My father called it crazy

But, if it’s a girl

I’ll give it a curl

And If it’s a boy

I’ll give it a toy.

Wrap it up in toilet paper

Send it down the elevator

First floor ¬ Stop!

(Think it over)

Second floor -Stop!

(Think it over)

Third floor, you better not stop

'Cause S.T.O.P spells stop.
-Songs for Children from New York City [1976],  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzyI9N6i0WU; Transcribed by Azizi Powell from the sound file 
-snip-
This version is a combination of the hand clap rhyme "Miss Sue From Alabama" and the hand clap rhyme "Mama's Having A Baby".

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4. 

"Miss Sue (Clap Clap)

Miss Sue from Alabama

She's havin a party

Chica Boom Chica Boom Chich Boom Boom Boom

Mama got the measels

Daddy got the flu

I ain't lyin

Neither are you

Just sittin in the field pealing white potatas

Sittin in the hall drinkin achahol

Got to drunk I fell out

How many hours was I knocked out
 "Children's Rhymes From the Eighties", http://www.inthe80s.com/rhymes.shtml
-snip-
This entire example was written in upper case letters, and was also written in paragraph form. I changed those features in order to conform to the other examples on this page.

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5. "We sang a totally different version than anything I've seen online. This was around 05 in central GA.

 

 

Miss Sue,

Miss Sue,

Miss Sue from Alabama,

Her real name's Suzianna.

Chicka-boom, chicka-boom,

Chicka boom-boom-boom.

Momma's got the measles,

Daddy's got the flu

I ain't lying, neither are you.

(You) 'Hey (friend's name)!'

(Friend) 'who's calling my name?'

(You) 'hey (friend)!'

(Friend) 'who's playing my game?'

(You) 'your boyfriend's on the telephone's

(Friend) 'if ain't my baby tell him I ain't home, if it is my baby tell him hooooold on'

(Both again)

Sittin in a rocker,

Eatin Betty crocker,

Watchin that clock goin

Boom chicka-wa wa,

Boom tick-tock.

Boom chicka-wa wa,

The clock says stop.

I like coffee,

I like tea,

I like the little boy who likes me

Tick tock!"

 

There were hand motions for each line, similar to the usual ones. At the last part (boom chicka wa wa) we crossed our hands on our laps and back over and over, when the song ended if they were parallel, you were the little boy, if they were crossed you were the girl. It was really weird now that I think about it but we never did it any of the ways I've seen on YouTube or here!"
-Anonymous; January 12, 2020 [comment], http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/11/folk-processing-childrens-rhyme-miss.html Folk Processing The Children's Rhyme "Miss Sue From Alabama"

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This concludes Part III of this pancocojams series.

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Visitor comments are welcome.