Edited by Azizi Powell
Latest revision - October 19, 2025
This pancocojams post presents some examples of "Miss Susie Had A Steamboat" (or recreational rhymes with similar titles) that include a reference to a Black boy or Black boys.
The content of this post is presented for folkloric and socio-cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those whose examples are included in this post.
-snip-
These versions are what I refer to as "racialized rhymes". "Racialized rhymes" is my term for rhymes that include one or more racial terms when they usually don't include any of those terms. These racial terms can be derogatory or non-derogatory.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/03/racialized-versions-of-i-like-coffee-i.html for the 2021 pancoocjams post entitled "Racialized Versions Of "I Like Coffee I Like Tea" Rhymes That Include The Words "I Like A White Boy & He Likes Me / So Step Back Black Boy..."
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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
There are multiple versions of "Miss Susie Had A Steamboat" (or similarly titled recreation rhymes.
The "darker than the Black boy" versions are a very small sub-set of these rhymes.
This pancocojams compilation showcases all of the examples of this sub-set of "Miss Susie Had A Steamboat" rhymes that I have come across as of September 24, 2025.
For the folkloric record, please share any additional examples (with demographics and/or internet links) in the comment section for this pancocojams post. Thanks!
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TWO EXTENSIONS OF THE "DARKER THAN" LINES IN THESE RHYMES INSTEAD OF REFERRING TO A BLACK BOY OR BLACK BOYS
The "darker than" lines in "Miss Susie Had A Steamboat" rhymes always follow this verse:
"Flies are in the meadow
The 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 entire rhyme can end with the last "dark dark dark" words. However, here are two commonly found non-racial extensions of that verse:
"The dark is like the movies. The movies like the show.
The show is like the TV set, and that is all I know."
"Darker than the underwear my mommy puts on me".
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EXAMPLES OF THIS RHYME THAT INCLUDE THE LINE THAT MENTION BLACK BOY/S
These examples are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.
Example #1:
"Miss Susie had a steamboat, the steamboat had a
bell..."
Miss Susie had a steamboat,
the steamboat had a bell.
Miss Susie went to heaven
and the steamboat went to
Hello, operator,
Please give me number nine
And if you disconnect me
I’ll kick your
Behind the ’frigerator,
there was a piece of glass
Miss Susie sat upon 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 meadow
The 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,
Darker than the ocean,
darker than the sea,
Darker than the black boy
who’s chasing after me!
-
https://www.reddit.com/r/nostalgia/comments/3zcqt1/miss_susie_had_a_steamboat_the_steamboat_had_a/
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Example #2
So.. our was a payty cake type thing...hand slapping..
"Miss Mary Mack mack mack. All dressed in black black
black. With silver buttons x3. All down her back x3. She asked her father x3.
For 50 cents x3 to see the elephant x3. Jump the fence x3. It jumped so high
x3. Up in the sky x3. And never came back x3. Till the 4th of July lie lie.
change of rhythm Lying in the bathroom I called the Operator, said 'please give
me #9'... The boys are in the bathroom, zipping up their FLIES are in the
meadows, bees are in their hive. Ms.Mary & her boyfriend are kissing in the
d.a.r.k . d.a.r.k DARK DARK DARK! Darker than the blue birds, darker than the
streets, darker than the black boy that's chasing after MEat is on the table,
but there is just one seat. The last of us will win this, and that is who will
eat. "
Then the person who slaps the others hand, wins.."
-
https://www.reddit.com/r/nostalgia/comments/pme8mi/down_by_the_banks_of_the_hanky_panky/
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Example #3
'I learned
Miss Marry had a steamboat
The steamboat had a bell (ding ding)
Miss marry went to heaven
The steamboat went to
Hello operator, please give me number 9, if you disconnect
me ill kick you from
Behind the frigerator
There lay a piece of glass
Miss marry sat upon it
And broke her big fat
Ask me no more questions
I’ll you no more lies
The boys are in the bathroom
Pulling down their
Flies are in the backyard
The bees are in the park
Miss Mary and her boyfriend were
Kissing in the dark dark dark
Darker than the ocean
Darken than the sea
Darker than the black boy next to me
-@Asher_slays666, 2025, [comment in the discussion thread for] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5E6lZVqlM-s Miss Susie Had A Steamboat (A Clapping Song), published by Molly Whuppie, May 18, 2023
A clapping song with IMPLIED cussing. Often sung by rascals. Miss Susie is sometimes replaced by Miss Lucy
or other names. There are many versions
of this song!
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Example #4
"Kids Dont jump rope to this song im in the fourth
grade and we just sing it we dont do any movements to the song
Miss Suzie had a steam boat
The Steamboat had a bell
Mrs.Suzie went to heaven
The steamboat went to
Hello Operator
Give me number 9
if you disconnect me
I'll kick you from
Behind the refrigerator
there was a piece of glass
Miss Suzie sat upon it
And broke her little
Ask me no more questions
ill tell you no more lies
The boys are in the bathroom
Zipping down their
Flies are in the meadow
Bees are in the grass
The boys and girls
Are kissing in the
D-A-R-K D-A-R-K
Darker than the ocean
Darker than the sea
Darker than the black boy
That's chasing after me
Dark is like a movie
A movie is like a show
A show is like a T.V. set
And that is all I...
Know my dad is a robber
I know my mom is a spy
I know that I'm the little brat that
Told the F.B.I.
My mom gave me a nickel
My dad gave me a dime
My sis' gave me a girlfriend
And I know she's is witch
she made me wash the dishes
she made me wash the floor
she made me wash her underwear
So I kicked her out the door
I kicked her over London
I kicked her over France
I kicked her to Hawaii"
-Guest, 27 Feb 11, http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=90418, RE:
Folklore: Lady's alligator purse? Her own thread,
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Example #5
…."Miss Susie (or Miss Lucy) is a classic “profanity
avoidance” number, in which every other line ends with an implied taboo word
that elides into the next, more innocent line. These have a venerable
tradition, with many similarities to the “Bang, bang, Lulu” (or “Lulu gal”)
songs popular in America during the World Wars (which derive from the even
earlier British “Bang, bang, Rosie”).
[…]
Here’s how I remember her:
Miss Susie had a steamboat,
The steamboat had a bell. (Toot-toot!)
Miss Susie went to heaven.
The steamboat went to…
Please give me number 9.
And if you disconnect me,
I’ll kick you from…
…BEHIND the ‘frigerator,
There was a piece of glass.
Miss Susie sat upon it,
And broke her little…
…ASK me no more questions.
I’ll tell you no more lies.
The boys are in the bathroom
Zipping up their…
…FLIES are in the city,
The bees are in the park.
Miss Susie and her boyfriend,
Are kissing in the…
D-A-R-K, D-A-R-K,
Dark! Dark!
Darker than the ocean,
Darker than the sea.
Darker than the big, black bird,
That’s chasing after me-me-me!
Perhaps more often, the “black bird” is instead a “black
boy,” which I only heard sung once as a child (by a white girl, to my
shock). I’m guessing the “black boy” version precedes the race-neutral one I
remember.
-
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The words in italics were given that way on that page.
-snip-
I've also come across one example of the words "darker than the big black bug chasing after me" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaEQydZKg80&ab_channel=zabeth71 [comment posted by Ф
Esturioa Ф, 2019
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Example #6
Miss Suzy had a steamboat
The steamboat had a bell
Miss Suzy went to heaven
The steamboat went to-
Hello operator
Give me number nine
If you disconnect me
I'll kick your big be-
'Hind the 'frigerator
There was a piece of glass
Miss Suzy fell upon it
And cut her big old-
Ask me no more questions
Give me no more lies
Ask me no more questions
Give me no more lies
The boys are in the restroom
zipping up their-
Flies are in the meadow
The bees are in the park
Miss Suzy and her boyfriend
Are kissing in the D. A. R. K.
D-A-R-K. D-A-R-K.
Dark Dark Dark Dark
Darker than the ocean
Darker than the sea
Darker than the black boy
That peed all over me!
-
http://inky.50megs.com/idlechild/songs/hellooperator.htm "Hello Operator"
Sung to: The Merry Melodies theme song, from the old Warner Brothers cartoons.
Also known as: Miss Suzy
Also see: Miss Lucy Had A Baby
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Example #7 [Partial rhyme]
...Ask me no more questions
Give me no more lies
The boys are in the restroom
zipping up their-
Flies are in the meadow
The bees are in the park
Miss Suzy and her boyfriend
Are kissing in the D. A. R. K.
D-A-R-K. D-A-R-K.
Dark Dark Dark Dark
Darker than the ocean
Darker than the sea
Darker than the black boy
That peed all over me!
-
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Example #8 - [Partial rhyme]
....Darker than the ocean Darker than the sea Darker than
the naked boys chasing after me!"
-“[deleted],2012, https://www.reddit.com/r/TwoXChromosomes/comments/10ll3w/ladies_of_2x_what_were_your Ladies of 2x, what were your lyrics to
"Miss Suzie had a steamboat"?
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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Here's a comment exchange about the racialized version of "Miss Susie Had A Steamboat" that is given as Example #1 in this pancocojams post. That version was posted in 2015 and ended with the words "darker than the black boy who's chasing after me".
ReplyDeletehttps://www.reddit.com/r/nostalgia/comments/3zcqt1/miss_susie_had_a_steamboat_the_steamboat_had_a/
[Numbers added for referencing purposes only]
1. theelectricdream, 2024
"Lmao I’ve never heard the second ending I like that but yea the one in the original post, WHOA, I wasn’t ready for that ending ….i too did the darker than the underwear one"
**
Reply
2. Upset_Taste_9309, 2025
"Wow. I’ve heard some different variations of this, but I never heard that racist bit at the end. What state are you from? If you don’t mind me asking?"
**
Reply
3. Proper-Reception7513, 2025
"Right.. like what the heck"
**
Reply
4. SwimmingTension4157, 2025
"🤣🤣🤣. That's pretty close to the East Tennessee, smokey mountain version I grew up with as well.
**
Reply
5. HoldingAbsinthe, 2025
"I’m from East TN. That’s the same version I always heard but I remember my friends and I would change the end because we didn’t like it :( "
Here's a comment from another discussion thread that refers to a "racist" version of "Miss Susie Had A Steamboat"
DeleteSerenata67, May '18, https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-to-hello-operator-gimme-number-nine/177475/10
"A variant on the lyrics:
…
The boys are in the bathroom, zipping up their
Flies are in the meadow, bees are in the park.
Miss Susie and her boyfriend are kissing in the
D-A-R-K, D-A-R-K, dark, dark, dark!
…
This was the version that I grew up with, but there was a rather racist final stanza that some of the other kids said. Even as a kid, it didn’t sit well with me, so I never sang it."
To be very clear, I definitely believe that these "darker than the Black boy" versions of "Miss Susie Had A Steamboat" rhymes should NOT be chanted for recreational purposes.
DeleteThe term that I use for these examples "racialized versions of rhymes" means "versions of rhymes that include a reference to race although the "original" versions (and/or the "standard" versions of these rhymes don't include any references to race.
I believe that the racial terms in racialized rhymes can be non-derogatory (such as the referent "Black" as is the case with these examples of "Miss Susie Had A Steamboat" rhymes) or derogatory (such as what is commonly called "the n word").
Furthermore, I believe that rhymes that include the n word are always racist, and I believe that racist rhymes, songs, chants, and cheers shouldn't be used for recreational purposes.
However, my position is that in and of themselves, racialized rhymes, songs, chants, and cheers that include non-derogatory racial terms may not be racist.
That said, I believe that racialized rhymes and other racialized compositions are usually problematic (in the socio-cultural and emotional/psychological meanings of the word "'problematic") as those compositions may teach and reinforce racism. Both of these categories of racialized rhymes may also be hurtful to and/or can evoke anger in people who are part of the race mentioned in those compositions.
I encourage people to collect, archive, and study these types of rhymes for historical, folkloric, and socio-cultural purposes and I hope that the recreational purposes of these types of rhymes will eventually belong only to the past and not the present.