Mckinley Pasteris, Apr 6, 2018
From Slumber Party
Note: It's just only game.;)
-snip-
"Slumber Party" is the 22nd episode of Season 1 of The Cosby
Show, also the 22nd overall in the series. The episode was directed by Jay
Sandrich and written by John Markus. The episodes originally aired in the
United States on NBC on March 28, 1985.
The comment feature was disallowed for this video. However, I just found this YouTube copy of that clip that has 1,000 plus comments:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EbxalIlQEs .
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Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post showcases a video clip from a 1985 episode of The Bill Cosby Show in which twin girls perform a hand clap routine of the rhyme "I Met My Boyfriend At The Candy Store" (also known as "Uno Dos Siesta"). The words to that version of this rhyme are included in this post along with a few other examples of this rhyme.
"I Met My Sugar in a Candy Store" is the source of these "I Met My Boyfriend At The Candy Store" rhymes.
In addition, this pancocojams post includes some brief informational comments about a few of these rhymes after the words for those examples.
The content of this post is presented for cultural and recreational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
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Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos. Thanks to Juanita Nixon for her "I Met My Sugar In A Candy Store" record. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/01/bill-cosby-show-hand-clap-segment-i-met.html for a 2014 pancocojams post on this same subject "The Cosby Show Hand Clap Segment ("I Met My Boyfriend At The Candy Store" Also Known As "Uno Dos Siesta")" That post doesn't have any comments in its discussion thread (as of September 22, 2025).
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THE R&B RECORD THAT PROBABLY INSPIRED THIS CHILDREN'S RECREATIONAL RHYME
I Met My Sugar in a Candy Store - Juanita Nixon
Release – Topic, May
16, 2024
Provided to YouTube by Zebralution GmbH
Rock and Roll Vixens, Vol. 3
℗ 1963 AMB
Released on: 2021-03-19
Comments are turned off.
Composer: Ruth Verst
Lyricist: Ruth Verst
-snip-
I don't remember this song from when it was recorded, but I'm glad I happened upon it while "surfing" YouTube. Here's my transcription of the lyrics to that record (I used italics for the words that I'm not sure of and I added question marks for the words that I can't decipher. Additions and corrections are very welcome)
I met my sugar in a candy store
I never knew a guy so sweet before
He’s got an afro honey and a lot of money
And there’s sugar in his kiss.
I met my sugar in a candy store
You never seen a guy so sweet before.
You know ??????
And I can hardly wait for his kiss.
He's got curly curly hair
And crazy brown eyes
And he’s got lovely??
He looks so doggone cute
In his strawberry suit with the peppermint stripe on
his vest.
I met my sugar in a candy store
There never was a guy so sweet before
When we walk down the aisle
I’ll be wearing a smile
Thinking only of his kiss.
[instrumental]
He has curly curly hair
And crazy brown eyes
And he’s got a lovely ??
In his strawberry suit with the peppermint stripe on his vest.
I met my sugar in a candy store
There never was a guy so sweet before
When I walk down the aisle
I’ll be wearing a smile
Thinking only of his kiss.
When I
walk down the aisle
I’ll be wearing a smile
Thinking only of his kiss.
‘Cause when I walk down the aisle
I’ll be wearing a smile
Thinking only of his kiss.
****
AN EXPLANATION FOR THE TITLE "UNO DOS SIESTA" FOR " I MET MY BOYFRIEND AT THE CANDY STORE" RHYMES
My guess is that the words "Uno, dos, siesta" in that version of "I Met My Boyfriend At The Candy Store" are a folk processed (folk etymology) form of "uno dos tres" (Spanish for "one, two, three". "Siesta" is a Spanish word that means "nap" in English). "Folk processing" occurs when another word or phrase is substituted for another word or phrase because of misremembering, misunderstanding, or as an attempt to make sense out of an unfamiliar word or phrase.
MORE EXAMPLES OF THIS RHYME
Example #1 is given at the top of this post. That 1985 example that was performed on the then widely viewed The Cosby Show television series is the earliest example of these rhymes that I have come across as of this date (September 22, 2025). However, a few other examples in this compilation mention remembering this rhyme from "the 1980s".
Notice that some versions of "I Met My Boyfriend At The Candy Store" (Uno Dos Siesta") are combined with other children's recreational rhymes, particularly "I Love Coffee I Love Tea", "Down Down Baby ("Shimmy Shimmy Co Co Pa") , or "Not Last Night But The Night Before" (also found as "Last Night And The Night Before").
****
Example #2
Zing, Zing, Zing,
and ah 1-2-3.
I like coffee, I like tea.
I like a Black boy and he likes me.
So step back, White boy, you don't shine.
I'll get the Black boy to beat your behind.
Last night and the night before.
I met my boyfriend at the candy store.
He bought me ice cream he bought me cake.
He brought me home with a belly ache.
Mama, mama, I feel sick
Call the doctor, quick, quick, quick
Doctor, doctor, will I die?
Close your eyes and count to five
1-2-3-4-5
I'm Alive!
See that house up on the hill.
That's where me and my baby live.
Eat a piece of meat
Eat a piece of bread.
Come on baby. let's go to bed
-Kayla. (African American female, age 5; recited for Alafia
Children's Ensemble, Fort Pitt Elementary School chapter, (Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania), 2000; collected by Azizi Powell
-snip-
"Alafia [ah-LAH-fee-ah] Children's Ensemble" was (a
once a week after-school) game song movement group that that I founded and
conducted for girls and boys ages 5-12 years (2000-2004). The groups met once a
week. One group was in Braddock, Pennsylvania. And one in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania. These game song groups
(which was mostly attended by girls) provided good opportunities for me to
collect children's rhymes and cheers.
This is a racialized version of "I Like Coffee I Like
Tea". Note the age of the girl who recited this rhyme. Kayla volunteered
to share a rhyme during the "show and tell" portion of the game song
group which I conducted. During that portion of the group, an individual or
more than one person at a time can share a rhyme that they know with the group.
When Kayla said that "let's go to bed" line, the rest of the group
snickered, and Kayla stood there clearly not understanding that reaction. I
remember saying "Well , they could go to bed together because they got
married". I then thanked Kayla and quickly moved on to another child who
wanted to share a rhyme.
Before Kayla left the group session that day, I privately asked her where she learned that rhyme. She said her mother had taught it to her. In the ten years that I conducted those game song groups as well as some special events programming [one time) game song sessions] throughout many African American neighborhoods of Pittsburgh and some other surrounding communities, only one other child included that "See that house up on the hill" verse with her example of "I Like Coffee I Like Tea". Coincidentally, that child was also a five year old Black girl who also said she learned it from her mother. I wonder if that verse wasn't well known or if the older children were self-censoring what rhymes they shared with an adult.
****
Example #3
"Uno, dos-ee-ay-say
This is a hand clapping game that is pretty simple and
follows the basic pattern of 1 Clap your own hands once 2 Slap right hand with
your partner's right hand 3 Clap your own hands once 4 Slap left hands with
your partner 5 Repeat step 1-4
Through most of the game except for at the beginning when you hold your partners hands and swing them back and forth and the line "Quick, quick, quick" when you slap both hands against both your partners hands 3 times in succession, then go back to the basic pattern.
Verse:
Uno, dos-ee-ay-say Said east, west,
met my boyfriend at the candy store
He brought me ice cream He brought me cake
He brought me home with a belly ache
Mama, mama, I'm so sick
Call the doctor Quick, quick, quick!
Doctor, doctor, will I die
Count to five and you'll be alive
Uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco
I'm alive, yeah!
(when you say "Yeah" point at yourself with two
thumbs, a la Fonzie).
-Contributed by D'Arcy - Thank you!,
http://www.gameskidsplay.net/jump_rope_ryhmes/Uno,%20dos-ee-ay-say.htm
Example #4
Last night and the night before,
I met my boyfriend at the candy store.
He bought me ice cream; he bought me cake.
He brought me home with a belly ache.
Mama, mama, I feel sick.
Call the doctor, quick, quick, quick!
Doctor, doctor, will I die?
Close your eyes and count to five.
1-2-3-4-5
I’m Alive!
See that house up on the hill?
That’s where me and my baby live.
Eat a piece of meat
Eat a piece of bread.
Come on baby, let’s go to bed!
-SAHMURAI, April 17, 2016, https://sahmurai.wordpress.com/2016/04/17/the-truth-behind-3-hand-clapping-games-from-your-childhood/ "Down, down, baby! A hand-clapping history"
****
Example #5
I like coffee
I like tea
I like the colored boy
And he likes me.
So stop that white boy
Me don't shine
I'm going to give that boy
A kick in the behind.
Last night, the night before
I met my boyfriend at the candy store.
He brought me ice cream
He bought me tea
He brought me home [Hesitates, looks at me through lowered
eyes.]
And he try my gate.
I said "Mama Mama I feel sick.
Call the doctor quick quick quick/
Doctor Doctor, will I die?
Close your eyes and count to five.
1-2-3-4-5.
See that house on top of the hill?
That's where me and my boyfriend live.
Cook that chicken. Eat that rice.
Come on baby, let's shoot some ...
Let's shoot...wait. Let's shoot some dice."
-fifth & six grade African American girls at John Dibert
Elementary School in New Orleans, Louisiana, collected by Jeanne Pitre Soileau
& included in her book Yo' Mama, Mary Mack, and Boudreaux and
Thibodeaux: Louisiana Children's Folklore and Play (October 2018)
-snip-
Jeanne Pitre Soileau, the author of this book (who is White), wrote that her mother remembered
chanting this much shorter version of that rhyme in the 1920s (New Orleans,
Louisiana)
"I love coffee
I love tea.
I love the boys
And they love me."
Soileau also wrote in that book that in the early 1950s she
and her White friends chanted that same version while jumping rope.
****
Example #6
"I'm young but in New Orleans 1990s-2000s I always heard:
Oh gosh he's crazy, oh gosh he's crazy
Take a piece take a plum take a piece of bubblegum
No piece no plum, no piece of bubblegum
I like coffee, I like tea
I like the colored and he likes me.
So smack that white boy, he don't shine.
(it could be step back white boy, I think I heard both)
I'll throw him round the corner and i'll beat his behind
Last night and the night before.
I met my boyfriend at the candy store.
He bought me ice cream he bought me cake.
He brought me home with a stomach ache.
I said Mama, mama, I feel sick
Call the doctor, quick, quick, quick
Doctor, doctor, if I die
I'll close my eyes and count to five
I said 1-2-3-4-5
I'm Alive!
See that house on top of that hill.
That's where me and my boyfriend live.
Cook that chicken
Burn that rice
Come on baby let's shoot some DICE!"
-~TAugust
25, 2013, http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/01/racialized-versions-of-i-like-coffee-i.html "Racialized Versions Of "I Like Coffee I Like Tea" ("I Like A Black Boy And He Likes Me" and other racial referents)."
****
Example #7
"Hello! I was singing this song and I wanted to learn where
exactly it came from and I didn't know that it had so much history! I grew up
in Detroit and was born in the year 2000 and the version I grew up with seem to
have some mixtures of the examples you provided. The version I grew up with:
I like coffee, I like tea
I like the colored boy and he likes me.
So step back white boy you don't shine,
Cause I'll get the colored boy to beat yo behind.
Last night, and the night before
I met my boyfriend at the candy store.
He bought me ice cream he bought me cake,
He brought me home with a belly-ache.
I said "Mama, Mama I feel sick
Call the doctor quick,quick,quick."
Doctor Doctor shall I die?
Just close your eyes and count to 5.
I said a 1-2-3-4-5, I'm alive.
See that house n top of that hill?
That's where me and my baby gonna live.
Scoop the ice cream cut the cake,
Come on baby let's celebrate!
And sometimes, there'll be a weird ending at the end (which
to me doesn't seem to match the flow of the rhyme) that goes:
That's not all, that's not all
My baby drinking alcohol."...
_Anonymous, January 26, 2019,
****
Example #8
"Here’s how I heard it as a child in late 70s/early 80s Atlanta:
I like coffee I like tea
I like the Jackson 5 and they like me
So step back white boy you don’t shine
I’ll get the Jackson 5 to beat your behind
Last night and the night before I met my boyfriend at the candy store
He bought me ice cream he bought me cake
He brought me home with a stomach ache
Mama mama I feel sick
Call the doctor quick quick quick
Doctor doctor shall I die
Close your eyes and count to 5
1 2 3 4 5 I’m alive
See that house on top of the hill
That’s where me and my baby gonna live
Gonna cook some oatmeal cook some bread
Come on baby let’s go to bed"
-Sarah, November 3, 2020, http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/01/racialized-versions-of-i-like-coffee-i.html
****
Example #9
"Not last night but the night before
My boyfriend took me to the candy store
He bought me ice cream, he bought me cake
He brought me home with a tummy ache!
Mama, Mama, I feel sick
Call the doctor quick quick quick
Doctor, Doctor, will I die
Count to five and you'll be alive!"
-
****
Example #10
"Down down baby down by the roller coaster
sweet sweet baby mama never let you go
if you wanna kiss me just say you love me
Shimmy shimmy coco pop shimmy shimmy pow
shimmy shimmy coco pop shimmy shimmy pow
I like a black boy and he likes me
so step back white boy I ain't shy
I bet you 5 dollars i'll beat yo behind
Last night and the night before
I met my boyfriend at the candy store
he brought me ice cream he brought me cake
he brought me home with a belly ache
I said momma momma i'm so sick
call the doctor quick quick quick!
I said doctor doctor shall i die
he said close your eyes and count to 5
I said ah 1 ah 2 ah 3 ah 4 ah 5...
i'm alive on channel 5
scooby dooby doo on channel 2
big fat lady on channel 80
and all the rest on channel 8"
-GUEST,Meme 03
Jul 14, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=100653, "Down
Down Baby-Race in Children's Rhymes"
****
Example #11
-Quinnrules1997, 2007, https://www.retrojunk.com/community/post/index/9614
****
Example #12
"Playground Rhymes I did when I was in primary school
(2007/2008 - 2013) -I met my boyfriend
I'm not actually sure what this one is called we just called it that, [This one needs clapping]
I met my boyfriend at the candyshop/store
he bought me ice-cream, he bought me cake,
he brought me home with a belly ache,
I said 'Mama mama, I feel sick! call the doctor quick quick
quick!'
'Doctor Doctor when I die, count to ten and I'll be alive'
'a one, a two, a three-four-five, I'm alive!'
'I'm never going to see that boyfriend again!'
-http://hellothere-areyoulost.blogspot.com/2013/07/i-met-my-boyfriend.html
****
Example #13
Here is a song we used to do on the playground in
Birmingham, AL back in the 80s:
Last night and the night before I met my boyfriend at the
candy store
He brought me ice cream he brought me cake
he brought me home with a stomach ache
mama mama i feel sick
call the doctor quick quick quick
doctor doctor will i die
close you eyes and count to five
i said a one, a two, a three, a four, a five
I'm alive
[Optional part] we would do sometimes (a little risque for little girls):
see that house on top of that hill
that's where me and my baby gon' live
we gon' cook some cornbread
cook some meat
come on baby let's go to bed and do the boom
boom boom."
-Joi, Cocojams, 3/23/2008
-snip-
Cocojams.com was the name of my multi-page cultural website that
was online from January 2001 to October 2014. Some recreational rhyme content from that website is found on pancocojams and on my other blog cocojams2.
****
Example #14
"The version I grew up on was a little more sexual than
violent....
I like coffee,
I like tea,
I like the colored boy and he likes me,
So step back white boy you don't shine,
I'll get the colored boy to beat yo behind,
Last night, the night before,
I met my boyfriend at the candy store,
He bought me ice cream, he bought me cake,
He brought me home with a stomach ache,
Mama, mama, I feel sick,
Call the dictor quiick, quick, quick!
Doctor, doctor will I die?
Close your eyes and count to five,
1,2,3,4,5
See that house on top of the hill,
That's where me and my boyfriend live,
Take some chicken, fry the bread,
Come on baby let's get in the bed,
Come on baby let's do it again ahhh.."
-
Example #15
"Title: Oh Mama
Performed by: Felicia & Victoria; Promise &
Jackerline; Temoh & Princess)
(We are going "cera", in "cera", in
"cera" - used to establish the rhythm)
Oh Mama, Mama!
Oh Papa, the war!
The war has make in the Burkina Faso.
I say East, the West.
I met my boyfriend in the ice cream shop.
He bought me ice cream on my wedding day.
Mama, Mama. I'm so sick.
Take me to the doctor, shall be quick quick quick.
Shall be quick quick quick.
Doctor, doctor. Will I die?
No my dear, you will live forever more.
Forever more!"
-Clapping Game #2 (1:02-1:28) ;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtnTFj9xjKw&ab_channel=AfricaHeartwoodProject “Three African Clapping Games from Liberia”
Africa Heartwood
Project, Aug 9, 2011
[video summary]
"Here is a collection of three Liberian clapping games
performed by the children we support in our Refugee Orphan Home at Buduburam in
Ghana, West Africa. Try them for yourself! The children are speaking
traditional Liberian Pidgin-English which they commonly refer to as Coloqwa
(KOH-loh-kwah)."
-snip-
This example demonstrates how English language children's rhymes can be shared by English speaking people with other people throughout the world. I'm assuming that staff or volunteers from the USA taught
this rhyme to these children at this Ghanaian Refugee Orphan Home.
The children at that Orphan Home adapted that English language rhyme to include their concerns about the war in the West African nation of Burkina
Faso which I assume caused them to flee their home and live in that refugee center.
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