"A Sailor Went To Sea" Hand Clap Rhyme (Part I -The "Sea, Chop, Knee" Version)

Mariana Cruceru, Jul 16, 2023
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This hand clap rhyme can also performed by partners who are seated facing each other.

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part I of a three part pancocojams series series on the children's hand clap rhyme "A Sailor Went To Sea".

This post presents general information about "A Sailor Went To Sea" hand clap rhymes and showcases the "sea, chop, knee" version of those rhymes.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/10/a-sailor-went-to-sea-hand-clap-rhyme_12.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. This post features the words and accompanying actions for what I refer to as the "Timbucktu" version of this hand clap rhyme.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/10/examples-of-sailor-went-to-sea-part-iii.html for Part III of this series. That post features a version of "A Sailor Went To Sea" that includes the word "China". 

WARNING: Some online examples of this version include children performing an eye stretching racist gesture that stereotypes Chinese people and other Asian people.

I'm publishing this version for folkloric purposes. I'm not promoting the performance of this version with that racist gesture and I advise that that gesture should never be made. 

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The content of this post is presented for folkloric and recreational purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the unknown composer/s of the "A Sailor Went To Sea" song and thanks to the  originator/s of the "sea, chop, knee" version of this hand clap rhyme.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks also to all those who are associated with this showcased video. 

**** INFORMATION ABOUT "A SAILOR WENT TO SEA" From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Sailor_Went_to_Sea" "A Sailor Went to Sea" is a traditional children's clapping game, and skipping rhyme. It was initially called 'My Father Went to Sea', before becoming more widely known as 'A Sailor Went to Sea'.[1]

Origin

"My father Went to Sea" originated in Brockley at Mile End sometime in 1967 by an unknown writer.[2] From there, it spread throughout London in the early 1970s to West Norwood and Battersea Brixton.[2] The song was first recorded by Iona Opie in Birmingham in 1972.[3] After the fourth verse, the initial words typically replace "sea/see" with other words, such as "chop", "knee", "bed", "pick", or "toes", with appropriate gestural substitutions.[4] According to the Opies, the title "A Sailor Went to Sea" was a joke that originated or was perpetuated in the song "We Joined the Navy" (aka "We Saw The Sea") from the 1936 movie Follow the Fleet.[2]

Lyrics

A first verse of A Sailor Went To Sea goes as:

A sailor went to sea, sea, sea

To see what he could see, see, see.

But all that he could see, see, see

Was the bottom of the deep blue sea, sea, sea.

While saying "sea", aquatic waves are mimed with the hand; while saying "see", the hand is brought to the eye to mime a "seeing" gesture"...
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The "standard" version of  "A Sailor Went To Sea" consists of the first verse only, repeated with the same tempo or speeded up with each iteration. 

Based on online videos, "Sea, chop, knee" is a common version of the "A Sailor Went To Sea" hand clap rhyme.

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WORDS TO THE "SEA CHOP KNEE" VERSION OF "A SAILOR WENT TO SEA"

A Sailor Went To Sea Sea Sea

To See What He Could See See See

But All That He Could See See See

Was The Bottom Of The Deep Blue Sea Sea Sea

 

A Sailor Went To Chop Chop Chop

To See What He Could Chop Chop Chop

But All That He Could Chop Chop Chop

Was The Bottom Of The Deep Blue Chop Chop Chop

 

A Sailor Went To Knee Knee Knee

To See What He Could Knee Knee Knee

But All That He Could Knee Knee Knee

Was The Bottom Of The Deep Blue Knee Knee Knne

 

A Sailor Went To Sea Chop Knee

To See What He Could See Chop Knee

But All That He Could See Chop Knee

Was The Bottom Of The Deep Blue Sea Chop Knee

 

Bottom Of The Deep Blue Sea Chop Knee!!!!

https://wiggles.fandom.com/wiki/Dorothy_the_Dinosaur%27s_Beach_Party!_(video)

Dorothy the Dinosaur's Beach Party! is a video featuring Dorothy the Dinosaur that was released on December 5, 2012.
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I don't know what is the earliest date for the "sea, chop, knee" version of the "A Sailor Went To Sea" hand clap rhyme.

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This concludes Part I of this pancocojams series.

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Visitor comments are welcome.