Examples Of "A Sailor Went To Sea" (Part III- Versions That Include The Word "China")

Edited by Azizi Powell

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

This post features the words and accompanying actions for what I refer to as the "China" version of this hand clap rhyme. 

The content of this post is published for folkloric purposes.

WARNING: Some online examples of this version include children performing what is called "the slant eye 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. 

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/10/a-sailor-went-to-sea-hand-clap-rhyme.html for Part I of this series. That 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.

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The content of this post is presented for folkloric and socio-cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
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Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/07/anti-asian-rhymes-i-went-to-chinese.html for this related 2013 pancocojams post "Offensive Children's Rhymes: " I Went To A Chinese Restaurant".

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EXAMPLES OF "A SAILOR WENT TO SEA" THAT INCLUDE THE WORD "CHINA"
These sources are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.

SOURCE #1
"This recording was made by Iona Opie in Birmingham in 1972. ‘A Sailor Went to Sea, Sea, Sea’ is a clapping game found on virtually every playground across the country and belongs to what Roud refers to as the ‘core repetoire’ of clapping games. The song began as ‘My Father Went to Sea’ before becoming more widely known as ‘A Sailor Went to Sea’. After this opening line, it is common for children to sing ‘a sailor went to chop, chop, chop, chop’ and ‘knee, knee, knee, knee’ before ending with ‘sea, chop, knee’. However, children frequently offer their own substitutions, using the song to explore different lyrical combinations and rhymes. The children in this recording refer to ‘China’ and a video, found in this section, shows children from Sheffield singing ‘pick, pick, pick’ while pretending to pick their noses!

Transcript [in that article ]

Children: [Singing and clapping]

A sailor went to sea, sea, sea, sea,

To see what he could see, see, see, see,

But all that he could see, see, see, see,

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

A sailor went to China,

To see what he could China,

But all that he could China…

 

Child:
It’s China.

Child:

[Inaudible 0:00:35] you’re spoiling it.

Child:

Miss, they’re spoiling it.

Teacher:

Will you let them do it, please?

Child:

We’ll do it again.

Teacher:

Yes.

Children: [Singing and clapping]

A sailor went to China,

To see what he could China,

But all that he could China,

Was the bottom of the deep blue China.

A sailor went to chop, chop, chop, chop,

To see what he could chop, chop, chop, chop,

But all that he could chop, chop, chop, chop,

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

A sailor went to Africa,

To see what he could Africa,

But all that he could Africa,

Was the bottom of the deep blue Africa.

Child:

And then you say all the things at the end.
-Contributed by Julie, https://www.bl.uk/collection-items/a-sailor-went-to-sea-1972 "A sailor went to sea, sea, sea (1972)"
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This page doesn't indicate what motions to perform for China and for Africa.

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SOURCE #2

"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 China** To see what he could China But all that he could China Was the bottom of the deep blue China **every time you say China, put your hands together and bow. A sailor went to Texas*** to see what he could Texas but all that he could Texas was the bottom of the deep blue Texas! *** Every time you say Texas, move your right arm around in the air, like twirling a lasso A sailor went to doo-wop, doo-wop,**** to see what he could doo-wop, doo-wop, but all that he could doo-wop, doo-wop, was the bottom of the deep blue doo-wop, doo-wop!!! **** Every time you say doo-wop, doo-wop, shake your butt like you're dancing.https://archive.homeschool.co.uk/jumprope-songs/sailor.html, Aug 12 2003

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SOURCE #3

Oh 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 ocean

See, see, see

 

(chop one arm with your hand every time you say chop, chop chop)

Oh 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 ocean

Chop, chop, chop

 

(pull eyes back with index finger every time you say China)

Oh sailor went to China

To see what he could China

But all that he could China

Was the bottom of the ocean

China

 

(hit chest with left fist then right fist every time you say Hong Kong)

Oh sailor went to Hong Kong

To see what he could Hong Kong

But all that he could Hong Kong

Was the bottom of the ocean

Hong Kong

 

(hands on hips and roll every time you say ooh achi cachi)

Oh sailor went to ooh achi cachi

To see what he could ooh achi cachi

But all that he could ooh achi cachi

Was the bottom of the ocean

Ooh achi cachi
-Kisha, 03-25-2003, http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/archive/index.php/t-31403.htmlold school chants
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The commenters on this Greek Chat discussion thread are women who are members of historically Black American Greek letter (university based) sororities.

Since Black Americans are part of the United States, it shouldn't be surprising that some black children, teens, and adults unconsciously or consciously demonstrate/d stereotypical attitudes and behaviors that deeply permeated and still deeply permeates United States culture. That eye gesture is racist regardless of who does it.  

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This concludes Part III of this pancocojams series.

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