Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post documents changes in some of the words of examples of "Miss Sue" ("Miss Sue From Alabama") that I have come across online from some Southern states in the United States from 1942 to the 2000s.
I also believe that these examples document or suggest changes in the accompanying play activities from the early (pre-1970s rhymes that appear to me to be circle or line motion or show me your motion singing games to the post 1970s rhymes which appear to all be partner hand clapping rhymes.
All of the examples in this pancocojams compilation include information about where the rhyme was collected or where the contributor first chanted or first heard that rhyme (i.e. in which southern state).
Most of these examples also include when the contributor first chanted or first heard that version of "Miss Sue From Alabama".
The content of this post is presented for historical, folkloric, socio-cultural, and recreational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
The earliest example of "Miss Sue" children's recreational rhymes is documented from 1934. However, I haven't come across the words for that example and I'm not sure if any words were collected.
Click __ for the pancocojams post "Archived Links To Pancocojams Posts About "Miss Sue From Alabama" Children's Rhymes.
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EXAMPLES OF SOUTHERN UNITED STATES VERSIONS OF "MISS SUE" ("MISS SUE FROM ALABAMA") WITH INFORMATIONABOUT WHEN THEY WERE COLLECTED OR WERE CHANTED OR HEARD BY THEIR CONTRIBUTOR
1942-Mississippi
"Miss Sue Miss Sue
Somebody’s in your parlor
Miss Sue Miss Sue
Somebody’s in your parlor
Miss Sue Miss Sue
Somebody’s in your parlor
Miss Sue from Alabama
Miss Sue Miss Sue
Did you ever see a monkey make a motion
Miss Sue Miss Sue
Did you ever see a monkey make a motion
Miss Sue Miss Sue
Did you ever see a monkey make a motion
Miss Sue from Alabama"
-https://archive.culturalequity.org/field-work/mississippi-delta-survey-1941-1942/moon-lake-842/miss-sue-alabama-who-de-cat-sail-sail
"Miss Sue from Alabama / Who De Cat (Sail, Sail)"
-snip-
This is my transcription of this rhyme from its audio recording.
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circa 1965- Mississippi
"Miss Sue
Miss Sue
Miss Sue from Alabama
Someone is in your garden
Miss Sue
Miss Sue from Alabama
Someone is in your garden
Miss Sue from Alabama
Show me what you can do
Miss Sue
Miss Sue
Show me what you can do
Miss sue from Alabama
Is this the way you do
Miss Sue
Miss Sue
Is this the way you do
Miss Sue from Alabama
Hey Hey
A doobie-do-wah
Your mama's broke
And your papa's broke
Turn to the east
Turn to the west
Turn to the very one you love the best
Milk in the pitcher
The butter's in the bowl
Can't catch a sweetheart
To save your soul
I think this is the way we sang this game in Northern
Mississippi cira 1965."
--GUESTnanasallthat,https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=63097, Do kids still do clapping
rhymes?, 11 Dec 07
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1973- New Orleans, Louisiana
"I grew up in and around New Orleans. The first time I remember this was second grade, 1973. It was a hand game song. Each person's right hand hits down while left hand hits up. Then each person's right hand hits up while left hand hits down. Then each person's hands hit in front of them. (Additional hand moves in parentheses.)
All of this while singing:
Miss Sue, Miss Sue, Miss Sue from Alabama.
Hey little girl with the dippity doo,
Your momma's got the measles and your poppa does too.
They've got the A B C D E F G (make a circle around your right temple like signalling that they are crazy)
They've got the H I J K LMN OP (make a circle around your left temple like signalling that they are crazy)
They've got a booster shot... (Soft Karate chop for each syllable on bent arm alternating above and below elbow)
They've got a booster shot... (Soft Karate chop for each syllable on bent arm alternating above and below elbow)
They've got a booster shot... (Soft Karate chop for each syllable on bent arm alternating above and below elbow)
And FREEZE. Both kids freeze first one to move loses. The winning kid might karate chop or might punch the bicept the losing kids arm. My friends and I usually just had bragging rights, ah, you moved, I won.
So that's our version. I spent all of second grade in Terrytown Elementary School."
-Jodi Ann, December 21, 2019, [comment] https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/11/folk-processing-childrens-rhyme-miss.html
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late 1980s-early 1990s: Mississippi
"Hi there. I'm from Mississippi and was in elementary
school in the late 80's through early 90's. the version of "Miss Sue"
I remember was not listed here. I thought I'd help you out. Last time I heard
it, I think it had varied ever so slightly from when I was in school, but this
is how I remember it: Miss Sue (clap clap clap) Miss Sue (clap clap clap) Miss
Sue from Alabama Sittin' in a rocker eatin' betty crocker watchin' that clock
go tick-tock, tick-tock-banana-nana tick-tock, tick-tock banana-nana ABCDEFG-wash
those stains right out'a my knees MUSHKA, MUSHKA, MUSHKA FREEZE (as fast as you
can) 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10!
-
-snip-
If I'm correctly reading this comment
"I was on the other side of the mountains in TN.* Ours went:
Miss Sue! [Clap×3]
Miss Sue! [Clap×3]
Miss Sue from Alabama
Sittin' in rocker [rocking]
Eatin' Betty Crocker [playing spoon to mouth]
Watchin' the clock go
[Ticking fingers] Tic toc, tic-toc
[Roll fists] Da-lally-lally
[Ticking fingers] Tic toc, tic-toc
[Roll fists] Da-lally-lally
[Counting on fingers]
One... two... three
[Wiping shirt]
Wipe those germs right off of me
[Finger guns]
Moonshine, moonshine, moonshine FREEZE!
First person to move loses. Winner goes:
[Blows smoke off right then left in rhythm, holsters] You
lose!
Learned that one roundabouts 1991."
-IndomitableAnyBeth, 2026, 1983 [birth year], https://www.reddit.com/r/Xennials/comments/1rnrt6f/miss_sue_schooby_doo/
-snip-
*This comment was written in response to the comment given as Example #5 in the next section of this pancocojams post.
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around 2005: central Georgia
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 [comment] "Folk Processing Children's Rhymes
-snip-
Here's a reply to this comment that was published in that same pancocojams discussion thread:
"Thank God! I thought my childhood was a lie. This is how we sang it in middle ga as well. I am teaching my daughter the hand games me played but three ones on you tube are so different from when I was a kid. "
-Unknown, October 29, 2020
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2005-2007: North Carolina
Miss sue
Miss sue
Miss sue from alabama
they call her Susie-anna
Sittin in a rocker
Eating betty crocker
Watching that clock go
Tick tock
tick all around
Go tick tock
Tick all around
Go a b c d e f g
Gotta wash that stuff right outta me
Gotta moosha, gotta moosha (this part could be something
other than moosha but its how i remember it)
Got a crack in my side
Got a crack in my side
Moosha moosha
I know karate
Moosha moosha
Oops im sorry
Salt and pepper freeze
Achoo, i just had too
I also want to note that there were hand gestures throughout
the entire song to accompany the song. My friends and i would do this at
after-school when we were roughly 8-10. Im in a folklore class at the moment
and its really interesting discussing variations of stories and the like and it
got me thinking about songs from my childhood."
-snip-
In response to my follow up questions, this contributor shared in two comments in that same discussion that she learned this version of "Miss Sue From Alabama" in North Carolina between 2005-2007.
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EXAMPLES OF SOUTHERN UNITED STATES VERSIONS OF "MISS SUE" ("MISS SUE FROM ALABAMA") WITH NO DATES WHEN THEY WERE COLLECTED OR WHEN THEY WERE CHANTED OR HEARD BY THEIR CONTRIBUTOR
These examples are given in chronological order based on their publishing date with the oldest date given first.
1."Miss Sue
Miss Sue
Miss Sue from Alabama
Her name was Suzianna
Sitting in a rocker
eating Betty Crocker
Watching the clock go
Tick Tock
Tick all around go
Tick Tock
Tick all around
A-B-C-D-E-F-G
Gotta wash that stain right out of me
Gotta Boom-shot
Gotta Boom-shot
Gotta crick in my side
Gotta crick in my side
Salt and pepper said "DO NOT MOVE"
(alternate ending)
Salt and pepper said" DO NOT MOVE,
FIRST ONE TO MOVE IS A BLACK-EYED-PEA
SECOND ONE TO MOVE IS A BEAUTY QUEEN
-Dani (White American, Southern USA), http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=63097 "Folklore: Do kid still do clapping rhymes?", September 22, 2003
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2.Miss Sue
Miss Sue
Miss Sue from Alabama
Her name was Suzianna
Sitting in a rocker
eating Betty Crocker
Watching the clock go
Tick Tock
Tick all around go
Tick Tock
Tick all around
A-B-C-D-E-F-G
Gotta wash that stain right out of me
Gotta Boom-shot
Gotta Boom-shot
Gotta crick in my side
Gotta crick in my side
Salt and pepper said "DO NOT MOVE"
(alternate ending)
Salt and pepper said" DO NOT MOVE,
FIRST ONE TO MOVE IS A BLACK-EYED-PEA
SECOND ONE TO MOVE IS A BEAUTY QUEEN
-Dani (White American, Southern USA), http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=63097 "Folklore: Do kid still do clapping rhymes?", September 22, 2003
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3"Mis Sue from Alabama
Let's make a movie
Sitting in a rocking chair
Eating Betty Crocker
Watching the clock say
Tick Tock Boom Boom Banana
Tick Tock Boom Boom Banana
Hey white girl whatcha going to do
Momma got the measles Daddy got the flu
Give me a ABCDEFG HIJKLMNOP
Take a flue shot take a flu shot
and FREEZE
-Guest, Mom From Bama, http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=102055&messages=48, "Folklore: Play Ground Hand Jives", May 2, 2008
-snip-
The word "Bama" in that contributor's screen name is an abbreviation for the Southern USA state name "Alabama".
The words "Hey, white girl" presupposes that the person chanting this rhyme wasn't White. My guess is that that person was Black.
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4."Miss Sue (Macon Georgia Version)
Miss Sue (Clap Clap)
Miss Sue (Clap Clap)
Miss Sue from Louisiana,
Her real name Suzy Anna
Shaka-boom Shaka-boom Shaka boom boom boom.
Mamma in the kitchen,
Cookin' fried chicken.
Daddy in bed,
Halfway dead.
Sister at school,
Acting like a fool.
Brother in jail,
Drinking Ginger Ale.
(place hands on legs and cross them)
Boom chika wow wow,
Boom tik tok.
Boom chika wow wow,
Momma says stop!!"
— Preceding unsigned comment added by 104.220.83.236 (talk)
06:11, 14 December 2020; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Clapping_game/Examples
5. "
Trying to find the rest of the lyrics for this version of
Miss Sue and if anyone else knows it (from North Carolina)
Miss Sue Scooby Doo Miss sue from Alabama We call her Suisiana Sitting on a rocking chair eating (something) Watching the clock go Tick tock
Some some"
-Livid_Temporary_9969, 2026, https://www.reddit.com/r/Xennials/comments/1rnrt6f/miss_sue_schooby_doo/
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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
It appears that prior to the early 1970s, "Miss Sue" (also known as "Miss Sue From Alabama" was a group imitative motion game and then a group show me your motion game that children played in a circle or perhaps in two lines facing each other.
ReplyDeleteClick https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2YodFqZ7nQ for the 1967 film clip "Pizza Pizza Daddy-O" by folkstreamer to see the play formats of a small group of "Afro-American" girls playing singing games in a Los-Angeles school yard .
The earliest example of "Miss Sue From Alabama" that I've come across that was (probably) performed by partners clapping hands was the 1973 rhyme that is given in this pancocojams post.z
ReplyDeleteHere's another 1970s example of a "Miss Sue From Alabama" hand clap rhyme:
Miss Sue
Miss Sue from Alabama
Hey you,
scooby do
your Mama's got the measles
Your papa's got the flu
magic measles
magic flu
Take an a b c d e f g
Take an h i j k l.m.n.o.p.
Take a smooth shot
Take a smooth shot
and now freeze.
-Eleanor Fulton, Pat Smith: Let's Slice The Ice, (Magnamusic-Baton, 1978; St. Louis, Mo.; p 16) [African American children, no state or city indicated]
-snip-
"Scooby Doo" is the name of a Great Dane dog that talks and is the star of an animated American television series "Scooby Doo, Where Are You". That series first aired in 1969.
However, I believe that the term "scooby doo" was probably originally the scatting musical phrase "doo bee doo be" , "shoo be doo" or another similar scatting phrase.
I believe that the words for "Miss Sue From Alabama" children's rhymes changed as a result of the United States' launching measles immunizations and flu immunizations for children
ReplyDeleteHere's part of an AI Overview write-up of the history of immunization for measles in the USA:
"Immunization against measles in the USA began in 1963, following the licensure of the first live attenuated measles vaccines. A more effective, improved vaccine strain developed by Maurice Hilleman was introduced in 1968, and the combined measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine was licensed in 1971.
Key Historical Facts on US Measles Vaccination:
Initial Vaccine (1963): The first vaccines (Edmonston B strain) were introduced, leading to a dramatic reduction in cases.
Initial Impact: Between 1963 and mid-1966, approximately 15 million children were vaccinated, reducing reported cases by half.
Improved Vaccine (1968): A less reactive, improved vaccine strain (Edmonston-Enders) was introduced, which is the basis for modern vaccines.
MMR Vaccine (1971): The combination measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine was first licensed in 1971."...
The early 1970s "Miss Sue From Alabama" rhymes began to include lines about mama having the measles and daddy having the flu.
DeleteThose 1970s rhymes also include the term "booster shot". That term was eventually folk processed to "boom-shot". In addition, the term "flu shot" was folk processed to "smooth shot".
Some "Miss Sue From Alabama" rhymes also include the term "cootie shot". However, it appears to me that the word "cootie" isn't found in "Miss Sue From Alabama" rhymes as it is in the children's "circle circle dot dot/now you've got a cootie shot" chants .
After the 1960s, along with the inclusion of terms about getting a shot, the "Miss Sue From Alabama" rhymes that I've come across often include a line about "washing [something] off of me".
DeleteMy guess is that those "wash that __" off of me may have originated with concerns about measles spots. However, I believe that that "wash that __ off of me" is often a sexualized referent in those "Miss Sue From Alabama" rhymes-even if some children don't recognize the sexual nature of terms (such as "wash those cooties* off of me" and "wash those boy germs off of me".)
*My guess is that "cooties" was at least sometimes a substitute for the sexual word "coochie" in these "Miss Sue From Alabama" children's rhymes and in those children's circle, circle dot dot..." chants.
I think that the lines "Sittin in a rocker/eating Betty Crocker" wasn't part of these "Miss Sue From Alabama" rhymes until the early 2000s.
ReplyDelete[Please correct me if I'm wrong about that.]
My guess is that the children included those lines to focus on something soothing to assuage their fears and concerns about getting the measles or the flu and their fears and concerns about getting an immunization or more than one immunizations.