KSquared, Dec 13, 2014
-snip-
Here's my transcription of the words to this version of this rhyme:
Swing Swing Swing
On a summer day
Hey, Hey.
I'm a little
First Grader
As pretty as can
Be Be
And all the boys around my house
They're chasin after
Me Me
My boyfriend's name is
Jello
He came from Ala
Bamo
With a pickle up his nose
And twenty-five toes
And this is how my story goes
One day I was
Walkin
And saw my boyfriend
Talkin
To an itty bitty girl
With strawberry clothes
And this is what he said to her
I K.I.S.S. kiss you
I M.I.S.S. miss you
I L.O.V.E. love you
Kiss
Miss
Love
STOP
-snip-
Transcription from the video by Azizi Powell. The word "clothes" [after the word "strawberry"] is usually given as "curls".
The tune for this example is somewhat different from the tune that was used for the examples of this rhyme that I've heard in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
****
Edited by Azizi Powell
[This pancocojams post is a complete reprint of a September 4, 2026 updated version of the pancocojams post with this title that was originally published on this blog in 2023. This 2026 post includes a small amount of additional content and also includes all of the comments that are published in that post's discussion thread as of September 4, 2026. That 2023 post remains on this blog and additional comments may still be published in its discussion thread.]
****
This pancocojams post presents additional information about and examples of the evolution of the "I'm A Little Dutch Girl" * children's recreational rhymes to "I'm A Little First Grader" children's recreational rhymes.
Two other titles for these rhymes are "Swing Swing" or "Wobble Wooble Wooble". The title "Swing Swing" comes from the introductory words "Swing Swing on a summer day" that are sometimes used for these rhymes.
The title "Wobble Wooble Wooble" comes from the introductory words "Wooble wooble wooble in the deep blue sea" that are sometimes used for these rhymes.
The content of this post is presented for folkloric, recreational, and socio-cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
*There are a number of different "families" of children's recreational rhymes that begin with the line "I'm a (pretty) little Dutch girl". The family of rhymes that are the focus of this pancocojams post has the second line "as pretty as can be".
I plan to publish a post on example of different families of "I Am A Little Dutch Girl" rhymes. When it is published I'll add the link to that post here.
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/08/some-changes-in-rhyme-im-little-first_22.html for the 2019 pancocojams post entitled "Some Changes In The Rhyme "I'm A Pretty Little First Grader" From Their Rhyme Source "I Am A Pretty Little Dutch Girl".
Also, click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/12/i-am-pretty-little-first-grader-variant.html for the closely related 2013 pancocojams post "I Am A Pretty Little First Grader (a variant form of "I'm A Pretty Little Dutch Girl").
INFORMATION ABOUT THE RHYME "I AM A PRETTY LITTLE DUTCH GIRL" (As pretty as I can be)
I AM A PRETTY LITTLE DUTCH GIRL
I am a pretty little Dutch girl
As pretty as pretty can be
And all the boys around my block
Go crazy over me!
I had a boyfriend, Patty
Who comes from Cincinnati
With 48 toes and a pickle on his nose
And this is the way my story goes
One day when I was walkin'
I heard my boyfriend talkin'
To a pretty little girl with a strawberry curls
And this is what he said to her...
I L-O-V-E, love you
to K-I-S-S, kiss you
yes K-I-S-S, kiss you in
the D-A-R-K dark boom boom!
-Variation 6 of examples of "I Am A Pretty Little Dutch Girl" on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pretty_Little_Dutch_Girl
-snip-
Based on examples of this rhyme that I've read, the earliest examples of this rhyme may have only consisted of one verse that is similar to the first verse that is given above
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pretty_Little_Dutch_Girl retrieved January 21, 2023
" "Pretty Little Dutch Girl" is a children's nursery rhyme, clapping game and jump-rope rhyme. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 12986.
Lyrics
The lyrics of the song vary considerably. British versions of this rhyme differ significantly, perhaps because many of the allusions in the rhyme were unknown to British children at the time."...
-snip-
That Wikipedia page continues with "common" examples of "I Am A Pretty Little Dutch Girl" in the United States and the United Kingdom while alluding to the origin of that rhyme in the United States.. A few of these examples cites where that particular example came from in the United States.
It makes sense that "I Am A Pretty Little Dutch Girl" rhyme originated in the United States since the cities that are referenced in these rhymes are from
As documented in that Wikipedia page, there are LOTS of examples of "I Am A Pretty Little Dutch Girl" (as pretty as can be), Most of the versions of that rhyme that are included on that Wikipedia page include verses from one or more stand alone rhymes.
The Wikipedia page for "I'm A Little Dutch Girl" (or "I'm A Pretty Little Dutch Girl") doesn't mention the "I Am A [Pretty Little] First Grader" variant rhymes.
****
Excerpt #2
From https://www.bussongs.com/songs/i-am-a-pretty-little-dutch-girl
" "I Am A Pretty Little Dutch Girl" is a children's nursery rhyme, jump rope rhyme, and a fun clapping game originating from America. The earliest record of the song is from 1940 in New York, from there it spread across the US, soon becoming one of the most popular jump rope rhymes among girls and reaching Britain by 1959"..
****
INFORMATION ABOUT "I AM A LITTLE FIRST GRADER" RHYMES
"I Am A [Pretty] Little First Grader" rhymes are examples of how children's recreational rhymes can change over time and within certain populations.
Those introductory words or other similar introductory words are also found in some other African American originated rhymes such as "Tweeleelee" and "I Don't Want To Go To To Mexico No More". The introductory words "Shame Shame Shame" have been used so often for "I Don't Want To Go To Mexico" rhymes that it has become the title for that rhyme among many African American girls.
****
A sub set of "I Am A Little First Grader" rhymes include the words [I saw my boyfriend talking] "to the ugliest girl in the world", the examples completely turn around the "prettiest girl with the strawberry curls" description that are standard to many of the "I Am A Little Dutch Girl" rhymes. Those words may have been changed because the chanter can't believe that there's another girl in world who is prettier than she is, and the chanter believes the ugliest girl in the world is no threat to her.
****
Examples of "I Am A Pretty Little First Grader" that I've come across Dutch Girl" are combined with verses of one or more stand alone rhymes (rhymes that can be chanted by themselves or in combination with other recreational rhymes.)
****
WHAT IS THE EARLIEST DATE FOR THE "I AM A PRETTY LITTLE FIRST GRADER" RHYMES?
The earliest example of "I Am A Little First Grader that I've directly (in person) come across an example of "I'm A (Pretty) Little Firs Grader" rhyme was 2000 (African American girls, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania). That example has the words: "I saw my boyfriend talking/to a very pretty girl with strawberry curls'.
I also collected another example of "I Am A First Grader" in person in 2000 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and another in 2004 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. That second example has the words "I saw my boyfriend talking/to a very pretty girl with cherry pie curls". Both of those examples were from African American girls from Fort Pitt Elementary School in the Garfield section of Pittsburgh. Click http://cocojams2.blogspot.com/2014/10/hand-clap-jump-rope-rhymes-examples-i-j.html to read those two examples.
In April 2010, I collected the same rhyme from two 9 year old African American girls (Takeya and Alexus) who live in the same neighborhood as Fort Pitt Elementary School. (The name for that Pittsburgh Publich School had changed to Fort Pitt Accelerated Learning Academy and that school has since been closed.
When the rhyme called for the girls to give their grades, one girl chanted "I am a second grader" at the same time the other girl chanted "I am a third grader". Both girls said the "get your black hands off of me" line at the end of that version of that rhyme.
I also heard the beginning of this same rhyme chanted by a third grade African American girl in the lunchroom of the same Pittsburgh public school in May 2010 when I was substitute teaching there. That girl said "I am a third grader"/as pretty as can be be be". Unfortunately, I wasn't able to hear the rest of the rhyme.
A few examples that are showcased in this pancocojams post have the words "I saw my boyfriend talking to] "the ugliest girl in the whole wide world and this is how my story goes" or "this is what I said to her" or a similar ending..
Wooble Wooble Wooble
And ah 1, 2, 3
I am a lit tle first grader
as pretty as can be be.
and all the boys around my house
go crazy over me me.
My boyfriend's name is Yel low.
He comes from Ala ba ma
with 25 toes
and a pickle on his nose
and this is how the story goes
One day I was ah walk ing
I saw my boyfriend talk ing
to a very pretty girl
with strawberry curls.
And this is what she said
"I l. o. ve love you."
"I k. i. ss kiss you"
"I a d.ore adore you"
So s .t .o .p. STOP!
-female first grade students Tarea, Kayla, Kaylin (African American), and Ha and Hung (Vietnamese, ages 5-7 years old); Fort Pitt Elementary School {Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, 2000}; collected by Azizi Powell, 2000
-snip-
This rhyme was performed as a competitive hand slap rhyme (similarly to the hand slap activity that is performed while chanting "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky".
****
A FEW RHYME EXAMPLES THAT INCLUDE THE WORDS "THE UGLIEST GIRL IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD
Numbers have been added for referencing purposes only.
1. I am a pretty __ first grader
My boyfriend's name is__ Chris Brown
He lives in Ala__bama.
One day when I was___walking
I saw my boyfriend __ talking
To the ugliest girl in the whole wide world.
And this is what he said.
I K-I-S-S
I M-I-S-S miss you.
I L-O-V-E love you.
ABCDEFG
Get your black hands off of me.
I K-I-S-S Kiss you!
-Naijah S.; (African American female, 9 years old; Hazelwood section of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; January 14, 2011; Collected by Azizi Powell 1/14/2011
-snip-
The dash indicates that the chanter pauses one beat before saying the next word or the next syllable.
"Chris Brown, in full Christopher Maurice Brown, (born May 5, 1989, Tappahannock, Virginia, U.S.), American rhythm-and-blues (R&B) singer, songwriter, and actor whose melodic voice and skilled dancing propelled him to fame"...
**
2. im a pretty little first grader as pretty as can be be my boyfreinds name is je-llo he lives in ala-bamo with a pickle up his nose and 25 toes this is how my story goes one day i was walking i saw my boyfreind talking to the ugliest girl in the whole wide world and this is what he said to her k-i-s-s kiss you l-o-v-e love you d-u-m-p dump you m-i-s-s miss you.
-Anonymous, May 17, 2018, http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/12/i-am-pretty-little-first-grader-variant.html
**
3. Sea sea sea at the bottom of the sea
I'm a little first grader
Pretty as can be be
And all the boys around my block
Is fighting over me me
My boyfriend name is jello
He lives in alabamo
With 65 toes
And a big fat nose
And this is how my story goes
One day I walking
I saw my boyfriend talking
To the ugliest girl in the whole wide world
And this is what I said to her
See my pinky see my thumb see my fist you better run
Peanut butter reesce cup you mess With me Ill jack you up
Wait come back you need a tik tak not One not two but the whole 6 pack
Sorry to be mean
But you need some Listerine
Not a sip not a swallow but he whole dang bottle
-unknown, August 9, 2019, http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/12/i-am-pretty-little-first-grader-variant.html
**
4. Well this is the one I always used-
Sea sea sea at the bottom of the sea!
I am a little__First grader!
Who is pretty as can, be be
and all the boys around my block are fighting over, me me!
My boyfriends name is Jell-o,
He comes from alabam-o,
With 24 toes and a pocket full of gold and this is how my story goes:
I saw my boyfriend, talk-ing to the ugliest girl in the whole wide world and this is how my story goes:
Kawala-wala, A! Kawala-wala B!
Chi-bang-bag C! hi-bang bang D!
See my pinkie see my thumb, see my fist, you better run!
Wait, come back. You need a Tic-Tac. Not one, not two, but the whole six pack!
And, Sorry to be mean, but you need some Listerine.
-Unknown, September 27, 2021, http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/12/i-am-pretty-little-first-grader-variant.html
**
5. 'The one we used to sing all the time was
I am a little first grader. As pretty as can be be. And all the boys around my block go crazy over me me. My boyfriend name is Jello. He lives in Alabamo. With a big fat nose and 35 toes and this is how my story goes. One day I was walking. I saw my boyfriend talking to the the ugliest girl named (insert ugly girl name) in the world and this is what he said to her. M-I-S-S miss you. K-I-S-S kiss you. L-O-V-E love you and this is what I said to her.
See my pinkie. see my thumb. See my fist you better run. Recesse's Recesse's Coco Puff mess with my man I'll mess you up."
-Cidnei Gregory, 2019; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfzHL_1PdbY&t=2s&ab_channel=EbonyJanicePeace "Let's Discuss: Black Girl Childhood Hand Games and Sing Songs"
-snip-
This commenter wrote that this example is from Chicago.
**
6. Growing up we sang ours a little different too:
I'm a little first grader,
pretty as can be be
& all the boys around my block go crazy over over me me
my boyfriend name is johnny, he lives in California
with 25 toes & a big fat nose & this is how my story go
one day I was walking, I saw my boyfriend talking, to the ugliest girl in the whole wide world & this is how my story go
I K I S S kiss you, I M I S S miss you, I L O V E love you, but ABCD get your broke hands off of me
-Sydney Plunkett, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zEcsIfe6lU&t=4s 90's hands games!!!Part 1, published by Geneas, Nov. 4, 2018
**
7. the second.version we be like “im a little first grader pretty as can be be & all the boys around my block are fighting over me me , my boyfriend name is jello but he live in Alabama with 25 toes & a big fat nose & this is how my story go , one day i was walking i saw my boyfriend talking to the ugliest girl in the whole wide world & this is what i said to her see my pinky see my thumb see my fist you better run whole up wait come back you need a tic tac not a one not a two but the whole dang thing “ lol alot😭😭😭
-prettyL365, 2020; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zEcsIfe6lU&t=4s 90's hands games!!!II, Part 1, published by Geneas, Nov. 4, 2018
-snip-
This commenter didn't share anything about "the first version."
**
8. There’s a another version of swing when it goes swing swing swing at the bottom of the sea I’m a little 5thgrader pretty as can be be and all the boys around my block are fighting over me me my boyfriend name is Jell-O and he lives in Alabama with 25 toes and a big red nose & this is how the story goes One day I was walking and I saw my boyfriend talking to the ugliest girl in the whole wide world and this is what I said to her See my pinky see my thumb see my fist you better run peanut butter Reese cup you mess with me a jack you up wait come back you need a TicTac not a one not a two but the whole six pack sorry to be mean but you need some Listerine not a sip not a swallow but the whole damn bottle 😂
- OmgitsGrace, 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zEcsIfe6lU&t=4s 90’s hands games !!!!! Part 1 published by Geneas, Nov 4, 2018
**
9. Our swing swing sing game went like “ swing swing swing, at the bottom of the swing,I am a little 8th grader as cute as I can be be and all the boys around my house go crazy over me me. My boyfriend name is Jello he lives in Alabama, with 25 toes and a big fat nose and this is how our story goes... one day I was walk-in, I saw my boyfriend talk-in, to the ugliest girl in the whole wide world and this is what I said to her...” I forgot the rest but it go sum like get away from my boyfriend and I’ll punch u in da face or sum😂😭
-
**
10. imma little six grader
as pretty as can be be
my boyfriend name is bow wow
he lives in ohio
and this is how my story goes
one day I was walking
I saw my boyfriend talking
to the ugliest girl
in the whole wide world
and this is how my story goes
k-i-s-s kiss you l-o-v-e
love you m-i-s-s miss you
and this is how my story goes
a b c d
so keep yo hands away from me.
-http://www.home-school.com.au/resource/skipping-rope-jump-rope-hopscotch-songs.html , 3/21/2005
-snip-
Here's information about Bow Wow: "Shad Gregory Moss (born March 9, 1987), better known by his stage name Bow Wow (formerly Lil' Bow Wow), is an American rapper and actor.", https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bow_Wow_(rapper)
****
11. Swing swing swing on a summary day hey hey I’m a little first grade as pretty as a meme and all the boys around my school go crazy over me me my boyfriend name in bowwow and he lives in Alabama with a tik tak toe and 3 in a row and this is how my story goes one day I was walking and I saw my boyfriend talking to the ugliest girl in the whole wide world and this is what he said to her
L-O-V-E love you with a K-I-S-S kiss you with a S-T-O-P
STOP! now don’t stop till your hands get hot.
-Laterri Ward, 2021, https://www.answers.com/music-and-radio/The_swing_swing_on_a_summer_day_hand_clapping_game
****
12. then theres-sea sea sea at the bottom of the sea i am a lil (say ur grade) 6th grader as pretty as can be be and all the boys around my house go crazy over me me my boyfriends name is jell-o he lives in ala-bama with a pickle on his nose and 25 toes this is how my story goes 1 day i wuz walkin i saw my bf talkin to the ugliest girl in the whole wide world an this is wut he said to her l-o-v-e love you k-i-s-s kiss you l-o-v-e k-i-s-s keep your fat hands off of me
-the11yearoldknowz, http://www.inthe00s.com/archive/inthe80s/smf/1109960765.shtml "Those Clapping Games
****
Comments from the discussion thread for this 2023 pancocojams post:
As of January 21, 2023, the only online posts that are specifically about "I Am A First Grader" rhymes (with or without the words "the ugliest girl in the whole wide" are those that I published on pancocojams or on my other Google blog cocojams2.
Delete
As documented in this pancocojams post, a few other examples of "I Am A First Grader" are found elsewhere online. I've documented some of those rhymes in various pancocojams post as well as in https://cocojams2.blogspot.com/2014/10/hand-clap-jump-rope-rhymes-examples-i-j.html a cocojams2 posts (cocojams 2 is a blog about children's rhymes that I voluntarily curate.)This is a correction for the comment that I wrote on January 22, 2023 at 12:07 AM that included the wrong year for this YouTube policy.
Delete
"As of Feb. 28, 2019, most YouTube children's videos had their discussion threads deleted and disabled because of concerns about predatory comments being posted on those discussion threads.
I understand the need to protect children from online predators and inappropriate comments. However, as a self-described folklorist, I deeply regret the lost of folkloric and socio-cultural content that had already been posted and may have been posted to those videos' discussion threads.
The examples that are included in this post from a YouTube discussion thread are available because that YouTube video/vlog features two young women and not any children."In January 2023 I wrote that I hadn't come across any examples of or references to "I'm A Little First Grader" rhymes online. Well, I googled it today (April 20, 2026) and found this Tik Tok link: https://www.tiktok.com/discover/i-am-a-little-first-grader-pretty-as-can-be-be-hand-game. That link has LOTS of examples of that rhyme. Most of the people shown in those video clips are Black.
Delete
There are a number of children's rhymes that end with the words "keep your __ hands off of me". Examples of those rhymes in this post about "I Am A Little First Grader" are
#1. "Keep your black hands off of me"
#6. "get your broke hands off of me"
#10. "keep yo hands away from me."
#11. "keep your fat hands off of me"
-snip-
My guess is that "keep your black hands off of me" was the earliest version of that line and that it originated from Black children.
I believe that other versions of that line knowingly or unknowingly replaced the "black hands" version because that line was socially unacceptable.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2011/10/get-your-black-hands-off-of-me.html for a pancocojams post entitled The "Get Your Black Hands Off Of Me" Line In African American Playground Rhymes.****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Here's a link to a YouTube video example of "I'm A First Grader": ."swing swing" fun https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX9nqHZRA-w published by KSquared, Dec 13, 2014.
ReplyDeleteHere's my transcription of the words to this version of this rhyme:
Swing Swing Swing
On a summer day
Hey, Hey.
I'm a little
First Grader
As pretty as can
Be Be
And all the boys around my house
They're chasin after
Me Me
My boyfriend's name is
Jello
He came from Ala
Bamo
With a pickle up his nose
And twenty-five toes
And this is how my story goes
One day I was
Walkin
And saw my boyfriend
Talkin
To an itty bitty girl
With strawberry clothes
And this is what he said to her
I K.I.S.S. kiss you
I M.I.S.S. miss you
I L.O.V.E. love you
Kiss
Miss
Love
STOP
-snip-
Transcription from the video by Azizi Powell. The word "clothes" [after the word "strawberry"] is usually given as "curls".
The words "swing swing on a summer day" that begin that rhyme is a variant form of "swing swing to the bottom of the sea" or similar words. Those words serve as an introductory phrase that I've come across in a number of different children's rhymes.
It's likely that commenters had posted other examples of that rhyme on that video's discussion thread. If so, those examples have been deleted because of YouTube's decision to disallow comments on children's videos.