Edited by Azizi Powell
This is Part I of a two part pancocojams series that presents a complete reprint (as of November 2, 2026) of visitor comments and my responses to those comments from the discussion thread of a pancocojams post entitled "Some "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" Rhymes" With Geographic Locations (A-J). That pancocojams post was published on March 22, 2021.
https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/03/part-i-of-some-examples-of-down-by_22.html
The source for all of the examples of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" is a ten page Mudcat folk music forum discussion thread on that rhyme. https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=94034&messages=490&page=1
(I started that 10 page Mudcat discussion thread on August 21, 2006.)
Part I of that 2021 pancocojams post presents examples of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" children's recreational rhymes in which the commenter mentions a geographic location that begins with the letter "A-J" (usually a state in the United States).
I stopped updating that pancocojams post in 2023. However, that Mudcat thread is still open for comments. The last comment that is posted in that discussion thread that mentions a location is from November 24, 2025.
That 2021 post remains in this pancocojams blog and additional comments are welcome.
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The content of this post is presented for folkloric, socio-cultural, and recreational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who shared an example of this rhyme in this post's discussion thread.
-snip-
Click the "down by the banks of the hanky panky" tag for other pancocojams posts about this rhyme.
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PART I -Some "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" Rhymes" With Geographic Locations (A-J)
Visitor comments in the discussion thread for Part I of this pancocojams series may include a geographic location that begins with the letter "A -J", or may include a geographic location that begins with another letter, or may not include any geographic location.
Probably because the title for Part II of this post is shown in this pancocojams blog before Part I, there are far fewer visitor comments in Part I than in Part II.
https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/03/part-i-of-some-examples-of-down-by_22.html:
DISCUSSION THREAD COMMENTS
There are 25 comments in that discussion thread as of November 2, 2026 at 2:01 PM EST. (These comments aren't numbered.)
AnonymousFebruary 11, 2023 at 2:08 PM
Hi, Anonymous.
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Thanks for sharing part of the version of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" that you remember and thanks for sharing where you learned it.
I haven't come across that line before in this rhyme.
- AnonymousFebruary 11, 2023 at 2:10 PM
I also remember a kid teaching us the Florida version
ReplyDeleteHellow, Anonymous. Thanks for your comment.
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Which Florida version do you remember. It might be given in this post or it might be a version that's not documented yet.
- AnonymousMarch 6, 2023 at 11:16 PM
Just south of Tampa Florida:
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Down by the bank of the hanky panky
Where the bull frog jumps from bank to bank
Say E-I-O-U
Your mama sticks and so do you
So ping pong, donkey Kong
Junior senior 1 2 3Hello,Anonymous.
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Thanks for sharing that version of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky". Thanks also for including where you learned that example.
Is the word "sticks" supposed to be "stinks"? I've come across that line a lot and all the other words in that version except the "Junior senior 1 2 3", I assume that "Junior senior" refers to the school grades. If so, did people ever say Freshman, Sophomore?
Best wishes!
- AnonymousMarch 8, 2023 at 11:54 PM
I love this so much!!! It's so awesome that you've documented this. I'm from ATL and the version given here is just what I learned but maybe 5 years later. So interesting!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHello, Anonymous. Thanks for your comment.
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It's interesting how the words to some rhymes can remain the same over time and within the same population while the words to other rhymes change alot.
There are two examples of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" from Atlanta, Georgia that are given above. Which exampleare you referring to?
- AnonymousMarch 30, 2023 at 9:18 PM
Central Kentucky in 2019 at least,
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"Down by the banks of the hanky panky
where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
singing Es Is Os Us
Listen to the rythm of the ding dang dong
Coca cola went to town
Pepsi Cola Shot him down
Dr Pepper fixed him up
Now we're talking Seven Up
Seven Up has no caffiene
Now we're talking Billy Jean
Billy Jean went down the street singing
Do a ditty ditty dum ditty do
Mickey Mouse had a house
Donald Duck messed (or fucked) it up
who will pay the consequences
Y - O - U"
It was a LONG game I played with at least 15 people often in marching band. It started slow and always sped up at Seven Up, and we slapped each other's hands in a circle so hard it hurt.Anonymous, thanks for sharing the version of "Down by the banks of the hanky panky". Thanks also for sharing demographic information and documenting how you play it and that is was played as recently that way as in 2019.
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Your comment also documents that profanity was used in this rhymes that used to be (but no longer are) for elementary or middle school children only.
Best wishes!- AnonymousMarch 31, 2023 at 12:06 AM
That was in highschool, between the ages of 15 to 18 years old. During practice we'd use the PG version, but if we played it outside of school some would use that word instead.
Delete Anonymous, thanks for adding that information about your March 30, 2023 at 9:18 PM example.
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That adds needed context for your use of that word.I usually don't add comments that contain profanity to any pancocojams discussion thread. I supposed that I did so in this case without realizing it and then when I did realize it I kept the comment to document its use in recreational rhymes.
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My apologies to those who have a problem with that word appearing in this discussion thread.
in Georgia, metro Atlanta area, in the mid to late 2000s, I learned:
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down by the river in the hanky panks
where the bullfrogs jump from banks to banks
sayin' eeps, ipes, opes, ops
chilly willy ding dong
I pledge allegiance to the flag
Michael Jackson makes me gag
coca-cola burns my butt
now we're talkin' 7-up
7-up has no caffeine
now we're talkin' willy jean
willy jean is outta sight
now we're talkin' dynamite
dynamite blew up the school
now we're talkin' really cool
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, BOOM!Elias, thanks for sharing that version of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky". It's interesting that the name "Billy Jean" was changed to "Willy Jean" in your version.
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There will come a time-if that time hasn't come yet- when lots of people won't know who Michael Jackson was or remember his hit song "Billy Jean".
Best wishes!
- AnonymousOctober 24, 2023 at 6:12 PM
In Long Beach, CA around 2008, I learned it as:
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Down by the banks of the hanky panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
Where the eeps ops soda pops
He missed a lily and he went kerplop
(Second verse, sung faster)
With a cherry on top, Pepsi Cola
Ring a bell, ring a bell if it makes you smile
Ring a bell, ring a bell if it makes you smile
7up, 7up, 7up, you’re out!Hi ,Anonymous. Thanks for sharing that version of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" and thanks for remembering to include where and when you learned it.
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I don't believe that I've come across that "ring the bell if it makes you smile" version before. I wouldn't be surprised if it was from a song or a commercial that was aired back then.
Best wishes!- AnonymousOctober 24, 2023 at 9:28 PM
Now that I’ve read through some of the other versions, I’m wondering if the lyric was actually “ginger ale if it makes you smile,” and I just misheard it lol.
Delete Hey, Anonymous. I think the "ginger ale if it makes you smile" words fit the rhyme better, since the rhyme names other types of carbonated beverages (soda, pop). But that "ring a bell" misremembered or misheard words serves as an example of how folk processing songs/rhymes work.
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- AnonymousDecember 13, 2023 at 9:37 PM
I love this! I'm originally from Fort Collins CO and we used to sing:
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Down by the banks of the hanky panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
With a hip hop over the top
Frog missed a lily pad and went kerplopHi, Anonymous. Thanks for sharing your example.
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This is the first time that I recall seeing the "with a hip hop over the top line. :o)
Here's a version of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" that I received via email:
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January 14, 2024
"Hello!
I came across your page about the song “down by the banks” because someone told me people sing it differently based on where they grew up. I grew up in los angeles, california and we sang it exactly like you wrote under the Southern California heading. I also saw the variation you put (the beverly hills one) and I just wanted to add to it. We would sing it “down by the streets of the beverly hills where the girls go shopping and the boys pay the bills with the eeps opps coffee shops we all drink lattes and we wear flip flops.”
Warmly,
Talia PrinsThanks, Talia for sharing this Southern California version of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky". I love it!!
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I apologize that I just saw your email today.
Best wishes!
Azizi
- AnonymousAugust 16, 2026 at 2:08 PM
Here from the Florida bay! This is the version I remember from the 2010’s:
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Down by the banks of the hanky pank
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
Singin’ E I O U
Your momma stinks and so do you
So ping pong ding dong
You’re daddy smells like King Kong
On his feet and on his toes
Your daddy wears pink pantyhose
Coca Cola went to town
Pepsi cola shot him down
Dr. Pepper fixed him up
Now we all drink 7-up
7-up has no caffeine
Now we’re talking limousine
Limousine broke down
Now we’re talking countdown
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
You are O-U-T out!hello, Anonymous. Thanks for sharing the version of "Down By The Banks Odf The Hanky Panky" that you remember from the 2010s in Florida.
The last lines about "now we talking limousine" and now we talking countdown" are new to me. There's so creative!
I wonder if kids in the United States still chant this version or any version of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky".
Best wishes.
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This concludes Part I of this pancocojams series.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
I'm from deep south Alabama and I remember the lyrics, your mother smells like soda pop your daddy smells like king kong's donkey doo. Lmao
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