Edited by Azizi Powell
This is Part II 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 (K-Z).
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 II 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 "K-Z" (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 II -Some "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" Rhymes" With Geographic Locations (K-Z)
Visitor comments in the discussion thread for Part II of this pancocojams series may include a geographic location that begins with the letter "K-Z", 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 more visitor comments in this post than there are in Part I.
https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/03/part-i-of-some-examples-of-down-by_22.html:
DISCUSSION THREAD COMMENTS
There are 91 comments in that discussion thread as of November 2, 2026 at 2:47 PM EST. (These comments aren't numbered.).
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 II - DISCUSSION THREAD COMMENTS
There are 91 comments in this discussion thread (as of November 2, 2026 at 2:47 PM EST. (These comments aren't numbered.)
Hi, Abbie Good.
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Thanks for sharing your example of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky. And thanks for remembering to add demographic information (where and when you chanted this).
I've never come across this example before. It made me smile.
I needed that. Thank you for that too!- AnonymousFebruary 24, 2023 at 12:17 PM
Long Branch, NJ
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Down by the bank with the hanky pank, where bull frogs jumps from bank to bank, hee pa hee pa pa skittle dittie cornul pop. I pledge allligence to the flag. Micheal Jackson makes me made. Coca-cola has caffeine now I’m drinking gasoline, gasolines bad for you now I’m drinking mountain dew, mountain dew fell off the mountain. Down by the banks with the hanky pank where bull frog jumps from bank to bank. Saying hee pa hee pa pa skittle. Ditties. Cornal. POP Thanks,Anonymous for sharing that version of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky". Also, thanks for sharing where you learned it.
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My guess is that the word "made" in the sentence "Michael Jackson makes me made" is a type for the word "mad".
Also, my guess is that "Cornal" POP is a typo for the word "Corn".
Best wishes!- AnonymousMay 27, 2025 at 8:01 AM
Mine from Washington which is the full version goes like
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Down by the banks of the hanky Pankys
Where the bullfrog jumps from bank to bank
Saying eeps ieps ops ups one fell in and went
Ket plop
I pledge allegiance to the flag Justin Bieber makes me gag seven up I’ve got the flu
now I’m drinking Mountain Dew
Mountain Dew fell of the mountain
Now im drinking from a fountain
Fountain broke
Now I’m drinking plain old coke
There’s a place on mars where the babies shoot your cars
And the men where bikinis
And the women drink martinis
Ever step you take is enough to kill a snake
When the snake is dead you put mustered on its head
When the mustered dried you put diamonds in its eyes
When the diamonds break it is 1968
Mickey Mouse built a house
Donald Duck fixed it up
Mirror mirror on the wall who’s the fairest of the all
Y
O
U Hello, Unknown! Thanks for adding the version that you remember from Washington to this compilation. Is this Washington state or Washington D.C.? And what year or decade do you remember this rhyme from?
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Best wishes!
- AnonymousJuly 24, 2021 at 9:22 PM
Oregon, USA. Early 2010s
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Down by the banks of the hankity panks
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
With an eeps, ipes, opes, opps
She's got the lily with the big kerplops- AnonymousJuly 24, 2021 at 9:32 PM
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=10155213459672846
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This is the only other example I can find with those exact lyrics.
There are only a couple other examples that I found:
https://www.ci.oswego.or.us/eln/2016/01/27/toddler-time-1-27-16-rain/
https://digitalcommons.wou.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1234&context=honors_theses
Both are also from Oregon, but the first link has a different last line and the second link mentions the hankity-panks but doesn't list out the full lyrics. Thanks Anonymous, for these examples of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" and thanks for including demographic information for the first example that you shared.
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For whatever reason, this format won't permit me to post the hyperlinks to those examples.
The Facebook link mentions performing that rhyme with international volunteers. That's one way that "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" and other rhymes are found throughout the world.
Thanks again!
Here in California, I knew one that went...
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Down by the banks of the Hanky Panky
Where Bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
Singing eepp oop, soda pop
Froggy fell asleep and he went kerplop!Thanks for adding that example of "Down By The Banks Of the Hanky Panky" to this collection.
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Thanks also for including the state where this example comes from!- AnonymousOctober 27, 2021 at 4:20 PM
I'm from coastal southern California, USA, and back in like 2004 we sang it like
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Down by the banks of the hanky panky where the bull forgs jump from bank to banky with an eep ops soda(or sodi) pop one little froggy went kerplop. Thanks for sharing that example of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" with us, Unknown/Anonymous :o)
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Thanks also for remembering to add demographic information.
Those bullfrongs were really busy.- AnonymousFebruary 4, 2026 at 3:01 AM
Northern California: Down by the banks of the hanky panky, where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky, eeps opps soda pops, froggy hits a lily pad and goes kerplop, I pledge allegiance to the flag, justin bieber makes me gag … I can’t remember the rest but I do know ‘coca cola came to town, pepsi cola shot him down, Dr. Pepper fixed him up, now we all drink 7 up, 7 up got the flu, now we all drink Mountain Dew, Mountain Dew fell off the Mountain, now we’re drinking from a fountain, fountain broke so now we’re drinking plain old coke’ but that might be its own thing.
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In Topeka, Kansas in the early to mid '90s, we sang:
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Down by the banks of the hanky panky,
Where the bullfrog jumps from bank to banks,
With an eep eep, ipe ipe, ope ope, ump ump,
Knee slap a dilly and a kerplopThanks, Anonymous for sharing the example you remember of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky".
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And thanks for remembering to add where and when your version comes from.
That bullfrog really got around! :o)
- AnonymousJune 3, 2022 at 2:13 AM
california elementary school heard around 2014-2016
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down by the banks of the hanky panky
where the bullfrog jumps from bank to banky
singing eep, oop, soda pop
and he fell off the lily pad and went kerplop
i pledge allegiance to the flag
that michael jackson (sings/smells) so bad
coca cola burnt his butt,
now he’s drinking seven-up!
seven up has no caffeine,
now he’s drinking gasoline
gasoline is made for cars,
now he’s blasting off to mars
there’s a place on mars
where the boys wear bikinis
and the girls drink martinis
every step, you, take,
is enough to kill a snake
when the snake is dead,
you put mustard on its head
when the mustard dries,
you put rubies in its eyes
when the rubies break,
in 1948: freeze!
mirror, mirror, on the wall,
who’s the fairest of them all?
mickey mouse
built a house
donald duck
messed it up
who will pay the consequences?
y-o-u - AnonymousJuly 11, 2022 at 12:02 PM
My Cousin has recently told me about the version they play at her school: Down by the banks of the Hanky Panky,
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Where the bull frogs jump from bank to banky,
With a hip, hop, Soda pop! Fall down and go KERPLOP! I pledge allegiance to the flag, when justin Bieber makes me mad. Coca Cola stinks. Now I’m drinking Seven Up!,Seven Up gave me the flu. Now let’s drink Mountain Dew! Mountain Dew Fell of the mountain. Now I’m drinking from the fountain, the fountain broke, now I’m drinking plain old Diet Coke. Tarzan swung from a rubberBand, Fell down and got a tan. Now he’s taking a bath, What color was it?Hello, Anonymous, thanks for sharing your cousin's version of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky".
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When (what decade) and where (city/state) did she first play this and how did she play it (for instance, was it a two person hand game or a group hand slap game?)- AnonymousJuly 24, 2022 at 5:33 PM
She lives in Danville CA. The date would be sometime in the 2010s. And it is a group hand game. When they reach the “what color was it” who ever it lands on has to spell a color
Delete Thanks for sharing that demographic information, Anonymous and thanks also to your cousin.
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Best wishes!
- AnonymousSeptember 11, 2022 at 9:49 PM
In elementary school in Orange County, California around 2006 we sang:
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“Down by the banks of the Hanky Panky
Where the bullfrog jumps from bank to bank-y
Eeps Opps, Soda Pops
He missed a lily and he went ker-plop”
I believe “eeps opps” was sometimes substituted for “he hops”. I also remember thinking “he missed a lily” was “hey Mr. Willy” and maybe even hearing some kids say “hey Mr. Willy with a cherry on top” for the last line.
There was also a second verse that was either sung at my school or my friend’s school, also in Orange County CA, that had a different melody where the first and third lines had the same melody as one another and the second line was almost identical as well, but went down in pitch for the last 3 words, and then the final line was sang to the same melody as the final line in the original song (“he missed a lily…”):
“Here comes Noah, walkin’ in the dark
Stepped on a hammer and built the Ark
Here come the animals two by two
Hippopotamus and kangaroo, wooh!”- AnonymousSeptember 11, 2022 at 9:51 PM
Was a circle sitting hand slap game with the two person hand tug of war death match at the end
Delete Anonymous, thanks for sharing the example of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" with demographic information and thanks for including information about how that rhyme was played.
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I'm particularly interested in the second verse of your rhyme. It seems that that verse isn't as widely chanted as many others that I've come across. I remember watching a YouTube video of two girls doing a partner hand clap routine while chanting a version of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" that included that second "Noah" verse. However, that video is no longer available. :(
Best wishes!- AnonymousOctober 23, 2023 at 4:05 PM
dude, I am also from OC and remember a sort of mix of these versions? I remember sometime around third grade (like 2008ish) learning that after "and he went kerplop" to add "with a cherry on top / here come the animals two by two / hippopotamus and kangaroo." I never heard the two preceding lines about Noah or the hammer though!
Delete Anonymous, thanks for sharing your memories of this rhyme from Orange County, California.
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It's interesting how rhymes change and/or remain the same in the same geographical locations at the same time and at different times.
Best wishes!
- AnonymousSeptember 25, 2022 at 2:10 AM
Illinois around 1997
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Ronald-Fonald hanky panky
booya booya hanky panky
fee fi fo fum
listen to the music play
on my radio while eating cheerios
mickey mouse built a house
donald duck messed it up
who will pay the consequences
Y-O-U spells you!Anonymous, thanks for sharing your version of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky." and thanks for adding demographics.
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I hadn't come across your version before. Was this chanted as a counting out/choosing it rhyme?
- AnonymousSeptember 29, 2022 at 11:48 PM
So delightful to read these!
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the one we played in central NC in the early 2000s went like this!
Down by the banks of the hanky panky Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank-y With a a-e-I-o-u bang bang bang Micheal Jordan came to town
Coca-Cola brought him down
Dr Pepper brought him up Now we're talkin' 7-Up 7-Up has no caffeine Now we're talkin' billy jean Billy Jean walked down the street singing do ah diddy diddy dum diddy do
Singing do ah diddy diddy dum diddy doAnonymous, thanks for sharing the version of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" you chanted and thanks for remembering to add demographic information.
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Did you chant this as a partner hand clap or a group hand slap where the person whose hand was slapped on the last word of the rhyme was out?
- AnonymousNovember 15, 2022 at 6:49 PM
Louisville, KY
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The one I know is a mishmash of others, but I haven't yet seen the dynamite line or the repeated first section anywhere else.
"Down by the banks of the hanky pank where the bullfrog jumps from bank to bank
Singin eeps ipes oaps oops
Skittle dittle kernel pop
I pledge allegiance to the flag
Micheal Jackson makes me gag
Coca-Cola has caffeine
Now we're talking jelly beans
Jelly beans are out of sight
Now we're talking dynamite
Dynamite is so much fun
Now we're talking
Down by the banks of the hanky pank where the bullfrog jumps from bank to bank singin eeps ipes oops skittle dittle kernel stopAnonymous, thanks for sharing that version of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky".
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I've come across some versions of this rhyme with the "now we're talking dynamite" line before, but I don't recall that line being followed by "Dynamite is so much fun". Instead, the line is something like "Dynamite burned down the school".
I also recall reading only a few examples in which the rhyme starts again.
Thanks for adding to the folkloric record for this rhyme. Btw, when (what decade) did you chant this and did you do a partner hand clap routine while chanting it or was this a group hand slap rhyme?- AnonymousNovember 18, 2022 at 1:32 AM
Sometime between 2014 and 2018. It was an elimination game similar to hot potato, but instead of a potato you'd slap the next person's hand.
Delete Anonymous, thanks for adding that demographic information for the folkloric record.
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I appreciate it!
- Lucy AdamsDecember 15, 2022 at 9:49 PM
I'm from Texas and we always sang:
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Down by the river of the hanky panky
where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
saying eeps ipes ohpes ups!
Chili willi ding dong
Your breath smells like king kong
Coca cola fills you up
Now you're drinking 7 up
7 up has no caffeine
Now you're drinking gasoline
Gasoline was made for cars
Now you're eating candy bars
Candy bars have too much fat
Now you're getting way too fat!
In our version the person would try to pull their hand away before they got slapped and if the other person accidentally hit their own hand, they would be outHello, Lucy Adams,
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Thanks for sharing your version of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky and thanks for remembering to include where you chanted that version and how you played it..
I hadn't come across that version before.
Best wishes!
- AnonymousDecember 22, 2022 at 11:18 AM
So I'm in southern VA and this is how I always heard it....
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Down by the banks of the hanky panky where the bullfrog jumps from bank to bank with an eeps ieps op opps
Isabella ding dong I pledge aliegence to the flag Michel Jackson makes me gag
Coca-Cola burning up now we're drinking 7 up 7 up has no caffeine now we are drinking gasoline. Gasoline ran out of fuel now we are drinking mtn dew. Mtn dew fell off the mountain now we're drinking from a fountain fountain broke now we're drinking plain old cokeHello, Anonymous.
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Thanks for sharing the version of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" that you chanted and thanks to remembering to include where you learned it.
The "Isabella ding dong" words are new to me.
Best wishes!
- AnonymousFebruary 2, 2023 at 11:26 PM
From Utah 80's/90's:
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Down by the banks of the Hanky Panky
Where the bullfrog jumps from bank to banky
Singing ee ee ii ii oh oh oo oo
Oops slap a dilly and a bar rooHello, Anonymous. Thanks for sharing that version of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Pank.
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Thanks also for remembering to add where and when you chanted it or heard it chanted.
I haven't come across those two ending lines before.
Best wishes!
- AnonymousFebruary 8, 2023 at 1:20 PM
From Middle Indiana early 2000s
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Down by the banks of the Hanky Panky
where the bull frog jumped from bank to banky
with a eeps, ips, ops, ups
whose got the rhyme of the, Kerplop
Pepsi, cola, ginger ale
ginger ale, ginger ale
ginger ale, ginger ale
pepsi, cola, ginger ale
seven up, seven up! SEVEN UP!
you're out!Hello, Anonymous.
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Thanks for sharing your version of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" and thanks for including demographic information (where you chanted it and when).
It's good to know that people are still playing versions of this game.
Best wishes!
- AnonymousFebruary 26, 2023 at 9:50 PM
This is the version I learned at a Girl Scout camp in Virginia in about 2010!
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Down by the banks of the hanky panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
Said-a eas, ice, ohss, oos
Listen to the big bull frog (drawn out)
I pledge allegiance to the flag
Justin Bieber makes me gag
Pepsi-cola's burning up,
now we're drinking 7-up
7-up has no caffeine,
now we're drinking gasoline
gasoline is bad for you,
now we're drinking mountain dew
mountain dew fell off a mountain,
now we're drinking from a fountain
the fountain broke and now we're drinking
plain, old, cokeHello, Anonymous. Thanks for sharing the version of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" that you learned and thanks for including demographic information.
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I'm interested in how the name of another singer has replaced Michael Jackson's name in the longer form of these
rhymes. According to what I've read online it wasn't until after Michael Jackson died that these rhymes replaced his name with the name of another singer who is still popular with some people but is disliked by others for one reason or another.
I've added this rhyme to this pancocojams post: http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/08/playground-rhymes-that-include-names-of_30.html for a pancocojams post entitled Names Of Famous People In Children's Recreational Rhymes (Part I: Rhymes Whose Titles With A-L)
Thanks again!
- AnonymousFebruary 28, 2023 at 11:27 PM
Hi! I wanted to put the version I learned in middle school (around 3rd grade I would say) in the early 2010s around the New Orleans area:
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Down by the river bank a hanky panky where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank. I said a A-E-I-O-U bamboo. Johnny broke a bottle and he blamed it on Sue. Sue told ma. Ma told pa. And Johnny got a whipping so ha ha ha. He jumped so high, he touched the sky, and he didn’t come back until the 4th of July. I pledge allegiance to the flag. Micheal Jackson makes me mad. Coca Cola burns my butt, now I’m drinking 7-up. 7-up has too much caffeine, now I’m drinking gasoline. Gasoline is made for cars, now I’m eating candy bars. Candy bars have too much fat, now I drive a Cadillac. Cadillacs are way too cool, so now. you. are. a. big. fat. fool.
I honestly have forgotten the last part with the sodas, but I do know for a fact that the rhyme had something to do with Mountain Dew being too cool instead of the Cadillac, but I forgot the rhyme for it. What I do know is that all of those other ones are correct, I just forget the bridge from Cadillac to Mountain Dew…Hello, Anonymous.
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Thanks for sharing that example of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky". Thanks also for remembering to include demographic information (what city and what decade you first learned that chant). I also appreciate the notes that you shared about your version. It's one that I haven't come across before in that exact wording.
There are sooo many examples of this rhyme.
A different "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky was sent to this pancocojams post on 1:53 AM March 1, 2023 shortly after you shared your example: http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/02/down-by-banks-of-hanky-panky-video.html Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky (YouTube videos & text examples).
This shows how popular and widely known the "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" rhyme was.As I noted before, most examples of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" are prefaced with the contributor writing something like "This is what I remember" and not "This is how we play it now", which makes me wonder if children in the United States (and elsewhere) still chant versions of this rhyme and still play this partner clapping game or group hand slapping game./rhyme/clapping game.
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Here are a few other examples of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" with geographic information from https://www.reddit.com/r/nostalgia/comments/pme8mi/down_by_the_banks_of_the_hanky_panky/ [Noted that these examples are posted under "nostalgia".]
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1. Posted by u/needsanswers13 [2021]
“Down by the banks of the Hanky Panky”
Not sure if this is the best place to post this, but was this a hand clapping game y’all played in school? If so, what version did y’all sing? I tried to look it up but it turns out it was different for a lot of people. I’m interested to see what it was like for everyone else. From what I’ve seen, ours was bit longer."
Ours was(North Florida):
Down by the bank of the Hanky Panky, Where the bull frog jumps from bank to banky, Saying “eeps, ieps, opps, oops”, East side, West side, ping pang pong. Your daddy smells like king kang Kong. Coca Cola went to town, Dr. Pepper knocked him down. Dr Pepper got the flu, Now we’re drinking Mt. Dew. Mt. Dew fell off a mountain, Now we’re drinking from the fountain. Fountain broke so now we’re drinking Re-gu-lar Coke."
There might’ve even been more after this but I can’t remember 😅
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2. armedwithlysol [2021]
"In the Chicago suburbs:
Down by the banks of the hanky panky, where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank, with an eeps, an opps, an oo-sock-a-dilly and a kerrr-plop!
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3. tillHereInSomewhere [2021]
"Columbus OH Down by the banks of the hanky panky. Where the bull frogs jump from bank to banky. With an eep ipe ope oop. Oowop ditty and a bottle of rum."
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4. author124 [2023]
"The one I remember growing up in CA:
Down by the banks of the hanky panky, where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky, with a hip hop soda pop, fell off the lily pad and went kerplop"- AnonymousMay 3, 2023 at 12:48 AM
I grew up in South Jersey in the late 2000’s-early 2010’s on this version of the song:
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Down by the banks of the hanky pank,
where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank, goin’ eep, op, eep-op-op,
skittle dittle kernel POP
I pledge allegiance to the flag,
Michael Jackson makes me gag
Coca Cola screwed me up,
Now I’m drinkin’ 7-up
7-up had no caffeine, now I’m drinkin’ gasoline
Gasoline gave me the flu, now I’m drinkin’ Mountain Dew
Mountain Dew fell off the mountain, now I’m drinkin’ from the fountain
Fountain broke, now I’m drinkin’ PLAIN! OLD! DI-ET COKE!!!Hello, Anonymous.
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Thanks for sharing the version of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" that you know and thanks for including demographic information.
I wonder if people in South Jersey (or elsewhere) still chant this rhyme and if so, is it a partner hand clapping game or a group competitive hand slapping game?
- AnonymousMay 17, 2023 at 12:45 AM
So odd to know there's so many variations. Makes you wonder the original. Fellow NJ residents (on the article) got it pretty close to what I grew up with. Central Jersey shore if you were curious where mine is from. (I hope I remember this right... there was a few lyrics that were different depending on who you played with)
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"Down by the banks with the hanky panky
Where the bullfrogs jumped from bank to bank
Saying eep, opp,
eep opp opp
Skittle diddle kernal pop
I pledge allegiance to the flag
Michael Jackson makes me gag
Coca-Cola has caffeine
Now I'm drinking gasoline
Gasoline ran out of fuel
Now I'm drinking Mountain Dew
Mountain Dew fell off the mountain
Now I'm drinking from the fountain
Finally the fountain broke
Now I'm drinking plane old diet coke"Hello, Anonymous. Thanks for sharing your version of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" and thanks for including whee you learned it.
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Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/05/song-sources-for-down-by-banks-of-hanky.html for information about the main song sources for this LARGE family of rhymes.- AnonymousDecember 11, 2023 at 7:57 PM
Thank you! I was searching this whole thread for the exact one I remember and this was it! I was in elementary school in the 2000s in central Jersey
Delete You're welcome, Anonymous.
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Btw, I'm from South Jersey (Atlantic City) and I don't remember this "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" song or rhyme when I was growing up there in the 1950s to the mid 1960s.
From my informal research, some schools in the USA introduced children to Pete Seeger's "Foolish Frog" version of from 1955 to the 1970s or early 1980s. The "Hanky Panky" children rhyme didn't become widespread in the USA until the mid 1980s.
Best wishes!
- AnonymousMay 20, 2023 at 11:47 AM
We used to sing this everywhere in summer camp in the mountains of NC
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Down by the river by the hanky Panky
Where the Bull frogs jump from bank to bank
Said e i yo no
Mama said so yo
Tell the teacher what to wear
Poco dotted underwear
Not to big not to small
Just the size of city hall
Coco cola shake it up now we’re talking 7-up
7-up has no caffeine now we’re talking Billy Jean
Billy Jean got in a fight now we’re talking dynamite
Dynamite blew up the school now we’re talking pretty cool
5,4,3,2,1
Explosion BOOMAnonymous, thanks for sharing that version of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky and thanks for including where you learned it.
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I've come across similar examples of that rhyme, but not the exact same one that you remember.
Best wishes!
- AnonymousMay 28, 2023 at 2:59 PM
Central Florida here I don’t know if I fully remember this all but this is what I do remember
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Down by river and the hanky pank
The bullfrogs jump from bank to bank sayin
E I O U your momma stinks and so do you
So ding dong ping pong
Your daddy looks like king kong
Tell your teacher what to wear
Polka dotted underwear
Not to big
Not to small
Just the size of city hall
City Hall
Coca-Cola no caffeine
Now we’re talking Billie Jean
Billie Jean blew out of sight
Now we’re talkin dynamite
Dynamite blew up the school
Now we’re talkin pretty cool
Pretty cool
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1Anonymous, thanks for sharing this version of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" and thanks for including where you learned it.
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I've come across similar versions of that rhyme. I remember reading "not too big not too small/Just the size of Broward Mall"...
I googled "Broward Mall" and learned that it's a large mall in Plantation, Florida. The people who chanted that version of "Down By The Banks" probably were in Florida.
Best wishes!Example #7 in the Florida section that is found in Part I of this pancocojams post includes an example that mentions "Broward Mall". Here's a portion of that example from :
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GUEST,Kate. 28 Feb 11 from the Mudcat discussion thread Origins: Down By The Banks Of the Hanky Panky
"When I was in Elementary school in Florida we had a version of this. It went like ;
Down by the river with a hanky panky
where the bull frogs jump from bank to bank
saying EIOU
Your mama stinks and so do you
ping pong donley kong
went to school with nothing on
Asked the teache what to wear
Polka dotted under wear
not too big, not too small
just the size of Broward mall"...
Here's another version of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" that was shared in the comment section of another pancocojams post:
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http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/02/down-by-banks-of-hanky-panky-video.html
Anonymous, June 3, 2023 at 4:00 AM
"I learned the version I know as a kid in the early 2000's I think I was in 4th grade so that will be around 2003-2004 in Northwest Louisiana. The version we sang was quite a bit shorter and we would sit in a circle and do a hand slapping game until one person was left.
The lyrics went
Down by the riverfront hanky panky where the bullfrogs say your booties stanky and a hip hop lollipop AEIOU bamboo on YOU."- AnonymousSeptember 2, 2023 at 8:27 PM
I'm from Liberty, Missouri, and I grew up with the exact same game as the north Missouri one listed here. I was playing it probably around 2011-2015 range?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Anonymous for sharing that information. I appreciate it.
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That version, #2 in the Missouri section, was "from 1993 or so" and has these words:
"Down by the banks of the hanky panky
where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
saying e a-poppa, i a-poppa, o a-poppa, POW"
-snip-
It's interesting that the version you played around 2011-2015 has the same words as the 1993 version.
I looked up Liberty, Missouri and learned that it is a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri. I also read that Kansas City, Missouri is on Missouri's western edge. So it's interesting that that version of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" from north Missouri is the same as the one from west Missouri.
Best wishes!
- AnonymousOctober 8, 2023 at 2:51 PM
I think it’s eb bob eb bob skittle diddle kurnole pop I
ReplyDeleteHi, Anonymous. There's a lot of versions of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky". Thanks for sharing that line from the version of that rhyme that you remember.:o)
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- AnonymousNovember 4, 2023 at 4:13 PM
In Florida this is what I remember.
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Down by the banks of the hanky panky Where the bullfrog jumps from bank to bank
Say E I O U
Your momma stinks and so do you,
So ding dong ping pong ,
Your daddy smells like King Kong
Ask your teacher what she wears,
Polka-dotted underwear,
Not too big, not too small,
Just the size of city hall
Micheal Jackson came to town Coca-Cola brought him down Dr Pepper brought him up Now we're talkin' 7-Up 7-Up has no caffeine Now we're talkin' billy jean Billy Jean was out of sight
Now we’re talking dynamite
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
BOOM!
If I remember correctly it was super common to make a verse for it and bring it to school and if everyone liked it, we would adopt it as the best one. The ask your teacher what she wears section was not made at my school, but it was a Central Florida (Orlando) chant. We sat in a circle with palms facing up, one hand on top of a neighbors palm, and one hand palm up against the back of the other neighbors hand. The hand on top of your neighbors would get clapped and then your hand would go across your body to clap the persons hand that was on top of your own. If your hand was clapped on “BOOM” you were out, if you pulled your hand away and they clapped their own hand, they were out. The point of the song is to not know ahead of time who is going to get the BOOM!Anonymous, thanks for sharing the "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" rhyme that you remember and thanks for including demographic information. For the folkloric record it's also wonderful to have the information you shared about how it was super common for people to make up a verse, bring it to school , and then adopt the ones that people liked the best. (I hadn't heard about that custom before although it probably was done elsewhere.)
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In addition, I appreciate you sharing how this game was played since what I call that group slapping custom is different from the hand clapping game that could also be a way that people play "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" while they are chanting that r hyme.
Thanks again and best wishes!
- AnonymousNovember 8, 2023 at 11:07 AM
Hi Azizi,
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I’m from the Lacey/Toms River area of Central Jersey/Jersey Shore and this was the variety we sang at the Toms River YMCA summer camp between 2003-2007 (when I was 7-11). A lot of kids learned it there similar to this, but we had variations there too:
“Down by the banks of the hanky panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
Saying eep, pop, eep, pop pop
Skiddle diddle kernel pop!
I pledge allegiance to the flag
Michael Jackson makes me gag
Coca Cola messed me up
Now I’m drinking 7-Up
7-Up has no caffeine
Now I’m drinking gasoline
Gasoline ran out of fuel (or: gave me the flu) (or: isn’t good for you)
Now I’m drinking Mountain Dew
Mountain Dew fell off the mountain
Now I’m drinking from a fountain
The fountain broken
So now I’m drinking plain old coke”
Sometimes we had a verse in there like:
“7-Up has no caffeine
Now we’re talking jelly beans
Jelly beans are out of style
Now we’ve been talking for a while”
And a verse with Sprite also that I forget.
Also we had little add-ons like counting down and stuff, with clapping I think? “10, 9, 8, 7…”
There were tons of nursery rhymes & folklore we had at the YMCA. One that originates in the NY/NJ area as long as 30+ years ago is the clapping game “Bo Bo Ski Watten Tatten”:
“Bo Bo Ski Watten Tatten
Eh eh, eh eh boom boom boom
Bo Bo Ski Watten Tatten
Eh eh, eh eh boom boom boom
Itty bitty Watten Tatten,
Bo Bo Ski Watten Tatten
Bo Bo Ski Watten Tatten
Freeze!” and sometimes there’d be stuff after this.
We also had the “Miss Mary Mack” rhyme, Bloody Mary shenanigans where we’d make someone stand in the bathroom in the dark & sing Bloody Mary to scare them (they did it to me during a thunder storm when all the lights when out!), and “Miss Susie” which was sung the normal way but then had various inappropriate lyrics at the end.
Kids made really vulgar versions of all these at camp lol.
Thanks for making this site & preserving all our rhymes! ❤️
- SGreetings, Anonymous. Thank you so much for sharing some of your New Jersey area's versions of 'Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky". Thanks also for sharing your version of 'Bo Bo Ski Watten Tatten" and information about those other two rhymes. I'm glad you did so for the folkloric record. I haven't come across that version of "Down By The Bank" or any information about "Bloody Mary" before (What was the Bloody Mary" song/rhyme?. Was it a different version of :Miss Mary Mack"?
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Thanks again!
Btw, Anonymous, I visited Toms River, New Jersey in 1965. My college room mate for one semester was from there. During that short visit, I remember attending a play at a community theatre where she had a starring role. I also remember her surprising me by visiting me in Atlantic City, New Jersey at the end of that freshmen year (She had transferred to a New York college.)
Best wishes to her and to you also!Hello, again Anonymous Nov. 8, 2023
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Thanks again for including a "Bo Bo Ski Watten Tatten" rhyme in your comment. Reading that rhyme led me down a rabbit's hole that resulted in three new pancocojams posts about that rhyme. Here's a link to the first post in that series: https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2023/11/a-19th-century-source-for-20th-century.html A 19th Century Source For The 20th Century United States Hand Clap Rhyme "Bobo Ski Otten Totten". Each post includes the links to the other two posts.
hello, i'm from utah and wanted to share the variation i learned in girl scouts ! unfortunately i don't know the actual lyrics to the last half of the song, only what it sounds like it was saying, and i haven't been able to find anyone else posting a variation like this online.
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"down by the banks of the hanky panky, where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky, saying ee ee ah ah oh oh oo" is the part i know for sure, then after that it's something like "boom slap-a-dilly with a ba-roo on you" but i dont actually know what it says, that's just what it sounds like.Hello, Amia. Thanks for sharing this version of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky". For the folkloric record, thanks for also adding the state where you learned that version and that you learned it by being a Girl Scout. (Girl Scouts are helping to keep a lot of children's rhymes and songs alive. That's great!)
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I've come across versions that are similar to yours, and [ believe that the main thing is to have words that fit the rhythm that matches the hand clap or hand slap. For instance, in your example, was the person whose hand was slapped on the word "you" out of the game?
- AnonymousNovember 27, 2023 at 10:44 PM
Oh my gosh reading this thread was so fun! I’m an NC native in Chatham County and pretty much all the ones they said I’ve heard generalizations of. The one I can remember from my elementary school 2007-2011 was:
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Down by the river by the hanky Panky
Where the bullfrogs jumped from bank to bank
I said east side west side
East side west side
Dilly dang dong!
*then whoever got slapped was out and we’d keep going with*
Dr Pepper came to town
7up shot him down
7up has no caffeine
Now we’re drinking gasoline
Gasoline is bad for you
Now we’re drinking Mountain dew
Mountain dew fell off a mountain
Now we’re drinking from a fountain
the fountain broke, don’t you choke!
now we're drinking plain. old. coke.Anonymous, thanks for sharing your example of "Down By The River by the Hanky Panky" and thanks for including demographic information for the folkloric record. I also appreciate that you included how you played it. I'm assuming that after the person gets out whose hand was slapped when "coke" was said, the rhyme starts back again from the beginning. And, eventually two people face each other in a hand clapping "slap off" until only one person remains- and that person is the winner. Is that right?
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- AnonymousNovember 28, 2023 at 8:56 PM
Grew up in Northern Illinois, the state-line area between Wisconsin and Illinois. We always did the following:
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“Down by the banks of the Hanky Panky, where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky, singing eeps, ipes, Opes, Ohps, me sock-a-dilly and a ding dang dong!”Hello, Anonymous. Thanks for adding the example of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" that you remember and thanks for adding where you learned it.
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- AnonymousNovember 28, 2023 at 11:52 PM
Grew up in Lansing MI, this is our version
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Down by the bank of the hanky panky, Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky, To the Hip Hop Shirley Pop, I pledge allegience to the flag, that Michael Jackson makes me gag, Coca-Cola burnt his butt, Now he's drinking Seven-Up Seven-Up has no caffeine, So Now he's drinking gasoline Gasoline is out of sight, So Now he's drinking Sprite Spell it! S-P-R-I-T-E!"Hello, Anonymous. Thanks for sharing your version of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky and thanks for including where you learned it. I don't remember reading that Hip Hop Shirley Pop" words before. It's now part of the folkloric record.
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- AnonymousNovember 28, 2023 at 11:56 PM
This is the version that I remember playing in Denver, Colorado from the 2010s:
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Down by the banks of the hanky banky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
With a heaps hops, over the tops
And lands on a lilly pad with a kerplops
I pledge allegiance to the flag
that Justin Bieber makes me gag
Coca-Cola has caffeine
and now we're talking Billie Jeans
Billie Jeans went out of style
Now lets sit and talk a while
There's a party round the corner
wont you please, please come
Bring your own cappuccino
and your own chewing gum
What is your boyfriends name
(The person who it landed on would say someone's name)
__ loves __ yadda yadda yadda
__ loves __ yadda yadda yadda
O-U-T spells you are out!
Sometimes we would just do the first part, or just the last part, depending on who we were playing with.Hello, Anonymous. Thanks for sharing your version of a long form of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky". Thanks also for sharing where and when you played it and the information that what parts you said depended on who you wee playing with. I haven't come across that many version of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky that are combined with the "There's a party around the corner" rhyme. I'm glad that you added it to this collection for the folkloric record.
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I'm curious that I received three examples of this rhyme very close together in time. I'm curious, this is directed to the three people who shared examples of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" on Nov. 28, 2023- Do you know the other commenters and you three decided to add your examples at near the same time or was this just a coincidence?
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This is a small blog and months (and sometimes years) may go by without any comments. To have three comments about the same rhyme back to back like that is remarkable. Thanks again. However it happened, I appreciate it.- AnonymousNovember 29, 2023 at 1:41 AM
I’m one of those three and found myself on a rabbit hole of different versions of this song/game that ended up with me here after seeing a tiktok about different versions earlier in the day on 11-28-2023. I wanted to see if anybody had shared my version and did not see it so added it myself :)
Delete Hey, Anonymous November 29, 2023 at 1:41 AM.
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I'm glad you got here however it happened. They say you can find anything on the internet, but sometimes you have to be the one to add what other people are looking for.
Best wishes!I meant to write that months and sometimes years may go by before there's any comment about a specific subject I posted about. That's not the case with pancocojams post about "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" rhymes. I've published a number of post about this rhyme and it probably has the most comments on pancocojams than any other rhyme. "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" also has the most comments of any other recreational rhyme on the Mudcat folk music forum. I started that "Origins: Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" discussion thread on Mudcat in 2006 and its still open after 10 or more pages of comments.
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Still, to get three "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" comments in one night is a record. Thanks to those commenters and thanks to all you who have visited this post and this blog!
- AnonymousJanuary 19, 2024 at 11:05 PM
ours (st louis mo) went something like this
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Down by the Banks of the hanky panky where bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
say fee fi fo fun mi say mi say ding dang dong
I pledge allegiance to the flag, micheal jackson is my dad
(don't remember this line)
cocoa cola fizzes up, now we're talking seven up
seven up has no caffeine, now we're talking jelly beans
jelly beans went out of sight, now we're talking dynamite
dynamite blew up the school, now we're talking really cool
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
tarzan the monkey man swinging from a rubber band
he slips he falls he breaks his eyeballs
(idk this line)
then someone would pick a number and we would go over that many people
then the person it was going to land on could attempt to yank out their handHello, Anonymous,. Thanks for sharing your example of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky". Thanks also for remembering to add demographic information (where you played it) and also adding how you played it.
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I don't recall reading a version of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" before that combines the rhyme "Tarzan the monkey man". Also, the way that the group picked a number at the end is also new to me.
I like how there are so many versions of this rhyme and so many different ways it was and is still played.
Thanks again. Best wishes!
- AnonymousFebruary 12, 2024 at 3:47 AM
I learned it:
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Down by the river by the hanky panky where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky sayin E I O U ask your mama what to wear polka dotted underwear not to big not to small just the size of city hall. Michael Jackson came to town, big old Coke can knocked him down. Now he’s drinking 7 up. 7 up has no caffeine now we’re talking jelly bean. Jelly beans taste really nice now we’re talking dynamite. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
The one who lands on ‘1’ is out. It is really interesting to see how many variations this song has! - AnonymousMarch 8, 2024 at 1:54 AM
I’ve not seen the version I know anywhere on the internet, or even anything close to it lol. I learned it at a summer camp somewhere, I’m from Chicago so I’m pretty sure it was in the Midwest somewhere, maybe Wisconsin or Michigan? Not really sure. But anyway, here’s the version I know:
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Down by the banks of the hanky hanky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
Saying eeps, opps, scudop dubop, skiddle diddle kerplop
Mickey Mouse, built a house, Donald Duck, messed it up
Now who will pay the consequences
Y-o-u says you. Are. Out!
And now that song is gonna be stuck in my head for days lolHello, Anonymous. Thanks for sharing the example of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" on this pancocojams blog.
Your title "Down by the hanky banky" and the line "Saying eeps, opps, scudop dubop, skiddle diddle kerplop" is somewhat different than other examples of this rhyme that I've come across. But your example is quite similar to other versions of that rhyme that I've compiled in this pancocojams post: https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2022/09/mickey-mouse-built-house-rhymes-in-long.html "Mickey Mouse Built A House" Verses In "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" Rhymes
Thanks again! Best wishes.****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visiting comments are welcome.
ooh i have onee
ReplyDeleteWest coast of Florida, around 2012
Down by the river from the hanky panky where the bullfrog jumps from bank to banks saying E I O U your mother stinks and so do you say ping pong ding dog went to school with nothing on teacher said that's not fair go on some underwear.