Examples Of United States Children's "Ungawa Black Power" Recreational Rhymes (With Geographic Location & Other Demographics)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents demographic information for some (word only) examples of children's "Ungawa" recreational rhymes. These rhymes usually include the line "Ungawa, Black Power" (or some other racial or ethnic referent instead of "Black").

WARNING - Some of these examples include profanity or derogatory referent that is commonly given as "the n word". Because pancocojams is a family friendly website, those words are given in this post in amended spelling that is indicated by an asterisk.     

The content of this post is presented for folkloric, cultural, and historical purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those whose example of this rhyme is quoted in this pancocojams post.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2023/06/childrens-examples-of-ah-beep-beep.html for the 2023 pancocojams post entitled "Children's Examples Of "Ah Beep Beep Ungawa Black Power" And Similar Rhymes, Chants, & Cheers." That post includes some of the examples of that rhyme that are featured in this 2024 post and also includes some information about the word "ungawa". Additional information and comments about other lines in some of these rhymes (such as "if you don't like my apples, don't shake my trees" are also found in that post or in my comments about that post.

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EXAMPLES OF THESE RHYMES WITH DEMOGRAPHICS

These examples are given under the state in the United States that is documented in that particular version. 

When there's more than one example of this rhyme from a particular geographic location, I assigned numbers for those examples and presented them in chronological order based on their publishing date (the decade that they were published online or offline and not the decade that the contributor remembers chanting that example of hearing it chanted.)

Other examples of this rhyme without demographics are found on the websites for those links and elsewhere online. 

For the folkloric record, please add to this compilation by sharing examples of this rhyme that you know or have come across online or offline with demographic information. Thanks!
  

CALIFORNIA

"OMG, found your site by a search for a chant we did at high school games: the "ungawa" one. It made me laugh, because I realize how much more our parents could have been shocked than they were at the first winning football game our school had in a decade.

When I was in high school, our football team had not won for years--against anybody. When I was a junior, it looked pretty god for us to win that season's first game of the season.

BGHS at that time was about half-half hispanic and poor whites. "Racial diversity" was a struggling concept in many places, even in California, back then. It was really having a struggle in Bell Gardens. The Watts Riots was only a few years behind us and was still only about a 9-mile drive from BG. I remember seeing the smoke at night and the glow of the flames on the horizon.

I think our parents, especially, needed a sensitivity training and about two decades to make them more acceptable to racial diversity.

The majority of the folks who attended the football games were white.

An unfortunate cosmic connection occurred when our cheerleading squad attended a cheerleading camp over the summer, and returned to preview their new chants at the football game we were actually, finally, going to win.

To understand how big this game was, the LATimes had a reporter there for a few days before the game, and published, as their dominant story, The Game, with background about BGHS and the community.

On the night of the game, the stands were packed.

Our (white) cheerleaders came out and, the first chant they did was:

"ungawa, ungawa, yeah we got the powah!" but we didn't get into the full verses, but just chanted that over and over. The students in the stands ROCKED that chant! We stood up and SCREAMED it!

They did the "Ah-beep-beep!" chant after that, and the students enthusiastically joined in.

Well, to say that our parents pitched a bloody fit to the principle the next Monday, about sitting in the stands, being surrounded by their children screaming "UNGWA! UNGAWA! YEAH WE GOT THE POWAH!," is an understatement. It represented every one of their fears about the safety of ourselves, them, the country, and what the future held for all of us.

I'm just glad the cheerleaders didn't bring back the full version of Ungawa-Ugawa."
-GUEST,Bell Gardens High School Alumnus, (Los Angeles, California), 06 May 11, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=6600&messages=26 "RE: Lyr Req: Shimmy Shimmy Ko-Ko-Bop (Little Anthony)"

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NEW YORK

1.
"I'll be I'll be
Walking down the street,
Ten times a week.
Un-gah-wah, un-gah-wah (baby)
This is my power.
What is the story?
What is the strike?
I said it, I meant it,
I really represent it.
Take a cool, cool Black to knock me down.
Take a cool, cool Black to knock me down.
I'm sweet, I'm kind.
I'm soul sister number nine.
Don't like my apples,
Don't shake my tree.
I'm a Castle Square Black.
Don't miss with me."
-John Langstaff and Carol Langstaff, editors: Shimmy Shimmy Coke -Ca-Pop!: A Collection Of City Children's Street Games And Rhymes (New York, Doubleday & Company, 1973, p. 57)
-snip-
My assumption is that the rhyme examples in this book are from New York state.
-snip-
"Take a cool, cool Black" means "a cool Black (person).

My guess is that the term "Castle Square Black" refers to a Black person who lives in a particular neighborhood or a particular housing development (i.e. low income, usually government subsidized housing units that are informally called "projects") named "Castle Square".

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2. 
"Ah beep beep, walking down the street
10 times a week
Ungawa, black power, Puerto Rican power
I said it, I meant it and now I represent it"
-Yasmin Hernandez, East Harlem, New York (private email to Azizi for cocojams.com, 2004)
-snip-
"cocojams.com" is the name of my no-longer active cultural website.

**

3.

"Well, the way we used to sing it in the '70s in Queens, NY goes:

Ahh, beep beep, walkin down the street, 10 times a week.
Ungawa,ungawa, black power, black power. I said it, I meant it, I really represent it.
I'm a cool cool ni—er* from a cool cool town, it takes 5 white ni—ers* to knock me down."
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this example

**
4.

"In Chelsea, Manhattan, New York City, NY at PS 33 in 5th grade in the early 70 ties - where the blacks hated the Puerto Ricans and every one hated the whites ...

Ah beep beep
ah beep beep
10 times a week
10 times a week
Ungawa Black Power
Destroy white Boy
I said it, I meant it
I even represent it
I'm soul brother number 9
sock it to me one more time

 

(Than was so many years ago)
-GUEST, 06 Feb 10, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=6600&messages=26 "RE: Lyr Req: Shimmy Shimmy Ko-Ko-Bop (Little Anthony)"

**
5. 

"Here is the version from Brooklyn, New York in the early 70's...the Brownsville version:

Ahh, Beep Beep!
Walking down the street
Ten times a week
Ungawa!
Black Power!
Destroy!
White Boy!
I said it, I meant it
I'm here to represent it
I'm cool, I'm calm
I'm Soul Sister Number Nine
Sock it to me one more time!
Uh-Uh! Good God!

Now someone here mixed this up with another soul sister/brother rhyme that goes as follows:

I'm a bad soul sister from a bad soul town
It takes 48 whites just to knock me down
Don't you pick no apples from my apple tree!
I'm a bad soul sister, don't you mess with me!

We had so many rhymes like this. Some were very graphic!"
-GUEST, 12 May 11, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=6600&messages=26 "RE: Lyr Req: Shimmy Shimmy Ko-Ko-Bop (Little Anthony)"

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6.

"Being raised in Brooklyn, in the 60's and 70's, we sang that street song(Cadence) like this..., *Forgive the profanity, we were kids following others...

Ahhh beep-beep, walking down the street. Ten times a week. Ungawa, Black Power, destroy White boy.

I said it, I meant it, I'm here to represent it. I'm a cool-cool 'nicca' from a cool-cool Town. It takes a cool-cool 'nicca' to knock me down. You don't like my apples, don't shake my tree but listen mofo, don't mess with me... I'm cool, I'm calm, I'm soul sister #9, sock it to me, one mo' time. Soul sister #10, I'll say it to you, one mo' 'gin...

 

There were even more lyrics, we'd add on, depending on who was singing along."
-snip-
This is the way this comment is written in that discussion thread.
-GUEST, 22 Dec 20,   https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=6600&messages=26 "RE: Lyr Req: Shimmy Shimmy Ko-Ko-Bop (Little Anthony)"

**
7.

umgawa

black power

your mama need a shower

'cause she stiiiinks
-Matthew Hupert, New York City, usa, 02-17-2006, https://www.ablemuse.com/erato/showthread.php?t=810&page=4

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PENNSYLVANIA

"Ah Beep Beep
Walkin down the street
Ugawa. Ugawa
That means Black power.
White boy.
Destroy.
I said it. I meant it
And I'm here to represent it.
Soul sister number 9
Sock it to me one more time.
Uh hun! Uh Hun!"
-Tracey S.,(African American female); Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; childhood remembrance,1968); collected by Azizi Powell, 2000

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The Records "Hollywood Swinging", "Fly Girl", "Rock The Boat", And "Rock Steady" With An Example Of A Children's Cheer That Was Inspired By One Of These Records

koolandthegangshow, Jul 23, 2013

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases several popular records and one version text (word only) example of  an African American originated foot stomping cheer or another typle of children's cheer that each record inspired.

Information about each of these showcases records is also included in this post along with a link to that record's lyrics.  

Links to additional examples of these children's cheers are also included in this post.

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all the recording artists and composers of the songs that are featured in this post. Thanks also to all the unknown composers of these featured foot stomping cheers. Also, thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.  

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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE ABOUT THE AFRICAN AMERICAN ORIGIN OF THESE CHEERS
There have been LOTS of versions of these children's cheers and they have been found  throughout the United States. Versions of cheers with the same title may have very different words.

These cheers may still be chanted by children (and other people) of any race or ethnicity. However, I believe that it's important to acknowledge that although the composers of these cheers aren't known, it's very likely that these cheer composers were African American.

I base this statement on the following points:
1. The source records are from African American music groups and the music forms for these cheers are African American originated music forms.

2. Almost all of the early examples of these cheers come from African Americans (as documented by a 1978 vinyl record (Mother Hippletoe), books, online blog sources, YouTube videos, my face to face collection etc.

3. The early examples of these cheers usually have call & response textual (word) structure, and/or include African American Vernacular English words. Also, the early examples of these cheers were performed with foot stomping, hand clapping, body patting choreographed and synchronized routines that have their sources in Africa and African Diaspora cultures.

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SHOWCASE VIDEOS, INFORMATION, & CHEER EXAMPLES 

These examples are given in no particular order.

HOLLYWOOD SWINGING RECORD/SONG

[Video embedded above]

Information about that song and lyrics for that song:
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood_Swinging 
"Hollywood Swinging" is a 1974 song by R&B/funk band Kool & the Gang from their album Wild and Peaceful. It was written by Robert "Kool" Bell, Ronald Bell, George M. Brown, Robert "Spike" Mickens, Claydes Charles Smith, Dennis R. Thomas and Rick A. Westfield.

"Hollywood Swinging" was the group's first number one R&B single, reaching that position in June 1974. The single was a successful crossover hit, peaking at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart as well.[3]

**
From https://genius.com/Kool-and-the-gang-hollywood-swinging-lyrics
"Hollywood Swinging" appears on the Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas video game soundtrack, on the radio station Bounce FM radio station. The song appears in the films “Be Cool” (2005) and “Roll Bounce” (2005). The song also appeared on the television shows Lizzie McGuire and Criminal Minds. Also appeared on the Bringing Back the Funk, Brian Culbertson’s 2008 album. Played at Quicken Loans Arena during halftime at Cleveland Cavaliers home games. It also was covered in Sinbad’s comedy special, Where U Been? Realeased in 1974 and is the genre of funk."
-snip-
That website includes the complete lyrics as well as that information.
 
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AN EXAMPLE OF A "HOLLYWOOD SWINGING" CHEER

HOLLYWOOD ROCK SWINGING 
Hollywood rock swinging.
Hollywood rock swinging.
My name is Aniesha
I'm number one
My reputation is having fun
So if you see me just step aside
"Cause mighty Aniesha don't take no jive.

Hollywood rock swinging.
Hollywood rock swinging.
My name is katrina
I'm number two
My reputation is me and you
So if you see me just step on back
'Cause mighty Katrina don't take no slack.

Hollywood rock swinging.
Hollywood rock swinging.
My name is Natasha
I'm number twelve
My reputation is ringing that bell
So if you see my just step aside
"Cause mighty Aniesha don't take no jive
-Apples On A Stick: The Folklore Of Black Children by Barbara Michels and Bettye White (1983; p. 14);
-snip-
That book's preface indicates that the source of all of the examples in that book were Black children from Houston, Texas.
-snip-
No performance directions are given in this book for any example. However, I've categorized it as a cheer in part because of that example's textual structure, and in part because an example of a cheer (with mostly different words) entitled "Hollywood Now Swinging/Dynomite" was included in the cheer section of the 1978 Mother Hippletoe vinyl album. I also recall seeing young Black girls perform"Hollywood Swinging" foot stomping cheers in various Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania neighborhoods in the mid 1980s. That said, by some time in the 1990s in Pittsburgh, that cheer became a partner hand clap game, and memories of its performance as a foot stomping cheer faded.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/05/examples-of-hollywood-goes-swingin.html for a 2016 pancocojams post entitled "Examples Of "Hollywood Goes Swingin" Cheers & Rhymes (1976 - 2000s)"

Also, click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/09/foot-stomping-cheers-alphabetical-list_6.html "Foot Stomping Cheers Alphabetical List (H - J)" for text (word only) examples of Hollywood Swinging cheers.

Based on its group/consecutive soloists textual structure, "Hollywood Swinging" cheers are a subset of children's cheers that I refer to as "foot stomping cheers."  

"Group/consecutive soloists" is a form of call and response. In these cheers, the group voice is heard first, and a person has a soloist part. When the cheer ends with that soloist, it immediately begins again with the group voice and the next soloist. That person has an equal amount of time as the soloist. This pattern continues until every person in the group has one turn as tje soloist for that cheer. Depending on the cheer, each soloist may chant the same words (except her name/nickname and other personal information such as her astrological sun sign) or that soloist may chant mostly different words that fit the beat and theme of the cheer.  

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"FLY GIRL" RECORD

A Fly Girl - The Boogie Boys (1985)

djbuddyloverootsrap, Apr 25, 2011

The Boogie Boys were an American old school hip-hop group from Harlem, New York. They scored one big hit in 1985 with "A Fly Girl", from the album "City Life", that peaked at number six on the R&B charts. William 'Boogie Knight' Stroman, Joe 'Romeo J.D.' Malloy, and Rudy 'Lil Rahiem' Sheriff comprised the group. But things went downhill after that promising start, and by 1988 Sheriff had left the group, and they soon disbanded.... -snip- Click https://genius.com/Boogie-boys-a-fly-girl-lyrics for the lyrics for this song

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A "FLY GIRL" CHEER

FLY GIRL
Group: Fly girl one.
Fly girl two
Pump it up, Teresa,
Just like you do (or, “Show me what you do”)
Soloist #1: “Oh” (or “Well”) My name is Teresa
Group: What?
Soloist #1: And I’m a fly girl.
Group: What?
Soloist #1: It takes a lot of men
To rock my world.
‘Cause I can fly like a butterfly,
Sting like a bee.
And that’s why they call me
SEXY.

Repeat the cheer from the beginning with the next soloist. Replace the former soloist’s name or nickname with the name or nickname of the new soloist. Continue until every one has had one turn as soloist.
-T.M.P., memories of the mid 1980s in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania; recorded on a casette tape by Azizi Powell in 1992
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/09/foot-stomping-cheers-alphabetical-list_40.html for additional examples of this foot stomping cheer.

Also, click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/01/what-fly-fly-girl-fly-guy-mean-in.html for the pancocojams post entitled "What "Fly", "Fly Girl" & "Fly Guy" Mean In African American Slang"

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"ROCK THE BOAT" RECORD

Hues Corporation - Rock The Boat • TopPop

TopPop, Nov. 6, 2015

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE "ROCK THE BOAT" RECORD 
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_the_Boat_(The_Hues_Corporation_song)
'"Rock the Boat" is a song by American trio The Hues Corporation, written by Wally Holmes. "Rock the Boat" was first featured on their 1973 debut studio album Freedom for the Stallion (a different edit version, which was the single, later appeared on certain editions of the band's 1974 second album Rockin' Soul).[1] ....

Initially, "Rock the Boat" appeared as though it would also flop, as months went by without any radio airplay or sales activity. Not until the song became a disco favorite in New York did Top 40 radio finally pick up on the song, leading the record to finally enter the Hot 100 and zip up the chart to number one the week of July 6, 1974, in only its seventh week on the chart (and fourth week in the Top 40). The record also reached the top ten in the United Kingdom. "Rock the Boat" is considered one of the earliest disco songs. Some authorities proclaim it to be the first disco song to hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, while others give that distinction to "Love's Theme" by Love Unlimited Orchestra, a chart-topper from earlier in 1974. The song became a gold record. It is a heavy airplay favorite on oldie and adult contemporary stations today."...
-snip-
Click https://genius.com/The-hues-corporation-rock-the-boat-lyrics for lyrics for and information about this song .

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A "ROCK THE BOAT" CHEER

ROCK THE BOAT. DON'T TIP IT OVER
Rock the boat. Don't tip it over.
Rock the boat. Don't tip it over.
Hey, Aniya. "Hey what?"
Hey, Aniya. "Hey what?"
Can you rock the boat? "No way."
Can you rock the boat?! "Ok."
She slides. She slides. She do The Butterfly.
She dips. She dips. She shakes her little hips!

-ti55, Mar 16, 2008, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9QuTsAtQPY
-snip-
This is my transcription of the video whose link is given above.  This cheer is composed using the traditional foot stomping cheer structure. The "rock the boat/don't tip it over" line is a clear indication that this cheer was heavily influenced by The Hues Corporations' 1974 record "Rock The Boat".

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/05/examples-of-childrens-cheer-rock-boat.html

for a pancocojams post about this cheer.

Also, click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/09/foot-stomping-cheers-alphabetical-list_22.html  
"Foot Stomping Cheers Alphabetical List (P- Z)"for additional word only versions of this cheer.
-snip-
There have been other popular R&B/Funk songs entitled "Rock The Boat". Some of those records could also have inspired versions of children's cheers that are entitled "Rock The Boat".

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"ROCK STEADY" RECORD

The Whispers - Rock Steady (Official Music Video)

Unidiscmusic, Feb. 11, 2011

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Information about this song
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_Steady_(The_Whispers_song)

From 
" "Rock Steady" is a single released by American group the Whispers, from their 18th studio album Just Gets Better with Time (1987). It was produced by the production duo Antonio "L.A." Reid & Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds.

It was released on June 13, 1987,[2] and to date has been their highest charting single on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number seven in late August, and was their second and final number one on the Hot Black Singles Chart.[3]"...
-snip-
Click https://genius.com/The-whispers-rock-steady-lyrics  for lyrics for this song.

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AN EXAMPLE OF A "ROCK STEADY" CHEER 

ROCK STEADY

Lead girl- Hey Tigers are you ready
Entire squad: Well get down and rock steady
Well Tigers are ready.
Well get down and rock steady.
Well Tigers are ready.
Well get down and rock steady.
[Do a body patting and foot stomping routine with a sideways body wave movement]

[Same Lead girl] –Rock steady! Ready. Okay.
[Entire squad]
We,
we
are
ready
To
rock rock rock rock
Steady eddy eddy

Rock, rock steady
Your team ain't even ready
To rock rock rock rock
Steady eddy eddy eddy
Rock steady
Your team ain't even ready
To rock rock rock rock
Steady eddy eddy eddy
Rock.
-posted by dailytigers, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPswNBnwvLQ&ab_channel=daileytigers Published on Nov 17, 2012
-snip-

While "Rock Steady" is usually performed with foot stomping and hand clap movements, it doesn't have the group/alternating soloist textual structure. Therefore I don't consider it a foot stomping cheer (as that term is used in this collection.)

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/05/rock-steady-childrens-cheers-examples.html for the 2013 pancocojams post "Rock Steady" Children's Cheers (Examples & Comments).

It's very likely that Aretha Franklin's 1972 R&B song "Rock Steady" was inspired by the name of  the Jamaican "Rocksteady" music genre. However, the tune, beat, and lyrics of that R&B song are different from Jamaican "Rocksteady" music. Furthermore, I believe that the name of The Whispers' 1987 R&B song "Rock Steady" was probably inspired by Aretha Franklin's earlier song. And I believe that most of the lyrics for the "Rock Steady" military cadences have their source in The Whispers' song entitled "Rock Steady".

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Racialized Versions Of "I Like Coffee I Like Tea" Rhymes That Include The Words "I Like A White Boy & He Likes Me / So Step Back Black Boy..."

Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest Update: March 17, 2026

This pancocojams post provides selected examples of and comments about examples of the racialized rhyme "I Like Coffee I Like Tea" (also called "Down Down Baby" and other titles which include the words "I like a White boy and he likes me/So step back Black boy/You don't shine/Imma get a White boy to beat your behind. 

Some examples in this post include the words "I like a White/Black boy" etc. One commenter wrote that in his experience this wording was used when a White girl and a Black girl were chanting this rhyme together (Each girl chanted the same race for the boy that she was.) 

The Addendum to this post includes an example of this rhyme with the words "I like a Mexican boy/He don't like me".

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/01/racialized-versions-of-i-like-coffee-i.html for the 2012 pancocojams post whose revised title is "Racialized Versions Of "I Like Coffee I Like Tea" ("I Like A Black Boy And He Likes Me" and other racial referents)".

Also, click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/09/darker-than-black-boy-line-in-some-miss.html for the  2025 pancocojams post about these racialized rhymes: "Darker Than The Black Boy" Line In Some "Miss Susie Had A Steamboat" Rhymes.

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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S COMMENT [Updated March 17, 2026]
This post is part of an ongoing pancocojams series on race/ethnicity in contemporary [post 1960s] English language children's playground rhymes. These comments update those that I wrote in 2007 on a Mudcat folk music discussion thread about versions of this rhyme. 

In the early 2000s I coined the term "racialized rhymes" to refer to examples of playground rhymes that include racial references although those rhymes previously didn't mention race. Most of these rhymes refer to "black", "white", "colored" people (racial referents).and may also include referents to black skin.

The earliest dates that I have found for racialized examples of "I Like Coffee I Like Tea" is the 1970s (United States). 

Almost all of the examples of these "I Like Coffee I Like Tea" rhymes that I have come across have the "I like (or "I love") a Black boy and he likes (loves) me.". Some other versions of these rhymes that I've come across have the referent "Colored" even those that referent for Black Americans hasn't been used since the 1960s. I haven't come across any examples of these rhymes that include the referent "African American" since that referent would really mess up the rhythm and flow of that rhyme. I also haven't come across any examples of these rhymes that include the (also outdated) referent "Negro".

Some examples have "I like a Black boy/White boy and he likes me" wording (sometimes with the contributor indicating that the racial referent that is chanted depending on who is chanting that rhyme-presumably a Black girl would say "I like a Black boy" and a White girl would say "I like a White boy).

I have come across a few examples of these rhymes with the words "I like a White boy and he likes me". or "I like a White girl and she likes me." 

I haven't come across any online examples that mentions of other races/ethnicities except one example (given below) that includes the words "I like a Mexican boy and he likes me." 

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AN EXAMPLE OF "I LIKE A BLACK BOY" WORDING
Down down baby down by the roller coaster
sweet sweet baby mama never let you go
if you wanna kiss me just say you love me

Shimmy shimmy coco pop shimmy shimmy pow
shimmy shimmy coco pop shimmy shimmy pow

I like a black boy and he likes me
so step back white boy I ain't shy
I bet you 5 dollars i'll beat yo behind

Last night and the night before
I met my boyfriend at the candy store
he brought me ice cream he brought me cake
he brought me home with a belly ache

I said momma momma i'm so sick
call the doctor quick quick quick!

I said doctor doctor shall i die
he said close your eyes and count to 5

I said ah 1 ah 2 ah 3 ah 4 ah 5...
i'm alive on channel 5
scooby dooby doo on channel 2
big fat lady on channel 80
and all the rest on channel 8"
-GUEST,Meme; 03 Jul 14;  https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=100653 "Mudcat: Down Down Baby, Race In Children's Rhymes"
-snip-
I started that Mudcat discussion thread in April 2007. Comments may still be added to that thread.

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WHY I THINK THESE RACIALIZED RHYMES WERE ORIGINALLY CREATED
Here's a comment that I wrote in April 2007 early on in that Mudcat thread (with the addition in March 2021 of some words in the last paragraph to clarify what I meant).

"As to my opinions about these rhymes, it seems to me that with regards to childrens rhymes, children are much more interested in the rhythm of the words than the meaning of the words themselves. It certainly appears as though children care whether 'the right words' are recited-"right" here meaning the words to that particular rhyme that they learned and which are recited in their neighborhood. If a child recites the rhyme a different way, others will say that she or he "messed" up. So it certainly appears as though children are conscious of the words they are are reciting. However, I don't think this means that children are aware of or concerned about what the words 'mean' sociologically. I believe these rhymes are part of children's play (in the theatrical sense of the word". These children are chanting a story with set characters and plots and words. The rhyme's story is actually quite common-a boy approaches a girl and asks her for a date. The boy is rebuffed by the girl who says she already has a boyfriend. The story could have ended there. But this rhyme adds the element of the boy being identified as White, and there is [at least in my mind] the assumption that the girl is Black {or non-White]. Furthermore, the girl takes exception to the boy asking her for a date. She tells him that she already has a boyfriend who {it can be assumed} is of the same race as the girl. Furthermore, the girl threatens to get her boyfriend {and/or other boys of her race} to beat up the White boy. My theory is that these confrontational racialized versions of "I Like Coffee I Like Tea" rhymes came about when schools were just being integrated. As such, the aggression and reference to race in these rhymes reflect the difficulties associated with those particular times. Perhaps times have changed and the interracial relations between students of different races have improved. Maybe the words to these rhymes have become so familiar and so ingrained that no changes have been made, or any changes that were suggested did not 'stick'. Still, I'm very concerned about the normalization of in-group/out group perceptions and interactions where the only acceptable interaction between people of other races is fighting. But, perhaps these rhymes document the way things were-if not the way things are now (in the 2020s.) I don't know if these confrontational, racialized "I Like Coffee I Like Tea" rhymes are still being chanted in the 2020s when, presumably, there is more interracial interactions-including more interracial dating occurring in the United States. These rhymes are certainly anti-interracial dating.  If our cultures do not address these perceptions among children that people who aren't part of the same race/ethnicity that you are are different than you and are therefore unacceptable, how will we ever have a world where differences don't make any difference? How will there ever come a time when  race and ethnicity are descriptors that have no positive or negative valuation?"

Please add to the folkloric record by sharing any versions of these racialized rhymes that you know. Please remember to add demographic information (which city/state you learned this rhyme or which country if outside of the USA; the decade or year you first learned this rhyme; your race/ethnicity.) Thank you.

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EXAMPLES OF THESE RHYMES WITH THE WORDING "I LIKE A WHITE BOY & HE LIKES ME".
These examples are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.

1.
"I went to elementary school starting in 1980, in Bloomfield, Connecticut (adjacent to Hartford). The girls (including my sister) did clapping games on the bus everyday it seemed, and when they hung out in the street, etc. Demographic note: my family is White; Blacks (including many Jamaicans) are a majority in the town, and were most of our playmates.

The version to this one went:
"I like coffee, I like tea
I like a Black/White boy an' he likes me
So step back White/Black boy, you don't shine
I'll get a Black/White boy to beat your behind."

The girls would switch the race of the boy, depending on who was singing. Sometimes there'd be confusion if a White and a Black girl were playing together, and they'd sort of get jumbled up on that word and try to push their version. Sometimes they would agree on a skin tone based on a previous conversion about who the girl whose "turn" it was actually "likes." The reason why I remember distinctly that they did it both ways was that as a little kid I tried to imagine what "you don't shine" meant. I'd try to reason what skin tone "shined" more! Needless to say, I never figured it out!"
-Guest Gibs, 05 Mar 09, originally published on http://awe.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=115045&messages=154&page=2 RE: Not Last Night But The Night Before-rhyme 
-snip-
Here's a portion of my March 5, 2009 response to Guest Gib (posted to that "Not Last Night But The Night Before-rhyme" thread)
..."Here's my take on that "you don't shine" phrase:

In this context, "shine" means to be as radiant as the sun or stars. Saying "you don't shine" to a boy means that you don't think that he is anything special (in looks, and/or in actions, or in his very being) as he or she thinks he is. Perhaps that use of "shine" comes from the outer (or inner glow) that people are said to have because of their auras or their spirit. Theoretically, the aura* of a good or great person shines brighter than that of a person who is evil or ordinary. And a charismatic person would be described as shining brightly."...

**
2. 
"down down baby, down down the rollercoaster,
sweet sweet baby ill never let u go.
shimmi shimmi coco puff shimmi shimmi pow
shimmi shimmi coco puff shimmi shimmi break it down,
i like coffie i like tea i like a white boy and he likes me.
so step back girl cuz he is mine.
i bet u five $ i can beat ur behind
.. to the front to he back to the side side side.
to the front to the back to the side side side.
i can beat u with ur head ding dong(repet)
i can beat u with ur feet ((stomp stomp)) repet.
i cant beat u with ur hands ((clap clap)) reapet.
i can beat u with my hot stuff(hands on hips)reapet
now put it all together and c what u got.
ding dong, stomp stomp, clap clap, hot stuff.
now lets put it all backward and c what u got."
- summmm13lzs;http://hubpages.com/hub/Recess-is-BACK-Hand-Clapping-Games; July 2010 (retrieved August 21, 2010) This example is no longer included on that page. 

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3
"I always heard it as...

Down, down baby down down the rollercoaster
Sweet sweet baby, mama never let you go,
shimmy shimmy cocoa puff
shimmy shimmy pow
shimmy shimmy cocoa puff
shimmy shimmy wow
i like coffee, i like tea,
i like a white boy and he likes me
so stand back black boy you don't shine,
i got a white boy to kick your behind,
kick it rough, kick it tough, kick it till you get enough

I am VERY saddened that we said this in elementary school."
-GUEST,guest, 12 Dec 10,  http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=100653 Down Down Baby-Race in Children's Rhymes, 

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4. 
"Went to a pretty racially mixed elementary school in Georgia in the early 90's. We white girls *definitely* knew Down Down Baby as a story of white aggression:

"I like ice cream
I like tea
I like a white boy and he likes me
So stand back, black boy
You don't shine
I got a white boy to beat ya behind!"

I don't remember ever seeing black girls doing that rhyme, so I don't know if they did it differently. But as a child it made sense to me that the rhyme would assert white dominance. It was just another example of the casual racism we were immersed in in rural Georgia. Even at that age my white friends and I understood that a white boy beating up a black boy for flirting with his girl was the expected norm, not the other way around."
-Guest, mindy, 28 Feb 15, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=100653 Down Down Baby-Race in Children's Rhymes, 

**
5.
"Ina Lina Thumbelina
Two times Thumbelina
Iriatchee Liriatchee
I love you.

Take a piece
Take a plum
Not a piece of bubblegum.

I like coffee.
I like tea.
I like a Black/White boy
And he likes me.
So step back Black/White boy
You don't shine.
I gotta a Black/White boy 
To kick your behind.

See that house on top of that hill
That's where me and my baby gnna leave.
We gnna chop some wood
Eat some meat
Come on baby
Lets go to sleep."
--GUEST,17yr old kid at heart:), 20 Jul 10, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=4300 Children's Street Songs
-snip-
This example was written in capitol letters and paragraph form. I reformatted it to increase its readability.

The word "gnna" probably means "gonna" (going to). 
The word "leave" is probably a typo for "live".

My guess is that White/Black and Black/White meant that if they were Black, the chanters said "I like a Black boy" and then said "so step back White boy". Or if the chanters were White, they said "I like a White boy" and "step back Black boy"

**
6.Down down baby down down the roller coaster sweet sweet baby I'll never let you go shimmy shimmy Coco Puff Shimmy Shimmy aah shimmy shimmy coco puff shimmy shimmy aah. I like coffee I like tea I like a white boy he likes me step back black boy you don't shine I bet you $5 I can beat your behind. get the rhythm of the head, ding dong. get the rhythm of the hands clap clap, get the rhythm of the feet stomp stomp  get the rhythm of the hot dog, get the rhythm of the hot dog (move your body like a snake motion each time you say hot dog). Put them all together and see what you get, ding dong (move head from left to right when saying ding dong), clap clap, stomp stomp, hot dog. Put them all backwards and see what you get. Hot dog, stomp,stomp, clap,clap, ding dong.

Amazing how it's a similar song but different in many ways...
-Sarah Bukoski, 2016 [comment in the discussion thread for https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCyBMztWUFk "Learn FUN hand clapping game "Down Down Baby", published by KSquared, Nov 9, 2013  

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ADDENDUM: AN EXAMPLE THAT INCLUDES THE LINE "I LIKE A MEXICAN BOY"....
This is such an interesting article and so neat to see something that is a deep memory of mine. I went to Fruitvale Elementary in Oakland, Ca. Kindergarten 76-77. We also sang this song. The version I sang, for some unknown reason, was :

I like coffee , I like tea,
I like the Mexican Boy
He don’t like me
Go away White boy
He don’t shine
She bop a badda badda
She bop a badda badda
She bop a badda badda
Bing

I was a 5 year old white girl. I came home singing this song. My mother just thought I was adapting to my surroundings and fellow school mates.

I have never forgotten this song. So interesting to find your article.

Thank you

Bella, October 4, 2020,  http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/01/racialized-versions-of-i-like-coffee-i.html [comments]

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Visitor comments are welcome.

My Comments About The 2014 Vlog "Let's Discuss: Black Girls Childhood Hand Games And Sing Songs"

Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest revision- March 14, 2021

 This is Part III of a three part pancocojams series that showcases the vlog [video blog] entitled "Let's Discuss: Black Girl Childhood Hand Games and Sing Songs" which was published on YouTube in 2014 by Ebony Janice Peace.

Part III presents my response to some points that were made in the 2014 vlog "Let's Discuss: Black Girl Childhood Hand Games and Sing Songs".

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/03/my-transcript-of-youtube-vlog-lets.html for Part I of this series. Part I showcases this vlog and presents my (unofficial) transcription of that video.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/03/black-girls-rhyme-examples-selected.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. Part II presents every comment from the discussion thread of the 2014 vlog "Let's Discuss: Black Girl Childhood Hand Games and Sing Songs" that include examples of children's hand game rhymes. This post also includes some other comments from that video's discussion thread.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to EbonyJanice Peace and thanks to all others who are quoted in this post.

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MY COMMENTS ABOUT THE EBONYJANICE PEACE'S 2014 VLOG "LET'S DISCUSS: BLACK GIRL CHILDHOOD HAND GAMES AND SING SONGS"
First let me repeat my thanks to EbonyJanice Peace for publishing a video blog (vlog) on YouTube on the subject of Black girls' hand games. 

I'm an African American woman who has been interested in this subject since at least the mid 1985. Since that time until sometime in 2009 I have directly (face to face) collected examples of children's recreational rhymes, singing games, and cheers, mostly from Black girls in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area. 

From 2000 to 2014 I also collected rhyme examples, children's cheers, and singing games from people who shared those examples on my no longer active cocojams.com cultural website. Many of those examples were shared by children and teens via an easy to use page on that website. People who shared examples there didn't have to give an email address and were encouraged to share their first name only, the type of recreational rhyme they were sending in, and certain demographics (their age, their gender, their geographic location, and their race. People could also share additional comments along with their examples. After I voluntarily deactivated cocojams.com, I re-published most of those examples on two of my cocojams2 google blog. A large number of those examples have also been showcased on this pancocojams blog.

In addition to those activities, since 2000 I have also collected examples of children's rhymes (with special attention to African American girls rhymes from books, records, and other offline published formats, and from actively searching online for those examples. My very active participation in the online Mudcat folk music discussion forum (and a number of discussion threads on this subject that I started on that forum) was one of the key ways that I collected and studied contemporary (post 1960s) children's recreational rhymes.

Prior to Feb. 28, 2019 when YouTube started disallowing comments on most of their children's videos (and deleted the discussion threads of most of of those videos) those YouTube discussion threads also provided a treasure trove of examples on contemporary children's recreational rhymes. A number of those rhymes were posted by Black (i.e. African American) girls and women.

I share this to say that I'm not a casual commenter about the subject that EbonyJanice Peace discussed in her 2014 vlog and invited others to discuss. Unfortunately, although comments aren't prohibited on that video's discussion thread, few people took that vlogger up on her invitation to discuss "Black girl childhood hand games and singing games". Note that I commented in 2017 on that discussion thread. That comment is found in Part II of this pancocojams series along with several other comments from people who wrote about that topic instead of just sharing rhyme examples.

My sense is that EbonyJanice Peace addressed two distinct points in her vlog
1. How and why it is that the same examples or similar versions of the same hand clap rhymes and "sing songs" are found throughout the United States.
2. Her belief that the text (words) for many of these rhymes/sing songs are "inappropriate".

While several of the commenters in that vlog's discussion thread added documentation to point #1 (by sharing what state or nation their examples came from), no one offered any theories about how or why so many versions of African American girls' rhymes are the same or similar.

Most commenters who offered an opinion about the text of these children's rhyme agreed with that vlogger that their content was "inappropriate". Read #7 in Part II of this pancocojams series for the comment from one person who appears to offer another opinion and may have also addressed the question as to why these rhymes are similar.

I've divided my comments into two parts:
Part I (in which I share my theories about how and why so many African American girls recreational rhymes, singing games, and cheers are the same and similar)

and

Part II (my comments about the "inappropriate" words/lyrics in some of these rhymes).

Finally, many of the examples of rhymes that EbonyJanice Peace and commenters in her vlog's discussion thread share are showcased in various pancocojams post. An easy way to find those posts is to Google search the rhymes name followed by the word "pancocojams". Examples: writing "race in down down baby rhymes pancocojams" in Google search yields this link http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/01/racialized-versions-of-i-like-coffee-i.html.

Also, writing "your mama short and fat rhymes pancocojams" in Google search yields this pancocojams link http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/03/yo-greasy-grimey-granny-black-talk-in.html.

A third example is that writing "I met my boyfriend at the candy store pancocojams" in Google search yields this link: http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/01/bill-cosby-show-hand-clap-segment-i-met.html.

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PART I: My theories about why many African Americans girls recreational rhymes (handclap rhymes, cheers, singing games etc.) are the same or very similar or the same prior to the internet*

These statements/theories are given in no particular order.

1. Black children's rhymes, singing games, cheers reflect, are created from, and help create African American culture. (Read the book excerpt that is given in Part II that addresses this point.)
[added March 27, 2020], In particular, foot stomping cheers conform to, honor, express certain African American cultural values and aesthetic preferences. Here are some of those values/aesthetic preferences:
a. The structure of all foot stomping cheers value the group more than the individual. The group voice is first, and every member of the group has the same equal length amount of time to be the group soloist.

b. Foot stomping cheers value being able to stay 'on beat" and being able to "get down" (perform dances and percussive movements very well). Some cheers more than others focus on dancing/doing movements very well more than other cheers, i.e.- the cheer itself provides the opportunity to show off the group (and each individual within the group's) dancing skills.

c. Some cheers more than others focus on/reflect the high value of females being tough and having attitude (and being respected for those "take no stuff from anybody) approach to life)

d. Some cheers more than others focus on/reflect the high value of being "fine" (physically attractive), and being sexy (having one or more boyfriends and being able to take any "man" they want from another female).

d. Some cheers more than others focus on/reflect the high value of self-bragging/taunting others.

e. Some cheers more than others express the high value given to resisting authority and not jumping to do whatever is demanded of them by the group [which represents "authority" in these cheers]. Read my comment in this post's discussion thread about what that pattern I refer to as "command, refusal, command, compliance" foot stomping cheers. Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/05/examples-of-childrens-cheer-rock-boat.html for the 2013 pancocojams post entitled "Examples Of The Children's Cheer "Rock The Boat" that describe this pattern and provides text and video examples of these foot stomping cheers.

2. Many rhymes were passed down from parents and other adults to children (including in schools and community institutions). When people relocated, they carried their rhyme repertoire with them and shared them with people who lived where they moved. Folk processing (changing a word or words in a rhyme because of mishearing, misremembering or to make the word make more sense) resulted/results in some changes to the rhyme. Adding or substituting topical references (references to locations, stores, products etc that a person is familiar with) also accounts for some changes to these rhymes. In addition, rhymes are often updated to reflect particular experiences, and cultural references/issues that children experience (I believe that this may account for the racialized examples of "Down Down Baby". Click the link for those rhymes that is found above.)

3. Many rhymes were shared throughout the United States from direct (face to face) contacts from people visiting different cities and states and talking to family and friends over the telephone>

4. Many rhymes were shared throughout the United States via the mass media (books, newspapers, magazines, television, movies, radio)

5 The rhymes/singing games/cheers that are popular among African Americans meet our cultural aesthetics for formulaic, easy to remember, repetitive, rhyming verse structure, percussive rhythm and beats, call & response format, etc.
-snip-
*After people had increased internet access- particularly after YouTube first started in Feb. 2005- the internet came be cited as one reason why many of these rhymes are the same or so similar.

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PART II
Rather than focus on the fact that some [and not all] Black girls' recreational rhymes, singing games, and cheers contain "inappropriate*" content, I believe that a better focus is to consider the purpose of recreational rhymes (including Black girls' rhymes), beyond that of entertainment, and physical activity.

These points are given in no particular order.

1. Black girls rhymes (handclap rhymes, cheers, singing games etc.) are forms of creative expression.

Here's a quote from Black Girlhood Celebration: Toward a Hip-hop Feminist Pedagogy By Ruth Nicole Brown
Page 43 (Google books)

[In her 2006 book The Games Black Girls Play: Learning the Ropes from Double-Dutch to Hip-Hop Kyra] "Gaunt* argues Black girls' sphere of musical activity represents one of the earliest formations of Black popular music culture. Girls are its primary agents: they are the leaders in composing the beats, rhymes, and multilimbed choreographies of handclapping games, cheers, and double Dutch, as well as their accompanying chants." (Gaunt, 2006. page 183)

2. Black girls rhymes provide opportunities to show off their movement skills such as (dancing, stepping)

3. Black girls rhymes provide opportunities to prepare for (try on) womanhood roles.

4. Black girl rhymes provide opportunities to flaunt societal rules/taboos with little or no consequences, particularly in settings where there are no adults.

5. Black girls rhymes provide opportunities to gain status.

With regard to all of these points, read this excerpt from Black Girlhood Celebration: Toward a Hip-hop Feminist Pedagogy By Ruth Nicole Brown; First printing edition (November 6, 2008)
Page 43 (Google books)

In “Eastgate” cheers were “serious” Black girl battles. In a social and cultural capital sense we were gangs. Groups of girls formed a posse and challenged girls on any street corner in particular to battle using our words and cheers to rhyme, our bodies to make beats.

Tell it tell it tell it like it is (uh hun)
tell it tell it tell it like it is
My name Nicole (tell it tell it)
I’m on the line (tell it tell it)
And I can do it (tell it tell it)
To the Capricorn sign (tell it tell it)
And you know what? (what?)
And you know what (what?)
Your man was in my body and he did some karate and he
knocked on my door, but he didn’t get no more.

That’s how I remember one of my favorite cheers; if I was an ethnomusicologist like [ ] Gaunt, I’d break down the musical notations and reference the popular songs

[page 44]

we sampled from and that sampled us. That memory, however, allows us to make sense of how Black girls speak through hip-hop to give meaning to their lives.** These games were banned from the schoolyard because they incited the same danger as red and blue colors in the city.***

Because I have the cultural capital to know what it means to do Black girl call-and -response in hip-hop fashion, playing games I can remember and no longer play, I believe that one gift of working with Black girls is that they require Black women to “go back” to missed memories or part of a Black girlhood they never knew as a means of communication and connection.…This is saving ourselves, not saving them from being Black girls and playing Black girls games.”...
-snip-
*In 2015, Dr. Kyra Gaunt commented in the discussion thread for the vlog that is the subject of this pancocojams series. Unfortunately, she only referred people to her book and didn't share any statements/opinions about this subject in that discussion.

**This sentence is written in italics to highlight it.

*** The reference to "red and blue colors" refer to warfare between the Crips and Bloods gangs.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/09/foot-stomping-cheers-alphabetical-list_22.html for several additional examples of the [foot stomping] cheer "Tell It".

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This concludes Part III of this three part pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

YouTube Vlog: "Let's Discuss: Black Girl Childhood Hand Games and Sing Songs" (examples and comments)

Edited by Azizi Powell

Revision: March 9, 2021: title change, examples and the YouTube link added

Latest revision - February 20, 2025- additional comments from that discussion thread up to that date

This is Part II of a three part pancocojams series that showcases the vlog [video blog] entitled "Let's Discuss: Black Girl Childhood Hand Games and Sing Songs" which was published on YouTube in 2014 by Ebony Janice Peace. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfzHL_1PdbY&t=2s&ab_channel=EbonyJanicePeace

Part II presents every comment from the discussion thread of the 2014 vlog "Let's Discuss: Black Girl Childhood Hand Games and Sing Songs" that include complete or partial examples of children's hand games and/or singing games. This compilation also includes a few other comments from that discussion thread. 

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/03/my-transcript-of-youtube-vlog-lets.html for Part I of this series. Part I showcases this vlog and presents my (unofficial) transcription of that video.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/03/a-black-womans-comments-about-2014-vlog.html for Part III of this pancocojams series. Part III presents my response to some points that were made in the 2014 vlog "Let's Discuss: Black Girl Childhood Hand Games and Sing Songs".

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to EbonyJanice Peace and thanks to all others who are quoted in this post. Particular thanks for those who included where and when they remembered chanting or hearing particular hand games.
-snip-
Pancocojams Editor's Note: This transcription doesn't mean that I agree with everything that EbonyJanice Peace said in her 2014 video log (vlog) that is found in this post. My comments about that vlog will be published ASAP.

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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THAT VIDEO BLOG'S (VLOG) 'S DISCUSSION THREAD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfzHL_1PdbY&t=2s&ab_channel=EbonyJanicePeace

Pancocojams Editor's Note:
These comments from that discussion thread mostly focus on complete or partial examples of children's rhymes. A few other comments-such as the comment that I wrote-that don't include examples are also added to this compilation.

WARNING:  Some of these examples are risque.

These comments are presented in relative chronological order with the oldest comments given first, except for replies. Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.


1. Brittney Lewis, 2015
"Lil Sally walker was walking down the street she didn't know what to do so she stopped in front of me and she said go on girl shake that thing shake that thing don't stop gone girl shake dat thing shake dat thing don't stop she never went to college she never went to school come to find out she was an educated fool _Baltimore childhood lil girl games"

**
2. Mayodi, 2015
"Hey..Love your videos. I'm from Kenya and we had similar hand games though we butchered the words.lol! I think the hand games and singing games were away for our people to address the issues facing our community and teaching us lessons in the process much like folk tales...idk. it's the same with nursery rhymes a ring a ring of roses was about the black plague the swept across Europe and how they would put poses in the pockets of the dead to deal with the stench or Mary Mary quite contrary was about Marie Antoinette...wow went dark there for a minute...not sure what a rub a dub dub three men in a tub was about...thinking about it I should have just done a response video...but yeah the hand games I think are a way to deal with issues affecting our community on a child's level."

**
3. Noreen Raines, 2015
"We did them in Jamaica too!"

**
4. Kyra Gaunt Ph.D., 2015
"I wrote a book about it that might interest you. The Games Black Girls Play: Learning the Ropes from Double Dutch to Hip Hop.

**
5. Ashley Hankins, 2015
"Yes, you actually just brought some back to me. But on the tweet one I remember that end piece. That's funny, being younger and doing this, we were having fun doing the hand games knowing the words but not listening and understanding them. Wow. MakeYou wonder who came up with these songs."

**
6. Y W, 2016
"So interesting! Wow I was just talking about the same thing! I thought it was just me and one other person! I am so happy you posted this! I was wondering if we and other black girls were some how connected on some level like radio waves or something? I didn't know what to think! Because as you were saying, "How were these songs transmitted?! We just played singing them! Another black girl song we use to play with so much rhythm and dance was, "My boyfriend really did it!! He really really really took me to the ocean!!! He really really really showed me commotion!!! He really really really! I said really! Say what now! Really my name is ____ Really my sign is ____ Really etc etc.!!!!!!"
-snip-
This comment is quoted as it was written in that discussion.

**
7. Leo Mccray, 2016
"As a boy growing up listened to all the girls sing and play these "hand games" and sometimes joined in. So... With that said, being that the word were a reflection of our day to day what is the problem. B/c as many of us can see you and some others turned out very well.

**
REPLY
8. EbonyJanice Peace, 2016
"Well +Leo Mccray I don't know that I offered that it was a horrible thing. Really this video is just a reflection of how inappropriate these games were and how much more ridiculous they are now. (shrugs) They can be harmless, meaningless dribble -- but I'm sure we'd prefer our own daughters to not be walking around singing some of these songs. Just my thoughts on the subject. It's a fun conversation to have. That's all. Peace & Light."

**
9. trinigyul, 2016
"It was very prevalent in the caribbean too, it was our popular games in primary schools."

**
10. Nikkole Salter, 2016
"This is an L.A. perspective:... This first one is not so much a hand game as much as it is a cipher: You know, I shake the best, hey, hey/ You know, from the east to the west! My name's (enter your name) and my favorite color's black (or whatever color you like) / I took your man and you won't get him back, hey hey / You know, I shake the best, hey, hey/ You know, from the east to the west! (and every person gets a chance, state your color and your bravado in rhyme)... Then there was this other call & response cipher (which I don't hear too many people mention outside my generation and region)... Tether ball, tether ball/Oosha, asha!/Tether ball, tether ball/Oosha, asha! My name's (enter your name) (tether ball), super cool, (tether ball) You mess with me (tether ball) You's a fool (tether ball) I got this man (tether ball) On my mind (tether ball) You mess with him (tether ball) Your butt is straight up mine. Oooh. Tether ball, tether ball/Oosha, Asha! etc. -- You make up your own rhyme of bravado..."

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11. Azizi Powell, 2017
"EbonyJanice Peace, thanks for publishing this video and Nikkole Salter, thanks to you and others writing in this discussion thread for sharing these examples. I'm an African American collector of children's rhymes & cheers-especially from African Americans. Fyi, I've found two other examples of "Tether ball" and each of them were from Los Angeles.

Also, your example "You Know, I Shake The Best" is very similar to Virginia State University Woo Woos' stomp & shake cheerleader cheer "Who Shakes The Best". I included the link to the other examples of "Tether Ball" and other links to examples that I've found of similar cheers in this post on my cultural blog: https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/07/is-this-old-childrens-cheer-source-of.html "Is This Old Children's Cheer The Source Of VSU's "Who Cheers The Best" Stomp & Shake Cheer?"

Nikkole, for the folkloric record, I'd love to know when you performed these cheers. Was it in the 1990s?

Thanks again!"

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12. Tareyah, 2016
"I definitely realized how inappropriate some of those games were when I grew up! I grew up in Philly, Pa... one that stands out to me the most was called Ikey and Mikey. It was similar to one you were singing but it went...

"Ikey and Mikey were sitting on a fence... Ikey called Mikey a dirty son of a... bring down your children and let them play with sticks and when they get older they'll learn to play with... Dicky had a party and invited Tiny Tim... He took him to the ocean to see if he can swim... they swam from the bottom and up to the top... turned around and ate his mother... cocktail Ginger ale 5 cents a glass... if you don't like me you can kiss my dirty... ask me no questions I'll tell you no lies... give me a cherry and I'll bake a cherry pie."

It makes NO sense but we used to sing it like it was nothing and I'm surprised out mothers didn't say anything. LOL! We had many others talking about our boyfriends... "...and what about your boyfriend? He gonna work this body-yiddie-yiddie make sure he don't hurt nobody.' WHAT?! I do love that that's a part of our culture though... something many of us can connect on. :)"

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13. MahoganyD, 2016
"Little Sally Walker would get us spanked. Especially the "gone girl shake that thang" part. One of my favorite was the "Shame Shame Shame" game because of the complex coordination. However third graders had no business singing the lyrics. "Shame Shame Shame
I don't wanna go to Mexico no more more more.
There's a big fat policeman at the door door door.
He'll grab you by the collar
Make you pay a dollar
I don't wanna go to Mexico no more more more." I wish there was more of a history on clapping games. It would be an interesting read."

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14. Kiara Jones, 2016
"When it comes to hand games, it was one of my favorite part of my childhood because of how fun and simple it was. I played Miss Mary Mack, Rockin robin, I don't want to go to mexico, Slide, and two newer ones like Welcome to McDonald's and The Simpsons. Now the Simpsons one is probably the most adult like one I've said besides Rockin robin and I don't want to Mexico but the most it ever said "criss-cross applesauce (hands on the opposite shoulders)/ thigh - thigh, chicken thigh (hands on thighs) / butt-butt, Pizza Hut (hands on butt) ". My parents never necessarily allowed me to do very explicit hand games (at least not that often), to the point where I don't remember them really well. So it never really affected me as a child. (Mainly because I was super, super positive and optimistic to even notice the adult jokes inside the sing songs)"

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15. Chrystal Smith, 2017
"Yes!!!! I grew up in Chicago and me and my aunt JUST had this conversation!!! How about "tell it, tell it tell it like it is. I go to school (tell it tell it)
Smoking kools (tell it tell it)
I walk the streets (tell it tell it)
10 times a week (tell it tell it)
I'm number third (tell it tell it)
Smoking herb (tell it tell it)....
& the nonsense continues. Smh... my grandmother wouldn't let us sing that one."

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16. Dianne Daniels, 2017
"The rhyme from my childhood went "Last night, night before, 24 robbers at my door, I woke up, let them in, hit 'em on the head with a rolling pin..." then you counted until you missed a clap or the jump rope going over your head. Highest count won!"

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17. Davina, 2017
"My sister and cousins had a similar conversation a few years ago. We noticed that the songs are prevalent across the US and that they transcend generations. My aunt (14 years my senior), myself, and my cousin (30yrs my junior), played some of the same hand games. Interestingly, my nieces who did not attend Black elementary schools, played little or no hand games and the ones they did play had more innocent lyrics. One of the most risqué songs was a version of "Down, Down, Baby" played in Los Angeles in the early 70s (my aunt and cousin sang different versions of this song). These are the lyrics to the Los Angeles 1970s version:

"Down, down baby, down by the rollercoaster. Sweet, sweet baby, please don't you let me go. Shimmy, shimmy coco pop, shimmy, shimmy aiyeee. Shimmy, shimmy coco pop, shimmy shimmy aiyee. I got a boyfriend, a biscuit, he so sweet, a biscuit, light my cherry tree."

No kidding! While fascinated by the hand game, we also noticed that many of these songs contained subject matter inappropriate for children--most of it about sex. I wonder who originated these songs and what was their intention. Were they to warn girls about dangerous behavior like accepting candy or other gifts from men or sneaking out to meet men? Were they composed by girls who had been seduced by older boys or men? Were they composed by people who had an interest in perpetuating stereotypes such as in the song you mentioned where daddy's a gangster, brother's in jail, and sister's prostitute?

Thanks Ebony, for your video. I am encouraged to research a topic that I had long forgotten about."

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18. Rita D, 2017
"Thank you for this... Chicago. Lucy Lucy Where you been ? I've been around the world and I'm going again. I've been to England, I've been to France and all I saw was hot pants! On top,Robot, really groovy a loose booty."

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19. Rita D, 2017
"Ok one more, before I lose my memory. I am 52. Miss Lucy had a baby she named him tiny Tim,she put him in the bathtub to the teach him how to swim. He drank up all the water,he ate up all the soap, he tried to eat the bathtub, but it wouldn't go down his throat. Hmmm said the doctor. Hmm, said the nurse, Hmmm said the lady with the alligator purse!"

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20.@vanessarichardsonwynn7888, 2017
"Wow, glad I found your video, I was just thinking about the origin of these sing song games. We had one we did in Alabama similar to the soul train line. A girl would walk down the middle and we would sing...

Strutting down the alley,alley,alley

Strutting down the alley all night long.

Oh here comes another one, another one, another one

Here comes another one all night long.

 

Now I realize we were singing about prostitutes. How in the world did these songs become kids games????"

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21. @TeeSoFree, 2017
"I definitely realized how inappropriate some of those games were when I grew up! I grew up in Philly, Pa... one that stands out to me the most was called Ikey and Mikey. It was similar to one you were singing but it went...

"Ikey and Mikey were sitting on a fence... Ikey called Mikey a dirty son of a...  bring down your children and let them play with sticks and when they get older they'll learn to play with... Dicky had a party and invited Tiny Tim... He took him to the ocean to see if he can swim... they swam from the bottom and up to the top... turned around and ate his mother... cocktail Ginger ale 5 cents a glass... if you don't like me you can kiss my dirty... ask me no questions I'll tell you no lies... give me a cherry and I'll bake a cherry pie."

It makes NO sense but we used to sing it like it was nothing and I'm surprised out mothers didn't say anything. LOL! We had many others talking about our boyfriends... "...and what about your boyfriend? He gonna work this body-yiddie-yiddie make sure he don't hurt nobody.' WHAT?! I do love that that's a part of our culture though... something many of us can connect on. :)"

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22. Amy Brewer, 2018

"Just looked up "Blak Girl Hand Games" after reading an article in an educational journal. I'm a white girl who went to Catholic schools in the 1980's and we did/sang many of these with the same "lyrics". You just going over some of them reminded me of all the ones we used to do on the playground!"

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23.@starkmel, 2018
"I loveeee all these! Nostalgia!! K let me share some I grew up with lol “tingalo, ting ting alo uh oh uh oh , my hands are up my feet are down this is the way my body moves“ LOL

“Tic tac toe 3 in a row Barney got shot by a g.i joe wine to the doctor and he doctor said whop Barney’s dead” LOL

Stella Ella ola quack quack quack decay es Chico Chico Chico Chico chap, hello hello hello hello hello say 1,2...9,10”

Circle circle dot dot now I got

My cootie shot"

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24, @reestillbloom, 2018
"Ok one more, before I lose my memory. I am 52. Miss Lucy had a baby she named him tiny Tim,she put him in the bathtub to the teach him how to swim. He drank up all the water,he ate up all the soap, he tried to eat the bathtub, but it wouldn't go down his throat. Hmmm said the doctor. Hmm, said the nurse, Hmmm said the lady with the alligator purse!"

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25.@malissathompson5673, 2019
"I remember Miss Suzy had a baby. Instead of humm, it went...Miss Suzy called the doctor,  Miss Suzy called the nurse, Miss Suzy called the lady with the alligator purse.....then Miss Suzy told them all to get out. Georgia Version."

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26. @colistaturner8476, 2024
"We used to say "Mumps, said the Doctor, Measles said the Nurse, Nothing said the lady with the alligator purse"... I don't remember the rest 🙈"

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27. Cidnei Gregory, 2019
"I'm from Chicago and thinking back these songs were really inapproprate and the only song we couldn't sing was Jiggalo

My back is aching
My bra too tight
My booty shaking from the left to the right
My hands up high
My feet down low
And this the way I jiggalo

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."

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28. Monaedeezy, 2019
"I remember these. Chicago native! Especially down down baby, i don’t want to go to Mexico no more more more, “he grabbed me by the collar”, Ms. Mary Mack, and the Banana fana song and play on name. You mentioned the well known.

There is another I totally forgot but it was about shooting Barney from the Tree.."

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29. @rachelhunt9980, 2019
"1234

Barney got shot by a g.i. joe

Momma called the Dr. And the Dr said...whoop Barney's dead😂"

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30. Melissa Stark, 2019
"I loveeee all these! Nostalgia!! K let me share some I grew up with lol “tingalo, ting ting alo uh oh uh oh , my hands are up my feet are down this is the way my body moves“ LOL

Tic tac toe 3 in a row Barney got shot by a g.i joe wine to the doctor and he doctor said whop Barney’s dead” LOL

Stella Ella ola quack quack quack decay es Chico Chico Chico Chico chap, hello hello hello hello hello say 1,2...9,10”

Circle circle dot dot now I got
My cootie shot


Grew up In Toronto Canada :)"

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31. Malissa Thompson, 2020
"I remember Miss Suzy had a baby. Instead of humm, it went...Miss Suzy called the doctor, Miss Suzy called the nurse, Miss Suzy called the lady with the alligator purse.....then Miss Suzy told them all to get out. Georgia Version."

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32. Myesha Torres, 2020
"Mail man mail man - do your duty here comes the lady with the African booty . She can do the pom she can do the twist but most of all she can kiss kiss kiss . K -I -S -S .

That was one that always made me feel weird as a child"

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33. Angi Simon, 2020
“Ebony, I'm so glad I found your channel! This 68-yo white "girl" Seattle transplant from Los Angeles was searching for "rhyming hand games" on YouTube and there you were. I'll share a couple of rhymes that I can remember.

1) "Eeny-meeny jipsaleeny, oopa-ahpa achaleeny, otchy-cotchy Liberachi I love you! Take a peach take a plum take a stick of bubble gum. Don't like it don't take it, but please don't break it. Teacher teacher don't be dumb, give me back my bubble-gum. If your teacher make you cry, pack your books and say good-bye."

2) "Not last night but the night before, 24 robbers came knocking at my door. When I went out to let them in, this is what they said to me. Lady, lady turn around, lady, touch the ground. Lady, lady let us in..."

They also taught me to Double Dutch jump rope and how to jump in back doors.”
-snip-
“how to jump in back doors” probably refers to a movement that is done while jumping in the middle of a single rope that is  turned by two “enders” (people holding each end of the rope) 

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34.@moroccanrose999, 2024
"Who remembers“Eenie meenie sicileeny,

Ooh ah zambalini,

Achi cachi Liberace,

I love you,

Take a peach,

Take a plum,

Take a stick of bubble gum,

No peach,

No plumb,

No stick of bubble gum. I saw you with your boyfriend last night! How do you know? I looked through the key hole… nosey

I didn’t take a bath…dirty

I didn’t wash the dishes.. lazy

I didn’t flush the toilet.. nasty

And I can’t remember the rest. -Brooklyn

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This concludes Part II of this pancocojams series.

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