Folk Processed Forms Of The Name "Billie Jean" In Some Examples Of Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" Rhymes (complete reprint)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents comments about and text examples of versions of the rhyme "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" that mention Pop star Michael Jackson and mention the name "Billie Jean" or folk etymology forms of the name "Billie Jean".  

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Michael Jackson for his musical legacy. Thanks to all those whose examples of this rhyme are included in this post. Thanks also to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
-snip-

This is a complete reprint with only minor changes of the 2014 pancocojams post with the same title.https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/04/forms-of-name-billie-jean-in-down-by.html. That post has 25 comments as of May 4, 2026 and is still open for comments.

Most of those comments are examples of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" that don't include any folk process forms of the name "Billie Jean".    

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2023/12/hey-mr-willy-and-other-folk-processed.html for the related pancocojams post "Hey Mr. Willy" And Other Folk Processed Forms Of "Frog Missed The Lily Pad" In "Down ByThe Banks Of The Hanky Panky Rhymes (with geographical locations)"

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GENERAL OVERVIEW
"Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" (or similar names) is a very large family of playground (recreational) rhymes) that are very widely known in the United States. These rhymes are either played as a (usually two person) hand clap game or as a mildly competitive, group hand slapping game. The hand clapping game is usually played by children while the hand slapping version of this rhyme is often played by adults as well as children.

I refer to as "Michael Jackson" versions of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" as those examples that include a reference to pop singer Michael Jackson or a reference to another celebrity (such as "Michael Jordan") whose name probably inadvertently substitutes for Michael Jackson in "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" rhymes. Read an example of one of those rhymes in the comment section below.

Since the death of Michael Jackson in June 2009 some examples of these long forms of "Down By The Banks of the Hanky Panky" no longer refer to Michael Jackson but instead refer to another singer who some fans aren't fond of such as Lady Gaga & Miley Cyrus. Read two examples of those rhymes in the comment section below. Also, some examples of this rhyme that refer to Michael Jackson include "RIP" meaning "Rest In Peace" in parenthesis after that deceased Pop singer's name.

A number of "Michael Jackson" versions of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" allude to the incident in 1984 when Michael Jackson's hair accidently caught on fire during the filming of a Pepsi Cola commercial. However, my sense is that few children who recite those rhymes are aware that those rhymes are based on an actual historical event. Furthermore, most of these "long versions" of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" document the 1980s cola wars between Pepsi Cola and Coca Cola products. Click http://www.businessinsider.com/soda-wars-coca-cola-pepsi-history-infographic-2011-11?op=1 to read about what is known as "the cola wars".

WARNING: Some examples of "Michael Jackson versions" of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" include homophobic language or homophobic references. However, the examples featured in this post don't contain such language.

To date (December 2023) , I've not found any examples of Michael Jackson versions of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" in any books of children's playground rhymes.

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OVERVIEW ABOUT THESE RHYMES WITH THE NAME "BILLIE JEAN" OR WITH A FOLK PROCESSED FORM OF THAT NAME
Some "Michael Jackson" versions of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" are long form versions of that hand clapping or hand slapping rhyme* that include a reference to "Billie Jean" or a folk processed form of that female name. However, "Michael Jackson" versions of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" don't always include a reference to "Billie Jean" or a folk processed form of that female name.

* "Hand slapping games" is my term for recreational elimination games that are performed in a circle. The people forming the circle slap the hands with each word and the last person whose hand is slapped in an iteration of a chant is out. This process continues until there are only two people left from that circle. Those people hand slap each other or play rock, paper, scissor until one person misses or is out which means the other person is the winner.

Here's an example of a Michael Jackson version of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" which doesn't include any reference to "Billie Jean":

Down by the river with the hanky bankys
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
say an
epp
opp
epp
bop
bop
Skittle dittle curly pop
I pledge allegence to the flag
That Micheal jackson makes me gag
Diet Pepsi came to town
Coca-Cola pushed him down
Orange soda picked him up
Now I'm drinking 7 up
7up caught the flu
Now I'm drinking Moutain Dew
Moutain Dew fell off the moutain
Now I'm drinking from a fountian
Foutain Broke
Now I'm drinking plain old Coke
-Guest; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=940347/15/2007 "Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky", July 15, 2007

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THE NAME "BILLIE JEAN" 
In Michael Jackson's record "Billie Jean", the name "Billie Jean" is a female's first name. That first name is made up of two personal names- "Billie" and "Jean".  A personal name that is made up of two independent names is called a "double name". 

In the United States, most people have one first name. However, it's not completely out of the ordinary for females or for males to have a first name that is a double name.

The names "Billy Ray" and "Billy Bob" are examples of male double names. These male names are type casted (negatively perceived) as Southern (country i.e. poor or working class) male names. 

In contrast, the custom of giving double names to females is largely associated with the Catholic religion, particularly when the first name in that  double name is "Mary". Some common examples in the United States (particularly pre 1980s) are "Mary Ann", "Mary Jane" and "Mary Beth".

Similar to the male "Billie" double names, the female double name "Billie Jean" is mostly associated with the American South with probably the same negative connotations of the male "Billie" double names. 

The name "Billie" is rarely used for females. A famous woman with the name "Billie" was the African American jazz singer "Billie Holliday". However, probably very few children in 1982 when Michael Jackson wrote and recorded his record were familiar with Billie Holliday and unfortunately, even fewer children in the 2020s are familiar with Billie Holliday.

It's possible that a female who has the birth name (i.e. "government name"- the name on a person's official birth certificate) "Billie Jean" was named after their father whose name was "William" and whose nickname was "Billie", and also was named after their mother whose name was "Jean".

A female named "Wilhelmina" may have the nickname "Willie" which is almost always perceived as a male name.  I suppose it's possible that a female named "Wilhelmina" could have the nickname "Billie". 

(A Black woman who was a friend of my mothers when I was growing up in New Jersey was sometimes called "Willie". However, her name was "Willa Mae" (which is another female double name.) 

In the United States, the name "Jean" is almost always considered to be a female name, but the name "Eugene" and its shortened form "Gene" are always masculine names. 

When Michael Jackson wrote the song "Billie Jean" some Americans were familiar with the professional tennis star named Billie Jean King.In spite of that example, the name "Billie Jean" wasn't a common first name for females then and isn't a common name for females now. And that's the main reason why the name "Billie Jean" has been transformed into so many different words in examples of the "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" rhymes.

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FOLK PROCESSING THE NAME "BILLIE JEAN" IN "DOWN BY THE BANKS OF THE HANKY PANKY" RHYMES 

Folk processing (also known as "folk etymology") is a process in which the spelling or pronunciation of a word or phrase is changed or an unfamiliar word or phrase is replaced with  a more familiar word phrase or sound. Folk processing occurs because of mishearing, misremembering, or a mistaken assumption about that unfamiliar word or phrase.

One of the most common example of folk processing the name "Billie Jean" in "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" rhymes is writing "jeans" or "gene" instead of writing the name "Jean". 

Because the name "Billie Jean" is so rarely used in the United States, children who hear that name may mistake it for the word "jean" (meaning a very commonly worn type of pants ("blue jeans") .

Another common folk processed version of the name "Billie Jean" is "jelly bean". Since jelly bean candies are so familiar in the United States and the female name "Billie Jean" is so unfamiliar, it's not surprising that some children unknowingly substituted that name for "jelly beans".

I've expanded the category of "folk processing forms of the name "Billie Jean" in these "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" rhymes to not only include words such as "levi jeans" or a word such as "jelly bean" but to also include the use of the words "Billie Jean" in ways that suggest that the person doesn't know that "Billie Jean" is a name (let alone a female's name).  Two examples from this pancocojams compilation are "bilajean has no caffeine" and "jellybean is outa sight" 

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SHOWCASE VIDEO OF MICHAEL JACKSON'S SONG "BILLIE JEAN"

Michael Jackson - Billie Jean



michaeljacksonVEVO, Uploaded on Oct 2, 2009

Music video by Michael Jackson performing Billie Jean. © 1982 MJJ Productions Inc.

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SELECTED RHYME EXAMPLES
These ten examples are presented in chronological order based on their posting dates with the oldest examples given first. The line that includes the name "Billie Jean" or a folk processed form of "Billie Jean" is given in italics to highlight it and not because that line is emphasized when that rhyme is chanted.

Example #1
Down by the river near the hankey pank
where the bullfrogs jump from bank, to bank,
and they say E I O U,
your momma stinks and so do you
so ping pong ding dong
your daddy smells like king kong.
Ask your teacher what she wears,
polka dotted underwear.
Not too big and not too small,
just the size of city hall.
Michael Jackson went to town,
coca-cola brought him down.
Coca-cola brought him up,
now he's drinking 7up.
7up with no cafiene, now he's seein' belgain (pronounced beligene).
Belgain is outta sight,
now we're talking dynamite.
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, BAM!
-Veggie; cocojams.com [website no longer active] August 21, 2006

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Example #2
I learned this and forgot most of it (not complete! but it goes sort of like this....

Down by the bay in beverly hills
where the bull frog jumps from bank to banky
and the heeps hops, coffee shops,
we all drink mochas and we wear flip flops
(faster)
I pledge allegence to the flag
Michal jackson makes me gag
coca cola has cafeine and now we're talking billy jean
billy jean when out of style now lets sit and talk a while
diddy diddy donkey
daddy had a donkey
donkey died, daddy cried
diddy diddy donkey!
theres a party round the corner wont you please please come
bring your own cappuchinos and your own chewing gum
what is your boy friends name?______ (whoever the clap lands on has to come up with a name)

_______ will be there blowing kisses in the air saying I love ______ (who ever came up with the name) saying I love_____ saying O U T spells you are out!
OR
______will be there blowing kissed in the air singin' I... Love...Ma..Ma...Mia, singin' I love ma...ma...mia singin' O U T spells you are out!
-Guest,mooseormeece?, http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=94034 [hereafter given as Mudcat: Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky, May 21, 2008]

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Example #3
down by the river side hanky panky
were the bullfrogs jump from bank
saying a-e-i-o-u bamboo
a-e-i-o-u bamboo
michel jakson came to town
coca cola shot hem down
dr.pepper fixed him
up now were talking 7-up
7-up has no cafene
now were talking bilajean
bilajean has no caffeine
no caffene no caffeine
1234 shut the door enless u ant to here more
-Guest, maeson A., Mudcat: Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky, June 27, 2008

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Example #4
Down by the river with the hank to pank
where the bullfrog jumped from bank to bank
saying eeps ipes opes oops
chilly willy ding dong
i pledge allegiance to the flag
michael jackson sings so bad
coca cola roots me up
now we're talkin 7Up
7Up has no caffine
now we're talkin billy gene
billy gene whent outta sight
now we're talkin bobby white
bobby white went out of town
riding on a rocket
stuck a feather in his hat
and called it hershey's chocolate"
-Guest, Deana Ashley :); http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=81350 "I’m Rubber; You’re Glue", August 24, 2008
-snip-
"out of sight" = a 1960s African American originated vernacular phrase that meant "exceptional". However, in these "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" rhymes "out of sight" is almost always given its literal meaning of "someone or something that people are unable to see".

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Example #5
Down by the bank by the hanky pank
where the bullfrog jumped from bank to bank
singing eeeps ops ohps ooops
listen to the rythym of the ding dang dong
michael jackson went to town
pepsi cola shot him down
dr. pepper fixed him up
now we're talking 7up
7up has no caffiene
now we're billie jean
billie jean went down the street singing
dooo waaah diddy didy dum diddy dooo
-Guest; Mudcat: Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky Rhymes; November 6, 2009

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Example #6
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,
of 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 Jelly Bean
Jelly Bean is out of sight,
So Now he's drinking Sprite
Spell it!
S-P-R-I-T-E!
-Guest, Madison from Metro Detroit, Michigan; Mudcat: Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky Rhymes; March 31, 2010

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Example #7
mine goes like:down by the banks of hanky tank
were the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
saying eeps ipes opes ums
skiddle diddle dong
my brother smells like king kong
pledge allegiance to the flag
micheal jackson is a rat
coca cola blew up
now im drinking 7up
7up has got caffeine
no im drinking billy jean
billy jean is out of sigh
now im drinking sunny light
say 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10
your out
-MegaGirlzation, http://www.youtube.com/all_comments?v=O2CSWmfiNKM; 2010
-snip-
"no" is probably a typo for the word "now".
"out of sigh" is a folk etymology form of the phrase "out of sight".
"your" = "you are"

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Example #8
down by the banks of the hanky panks
fe fi fo fom me say ding dang dong
i pledge allegiance to the flag
Michel Jackson makes me gag
cocola fizes up
now i am talking 7up
7up has no caffeine now
i am talking jelly bean
jellybean is outa sight
now i im talking dynamite
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 boom
and who ever boom land on is out
-Kissyxblythe; http://www.youtube.com/all_comments?v=iqhvCN0Uvfk, 2011

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Example #9
Down by the banks of the hanky pank,
where the bullfrogs jump from bank 2 bank,
sayin eeps, ipes, opes, oops,
listen to the rhythm of the ding dang dong.
Micheal Jackson went to town,
pepsi cola shot im down
Dr Pepper fixed im up,
now were talkin 7up
7up has no caffine,
now were talkin billy jean.
billy jean was walking down the street singin,
Ooh, I diddy diddy dum diddy doo.
Lincoln, Lincoln I been thinkin.
what on earth have you been drinkin
is it whiskey is it wine
OMG its turpentine 123...9
-MufinCat123, http://www.youtube.com/all_comments?v=ZC8INeM0w5A, 2011

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Example #10
Its this:

Down by the banks of the hanky panky.
Oops i said yo booty stanky.
Oooh Ahh Skit Skat,
big fat dirty rat.
I pledge alegence to the flag.
Michael jackson is my dad.
Coca cola burning up,
now its time for 7-up.
7-up had no cafine,
now its time for Billy jean.
Billy jean went out of town riding on a pony,
stuck a feather in his head
and called it macaroni.
-uallnomecuz; http://www.youtube.com/all_comments?v=ZC8INeM0w5A, January 2012

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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Part II Of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" Listed By States (from the discussion thread of two 2021 pancocojams posts)

Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest revision - May 30, 2026 

This is Part II of a 2026 two part pancocojams series that presents an alphabetized list of  visitor comments that are published in the discussion threads for two 2021 pancocojams posts about "Down By The banks Of The Hanky Panky" recreational rhymes that include commenters' mention of the state they lived when they first chanted that rhyme.

For some reason, the discussion thread for the second post in that 2021 pancocojams series has many more visitor comments than the first 2021 post. As is the case with Part I of that 2021 series, that discussion thread includes example with a geographic reference regardless of the fact that the post's focus is only on states with names beginning with K-Z.  

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Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2026/02/part-i-of-list-by-states-of-visitor.html for Part I of this 2026 pancocojams series. That post presents an alphabetized list of all of the visitor comments that are published in the discussion thread for Part I of that 2021 pancocojams series.

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Although I acknowledged each visitor comment, only a few of my comments from the discussion threads for both of these 2021 pancocojams posts are included in this 2026 pancocojams series. 

Any new visitor comments to either of these two 2021 pancocojams posts will be added to their 2026 alphabetized list.

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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 are quoted in these posts.

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A, B

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C, D

California

Unknown August 27, 2021 at 2:57 PM
"Here in California, I knew one that went...

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!"

**

Anonymous October 27, 2021 at 4:20 PM
"I'm from coastal southern California, USA, and back in like 2004 we sang it like

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."

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Reply
Unknown October 27, 2021 at 4:22 PM

"Bull frogs*"

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Anonymous, February 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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Anonymous July 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,

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?"

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Reply
"Anonymous, July 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"

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Anonymous, September 11, 2022 at 9:49 PM
"In elementary school in Orange County, California around 2006 we sang:

"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!” "

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Reply
Anonymous, September 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"

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Anonymous, October 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!"

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Colorado

Anonymous, November 28, 2023 at 11:56 PM
"This is the version that I remember playing in Denver, Colorado from the 2010s:

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."

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E, F

Florida 

Anonymous, May 14, 2021 at 10:38 PM
"ooh i have onee

West 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."

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Anonymous, May 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

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, 1"

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Anonymous, November 4, 2023 at 4:13 PM
"In Florida this is what I remember.

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!"

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G, H

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I, J

Illinois

Anonymous,September 25, 2022 at 2:10 AM
"Illinois around 1997

 

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, November 28, 2023 at 8:56 PM
"Grew up in Northern Illinois, the state-line area between Wisconsin and Illinois. We always did the following:

“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!”

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Anonymous, March 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:

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 lol"

** 

Reply
Anonymous, March 8, 2024 at 1:55 AM
"Little typo: hanky banky, not hanky hanky"

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Indiana

Anonymous,February 8, 2023 at 1:20 PM
"From Middle Indiana early 2000s

 

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!"

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K, L

Kansas

Anonymous, September 6, 2021 at 10:43 PM
"In Topeka, Kansas in the early to mid '90s, we sang:

 

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 kerplop"

****
Kentucky

Anonymous, November 15, 2022 at 6:49 PM
"Louisville, KY

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 stop"

**

Reply

[In response to my questions about when this was performed and how it was performed]

Anonymous, November 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."

****
Louisiana 

Anonymous, February 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:

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…"

 
****
M, N

Michigan

Anonymous, November 28, 2023 at 11:52 PM
"Grew up in Lansing MI, this is our version

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!"

****
Missouri

Anonymous, January 19, 2024 at 11:05 PM
"ours (st louis mo) went something like this

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 hand"

**

Anonymous, September 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?"

**
Reply
Azizi Powell, September 3, 2023 at 12:29 AM
"Thanks, Anonymous for sharing that information. I appreciate it.

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!"

****
New Jersey

Anonymous,February 24, 2023 at 12:17 PM
"Long Branch, NJ

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"

**
Anonymous, May 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:

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!!!"

**
Anonymous, May 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)

"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"

**
Reply
Azizi Powell, May 17, 2023 at 12:00 PM
"Hello, Anonymous. Thanks for sharing your version of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" and thanks for including whee you learned it.

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."

**
Anonymous, December 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"

**
Reply
Azizi Powell, December 12, 2023 at 7:26 AM
"You're welcome, Anonymous.

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!"

**

Anonymous, November 8, 2023 at 11:07 AM
"Hi Azizi,

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! ❤️
- S"

****

North Carolina

Anonymous, September 29, 2022 at 11:48 PM
"So delightful to read these!

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 do"

**
Anonymous, May 20, 2023 at 11:47 AM
"We used to sing this everywhere in summer camp in the mountains of NC

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 BOOM"

**

Anonymous, November 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:

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."

****
 O,P

Oregon

Anonymous, July 24, 2021 at 9:22 PM
"Oregon, USA. Early 2010s

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

**
Reply 
Anonymous, July 24, 2021 at 9:32 PM

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=10155213459672846

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."

****
Q,R

****
S,T

Texas 

Lucy Adams, December 15, 2022 at 9:49 PM
"I'm from Texas and we always sang:

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 out"

****

U,V

Anonymous, February 2, 2023 at 11:26 PM
"From Utah 80's/90's:

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 roo"

**

Amia, November 24, 2023 at 10:19 PM
"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.

"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."

****
Virginia 

Anonymous, December 22, 2022 at 11:18 AM
"So I'm in southern VA and this is how I always heard it....

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 coke"

**
Anonymous, February 26, 2023 at 9:50 PM
"This is the version I learned at a Girl Scout camp in Virginia in about 2010!

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, coke"

****
W,X

Washington [state]

Anonymous, May 27, 2025 at 8:01 AM
"Mine from Washington which is the full version goes like

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"

****
Y, .Z

****
This concludes Part II of this two part pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Part I Of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" Listed By States (from the discussion thread of a 2021 pancocojams post)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part I of a 2026 two part pancocojams series that presents an alphabetized list of  visitor comments that are published in the discussion threads for two 2021 pancocojams posts about "Down By The banks Of The Hanky Panky" recreational rhymes that include commenters' mention of the state they lived when they first chanted that rhyme.

The examples that are featured in Part I of this series are from commenters in a Mudcat discussion thread series who lived in states whose name begins with the letters letters A-J.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2026/02/part-ii-of-list-by-states-of-visitor.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. That post presents an alphabetized list of visitor comments that are published in the discussion threads for two 2021 pancocojams posts about "Down By The banks Of The Hanky Panky" recreational rhymes. The examples that are featured in Part I of this series are from commenters in a Mudcat discussion thread series who lived in states whose name begins with the letters letters K-Z.

For some reason, the discussion thread for Part II of that 2021 pancocojams series has many more visitor comments than the discussion thread for Part I of that 2021 series. As is the case with Part I of that 2021 series, that discussion thread includes example with a geographic reference regardless of the fact that the post's focus is only on states with names beginning with K-Z.  Here's the link for Part II of that 2021 pancocojams series:  https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/03/part-ii-of-some-down-by-banks-of-hanky.html.
The link for Part I of that 2021 series is given in Part II's post.

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 are quoted in these posts.

****

A, B

Alabama

Anonymous, February 11, 2023 at 2:08 PM
"I'm from deep south Alabama and I remember the lyrics, your mother smells like soda pop your daddy smells like king kong's donkey doo. Lmao"

**
Reply
Anonymous, February 11, 2023 at 2:10 PM
"I also remember a kid teaching us the Florida version"

**** 

C, D

California

Anonymous, October 24, 2023 at 6:12 PM
"In Long Beach, CA around 2008, I learned it as:

Down by the banks of the hanky panky

Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky

Where the eeps ops soda pops

He missed a lily and he went kerplop

 

(Second verse, sung faster)

With a cherry on top, Pepsi Cola

Ring a bell, ring a bell if it makes you smile

Ring a bell, ring a bell if it makes you smile

7up, 7up, 7up, you’re out!"

**
Reply
Anonymous, October 24, 2023 at 9:28 PM
"Now that I’ve read through some of the other versions, I’m wondering if the lyric was actually “ginger ale if it makes you smile,” and I just misheard it lol."

**

Azizi PowellFebruary 8, 2024 at 8:39 PM

Here's a version of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" that I received via email:

January 14, 2024

"Hello!

I came across your page about the song “down by the banks” because someone told me people sing it differently based on where they grew up. I grew up in los angeles, california and we sang it exactly like you wrote under the Southern California heading. I also saw the variation you put (the beverly hills one) and I just wanted to add to it. We would sing it “down by the streets of the beverly hills where the girls go shopping and the boys pay the bills with the eeps opps coffee shops we all drink lattes and we wear flip flops.”

Warmly,

Talia Prins "

**
Colorado 

Anonymous, December 13, 2023 at 9:37 PM
"I love this! I'm originally from Fort Collins CO and we used to sing:

 Down by the banks of the hanky panky

Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky

With a hip hop over the top

Frog missed a lily pad and went kerplop"

****

E, F

Florida

Anonymous, March 6, 2023 at 11:16 PM
"Just south of Tampa Florida:

Down by the bank of the hanky panky

Where the bull frog jumps from bank to bank

Say E-I-O-U

Your mama sticks and so do you

So ping pong, donkey Kong

Junior senior 1 2 3"

****

G, H

Atlanta, Georgia

Anonymous, March 8, 2023 at 11:54 PM
"I love this so much!!! It's so awesome that you've documented this. I'm from ATL and the version given here is just what I learned but maybe 5 years later. So interesting!!!!!"

**
Elias, August 16, 2023 at 9:15 PM
"in Georgia, metro Atlanta area, in the mid to late 2000s, I learned:

down by the river in the hanky panks

where the bullfrogs jump from banks to banks

sayin' eeps, ipes, opes, ops

chilly willy ding dong

 

I pledge allegiance to the flag

Michael Jackson makes me gag

 

coca-cola burns my butt

now we're talkin' 7-up

7-up has no caffeine

now we're talkin' willy jean

willy jean is outta sight

now we're talkin' dynamite

dynamite blew up the school

now we're talkin' really cool

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, BOOM!"

****

I, J

****

K, L

Kentucky

Anonymous, March 30, 2023 at 9:18 PM [Pancocojams Editor: WARNING- This example includes profanity.]
 
"Central Kentucky in 2019 at least,

Down by the banks of the hanky panky

where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank

singing Es Is Os Us

Listen to the rythm of the ding dang dong

Coca cola went to town

Pepsi Cola Shot him down

Dr Pepper fixed him up

Now we're talking Seven Up

Seven Up has no caffiene

Now we're talking Billy Jean

Billy Jean went down the street singing

Do a ditty ditty dum ditty do

Mickey Mouse had a house

Donald Duck messed (or fucked) it up

who will pay the consequences

Y - O - U"

It was a LONG game I played with at least 15 people often in marching band. It started slow and always sped up at Seven Up, and we slapped each other's hands in a circle so hard it hurt."

**
Reply
Azizi Powell, March 30, 2023 at 11:25 PM
"Anonymous, thanks for sharing the version of "Down by the banks of the hanky panky". Thanks also for sharing demographic information and documenting how you play it and that is was played as recently that way as in 2019.

Your comment also documents that profanity was used in this rhymes that used to be (but no longer are) for elementary or middle school children only.

Best wishes!"

**
Reply
Anonymous March 31, 2023 at 12:06 AM
"That was in highschool, between the ages of 15 to 18 years old. During practice we'd use the PG version, but if we played it outside of school some would use that word instead."

**
Azizi Powell, March 31, 2023 at 12:08 PM
"Anonymous, thanks for adding that information about your March 30, 2023 at 9:18 PM example.

 That adds needed context for your use of that word."

****
M, N

**** 

O, P

****

Q, R

****

S, T

****

U, V

****

W, X

****
Y.Z

****
This concludes Part I of this two part pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.