Tannywheeler & others:

Since 1997 to date I've been doing formal presentations on children's rhymes and informal interactions with [mostly African American] children in [mostly] the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area. As part of my presentation, I ask children what rhymes they know. Actually, I ask them what "songs" they know, because that seems to be the term that they use for handclapping and other 'street' rhymes.

In all of that time, no individual children nor any groups of children ever volunteered that they knew the "great big globs of mutiliated monkey meat etc." rhyme. Nor in that time period or before have I ever heard any child "sing" this rhyme [or for that matter, other what I call "gross out" rhymes". I'm wondering if this rhyme and other rhymes of that genre aren't as well known among African American children as they appear to be among European-American children.

And if that is so, could it be because these rhymes aren't usually performed with hand-clapping routines, or foot stomping movements, It seems to me that percussive handclap routines or foot stomping routines are a common feature of African American contemporary 'street' rhymes.

Any thoughts about this?

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Tannywheeler:
Thanks for posting that "I was walking down the street" rhyme. This rhyme is new to me.

Do I understand you to say that the kids take turns saying either the A or B sections in a call & response like format? And is any handclapping or other movements done with this rhyme?

Best wishes,

Azizi