Here's a "clean" version of handclap rhyme that appears to be widely known {at least among African American girls & boys in numerous cities throughout the USA}.

Tweedleelee {Version #1}
Tweedleelee
(Treetop)
Tweedleelee
(My Prop)
Tweedleelee
Popsicle, popsicle
Your butt stinks

He rocks in the tree top
all day long
huffin and ah puffin
and ah singin his song.
All the little birds on Jay Bird street
Love to hear the bird go
Tweet Tweet Tweet!

Rockin Robin
Tweet Tweetdalee
Rockin Robin
Tweet Tweetdalee

I went downtown
To get ah stick of butter.
I saw James Brown
layin in the gutter.
I saw a piece of glass
stickin in his butt.
I never saw a Black man
run so fast.

Mama's in the kitchen
cookin rice.
Daddy's outside
shootin dice.
Brother's in jail
raisin bail.
Sister's on the corner
Selling Fruit Cock Tail.
Rockin Robin
Tweet Tweetdalee
Rockin Robin
Tweet Tweetdalee
-girls and boys ages 6-13 years old; Pittsburgh, Pa, 1999, Northview Heights after-school program


-snip-
This handclap rhyme comes from the 1971 version of "Rockin Robin" that was recorded by Michael Jackson. That version begins with the refrain "tweed lee diddly dee {or some such words}". Visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X12itKdTCOg to hear this song.

Tweedleelee
(Treetop)
Tweedleelee
(My Prop)
Tweedleelee
Popsicle, popsicle
Your butt stinks

He rocks in the tree top
all day long
huffin and ah puffin
and ah singin his song.
All the little birds on Jay Bird street
Love to hear the bird go
Tweet Tweet Tweet!

Rockin Robin
Tweet Tweetdalee
Rockin Robin
Tweet Tweetdalee

I went downtown
To get ah stick of butter.
I saw James Brown
layin in the gutter.
I saw a piece of glass
stickin in his butt.
I never saw a Black man
run so fast.

Mama's in the kitchen
cookin rice.
Daddy's outside
shootin dice.
Brother's in jail
raisin bail.
Sister's on the corner
Selling Fruit Cock Tail.
Rockin Robin
Tweet Tweetdalee
Rockin Robin
Tweet Tweetdalee
-girls and boys ages 6-13 years old; Pittsburgh, Pa, 1999, Northview Heights after-school program

"Tweeleelee" {or similarly sounding names} is a partner, or three person, or two sets of partners handclap rhyme and not a lightly competitive group handclap rhyme like "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky".

This handclap rhyme comes from the 1971 version of "Rockin Robin" that was recorded by Michael Jackson. That version begins with the refrain "tweed lee diddly dee {or some such words}". Here's a YouTube clip of this song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X12itKdTCOg

In my opinion, the name of R&B singer James Brown is an updated version of older children's rhymes that included the name of the fictitious characters "Buster Brown" and "Charlie Brown".

To read additional examples and commentary on this rhyme, visit http://www.cocojams.com/handclap_rhymes.htm


Some African American women in Pittsburgh have shared with me that they recited "Tweeleelee" in basically the same form in the 1970s.



Btw,