Song Req: 'There was China Man...'

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: John C. Bunnell
Date: 06 May 21 - 03:57 AM

Responding to Joe's post from last December:

The great difficulty with teaching folks about this is that Joe is exactly right.

> And when you demean other people, even if
> you are well-intentioned, you're racist.

The trouble is that "racism" and "racist" are trigger-words, because we associate them so closely with the conscious, malicious racism of white supremacy, the Ku Klux Klan, and other large-scale social injustices such as the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II. So when people hear those words used to describe their own actions, they feel as if they've been accused of being capital-E Evil themselves, even though that's most often not the case.

The secondary problem is that for a sizeable chunk of the 20th century, comedy in America - for understandable reasons, mind you - was very strongly rooted in ethnic humor of various kinds. I'm not thinking only about Polish or Jewish jokes, where the central figure is the open target of ridicule, but of comedy based on pure misunderstanding, on the order of "a Swede, an Italian, and an Irishman walk into a bar". Ethnicity was the source of an immense amount of humor, and a lot of the jokes were funny enough, irrespective of the particular group being depicted, that their influence on today's comedy is still substantial.

This was humor that was wholly socially acceptable to our parents and grandparents - and almost no one, not its writers nor performers nor listeners (even when their own ethnicity was in play), would have understood it to be racist at the time. Some of it might have been counted as offensive, but even that offensiveness wouldn't have been chalked up to racism. Rather, it would have been regarded as tasteless or demeaning on a general level - and most of the time, that judgment would have been correct.

And that's the lesson that we're slowly beginning to learn in the 21st century: that the real, underlying cultural problem isn't racism as such - it's that there is a very long and very persistent strand of storytelling, in song and story and visual media, that seeks to demean its subjecst for being different. That's a lesson that transcends race and ethnicity to encompass gender identity, body shape, physical capability, and more. This is one reason I can't watch most TV situation comedies - I find too large a proportion of them rooted in humiliation/embarrassment humor at the expense of the "weird" character(s).

So what does one do with the Chinaman songs? Just what Joe did, I think - but part of that process has to be the larger lesson, that there's nothing inherently wrong with the nonsense-verse as a musical form. It's simply that these particular verses ground their nonsense in words that inappropriately mock Chinese language.

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST,Maureen Ashtonschwartz
Date: 06 May 21 - 01:21 AM

The version I was taught in 1960 went like this.

Once there was a Chinaman
His name was Chickie Chaloo Japan
His teeth were short, his hair was long
And this is the way he marched along.

Chorus

Chickie Chaloo Chaloo Japan
Cholopy. Olopy, Chickie Chalopy
Chickie Chaloo Chaloo Japan
Cholopy Olopy Chinaman

At last the poor old man did die
And in his coffin he did lie.
They took him back to old Japan
And that was the end of the Chinaman.

Chorus

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Apr 21 - 05:17 AM

My mother's version (she was born in 1914) went something like this:

Pinganinganoonaa chinerackachee,
Pinganinganoonaa inkaatee
With an inkaatankaa (and here my memory fails me)
The Chinaman with a monkey's nose.

It took three robbers (or maybe robins) to carry him off
Behind the backs the boys did shout
Here he comes and there he goes,
The Chinaman with a monkey's nose.

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 27 Mar 21 - 09:39 AM

Hi John,
The tune my mother used was similar to 'Jimmy Crack Corn and I don't care', just the first 2 lines repeated, with perhaps going up on 'chi' and just coming back down the scale on the 4th line of your rhyme.

Just a thought, the 'J' on jingo is very close to the 'ch' sound so if that was a misheard 'chingo' it wouldn't be that far removed from many versions above.

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST,John Archer
Date: 26 Mar 21 - 07:33 PM

I'm researching "Jingo!" an Indian British Raj skipping song, lernt in Dunedin New Zealand in about 1905, and I am told it has a similar tune to The Chinaman one. Could someone point me to a recording of the Chinaman song being sung please?

The is Jingo! song

Hairo chairo, chukka pukka pan
Ocki ocki pino, chika chika man
Holaby impy, impy chi
Tara warka chara baka, jingo!

https://www.folksong.org.nz/dunedin_kids_chant.mp3

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST,Kay
Date: 24 Mar 21 - 09:58 PM

This is the version my Grandfather told us:

Hiker Chiker Chiggery Chan
Hiker Chiker Chinaman
Lorda be Gotta be Dusky Oh
Willapy Wallopy Chiny Oh

One day the people of the town
Went up the hill to roll him down
From top to bottom they began
to tickle and play with the Chinaman

(Chorus)

The Chinaman he did die
In his coffin he did lie
They carried him off to Japan
and that was the end of the Chinaman

(Chorus)

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Mar 21 - 06:03 PM

My father (born 1918) would sing:

"Once there was a Chinaman
His name was Alygaloot Chapan.
His hair was long
his feet were short,
and this is the way he used to talk:

'Loocha loocha loocha chapan
Ali gawally ga chicka dee ali
Galoocha loocha looch chapan,'
and that was the end of the chinaman.

When the chinaman shall die
In his coffin he will lie.
If his coffin is too small,
He will go to China Hall.

'Loocha loocha loocha chapan
Ali gawally go chicka dee ali
Galoocha loocha looch chapan,'
and that was the end of the chinaman.

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 08 Dec 20 - 08:44 AM

Agreed, Joe.

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Dec 20 - 02:48 AM

There's a classic book titled Songs of the American West, by Richard E. Lingenfelter and Richard A. Dwyer (University of California Press, 1968). It has a chapter titled "John Chinaman" songs that has these songs about Chinese immigrants:

John Chinaman
Josh, John
John Chinaman, My Jo
John Chinaman's Appeal
Hay Sing, Come from China
Twelve Hundred More
Long John, Chineeman
Since the Chinese Ruint the Thrade
Get Out, Yellow-Skins, Get Out!

Most of these songs seem quite benign, and we get a steady stream of posts from visitors who come in and say how cute these songs are. And they ARE cute, just like Stephen Foster songs with "negro dialect" about pickaninnies and such, and the depictions of Native Americans on the logos of sports teams like the Washington Redskins.

But real people don't want to be regarded as "cute," because it's demeaning. And when you demean other people, even if you are well-intentioned, you're racist.

I belong to a book club that discusses books that are mostly about social justice or religious issues. One book we read recently was Ghosts of Gold Mountain, about the Chinese workers who built the California part of the Transcontinental Railroad. I took out my Lingenfelter-Dwyer book and read a couple verses of some "John Chinaman" songs to illustrate the demeaning attitudes that people in this area had about Chinese workers. One member of the club called me the next day to complain that he was offended by my even reading those lyrics. I disagreed, and I hope that by this time he has forgotten the bitterness of our disagreement. I think we need to know about these songs so that we can understand the culture and racism of our ancestors in the "good old days," but I think it's important that we don't regard these songs as "cute" or in any way benign. They're racist, plain and simple.

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST,B
Date: 07 Dec 20 - 03:23 PM

Also, here is the version I grew up hearing:

The Chinaman Song

There was a Chinaman a very rich man his name was Chicory Chi Chi-An
His legs were short and his feet were small........
This Chinaman could not walk at all
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Chicory Chi Good Try Good Day - Diddle Dee Come Happy May
Curie-me kissed & dandy oh, Galloping Walloping Chi-nee-o

The lady from the very next house came up the hill to help him about
From top to bottom they stumble and fall
This Chinaman could not walk at all
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Chicory Chi Good Try Good Day - Diddle Dee Come Happy May
Curie-me kissed & dandy oh, Galloping Walloping Chi-nee-o

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST,B
Date: 07 Dec 20 - 03:21 PM

I have seen many people saying that this song is racist. I think I agree, but I don't think I know exactly why. What specifically is the song making fun of?
As I understand it it is a song about a specific Chinese man who due to an unfortunate luck of the draw was unable to walk.
Then there is a bunch of nonsense rhyming words.
Then another verse, often where the man dies.
And then more nonsense.

It seems to me like the song is a story of a specific Chinese man who experienced a series of unfortunate events.
Once again my gut tells me the song is racist, and I am uncomfortable singing it. I just don't know what specifically makes it racist. I think I don't understand racism.

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST,Shornyb2019
Date: 03 Nov 20 - 10:51 AM

There was a man from China land His name was Icka Picka Oopin kan
His leg were tall his feet were small
The chinese man couldn't walk at all
He had two servants to carry him about,
one to sing and the other to shout
Here he comes and there he goes
The chinese man with the knockaknee nose
Enoch Chenock chuck chuckalar
Chickalar lairy icka picka dar
Alla balla busha kandy kish
Illago allago China

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Sep 20 - 12:57 PM

Dottie. My father sang the song this way back in the early '40's.

There lived in China a very small man,
whose name was chigery chi go ran.
His legs were short and his feet were small.
He could not walk at all.
O chigery chi go ray,
Diddly de come happy may
Soloman twist the candy oh
Gallopin wallapin Chinee oh.,

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST,Mark
Date: 07 Sep 20 - 05:41 AM

I first heard this song in Primary School circa1973. I thought it was just a rhyme sang by soldiers to pass the time. Despite that it's politically incorrect I still sing it as it stuck with me all these years. The word I recall are:
Chinese man is very stout he had two s servants to take him out, he used to feed and give them clothes, the Chinese man with the monkeys nose. I chicoreye chee, I chicoroo, ooh nooka nooni, ningnong pong, aza catcha core, aza catcha key, chilla boy chilla boy poor Chinese.

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST,Eithne Reid Mulhall
Date: 29 Jan 20 - 01:07 PM

I understand that this song is not politically correct. It appears in it's various forms to be pretty widespread internationally. My version comes from my great aunt who was born 1888 in Ireland. I am pretty sure she never met anybody from China and it was just a rhyme like some of the other nonsensical songs and rhymes they used to pass the time with. I have no other agenda than to record my family's version.

In China lived a certain man
His name was Chickory Chi Chang Yang
His legs were long and his feet were small
And the Chinaman could not walk at all

Chicory Chi Chalu Chalang Tari Uri Igibana
Bunaba Disti Canti Kay Chinipa Ponika Chinea

They hired two men to carry him about
They turned out to be rather stout
They carried him up to the top of a hill
And rolled him down.........

That is all I remember.

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 14 Nov 19 - 06:55 AM

I learned it at a camp near Kansas City in the 70s - Timber Trails, I was pretty little but here’s what I remember:

Once there was a Chinese man
his name was Chic-a-rah Ching Chong Chan
His legs were long his feet were short
This little man couldn’t walk or talk

Chic-a-rah Ching Chong Chan chic-a-rah rah
Boom diddy oh-rah, Woody woody oh-rah
Oak-ah oak-ah oak-ah tiddy-fie tiddy-fie tiddy-fie That Chinese man

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST,L.Vana
Date: 20 Dec 18 - 05:27 PM

My mom was born in Philadelphia in 1923. This is the song as she sang it to us:

Once there was a Chinaman his name was Chickita Loo Chapan .His hair was long his feet were short and this is the way he walked along
Chickita Lucha Lucha chapan. Twal de
walla chicken diabla.
Chickita Loo cha loo chapan Twal la walla chinaman.
Now this poor old man he died but in his coffin he was alive. They shipped his coffin into Japan and that was the end of the Chinaman.
Chickita Lucha Lucha chapan. Twal de
walla chicken diabla.
Chickita Loo cha loo chapan Twal la walla chinaman..

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Jul 17 - 04:59 PM

There was an old man short and stout he had two servants to carry him about he gave them food and he gave them clothes that little man with the turned up toes,
Chickili choono inginy pinky pan turn him to the east to the west I can oh no China man

My great gran mother sung this but this is all I remember she was Scottish and born 1906, nobody I've ask even knows any variation of this song

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST,Guest- Peller
Date: 26 Jun 17 - 05:15 PM

When I was a small child my mother taught us a rhyme song about a China Man named Chan. There are a few similarities that I have found on this form, but none of them really match the song that we were taught.

I have tried multiple times to search for this songs lyrics on line, but only found this thread, which is the only I have ever found that came close at all, by typing in the last verse as I know it: "one day the chinaman did die, and in his coffin he did lie, they carried him back into Japan, and that was the end of the chinaman."

My mother was born in 1934 in northern Idaho, United States of America. She was the eleventh child to be born to my grandparents, who were both born to families who immigrated from Germany to the United States prior to the first world war.

The song that my mother taught my siblings and I was taught to her by her father, who was born in 1886 in Keuterville, Idaho, USA. My grandfather Schmidt's parents had came to the United States from the part of Germany which is now Poland in 1868, and settled in north Idaho with other members of their families who had already come to the US.

The area of Idaho where much of my mothers family still lives is known as the Camas Prairie in the Idaho panhandle. The industry in this area is mainly limited to timber, and my distant family continues to run multiple sawmills and logging companies in this area. It is a very close knit community of almost 100% descendants of German immigrants, who are predominantly Roman Catholic.

The lyrics of this song, as I remember them are as follows,(Please excuse the way that I spell words in the lyrics, as I am just guessing at how they should be spelled using phonics as my guide. I never saw the song actually written out, the song was taught to us from memory by my mother- God rest her soul!)

Hiker chiker chickery chan,
hiker chiker chinaman,
lordamie, oddomie, dusty-oh,
willapie, wollopy, chine-oh.

One day the Chinaman did die,
and in his coffin he did lie,
they carried him back unto Japan,
and that was the end of the Chinaman.

(At this point the verses were repeated multiple times. If I remember correctly it was normally recited in entirety four times before it was considered to be finished.)

Have any of you ever heard of a rendition of this song which was close to this?

I really wish that I knew the source of the work, and the original song lyrics that this version morphed from.

Thank you all for your time.
God Bless!

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Jul 15 - 09:23 PM

My Mom taught it to us as:

There was an old man from Chinatown
His name was chittereye chee chi cho
His legs were long
His feet were short
This old man could laugh nor snort

Chittereye chee chi cho chigaloro
Bungo loro piggy wiggy waggo
Hoco poco hit 'im on the coco
Chittereye chittereye chee chi cho

China man had a wife
Led him such an aweful life
Cut his pigtails off so long
Sold them for a Chinese song

Chittereye chee chi cho chigaloro
Bungo loro piggy wiggy waggo
Hoco poco hit 'im on the coco
Chittereye chittereye chee chi cho

China man he did die
In his coffin he did lie
Shipped his body off to Japan
And that was the end of the China man

(chorus sung as fast as humanly possible)
Chittereye chee chi cho chigaloro
Bungo loro piggy wiggy waggo
Hoco poco hit 'im on the coco
Chittereye chittereye chee chi cho

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Jun 15 - 09:41 AM

My Nana used to sing this version to my mom when she was little . It went
There once was a china man his name was ch China the luchpan . His legs were long his feet were short . The poor little China man couldn't walk . Then she sang na ni na na ni na .

Subject: want to know the whole song
From: GUEST,Jesi
Date: 08 Apr 15 - 12:15 PM

The song we sang was

there was a little man from China town his name was Mr chicka lacka brown
his head was big and his feet were small the poor little man couldn't walk at all
chicka lack chicka chi chicka Lora chi chicka
Lora wally wally wack mocha mocho
stick him in the cocoa itcha goo itcha goo e I o

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST,Guest Colleen
Date: 02 Apr 15 - 01:41 PM

once there was a funny little man his name was Chika Racka Ching Chong chan
His legs were long and his feet were small . The China Man could not walk at all.
Chika Racka Ching Chong chan chy eckamora diddypo diddypo gee enco.

My dad used to sing to me when I was a little girl in the 1950s

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST,Guest_fanugy
Date: 29 Mar 15 - 12:30 AM

So, my grandma also used to sing a song about a giant cow with a purple udder. . . wow, they really were a bunch of insensitive bigots!

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST,Mark Joseph
Date: 15 Mar 15 - 04:39 AM

This is the song from my mother (Peggy Joyce Lodge) who was born in 1932 and grew up in Seer Green, Buckinghamshire. This would be from around the war years.

This is as I remember it:

There was a Chinaman who was very very stout
The servants could not carry him about
So they rolled him up to the top of the hill
and rolled him down with a Beechams pill

Ching ching chong chong chang chicaloram
Wiggy wiggy loram a wiggy wiggy wham, (this line really escapes me)
oko oko tiddly if fi ko
This is the way the Chinese talk

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST,Guest21
Date: 28 Nov 14 - 03:21 PM

I knew a rather different version from my great uncle.
We used to do pat-a-cake to it:

Chaka-racka-choo-chine chang-alang-alora
chang-alang-alora, olla-polla wax
oker toker - hit 'im with the poker - itchy coo, itchy coo - cider!

This old man he went to sea, to see the sights of Alpeny.
He got drunk, and so you see, that was the end of the poor Chinee!

Chaka-racka-choo-chine chang-alang-alora
chang-alang-alora, olla-polla wax
oker toker - hit 'im with the poker - itchy coo, itchy coo - cider!

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST,Guest Jimmy Haran
Date: 26 Oct 14 - 01:32 PM

My mother bounced my siblings and myself on her knee to this version:
Once in China there lived a great man
His name was Chickerachi Chicho Chan
His legs were long and his feet were small
The Chinaman couldn't walk at all.

On his stick he walked about down the street where the folks did shout:
Here he comes and there he goes the Chinaman with the monkey's nose.
He was Chickeracka Chicho Chychicalorum Conchilorum Etapica Caco Yugo Eta Kitti Cattico Ondon Chinaman ChineeGo.

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Oct 14 - 04:37 PM

There was a man from China Town
His name was Chikka Rakka Chu Chi Chan
His legs were long and his feet were small
And the poor little man couldn't walk at all

Chikka Rakka Chikka Rakka Cheng Chick a Lawra
Hoko Poko Wallah Wallah Wap
Hoko Poko Stick him on the Ochko
Hickarai Hickarai Ee aye oh

Camp Fire Song. 6th Hove Scouts. 1980. Happy Days.

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST,Daddys Girl
Date: 20 Sep 14 - 11:06 AM

Ika Chika Chickory Chan
Ika Chika China Man
Lottie Mae Cottie Mae
Dusty Oh
Willie Bee, Wallie Bee
Chinie Oh

China Man he did die
in his coffin he did lie
Sent him over to Japan
That was the last of the China man

Has anyone else ever heard these lyrics? As children, we would
hear this song if we were (as a family) traveling. He has passed
but Mother says she thought it was from a book at school.

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST,Fred McCormick
Date: 02 Sep 14 - 06:16 AM

Bloody hell, is this load of nonsense still running?

There's a guy goes to our weekly singaround who insists on singing the Chinee Bumboatman with no regard for the fact that the rest of us find it racist and offensive; There's a jazz session I go to regularly, where a member of the band insists on singing a song in what he thinks is hammed up Japanese; To listen to the noises that's coming from certain corners of the press and the political establishment, you'd think the entire British Pakistani community ate under age girls for breakfast (Yes, I know that paedophilia is an appalling crime, but for Christ's sake let's confine the demonisation to real paedophiles, and then on the basis of what they've done, not to which ethnic group they belong); And now this awful racist gibberish rears its ugly head again.

Enough already. People are people and they deserve to be treated as such, not skitted at and laughed at because they talk differently to the way we do, or because they look different to us or because they are the products of a different culture to ours.

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Sep 14 - 04:12 AM

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Aug 14 - 10:03 AM

This
Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 06 Jun 13 - 12:43 AM

is very close to what my father said he sang to his kindergarten class when he was five years old. That would be 1922. His was more like:
There was a little Chinaman, his name was Chickie Chaloo Chapan.
His nose was short, his teeth were long,
And this is the way he walked along.

Chickie Chaloo,Chaloo Chapan, olopy olopy, Chickie Cholopy.
Chickie Chaloo, Chaloo, Chapan, olopy olopy Chinaman.

At last the poor old man did die,and in his coffin he did lie.
They sent his coffin to Japan, and that was the end of the Chinaman.


Chickie Chaloo,Chaloo Chapan, olopy olopy, Chickie Cholopy.
Chickie Chaloo, Chaloo, Chapan, olopy olopy Chinaman.

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 24 Apr 14 - 12:04 AM

Learned this in the late 1950's in chorus. We sang it at a concert, we also did "Alice Where Art Thou Going", "Gerald McBoing Boing", "It Was Sad When the Great Ship Went Down" and other old folk songs. Racist? Are you kidding? These are amazing folk songs passed down through generations. Does political correctness have to taint every thread of what the melting pot of this county has brought us? Believe me, when we performed this there was not a thought of racism. It is a cute, catchy verse that I carried over to sing to my children and grandchildren. Racism! Give me a break. We can't open our mouths without someone shouting "Racist". Is it any wonder that we can't move on and embrace our heritage. Good, bad or indifferent it's this mix of ethnicity that makes our county great. Every era has brought something different to the table. Why don't we just go out and burn all books, stop the music, and shut our mouths! If you look hard enough you will find hate in anything. How sad to live your life like that instead of embracing everyone and everything, and not accepting the past as just that; the past. Oh, and in the meantime, let's burn all copies of "Tom Sawyer", "Grapes of Wrath", and for good measure; the "Bible". As a nation we've made major mistakes (and still are), but it's our ability to pull together that makes it work. You don't have a clue!!!

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST,pcgn7
Date: 15 Apr 14 - 04:27 PM

I learnt a variation on this 'song' from my father in Scotland in 1950. It was less overtly racist than most of those in this thread - it also had a punch line that I haven't come across in any of those I have read.

There lived in China, a long, long time ago a man with a long, long name. His name for short was: Chickaraka chickaraka chee chaye chang cho chocalorum malapaka wang oko toko idi kidi otiko idipi idipi chi yang fu.
And his name for long was Miles.

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST,sillybones59
Date: 29 Mar 14 - 01:08 PM

first of all it helps to spell it right-i thought it was ching chalou thats what i was taught back in the day-then came chalopy whalopy china man-wasnt this sung as part of an act before or during the big band era? possibly by jerry colonna or spike jones'group-just to name a few-my mother did this rendition for me back in the 40s-back when songs were fun to sing without the "pc"undertones that permiate today-its just a cute "ditty"dont go and get yourself all wacked out!

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Dec 13 - 05:21 AM

The only words I can remember my Mother singing to me are:-

Chicker Chacker chicker chacker chee chum chorum

Can't remember any more words or if the ones I do remember are correct.

I see some similar threads and was wondering if they are regional?

My words were learned in the Isle of Man.

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST,Coral
Date: 06 Sep 13 - 01:01 PM

I remember my mum teaching me this when i was about 6 or 7 and got told off at school for singing it and being racist lol,
there was a man from china town, his name was mister chickalacka-brown,
his head was big, his feet where small, poor wee man couldn't walk at all, chicka lacker chicka lacker, chi chicker laura, chi chicker laura, walla walla wack, oko woko stick him in the stokeo, ichugo ichugo, EIO,
took him far across the sea, too see the land of family, the ship got wreck and so did her, and that was the end of the poor chinese,
chicka lacker chicka lacker, chi chicker laura, chi chicker laura, walla walla wack, oko woko stick him in the stokeo, ichugo ichugo, EIO.

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: Dave Hunt
Date: 26 Aug 13 - 09:41 PM

store

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST,CHing-a Lin- Chan
Date: 26 Aug 13 - 06:24 PM

My grandmother sang
In chinatown there lived a little man
his name was CHing-a Lin-CHing-a Lin- Chan
His legs were short and his feet were small
This little man could hardly walk at all

CHing-a Lin- CHing-a Lin-CHing-a Lin- Chan
Hi-O Hio_ ragedy man
Two-O Dicso Cordeo
A gallopin a wallopin a Chineo

Mrs. Skyway up above, she had money
Hey had love
To her window he would go
A playin a tune on his little banjo

CHing-a Lin- CHing-a Lin-CHing-a Lin- Chan
Hi-O Hio_ ragedy man
Two-O Dicso Cordeo
A gallopin a wallopin a Chineo

Mrs. Highway/Skyway up above
raised her washboard high above
let it fall on Ching-a-lin-Chan
That was the end of the Chinaman

CHing-a Lin- CHing-a Lin-CHing-a Lin- Chan
Hi-O Hio_ ragedy man
Two-O Dicso Cordeo
A gallopin a wallopin a Chineo

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST,Me
Date: 28 Jun 13 - 05:59 AM

This is how my Granny taught it to us, and we used to have hours of fun trying to learn it. It was passed down to her from her Mother.

Chicker Acker Chi Chai, Cho Chickalorum, Bangerlorum, lived a great man, Cardee Coodoo, Eye said the Kittypie, Eddy pie Eddy pie, Chinee man

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 06 Jun 13 - 12:43 AM

My version of the song came from a teacher who used it to point out alliteration and rhythm. This was in the 1950's.

Chickie Chaloo,

Once there was a Chinaman, whose name was Chickie Chaloo Chapan.
His teeth was short, his hair was long,
And this is the way he marched along.

Chickie Chaloo,Chaloo Chapan, Cholopy olopy, Chickie Cholopy.
Chickie Chaloo, Chaloo, Chapan,Cholopy olopy Chinaman.

At last the poor old man did die,and in his coffin he did lie.
They took him back to old Japan, and this was the end of the Chinaman.


Chickie Chaloo,Chaloo Chapan, Cholopy olopy, Chickie Cholopy.
Chickie Chaloo, Chaloo, Chapan,Cholopy olopy Chinaman.

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 03 May 13 - 11:12 PM

Sounds like Futwick is having a bad day, as evidenced by his/her posts here and in other threads.

Please note that very few registered Mudcatters have posted to this thread. I did post a few versions above from printed sources, but I would not sing this song to an audience unless I were doing a seminar on racist songs. Note what I posted above:

We don't suppress songs like this because they have historic and folkloric value - but that doesn't mean we can't complain about them. Songs like this aren't cute - they're nasty, obscene, and bigoted.

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST,Futwick
Date: 03 May 13 - 10:49 PM

I learned like this:

There is a folk forum on the internet
Who sing stupid racist crap without breaking a sweat
Their mouths are big but their brains are small
They just didn't get it--no not at all

No need to get offended, don't get mad
If the songs we like insult your mom and dad
We just think they're cute, it's not about you
We were raised that way, we don't have a clue

Please help me find the lyrics of this song
That calls Chinese people names like Chung-Ching-Chong
If "nigger" and "chink" songs are your cup of tea
Then Mudcat is the place to be

My parents weren't racist they just liked to sing
songs about ching chong ching chong ching
They make me feel good, they make me feel calm
They remind me of my dear ol' mom

So please please PLEASE help me find the lyrics of this song
That calls Chinese people names like Chung-Ching-Chong
If "nigger" and "chink" songs are your cup of tea
Then Mudcat is the place to be

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST
Date: 03 May 13 - 07:45 PM

This is one of the songs, as a child, we used to sing while jumping rope. My mother had zero tolerance for racism of any kind and if I am not mistaken, she taught this song to my siblings and me. It made me sad because the Chinaman died.

Once in China there was a man, His name was Chickaracka Chinaman His feet were small and he wasn't very tall And hardly any English did he speak at all Chik-raka, Chika-raka von Chik-a-nor-a Von-chik-a-nor-a, Itty-bitty back Ho-co-po-co-itty-bitty-o-ko Git-along-git-along, Chinaman Went for a ride in his motor car Told his chauffeur not to go very far, Came to a cliff and now it's said, That this Chinaman is dead

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST,l. gander
Date: 27 Dec 12 - 06:57 PM

once in china their lived a funny man
he lived at the bottom of an old tin can.
he had a pair of slippers and he   changed them into kippers and he had them for his breakfast in the morning.
okey pokey hit him on the okey, okey pokey chuckle
once in china there lived a funny man his hair was long and his feet were short
poor old man could hardly walk, chicka lucka choosa bonsey lara mala mala wack, okey pokey hit him on the oakey, okey pokey chuckle

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 28 Nov 12 - 04:34 PM

There must be another long thread on this song as I remember posting references to the original mid-19th century piece 'The Chinaman with the Monkey Nose'.

Yes it is/was racist but I don't see anyone here advocating we should sing it nowadays. It was sung to us by our parents/grandparents 2 generations ago and earlier in an era that saw little wrong in poking fun at other races. However it was a period when most races actively sought to kill each other. Humour/poking fun helped to dispel the genuine fears we all had of foreigners. The world thankfully is a much smaller place today although we still actively seek to murder foreigners and there are still too many people around who think that one race is somehow superior to another.

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Nov 12 - 04:12 PM

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST,EdRob
Date: 11 Oct 12 - 11:27 PM

I remember the following:

Once there was a Chinaman
His name was Chika Chika Chan
His body was long his legs were thin
Huliga Muliga Chinaman.

Chinaman he did die.
In a coffin he did lie
Took his body to Japan
To buy some tea for the Chinaman.
Hickory choo, choo July,
Hockery Rooney
In a pialli pialli padu
It doesn't agree
Huliga Muliga Chinaman.

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST,Guest.David
Date: 12 Sep 12 - 10:59 AM

I too first learned this song from my grandmother in the
early '60s.

There was no harm intended by my grandmother although the song is clearly racist in nature in retrospect.

I believe it is important to record and discuss these folk songs in spite of being "politically incorrect" simply because they are
historical artifacts.

Those who are not interested do not have to participate. Trying to shut down the thread because the subject is racist is like burning books. Hopefully we've gone beyond that.

Thank you for this forum - Keep up the good work.

Subject: RE: Song Req: 'There was China Man...'
From: GUEST,Jeb
Date: 19 Jun 12 - 01:12 PM

Wow!

I've been looking for lyrics to this song for a number of years. I never knew there were so many versions or that it went back so far, but I guess that is common. I believe my mom and her sister learned this song in camp back in the 30's/40's. My mom used to sing this "silly song" to me when I was a kid (60's/70's) and I loved it. Of course, we didn't worry about political correctness back then. I've never been successful in finding any reference on the internet - probably because of the differences in the version that they sang: the refrain of which went something like:

Chicka-la-chee cha-lie cha-lo
Chicka-la romeo anna bananaga
Wallaga wallaga China Sea
Anna bananaga wallaga chow.

Sadly my mom passed away recently, but I'll have to see if my aunt can still recall or rederive the lyrics that they learned. I think my mom was hesitant to sing this song to me in recent years because my own daughters are Chinese and she didn't want to give the wrong impression.

Ironically, it wasn't until my own daughter learned the song "Chickery Chick" in music class this year and came home singing it that I was able to make the connection. I'd never heard of that song, but it was apparently a pop hit in the 40's. I'll be sure and post "our" version of the song if my (now 85 year old) aunt can remember it.