Subject: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: Squid Date: 12 Sep 97 - 07:16 PM Thanks to everyone who replied to the thread I started about songs to sing with children. The songs my kids like best, BY FAR, are the parodies about school and teachers. Here's a request for lyrics of those kinds of songs. There are a few we know, although we probably do not know all the words to all of the verses of the songs. Ones like- Heigh Ho Heigh Ho, I bit the teachers toe, That dirty rat, she bit me back... On top of old smokey all covered with sand, I shot my poor teacher with a green rubber band... Glory, glory hallelulah Teacher hit me with a ruler... I searched the databasse for @school @parody and got 11 hits, none were the above classics. None were very suitable for elementary schoolchildren, either. Here's another fragment I just remembered: Hark! The herald angels shout Three more days till we get out Three more days till we are free From the penetentiary Thanks < Advance, Squid |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: Joe Offer Date: 13 Sep 97 - 03:45 AM Well, here's one for Catholic schools, to the tune of "Caisson Song": Give a yell, give a cheer For the nuns who make the beer In the basement of [St. Rita's] School..... Sorry, don't know any more. -Joe Offer- |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: Earl Date: 13 Sep 97 - 10:01 AM I'm Chiquita Banana and I'm here to say Get rid of your teacher the easy way Just put a banana peel on the floor And watch your teacher go sailing out the door |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: Jerry Friedman Date: 13 Sep 97 - 02:58 PM For some reason the title of this thread reminds me of one from my summer-camp days in the 60s:
Whistle while you work As for "The Battle Hymn of the Republic", there's
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the burning of the school,
Glory, glory for the burning of the school (3x) (Sic. I might even say sic transit gloria.) On the subject (and possibly from San Francisco?),
Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay, |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: Akiba Date: 14 Sep 97 - 01:31 AM Jerry, you have reminded me of this classic from childhood:
Hitler, he only had one ball; Also, I remember "Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay!" like this:
Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay!
Akiba |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: Greg Date: 28 Sep 97 - 06:52 PM Heigh ho! Heigh ho! It's off to camp we go! The leaders look like Frankenstein The water tastes like turpentine Heigh ho! Heigh ho! Heigh ho! Heigh ho! It's off to school we go! With razor blades and hand grenades Heigh ho! Heigh ho! |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: Alex Date: 29 Sep 97 - 12:19 AM A Scottish one to the tune of "16 Tons" Well, if ye go tae school dinners, better leave them aside, A lot o' kids didnae and a lot o' kids died. The meat is like iron, the potatoes are steel, And if they don't get ye then the pudding will. I did sixteen sums, and what did I get? Fifteen wrong and six o'the belt. Now, teacher don't ya call me 'cos I can't come I'm stuck tae ma seat wi' chewing gum.
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Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: GUEST,Caro Date: 24 Mar 05 - 09:45 AM I don't even know where i got this one from: Mary-Anna at the pawn shop door With a baby in her arms and the basket on the floor She asked for 7/6d but they only gave her 4 So she knocked the bleeding knocker off the pawn shop door I'll tell Ma of Mary-Ann Walking down the street with a nice young man High heeled shoes and a feather in her cap That's the way to get the sack Policeman policeman don't catch me I've got a wife and a family How many children have you got 99 and that's the lot This variation was sung by Alan Breeze (ye gods, how old am i?) on the Billy Cotton Band Show - Sunday lunchtimes. Lulu had a baby - she called him Sonny Jim She put him in the bathtub to teach him how to swim He swam down to the bottom and then up to the top Lulu got excited and grabbed him by his ... Haircut, shampoo, ring the barbers bell And if he doesn't like it Just tell him, what the! hey there! say there! How's about a kiss? Hey there! say there! That's the end of this. |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: harpgirl Date: 24 Mar 05 - 07:01 PM These are wonderful song snippets. I would love to have the entire songs if they exist. I bet gargoyle (that old retired english teacher) would know some of them. (He only misspells his posts because eh doesn't want to come up on the search engines, anyway.) |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: Azizi Date: 24 Mar 05 - 09:27 PM GUEST,Caro and others posting here, For the last two years I have been working on a book for adults about continuity and change in children's game songs & rhymes. I would LOVE to have more demographical information about the examples posted here {and also permission to use them in this compilation!} Caro, the examples that you posted that I am most interested in are "Policeman, Policeman" and "Lula Had A Baby". Would you please provide this information: the city, state, country, and approximate years the rhymes were recited, and by whom {boys & girls, or just girls, or just boys}. It would also be great if you could include how these rhymes were performed, e.g. as handclaps; jump rope; ball bouncing; circle games; to choose "it"; just for fun during field trip bus rides; etc. Thanks! Azizi |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: GUEST,Joe_F Date: 25 Mar 05 - 04:18 PM Have a look at _A Prairie Home Companion Folk Song Book_ (Marcia & Jon Pankake, Eds., Viking, 1988). It has a lot of that sort of thing, including most of the songs you mention. --- Joe Fineman joe_f@verizon.net ||: Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals. :|| |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: dick greenhaus Date: 25 Mar 05 - 05:45 PM Back circa 1939 or so, when the AFL vs. CIO battle was raging, the (politically incorrect) urchins were singing: "Heigh Ho!, Heigh Ho! We've joined the CIO We pay our dues To the dirty Jews Heigh Ho!, Heigh Ho!" Folklore ain't always nice. |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: bill\sables Date: 25 Mar 05 - 06:56 PM Our wee school's a good wee school The best wee school in Glasgae The only thing that's wrang wi it Is a baldie heided master He goes te the pub on Saturday He goes te the Kirk on Sunday Te pray te the Lord te give him strength Te welter the weeans on Monday |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: Mark Cohen Date: 26 Mar 05 - 02:14 PM From a "higher" school: High above Cayuga's waters There's an awful smell Some say it's Cayuga's waters Some say it's Cornell Aloha, Mark (Princeton '73, and my little sister went to Cornell. Of course.) |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: Haruo Date: 26 Mar 05 - 05:00 PM Jerry wrote: Whistle while you work Hitler is a jerk Mussolini bit my weenie Now it doesn't work. That was part of my childhood repertoire, too, but it was definitely his weenie, not mine. (Not sure if it meant M bit H's or M's own. Haruo |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: Severn Date: 26 Mar 05 - 06:59 PM Here's a few from my childhood: Oh beautiful For spaceship guys God shed his skin on thee, And crown thy good with Robin Hood From sea to shining sea They're coming today To take me away The men in the little white suits. They think Im insane 'Cause I think I'm a train But I really am! TOOT! TOOT! I hate Bosco It's full of TNT Mommy puts it in my milk To try to poison me Buy I fooled Mommy And put it in her tea Now I have no mommy To try to poison me. (Whatever happened to Bosco, and Cocoa Marsh, for that matter?) And all the countless kids' verses to Popeye The Sailor Man probably deserve their own thread, but stuff like this abounded: I'm Popeye The Sailor Man I live in a garbage can I eat all the worms And spit out the germs I'm Popeye The Sailor Man, TOOT! TOOT! And somehow, versions of WWII songs were sung: First Marine ate a bean, parlez-vous Second Marine ate a bean, Parlez-vous Third Marine ate a bean and Phhhttt! all over the submarine Hinky-dinky parlez-vous First Marine jumped a fence, parlez-vous Second Marine jumped the fence, parlez-vous Third Marine jumped the fence And milked a cow with a monkey wrench Hinky-dinky parlez-vous (There was a whole thread's worth of verses to that one, too) All For Now, Severn |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: Severn Date: 27 Mar 05 - 07:55 AM We not only sang 'em after school, but also after Sunday School: (to "Tramp,Tramp, Tramp") Jesus loves the little children All the children of the world Red or yellow, black or white They are tasty, every bite Jesus loves the little children of the world YUM! YUM! And there were many who never wanted to sing the patriotic ones at the school assemblies right. The inevitable "Play ball!" at the end of the Anthem or even: Oh say can you see Any bed bugs on me If you do Take a few "cause I got them from you... (For the person who wanted demographics, early to mid 1950's Washington, DC area) Severn |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: Azizi Date: 27 Mar 05 - 08:28 AM Thanks Severn for the demographical information. I also remember the first part of the bedbug rhyme from Atlantic City, New Jersey 1950s. I appreciate the second part which places this squarely in the 'rip';'jeer' category of rhymes. Children are sooo creative! |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: GUEST,elanorien Date: 28 Mar 05 - 02:13 AM My childhood jump-rope song. down in the valley where the green grass grows there sat [girl's name] as sweet as a rose she sang, she sang, she sang so sweet along came [boy's name] and kissed her on the cheek how many kisses did she get, 1,2,3,4... (until you missed) |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: Azizi Date: 28 Mar 05 - 07:40 AM The Internet in general and Mudcat in particular could be a great way to collect, share, and preserve children's rhymes and game songs EXCEPT that most posters don't include any demographics such as when and where {city, state, country} these rhymes were recited and these games were played.. not to mentioned who played them {girls only; boys only?? girls & boys ???};, the age ranges of children playing them; the method of play; and how the rhymes and game songs were learned... also not to mention the race and ethnicity of the children performing rhymes and game songs {since it is possible that just as differences are likely to occur over space and time, differencs may occur among different ethnic & racial groups... [For instance, in my limited collection of rhymes in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area over the past 8 years, I have found that some rhymes differed from one African American neighborhood to another African American neighborhood within the same time in the same city] Of course, even when such information is provided over the Internet, there is a question about authenticity. People could misremember or horrors of horrors!!-people could even lie about which rhymes they recited and which games they played as children. But, still, I'm convinced that we 'Catters in particular are missing a wonderful opportunity to document children's rhymes and game songs. Having the words to these rhymes "beats a blank", but please think about future generations who will be interested in knowing more about the games children played and the rhymes children rhymed in the bad ole days of the middle & late 20th century & the early 21st century. Thank you. |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: Haruo Date: 29 Mar 05 - 02:06 PM I was born in 1954 in Seattle (Washington, USA) and have lived within twenty or thirty miles of my birthplace ever since except for one year (mid-67-mid-68) in Koishikawa 2-tyôme (Bunkyô-ku, Tôkyô-to, Japan) and two years (1972-4) in New Haven. I'm pretty sure my recollection of "Whistle while you work" dates to the early '60s when I lived at 2311 North 59th Street in Seattle. On the other hand I think I learned my childhood "On top of old Smoky (rubber band)" verses at the Baptist Assembly in Greenlake, Wisconsin (also early to mid-60s). Haruo |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: Azizi Date: 29 Mar 05 - 02:25 PM Thanks, Haruo for that demographical information. Is your "On top of old Smoky (rubber band)" verses posted in a Mudcat thread? Azizi |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: ToulouseCruise Date: 29 Mar 05 - 02:30 PM On top of old smokey, all covered with hair... it's not the same smokey, it's Smokey the Bear... |
Subject: RE: Khrushchev and Rosellini From: Haruo Date: 30 Mar 05 - 03:52 AM Yes, my old Smoky song is here in the oh-so-usefully titled thread "Help: who wrote the song that goes like this". An addendum re: "Hitler is a jerk": although I was aware of the Mussolini text as a kid (I'm pretty sure my dad told me about it) the version we actually sang in the neighborhood was Whistle while you work, Hitler is a jerk, Rosellini bit his weenie, Now it doesn't work. Interestingly (?), former Governor Rosellini has been in the news recently (well, a year ago maybe) for his role in the Seattle City Council "Strippergate" scandal, which led to the electoral defeat of several councilperoffspring. ("-peroffspring" is the non-sexist, non-ageist version of "-man") Haruo |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: Deda Date: 30 Mar 05 - 11:34 PM From a New England prep school, single gender, mid 1960s: I go to (three strong beats -- like "JohnSon School") so pity me There ain't a (girl / boy)in the vicinity And every night at eight they shut the gate I don't know what the hell I ever-came-here-for I'm gonna pack my bags and run-away ... (Damn there was a second verse about escape plans, smoking and drinking -- but it's escaped ME.) I wish I knew how to describe this tune -- everyone knows it. It sounds like a school or military song. Then there was my daughter's favorite from the mid 1980s, Colorado, to the tune of the Kids-R-Us commerical: I don't wanna grow up, I'm a Special Ed kid, My Mamma dropped me on my head and look what she did! I can rub my head, I can chew my gum, Oh, it's great to be a Special Ed kid! There may have been other words but that's all I remember. I'll email her and ask. |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: Muttley Date: 31 Mar 05 - 08:05 AM How about these from the 60's in Australia Ta Ra Ra Boom-de-ay I'll take your clothes away And while your standing there I'l pinch your underwear! OR While shepherds washed their socks by night all seated 'round the tub An angel of the Lord came down and gave each sock a rub And on the Christmas theme Good King Wenceslas looked out In his pink pajamas Sliding down the bannister, Eating green ban-a-nas Brightly shone the moon that night Could have been mych finer When a poor man came in sight In his Mini Mi-i-nor! AND Captain Cook chased a chook All around Australia Lost his pants in the middle of France and found em in Tasmania (Don't ask me how France gets into this one - we just used to sing em) Ahhhhhh the memories!!!! |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: GUEST,MrsDave at Work Date: 31 Mar 05 - 02:00 PM some of these kids songs with violent themes are mildy creepy given all the 'classroom avenger' type nut kids that have shot up schools in the past decade. Of course, kids have been singing violent songs about bruning down schools and tortuering teahcers for many decades without incidents like the ones we have seen of late. Obviously these songs have no relationship to the violence. However, I wonder... are there any new ones popping up with references to Columbine and the other school tragedies? |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: GUEST,Bradley Date: 04 Apr 05 - 06:01 PM B I N G O go Bingo B I N G O B I N G O go Bingo Down at the Bingo farm Jared drives a cadillac, Trudy drives a ford, Bradley rides a donkey and beats it with a board. Behind the fridgerator...there was a pain of glass... little Bradley sat on it and broke his little..... assssk me no more questions, I'll tell you no more lies.... if you don't believe me ask Bradley before he dies. Anyone remember this one? |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: 12-stringman Date: 04 Apr 05 - 06:54 PM From my own collection of songs that I have made up other verses to, here goes one. Set to the tune of: Battle Hymn Of The Republic Mine eyes have seen the glory of the burning of the school, We have tortured all the teachers, we have broken all the rules, We have barbequed the principal and destroyed the P.T.A., Us kids are marching on! Chorus: Glory, glory, halleujah! Teacher beat me with a ruler, I hit her in the bean with a frozen Jimmy Dean, And she ain't my teacher no more. Another is this: Heigh-Ho! Heigh Ho! It's off to work we go, With razor blades and handgrenades and shotgun shells galore. I had another 3 verses to this one but they have slipped my mind right now. -Larry |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: Azizi Date: 04 Apr 05 - 06:57 PM Bradley, 'your' rhyme seems to be a combination of a couple of children's rhymes: "Bingo"["Bobby Bingo"], and "Miss Susie [Miss Susie] Had A Steamboat" {tugboat]. 'Miss Susie' is a profanity avoidance rhyme that is particularly similar to the rhyme you asked about. See this current Mudcat thread for examples I just posted of Miss Susie Had A SteamboataLo These rhymes share a number of lines including "Behind the fridgerator...there was a pain of glass"; and "ask me no questions, I'll tell you no lie". "Don't ask me no questions/And I won't tell you no lies' is the title and lyrics of a secular slave song that is included in Thomas W.Talley's 1922 book "Negro Folk rhymes" [Kennikat Press edition, 1968, pp 65-66]. That song is about a cook who appropriates some apples from her Master's & Mistress' kitchen to make some pies for her family. Incidently, "Tweedleelee" is a very widely known handclap rhyme among African Americans from the mid 1970s that is based on the R&B "Rockin Robin" song. For some reason the singer James Brown is found in the second verse of that risque rhyme layin in the gutter with a piece of glass stickin up his-butt {no child, youth, or adult who recited the rhyme to me ever said the rhyming word "ass".This seems to me to be another example of a profanily avoidance rhyme that really did avoid saying the taboo word.. Also I'm wonder if the "Bradley" mentioned in the rhyme presented in the previous post has anything to do with the various "Brady" rhymes. Dorothy Scarborough's 1925 "On The Trail Of Negro Folk Songs" [Folklore Associates addition, 1963, p.86} has a number of versions of 'Brady'. The first verse of one of these versions is: Twinkle Twinkle little star, Brady came down on-Gabrial car Kickin' out the windows and knickin' out doors. Tryin' to play with Diamond Joe! Been on the jolly so long. -snip- Here's the first verse of another version of the 'Brady'song: Twinkle Twinkle little star, Brady came home on a cable car. Well he was fdrunk an out of sight. Had n't been sober in many a night. -snip- Of course, this rhyme may have nothing to do with your query, but then again it may... Enjoy! Azizi |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: Severn Date: 04 Apr 05 - 08:14 PM Twinkle, Twinkle, little star Who the Hell d'ya think you are? Up above the world so high, You think you own the whole damn sky! But then we'd also just interpose other galactic stuff and rhyme it: Twinkle, twinkle, little sun How I wonder what you've done Twinkle, twinkle, little moon How I wonder what you're doin' Twinkle, Twinkle, little Earth How I wonder what you're worth Twinkle, twinkle little sky How it makes me wonder why ...and on down the cosmos. Also done with "When You Wish Upon A Star", but Jimminy/Cliff Edwards/Ukulele Ike could hit more high notes than most of us. Severn When you wish upon a star May be close, but no cigar......... |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: Neighmond Date: 05 Apr 05 - 03:54 AM From 1986-8, in Spirit Lake Iowa. Learned from Kirk Crosby, who was older than me by a matter of years. High-ho, high ho, I bit the teacher's toe! She bit me back, the filthy hack, High ho! High ho! High hooooo, hi ho, it's off to school we go with hang-grenades and razor blades, hi, ho! high ho! High Ho! 'nother!: On top of old smoky, all covered with sand, I shot my poor teacher, with a big rubber band! I shot her with pleasure, I shot her with pride! I couldnt've missed her...she's eighty feet wide! school yard staples. Chaz |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: Flash Company Date: 05 Apr 05 - 06:57 AM elanorien--- We had:- Down in the valley where nobody knows, There lived (girls name) without any clothes, Up came John Thomas with top hat and stick......... From there on it is too obscene for mixed company! Caro--- Further verses to 'Lulu' Sonny Jim was forty, he took a trip by boat, They ran into an iceberg and couldn't stay afloat, Sonny Jim was drowning but Lulu didn't care, When he started sinking she grabbed him by the Haircut Shampoo, ring the barber's bell...etc Somewhere up in heaven an angel calls the roll, Lulu had forgotten that nature takes it's toll, When she grabbed poor Sonny as he fell into the soup, She found to her amazement that Sonny wore a Toupee Shampoo ring the barber's bell.... Etc FC |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: Haruo Date: 05 Apr 05 - 01:34 PM I knew several variants of "the burning of the school", but I think the one I thought of as canonical went: Mine eyes have seen the glory of the burning of the school, We have tortured all the teachers, we have broken every rule, We're marching down the hall to hang the principal, Us kids are marching on! Glory, glory, halleujah! Teacher beat me with a ruler, I knocked her to the floor with a loaded forty-four, And that teacher don't teach no more. This was, of course, sung with no intention of shooting (or hanging) anybody, and the adults in our vicinity knew better than to take it so. Haruo |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: jeffp Date: 05 Apr 05 - 01:57 PM We three kings of orient are Trying to smoke a rubber cigar It was loaded, it exploded Now we're on yonder star! Late 50's Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: GUEST,freddy Date: 12 Apr 05 - 05:15 PM miss lucy had a sailboat the sailboat had a bell (ding ding) miss lucy went to heaven and the sailboat went to hello operator please give me #9 and if you disconnect me, i'll chop off your behind the 'fridgerator there was a piece of glass miss lucy sat upon it, and it went right up her ask me no more questions, please tell me no more lies the boys are in the washroom, zipping up their flies are in the meadow, bees are in the park miss lucy and her boyfriend are kissing in the dark is like a movie, a movie's like a show, a show is like my tv screen and that is all i know i know my father, i know i know my ma i know i know my sister with the 14 acre 14 acre 14 acre bra bra bra! |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: GUEST,Lighter Date: 12 Apr 05 - 06:19 PM The "Chiquita Banana" song posted by Earl in 1997 was known to me around 1963-64. It was based on a catchy TV commercial for Chiquita bananas. "The Burning of the School" was from the late '50s. |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: Azizi Date: 13 Apr 05 - 01:41 PM From another Mudcat thread on children's rhymes I found out about a website called Wheee Blog! that is dedicated to schoolyard games. That Wheee! Blog thread has a lot of versions of "Miss Susie Had A Steamboat". Here's one that I hadn't seen before: Miss Susie: Miss Susie had a steamboat. The steamboat had a bell, ding-ding, Miss Susie went to heaven, her steamboat went to hell.. ..o operator. Please give me number nine. And if you disconnect me, I'll kick your fat behind.. ..The fridgerator, there was a piece of glass. Miss Susie fell upon it, And popped her big fat ass.. ..k me no more questions. Tell me no more lies, The boys are in the bathroom, zipping up their flies.. ..are in the meadow. Bees are in the park. The boys and girls are kissing, Way past after dark, ..er than the ocean, deeper than the sea, darker than the underwear my sister puts on me. -posted by "Liz again." at April 12, 2005 04:02 PM {re-posted with permission of members of Wheee! Blog}." -snip- Click here for Wheee! Blog Schoolyard Games Incidently, several times Halifax, one of the members of Wheee! Blog, has asked that posters include such demographic information such when and where the rhymes posted were performed. However, it's rare that any poster there does so. Posters to this Mudcat thread are doing much better than Wheee! Blog posters in including such information. But it's probably unfair to compare ourself with Wheee! Blog since Mudcat is a folk based discussion forum that likely has a considerably older age of posters than those who post on Wheee Blog's schoolyard games thread. Anyway, thanks for remembering to include demographic information with your rhymes! Ms Azizi |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: GUEST Date: 13 Apr 05 - 11:53 PM O_O This is sung to the tune of 'Miss Susie had a Steamboat' (and when I learned it, Miss Susie was Miss Mary) Miss Molly had a baby, The baby's name was Tim, She put him in a bathtub, To see if he could swim. He ate up all the water, He drank up all the soap, He woulda ate the bathtub but it wouldn't fit his throat! Miss Molly called the doctor, Miss Molly called the nurse, Miss Molly called the lady with the alligator purse! Measles said the doctor, Measles said the nurse, Pizza said the lady with the alligator purse! Miss Molly shot the doctor, Miss Molly stabbed the nurse, Miss Molly paid the lady with the alligator purse! This next one is a clapping game: I went to Chinese bakery to buy a loaf of bread bread bread He put it in a plastic bag and this is what he said said said My name is Gay Hi Pickle Lo Gay Hi Gay Hi Gay Hi Pickle Lo Cha cha cha cha cha Early '90's, Calgary, Canada |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: Muttley Date: 14 Apr 05 - 03:18 AM Dear "Mrs Dave At Work" - odd moniker there! Children have been singing tragedy / violence / sexual innuendo songs for centuries. The two classic examples are: Ring-a-ring O' Roses A pocket full of posies Atishoo! Atishoo! We all fall down Is, as most here would know, a lyric rhyme which originated (as far as we in the "Anglo-Saxon" west are concerned) in Bubonic / Pneumonic - plagued Britain (specifically, London) of the 17th Century (possibly earlier as the Black Death also had a massive impact on Europe and Britain in the 14th Century as well - when a third of the population perished) The translation is: RING-a-RING O' ROSES: The rash initially raised as "rosettes" which became open lesions and were accompanied by the more painful, pus-filled 'buboles' A POCKET FULL OF POSIES: Physicians traditionally carried 'posies' which were bunches of sweet-smelling herbs; Lavender, Thyme and Rosemary were considered VERY efficacious. This was done NOT to cover the stink of the disease or the (literally) thousands of decomposing bodies; but because the doctors of the times were convinced that disease was transmitted by smell! ATISHOO! ATISHOO!: The sound of a sneeze alerted all those around an afflicted person that they were a new victim of the plague. A single sneeze was OK - it was repeated sneezing that scared people! WE ALL FALL DOWN: DEAD !!!!! This is reportedly a doggerel concocted by children of those times which helped them deal with the tragedy. The second example is the ubiquitous "Rock-a-Bye Baby" everyone knows the rhyme: Rock-a-Bye Baby, In the tree-top When the wind blows, the cradle will rock; When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall; And down will come baby, cradle and all. HOWEVER: (there's always a 'however' isn't there? the SECOND verse is the one which educated children that morals were for the ordinary folk, but the gentry had their OWN rules in this regard. It runs thus: Rock-a-bye Baby, your cradle is green Father's a nobleman, Mother's a queen; Sally's the lady who wears a gold ring And Johnny's the drummer that drums for the king. Here we have the baby and his/her parentage laid bare: Mother is a queen and father is a nobleman; yet the king (supposedly the queen's husband) is NOT the baby's father. Conclusion: "Baby" is truly a bastard! Thee is also a political / regal snub implicit in the "Cradle will rock / Baby will fall" part of the rhyme as well - but I can't remember what it is. |
Subject: abcd From: GUEST,(3rI Date: 12 Apr 06 - 06:28 PM self explanitory abcdefg wash those boy germs ofa me gotta bat gotta ball gotta baby in the hall gotta wish gotta wish gotta freeze |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: Jeri Date: 12 Apr 06 - 06:46 PM Guest, is there a game you play when you sing that? It sounds like it from the bat & ball and the "gotta freeze" line. Interesting rhyme! |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: Azizi Date: 12 Apr 06 - 08:20 PM Jeri, I hope that GUEST,3rI responds to your question. It will be interesting to hear what she or he says about whether that rhyme is done with handclap routines like others I've collected that "sound" like it. Imo, the rhyme that guest 3rI shared sounds like the "Miss Sue From Alabama" rhymes. Here's an example that was sent to me from Deena Garrison-Stevensen {Northern California, as recited by her 6 year old girl and other children in the playground} MISS SUE Miss Sue Miss Sue from Alabama Her real name is Susanna Sittin' in the rocking chair eating baby crackers watching the clock go Tick tock tick tock bananna rock, tick toc, tic toc bananna rock A-B-C-D-E-F-G wash those spiders off of me, Mooscha, Mooscha, I want my mommy Mooscha mooscha I know karate Mooscha moosch oops I am sorry Mooscha mooscha FREEZE! **** The "eating baby crackers" is usually given as "eating Betty Crocker" {meaning the pastry made from the directions that the famous cookbook editor Betty Crocker provided} For another variant of this rhyme, see this example that I collected from African American girls and boys, ages 5-12 years, Pittsburgh, PA area, 1999: MISS SUE, SCOOBY DOO Miss Sue, Scooby Do Miss Sue from Alabama Sittin at the table peeling mashed potatoes waitin for the clock to go boom tick tock boom ticky wally wally boom tick tock boom ticky wally wally Stop! Ah 2 more times boom tick tock boom ticky wally wally boom tick tock boom ticky wally wally Ah 1 more time boom tick tock boom ticky wally wally boom tick tock boom ticky wally wally Ah no more times. --- Btw, a lot of children's rhymes end with FREEZE! Of course, this means to immediately stop movement {usually maintaining a dramatic pose until the rhyme starts again}. |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: Azizi Date: 12 Apr 06 - 08:31 PM Here is another example of "Miss Sue" that was submitted to my website Cocojams by darlenevil on 2/1/2005 along with the following comments: Hi:-) I just wanted to submit a very popular version of the 'handclap rhyme' song "Miss Sue From Alabama". I lived in Indiana my whole life although I changed schools alot, and this song seemed to be known by every other African American child I met. Here's how we all sang it: Miss Sue! *clap clap* Miss Sue! *clap clap* Miss Sue from Alabama Her real names Suzyanna Sittin in a rockin chair Eatin Betty Crocker bread Watchin the clock go Tick tock tick tock Banana rock! Tick tock tick tock Banana rock! A-b-c-d-e-f-g Wash them spots right offa me! Moocha Moocha Moocha Freeze! *literally freeze on the last clap, try to stay still longer than your friend |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: Jeri Date: 13 Apr 06 - 09:00 AM Azizi, your website is wonderful! |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: Azizi Date: 13 Apr 06 - 10:04 AM Thanks, Jeri. |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: NH Dave Date: 13 Apr 06 - 03:07 PM For those in the US interested in collected children's songs, doggerel, and counting out rhymes, try to find a copy of Miss Mary Mack all Dressed in Black a collection of songs kids sang in northern Vermont in the early 20th century. These songs, collected by Scott E. Hastings, give us a look at folk links back to England, Ireland, and Europe, the source of much of our current population. Scott's been dead for a few years now, so the best place to look for this book is on Amazon, where I found my copy. Dave |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: GUEST,thurg Date: 13 Apr 06 - 07:44 PM What is the term given to the rhymes/verses/sayings used to choose who will or will not be "it" in a game? Is that what is meant by "counting out rhymes" (cf. previous post)? |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: Azizi Date: 13 Apr 06 - 09:16 PM I've seen these terms used by adults to categorize children's playground rhymes where the last remaining child is selected as the seacher for hide & go seek, or {saying the rhyme two times in succession} the last two children become the team captains: choosing "it" counting out rhymes elimination rhymes **** Note that contrary to some books I have read, it seems to me that more often than not children want to be choosen as "it". BTW: when the two team captains are chosen, one at a time they chose members of their team by calling out the name of the remaining children. I believe that it still hurts to be the last child or one of the last child selected. When the children I meet with choose team captains, they use a choosing it rhyme like: Eenie meenie minie mo catch a tiger by the toe if he hollers let him go ee-nie meen-ie min-ie mo. The children huddle close together in a semi-circle type formation. The child who selects the captains {because he or she raised his hand first and me or another adult picked him or her] stands in front of the other children. Each child in the semi-circle extends his or her right foot forward. On each word {or in the case of the last line, on each syllable} the "leader" points to each successive child's foot. The leader can not skip a child or add additional words or syllables. The child who the leader is pointing to on the word "mo" {pronounced "moh"} is out and the rhyme is repeated until there is only one child left. That child is "it" or [in the case of competitive games with two teams-one of the team captains]. The same "leader" then starts the rhyme again with the remainding children to pick the second team captain. However, when that game [such as relay races]is played, and the group has time to play that game again, the way we do it in my groups is that the two new captains are the two children who were picked last. I think doing this helps build those last picked children's self-esteem. |
Subject: RE: Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, I Bit the Teacher's Toe! From: GUEST,Bob Coltman Date: 25 Apr 06 - 01:23 PM Caro from March '05, are you still checking in? Would love to have an ABC of the tune to "Mary-Anna at the pawnshop door" -- can you do it for us? I haven't been able to find it anywhere, so you're the only hope. Thanks! Bob |
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