Subject: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: Phil G. Date: 19 May 98 - 11:58 PM Need some help on this nonsense ditty...was walkin' around singing it once and some stranger sung me another verse... "Once upon a time, the goose drank wine, the goose chased the monkey up a telephone line. The line she broke, and the monkey got choked, and they all went to heaven in a little green boat"... ..This one came out of nowhere and its been with me since childhood... |
Subject: ADD: The Clapping Song (Lincoln Chase) From: Joe Offer Date: 20 May 98 - 12:51 AM Does this help? Three, six, nine, the goose drank wine The monkey chewed tobacco on a streetcar line The line broke, the monkey got choked And they all went to heaven in a little rowboat #07) Shirley Ellis: "The Clapping Song (Clap Pat Clap Slap)" (1965) [8] {16} (Written by her manager/husband Lincoln "Bo-Bincoln" Chase, said Jamie. Barry added that Chase also wrote "Jim Dandy Got Married" for LaVern Baker. The EJs & Co. commented: "The last top 10 song for the 'Name Game' lady---Shirley, Shirley bo-birley, banana-fanna fo-firley, fee-fi-mo-mirley, Shirley [sorry, we couldn't resist]. Also recorded by Pia Zadora in 1982.")and... The name of that song is "The Clapping Song" by Shirley Ellis. It's another one of those great oldies that gets ignored by most oldies stations! Found on a hotbot search for "exact phrase." I'm wondering if maybe "Clapping Song" and "Name Game" have earlier roots, or if they originated with Shirley Ellis. I think they may be jumprope chants. Joe Offer- THE CLAPPING SONG (Recorded by Shirley Ellis and written by her manager/husband Lincoln "Bo-Bincoln" Chase 3, 6, 9 The goose drank wine The monkey chew tobacco on the streetcar line The line broke, the monkey got choked And they all went to heaven in a little rowboat Clap pat - clap pat - clap pat - clap....slap Clap pat! clap your hand... Pat it on your partner's hand... right hand Clap pat! clap your hand... Cross it with your left arm Pat your partner's left palm Clap pat! clap your hand... Pat your partner's right palm And your right palm again Clap slap! clap your hand... Slap your thigh, and sing a little song go... My Mother told me If I was goody That she would buy me A rubber dolly My Auntie told her I'd kissed a soldier Now she won't buy me A rubber dolly 3, 6, 9 The goose drank wine The monkey chew tobacco on the streetcar line The line broke, the monkey got choked And they all went to heaven in a little rowboat Clap clap! Clap your hands and prepare to pat Clap! Take your right arm Pat your partner's right palm with your right palm Clap! Take your hand back and clap Clap! Take your right arm Cross your right arm with your left arm Pat your partner's left palm with your left palm Clap! Take your hand back and clap! Take your hand to your palm and slap your thigh And watch the fun materialize As you sing this little song: My Mother told me If I was goody That she would buy me A rubber dolly My Auntie told her I'd kissed a soldier Now she won't buy me A rubber dolly Clap! Clap pat - clap pat - clap slap Clap pat! Clap pat - clap pat - clap slap This transcription isn't perfect. I listened to the recording to correct the letssingit lyrics, but I got lost and confused about 2/3 of the way through. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWuSPPLtkEQ Lyrics source: https://www.letssingit.com/shirley-ellis-lyrics-the-clapping-song-ql3jfbc LetsSingIt - The Internet Lyrics Database |
Subject: RE: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: alison Date: 20 May 98 - 08:43 PM Hi, There's another different word for you Joe, we used to use it for "skipping". Slainte Alison |
Subject: RE: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: Joe Offer Date: 20 May 98 - 08:57 PM Hi Alison - when I was a little kid in Detroit, girls skipped rope, moving their two feet separately. Boys, when they swallowed their pride and did it, jumped - with both feet together. But we kept our mouths shut and didn't say any of those cute little sissy chants, since they were for girls. By the way, I was able to find a link to the Jumprope Hypertext Archive. It's back in a nifty hypertext form at a university in Florida. I advise anybody who's interested to skip right over and check this site. -Joe Offer- |
Subject: RE: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: rich r Date: 21 May 98 - 01:05 AM Joe, Is it true that you actually have a Pia Zadora album? rich r |
Subject: RE: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: Joe Offer Date: 21 May 98 - 05:01 AM Who dat, rich???? Is she a punk rocker? Is she a she? .....but I do remember Shirley Ellis. -Joe- |
Subject: RE: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: rich r Date: 22 May 98 - 09:55 PM Joe, I spose I misread the last line of the parenthetical statement and thought it was an addition of yours. Nevertheless, Pia Zadora, pop/torch singer of the 80's also and actress. Best know because she married someone high up in the movie/entertainment business who bankrolled her movies and record contracts. Among her recordings was "Pia & Phil" (Phil being some philharmonic orchestra) . I ran across an April '82 hit parade list, her song "I'm In Love Again" was at #68. "Chariots of Fire" was #3 that week, "Ebony & Ivory" by McCartney & Wonder debuted at 29, "Wake Up Little Susie" by Simon & Garfunkel was at #59, and "Baby Step Back" by G Lightfoot was at #71, some big names in there. Personally I don't recall any of her music. Her movie career inclued "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians," "Pajama Tops", "Butterfly," "Lonely Lady", "Voyage of the Rock Aliens," "Troop Beverly Hills," and "Pia Zadora's American Songbook". The latter an extended music video of classic Broadwas/Tin Pan Alley etc. songs. By now you're thinking, did she get any awards? Yes, In 1982 a Golden Globe for New Star of the Year In a Motion Picture for "Butterfly". And in 1983 2 Razzies for Worst Actress of the Year and Worst New Star for "Butterfly", 1984 another Razzie for "Lonely Lady" and finally in 1990 a Razzie for Worst New Star of the Decade. An illustrious career to be sure. In most of her movies I think her morphology was more in evidence than her thespianism. It took about an hour to find this useless information on the net. Probably would have taken a lot less time if 90% of the links to her name had not featured pictures of "famous" people unwrapped or just hanging out. My appologies to any who may have read all the way to the end of this. Even in my own broad and subjective definition of folk, this isn't rich r |
Subject: RE: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: GUEST,whittet@shore.net Date: 23 Sep 03 - 06:26 AM three six[ty] nine the goose drank her wine the monkey chewed tobacco on the street frauline the line broke the monkey got choked they stroked off to heaven on her little row boat just wondering where this came from originally... |
Subject: RE: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: wysiwyg Date: 23 Sep 03 - 11:05 AM How odd, just last night there was a TV commercial showing a goose up on a dining table sipping from a wine glass! Maybe I should have paid more attention to whatever they were using on the soundtrack! ~Susan |
Subject: RE: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: open mike Date: 23 Sep 03 - 03:51 PM i think jumprope rhymes are magic! they are part of the cultural heritage which thrives in the lives of 8-12 year olds and is passed on to others of that age group. the younger ones don't know them, and the older ones have forgotten, except back in deep recesses of the memory. That age is a wonderful time of life. YOu know how to tie your shoes and whistle, but have not been burdened by the adult worries and cares! Cinderella, dressed in yellow Went upstairs to kiss a fellow Made a mistake, kissed a snake How many doctors did it take? 1,2,3,4,etc i do not think i ever mastered double dutch.. but some kids can-i am sure there are contests. |
Subject: RE: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: Neighmond Date: 23 Sep 03 - 06:40 PM I didn't jump so much rope as a youngun but as boys in a working class neighborhood we DID "count out" alot. For those who don't know or forgot, "counting out" was the act of excluding ones self (or IN cluding one's self) from being "it!" I don't see it so much anymore, but I sure liked doing it myself. I put one up a while ago about such as that- Here it is for anyone who wants to see it. http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=56361 Subject: RE: Folklore: Skipping Rhymes & Playground Games From: Neighmond - PM Date: 03 Feb 03 - 01:57 AM Well-a-day! As a poor kid, we had few toys and played outside games- "bunny run" and "touch hide-and-seek", or lotball and wallball (called lobo, in our slang-"You never looked sick...out playing lobo all day!"), and this was how we decided who was "it!" Pardon the length-I got fired up about this because it seemed so fun to do, and I seldom see children playing it nowadays. We had a caller, who counted the rhyme and tapped our shoe toes with each accented word. The caller was usually the oldest or the one who said "I call picks!" or "I call!" first. All the players, including the caller, put their feet in a circle and hunkered down. The elimination went on until one last foot was left. The person that foot was attatched to then led off by being "it". I. Engine, engine, number two! Coming down the C.B.Q.* If the train should jump the track- Would you get (want) your money back? (Answer: Either Yes, no, or maybe) Y-E-S spells "yes" and you are not it! N-O "no" M-A-Y-B-E "maybe" * Chicago, Burlington & Quincy- a railway in eastern Iowa/northern Illinois I have heard it: Engine, engine, number nine (ten), (three) Going down Chicago Line (the L. & N.), (the Santa Fe) We always used The C. B. Q., and the Chicago line one. The caller touched toes on shoes with each accented word (sort of depended on the caller as to the accent) and the person who was ended up on chose the answer, and the caller spelled it out and whomever was landed on then was removed from the running. II. Bubblegum, Bubblegum in the dish How many pieces do you wish? (Answer is a number.) The person who got landed on picks a number, and the caller spells out the number, followed by "...and you are not IT!" The person whose foot is landed on last is out of the running. III. One...two...three! NOT IT! The caller counted slowly, and all yelled "NOT IT!" The last one to finish saying "NOT IT!" was "it". This one could start a nasty fight, causing disputes over who had in fact called "NOT IT!" and how fast they had done it. IV. Doggie, doggie diamond Step...right...OUT! The caller tapped the toes of the shoes in time with the words, and the foot the caller ended up on was out of the running. This, too, was a questionable one to use, as any caller could control it so they could put themselves out of the running, or put the ones they chose on purpose out of the running. We only used it if nobody called: "No doggie diamond!", which was very seldom indeed. V. My momma, your momma, hanging out clothes Your mom hit my momma right in the nose What color was the blood?* (Answers with a color) (Caller spells color) and (optional: my momma says) you are not it! The person landed on picks out a color and the caller spells it and proceeds as usual, eliminating the last one landed on. *The po-leace took your momma straight to jail how many days to pay her bail? Proceeds as above only using numbers in leu of letters. This last version showed up as I was becoming too old for tag hide-and-seek, and seemed to start with some kids from Fort Dodge. From time to time "momma" was replaced by "grannie". VI. One, two, three, four! I ain't being "it" no more! VII. My momma told me to pick the very best one and you are not it! VIII. One, two, three, You're O-U-T! On all three of these, whomever the caller landed on was out of the running. Like "Doggie diamond" they were often a bone of contention. I used to spend recesses against the wall for jumping out of the swings in mid-air, and playing tag on the tornado slide, and the girls jumped the rope on the wide walkway there. Here are a few that I recall hearing, but the words may be out of order, as this was a while ago. I. Apples on a stick, make me sick(slick?). make my arms (heart?) go two-four-six! It's not because i'm dirty It's not because i'm clean It's not because I kiss the boys behind a magazene (behind a _____ machine?) Hey girls, let's have fun! Here comes a cop with his (vest?) undone! He can shammey he can shake He can do the hoochie-koo But I bet a dollar he can't catch you! One, two, three, etc..... Chanted to a double jumprope, I heard this on the schoolyard in Spirit Lake, Iowa around 1982-5. The count continued untill the jumproper missed a lick. II. I went to the chinese grocer to buy a loaf of bread He wrapped it up in wax-paper And here is what he said: My name is Kay-eye-pickel-eye Humble berries, wild cherries Chinese chop sticks- Chow Chow! In this little chant, the girls sat facing each other and clapped hands on each others palms, and their shoulders and laps. They went on until someone goofed in the clapping order. I heard this one in an apartment complex, growing up in Spirit Lake, Iowa in the early '80's. III.Miss Lucy had a steam boat, The steam boat had a bell. Miss Lucy went to heaven, The steam boat went to Hell-o operator, Give me number nine, If I get disconnected, I'll kick you from- Behind the 'fridgerator There sat a piece of glass, Miss Lucy sat upon it And cut her big fat As-k me no more questions, Tell you me more lies, The boys are in the bathroom, Zipping up their flies- Are in the kitchen, The're buzzing everywhere I got a can of fly spray And sprayed it in the Airplane is in the air, The trucks are on the ground, And I get on the carosell Go 'round and round and 'Round King Arthur's table There was a dozen knights. There was a lot of fighting At dinner every Night time in the city Night time in the park Miss Lucy's on the park bench Kissin' in the Dark! Usually two girls swung one long rope, which had some bits tied to to make it snap on the cement, and the third girl jumped double-time. The two end girls sang this, and they NEVER had the same verses as the last lot that sang it-there must be a million! When the girl in the middle missed a lick, one of the end girls would switch places. I remember hearing this in Mankato, Minnesota, as far back as 1980, only I don't recall all the verses they were using. This version is the verses a lady friend and I recall from the apartment complex and school yard in Spirit Lake in the early '80's. IV. Cinderella, dressed in yella Tell me, have you got a fella? The girls holding the rope chanted this and the jumper kept time. She answered with a name and spelled it ("P-A-U-L spells 'Paul'") and this went on untill the jumper missed a lick. V. (One time?) goose drank wine monkey chewed tobacco on the street car line. There is some counting pattern to this one-and it was double-dutch (with two ropes) but I can't recall anymore of it. I heard it in Mankato in 1980 or thereabouts. VI. Hopedy hop, hoppedy hop How many jumps until you stop? Just like it looks. The jumper counts off untill she misses a lick, and they change jumpers. This comes from Emmetsburg, Iowa about 1985 or so. VII. 'way down in the (gichee goo?) the girls and boys all coochie coo _______________cooties _________Baby booties I can't recall that one too well, but that I heard Carolyn Steinocher's kid's chant it in Mankato. I was too young. I don't think they jumped the rope, I think they hopped the sidewalks. VIII. I like coffee, I like tea. I like the boys And the boys like me. IX. ___________and___________, sitting in the tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes love, next comes marrage Last comes__________with the baby carrage. (Some girls sang: Get the diapers, get the pins, Oh my word they just had Twins!) X. I have a little brother his name is Tiny Tim. We put him in the bathtub To see if he could swim. He drank up all the water. He ate up all the soap. He tried to eat the bathtub But it won't go down his throat. XI. My brother's as mean as he can be! He broke a plate and he blamed me! But I told Ma And Ma Told Pa And Brother got a whupping so Ha! Ha! Ha! These didn't seem to be used in jumping the rope, they were clapping and cat's cradle (with yarn?) games, as I recall. I heard them in Spirit Lake and Arnold's Park in the early '80's. There are a billion more but I would put everyone to sleep saying them, and they pretty much all follow the lines of the ones I said. I hope this does someone some good-it was sure fun to remember them! For what it's worth Chaz |
Subject: RE: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 23 Sep 03 - 06:58 PM French children have a version of this. |
Subject: RE: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: GUEST,Pepper Date: 03 Nov 03 - 05:59 PM Is this clap rhyme verse in the public domain? |
Subject: RE: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: Neighmond Date: 03 Nov 03 - 08:11 PM If it isn't change one word and copyright your arrangment |
Subject: RE: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 03 Nov 03 - 08:19 PM I don't think it is Politically Correct to Perform Clap Rhymes in The Public Domain any more, is it? :-) Robin |
Subject: RE: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: GUEST,WadeHP Date: 04 Nov 03 - 01:18 PM Our version is South Carolina was: Once upon a time, a goose chewed wine Billy goat a'settin' on the streetcar line Streetcar broke, the monkey got choked and they all went to heaven on a nanny goat. |
Subject: RE: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: GUEST Date: 07 Nov 03 - 08:34 PM REGARDING QUESTION ASKED Date: 03 Nov 03 - 05:59 PM From Pepper: Is this clap rhyme verse in the public domain? ANSWER OFFERED Date: 03 Nov 03 - 08:11 PM From Neighmond: If it isn't change one word and copyright your arrangment May you suggest handy written references supporting this sufficient common approah. I do recall hearing validity for this approach but never read it in any copyright guides. THANKS |
Subject: RE: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: LadyJean Date: 08 Nov 03 - 12:58 AM My mother, who grew up in the 1920s, sang the other part of the clapping song: "My mother saidie, if I be goodie that she would buy me a wubbah (rubber) dowwie (dollie). So don't you tell her that I've a feller, or she won't buy me a rubber dollie. The 60s version said, "My auntie told her I kissed a soldier, so she won't buy me a rubber dollie," and was sung without the lisp mother used. |
Subject: RE: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: GUEST,.gargoyle Date: 08 Nov 03 - 09:04 PM Lady JeanWONDERFUL addition - thank YOU!!
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Subject: RE: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: GUEST,mamabear Date: 30 Nov 03 - 04:55 PM Hi there I just dropped in to look up a jump rope rhyme for my daughter, and spotted this... I was in Southeastern Massachusetts when I learned this rhyme on the playground sometime in the mid 1960s. The way I learned it was close to the way Joe Offer had it: Three, six, nine, the goose drank wine The monkey threw tobacco on the streetcar line The line broke, the monkey got choked And they all went to heaven in a little rowboat (clap, clap) with the second part more or less as LadyJean had it, but no lisping please: My mother told me If I was goodie That she would buy me A rubber dollie. My auntie told her I kissed a soldier Now she won't buy me A rubber dollie! The reggae group UB40 makes reference to this rhyme in the "Tribute" section of "Red, Red Wine". It includes "The line broke, the monkey got choked" but then continues with the very un-60s "Burn bad ganja on his little rowing boat"! mamabear |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Once upon a time, the Goose drank win From: JinxChristie Date: 01 Dec 03 - 02:18 PM My version is a little diffrerent. I grew up in the south in the 1930's and we sang it this way: "Once upon a time, The goose drank wine, The monkey chewed tobacco on the streetcar line. The streetcar broke and the monkey choked, And they all went to heaven on a dead billy goat." Now, ain't that a hoot??? |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: GUEST,Terry Mount Date: 05 Apr 04 - 11:26 AM This is the "goose drank wine" rhyme as I remember it from my childhood in the 1950's. I don't recall any game or activity associated with it; we just recited it. Once upon a time the goose drank wine; the hen pecked corn off the streetcar line. The streetcar broke the monkey got choked Steamboat! Steamboat! Holler like a Nanny Goat! |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: GUEST,IpedLnpadL@aol.com Date: 11 Apr 04 - 12:03 PM Basically the same from the 1960's in Virginia: Three, Six, Nine, The Goose Drank Wine The Monkey Chewed Tobacco on the Street Car Line The Line Broke, the Monkey got Choked and They All Went to Heaven in a Little Row Boat... Clap...Clap.... |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: GUEST,Stephen Date: 11 Apr 04 - 12:52 PM I thought it was a Like a Rolling Stone poarody for a minute there...! |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: GUEST,nicon Date: 08 Aug 04 - 01:15 PM My Grandmother would tell me that rhyme when i was young and she heard it from her father when she was a child. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: GUEST,Binky Date: 22 Jun 05 - 11:27 PM i grew up in Detroit, Michigan and this is how i learned it: Once upon a time, the goose drank wine. The monkey chewed tobacco on a streetcar line. The line broke. The monkey got choked. And they all went to heaven in a little row boat. Fascinating, don't you think? :-) |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: Azizi Date: 22 Jun 05 - 11:33 PM Yep. This probably was some relative of Chongo Chimp. [smile] |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: GUEST,jaylavelle Date: 24 Apr 09 - 10:37 PM I'm almost sure this rhyme came from a historical British political incident. It is kind of "in code" for an attempt to over throw the queen and the consequences to the conspirators: 3, 6, 9, the goose drank wine= One of them was poisoned the monkey chewed tobacco on a street called Line= where they were supposed to meet. The line broke= the conspiracy was discovered. The monkey got choked= hanged And they all went to heaven on a little row boat= deported to Australia. I'm sure I've heard this explanation some where- Anybody can provide details? Jay |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: open mike Date: 25 Apr 09 - 01:33 AM it just seems like it should have a sweet potatoe vine in it somewhere |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: GUEST,Angie Date: 12 May 09 - 03:11 PM Are the lyrics 369 the monkey drank wine any of the versions of red red wine by ub40? |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Once upon a time, the Goose drank win From: Azizi Date: 12 May 09 - 09:44 PM Hello, Guest Angie. Thanks for asking that question. This verse from UB 40's 1983 Reggae song "Red Red Wine" does indeed have very similar lyrics to the children's playground rhyme "Once Upon A Time [or "3-6-9"] The Goose Drank Wine": "Red red wine you make me feel so fine Monkey pack him rizla pon the sweet dep line" http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/babymama/redredwine.htm -snip- Now here's another question[-What does "Monkey pack him rizla pon the sweet dep line" mean? I'm assuming that "pack" means "carry" or maybe it means "put" or "place". And I'm pretty certain that "pon" means "upon". In African American slang something that is "sweet" is "very good" or very "satisfying"ee "sweet". I'm assuming that this meaning is the same in Jamaican patois (if that is the dialect source of that line). The word "dep" in that sentence might mean "deep" as in "heavy", which might be another intensifier which further denotes that the "line" (the rhythm-if that's what "rizla" means-or the song's lyrics?? I'm just guessing, but does this line mean that the "Monkey" is playing or singing some sweet, heavy (profoundly good) music which the person singing really feels because of the intoxicating influence of "red red wine"? If this is an accurate "translation", I don't think that in this context "monkey" is meant as a racial slur, but still it gets very close to that and in my opinion should only be used with caution. ** Here's a link to a YouTube video of that song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rg1iEBWxVeQ -snip- Since "Red Red Wine" is has a Reggae beat, its tune isn't the same as the children's rhyme. But it certainly does appear that that verse given above was inspired by the playground rhyme. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: jeffp Date: 13 May 09 - 04:51 PM There was a brand of rolling papers named Rizla. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: Snuffy Date: 19 May 09 - 08:52 AM Rizla is the name of a brand of cigarette papers used for hand-rolling: the tobacco involved may (or may not) be "wacky" |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Once upon a time, the Goose drank win From: Azizi Date: 19 May 09 - 09:15 AM jeffp and Snuffy, thanks for that explanation of the word "rizla". Admittedly, none of this is of earthshaking importance, but these examples point out how words & phrases in popular songs and children's playground rhymes can be misunderstood because of insufficient knowledge of the culture/s from which the songs and/or rhymes come. The use of the word "rizla" also might denote another cultural difference-in much of the USA (except for rolling marijuana "cigarettes") most Americans buy ready made cigarettes already packaged while in some other parts of the world, people buy pouches of tobacco and make individual cigarettes when they want to smoke them. Given that explanation for the word "rizla" instead of the familiar USA version: "the monkey chewed tobacco on the street car line", in that UB40 "Red Red Wine" verse do we have "the monkey rolled his tobacco" or "the monkey carried his tobacco" on the sweet dep line? ** So now that the word "rizla" is explained, what about the word sweet and the word "dep" and the phrase "sweet dep line"? Could "dep" just be a shortened form of the word "department" (perhaps meaning a transportation department which could be another name for a street car or trolley line or railroad line? And does a "sweet dep line" mean a department "line" (transportation grid) that is "sweet" because it is important, or "cool" or good because it leads to certain cool or good or important places like a big city with all sorts of urban places of amusements? |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: GUEST,Silvia Wilson Date: 29 Jul 09 - 11:02 AM My mother-in-law, Marguerite LeMieux Marsh, taught me a version of this rhyme that she learned in Orono, Maine in the 1920s. "Once upon a time when a goose drank wine, and a monkey chewed tobacco on a streetcar line. The streetcar broke. The monkey told a joke. And they all went to heaven in a little tin boat." This may have been one of the first rhymes she learned in English, as they spoke French at home, and her knowledge of English was rather scanty when she first went to school. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: Steve Gardham Date: 29 Jul 09 - 07:09 PM All of the above versions seem to be American. For a possibly earlier English chant obviously related.(1950s Yorkshire) Once upon a time when pigs ate/shit lime And monkeys chewed tobacco, The little piggy run with his finger up his bum, To see what was the matter. I'm sure I've seen other British variants too. Ah here we are. Chambers Popular Rhymes of Scotland p57 Lang syne, when geese were swine, And turkeys chewed tobacco, And birds biggit their nests in auld men's beards And mowdies del't potawtoes-- which kicks off a folk tale called The Wife and her Bush of Berries. I have another half dozen versions from various parts of Britain. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: GUEST Date: 04 Aug 09 - 03:28 AM goose drank wine 3 6 9, the goose drank wine - a drunk the monkey chewd tobacco on the streetcar line - the 'dirty' smoker line broke - they were discovered monkey got choked - hanged and the all went to heave in a little red boat - they went to hell of this is how my mother described it to me, mayb she was jus tryin to make sure i never did these things..lol a diff version of "miss lucy had a steamboat" miss suzie had a steamboat the steamboat had a bell miss suzie went to heaven but the steamboat went to hello operator plz give me number nine and if u disconnect me ill chop off ur behind the fridgerator there lay a piece of glass miss suzie sled upon it and broke her big fat ask me not more questions tell me no more lies the boys r in the bathroom pulling down their flies are in the meadow the bees are in the park miss suzie and her boyfriend are kissing in the d-a-r-k, d-a-r-k dark dark dark is like a movie a movies like a show a show is like a tv show and that is all i kno i kno my mom, i kno i kno my pop i kno i kno my sister with the forty acre bra my mother gave me a nickel, my father gave me a dime my sister gave me her boyfriend and his name is frankenstein he made me do the dishes, he made me do the floor, he made me do his underwear and i kicked him out the door i kicked him over london, i kicked him over france i kicked him over hawaii and he learned the hula dance. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: GUEST Date: 14 Nov 09 - 02:35 AM My Dad always used to sing it to me when I was little. He called it my "short bedtime story". He's from Baltimore, MD and grew up in the 1940's and 1950's. It's so neat to see all these different variations from America and Great Britain! Once upon a time The Goose drank wine The monkey chewed tobacco on the street car line The line broke The monkey choked And they all went to heaven in a little green boat......Toot Toot! Erica Odum |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Once upon a time, the Goose drank win From: srich Date: 29 Nov 09 - 03:09 PM Wasn't this song made popular and was called the Witch Doctor song? I remembered it as: spoken plainly with a strict meter, marching time 2,4,6,9 the goose drank the wine, the monkey chewed tobacco on the street car line the line broke, the monkey choked and they all went to heaven in a little rowboat (clap, clap clap) ooh, eee, ooh aah, aah ting tang wally wally bing bang, Ooo eee, ooo ahh, ahh, ting tang wally wally bing bang. My mama told me, if I was goody, that she would buy me a rubber dolly, My auntie told her, I kissed a soldier So she could buy me a rubber dolly. in double time(clap clap clap) Ooo eee ooo ahh ahh ting tang wally wally bing bang Ooo eee ooo ahh ahh ting tang wally bing bang. At least this was how I taught it to about 300 5th and 6 th graders one year. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: GUEST,Beckie In louisiana Date: 14 Jan 10 - 04:51 PM Once upon a time the goose drank wine the monkey played the fiddle on the sweet potato vine..The vine broke the monkey choked they all went to heaven on a billy goat I learned that verse from my Gradmother (Louisiana) |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Once upon a time, the Goose drank win From: Arbuthnot Date: 15 Jan 10 - 01:10 AM Rizla is what the English call those cigarette papers - the manufacturers are a company called Riz, La Croix (translates as Rice and Cross), and they shortened the name to Riz La+ on the packets! |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: iancarterb Date: 15 Jan 10 - 10:35 PM Same meter, similar verse from Hopalong Peter- might have been a ropeskip verse? Old mother Hubbard and her dog were Dutch A bow-legged rooster and he hobbled on a crutch The hen chewed tobacco and the duck drank wine The goose played the fiddle on the pumpkin vine |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: GUEST,Ashley Date: 06 Apr 10 - 02:27 PM Once upon a time the goose drank wine the monkey chewed tobacco on the street car line the line broke the monkey got choked and they all went to heaven on a billy goat! |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Once upon a time, the Goose drank win From: Georgiansilver Date: 06 Apr 10 - 02:49 PM The Clapping Song... anyone remember this version???? |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: GUEST Date: 22 Aug 10 - 11:12 PM My Mom told me this version that she got from her grandmother: Once upon a time a goose drank some wine a monkey played the fiddle on the sweet potato vine the vine broke the monkey got choked and they all went to heaven in a little row boat |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: GUEST Date: 22 Aug 10 - 11:32 PM I saw a note above, and just wanted to mention that my grandmother was from Louisiana, since the only other person who knows the sweet potato vine version is from there as well. My grandmother grew up during the Great Depression. Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: GUEST Date: 22 Aug 10 - 11:12 PM My Mom told me this version that she got from her mother, (though Grandma said the last line "on a little billy goat"): Once upon a time a goose drank some wine a monkey played the fiddle on the sweet potato vine the vine broke the monkey got choked and they all went to heaven in a little row boat |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: GUEST,Pauline Date: 15 Sep 10 - 08:49 PM Here's one that my Mom always recites. It's from a small book of poems, she says, from her childhood years. I cannot find any reference to it: "Little Joey by the doorstep on a little cabin lane. Pouring gravel through his fingers and his Mammy heard him say. Ain't nobody, can't nobody, love a colored child I guess. Manny slaps me, teacher raps me, and I longs for love I fess"... A nickle to anyone who knows the book, the author, or another verse.... :o) |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: Jim Dixon Date: 20 Sep 10 - 04:00 PM Pauline: I searched in Google Books using several phrases from the poem you quoted, and one source that came up repeatedly was Farm Journal, Volume 50 (1926). It also comes up when you search for— "Pouring gravel through his fingers" "Ain't nobody, cain't nobody love a" "teacher raps me" "slaps me and I longs for love I fess" The trouble is, Google won't show you the text. You'll probably have to go to a library to find it. Go to WorldCat.org and enter your location (zip code) and it will show you the closest library that has Farm Journal; then you should check the catalog of the library to make sure it has the right volume and year. And if you get the poem, please come back here and post the whole thing. (But it might be best to start a new thread.) |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine... From: GUEST,Cents Date: 28 Dec 10 - 08:01 PM My great grandmother used to sing this version to my dad in Philadelphia in the early to mid 1950's. She was from England: Once upon a time when pigs ate rye and monkeys chewed tobacco One went pffft Another went pffft They all went pffft together! |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Once upon a time, the Goose drank win From: GUEST,Beth Date: 28 Apr 11 - 09:05 PM My dad, who is almost 90, learned this poem before he entered 1st grade. This is his version: LLittle Joey, by the doorstep Of a little cabin, lay Pouring gravel through his fingers, And his mammy heard him say, "Ain't nobody, cain't nobody Love a little colored boy don't guess. Teacher raps me, mammy slaps me And I longs for love I 'fess. I just wish when mammy calls me She'd say 'Come here Honey Lamb,' Stead of sayin', 'Get here Joey, Or I shall give you a slam!' If I'd die folks 'ould miss me, Lay some flowers 'round my head; Mammy 'ould cry and maybe kiss me. Yes, I mostly wish I's dead." Mammy smiled, while love and pity Struggled with a touch of pride; Then she hastened to the window And in a loving tone she cried, "Come in Honey Lamb, You's getting all tanned up, And the grand folks passing by Will think you's Irish, like as not." |
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