Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Nov 09 - 12:54 AM

Down by the river of the Hanky Panky
Where the bull frogs jumped from bank to banky
He said "E-I-O-U
your mamma stinks and so do you"
ping-pong dingdong
Your breath smells like King Kong

I learned that 10 years ago in 5th grade when I moved to florida.
Actually I heard three versions then but this is the only one that stuck with me.

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Nov 09 - 09:21 PM

Down by the bank by the hanky pank
where the bullfrog jumped from bank to bank
singing eeeps ops ohps ooops
listen to the rythym of the ding dang dong
michael jackson went to town
pepsi cola shot him down
dr. pepper fixed him up
now we're talking 7up
7up has no caffiene
now we're billie jean
billie jean went down the street singing
dooo waaah diddy didy dum diddy dooo

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,SaeraLove
Date: 03 Nov 09 - 08:08 PM

Down by the banks of the hanky panky
where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
with an a, e, i, o, u. bang bang
micheal jordan went to town
coca cola shot him down
now were talkin 7up
7up with no caffein
now were talking billy jean
billy jean went down the street singin
do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do
singin do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do

<3

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,Psychonaughty
Date: 03 Nov 09 - 02:59 PM

I'm from Ireland (Dublin), grew up in the 80's (born 1979).
We used to sing this in a circle clap game to choose who could choose the next group game (e.g. Red rover, kick the can, grass houses, what's the time mr. Wolf etc) or pass the time at break time at school.

Down by the river of hanky panky,
Two fat frogs sit back-to-back,
ooooo-ahhhh-ooooo-AAH!
Down by the river was
Ooo-peee-PLODGE! ('ooo' and 'peeee' mantras permitted claps to the next and the next person as long as the chant held: oooooo *clap* oooooo *clap* *peeeeeee* *clap!* PLODGE!! (person 'plodged' was 'It')

Good times :)
-Catríona S.

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,BabyGyneus
Date: 30 Oct 09 - 02:14 PM

Down by the river with the Hanky Panky
Where the bullfrog leaps from bank to banky
With the east side, west side, sea side
POP!

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,Guest, Emma, Jacksonville FL
Date: 15 Oct 09 - 01:56 PM

I learned this in summer camp at a day school in Jacksonville FL sometime around 1990.

Down by the bank where the hanky pank
where the bullfrog jumped from bank to bank
saying ees ice ose oos
esta billy bing bong
your daddy smells like King Kong.

I always wondered what all that nonsensical stuff was in the middle, but never thought that it might have been a degradation of someone elses words. I just thought it was nonsense.

We played the circle elimimenation game, but when you said "Kong" the final slapper had to essentially fake out the slappee, because the way we played, if the slapper hit the NEXT persons hand because you moved yours in time, the KONG stayed "in" and the song started over.

Made for loooooong days.

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,Amanda
Date: 13 Oct 09 - 06:31 PM

Beverly Hills, CA, 1984-1988. What I remember:

Down by the banks of the hanky pank
where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
with an eeps, eips, opse, opps
me socka dilly with a kerplop

For the record, I was always confused by the socka dilly line, but that's what everyone sang so there you go. Seeing some of the lily pad versions is very interesting and I love all the variations!

I would also like to address the post from:
GUEST,apple
Date: 06 Jan 07 - 06:41 PM

In particular, the Mrs lucy had a steamboat... section

Not sure if you have addressed this elsewhere. I do remember a rhyme like this, but not what it was attached to (if anything):

Miss Lucy had a tugboat
the tugboat had a bell
Miss Lucy went to heaven
the tugboat went to hell-
-o operater, please give me number 9
and if you disconnect me, I'll cut off your -- behind
the 'frigderator there lays a piece of glass
Miss Lucy sat upon it and broke her little -- ask
me no more questions, please tell me no more lies
the boys are in the bathroom zipping up their -- flies
are in the country, the bees are in the park
the girls and boys are kissing in the
D-A-R-K, D-A-R-K, D-A-R-K, dark, dark, dark!
The dark is like a movie, a movie's like a show
a show is like a TV set and this is all I know, know, know!
I know I know my ma, I know I know my pa
I know I know my sister with the 80-meter, 80-meter, 80-meter bra, bra, bra!
A bra is like a boobie, a boobie's like a ball
A ball is like a bouncy thing that bounces off the wall, wall, wall!
She died her hair in purple, she died her hair in pink
she died her hair in aquamarine to match the kitchen sink, sink, sink!

And that's all I remember, though there may have been more to it. I am surprised that I a) remembered as much as I did and b) that I ever happily chanted that on the playground - among other songs I am remembering from scanning this database. Whoa.

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: Azizi
Date: 26 Sep 09 - 03:53 PM

GUEST 26 Sep 09 - 12:33 PM

Thanks for sharing that version. That's a new one on me!

:o)

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Sep 09 - 12:33 PM

No the one i know is
Down by the river of the hanky panky where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank said-a ees ay ous ees east-side dally ding dong why you hit my hand so hard tell me what i did so wrong ees ace ous ees east-side dally ding dong .

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: Azizi
Date: 21 Sep 09 - 06:11 PM

Thanks, GUEST,friends now for adding your version of this rhyme to this collection!

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,friends now
Date: 21 Sep 09 - 05:51 PM

the words start like this:
Down by the bank of the Hanky Panky
With a bullfrog jump from bank to bank
signin epps ipes opes umps hey dilly dilly curb plunk
pepsi, cola, ginger ale, ginger ale, ginger ale, ginger ale, ginger ale pepsi, cola, ginger ale, 7up 7up 7up your out!

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: Azizi
Date: 03 Sep 09 - 11:34 PM

Thanks for sharing that example, GUEST,LM.

**

I'd like to take this opportunity to say that I think that all of these examples are important to collect for historical and folkloric reasons. But I want to go on record and say that I'm very much against referring to any person as a "fag"-whether that person is indeed a homosexual or you just think that person is a homosexual.

Words can hurt. Please be mindful of that.

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,LM
Date: 03 Sep 09 - 11:15 PM

Down by the riverside, hanky panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
saying ees mees sauce sees
esa meesa ding dong
your momma smells like king kong
I pledge of allegience to the flag
michael jackson is a fag
coca cola burnt him up
now we're drinking 7up
7up has no caffeine now we're drinking gasoline
gasoline ran out of fuel
now we're drinking mountain dew

Ugh I wish I remembered the rest!
But this was probably around 1998-99 at a crappy YMCA

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,omg
Date: 28 Aug 09 - 06:30 PM

Down by the river of hanky panky
The bullfrog jumps from bank to banky
Now E I O U
your momma stinks and so do you
no ding dong, ping pong
ur daddy smells like king kong
on his feet and on his toes
your daddy wears pink panty hoes
coca cola shake it up
now we're talking 7up
7up has no caffeine
now we're talking Billy Jean
Billy Jean is lots of fun
now we're slapping hands and DONE!

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,AUDREEEY
Date: 28 Jul 09 - 11:54 PM

down by the banks were the hanky panks and the bull frogs jump from bank to bank saying e i o u your momma stinks and so do you, i pledge alligence to the flag, michael jackson is a fag. coca cola brought him up now we're talking 7 up, 7 up has no cafffine now we're drinking gasoline gasoline gave me the flu now we're drinking moutain dew, moutain dew fell off a mountain now we're drinking water foutain, water fountain turned to soap now we're drinking cherry coke, cherry coke broke my wrist now we're drinking sierra mist. sierra mist hadda fall. NOW WE'RE DRINKING NOTHING AT ALL.


dooodes, i accidentally fucked it up.
I FORGOT THE WATER FOUNTAIN.
but legit thats how we do it old school. :D

HAHAHA/

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,AUDDDRAY.
Date: 28 Jul 09 - 11:51 PM

down by the banks were the hanky panks and the bull frogs jump from bank to bank saying e i o u your momma stinks and so do you, i pledge alligence to the flag, michael jackson is a fag. coca cola brought him up now we're talking 7 up, 7 up has no cafffine now we're drinking gasoline gasoline gave me the flu now we're drinking moutain dew, moutain dew turned to soap now we're drinking cherry coke cherry coke broke my wrist now we're drinking sierra mist. sierra mist hadda fall. NOW WE'RE DRINKING NOTHING AT ALL.


ROFL. chyeaaa (:

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,Taryn and Maddie
Date: 09 Jul 09 - 08:17 PM

Down by the banks of the hanky panky
Where the bull frogs jump from bank to bank
singin' Eeeps ipes opes oops
silly will ding dong
I pleage aligence to the flag
Michal Jackson makes me gag
Pepsi cola burt my butt
Now were talkin' 7 up
7 up has no caffine
now were talkin billy jean
Billy Jean is out of sight
now were talkin dynomite
dynomite blew up the school
Now were talkin' really cool
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: Azizi
Date: 02 Jul 09 - 07:36 PM

Thanks to those who have posted examples to this thread.

**

It's interesting that one way that Michael Jackson's name may live on is through these children's rhymes.

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,Jean
Date: 02 Jul 09 - 07:12 PM

As kids, we always sang it like this (I'm a teenager now):

Down by the banks of the hanky panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
Singin' eep, opp, eep opp opp
Skittle, dittle kernel pop
I pledge allegience to the flag
Michael Jackson is a fag
Coca Cola has caffeine
Now we're drinking gasoline
Gasoline ran out of fuel
Now we're drinkin' mountain dew
Mountain dew fell off the mountain
Now we're drinkin' from the fountain
Finally the fountain broke
Now we're back to
Plain old...
COKE!

And on coke the one person who was next to slap would try to hit the other's hand, and the other could pull away. If they pulled away the person slapping is eliminated, and if their hand gets slapped they are eliminated.

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Jul 09 - 02:19 PM

DOwn by the banks where the i dont know i like pie

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,Alicia
Date: 26 Jun 09 - 03:01 PM

P.S. this was in Arizona

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,Alicia
Date: 26 Jun 09 - 03:00 PM

The version I grew up with in the 90's was:

(you stand in a circle with one hand on top of the others and slap the next persons hand as it goes around the circle while you sing)

Down by the banks of the Hanky Panky
Where the Bullfrogs jumped from bank to banky
With the eips ipes opes skiddle scaddle ding dong

we would sing that to pick the person who would stand in the middle for another rhyme:

I was going to Kentucky
The old Kentucky fair
When i met a seniorita with purple underwear
OH shake it to the bottom(go down)
Shake it to the top(come back up)
Spin around, spin around(spin around with eyes closed)
Till you S-T-O-P spells stop

The person you were pointing at would be the next person to start and we would sart all over again.

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: Azizi
Date: 11 Jun 09 - 08:04 PM

GUEST,Michaela, thanks for sharing that version of "Down by the banks of the Hanky Panky.

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,Michaela
Date: 11 Jun 09 - 06:05 PM

Down by the banks to the hanky panky
where the bull frogs jump from banks to banks
with the eeps ipes opes ops listen to the kerplop.
I pledge allegience to the flag
Michael Jackson sings so bad
Pepsi Cola burned his butt
Now he's drinking Seven up
7 up has no caffine
now he's drinking gasoline
Gasoline has no good taste
now he's drinking toxic waste.

That's all I really know.

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: Azizi
Date: 03 Jun 09 - 07:47 PM

Hi, GUEST 03 Jun 09 - 07:07 PM

I didn't know that this rhyme was known in Melbourne, Australia. Thanks for sharing your version and info about your geographical location.

I'm interested in knowing who sang it (age group, gender) and whether it was sung as a partner or circle handclap rhyme or both.

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Jun 09 - 07:07 PM

Okay here in Melbourne, Australia
I've always sung it
'Down by the banks of the hanky panky
where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
With a hip, hop, crackle and a pop
With a hip, hop, crackle and a pop
With an A, E, I, O, You are out'

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: Azizi
Date: 03 Jun 09 - 12:37 PM

GUEST,LINDSEY, thanks for sharing how you and your friends play "Down by the banks of the hanky panky".

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,LINDSEY
Date: 02 Jun 09 - 09:44 PM

its the whole sit in a circle with the hand thing(a large circle) and whoever gets powed is out, and you keep going.

Down by the banks of the hanky panky
where the bull frogs jump from bank to banky singin
E-a-pap-a, I-a-pap-a, O-a-pap-a
POW!!!!!!

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: Azizi
Date: 06 May 09 - 07:30 PM

GUEST,brooklyn, thanks for sharing your version of this rhyme with us.

-Ms. Azizi

Subject: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,brooklyn
Date: 06 May 09 - 05:27 PM

down by the river where he hanky panky where the bull-frog jump from bank to bank sing aeiouing now we are tlaking micheal jackson coke-cola shot him down doctor peper shop him up now we are talking 7 up!!

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: Azizi
Date: 29 Apr 09 - 07:43 AM

Jim Dixon, thanks for that interesting information about an early source for "Pudding and tame".   I took the liberty of reposting it on this Mudcat thread:
Folklore: Puddin Tane & Other Rhyming Sayings as I think that people who might read that thread might be interested in reading that information too.

**

Hello to Guest 6 Apr 09 - 10:35 AM, Guest 20 Apr 09 - 07:20 PM and GUEST,345!
Thanks for sharing the versions of this rhyme that you know.

Guest 345, I'm particularly interested in your version because I've not read or heard that part about "7 up a double these now im talkin beligue 7up a double threes i said i do i didnt didnt dong didnt do i said i do i didnt didnt dong didnt do 1,2,3 base on me"

-snip-

I'd really appreciate it if you could post some demographical information such as where you learned this (city, state if in the USA, city/country if outside of the USA), when (year, decade such as the late 1990s), who (gender/s, ages, and race/ethnicity of those who performed this rhyme) and category (for instance, is this a circle/group hand clap rhyme or is it a partner-two people hand clap rhyme?)

Also I'd appreciate it if you would tell us what "1,2,3 base on me" means.

Thanks!

Ms. Azizi

PS: To all guests who post on this thread (and any other Mudcat thread), membership is free and easy to do. Just click on that membership feature near the top right hand corner of this page and follow the steps that show up on that page. One benefit of membership is that you can keep track of all of your postings on this forum (Guest 3,4,5-I think I recently read another post of yours but I can't remember what thread it was in. Thanks for that one too!) Another benefit of Mudcat membership is that you can exchange private electronic messages with other members. That's what that PM in the comment headings mean.

I hope you all decide to join Mudcat!

Best wishes,

Azizi

Subject: down by the riverside
From: GUEST,345
Date: 28 Apr 09 - 04:47 PM

this is how it go:down by the riverside siad a hanky panky said bull frog jump frog yo mama stanky said a A-E-I-O-U BAM BOO micheal jackson went to town coke cola shot him down 7 up a doulbe these now im talkin beligue 7up a double threes i said i do i didnt didnt dong didnt do i said i do i didnt didnt dong didnt do 1,2,3 base on me

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Apr 09 - 07:20 PM

Short Version:
Down by the banks of the hanky panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
Where the eeps, ops, sodapops
Hey Mr. Willie and he went ker-plops

Long Version:
Down by the banks of the hanky panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
Where the eeps, ops, sodapops
Hey Mr. Willie and he went ker-plops
With a cherry on top
Here come the animals two-by-two
Hippopotamous and Kangaroo
Kaboo Kaboo
Hippopotamous and Kangaroo

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Apr 09 - 10:35 AM

West london , i was thinking of this song for some odd reason from when i was like 7 (17 now) and i remember it going.

Down by the river near hanky panky where the two fat frogs sit bank to banky with a oooh ah oooh ah pick a number right now.


game of some sort?

Also heard a rude one before:

Down near the river near the bank banky where the two fat frogs have hanky panky...somthing like that o.0

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 11 Apr 09 - 05:39 PM

The quote from McDougal reminds me of a parallel smart-alecky reply:

"What's your name?" – "Puddentain. [However you spell it.] Ask me again, I'll tell you the same."

I learned that from a "Little Rascals/Our Gang" comedy that was shown on TV when I was a kid in the 1950s. (Who said it? Stymie?)

– but it goes back at least to –

From The Beulah Spa (a play) by Charles Dance (London: John Miller, 1833):

MAG. ... What is her name?

HEC. Pudding and tame—if you ask me again I shall tell you the same.

(Sorry for the thread creep.)

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: Azizi
Date: 11 Apr 09 - 05:21 PM

Jim Dixon, those are great finds!

I'm not sure if I reposted this example on this thread or not.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Way Down Yonder on Beaver Creek
From: GUEST,Sharon oehler - PM
Date: 28 Feb 05 - 04:52 PM

Way down yonder in the Piankatank
A bullfrog jumped from bank to bank
He skinned his leg from shank to shank
Way down yonder in the Piankatank

The Piankatank is a river in Virginia that runs to the Cheasepeake Bay
Song a legend in those parts

thread.cfm?threadid=6853#1521078

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 11 Apr 09 - 05:07 PM

From The Long Roll (a novel) by Mary Johnston, with illustrations by N. C. Wyeth (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1911):

Being largely Valley of Virginia Virginians, Louisianians, Georgians, Texans, and North Carolinians, the army had acquaintance slight or none with the country through which it was passing. Gordonsville left behind, unfamiliarity began. "What's this county? What's that place over there? What's that river? Can't be the Potomac, can it? Naw, 'taint wide enough!"—"Gentlemen, I think it is the Rappahannock."—"Go away! it is the headwaters of the York."—"Rapidan maybe, or Rivanna."—"Probably Pamunkey, or the Piankatank,

Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank."

From Recollections, 1844-1909 (autobiography) by Henry Clay McDougal (Kansas City, Mo.: Franklin Hudson Publishing Co., 1911)

She was born and reared down in the tide-water country of Virginia, and in that part of the footstool, away back in Colonial days, when the planter did not wish to disclose his exact location, or the human interrogation point propounded the inquisitive question, he had the answer: "From Pianketank (sic), where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank."

From Wikipedia:

The Piankatank River is a river in the United States state of Virginia. Located on the Middle Peninsula, between the Rappahannock and York Rivers, it was the site of numerous actions during the American Civil War.

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: Azizi
Date: 08 Apr 09 - 06:09 PM

Wow! "Michael Jordan went to town"-that's the first time I read that version.

Thanks for sharing that GUEST,Jenny.

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,Jenny
Date: 08 Apr 09 - 05:55 PM

Here is the one
I know:

Down by the banks of the hanky Panky
where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
with an a e i o u
Michael jordan went to town
coca cola shot him down
Mountain dew shot him up
now were talkin 7 up
7 up has no cafene
now were talkin billie jean
billie jean went down the street singin
doo a dilly dilly dum dilly do
singin do a dilly dily dum dilly do


That is the version that I know...

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: Azizi
Date: 07 Apr 09 - 09:40 AM

GUEST 07 Apr 09 - 01:08 AM , thanks for sharing that example here. I really appreciate your comments as they add another perspective about the "pledge allegiance rhyme that hadn't occcurred to me.

Guest, I am going to take the liberty of reposting your comment on this Mudcat thread Homophobia In Playground Rhymes as I believe it adds to the consideration of that topic.

Thanks again, and also I appreciate your inclusion of demographical information.

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Apr 09 - 01:08 AM

The version that I learned as a child (Arizona in the 1980s) were:

Down by banks of the hanky panky
where the bullfrog jumps from bank to banky
With a hip, hip, hip, hop
He jumps from a lilypad --
KERPLOP

This was sung, so it was likely taught to us by adults at summer camp.

My friends and I also had variants of the other rhymes, but they were separate:

Coca-cola went to town
Pepsi Cola shot him down
Doctor Pepper fixed him up
And now we're drinking Seven-up
(sung to the tune of Yankee Doodle)

and the rhyme in question:
I pledge allegiance to the flag, Michael Jackson is a fag.

That was 1985 give or take a year. The version I knew from childhood did not include the line about little toys or little boys. I believe this predates the sex scandals. Rather, the faggotry in question was his wearing a white glove, prancing on stage, and grabbing his crotch. I distinctly recall that none of my friends knew what a fag was, but Michal Jackson grabbing his crotch was a sources of considerable discussion.

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: Azizi
Date: 05 Apr 09 - 12:05 PM

Thanks, hiroko for sharing your school's version. If you check back here, it would be great if you could add the city/state your school is in and when (year or decade) you said this rhyme and if it was a hand clap rhyme or not.

I'm asking people to include that information because I'm trying to see if there are similarities or differences that could be documented with how this rhyme is said and performed in different parts of the USA or elsewhere and whether there are differences between the rhymes at different times.

Thanks!

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,hiroko
Date: 05 Apr 09 - 10:29 AM

at my school it goes like this. (some lyrics are missing, though)

Down by the river of the hanky panky
where bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
say a,e,i,o,u
old lady said "ding dong"
Yo mama smell like king kong
michael jackson came to town
coca cola brought him down (note: him is michael jackson)
coca cola brought him up
now we're talkin' seven up
seven up has no caffiene
now we're talking billie jean
billie jean (is) insane at night
now we're talkin' dynamite
dynamite blew up the school
now we're talkin' really cool

and that's all I know. :)

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: Azizi
Date: 04 Apr 09 - 01:20 PM

GUEST Graywolf, thanks for sharing your version of this rhyme.

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,Graywolf
Date: 04 Apr 09 - 01:14 PM

When i was a child it was


down by the banks of the hanky banky
where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
singin eeps, ipes, ops, oopsopop and a soda pop!
pepsi cola gingerale, gingerale, gingerale, gingerale, gingerale,
pepsi cola gingerale, 7up! 7up! 7up! your OUT!

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: Azizi
Date: 31 Mar 09 - 12:19 PM

GUEST,Momo, thanks for sharing the version of this rhyme that you know.

As to your comment asking if your version is "correct" or "right", let me say this:

We may think that a rhyme has the wrong words because those words are different from the way we learned it. We may think that the way other people do (play) that rhyme is different because it's not the same way we learned it. But when it comes to playground rhymes, there is no right version or wrong version.

When it comes to children's playground rhymes, people can talk about whether they correctly remember the version that they heard or saw or read. And people can talk about whether a version of a rhyme is like or is different from the earliest version of that rhyme that was collected and written down or recorded.

And although people can say that the way they learned that playground rhyme is the only right way to say it, hopefully the more people read so many different versions of one rhyme on the Internet and elsewhere, they'll realize that playground rhymes don't have anything to do with right and wrong words.

Best wishes,

Ms. Azizi

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,Momo
Date: 30 Mar 09 - 11:36 PM

I dont think those are correct. My friend says:


Down by the banks of the hanky panky
where the bull frogs jump from bank to banky
And the eeps opps soda pops!
And frog had a baby
KER-PLOP!


Is that right?

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: Azizi
Date: 13 Mar 09 - 02:04 AM

Guest, Uly, thanks for sharing your memory of that song.

That version is a variant form of the song "Way down yonder on the Yankety-Yank" that is found in the Pete Seegar story The Foolish Frog

See these two comments from this Mudcat thread Way Down Yonder on Beaver Creek

Subject: RE: Way Down Yonder on Beaver Creek
From: GUEST,Ellen - PM
Date: 12 Feb 04 - 11:14 AM

"The Foolish Frog" was told to Pete Seeger by his father, according to PETE SEEGER'S STORYTELLING BOOK by Pete Seeger and Paul Dubois Jacobs, Harcourt, Inc. copyright 2000. I'm looking for the tune.
Shalom,
Ellen

-snip-

and

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Way Down Yonder on Beaver Creek
From: GUEST,Sharon oehler - PM
Date: 28 Feb 05 - 04:52 PM

Way down yonder in the Piankatank
A bullfrog jumped from bank to bank
He skinned his leg from shank to shank
Way down yonder in the Piankatank

The Piankatank is a river in Virginia that runs to the Cheasepeake Bay
Song a legend in those parts

-snip-

These comments suggest that the "Hanky Panky" rhymes are a part of the very very old family of songs which include the still widely known "Frog Went A Courtin'" song and the song (or a chorus of Frog Went A Courtin') "Keemo Kimo".

Thanks again, Guest Uly, for reminding me to post that information in this thread.

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,Uly
Date: 12 Mar 09 - 09:38 PM

The first I ever heard this rhyme - and I've seen a number of versions in a very short time since! - was in a Mother Goose book I got for my nieces, where it runs

Way down yonder on the the Piankitank
Where the bullfrog leaps from bank to bank
And skins his knee from shank to shank
Way down yonder on the Piankitank

It's so different from the other versions I've seen, but I'm sure it's related! The book was first published in... oh, I think the 40s or 50s.

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: Azizi
Date: 11 Mar 09 - 10:36 PM

Thanks for sharing your version, Guest, Samantha!