Lyr Req: Child's rhyme 'I went to the barber's'

Subject: Lyr Req: Child's rhyme 'I went to the barber's '
From: Michael
Date: 24 Dec 08 - 05:25 AM

We have a half remembered 'jogging baby on your knee' rhyme which alludes to Sweeney Todd:-
"I went to the barber's shop
-------------------hair chop.
---------the chair went drop"
(drop baby through knees)

Can anyone fill the gaps?

Thanks
Mike

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Child's rhyme 'I went to the barber's '
From: Michael
Date: 26 Dec 08 - 10:33 AM

refresh

Mike

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Child's rhyme 'I went to the barber's '
From: Azizi
Date: 26 Dec 08 - 12:00 PM

Sorry, Mike. I don't know this rhyme. :o(

The only "rhyme" that I can think of off the top of my head that mentions barbers is this verse from the military cadence "Mama Mama Can't You See". Here's an example from http://alcoholpowered10.multiply.com/journal/item/4/Mama_mama_cant_you_see_What_the_Armys_done_to_me :

"Mama, mama can't you see? / What the Army's done to me? Nov 18, '07 9:41 PM
for everyone

Mama, mama can't you see? / What the Army's done to me? / They put me in a barber's chair. / Spun me 'round, I had no hair./ I used to drive a Cadillac. / Now I'm marching in a pack. / I used to drive a Chevrolet. / Now I'm marching for my pay. / They took away my T.V. / Got me doing I.T.


Tiffy Tiffy Tiffy Lou, love my rifle more than you. Used to be my beauty queen, now I love my M16.

If I die in a combat zone
Box me up and ship me home"

-snip-

Yes, I know. That military chant has nothing what so ever to do with the 'jogging baby on your knee' rhyme you requested. But "Mama Mama Can't You See" is a title of a children's handclap rhyme whose words are very much like that military cadence, so thinking of it in response to your query isn't all that far fetched. Besides, you asked about a jogging rhyme, and I posted an example of a military cadence. Get it? jogging/cadence...

Yeah, that's even a stretch for me. My apologies.

:o)

Btw, I hope at the end of the rhyme you are requesting, that the baby really wasn't dropped through the adult's knees.

Seriously, Mike, I hope someone posts some information about your baby jogging rhyme.

Best wishes,

Azizi

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Child's rhyme 'I went to the barber's'
From: GUEST,charl
Date: 02 Mar 09 - 12:16 PM

I went to the barber's shop, to have my hair cut off,
and when i was there i sat on a chair and the chair went chop/drop?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Child's rhyme 'I went to the barber's'
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Jun 09 - 05:45 AM

thank you very much for marching song! bout Cadillac and chevrolet))

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Child's rhyme 'I went to the barber's'
From: GUEST,Michael
Date: 27 Aug 09 - 06:03 PM

It's 'And the chair went plop!"

Its usually sung while bouncing a child on your knee, and you pretend you're going to drop them at the 'plop' part. I've been told it originates with the story of Sweeney Todd, which would be in keeping with many macabre themes of Victorian era nursery rhymes.

Subject: 'I went to the barber's'
From: GUEST,me.
Date: 04 Aug 10 - 10:50 AM

went to the barbers, to cut my hair, they cut it long, cut it short, cut it with a knife and fork.
do you know the begining of this song ?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Child's rhyme 'I went to the barber's'
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Aug 10 - 11:56 AM

i went to the barbers shop
to buy a stick of rock
when i got there i satin the chair
and the chair went flop!!!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Child's rhyme 'I went to the barber's'
From: RunrigFan
Date: 27 Feb 11 - 03:29 AM

Iwent to the barbers shop, to get mi hair cut off, and when I got there I sat in the chair & the chair went...WHISTLE..plop

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Child's rhyme 'I went to the barber's'
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Jul 12 - 04:35 PM

It is based on the legend of Sweeney Todd going to the barbers for a hair cut and the chair flopping down

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Child's rhyme 'I went to the barber's'
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Jul 12 - 07:06 PM

I went to the barbers shop to get my hair cut off but when I got there I sat in the chair and the chair went plop

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Child's rhyme 'I went to the barber's'
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Jan 14 - 05:10 PM

A boy went and sat in the barbershop,
He sat in the chair to get his hair chopped off,
A boy went and sat in the barbershop,
He sat in the chair and the chair went 'plop'

This is how my mum used to sing it to me, very macabre reference to the Demon Barber.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Child's rhyme 'I went to the barber's'
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Apr 14 - 05:21 AM

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Child's rhyme 'I went to the barber's'
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Dec 17 - 10:10 AM

i went to the barbers shop
but the barbers shop was closed
i saw an old lady and i sat on her toes

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Child's rhyme 'I went to the barber's'
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 28 Dec 17 - 10:53 AM

The chant we have in our family is as 24 July 12, but the actions slightly different.

toddler, say 6 months to 3 years sat facing you on your knees. The fun for the child is in the anticipated 'drop' which can be delayed a little for effect. Holding onto the child's body or hands, child sitting. Chant very staccato and rhythmical, on 'plop' you open your knees and the child falls through but still held onto so it can't hurt itself. Repeated for as long as the child is still laughing or until you retire exhausted (more likely the latter).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Child's rhyme 'I went to the barber's'
From: GUEST,Matty
Date: 29 Jul 20 - 06:52 AM

Made you look, Made you stare, Made the barber cut your hair, He cut it long, He cut it short, He cut it with a knife and fork.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Child's rhyme 'I went to the barber's'
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 29 Jul 20 - 09:25 AM

Made you look, made you stare
Made you cut the barber's hair
The barber's hair was full of dicks (lice)
Made you eat em, all but six.

Child's piece of trickery. You ask the victim to look at something with no real reason and then chant the above when they look.

Logic would dictate that the previous example second line is closer to the original, but my version is 1950s at least.

Hull, UK, 1950s

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Child's rhyme 'I went to the barber's'
From: Mo the caller
Date: 30 Jul 20 - 08:33 AM

Logic might suggest which version came first, but the beauty of children's rhymes is the inventiveness of the parodies.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Child's rhyme 'I went to the barber's'
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Mar 23 - 12:28 PM

I went to the barber shop
To buy a stick of rock
When he got there
He sat on a chair
And the chair went ‘plop’

Clearly mistook the stripy barber pole for a shop selling seaside rock (originally from Bkackpool)