Lyr Req: Playground songs

Subject: Playground songs
From: GUEST,Christine Savage & Dave Minikin
Date: 19 Feb 00 - 06:08 PM

We are currently looking for playground songs and tunes, old and new. This could be songs you recall from childhood, or have heard recently being sung.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: Snuffy
Date: 19 Feb 00 - 07:00 PM

Enter @kids in the Lyrics search box - there's well over 100. You could also try @playparty.

Wassail!

V

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: Joe Offer
Date: 19 Feb 00 - 07:20 PM

Hi, Dave & Christine - there was a terrific resource at the University of West Florida called the "Jumprope Hypertext Archive." It's gone now, darn it. I wasn't smart enough at the time to save an HTML copy of the archive. I later found a text file of it, but it isn't as pretty. I'd be glad to e-mail it to you. Click on my name below to e-mail me if you'd like a copy.
You may also enjoy our two "Naughty Kids" threads, here (click) and here (cluck).
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 19 Feb 00 - 07:35 PM

I assume you've checked out some of the published sources, such as Peter and Iona Opie's Lore and Language of School Children, Oxford University Press, and William Wells Newell's Games and Songs of American Children which was first published in 1883 (reprinted by Dover in 1963) which might well be the first example of published field-collected children's material in America. Edith Fowke's Sally Go Round the Sun colorfully presents some recent children's playground material gathered in Canada.

The Library of Congress Archive of Folk Culture produced an album of kid's material, too. I can't recall the title, off-hand, but they included a song, "Roaches No More," that I collected 33 years ago from some neat African-American girls from Harlem and Bedford-Stuyvesant.

Sandy

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: Penny S.
Date: 20 Feb 00 - 01:18 PM

Two items from the school I went to between 7 and 14. I believe the first originated there, and it remains unfinished. The tunes should be obvious.

Say what you will, school dinners make you ill,
And Davy Crockett dies of shepherds' pie.
All school din-dins come from pig-bins,
Why, O why?

(At the end of each day, the pig men came and collected waste food in galvanised metal dustbins, hence pig-bins.)

Oh, the Yellow Rose of Texas,
The Man from Laramie,
Went to Davy Crockett's,
To have a cup of tea.
The tea was so delicious,
They had another cup,
And left poor Davy Crockett,
To do the washing up.

Penny

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: Barky
Date: 20 Feb 00 - 08:52 PM

Ahem:
Jaimie and Richie,
Sittin in a tree.
K-I-S-S-I-N-G
First comes love,
then comes marriage,
then comes baby in a baby carriage!

~Barky

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 20 Feb 00 - 10:58 PM

Kid's songs, along with bawdy songs and army/navy songs are probably the purest examples of the folk tradition extant. Botkin collected som, Tony Schwartz collected some, Pankake collected some. So did many others, and I'd be delighted if somebody posted some of them.

Some of my personal favorites:

Margarite, go wash your feet, the Board of Health is across the street.

I should worry, I should care, I should marry a millionaire;
He should die,I should cry, I should marry another guy.

I should worry, I should fret, I should marry a suffragette...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: GUEST,Patrish
Date: 21 Feb 00 - 04:18 AM

Dave are you going to Jims birthday do?
Patrish

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: Mbo
Date: 21 Feb 00 - 11:54 AM

I was weird! Kids didn't really understand my singing of Hank Williams Jr. songs on the playground when I was 7. They probably didn't even know what country music was! "You've got it made in the shade, sugar--but don't let that tree fall down on you!" Yeah-yeah!

--Mbo

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: GUEST,PM
Date: 21 Feb 00 - 01:53 PM

We used to play skipping ropes to this song: Jelly on a plate, jelly on a plate, wibble wobble, wibble wobble, jelly on a plate. We would skip pretending we were wobbling like a jelly.

The next verse was: Sausage in a pan, sausage in a pan, sizzle sazzle, sizzle sazzle, sausage in a pan. To that we would cross and uncross our feet as we jumped. There were many other verses but I can't remember them. Anyone else know?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: black walnut
Date: 21 Feb 00 - 02:04 PM

Sweeties in the jar, Sweeties in the jar, Pick them out, pick them out, Sweeties in the jar.

Sausages in the pan, sausages in the pan, Turn them over, turn them over, Sausages in the pan.

Biscuits in the tin, Biscuits in the tin, Shake them up, Shake them up, Biscuits in the tin.

Fire on the floor, Fire on the floor, Stamp it out, Stamp it out, Fire on the floor.

Ghosties in the house, Ghosties in the house, Shoo them out, Shoo them out, Ghosties in the house. ..............................................

and i remember a skipping song that went something like this...

My mother and your mother were hanging up the clothes. Your mother hit my mother right in the nose. What colour was the blood? Red, black, red, black,....

i think the rope went fast on 'red, black...', and you jumped until you tripped the rope. does that one sound familiar to anyone?

~black walnut

Subject: Lyr Add: ???
From: Metchosin
Date: 21 Feb 00 - 02:58 PM

That one doesn't sound familiar but it reminded me of these:

I had a little dog
His name was Tiny Tim
Put him in the bathtub to see if he could swim
Drank all the water
Ate all the soap
Had to phone the doctor before he choked
In came the doctor
In came the nurse
In came the lady with the big fat purse
Out went the doctor
Out went the nurse
Out went the lady with the big fat purse.

Down the Mississippi
Where the boats go Push

I had a little car
1948
Went around a corner
And I slammed on the brakes

Policeman policeman
Do your duty
Here comes (insert name)
The bathing beauty
She can do the rhumba
She can do the splits
She can lift her dress
Right over her hips.

On a mountain stands a lady
Who she is I do not know
I'll go ask her hand in marriage
She must answer: (pepper - for those that don't remmeber really fast)
Tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor
Richman, poorman, beggerman, thief
Doctor, lawyer, Indian chief

Miss Polly had a dolly who was sick sick sick
So she called for the doctor to come quick quick quick
The doctor came with his bag and his hat
And he knocked at the door with a rat tat tat
He looked at the dolly and he shook his head
And he said Miss Polly put the dolly to bed
He sent her to the store for a pill pill pill
Saying I'll be back in the morning with the bill bill bill

From the days in Canada before Medicare.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: GUEST,_gargoyle
Date: 21 Feb 00 - 03:36 PM

The Smithsonian issued a CD (1995?) taken from field recordings and the Library of Congress.....

It appears I have loaned my copy out.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: Metchosin
Date: 21 Feb 00 - 04:02 PM

Edith Fowke also put out a book containing 300 songs, rhymes and singing games called Sally Goes Round the Sun, published by McClelland and Stewart.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: Mbo
Date: 21 Feb 00 - 04:05 PM

Wow! Garg, field recording for children's songs! What a concept! That Smithsonian does some cool stuff!

--Mbo

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: Osmium
Date: 21 Feb 00 - 04:11 PM

Isla St.Clair has recorded many Children's dities collected from Scotland dating back to when the rocks were formed on recent CD's she has released.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: wysiwyg
Date: 21 Feb 00 - 04:15 PM

A lot of these will sing either to blues or t Shotnoin Bread, needing only a chorus.

Subject: Lyr Add: ???
From: Snuffy
Date: 21 Feb 00 - 07:22 PM

Charlie, Charlie, chuck-chuck-chuck
Went to bed with three young ducks
One duck died
Charlie cried
Charlie, Charlie, chuck-chuck-chuck


Not last night, but the night before,
Three old tomcats knocking at the door
One had whisky, one had rum
And one had a pancake stuck to his bum


Bonfire night, the stars are bright
Three little angles dressed in white
One had a whistle one had a drum
And one had a pancake stuck to his bum


Wassail!


Snuffy

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: GUEST,Penny S. (elsewhere)
Date: 19 Nov 02 - 06:56 AM

Further up on this thread I have attributed a particular rhyme about school dinners to my school. I have now better recall. The first two lines,

Say what you will, school dinners make you ill,
And Davy Crockett died of shepherd's pie,

arrived at our private school from a local secondary modern in Folkestone via a girl with friends there. The second two lines,

All school din-dins
Come from pig bins,

I remember a group of us making up. I gather from other threads that this version has been known in other places. It would be interesting to trace the other places and dates if possible - the year of the Fess Parker Disney film would be probable, if it fits with the Southern Television programme Out of Town, which used the tune as its theme. The South of England would be likely, too, because of the local nature of the programme.

Parallel evolution is possible, of course.

Any help?

Penny

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: GUEST,Paul Burke
Date: 19 Nov 02 - 08:40 AM

Have you seen a woman with a big red nose
Looking for a house to let?
A house to let, apply within,
When I go out Jenny Jones* comes in

*name to suit

Skipping song Salford Lancs late 1950's

Also (forgive the language, no one though twice about it then, sadly)

There was a little nigger boy, his knees were double- jointed,
He gave me a kiss and he left me disappointed.
He gave me another, just to match the other,
Oh, Eileen, I'll tell yor mother,
Kissing little nigger boys down by the river.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: GUEST,Jonathan UK
Date: 20 Feb 05 - 04:18 PM

I can recall excerpts rom two songs which date (at least) from the early 1960's. The Davy Crockett reference was presumably from a TV series shown on TV after school in those days. Funnily enough, I don't ever remember hearing more than thatr first couplet:

"Say what you will, school dinners make you ill
Davy Crockett died of Shepherd's pie!"
[followed by laughter f course.]

The other is contemporaneous with the first (so far as I know) - although of course these things may go back generations, just as the playground games do...

"Ugly, mugly custard, bogey snotty pie
All mixed up in a dead dog's eye
Stir it, stir it, stir it thick
Was it all down with a hot cup of sick!"

LOL!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 20 Feb 05 - 05:15 PM

Here comes Rosie,
Blow her big nosie.
Out comes snot,
Nice and hot,
Chewin' gum, chewin' gum.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: Azizi
Date: 20 Feb 05 - 09:23 PM

In 2003 Q visited my website Cocojams. At that time the focus of Cocojams was to provide examples and my commentary on African American children's games songs,rhymes & chants And secular African American slave songs. [Thank you Q for letting me know about Mudcat, although it took me till Sept. 2005 to join!]

Cocojams'focus has recently changed to that of place where people can share their memories about everyday experiences or eventful experiences. However, Cocojams still includes examples of and commentary on children's games songs, rhymes, and chants. There are also a few examples of African American slavery dance songs; Civil Rights Freedom songs; and African American university Greek letter fraternity and sorority chants.

One example of a handclap rhyme found there is DOUBLE THIS
Double double this this

Double double that that

Double this

Double that

Double this and that.

For more examples visit Cocojams

I am particularly interested in variations of children's rhymes and commentary/demographics about those rhymes as I am working on a book on that subject.
   
Also, you will see a number of my Mudcat posts on Cocojams. You will also find some re-posts from other Mudcatters. The re-posts from Mudcat members were used with their prior permission.

May I also say that Cocojams is a work in progress. Your input and support would be VERY greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Azizi

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: Azizi
Date: 20 Feb 05 - 09:25 PM

Well I meant that I joined Mudcat in Sept 2004. Sorry about that.
Darn if I don't need a proof reader!

Azizi

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: Viracocha
Date: 30 Jul 07 - 08:23 AM

Um...playground rhymes... When I was little...

Choosing 'It' games

Ip dip
Sky blue
All out
But you
or
Ip dip
[or 'dog s**t]
You are
Not 'It'
or a huge long one about
Mickey Mouse
In his house
Pulling on his troosers
...But I can't remember any more. Got quite lewd, though. I think he had blue pants too.

A clapping rhyme:

Myyyyyy boyfriend gave me an apple
My boyfriend gave me a pear
My boyfriend gave me a [pretend to kiss other person's cheeks x3]
And I threw him down the stairs

I threw him over London
I threw him over France [fran(t)ss]
I threw him over the USA
And he lost his underpants [note: 'underpants' is just to scan, we usually used 'pants']

IIIIII gave him back his apple
I gave him back his pear
I gave him back his [pretend to kiss other person's cheeks x3]
And he threw me down the stairs

He threw me over London
He threw me over France
He threw me over the USA
And I lost my underpants

There was another verse, but I honestly can't remember where it goes from here.

Skipping games

APPLE CRUMBLE APPLE TART
(the idea was to go through all options for each line, and stop where the 'skipper' tripped. You could go through several times)

Apple crumble apple tart
What's the initial of your true sweetheart?A,B,C,D... [then again for surname - we were precise!]

Will you get married? Yes, no, yes...

[only if yes] Where'll you marry? Church, stable, pigsty, toilet, church...

How many children will you have? 1,2,3...

What kind of children will you have? Girls, boys, both, twins, girls...

[some people let you choose further if you tripped on 'twins' - 'girls, boys, both...' again)


BALLERINA
Ballerina ballerina
Turn around
Ballerina ballerina
Touch the ground
Ballerina ballerina
Double quick
Ballerina ballerina
Do the splits!

The trick was to do it all skipping. Then there was the more dangerous "Helicopter helicopter turn around, helicopter helicopter touch the ground" - not really a skipping game, but someone held the ends of the rope and span like a helicopter. Everyone had to duck and jump, while staying in place. That one was banned :(

Then there was French skipping (with a french-skipping-rope)

Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales (or England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales)
Inside Outside Donkies' TAILS!

Then there was the obscure Kings and Queens arrivin'

KINGS AND QUEENS ARRIVIN'

[We split into two large teams, and each team joined hands, so there were two long strings of people facing each other. We skipped in towards the other team together, then out together.]

Kings and Queens arrivin'
Arrivin'
Arrivin'
Kings and Queens arrivin'
Ipsy Dipsy
Dee-eye-oh
[stop skipping. The first team went into a huddle, and picked a person from the second team. The second team pretended not to be trying to hear. Then the first team skipped in and out, singing:]
The first name is [insert two-syllable insult, such as Smelly]
Smelly
Smelly
The first name is Smelly
Ipsy Dipsy
Dee-eye-oh

[second team - something like:]
Who one Earth is Smelly? (possibly "Who're you callin' Smelly?")
Smelly
Smelly
Who one Earth is Smelly?
Ipsy Dipsy
Dee-eye-oh

[first team]
The second name is [first name of person picked, eg Johnny]
Johnny
Johnny
The second name is Johnny
Ipsy Dipsy
Dee-eye-oh

[then there would be a huge exchange. The first team would want Smelly Johnny, and the second team wouldn't want to hand him over, and offer someone else. I think that bit ceased to be fun and got dropped. The insults could be quite harsh, and the game sometimes was played with teams half-sulking!]

-Viracocha

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: Viracocha
Date: 30 Jul 07 - 08:26 AM

Oh! Forgot to say. All the above are from Portlethen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, in the early 90s...

-Viracocha

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: Viracocha
Date: 31 Jul 07 - 05:43 AM

Argh. This is what I get for rushing things. Kings and Queens arrivin' has a second verse, sung by both skipping teams.

Who ye gauny marry?
Marry
Marry
Who ye gauny marry?
Ipsy Dipsy
Dee-eye-oh

And the end is, my sisters have reminded me, a bit like 'in and out of the dusty bluebells', dancing under the other team's arms...and grabbing the 'Smelly', or whoever...I'd be really interested to find out if anywhere else had anything remotely similar...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: GUEST,Jonny Sunshine
Date: 31 Jul 07 - 07:37 AM

A favourite from when I was 5 (it seemed sooo rude then!)

Mary had a little lamb, she thought him rather silly
She threw him up into the ari and caught him by his

Willy was a watchdog sitting in the grass
Along came a bumble bee and stung him on the

Ask no questions tell no lies
Ever see a policeman doing up his

Flies are a nuisance, bees are worse
That's the end of my silly little verse

I tried searching for some of the lines and came up with
online dictionary of playground slang

A choosing game like some of the ones mention above went:

ippy dippy dation
my operation
how many platforms at the station
1,2,3 .. (etc stop when you get to someone you want to be "it", in your football team etc)

Some years back there was a project in Camden (that's in London UK) which collected children's songs from around the world all rfom children in schools in the borough: Camden World Song project

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: GUEST,Ewan McVicar
Date: 31 Jul 07 - 06:05 PM

Look out for Doh Ray Me When Ah Wiz Wee, 900 Scots kids rhymes of the last 150 years, published in October by Birlinn of Edinburgh.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: Mo the caller
Date: 01 Aug 07 - 01:30 PM

In London in the late 40s it wasn't a Ballerina, it was
Teddy bear, teddy bear turn around
Teddy bear, teddy bear touch the ground
Teddy bear, teddy bear go up stairs
Teddy bear, teddy bear say your prayers (hold hands together)
Teddy bear, teddy bear turn out the light
Teddy bear, teddy bear say goodnight
Goodnight

I seem to remember doing it skipping in a long rope
Also at Junior school (age about 10)someone showed me this finger rhyme
This is the church (lock your hands together)
This is the steeple (point index fingers up, together)
open the door
and see all the people (with fingers still interlocked turn hands so that palms and finger are up)
Here is the parson going upstairs (two fingers climb a staircase of the knuckles of the other hand)
Here is the parson saying his prayers (hands together)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: Azizi
Date: 01 Aug 07 - 03:23 PM

Viracocha, I loved reading your examples! Thanks for sharing them.
As Mo mentioned in her post, when I was growing up {in Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA{ the "Ballerina" example was done to the words "Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear". Btw, in New Jersey {and in Pennsylvania where I live now} "skipping" rhymes are called "jump rope rhymes".

Viracocha, your "Helicopter, Helicopter" reminds me a little of the jump rope rhyme:
motor cycle, motor cycle
move so fast
motor cycle, motor cycle
put on the gas.

[at these words, the people turning the ropes would turn them even faster, and the jumper would have to keep up by jumping fast or she'd or {less often} he'd miss and a new jumper would jump in to take that jumper's place. I remember that sometimes the jumper would let other kids jump along with them. But if one person missed, all those jumping at that turn were out.

**

I don't remember reciting your "my boyfriend gave me an apple" rhyme. But the words to this rhyme live on in a lot of examples of {what is usually now a handclap rhyme} "Miss Susie Had A Steamboat". Here's the lines as they are usually given in those rhymes:

"My mother gave me a nickel/ My father gave me a dime/ My sister gave me her old boyfriend/ His name was Frankenstein/He made me do the dishes/He made me wash the floors/He made me clean his underwear/So I kicked him out the door/I kicked him over London/ I kicked him over France/I kicked him over Hawaii/where he learned the hula dance."

For examples of those rhymes, you can visit this page on my website:
Cocojams; Handclap and Jump Rope Rhymes

**

I don't remember reciting the "Apples, Crumble Apple Tart" one that you shared, though it sounds very much like some rhymes that begin with "Apples, Peaches, [and something else] that I have collected.
I also don't remember the " Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales" rhyme that you shared. Nor do I remember ever seeing it in print before. With regard to that rhyme, you wrote:

"Then there was French skipping (with a french-skipping-rope)

Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales (or England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales)
Inside Outside Donkies' TAILS!"

-snip-

My question is what is "French skipping"? Is it like what we called "Double Dutch" when two ropes are turned with each one simultaneously going the other direction and a jumper or jumper in the middle? Unfortunately, I never was able to jump Double Dutch jumping and I never was able to turn the ropes for Double Dutch either.

**

In my next post to this thread, I'll share an example of a movement rhyme that I collected that seems very much like your "Kings and Queens Arriving" rhyme.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: Azizi
Date: 01 Aug 07 - 03:48 PM

WE'RE RIDING HERE TO GET MARRIED

Directions: The girls form a horizontal line and stand facing boys who have also formed a horizontal line. In the 1st part of this singing game, the girls sing and skip four steps for each phrase toward the boys and the boys sing while skipping four steps for each phrase toward the girls. The singing game turns into a chasing game at a specific part of the chant.

Girls:
We're riding here to get married
Married, Married
Riding here to get married.
Ah Rhythm Ah Diddee
Ah Diddee High Oh

Boys:
Who you gonna marry?
Marry, Marry
Who you gonna marry?
Ah Rhythm Ah Diddee
Ah Diddee High Oh

Girls:
We're gonna marry Johnny *
Johnny, Johnny
We're gonna marry Johnny
Johnny, Johnny
Ah Rhythm Ah Diddee
Ah Diddee High Oh

Boys:
How ya gonna get him?
Get Him, Get Him
How ya gonna get him
Ah Rhythm Ah Diddee
Ah Diddee High Oh

Girls:
We'll break the doors and windows
Windows, Windows
We'll break the doors and windows
Ah Rhythm Ah Diddee
A Diddee High Oh

Boys:
You'll get all dirty and greasy
Greasy, Greasy
You'll get all dirty and greasy
Ah Rhythm Ah Diddee
Ah Diddee High Oh

Girls:
We're not as greasy and you are
You are, You are
We're not as greasy as you are
Ah Rhythm A Diddee
A Diddee High Oh

Girls:
Are you coming? [Spoken loudly]

Boys:
NO!        [Yelled]

* another boy's name can be substituted for "Johnny"

Part II:
When the boys yell "No!", the girls began to chase the boys. They are suppose to particularly focus on the boy whose name had been given in the chant. The boys run away. They are suppose to try to protect the boy whose name had been called from being caught by the girls. But, actually, when this game was played, the girls tried to catch any boy playing the game, and particularly focused on the boy who they liked.

-Bartbara Ray, {African American woman} 1950s, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; collected by Azizi Powell, 1992.

-snip-

My "informant" for this rhyme was a girlfriend/work colleague of mine, an African American woman, Barbara Ray, who responded to a written survey of children's rhymes that I had asked people to complete in 1992. Barbara remembers this from the 1950s Pittsburgh. She wrote that "When I was growing up girls and boys would sometimes play together. This was before boys started playing sports like little league softball and football. We were different ages but mostly elementary school age. Of course, the girls would pick the boys they liked the best to chase after. We played this on the sidewalk and in the streets when no cars were coming. Kids now days don't sing songs like this. They still play hide & go but it's just someone counting to ten and then the rest of the kids hiding. I think our way was more fun".

-snip-

I don't remember this rhyme or one like it from my childhood. I also have not seen or heard of it from other children, youth, or adults since I started collecting rhymes in the late 1980s {mostly among African Americans in the Pittsburgh Pennsylvania area}.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: Azizi
Date: 01 Aug 07 - 04:03 PM

GUEST,Jonny Sunshine,

Thanks also for posting your examples. I've read the "Mary Had A Little Lamb" parody various places. It's probably included in this Mudcat thread or its sister thread: thread.cfm?threadid=2998 Naughty kids' greatest hits II

And versions of that rhyme are posted in thread.cfm?threadid=41824&messages=115 RE: Nasty Nursery Rhymes


Also, Johnny Sunshine, special thanks for that "ippy dippy dation" choosing rhyme. I'd never heard that one and hadn't read it in print before. Also, I never knew there was a Camden in London, UK. Is that a neighborhood of London and is that where you learned or heard those rhymes {and what decade was that?} Prior to your post, the only Camden I knew about, was Camden, New Jersey which is right across the Ben Franklin bridge from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

**

GUEST,Ewan McVicar, the book of Scottish children's rhymes that you mentioned sounds great!!! I hope that the book is available in the USA.

**

Mo, I did both of those rhymes the same way you gave them {in Atlantic City New Jersey, 1950s}. But I didn't know the parson going upstairs/saying prayers part.

If we had said those lines, we would have said "preacher" instead of "parson". I recall my mother teaching me the "this is the church" rhyme and movements. But I believe that I learned the "Teddy bear, Teddy Bear" jump rope rhyme from girls may age or older.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: Viracocha
Date: 02 Aug 07 - 07:46 AM

Azizi- Wow, that's so much longer than our version! Very impressive that the kids rememered it all! And I'm glad you liked the rhymes ^_^

I assumed other places had french-skipping-ropes, sorry. Come to think of it, I've never heard of them outside my primary school. A french-skipping-rope wasn't a skipping rope at all, as I remember...it was like an enormous colourful elastic band. It wasn't actually rubber, it was covered in fabric, but elasticated. I haven't a clue where they bought them - all I know is, if one snapped, they were mad at the one who snapped it, cos they were either expensive or difficult to get hold of. They were held about 1/3 the way up the shin, or just above the ankles, by two people, leaving about half a metre between the sides (at least a metre between the people). The 'skippers' jumped 'inside' or 'ouside' the space made by the rope, and two people could go at once (any more would snap the rope).

The way you did it depended on who you played it with:

Scotland [right foot outside, left foot inside]
England [left foot outside, right foot inside]
Ireland [both inside / right foot outside, left foot inside]
Wales [both inside / left foot outside, right foot inside]

Inside [both inside]
Outside [both outside]
Donkies' [both inside (simple version) / right foot outside, left foot inside on 'DON', left foot outside, right foot inside on 'KIES'' (ENORMOUSLY difficult version)]
TAILS! [both feet actually ON the ropes (this would make them touch the ground, it wasn't like a tightrope)]
--

I read "here's the church..." and "Teddy Bear Teddy Bear" from a children's nursery rhyme book (published in the 80s, probably) along with another 'hand game' that went:

Here's the lady's knives and forks
Here's the lady's table
Here's the lady's looking glass
And here's the baby's cradle
Rock...rock...rock...rock...
--

And we had a clapping rhyme that went:

The girls in Spain
Put their knickers in champagne
And the boys in France
Do a hula-hula dance
And the dance they do
Is enough to tie a shoe
And the shoe they tie
Is enough to tell a lie
And the lie they tell
Is enough to ring a bell
And the bell they ring
Goes "DING-A-LING-A-LING!"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: Viracocha
Date: 02 Aug 07 - 07:50 AM

The last message wouldn't let me write any more, but I have to say this - "The Girls in Spain" WASN'T a clapping game between two people, it was in a ring of about 5 people.

We also had simple clapping games like "Pat-a-cake", "A Sailor went to sea-sea-sea" (with many variations) and "A-B-C-Together". I'm assuming (perhaps incorrectly) that these aren't mentioned cos they're obvious and everyone has them - I'll type them up if this is wrong...


-Viracocha

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: Azizi
Date: 02 Aug 07 - 09:18 AM

Hello, Viracocha.

Pat-a-cake may be standardized, but I'm not sure about the other rhymes you mentioned. With regards to "A Sailor Went To Sea", the only part of that that I remember doing {as a handclap rhyme} is

A sailor went to sea sea sea
to see what he could sea sea sea
and all that he could sea sea sea
was the bottom of the deep blue sea sea sea.

-snip-

I bet there are other versions in the USA, but I can't think of them. You wrote that "A Sailor went to sea-sea-sea" [has](with many variations). Please share at least one or two of them.

And as for "A-B-C-Together"- I don't know that rhyme at all, unless you're referring to this jumnp rope rhyme:

All in together
Every kind of weather.
January, February, March, April, May {keep naming the months of the year until you miss. If you don't miss, then repeat the chant or "sing" another chant}.

-snip-

If your A-B-C together is different than that, please post the words! Thanks again, Viracocha!

Btw, it's great to find another Mudcatter interested in children's rhymes.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: Rowan
Date: 02 Aug 07 - 11:04 PM

And an Oz version of
A sailor went to sea sea sea
to see what he could sea sea sea
and all that he could sea sea sea
was the bottom of the deep blue sea sea sea.

went (to one clapping pattern)

A sailor went to Diz Diz Diz
to see what he could Diz Diz Diz
and all that he could Diz Diz Diz
was the bottom of the deep blue Diz Diz Diz.

then (to another clapping pattern)

A sailor went to knee knee knee
to see what he could knee knee knee
and all that he could knee knee knee
was the bottom of the deep blue knee knee knee.

then (to yet another clapping pattern)

A sailor went to land land land
to see what he could land land land
and all that he could land land land
was the bottom of the deep blue land land land.

and finally (to a combination of all three clapping patterns)

A sailor went to Disneyland
to see what he could Disneyland
and all that he could Disneyland
was the bottom of the deep blue Disneyland.

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: SingsIrish Songs
Date: 02 Aug 07 - 11:44 PM

In my hometown here in Central New York State, we called the "french-skipping-ropes" "Chinese jump-ropes"...

Mary

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: Viracocha
Date: 03 Aug 07 - 08:42 AM

Rowan - We had the Disneyland one too! For 'Dis', we span on the spot; for 'ney', we touched our knees; for 'land', for some reason, we touched our back with one hand (usually right, if I recall) over one shoulder. We tried other verions too, but 'sea-sea-sea' and 'disneyland' were the most common. I believe we also had 'Diz-diz-diz' and 'knee-knee-knee', but I never did them all as verses of the same one.
---
Azizi - 'A-B-C-Together' is now incorporated by my sister's generation, I'm informed, into a long clapping game containing about 5 different ones - sadly, she couldn't say which. It's almost a list of instructions. It seemed almost half-forgotten - most people would peter out near the end...

Put your hands together, fingers pointing at the person opposite.
A (slap backs of left hands together, own palms still joined)
B (same with the back of right hands)
C (A but stay together, rather than slapping past)
Together (each clap right hand against own left hand)
Up (Right hands clap above the 'together' hands)
Together (bring back together)
Down (Right hands clap below the 'together' hands)
Together (bring back together)
(Then it gets tricky. The version I learnt went:)
Bow (stop holding any hands together and bow forwards from the waist - you may bump heads, though you're not supposed to)
Front (Un-bow)
Turn (turn around)
Together (bring hands back together, and clap right against left - this was sometimes missed)
Spin/Sing(some people would spin; some found this too similar to 'turn', and would think it referred to the end part)
Together (bring hands back together, and clap right against left - this was sometimes missed)
Yo! (hands up triumphantly, if you felt like it)

But there were variations I saw including shaking hands, the line "turn around, touch the ground", more clapping going "1,2,3" - none of this is very herlpful, I know. As I said, it seemed half-remembered, and was embelished.
---

As for games 'choosing it', I believe the Mickey Mouse one (mentioned earlier) went (in our various accents):

Mickey Mouse/Moose
In his house/hoose
Pulling up/on his trousers/troosers
[possibly another line]
What colour will they be?
[person landed on]-Blue[or other colour]
B-L-U-E spells blue
O-U-T
O-U-T
O-U-T spells out!

This isn't quite right - I'm going to ask a few old friends about both this and the ending of 'Kings and Queens arrivin', just to clarify. It did involve each person putting out both fists (including the person saying the rhyme), and each FIST was counted, and both fists had to be 'out' before the person was 'out'. Last man standing, so to speak, was 'It'.

The 'fist' thing was used in this one too:

Ingle angle
Silver bangle
Ingle angle
A
B
C
D
etc

If you had the letter in your name, that fist was out. I remember that one very clearly - with three middle names and a double barrelled last name, my name contained most of the alphabet, so I hated that one. But it was used often, because people couldn't 'count ahead' to work out who would become 'It'.

And Azizi - it's wonderful to find someone else interested too! ^_^

-Viracocha

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: Viracocha
Date: 03 Aug 07 - 08:52 AM

Oh, I've just seen what 'A-B-C-Together' looks like posted :( Sorry. You wouldn't believe how easy it is to SHOW someone. I'll have to stand in front of a webcamera with my sister! Now, where can I buy a webcamera...? :P

And I will try to write out the notes for the tune of 'Kings and Queens Arrivin' - forgot to mention that. It had a simple tune - do you happen to know if "We're Riding Here to Get Married" had a tune?

And did you play the 'man in his house' game? NOT like "Mummies and Daddies" or whatever that's called (I think it's "House", over there, is it not?). You give your bare right arm to someone, and they make their fingers walk up from wrist to elbow as a man coming into the house, then the doorbell rings and an elephant comes in, or 'the nippy chickens'...etc etc...each had a slightly different action. Was very sore by the end (hardly anyone got all the way to the end anyway!) if they had long nails! This being the Spice Girl era (yes, I'm only young!), there was also "Emma Bunton in her platform shoes" at the door in one verse. For years I was convinced that that game was what getting a "Chinese Burn" was. I actually discovered the whole thing (well, one version - verses varied slightly) in 7-yr-old's writing (mine, that is) on the back of an old piece of paper, just a couple of months ago - it seems to have about 7 verses, I think. If anyone's interested, give me a PM (or just reply on here) and I'll try to see where I put it...

-Viracocha

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: Viracocha
Date: 03 Aug 07 - 08:54 AM

Mary- Sorry, just saw your reply. Someone else HAS heard of them! I wonder where they actually came from?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: Azizi
Date: 03 Aug 07 - 09:12 AM

Hi, Viracocha!

I've never heard of the 'man in his house' game or the Mummies and Daddies game. I would be great if you can post them here.

**

With regard to the tune for We're Riding Here To Get Married", unfortunately I don't read or write music. But this game has a definite moderately tempo tune. But I'll be darned if I can figure out how to share what it sounds like.

Btw, "We're Riding Here To Get Married" is a variant form of the English folk song "Here Come Three Dukes A-Riding". That song is listed in the DT {Digital Tradition} at @displaysong.cfm?SongID=7300

Btw, the Digital Tradition is a wonderful archive of folk songs. The DT is "housed" on Mudcat.

Well, there's a thought... If someone has a link to a midi of that song or someone singing or playing it, then you could check it out to see if it sounded like the tune used by "your" Kings and Queens game, and I could see if it was the same or similar tune that I heard my girlfriend sing when she was showing me how to play that game.   

Does anyone know of a link to a midi for that Dukes A Riding song?

I can't believe I'm asking about a midi. I generally hate those things. But in the interest of folkloric research-I'll grin and bear it. :o)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: Viracocha
Date: 03 Aug 07 - 09:42 AM

I have discovered THIS. Ha! And this, which has a picture of a girl who hasn't got a CLUE how to play with that french-skipping-rope (well, not by the rules I learnt), and a comment from a ten-yr-old advising that they have to "land on that cross in the middle". We NEVER crossed them in the middle! Maybe we did it wrong :(

Dukes A' Riding...yes, I can see how that could have changed. Not so keen on their "tinsy tinsy tee". Our "Ipsy dipsy dee-eye-oh" sounds far more...boisterous, somehow. Which I have probably spelt wrong.

I'll look out the "man in the house" game, but my lunchhour has extended a bit too long, so I'll post the "mummies and daddies" when I find it (really? You honestly never played it?)

Also, as an aside (because my lunchhour is honestly over), the "I had a little dog" rhyme above is an actual poem (I had a little brother/His name was Tiny Tim) by...Alan Ahlberg, or someone similar. I'll find out, I have it at home. And we had Barky's "... and ... sittin' in a tree" as well, though I'd like to point out that this was mocked in later years with "F-*-*-K-I-N-G" substituted for "K-I-S-S-I-N-G".

My mother taught me:
Oh dear what can the matter be?
[name]    is stuck in the lavatory.
She/He was there from Monday to Saturday.
Nobody knew she/he was there.

Presumably she learnt it back in London. And yes, she made the lines rhyme. "Lava-tree", "Mun-dee to Satur-dee" - this wasn't how she usually promounced the days, but the first word is her normal way of saying lavatory. For years, I thought this was a rhyme about a tree made of lava. To this day, I picture the person sung about lying in a large bright orange and red tree...

-Viracocha

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: goatfell
Date: 03 Aug 07 - 10:47 AM

scotland England
Ireland Wales

all went fishing for some wales
some got heads and some got tails
but good old Scotland got the wales

and another

Bonnie Scotland
bonnie Scotland
we'll support you evermore (evermore)
we'll support you evermore

Tune (cym Rhondda)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: Viracocha
Date: 03 Aug 07 - 12:25 PM

My youngest sister is helping me with this post. She's just left Primary 7 (she's 12, in other words), so her 'help' should contain pretty modern versions. But all the rhymes are from MY memory unless stated otherwise.
---
My sister's version of "A-B-C-Together" goes:

Put your hands together, fingers pointing at the person opposite.
A (slap backs of left hands together, own palms still joined)
B (same with the back of right hands)
C (A but stay together, rather than slapping past)
Together (each clap right hand against own left hand)
Up (Right hands clap above the 'together' hands)
Together (bring back together)
Down (Right hands clap below the 'together' hands)
Together (bring back together)
Back (slap backs of hands together with other person, palms facing you)
To front (clap palms with the other person [ie, above^ but backwards])
knee (touch knee with right hand)
To toe (touch foot with right hand)
Wiggle your bum (basically, do 'the Twist')
Around you go (spin on the spot)
Pull the chain (make a 'pulling chain' action)
Start again.
---
We had various un-inventive taunts, too

I'm tellin on you
Yer eyes are blue
You kissed a boy
In Prim'ry 2

(with various, less inventive, badly rhyming versions. My sister informs me this is now a song, not a chant.)

I'm tellin
Yer smellin
You went t'the techer's weddin
---
Oddly, I'd forgotten the most common skipping and 'choosing It' rhymes. It is hopefully obvious which is which:

Down Mississippi
If you miss the rope
Yer out
Yer out
(done REALLY fast, or possibly with two ropes)

Eenie Meenie Mynie Mo
Catch a tigger by the toe
If it/he squeals, let it/him go
Eenie Meenie Mynie Mo
You
Are
Not
It.

Yes, TIGGER, not tiger. I have since been told this came from "N****r" - thankfully, that one was never used at my school.
---
My sister knows another version of a 'choosing It' game, which goes "Coconut coconut coconut CRACK." Everyone starts with two clasped hands; when these are 'cracked' they split into two seperate fists. Again, both fists must be out before the person is 'out'.
---
Clapping game:
My auntie Anna
Plays the piana [no, we don't usually pronounce it like that]
24 hours a day
SPLIT
[and with each "SPLIT" you move your feet a little bit further apart, then repeated the verse, still clapping. You had to try not to fall over - and, of course, try to stay on a level where you could still clap with your partner.]
---
The whole "I had a baby brother" rhyme seems to be listed on many many different sites online (even a video), with slightly different lyrics/words, and no mention of a poet/author (except Nadine Bernard Westcott, who has apparently adapted it to a picture-book). So, my bad. Not a poem. I definately read it from a book of children's poetry, but maybe it was written by our dear friend Anon.

Hope all those links work.
---
As for Mickey Mouse:

As for games 'choosing it', I believe the Mickey Mouse one (mentioned earlier) went (in our various accents):

Mickey Mouse/Moose
In his house/hoose
Pulling up/on his trousers/troosers
They fall down
[something something]
What colour are his pants/is his bum?
[person landed on]-Blue[or other colour]
(and apparently there's no "B-L-U-E spells blue" stuff - the person who chants the rhyme has already picked a colour - if you said THEIR colour, you were it. I remembered it as being far more rude...perhaps that seemed shocking to me then?)
---
There was another one that ended:
O-U-T
O-U-T
O-U-T spells out!
---
And...I think I may have finally exhausted all of my remembered playground rhymes. Phew! I was writing them all over my and on the bus home!

-Viracocha

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: Viracocha
Date: 03 Aug 07 - 12:47 PM

Oh. That went sort of wrong. It was meant to say:

even a video. But no author/poet is mentioned, except one who adapted it into a picture book. My bad, sorry. I definately learnt it from a children's poetry book, though it was probably by our dear friend Anon.

And I did go on to say stuff about the Mickey Mouse Rhyme.

As for games 'choosing it', I believe the Mickey Mouse one (mentioned earlier) went (in our various accents):

Mickey Mouse/Moose
In his house/hoose
Pulling up/on his trousers/troosers
Down they fell
[possibly another line]
What colour were his pants/was his bum?
[person landed on]-Blue[or other colour]
(and there was no "B-L-U-E spells blue" stuff - the 'chanter' had thought of a colour beforehand, and if you chose the colour, you were it.)

There was another rhyme that ended:
O-U-T
O-U-T
O-U-T spells out!

And that part of my message seems to have posted. So why was the middle cut out...?

-Viracocha

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: Viracocha
Date: 03 Aug 07 - 01:17 PM

Right! I created midis for "Kings and Queens Arrivin" and "My Boyfriend gave me an apple". Hands up who knows how I insert them onto Mudcat?

-Viracocha

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: GUEST,Jonny Sunshine
Date: 03 Aug 07 - 01:35 PM

Hi Azizi, I know the rhymes from growing up in Reading (there's one of them in England too!) about 50 miles from London, in the 70s.
-Jonny

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: GUEST,Tasha
Date: 05 Dec 07 - 02:01 PM

Ok, This is one my mates sing at school and its slightly different to the others we hear..

Mickey Mouse is in the house
Pulling down his trousers
Quick comes mom to smack his bum
What colour will they be?
[person landed on]-Blue[or other colour]
B-L-U-E spells blue
O-U-T
O-U-T
O-U-T spells out!
-------------
Police man,Police man do your duty
Here comes [someone's name here]
The bathing Beauty
She can do rhumba
She can do the splits
She can make her skirt fly over her hips
-------------
Im tellin on you
your eyes are blue
you kissed a boy/girl
in primary 2

i'm tellin
your smellin
went to watch your teachers wedding

You are Stupid and wierd
But dont get pissed
cuz you just got dissed
--------------

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: Azizi
Date: 05 Dec 07 - 04:15 PM

I just saw this message from Jonny Sunshine. In case, that poster is still around, thanks for that info. Sorry I'm sooo late responding to it.

**

Those are some interesting examples, guest Tasha. Thanks for posting them. In case you are still around, in order to document where these rhymes are found, would you please post the city/state or country {if outside of the USA} where you live? Thanks. And btw, I hope all guests stick around Mudcat. There's alot more threads {discussions} about children's rhymes. Click on to the list of Related threads at the top of the page to visit other discussions.

I hope to "see" you there!

Subject: !!!SONGS!!!
From: GUEST,Tasha
Date: 23 Dec 07 - 01:36 PM

A,B,C,D
you cant diss me
yo momma
yo gramma
yo dad works like a farmer
whats that i hear you want a tick tack?
not one, not two but the whole big pack
you got dissed!
you got dissed!
and now your gonna get pissed!

lol................

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: GUEST,jl
Date: 06 Jan 08 - 05:42 PM

Not last night but the night before
Twenty-four robbers came knockin' at my door
I ran out
They ran in
And this is what they said:
Spanish dancer can you kick
Spanish dancer do the splits
Spanish dancer turn around
Spanish dancer touch the ground.

Subject: Old playground song
From: GUEST,183756823%Diva
Date: 27 Jan 08 - 07:26 PM

Oh Gosh Shes Crazy:

Oh gosh she crazy
Oh gosh she crazy

Take a piece
Take a plum
Take a piece of bubble gum
No piece, no plum, no piece of bubble gum

I like coffee
I like tea
I like a color boy and he likes me
So step that white boy you don't shine
I'll take you 'round the corner and beat ya behind

Last night, the night befo'
I met my boyfriend at the candystore
He bought me ice-creme, he bought me cake
He bout me home with a stomach ache

I say momma momma I feel sick
Cal the doctor quick quick quick
Doctor doctor if I die, I'll close my eyes and I'll count to 5
1,2,...3,4,5

See that house on top of that hill
Thats where me and my boyfriend live
Cook that chicken, stir that rice
C'mon baby lets shoot some dice

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: GUEST,Kera
Date: 27 Jan 08 - 08:10 PM

Down here:

Down in (insert city)
Where the blue grass grow
Where the crickets crow
Where it snows in September and it rains in November
Where you're scared of flies and you run from hives
Where you talk like this and you scream this
Where you walk and talk like an aardvark
Where you ran and danced like a caveman
Where sneaked and peaked just like a bee
Now 1,2,3....

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: Azizi
Date: 27 Jan 08 - 10:14 PM

Thanks GUEST,183756823%Diva, for posting that "Oh gosh she crazy" rhyme. I'm assuming that this rhyme was/is recited while girls do partner handclaps. I'm also assuming that the entire post as you wrote it is one rhyme. Am I right about these assumptions?

If you read this, would you please let people reading this thread {series of comments} know where and when you learned this version of this rhyme {what city/state if you're living in the USA or what city/country if you are living outside the USA} and when you learned it {such as 2008 or mid 1990s}. Thanks!

**

Thanks also GUEST,Kera {perhaps you and GUEST,183756823%Diva are the same person?} for posting that Down here rhyme. The beginning of that rhyme reminds me of the jump rope or ball bouncing rhyme:

Down in the valley where the blue 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 swept her off her feet.
How many kisses did she get?
Ah one Ah two Ah three
{keep counting until you miss}.

-snip-

Kera, would you please answer the same questions that I asked GUEST,183756823%Diva:

1. What kind of rhyme is this {for instance is it a handclap rhyme, or a jump rope rhyme, or a ball bouncing rhyme or all of these, or do you do other movements while you recite it?}

2. Where do you live {In which city/state did you learn this rhyme?}

3. When did you learn this rhyme {what year, or decade?}

Also, it would be great if you would share information about who recites this rhyme-for instance, are they recited by girls only?, what are the ages of the girls? and what is the race or races of the girls who recite this rhyme?

Answers to these questions will be helpful to folklorists and other people interested in children's rhymes who gather information about the kinds of rhymes children recite, and how the words and play activities of children's rhymes might change over time, among different people, and in different places.

Thanks again,

Azizi

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: GUEST,nikolajayne
Date: 05 Feb 08 - 06:46 AM

My Nanna has sung this song to me since i was a little girl. She & her friends used to sing it whilst skipping. Somebody left a version of it that begins the same on feb 21st 2000 but her version goes like this:
On a mountain stands a lady
who she is i do not know
All she wants is gold and silver
All she wants is a nice young man
So come in my (boys name) dear,
(boys name) dear, (boys name) dear.
So come in my (boys name) dear,
while we go out to play.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: GUEST,nikolajayne
Date: 05 Feb 08 - 07:15 AM

I've just remembered a handclap song from my own childhood. It goes like this:
Si si (or Cissy?) my platmate
come out and play with me
under the apple tree
for all the world to see.
Slide down the drainpipe
and through the cellar door
and we'll be happy friends
forever more, more, more more more.

I grew up & still live in Lincolnshire in England by the way as has my nanna all her life. We're both white british. She was born in 1929 & learnt the skipping song i previously posted as a child & I was born in 1980.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: Bryn Pugh
Date: 05 Feb 08 - 09:00 AM

I seem to remember :

Abracadabra, King of the Jews
Wiped his arse on the Manchester Evening News.

Abracadabra, King of the Jews
Bought his wife a pair of shoes.
When the shoes began to wear
Abracadabra began to swear.
When the swear began to stop
Abracadabra bought a shop.
When the shop began to sell
Abracadabra bought a bell.
When the bell began to ring
Abracadabra began to sing :
Do, re, mi, fa, so, la, te, do
I lost my knickers in the snow.
If anyone finds them let me know -
Do, te, la, so, fa, mi, re, do.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: Bryn Pugh
Date: 05 Feb 08 - 09:05 AM

Just remembered another couple of daft ones :

In the merry month of Liverpool
In the city of July
The snow was raining heavily
But the streets were very dry.
The elephant is a bonny bird
Which flies from bough to bough.
It makes its nest in rhubarb trees
And whistles like a cow.

I went to the pictures tomorrow
I got a front seat at the back.
A lady gave me a banana
I ate it and gave it her back.
I went round a straight crooked corner
And saw a dead donkey alive
So I pulled out a knife and I killed it
And that's how the dead donkey died.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: Forsh
Date: 05 Feb 08 - 08:38 PM

A 'Choosing' Rhyme:
Icky-Ackie, Hores Cackie, Icky Ackie-OUT!

Om Pompeii
Cally-ey
Cally oski
Om Pompeii
Cally-ey
Mr Turnip
Apple Turnip
Mr Turnip
Boom boom.

This is the way the teacher stands, she folds her arms & claps her hand, this is the way the teacher stands, WHOOPS yer auntie mary-o

pm me your E mail, and I will send you an MP3 of my Dad & Mates (Rumbylowe) doing a great track called "Skipping Rhymes" It is rather excellent!, as Aussie Folkies in the know will vouch!

ALSO LOOK HERE! For some great ones.
Dave (Forsh)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Mar 08 - 09:33 PM

"Margiutte,(sp?) go wash your feet"... is from a book by Wallace Trip with the same name. There are a lot of poems in there, and were collected from Emily Dickenson, Grocho Marxx, and a few other comedians, as well as just an awesomely funny book with colorful illustrations!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: GUEST,Brenna
Date: 21 Jul 08 - 07:13 PM

Our version was a little different of the playmate song. I was born in 1966 in Kansa City, Missouri. Our version was:

Say say oh playmate
Come out and play with me
And bring your dollies three
Climb up my apple tree.
Slide down my rain barrel
Into my cellar door
And we'll be jolly friends
For ever more more, shut the door.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: GUEST,carrie-anne and Joy
Date: 17 Aug 08 - 01:23 PM

boys got the muscles teachers got the brains
girls got the sexy legs so hear we go again

we got to bow to the king and kirtsie to the queen
show youre knickers to the football team

you got to hypmatize paralize
turn around an faint

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: GUEST,Jess
Date: 23 Sep 08 - 07:27 PM

Gloucestershire, UK, in the early 1990s...

A couple of 'choosing' rhymes that haven't been mentioned here. We'd use them to work out who was going to be 'on' in another game.

eeny meeny miny mo,
catch a tigger by its toe
if it squeals, let him go,
eeny meeny miny mo.

--

ibble obble black bobble
ibble obble out
turn the dirty dishcloth inside out
O-U-T spells out!

--

One potato, two potato, three potato, four
five potato, six potato, seven potato more!

(I think the person on 'more' would be out..)

--
(some lines missing, about meeting someone and being asked:)
tell me the colours of the union jack
red, white or blue?
(person would choose one, and one of these rhymes would be used, then back to the chorus and another choice)
Red is the colour of danger, danger, danger,
Red is the colour of danger, so out go you!
White is the colour of marriage, marriage, marriage,
White is the colour of marriage, so out go you!
Blue is the colour of the sea, the sea, the sea,
Blue is the colour of the sea, so out go you!
--
Also had a clapping game

I went to a chinese restaurant
to buy a loaf of bread bread bread
He wrapped it up in a five-pound note
and this is what they said said said:

My name is Ben Down [bend down]
Touch your knees [touch knees]
Eyes like a Japanese [make 'slitty eyes', yes we were racially insensitive]
Hair like a billy goat
Show off your petticoat

I can do the tango
I can do the twist [dance]
I can do a handstand
Just like this [do handstand]

Queens go curtsey
Kings go bow
Boys go [kiss kiss noises]
Girls go 'wow!' [lift up skirt]

---

Another clapping game involved two players holding oppsite hands and clapping their other hands together, above [on 'high'] and below [on 'low'] and on top of [on 'chicka'] their joint hands.

high low chicka low
chicka low high low
high low chicka low
chicka low high!

I'd love to know what that means!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: GUEST,Jess
Date: 24 Sep 08 - 07:46 PM

A skipping game we would spend a long time playing was working out your future:
WHO
tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor
rich man, poor man, beggarman, thief

Then alphabet to find out his initial..

WHEN
this year, next year, sometime, never
this year, next year, sometime, never

WHERE
church, chapel, stable, pigsty
church, chapel, stable, pigsty

CLOTHES
silk, satin, cotton, nothing
silk, satin, cotton, nothing

HOW MANY...?
kisses - counting
children - counting

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: GUEST,Becky
Date: 22 Apr 09 - 03:13 AM

Hi, i don't suppose anyone remembers a rhyme that had the line 'ate all the cookies, threw him out the window' ?

it may have something my classmates made up that year, but i remember it was quite long and funny, just cant think of it.

Any ideas??

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 22 Apr 09 - 05:15 AM

BECKY -

Perhaps, you are looking for "Threw Them Out the Window" - only four references in all the Forum for it. Joe Offer notes it in the Scout thread - it also shows up here:
http://mudcat.org/Detail.CFM?messages__Message_ID=205780

Kids have a rightous good time with it the first time they hear it.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

(I am surprised at the dearth of discussion regarding it)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: GUEST,HelpfulHints
Date: 07 Aug 09 - 09:41 AM

Here's some playground songs that me and my friends used to do ALL the time:

Teacher, Teacher I dispare,
I can see your underwear,
are they black or are they white,
Oh my gosh they're dynamite!

Kick the tables kick the chairs,
kick the school boys down the stairs,
give the boys a kiss on the lips,
then run off with the dinner chips!

-----------------------------------
Get someone else to make this work.

The overall clapping rythmn is left hand up (palm facing down) and right hand down (palm facing up) then clap hands with your partner still with the same hand pattern. Then do it again but with your right hand up and palm facing down and left hand down palm facing up, then clap your hands together and keep repeating.


Miss Muff (clap clap clap)
Miss Muff (clap clap clap)
Miss Muff from California,
Sitting on the bench,
learning French,
watching the clock go,
Tick Tock, (put hands together and move them side to side)
Tick Tock, (put hands together and move them side to side)
Curly Wurly, (hand spin)
Tick Tock,
Tick Tock,
Curly Wurly!
A,B,C,D,E,F,G (clap hands in time with saying Alhpabet)
Wipe those cobwebs off your knees, (wipe knees like the song cha cha slide when he says "Hand's on your knees")

The girls in spain washing kinickers down the drain, (look like your scrubbing)
And the boys in France do the hula hula dance, (hula dance)
And the dance they do is enough to tie a shoe, (point to shoe)
And the shoe they tie is enough to tell a lie, (look like you're telling someone off)
And the lie they tell is enough to ring a bell, (look like you're ringing a bell)
And the bell they ring goes "Ding-A-Ling- A-Ling!"

Hope they brighten up your day!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: GUEST,Imogen.
Date: 22 Dec 10 - 05:34 PM

Miss muff *clap clap clap*
miss muff *clap clap clap*
miss muff from california
sitting on a bench learning french (pretend to read book)
watching the clock go
tick tock tick tock banana's (clock motions with hands together)
tick tock tick tock banana's ( "                              ")
A, B, C, D, E, F, G
wipe them cobwebs of your knees. (pretends to wipe cobwebs)
all the girls in spain wash their knickers in the drain (slaps hip)
all the boys in france do the hula hula dance (hula dance)
and the dance they do is enough to tie a shoe (point to shoe)
and a shoe they tie is enough to tell a lie (waggle finger)
and the lie they tell is enough to ring a bell (pretend to ring bell)
and the bell they ring goes ( "         ")
DING A LING A LING. (grab friends shoulder and shake back and forth)

<3

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: GUEST,me to you another version of Si Si my playma
Date: 19 Jan 11 - 03:40 AM

Si Si my play mate
Come out and play with me
And bring your dollies three
Climb up my apple tree
slide down my rainbow
into to my cellar door
And we'll be jolly friends
Forevermore, more, more, more...
2nd verse:
I'm sorry playmate
I cannot play with you
My Dolly has the flu
She spit up in my shoe
I have no rainbow
I have no cellar door
Buy we'll be jolly friends
Forevermore, more, more, more...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: GUEST,Desi C
Date: 19 Jan 11 - 08:12 AM

One I often heard as a kid in school in Ireland, I'll Tell Me Ma
'I'll tell me ma when I get home
the boys won't leave the girls alone'
Think it originates from Belfast. but very popular in Kilkenny where I went to school. Usually chanted by girls while playing Hoppscotch, good folk club song too

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: muppett
Date: 19 Jan 11 - 10:45 AM

There's A party on the hill, will you come (yes)?
Bring yer own cup and saucer and a bun (yes)?
Who is your very best friend (a name)?
(a name ) will be there throwing peanuts in the air, so how many did s/he throw?
(Think of a number e.g. 5)
1 2 3 4 5
So you do not have it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: GUEST,Claudiaa(:
Date: 12 Mar 11 - 07:41 AM

Okay these are the ones I use to clap to with my mates (:

I went to a Chinese restaurant to buy a loaf of bread bread bread (*clap 3 times)
The lady at the counter was standing on her head head head (Clap 3 times)
She asked me what my name was and this is what i said said said ( clap 3 times)
My name is.......
Eli Eli chickeli chickeli ooey gooey (imitate chicken three times) chinese crackers cheese on toast
put them in the oven with a.......
POKE POKE POKE!! :D
Another claping song was called was one we played called dum dum dare

dum dum dare
dum dum dewalli walli
sissi air sissi
dewalli walli
mini mini acka
mini mini air
mini mini acka
mini mini air
coco pops
coco pops
coco pops
CRACK!

and this one ( clapping game sung fast)

double double this this
double double that that
double this
double that
double double this that

another clapping game
Mrs Mary Mack Mack Mack
all dressed in black black black
with silver buttons buttons buttons
all down her back back back
She asked her mother mother mother
for fifty cents cents cents
to see an elephant elephant elephant
jump over the fence fence fence
He jumped so high high high
he reached the sky sky sky
and didn't come back back back
til the fourth of July ly ly

and also this clapping game (:
A-B-C
we're going up
we're going down
we're going
criss cross
lollipop
bunny hop
karate chop
turn around
touch the ground
pull the chain
start again!


As for the mickey mouse one we used these ones

Mickey Mouse
In his house
Pulling on his trousers
They fall down
they hit the ground
What colour is his bum?
[person landed on]-said a colour (red)
Other kids chant one at a time- R-e-d spells red!
whoever the last letter landed on was out of the circle

Another version that we use to sing and clap to..
Mickey mouse
had a house what colour was it?

when the movie started
mickey mouse farted
what colour was his gas?

also the helicopter one.. but it hurt if you didnt jump and were hit by the rope ahah

A bit late but hope this helps (: xx

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Playground songs
From: GUEST,natalie
Date: 06 Jul 11 - 01:41 PM

i went to a Chinese to buy a loaf of bread he rap it up in five pound note and this is what he said my name is elvis presly boys are sexy sitig in the back sit drinking pepsi

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: in the merry month of liverpool
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Jan 13 - 04:39 PM