Lyr Req: Hat racker rinky-dinky-doo

Subject: Lyric Request
From:
Date: 11 Feb 01 - 08:05 PM

I am a Girl Scout leader in Norfolk, VA. There is a song I remeber singing when I was in the Scouts in the late 70s. It went something like this:

(pointing to the top of your head) What is this my friend, what is this, what is this This is my hat racker that's what it is. Hat racker hat racker rinky-dinky-doo That's what we learned in the school, yeh yeh.

It continues on with brow sweater, nose blower, boy kisser, soup strainer, chest protector, bread basket, baby bouncer, etc.

I was hoping that I could find the complete lyrics before I attempted to teach the song to the girls. Any help that can be provided would be appreciated.

---

Click for related thread

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lyric Request
From: Sorcha
Date: 11 Feb 01 - 08:55 PM

The closest thing I could find is here, and it is "topnotcher" not "hatracker". Think it must be related. It's a page in this site, which has a lot of fun Girl Scout songs.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lyric Request
From: campfire
Date: 11 Feb 01 - 09:21 PM

I learned it as "top-notcher", too, growing up, but the Y-camp we go to sings "hat-racker". I guess that's folk...

campfire

Subject: RE: Lyric Request - Hat racker rinky-dinky-doo
From: Joe Offer
Date: 12 Feb 01 - 04:54 AM

This is from the page that Sorcha linked to. It's almost what I sang in the Milwaukee area when I was a kid, except that we sang "Hands on myself, vas ist das here."
-Joe Offer-

---

I Points To Myself

I points to myself, vas is das here;
Das is mine top-notch-er, ya mama dear.
Top-notch-er, top-notch-er, ya mama dear.
Dat's wot I learned in der school, boom-boom!

As you sing this action-song, point to the proper body part when you mention it. For example, point to the top of your head when you sing Topnotcher. Continue singing and add another part of your body for each verse and repeat the others going backwards in reverse order. Try as many verses as you want, using the list below. For the boom-boom, clap hands, bang tables, or stamp your feet.

Point To: Top of Head
Sing: Topnotcher

Brow
Sweat browser

Eye
Eye Winker

Nose
Horn Blower

Mustache
Soup Strainer

Mouth
Food Chomper

Chin
Chin Chowser

Neck
Rubber Necker

Stomach
Bread Basket

Foot
Foot Stomper

Subject: RE: Lyric Request - Hat racker rinky-dinky-doo
From: Giac
Date: 12 Feb 01 - 12:38 PM

Thanks, Joe, you've solved a mystery for me.

We sang that song in elementary school in the 40s and 50s. Had forgotten the song, but over the years I've teased children about having food on their chin chowsers, never thinking about the origin of the phrase. And, now, there tis.

And, "bread basket" was an integral part of our language: "I'll punch you in the bread basket." Mustaches are (or were) commonly called soup strainers.

Reckon which came first, the song or the descriptions?

Subject: RE: Lyric Request - Hat racker rinky-dinky-doo
From:
Date: 12 Feb 01 - 02:28 PM

hi looking for lyrics darbys castle thanks

Subject: RE: Lyric Request - Hat racker rinky-dinky-doo
From:
Date: 26 Oct 05 - 03:00 PM

^^
This is the way I learned it:

Das is myself, what das is here?
Das is my head tinker, mommy my dear.
Head tinker, dinky, dinky, do
That's what I learn in da school...ah, yah.

Das is myself, what das is here?
Das is my eye blinker, mommy my dear.
Eye blinker, head tinker, dinky, dinky,do
That's what I learn in da school...ah, yah.

Das is myself, what das is here?
Das is my nose smeller, mommy my dear.
Nose smeller, eye blinker, head tinker, dinky, dinky,do
That's what I learn in da school...ah, yah.

Das is myself, what das is here?
Das is my boy kisser, mommy my dear.
Boy kisser, nose smeller, eye blinker, head tinker, dinky, dinky,do
That's what I learn in da school...ah, yah.

Das is myself, what das is here?
Das is my chin chopper, mommy my dear.
Chin chopper, boy kisser, nose smeller, eye blinker, head tinker, dinky, dinky, do
That's what I learn in da school...ah, yah.

Das is myself, what das is here?
Das is my neck stretcher, mommy my dear.
Neck stretcher,chin chopper, boy kisser, nose smeller Eye blinker, head tinker, dinky, dinky,do
That's what I learn in da school...ah, yah.

Das is myself, what das is here?
Das is my bread basket, mommy my dear.
Bread basket, neck stretcher, chin chopper, boy kisser, nose smeller, eye blinker, head tinker, dinky, dinky,do
That's what I learn in da school...ah, yah.

Das is myself, what das is here?
Das is my knee knocker, mommy my dear.
Knee knocker, bread basket, neck stretcher, chin chopper, boy kisser, nose smeller, eye blinker, head tinker, dinky, dinky,do
That's what I learn in da school...ah, yah.

Das is myself, what das is here?
Das is my foot stomper, mommy my dear.
Foot stomper, knee knocker, bread basket, neck stretcher, chin chopper, boy kisser, nose smeller, eye blinker,
head tinker, dinky, dinky,do
That's what I learn in da school...ah, yah.

Das is myself, what das is here?
Das is my toe tapper, mommy my dear.
Toe tapper, foot stomper, knee knocker, bread basket, neck stretcher, chin chopper, boy kisser, nose smeller, eye blinker, head tinker, dinky, dinky, do
That's what I learn in da school...ah, yah.

Das is myself, what das is here?
Das is my wholeself, mommy my dear.
Toe tapper, foot stomper, knee knocker, bread basket, neck stretcher, chin chopper, boy kisser, nose smeller, eye blinker, head tinker, dinky, dinky, do
That's what I learn in da school...ah, yah.

Subject: RE: Lyric Request - Hat racker rinky-dinky-doo
From: Bard Judith
Date: 26 Oct 05 - 11:15 PM

Non-dialect version is what I learned as a ten-year old:


"I point to myself, what have I here?
This is my Topnotcher, my darling dear..."

On through

Eyewinker, Hornblower, Soupstrainer, Toothchomper, Chinchopper, Necknodder, Chestthumper, Breadbasket...

"...my darling dear,
That's what they taught me in school, yum yum!"

Subject: RE: Lyric Request - Hat racker rinky-dinky-doo
From: Tradsinger
Date: 27 Oct 05 - 02:21 PM

There are lot of British versions of this song, and even one to the tune of Allouette.

Gwilym

Subject: RE: Lyric Request - Hat racker rinky-dinky-doo
From: Leadfingers
Date: 28 Oct 05 - 12:44 PM

Toe Tapper was posted back in '98 - a very similar song to this one !

Subject: RE: Lyric Request - Hat racker rinky-dinky-doo
From: GUEST,guest
Date: 25 Mar 07 - 03:52 PM

In NY 55 years ago, we sang this with a heavy "Norwegian" accent, as a camp song.   We had "baby bouncer" for the knee and "wife kicker" for the foot.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hat racker rinky-dinky-doo
From: GUEST,another guest
Date: 26 Dec 09 - 01:15 PM

My Mother taught me a similar version but her body parts were:

headacher (head)
brow sweater (brow)
smell sniffer (nose)
soup strainer (moustache)
food grinder (teeth/mouth)
chin chopper (chin)
air blower (chest)
belly-acher (tummy)
tummy rubber (hand)
nose picker (finger)
knee bender (knee/leg)
foot stomper (foot)

I still sing it to the kids I babysit. They love it, especially the nose picker!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hat racker rinky-dinky-doo
From: GUEST,999
Date: 26 Dec 09 - 08:03 PM

Found the following which seems to be related.

Written By: Unknown Copyright Unknown; believed to have begun as an old German folksong.
^^
My hand on my head,
What have I here?
This is my top-notcher,
My Mama dear
Top-notcher, top-notcher,
Dickey, dickey doo
That's what I learned in my school.
Boom! Boom! (slap thighs)

My hand on my brow,
What have I here?
This is my sweat boxer,
My Mama dear
Sweat boxer, top-notcher,
Dickey, dickey doo
That's what I learned in my school.
Boom! Boom! (slap thighs)

My hand on my eye,
What have I here?
This is my eye blinker,
My Mama dear
Eye blinker,
Sweat boxer, top-notcher,
Dickey, dickey doo
That's what I learned in my school.
Boom! Boom! (slap thighs)

My hand on my nose,
What have I here?
This is my smell sniffer,
My Mama dear
Smell sniffer, eye blinker,
Sweat boxer, top-notcher,
Dickey, dickey doo
That's what I learned in my school.
Boom! Boom! (slap thighs)

My hand on my mustache,
What have I here?
This is my soup strainer,
My Mama dear
Soup strainer,
Smell sniffer, eye blinker,
Sweat boxer, top-notcher,
Dickey, dickey doo
That's what I learned in my school.
Boom! Boom! (slap thighs)

My hand on my mouth,
What have I here?
This is my food grinder,
My Mama dear
Food grinder, soup strainer,
Smell sniffer, eye blinker,
Sweat boxer, top-notcher,
Dickey, dickey doo
That's what I learned in my school.
Boom! Boom!

My hand on my chin,
What have I here?
This is my chin chopper,
My Mama dear
Chin chopper,
Food grinder, soup strainer,
Smell sniffer, eye blinker,
Sweat boxer, top-notcher,
Dickey, dickey doo
That's what I learned in my school.
Boom! Boom! (slap thighs)

My hand on my chest,
What have I here?
This is my air blower,
My Mama dear
Air blower, chin chopper,
Food grinder, soup strainer,
Smell sniffer, eye blinker,
Sweat boxer, top-notcher,
Dickey, dickey doo
That's what I learned in my school.
Boom! Boom! (slap thighs)

My hand on my stomach,
What have I here?
This is my bread basket,
My Mama dear
Bread basket,
Air blower, chin chopper,
Food grinder, soup strainer,
Smell sniffer, eye blinker,
Sweat boxer, top-notcher,
Dickey, dickey doo
That's what I learned in my school.
Boom! Boom! (slap thighs)

My hand on my lap,
What have I here?
This is my lap sitter,
My Mama dear
Lap sitter, bread basket,
Air blower, chin chopper,
Food grinder, soup strainer,
Smell sniffer, eye blinker,
Sweat boxer, top-notcher,
Dickey, dickey doo
That's what I learned in my school.
Boom! Boom! (slap thighs)

My hand on my knee,
What have I here?
This is my knee bender,
My Mama dear
Knee bender,
Lap sitter, bread basket,
Air blower, chin chopper,
Food grinder, soup strainer,
Smell sniffer, eye blinker,
Sweat boxer, top-notcher,
Dickey, dickey doo
That's what I learned in my school.
Boom! Boom! (slap thighs)

My hand on my foot,
What have I here?
This is my foot stomper,
My Mama dear
Foot stomper, knee bender,
Lap sitter, bread basket,
Air blower, chin chopper,
Food grinder, soup strainer,
Smell sniffer, eye blinker,
Sweat boxer, top-notcher,
Dickey, dickey doo
That's what I learned in my school.
Boom! Boom! (slap thighs)

One of our friends grew up in a German-speaking church that sang this song at fun family gatherings, as shown below. With each body part, you'd put your hands on that part, and with each verse, as the list of parts grew ever longer, you'd have to point/touch faster and faster, with barely enough time to say the words.
Hands on mineself
Vas is das here?
Das is my [bread basket],
Mama, mama dear.
Bread basket, bread basket,
Inky, dinky doo
Das vat ve learned in da school
Ya, ya!


There are a few other examples on the site it's from


http://74.125.155.132/search?q=cache:Wed-yyiYresJ:www.mamalisa.com/blog/do-you-know-one-that-starts-head-knocker-eye-blinker/+bo

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hat racker rinky-dinky-doo
From: GUEST,DocBarry
Date: 24 Mar 10 - 07:59 PM

In Ten Mile River Boy Scout Camp it was:

I say to myself, vat is that here
Dat is mine HATRACKER, ja mamma dear
hatracker, hatracker Ja mama dear,
Dat's vat I learned in de schoolhaus.

Forehead=Sweatcatcher
Nose=Schnotblower
Upper Lip= Zoop ztrainer
Mouth= Food Chomper
Chin= Fist Catcher
Stomach= Beer Belly
Rear End= Sit Downer
Foot: Schout Kicker

Dat's vat I learned in the School Haus.

(Thanks to Scoutmaster Brian Erlacker)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hat racker rinky-dinky-doo
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Apr 10 - 12:39 PM

I learned this song in elementary school this way:

Mein hands by mein side
Vas is dis here?
Das is my thinkboxer
My teacher dear.
Thinkboxer (and here you list all the body parts as the verses are sung)
Doo a vick a von doo (okay, that's how it was said!)
Dats vat ve learn in da skool.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hat racker rinky-dinky-doo
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Jan 11 - 05:18 PM

My friend sang a very similar song and it went like this:

With my hand on my shoulder and what's this right here
This is my (head thinker) my darling my dear
Head thinker and that's what I learned at the camp. {clap, clap}

and it goes on the same with these body parts....

eye winker
nose smeller
boy kisser
chin chomper
heart beater
belly acher
hip shaker
knee bender
foot stomper

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hat racker rinky-dinky-doo
From: GUEST,Michelle
Date: 12 Feb 11 - 08:31 PM

So glad I found this song! I tried signing it to my children....they are 27 and 23, they thought I was crazy....they could not remember me singing it to them when they were babies!    Now I can prove to them it exists!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hat racker rinky-dinky-doo
From: GUEST,jadesweet320
Date: 04 Dec 13 - 07:46 PM

my brother got in trouble and my daddy made him sing this micking german song this song was such a odd, funny, daddy like song. i wanted every one to know so i typed it


vas is this my son/dot vas is this vas is this
dis is my head raker dats what it is
hat raker hat raker ohh ready ooh
thats what we learn in the school

vas is this my son/dot vas is this vas is this
dis is my svet brower dats what it is
svet brower, head racker ohh ready ohh
thats what we learn in the school       etc.

head=head raker
forehead=svet brower
eyelid=eye blinker
nose=schtink smeller
beard=soup strainer
lips=boy/girl kisser
chin=cookie duster
neck=rubber necker
chest=cedar chester
stomach=bread basket
knee=knee knoker
foot=can kicker

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hat racker rinky-dinky-doo
From: GUEST,anon
Date: 15 May 14 - 10:27 PM

this tune was running through my head tonight and I decided to see if I could find the lyrics. My German born grandmother used to sing it to me, so when I first started reading that it was a camp song, I thought, oh, maybe I got it from camp in the 60's and 70's. But when I read it has roots in a german folksong, then I know I am remembering it right. Except that I dont' remember much,

My memory says it goes like this:
My or "Mein" hand on myself, vas is das here?
Das ist mein nose blower, my mommy dear

I obviously can't remember all the body parts, the only one that has stuck in my mind is "brain boxer"

nose blower, brain boxer, rinky, dinky, doo
thats what we learn in da school, jawohl