Children's Street Songs

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: Azizi
Date: 18 Oct 07 - 07:27 PM

Sorry, let me try that again-

If you don't choose a screen name to use with "GUEST",your post may be deleted.

I hope to "hear" from you!

Ms. Azizi

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: Azizi
Date: 18 Oct 07 - 06:18 PM

Thanks, Guest 18 Oct 07 - 05:06 PM for sharing those examples with folks here.

If you share some more {and I hope you do} please include where and when you recited them {where meaning what city & state if in the USA; or city, and nation if outside the USA}; when meaning what year {such as 2007, or the 1990s, or the 1980s}.

Also, while Guest can post on Mudcat, a Guest needs to chose a consistent screen name {such as GUEST children's rhymes}. If you don't choose a screen name to use with "GUEST".

Best wishes,

Azizi

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Oct 07 - 05:06 PM

we had a few at primary school school,

(sorry to all spanish and french people we didn't mean anything by it)

all the girls in spain washed their knickers in champagne
all the boys in france did the 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-ling!

we also had

my boyfriend gave me apples,
my boyfriend gave me pears,
my boyfriend gave me a kiss and a hug and threw me down the stairs
i gave him back his apples
i gave him back his pears
i gave him back his kiss and a hug and threw him down the stairs
i threw him over london
i threw him over france
i thrwe him over the U.S.A and he lost his underpants
i searched all over london
i searched all over france
i searched all over the U.S.A and i found his underpants

we also had

i walked into a chinese restuarant to by a loaf of bread, bread, bread
he wrapped it up in a five pound note and this is what he said said said
my name is elvis presley
girls are sexy
sitting in the back seat drinking pepsi
girls go kiss kiss
boys go yeah

we had tonnes of others aswell

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: GUEST,A 70's Child
Date: 13 Oct 07 - 07:00 PM

The version I grew up on was a little more sexual than violent....


I like coffee,
I like tea,
I like the colored boy and he likes me,
So step back white boy you don't shine,
I'll get the colored boy to beat yo behind,
Last night, the night before,
I met my boyfriend at the candy store,
He bought me ice cream, he bought me cake,
He brought me home with a stomach ache,
Mama, mama, I feel sick,
Call the dictor quiick, quick, quick!
Doctor, doctor will I die?
Close your eyes and count to five,
1,2,3,4,5
See that house on top of the hill,
That's where me and my boyfriend live,
Take some chicken, fry the bread,
Come on baby let's get in the bed,
Come on baby let's do it again ahhh..

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: GUEST,J Bowen
Date: 28 Sep 07 - 10:45 PM

I remember Mary Mack, Miss Susie, Cinderella kissed a fella.

Then there was:
There's a place in France where the naked ladies dance.
There's a hole in the wall where the men can see it all.

Do you remember the one about Miss Susie called the doctor, the doctor called the nurse, the nurse called the lady with the alligator purse.

We sang the song about the bed bugs and the cockroaches playing a game of ball. I want to find all the lyrics to that song.

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: GUEST,NoraB
Date: 26 Sep 07 - 11:58 AM

We used to sing

" i went to a chinese bread shop, to buy a loaf of bread bread bread
he wrapped it up in a five pund note and this is what he said said said
my name is elvis presley, girls are sexy, sitting in the back seat drinking pepsi
Girls go [something], boys go woo!"

Or

"My mummy told me
If I was goody
then she would buy me
a rubber dolly

My anuhtie told her
I kissed a soldier
Now she won't buy me
A rubber dolly"

skipping rhymes:

Salt, mustard, vinegar, pepper
High, low, medium, slow
forwards, backwards, dolly, stop!

and

Not last night but the night before
24 robbers came knocking at the door
As I went out
to let them in
this is the song they began to sing:

Spanish lady turn around
Spanish lady touch the ground
Spanish lady do a high kick
Spanish lady do the splits!

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: GUEST,A 70's Child
Date: 18 Sep 07 - 11:59 PM

Jump rope song

Down in the valley where the green grass grow
There lay (your name) sweet as a rose
She sang, she sang, she sang so sweet
Along come a man and kissed her on the cheek
Myyyy (your name)aren't you ashamed?
Kissing a boy without any name?
I'll tell Ma
And Ma'll tell Pa
And you get a whoppin by Grand, Grand MA
How many whoppins did she recieve?

These are counted as the rope turns

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: GUEST,Belinda
Date: 22 Aug 07 - 03:36 PM

Diamonds, Rubies, Pearls and Aces
Keep the kettle boilin n leave no spaces.

We use to jump rope to this in the early 60's in Stow, Ohio. "Leave no spaces" meant as soon as one person left the double dutch jumping, another one in line had to jump right in behind her - without letting the rope come around again.

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: Azizi
Date: 26 Aug 05 - 08:27 PM

Here's another example of "I like coffee" that has references to race and violence:

Down Down Baby, Version 2
I remember
Down Down Baby Down Down the rollercoaster
Sweet Sweet Baby I'll never let you go
Shimmy shimmy cocoa puff shimmy shimmy I
Shimmy shimmy cocoa puff shimmy shimmy I
I like coffee I like tea
I like a colored boy and he likes me
so step back white boy
you don't cause a cool colored boy gonna bet your behind
He'll beat it once he'll beat it twice
He'll beat it beat it beat it
So let's get the rhythm of the head
Ding dong
Sho' got the rhythm of the head head
Ding dong
Let's get the rhythm of the hands
(Clap,Clap)
Sho' got the rhythm of the hands
(Clap,Clap)
Let's get the rhythm of the feet
(Stomp, Stomp)
Sho' got the rhythm of the feet
(Stomp, Stomp)
Let's get the rhythm of the Hot Dog (While doing the snake)
Sho' got the rhythm of the Hot Dog
Ding dong, clap,clap,stomp,stomp,Hot Dog
Source: http://www.mudcat.org/threads.cfm.
"I'm Rubber. You're Glue: Children's Rhymes"; posted by
GUEST,Pazzion; 26 May 05

-snip-

I've found very few children's rhymes that include references to
race. Contemporary versions of "I love coffee" consistently mention race. And I've collected about 10 different versions from the Internet, and from Pittsburgh area, New York City, Georgia, and Virginia that all have the same formula: the {Black?? or Puerto Rican, in the case of the New York City version} girl tells the White boy to step back or she will get a Black boy {or colored boy} to beat his behind. I've also collected one example in which the girl tells the White girl to step back or she will get a Black girl to beat her behind.

Again, I'm uncertain why this rhyme plays out this way...

One thing's for sure: these rhymes don't speak well about interracial interactions where these kids live.

We've got some serious work to do.


Azizi

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: Azizi
Date: 26 Aug 05 - 08:12 PM

Hello Guest Kerry!

Once upon a time "I love coffee" [also called "Down Down Baby"} was used for jumping rope, but it nowadays it seems to be most often used for handclap rhymes.

Here are the standard words for that rhyme:

I love {or like} coffee
I love tea
I love the boys
and they love me

-snip-

Or the jumper would give a specific boy's name
{I like Johnny and he likes me}

Or the jumper would say:
I like coffee
I like tea
I want _____ to come jump with me *
* the girl or girls who the jumper wanted to join her jumping

I have collected a number of contemporary versions of this rhyme from various United States cities, and on other Internet discussion forums. What is interesting to me is how "I love coffee" now includes references to race and violence [like the version you share]when it didn't do so before. I'm not sure why this is.

****

"Take a peach, take a plum etc" is very common floating verse that is found in at least two different sub-groups of children's handclap rhymes. Here are two examples of the two subgroups that I'm referring to:

1st sub-group: {trading rhymes-one item after the other is defective}

Shake, shake, shake
Eeny meany
That's a queeny
Ooh ba Thumblina
Ah cha ca che Liberace
Oh baby I love you
Yes I do
Take a peach
Take a plum
Take a piece of bubble gum
No peach
No plum
Just a piece of bubble gum
Ooshe ahshe
Ooshe ahshe
I want a piece of pie
The pie too sweet
I want a piece of meat
The meat too tough
I want to ride the bus
The bus too full
I want to ride the bull
The bull's too black
I want my money back
The money's too green
I want a diamond ring.

Barbara Michels & Bettye White "Apples On A Stick",p 17
                (Coward-McCann, New York, 1983) collected in
                Houston, Texas


-snip-

2nd sub-group: "spying on your boyfriend" [often "caught you with your boyfriend" etc}

"Ziz Zag zag
take a piece take a plum
take a piece of bubble gum
do you like it?
do you love it?
do the alabama shake it
shake it up
shake it down
shake it all around
Spying on my boy friend - baby
didn't do the dishes - lazy
jumped out the window - crazy
and thats the facts of boys boys boys
        Source: http://octopuses.chaoticinsanity.com;
                Octoblog; "Schoolyard games" posted by Miranda R.;
                December 5, 2004

[note that "take a peach" is changed to "take a piece". This could
be a typo but may actually be the way the rhyme is said]

-snip-

I have also found an example of this rhyme that include verses from "I love coffee, I love tea":

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 the preety boy and he likes me so step back dumb boy, you dont shine, i'll meet you round the corner and beat your behind. last night, the night before, i met my boyfriend at the candy store. he bought me ice cream, he bought me cake, he bought me home with a stomach ache. i said "mama, mama, i feel sick. call the doctor QUICK,QUICK,QUICK! doctor, doctor before i die. i close my eyes and i count to five. 1..2..3,4,5 i'm alive." see that house on top of that hill? that's where me and my boyfriend live. cook that chicken, burn that rice. com on baby, lets shoot some dice!
Source: www.octopuseschaoticinsanity Octoblog; "Schoolyard games"
         posted by lesa at April 10, 2005

****

Enjoy!


Azizi Powell

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: GUEST,kerry
Date: 26 Aug 05 - 07:21 PM

Does anyone remeber the one that has I like coffee i like tea i like a black boy and he likes me so stand back white boys i know your shy I'll get a black boy to beat your behind he'll beat it rough he'll be it tough he'll beat it till you almost had enough. do you remeber what was first i remember it had have a peach have a plum have a stick of bubble gum bot peach no plum no stick of bubble gum. But something comes before that

kerry

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: Azizi
Date: 27 Jun 05 - 05:36 PM

Star, here's a couple of versions of "I went to a Chinese Restaurant" that I have found or collected:

I went to a Chinese restaurant to buy a loaf of bread bread bread.
And when he put it in the oven, this is what he said said said.
My name is nee-ay nee-ay nicka nicka-lodeon pom pom poodle willy willy whisker
My name is freeze
(At that point we'd freeze and whoever moved was out.)
Source: Sarah Hrisak; Oil City, PA {mid 1990s}; email to Azizi
          Powell

****

I went ot a chinese returaunt to buy a loaf of bread, bread, bread, the waiter asked what my name was and this is what i said, said, said...
my name is Eli, Eli, Chikali, Chikali Pom Pom beauty african cutie, i know karate punch you in the body oops! i'm sorry tell my mommy. don't wanna miss yah! don't wanna kiss yah! Chinese, japinese, indian chief!
Source: Posted By Kaitlin on Tuesday, February 17, 2004
http://www.streetplay.com/discus/cgi-discus/show.cgi?75/77.html

****

i went to a chinese reastraunt to get a loaf of bread bread bread, he asked me what my name was, and his is what i said said saiddd...---
my name is...ell-uh-lie ell-uh-lie, chick-a-lie chick-uh-lie, pom pom brady (or bigelow) i dont wanna miss (or kiss) you, chinese chopsticks, indian reeze!!! (freeze)
Source: posted by Trickster at January 17, 2005; Wheee! Blog

****

Also see two posts in this thread from Guest Jenny:

I went to a Chinese restaurant
to buy a loaf of bread bread bread
He wrapped it up in foil
and this is what he said said said
My name is
Nee eye Nee eye
Nick a nye nick a nye
pom pom poodle
willy wally whiskers (repeat twice)
chefboyardee FREEZE! (clappers freeze and see who unfreezes first)"   
Source: GUEST,Jenny- 30 Jan 05

and in her Jan. 30th post in this thread, Guest Jenny also alluded to the inclusion of the "Elvis Presley/Girls are sexy" rhyme added to

"I went to a chinese bakers shop to buy a loaf of bread, bread, bread
He wrapped it up in a five pound note and this is what he said}

****

Here's a couple of versions of "Girls are sexy":

girls are sexy drink lots of pepsi
boys are rotten chew on sum cotten
ishy wishy lollypop
ishy wishy woo
ishy wishy lollypop
da guyz luv YOU
Source: {excerpt of a longer handclap rhyme} posted by Duilz at
October 28, 2004 Wheee! Blog

****
Boys are rotten
made out of cotton.
Girls are dandy
made out of candy
Boys that are beautiful
to get more stupider
Girls that are wilder
To get more milder
Boys drink beer
To get no where
Girls drink Pepsi
To get more sexy
Source: {excerpt of a longer handclap rhyme}; collected by
          Azizi Powell from elementary school age girls and boys;
          Clairton, PA, 1999}


****

Star, none of these may be the version you are trying to remember as I'm sure there are many more versions of this rhyme out there.

But I hope you enjoy them and post more rhymes that you remember!


Azizi

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: GUEST,Guest, Star
Date: 27 Jun 05 - 01:40 PM

I remember one that goes:

I went to a Chinese restaurant
to buy a loaf of bread, bread, bread
they put it in a brown paper bag
and this is what i said said said
My name is...
P I pickle eye, pom pom beauty, ice cream cutie
chinese, japanese, taiwan free
dirty knees, christmas trees, look at these

i know there has to be more between the ice cream cutie and chinese, but i can't remember what it was.. can anyone help?

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: GUEST,Barrie Roberts
Date: 26 Mar 05 - 07:28 AM

John's Glasgow verse from the War reminds me of one we sang in Hampshire in the 1940s. It went to the tune of 'My Old Man's A Dustman';

My old man's a dustman,
He wears a dustman's hat,
He shot down twenty Jerries,
Now what do you think of that?
One fell here, one fell there,
One fell round the corner,
One poor soul with a bullet up his hole
Kept crying out for water.
Water, water, water, water came at last,
I don't want your water so stick it up your arse.

I love these old traditional ballads of peace and brotherhood!

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: Azizi
Date: 25 Mar 05 - 06:33 PM

Either through this thread or another Mudcat thread, I learned that an online communnity called Wheee! Blog had a great thread on children's rhymes.

So I visited that site, and have been periodically shared some examples of rhymes that I have collected.

Today I posted an invitation for that site's members and guests to come to visit us. And I specifically gave the link to this thread.

I'm sure if folks who learned about Mudcat from Wheee! Blog come
a-visitin, we'll extend them a warm welcome!

Here is the link again to that site's thread on children's rhymes:

Wheee! Blog

BTW, it appears as though some of folks who are posting rhymes on Wheee! Blog are teens or maybe even younger.

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: GUEST,Jenny
Date: 16 Mar 05 - 06:28 PM

There's a bit way back about 'Elvis presley, girls are sexy, sitting in the back seat drinking pepsi' and I remember that when I was eight (less than ten years ago) we used to sing that as part of a clapping game. It went

I went to a chinese bakers shop to buy a loaf of bread, bread, bread
He wrapped it up in a five pound note and this is what he said, said, said, my name is...(elvis presely bit).

We also used to sing that susie song, (you know, the 'when susie was a baby...' only susie lost her bra when she was a teenager) and it went so far and then changed track to go 'down, down baby, down by the roller coaster, sweet sweet cherry, no place to go', but I don't remember really how it went. We did skipping games too, something about salt and pepper I remember. We also did variations on the chinese bakers shop one and played a lot of games like that. I've noticed me and my little sister learnt a lot of songs like that (like 'a sailor went to sea, sea, sea, to see what he could see, see, see) but my youngest sister didn't. I think it could be to do with a mixture of things. Even in the last ten years lots has changed and it's not cool to do things like clapping games and jump rope games, which I think it a shame.

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 31 Jan 05 - 12:45 PM

One common when I was a youth in the Glasgow area in the years after the war,
Holy Moses I am dying
Just one wish before I go
If you see a German soldier
Stick a bayonet up his hole

to the tune of What a Friend we have in Jesus.
There were a lot of anti German songs around for quite a long time following the last world war. Not very PC or relevant these days of course, but historically interesting.
Giok

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: Skeezyks
Date: 31 Jan 05 - 12:29 PM

I'm an elementary teacher from Minnesota. I'd like to add a hand clapping, patting game I learned from some first grade girls back in the 1970's. They claaed it "Billy Boy." As they chanted the lyrics they clapped their own hands, then the opposite hand of their partner, then their own opposite shoulders, and finally their knees.

"When Billy Boy was one (sung as two syllables) he learned to suck his thu-umb, (two syllables again.)
Thumb-dee-ah-dah, thumb-dee-ah-dah,
Half past one, cross down,

When Billy boy was two-o, he learned to tie his shoe-oo,
Two-dee-ah-dah, two-dee-ah dah,
Half past two cross down." etc.

three: climb a tree,
four: shut the door,
five: jump and dive,
six: pick up sticks,
seven: got to heaven,
eight: clean his plate,
nine: sing this rhyme,
ten: he learned to say, 'THE END!'"

Now, before I go, does anyone remember a silly campfire song named, "Adelina, Madelina?"

"Adelina, Madelina Whoops Diner Waffle Iron Hokum Stokum Pokum was her name.
She had two teeth in her mouth, one pointed north and the other pointed south."   etc.

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: Azizi
Date: 30 Jan 05 - 10:32 PM

Guest My Baby, & Guest Jenny

I just read your comments and want to welcome you to Mudcat Cafe.

Thanks for posting those rhymes!

Hopefully, since you've found this page of street rhymes, you'll come back and see this post. May I ask you to share with us how these rhymes are played {for instance- are they said while doing handclap routines, jumping rope, to pick somebody or get eliminate them from being picked to be "It"? }. Also when you 'performed' these rhymes {such as in the 1990s' or within the last three years etc}, who performed them {such as girls 5-12 years-and their racial or ethnic group? Would you also please let us know what city, state, and nation you're from?

Thanks!

PS: Guest, My Baby-I never heard your rhyme before. When you pick a name and say it, is that the name of the next player, the name of somebody you know {such as a boy who the girl might like?} or is the name really one that the person wants to give to a baby who she will eventually have?

And Guest Jenny:

I just wanted to share with you that "Scooby Doo" is used in a rhyme [from Pittsburgh, PA-African American girls 5-12 years or so around 1990s to now] that starts like this:

Miss Sue,
Scooby Doo
Miss Sue from Alabama...

--
Also when I was growing up in New Jersey waaay back in the 1950s, we say She {He} got ants in her pants
and it makes her {him} dance
--
The rest of that rhymes sounds new...I like it!

I've heard the Fudge Fudge and Chinese restaurant rhymes before but your versions are different {which is great!}

Please share more rhymes with us!

Ms. Azizi

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: GUEST,Jenny
Date: 30 Jan 05 - 07:32 PM

Hi, I'm only 18..about to be 19 and I remember using all sort of jump rope rhymes when I was a little kid. That really wasn't that long ago. You would be surprised how many of the same rhymes have survived the years and changed and evolved only ever so slightly over the ages.
For example..."Fudge Fudge tell the Judge" probably spawned the hand clap rhyme I remember that went...
"Scooby Doo (clap clap)
Where are you? (clap clap)
If a boy had a toy
and a girl had a curl
you could wrap it up in tissue paper
send it up the elevator
First grade says stop (pause)
Second grade says stop (pause)
Third grade says you better not stop cause
S-T-O-P spells Stop! (at this point all clappers freeze and see who unfreezes first)"
I think thats another difference...we had jump rope rhymes...but more often ...we had hand clapping rhymes.
We had one that was something about someone who "put ants in my pants/ made me dance/ kicked me off the bus/ made me cuss/ all the way to Toys R Us"
There was also
"I went to a Chinese restaurant
to buy a loaf of bread bread bread
He wrapped it up in foil
and this is what he said said said
My name is
Nee eye Nee eye
Nick a nye nick a nye
pom pom poodle
willy wally whiskers (repeat twice)
chefboyardee FREEZE! (clappers freeze and see who unfreezes first)"

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: GUEST,my baby
Date: 17 Jan 05 - 09:04 PM

Oh my baby just kick, oh my baby just kick
time for the baby to come,time for the baby to come
is it a girl? is it a boy? is it a twin? is it a triplet?                                  (pick aboy or a girl)
it's a _____ !
how many mouths? how many years?                  
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11......             (pick the mouth or year)
What letter should the name start with?
A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N,O,P,Q,R,S,T,U,V,W,X,Y,Z
                                          (pick a letter)
And i name ______                         (pick a name)
and that's my baby

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: Azizi
Date: 07 Jan 05 - 01:16 PM

CORRECTIONS:

I just read over my notes to the "get out the way rhymes" that I've collected over time.

I had remembered correctly the words that my daughter Jozita gave me for "Hey! Hey! Get Out The Way".

But with regards to the "Beware" chant, I should have written that the words "Beware/ready. set. go" serve as an introduction to that chant. According to the notes I had written in 1998, that introduction isn't always used, although it was recited by several girls who chanted the rhyme for me taht year.

And my memory really paid tricks on me when I wrote that my daughter, Tazi, my daughter-in-law, Toya, and her son Montel had also recited "Beware." Actually, they recited a completed different
"get out the way" chant. Here's the words to "WE DON'T STOP FOR NOBODY" as recited by my daughter in 1997 from her memory of Pittsburgh, Pa in the early 1980s:

We don't stop for nooobody
Can you dig it.
Woo!
Can you dig it.
{repeat words continuously while linking arms and walking down the sidewalk}

The words "Can you dig it" was not said as a question.
--

In 2001, I received a very similar version of this chant from Toya. She remembers this chant from the mid 1980s {Pittsburgh, PA}.
Instead of repeating the "Can you dig it" line, Toya recited the last line as "Are you with it". During that same visit, Montel unexpectedly joined his mother in reciting this chant. His version was basically the same as his mother's. The only difference between the two versions was that Montel chanted the 2nd line as "Can you get it".

It's possible that these slightly different versions are the result of faulty memory. But if children really did say "Can you get it" ,
I wonder if the change was made because by 2001 the once popular saying "Can you dig it" had long since been retired from regular use- in Black neighborhoods anyway.

I guess we'll never know...
--

Again, sorry for MY faulty memory. This shows the importance of having and referring to back up notes and other documentation-like sound recordings or visual recordings-when trying to collect, preserve, and share examples of rhymes.

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: Azizi
Date: 06 Jan 05 - 11:40 PM

Gargoyle:
Now that's dirty, old man..

At least I think you're a man...and maybe you're old in age
and sometimes you come across old in wisdom in a wise crackin way...
I guess you want people to 'guess' about you..

That's cool..I think I'm going to look up what a "gargoyle" is and what a "gargoyle" does..

--
And back to the thread's subject:
My step daughter told me that when she was 8 or 9 in the mid 1970s in Indianapolis, Indiana, she and other girls would link arms and walk down the sidewalk chanting the exact same lines that Gargoyle gave:

             Hey! Hey!
             Get out of the way.
             I just got back
             to the USA!

She said they would make people move out of the way. It was a way of having fun and [maybe]asserting their power...
--

In 1998 I collected a chant called "Beware" from girls 7-9 year old in Pittsburgh PA. Another daughter of mine also remembers this chant from the early to mid 1980s in Pittsburgh. It's possible that boys may also chant this rhyme, and maybe perform it. In 2001, my oldest grandson, then 8 years old, overheard me ask his mother {my daughter-in-law] what rhymes she knew. When she started chanting "Beware",
he joined right in, saying the exact same words. But he didn't admit to using it with his friengs to block people from walking down the sidewalk.

And the words to "Beware" are:

BEWARE
Beware.
Ready. Set. And go.
Beware.
We comin through.

No one can stop us.
Not even you

We have the power
to overall. *
1-2-3.
So beware!

* 'Overall' may mean 'overrule'. Or it may mean 'to roll over all {everyone}'.
--

Is this chant familiar to anyone?

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 06 Jan 05 - 09:43 PM

Circa mid 50's

Mixed - Military Brats - chant overseas Asia:

Hey, Hey get out of my way.
I just got back from the U.S.A.

Same era, west-coast USA
More a playground prank than song -

There was a popular radio cigarette-commercial:
Winston Tastes Good
Like a Cigarette Should.

You would walk up to the dupe and ask, "For a penny, Bet you can't give me the first line of a cigarette commercial! The dupe would reply, Winston tastes good. The perpetrator would then hand over a penny.... pull out the waist-band of his trousers and say, "HEAR that WINSTON?????"

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: Azizi
Date: 06 Jan 05 - 09:11 PM

Cruiser,
Glad to know that was the right song! O'm glad I could help.

Thanks, Snuffy for the links. It's interesting how rhymes travel across the world and take on cultural baggage as a result of that travel..
--
Warning: Here's a little bit of serious talk..

I'm one of those adults who wonder what rhymes say about the self-concept, interpersonal relationship, world view, values, attitudes, expectations, and concerns of children in general or of a specific child.

But I don't think children consciously think about any of this. I believe that children "sing" rhymes and do handclap, jump rope and other movements while reciting rhymes because they like doing so.

And maybe my interest in rhymes is a reflection of the fact that I'm still a child at heart.

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: Snuffy
Date: 06 Jan 05 - 07:00 PM

Azizi,

See here WATER WATER WALLFLOWER 2 for 6 or 7 versions collected in Scotland.

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: Cruiser
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 08:42 PM

Azizi,

Thanks for the information. I remember the third verse now that you wrote it:

3rd verse Marry marry, marry quick!
          Ronnie, you are just love sick!

I remember my girlfriend playing that third, final verse fortissimo, almost banging on the keys. I did not recall the words until you posted them, probably because that was some 46 years ago.

Cruiser

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: Azizi
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 06:57 PM

sorry about that junk at the end.

My New Year's resolution is to use the Preview feature...

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: Azizi
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 06:35 PM

Cruiser,

You may be thinking of the Wallflower rhyme.

In "Play Songs of The Deep South" Altona Trent Johns, 1944
tthere's a version called "Water-Flower" The first verse is completely different:

1st verse: Water-flower, water-flower
          growing up so tall
          All the young ladies must surely, surely die
          All except 'Lindy Watkins,
          She is everywhere=
          The white folks say, the white folks say,
          Turn your back and tell your beau's name.

end of quote--
But the second verse of that song has the verse you quoted:

2nd verse Doctor, doctor, can you tell
          What will make poor 'Lindy well?
          She is sick and 'bout to die
          That will make poor Johnnie cry.

end of quote

As you can see that's the same as yours except for the change in names. Now if your name is Ronnie and your sister's name is Nancy that would account for the name changes...

"Water-Flower" has a different ending than the one you gave:

3rd verse Marry marry, marry quick!
          'Lindy, you are just love sick!

4th verse Johnnie is a ver' nice man,
          Comes to the door with hat in hand,
          Pulls off his gloves and shows his rings,
          "Morrow is the wedding-day.
---
"Water-flower" is described as a pantomine ring {cicle} game with one girl in the middle; a boy is said to act out the role of the doctor {This was before Women's Lib} and the doctor selects the boy whose name 'Lindy had mentioned to come into the center of the ring and act out the role of "Johnnie".
---

This is the first time I've seen or heard your "a bottle of ink to make him stink/a bottle of wine to make him shine" verse.

I remember this teasing rhyme from my chikdhood {1950s)
Ink a bottle of ink.
somebody let out an awful stink.
It was Y-O-U!

end of verse

That may have been because someone really had "let out wind", but not always. "Ink Stink" was also used as a counting out rhyme. According to my daughter who is a second grade teacher, the verse is still being used both ways.
--

There are A LOT of other children's rhymes with the "Momma Moma I feel sick" verses. The oldest one I found was 'Old Aunt Dinah sick in bed/called the doctor and the doctor said/get up Dinah, you aint sick/all you need is a hickory stick! {source either Scarborough "On The Trail Of Negro Folk Rhymes" 1927, or Talley "Negro Folk Rhymes", 1922.

Also I know there was at least one other thread where the Wallflower rhyme is discussed. Perhaps someone will put up that link..






thfrom The South that tdthe old book from te
I believe you are ttalkin There are also a lot of "ink stink a bottle of ink" children's rhymes also.

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: Cruiser
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 05:36 PM

This is a song my girlfriend used to play on her piano and sing when we were in grade school, often just before we walked to school together (way back in the 50s).

Doctor, doctor, can you tell
What will make poor Ronnie well?
He is sick and going to die
That will make poor Nancy cry.

Nancy, Nancy, don't you cry.
He'll get better by and by,
A bottle of ink to make him stink
A bottle of wine to make him shine


Does anybody know the melody of this ditty and what song it was derived from, if any?

Cruiser

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: GUEST,joe_f
Date: 15 Dec 04 - 09:09 PM

celticblues:

When I was little, in California, 1940s, the first dirty song that every little boy learned was



There's a place in France

Where the women wear no pants

And the men go round

With their wienies hanging down.



I gather that it was pretty universal in the U.S. Once I was at a circus, and at the end of one of the acts all the elephants defecated in unison. Meanwhikle, the band played the tune of the above song, and I immediately understood that that was appropriate for the dirty part.

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: Leadfingers
Date: 15 Dec 04 - 11:04 AM

We still sing Welia Welia Walia at Irish gigs - Usually get good audience response too ! Children always did have a strange sense of humour !

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: GUEST,Paul Burke
Date: 15 Dec 04 - 10:01 AM

OK, someone has to post it:

Pus and matter custard,
Green snot pie,
All mixed up with a dead dog's eye,
Slap it on a butty
Nice and thick
And wash it all down
With a cup of cold sick.

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Dec 04 - 08:54 AM

Here's one I recall

Georgie Porgie Pudding and Pie,
Kissed the girls and made them cry.
When the boys came out to play,
Georgie Porgie ran away.

I also recall a ball bouncing game with this rhyme

one two three oleary,
Charlie is my sisiters dearie...
bounce up, bounce down,
off the wall and spin around.
One two three oleary,
Charlie is my sisters dearie.


There was also one that began

Keep the kettle boiling,
don't be late..

but I cannot remember the rest..it was a skipping rhyme.

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: beetle cat
Date: 14 Dec 04 - 11:36 PM

oh man.
Laura, thats a pretty harsh version of that counting out rhyme.
I knew it as;

'Ip dip dog shit
(I say you're it!)'

but my favorite counting out rhyme of all time was

(person 1) my mother punched your mother, what color was the blood?
(person 2, the person it lands on, states a color. for example, if they say purple, the 6th person in the circle is out cause there are 6 letters in purple)


Animaterra
I loved the miss Susie one, but I remember it as miss Lucy.

and also, the telephone song.. something like;

1:          hey (name)
chorus: someone's callin' your name!
1:          hey (name)
chorus: and I hear it again!
             there's someone on the telephone,
(name): if it isn't (new name) tell 'em I'm not home!

and on and on and on and on. we could do that for hours.

another favorite was the Lamb Chops theme song.
"some people started singing it not knowing what it was...."

but don't think that these fun songs stop as soon as you leave elementary school!!!!
I'm learning tons of new obscene songs at the University!

(B double E double R U N- BEER RUN... etc..)

or..
heres to (name) she/he's too blue
he's a pisspot through and through
he's the devil so they say
tried to go to heaven but he went the other way!!!..

Im wondering if it will ever stop..
extended education is just an excuese for extended immaturity and obscenity.

but not to worry folks, the tradition is alive and well.

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: Lighter
Date: 03 Dec 04 - 06:29 PM

The songs about "Dan, Dan" are folk versions of the famous 1840s minstrel song, "Old Dan Tucker":

Old Dan Tucker was a fine old man,
Washed his face in a frying pan.
Combed his hair with a wagon wheel,
Died with a toothache in his heel.

Evidently the original appealed jus as much to kids 150 years ago.

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: sue exhull
Date: 03 Dec 04 - 05:43 PM

Hi the version we said was
Dan Dan, dirty old man, washed his face in the frying pan,
combed his hair with a donkeys tail,and scratched his belly with his big toenail   
I think that was it anyway!!!!

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: *Laura*
Date: 03 Dec 04 - 05:38 PM

Oh that's it - it's washed his face, not his hair. I thought that sounded a bit funny.

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: Little Robyn
Date: 03 Dec 04 - 05:36 PM

Hi Laura,
I remember
Dan, Dan, the dirty old man,
Washed his face in a frying pan,
Combed his hair with the leg of a chair
And......
I forget. But there's definitely another line there. Something like Went to bed in his underwear!
Cheers,
Robyn

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: *Laura*
Date: 03 Dec 04 - 05:19 PM

When I was about four I seem to remember us singing:

'Dan, dan the dirty old man,
washed his hair in the frying pan,
combed his hair with the leg of a chair...'

then I'm not sure - maybe it just went 'Dan dan the dirty old man' again.

And also -

Elvis Presely
Girls are sexy/God damn sexy (depending on how 4 we were!)
Sitting in the back seat
Drinking Pepsi!

And possibly one of my first tastes of swearing - that rhyme you do (like eeny meeny miny mo) for deciting who's 'it' in a game of tig - was
'Ip dip dog shit
fuckin bastard,
dirty git" - I doubt we knew what any of the words meant though!

xLx

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: Azizi
Date: 03 Dec 04 - 01:44 PM

Here's another children's rhyme that mentions "bra"
Group                Bang Bang Choo Choo Train.
                Watch Kadisha* do her thang.
Soloist #1        I can't,
Group                Why not?
Soloist #1        I can't.
Group                Why not?
Soloist #1        Because my back is aching.
                My bra's too tight
                And my hips keep movin                                                from the left to the right.
Group                Her back is aching
                Her bra's too tight
                Her hips keep movin from                                        the left to the right

* personalize name
[This is a foot stomping cheer that I collected from African American girls in Pittsburgh, PA area,1999}

Somewhat like Guest's Dec 2, 2004 rhyme, when I was growing up in Atlantic City, New Jersey in the 1950s we jumped rope to "Postman, Postman do your duty/here comes Debby*, an American beauty/she can wiggle/she can wooble/she can do the split/but I betcha 5 dollars she can't do this.
We would then do actions and chant "lady on one foot, one foot/one foot/turn around/lady on two foot/two foot/two foot/touch the ground etc {it would continue with lady on three foot meaning two feet and one hand on the ground, but I don't remember what the rhyming word was. It ended with lady on four foot {both hands and both feet touching the ground and we would say something like "jump out now", This was said if the person jumping had lasted that long without missing,which I usually didn't.

In the 1980s Pittsburgh, PA my daughter and her friends used the African booty line. "African booty" means "big butt"-and is a compliment. But my daughter and her friends said, "She can wiggle/she can woogle/she can do the flips {or "she can do the splits"}. And they didn't add the "lady on one foot" parts.

I think we had more fun way back then.

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: Billy Weeks
Date: 03 Dec 04 - 10:33 AM

Say what you will
School dinners make you ill;
Robin Hood was sick on shepherd's pie,
So throw your din din
In the pig bin
Or else you'll die.

(London about 50 years ago).

Quick, quick, the cat's beeen sick.
Where? Where? Under the chair.
Hasten, hasten, fetch a basin.
Too late, too late, it's all in vain
The cat has licked it up again

(current)

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: GUEST,srich
Date: 03 Dec 04 - 10:22 AM

Several excellent books have been mentioned on this thread. I must include "Step it Down" Bessie Jones. This book is loaded!

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: Snuffy
Date: 03 Dec 04 - 08:44 AM

I heard it as:

Ooh ,aah,
Cantona
I lost my knickers
In my boyfriends car

This would pretty much date it to the period when Eric Cantona was playing for Man U (say 1995-2000?)

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: GUEST,guest
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 10:54 PM

Ill never forget my 7 year old daughter singing in the street after school.
Oh Ah I lost my bra
I lost my bra
In my boyfriends car..

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 10:20 PM

mailman mailman
do your duty
here comes a lady with an
african booty
she can do the pom pom
she can do the twist
most of all she likes to kiss

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: celticblues5
Date: 10 Sep 04 - 12:52 AM

My kids did several of those mentioned above, such as Miss Mary Mack and the sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G song. They also adored -

"There's a place in France
Where the naked ladies dance
And the men can see it all
Through a hole in the wall
But the men don't care
'Cause they're in their underwear
And the ladies are wearing
Their B-R-As!"

I think kids are still getting a lot of the traditional songs, thanks in part to groups like Sharon, Lois, & Bram, and thanks in part to elementary teachers - those school song books still have a lot of the oldies.

Some years ago I heard Jean Redpath (maybe on PHC) sing a medley of traditional street songs, starting with "Up Against the Wall, the London Ball," and ending with "I've a Laddie in Americay." In between was a little bit of a song that had to do with a child who was taking her dad some dinner - wonder if anyone knows the complete lyrics - all that I can remember are little bits -

"[name] stole me new topcoat, me new topcoat, me new topcoat, [name] stole me new topcoat, and [name] tore the linin"

and "ah ha ha, ye needna run, ye needna run, ye needna run, ah ha ha, ye needna run, for ye'll get yer licks in the mornin'

and "My mother says that I must go with my father's dinner-o" and something about a "bawbee bake."

Possibly these are two different songs and I'm just merging them in my memory. Can anyone help with the lyrics to this (these)? Also, I was under the impression that a bawbee was a coin - ? Did I hear the word incorrectly in the Redpath song, or are they two different words or the same word with two different meanings?

Thanks!

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 09 Sep 04 - 08:55 PM

There is a lot of documentation on "Water, Water, Wallflowers 2" in the DT. This game has a long history in the UK and Ireland. Usually it is catalogued under the title "Down She Comes As White As Milk."
In the United States, Newell published this version from New York, in 1883, with music:

Water, water, wild flowers, growing up so high;
We are all young ladies,
And we are sure to die,
Excepting Susie Allen.
She is the finest flower,
Fie, fie, fie for shame;
Turn about and tell your beau's name.
(The girl complying, the ballad proceeds-)

Mister Nobody is a nice young man,
He comes to the door with his hat in his hand.

Down he comes, all dressed in silk,
A rose in her bosom, as white as milk.

She takes off her gloves, she shows me her ring,
Tomorrow, tomorrow, the wedding begins.

Newell, W. W., 1883 (1963, Dover), Games and Songs of American Children, No. 12, pp. 67-68.
Newell commented: "This round is remarkable for being introduced, wherever it occurs, by a stanza with a different melody, whereby the ballad is turned into a game. By this introduction the hero and heroine of the action are selected.
""Little Sally Waters," or "Uncle John," having been first played, the round proceeds about the couple standing in the ring:" At this point, Newell introduces a version of "white as milk" that was played in Massachusetts "before 1800."

See comments and "Water-Flower" version, posted by Azizi, thread 6108:
Wade in the Water

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Jul 04 - 03:18 AM

Nineteen miles to Blackberry Cross,
To see a Black Man ride on a white horse.
The rogue was so saucy he wouldn't come down
To show me the road to the nearest town.
I picked up a turnip and cracked his old crown,
And made him cry turnups all over the town

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 01 Jul 04 - 02:44 AM

To the tune of "This Old Man" aka "Barney Song"

I love you,
You love me,
Barney gave me H.I.V.
With a hug and a kiss and a little bit more,
I got A.I.D.S. from a dionsaur.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle