Children's Street Songs

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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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 - 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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,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: 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: 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,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: 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: 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: 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: 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,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,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,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
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: 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: 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: GUEST,boogie
Date: 11 Nov 07 - 11:34 PM

im trying to remember a "cheer" i used to hear as a child some of the previous ones ive read have come close but not enough to spark up nest alga (or how ever you spell it).
it goes

Imma nut
and a hut
i stole an apple from the tree
so what...


I cant remember the rest can anyone help me out?

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: GUEST,Jasmine
Date: 13 Nov 07 - 06:57 AM

Apples on a stick makes me sick makes my stomach go 246 boys boys havin lots of fun here come one with his finger up his bum he wibble he can wobble he can even do the splits but i bet he cant do this

i dont know the rest

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: Azizi
Date: 13 Nov 07 - 09:25 AM

Guest Jasmine, I've heard and read a number of versions of the rhyme you posted. I'm not sure if I've posted these before, but in any event, here's some examples from my website: Cocojams

APPLES ON A STICK {Version #1}
Apples on a the stick
make me sick.
Make my heart go
Two forty six
Not because I'm dirty
Not because I'm clean
Not because I kissed a boy
Behind a magazine.
-multiple sources, including girls ages 7-10 years; Millview Acres Housing Development (Clairton, PA) 2002; collected by Azizi Powell, 2002; www.cocojams.com

**

APPLES ON A STICK {Version #2}
Apple on a stick makes me sick makes my heart beat 2-46 not because you're dirty not because you're clean not because you kissed the boy behind the magazine hey girls you wanna have some fun cause here come a lady with a big fat bum she can wibble she can wobble she can even do the splits but i bet ya i bet ya she can't do this close your eyes and count to ten if you muck it up you're a big fat hen. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 (if you didn't muck up) we didn't muck it up so that's the end. we're best friends. (if you did muck up) we mucked up and that's the end so start again cause we're not best friends.
-Allie; 2/15/2007 ; www.cocojams.com

-snip-

In some examples, "makes my heart go 246" or "makes my heart beat"
2-4-6 is also given as "makes my tummy go"

Also, Jasmine, instead of your line "with a finger up his bum", I've seen the line "here comes a lady with a big fat bum" or "here comes a boy with his pants undone".

Here's one ending that I've seen for this jump rope rhyme:

A lady on one foot one foot one foot a lady on two foot two foot two foot a lady on three foot three foot three foot a lady on four foot four foot four foot a lady on five foot five foot five foot a lady on six foot six foot six foot a lady no foot no foot no foot.
-De'Azia, age 8, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 3/24/2006 www.cocojams.com


-snip-

I remember doing that "Lady With One Foot" rhyme from my childhood in New Jersey {USA} in the 1950s.

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: GUEST,Ezekiel
Date: 16 Nov 07 - 12:41 PM

I like it

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: GUEST,Lballinger
Date: 29 Nov 07 - 02:23 PM

I was looking for the second or more verses of a song my grandfather used to sing that went
"All the Girls in France,
They Wear Tissue Paper Pants" It sounds like it may have been related to some of the above posts.

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: Azizi
Date: 29 Nov 07 - 03:31 PM

GUEST,Lballinger,I agree with you that the lines you shared to the song your grandfather sung are similar to the "All The Girls In France examples posted above [such as in GUEST 18 Oct 07 - 05:06 PM's post]

However, since children's rhymes don't have any set words or order of words, it's not possible to really know the exact words and order of verses that your grandfather sung.

For what it's worth, I've never before heard or read a version of
"All The Girls In France" that included the line "They Wear Tissue Paper Pants".

Maybe someone else reading this has heard a version like that and will share the example that she or he knows here.

By the way, your post can serve as a reminder for folks to tape or video record-or at the very least-write down the words of rhymes & songs that their grandparents, parents, and other family members, school mates, and friends sing. Also, don't forget to write down the who, what, where, and when information about that recording/transcription.

In doing so, you will be preserving your childhood/family memories and also will be doing your part to record, preserve, and pass on cultural artifacts.

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: GUEST,julie
Date: 05 Dec 07 - 09:38 AM

We used to say one that went:

Say Say my Playmate, (clap, clap)
Come out and play with me (clap, clap)
And bring your dollies 3 (clap, clap)
Climb up my apple tree (clap, clap)
Slide down my rainbow (clap, clap)
Into my cellar door (clap, clap)
and we'll be jolly friends (clap, clap)
Forever more, more (clap, clap)
10-4 (clap)

Then there was:
Apples, Apples on a stick,
make me sick,
make my tummy go 2-4-6
not because it's dirty,
not because it's clean,
just because I kissed a boy
behind a magazine,
boys, boys have some fun
here comes the teacher with her mini skirt on
she can wibble, she can wobble
she can do the splits,
but i betcha 5 dollars she can't do this,
close your eyes and count to 10
and if you mess up start over again,
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
the end!

Then there was one about strawberry shortcake... can't remember that one at all for some reason.

then there was about billy boy
cross down when billy boy was 1
he learned to suck his thumb
thumb after thumb after half past one


2 was tie his shoe
3 was climb a tree
4 was shut the door
5 was swim and dive
6 was pick up sticks
7 was pray to Heaven
8 was shut the gate
9 was pay the fine
10 was say the end

and at the end it was
... end after end after half past ten
cross down the end.

then there was one about
cinderella dressed in yella
went upstairs to kiss her fella
made a mistake kissed a snake
how many doctors did it take?
1, 2 and so on until you missed at jumping rope

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: GUEST,julie
Date: 05 Dec 07 - 09:44 AM

ok now i remembered the one with strawberry in it.. it wasn't strawberry shortcake... it went:

I am a pretty little Dutch girl,
As pretty as pretty can be,
and all the boys in the neighborhood,
go crazy over me,
My boyfriend's name is Tony,
He lives in the land of baloney (bologna I suppose we meant)
with baloney on his nose and baloney on his toes
and this is how my story goes,
One day as I was walking,
I heard my boyfriend talking,
To the pretty little girl with the strawberry curls,
and this is what he said to her,
I K-i-s-s kiss you
I L-o-v-e love you
I K-i-s-s kiss you
In the D-a-r-k Dark Dark Dark

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: GUEST,Drew
Date: 13 Dec 07 - 09:33 AM

do you remember the one that goes:

abc hit thats the way uh huh uh huh
i like it uh huh uh huh
thats the way uh huh uh huh
i like it uh huh uh huh

you got your way and i got mine
so peace punch captain crunch
brick wall water fall
girl you think you got it all
but you dont i do
so poof with the attitude

bang bang chu chu train

Whats the rest???

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: Azizi
Date: 13 Dec 07 - 10:05 AM

GUEST,Drew, you asked what's the rest.

Here's three possibilities from my website: www.cocojams.com

Brickwall Waterfall (name) thinks shes got it all and she don't, I do. So backup with that attitude. Peace Punch Captian Crunch I got something you can't touch. Rieces Peices 7Up you mess with me I'll mess you up. Bang Bang Choo Choo train come on over I'll do my thang I know Karate I know Kung-fu mess with me I'll mess with you. Be gone, your breath is too strong, wait come back, I think you need a tic tac. Not one not two but the whole dang pack. Not a tic not a tac but the whole dang pack!!
-Cheerleading Babe; 3/11/2007

****

Brick Wall Waterfall girl u think u got it all but u don't I do so boom with that attitude peace punch captain crunch i got something u cant touch bang bang choo choo train wind me up while i do ma thang elbow elbow wrist wrist CRY NOW GIRL you just got DISSED!
-shorty ; 4/29/2007

****

brickwall waterfall girl you think you got it all you dont i do so POOF with that attiude chris cross captain crunch i got something you cant touch bang bang choo choo train wind me up i'll do my thang recess peaces 7up mess with me i'll mess you up POOF be gone your breath is way to strong wait come back i think you need a tic-tac sorry to be mean but you need some listerine not a drop not a girgle but the whole dang bottle elbow elbow wrist wrist shut up girl you just got dissed!!!!
-kendal; 5/23/2007

-snip-

There are many other possibilities...

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: GUEST,Chris McCann
Date: 31 Mar 08 - 11:13 PM

One I remember from my childhood in Belfast in the 50s was:
Pancake Tuesday is a holiday.
If we don't get off, we'll all run away.
Where shall we run?
Down the wee lane.
Who should we meet, but the teacher with the cane.
What shall we do?
We'll chop her up in two & leave her at the hospital at half past two! (? not totally clear in the memory department on the last half of the last line!)

One of the skipping songs - one person either end of rope turning it while others jump in & jump rope - I remember:
I had a little motor car, P46.
I drove it round the corner..........And slammed on the brakes!
(At "round the corner", the skipper jumped out of the rope, around the person turning rope & back in on the other side. At, "slammed on the brake", the skipper had to jump & land, catching the rope under foot.

I'm sure many more will come to me. There always seemed to be a song for everything in Belfast

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: paula t
Date: 01 Apr 08 - 07:18 PM

In Lancashire in the 60s and early 70s there were lots of songs for clapping games and skipping etc. Most of them have faded from my mind, but here are a few....

Queenie O'Cocoa, who's got the ball?
Queenie O'Cocoa, who's got the ball?
I haven't got it. It isn't in my pocket.
Queenie O'Cocoa , who's got the ball?



A sailor went to sea sea sea,
To see what he could see see see.
But all that he could see see see,
Was the bottom of the deep blue sea sea sea.


I used to play the old banjo and rest it on my knee,
But now the strings have broken down it's no more use to me.
I took it to the menders shop to see what he could do. He said the strings have broken down,It's no more use to you.
(this song was sung by adding a strange effect to the words, in an attempt to sound like a banjo e.g" I ululused to playlaylay the ololold banjololo and relelest it ololon my kneeleeleeleeleeleelee...."We thought we were very clever!)

Sigh...We really knew how to live in those days.


,

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: Bert
Date: 01 Apr 08 - 07:40 PM

One two three O'Lairy
My ball's down the airey
Don't forget to give it to Mary
Not to Charlie Chaplin.

Green Gravel, green gravel
your grass is so green
my Father's a farmer on yonder green
with plenty of money to dress me in silk
so come along Charlie and marry me.

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: Bert
Date: 01 Apr 08 - 07:49 PM

In 1944 the soldiers went to war
they used their bums instead of guns
in 1944.

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: GUEST,baby louise
Date: 28 Apr 08 - 06:27 PM

a song we always used to sing (another version of i went to a chineses resterant)

I went to a chinese resterant to buy a loaf of bread-bread-bread
He wrapped it up in a £10 note and this is wat he said-said-said
My name is elvis preisly
girls are sexy
sittin on the back seats
drinkin pepsi
had a baby
named it daisy
showed it to a lady
she went crazy
joined the nazy
boys go kiss kiss
girls go woah (at which point we wud lift up our skirts or do a front handspring)

(sori about any spellin mistakes am dyslexic)

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: Azizi
Date: 28 Apr 08 - 07:20 PM

baby louise, thanks for posting that example. That's an interesting one. I've not read that version before.

Best wishes,

Ms. Azizi

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: Azizi
Date: 18 May 08 - 12:27 PM

Guest, Chris McCann, if you happen to read this, I took the liberty of reposting your example about Pancake Day on this Mudcat thread
thread.cfm?threadid=67287&messages=29#2343654 BS: Damn! I missed my pancakes:-(

I also took the liberty of reposting your example on my website page about Teacher Taunts: http://cocojams.com/teacher_taunts.htm

**

Before reading your example, I had never heard of Pancake Day. But thanks to you and thanks to This wikipedia page about Shrove Tuesday, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrove_Tuesday, I now know that Pancake Tuesday is the name for the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, the same day that some people call Mardi Gras. And now I also know why that day is called "Pancake Tuesday"-because people make pancakes on that day to use up rich ingredients such as eggs, milk, and sugar before the beginning of fasting for Lent. Also, I learned that the "most famous pancake race, at Olney in Buckinghamshire, has been held since 1445.[In that race] contestants, traditionally women, carry a frying pan and race to the finishing line tossing the pancakes as they go. As the pancakes are thin, some skill is required to toss them successfully while running. The winner is the first to cross the line having tossed the pancake a certain number of times."

-snip-

Imagine that! It's a wonder what you can learn on Mudcat, and on other Internet sites.

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: GUEST,Anonymous
Date: 21 May 08 - 10:35 PM

Apple cider makes me sick. Makes my heart go 2-4-6. Not because I'm dirty, Not because I'm clean, Just because I kissed a boy behind a magazine. Hey girls, let's have some fun. Here comes Johnny with his pants undone. He can wibble he can wobble he can even do the splits But I betcha fifty dollars that he can't do this. Now close your eyes and count to ten, if you screw up start over again.

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: GUEST,Miguel M
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 09:56 PM

Allen,

This is what I remember from that song:

I was standing on the corner, doing no harm. Along came a copper, who took me by the arm. He took me to the corner and rang a tiny bell. Along came a wagon, that took me to my cell.

As I lay sleeping, I drew upon the wall. The bed bugs and the roaches, where having a game of ball. The score was six to nothing. The roaches were ahead. The bed bugs hit a homer and knocked me out of bed . . . hey!

[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: GUEST,unknown
Date: 27 Jun 08 - 06:19 PM

this is are version:

apple on a stick makes me sick, makes my heart beat far too quick. girls and boys having fun here comes *name here* with a big fat bum. she/he can wibble she/he can wobble she/he can do the splits but bet you 50 dollors he can't do this. close your eyes and count to 10 if you go wrong then start again. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 we didn't muck it up so were best friends.

Subject: RE: Children's Street Songs
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 28 Jun 08 - 01:01 PM

Nice little collection of Australian kids songs (all rude) entitled, 'Shocking, Shocking, Shocking.
A friend of mine who used to visit schools and talk about theatre told me of the time he asked permission of a headmaster to record some children's songs.
He set the tape-recorder up in front of the class and one-by-one they came up and sang or recited their polite pieces into the microphone and went back and sat down.
After a while he decided on a fresh tack so, with the permission of the teacher he placed the recorder inside a walk-in cupboard with a blanket over the door so the kids could do their thing in relative privacy, left the tape running while he and the teacher disappeared to the staff room for a cup of tea.
They returned some time later to find the tape full of songs and rhymes which would out-Burns The Merry Muses of Caledonia.
My own favourite of the genre was a rhyme recorded by a friend from East London, from one of his daughters
Poor Little Sparrer, poor little fing,
No fevvers on its 'ed, no fevvers on it's wing,
Can't fly, can't sing
Useless barsted
(or alternatively)
Cut its bleedin' ed orf.
Jim Carroll