Origins: 'Once in China there lived a great man...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great ma
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Nov 07 - 04:10 PM

My Father taught me and my 4 sisters to sing this song...some of them here are close but none spot on.

In Chia Town there lived a man
His name was chikity chikity chan
His feet were long and his toes were short
and this is the way the Chinaman talked

OH!... Chikity che che Ouchie ow
Chicity Romeo eat a banana
Gawalla gawalla Chanta kee
Eat a banana go ouchi ow

This chinaman he had great wealth
and lived in a mansion all by himself
his neighbors next door bought him a boat
and down the river he did float

Chorus:

(in minor key)
This Chinaman was doomed to die
and in his coffin he did lie
they sent his body to Japan
and that was the end of the Chinaman

Chorus:

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
From: GUEST,sinky
Date: 05 Nov 07 - 12:16 PM

once in china there lived a great man
he ate a sandwich of brown sauce and spam
he ate it too fast,developed bad gas
and shat all over his mam

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
From: GUEST,Kim
Date: 04 Nov 07 - 10:35 PM

my mother taught me this song as soon as learnt how to spealk;

Once in China, lived a man
his name was Chick a rack a chee chi cho.
His arms were long, his legs were short.
China man could walk nor snort.

Chick a rack a cee chi cho chicka loro, bungo, loro piggy wiggy wago.
Ho co po co, hittem on the coco chit a by chit a by che chi cho.

China man had a wife, she led him an aweful life
cut his pig tales off so long and sold them for this Chinese song.
Chorus

China man he will die, in a coffin he will lie. send him back to the native land and thats the end of the Chinese man.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Oct 07 - 01:59 PM

chickery chick challa challa
chickaliomee ina bananika
wallikka wallikka
cant you see
chickery chick is me

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Oct 07 - 12:59 PM

Hey, it's funny because I was looking for the lyrics a year ago and couldn't find a page anywhere that even tried to come up with them. It's so funny how different everyone's versions are. My grandfather's chorus went more like:

Chicka chaloo chaloo chapan
Alaby Alaby chicka chalalapy
Chicka chaloo chaloo chapan
Alaby Alaby China man.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
From: GUEST,The version I learned
Date: 21 Oct 07 - 10:06 AM

My mother learned this song in summer camp(50-60's) I'm sure it was modified from what she learnt..I just have never been able to get it out of my head. I was hoping today to find more verses...or even the original song


The chorus started slow and each time you sang it sped up.

Once in China lived a man
his name was Chickarack a chee chi cho
his arms were long, his legs were short
chinaman could walk nor snort.

Chorus
Chickarack chee chi cho chicka loro
hungo bungo, piggy wiggy wago
hoco poko, hit em on the coco
chitta by, chitta by, chee chi cho

China man had a wife
she led him an aweful life
she cut his pigtails off so long (fingers an inch apart)
and sold them for this chinese song.

Chorus (faster than the first time you sang it)

China man he did die
in a coffin he did lay
they sent him back to Old Japan
and that was the end of the China man

Chorus (as fast as you can - almost tripping over your own tongue)


I laughed so had as a kid, my kids laugh too....I think it has to do with the faces you make as you sing the chorus faster and faster.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 12 Oct 07 - 08:38 AM

Google Book Search found this in Notes and Queries, ser. 10 v. 2 1904 Jul-Dec, page 507:

CHINESE NOMINY. -- In West Yorkshire, about 1875, the grooms, stable-boys, butchers' lads and others of the kin of Sam Weller, had a "Chinese" nominy of which they made a good deal of mystery, and the learning of which they considered quite an accomplishment. I forget the earlier part, but it ended

Katty had a cow,
Kittywarry, kattywarry, I ching go.

There was a translation which rather gave itself away by using a proper name dissimilar from anything in the original, which translation ran thus :—

Once in China there lived a man,
His name was Ratio Tamo Tyrie Tan
His legs were long, his feet were small,
Chinee feller couldn't walk at all….

Only a "snippet view" is available (at least to me) but I was able to apply my usual tricks to piece together several "snippets" to get the above text. I couldn't go any further.

"Nominy" is a new word to me. Anybody have access to a dictionary definition?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
From: GUEST,treeboy
Date: 11 Oct 07 - 12:43 AM

Once in china there lived a little man
His name was chingalo ching chong chan
His head was big and his feet were small
And this little man couldn't walk at all

Chingalo chingalo ching chong chan
haydee hoedee happy man
Jubalo rascal county oh
gallapee wallapee chinee-oh

Now mrs cayay was short and fat
She had money but he was flat
So under her window he would go
To play her a tune on his old banjo

Chingalo chingalo ching chong chan
haydee hoedee happy man
Jubalo rascal county oh
gallapee wallapee chinee-oh

Now Mrs. cayay heard notes of love
She raised her washboard high above
And let it fall on poor cingalo chan
That was the end of the china-man

Chingalo chingalo ching chong chan
haydee hoedee happy man
Jubalo rascal county oh
gallapee wallapee chinee-oh

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great ma
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Oct 07 - 04:54 AM

My grandfathers version went like

Once in China there lived a little man
And his name was chicarocka, chicarocka ching ching chang
His arms were long and his legs were short
And this little man could neither walk nor talk.

chicarocka chicarocka boom chickarolla
acka packa kick him in the boka
boom chickarolla bom bay

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great ma
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Sep 07 - 12:46 PM

My families version goes like this:

Once there was a Chinaman
he lived in a mansion all alone
his feet were long his legs were short
Chinaman couldn't walk or talk

chickety loochie loochie la
poliver woliver chickety olicer
chickety loochie loochie la
poliver woliver Chinaman

Chinaman he upped and died
laid his coffin by his side
shipped his body to Japan
That was the end of the chinaman

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
From: GUEST,sinky
Date: 24 Sep 07 - 08:32 PM

once in china there lived a great man
he lived with his friend in an old camper van
he loved his kung fu,and cup of typhoo
and his all the year golden sun tan

his back was all covered in hair,
and he hangs his coat over a chair
when he sits in the pub
with his beer and grub
he wishes we all could be there



   BOB DYLAN

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
From: GUEST,GUEST Billy
Date: 24 Sep 07 - 11:08 AM

My father who was born in the 1890s sang this song to my brothers, sisters and I during the '30s. We all (9 of us) learned this song and sang it to our children and grandchildren. This is the version we all sang:

In China once there lived a great man
His name was Chika Raka Chee Chi Pan
His legs were long and his feet were small
The Chinese man couldn't walk at all

Chorus:
Chee Chika Raka Chi, Cho Chuka Lorum
Con Go Lorum Ina Pee Nam
Ek Co To Co, Esee Gossee Gissee Go
Edi Bi Tedi Bi Chian Coo

The servants use to carry him out
Upon their back for the folks to shout:
Here he comes and there he goes
The Chinese man with the monkeys nose

(Chorus)

The servants who were grave and grim
Determined to put an end to him
They took him to the top of a hill
And rolled him down like a rolling pin

(Chorus)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great ma
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Sep 07 - 06:08 PM

In Chinatown there lived a man
His name was Chickety-Chickety Chan
His feet were long and his toes were short
And this is the way the poor Chinamen talked

CHORUS:
Ooooh, chickety-chee chi-ly chi-lo
chickety-rummo inna-banana-wallya
wallya chi-na-key
inna-banana-ga-watchio

This chinaman had plenty of wealth and
lived in a mansion all by himself the
people got good and bought him a boat
and sent the poor china man off to float

Ooooh, chickety-chee chi-ly chi-lo
chickety-rummo inna-banana-wallya
wallya chi-na-key
inna-banana-ga-watchio

This Chinaman, finely died
and in his coffin he deny
they shipped him back to old Japan
and that was the end of the poor Chinaman

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great ma
From: GUEST,Poppy
Date: 25 Aug 07 - 09:09 PM

This morning my mum asked if my father, who died a few years back, ever sung me a song about a little china man with long legs and small feet. It was their special song, and she couldn't remember it - googled it for her and here it is - cool, that will make her very happy...

Poppy

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
From: Charley Noble
Date: 23 Aug 07 - 11:38 AM

I do hope that "The Fish Cheer & I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die Rag" by Country Joe & the Fish has an equally long life as this politically incorrect ditty. The "Fish" song, in my opinion, has some redeeming value.

I would still hesitate to sing "Once in China there lived a man" to any general audience unless I first characterized it as an anti-Chinese song. And, yes, I can understand why it's so much fun to sing within the family but it is still a song of ethnic if not racial ridicule.

At least mull that over before passing it on to another generation.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
From: GUEST,David in Bournemouth, England
Date: 23 Aug 07 - 09:38 AM

The rhyme I learned from my Dad (1907 - 1984) was complete nonsense and I have no idea where he heard it - or why he learned it off by heart. Nevertheless, I have made sure my kids know it and my grand-daughter too; she does skipping to it.

Once in China there lived a man
And his name was Chikarak-a-chee chi chan
Chickarak-a-chee chi chandi claus
Alabalawak, alabalawak,
Oto oto itty itty ossify
Itty itty ossify T E Joe!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great ma
From: GUEST,Chickachaloo
Date: 19 Aug 07 - 08:53 PM

My grandfather sang us this version 30 years ago - now I sing it to my kid :)

"Chicka cha loo cha loo chapan
Wallapa Wallapa China Man
Once there was a China man, his name was Chicka Cha Loo Chapan
His head was big and his feet were small
So the poor China Man couldn't waaalk!

Alas, the china man to die,
And in his coffin he did lie,
They sent to coffin to Japan and that was the end of the China man!
Wallapa Wallapa China Man!"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Aug 07 - 08:50 PM

the lyrics i grew up with were

in china town, there lived a man
and his name was ring-a-bing-a-ban
his legs were long, feet were short
and the poor china man, could hardly walk

when he went out, they would shout
chi-chic-ari-chak-
chi-chic-aloram
candi-loram-mani-maniquack
oto-koto-etie-kitie-catio-ita-pear-sheet-a-pear eee-en-ko

the servent rolled him down the hill
they rolled him down like a rolling pill
when he went out, they would shout
chi-chic-ari-chak-
chi-chic-aloram
candi-loram-mani-maniquack
oto-koto-etie-kitie-catio-ita-pear-sheet-a-pear eee-en-ko

( i cant remember anymore lyrics , all-in-all a very racist song from another generation, but im still trying to find the origins of the rhyme, anyone have any info on this???? )

---

Please remember to use a consistent name when you post. Messages with the "from" space blank, risk being deleted.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
From: GUEST,Guest - H
Date: 02 Aug 07 - 05:18 PM

It made it to Northern Ireland in a slightly different form

There was a wee man from Chinatown
And his name was Chickalacka Brown
His head was big and his feet were small
Poor wee man couldn't walk at all

Chickalacka, Chickalacka, chychickalora
Chychickalora, walla, walla, wack
Hoke em, poke em, shill em and soak em
Itch iki, itch iki, e i o

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
From: GUEST,Al the ole fashioned gal
Date: 22 Jul 07 - 10:36 AM

As my mum sang it me from when I was tiny, I sang it to my son (still do now some times).Have never seen it written down so excuse the spelling, I write it as it was sung.

Chickaree chick cha la cha la, chicala roma in a bananicka
Wollika wollicka can't you see
Chickaree chick it's me

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
From: GUEST,Al the ole fashioned gal
Date: 22 Jul 07 - 10:31 AM

We used to sing this in the Brownies and I sang it to my son, he's 12 now and likes me to sing it every now and again. The version I learnt goes

In Chinatown there lived a man
His name was Chicker Racka Choo Cha Chan
His legs were short and his feet were small,
and the poor little devil couldn't walk at all.
CHORUS

Chicker racker choo cha chi chicker nora
anti nora wee willy wim
oko oko hit him on the boko
itta ma itta ma im pim pim.

His servants used to carry him about,
upon their backs with a merry merry shout,
And when they got to the top of the hill
they rolled him down like a Beechams pill
CHORUS

He got married so they say
to his wife on his wedding day.
Tho he was born on the day of his birth
He died on the very last day on earth
CHORUS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
From: GUEST,Lisa, Witney, Oxon England - Aged 34
Date: 21 Jul 07 - 06:42 AM

Wow....

I am trying to teach my five year old boy this rhyme, my aunt used to sing it to me when we used to walk on the moors over Barnsley. Our version was this:

In China lived a funny little man
His name was Chi Chy Chy Chy Chuckalan
His legs was small but his body was tall
The Chinese man couldn't walk at all

Chi Chy Chy Chy Chy Chuckaloo
Chuckaloo loo loo icky picky bum
Halabala rush and a by gum day
Halabala riding home

It took two men to carry him around
It made the people laugh and shout
Here he comes and there he goes
The Chinese man with the turned up toes

Chi Chy Chy Chy Chy Chuckaloo
Chuckaloo loo loo icky picky bum
Halabala rush and a by gum day
Halabala riding home.....

My memories of this are such happy ones, my little boy loves it and so do I....thanks everyone for sharing your memories.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
From: GUEST,PenniOther daughter of 'Uncle who hails from
Date: 19 Jul 07 - 04:29 AM

I was fortunate enough to be present with my cousin Janet at the recent family gathering..... What she omits to mention is the reason we were discussing Once in China - is that it is - or at least used to be - a pre-requisite for any outsider wishing to join our dynasty to be able to recite the ditty. My fiance was attempting to learn said poem prior to being 'allowed' to marry me. I can confirm that the version written by Janet is the same as that provided for him by Aunt Margaret - who also hails from China. How did Simon go so wrong???? I blame the parents!!!! Aunty sybil??

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 18 Jul 07 - 08:58 AM

In China once there lived a man
his name was chickereye ching chin chang
his legs were tall and his feet were small
and the chinaman couldnt walk at all
his servants used to carry him about
on their backs and the people would shout
here he comes, there he goes
the china man with the monkey nose

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
From: GUEST,Janie - Daughter of the Uncle who hails from
Date: 18 Jul 07 - 05:39 AM

I have to tell you all that I am really quite devastated - I was firmly under the misapprehension that my father's family had actually written the rhyme when they lived in China many years ago - how taken in was i????? I also believed that my father's pigtail was somewhere in the loft at home!! sad really!! Anyway, I have to confirm that my cousin Simon needs to go back to another family gathering so that he can learn chica racka all over again - The words I know are the same as my cousin Janet!! But she has always been right about everything in my life!! xxx

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
From: GUEST,JDW Harrogate
Date: 17 Jul 07 - 07:24 AM

Regrettably I was unable to attend the recent Family gathering.

However as the "Uncle who hails from China" I am delighted to confirm

that the version given by my niece Janet (Leeds)is correct & as taught to me by my Mother (her Grandmother). I'm afraid its back to school for you Simon!!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great ma
From: GUEST,R
Date: 16 Jul 07 - 06:47 PM

Wow! How cool that there is a website on this! My mom was a kindergarden teacher and taught me this song back in the early 70s. I loved it and made her sing it to me over and over and now I sing it to my son...he's only 5 months...unfortunately I won't be able to sing it once he understand and can repeat the words because it has now been deemed politically incorrect, but anyway...here is the version I know:

Once there was a China man
His name was Chicka chalu Chapan
His hair was short, his teeth were long
And this is the way he walked along,

Chicka chalu chalu Chapan
Challapy Allapy, Chicka Challapy
Chicka Chalu, Chalu Chapan
Challapy Allapy China Man

Alas this poor old man he died
And in his coffin did reside
They shipped him back to old Japan
And that was the end of the China Man

Chicka chalu chalu Chapan
Challapy Allapy, Chicka Challapy
Chicka Chalu, Chalu Chapan
Challapy Allapy China Man

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
From: GUEST,Janet from Leeds
Date: 16 Jul 07 - 11:25 AM

I beg to differ with my cousin from Leeds. The words I learned were just slightly different. Only this weekend the family got together, aunties, uncles, nieces, nephews, brothers sisters and cousins and recited the poem once more.

Once in China there lived a great man,
His name was Chika Raka Chee Chi Pan,
His legs were long and his feet were small,
The poor old man he couldn't wall at all,
ChiKa Raka Chee Chi chore chuckalorum,
Condu lorum neddy pee nan,
Cat go doo go, estigo digeddy go,
Chicka Raka Chee Chi the Chineese man.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
From: GUEST,Simon In Leeds
Date: 12 Jul 07 - 05:00 PM

When I was very young My Uncle made out that my family was originally from China and our imaginary family sang this song to each other.
Once in China there lived a great man
his name was chika raka chee chi chan
his legs were long his feet were small
the chinese man he could,t walk at all
chikaraka chee chi chor chucoloram
condu norum nedi pee nan
cat go doogo
esty go dee gedygo
chika raka chee chi the chinese man.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great ma
From: GUEST,John Tapscott
Date: 12 Jul 07 - 04:28 PM

When I was about 5 years old (I'm 60 now) I learned this poem in school by heart I still remember most of the lyrics:

Once In China there lived a funny man,
His name was Chick-a-rack-a chee-chaw-chan.
His nose was long, his legs were short,
This Chinese man could walk nor talk.

Unfortunately I can't remember the chorus properly. It's something like:

Chick-a-rack-a-chee-chaw.....
.........con-o-lorum ecko pecko-ann

Some of the lyrics quoted in this thread have been close but there is nothing the same as those I learned as a child.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
From: GUEST,Karen
Date: 08 Jul 07 - 09:40 PM

I remember singing this with my sisters on the base we lived on, not sure which one we first learned it at, but possibly Ottawa.

China man had a wife,
Didn't know how to handle a knife,
,
Cut her up with a carving knife.

Chee chi cho chickalora,
Bungalora,
Pigy Wiggy Oko,
Oko oko, hit him in the coco,
Chitter bug, Chitterbug,
Chee chi cho cho.


And that's all we can remember.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
From: GUEST,DavidWalters
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 08:49 AM

Like all old songs this one has many versions and here's the one my mother used to sing:

Chickeracka chin chi chi chackerlan
Constance lorey hetti petti pan
Hoko poko hitterpotta hitterpi
Hitterpi hitterpi ee i oh

Once there lived a little old man
His name was Chickeracka Chin Chi Chan
His arms were long and his feet were small
Chinese man couldn't walk at all

Chickeracka chin chi chi chackerlan
Constance lorey hetti petti pan
Hoko poko hitterpotta hitterpi
Hitterpi hitterpi ee i oh

His servants used to carry him about
On their backs and the boys would shout,
"Here he comes, there he goes,
Chinese man with a very long nose."

Chickeracka chin chi chi chackerlan
Constance lorey hetti petti pan
Hoko poko hitterpotta hitterpi
Hitterpi hitterpi ee i oh.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great ma
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Jun 07 - 05:54 PM

Here's the version I learned as a child. Clearly much mutated from but also related to other versions:

In Chinatown there lived a man
His name was Chickety-Chickety Chan
His feet were long and his toes were short
And this is the way the Chinamen talk

CHORUS:
Ooooh, chickety-chee chi-ly chi-lo
chickety-rummity inna-ga-waddiya
waddiya waddiya chi-na-key
inna-banana-ga-watchio

[other verses I've forgotten]

The Chinaman, he up and died
and in his coffin he did lie
they shipped him off to old Japan
and that was the end of the Chinaman

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 20 Jun 07 - 02:26 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 19 Jun 07 - 11:48 PM

I doubt a relationship. Chingery Chan was changed around by Louisa May Alcott; I think "Under The Lilacs," where she used it, (1878) is on line (also see the post by Joe up above.
There seem to be a number of these songs- children and the writers for them are inventive!

On the other hand-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
From: Azizi
Date: 19 Jun 07 - 11:04 PM

"Chingery-rico-rico-day" ??!

Could "Once in China there lived a great man" be the source [or "a" source] for the children's handclap rhyme "Stella Ella Ola"?

If so, there goes my theory about "Stella Ella Ola's Spanish origin...

Here's an example of "Stella Ella Ola" for those who aren't familiar with it:

Subject: RE: Kids chant Stella Ola Ola / Stella Ella Ola
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Apr 07 - 01:17 AM

wow, i'm surprised i found this...we used to sing it like this in the early 90s

Stella ella ola
clap clap clap
singin' es chico chico
chico chico cracker jack
es chico chico
falo falo
i gotta blow my nose
so, 1,2,3,4,5!

thread.cfm?threadid=77066#1370542

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 19 Jun 07 - 10:41 PM

The song was reprinted, without change, in the enlarged "Carmina Collegensia" of 1876.

Subject: Lyr. Add: Chingery Chan
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 19 Jun 07 - 10:30 PM

Jim Dixon posted the first verse of this old Amherst song. Here is the entire song. Many versions and additions since it first appeared in the 1860's.

Lyr. Add: CHINGERY CHAN

1.
In China there lived a little man,
His name was Chingery-ri-chan-chan;
His feet were large and his head was small,
And this little man had no brains at all.

Chorus:
Chingery-rico-rico-day,
Ekel-tekel. Happy man!
Kuan-a-desco-canty-o,
Gallopy-wallopy-china-go.

2.
Miss Sky-high she was short and squat;
She had money, which he had not;
To her he then resolved to go,
And play her a tune on his little banjo.

Chorus:

3.
Miss Sky-high heard his notes of love;
She held his wash-bowl up above;
She poured it on the little man,
And that was the end of Chingery-chan.

Chorus:
Chingery-rico-rico-day,
Ekel-tekel. Injured man!
Kuan-a-desco-canty-o,
Gallopy-wallopy-china-go.

From the section on Songs of Amherst (E. C. Brayton), p. 178-179. No author cited.
H. R. Waite, Coll. and Ed., 1868, "Carmina Collegensia: A Complete Collection of the Songs of the American Colleges, with Piano-Forte Accompaniment. To Which Is Added a Compendium of College History." Oliver Ditson & Co. New York:-C. H. Ditson & Co.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
From: GUEST,Michele L
Date: 19 Jun 07 - 09:39 PM

I LOVE THIS!!! I was trying to find the lyrics to sign this to my son. My Grandmother used to put us to sleep with this song, but this is all I can remember:

In China there once live a man
His name was Chinering Changering Chan
His legs were short and his feet were long
as this Chinaman couldn't walk at all.

Checkeree chee che-la che-la
Checker-a-roni in a banana-ka
ballacka wallacka kanatakee
in a banana-ka China go

This Chinaman had plenty of wealth
He lived in a mansion all to himself
The neighbers nextdoor they bought him a boat
And in it they set the poor Chinaman afloat

Checkeree chee che-la che-la
checker-a-roni in a banana-ka
ballacka wallacka kanatakee
in a banana-ka China go



That's were I lose it. I know the words are what I heard as a little girl, but I would love to know the actual lyrics. anyway, having fun with this post.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great ma
From: GUEST,Cheryl M
Date: 18 Apr 07 - 10:03 PM

I knew of verse that spoke of The Chinaman's Wife. It was something about "he led a terrible life" and "She cut off his pigtail, grew so long," and then I don't remember anymore. Is anyone familiar with that part of the song?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
From: GUEST,guest
Date: 18 Apr 07 - 11:58 AM

Once in China lived a man
and his face was dark as tan
here he comes and here he goes
Hong Kong Harry with the beery nose

chikericky chee-chee chee-chee cholum
laughala doolum missipee guy
I go you go, hitty-kitty catty go
Hong Kong chikericky chee choo chi

MY FATHER TAUGHT ME THIS SONG AS A CHILD. APPARENTLY HE USED TO SING IT WITH HIS MATES IN THE ARMY CIRCA WW2

Other songs included:-

Felix... keeps on walking... keeps on walking still...

AND

For the boys all laugh at Charlie Chaplin... his boots a cracklin, for the want of blackin'...

AND

Dan, Dan the lavatory man... cleaning up the muck all day... cleaning up the 'you know'... reading the football final, passing the merry hours away gor blimey...

At this point my mum would step in and give my Dad a row for teaching the bairn... they rude songs...
Well I was only 3 then, but more than five decades later, I still remember them.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great ma
From: GUEST,Matthew Burns
Date: 15 Apr 07 - 05:32 PM

This is the version my Mum, nanna and great grandma used to sing to me, I'm from the north of England and was searchin to see if this was an actual song, i cant believe there's so many versions. anyway it went;

In china once there lived a great man
his name was chik-o-rak-a-chee-chi-chan
his legs were long and his feet were small
and that chinaman couldnt walk at all

so its...
chee chi chuckle oh cho chuckle oram
candy norum in a pee nam
cat-go two-go etty-gitty-gotty-go
addi-pi addi-pi china go

there were quite a few more verses but i cant remember them and me great grandmas dead n she always sang it the best.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Apr 07 - 08:21 PM

it kills me that I can't remember all the verses. My Mom taught us this when we were very young. the middle to end goes

oh this Chinaman, oh he had wealth,
he lived in a mansion all by himself
the neighbors next door, they bought him a boat
and this is the way the Chinaman floats:

Chingaling chee, chi li, chi lo,
chingaling wallaga, in the bananaga,
wallaga, wallaga, over the sea,
in the bananaga watch-ah.

oh this Chinaman, oh he did die,
and in his coffin he did lie;
they sent him back to Old Japan,
and this is the way his epitaph ran...

Chingaling chee, chi li, chi lo,
chingaling wallaga, in the bananaga,
wallaga, wallaga, over the sea,
in the bananaga watch-ah.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 07 Apr 07 - 08:27 PM

Here I thought I had buried long ago the old earworm as sung by Sammy Kaye (1945), and Artful Codger has to mention it. AAARRGHH!

Posted in thread 14419 by Alice, 14 Oct 99
Chickery Chick

Chorus (I won't repeat the rest)

Chickery chick, cha-la, cha-la
Check-a-la-romey in a bananika
Bollika, wollika, can't you see
Chickery chick is me!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
From: GUEST,Guest- MR
Date: 07 Apr 07 - 07:39 PM

I was trying to sing this to my 3 yr old daughter and remembered only the chorus on this song from 25 years ago-

Chickereka chee chi cho lemma lauren
Si lemma lauren one a pecka one
Koi koi koi koi hitti hotti hotti ho
Chee Chi cho.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Apr 07 - 03:08 PM

Chinkity Chinkity Luchadapan Ollipy Ollipy China man,
His Teeth were short and his hair was long
And this is the way he walked along

They took his coffin to Japan
And that was the end of the China Man.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 30 Mar 07 - 02:55 PM

"Under the Lilacs," Louisa May Alcott (see Joe Offer post, 26 Apr 05), was serialized in the children's "St. Nicholas Magazine." Chapter 21 with-
In China there lived a little man,
His name was Chingery Wangery Chan,-
appeared in vol. 5, no. 11, 5 Sept 1878.

This long-lived and popular children's magazine would ensure widespread disemination of the little rhyme.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
From: GUEST,Shawn Bettise
Date: 30 Mar 07 - 09:27 AM

Of all the things to be running through my head this morning - I googled it and found all of you - my older cousin taught us this rhyme - they sang it at Girl Scout camp in Montana. The following is what I can remember:
"There was a man in China town - his name was Chika Racka Chee Chi Cho -
His legs were long - his feet were short - the Chinese man could walk nor talk.
(chorus) Chicka rack Chee Chi Cho Chi Chika Laro - Bongo Lago - Piggy Wiggy Wago - Oko Noko Hit 'im on the Koko - Charami Charami Chee Cha cho.
The Chinese man, he had a wife and oh! they lived a terrible life (can't remember the rest of this verse)
(chorus)
The Chinese man was dynamite - he lit the fuse and turned out the light - the very next morning, he flew sky high - but he didn't care 'cause he could fly!
(chorus)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 09:40 AM

My Mum's version, which I now sing to my children is:

In China once there lived a man
Whose name was Chicker-racker-ring-chi-chan
His legs were long and his feet were small
It's a wonder he could walk at all.

Chorus
Chicker racker ring chi chan chacker rorum
Pon my orum ecki pecki wan
Oh ko oh ko chicker pa chicker pa
Chicker pi chicker pi she en ko

They marched him up to the top of the hill
And they rolled him down with a right good will
They rolled him here and they rolled him there
The chinaman with the turned up chair.

Repeat chorus!

No idea how to spell it, of course, nor where it comes from (which was why I googled it in the first place) but there you go!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great ma
From: Artful Codger
Date: 12 Mar 07 - 10:35 PM

Can someone post an ABC or send Joe a MIDI for one of these variants?


Gor, I remember "Chickery-Chick". I think the chorus ends:

Fallika wallika, can't you see,
Chickery-chick is me!

Though I don't remember any of the verses.

Thanks, Joe, for the Alcott excerpt.