Origins: Here's where the kitty sits

Subject: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: GUEST,Lynn
Date: 16 Jul 04 - 10:41 PM

My Grandfather would sing this nursey rhyme song and I have with my children and now my grandchildren. If anyone has heard this before or knows what it is from I would greatly appreciate your help. While you are singing it you go from the forehead to the eyes to the nose to the mouth then to the chin, then with a tickle.
Here's how I remember it:

Here's where the kitty sits and here's where he jumps
Eye winker, Tom tinker, nose dropper, chin chopper

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: open mike
Date: 16 Jul 04 - 11:18 PM

we had a song like that at summer camp
that had a chorus that went:
... inky dinky do, that's what i learned
at my camp, some camp...
and it went on tho name other parts of the body..
i think the stomach was the bread basket

Subject: ADD: Eye Winker
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Jul 04 - 02:13 AM

Hi, Lynn - I've crosslinked this thread with the threads on "I Points to Myself" because there are similarities, but I dont' think it's the same song. Tom Glazer (On Top of Spaghetti) wrote a book in 1973 called Eye Winker, Tom Tinker, Chin Chopper: Fifty Musical Fingerplays. Here's the title song:

Eye Winker
(melody and new words by Tom Glazer)

Eye winker, Tom Tinker, nose smeller, mouth eater.
Chin chopper, chin chopper, chin chopper, chopper chin.

The head bone, the neck bone, the elbow, the knee bone.
Chin chopper, chin chopper, chin chopper, chopper chin.

The shoulder bone, the wrist bone, the chest bone, the rest bone
Chin chopper, chin chopper, chin chopper, chopper chin.

Eye winker, Tom Tinker, nose smeller, mouth eater.
Chin chopper, chin chopper, chin chopper, chopper chin.

verse 1: Wink eye (or blink both) on eye-winker. Sniff on nose-smeller. Chewing motions with mouth on mouth-eater. Nod head vigorously rest of verse.
Verse 2 & 3: Point to each bone mentioned, and not vigorously on chin-chopper words.

But there's nothing about the kitty sitting. I wonder where that comes from.
-Joe Offer-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6xZK1j2m98

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOgMu58AV5M

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: open mike
Date: 17 Jul 04 - 03:27 AM

That jogs my memory...one little bit...the one we sang at camp
started out "hands on my hips" "what have we here?" that is my
sweat browser, oh, mamma dear, sweat browser, eye blinker.....,
etc, then you
would repeat all body parts backwards adding another each time..
as joe said, probably not the same "kitty" part, but some similarities..

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: Stewie
Date: 17 Jul 04 - 04:29 AM

Brings to mind 'I touched her on the toe': CLICK.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Jul 04 - 07:29 PM

Thanks for your info. I do have the book with Tom Glazer's version, but since it wasn't the original, I was hoping someone would know what the original version really was.   Thanks again everyone for your input!

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: GUEST,Macy
Date: 28 Jul 04 - 12:53 AM

My Father (in the 50's) used to tickle me on the neck under the chin after Chin Chopper and say Gully Gully Gully!

I never heard the kitty but that is a great twist.

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 03:26 PM

Hello,

I just red this link and am also curious about the origin of this rhyme. Here is the vesion I learned from my parents,in their 70's, ( and grandparents)
(Touch each as you go thrrough the rhyme)
Forehead bumper
Eyes peeper
Nose smeller
Mouth eater
Chin chopper
Gully gully gully gully ( tickle throat)

Glad to see I'm not the only one curious about this. Has anyone learned more?

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: GUEST,G
Date: 14 Dec 04 - 01:56 PM

An early childhood memory from around 1970 was grandma starting on my forehead and working her way down my face:
Here's where the coachman sits [forehead]
Here's where he cracks his whip [eyebrow?]
Eye winker
Tom tinker
Nose smeller
Mouth eater
Chin chopper
Gully gully gully! [tickle under chin]

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: GUEST,Doug
Date: 19 Mar 05 - 11:48 PM

Well I've never heard those and my wife has changed the one that I grew up being told by my parents, grand & great-grandparents.

My version I grew up with: (sounds best to me)
Head Acher
Eye Blinker
Nose Smeller
Mouth Eater
Chin Chopper
Gully! Gully! Gully! (tickelling under chin)

My wife changed the Head Acher to Head Thinker because she says it makes more sense but I have to disagree.

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: Gurney
Date: 20 Mar 05 - 01:48 AM

An English equivalent:

Last verse.
I touched her on the head; that's my share, thats my louse-trap and you can play there,
Louse-trap,
lookers-out,
snotter-box,
chin-and-chops
breast-plate,
navelstring,
funny-thing,
thigh-and-thacker,
knee-and-(k)nacker,
toe-and-tapper-tripper-upper,
Love my dear, the more I love my nigger/knicker draw near.
``````````
You count up from the toe ( I touched her on the toe, thats.....Just like the format of 'The Barley Mow') and then down again adding the stations together in the chorus, preferably with indications on a volunteer from the audience. It's a bold volunteer that lasts the song through, but you invite a round of applause for a good sport.

Nigger is the way it was sung when I learned it in Devon in the 60's, Knicker is the way I've always sung it. The song is called 'Nigger Draw Near'.

Guaranteed to get you thrown out of the church choir.

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Mar 05 - 07:54 PM

i am trying to find the origin of this rhyme. my father learned it as a child and passed it along to me. his version....

far bander
eye winker
nose smeller
tom tinker
mouth taster
chin chapper
gully, gully, gully

my father's family migrated from the carolinas in the early 1800's to west tennessee. they were of scotch/irish/english descent.

any information on this rhyme would be greatly appreciated! i've always found it funny and no one seems to know it!

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: GUEST
Date: 20 May 05 - 07:14 AM

Here sits the Lord Mayor,
    Here sit his two men,
Here sits the cock,
    Here sits the hen,
Here sit the little chickens,
    Here they run in.
Chin-chopper, chin-chopper, chin chopper, chin!

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 05 Jun 05 - 10:09 PM

My grandmother used to do it slightly different:

Eye Seer
Tom Tinker
Nose Dropper
Mouth Eater
Chin Chomper
Gully, gully, gully (tickle under chin)

I have read versions of the same in Italian and German! It seems to be an old popular face game to play with babies. My 3 year old still loves it, go realllllly slow to build up anticipation for the tickle.

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Oct 05 - 06:52 PM

What's a tom tinker? I remember my granny saying toy tinker...not that I know what that is either!

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: GUEST,guest, cz
Date: 04 Mar 07 - 08:47 PM

We were taught a version by my great-grandparents from Ireland, using "Here's where the coachman sits". Their family owned a coach house there in the 1800's, where my great-grandmother lived before coming to America. We recently visited Ireland for the first time, and looked up distant cousins from this family. One cousin sat my daughter on her knee and repeated the words as I had always heard them. It was the only time I had ever heard the words recited outside of our immediate family.

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: GUEST,Guest, Pam
Date: 23 Mar 10 - 05:18 PM

So many different versions. Here's how I remember my mother saying it to us: She would start at the forehead and work her way down our face touching each part as she said it's name.
**Here is where the kitty sits (forehead). Twinkle eye, Tommy eye, Nose dropper, Cheek cherry, Rosemary, Mouth chewer, Chin chopper, and Gully-gully gully! I remember how much it tickled under our chin.

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: GUEST,MOTTO
Date: 16 Apr 10 - 10:34 PM

My mother used to sing this to me as a child, I've since caught up with her and asked her how it went and she remembers it as such, but not it's origins:

Headbumper
Eye Winker
Nose Smeller
Mouth Eater
Chin Chopper
Doodle Doodle Doodle do!

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: GUEST,EEDDINGT
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 01:34 PM

I sang this version to my son as a face-washing song at bath time:

This is where the bird sits (left forehead)
This is where the bird spits (right forehead)
Eye winker (left eye)
Eye blinker (right eye)
Cheek cherry (left cheek)
Cheek cherry (right cheek)
Nose Smeller
Mouth Eater
Chin Chopper
Gully Hole! (Depression below Adam's apple)

I learned the rhyme in similar fashion from my Mother who is Irish/English.

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: Mr Happy
Date: 14 Sep 10 - 07:59 AM

I touched her on the toe, that's my share
That's my toe-a-tapper, you can play there

Toe-a-tapper, love my dear
The more I loves my knicker draw near

I touched her on the knee, that's my share
That's my knee-a-napper, you can play there

Knee-a-napper
Toe-a-tapper, love my dear
The more I loves my knicker draw near

I touched her on the thigh, that's my share
That's my thigh-a-thacker, you can play there

Thigh-a-thacker
Knee-a-napper
Toe-a-tapper, love my dear
The more I loves my knicker draw near

I touched her on the c**t, that's my share
That's my naughty bits and you can play there

Naughty bits
Thigh-a-thacker
Knee-a-napper
Toe-a-tapper, love my dear
The more I loves my knicker draw near

I touched her on the bum, that's my share
That's my swagger-arse and you can play there

Swagger-arse
Naughty bits
Thigh-a-thacker
Knee-a-napper
Toe-a-tapper, love my dear
The more I loves my knicker draw near

I touched her on the belly, that's my share
That's my belly-button, you can play there

Belly-button
Swagger-arse
Naughty bits
Thigh-a-thacker
Knee-a-napper
Toe-a-tapper, love my dear
The more I loves my knicker draw near

I touched her on the breast, that's my share
Them's my bumpers, you can play there

Bumpers
Belly-button
Swagger-arse
Naughty bits
Thigh-a-thacker
Knee-a-napper
Toe-a-tapper, love my dear
The more I loves my knicker draw near

I touched her on the neck, that's my share
That's my guzzle-pipe and you can play there

Guzzle-pipe
Bumpers
Belly-button
Swagger-arse
Naughty bits
Thigh-a-thacker
Knee-a-napper
Toe-a-tapper, love my dear
The more I loves my knicker draw near


I touched her on the chin, that's my share
That's my chin-a-chops, you can play there

Chin-a-chops
Guzzle-pipe
Bumpers
Belly-button
Swagger-arse
Naughty bits
Thigh-a-thacker
Knee-a-napper
Toe-a-tapper, love my dear
The more I loves my knicker draw near

I touched her on the mouth, that's my share
That's my grinders-up, you can play there

Grinders-up
Chin-a-chops
Guzzle-pipe
Bumpers
Belly-button
Swagger-arse
Naughty bits
Thigh-a-thacker
Knee-a-napper
Toe-a-tapper, love my dear
The more I loves my knicker draw near

I touched her on the nose, that's my share
That's my snotter-box, you can play there

Snotter-box
Grinders-up
Chin-a-chops
Guzzle-pipe
Bumpers
Belly-button
Swagger-arse
Naughty bits
Thigh-a-thacker
Knee-a-napper
Toe-a-tapper, love my dear
The more I loves my knicker draw near


I touched her on the eyes, that's my share
Them's my lookers-out, you can play there

Lookers-out
Snotter-box
Grinders-up
Chin-a-chops
Guzzle-pipe
Bumpers
Belly-button
Swagger-arse
Naughty bits
Thigh-a-thacker
Knee-a-napper
Toe-a-tapper, love my dear
The more I loves my knicker draw near

I touched her on the hair, that's my share
That's my curly-locks, you can play there

Curly-locks
Lookers-out
Snotter-box
Grinders-up
Chin-a-chops
Guzzle-pipe
Bumpers
Belly-button
Swagger-arse
Naughty bits
Thigh-a-thacker
Knee-a-napper
Toe-a-tapper, love my dear
The more I loves my knicker draw near

[One more time!!!]

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: GUEST,C Scott
Date: 05 Oct 10 - 07:37 AM

My memory of this was my father's version, born in the early 1900's, had the following version:-

This is where the cochman sits,
This is where he cracks his whip,
Eye winker, Tom tinker,
Nose dropper,
Mouth eater,
Chin chopper, chin chopper, chin chopper.

Don't know any further knowledge than this

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Feb 11 - 06:18 PM

My mother-in-law taught me one for my boys and it goes:

Top knot (top of the head)
Forehead
Eye winker (right eye)
Tommy tinker (left eye)
Nose dropper
Chin chopper
Giddy giddy giddy (tickle under the chin)

Good luck - a lot of cute rhymes!!!

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: GUEST,John Davis, Plymouth, UK
Date: 15 Oct 11 - 03:43 AM

Here's an Irish variation that my grandma and own mother from Belfast would do, with actions on my face:

Here's where the cat sat, (left eyebrow)
here's where he spilt his broth (right eyebrow)
Eye winker (left eye)
Tom tinker (right eye)
nose dropper
mouth eater
chip chopper chin chopper chin chopper (tickling under the chin)

And I now do it to mine.

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: GUEST,shawna
Date: 05 Nov 11 - 06:57 PM

My dad always said it back in the early 70's,

Here's where the old gray cat sits (left brow)
Here's where he jumps (right brow)
Eye winker (left)
Tom tinker (right)
Nose blower
Mouth eater
Chin Chopper
(then tickle under the chin)

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: GUEST,Guest Ruthie
Date: 26 Dec 11 - 11:56 AM

My father used to say this to me when I was a child
doorknocker,
browbreaker,
eye winker
nose dropper,
chin chopper,
gully gully washer

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Jan 12 - 11:50 PM

Version in Iowa growing up:

Eye Winker
Tom Tinker
Nose Dropper
Cookie Duster (mustache part)
Mouth Eater
Chin Chopper
Tickle, tickle, tickle (tickle throat)

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 02 Jan 12 - 04:37 AM

Very popular in Devon folk clubs in the 1960's, where it was definitely Nigger Draw Near. Remember The Yetties singing it - its even on one of their videos made in the 1980's. The Journeymen , residents at The Jolly Porter in Exeter used to sing it.

I suppose with the coming of political correctness, the racial composition of England's population changing - it became more unacceptable.


A casualty of the peace.

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Jul 12 - 09:53 PM

I was taught
Eye winker
Tom tinker
Nose smeller
Mouth eater
chin chopper
Gully hopper (tickle neck )

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: Mo the caller
Date: 18 Jul 12 - 05:57 AM

I have vague recollections of hearing ( probably in the 1950s in London)

With my hand on myself, what have I here?
This is my ???? I do declare
???
???
(cumulative list)
??? and all
That's what they taught us at the girls grammar school

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Jul 12 - 01:05 PM

My Grandfather sat me on his knee in the 80's and said:

This is where the Coachman sits,
This is where he cracks his whip,
Eye winker, Tom tinker,
Nose dropper,
Mouth eater,
Chinny chin chin

An Dún, Éireann

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: GUEST,PJ
Date: 05 Sep 12 - 11:31 PM

This is the version I was taught...I'm 45 and English decent...

Head topper
Eye blinker
Tom tinker
Nose blower
Meat grinder
Chin chopper
gilly gilly gilly - tickling under the chin

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Jan 14 - 10:14 AM

My Grandmother had one like this. She wouldtouch ech body part as she did.
HEADACHEY
EYE WINKER
NOSE DROPPER
MOUTH EATER
CHIN CHOPPER
GULLY GULLY GULLY
as she got to the Gully part she would tickle us under the chin.

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Feb 16 - 05:20 PM

My dad, who is now an extremely clear headed, active 94 year old told me just today when I asked him that his parents used to do the rhyme with him as long back as he can remember in Ohio. Here is our 5 generation version still being told to our grandchildren.

Here's where the cat sits (forehead)
Here's where he jumps (bridge of nose)
Eye winker (right eye)
Tom tinker (left eye)
Nose dropper (tip of nose)
Mouth eater
Chin chopper (tip of chin)
Gilly, gilly, gilly, gilly (tickle under the chin)

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 24 Feb 16 - 02:21 PM

Grew up with this as,(forehead, eyes, nose, mouth, chin)
Source - Midwestern 1920

Here's Doctor Walker,
Here's his two sons,
Here's the post office
And here they go in....
Chin chopper, chin chopper,
Chinney chin, chin.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 24 Jun 16 - 12:26 AM

My mother recited this to me as a child while slowly touching my face and using a soft, quiet voice. I in turn did the same with my child and grandchild. It was always before bed and put all of us asleep. Even though I knew the tickle was at the end in the original she always rubbed my chest and arms softly instead of the tickle and I did the same with my daughter and granddaughter.   With your finger, you do each eyebrow first, then circle the eyes, go slowly down the nose, circle the mouth and stroke down the chin. The rhyme went:
Here's where the cat sits
Here's where he eats his supper.
Eye winker
Tom Tinker
Nose dropper
Mouth eater
Chin chopper.

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Oct 17 - 02:52 PM

With my hand on my self
What have I here
This is my Head tinker, my mamma dear
Head tinker, head tinker, inky dinky doo
That's what I learn in the school

With my hand on my self
What have I here
This is my soup strainer (stomach), my mamma dear
Head tinker, soup stainer, inky dinky doo
That's what I learn in the school

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: GUEST,jeff krauss
Date: 09 Jan 19 - 07:20 PM

Head acher
eye winker
tom tinker
nose dropper
mouth eater
chin chopper
gully gully gully

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 13 Jan 19 - 02:15 PM

would be great if people could include dates and location
... of learning
and
... of the parent\g'parent\teacher

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: GUEST,Kenna
Date: 14 Apr 19 - 01:08 AM

My dad always used to say
Fore fevers
Eye peepers
Nose nappers
Mouth chompers
And then tickle my chin and say gilly gilly gilly

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: GUEST,Noel
Date: 18 Nov 21 - 05:27 AM

My dad used to say this to me when I was a young boy in the 60’s and then to my cousin’s children in the 80’s. I’ve passed it on to my kids now. Here’s his version:
This is where the cat sits (place finger on forehead)
This is where he jumps to (finger on nose)
Eye winker (eyes)
Nose tweaker (nose)
Mouth eater (mouth)
Chin chopper (chin)
And a belly buster! (tickle tummy!)

Subject: RE: Origins: Here's where the kitty sits
From: GUEST,Lou
Date: 31 Dec 21 - 10:38 PM

My dad's version;
Here the coachman sits,
Here he cracks his whip,
Eye Winkler,
Tom tit,
Rooster, Hen,
Mouth open,
Chin chopper, chin chopper, chin chopper chin