I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Azizi
Date: 11 Feb 07 - 08:49 PM

Thanks for sharing examples, Guest Kat!

Just to touch on one rhyme you mentioned, there's verses to a secular African American slave song called "Raise A Rukus Tonight" that may be the bases for the "Ten little angels all dressed in white" children's rhyme. It's included in Thomas W. Talley's 1922 book "Negro Folk Rhymes".

**

Here's another possible source for that "como la vista" rhyme which I think has a Spanish origin:

Cumbanchero
Words and Music by RAFAEL HERNÁNDEZ, 1940[introduced by Desi Arnaz]
- Many thanks to ACoolPRican84 for translating this song -

A cumba-cumba-cumba cumbanchero
A bongo-bongo-bongo bongocero
Pri-qui-ti que va sonando
El cumbanchero bongocero que se va
Bongocero que se va

A cumba-cumba-cumba cumbanchero
A bongo-bongo-bongo bongocero
Pri-qui-ti que va sonando
El cumbanchero bongocero que se va
Bongocero que se va

Y suena asi el tambor: pri-qui-ti bum-bam
Y vuelve a repicar: pri-qui-ti bum-bam

A cumba-cumba-cumba cumbanchero
A bongo-bongo-bongo bongocero
Pri-qui-ti que va sonando
El cumbanchero bongocero que se va
Bongocero que se va

A cumba-cumba-cumba drumplayer
A bongo bongo bongo bongoplayer
Pri-qui-ti the sound that it's making
When the drumplayer that goes by
Bongoplayer that goes by

A cumba-cumba-cumba drumplayer
A bongo bongo bongo bongoplayer
Pri-qui-ti the sound that it's making
When the drumplayer that goes by
Bongoplayer that goes by

And the drum sounds like this pri-qui-ti-bum-bam
And again he repeats pri-qui-ti-bum-bam

A cumba-cumba-cumba drumplayer
A bongo bongo bongo bongoplayer
Pri-qui-ti the sound that it's making
When the drumplayer that goes by
Bongoplayer that goes by

From: Mudcat thread: Mexican Folk Songs
thread.cfm?threadid=46731&messages=31

**

Btw: Kat, why don't you join our forum? It's easy, just follow the steps given in the Membership section in the top right hand corner of this page. Of course, you don't have to join. But, if you do, there is already an active member named "Kat" so you if you want to keep that name, it probably would be best if you added a last initial to your first name or chose another tag name.

Best wishes,

Azizi

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: GUEST,Kat
Date: 11 Feb 07 - 07:52 PM

Ooh I remember a taunt, is it on here?

Baby baby suck your thumb
wash it off with bubble gum

(It's funny how some of these make no sense - and we thought we were being really mean)

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: GUEST,Kat
Date: 11 Feb 07 - 07:47 PM

Thanks Azizi for the "Cooma lotta cooma lotta cooma lotta feasta"! Thanks to you, snatches of the rhyme are coming back - sounds like there are lots of versions. I remember the "ache chachi Libarace Anna's brother John" part (who are Anna and John I wonder?)

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: GUEST,Kat
Date: 11 Feb 07 - 07:38 PM

The version of a song you referenced months back that I recall went something like this:

On top of spaghetti
all covered with cheese
I lost my poor meatball
when somebody sneezed
It rolled off the table
and onto the floor
and then my poor meatball
rolled out of the door
It rolled in the garden
and under a bush
And then my poor meatball
Was nothing but moosh

I don't recall the rest, if there was more (?).

How cone nobody's mentioned (unless I missed it) that horrible, endless "Found a peanut" song with which we used to torment the adults?

You know..

Found a peanut, found a peanut, found a peanut just now
just now I found a peanut, found a peanut just now
Cracked it open, cracked it open, cracked it open just now
Just now I cracked it open, cracked it open just now
It was rotten, it was rotten ,it was rotten just now...

and so on, and so on, and so on....it ends with dying, going to heaven and yes, finding a peanut.

Then the ones with hand gestures where you drop a line each round but keep up the hand gestures:

Little cottage in the wood
Little man by the window stood
Saw a rabbit hopping by
Knocking at my door
"Help me! Help me! Help me!" he said
Ere the hunter shoot me dead
I am simply filled with dread
Little rabbit come inside
Safely you may hide.

Then there was:

Little rabbit fru fru hopping through the forest
Snatching all the field mice and bopping them on the head
(I don't remember the rest...somebody?)

Another hand gesture ditty:

Under the spreading chestnut tree
There we sat just you and me
With my banjo on my kneee
Under the spreading chesnut tree

And one of my favorite songs from camp (no hand gestures), where one person sings and everyone else repeats each line like a chorus - it's a tad dark..

Bill Grogan's goat
Was feeling fine
Stole three red shirts
From off the line
Bill grabbed that goat
Gave him a whack
And tied him to
The railroad track

The whistle blew
The train grew nigh
Bill Grogan's goat
Was sure to die
He gave three groans
Of awful pain
Coughed up those shirts
And flagged the train.

There was another cute song called "The Cat Came Back" it's kind of long but I'll send it if you like. And one that went:

Ten little angels all dressed in white
tried to get to heaven on the end of a kite
the kite string broke and down they fell
instead of going to heaven they went to...

down through the numbers to "One" and then it starts over again with

Ten little devils all dressed in red
tried to get to heaven on the end of a thread
the thread it broke and down they fell
instead of going to heaven they went to

(backwards to "one" and then the smash ending)

Don't get excited don't lose your head
instead of going to heaven they all went to bed.


I'd love to know the derivation of some of these. I was born in the mid-50's and grew up in L.A., caucasian if you're interested. I remember almost all of the camp songs because of the repitition (6 years) - I won't bore you with all of them. The clapping and jump rope songs are a bit hazy.

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Azizi
Date: 11 Feb 07 - 07:26 PM

That "eena meena mackeracka (children's rhymes)" thread is found here:

thread.cfm?threadid=47148

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Azizi
Date: 11 Feb 07 - 07:23 PM

Hmmm, I see that I posted that one from brrittannee at March 25, 2005 earlier in this thread.

So I figure I owe you another example from the como la vista family.

Here's one from http://www.scoutsongs.com/lyrics/flea.html :


Flea (repeat)

Flea fly (repeat)

Flea fly flow (repeat)

Feasta (repeat)

Cooma lotta cooma lotta cooma lotta feasta (repeat)

Oh no, no, no, na feasta (repeat)

Esca meany sala meany Oh-ah do ah-la meany (repeat)

Esca meany sala meany Oh-ah do ah (repeat)

With an epp bidily oatin doatin bo-dope skid eatin dats a what I can chew (repeat)

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Azizi
Date: 11 Feb 07 - 07:18 PM

Guest Kat, there's a lot of different versions of "Take A Peach, Take A Plum" or whatever that family of rhymes is called.

Here's one:

"Shake, shake, shake
Eeny meeny
That's a queeny
Ooh ba Yhumbalina
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
Oooshe ahshe
Oooshe 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 too black
I want my money back
The money too green
I want a diamond ring."

Barbara Michels, Bettye White, "Apples On A Stick, The Folklore of
Black Children" {1983, from Houston, Texas}

**

And here's an example from http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php that has that "Amen, Amen, Amendiego San Diego hocus focus dominocus"line:

"star spangle...
itsy bitsy teeny witsy ew oh to0-ba-leeny outsy whatsy sellahawts say the magic words.. i have a stick of chewing gum and if you want the other half.. this is what you say.. amen. amen. amen-deyago sedeyago hookes pookes sallamoskes sis.. sis .. sis coom ba.. everybody eerybody RA-RA-RA.. BOO-BOO-BOO.. sitting on a trash can banging on a tin can i can you can nobody else can sitting on a bench.. nothnig to do.. along comes a little baby goochy gochy goo..

i learned this as when i was litte.
-posted by brrittannee at March 25, 2005 "

**

I just love your "Calomine, calomine, calomine lotion/No no no no not the lotion" example. I think it's a great folk etymology example of the rhyme I call "como la vista".

There's a couple of examples from that "family" of rhymes:

"flea (flea)
fly (fly)
flea fly flew (ditto)
coomalata coomalata coomalata beestay
no no no no not the beestay

and ended in a sort of scat-rhythm: eee-biddlety-oaten-doaten-wahbat-skee-watten-tatten-SHHHHHHHHHHHHH !!!!"
{Source: RE: eena meena mackeracka (children's rhymes)
From: Bonnie Shaljean - PM
Date: 01 Jul 06 - 05:25 PM"

**

"Flea.. Flea fly.. Flea Fly Flow. Ama lama kuma lama kuma la vista, Oh oh oh oh not the vista vista, issilini dissilini Oo aa aa malini, akaraka, cukara ich bam boom, ip diddly ope en bope why not shout and bout........ssssssss.... Bang!...
-Danny at October 1, 2003 http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: GUEST,Kat
Date: 11 Feb 07 - 06:41 PM

I remember most of the "Two lips" clapping song:


Two lips together
Tie them together
Bring back my love to me

What is the me-ee-ee-ning
Of all these flow-ow-ow -ers
This is the sto-o-o-ry
The story of love
From me to you

Our hearts go bumpity-ump-bump
Bumpity-ump-bump
Over the love of you


That's all I can recall.

The one that's driving me crazy trying to remember is a clapping song that had this thread in it - does this sound familiar to anyone?
(It may be in one of the earlier messages but I can't find it)

...(somebody's) brother John have a peach, have a plum have a stick of chewing gum and if you want another one this is what you say, Amen, Amen, Amendiego San Diego hocus focus dominocus...

And another one that went -

Calomine, calomine, calomine lotion
(repeat)
No no no no not the lotion
(repeat)
Itchy itchy scratchy scratchy ew I got one on my backy
(repeat)
Dead goes the bug when you spray it with the bug spray pssssh!
(repeat)

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Jan 07 - 10:03 PM

Did you ever see a hearse go by?
And know you'd be the next to die?
They wrap you up in a clean white sheet
and throw you under at least six feet
The worms crawl in the worms crawl out
The worms play peanukle on your snout
And one little worm, that won't be so shy
will crawl in your ear and out your eye

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: GUEST,Tara From Brooklyn NY
Date: 04 Jan 07 - 08:50 PM

I grew up in a Catholic School playground in Brooklyn, in the early 80's. THese were three very popular songs that I wanted to share...enjoy!

One
Miss Lucy had a baby,
she named him Tiny Tim.
She put him in the bath tub,
to see if he could swim.
He drank up all the water,
he ate up all the soap,
he tried to eat the bath tub,
but it wouldn't go down his throat.
Miss Lucy called the Dr,
Miss Lucy called the nurse
Miss Lucy called the lady with the alligator purse.
Measles said the dr.
Mumps said the nurse,
_______ said the lady with the alligator purse.
Out walked the dr,
out walked the nurse
out walked the lady with the alligator purse.

Two
On top of old smokey, all covered with cheese,
I lost my poor meatball, when somebody sneezed.
It rolled off the table, and onto the floor,
and then my poor meatball, rolled right
out the door.
It rolled through the garden,
and under a bush,
then my poor meatball,
was nothin' but mush!

Three
Did you ever see a hearse go by
and you would think your'e the next to die.
they put you in a very small box,
they cover you up with dirt and rocks.
The worms crawl in, the works crawl out,
through your stomach and out your mouth.
So then you begin to say,
that this is the end to a very good day!

Subject: Naughty Children's Rhymes
From: GUEST,Luke Forrester-UK
Date: 02 Jan 07 - 10:07 AM

I remember this one as a child:

It comes down the gutter like a piece of bread and butter diariah....diariah,

My mummy was'nt in so i did it in the bin diariah....diariah,

People think It's funny but It's really hot and runny diariah....diariah.

*The gap of silence between the first diariah and the second is equivalent to two syllables.
This was in the UK, so I'm not sure if it was in the US.
In my area, we use to add in between the diariahs "uh-uh",

So it would be:
It comes down the gutter like a piece of bread and butter diariah uh-uh diariah. etc.

But nobody else seems to know that one only those in my area from when I was younger.

Hope you liked it.

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Azizi
Date: 30 Dec 06 - 09:37 AM

Since we have entered into a discussion of the use of racial referents in children's rhymes, let me take this opportunity to say that as a result of my collection efforts for at least the last ten years, it appears to me that there are very few overt references to race in Black children's rhymes.

However, here's an example of one taunting rhyme that does mention race:

I'll be. be
Walking down the street,
Ten times a week.
Un-gawa. Un-gawa {baby}
This is my power.
What is the story?
What is the strike?
I said it, I meant it.
I really represent it.
Take a cool cool Black to knock me down.
Take a cool cool Black to knock me out.
I'm sweet, I'm kind.
I'm soul sister number nine.
Don't like my apples,
Don't shake my tree.
I'm a Castle Square Black
Don't mess with me.

[Source: John Langstaff, Carol Langstaff "Shimmy Shimmy Coke-Ca-Pop!, A Collection of City Children's Street Games & Rhymes {Garden City, New York, Double Day & Co; p. 57; 1973}

-snip-

This rhyme is included as in the jump rope section of that book. However, perhaps because of the demise of the outdoor clothes line, which-I believe has had a negative impact on the frequency which which children jump rope-it appears to me that quite a few children's jump rope rhymes have become handclap rhymes...

Like many other children's rhymes, "I'll Be" [to give a title to the above rhyme {no title is given in that book]is composed by stringing together a number of floating verses. These floating verses can also stand alone. In my opinion, this rhyme can be divided into floaters/independent lines as follows:

I'll be. be
Walking down the street,
Ten times a week.
**
Un-gawa. Un-gawa {baby}
This is my power.
**
I said it, I meant it.
I really represent it.
**
Take a cool cool Black to knock me down.
Take a cool cool Black to knock me out.
**
I'm sweet, I'm kind.
I'm soul sister number nine.
**
Don't like my apples,
Don't shake my tree.
**
I'm a Castle Square Black
Don't mess with me.

-snip-

I've collected other examples of American [USA] children's rhymes that separately contain most of these lines, including the "Ugawa" line. That line is lifted from a Black power saying from the late 1960s-"Ungawa, Black power!". I've also collected a couple of folk etymology reproductions of this line such as found in this excerpt of a longer "Down Down Baby/Shimmy Shimmy Coco Pa" rhyme:

"OOOH Johny,
Walkin down the street,
Ten Times a week,
I met it I said it
I stole my momma credit,
I'm cool,
I'm Hot,
Sock me in the stomach one more time..."
-Ashley at August 10, 2003 http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php

I think that "Castle Square Black" is probably a referent to a neighborhood or possibly a resident of a housing development, but unfortunately that book gives no clue to which American city these rhymes come from.

**

As you can see, I'm fully in my analysis mode...It must be the Virgo in me.

;0)

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Azizi
Date: 30 Dec 06 - 08:54 AM

I acknowledge and apology for my poor cut & paste job in my last post.

And, Mo I gather from re-reading your post more carefully that you are saying that in the UK spades is used as a negative referent for Black people by certain people-the same people who use the other offensive referents that you cited. I see that your statement doesn't speak to the frequency of its use. I'm not sure how often the term 'spades' is used in the UK, and whether Black people and/or non-Black people there have a visceral reaction to that word when it is used as an individual or group referent. What I'm saying is that "spades" as a referent for Black people isn't very common in the USA, and thus does not have nearly as much built-in historical and present day negative connotations as the 'n-word' which is still being used in the USA and elsewhere.

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Azizi
Date: 30 Dec 06 - 08:44 AM

Hello, Mo.

In this recent Mudcat thread, Religious Trains & Chariot Songs I wrote that I flinched when I [unexpectedly] came upon the n-word. What made me flinch was my knowledge of that word's use as a derogatory individual & group referent for Black people. However, I recognized that that the person who posted that example of a spiritual that included the 'n word' did so because he believes in the importance of presenting these songs with the words that were written down and/or recorded when they were first collected. Given that context, after I acknowledged my reaction to the n-word [in that example],I moved on to the topic at hand.

In my opinion, context is highly important. Even if a person's motivation is historical research and analysis, I would take great exception to spirituals and other songs being publicly sung without a substitution of another word for the 'n-word'. See my comment on 29 Dec 06 - 02:19 PM about the continuing use of 'Black slave dialect in performances of spirituals' in that same Mudcat thread. And yes, the inclusion of the n-word is one of the reasons why I don't like many hip-hop songs.uch a song-or any song including hip-hop songs.

That said, my energy would be spent up if I flinched everytime I read the 'n word' on certain Mudcat threads. I supposed I had that visceral reaction that time because -even though that particular thread included quite a number of spirituals-I hadn't prepared myself to read that word. If I see that a thread is about minstrel songs or spirituals, I know that I will probably read dialectic examples, and so it is my choice to either avoid those threads or prepare myself psychologically to read the n-word and those long retired [if they were ever totally real] Black dialectic phrasings. I believe that I have stated my aversion to the 'n-word' enough times on this discussion forum that my aversion is known. But I felt the need on that Train/Chariot thread to say that my reaction is more than mental-it is physical & emotional.

The word 'spades' doesn't have even half the same negative reaction for me as the 'n word'. I believe that this is because I have so little experience with the word 'spades' being used as a referent for Black people. I barely recall its use [among Black people toward other Black people] in the 1960s and 1970s]. And I personally have no knowledge of 'Spades' being used as a referent for Black people nowadays.

See this entry from Urban Dictionary [warning-that page includes some profanity]:
"spade: A derogatory term for an African American, more commonly used in the post-Civil War era than today"

However, given your post, Mo, I gather that "spades" is currently used more often as a negative referent for Black people in the United Kingdom than in the USA. Is this what you are saying?

Having said this, I felt that I should include a message on that streetplay website and on this thread as a 'FYI" cautionary note to those who recite "The Spades go" rhyme-or teach this rhyme to children-that some people [I was thinking of Black people, but I can also understand how some non-Black people] might take exception to this referent and see it as being offensive, even if no offense was intended.

You will also note that in that same post on this thread that mentions 'the spades go two lips together', the poster mentions the '"Eeny meeny miney moe" rhyme and its' use of the 'n word' instead of the word 'tiger'. I decided to ignore that word and focus on what I considered to be a more worthwhile use of my energy & time-the presentation & analysis of examples of children's rhymes that are similar to 'The Spades Go' and had other similar lines.

Also, let me say this-because I'm a 'product' of the "Say It Loud, I'm Black And I'm Proud" movement, if [because] the word 'spades' as used for Black people refers to our dark skin color-then if I disliked that term, I would also be saying that I dislike black skin color. You see what I'm getting at?

Perhaps if I were a Black Briton who heard or read the term 'Spades' being used as a subsitute for the 'n-word', that word spades would be as loaded a term as the N-word is to me. Thankfully, I haven't had that experience.

Btw, Mo, I appreciate you giving me the opportunity to think out load about the differences in my approach to these two words.

Happy New Year,

Azizi

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Mo the caller
Date: 30 Dec 06 - 05:24 AM

I'm interested that you don't find 'spades' offensive Azizi. Nobody uses it in the UK except the sort of people who say 'wogs' and 'nigger'.

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Azizi
Date: 29 Dec 06 - 07:31 PM

Also, check out the very close similarities between the rhyme given by Sally on Friday, May 6, 2005 streetplay.com and this one:

"star spangle...
itsy bitsy teeny witsy ew oh to0-ba-leeny outsy whatsy sellahawts say the magic words.. i have a stick of chewing gum and if you want the other half.. this is what you say.. amen. amen. amen-deyago sedeyago hookes pookes sallamoskes sis.. sis .. sis coom ba.. everybody eerybody RA-RA-RA.. BOO-BOO-BOO.. sitting on a trash can banging on a tin can i can you can nobody else can sitting on a bench.. nothnig to do.. along comes a little baby goochy gochy goo..

i learned this as when i was litte.
-posted by brrittannee at March 25, 2005; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Azizi
Date: 29 Dec 06 - 07:27 PM

Greetings, Debbie Olsen!

Welcome to Mudcat.

I'm interested in a several of the rhymes that you posted, but would like to concentrate on the one which starts with the line "the spades go."

I found a couple of examples of 'The Spades Go" [for want of a better name] on this website: http://streetplay.com/discus/ Girl's games; Clap and Rhyme section

Here's one example:

"The spades the spades the spades go iny miny popsa kiney i love bomaragn a hop a scoth a liver roch a peach a plum i have a stick of chewing gum and if u want the other half this is wut you say: amen amen amendiego sandieago bostn bruins rah rah rah boo boo boo criss cross apple sauce do me a favor get lost while ur at it drop dead either that or lose ur head bang on trash cans bang on tin cans i can u can nobody else can sitting on the bench nuthing to do along comes some one..cohey coochey coo! andu tickle the other person"
-Sally on Friday, May 6, 2005

-snip-

And here's a comment that I posted on that website on Sunday, February 26, 2006 :

"And btw, with regard to another rhyme printed earlier on this site [and seen elsewhere], in my opinion, regarding the introductory phrase "The spades the spades the spades go", "the spades" means "the Black people".

I don't think it's meant to be offensive. Nor would it be taken that way because if it is recited nowadays, few people would "get" the original meaning."
-snip-

I believe that referent is from the spades suit in the game of cards and/or from the familiar [at least in my experience] saying "Black as the ace of spades". In my opinion, "the spades go" initially alluded to the source for the rhyme [ie. Black children] and serves as an introductionary statement that this is the way the rhyme was performed by those children. However, to continue my theory, as a result of the folk process, that meaning of that line was lost.

**
Debby, your version of that rhyme says "Thee spades go two lips together". Check out these two examples that I found from the Archive through June 8, 2000 of the Girl's games; Clap and Rhyme section of that streetplay website:

"One I remember is:
Tulips together twilight in heaven bring back my love to me. It was probably 2 lips - but I was an
innocent kid back then."
-Allison on Monday, April 12, 1999 - 06:31 pm

**

"Allison:

I remember that ... didn't it start ...

The spades go tulips together
twlight in heaven
bring back my love to me?

Or something like that?

Two girls would hold hands, arms outstretched in front, and sway back and forth while singing the verses... :)

There was another one with this line~

shimmy shimmy
coco pop
shimmy shimmy pop

Any memory jogs here?? :) "
-Butirfli@aol... on Tuesday, April 13, 1999

-snip-

I'm curious as to which was the original phrase "two lips" or tulips"? I guess we may never know, but either way what a wonderful example of folk etymology.

**

And remember that in that streetplay post given by Butirfli@aol, she wrote "There was another one with this line" [I am assuming this refered to the spades said tulips" line], Butifli@aol then wrote lines from the Shimmy Shimmy Coco Pop rhyme?

Well, here's an example of a USA children's handclap rhyme that starts with the words "the blacks go":

SHIMMY SHIMMY COKE CA POP
The Blacks go down down baby
Down by the roller coaster
Sweet sweet baby
I don't wanna let you go

Shimmy shimmy shimmy shimmy
shimmy shimmy-pop!
Shimmy shimmy shimmy shimmy
shimmy shimmy coke-ca-pop!

[Source: John Langstaff, Carol Langstaff "Shimmy Shimmy Coke-Ca-Pop!, A Collection of City Children's Street Games & Rhymes {Garden City, New York, Double Day & Co; p. 76; 1973}

-snip-

In my opinion, this rhyme and Butirfli@aol's comments lend credence to my theory about the meaning of the phrase "the spades go".

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: DebbieOlsen
Date: 29 Dec 06 - 05:55 PM

Wow. I just joined and read this thread for the first time. Fantastic stuff--I've actually been thinking about these things lately as I raise my own children--I've been teaching them elimination rhymes from my childhood (near Boston, 1970s).

We would always start with "One Potato" by saying, "Put your potatoes in!" (The person counting would use his chin for his second potato.) This rhyme has already been submitted (one potato, two potato, three potato, four; five potato, six potato, seven potato, more.) Then we'd move on to the "Engine, engine" and "My mother and your mother" that are above. We also did, "Bubblegum, bubblegum, in a dish; how many pieces do you wish?" The person would choose a number (say it was 3) and you would say, "One, two, three and you are out."

Does anyone remember this one? It had some pretty elaborate hand motions--the same one as that McDonalds commercial ("Big Mac, filet-o-fish, quarter pounder, french fries, icey Coke, thick shake, sundae and aplle pie")

Oh jolly playmate, come out and play with me
And bring your dollies three;
Climb up my apple tree.
Slide down my rainbow into my cellar door,
And we'll be jolly friends forever more.

Oh jolly playmate, I cannot play with you.
My dollies have the flu;
They threw up in my shoe.
I have no rainbow; I have no cellar door,
But we'll be jolly friends forever more.

(This one we weren't supposed to sing, but did anyway)
Oh rotten enemy, come out and fight with me,
And bring your soldiers three,
Climb up my poison tree.
Slide down my razor into my dungeon door
And we'll be rotten enemies forever more.

Oh rotten enemy, I cannot play with you;
My soldiers have the flu--
They threw up in my shoe.
I have no razor; I have no dungeon door,
But we'll be rotten enemies forever more.

Now, the one I can't remeber much of but would really love to find someone who remebers started,

The spades go two lips together
Tie them forever
Bring back my love to me.
What is the meaning of this?
For all the fellows I've kissed
They tell the story
the story of l-o-v-e.

And nobody has mentioned
--- and ---, sitting in a tree,
k-i-s-s-i-n-g.
First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes (the boy) with a baby carriage.
Sucking his thumb, wetting his pants and doing the hula hula dance.

My 8 year old adds,
"That's not all, that's not all, I saw the baby peeing in the hall,
wearing a tutu and drinking alcohol."

By the way, after "I'm rubber, you're glue," we always added "Boarded, boarded, rainbow magic" as fast as we could so the other person couldn't say, "Except the good stuff!" It started out as black magic, but that scared my little sister so we had to change it. And I never heard "Eeny meeny miney mo" with a nigger instead of a tiger until I moved to Iowa--I always thought it was a tiger.

Debbie Olsen

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: GUEST,lauretc4
Date: 28 Dec 06 - 05:31 PM

Here comes the broom
Sweeping up the room

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: GUEST,Kat
Date: 21 Dec 06 - 08:00 PM

I just thought of some that we used to use when we chose who was "It"
Train, Train number nine
goin' down Chicago line
if the train falls off it's track,
do you want your money back
(they say yes, or no)
Y-E-S and that spells yes
and you are not it

this is a hand clap game.
miss mary mack mack mack
all dressed in black black black
with silver buttons, buttons, buttons
all down her back, back, back
she asked her mother, mother mother
for fifty cents cents cents
to see the elephant, elephants elephants
jump over the fence, fence, fence
they jumped so high, high high
they touched the sky sky sky
they never came back back back
'til the fourth of july, ly, ly

here's another one:
miss susie had a steam boat, the steam boat had a bell
ding ding, miss susie went to heaven and the steamboat went to hell...o operator please give me number nine and if you disconnect me I will chop off your behind the fridgerator ther was a piece of glass miss susie sat upon it and it went up right her ass..k me no more questions tell me no more lies the boys are in the bathroom zipping up their flies are in the park the bees are in the meadow and the boys and girls are kissing in the D-A-R-K D-A-R-K DARK! DARK! DARK!..... I know I know my ma I know I know my pa, but I do not know my sister with a forty acre bra

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: GUEST,Kat
Date: 21 Dec 06 - 07:50 PM

This is what we used to say to people with bad breath:
Poof, begone your breath is to strong,
wait come back I found a tic-tac,
not one, not two, but the whole damn pack
sorry to be mean but ya need some listerine,
not a cup, not a swallow, but the whole damn bottle.

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: GUEST,rachel
Date: 30 Nov 06 - 04:33 AM

brickwall, waterfall
_____ thinks she/he has it all but you dont and i do
so BOOM with that attitude
shark attack, shark attack you need a tic-tac! not one, not two but the whole dam pack!
bang bang choo choo train i got somethin you aint got so you mess with me and ill mess you up!

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Nov 06 - 11:36 AM

We used to go around the playground with our arms linked and singing, "Girls go to Mars to get more candybars, boys go to Jupiter to get more stupider"

And we also would say, "anybody in the way gets a five cent kick and a ten cent Boom!" and we would kick out our legs on "kick" and bring up our knee on "boom". It sounds so awful now!!!

Waterville, Maine, 1970's

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Nov 06 - 04:54 PM

your fat im large.
bah

Subject: RE: Was-I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhyme
From: GUEST,SteveR
Date: 09 Nov 06 - 09:34 AM

Excuse me for jumping in...I dont know how else to get Toms attention.

Hi Tom.
I read your post about your Smallman steel string and I had to say, I've got the other one! I bought it in Sydney in 1979. I nearly bought your one, it was so hard to choose between them, but decided on the 14 fret instead. Its the most amazing guitar Ive ever played. Id love to exchange a pic or chat if you're interested.
Steve
[e-mail]

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: GUEST,Dave
Date: 09 Nov 06 - 01:17 AM

Has anyone heard:

Ally ally, chikoli chikoli,
Oollay oollay um pum pum
Chinese whispers, polly-wally whiskers
Do me a favour...drop dead!

OR:

Shirley Temple is a star S-T-A-R
First she does a cartwheel, then she does the splits
Then she does a (something,something??) just like this..(dance)

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: GUEST,Tom
Date: 07 Nov 06 - 10:07 AM

Lemonade made in the shade and sold by Barnum Bailey.
A piece of ice in every glass as big as an elephant's
Ask your mother for 50 cents to see the monkeys sticking sticks up the elephant's
Hold on ladies! For those of you who can't swim the elephants are about to
Peanuts! 5 cents a bag!!

My grandfather (born 1922) used to quote this at the supper table after dinner. He was born, lived , and died in Berwyn, PA.

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber. You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Azizi
Date: 27 Oct 06 - 06:09 PM

Here's some somewhat random thoughts about the example from in my last post:

Note how the rhyme is written in essay form with no capitalization at the beginning of a sentence {or new line of the rhyme}and usually no punctuation at the end of a sentence {or line}. This style of writing is becoming the norm for children & youth {if not others} on informal blogs and message boards. It may also used for cell phone text messages.

My sense is one reason why this style is used is because it is the style. Kids mimic what they see other kids doing. But I think that this style started because on the Internet punctuation, grammar, and correct spelling aren't considered nearly as important as getting your message out there as fast as you can and then moving on to the next thing. It's faster to write in run on sentences than it is to write in the lined poetry style that we older people were taught to use.

At any rate, it appears to me that run on sentences writing style is the signature form of informal writing for folks under 20 years old {and maybe younger than that}. Needless to say that the problem with this writing style is that you have to determine where one sentence {or line}ends and another one begins. You can do this if you remember that these formulaic rhymes adhere to a 4 line pattern with the rhyme {or near rhyme}occuring in the last word of the 2nd and 4th line. But still I think that this way of writing can result in some interpretation difficulties. For instance, erika sent in a number of rhymes that she said were her 'fav' {I'm 99.9% sure she means "favorites". However, I had to guestimate where one rhyme ended and the next one began. The more I think about it, the example in the last post was probably two separate rhymes {the first one ending where the period is after the word "frankie".

I'm going to email erika in hopes that she will verify my guess about this example. I'm also going to ask her if these two? rhymes are recited back to back {ie. do they flow into each other?}.
If I "hear" from erika, I'll let you know what she "said".

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber. You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Azizi
Date: 27 Oct 06 - 06:07 PM

I got a kick out of the following rhyme that was sent to my website today:

your mama your mama my daddy your bald headed granny she 99 she think she fine she break it down like frankinstin. go frankie go frankie go, go, go frankie, go frankie go frankie go, go, go frankie. my mama my mama short and fine she got a butt like mine and when she walk the street all cars go beep,beep beep and when she go down low she does a rollie o and when she com up high she does the butterfly. stop. drop. bring it to the top pop pop shake skahe vibrate vibrate
-erika

-snip-
I love the nickname "frankie" for "frankinstin". "The butterfly" is the name of a R&B dance circa mid 1990s.

The phrase "stop drop" is probably lifted from the chorus of the 2002 hit by DMX called "Ruff Riders Athem [note: imo, that rap song includes some decidedly politically un-correct language such as the n-word-although the hip-hop spelling for that word is used].

I remember when most children from kindergarten on up in the elementary school my daughter taught at {and where I did after-school programming} sang this catchy chorus to that song:

"Stop drop shut 'em down open up shop
Oh no that's how Ruff Ryders roll
Stop drop shut 'em down open up shop
Oh no that's how Ruff Ryders roll"

-snip-

What does it mean? You askin me?

I bet most of the kids don't know either, but "That's how I roll" means that's how I move about or that's what I do; that's how I am...

Please help me out here if you can add to or correct this definition.

Thanks in advance.

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber. You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Snuffy
Date: 06 Oct 06 - 08:50 AM

9 variants of THREE DUKES in the Digital Tradition. And this one my mother taught me:

3431 THREE DUKES (2)
X: 67
T:Three Dukes (2)
M:6/4
L:1/8
Q:150
S:my mother
P:A5B2
A:Tyneside
N:filename[ THREDUK2
K:G
P:A
D2|
G2A2 B4- B2G2 |c2B2 A4- A2D2|
F2G2 A4- A2(GA)|B2A2 G4- G2 ||
P:B
M:6/8
D|
G2G G2B|d2B G2G|A2A A2G|F2E D2D|
G2G G2B|d2B G2G|A2A DEF|G3 G2 ||

We are three Jews, we come from Spain,
To court upon your daughter Jane.

Our daughter Jane is far too young
To understand your noisy tongue.

SPOKEN:
Go away, Corkscrew.

Our name, our name is not Corkscrew,
We'll stamp our foot, and away we'll go.

Come back, come back, your coat is green,
And choose the fairest one you see.

The fairest one that I can see
Is [name here]. Come out to me.

SPOKEN:
I will not come.

The naughty girl, she won't come out,
She won't come out, she won't come out;
The naughty girl, she won't come out,
To join us in the dancing.

SPOKEN:
I will come.

Now we've got the lady out,
The lady out, the lady out,
Now we've got the lady out,
To join us in the dancing.

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber. You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Azizi
Date: 05 Oct 06 - 08:49 PM

Yes, I know. "Preview" should be my friend.

Here's an old West African proverb:
"To stumble is not to fall, but to go forward faster".

What does that proverb have to do with my mistakes in the last post? Besides my rushing to submit that post, probably not much. But Isaw an opportunity to share that proverb, and so I took it.

Borrowing from Snuffy's post, "Ippy-dippy I'm O-U-T" of here.

Right.

Left.

Right.

Now.

:O)

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber. You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Azizi
Date: 05 Oct 06 - 08:42 PM

Thanks, Snuffy.

FWIW, the only rhymes that you referred to in your last post that I'm familiar with is "The Farmer In The Dell". But that's just from reading it. Besides at the teacher's lead in kindergarten {public school ages 4 and 5 years}, I don't think kids play that game any more.

As a matter of fact, I've rarely seen children initiate children seldom initiate circle singing or chanting games except for elimination handclap rhymes like Slap Billy-ola {Stella Ola Ola} .

I've seen mostly girls but also sometimes boys & girls {ages about 6 years old to 13 years old} playing this game. Perhaps it's the competition that makes it attractive to them.

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber. You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Snuffy
Date: 05 Oct 06 - 08:26 AM

I think you probably call it "tag" where we call it tick.

By Sweetheart rhymes, I mean where you have to choose someone so the game can carry on, not the "ippy-dippy O-U-T spells OUT" elimination chants. Things like The Farmer's in the Dell where the farmer picks a wife, then the wife picks a child, the child picks a dog, the dog picks a bone, then we all pat the bone. Or the bit in We are three Dukes/Jews where it goes:

Come back, come back your coat is green
And choose the fairest one you've seen.

The fairest one that I can see
Is [insert name of child], come out to me

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber. You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: NH Dave
Date: 04 Oct 06 - 10:32 PM

A friend of mine, Scott E. Hastings, Jr., collected a bunch of school yard and counting out rhymes from northeastern Vermont, and published them in a book named, Miss Mary Mack all Dressed in Black, which is available on Amazon.com, for a few dollars or the equivalent. Scott's long gone now, but the book still live on.

Dave

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber. You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Joe_F
Date: 04 Oct 06 - 10:04 PM

What's your name?
Puddin' tane.
Ask me again, and I'll tell you the same.

*

Old Mr Kelly
Had a pimple on his belly.
His wife cut it off,
And it tasted like jelly.

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber. You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Azizi
Date: 04 Oct 06 - 08:10 PM

Snuffy, what's playing tick?

And could you or anyone else post examples of children's rhymes for choosing a sweetheart?

I can think of rhymes where a girl mentions the name of the boy she likes, but I'm drawing a blank on choosing sweetheart rhymes.


Thanks.

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber. You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Snuffy
Date: 04 Oct 06 - 06:26 PM

Spot on there Ms Azizi. In parts of the map that used to be coloured red (pink actually), we have "skipping ropes" rather than "jumpropes". Maybe because skipping implies only one foot at a time touches the ground, whereas jumping implies both feet?

But anyway, skipping rhymes would include other rhymes and chants used by children for playing tick, or selecting a team or a sweetheart, and all the other things kids do.

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber. You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Azizi
Date: 04 Oct 06 - 05:36 PM

Sorry. I meant to write
Personally, I'm not convinced that rhyme "Yellow yellow" had anything to do with skin color.

****

Forsh, I'm curious about you reference to "Rumbylowe". I tried to find more about this group by Google, but didn't get very much. However, I did find a small blurp [but no examples]about about skipping rhymes that are found in Rumbylowe's album, 'Jolly Rumbylowe'.

Is this an Australian group? Who sings these songs-adults or kids?

I assume that "skipping rhymes" as mentioned in this blurp may be the same or similar to what Americans {UnitedStaters} call "jumprope rhymes". And, since jump rope rhymes is a generic term in the United States that includes "handclap rhymes" and rhymes that accompany other movements done by children while they chant rhyming verses, maybe that's the same as the Australian [?] skipping rhymes that are featured in that Rumbylowe album.

It would be great to learn more about this.

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber. You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Azizi
Date: 04 Oct 06 - 05:17 PM

Sheree, I am familiar with a version of the first rhyme you posted.

That rhyme provides commentary on race in America-both from the viewpoint of White America, and also with regards to inracial color preferences among African Americans.

Here's the version of that rhyme that I know:

If you're white you're alright
if you're brown stick around
if you're black get back.

Demographical information: recited & heard in Atlantic City, New Jersey {mid 1960s and possibly before that}, and in Pittsburgh, PA {late 1960s to date}.

Note that we didn't have the part about if you're yellow or if your red...

I remember reciting this rhyme as a young child, probably while jumping rope:
Yellow yellow kiss a fellow
Red red pee the bed
White white say goodnight.

-snip-

If the "Yellow yellow" rhyme had anything to do with race, I don't think the kids reciting it knew it. Personally, I'm not convinced that rhyme. In contrast, the "If you're White" rhyme was recited by Black teens and Black adults who had no doubts that that rhyme was about skin color preferances.

It's highly possible that the "If you're White" rhyme was probably part of folk culture for quite some time. But in 1951 Big Bill Broonzy recorded two versions of songs that included this rhyme.

Here's the lyrics to one of Big Bill Broonzy's songs:

BLACK, BROWN, AND WHITE(Version 1)
by Big Bill Broonzy
recording of September 20 1951, Paris

This little song that I'm singin' about,
people you know it's true
If you're black and gotta work for a living,
this is what they will say to you,
they says, "If you was white, should be all right,
if you was brown, stick around,
but as you's black, hmm brother, get back, get back, get back"

I was in a place one night
They was all having fun
They was all buyin' beer and wine,
but they would not sell me none
They said, "If you was white, should be all right,
if you was brown, stick around,
but if you black, hmm brother, get back, get back, get back"

Me and a man was workin' side by side
This is what it meant
They was paying him a dollar an hour,
and they was paying me fifty cent
They said, "If you was white, 't should be all right,
if you was brown, could stick around,
but as you black, hmm boy, get back, get back, get back"

I went to an employment office,
got a number 'n' I got in line
They called everybody's number,
but they never did call mine
They said, "If you was white, should be all right,
if you was brown, could stick around,
but as you black, hmm brother, get back, get back, get back"

I hope when sweet victory,
with my plough and hoe
Now I want you to tell me brother,
what you gonna do about the old Jim Crow?
Now if you was white, should be all right,
if you was brown, could stick around,
but if you black, whoa brother, get back, get back, get back

-snip-

see http://blueslyrics.tripod.com/artistswithsongs/big_bill_broonzy_1.htm#black_brown_and_white_version%201 for lyrics to more Bill Bill Broonzy songs including version #2 of this song.

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber. You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Snuffy
Date: 04 Oct 06 - 03:10 PM

Forsh that last one sounds like an urban adaptation of OATS AND BEANS AND BARLEY

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber. You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Forsh
Date: 04 Oct 06 - 02:38 PM

Albums are red, albums are blue, but if you go to Afri, albums are black.

Made you look made you stare, made you loose your underwear.

(INSERT CHILDS NAME)..sells fish, three ha'pence a dish, don't buy it! don't buy it! it stinks when you fry it!

Of course, the wonderful 'Rumbylowe' also recorded a montage of 'Skipping Rhymes' "Three queens of polio, polio, polio, three queens of polio, whoops yer auntie mary-oh, this is the way the teacher standsm she folds her arms then claps her hands, this is the way the teacher stands, whoops yer auntie mary-oh" etc.

I hope these are of use!

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber. You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: GUEST,Sheree
Date: 04 Oct 06 - 02:10 PM

I grew up in Indianapolis, In. and I'm looking for the origin of a rhyme or saying from my youth in the 70s:

If your Black, get back
If your Brown, stick around
If your White, you all right
If your Yellow, you mellow
If your red, you're dead

My Professor recited this rhyme in class, causing me to remember it. She is from Gary, In. It has since become a topic within a paper I'm writing. Have you received any other threads from other regions about this one? I'm trying to find out if it was commonly used in African American communities throughout the US. Thank you and I've truly enjoyed the rhyming flashback! Wishing you much success.....Sheree

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber. You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Azizi
Date: 24 Aug 06 - 05:10 PM

Thanks, GUEST,katsa for posting that version of Take A Peach Take A Plum.

Please give my compliments to your sister for being creative in changing the words to that rhyme. I especially liked this line:
"didnt take a shower
stinky"

;o}

Best wishes,

Azizi

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber. You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: GUEST,katsa
Date: 24 Aug 06 - 04:06 PM

My little sister is ten and they have a modified version of Take a peach rhyme:

they call me
eeny meeny
teeny weeny
ooh ah thumbalini
ah chi pachi liverini
i hate you

no peach
no plum
no stick of bubble gum
no peach
no plum
no stick of bubble gum

last night
i saw you with my boyfriend
how do i know
looked through the window
nosy
didnt take a shower
stinky
didn't do the dishes
lazy
jumped through the window
must be crazy

that's why they call me
eeny meeny
teeny weeny
ooh ah thumbalini
ah chi pachi liverini
i hate you

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber. You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: GUEST,Megan
Date: 03 Jun 06 - 09:55 PM

One with tarzan is like:

Tarzan tarzan sitting on a rubberband slipt and fel and booke his bones what color was his blood. Then someone picks a color.

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber. You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Azizi
Date: 03 Jun 06 - 11:57 AM

Opps! Sorry, thurg & sorry tannywheeler.

Well, at least both your names start with a "t".

Excuses, excuses....

Umm, tannywheeler, I hope you'll respond to my question-not that it's earth shaking or anything.

you can color me both mixed up & curious,

Azizi

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber. You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: GUEST,thurg
Date: 03 Jun 06 - 11:18 AM

Azizi - Um ... when you say "Thurg", do you mean "Tannywheeler"?

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber. You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Azizi
Date: 03 Jun 06 - 07:25 AM

Thurg,

Humor me here, please. I'm not sure I understand you.

In your last post, are you referring to the "As I was walking down the street a billboard caught my eye" rhyme that you posted above?

And if so, how did your kids sing it? I got that there were no accompanying back & forth handclaps or no foot stomps. But did [does]one child sing the part "A" section and another child sing the part "B" section?

Color me curious,

Azizi

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber. You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Tannywheeler
Date: 03 Jun 06 - 06:17 AM

Az, my memory is that my kids went around the house or yard, or sat in the back seat of the car, singing that song at the top of their lungs. No special movements that I remember. There were periodic giggles, tho'......Tw

Subject: RE: I'm Rubber. You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Azizi
Date: 02 Jun 06 - 08:19 AM

Among other errors in my last post-the foster mother receives income for being a foster parent.

And since I'm posting this correction, here's an example of
"I Don't Want To Go To Mexico"

Shame, Shame, Shame.
I don't want to go to Mexico
no more, more, more.
There's a big fat policeman
at door, door, door.
He'll grab you by the collar
and make you pay a dollar.
I don't want to go to Mexico
no more, more, more.
Shame. *

* on the word "shame" the two children doing the handclap try to be the first one to slap or poke the other child on her {or his} forehead.

[collected by Azizi Powell, 1998-2006; from observations of and interactions with African American girls and boys 6-12 years old, various Pittsburgh, PA neighborhoods & 1999 African American girls 9 and 11 years old, Philadelphia, PA]

"Shimmy Shimmy China" is another example of this hitting or slapping action occurring in a handclap routine.

Shimmy, Shimmy China,
I know karate.
Shimmy Shimmy China,
Oops! I'm so sorry. *
Shimmy Shimmy China
Sittin on a fence
trying to make a dollar
outa 85 cents
She missed
She missed
She missed like this, like this, like this.

* on the word "oops" the children performing this midly competitive handclap routine try to be the first one to poke or slap another child or her or his forehead; the children continue the rhyme as if no violent action had occurred

[collected in 1998 by Azizi Powell; Pittsburgh, PA; from Shep, 8 year old African American boy; and his sisters- 9 year old Shayla and 12 year old Shan]

Btw, on the last line the boy said "he missed". And as explantion for that last line-on the words "like this, like this, like this" the children execute a foot crossing jump. If on the last phrase, the left foot is crossed in front of the right foot instead of the other way, that person is out.