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

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Azizi 26 May 05 - 11:33 AM
Azizi 26 May 05 - 10:56 AM
Azizi 26 May 05 - 10:41 AM
wysiwyg 26 May 05 - 10:13 AM
Azizi 26 May 05 - 10:12 AM
GUEST,Joe_F 26 May 05 - 09:40 AM
GUEST,Pazzion 26 May 05 - 09:23 AM
Azizi 26 May 05 - 09:23 AM
Azizi 25 May 05 - 07:49 AM
Azizi 25 May 05 - 07:35 AM
Azizi 24 May 05 - 11:03 PM
Jerry Rasmussen 24 May 05 - 10:50 PM
GUEST,WYS 24 May 05 - 10:36 PM
Pogo 24 May 05 - 10:13 PM
Jerry Rasmussen 24 May 05 - 09:51 PM
Azizi 24 May 05 - 09:46 PM
Azizi 24 May 05 - 09:29 PM
Azizi 24 May 05 - 09:13 PM
Azizi 24 May 05 - 09:09 PM
Snuffy 24 May 05 - 08:29 PM
GUEST,Puffenkinty 24 May 05 - 08:15 PM
Snuffy 24 May 05 - 07:16 PM
wysiwyg 24 May 05 - 05:35 PM
Bev and Jerry 24 May 05 - 05:25 PM
Azizi 24 May 05 - 10:22 AM
Snuffy 24 May 05 - 08:16 AM
The Fooles Troupe 23 May 05 - 09:47 AM
Snuffy 23 May 05 - 09:36 AM
The Fooles Troupe 23 May 05 - 08:35 AM
GUEST,Inukshuk 23 May 05 - 07:37 AM
Azizi 23 May 05 - 06:53 AM
Azizi 23 May 05 - 06:47 AM
GUEST 23 May 05 - 06:25 AM
wysiwyg 22 May 05 - 11:27 PM
Barbara 22 May 05 - 11:22 PM
John on the Sunset Coast 22 May 05 - 11:12 PM
Pogo 22 May 05 - 10:46 PM
The Fooles Troupe 22 May 05 - 08:21 PM
Bev and Jerry 22 May 05 - 06:37 PM
Snuffy 22 May 05 - 06:23 PM
GUEST,Azizi 22 May 05 - 12:13 PM
GUEST,JennyO 22 May 05 - 10:44 AM
GUEST,Joe_F 22 May 05 - 10:23 AM
The Fooles Troupe 21 May 05 - 07:28 PM
Abby Sale 21 May 05 - 10:33 AM
GUEST,smiler 21 May 05 - 09:34 AM
GUEST,Joe_F 21 May 05 - 08:57 AM
Bev and Jerry 21 May 05 - 01:14 AM
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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Azizi
Date: 26 May 05 - 11:33 AM

Jerry & Joe F. thanks for posting some interesting putdown and word play rhymes

Jerry, with regards to the "Two Irishmen, two Irishmen, sitting on a fence" that you posted on 24 May 05 - 10:50 PM

is that rhyme and the "that's life" verses part of the same rhyme or are they two separate rhymes?

Joe posted another version for 'that's life' so maybe it was [is] a separate rhyme...

And Jerry-after the floating verse "ask me no questions, I'll tell you no lies {that incidently also is used in other profanity avoidance rhymes like "Miss Susie Had A Steamboat"}, you wrote "If you ever...."

Does this mean that you forgot the rest of the words? or is this the way the rhyme went?
****

I'd like to remind folks that no one has responded yet to Snuffy's 24 May 05 - 08:29 request for the rest of the words to another play on words rhyme:

"If our Bob gave your Bob a bob on the nose ....."

And no one has posted the words to "Miss Lucy Had A Baby" {Tiny Tim}yet.

Will this thread retire with these posts left hanging???

Oh woe is me! Woe is me!!


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Azizi
Date: 26 May 05 - 10:56 AM

WYSIWYG {and anyone else interested in WYSIWYG's question to me from her post on 26 May 05 - 10:13 AM}:

Thank you for your question.

I was honored to receive a small fellowship at the end of 2003 from the Pennsylvania Council of the Arts in association with the Pennsylvania Council on the Humanities. The fellowship was in the area of 'perspective on the arts'. My specific area of interest for this fellowship was [is] children's rhymes.

I am currently working on this project with a University of Pittsburgh professor. However, I haven't identified a publisher for this book. Nor have I received any additional funding for this research/compilation/writing.

As I am a free lance artist who could use additional fiscal support, if you [or anyone else for that matter] are aware of any funding that would support this project, I'd be happy to receive that information!


Azizi

PS. In an earlier Mudcat thread that I started on my rhyme project,
I indicated that if I ever received any money as a result of this project, I will provide a donation to Mudcat. I now repeat that promise.


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Azizi
Date: 26 May 05 - 10:41 AM

To Pazzion: when I wrote that I was interested in knowing "who [what children] performed' that rhyme you posted, I was seeking information on the race/ethnicity of the children.

****

From my research it appears that there are some rhymes that are performed by children in the USA regardless of race. However, there are other rhymes and types of rhymes that seem to be more common among children of one race or another.

For instance, in my admittedly limited research, I have not yet had any African American child, youth, or adult recite any gross out rhymes like:

"Great big gobs of
Greasy grimy gopher guts
Jubilated monkey's feet
Concentrated birdies' feet
A great big jar of
All-purpose porpoise pus
And me without a spoon!
(I love it so)"

-snip-

I don't remember these types of rhymes from my childhood/youth. I don't see examples of these types of rhymes in books of African Ameircan children's rhymes. I've never observed any African American children reciting these types of rhymes. And when I ask African Americans if they know 'Great big globs or Greasy grimy gopher guts' they invariably say 'no' and 'ugh!'

I also haven't found excessively violent rhymes among African American children like these ones:

"Lizzy Borden took an axe
She gave her father forty whacks
When the job was halfway through
She gave her mother forty-two.

-snip-

or

"On top of old smoky, all covered with sand,
I shot my poor teacher, with a big rubber band!
I shot her with pleasure, I shot her with pride!
I couldnt've missed her...she's eighty feet wide!"
-snip-

And, I should mention, that the 'shooting the teacher' example is quite mild compared with other rhymes that I have seen in print-here on other Mudcat threads on children's rhymes and elsewhere.

If it is true that these types of rhymes are recited wth different frequency by children of different races, what if anything, does it mean??

I'm interested in others' input regarding this. Has anyone else noticed this? Or am I completely out to lunch [about this I mean]

:>)

Azizi


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: wysiwyg
Date: 26 May 05 - 10:13 AM

I will be in touch with Mudcat members who posted in this thread to see if I can use your posts in the book that I am preparing for print publication.

Please tell us more about your project, Azizi. How is it funded?

~Susan


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Azizi
Date: 26 May 05 - 10:12 AM

Pazzion,

I'm very interested in knowing when and where you heard or performed the rhyme that you posted and who [what children] performed it.

Few children's rhymes that have collected mention race or ethnicity. However, for some reason, the "I Like {Love} Coffee; I Like {Love} Tea" rhymes that I've collected [performed post 1970s; in various cities] consistantly mention race.

The words are usually "I like a black boy {or colored boy and he likes me}. The rhymes also consistently include the words "Step back, white boy you don't shine, I'll get a black [or colored boy]
to kick your behind".

Of course, the 'standard' words to this rhyme have nothing to do with race or fighting, but are usually given as
I like a boy [I like the boys]
and he likes me [and they like me]

Why the change in wording? Could this change be an unintended result of increased integration in schools and neighborhoods?

In the last 30 years there has been an increase in interracial dating & marriage. Could these rhymes be children's social commentary on tense interracial interactions and not just interracial romantic attractions????


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: GUEST,Joe_F
Date: 26 May 05 - 09:40 AM

Jerry Rasmussen: At least our version of "Here comes the bride" was free of racism %^):

Here comes the bride,

Fair, fat, and wide.

Here comes the groom,

Skinny as a broom.

-- A better rhyme, too.

For "That's life", cf.

Spring is coming.

He is?

Not "he is", "it is".

It is what?

It is coming.

What is coming?

Spring is coming.

He is?, etc.

--- Joe Fineman    joe_f@verizon.net

||: In movies everyone is too rich and everything is too clean. :||


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: GUEST,Pazzion
Date: 26 May 05 - 09:23 AM

I remember
Down Down Baby Down Down the rollercoaster
Sweet Sweet Baby I'll never let you go
Shimmy shimmy cocoa puff shimmy shimmy I
Shimmy shimmy cocoa puff shimmy shimmy I
I like coffee I like tea
I like a colored boy and he likes me
so step back white boy
you don't cause a cool colored boy gonna bet your behind
He'll beat it once he'll beat it twice
He'll beat it beat it beat it
So let's get the rhythm of the head
Ding dong
Sho' got the rhythm of the head head
Ding dong
Let's get the rhythm of the hands
(Clap,Clap)
Sho' got the rhythm of the hands
(Clap,Clap)
Let's get the rhythm of the feet
(Stomp, Stomp)
Sho' got the rhythm of the feet
(Stomp, Stomp)
Let's get the rhythm of the Hot Dog (While doing the snake)
Sho' got the rhythm of the Hot Dog
Ding dong, clap,clap,stomp,stomp,Hot Dog


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Azizi
Date: 26 May 05 - 09:23 AM

Here's another children's rhyme from Wheee! Blog that I hyperlinked in earlier posts.

I have read a number of other versions of this rhyme before [though I've only seen a version of it performed one time].

But IMO, this version is simply delightful. Check it out!:

"A B C,
It's easy as 1 2 4,
My mamma takes care of me,
My daddy has stinky feet,
Oh! Ah! I wanna a piece of pie,
Pie's to sweet I wanna piece of meat,
Meat's too red I wanna go to bed,
Bed's not made I want some lemonade,
Lemonade's to sour,
I wanna take a shower,
Shower's too cold I wanna piece of gold,
Gold's too shiny I wanna kiss your hiney,
Hiney's too fat and thats the end of that,
Count to 10 and do it over again,
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10..."

{posted by Amanda at May 25, 2005 02:02 PM; reposted with permission of that Blog's members}

-snip-

Usually 'ABC' is a handclap rhyme. The poster for the version presented above didn't give any information about how the rhyme is performed, what city/state she was in when the rhyme was performed, or what year[s] it was performed.

BTW, the '124' in the second line of the rhyme isn't MY typo, and may not be a typo on the rhyme informant's part at all {maybe that is the way she recites it or recited it}. But most versions of this rhyme say "It's as easy as 1-2-3" which of course rhymes with "ABC".
The source of those words are the call & response chorus of the Jackson 5's 1970 R&B song "ABC":

"J5: abc
Michael: easy as...
J5: 123
Michael: or simple as...
J5: do re mi
Michael: abc, 123, baby, you and me girl!
J5: abc
Michael: easy as...
J5: 123
Michael: or simple as...
J5: do re mi
Michael: abc, 123, baby, you and me!"

Click Jackson 5's ABC for the complete lyrics to this song.
-snip-

Thanks to all who have posted examples of rhymes here.

I will be in touch with Mudcat members who posted in this thread to see if I can use your posts in the book that I am preparing for print publication.


Azizi Powell


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Azizi
Date: 25 May 05 - 07:49 AM

Well actually as I recall it, the words that the kids * used to tease me were these ones:

"I got a girl named Boney Maronie
She's as skinny as a [piece] of macaroni...
I love her and she loves me...
making love [beneath] the apple tree."

*Interesting, it's the boys' teasing I remember most, and not the girls, if any girls teased me at all. I wonder why that is...

****

I also remember being part of a group of girls in the early grades of elementary school who would run after this popular boy named George and tease him with the words to this Mother Goose rhyme:

Georgie Porgie Puddin Pie
kissed the girls and made them cry
When the boys came out to play
Geogie Porgie ran away.

-snip-


Mind you, we really liked George. If a girl caught him, she was supposed to kiss him, but I never did {either caught him or kissed him}.

Also we didn't have a clue that this rhyme was actually a putdown on 'Georgie' who for some reason was afraid to stick around when the other boys came out to play.

What's up with that?

Incidently, when I went home a couple of years ago, I found out that the George who we used to chase is now a judge..

More power to him!



Azizi


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Azizi
Date: 25 May 05 - 07:35 AM

Recorded tunes are another category of rhymes that children used to tease other kids.

For instance, once upon a time, I was real skinny. And some not so nice kids teased me with the words to this song:

"I got a girl named Bony Moronie
She's as skinny as a stick of macaroni
Ought to see her rock and roll with her blue jeans on
She's not very fat, just skin and bones.

I love her and she loves me.
Oh how happy now we can be,
making love underneath the apple tree."


-snip-

Song:   Bony Moronie (1957)
Artist: Larry Williams

Click HERE

****

I'm sure there are other recorded songs that kids used {use} to
tease others.

Can anyone think of other examples?

Thanks,

Azizi


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Azizi
Date: 24 May 05 - 11:03 PM

Pogo,

Is this the rhyme you were thinking of?

Down, down baby
Down by the roller coaster
Sweet, sweet baby
I'll never let you go.
Shimmy shimmy coco pa
Shimmy shimmy pow!
Shimmy shimmy coco pa
Shimmy shimmy pow!
Grandma, Grandma sick in bed.
Called the doctor and the doctor said,
Let's get the rhythm of the head.
Ding dong.
Let's get the rhythm of the hands
Clap, clap.
Let's get the rhythm of the feet
Stomp, stomp.
Let;s get the rhythm of the
Hot dog.
Put it all together and what do you get?
Ding-dong, clap, clap. Stomp, stomp. Hot dog.
Say it all backwards and what do you get?
Hot dog. Stomp, stomp. Clap, clap. Ding dong!

-snip-

There are multiple versions of this rhyme {and there are multiple versions of most children's rhymes, for that matter}. Alot of children around Pittsburgh, Penn. call this rhyme "Down Down Baby", but it is also called "Shimmy Shimmy Co Co Pa" {or some similar sounding word at the end like "Pop" or even Puff".

"Grandma, Grandma sick in bed" is a very old rhyme that is found in African American secular slave songs. That rhyme is also recited alone or with in combination with other verses.

Btw, in the "Down, Down Baby" rhyme, a hip shaking motion is usually performed for the phrase "Hot dog".

****

Wheee! Blog
has a great thread on schoolyard rhymes, including multiple versions of "Miss Susie Had A Steamboat"; "Down On The Banks Of The Hanky-Panky" and "Miss Lucy Had A Baby" {Tiny Tim}*

Check it out!

* This rhyme hasn't been posted yet in this thread, but I KNOW someone remembers it and will post it, right?   



Azizi


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 24 May 05 - 10:50 PM

Ywo Irishmen, two Irishmen, sitting on a fence
One called the other a dirty son of a
Peter Murphy, Peter Murphy, sitting in the grass
Along came a bumble bee and stung him in the
Ask me no questions, I'll tell you know lies
If you ever get hit by a bucket of s***
Be sure to close your
Ice cold lemonade, five cents a glass
If you don't like it you can stick it up your
Ask me no questions, I'll tell you no lies
If you ever....

That's life
What's life?
A magazine
How much does it cost
Fifteen cents
I've only got a dime
That's life..
What's life..
A magazine

Jerry


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: GUEST,WYS
Date: 24 May 05 - 10:36 PM

What's up, buttercup?

What's the deal, spinnin' wheel?

Where you been, cute-as-sin?

~S~


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Pogo
Date: 24 May 05 - 10:13 PM

Azizi: The Senorita song and the Shame Shame Shame song, I remember from my childhood, I'd say early/mid 1980's in rural North Carolina around the Cape Fear region and they were very popular chants among both african-american and white children. About that same time, there's also another one popular among the little girls something like a doctor song but I all I can remember of it is " Let's get the rhythmn of the hands *clapclap* (repeated twice) another one where we got the rhythm of the feet and we stomped in cue and " Let's get the rhythmn of the hooot dog " upon which we would put our hands on our hips and swivel them in a circle. It was similar in structure to the sailor rhyme in that at the end we would do the motions all together " Let's get the rhythm of the *clap-clap* *stomp-stomp**some other ones I can't recall now* and then end with " hoooot dog " and the hip swivel.

There was also the ever popular Miss Mary Mack rhyme and the 'dirty' Miss Lucy rhyme

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 fifteen cents cents cents
to see the elephant elephant elephant
jump over the fence fence fence

He jumped so high high high
Into the sky sky sky
That he didn't come back back back
Till next july lie lie

and the 'dirty' one

Miss Lucy had a tugboat
The tugboat had a bell
The steamboat went to heaven
The tugboat went to...

hellllo operator
please dial me number nine
if you disconnect me
I'll kick your fat

Behind the frigerator
There lay a piece of glass
Miss Lucy sat upon it
and broke her big fat

Assssk me no more questions
Tell me no more lies
The boys are in the bathtub
Eating worms and flies

and a clapping game I learned at girl's camp I would say hmmm mid 90's I think, in the same area. We would sit in a circle with one hand resting palm up under our neighbors' hand and going around the circle slap our neighbors' hand

Down by the banks of the Hanky Panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
Singin' e-i-o-u
Um sacka dilly wacka...ker-plop

whoever had ker-plop! was eliminated from the circle and it would be speeded up.

Also about mid-eighties there's Cinderella dressed in yella went upstairs to kiss a fella, made a mistake and kissed a snake how many doctors did it take? and then counted off (this was a jumprope rhyme)

Snuffy: Heh so that's where it came from. A coworker passed that along to me and said in turn she learned it from her mother. Same region only more recently.


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 24 May 05 - 09:51 PM

From my childhood in the 40's in southern Wisconsin... white males, mostly, but I imagine the girls said them, too.. probably when we were 6-10 years old.

Down in the gas house, hello Pete
Did you ever get a whiff of .....'s feet

Fatty, fatty two by four
Couldn't get through the bathroom door
Had to do it on the floor

Here comes the bride,
Fair, fat and white.

(Guess we had a politically incorrect attitude toward the weight-challenged.)

School's out, school's out
Teacher let the fools out

Man... this could go on and on..

Jerry


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Azizi
Date: 24 May 05 - 09:46 PM

Boy, I shoulda quit when I was half way ahead.. but no-when you're on a roll, it's too much like right to slow down and PREVUEW what you wrote..

But I bet you noticed that I used the wrong "two too to" word, didn't you?

Okay, here's my penance-I'll share with you a really great children's rhyme that I collected in 1985 from African American girls,ages around 9-12 years old in Braddock, Penn {near Pittsburgh, Penn}.

TWO WAY PASS AWAY
Group                Two way pass away
                Two way pass away
Soloist #1        Well my name is Shana
Group                Two way pass away
Soloist #1        They call me "Shay" "Shay"
Group                Two way pass away
Soloist #1        And if you don't like it
Group                Two way pass away
Soloist #1        You can kiss what I twist
Group                Two way pass away
Soloist #1        And I don't mean my lips
Group                Two way pass away

(Repeat this cheer with the next soloist and continue until every girl has had one turn as the soloist.

-snip-

I believe the refrain of this rhyme comes from "Tu way-packa-way", the signature chant of the New Orleans [African American] Wild Indian groups. However, I didn't know anything about those groups at the time I heard this rhyme so I spelled that 'two' wrong.

I'm sorry to say that I have never met anyone else who remembers this cheer since I heard it that day in 1985. And that's a shame because I would certainly give it high marks for creativity and attitude.

****

Okay, I'm outa here.

If you find any mistakes in this post, please correct them yourself.

:>}


Azizi Powell


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Azizi
Date: 24 May 05 - 09:29 PM

Okay, I was tryin to do two things at one time, and proved that I can't do that worth a darn..

Here's another punctuation correction:

After while, crocodile.

and no, I didn't use the preview feature.

That woulda been two much like right.

And speaking of 'right', since I'm writing anyway, I might as well add this other rhyme to the mix {not that it's a put down rhyme, but neither are many of the rhymes & saying that are already in this thread}. So here goes:

Good night. Sleep tight.
Don't let the bedbugs bite.


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Azizi
Date: 24 May 05 - 09:13 PM

Sorry,

I need to correct the punctuation of this example:

"What's the word?", mocking bird.

{Meaning: "What's happenin?" or "Whassup?"


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Azizi
Date: 24 May 05 - 09:09 PM

Snuffy,
When I was growing up in New Jersey in the 1950s I remember hearing and saying: "What's your number? Cucumber".

Here's another rhyme in the pattern of your example posted on 24 May 05 - 07:16 PM.:

Where you live?
In a sieve.

-snip-

This pattern of short rhyming sentences is very much a part African American [and others] oral tradition.

Here's some additional examples of jive talk used by children, youth,and adults:

See ya later, alligator.
After while, crocodile?

****

What's the word, mocking bird?
What I said, cabbage head.

****

If I'm lyin I'm flyin.
[and] grits aint groceries
and Mona Lisa is a man.

-snip-

Incidently, Music Slang Expressions indicates that the word 'alligator' in the rhyme provided above referred to a jazz musician:

Alligator       Originally, a slang term for "Musician".
                Very early in Jazz history, musicians referred
                to themselves as "alligators". Now it simply refers
                to any Swing Devotee (abbrev. 'Gator or Gate)
                Note: Louis Armstrong is often called 'Gate Mouth',
                from the same source.
                Ex:
                'Cat' #1: See ya later, alligator.
                'Cat' #2: After while, crocodile.


Gate or Gator   Jazz musician. Originally used as a
                loving and warm description of Louis Armstrong.
                Folks said his mouth was as large as a "Satchel",
                from which came one of his nick-names -"Satchmo".
                He was also called "Gate Mouth", referring to an
                'Alligator's mouth' (see Alligator definition above)
                above) from which we get the expression "Gate" or
                "Gator" - originally denoting a person as a musician,
                but today it denotes anyone.
                Ex: 'Skin me' "Gate". (Shake hands)

-snip-

Well, if 'alligator' mean a musician, what does 'crocodile' mean? [Maybe that question belongs in the current 'Imponderable' thread].

Frankly, that definition kinda fishy to me...I'm sticking to my belief that most people who said "See ya latah alligatah; afta while crocodile" figured they were talking about the animals with those names- nothing more and nothing less.

And, while I'm on a roll, I guess that saying "Skin me'"Gate" must have been waaay before my time.

In my day {and night} we'd say [and I still say} "Give me some skin" or "slap me five" ...

'Cause this only tangentially has anything what so ever to do with children's rhymes, but oh well, it bes that way sometime..


Azizi


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Snuffy
Date: 24 May 05 - 08:29 PM

If our Bob gave your Bob a bob on the nose .....

How did the rest of it go?


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: GUEST,Puffenkinty
Date: 24 May 05 - 08:15 PM

I remember a rhyme to choose
who was "it" for "Hide and Seek"

My mother and your mother
Were hanging out clothes,
My mother gave your mother
A punch in the nose.
What color blood came out?

The caller then named a color, e.g.
Red. Then the caller spelled while
indicating each person:
"R E D" spells red and you are IT!"


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Snuffy
Date: 24 May 05 - 07:16 PM

What's your name?
Mary Jane
Where d'you live?
Down the grid
What house?
Mickey Mouse
What number?
Cucumber
What street?
Pigs feet
etc etc (forgotten the rest)


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 May 05 - 05:35 PM

Xxx and Xxxx sitting in a tree,
K- I- S- S- I- N- G.
First comes love,
Then comes marriage;
Then comes xxx with a baby carriage.

~S~


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 24 May 05 - 05:25 PM

Liar, liar
Pants on fire
Nose as long as a telephone wire


We still recite this one - everytime we hear one of Bush's speeches.

Bev and Jerry


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Azizi
Date: 24 May 05 - 10:22 AM

Am I the only one on this side of the ocean who doesn't know any of those songs that Snuffy and Foolestroupe are talking about?

Lyrics, please!

****

I wonder if anyone else remembers these rhymes from their childhood or knows if kids are still saying them today {I remember saying these in Atlantic City, New Jersey in the 1950s, but I'm sure they are much older}:

Liar, Liar,
pants on fire.

**

Where's [someone's name]
In her skin.
When she jumps out. You jump in.

**

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

**

See my pinkie.
See my thumb.
See my fist.
You better run.

:>)


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Snuffy
Date: 24 May 05 - 08:16 AM

Baby songs seemed very popular back then - remember "20 tiny fingers" or "The naughty lady of Shady Lane"?


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 23 May 05 - 09:47 AM

Snuffy,

you've just reminded me of another popular song of the same period "Knees up, pat him on the Popo".
Next line - "let's hear him laugh".


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Snuffy
Date: 23 May 05 - 09:36 AM

Bimbo was recorded in the 1950s by (I think) Jim Reeves, and was a favourite on children's radio programmes in Britain at the time. I recall it as:

Bimbo bimbo where you gonna go-e-o
Bimbo bimbo what you gonna do-e-o
Bimbo bimbo does your momma know
that you're going down the road to see your little girl-e-o?


Now Bimbo's got two big blue eyes
that light up like a star
and the way to light them up
is to buy him candy bars
Cracker Jacks and bubble gum to start his day off right
And ev'rybody follows him, just to ask him for a bite.

Though Bimbo is a ???????? he's quite the roving kind
And though he's just a little boy he's got a grown up mind.
He'll always ????????????????? and talk his baby talk
With a hole in his pants and his knees stickin' out
He's just big enough to walk


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 23 May 05 - 08:35 AM

The 'trio' of birthday songs refers to the post by Snuffy - 22 May 05 - 06:23 PM


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: GUEST,Inukshuk
Date: 23 May 05 - 07:37 AM

Yes, at least a continent! This was in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. A veritable seething hotbed of childhood rhymes and taunts. I truly believe that a lot of those simple lines helped us to deal with the pain of growing. Especially "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me." Naive as I am, I still believe that.
Keep up the search. Out of the mouths of babes, etc.


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Azizi
Date: 23 May 05 - 06:53 AM

Guest 23 May 05 - 06:25, we almost crossed posted.

Thanks for your entry. In one of the Opie books that couple wrote that there will always be children's rhymes about Charlie Chaplin. But I've not heard any around my neighborhood {Pittsburgh.Penn}.

Would you please post where you heard this rhyme in 1988.

I'm guessing that you heard it somewhere in the UK, but I could be off by a continent.


:O)


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Azizi
Date: 23 May 05 - 06:47 AM

Foolestroupe;
Help me out here. I'm sorry but I'm a little slow on the uptake. What 'trio of songs' are you referring to in your post on 22 May 05 -08:21 PM?

You wrote "The 'why was he born' was not always sung at a child's birthday party - usually only by adults to adults - often at a workplace (usually sober) - or at some other 'adult gathering' where booze was available - then you would most likely get all three of the trio of songs."
-snip-

I assume that you are talking about that song that Snuffy - PM
Date: 22 May 05 - 06:23 posted [If I haven't said it before, Thanks, Snuffy!]

I'm interested in the idea that there are adult put down songs and adults might also perform variations of songs that originated as chidren's rhymes/songs.

Are these adult putdown songs sung at birthday parties and/or andother events like bachelor parties before weddings??

Does anyone else have any examples of this?

****

Pogo:
Would you please provide some demographical information for your examples? I have collected different versions of those rhymes that you have given from African American girls in Pittsburgh PA 2000s {Going to Kentucky/going to the fair/to see the sister Rita [or "senorita" or 'sister Reena'] with the flower in her hair etc}..I have also collected "I don't want to go to Mexico" from African American girls in Pittsburgh & Philadelphia late 1990s/2000s; and "I don't want to go school" from African American woman from Cleveland, Ohio area {early/mid 1990s}. Btw, This handclapping rhyme comes from "I Don't Want To Go To Macys [department store]

I believe your sailor rhyme is 'A sailor went to sea sea sea". I've also collected versions of that rhyme from the same populations of children I have mentioned.

I am interested in knowing in White girls [and boys?] also know and play these rhymes.

****
John on the Sunset Coast,
I love your examples-especially "We're twins: your face and my ass". I hadn't seen that one before. And I agree that your father was a smart guy!

****
Barbara, I appreciate your post on 22 May 05 - 11:22 PM. That and John's 'Hitler is a jerk' example reminded me that there are political reasons for putdown taunts.

Does else have any more examples of these kinds of taunts?

****
Susan,

I had never seen or heard your example either. It's a great addition. Thanks for posting it!

****
It's remarkable how there is so much similarity in these rhymes over time and place and between different populations.

Thanks to all!

Please keep the examples coming and please remember to include demographical info!


Ms. Azizi


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: GUEST
Date: 23 May 05 - 06:25 AM

I taught 17 years in city centre schools and I always kept a sharp ear on the playground. Whenever we had to have indoor recess, I'd get the kids going on those timeless playground chants. Each youngster would get a turn. I swear they used to get some from their grandmothers. How else would you explain this one on 1988?
"One two three alarie
I saw sister Mary
Sitting on a bumblarie
Kissing Charlie Chaplin."


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: wysiwyg
Date: 22 May 05 - 11:27 PM

There is at least one thread thoroughly discussing "Eenie Meenie Miney Moe" that should receive any further discussion on that one. (A link to that thread would also be in order, here.)

Here's one for the collection:

(insert name) is a nut;
He has a rubber butt.
Every time he turns the corner,
Putt putt putt!

~Susan


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Barbara
Date: 22 May 05 - 11:22 PM

Ah, and in my Republican white collar suburb of Detroit, in the 50's we sang:
Whistle while you work
Stevenson's a jerk
Eisenhower has the power
Whistle while you work.

Blessings,
Barbara


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: John on the Sunset Coast
Date: 22 May 05 - 11:12 PM

I came to see this thread late. Many of the postings bring back (dim) memories of 55-60 years ago. We recited many of the same counting out games or put downs with some variation in the Los Angeles area. eg

Inka Bink,
A bottle of Ink.
The cork fell out and you stink.

I'm rubber, you're glue,
Everything you say sticks to you.

I know you are. Now what are you.

We're twins: your face and my ass. (Junior High taunt)
I see London, I see France,
I see -----'s underpants.

One potato, two potato three potato, four
five potato, six potato seven potato more.

Eenie Meenie Miney Moe
Catch a N....r by the toe,
If he hollers let him go,
Eenie meenie miney moe.
O U T spells out you go.
(my dad heard us say this and punished us for the racial slur. So somehow we started to substitute the word t...r,I mean tiger).

If we did not get the person out we wanted, we might add to the above counts: My mother told me to choose this (very) one.

Mayhap I'll think of others, but it was a very long time ago!

John Hindsill

I remember singing the following song (shortly after WWII, the Big one)to the tune of Whistle While You Work:
Whistle while you work
Hitler is a jerk.
Musellini is a weenie.
The Japs are just the same.
The dad noted above told us that while it was ok to sing about Hitler and Musellini, it was wrong to use the word Japs, and to lump the whole group with bad individuals. I guess my dad was a pretty smart guy! And ahead of his time.


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Pogo
Date: 22 May 05 - 10:46 PM

I'm going to the circus I'm going to the fair
To see a senorita with flowers in her hair
Shake it senorita shake it if you can
Shake it like a bowl of soup and do the best you can
Rumba to the bottom
Rumba to the top
Then turn around and turn around
Until you make an S-T-O-P STOP!

This was a girl's game mostly we would get in a circle, clap in rhythmn and the 'senorita ' would dance then close her eyes and turn around until we yelled stop!

Hand clapping rhymes

Shame shame shame
I don't wanna go to school no more more more
There's a big fat teacher by the door door door
If she grabs you by the collar
Lord you better holler
I don't want to go to school no more more more

I've also heard a version of this where it was Mexico and a policeman

I also remember a version of the sailor rhyme in that we made a miltarsalute when we said see see see. It also added

" Chop chop chop " *make a chopping motion with the hand on the arm*
" Doo Wop Shoo Wop " *do a little boogie dance*
" Chiiina " *turn the eyes upward with the fingers "

And then at the end it was all sung at once " My sailor went to see see see...chop chop chop...doo wop shoo wop...china "

And of course a song I learned at my work from a co-worker..hehe name sounds a bit funny in this day and age

Bimbo bimbo where you gonna go-e-o
Bimbo bimbo what you gonna do-e-o
Bimbo bimbo does your momma know
that you're going down the road to see a little girl-e-o?
Now Bimbo's got two big blue eyes
that light up like a star
and the way to light them up
is to buy him candy bars
Cracker Jacks and bubble gum to start his day off right
With a hole in his pants and his knee stickin' out
He's just big enough to walk...Ohhhh
*repeat first verse up to girl-e-o*

there's others but can't recall them right off hand...


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 22 May 05 - 08:21 PM

The 'why was he born' was not always sung at a child's birthday party - usually only by adults to adults - often at a workplace (usually sober) - or at some other 'adult gathering' where booze was available - then you would most likely get all three of the trio of songs.

If done for a child, it would usually be by some uncle who thought the child was getting 'mature'.

The monkey stuff was usually more kids stuff (I seem to remember late 50's on in Aus) by kids for kids, but was also a more 'grown up' thing - I have heard several 'variations' on the verse done, usually when there is some 'oneupmanship' happening. Australians didn't use to go much along with the US custom of a 'roast' - usually only a couple of minutes of embarrassment is enough - just enough to say 'now you are one of us, cause you've had this done to you too'.

For very young children - under 7-8, most rational adults don't see the need to confuse the poor child and warp their mind with either of these addons ... :-)


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 22 May 05 - 06:37 PM

I see Germany, I see France
I see somebody's underpants


We were both brought up in Cleveland, Ohio (but we got over it). We remember saying and hearing this in elementary school in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

Bev and Jerry


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Snuffy
Date: 22 May 05 - 06:23 PM

Azizi

"Why was he born so beautiful
Why was he born at all
He's no bloody use to anyone
He's no bloody use at all"

sung to the hymn tune ST. ANNE (O God Our Help In Ages Past)is often sung as part of a trilogy for adult birthdays in Britain and former colonial areas, especially when there has been drink taken. The other two songs are "Happy Birthday To You" and "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow"


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: GUEST,Azizi
Date: 22 May 05 - 12:13 PM

Foolestroupe:
I gather from your comments on 21 May 05 - 07:28 PM that you live in Australia. I'm interested in knowing the years that you sang this rhyme and by 'mature age'...friends do you mean that adults [as well as children sang it as a good natured jest?"

And what do you mean by the "why was he born verse" for Happy Birthday?

****
Bev and Jerry-would you please provide some demographics for the example that you cited?

I remember saying
I see London. I see France.
I see {somebody's} underpants.
[Atlantic City, New Jersey 1950s]   

****
Smiler: could you please provide more information about the article in the newspaper that you referred to in your post {is Times the full name of the newspaper?}.

****

Thanks for the examples. Keep them coming!


Ms. Azizi


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: GUEST,JennyO
Date: 22 May 05 - 10:44 AM

I've just remembered one from my childhood - growing up in an Australian country town in the 50's. I remember it being done very rhythmically, but I don't remember there being any actions though. I don't think I've ever heard it since - don't know why I remembered it now:

Rin Tin Tin
Swallowed a pin
He went to the doctor
The doctor wasn't in.
He walked (ran?) through the door
And fell through the floor
And that was the end of
Rin Tin Tin.


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: GUEST,Joe_F
Date: 22 May 05 - 10:23 AM

In my previous posting, I rashly used elbows to enclose the variables in the formula, and HTML ate the contents. Here it is with braces instead:

{Color}, {Color}, you('re) {rhyme}.

--- Joe Fineman    joe_f@verizon.net

||: The best includes the beginning of the decline. :||


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 21 May 05 - 07:28 PM

Happy Birthday to you.
You belong in the zoo.
You were born with the monkeys,
And you look like one too.

The 'Monkeys' Birthday song verses were sung to mature age well known friends as a tag on to the normal verse, before or after the 'why was he born' verse, in the same way that Aussies sometimes call their closest friends 'bastard'....


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Abby Sale
Date: 21 May 05 - 10:33 AM

I recall boys singing

Happy Birthday to you.
You belong in the zoo.
Get plastered, you bastard,
Happy Birthday to you.

But I don't specifically remember it sung to any actual birthday child.

I know we used several counting and choosing (as in teams) rhymes but they're blanked at the moment.


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: GUEST,smiler
Date: 21 May 05 - 09:34 AM

There's an article about childrens rhymes in todays Times (UK) newspaper, in the magazine section, not sure if its on line. Great piece though.


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: GUEST,Joe_F
Date: 21 May 05 - 08:57 AM

Sinsull: We had: "I love my love with an A because she is adorable. I hate her with an A because she is asinine. I feed her on acorns & artichokes, and she lives in Ashtabula, and her name is Audrey." Alice & the White Knight (I think it is) play that game in _Through the Looking-Glass_.

"Teacher, teacher, I declare,/ I see ----'s underwear."

There was a tease chant convention in my childhood (1940s, Beverly Hills, CA) based on the color of some article of clothing the teasee was wearing: ", ,/ You " -- say, "Green, green,/ You're mean"; "White, white,/ You're a sight".

--- Joe Fineman    joe_f@verizon.net

||: Bless you, you will be blameless yet, For God forgives, and men forget. :||


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 21 May 05 - 01:14 AM

I see Germany, I see France
I see somebody's underpants

Bev and Jerry


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Barbara
Date: 20 May 05 - 10:39 PM

In the fifties in Detroit, Michigan, white kids said:
I'm rubber, you're glue
Everything you say
Bounces off me and sticks on YOU!

Order in the courthouse
Monkey wants to speak.
First one to speak is a monkey for a week.
Speak, Monkey, speak.
(which often led to some smart aleck saying the original speaker was the monkey)

Chosing rhymes:
Ein, zwei, drei, horsengoggles.

One potato, two potato, three potato, four
Five potato, six potato, seven potato, you're....OUT!

And on Einie meenie miney moe, we would end it with
...let him go. My mother says to choose the very best one, so
O...U...T spells out you GO!


Cry baby cry,
Stick your finger in your eye,
Tell your mother it wasn't I,
Cry baby, cry.


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Subject: RE: I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 20 May 05 - 01:04 PM

Children's rhymes are a wonderful example of the oral tradition. They are passed along from kid to kid for decades, even centuries, with very little variation - certainly less variation than folk songs. If a kid makes a change in a rhyme, he will be considered wrong by his peers and they will let him know.


Children's rhymes have been collected by many people, especially Ben Bodkin, but kids never learn them from a written source.

Bev and Jerry


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