Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket

Subject: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: Cool Beans
Date: 15 Jun 05 - 12:09 PM

Where's your money?
In my pocket.
Where's your pocket?
In my pants.
Where's your pants?
I left them home.
Get out of here!

Anyone know how this bit of comedy begins? When my cousin and I were about 5 we marched up and down the boardwalk at Coney Island chanting this until a man threw a glass of water at us (well, not the whole glass, just the water). That was about 50 years ago and I'm still traumatized. I think my cousin's all right, though.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 15 Jun 05 - 12:19 PM

When I was child (some 70 years ago), we chanted the same thing, with the added ending for the last line,
"... you dirty bum."

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: Highlandman
Date: 15 Jun 05 - 01:33 PM

As taught me by a bachelor uncle:
I'm not too sure about the first four lines, but the rest was seared into my impressionable little mind.

Knock, knock-
Who's there?
Open the door,
Walk in.
Whaddya want?
A glass o' beer.
Where's your money?
In my pocket.
Where's your pocket?
In my pants.
Where's your pants?
At home.
Get outta here, ya dirty bum!

Chanted in a repetitive minor-third pattern (like nya-nya-nya-nya-nya)
-HM

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: Cool Beans
Date: 15 Jun 05 - 04:41 PM

Thank you, Highlandman! I do remember "Whaddya want? A glass of beer." And I think you're pretty close on "Knock knock. Who's there."

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: Highlandman
Date: 16 Jun 05 - 01:22 AM

No, no, that wasn't quite it...
I've mixed it with another nonsense chant.
The beginning is something like


Knock at the door.
Who's there?
Grandpa.
Whaddya want?
A glass o' beer
    etc.

Are we getting closer?
-HM

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: Mr Red
Date: 16 Jun 05 - 09:15 AM

This sounds remarkably like the part of a Pace Egging song wot I collected from an old Folkie who used to live in Acrrington (Church and Oswoldtwistle to be precise)

The words can be found on the songs pages of cresby.com look for collected songs "I'm a Paper Lad".

A couple who come from there but are maybe in their 50's told me I had not got the words right but take that as the folk process. I have tried to get their version - I am hopeful.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: Highlandman
Date: 16 Jun 05 - 12:28 PM

Thanks, Mr. R - what you have there is different enough to suggest that the underlying shtick predates both versions. I still can't quite remember the start of the one I learned.
-HM

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: gnomad
Date: 16 Jun 05 - 02:06 PM

Rat-a-tat-tat (door knocking gesture)
Who is that?
On-ly Grandma's pu-ssy-cat.
What d'you want?
A pint of milk.
Where's your money?
In my pocket.
Where's your pocket?
I for-got it.
Oh you si-lly pu-ssy-cat!

Kids set of call and answer "game" from my childhood (UK, northern). Hard to reproduce the rhythm on the page, quite stacatto (sp?) though.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: GUEST,Murray on Saltspring
Date: 17 Jun 05 - 02:48 AM

This is the entry in my collection of "bairnsangs". I thought I sent this in to the Digitrad DB, but perhaps not.


        Far are ye gaein'? Across the gutter.

        Fat for? A pund o' butter.

        Far's yer money? In my pocket.

        Far's yer pocket? Clean forgot it!


- That "Fa" by the way = General Scots "Wha". [Aberdonian dialect]
        
Source of quote is:
        Jean C. Rodger, Lang Strang (1948), 13, from Forfar, c. 1910. Cf. Ritchie Golden City (1965), 48, counting-out from Edinburgh, "Who's there?/ Tiny Tiny Bear", etc. [See Opies Lore and Language of Schoolchildren (1959), 10, a fascinating (and all too rare) series of comparisons covering two and a quarter centuries, the earliest specimen being lines from Henry Carey's satire Namby Pamby, 1726: "Now he acts the Grenadier,/ Calling for a Pot of Beer:/ Where's his Money? He's forgot:/ Get him gone, a Drunken Sot."]

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Dec 05 - 05:59 PM

Neenana, knock at the door
Whose there?
Granpa.
Whaddya want?
A glass of beer.
Where's your money?
In my pocket.
Where's pocket?
In my pants.
Where's your pants?
I left them home.
Get outta here ya bad boy!

That's how my granpa would sing it to my sister and me. :)

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: Mo the caller
Date: 21 Dec 05 - 08:56 AM

Gnomad's verse "grandma's pussy cat" was around in London too in the late 40s

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: Wyrd Sister
Date: 22 Dec 05 - 05:42 AM

Thanks gnomad - I remembered 'Oh you silly pussycat' but was struggling to remember the opening.
(Northern UK, taught by grandmother born 1911)

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: Raggytash
Date: 22 Dec 05 - 07:14 AM

Actually its Raggytash's Mrs - Wombat -
Raggytash taught me that version about the silly pussycat years ago and this is the first reference I have ever seen of it. I think he learned it from his grandmother, also North of England.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: Cool Beans
Date: 22 Dec 05 - 07:46 PM

This is why I love folklore, and Mudcat.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 22 Dec 05 - 09:28 PM

Here's a bit of dialogue I recall. It could start whenever anyone had just complained about some misfortune, to which someone else would reply, "That's tough."
Then a third person would reply:
--What's tough?
And the dialogue between the latter two would continue:
--Life.
--What's Life?
--A magazine.
--How much does it cost?
--Ten cents.
--I've only got a nickel.
--That's tough.
--What's tough?

Da capo ad infinitum, or ad nauseam, as the case may be.

This dialogue was spoken, not sung. It had no punch line. The dialogue itself was the only joke. I suppose it was done to annoy or embarrass the person who had originally complained—a way of making fun of his complaint. Now that I reflect on it, it seems to be making the point that complaints are endless, if you indulge them. But I don't think I reflected that much when I was a kid.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: Snuffy
Date: 23 Dec 05 - 08:26 AM

You remind me of the man
What man?
The man with the power
What power
The power of hoodoo
Who do?
You do
Do what?
Remind me of the man

(remembered from some old B&W film - Marx brothers?)

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: BuckMulligan
Date: 23 Dec 05 - 09:23 AM

Snuffy, "the man with the power" occurs (don't know about "originates") in "The Bachelor and the Bobbysoxer" with Cary Grant, Myrna Loy and Shirley Temple, 1947. Lightweight flick but amusing.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: GUEST,ca
Date: 19 Aug 10 - 11:45 AM

Knock Knock Who's there Grandpa What do you want a glass of beer ...(glass of milk) Where's your money... in my pocket Where's your pocket... in my pants Where are your pants .... I left them home Where do you live.... across the street What's your number?... Cucumber

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: Joe_F
Date: 19 Aug 10 - 05:27 PM

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

*

Spring is coming.
He is?
Not "He is", "It is".
It is what?
It is coming.
What is coming?
Spring is coming.
He is?

*

You dencink?
You eskink?
I'm eskink if you're dencink.
I'm dencink, if your eskink.
So I'm eskink!
So I'm dencink!

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: GUEST,Donna F
Date: 20 Aug 10 - 08:31 AM

My mom taught us this, and we taught our kids, and now we're teaching our grandkids. Yesterday, (I'm getting older), I couldn't think of the start. So glad I found this page. The way we do it is

Knock Knock
Who's there?
Grandpa
What do you want?
A glass of beer
Where's your money?
In my pocket.
Where's your pocket?
In my pants
Where are your pants?
I left them home
Where do you live?
across the street
What's your number?
Cucumber
GET OUT OF HERE, YA DRUNKEN BUM

Then we all laugh hysterically, thinking how inappropriate this is to teach kids. But we love it.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: GUEST,pat
Date: 21 Jan 11 - 12:16 AM

My grandmother taught me this song:   It goes:

Knock Knock
Who's there?
What do you want?
A glass of beer.
Where's your money?
In my pants.
Where's your pants?
At Home.
Get out of here, you dirty bum....

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: GUEST
Date: 20 May 11 - 03:29 PM

knock knock
who's there
grandpop
what do you want
a glass of beer
where's your money
in my pocket
where's your pocket
in my pants
where's your pants
i left them home
get out of here you dirty bum

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: GUEST,Chria
Date: 29 Jul 11 - 10:37 PM

Grampa and Marjorie are talking:

See saw, Marjorie dear
Whaddy want?
A glass of beer.
Where's your money?
In my pocket.
Where's your pocket?
In my pants.
Get outta here, you crazy man!

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: LadyJean
Date: 30 Jul 11 - 12:31 AM

The dialog about the Man with the power comes from "The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer", which starred Carey Grant as the bachelor and Shirley Temple as the Bobby Soxer.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 30 Jul 11 - 05:04 AM

David Bowie sings it in Labyrinth too...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViftZTfRSt8

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: GUEST,mike
Date: 03 Nov 11 - 04:33 PM

When I was a kid (60s) I was told it as:

See saw, marjorie daw
Whos there? Grandpa
Whaddaya want? A glass of beer
Wheres your money
In my pocket
Wheres your pocket
In my pants
Wheres your pants
I left 'em home
Get outta here, ya drunken bum!

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: GUEST,Robert L.
Date: 18 Nov 11 - 03:47 PM

Knock knock.
Who's there?
Old Granny Dear.
What do you want?
A bottle of Beer.
Where's your money?
In my pocket.
Where's your pocket?
Oh, I forgot it.
Well get out of here you silly blocket (sic), don't come round here without no pocket.

Does anybody know the history of this knock knock? It has been in our family for many generations and probably came from North Carolina, possibly centuries ago.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Jan 12 - 01:04 AM

I am looking for this too... can't remember the beginning but it went like this:
knock knock

where's your money
in my pants
where's your pants
I left them home
O get out of here you knucklebone


Other's say bum or something at the end, but that doesn't rhyme. Knucklebone seems right.

I just wish I could remember the other part!

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: GUEST,Samantha
Date: 25 Mar 12 - 10:50 AM

My father used to sing it like this:

-Knock, Knock, Knock at the door
Who's there?
Granpa
Whaddya want?
A glass o' beer
Where's your money?
In my pocket
Where's your pocket?
In my pants
Where's your pants?
I left them at home
Get outa here you drunken man!!

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: GUEST,JMS
Date: 14 Jul 12 - 10:00 AM

I LOVE reading all the variations!!! Im 38yrs. Old and am currently visiting with my mom who used to sing this to my sister and I. We got to talking about it and her version was:
See saw mardgery daw
Wheres your money?
In my pocket
Wheres your pocket?
In my pants
Wheres your pants?
Home
Where do you live?
Across the street
Whats your number?
Cucumber

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: GUEST,Mike Mc
Date: 01 Aug 12 - 08:04 AM

Just a slight variation as well - learned from my Grandmother who grew up in Manhattan and the Bronx....

See Saw
Knock at the door
Who's there?
Grandpa.
What do you want?
A glass of beer.
Where's your money?
In my pocket.
Where's your pocket?
In my pants.
Where's your pants?
I left them home.
Get out of here you dirty old man!

(different beginning and ending - but basically the same!)

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Oct 12 - 03:21 AM

Born 1973 (and raised) Brooklyn NY. We sang it everytime we were on a see-saw.
This was our version:

See-saw, knock on the door
Who's there Grandpa.
Whaddya want?
A bottle a beer.
Where's your money?
In my pocket.
Where's your pocket ?
In my coat?
Where's your coat?
I left it home.
Get outta here ya drunken old man!!

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: GUEST,EK
Date: 17 Feb 13 - 01:06 AM

Knock knock.
Who's there?
A grenadier.
What do you want?
A pint of beer.
Where's your money?
In my pocket.
Where's your pocket?
I forgot it.
Get along home you silly blockhead.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Mar 13 - 07:10 AM

Born in Brooklyn, 1972. This thread helped me remember how my grandpa would sing it to us. Thanks everyone!

See-saw
Knock on the door
Who's there
Grandpa Frank
Whadda ya want
A drink of beer
Where's your money
In my pocket
Where's your pocket
In my pants
Where's your pants
The Brooklyn bridge!

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: GUEST,Rochester ny
Date: 08 Apr 13 - 05:33 PM

My grandmother was from Brooklyn, born in 1922. Her version ended:

Where's your pants?
I left them home.

Go home, get your money, then you'll get your glass of beer!

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Apr 13 - 09:41 AM

Knock, knock
Whose there
Grandpa
What do you want?
A glass of beer.
Where's your money?
In my pocket.
Where's your pocket?
I left it home.
Get out of here drunken man!
That is how my grandma n mom sang it to me. Lol

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: Sanjay Sircar
Date: 25 Apr 13 - 06:01 AM

1. I know that "Grenadier" nursery rhyme sans the "Knock-knock" and answer, as

"Who goes there?"
A Grenadier.
"What d'you want?"
A glass of beer.
"Where's your money?"
I've forgot.
"Get you gone - you drunken sot!"

(This was from a book, not folk transmission.)

2. I know one of the others cited above, again sans any knock-knock and not as a song (Calcutta, 1963, schoolfriend Dilip Palit):

What's your name?
Pudding Tame.
Where d'you live/
Up the lane.
What's your number?
Twenty-two cumber [?]
What d'you eat?
Friday meat.
What d'you drink?
Black ink.

Amazing, the fruits of colonialism.

Sanjay Sircar

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: GUEST,oldpantsnewjersey
Date: 17 Aug 13 - 10:22 AM

My grandmother's ending variation was:

"Get out of here, you dirty, drunken bum!"

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Dec 13 - 01:33 PM

It's goes :

Knock knock
Who's there ?
Grandpa
What'd 'you want ?
A glass of beer
Where's your money ?
In my pocket
Where's your pocket ?
In my pants
Where's your pants ?
I forgot them
Get out of here you dirty old bum!


That's how my father and grandma use to sing it

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: GUEST,Jean, Norwalk CT
Date: 02 Dec 13 - 07:46 PM

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Jan 14 - 08:05 AM

I'm 32 my grandmother always said this to us and my sister and o say it to our kids. Knock knock who's there grandpa .what do ya want? A glass of beer where's ya money ? in my pocket .where's ya pocket? in my pants where's ya pants left them home.get. outta here you drunken man

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: GUEST,I KNOW THE LYRICS
Date: 24 Mar 14 - 02:53 PM

I know the lyrics

See saw, rockedy daw (or margery daw)
who's there, (insert name here)
whadd'ya want?
a bottle o' beer
wheres your money?
in my wallet
wheres your wallet?
in my pocket
wheres your pocket?
in my pants
where are your pants?
left 'em at home
where do you live?
across the street
whats your number?
CUCUMBER

thats what was sung to me when I was little at least

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: GUEST,Pheasant
Date: 06 Apr 14 - 04:16 AM

I grew up in the Philadelphia, PA suburbs in the '80s, but my family is originally from Brooklyn. I knew a slightly different version from any of those previously listed.

Seesaw Margery Daw
Who's There?
Grandpa!
What do you want?
A glass of beer!
Where's your money?
In my pocket!
Where's your pocket?
In my pants!
Where's your pants?
At home!
Go and get 'em!
Seesaw Margery Daw (repeat if annoying)

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 07 Apr 14 - 03:29 AM

Where you going Bob
Down the lane Bob
What for Bob
Stick of Roo Bob
Let's come Bob
No Bob
Why Bob
Because you don't like roo-bob Bob
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Nov 14 - 12:15 AM

This was ours:

Knock knock
Who's there?
Just a little teddy bear.
What do you want?
Just a beer.
Where's your money?
In my pocket.
Where's your pocket?
In my pants.
Where's your pants?
In my closet.
Where's your closet?
In my house.
Where's your house?
Around the corner.
What's your number?
CUCUMBER!

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: GUEST,itsdenhaley
Date: 21 Aug 15 - 09:40 AM

From Brooklyn, 1965
See saw, knock at the door
Who's there?
Grandpa!
Whadya want?
A glass a beer
Where's your money?
In my pocket
Where's your pocket?
In my pants
Where's your pants?
I left 'em home
Go home, ya big, fat bum!!

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: GUEST, Jon and GG
Date: 29 Dec 15 - 02:04 PM

I love reading this thread! My mom (may she rest in peace) taught this to us. She grew up in Brooklyn in the 40's and 50's. The version she taught us went like this:

See saw, knock at the door.
Who's there?
Grandpa.
Waddaya want?
A glass of beer.
Where's your money?
In my wallet.
Where's your wallet?
Upstairs, in my pants. Get out before I punch you in the nose!

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 30 Dec 15 - 09:41 AM

GUEST, Robert L gave us these lines:

Oh, I forgot it.
Well get out of here you silly blocket (sic), don't come round here without no pocket.

and GUEST EK gave us:

Where's your pocket?
I forgot it.
Get along home you silly blockhead.

I'd bet money that "blocket" was one of three things, probably from way back in the folk processing:
   a Mondegreen for "blockhead", or
   a deliberate change for the sake of the rhyme, or
   a dialectal version of "blockhead".

My pick of the above would be the third one.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: GUEST,Peter
Date: 30 Dec 15 - 12:44 PM

My mother had a version that she must have thought was a "girls" rhyme as she never taught it to me but I remember her saying it to my cousin's daughters.

I never did think to note it down or ask her where she learned it before she died.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Where's your money? In my pocket
From: GUEST,Michael Aff
Date: 30 Dec 15 - 07:38 PM

Here's what Mom taught us:

See saw
Knock at the door
Who's there?
Grandpa
What do you want?
A glass of beer
Where's your money?
In my pocket
Where's your pocket?
Upstairs in the bedroom
Get outta here before I punch you in the nose!