Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,Northeast Ohio (2005-2012)
Date: 04 May 23 - 11:01 AM

Down by the banks of the hanky panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
With an eeps opps soda pop
Eeps opps silly and it goes kersplat

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,Central New jersey
Date: 27 Apr 23 - 10:26 PM

Down by the bank if hanky pank
Where the bull frogs jump from bank to bank
Singing eep op eep op op
Skiddle diddle kernel pop
I pledge allegiance to the flag
Michael Jackson makes me gag
Coca Cola has caffeine
Now I’m drinking gasoline
Gasoline was made by you
Now we’re drinking Mountain Dew
Mountain Dew fell of the mountain
Now we’re drinking from the fountain
Yesterday the fountain broke
Now we’re drinking plain old Diet Coke

( some people used to play with the gasoline line , while others just directly went from Coca Cola to Mountain Dew , skipping the gasoline line , when reciting the rhyme ) !

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,Kat 2000s an hour south of Chicago
Date: 01 Mar 23 - 11:45 PM

Bullfrog Bullfrog Hanky Pank
Say Bullfrog Bullfrog Hanky Pank
Say fee fi foe fum
Pass it to the next one
Mickey Mouse built a house
Donald Duck mess it up
Who will pay the consequences
Y-O-U spells you are OUT!
(Bullfrog and Bulldog were interchangeable at any given time/day)

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,Dinah from the 90’s in the south Chicago sub
Date: 11 Oct 22 - 09:07 AM

Down by the farm said hanky pank
Said bulldog bulldog hanky pank
Said fee fi fo fum pass it to the bulldog
Mickey Mouse built a house
Donald Duck messed it up
Who will pay the consequences
Y-O-U and that spell YOU!

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,leanrd it at camp
Date: 14 Sep 22 - 01:24 PM

i dont know when this came out but this my verison

Down by the banks in the hanky panky where the bull frogs jump from bank to banky with the eeps iips opes oops someone stepped in the bullfrog poop Pepsi Cole ginger ale ginger ale ginger ale ginger ale, Pepsi Cole ginger ale 7-up 7-up 7-up your out

heres the other one

Down by the banks in the hanky panky where the bull frogs jump from bank to banky with the eeps iips opes oops, opp daly opp in the opp flop flop, Pepsi Cole went to town ginger ale shot him down Dr Pepper fixed him up now we drinking 7-up, 7-up 7-up 7-up your out.


We would usually stand in a circle with our palms out to the side, each persons right hand on top of the person beside them’s left hand. As we sang we would pass a clap around the circle by hitting the person on our left’s hand. If you hit someone’s hand on "your out"you got them out.

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,kar
Date: 06 Aug 22 - 07:29 PM

this is how I did it!

down by the banks of the hanky panky where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank, said e bop e bop bop skittle dittle kernel pop, i pledge allegiance to the flag, Micheal Jackson makes me gag, coca cola has caffeine, now im drinkin gasoline, gasoline gave me the flu, now im drinkin mt due, mt due fell off the mt now im drinkin from the fountain, yesterday the fountain broke now im drinking cherry coke, cherry coke fell off the tree now im drinking sunny dee, sunny dee fell of the sun now im drinking 7up 7 6 5 4 3 2 1!

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,An NC native born in 2000
Date: 17 Jul 22 - 07:21 AM

I was in elementary and early middle school from 2008-2012 in North Carolina, U.S., and the version me and the kids in my class would play went like:

Down by the bank with the hanky panky,
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank(y),
Singing east side, west side,
East side, west side
East side, west side
Dilly/diddily dang dong!

We would usually stand in a circle with our palms out to the side, each persons right hand on top of the person beside them’s left hand. As we sang we would pass a clap around the circle by hitting the person on our left’s hand. If you hit someone’s hand on “dong” you got them out, but if they pulled their hand away quick enough and you hit your own, you were out. If you caught yourself and didn’t hit them or you you continued in the game.

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,Dinonysus
Date: 12 Sep 21 - 06:14 PM

I remember back home, around Salina, KS, we'd sing it
"Down by the banks of the hanky panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank-y
With a 'fe-fi-fo-fun'
Micheal Jackson lost his thumb
Now we're talkin' 7-Up
7-Up has no caffeine
Now we're talkin' jellybeans
Red, blue, yellow, green"

Of course I was too young to know who Billie Jean was at that time, though, which is probably where the jellybeans verse came from.

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,Guest; Ri
Date: 11 Jul 21 - 06:44 PM

Down by the banks with the hanky pank
where the bullfrog jumps from bank to bank
singing eeps iips opes oops
I pledge allegiance to the flag
Michael Jackson makes me gag
Coca cola burned his butt
now were talking 7-up
7-up has no caffeine
now were talking Billie Jean
Billie Jean went out of sight
now were talking dynamite
dynamite blew up the school
now were talking really cool
10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,...1!

and then on 1! whoever had their hand slapped last is out and the game keeps going until it is down to the last player AKA the Winner. ( when there are only 2 players left the 2 players face each other and do the game again to determine the winner!)

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,LA Version, Again.
Date: 26 May 21 - 04:06 PM

That's how black kids in Louisiana that were born in the 90's play it!

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,The Louisiana Version
Date: 26 May 21 - 04:03 PM

Down by the riverside
Hanky Panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
I said a a-e-i-o-u beetle juice

I pledge allegiance to the flag
Michael Jackson is so fat
Coca-Cola bust his butt
Now he's drinking 7 Up.
7 Up has no caffeine
Now he's drinking gasoline.
Gasoline was made for cars
Now he's eating candy bars.
Candy bars have too much fat
Now he's driving Cadillacs.
Cadillacs are out of style.
Now. He. Has. To. Walk. A. Mile.

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,R Duncan
Date: 25 May 21 - 04:28 PM

The one I remember from elementary school in the south was:

Down by the banks of the hanky panks
Where bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
Sayin eeps ips oops oups
Silly Willy ding-dong
I pledge allegiance to the flag
Michael Jackson makes me gag
Coca-Cola burned him up
Now we're talkin 7up
7up has no caffeine
Now we're talkin Billy Jean
Billy Jean was out of sight
Now we're talkin dynamite
Dynamite blew up the school
Now we're talkin really cool
Really cool is really neat
Now we're sittin on the street
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Whoever landed on 1 was out

Really cool to read all the different variations and how far off some of these verses can be. I wonder what the official original of this song was?

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,ag
Date: 16 May 21 - 05:44 PM

the one i knew (around 2010-12?) went:
down by the bay with the hanky panky
when the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
with an A, E, I O U,
i pledge allegiance to the flag
that cody simpson makes me gag!
up, up, 7-up,
now we're drinking 7-up
7-up got the flu, now we're drinking mountain dew
mountain dew fell off the mountain, now we're drinking from the fountain
fountain broke, now we're drinking plain old coke

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,yui
Date: 16 May 21 - 08:54 AM

I heard at camp
Down by the bank with a hanky pank
where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
say E I O U
Listen to the words song (probably misheard)
I pledge allegiance to the flag
Michael Jackson is my dad
Pepsi cola burned him up
now he's drinking gasoline
gasoline is meant for cars
Now he's shootin up to mars
there's a place on Mars
where the women smoke cigars
and the men wear bikinis
and the babies drink martinis
every step you take is enough to kill a snake
when the snake is dead
you put mustard in its eyes
when the mustard dries
It is 1948
Mickey mouse builds a house
Donald trump messes up
Mirror mirror on the wall
Who the fairest of them all
Y O U

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,A southern girl
Date: 14 May 21 - 04:55 AM

I grew up in Memphis and this is how I personally heard the song for the game goes:
Down by the river of hanky Panky
Bullfrog jumps from bank to bank he
Says "ooh! Ah! Skittle skat! Big fat dirty rat!"
I pledge allegiance to the flag, Michael Jackson is so bad
Coca-cola burnin' up, now it's time for seven up
Seven up has no caffeine, now it's time for billy Jean
Billy Jean went out of town riding on a pony
Stuck a feather in his head and called it macaroni
Mickey Mouse had a house
Donald Duck messed it up
Who will pay the con-se-quenc-es
Y-O-U

And the person who's hand gets hit on the last U is the "loser" and is removed from the circle and we keep going with the game

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,me
Date: 03 May 21 - 10:18 PM

Down in the banks of the hanky panks where the bull frogs jump from bank to bank give me a fee, fie, foe, fum, me say, you say ding dong.

I pledge allegiance to the flag Micheal Jackson is my dad

coco cola fizzes up, now were talking seven up

seven up has no caffeine now were talking jelly bean

jelly bean is out site now were talking dinomite

dinomite blew up the school now were talking REALLY COOL!

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,Jim Grace
Date: 01 May 21 - 09:11 AM

Seems like the original purpose of this thread is done and I hate to make it longer. Not enough not to do that though!

The ‘down by the banks of the hanky panky’ version I know is very similar to a lot of the shorter one-verse versions here. I was taught (by a teacher or similar) a song with the same tune and shape, to the same try-and-avoid-the-hand-slap circle game, that went:
Down in the jungle where nobody goes
There’s a big fat gorilla, blowing his nose...
[then some sounds that are supposed to be like him blowing his nose. I don’t remember them, sorry!]

I grew up in London, England; my friend who grew up in oxford & cambridge knows the gorilla words but not the frog words. In my school we played ‘oranges and lemons’ more often in the playground - hanky panky was more of a sitting down game.

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,Columbus, Ohio
Date: 29 Apr 21 - 10:07 AM

Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
Where the bullfrogs leap from bank to banky
With a, fee fi fo fum,
pass it to the next one.

Mickey Mouse built a house,
Donald Duck messed it up,
who will pay the consequences
Y - O - U!

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Apr 21 - 06:55 PM

I think I learned a few variations of the chant throughout elementary in the mid to late 2000s in NC, but the ones I best remember are:

Down by the banks of the hanky pank,
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank,
Goin' east side, west side, east side, west side,
Chilly Willy ding dong

I pledge allegiance to the flag,
Michael Jackson makes me gag

Coca-cola burned his butt,
Now we're talkin' Seven Up

Seven Up has no caffeine,
Now we're talkin' Billy Jean

Billy Jean went outta sight,
Now we're talkin' dynamite

Dynamite blew up the school,
Now we're talkin' really cool

10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1

And the other version was the exact same except for the first few verses where it was

Down by the banks of the hanky pank,
Where the bull frogs jump from bank to bank,
Singin' eeps, ipes, opes, opps
Chilly Willy ding dong

But the same second chant.

We'd sit in a circle with one palm on top of one neighbors' and the other underneath our other neighbors' and do like a slap circle. The last two people would sit facing each other with one person's hands palm down in the air and the other person's hands palm up underneath the first pair and they'd go up and down slapping (if that makes sense) and whoever's palms were last palm up and got slapped was the loser.

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,c
Date: 09 Apr 21 - 10:41 AM

at camp in eastern pa, roughly 2008-2011, it was this:


Down by the banks of the hanky panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
Saying ding-dong ding-dong,
your Momma looks like Donkey Kong
I pledge allegiance to the flag
That Micheal Jackson is my dad.

Pepsi-cola's burning up,
now we're drinking 7-up
7-up has no caffeine,
now we're drinking gasoline
gasoline is bad for you,
now we're drinking mountain dew
mountain dew fell off a mountain,
now we're drinking from a fountain
the fountain broke and now we're drinking
plain, old, di-et, coke

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Mar 21 - 11:29 PM

In 2001 in TN it was :
Down by the river hanky pank where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank,
Say E, I, O, U
Your mama she says "soda" (this may be been misheard)
You say ding dong donkey Kong,
Went to school with nothing on,
Ask the teacher what she wears,
Polka dotted underwear.
Not too big, not too small,
Just the size of Brown mall.
I pledge allegiance to the flag,
Michael Jackson is a drag.
Coca cola pump it up,
Now we're talking 7Up.
7up has no caffeine,
Now we're talking Billie Jean,
Billie Jean is out of site,
Now we're talking dynamite,
Dynamite blue up the school,
Now we're talking really cool.
Really cool is saying you are out,
O-u-t out.

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,madalena hughes
Date: 28 Feb 21 - 12:50 AM

down by the bank of the Hanky Panky where the bullfrog jumps from bank to banky
say eep opp eep opp opp skiddle diddle kernel pop
say 1. 2. 3. 4.
I pledge allegiance to the flag
sour apples make me gag
coca cola keeps me up
now im drinking seven up
seven up has no caffeine
now im drinking gasoline
gasoline gave me the flu
now im drinking mountain dew
mountain dew fell off the mountain
now im drinking water fountain
water fountain sprang a leak
now im drinking iced tea
iced tea has too much ice
now im drinking water ice
water ice has too much water
now im drinking
plain
old
di-et
coke

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,Rye Bread
Date: 15 Feb 21 - 12:48 PM

Down by the banks of the Hanky Panky
where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
singing eeps, opps, eeps opps opps
skiddle diddle kernel pop
I pledge allegiance to the flag
michael jackson makes me gag
coca cola blew up
now I'm drinking 7-up
7-up caught the flu
now I'm drinking mountain dew
mountain dew fell off the mountain
now I'm drinking from the fountain
yesterday the fountain broke
now I'm drinking plain old diet coke

it went around a large circle and whoever it landed on on the last word was out and the circle decreased and the song repeated until there was a winner

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Feb 21 - 08:37 PM

We always sang

Down by the river on the hanky pank
where the bullfrog jumps from bank to bank
saying EIOU
your mama stinks and so do you
so ping pong ding dong
your daddy smells like king kong
on your feet and on your toes
your brother wears pink pantyhose
coca-cola cole fills you up
now we're talking 7up
7up has no caffeine and
now we're talking billie jean
billie jean blew up the school
now we're talking really cool
really cool is out of sight
now we're talking dynamite
1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,person
Date: 13 Jan 21 - 09:12 AM

down by the backs of Hanky Panky where there bullfrogs jump from banky to banky singing epes ipes os ues you are a ding dong your daddy smells like king kong apples cherries peaches plums tell me when your birthday comes

then whoever it landed on they would tell their birthday then we would count up to there birthday

Example: May 4
January February March April May 1 2 3 4

then whoever it landed on would out then we kept going until only one person was left

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Nov 20 - 11:47 PM

So many versions. The one I remember from my childhood is kinda creepy now if I think about

Down by the riverside hanky, panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
Saying oosh, oosh, osh, osh
Della Della ding dong
Daddy smells like King Kong
Coca-Cola burns you up
Now you're drinking 7-up
7-up has no caffeine
Now you're drinking gasoline
Gasoline was made for cars
Now you're eating candy bars
Candy bars have too much fat
Now you're driving a Cad-i-llac

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 30 Oct 20 - 05:48 AM

Here's what I remember:

Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky
where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
saying eeps ipes opes oops chilly willy ding dong
Michael Jackson went to town
Coca cola him down
Coca cola brought him up
Now he's drinking 7-up
7-up has no caffeine, now we're talking Billie Jean
Billie Jean's momma said 'Do wa diddy, diddy dum, diddy do"
Inky pinky ponky daddy had a donkey
Donkey died, daddy cried
Inky pinky ponk-Y

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 27 Sep 20 - 03:53 AM

My friends and I put all this together in fourth grade:

Down by the banks of the hanky panky where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky saying fee fi fo fum. i pledge allegiance to the flag that Micheal Jackson is my dad. Coca Cola burned him up. Now we're drinking seven up. Seven up has no caffeine. Now we're talking jelllybeans. Jellybeans are out of sight. Now we're talking dynamite. Dynamite blew up the school. Now we're talking really cool. Mickey mouse built a house. Donald duck messed it up. Who will pay for all the damage? Y O U spells you. Tarzan the monkey man swinging from a rubber band. Fell down broke his crown. What color was his blood?

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,Lavender
Date: 01 Aug 20 - 03:19 AM

After more thought, I had more info to add. The tune posted by ADalton is very similar but not quite the same as the tune I learned.
(Spaces indicate separation of words)
F F F AA A A A#A# CC
C C FF A A A# A# C
CC F (rest) A (rest) A# (half rest) B
C C CC CCCD C A# A FF
Also, the cockroaches’ basketball section is to the tune of Ms. Suzie had a Steamboat.
The transition from chant to song starts on F# with the chin of watchin’ then goes to GF# for Cupid. Once starts on G, and the 1, 2, 3 at the end is G F# G.

I heard the Coca-Cola went to Town rhyme as part of I’m a Nut, rather than Hanky Panky. A similar version is posted here on a list of Girl Scout songs, but I learned it this way.
Coca-Cola went to town
Pepsi-Cola shot him down
Dr. Pepper fixed him up
Now we all drink 7-Up
I’m a nut (click click) x2
I’m a nut x3 (click click)

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,Lavender
Date: 30 Jul 20 - 04:03 AM

I’ve been interested in the different versions of this rhyme since forever and can’t believe it took so long to find this site! All versions I know are from the mid 2000s.

Heard in a Christian camp in Mississippi:
Down by the valley of the Hanky Panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
Sayin’ ooh, ah, skittle, skattle, big, fat, bull, frog
I pledge allegiance to the flag
Michael Jackson is so bad
Pepsi-Cola, burnin’ up
Now we’re drinkin’ 7-Up
7-Up has no caffeine
Now we’re wachin’ Billy Jean
Billy Jean went out of style
Now we’re wachin’ X-Files
X-Files, way too scary
Now we’re wachin’ Tom and Jerry
Tom and Jerry’s way too funny
Now we’re wachin’ Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny’s way too lame
Now we’re playin’ video games
Video games are way too boring
Then one morning I woke up snoring

Heard in an elementary school near Memphis, Tennessee:
Down by the valley of the Hanky Panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
Sayin’ ooh, ah, skittle, skattle, big, fat, bull, frog
I pledge allegiance to the flag
Michael Jackson is so bad
Pepsi-Cola, burnin’ up
Now we’re drinkin’ 7-Up
7-Up has no caffeine
Now we’re wachin’ Billy Jean
Billy Jean went out of style
Now we’re wachin’ X-Files
X-Files, way too scary
Now we’re wachin’ Tom and Jerry
Tom and Jerry’s way too stupid
Now we’re wachin’ Cupid (This line shifts from a chant to a song)
Once on Sunday morning
I looked up at the wall
I saw a team of cockroaches
Playing basketball
The score was none to six
Roaches in the lead
I think I need some bug spray
1, 2, 3

Heard near Wichita, Kansas:
Down by the valley of the Hanky Panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
Sayin’ eeps, ipes, opes, ops
And a little flicker-doodle and a big ker-plop
(This version uses the same tune I saw mentioned by someone else earlier)

Heard in Texas:
Down by the banks of the Hanky Panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
E I O U east side, west side
Ping, pang, pong

Half remembered near Memphis, Tennessee:
Down by the valley of the Hanky Panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
Sayin’ ooh, ah, skittle, skattle, big, fat, dirty, rat
I pledge allegiance to the flag (to the flag said faster than normal rhythm)
Michael Jackson was so bad (was so bad said faster than normal)
Pepsi-Cola, burp it up
Now we’re drinkin’ 7-Up
7-Up has no caffeine
Now we’re drinkin’ gasoline
Gasoline made me puke (or possibly throw up)
(Don’t remember a few lines)
Now we all drink Coke

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 26 Jul 20 - 08:36 AM

I love all these versions. It affirms what I've felt for years, that the last bastion of true folklore is the playground.

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,sal
Date: 25 Jul 20 - 12:32 PM

Down by the banks
with the hanky panks
the bullfrogs jumps from banks to banks
saying e i o u
your mama stinks and so do you
ping pong ding dong
your daddy smells like King Kong
on your feet and on your toes
your daddy wears pink pantyhose

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Jun 20 - 03:01 AM

Grew up in south Florida

Down by the lake with the hanky pank
Said the bullfrog jumps from bank to bank
say E-I-O-U
Yo Momma smell and so do you
Micheal Jackson went to town riding on a pony
stuck a feather in is eye and called him macaroni
resse pieces butter cup
u mess wit me ill bust you u up
bang bang choo-choo train
Let me see you do that thang.
I can't! Why not? I can't! Why not?
Cause my head hurt my bra too tight
and my booty shake from the left to the right
Go left, Go right, go left right left right (last smack)

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Jun 20 - 01:27 AM

Your versions are so weird to me
(I'm from south Jersey)

Down by the river with the hanky pank
where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
sining ee ii ooh oh oh
skittle dittle tik tak toe
I pledge allegiance to the flag
michael jackson makes me gag
Coca Cola blew him up
Now I'm drinking seven up
Seven up has no caffeine
Now i'm drinking gasoline
gasoline gave me the flu
now i'm drinking mountain dew
mountain dew fell off the mountain
Now i'm drinking from a fountain
Uh oh fountain broke
now i'm drinking plain old diet coke
whoopsie gotta pee
now i'm drinking sunny D
Sunny D fell off the sun
okay now i'm done
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: and e
Date: 05 Jun 20 - 08:53 PM

Hokey, pokey, hanky, panky
I'm the Queen of Swinkey Swankey;
And I'm pretty well, I thanky.

Rhyme #686 of The Counting-Out Rhymes of Children (1888) by Henry Carrington Bolton

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,New Jersey
Date: 02 Jun 20 - 11:51 PM

Down by the bank of the hanky panky
Where the bullfrog jumps from bank to bank singing
Eeep Op Eeep Op Skiddle diddle kernel pop
I pledge allegiance to the flag
Michael Jackson makes me gag
Coca Cola messed me up
Now I'm drinking seven-up
Seven-up has no caffeine
Now I'm drinking gasoline
Gasoline ran out of fuel
Now I'm drinking Mountain Dew
Mountain Dew fell off the mountain
Now I'm drinking from the fountain
Yesterday the fountain broke
Now I'm drinking plain old diet coke

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST
Date: 10 May 20 - 11:31 PM

I'm from Kentucky and I've never seen my version before, down by the banks of the hanky panks where the bullfrog jumps from banks to banks saying eeps ips ops oops, listen to the rhythm of the ding dang dong, Michael Jackson went to town Pepsi-Cola shot him down dr. Pepper fixed him up now we're talking 7UP, 7up has no caffeine now we're talking Billie Jean, Billie Jean went down the street singing do da Diddy Diddy dum Diddy do, Lincoln Lincoln I've been thinking what on Earth have you been drinking is it whiskey is it wine oh my gosh it's suppertime 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST
Date: 10 May 20 - 01:18 AM

From NJ, this is what I know.

Down by the banks with the hanky panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
Saying eep, opp, eep opp opp
Skittle, diddle, kertle pop
I pledge allegiance to the flag
Mivheal Jackson makes gag
Coca cola has caffeine,
Now I'm drinking gasoline
Gasoline gave me the flu
Now I'm drinking mountain dew
Mountain dew fell off the mountain
Now I'm drinking from the fountain
Yesterday the fountain broke,
Now I'm drinking cherry coke
Cherry coke fell off the tree
Now I'm drinking sunny d
Sunny D fell off the sun
Now im counting 10 to 1
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST
Date: 04 May 20 - 04:24 AM

i'm from mississippi and these are the lyrics we always sang!!

down by the river of the hanky lanky where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky singing A E I O U bamboo michael jackson went to town coca cola shot him down dr pepper shot him up now we're talkin seven up seven up has no caffeine now we talking billy jean billy jean went down the street singing doo ah diddy diddy dum diddy doo singing A E I O U bamboo

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Mar 20 - 03:42 PM

I am from Cincinnati Ohio and did not realize the differences between the states and lyrics to this song! We say sat in a circle palms up and someone starts with slapping the next person's hand as it goes in a circle whoever's hand is it when you get to 10 they are out. We sang...

Down, down down in the valley with a hanky panky.
Fe fi fo your mamma stanky
Fe fi fo fum
Chilli willy doing dong
Your mamma smells like king kong
Let's play a game of ping pong
1, 2 etc until you get to 10 whoever gets slapped at 10 is out

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,augphi
Date: 04 Mar 20 - 12:25 AM

I lived on the East Coast of the United States and we sung the song like this:

Down by the banks of the hanky-pank
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
Saying eee! Aaaah! Eee! Bop! Bop!
Skiddle diddle kernel pop

Said 1, 2, 3, 4
I pledge allegiance to the flag
Michael Jackson makes me gag
Coca-cola has no caffeine
Now we’re drinking gasoline
Gasoline is made by you
Now we’re drinking Mountain Dew
Mountain Dew fell off the mountain
Now we’re drinking from the fountain
Fountain broke, now we’re drinking
Plain, old, Diet Coke


We played this game in a large group. The person next to you would put their right hand on top of your left hand and so on until everyone was matched up. The point was to tap the person to your left’s hand. Whoever’s hand was hit when you said the last “coke” was out and then you’d start the song over again until there was two people left. Then, the two people would have one person start with their palms facing down and the other person would have their palms facing up under the other person’s hand and you would clap and switch. Whoever’s hand was hit lost or if the person on top didn’t hit the hands hand of person on the bottom lost .

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Jan 20 - 04:19 PM

down by the river in the hanky panky where the bullfrog jumped from bank to banky saying eeps iips oops ops the bullfrog went kerplop

Michael jackson is my dad
now he's drinking 7up, 7up has no caffeine
now he's drinking gasoline, gasoline is meant for cars
now hes shooting up to mars

there's a place on mars where the babies smoke cigars, were the men wear bikinis and the ladies drink martinis
every step you take is enough to kill a snake
when the snake is dead they stuff diamonds in its head when the diamonds break it is 1948, when the world war ends it is time to take revenge

mirror mirror on the wall whos the fairest of them all
Y-O-U

whoever it lands on gets out and you start again

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,Max
Date: 15 Dec 19 - 10:06 PM

I heard this one in elementary school in Atlanta, GA, probably between '05-'08. Some variations on here got close to mine, but not quite. Here's the version I remember best:

Down by the banks of the Hanky Pank
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
Singin' eeps, ipes, opes, ups
Chilly willy ding dong
I pledge allegiance to the flag
Michael Jackson makes me gag
Coca Cola, burn it up
Now we're talkin' 7-Up
7-Up has no caffeine
Now we're talkin' Billie Jean
Billie Jean is out of sight
Now we're talkin' dynamite
Dynamite blew up the school
Now we're talkin' really cool
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1!

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,KGreene
Date: 08 Sep 19 - 10:42 PM

Version from my childhood (California, late 70s-early 80s):

Way down yonder in the Yankety Yank
Where the bullfrog jumped from bank to bank
Just because there’s nothin’ better for to do, what to do, what to do, what to do

He stubbed his toe and he fell in the water
You could hear him holler for a mile and a quarter
Just because there’s nothin’ better for to do, what to do, what to do, what to do

Note: “there’s” meaning “there was”

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,KHall
Date: 04 Sep 19 - 12:19 AM

In Arkansas it goes like this:

Down by the river of the Hanky Panky
Sat a big fat frog jumpin bank to banky
With a E-E-I-I-O U
Johnny struck a match and it landed on YOU!

We would stand in a circle, hitting the next person's hands until the end of the song!

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,Repeep
Date: 23 Aug 19 - 04:36 PM

Greetings, all! I hope everyone is well! I was wondering about the Down By The River handclap circle game ever since I taught my youngest sister it. So, I’d like to contribute my location’s variation on the rhyme! I learned it from the older girls at school (in RI, USA) sometime around the later 2010s, and I believe it went something like this:
Down by the river with the hanky-panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank-y
Saying ee bop ee bop bop, skittle diddle lollypop

I pledge allegiance to the flag, Michael Jackson makes me gag/is a fag
Coca Cola has caffeine
Now we're talking jelly beans
Jelly beans are out of style
We've been talking for a while

Ee bop ee bop bop, skittle diddle lollypop
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten!

I’m not exactly sure how the middle part (paragraph) goes, as it’s been a while. I feel like it was longer, too, and that sometimes we sang “Billy Jean” instead of “jelly bean,” but I am probably wrong.
I hope that one day, we can collect all of the variations and keep them going! Some of these are cool and others hilarious! <3

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,Lexi; The Deep South’s Version
Date: 22 Jul 19 - 09:43 AM

DOWN BY THE RIVERSIDE HANKY PANKY
WHERE THE BULLFROG JUMPED FROM BANK TO BANK
I SAID A E I O U BEETLEJUICE
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
MICHAEL JACKSON IS MY DAD
COCA COLA BURNS HIS BUTT
NOW HES DRINKING 7 UP
7 UP HAS TOO MUCH CAFFEINE
NOW HES DRINKING GASOLINE
GASOLINE IS MADE FOR CARS
NOW HES EATING CANDY BARS
CANDY BARS HAVE TOO MUCH FAT
NOW HES DRIVING A CADILLAC
CADILLACS ARE OUTTA STYLE
NOW HE HAS TO WALK AN EXTRA EXTRA EXTRA MILE

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,Mike
Date: 25 Jun 19 - 05:22 PM

I learned as:
Down by the banks of the hanky pank
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
Saying eep opp eep opp opp
Skiddle diddle ker plop.

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,a
Date: 15 Jun 19 - 11:06 PM

down by the bank of the hanky pank, where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank. ya say e pa e pa pa. skittle dittle kernel pop. i pledge allegiance to the flag. michael jackson makes me mad. coca cola has caffeine. now i'm drinking gasoline. gasoline went out of fuel. so now i'm drinking mountain dew. mountain dew fell off the mountain so now i'm drinking from the fountain. one day the fountain broke, so now i'm drinking plain old diet coke... diet coke went ran out of diet so now i'm drinking sunny d. sunny d fell off the sun so now i'm counting 10 to 1. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

kids at my school usually ended at the diet coke part but one of my friends added a continuation

Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST
Date: 26 May 19 - 06:09 PM

This is the most popular one in New Jersey