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12 Nov 00 - 11:41 PM (#339505) Subject: a song called alla balla From: GUEST,Jo There's an old folk song/chant that used to be sung in the The Bahamas and most likely in Latin America too, called "alla balla" or "alla palla". I'm trying to find information on its origin and meaning. Please help. It went something like this...spelling is most likely totally off: "Alla balla chicin calala, alla balla bu". Please respond to: jojustilien@hotmail.com Thanks so much! |
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13 Nov 00 - 01:21 PM (#339806) Subject: RE: a song called alla balla From: Songster Bob I used to know a counting-out rhyme with some similarity, which used "Ocka-bocka, stona-crocka, ocka-bocka-boo" in place of the "Alla balla ... balla bu" in your request. don't know more than that, though, and don't know where you'd find more about such rhymes. My full counting-out rhyme: Ocka-bocka, stona-crocka, ocka-bocka-boo Ocka-bocka, stona-crocka, out goes YOU. Bob Clayton
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13 Nov 00 - 05:22 PM (#339993) Subject: RE: a song called alla balla From: Sandy Paton I've heard: Acka-backa soda-cracka, acka-backa boo, Acka-backa soda-cracka, out goes you. Grandpa Paton |
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13 Nov 00 - 06:49 PM (#340067) Subject: RE: a song called alla balla From: Malcolm Douglas Jo has started a couple of other threads on this subject; most of the discussion is here: Caribbean folk songs--Scottish influence |
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14 Nov 00 - 01:22 PM (#340572) Subject: RE: a song called alla balla From: Lanfranc Any chance this could be related to the Scottish childrens song "Coulters Candy", which has a chorus "Ally, Bally, Allybally bee, seated on yer mither's knee, greeting for a wee bawbee to buy some Coulters Candy" ?? |
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14 Nov 00 - 06:18 PM (#340755) Subject: RE: a song called alla balla From: Malcolm Douglas That was suggested in the parallel thread I've linked to above, but apparantly it isn't connected. |
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28 May 10 - 06:59 PM (#2916289) Subject: RE: a song called alla balla (children's rhyme?) From: GUEST,RIH This is the version I know Alla balla tingo THe way jon kalla balla Alla balla walla balla oo ja ja Jeway Jewo the opoticle popalla San Fair push cart, duck's feet. |
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28 May 10 - 07:43 PM (#2916310) Subject: RE: a song called alla balla (children's rhyme?) From: Reiver 2 It immediately made me think of Coulter's Candy, but Lanfranc and Malcolm beat me to it. I used to sing that to my kids when they were little and it was a favorite of The Reivers, too. Coultre's Candy, I mean! Reiver 2 |
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28 May 10 - 07:48 PM (#2916315) Subject: RE: a song called alla balla (children's rhyme?) From: Leadfingers Old Threads like this are a bit of a Confusion ! But Bill Caddick has a 'song' - Oller Boller , when I call you will foller , or something like that - Kids thing from West Midlands UK |
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10 Jan 19 - 07:21 PM (#3970983) Subject: RE: a song called alla balla (children's rhyme?) From: GUEST Version my Grandma sang to me was: Alla balla tingle Great John callaba Alla ba, alla ba, you ya ya Jewey jewey jewop-a-tic-you-opoll-a Alla balla, alla balla, you ya ya No idea what it was all about! |
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11 Jan 19 - 04:28 AM (#3971021) Subject: RE: a song called alla balla (children's rhyme?) From: Snuffy The versions in the first two postings appear to be counting-out rhymes: "Alla balla chicin calala, alla balla bu" "Ocka-bocka, stona-crocka, ocka-bocka-boo" When I was a kid in the early 50s we had a similar one: "Ickle ockle, choc'let bottle, ickle ockle OUT" |
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11 Jan 19 - 04:39 AM (#3971025) Subject: RE: a song called alla balla (children's rhyme?) From: FreddyHeadey ^^^^^ GUEST Date: 10 Jan 19 - 07:21 Where? When? What year was your Gm' born? Where? |
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06 Jul 23 - 02:13 AM (#4176168) Subject: RE: a song called alla balla (children's rhyme?) From: GUEST,Hannah Picking up on this old thread. My grandmother (English but born 1917 in Hong Kong) taught me this version: Alla balla tingle, old John Calabar Alla balla, walla balla, ooh yah yah! Cha-weeee, cha-weeee Cha woppa dicca woppa laaa! Alla balla, walla balla, ooh yah yah! So wish I had thought to ask her the origin before she got dementia and passed away. If anyone has any info I would love to know. |
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06 Jul 23 - 04:25 PM (#4176228) Subject: RE: a song called alla balla (children's rhyme?) From: Steve Gardham The most likely usage is as a counting out rhyme (eliminator in a game) and most of these are just nonsense syllables, but some may have been corruptions of something with meaning originally. However, such concoctions can also be found randomly in pop songs like 'The Witchdoctor' where they are supposed to represent a foreign language, nowadays quite rightly seen as racist. There was also a two-ball/skipping rhyme which starts Alla-balla-boushka King of the Jews Bought his wife a pair of shoes When the shoes began to wear Alla-balla-boushka bought another pair. (Hull, 1950s) The name in other versions varies 'Nebuchadnezzar' for example. |
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06 Jul 23 - 07:00 PM (#4176242) Subject: RE: a song called alla balla (children's rhyme?) From: Robert B. Waltz Steve Gardham wrote: There was also a two-ball/skipping rhyme which starts Alla-balla-boushka King of the Jews In the Ballad Index as "Nebuchadnezzar's Wife"; I've seen versions with Nebuchadnezzar, Holy Moses, Thomas a Didymus, Pontius Pilate, and others. But one should also check the big mess that I filed under "Ickie Bickie Soda Cracker," which floats in all sorts of direction and relates to "My Mother and Your Mother." That's apart from the link to "Coulter's Candy," of course. |
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16 Jun 24 - 02:11 PM (#4204003) Subject: RE: a song called alla balla (children's rhyme?) From: GUEST Your version is the closest I've come across to a song/rhyme my mother (b.1919)used to recite to me when I was about five in 1947. For some extraordinary reason it came back to me 60 or 70 years later. I haven't heard it, or anything like it, recited since: alla balla tingo,rayshong calla balla olla bolla wolla bolla, ooh ya ya! schweeze schwoze wopaticiwopala, ratacatafatalata tootanariah! There's no Caribbean connection that I know of, and the origin was never mentioned. Possible clues may be that my mother spent a few months in South Africa when she was about 19, and I come from Highland Scottish stock. If this rings a bell with anyone I would be very interested to hear from them. Michael |