Cocojams2 showcases examples of English language playground rhymes, cheers, and singing games, with special emphasis given to African American examples.
This cocojams2 series showcases examples of English language hand clap & jump rope rhymes, with a special focus on examples from African American culture. The pages present examples whose "titles" begin with the featured two letters, with the exception of post #11 in this series which features examples whose titles begin with the letters "u" - "z".)
Unless otherwise indicated, the examples given below were (or "are") "hand clap rhymes".
This cocojams2 series on English language hand clap and jump rope rhymes isn't meant to be a comprehensive listing of those rhymes. For instance, I've chosen not to include a number of versions of rhymes that are generally found on other children's rhyme sites.
A number of these rhymes are featured in posts on my pancocojams blog. Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/ and either enter that rhyme's name or enter the words "children's rhymes" or "African American rhymes and cheers".
Also, a number of the examples in this collection were featured on my cocojams.com cultural website that was online since December 2001. That website vanished late October 2014 [!?!) and I am partially recreating its playground rhymes pages from back-up files and from recent internet "rhyme harvesting". That's the story behind this blog name cocojams2.
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The content of this post is presented for folkloric and recreational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who have contributed to this collection.
EDITOR'S NOTE ABOUT ADDING COMMENTS ON THIS BLOG
With considerable regret, I have disabled the comment feature on cocojams2 blogs (and on my other blogs except for https://pancocojams.blogspot.com, because of the large number of spam comments that I received on those blogs.
Comments for those blogs can be sent to my email address azizip17 dot com at yahoo dot com for possible inclusion in a specific post on those blogs.
EXAMPLES OF HAND CLAP & JUMP ROPE RHYMES
Note: These examples are published in alphabetical order based on their titles or the first few words of their first line. Multiple versions of specific rhymes are presented in chronological order based on their publishing date online or their collection date, with the oldest dated examples presented first.
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Editor's Comment:
While I've found some English language playground rhymes that begin with the letters "U, V, X, Y, or Z", I've found very few "hand clap rhymes" or "jump rope rhymes" whose titles begin with those letters. I'll post the ones that I've collected.
Please add to this cocojams2 collection. Thanks!
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WHEN __ WAS A BABY (Comment)
Examples of this rhyme family are presented regardless of their title. They will also be presented in no particular order. Note that some contributors describe these rhymes as a hand clap game, and/or a jump rope rhymes (with mimicking actions suggested by the words.) t's also possible that some children chanting these words only do the mimicking actions.)
WHEN __ WAS A BABY [Examples]
LUCY
you can do this with a jump rope, or a hand clap, i did it with hand claps. just an old Florida rhyme:
When Lucy was a baby, a baby
When Lucy was a baby She went a little like this:
Wah Wah
When Lucy was a toddler, a toddler, a toddler,
When Lucy was a toddler She went a little like this:
Wah Wah, suck my thumb
When Lucy was a kid, a kid, a kid
When Lucy was a kid She went a little like this:
Wah Wah, suck my thumb, give me a piece of bubble gum
When Lucy was a teenager, a teenager, a teenager
When Lucy was a teenager She went a little like this:
Wah Wah, suck my thumb, give me a piece of bubble gum, ohh, ahh, lost my bra, left it in my boyfriend's car
When Lucy was a grown up, a grown up, a grown up
When Lucy was a grown up She went a little like this:
Wah Wah, suck my thumb, give me a piece of bubble gum, ohh, ahh, lost my bra left it in my boyfriend's car, shh shh babies sleeping
When Lucy was an grandma, a grandma, a grandma
When Lucy was a grandma She went a little like this:
Wah Wah, suck my thumb, give me a peice of bubble gum, ohh, ahh lost my bra, left it in my boyfriend's car, shh babies sleeping, god i'm old.
When Lucy was dead, dead, dead,
When Lucy was dead
She went a little like this:
Wah Wah, suck my thumb, give me a piece of bubble gum, ohh, ahh, lost my bra left it in my boyfriend's car, shh babies sleeping, god i'm old, great i'm dead
-Morgan;, Cocojams, 5/16/2007 [also posted by Azzi Powell on this Mudcat discussion thread: http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=109480 "When Susie Was A Baby" on 15 Mar 08
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/11/when-pebbles-was-baby-hand-game-part-i.html, and http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/11/when-pebbles-was-baby-part-ii.html for examples of and commentary about these "When Miiss Suzie (and When Miss Lucy) Was A Baby.
In my pancocojams blog posts about these cumulative rhymes if "When Miss Lucy (or Miss Suzie) Had A Baby" rhymes were offshoots of "Miss Lucy Had A Baby" and "Miss Suzie Had A Steamboat."
I think that the "When Pebbles Had A Baby" rhyme is a variant form of the "When Miss Susie (or "Miss Lucy") Had A Baby" rhymes.
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WHEN PEBBLES WAS A BABY When Pebbles was a baby, a baby, a baby
When Pebbles was a baby, she used to go like this:
"Wah! Wah!" (mime crying)
When Pebbles was a toddler, a toddler, a toddler
When Pebbles was a toddler she used to go like this:
"Wah! Wah!"
"Give me a Sucker" (mimes lollipop)
When Pebbles was a kid, a kid, a kid
When Pebbles was a kid she used to go like this:
"Wah! Wah!"
"give me a sucker"
"I know the answer!" (waves hand in air)
When Pebbles was a teenager, a teenager, a teenager
When Pebbles was a teenager she used to go like this:
"Wah! Wah!"
"Give me a sucker"
"I know the answer"
"Ohh! Ah! I lost my bra! I must have left it in my boyfriends car!!" (cover chest)
When Pebbles was a mother, a mother, a mother
When Pebbles was a mother she used to go like this:
"Wah! Wah!"
"Give me a sucker"
"I know the answer"
"Ohh! Ah! I lost my bra! I must have left it in my boyfriends car!!"
"Ding Dong Dinner's ready!" (mime pulling bell)
When Pebbles was a grandma, a grandma, a grandma
When Pebbles was a grandma she used to go like this:
"Wah! Wah!"
"Give me a sucker"
"I know the answer"
"Ohh! Ah! I lost my bra! I must have left it in my boyfriends car!!"
"Ding Dong Dinner's ready!"
"Oh! my aching back!" (bend over)
When Pebbles was in heaven, in heaven, in heaven
When Pebbles was in heaven, she used to like this:
"Wah! Wah!"
"Give me a sucker"
"I know the answer"
"Ohh! Ah! I lost my bra! I must have left it in my boyfriends car!!"
"Ding Dong Dinner's ready!"
"Oh! my aching back!"
"Alleuia!" (throw arms up)
- Marai, https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080731094608AARt5vg "HELP does anyone know the lyrics to this childhood handgame", 2008
-snip-
"Pebbles" is probably "Pebbles Flintstone" from the American animated television series about people living during cave men times, The Flintstones.
Here are some comments about this rhyme from the discussion thread of this video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSOxq1eovtw"Sally Was A Baby" Fun New Hand Clapping Game
[The publisher of this video in 2013 is LivingHealthyAus. That names infers that this rhyme example was chanted in Australia.j
ty durden, 2014
"back in the early 1990s we use to play this game, but with the name Pebbles instead of Sally. what I can remember was it went... wah wah, tie my shoe, 2+2 is 4, oooh ahhh i lost my bra i think i left it in my boyfriends car.. i dont remember it after teenager...:
**
Reply:
Siobhan Chapman, 2014
"Yep. Pebbles here, too. We did 3 year old, 5 year old, teenager, mother "Now brush your teeth and go to bed", grandma "Ohhh my aching back" then dead Pause end game. Yeah morbid, I know. But it was fun. :-}"
**
JustDonda, 2014
"That's cute. My kids said waah waah, tie my shoes, help me do my homework, ooh aah lost my bra left in my boyfriends car, help me find my babies, help me find my rocking chair, ooh I can fly, look at my long curly tail, (as a skeleton) ooh I can dance, (as dust) ah-choo I think I'm allergic to myself, bye-bye (they fall over)"
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/12/when-billy-boy-was-one-poor-pinocchio.html for other text examples of these rhymes and for videos of these rhymes.
**** WHEN BILLY BOY WAS ONE I'm an elementary teacher from Minnesota. I'd like to add a hand clapping, patting game I learned from some first grade girls back in the 1970's. They claaed it "Billy Boy." As they chanted the lyrics they clapped their own hands, then the opposite hand of their partner, then their own opposite shoulders, and finally their knees.
"When Billy Boy was one (sung as two syllables) he learned to suck his thu-umb, (two syllables again.)
Thumb-dee-ah-dah, thumb-dee-ah-dah,
Half past one, cross down,
When Billy boy was two-o, he learned to tie his shoe-oo,
Two-dee-ah-dah, two-dee-ah dah,
Half past two cross down." etc.
WHO TOOK THE COOKIE FROM THE COOKIE JAR (Comment)
The way that I played "Who Stole The Cookie From The Cookie Jar" in the 1950s was seated in a circle and chanting the rhyme while keeping time with individual hand claps alternating with thigh patting. (I now would consider those hand claps and thigh pats as a carry over from the 19th century African American tradition of "pattin Juba".) That style of playing this rhyme is the way I've usually seen it and read about it. Consequently, I was surprised to read an example of "Who Stole The Cookie From The Cookie Jar" given as a jump rope rhyme. Here's that example:
WHO TOOK THE COOKIE FROM THE COOKIE JAR
Who took the cookie from the cookie jar? (* Turners sing opening verses *)
Not I took the cookie from the cookie jar.
Then who took the cookie from the cookie jar?
Number 1 took the cookie from the cookie jar.
Not I took the cookie from the cookie jar. (* Jumper1 enters, sings alone *)
Then who took the cookie from the cookie jar? (* All jumpers sing this *)
Number 2 took the cookie from the cookie jar. (*Jumper1 sings alone *)
Not I took the cookie from the cookie jar. (* Jumper2 enters, sings alone *)
Then who took the cookie from the cookie jar? (* All jumpers sing this *)
Number 3 took the cookie from the cookie jar. (* Jumper2 sings alone *)
Not I took the cookie from the cookie jar. (* Jumper3 enters, sings alone *)
Then who took the cookie from the cookie jar? (* All jumpers sing this *)
(* Continues until all are in *)
(* Before start all jumpers take numbers *)
(* Numbers can be called in any order *)
(* Jumper singing alone decides who to call *)
Source:
Robin B Cano and Peter H Neumeyer (1973) Jump Rope Jingles and
Other Useful Rhymes Houghton Mifflin Co: Boston. pp 30.
[Posted on http://mudcat.org/jumprope/original/rhyme265.htm "Jumprope Hypertext Archives", Stan Kulikowski collection]
****
WIRE BRIAR LIMBER LOCK
Wire briar, limber lock.
Six geese in a flock.
One flew east.
One flew west.
One flew over
The cuckoo's nest
-Source: Jack and Olivia Solomon (1980) Zickary Zan:
Childhood Folklore, University of Alabama Press, page 182
[Posted on http://mudcat.org/jumprope/original/rhyme265.htm "Jumprope Hypertext Archives", Stan Kulikowski collection]
****
YONDER COMES THE TEACHER
Yonder comes the teacher
With a big fat stick.
Wonder what I made
On arithmetic?
5, 10, 15, 20, ... (* Continues counting *)
Sources: Jack and Olivia Solomon (1980) Zickary Zan:
Childhood Folklore, University of Alabama Press. pp 182 and
Roger D Abrahams (1969) Jump Rope Rhymes A Dictionary
University of Texas Press: Austin, TX. pp 228
[Posted on http://mudcat.org/jumprope/original/rhyme265.htm "Jumprope Hypertext Archives"; Stan Kulikowski collection]
****
ZING ZING ZING
Zing-Zing-Zing
Zing-zing-zing, and away we go
To the Jackie Gleason studio.
Calaree! Calarah!
One apiece,
No repeats
Or hesitations
Or demonstrations!
Name some...
Foods: “Ham.” “Turkey.” “Eggs.” “Cheeseburger.” “Bacon,” “Sausage.” “Hot dog.” “Watermelon.” “What?” “Watermelon.” “Toast.”
“Hamburger.” “I said hamburger.” “No you didn't,” ALL: “Yes she did. You out!”
Cars: “Mustang. “”Pinto.” “What!? What you all naming? Oh.” “Mustang II.” “Firebird.” “Mercury.” “Cutlass Supreme.” “Cadillac.”
“Mustang.” “Supreme II.” “Cutlass S.” “Um ...F'irebird.” “You out!”
-Band 2 of Old Mother Hippletoe: Rural and Urban Children’s Songs New World NW 291 http://www.newworldrecords.org/linernotes/80291.pdf, Washington, D.C., schoolgirls, vocals, Recorded 1976 at Smithsonian Institution Festival of American Folklife, Washington, D.C.
-snip-
Given the demographics of Washington, D.C. in the late 1970s, "Washington, D.C. schoolgirls" meant "Black school girls".
-snip Here's the album notes for this game: "Zing-Zing-Zing” is a game of elimination, The rules are often bent to accommodate differing levels of skill. As can he seen from the texts, children are constantly making up new games, a good sign that singing games are still alive and well in our cities."
-snip-
Those notes don't indicate that "Zing Zing Zing" is a hand clap game, but it "reads" almost exactly like the "Concentration" hand clap games that are featured in the "C, D" section of this series.
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Thanks for visiting cocojams2.
Visitor comments and playground rhymes examples are welcome.
This cocojams2 series showcases examples of English language hand clap & jump rope rhymes, with a special focus on examples from African American culture. The pages present examples whose "titles" begin with the featured two letters, with the exception of post #11 in this series which features examples whose titles begin with the letters "u" - "z".)
Unless otherwise indicated, the examples given below were (or "are") "hand clap rhymes".
This cocojams2 series on English language hand clap and jump rope rhymes isn't meant to be a comprehensive listing of those rhymes. For instance, I've chosen not to include a number of versions of rhymes that are generally found on other children's rhyme sites.
A number of these rhymes are featured in posts on my pancocojams blog. Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/ and either enter that rhyme's name or enter the words "children's rhymes" or "African American rhymes and cheers".
Also, a number of the examples in this collection were featured on my cocojams.com cultural website that was online since December 2001. That website vanished late October 2014 [!?!) and I am partially recreating its playground rhymes pages from back-up files and from recent internet "rhyme harvesting". That's the story behind this blog name cocojams2.
****
The content of this post is presented for folkloric and recreational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who have contributed to this collection.
EDITOR'S NOTE ABOUT ADDING COMMENTS ON THIS BLOG
With considerable regret, I have disabled the comment feature on cocojams2 blogs (and on my other blogs except for https://pancocojams.blogspot.com, because of the large number of spam comments that I received on those blogs.
Comments for those blogs can be sent to my email address azizip17 dot com at yahoo dot com for possible inclusion in a specific post on those blogs.
EXAMPLES OF HAND CLAP & JUMP ROPE RHYMES
Note: These examples are published in alphabetical order based on their titles or the first few words of their first line. Multiple versions of specific rhymes are presented in chronological order based on their publishing date online or their collection date, with the oldest dated examples presented first.
G, H
GREEN SALLY UP
Green Sally up Green Sally down.
Green Sally baked her possum brown.
Asked my mama for fifteen cents
To see the elephant jump over the fence
He jumped so high he touched the sky
And he never came back back back till the fourth of July
You see that house, on that hill
That's where me and my baby live.
Oh, the rabbit in the hash come a-stepping in the dash,
With his long tailed coat and his beaver on.
-Bessie Jone and Bess Lomax Hawes, Step It Down: Games, Plays, Songs, & Stories from the Afro-American Heritage (Univ. of Georgia Press, originally published in 1972, 1987 edition, p. 25)
-snip-
Excerpt from Step It Down, page 25
..."this rhyme could be used for dancing as well as a clapping rhythm. Mrs. Jones plays this like "Pease Porridge Hot"; children sit facing each other in pairs, alternately clapping theeir own and their partners' hands...
The last couplet, "Oh, the rabbit in the hash", may be repeated over and over, either at a steady tempo or speeded up as much as three times faster. The "Green Sally" vouplet functions as a refrain, and may be put in anywhere you want."
-snip-
The "see that house on a hill" verse is found in versions of the African American children's rhyme "I Love Coffee, I Love Tea" and "I Met My Boyfriend At The Candy Store".
****
HAMBONE [Body patting rhyme]
Hambone, Hambone, pat him on the shoulder.
If you got a pretty girl, I'll show you how to hold her.
Hambone, Hambone, where have you been?
All round the world and back agan.
Hambone, Hambone, what did you do?
I got a train and I fairly flew.
Hambone, Hambone, where did you go?
I hopped up to Miss Lucy's door.
I asked Miss Lucy would she marry me.
(in falsetto) "Well, I don't care if Papa
don't care!"
First come in was Mister Snake,
He crawled all over that wedding cake.
Next walked in was Mister Tick,
He ate so much it made him sick.
Next walked in was Mister Coon,
We asked him to sing a wedding tune.
Now Ham...
Now Ham...
-Bessie Jones and Bess Lomax Hawes, Step It Down: Games, Plays, Songs & Stories from the Afro-American Heritage (University of Georgia Press, originally published in 1972, 1987 edition), pp 34-35
****
HELLO HELLO HELLO SIR (Jump Rope & Elastics Jumping)
Hello Hello Hello sir
meet you at the show sir
no sir
why sir
'cause I've got a cold sir
where'd you get the cold sir
at the north pole sir
what you dioing there sir
catching polar bears sir
how many did you catch sir
one sir
two sir
three sir
four sir
.... ten sir
all the rest were dead sir
how did they die sir
eating apple pie sir
what was in the pie sir
three dead flies sir
what was in the flies sir
three dead germs sir
what was in the germs sir
I don't know sir
shall we start again sir
no sir
why sir
because I've got a cold sir....
-Guest, http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=46932&messages=98 "Child's Game: Elastics", 1/2/2007
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HEY BURRITO
This is a fun repeat rhyme that my friend taught me in 6th grade.
Leader: Hey, Burrito! (followers repeat each line)
Leader: Hey, hey, hey burrito! (echo)
Leader: Mmm yeah, burrito yeah (echo)
Leader: Taco bell taco bell! (echo)
Leader: Guacamole, cinnamon twist! (echo)
Ish bibbly oken tokon
no no paroken token no not paraken taken shhhh….
(the last part we just added on because it was fun to say)
-Katie S. (White female, 17 years old, Dallas, Texas), cocojams, 10/6/2009
-snip-
I'm not sure if this is a handclap rhyme or not, but I wanted to add it to a Cocojams2 page, and this page fits it the best. Other examples of "bibbly oken tokon" are found in the A, B post of this cocojams2 hand clap & jump rope rhyme series.
**** HEY CONCENTRATION (Double Dutch Jump Rope rhyme) Version #1
Hey concentration
Where have you been
Around the corner
And back again
Stole my money
Stole my honey
Mama's got the hiccups
Daddy's got the flu.
Now come on boys
Let's slice the ice.
Slice it 1
Slice it 2
Slice it 3 4 5
Slice it 6
Slice it 7
Slice it 8 9 10
Hey everybody
Come on and do your thing.
2 up bop, bop.
2 down bop, bop
2 up bop, bop.
2 down bop, bop
2 up
-Elnora Fulton and Pat Smith Let's Slice The Ice (St Louis, MO.; Magnamusic-Baton, 1978, p 27)
-snip-
The authors noted that this is a Double Dutch Jump Rope rhyme. Here are the performance directions for jumping double dutch that the authors included with this rhyme:
"Two players face each other, holding two ropes, one in each hand. The right hand of one player turns one rope counterclockwise, and his left hand turns the other rope clockwise.
The right hand of the second player turns counterclockwise and his left hand turns clockwise. The right hand and left hands of each player correspond in moving.
One child "jumps in" when one rope is up in the air and the other is down. His foot pattern is a skip from side to side." -snip- It's interesting that the authors used the pronoun "his" instead of "her" since traditionally most Double Dutch jumpers have been female. I think the use of that male pronoun reflects 1970s grammatical practices, and shouldn't be read to mean that the players were males.
I've searched but haven't found any definitions for or references to the phrase "slice the ice". In the context of this rhyme, I think that "slice the ice" was probably a commonly used African American Vernacular English phrase that meant to perform a rhythmic movement or dance step in which the person slides from one side to another.
****
HEY CONCENTRATION (Double Dutch Jump Rope rhyme) Version #2
Hey concentration
Where have you been
Around the corner
And back again
Stole my money
Stole my honey
Mama's got the hiccups
Papas got the mumps.
Now come on baby
Let's slice that ice.
Slice 10 9 8 7
6 5 4 3 2 1
Gypsy Gypsy, Rosalie
Who on earth can your old man be?
Is he a rich man, poor man
baker man, chief?
Dr, lawyer, store man, thief.
Now spell your name on one foot.
That's a N-i-n-a
Nina's a girl from overseas
She don't dig no boys in dungarees.
She lives uptown, she lives downtown
She lives all around
Now let's get down.
(then you hot jump as fast as you can for as long as you can)"
Source: email from Nina Gonzalez (Jersey City, New Jersey), via cocojams
Nina also added this comment. "I love this. when i was a little girl in jersey city nj we had a variation of hey concentration which was/is my favorite rope song"
****
HIGH LOW JACKOLO
Very interesting how these rhymes etc. are spread across continents.
Version of the above, called "Jackalo", as a handclapping song, played by middle-class white British girls in private school, Essex, just outside Greater London, end 20th/beginning 21st century:
My name is [each partner holds hands together, palm to palm, as if "praying", then each pair of hands brushes the other]
Hands now parted. Partners face each other. [Whilst the rest of the song is sung, left hand is held straight out, as if waiting to shake hands. Right hands meet, high and low, to match the rhythm of the song]:
HIGH LOW PECCALOW (Version #1)
We have a different version of "high low peccalow" here (Herts, England). Instead of peccalow it reads:
My names is ....
High Low Jigga-low
Jigga-low high Low
High Low Jigga-low
Jigga-low high
You hold onto your friend's right hand with yours and your left hands make contact.
When the song says high, you clap above the joined hands, when the song says low you clap below and when the song says Jigga you clap on the joined hands.
The aim is to run through the song as fast as possible without mucking up the clapping.
We're 17 now, but we still sometimes play it if we've nothing better to.
Usually the most muck ups happen on the second line where it goes low high.
-Guest ,Amon; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=63097
"Folklore: Do kids still do clapping rhymes?"; 11/25/2007
-snip-
I believe that the fairly well known American movement rhyme "Gigalo" (or "Jigalow") has it origin in the British hand clap rhyme "High Low Peccalow". Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2011/12/childrens-rhyme-gigalo-examples.html "The Children's Rhyme "Gigalo" - Examples & Probable Sources"
****
HI SUE ELLA
I know a little Dutch girl
Called
Hi
Shoe
Ella
All the boys at the football club say
Hi
Shoe
Ella
How is your father
All right
Died at the chip shop
Last night
What was he eating
Raw fish
How did it happen
Like this
DevilBunny; http://msgboard.snopes.com/message/ultimatebb.php?/ubb/get_topic/f/95/t/000442/p/1.html "Skipping and clapping rhymes", February 13, 2003
****
HOLLYWOOD GOES SWINGIN'(Hand clap Version #1)
[Both girls] Hollywood.
Hollywood.
Hollywood goes swingin.
Hollywood goes SWINGIN.
Swingin for the good times.
Swingin for the bad times.
[One girl]: My name is Teneisha
and I’m number 9.
I’m kickin it with Ginuwine.*
If you ever see me on the street,
you better speak.
“Long time, no see.”
Sexy as I wanna be.
Some hittin me high.
Some hittin me low.
Some hittin me in my-
Don’t ask what.
My b u t t b u t t butt.
That’s what.
-Teneisha (10 years) and Antoinette (11 years) (African American females, East Hills section of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1998; collected by Azizi Powell, 1998
-snip-
* Kickin it" means "relaxing with", "hangin" with (socializing with).
"Ginuwine" was a popular young African R&B singer. Three other late 1990s variations of this line that I have heard are “Kickin it with Busta Rhymes (the name of a popular male Hip-Hop star) “Kickin it with Scooby Doo" -"Scooby Doo" - the name of a canine cartoon figure) and “Kickin it with Winnie the Poo”- the name of a fictitious bear in children's stories.
I was surprised to see this rhyme performed as a hand clap routine as I had always saw it performed as a foot stomping cheer.
As is the case with most people I’ve asked, those two girls don’t remember that “Hollywood Goes Swinging” used to be foot stomping cheer. However, in my opinion, its roots as a foot stomping cheer are evident in that handclap rhymes are rarely dialogue rhymes, but are almost always recited in unison. In the case of this rhyme, the first girl says most of the rhyme while she and the other girl does hand clap routine. The girls then could repeat the rhyme with the same or the different verse. I asked the girls if they ever did it to foot stomps. They weren't sure what "foot stomping" meant so my daughter who was part of the game song program that I'm conducted, demonstrated the movements for them. The girls confirmed that they had never seen "Hollywood" "done" like that.
****
HOLLYWOOD GOES SWINGIN' (fragment; Hand clap Version #2)
Hollywood
Hollywood
Hollywood goes swingin
Hollywood goes __ swingin
Swingin for Northside.
Swingin for the Eastside.
My name is Rita.
I'm Number 9
Going down Chicago line.
If you see me on the street
You better speak [uncertain about the next words]
Hey hey, you think you cool.
Hey hey, cool enough to rule your school.
Hey hey, you think you bad.
Bad enough to [didn't remember the rest of the words to this rhyme]
-African American girls and boys; Northview Heights Buddy Program, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, August 19, 1999; collected by Azizi Powell
-snip-
This rhyme was performed as a hand clap routine. The girls who shared this rhyme said that the line might be "Hollywood keeps swingin". The dash means to pause one beat.
The girls said that another version is "swingin for the good times /swingin for the bad times/ swingin every time.
****
HOLLYWOOD GOES SWINGIN' (fragment; Hand clap Version #3)
Hollywood (clap clap clap)
Hollywood (clap clap clap)
Hollywood goes swingin.
My name is Shanika.
I'll bust it out.
I'll party to the left
I'll party to the right.
I'll party all night.
I'll party all day.
My name is Sandra.
I'm number one [don't remember the rest]
I'm busting all day.
I'm busting all night.
She's busting to the left.
She's busting to the right.
-Shanika and Sandra (African American females, under 11 years old) ; Garfied section of Pittsburgh, Pennslyvania; November 1, 2000; collected by Azizi Powell, November 1, 2000
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HOLLYWOOD GOES SWINGIN' (Version #4)
Both girls:
Hollywood, Hollywood
Hollywood goes swingin
Partner #1:
My name is Raya and I'm number 2
Kickin it with Scooby Doo
Hit me high
Hit me low
Hit me where you wanna go.
Repeat the entire rhyme with the partner #1 saying the lines that partner #1 said, but substitute her name or nickname and (preferably) change the number rhyme
-ConRaya E. (11 years); Sha'Ona K. (11 years), African American girls; Pittsburgh, PA; 6/12/2008
-snip-
There are a number of similar titles for this rhyme. Among them are "Hollywood", "Hollywood Rocks Swingin", and "Hollywood Keeps Swinging". The rhyme is based on the 1973 R&B song "Hollywood Swinging" that was recorded by Kool & The Gang. Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kz2evj6YfS4&feature=related for a YouTube video of this song. The tune for the handclap rhyme (and the foot stomping cheer with the same name) is very similar to this song, although the tempo is somewhat faster.
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HOLLYWOOD (Version #5) Here's a handclap called hollywood!
(person 1) My name is (your name) im number one my reputation's just begun so turn around and touch the ground get back up and break it down
(person 2) you think you're bad
(1) b-a-d i know im bad
(2) you tink you're cool
(1) cool enough to rule the school
(2) you think your fine
(1) fine fine blow your mind mind take em up take em back give the man a heart attack
(2) you think you're hott
(1) hott anough to blow your pot!
That's it....there's clapping and all but its too hard to explain on this...good luck! -DC, http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php12/9/2005 (This website is no longer active.)
This cocojams2 series showcases examples of English language hand clap & jump rope rhymes, with a special focus on examples from African American culture. The pages present examples whose "titles" begin with the featured two letters, with the exception of post #11 in this series which features examples whose titles begin with the letters "u" - "z".)
Unless otherwise indicated, the examples given below were (or "are") "hand clap rhymes".
This is not meant to be a comprehensive listing of rhymes. For instance, I've chosen not to include a number of versions of rhymes that are generally found on other children's rhyme sites.
A number of these rhymes are featured in posts on my pancocojams blog. Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/ and either enter that rhyme's name or enter the words "children's rhymes" or "African American rhymes and cheers".
Also, a number of the examples in this collection were featured on my cocojams.com cultural website that was online since December 2001. That website vanished late October 2014 [!?!) and I am partially recreating its playground rhymes pages from back-up files and from recent internet "rhyme harvesting". That's the story behind this blog name cocojams2.
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The content of this post is presented for folkloric and recreational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who have contributed to this collection.
THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS.
EXAMPLES OF HAND CLAP & JUMP ROPE RHYMES
Note: These examples are published in alphabetical order based on their titles or the first few words of their first line. Multiple versions of specific rhymes are presented in chronological order based on their publishing date online or their collection date, with the oldest dated examples presented first.
S, T
"SAY SAY MY PLAYMATE" AND "SEE SEE MY PLAYMATE"
Examples of this rhyme can be found under the title "Playmate" in the " O,P" post of this cocojams series.
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SHIMMY SHIMMY CHINA
Shimmy, Shimmy China,
I know karate.
Shimmy Shimmy China,
Oops! I’m so sorry.
Shimmy Shimmy China
Sittin on a fence
trying to make a dollar
outa 85 cents
She missed
She missed
She missed like this, like this, like this.
-Shan (12 years & Shala 9 years; Black Females) and their brother Shep (8 years Black male) in the predominately African American section of Garfield in Pittsburgh PA; collected by Azizi Powell, 10/1998
(Continue repeating the entire rhyme until only one player is left. That player is the winner.)
I have also heard “65 cents” for this line instead of “85 cents”. -snip-
Play description:
"Shimmy Chimmy China" is performed with unison chanting and rhythmical clapping in pairs, with 3 people, or in a circle with any number of people; When performed as a partner game, players stand in front of each other and one player turns one palm up towards the ceiling and the other palm down towards the floor. The other partner turns the opposite palms up and down. Each strikes the other’s palms. With three or more players, the players hold on palm up and one palm down and strike the palms of the persons standing next to him or her on both sides. Players also do rhythmical “scissors jumps” on beat to the chanted words (scissors jumps are made by crossing one foot in front of the other foot). On the last word, if a player’s right foot is not in front of the left foot, he or she is “out”. The object of the game is to be the last player still in the game.
This rhyme is a variant of "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang", "Down Down Baby I Know Karate", and similarly worded rhymes. I asked the siblings in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania who chanted this rhyme what the word "China" meant. They said it was a girl's name. I specifically asked them if "China" was the name of a country and/or if that word referred to Asian people (i.e. "Chinese") and they said no.
I don't know if these siblings knew any girl whose name was "China". However, there was an African American girl in the elementary school that my daughter taught at (in the early 2000s whose name was "China". That name's "ch" beginning and "ah" ending fits a post 1960s African American aesthetic preference for names (particularly female names. For example, as it just so happens, read the names of the children who contributed this rhyme example.)
**** SLAP BILLYOLA Slap Billyola Slap Slap Slap Sendarico rico rico rico With ah 1, 2, 3, 4, 5! -African American girls and boys, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, early 2000s' also my daughter's memories of Pittsburgh in the 1980s. -snip- The play instructions are the same as those given above, only the game was always played standing in circle. I observed this game, and participated in it, as a fun activity done inside school (in the gym area while waiting for the formal start of school, and in my [substitute teacher] classrooms, particularly toward the end of the school day). An adult initiated the activity, but most students loved it - boys as well as girls. -snip- Read the examples of "Stella Ella Ola" and related rhymes that are given below on this page. ****
SLIDE
Editor: "Slide" is a popular hand clap game in the United States and elsewhere. There are a number of different names for this hand clap game including "Numbers", "Slide Slide Slippery Slide","Slide baby" and "Slime Yuk Yuck".
Hardly any words are chanted for this hand clap game except for an introductory wor or words such as "Slide" or "Slide, baby" and/or counting the claps while you're doing them.The goal is to get as high a number as you can while you and your partner clap fast. .
I'm going to break my rule of "no embedded videos for cocojams2" by featuring this video that demonstrates one way that "Slide" (or other names for this hand game) is played.
Hand Clapping Game Slide
Splash Games, June 11, 2009
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"STELLA ELLA OLA", "STROLLA OLA OLA", "SLAP BILLYOLA" Comment
This competitive circle hand game is known by a number of different names. Examples of this rhyme family are posted together regardless of their given name or their first line. Also, read "Quack Dilly Oso" rhymes on the "O, P" post and some versions of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" for other for examples of the same type of hand slapping game.
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STELLA ELLA HOLA
There was also a fun clapping game:
stella ella hola,
clap clap clap
singing es chico chico, chico chico chap
singing es chico chico
velo
velo
velo velo velo,
saying 1 2 3 4 5 [on 5, whoever clapped last would be out]
you would sit in a large circle, and put your hands 1 on top of the person beside you, the other hand below.- when the person beside you clapped their hand onto yours, you would repeat the clap, with each sound. If your hand was hit on 5, you would be out - you could lift your hand really fast and the person would clap themselves out instead)
-Emma; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php ; November 16, 2004
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STROLLA OLA OLA
Strolla olla olla
Slap, slap, slap.
With ah "s" cheeka cheeka
cheeka cheeka flap jack.
Fah lay, fah lay,
fah lay, fah lay, fah lay
With ah 1- 2- 3- 4- 5.
-African American girls & boys (ages 6-12 years), Fort Pitt Elementary School, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; 10/2000
-snip-
"Strolla Ola Ola", "Stella Ella Ola" and other rhymes with similar names belong to the same family of handclap games. "Quack Dily Oso" also belongs to this same rhyme family.
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STELLA ELLA OLA
Stella ella hola,
Clap clap clap
Say s chico chico, chico chico slap
Ssy s chico chico
Hello, hello
The toilet overflows.
Say 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10!
- stephstories, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VupeOqtpdoU&feature=related, "Stella-ella-ola?" ; November 13, 2006 (transcription from the video by Azizi Powell, 1/29/2011)
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STELLA STELLA HOLA
I'm from manitoba, Canada and we would sing the rythm like this :
Stella stella hola
Clap clap clap
Say es chico chico
Chico chico
Craker jack
Es chico chico
Balogne,balogne
With cheese and macaroni
Say 1,2,3,4,5
-Guest Julia, http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=77066&messages=61, "Kids chant Stella Ola Ola / Stella Ella Ola", June 2, 2010
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STELLA ELLA OLA & CROCODILLY OH MY
In my school there are a bunch of different ways..
Stella Ella Ella/Ola
Quack Quack Quack
Singing S teega teega,
teega teega shack shack!
follow follow follow follow follow-a/ valo, valo, valo, valo, volora
1 2 3 4 FIVE / 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 TEN /
OR
Crocodilly oh my
Quack Quack Quack!
Say sicko sicko
sicko sicko sock sock!
follow,follow,
stick your head in jello,
your face is turning yellow,
1 2 3 4 FIVE! / 1 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 TEN!
Guest guest; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=77066&messages=61, "Kids chant Stella Ola Ola / Stella Ella Ola", January 28, 2011
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STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE (Jump Rope Rhyme)
Strawberry shortcake
cream on top
Tell me the name
of your sweetheart
TAKE A PEACH TAKE A PLUM Comment
Examples of this rhyme family often start with an introductory phrase, but always include the line "take a peach (piece) and a plum/take a piece of bubble gum". These rhymes also often include "ooh ah/ I wanna piece of pie" verses.
The "Oah Aah I Wanna Piece Of Pie" rhymes - without the "take a peach/ take a plum verse- can be considered "kissing cousins" to "Take A Peach Take A Plum" rhymes.
TAKE A PEACH TAKE A PLUM (Example #1)
Shake, shake, shake
Eeny meeny
That's a queeny
Ooh ba Thumbalina
Ah cha ca che Liberace
Oh baby I love you
Yes I do.
Take a peach
Take a plum
Take a piece of bubble gum
No peach
No plum
Just a piece of bubble gum
Oooshe ahshe
Oooshe ahshe
I want a piece of pie
The pie too sweet
I want a piece of meat
The meat too tough
I want to ride the bus
The bus too full
I want to ride the bull
The bull too black
I want my money back
The money too green
I want a diamond ring.
-Barbara Michels, Bettye White, Apples On A Stick,
The Folklore of Black Children (Houston, Texas; 1983, p. 17)
-snip-
Some examples of "I Love Coffee I Love Tea" also contain "Take A Peach Take A Plum" verses.
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TAKE A PEACH, TAKE A PLUMB (Example #2)
here's one we used to play at school. (some words are not really words but are pronounced that way, this is not really the beginning to the song but the middle because I didn't know how to pronounce those words)
Take a peach take a plumb take a piece of bubble gum
No peach no plumb just a piece of bubble gum
Oche Iche, I want a piece of pie
The Pie to sweet
i want a piece of meat
the meat to rough
i wanna ride the bus
the bus to full
i wanna ride the bull
the bull to black
i want my money back
my money to green
i want a jelly bean
the jelly bean to white
goodnight sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite
if they do get a shoe an beat the black and blue
down by the river with the hangy pangy
where the bulldog jumped from bang to bang
there set a
A
E
I
O
U
That's all there set a
A
E
I
O
U
Listen to the beat
-R.S.; Octoblog; November 7, 2003 [This link is no longer active.]
-snip-
Notice the lines from "Down By The Hanky Panky" in this example.
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TAKE A PIECE, TAKE A PLUM (Example #3)
Ziz Zag zag
take a piece take a plum
take a piece 0f bubble gum
do you like it?
do you love it?
do the alabama shake it
shake it up
shake it down
shake it all around.
Spying on my boy friend - baby
didn't do the dishes - lazy
jumped out the window - crazy
and thats the facts of boys boys boys
-Miranda R., Cocojams, 12/5/2004
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TAKE A PIECE, TAKE A PLUM (Example #4)
take a piece, take a plum take a piece of bubble gum. no piece, no plum no piece of bubble gum. i like coffee, i like tea, i like the preety boy and he likes me so step back dumb boy, you dont shine, i'll meet you round the corner and beat your behind. last night, the night before, i met my boyfriend at the candy store. he bought me ice cream, he bought me cake, he bought me home with a stomach ache. i said "mama, mama, i feel sick. call the doctor QUICK,QUICK,QUICK! doctor, doctor before i die. i close my eyes and i count to five. 1..2..3,4,5 i'm alive." see that house on top of that hill? that's where me and my boyfriend live. cook that chicken, burn that rice. com on baby, lets shoot some dice!
-lesa; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php ,"Schoolyard games", {Octoblog], April 10, 2005
-snip-
This example was written in paragraph form. Can you identify the independent rhymes that are combined to make this playground rhyme?
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THE SPADES GO (Example #5 of "Take A Piece, Take A Plum")
the spades go eenie meaning pop zuchinni
oh ah, oobaleenie
atchie katchie liveratchie say the magic words
a peach a plum a half a stick of chewing gum
and if you want the other half
this is what you say
amen amen a men of san diego hocus pocus alerocus
ses ses ses boom bah
rivers rivers rah rah rah
boo boo boo
criss cross apple sauce
do me a favor and get lost
while your at it drop down dead
either that or lose your head
banging on a trash can
banging on a tin can
you can i can nobody else can
sitting around, with nothing to do, along comes grandma
and gootchie gootchie goo!
-lissandsara, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mJ_f8Vczok&feature=related August 30, 2008
-snip-
"The Spades" is the title given to this YouTube video of two White girls reciting this rhyme.
"The spades go" is sometimes given as "the space goes". "Spades" was and sometimes still is a derogatory reference for "Black people". However, I don't think that most children chanting this rhyme know that. Instead, I think that most children probably chant the words "the spades" (or "the space" or "the saints") without attributing any meaning to those words. However, I think originally in the context of these children's rhymes, the words "the spades" meant "the Black people" as a matter of fact statement which was short for "Here's how the Black children say and/or do this rhyme".
"The Down Down Baby" rhyme in the American movie Big is probably the most well known example of a children's rhyme that uses "the space goes" use as an introductory phrase. Read the entry below for an example of "the saints go" and the "Two Lips" entry below for other examples of "the spades go" in playground rhymes.
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TAKE A PIECE, TAKE A PLUM (Example #6)
The saints* go:
eenie meenie popsakini
ooh aah oobelini
otchie kothchie liberace
say the magic words:
a peach, a plum, a half a stick of chewing gum
and if you want the other half, this is what you say
amen, amen, amendiego sandiego
hocus pocus dominocus
sis sis, sis boom bah
rivers, rivers, rah rah rah
boo boo boo
criss cross, applesauce
do me a favor and get lost
while you’re at it drop dead
either that or lose your head.
sitting on a trash can
I can, you can, nobody else can
sitting around, nothing to do
along comes grandma**, cootchie coochie coo!***
*or “spades”… mmm racist overtones.
** or “fat lady.” right.
***accompanied by tickling, of course.
-l'zhiu, http://kateharding.net/2009/10/02/miss-lucy-had-friday-fluff "Shapely Prose", October 2, 2009
-snip-
The asterisks and comments were written by the contributor.
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TEDDY BEAR TEDDY BEAR (Jump Rope Rhyme) When I was growing up the jump rope song to Teddy bear lullabye went like this:
Teddy bear, teddy bear turn around,
teddy bear, teddy bear touch the ground,
teddy bear , teddy bear go upstairs ,
teddy bear , teddy bear say your prayers,
teddy bear teddy bear turn out the light,
teddy bear , say good night.
We also did actions while jumping, ie: turned around in a circle, touched the ground, picked up high knees to go up stairs,
folded hands to say prayers, flicked a finger to turn out the light,then jumped out of the rope to the side to say goodnight, this ended your turn. That sure was alot of fun! I came to this site to learn others to teach my daughter.Thanks alot everyone!
-Guest, ginger, http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=4300 "Children's Street Songs", 3/16/2004
-snip-
I remember saying this same rhyme as a child while jumping rope the same way that was described by this contributor. (in Atlantic City, New Jersey in the 1950s).
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TEN LITTLE ANGELS
Ten little angels
dressed in white
tryin to get to heaven
on the tail of a kite.
But the kite string broke
and down the fell.
Instead of goin to heaven
they went to
Nine little angels {repeat the rest of the words}.
Eight little angels...
Seven little angels...
Six little angels...
Five little angels...
Four little angels....
Three little angels...
Two little angels...
One little angel
dressed in white
tryin to get to heaven
on the tail of a kite.
But the kite string broke
and down she fell
instead of going to heaven
she went to
HELL!
-Azizi Powell (childhood memories, Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1950s)
-snip- The first verse of an early 20th century or earlier African American secular (non-religious) dance song called "Raise A Rucus Tonight" is an early source for the "Ten Little Angels" rhyme and its variant rhyme "Ten Little Devils". "Raise A Rucus Tonight" is included in Thomas W. Talley's now classic 1922 book Negro Folk Rhymes, Wise and Otherwise.
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TEXICO (Version #1) Jump Rope rhyme
I am watching a friend's three kids today, and I heard them in the basement (playroom) skipping rope...Here is one that is new on me:
Texico, Texico, all the way to Mexico
Do the splits, splits
Chinese Kicks, kicks
Turn around, round
Touch the Ground, ground!
-Neighmond, http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=56361 "Folklore: Skipping Rhymes & Playground Games", February 3, 2003
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TEXACO (Version #2) Jump Rope rhyme
(This one started with "cradles")
Texaco Texaco
OVER (start twirling the rope overhead) the hills to Mexico
Spanish dancers do the splits
Spanish dancers wiggle their hips
Spanish dancers turn around
Spanish dancers touch the ground
Spanish dancers get out of town (the jumper would jump out)
Standing outside the rope as it was twirling and jumping into it was called a run-in. Twirling the rope toward the jumper was "front doors," and twirling it away from the jumper was "back doors." It was harder to do a run-in back doors than front doors.
"Cradles" was swinging the rope back and forth just above the ground. Swinging it so that it almost went overhead but not quite was called "high waters." The most complex single rope twirl was called "TVs." It went two cradles-front doors-two cradles-back doors-cradles-front doors, etc.
Jumping with two ropes twirling inward was called "double Dutch." Twirling them outward was called "double Irish." The ropes were twirled left-right-left-right in a steady rhythm. If you twirled them both at the same time, you ended up with "eggbeaters," and that was the sign of an inept twirler.
By the way, when I was a little girl jumping rope in Wisconsin, I never would have imagined that inner city girls on the East Coast would make double Dutch into a competitive sport, complete with acrobatic and dance moves, such as vaulting over the twirlers to start jumping.
When I went to China in 1990, I learned that Chinese children DO play Chinese jumprope. It became popular when I was in fifth and sixth grade. It was sort of like cat's cradle for your feet. The girls at either end anchored the giant rubber band, and to be successful, you had to go through a series of maneuvers, jumping around among the bands.
-Lydia Leftcoast, http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=270x290#291 "Anybody remember jumprope rhymes?", Apr-30-2005
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TEXICO (Version #3) Jump Rope rhyme
Texico, Mexico all the way to Texico (swinging rope on ground)
where they do the splits, splits, splits (spread legs as if to do splits)
and high heel kicks, kicks, kicks (bend knees)
and turn around, round, round, (spin)
and touch the ground, ground, ground (bend down and touch ground W/fingers)
and they eat red hot chili peppers (spin rope quickly)
-no name given, http://www.gameskidsplay.net/jump_rope_ryhmes/jump_texico.htm, retrieved August 22, 2010
**** THE SIMPSONS (Version #1) The Simpsons Bart Simpson Lisa Simpson Homer and Marge That’s not all- Bart’s in double trouble
Bart Simpson Lisa Simpson Homer and Marge That’s not all- Bart’s in double trouble
Criss Cross Apple sauce Pump up the volume Pump up the volume Pump up the volume Pump up the volume Pump up the volume Freeze! Pump up the volume Pump up the volume Pump up the volume Pump up the volume For the last time Freeze! -Tamia, (12 year old African American girl, Maryland) Oct 29, 2005; collected by Marimba for Azizi Powell
-snip- "The Simpsons" is an American animated television series.
"Double trouble" means "a lot of trouble".
"Criss cross applesauce" is a rhyming term that is used as a command for young children in school to sit on the floor with their legs crossed.
"Pump of the volume" technically means "to increase the sound". However, in the context of playground rhymes, "pump up the volume" means "raise the energy level", and/or "be more enthusiastic". The saying "Pump up the volume" is often found in children's cheerleader cheers.
THE SIMPSONS (Version #3) Sin Sin Sin We do twist (tricks?) And I do twist (tricks?) And Maggie Maggie Maggie twist (tricks) And Mart is double trouble Mart is double trouble Criss cross The apple sauce Pump up the volume Pump up the volume Pump up the volume Now freeze 1 time Pump up the volume Pump up the volume Pump up the volume Now freeze - Alecia and Arianna, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJ9PPA7MaJk&feature=grec_index , April 25, 2009; transcribed by Azizi Powell on September 5, 2010
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THE SIMPSONS (Example #4) bart simpson lisa simpson homer and marge thats not all maggie maggie magie barts in trouble trouble criss cross jhonny apple sause pump up the volume pump up the volume now freeze! -http://forum.blackhairmedia.com/childhood-handgame-lyrics_topic242465_page5.html [This link is no longer active.]
**** THE SIMPSONS (Example #5) The Simpsons: Bart Simpson Lisa Simpson Homer and Marge ???? ???? ???? ???? Criss Cross Apple sauce Pump up the volume Pump up the volume Pump up the volume Pump up the volume Pump up the volume Freeze! Pump up the volume Pump up the volume Pump up the volume Pump up the volume And Freeze! -renjs, August 27, 2008 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehR2-Sa5qYQ&t=1s video summary: "Ren, Eric, Alex, Renee doing what Renee wants to do... again"
video description- Black father does four person hand claps with his children. -snip- This is my partial transcription of this video. Additions and corrections are welcome.
These are all of the versions of "The Simpsons" that I have come across, except for another video entitled "The Simpsons hand game" that was published by renjs in Aug 27, 2008. That rhyme is performed with a syncopated beat. Unfortunately, the words are difficult to understand, but they appear to be very similar to or the same as the words that is given in Example #1.
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THERE'S A PLACE ON MARS ; IN THE LAND OF MARS (and similar titles)
Examples from this rhyme family are presented together regardless of their title.
THERE'S A PLACE ON MARS (Example #1)
Coca Cola .. Came to town
Diet Pepsi ... Come on down
Theres a place on mars where the women smoke cigars
Every puff they take is enough to kill a snake
When the snake is dead they put roses on its head
When the roses die . they put diamonds in its eyes
When the diamond break .. they begin to make a cake
When the cake is done ... it'll be 1991
-heather, http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php ; 3/18/2006
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In the land of mars
where the ladies smoke cigars
and the smoke they make
is enough to kill a snake
when the snake is dead
they put roses in its head
when the rose has dies
they put diamonds in his eyes
when the diamonds fade
in the year of seventeen seventeen seventeen EIGHT
-steve, http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php ; 12/3/2006
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IN THE LAND OF MARS (Version #3)
In the land of mars
where the babys smoke cigars
and the men wear bikinis
and the women drink martinis
and the stuff they drink
is enough to kill a mink
when the mink is dead
they put flowers in its head
when the flowers die
they put diamonds in its eyes
when the diamonds break
its enough to bake a cake
when the cake is baked its 1991
92,93,94,95,96,97,98,99, 2000!
We sang that in elementary school in Pennsylvania.
-Aubri; Cocojams, 4/15/2007
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ON THE PLANET MARS (Version #4)
with the same game as down by the banks: [of the Hanky Panky]
On the planet Mars where the ladies smoke cigars
every puff they make is enough to kill a snake
when the snakes are dead they put roses in their heads
when the roses die they put diamonds in their eyes
when the diamonds break they say: “5, 6, 7, 8, let me see your booty shake!” (you’re out if hit on shake)
-bippity, http://kateharding.net/2009/10/02/miss-lucy-had-friday-fluff/ "Shapely Prose", November 4, 2009
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TIC TAC TOE (Version #1) tic tac toe three in a row barney got shot by a gi joe momma called The doctor doctor said woop
Barney’s dead woop Barney’s dead -@etain8108, 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWdLkDo5GlY "Hand Tic Tac Toe Game", published by Splash Games, Jun 11, 2009
**** TIC TAC TOE (Version #2) heres another one:
tic tac toe, give me an x give me an o, give me a three in a
row. rock paper scissors shoot! i win u lose i'll give u a bruise. no fair no
fair i'll pull ur hair -@5o4whitney, 2011, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWdLkDo5GlY "Hand Tic Tac Toe Game", published by Splash Games, Jun 11, 2009
**** TIC TAC TOE (Version #3) i play it:
tick tac toe going high going low going criss cross lollipop pull a chain fly
to spain and back again tic tac toe ( rock paper scissors) (then when you win
you pinch the other persons cheek(lightly) and you play again untill your
pinching both cheeks then you slap them(the cheeks(lightly))and take their hand
and say i win you loose now you get a big bruise.. its a more fun way of playing rock paper
scissor ;) xx -@020174020174,2011, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWdLkDo5GlY "Hand Tic Tac Toe Game", published by Splash Games, Jun 11, 2009
**** TIC TAC TOE (Version #4) This is how my friends play it "Tic tac to, give me a x
give me a o give me a three in a row...Johnny got hit by a UFO and landed on a
marshmallow then went down to Mexico to play a game of tic tac to!!! - @luckysgamevideos7831,2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRGNNSq6pLs "Johnny Got Hit By A UFO", published by Douglas Ross, Aug 28, 2017 -snip- In 2023 another commenter @dominichernandez2391 replied "No it’s Jonny got hit by a UFO all the way to mexico".
**** TIC TAC TOE (Version #5)
One version of the rhyme (played at School 17) is as follows:
Tic-tac-toe gimme a high gimme a low,
Gimme a three-in-a-row.
Bunny got hit by a UFO (while playing paper, scissors, rock)
Bunny got hit by a UFO (while playing paper, scissors, rock)
Bunny got hit by a UFO (while playing paper, scissors, rock)
The person who loses paper, scissors, rock turns around while the winner pokes out one finger, running it along the other players back and says:
Snake (or snakey) going down your back, which finger is that?
The player tries to guess which finger had been used on her back and has two guesses to get it right. If they don't get it right, the 'winner' grabs the other players arm and punches it up and down while chanting:
I win; you lose; now you get a big bruise.
-http://ctac.esrc.unimelb.edu.au/biogs/E000059b.htm "Childhood, Tradition & Change" [Australian children's playground activities in the early 21st century]
-snip-
That page on Australian playground activities has other variant forms of how this rhyme is chanted and played.
Examples of "Mama Mama Can't You See" include the lines "tic tac toe/three in a row/Barney's got killed by G.I. Joe" (Read examples of "Mama Mama Can't You See" on the "M, N" post of this cocojams2 series.) Notice how the name "Barney" has been changed to the word "Bunny". This may be a result of "folk etymology", when people misremember a word or phrase, or changes an unfamiliar word or phrase or one that makes no sense to them to a familiar word or phrase or a word or phrase that makes more sense to them.
TWO LIPS (Version #1)
The spades go two lips together
Tie them forever
Bring back my love to me.
What is the meaning of this?
For all the fellows I've kissed
They tell the story
the story of l-o-v-e.
-Debbie O, http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=81350 "I'm Rubber . You're Glue: Children's Rhymes", December 29, 2006
-snip-
"Two lips" is a folk etymology form of the word "tulips". The line about tulips tied together probably refers to a love charm that was believed to bring one's love back.
"The spade go" in this rhyme is an introductory phrase. The actual rhyme begins with the words "two lips". Introductory phrases usually have different hand actions than the actual rhyme. The usual motions I've seen for the introductions are the partners swinging their clapsed hands back and forth (with their arms stretched out in front of them) or clapsing their pinkies and swinging them back & forth.
****
ACE OF SPADES ((Version #1 of Two Lips)
Does anyone know a hand clapping song called (I think?) "Ace of Spades"? It goes like this:
Ace of spades goes two lips together,
down and forever
bring back my love to me
what is the meaning meaning meaning
of all the flow-ow-ow-ow-flowers
they tell the sto-o-o-o-story
the story of love from me to you
Then I think it goes back to Ace of Spades, but I don't remember if there are any more verses, and I don't remember the specifics of the hand clapping.
Anyone out there know anything more?
Thanks!!!
-ratgirl, http://hubpages.com/hub/Recess-is-BACK-Hand-Clapping-Games, May 10, 2010
-snip-
This is a folk processed form of the rhyme "Two Lips". Read my comments above about the "Two Lips" rhyme. The "ace of spades" is a particular card in a deck of playing cards. The use of that phrase might confirm that children reciting this rhyme didn't/don't know that the word "spades" was/is used as a (usually derogatory) referent for "Black people".
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-real-meaning-of-spades-go-space-go.html for the pancocojams post "The REAL Meaning Of "The Spades Go" & "The Space Go" In Playground Rhymes". That post includes a video of actor Tom Hanks (who starred in the movie Big reciting "Down Down Baby". That post also includes a transcription of that version of that rhyme, and other versions of rhymes that include the phrase "the spades go" or "the space goes".
This cocojams2 series showcases examples of English language hand clap & jump rope rhymes, with a special focus on examples from African American culture. The pages present examples whose "titles" begin with the featured two letters, with the exception of post #11 in this series which features examples whose titles begin with the letters "u" - "z".)
Unless otherwise indicated, the examples given below were (or "are") "hand clap rhymes".
This cocojams2 series on English language hand clap and jump rope rhymes isn't meant to be a comprehensive listing of those rhymes. For instance, I've chosen not to include a number of versions of rhymes that are generally found on other children's rhyme sites.
A number of these rhymes are featured in posts on my pancocojams blog. Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/ and either enter that rhyme's name or enter the words "children's rhymes" or "African American rhymes and cheers".
Also, a number of the examples in this collection were featured on my cocojams.com cultural website that was online since December 2001. That website vanished late October 2014 [!?!) and I am partially recreating its playground rhymes pages from back-up files and from recent internet "rhyme harvesting". That's the story behind this blog name cocojams2.
****
The content of this post is presented for folkloric and recreational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who have contributed to this collection.
THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS.
EXAMPLES OF HAND CLAP & JUMP ROPE RHYMES
Note: These examples are published in alphabetical order based on their titles or the first few words of their first line. Multiple versions of specific rhymes are presented in chronological order based on their publishing date online or their collection date, with the oldest dated examples presented first.
Q, R
QUACK DIDDLY OSO
quack diddly oso
quack quack quack
singing sam a rico rico rico rico
flora flora flora flora flora
1234
- TheDelaney121 (viewer comment) ; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHTc4h-rR08 "Quack Diddly O' So, July 2010
-snip-
"Quack Dilly Oso" (and similarly spelled names) is a hand slapping game that is played by a group of people standing (or, less often, sitting) in a circle. A designator starter slaps the hand of the person on her or his right while the group says the first word. That person slaps the hand of the person to her or his right while the group chants the next syllable. This continues with each syllable (or one syllable word) until the last syllable is chanted. The person whose hand is slapped on that last syllable is out. This continues until there are only two people remaining. Those two face each other and take turns slapping each other's hand while chanting the rhyme. The person whose hand is slapped at the end is "out" and the other person is the "winner".
Other hand slapping games are "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" and "Stella Ella Ola" (also known as "Stella Ola Ola", "Strolla Ola Ola" and "Slap Billyola". Examples of those rhymes will be included in cocojams2 posts.
While "hand clapping games" are considered something only girls under 13 years of age do, an increasing number of female and male teens and adults play these lightly competitive hand slapping games.
****
A QUACK A DILLY OMO (Version #2)
This is so great to read - I love how oral tradition has changed and modified it - the song has different dialects :)
In upstate NY, I learned:
A quack a dilly oma
quack quack quack
Hey chico, chico,
Chico, chico, Chack
Follow, follow, follow, follow, follow
Follow 1-2-3-4
For ours 4 was the "get out" number with the same right hand to left hand clapping. Once down to 2 players though, the after singing the number "4", the chanting went "i declare a thumb war - kiss. bow. begin" and the thumb war determined the ultimate winner.
As a music teacher now in CT, I pass on my version to my students - though I had no idea until now that it existed in so many different variations. Can't even remember where I learned it but I've been teaching it since working at camps in high school.
-Guest Erin, http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=77066&messages=64 "Kids chant Stella Ola Ola / Stella Ella Ola", July 5, 2010
-snip- "CT" = Connecticut
**** REESES PIECES BUTTER CUP
I have another Hand Clap that I like. It's called Resses Peices Butter-Cup! It goes like this:
Resses Peices Butter-Cup
Come On Girl(or your name) Show your Stuff
My Back Aches, My Skirts Too Tight,
My Hips Shake From Left To Right:
Left To Right, Left-Left To Right-Right
Left To Right, Left-Left To Right!
(By: **!!Enforcers Cheer Girl!!** Date Recited: ?-2007 Recited By: Me, My Friends, A Lot Of Other People, And Cheerleaders Around The World (Boys And Girls)
-Cheer Girl; 2/11/2007
-snip-
The first part of this rhyme is from "Brickwall Waterfall". The remainder of this rhyme-beginning with the line "My Back Aches, My Skirts Too Tight"-is from the rhyme "Bang Bang Choo Choo Train".
Examples of "Brickwall Waterfall" will be included in cocojams2's chldren's taunting rhymes post. Examples of "Bang Bang Choo Choo Train" will be included in cocojams2's children's game songs and movement rhymes page.
ROCKIN ROBIN
Editor's Note: "Rockin Robin" rhymes are also called "Tweedleelee", "Tweet Baby" and similarly sounding words.
TWEEDLEELEE (also known as "Rockin Robin" or "Tweet Baby", etc.)
Tweedleelee
(Treetop)
Tweedleelee
(My Prop)
Tweedleelee
Popsicle, popsicle, Your butt stinks
He rocks in the tree top
all day long
huffin and ah puffin
and ah singin his song.
All the little birds on Jay Bird street
Love to hear the bird go
Tweet Tweet Tweet!
Rockin Robin
Tweet Tweetdalee
Rockin Robin
Tweet Tweetdalee
I went downtown
To get ah stick of butter.
I saw James Brown
layin in the gutter.
I saw a piece of glass
stickin in his butt.
I never saw a Black man
run so fast.
Mama's in the kitchen
cookin rice.
Daddy's outside
shootin dice.
Brother's in jail
raisin bail.
Sister's on the corner
Selling fruit cock tail
Rockin Robin
Tweet Tweetdalee
Rockin Robin
Tweet Tweetdalee
-African American girls and boys ages 6-13 years old, Pittsburgh, Pa, 1999, Northview Heights [The Buddy Program; a coed after-school program for elementary school children]; collected by Azizi Powell, 1999
-snip-
From 2000-2005, the years that I actively collected playgroung rhymes in African American communities in and around Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the most widely known rhyme and what appeared to be the favorite rhyme was "Rockin Robin". That rhyme was most often known as "Tweeleelee", "Tweedalee", "Tweet Baby" or some similar sounding word or words.
My observations were that-unlike many other hand clap rhymes-"Rockin Robin" was usually performed as a four person hand clapping game. Here's a descrption of that movement pattern that refers to another rhyme ("Ooh Ah, I want A Piece Of Pie"), but also fits performances of "Rockin Robin":
From http://www.inthe00s.com/archive/inthe80s/smf/1109960765.shtml "Those Clapping Games, posted by ADH13 on 03/04/05
"There was another one we used to do with 4 people and we'd clap to the person on the left, then to the person on the right, then reach up and clap to the person across from us, then scrunch down and clap to the person across from us again, then keep repeating the pattern."
I'm breaking my "no videos on cocojams2" rule and embedding the following video which shows that four person hand clap pattern:
Rockin' Robin part 2
Posted by OMGxxWeeWaa / July 01, 2007
"science class, last day of school" -snip-
PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE: The words to the example of "Rockin Robin" that are given above are sanitized (self-censored). That rhyme contains profanity, particularly the "James Brown" verse. The "sister on the corner selling fruit cock tail" means that she was prostituting. The accompanying movements to that line allude to that as the words "Fruit Cock Tail" were emphasized and girls switched their butts in time with the beat of each syllable of that phrase. I've also seen girls touch the back of their butts while saying those syllables.
However, I never heard any profanity in the words to "Tweeleelee" rhymes (or any other rhymes) when I ask children do they know "Tweeleelee" or when I ask them which rhymes they knew and they chanted "Tweeleelee" without any prompting from me. Furthermore, I don't think that every child who chants "Tweeleelee" knows the "dirty" version ("Dirty" is the word that children in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania use to describe something that contains taboo content and/or language). My experience was that some children are really "anal" about not saying anything that could possibly be considered "nasty" - for instance, in the rhyme "Bang Bang Choo Choo Train" a nine year old Black girl didn't want to say the word "butt" and "bra" (One version of that rhyme has the lines "My bra's too tight/my butt is shaking from the left to the right."). And a 10 year old girl who was quite strong willed convinced a group of three older girls that they should all say "He [James Brown] had a stick of butter in his butter" instead of "in his butt" (Actually, the un-censored word was "ass" instead of "butt"). When I asked that girl why she changed the word "butt" to "butter", she said that "butt" wasn't a nice word.
By the way, on several occasions, boys up to the age of six years or so were enthusiastic about showing me how they did hand claps to this rhyme. After that age, it seemed to me that boys would chant the rhyme but didn't want to do the hand claps, perhaps they considered that to be a "girl's thing". While this age cut off for boys was true for all hand clap rhymes, my experience was that boys were much more enthusiastic about this rhyme than any other, with the possible exception of the "I Believe I Can Fly" (I got shot by the FBI) rhyme. But that rhyme is just chanted with no accompanying movements that I'm aware of.
In my experience, the cut off age for many girls choosing to perform hand clap rhymes is around twelve to thirteen years old.
**** The R&B song "Rockin Robin" was first recorded in 1958 by African American singer Bobby Day.
Michael Jackson recorded "Rockin Robin" in 1972. That was Michael Jackson's second solo record independent of his singing with his siblings The Jackson 5. The "tweeleelee" title and refrain for "Rockin Robin" recreational rhymes comes from that record's lyrics.
****
Two African American women in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania have told me that they recited this rhyme in the 1970s basically the same way it is given above. -snip-
RONALD MCDONALD (Version #1)
Ronald McDonald
was ah Hamburger
Ronald McDonald
was ah hamburger
Ooh! Wishie Washie
Ah hamburger
Ooh! Wishie Washie
Ah hamburger
It tasted good, like
Ah hamburger
It tasted good, like
Ah hamburger
Ice cream soda
with a cherry on top.
Now shake it baby
Ah boom bang!
-Donetta A.(African American female), collected by Azizi Powell, early 1990s.
-snip-
Donnetta told me that her younger sister taught this hand clap rhyme to her around 1976, 1977 (in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania).
In the repeated phrase "a biscuit", the word "a" is pronounced "ah". This is the usual way that many African Americans pronounce the word "a", at least in our informal spoken conversations.
****
RONALD MCDONALD (Version #2)
Ronald McDonald
loves ah__ hamburger [The dash means to pause one beat before saying the next syllable]
Ooh she she wah wah
ah___ hamburger
I fell in love
With ah __
Hamburger
Big Mac
Quarter Pounder
Icey coke
Milk shake
Sundaes
and apple pie.
You deserve a beak today
so get up and get away
At McDonald's!
And the dish ran away with the spoon.
-T.M.P.; mid 1980s; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
-snip-
T.M.P. is my daughter. When this rhyme was posted on cocojams.com., she was an elementary school teacher. TMP shared with me that to date (2008) African American elementary school age girls & boys in her school still "do" this exact same "song" to handclaps, particulary during school bus rides to field trips.
The first lines up until "you deserve etc" is a recitation of the exact words of that McDonald's commercial. "You deserve a break today/so get up and get away/at McDonald's" is sung in the same tune and the same way as that commercial.
"And the dish ran away with the spoon" is recited. That line is from the Mother Goose rhyme "Hey Diddle Diddle". I asked my daughter why she added that line to this rhyme and she said "Because it fit". :o). I have read other examples of the "Big Mac" rhyme that also end with the line "and the dish ran away with the spoon".
Examples of "Big Mac" are found in cocojams' "A, B" handclap and jump rope rhyme page.
****
RONALD MCDONALD A BISCUIT (Version #2)
Ronald McDonald a biscuit, a biscuit
Are shu shu wanna wanna biscuit
I’ve got a boyfriend, a biscuit
He’s soo sweet, a biscuit,
Ice cream cherry on the cherry on the top.
Ice cream cherry on the cherry on the bottom.
Down down baby
Down down the roller coaster
Sweet sweet baby,
I don’t wanna let ya go. [actually let cha]
Gimme gimme lollipops
Gimme gimme pow
Gimme gimme coco pops
Gimme gimme stick-ups!
-bunnyfrogs, http://www.flickr.com/photos/bunnyfrogs/galleries/72157624912523550/ "Clapping Rhymes"
-snp-
The comment in brackets was written by that blogger.
“Are shu shu wanna wanna” is probably a folk processed from of the scatting sounds “ooh she she wah wah”.
