![]() |
Nursery Rhymes, Clapping Games, Jump Rope ditties
I find this whole genre of activities fascinating and nostalgic. Did you play these when you were little? What do you remember?
Cinderella Dressed in yella Went to meet her handsome fella. On the way her undies busted How many people were disgusted? 1, 2, 3, 4 . . . (found in Wikipedia) I remember: Take me Out to the Ball Game (clapping game) Not last night but the night before, 24 robbers . . . (jump rope game) Mary Mack! . . . and, how come boys didn't do this stuff? I mean--do boys have an equivalent? besides dodgeball? ;) |
The East End (where my family were from) was replete with off-colour ditties, and we sang them as children, not really knowing they weren't quite suitable.
We had nursery rhymes and skipping games of course, but if I list all the ones I remember we'll be here ages. Better to tell you some you might not hear elsewhere! We used to sing "When we go down hopping" - East End families used to go and pick hops in Kent as a working holiday, my Dad went once but doesn't remember it, his older brothers did. I've made the rhymes below Cellar-specific, they were often about family - we used to sing about Nanny Doyle. There were no set verses, just numbers and what you could make them rhyme with. When we go down hopping We knock at number one See the Mercenary Polishing his gun With an e-i-o, e-i-o, e-i-e-i-o! When we go down hopping we knock at number too See old Lumberjimus Farting on the loo With an e-i-o, e-i-o, e-i-e-i-o! etc etc And: All of a sudden, a dirty great puddin' Come flying through the air Aimed at my brother, it hit my poor Mother and knocked her off the chair Now Ain't it a pity, she's only one titty To bash against the wall..... don't ask - I have no idea! |
wow! that's very cool, thanks, SG!
|
Quote:
Cinderella Dressed in yella Went upstairs to kiss a fella Made a mistake And kissed a snake How many doctors did it take? 1, 2, 3... |
My favourite clapping game:
I had the scarlet fever I had it very bad They wrapped me in a blanket And put me in a van The van was very shakey It nearly shook me out And when I got to the hospital I heard the children shout "Oh Mummy, oh Daddy Please take me away I've been here for a year or more And now they make me scrub the floor Here comes Doctor Cannister Sliding down the bannister Half way down he splits his pants And now he's doing the can-can dance!" (at this point you stop clapping and stand doing the can-can) Heh, I'd forgotten about that until today. |
anyone know the jumping rhyme that starts, "Seashells, cockleshells . . . " ?
|
[clapping game]
I asked my mother for fifty cents To see an elephant jump the fence He jumped so high He touched the sky And never came back 'til the 4th of July |
[jump rope song]
Johnny by the ocean Johnny by the sea Johnny broke a milk bottle And blamed it on me! I told Ma Ma told Pa Johnny got a whippin' so Ha! Ha! Ha! How many whippin's did Johnny get? [then the jumper would jump fast - hot peppers! - counting up as high as possible before tangling feet and falling down] |
On top of spaghetti
All covered with cheese I lost my poor meatball When somebody sneezed It rolled off the table And onto the floor And then my poor meatball Rolled out of the door. And another version: On top of ????? All covered with sand I shot my dear teacher With a red rubber band. I shot her with pleasure I shot her with pride I couldn't have missed her She's forty feet wide. |
did you do jumping/clapping to On top of Spaghetti? We just sang it.
|
I may have jumped or clapped, on occasion.Don't look at me like I didn't jump and clap. I jumped and clapped a LOT. ;)
|
Finally remembered all the words to another clapping song:
Down by the river Swanee, Swanee There sat my boyfriend Johnny, Johnny Teeth knocked out and hair peroxide-d Tell by the moon that he's crossed eye-d Ruffles on his underwear Flapping in the breezes Can't you hear Knocking of his knees-es Once he's gone he'll never come home But I love him just the same. |
amazing oral history stuff, really. Here's the rolling pin one:
Not last night but the night before,* 24 robbers came knocking at our door As I went out to let them in, They hit me over the head with a rolling pin! 1, 2, 3, 4 . . . *to this day, whenever I hear that phrase in conversation (and it comes up more than you'd think) my brain fills in the rest of the rhyme. |
As I was walking down the street one bright and sunny day,
I came upon a billboard that stood along the way. The sign was torn and tattered from the storm the night before, The wind and rain had done its work and this is what I saw. Smoke Coca-Cola cigarettes, chew Wrigley's spearmint beer, Ken-L-Ration dog food makes your complexion clear. Simonize your baby with a Hershey's candy bar, And Texaco's the beauty cream that's used by all the stars. So, take your next vacation in a brand new Fridgidaire, Learn to play piano in your winter underwear, Doctors say that babies should smoke until they're 3, And people over 65 should bathe in Lipton Tea. |
That is brilliant!
|
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:30 PM. |
Powered by: vBulletin Version 3.8.1
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.