There's a song in my head ...

By Andrea

Now that the weather has cleared, our playtime has finally moved outside.

One of my favourite things about being a parent is the fact that I get the chance to relive the fun parts of my childhood again. I can sing, play, skip down the street, and as long as one of my daughters is with me no one will sound the alarm or call those guys in the nice white coats.

As I write this it occurs to me that these childhood games I am teaching my daughters, these rhymes and songs, are actually part of our culture. It would be a shame to lose them.

I have taught Emma a few "patty cake" rhymes.

Miss Sue, Miss Sue, Miss Sue from Alabama,
Sitting in a rocker, eating Betty Crocker,
Watching the clock go tick … tock…
Ticktock sha-walla walla
A B C D E F G – wash those stains right off of me,
Moonshine, moonshine, moonshine, FREEZE!

And

Miss Lucy had a baby, his name was Tiny Tim,
She put him in a bathtub, to see if he could swim.
He drank up all the water, he ate up all the soap,
He tried to eat the bathtub but it wouldn't go down his throat.
Miss Lucy called the doctor, Miss Lucy called the nurse,
Miss Lucy called the lady with the alligator purse!

Next up ... skipping. Emma's not quite co-ordinated yet but I'm itching to start.

Not last night but the night before,
Twenty-four robbers came to my door,
And this is what they said to me –
Lady turn around, turn around, turn around,
Lady touch the ground, touch the ground, touch the ground,
Lady show your shoe, show your shoe, show your shoe,
Lady that'll do, that'll do, that'll do.

Care to contribute your own? :)

Since I'm in Canada, I would be interested to hear from readers from other regions. Are these familiar? Are there regional differences? i.e. would a person from Alabama be singing about a crazy lady eating Joe Louis in Quebec instead?

Comments

[Grace]

Ok I know I just posted a comment but I was just reading some of these comments and you have a little kid well most of those were not little kid meteral it's really sad

[Grace]

I had a little turtle his name was tiny tim I put him in the bathtub to see if he could swim he drank up all the water he ate up all the soap and now my little turtle is sick in bed with a bubble in hi throat and
Miss.Suzy had a baby she named him TinyTim she put him in the bathtub to see if he could swim he drank up all the water he ate up all the soap and now Miss.Suzy's baby has a bubble in his throat Miss.Suzy called the doctor Miss.Suzy called the nurse Miss.Suzy called the lady with alligator purse the doctor said measles the nurse said mumps but bubbles said the lady with the alligator purse

[Icepop]

Miss suzie had a steam boat
the steamboat had a bell
miss suzie went to heaven and the steamboat went to
HELLo operator
gimme number 9
if you disconnect me
ill chop off your
BEHIND the fridgerator
there was a peice of glass
Miss suzie sat upon it
and it went up her
ASSk me no more questions
tell me no more lies
cuz boys are in the bathroom pulling down their
FLIES are in the meadow
bees are in the park
boys and girls are kissing in the D-A-R-K D-A-R-K D-A-R-K dark dark
the dark is like the movies
the movies like a show
the show is like a TV set
and thats all i really know
i know my ma
i know my pa
i know my sister lost her 18 doller 18 doller 18 doller bra*
my ma was born in england
my pa was born in france
my brother is the one who pulls down his underpants
my mother is Godzilla
my father is KingKong
my sister is the idiot who made me sing this song

* alternite ending:
My mom gave me a nickel
My dad gave me a dime
My sister gave me her boyfriend
And he was Frankenstein

He made me wash the dishes
He made me wash the floor
He made me wash his underpants
So I threw him out the door

I threw him over London
I threw him over France
I threw him to Hawaii
Where he learned the hula dance.

another one:

i went to a chinese restarat to buy loaf of bread bread bread
the waitor asked me whats my name and this is what i said said said
hi im charlie i know karate
punch you in the body
oops im sorry
dont call my mommy
chinese japinese portigese
freeze everybody clap your hands clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap

and...

when pebbles was a baby a baby when pebbles was a baby she used to go like this: wahwah
when pebbles was a toddler a toddler when pebbles was a toddler she used to go like this: wahwah suck my thumb
when pebbles was a schoolgirl a schoolgirl when pebbles was a schoolgirl she used to go like this: wahwah suck my thumb gimme a piece of bubblegum
when pebbles was a teenager a teenage when pebbles was a teenager she used to go like this: wah wah suck my thumb gimme a peice of bubblegum ohh ahh i lost my bra left it in my boyfriends car
when pebbles was a mother a mother when pebbles was a mother she used to go like this: wahwah suck my thumb gimme a peice of bubblegum ooh ahh i lost my bra left it in my boy friends car honey its coming!
when pebbels was a grandma a grandma when pebbles was a grandma she used to go like this: wahwah suck my thumb gimme a peice of bubblegum ooh ahh i lost my bra left it in my boy friends car honey its coming!my boils need numing!
when pebbles had a heart attack a heart attack when pebbles had a heart attack she used to like this: wahwah suck my thumb gimme a peice of bubblegum ooh ahh i lost my bra left it in my boy friends car honey its coming! my boils need nummbing. HELP ME HELP ME!
when pebbles was dead was dead when pebbles was dead she used to go like this: im dead

[Robbin Carter]

Miss Mary Mack

Miss Mary mack, mack, all dressed in black, black, black with silver buttons, buttons, buttons, all down her back, back, back, she asked her mother, mother, mother, for 50 cents,cents,cents, to see the elephants, elephants,elephants, jump over the fence, fence, fence, he jumped so high, high, high, up in the sky, sky, sky, he didn't come back, back, back, until the 4Th of July, July, July!!!!

[Shalala.]

Down down baby I can do karate.
Down down baby I can cut salami.
Down down baby I can call my mommie.
Down down baby I can shake my body.
Down down baby OOPS I'M SORRY. [hit the other persons head.]

[Amanda1317]

This is how I remember the song...

Ms. Suzie had a steamboat the steamboat had a horn (toot toot), the steamboat went to heaven, Ms. Suzie went to
Hello operater, please give me number nine. If you disconnect me i'll chop off your
Behind the frigerator there was a piece of glass, Ms. Suzie sat upon it and hurt her little
Ask me no more questions tell me no more lies, the boys are in the bathroom zipping up their
Flies are in the meadow the bees are in the park Ms. Suzie and her boyfriend are kissing in the D-A-R-K D-A-R-K dark dark dark
Darker than the ocean darker than the sea darker than the underwear my mommy put on me...
I know I know my ma
I know I know my pa
I know I know my sister with the 40 acre bra
Oh hello operator please give me # 10 and if you disconnect me I'll sing this song again! :)

[Ashley]

1) down in the valley where the green grass grows, there sat (name) pretty as a rose along came (name of someone they like) and kissed him/her on the cheek. how many kisses can (s)he get this week 1,2,3,4...(clapping get quicker as numbers get higher), or use it for jump rope.
2)miss mary had a baby a baby a baby, miss mary had a baby and this is what it said WAH WAH, stir stir mix mix

miss mary had a child a child a child miss mary had a child and this is what it said WAH WAH gimme a sucker stir stir mix mix

miss mary had teenager a teenager a teenager miss mary had a teenager and this is what she said WAH WAH, gimme a sucker, OH AH i lost my bra must be in my boyfriends car stir stir mix mix

miss mary became an adult an adult an adult miss mary became an adult and this is what se said WAH WAH, gimme a sucker, OH AH i lost my bra must be in my boyfriends car, shit i'm having baby stir stir mix mix

Miss mary was a grandmother a grandmother a grandmother miss mary was a grandmother and this is what she said WAH WAH, gimme a sucker, OH AH lost my bra must be in my boyfriends car, shit i'm having a baby AND NOW I'M DEAD

[priscilla pouanga]

does anyone know all the verses for the tiny tim song...i think it has 7 verses.

[Mesmo Cortez]

row row row your boat
gently down the stream
throw your *insert person you dislike* overboard
then hear them scream

[Mesmo Crotez]

This is a messed up version of miss mary mack i read in a book

miss mary mack mack mack
all dressed in black black black
she has a knife knife knife
stuck in her back back back
she can not breath breath breath
she can not cry cry cry
thats why she begs begs begs
she begs to die die die

[Bex]

I know I know my ma
I know I know my pa
I know I know my sister with the tie-dye D-cup bra.

My ma gave me nickle
My pa gave me a dime
My sister gave me a boyfriend
who kissed me all the time.

He kissed me over London
he kissed me over France
he kissed me over Hawaii while they did the Hula dance.

My ma took back the nickle
my dad took back the dime
my sister took back the boyfriend
and gave me Frankenstein!

He made me wash the dishes
he made me clean the floors
he made me clean his dirty underwear
so I kicked him out the door!

I kicked him over London
I kicked him over France
I kicked him over Hawaii
without his underpants!

[chantel]

miss molly had a steamboat , her steam boat had a bell toot toot , miss molly went to heaven her steam boat went to hell-o operator please give me # 9 and if you dissconect me ill kick you from behind the yellow curtain there was a piece of glass miss molly sat upon it and broke her big fat ass-k me no more questions, tell me no more lies , the boys are in the bathroom zipping up their flies are in the city bees are in the park miss molly and her boyfriend are kissing in the d-a-r-k dark is like a movie a movies like a show a show is like the radio and thats not all i know . I know i know my maa i know i know my paa i know i know my sister with the forty acre bra !

[Leyla]

miss suzie had a steamboat the
steamboat had a bell ding!ding!miss suzie went to heaven the steamboat went to hello operator please give me number nine and if you disconnect me ill chop off your behind the refrigerator there was a piece of glass miss suzie sat upon it and broke her little ask me no more questions tell me no more lies the boys are in the bathroom zipping up there flies are in the meadows the bees are in there hives as miss suzie and her boyfriend are kissing in the d a r k d a r k dark dark dark! darker than the oceans darker than the seas darker than the underwear my mommy puts on me i know i know my ma i know i know my pa i know i know my sister with the forty acre bra! my mommy s godzilla my daddy is king kong my brother is the stupid one who made me sing this song!

[sarah]

hah weird

[Jessee]

Bumble Bee Song

I'm bringin' home a baby bumblebee
Won't my mommy be so proud of me
I'm bringin' home a baby bumblebee
OUCH, it stung me!

I'm squishin' up my baby bumblebee
Won't my mommy be so proud of me
I'm squishin' up my baby bumblebee
YUCK, it's all over me!

I'm lickin' up my baby bumblebee
Won't my mommy be so proud of me
I'm lickin' up my baby bumblebee
OOHHH, I feel sick!

I'm pukin' up my baby bumblebee
Won't my mommy be so proud of me
I'm pukin' up my baby bumblebee
EEWWW, what a mess!

[Jessee]

My boyfriend's name is Sammmie,
he comes from Alabamie.
With freckles on his nose and strawberry curls
and this is how my story goes.
One day he gave me peaches,
One day he gave me pears,
One day he gave me a diamond ring and kissed me on the stairs.
One day as I was walking,
I heard my boyfriend talking,
to a pretty little girl with strawberry curls and this is what he said to her,
I L-O-V-E love you,
I K-I-S-S kiss you,
I L-O-V-E love you,
I K-I-S-S kiss you.
I gave him back his peaches,
I gave him back his pears,
I gave him back his diamond ring and kicked him down the stairs.

[rosa and alanna]

crack baby mother fucking 2 time bitch
your mama is in the kitchen cooking hot roast tits
your daddys in jail
your brothers on bail
your sistersround the corner saying
PUSSY FOR SALE!!
not to good for kids but ahha

[Maxine]

3, 6, 9
the goose drank wine
the monkey chewed tobacco on the street car line
the line broke
the monkey got choked
and they all went to heaven in a little row boat
clap your hands, 1, 2
and sing this little merry tune
my mama told me
if i was goody
that she would buy me
a rubber dolly
my auntie told her
i kissed a soldier
now she won't but me
a rubber dolly

[Maxine]

3, 6, 9
the goose drank wine
the monkey chewed tobacco on the street car line
the line broke
the monkey got choked
and they all went to heaven in a little row boat
clap your hands, 1, 2
and sing this little merry tune
my mama told me
if i was goody
that she would buy me
a rubber dolly
my auntie told her
i kissed a soldier
now she won't but me
a rubber dolly

[Disney]

I learned two versions of this:

Say, say, my playmate...
Come on and play with me...
I have my dollies three...
Climb up my apple tree...
Slide down my rainbow...
Into my cellar door...
And we'll be jolly friends...
Forever more, more, many many more more...
Pick up the candy off the floor, FREEZE!

And the alternate version:

Say, say, my playmate...
I cannot play with you...
My dollie has the flu...
Boo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo...
I have no rainbow...
I have no cellar door...
But we'll be jolly friends...
Forever more, more, many many more more...
Pick up the candy off the floor, FREEZE!

^^ -Current 10th grader

[sarah lee]

miss lucy had a baby
she named him sonny jim
she put him in the piss pot
to see if he could swim
he swam to the bottom
he swam to the top
miss lucy got excited so she grabbed him by the...
cocktail gingerale 5 cents a glass
if you don't like it you can shove it up your...
ask me no questions
i'll tell you no lies
a man got hit by a bag of shi...
and thats the reason why

[not a mom]

these are ones i remember

i'm a nut
in a hut
i stole yo momma panny hose so what what cha gonna do kick my but?
i'm craaaazy (you know i'm crazy)
i'm fooooolish (you know im foolish)
im crazy
im foolish
and im cool
shame on you!!! (say real quick at the end) its a hand clap game

MEXICO
i don't wanna go to mexico no more more more
theres a big fat lady at the door door door
she will grab you buy your collar make you pay a dollar i don't wanna go to mexicon no more more more
shame on you!!!

SHAME (hand clap game)
shame shame shame in the middle of the street
i m a little
(whatever grade your in) grader
as pretty as can be be
and all the boys around my block go crazy over
me me
my boyfriend name is shiloh
he came from alabamo
with a cute little nose and only ten toes and this is how my story goes
one day when i was walk-
ing
i saw my boyfriend talk-ing to a little (ethnicity) girl with ugly curls and this is what i said i said i
l-o-v-e love you
i k-i-s-s kiss you
i m-i-s-s miss you
i d-i-s-s diss you

BAZOOKA BUBBLE GUM
my mom gave me a dollar to go buy some flowers but i ain't buy no flowers i bought some bubble gum
bazooka zooka bubble gum
my mom gave me fifty cents to go buy some ments but i ain't buy no ments i bought some
bubble gum bazooka zooka bubble gum
my mom gave me a quarter to go buy some water but i aint buy no water i bought some
bubble gum bazooka zooka bubble gum
my mom gave me a dime to go buy a lime but i ain't buy no lime i bought some
bubble gum bazooka zooka bubble gum
my mom gave me a nickel to go buy a pickel but i ain't buy no pickle i bought some bubble gum
bazooka zooka bubblegum
my mom gave me a penny to go buy some bubble gum but i ain't buy no bubble gum i'm sick! of bubble gum
bazooka zooka bubble gum

BAD WORDS
you muthafudgecake
you son of a biscut
i'll kick your asprin
so get the hellicopter out of my face

I AM A PROMISE

i am a promise
i am a posibility
i am a promise
with a capital p
i am a great big bundle of
potentialityyyy
and i am learning to hear gods voice
and i am trying to make the right choice
i am a promise to be anything god wants me to be
I can go anywhere that He wants me to go
I can be anything He wants me to be
I can climb the high mountains
I can cross the wide sea
I'm a great big promise you see!

I am a promise
I am a possibility
I am a promise with a capital "P"
I am a great big bundle of potentiality
And I am learnin' to hear God's voice
And I am tryin' to make the right choice
I'm a promise to be anything God wants me to be
Anything God wants me to be!

[AllisonE]

These are really great!
shame shame shame i dont wanna go to mexico no more more more there's a big fat policeman at the door door door he grabbed me by the collar made me pay a dollar i dont wanna go to mexico no more more more

[mandy]

i have always heard the "tiny tim" song sung this way

i had a little turtle
his name was tiny tim
i put him in the bathtub
to see if he could swim
he drank up all the water
he ate up all the soap
he tried to eat the bathtub
but it wouldn't go down his throat
momma called the doctor
doctor called the nurse
nurse called the lady
with the alligator purse
mumps said the doctor
measles said the nurse
nothing said the lady with the alligator purse

[cryss]

i like coffee
i like tea
i like the other boy and he likes me
so step back white boy
you dont shine
i'll get the other boy to beat ya behind
last night
the night before
i met my boyfriend at the candy store
he bought me icecream
he bought me cake
he brought me home with a stomach ache
i said "momma, momma, i feel sick"
"call the doctor...quick quick quick"
"doctor, doctor. will i die"
he said "count to five and you'll be alright"
i said "1, 2, 3 ,4 ,5... i'm alive!"