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

[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!"

[Cryss]

Ah Ha!
Made ya look
You dirty crook
Stole ya momma's pocket
Took a dime
Bought some wine
Now you look like frankenstein

[Kaze Nikishima]

I remembered another version of "On top of old smokey" Not sure if it's an actual/different version but i do remember it being quite unuasual

On top of Mt. Smokey,
All covered in blood,
I shot poor(person's name),
With a 44-sludge.

I went to your funeral,
I went to your grave,
Some people threw flowers,
I threw a grenade.

Several years later,
You rose from the grave,
I took a bazooka,
And blew off your head.

[renee]

Growing up I have only heard one miss lucy and it went like this. . .

Miss Lucy had a tugboat the tugboat had a sail, Miss Lucy went to heaven the tugboat went to...
Hell-o operator give me number 9 and if you disconnect me I'll beat your...
Behind the frigerator was a piece of glass Miss Lucy cut her finger and then she cut her...
Ask me no more questions tell me no more lies the boys are in the bathroom zipping up their...
Flies are in the kitchen frogs are in the pond Miss Lucy is the best yes she's number ONE.

[ClappyGirl123]

I also know:

Brick wall
Water fall
Girl/Boy you think you know it all
you dont
i do
so BOOM with your attitude
i know karate
i know kong-fu
mess with me
i mess with you
peanut butter rece(sp?) cup
Mess with me i kick your butt
Bing bang shoo shoo train
come on girl
lets do our thing
i cant
why not
i cant
why not
my back ackes
my bra's too tight
my boody shakes to the left
to the right
to the left
to the right
to the front
to the back
to the front
to the back
now bring it all around
and BREAK IT DOWWWNNN!

[ClappyGirl123]

Well i know one that i learned a month ago that my friends taught me, its a patty cake hand clap motion:

Apples on a stick
It makes me sick
It makes my heart go 246
Not because im dirty
Not because im clean
Just because i kissed a Boy behind a magazine

Hey Tom boy wanna have some fun?
I see (a boy's name) with his pants undone
He can wiggle
He can wobble
He can do the splits
But i bet he cant do this

Count to 10 with your eyes closed
If you mess up start all over again(close eyes)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
All the boys in the U.S.A are BIG FAT HENS!

[Julia Zanon]

miss mary has a steamboat her steamboat had a bell ding ding when her steamboat went to heaven miss mary went to hello operater please give me number nine and if you disconnect me ill kick you from behind the yellow curtain there was a piece of glass miss mary sat upon it and broke her little ask me no more questions tell me no more lies the boy sare in the bathroom zipping up their flies are in the city bees are in the park miss mary and her boyfriend are kissing in the d-a-r-k dark is like the movies movies like the show show is like a tv set and that is all i know i know i know my ma i know i know my pa i know i know my sister with the eighty metre bra i saw her in the ocean i saw her in the see i saw her in the washroom going for a pee my mother is godzilla my father is kingkong my brother is the stupid one who made up this dumb song

[Juney]

I learned this a long time ago...one person stands in the middle of a big circle and skips around singing the song once she gets to "hey girl.." she stops infront of someone and does a dance while the other person mirrors her moves. After the song is over they switch places and repeat.

Little Sally Walker
walkin'down the street
she did not have a partner
so she stopped in front of me......
she said,
"hey girl
do your thing
do your thing
don't stop
hey girl
do your thing
do your thing
don't stop"
(repeat)

[Mr. Poopsies Doodlekins]

joy to the world
barney is dead
we bbqued his head
don't worry about his body
we flushed it down the potty
roun and round it went like a crazy garden hose
WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

[Augustine]

ms susie had a steamboat
the steamboat had a bell
the steamboat went to heaven
ms susie went to
hell-o operator give me #9
and if you drop my #i'll kick your
Behind the fridgarater there was a piece of glass
ms. susie sat upon it
and screamed "i cut my..
as-k me no more questions
tell me no more lies
boys have taken to staring at open girls
flies are in the city
bees are in the meadow
ms susie and her boyfriend are kissing in the
D-A-R-K! D-A-R-K! dark! dark!dark!
dark is like the ocean
dark is like the undies
my mudder puts on me
i know i know my mudder
i know i know my pa
i think i know my sister in the D-cup tie die bra
my my mudder gave me a nickel
my pa gave me a dime
my sister gives me a boyfriend who loves me all the time
my mudder took back that nickel
my pa took back that dime
my sister took back my sister and frankenstien
he made me wash his gruesome feet he made me clean the floor
so i kicked him out the door
he sailed over germany
he flew over france
with his thingy stickin' out from his dirty undie pants
ms susie had a steam boat
the steamboat had a bell
the steamboat went to heaven
ms susie went to
hell-o operator dial me #10
and if you drop my # i'll kick your butt agian!

[TEE TEE]

ms. susie had a steamboat the steamboat had a bell 'ding ding'

Ms susie went to heaven the steam boat went to

hello operator please give me unmber 9, and if u disconnect me ill chop off your

behind the frigerator, there laid a piece of glass, ms. susie sat upon it and broke her little

ask me no more questions please 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 susie and her boyfriend are kissing in the

D-A-R-K D-A-R-K
DARK! DARK! DARk! is like a movie

the movies like a show! the show is like a TV set and that is all i know!

i know i know my mom! i know i know my pa! i think i know my sister with the 40 acre bra!

my mom gave me a nickel, my dad gave me a dime! my sister gave me a boyfriend who kisses me all the time

my ma took back the nickel, 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 floor! he made me kiss his bottom so i kicked him out the door!

he flew over london, he flew over france! he flew over disneyland where he lost his underpants

i flew over london, i flew over france! i flew over disneyland where he found his underpants

ms susie had a steamboat the steamboat had a bell (ding ding) ms susie went to heaven

the steamboat went to hello operator please give me number 10

and if you disconnect me ill sing this song again!!!!

[ashlee]

ms susy had a steam boat the steam boat had a bel ding ding
ms susy went to heaven the steam boat hello operator please give me number nine and if u dissconetct me ill chop off your behind the frigarator there was a peice of glass and if u dare touch it ill shove it up your askk me no more questions tell me no more lies the boys are in the bathroom pulling down there flies are in the meadow the beas are in the park the boys an girls are kissing in the d a r k d a r k dark the dark is in the movies the movies is a show a show is on my tv set and that is all i know i know i know my mother i know i know my pops i know i know my sister with her 40 acre bra

[briana]

this is funny to me and i love ms.suzzie and lucy

[Rachel]

miss suzie had a tugboat the tug boat had a bell (toot toot) miss suzie went to heaven the tugboat went to hello operator give me number nine and if you disconnect me ill chop off your behind the fridgerator sat a piece of glass miss suzie sat apon it and hurt her big fat ask me no more questions tell me no more lies his is just the beggining of how miss suzie died

[Amy]

I'm 17 and Obviously what i remember isn't as much as everyone else....but has anyone heard it this way (or has my generation ruinied it) :

Miss Molly had a steamboast,
the steamboast had a bell,
miss Molly went to heaven
the steamboat went to

hello operator
please dial me number nine
and if you disconnect me i'll kick you from behind

the yellow curtain there
was a sheet of glass
and if you sit apon it
you'll break your big

ask me no more questions
please tell me no more lies
the boys are in the bathroom
doing up their

flies are in the city
the bees are in the park , Miss Molly and her
boyfreind are kissing in the dark ,

i know i know my ma,
i know i know my pa,
i knwo i know my sister
with the 80 metre bra,

i saw her in the ocean ,
i saw he r in the sea,
i saw her in the bathroom
whoops pardon me.

[Alia]

I don't remember if this is all of it but I learned this from my niece in savannah, GA (ps: i'm 15)
Rock'n Robin
Tweet leetle leet
Rock'n Robin
Tweet leetle leet
Momma's in the kitchen burnin fried chicken
Daddy's in bed half way dead
Sister's at school acting like a fool
Brother's on the corner sellin' fruit cocktail
Rockin' Robin
Tweet leetle leet
Rockin' Robin
Tweet leetle leet
All the little birdies on Jay Bird Street
Hear the Rockin' Robin go TWEET TWEET TWEET!

[AMY]

I WENT TO A CHINESE RESTURANT TO BUY A LOAF OF BREAD-BREAD-BREAD

THEY ASKED ME WHAT MY NAME WAS AND THIS IS WHAT I SAID-SAID-SAID

MY NAME IS....

ELI-ELI
CHICKILI-CHICKILI
POM-POM
BEAUTY
7 CUPS OF WHISKEY
CHINESE CHECKERS
INDIANA
FREEZE!

[Kristen]

I've got another one!!

Old Lady Leary..

One dark night, while we were all in bed, TOGETHER
Old Lady Leary left a lantern in the shed
And when the cow kicked it over, she tilt her head and said,
It'll be a hot time in the old town tonight, FIRE FIRE FIRE

repeat but then instead of Fire fire fire.. it's
Save my baby, save my baby!
Jump lady, Jump!

[Alana]

Miss lucy had a steamboat. The steamboat had a bell (ding-ding). Miss lucy went to heaven and the steamboat went to, hello operator, give me number 9. and if you disconnect me, i will chop off your
behind the fridgerator, there was a piece of glass. Miss lucy sat upon it and she broke her big fat ask me no more questions, tell me no more lies. The boys are in the bathroom, zipping up their flies are in the meadow, bees are in the park. Miss lucy and her boyfriend are kissing in the D-A-R-K D-A-R-K dark! dark!dark! the dark is like the movies, the movies like a show. the show is on my T.V. set and that is all i know. i know my mother. i know, i know my father. i know i know my sister with a 40-acre 40-acre bra bra bra. my mother is godzilla. my father is king-kong. my sister is the idiot who made me sing this song!

[Nicky Cavalieri]

Enjoyed your site!!!

I have a dif. version of Miss Suzy:

Miss Suzy had a tugboat.
The t-b had a bell.
Miss Suzy went to heaven.
The t-b went to...
Hell-o operator,
Dial one oh nine.
If you dissconnect me,
I'll cut off your...
Behind the frigerator
There was a piece of glass.
Miss Suzy sat upon it,
And broke her big fat...
Ask me no more questions.
Tell me no more lies

[Allyson]

One more variation:
oh say oh playmate
I can not play with you
my dollie has the flue
boo hoo, boo hoo hoo hoo
Ain't got not rain barrel
Ain't got no cellar door
but we'll be jolly friends
for ever more more more more.

[anne turner]

Oh, and I forgot:

First the farmer sows the seed.
Then he stands and takes his ease.
Stomps his foot, claps his hands, turns around to view his land.
Waiting for a partner, waiting for a partner, open the ring and let one in and kiss them as they're coming in.
Oats peas beans and barley grows. Oats peas beans and barley grows. You nor I nor anyone knows, how oats peas beans or barley grows.