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Your search for REFRAIN returned 17 results.

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BIRDIE, BIRDIE IN THE SKY,
DROPPED SOME WHITE WASH IN MY EYE.
I'M NO BABY, I WON'T CRY.
I'M JUST GLAD THAT COWS DON'T FLY.

Submitter comment: ORIGIN: KNEW IT AS A LITTLE CHILD, WALLED LAKE, MICHIGAN.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; WALLED LAKE

Keyword(s): HUMOR ; REFRAIN, OBSERVATION ; RHYME: AAAA ; RHYME: MASCULINE

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Verse without Music

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FISHY, FISHY, IN THE BROOK,
DADDY CAUGHT YOU ON THE HOOK.
MOMMY FRY YOU IN A PAN,
BABY EAT YOU LIKE A MAN.

Submitter comment: SAID TO HIS CHILDREN ON FRIDAYS.

Data entry tech comment: CATHOLIC CUSTOM TO EAT FISH ON FRIDAYS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): METER: IAMBIC ; QUATRAIN SIMILE ; REFRAIN, BABY TALK ; RHYME: AABB ; RHYME: MASCULINE

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Verse without Music

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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(BOY'S NAME) AND (GIRL'S NAME) SITTING IN A TREE,
K-I-S-S-I-N-G. (SPELLING)
FIRST COMES LOVE, THEN COMES MARRIAGE,
THEN COMES (NAME) WITH THE BABY CARRIAGE.

Submitter comment: I REMEMBER THIS FROM GRADESCHOOL.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): ANTI-CLIMAX HUMOR SYMBOL ; FIRST PERSON NARRATIVE ; METER: TROCHAIC ; RHYME: MASCULINE, AABB ; SEX, REFRAIN ; SPELLING RHYME

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Children
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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TWO'S A COUPLE,
THREE'S A CROWD,
FOUR ON THE SIDEWALK,
IS NEVER ALLOWED.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): METER: TROCHAIC ; REFRAIN NUMBERS ; RHYME: MASCULINE, ABCB ; VARIATION: FOUR'S TOO MANY, FIVE'S NOT ALLOWED.

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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WE MUST, WE MUST,
WE MUST IMPROVE THE BUST.
THE BIGGER THE BETTER,
THE TIGHTER THE SWEATER,
WE MUST IMPROVE THE BUST.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): ANATOMY ; BOSOM BREAST ; FUNCTION GROWING UP ; MONOLOGUE SLANG DIALECT ; REFRAIN, QUATRAIN? ; RHYME: FEMININE, INTERNAL ; RHYME: IMPERFECT, AABBA

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse

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YOU SCREAM, I SCREAM,
WE ALL SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): METER: IAMBIC ANAPESTIC ; REPETITION FOOD REFRAIN CACOGRAPHY ; RHYME: MASCULINE

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse

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CHILDREN'S RHYME

JEREMIAH, PUFF THE FIRE,
PUFF, PUFF, PUFF.
FIRST, HE BLOWS IT GENTLY,
AND THEN HE BLOWS IT ROUGH.
JEREMIAH, PUFF THE FIRE.
PUFF, PUFF, PUFF.

Submitter comment: NO INFORMATION AS TO WHEN THIS WAS USUALLY RECITED.

Where learned: LETTER

Keyword(s): INCLUSION, SEXTET, CONTRAST ; INDIRECTION, CHARM, ADVICE ; METER: ROCHEE RHYME: ABCBAB ; ONOMATOPOEIA, REPETITION, REFRAIN ALLITERATION

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse
SPEECH -- Onomatopoeia

Date learned: 11-06-1970

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FOOTBALL CHEER

FROM ALL THE TEAMS AROUND THE WORLD, THE ---- ARE ON THE TOP.
FROM NORTH TO SOUTH TO EAST TO WEST, THE ---- ARE ON THE TOP.
GIVE A CHEER. GIVE A CHEER. THE ----- ARE ON THE TOP

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): REFRAIN

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Custom Festival Custom Festival

Date learned: 11-00-1973

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POLISH JOKE

Historical record from James Callow Folklore Archive.

Q: HOW DOES A POLLACK SPELL FARM ?
A: E I E I O

Where learned: DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): REFRAIN FROM "OLD MC DONALD HAD A FARM," A CHILDREN'S SONG

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Poli

Date learned: 06-00-1972

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CHINKATEE CHUU CHUU PAN

ONCE THERE LIVED A CHINA MAN
HIS NAME WAS CHINKATEE CHUU CHUU PAN
HIS LEGS WERE LONG
HIS FEET WERE SHORT
POOR LITTLE CHINK COULD HARDLY WALK
AT LAST ONE DAY HE DID DIE
AND IN HIS COFFIN HE DID LIE
THEY SENT HIS BODY TO JAPAN
AND THAT WAS THE END OF THE CHINA MAN.
CHINKATEE, CHINKATEE CHUU CHUU PAN
ALA GA WAL A GA, STUN OF A LULA GA
AND THAT WAS THE END OF THE CHINA MAN.

Submitter comment:

INFORMANT LEARNED THIS FROM HIS UNCLE IN NEW YORK MANY YEARS AGO.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): CONTRAST: LONG AND SHORT ; HUMOR ; MOCK EPIC ; NONSENSE REFRAIN ; RHYME: AABCDEEAAAFA

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse

Date learned: 07-00-1964

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MY BOYFRIEND

MY BOYFRIEND GAVE ME PEACHES,
MY BOYFRIEND GAVE ME PEARS,
MY BOYFRIEND GAVE ME FIFTY CENTS,
AND KICKED ME DOWN THE STAIRS.

I GAVE HIM BACK HIS PEACHES,
I GAVE HIM BACK HIS PEARS,
I GAVE HIM BACK HIS FIFTY CENTS,
AND KICKED HIM DOWN THE STAIRS.

MY MOTHER NEEDED PEACHES,
MY MOTHER NEEDED PEARS,
MY MOTHER NEEDED FIFTY CENTS,
AND KICKED ME DOWN THE STAIRS.

Submitter comment: LEARNED IN DETROIT CHILDHOOD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): BODILY ACTIVITY ; INCREMENTAL REPTITION ; INITIAL ITERATION ; REFRAIN ; RHYME: ABCB

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse

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CHILDREN,S VERSE

COWARDY, COWARDY CUSTARD,
FELL IN HIS MOTHER,S MUSTARD;
THE MUSTARD WAS HOT,
HE SWALLOWED THE LOT,
COWARDY, COWARDY CUSTARD.

Data entry tech comment: SIC: COWARDY

Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR

Keyword(s): ENVELOPE STRUCTURE ; FEMININE RHYME ; REFRAIN ; RHYME: AABBA

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse

Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR

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CAMPSONG DIKKI BIRD

HIGH IN A TREE A DIKKI BIRD
BIM SALA BIM BAM BA SALA DU SALA BIM.
HIGH IN A TREE A DIKKI BIRD SAT.
BENEATH HIM SAT A FURRY BLACK
BIM SALA BIM BAM BA SALA DU SALA BIM.
BENEATH HIM SAT A FURRY BLACK CAT.
HE SAID FOR DINNER I SHALL HAVE
BIM SALA BIM BAM BA SALA DU SALA BIM.
HE SAID FOR DINNER I SHALL HAVE YOU.
THEN ALL AT ONCE THE DIKKI BIRD
BIM SALA BIM BAM BA SALA DU SALA BIM.
THEN ALL AT ONCE THE DIKKI BIRD FLEW.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Mount Clemens

James Callow Keyword(s): DELAYED COMPLETION ; NONSENSE REFRAIN

Subject headings: Favorites
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Ballad, Song, Verse
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Social reunion

Date learned: 04-00-1979

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PRACTICAL JOKE

THE JOKE TELLER INSTRUCTS THE DUPE TO REPEAT THE PHRASE
"BEHIND THE BUSH" AFTER EVERY STATEMENT THAT HE MAKES.
JOKE TELLER- THERE WAS A YOUNG MAN.
DUPE- BEHIND THE BUSH.
JOKE TELLER- TAKING OFF HIS CLOTHES.
DUPE- BEHIND THE BUSH.
JOKE TELLER- WHERE WERE YOU?
DUPE- BEHIND THE BUSH.

Submitter comment: THIS JOKE IS MEANT TO TRAP PEOPLE (ESPECIALLY WOMEN) INTO
ADMITTING TO HAVING DONE SOMETHING DISGUSTING.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD

James Callow Keyword(s): CATCH TALE ; REFRAIN

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Formula tale

Date learned: 00001970S

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I'm bringing home a baby bumble bee.
Won't my mommy be so proud of me
For bringing home a baby bumble bee, OUCH HE BIT ME!!!!!
I'm mashing up my baby bumble bee.
Won't my mommy be so proud of me
For mashing up my baby bumble bee, Ugh, what a mess!!
I'm licking up my baby bumble bee.
Won't my mommy be so proud of me
For licking up my baby bumble bee, Ohh, I feel sick!!!
I'm puking up my baby bumble bee.
Won't my mommy be so proud of me
For puking up my baby bumble bee, Eew, what a mess!!
I'm mopping up my baby bumble bee.
Won't my mommy be so proud of me
For mopping up my baby bumble bee, there all clean.
I'm bringing home a baby dinosaur.
Won't my mommy hide behind the door.
I'm bringing home a baby dinosaur, OOPS, HE ATE ME!!!

Submitter comment: This song is done with lots of hand motions and
pretend gestures.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HEMLOCK

James Callow Keyword(s): INCREMENTAL REPETITION ; REFRAIN ; Teller killed in his own story.

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Ballad Epic
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Children

Date learned: 00001970S

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Diarrhea Drip, drip! Diarrhea! Drip, drip!
Some people think it's funny
But they like it hot and runny!
Diarrhea! Drip, drip! Diarrhea! Drip, drip!
Some people think it's nice
And they like it over rice!

Submitter comment: The collector heard this as a child. It's a simple chant
where the last two lines after every "drip, drip" are changed.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): Feces as food ; HUMOR ; ILLNESS ; REFRAIN ; SICK HUMOR

Subject headings: 730 Lyrical Verse
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse

Date learned: 04-00-1991

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WORD GAME

THIS TRICK IS PLAYED ON AN UNSUSPECTING PERSON. HE
IS TOLD TO REACH EACH LINE IN THE FIRST COLUMN
AND SAY "TRAIN, TRAIN, TRAIN" AFTER EACH. THEN
HE IS TOLD TO READ THE FIRST COLUMN BACKWARDS AND
HE SAYS, "LOOK HOW MANY TIMES I MADE THIS SILLY
ASS SAY 'TRAIN, TRAIN, TRAIN.'"
TRAIN TRAIN, TRAIN, TRAIN
SAY TRAIN, TRAIN, TRAIN
ASS TRAIN, TRAIN, TRAIN
SILLY TRAIN, TRAIN, TRAIN
THIS TRAIN, TRAIN, TRAIN
MADE TRAIN, TRAIN, TRAIN
I TRAIN, TRAIN, TRAIN
TIMES TRAIN, TRAIN, TRAIN
MANY TRAIN, TRAIN, TRAIN
HOW TRAIN, TRAIN, TRAIN
LOOK TRAIN, TRAIN, TRAIN

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): REFRAIN

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Wit

Date learned: 00001967 FALL

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showing 17 items

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