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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

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GOD MADE THE BEES,
AND THE BEES MADE THE HONEY.
WE DO THE WORK,
AND THE TEACHER GETS THE MONEY.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UTICA

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

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SCHOOL RHYME

LATIN IS A SUBJECT
THAT NO ONE ENJOYS;
IT KILLED THE ANCIENT ROMANS,
AND NOW IT'S KILLING BOYS.

Where learned: CANADA ; ONTARIO ; OAKVILLE

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

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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VERSE WITHOUT MUSIC

MATHEW, MARK, LUKE AND JOHN,
BLESS THE BED THAT I LIE ON!
ALL FOUR CORNERS ROUND ABOUT,
WHEN I GET IN, WHEN I GET OUT.
FOUR CORNERS TO MY BED,
FOUR ANGELS ROUND MY HEAD;
ONE TO WATCH AND ONE TO PRAY,
AND TWO TO BEAR MY SOUL AWAY.

Submitter comment: HEARD IN SCHOOL.

Where learned: OHIO ; TOLEDO

Keyword(s): DEATH PIOUS SLEEPING BIBLICAL ; PIOUS ; PRAYER ; RHYME: AABB

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

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VERSE WITHOUT MUSIC

THERE WAS A LITTLE GIRL, WHO HAD A LITTLE CURL
RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF HER FOREHEAD.
WHEN SHE WAS GOOD, SHE WAS VERY, VERY GOOD,
BUT WHEN SHE WAS BAD, SHE WAS HORRID.

Submitter comment: MY MOTHER USED TO RECITE THIS WHEN I WAS BAD.

Where learned: OHIO ; TOLEDO

Keyword(s): NURSERY RHYME

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

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THE GIRLS IN FRANCE,
WEAR TISSUE PAPER PANTS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; LIBRARY ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT

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

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ROSES ARE RED,
VIOLETS ARE BLUE,
SUGAR IS SWEET
AND SO ARE YOU.

BUT THE ROSES ARE WILTED,
AND THE VIOLETS ARE DEAD,
AND THE SUGAR IS LUMPED
AND SO IS YOUR HEAD.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT HEARD THIS FROM PLAYMATE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SAINT CLAIR SHORES

Keyword(s): INSULT ; TAUNT

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

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MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB
AND THE DOCTOR FAINTED.

Where learned: NOT GIVEN

Keyword(s): PARODY ; PUN

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

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MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE AND JOHN,
BLESS THESE WHEELS WE TRAVEL ON.

Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED

Keyword(s): PARODY ; PRAYER

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

Date learned: UNKNOWN

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WHAT'S YOUR NAME?
JOHN BROWN,
ASK ME AGAIN,
AND I'LL KNOCK YOU DOWN.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

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

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB
HOW SHE DID IT, I'LL BE DAMNED.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): NURSERY RHYME ; PARODY

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

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FATTY, FATTY, TWO BY FOUR,
CAN'T GET THROUGH THE KITCHEN DOOR.

Submitter comment: THIS IS ONE OF THE MOCKERY RHYMES THAT MY GRANDMOTHER CAN
REMEMBER THAT WAS THE MOST PREVALENT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FARMINGTON

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

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JIMMY'S IT,
CAUGHT A FIT,
AND CAN'T GET OVER IT.

Submitter comment: CHILDREN USED THIS VERSE TO TAUNT THE ONE WHO'S IT.

Where learned: MINNESOTA ; MINNEAPOLIS

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse C750.524

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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KINDERGARTEN BABY,
WASH YOUR FACE ON GRAVY. (IN?)

Submitter comment: THIS IS SAID TO SOMEONE WHEN YOU ARE SCORNING THEM BECAUSE
THEY ARE SULKING OR ACTING LIKE A BABY.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FERNDALE

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

Date learned: 12-06-1965

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ROSES ARE RED,
VIOLETS ARE BLUE,
MY FEET STINK,
AND SO DO YOU.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN

Keyword(s): PARODY

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

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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NUMBER RHYME TAUNT

IT WAS A TRADITION AT ALL CATHOLIC CENTRAL HIGH
SCHOOL'S ATHLETIC ACTIVITIES TO SAY:
AND THE SCORE GOES UP ANOTHER NOTCH C. C.,
ANOTHER NOTCH, C. C.
AFTER ALL POINTS SCORED FOR OUR TEAMS.
THIS INDICATED TO THE OPPOSITION THAT WE
WERE SCORING WHILE THEY WEREN'T AT THAT TIME.

James Callow comment: WHO SAID IT? COLLECTOR SAYS: AUDIENCE

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HIGH SCHOOL ; DETROIT ; CATHOLIC CENTRAL

James Callow Keyword(s): CHEER

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Custom Festival Custom Festival
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Entertainment Diversion
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- School

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ROSES ARE RED

ROSES ARE RED
VIOLETS ARE BLUE
SUGAR IS SWEET
AND SO ARE YOU

THE ROSES ARE WILTED
THE VIOLETS ARE DEAD
THE SUGAR IS LUMPY
AND SO IS YOUR HEAD.

ROSES ARE RED
VIOLETS AREN'T BLACK
YOU'D LOOK BETTER
WITH A KNIFE IN YOUR BACK. MM[
ROSES ARE RED
A PICKLE IS GREEN
YOU LOOK LIKE A MONKEY
YOUR FACE IS A SCREAM.

ROSES ARE RED
VIOLETS ARE BLUE
LILIES ARE .98
WILL DANDELIONS DO?

ROSES ARE RED
VIOLETS ARE BLUE
SEND ME OVER
A POT OF IRISH STEW.

ROSES ARE RED
VIOLETS ARE BLUE-ISH
DIDN'T YOU KNOW
THAT JESUS WAS JEWISH?

Submitter comment: I LEARNED THESE SIX DIFFERENT PARODIES OF THE ROSES ARE RED, VIOLETS
ARE BLUE VERSE DURING GRADE SCHOOL. I PUT THEM ALL TOGETHER BECAUSE
I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING TO SEE THE MANY DIFFERENT FORMS THE
VERSE COULD TAKE. THE ONE THAT I PUT DOWN FIRST IS THE FIRST ONE
THAT I LEARNED. IT MOST CLOSELY FOLLOWS THE ORIGINAL IN THE
SUBJECT MATERIAL. IT IS USUALLY JUST ADDED ON TO THE ORIGINAL.
THE "YOU LOOK LIKE A MONKEY" ONE WAS THE FAVORITE INSULT VERSE WHEN
I WAS IN GRADE SCHOOL. IT HAS SINCE LOST ITS POPULARITY SINCE NONE
OF MY YOUNGER BROTHERS, SISTERS OR NEIGHBORS SEEM TO HAVE HEARD IT.
THE KNIFE IN YOUR BACK ONE SEEMS TO HAVE REPLACED IT AS THE FAVORITE
INSULTING AUTOGRAPH VERSE. I ONLY HEARD THE ONE WITH LILIES AND
DANDELIONS ONCE. I REMEMBER IT BECAUSE I LIKED IT. IT SEEMS TO
BE IN
KEEPING WITH OUR INFLATIONARY TIME PERIOD. PERHAPS THE REASON
THAT IT NEVER CAUGHT ON AS WELL AS SOME WAS BECAUSE IT WASN'T
INSULTING. THE TWO NATIONALITY ONES ALSO HAD A LIMITED USAGE BECAUSE
THEY CAN REALLY ONLY BE EFFECTIVELY USED BY THEIR PARTICULAR ETHNIC
GROUP.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Roses are red and other such associations
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Wisecracks, gags, silly stories, insults

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A DRIVER'S NIGHT PRAYER

NOW I LAY ME DOWN TO SLEEP,/ I PARKED MY CAR ACROSS THE STREET.
AND IF IT ROLLS BEFORE I WAKE,/I PRAY THE LORD TO PULL THE BRAKE.

Submitter comment: TAKEN FROM INFORMANT'S AUTOGRAPH BOOK.

Where learned: NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR

Keyword(s): IMPERFECT RHYME ; QUATRAIN ACCIDENT AUTOMOBILE PARODY OF PRAYER ; RHYME: AABB

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

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AN AUTOGRAPH

MM[ THE ROSES ARE WILTED,
THE VIOLETS ARE DEAD,
THE SUGAR BOWL'S EMPTY,
AND SO IS YOUR HEAD.

Submitter comment: I GOT THIS FROM MY AUTOGRAPH BOOK.
IT WAS WRITTEN BY DAVE. IN 1961

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HIGHLAND PARK

Keyword(s): INSULT ; PARODY OF " ROSES ARE RED..." ; RHYME: ABCB

Subject headings: Favorites
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Roses are red and other such associations

Date learned: 11-11-1967

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AUTOGRAPH BOOK MATERIAL

MM[ ROSES ARE RED,
VIOLETS ARE BLUE,
THE SHORTER THE DRESS,
THE BETTER THE VIEW.

Data entry tech comment: THIS SHOULD GO DOWN AS A CLASSIC IN THE ANNALS OF AUTOGRAPH MATERIAL

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): OBSERVATION ; PARODY OF " ROSES ARE RED..." ; RHYME: ABCB ; SEX

Subject headings: Favorites
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Roses are red and other such associations

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PARODY

ROSES ARE RED/ VIOLETS ARE BLUEISH/ IF IT WEREN'T FOR CHRISTMAS/
WE WOULD ALL BE JEWISH

Submitter comment: INFORMANT USED TO SAY AS A CHILD UNTIL HER MOTHER HEARD HER SAY IT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; MADISON HEIGHTS

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

Date learned: 10-00-1973

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