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QUESTION:
WHAT'S YOUR NAME?
ANSWER:
PUDDIN TAME ASK ME AGAIN AND I'LL TELL YOU THE SAME.

Where learned: San Francisco ; PORPOISE BOOKSHOP

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

Date learned: 00-00-1960

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OLIVER TWIST

THIS GAME IS DESIGNED FOR ONE PERSON AND IS PLAYED WITH A BALL OF AN
SIZE. AS A LINE OF THE FOLLOWING RHYME IS SAID, THE BALL IS BOUNCED
AGAINST A BUILDING, AND CAUGHT BEFORE IT CAN BOUNCE ON THE GROUND.
IN THE LINES WHICH MENTION THE PARTS OF THE BODY, THE APPROPRIATE
ACTION IS MADE. FOR THE LAST LINE, THE BALL IS THROWN UNDER THE LEG
OF THE PLAYER. THE BALL SHOULD NEVER BOUNCE ON THE GROUND. MM
OLIVER TWIST,
TELL ME THIS,
IS IT A CRIME,
TO MAKE A MISS,
TOUCH MY KNEE,
TOUCH MY TOE,
TOUCH THE GROUND,
AND UNDER WE GO}

Submitter comment: THIS GAME WAS LEARNED IN MY EARLY CHILDHOOD FROM A CLOSE NEIGHBOR IN
DETROIT. ON SUMMER DAYS, NEIGHBORHOOD CHILDREN OFTEN PLAYED IT
AGAINST THEIR OWN HOUSE WHEN A PLAYMATE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Special Object or Implement
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse

Date learned: 02-12-1980 ; 00-00-1968

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RAH, RAH, REE,
KICK HIM IN THE KNEE;
RAH, RAH, RASS,
KICK HIM IN THE...

Submitter comment: WHEN ASKED BY THE INSTRUCTOR IF THIS ITEM WAS A CHEER, THE COLLECTOR
SAID IT WAS.

Data entry tech comment: I LEARNED A VARIANT OF THIS CHEER AT ST. ELIZABETH'S GRADE SCHOOL IN
DETROIT IN THE LATE 1960'S:
RAH RAH REE
KICK 'EM IN THE KNEE;
RAH RAH RASS
KICK 'EM IN THE...OTHER KNEE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): ALLITERATION ; ELLIPSIS ; HUMOR ; NONSENSE WORDS ; REPETITION ; SPORTS ; SURPRISE ENDING

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

Date learned: 11-20-1968

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TRADITION

WHEN YOU ARE SITTING AROUND A CAMPFIRE AT NIGHT AND THE WIND BLOWS
SMOKE IN YOUR EYES, THE PERSON RETORTS WITH; MM
I HATE RABBITS

Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT FIRST HEARD OF THIS STATEMENT WHILE CAMPING IN
ONTARIO, CANADA. WHEN QUESTIONED, HE COULD OFFER NO EXPLANATION
AND CLAIMED THAT HIS FAMILY HAD ALWAYS DONE IT. PERHAPS A RABBIT
IS ASSOCIATED WITH MISFORTUNE (SMOKE IN THE EYES). ANOTHER
EXPLANATION COULD BE THAT RABBITS ARE SUPPOSED TO SEE GOOD AND
SMOKE IN THE EYES PREVENTS PROPER SIGHT. HENCE, "I HATE RABBITS".
THE EARLIEST DATE THAT THE INFORMANT COULD RECALL THIS WAS IN THE
SUMMER AROUND 1965.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ALLEN PARK

James Callow Keyword(s): NON-SEQUITUR

Subject headings: Favorites
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse
BELIEF -- Mammal
SPEECH -- Game Pastime Sport
SPEECH -- Formula

Date learned: 10-00-1980

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COUNTING OUT RHYME

LAST NIGHT NIGHT BEFORE
24 ROBBERS AT MY DOOR
I WOKE UP, LET THEM IN, HIT EM IN THE HEAD WITH A ROLLING PIN
READY OR NOT, HERE I COME)

Submitter comment: THIS WAS SAID ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY DURING A GOOD GAME OF
HIDE AND SEEK. AH, THE GOOD OLD DAYS

Where learned: HOME ; DETROIT

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

Date learned: 09-00-1981

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THE GAME OF JACKS

PARTS: 10 OR MORE JACKS AND A SMALL RUBBER BALL.
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: TWO OR MORE, BUT NOT MORE THAN 12.
OBJECT OF GAME: TO BE THE ONLY PLAYER TO FINISH THE GAME OF JACKS.
RULES: THIS GAME CAN BE PLAYED ON ANY FLAT SURFACE.
TWO OR MORE CHILDREN CAN PLAY THE GAME.
HOWEVER, THE GAME IS RATHER COMPLEX IF MORE THAN 12 PLAYERS PLAY.
THE FIRST STEP IN JACKS IS TO DECIDE WHO GOES FIRST.
ACCORDING TO AGE, THE YOUNGEST PLAYER GOES FIRST
AND THE ELDEST PLAYER GOES LAST.
THE FIRST PLAYER PUTS HIS HANDS TOGETHER,
AND LEVEL WITH THE PLAYING SURFACE, BUT AT LEAST
A FOOT OR SO OFF THE GROUND.
THE BACKS OF HIS HANDS ARE FACING HIM.
THE SECOND PLAYER PILES THE JACKS ON THE BACKS OF THE FIRST
PLAYER,S HAND
THE FIRST PLAYER THEN DROPS HIS HANDS AND THE JACKS FALL.
NOW THE OPPONENTS HAVE A CHANCE TO SPY A LOSS OF TURN FOR THE
FIRST PLAYER.
IF ANY JACKS ARE STACKED ON TOP OF ONE ANOTHER, THE OPPONENTS
YELL OUT, "STACKS."
THE FIRST PLAYER WOULD LOSE HIS TURN TO PLAY.
IF ANY OF THE JACKS ARE TOUCHING ONE ANOTHER, THE
OPPONENTS WOULD YELL OUT, "TOUCHIES."
MEANING THAT THE FIST PLAYER LOSES HIS TURN.
IF NO RULES ARE BROKEN, THE FIRST PLAYER TAKES A SMALL
RUBBER BALL AND BOUNCES IT.
BEFORE HE CATCHES THE BALL, HE MUST GRASP OR SWIPE ONE JACK
AND SAY, "ONEZIES."
THEN, BEFORE THE BALL REACHES THE PLAYING SURFACE, HE
MUST CATCH THE BALL OR HE LOSES THAT TURN.
IF THIS IS DONE CORRECTLY BY PLAYER NUMBER ONE, THE PLAYER HAS
NOT LOST HIS TURN AND MAY PLAY AGAIN.
THIS TIME HE MUST GRASP TWO JACKS AND YELL OUT, "TWOZIES."
THE FIRST PLAYER MUST PLAY IN THIS FASHION UNTIL HE EITHER
HAS LOST HIS TURN OR GAINED THE ABILITY TO GRASP 10 JACKS.
UPON GRASPING 10 JACKS AND YELLING "TENZIES," THE PLAYER NOW
MUST GRASP 9 JACKS, THEN 8 JACKS, UNTIL HE HAS
GRASPED ONE JACK CORRECTLY. UPON DOING SO HE HAS WON THE GAME.
BECAUSE IT IS SO EASY TO LOSE A TURN IN THIS GAME, IT IS
A VERY RARE THING FOR A PLAYER TO WIN THE GAME
WITHOUT THE OTHER PLAYERS GETTING A CHANCE TO PLAY.
SO IN SUMMARY IF THE FIRST PLAYER LOSES HIS TURN, THE SECOND
PLAYER MUST TRY TO GRASP AS MANY JACKS WITHOUT ERROR AS HE
CAN. IF HE FAILS SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS GAME, THEN IT IS
THE THIRD PLAYER,S CHANCE AND SO ON.

Submitter comment: I FOUND OUT THAT THIS GAME IS PLAYED ON THE PORCHES OF HOMES
IN THE DETROIT AREA MOST OF THE SUMMER TIME.
THE GAME IS USUALLY PLAYED BY YOUNG GIRLS, BUT THIS DOES
NOT MEAN THAT YOUNG BOYS CAN NOT PLAY THE GAME.
I HAVE ALSO FOUND OUT FROM THIS INFORMANT THAT MORE RULES ARE
ADDED IF THE GAME IS PLAYED SEVERAL TIMES IN ONE SITTING.
ALTHOUGH OTHERS MAY KNOW DIFFERENT RULES TO THIS GAME, THE RULES
MUST BE STATED BEFORE THE GAME IS TO BEGIN.
ALSO THE PARTS FOR THE GAME, THE JACKS AND THE BALL,
MAY BE PURCHASED AT ANY DRUG STORE OR GAME STORE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Special Object or Implement
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse
SPEECH -- Formula

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COUNTING OUT RHYME

ONE POTATO,
TWO POTATO,
THREE POTATO,
FOUR,
FIVE POTATO,
SIX POTATO,
SEVEN POTATO MORE.

Submitter comment: THIS IS DONE WHILE COUNTING FEET OR FISTS. WHOEVER IS LEFT WITH A
POTATO AT THE END IS IT.

Where learned: NEW JERSEY ; TOMS RIVER

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

Date learned: 00001970S

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COUNTING OUT RHYME

TICK TOCK THE GAME IS LOCKED AND NOBODY ELSE CAN PLAY,
CAUSE IF THEY DO WE,LL TAKE THEIR SHOE AND BEAT THEM ALL DAY.

Submitter comment: THIS WAS SAID AS THE PLAYERS LOCKED ARMS IN A CIRCLE AND ROCKED
BACK AND FORTH.

Where learned: SICILY ; SIGONELLA

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

Date learned: 00001960S

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JUMP-ROPE RHYME

NOT LAST NIGHT BUT THE NIGHT BEFORE,
TWENTY FOUR ROBBERS CAMR KNOCKING AT MY DOOR.
AS I RAN OUT AND THEY RAN IN,
I ASKED THEM WHAT THEY WANTED ,
AND THIS IS WHAT THEY SAID:
SPANISH DANCER DO THE SPLITS-JUMPER DOES SPLIT IN AIR.
SPANISH DANCER DO THE TWIST-JUMPER SPINS AROUND.
SPANISH DANCER TOUCH THE FLOOR-JMPER TOUCHES GROUND.
SPANISH DANCER SHUT THE DOOR-JUMPER THROWS ARM OUT THREE TIMES.
SPANISH DANCER JUMP SO HIGH-JUMPER JUMPS HIGH.
SPANISH DANCER TOUCH THE SKY-JUMPER RUNS OUT OF ROPE.

Submitter comment: ALL OF THIS IS DONE AS THE ROPE IS TURNING.

Where learned: NEW JERSEY ; TOMS RIVER

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

Date learned: 00001970S

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JUMP ROPE RHYME

SEE-SEE MY PLAYMATE. COME OUT AND PLAY WITH ME
AND BRING YOUR DOLLIES THREE,
CLIMB UP MY APPLE TREE.
SLIDE DOWN MY RAINBOW,
INTO MY CELLAR DOOR.
AND WE'LL BE JOLLY FRIENDS FOREVER MORE.

Submitter comment: I COLLECTED THIS FROM MY COUSIN, BECAUSE I THOUGHT
IT WAS INTERESTING THAT I HAD LEARNED THIS AS A CHILD.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Pastime
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Special Object or Implement C560.50
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse

Date learned: 11-00-1983

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CHANTING GAME

WHO STOLE THE COOKIE FROM THE COOKIE JAR? I SAY (CHILD'S NAME)
STOLE THE COOKIE FROM THE COOKIE JAR. WHO ME? YEAH YOU! NO WAY
YOU FOOL. (CHILD'S NAME) STOLE THE COOKIE FROM THE COOKIE JAR....

Submitter comment: THIS IS A CHILD'S GAME. THEY SIT IN A CIRCLE AND CHANT. THE
SPACE THAT SAYS CHILD'S NAME IS SUBSTITUTED WITH A NAME.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Singing Dancing Marching
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse
SPEECH -- Game Pastime Sport

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CHANTING GAME

WHO STOLE THE COOKIE FROM THE COOKIE JAR? NUMBER 1 STOLE THE
COOKIE FROM THE COOKIE JAR. WHO ME? YES YOU! COULDN'T BE! THEN
WHO? NUMBER 3 STOLE THE COOKIE FROM THE COOKIE JAR.

Submitter comment: THIS IS A CHILD'S GAME. THEY SIT IN A CIRCLE AND CHANT. EACH
CHILD IS ASSIGNED A NUMBER AND THAT IS HOW THE CHILD IS PICKED
TO ANSWER BACK AND TO CHOOSE ANOTHER.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Singing Dancing Marching
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse

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MISS LUCY SONG

MISS LUCY HAD A STEAMBOAT. THE STEAMBOAT HAD A BELL, MISS LUCY
WENT TO HEAVEN AND THE STEAMBOAT WENT TO HELLO OPERATOR PLEASE
GIVE ME NUMBER NINE AND IF YOU DISCONNECT ME I WILL CHOP OFF YOUR
BEHIND THE FRIGERATOR THERE WAS A PIECE OF GLASS MISS LUCY FELL
UPON IT AND SHE BROKE HER LITTLE ASK ME NO MORE QUESTIONS I'LL
TELL YOU NO MORE LIES MISS LUCY AND HER BOYFRIEND ARE KISSING IN
THE D-A-R-K, D-A-R-K, DARK!

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): EUPHEMISM

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

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MISS SUE SONG

MISS SUE, MISS SUE, MISS SUE FROM ALABAMA, SITTING IN A ROCKER
EATING BETTY CROCKER WATCHING THE TIME GO
TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK-FOLOMINOC, A,B,C,D,E,F,G, WIPE THESE SPOTS
RIGHT OFF OF ME, MOONSHINE, MOONSHINE, MOONSHINE FREEZE 1,2,3,40!

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; BIRMINGHAM

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

Date learned: 12-04-1983

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ENGINE, ENGINE NUMBER NINE. GOING DOWN CHICAGO LINE.
IF THE TRAIN SHOULD JUMP THE TRACK, WILL I GET MY MONEY BACK?

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

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

Date learned: 11-00-1975 ; 11-00-1987

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INY MINY MINIE MOE, CATCH A TIGER BY HIS TOE. IF HE HOLLERS LET
HIM GO. INY MINY MINIE MOE.

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

Date learned: UNKNOWN ; 11-00-1987

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Little Sally Walker

This is a game that little girls play. Girls stand
in a circle, all facing each other, with one girl in the
middle who is called Little Sally Walker. They all sing
this song together and shake their hips while Sally chooses
a partner to dance with and repeat the song again and chooses
another partner until everyone is chosen. This is the end of
the game.
They sing this song:
Little Sally Walker, walking down the street.
She didn't know what to do, so she jumped in front of me.
She said "Go on Girl shake that thing, shake that thing,
STOP!
Go on girl choose your partner, choose your partner, STOP!

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): game, song

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Singing Dancing Marching
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse

Date learned: 00-00-1987

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African-American Children's hand clapping game

This game is played as hands are clapped together in time to
the words in the game.
Popsicle sticks will make you sick
with a wiggle and a wobble
and a giggle and a flip
If you say (any number the caller chooses to call from 0-9)
you're out of the game.

Submitter comment: If the number two (2) is called then the children proceed to
count skipping over the number two i.e.
1,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,13, etc. never calling any number
containing a two (2). If someone does call a number
containing two (2) he/she is out of the game. Rhythm is very
important to the game; it is played keeping time with a
consistent hand clapped rhythm.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; other children in the community

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Athletic sport and exercise Gymnastics
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse

Date learned: 00-00-1988

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See, See My Playmate

See, see my playmate.
Come out and play with me, and bring your dollies, three.
Climb up my apple tree. Slide down my rain barrel.
Into my cellar door. And we'll be jolly friends,
Forevermore.
So sorry playmate.
Can't come out and play with you.
My dollies got the flu. Oh boo hoo hoo hoo hoo.
Ain't got no rain barrel. Don't got no cellar door.
We can't be jolly friends, forevermore.

Submitter comment: This songs were sung, usually by two girls, who would
at the same time clap their hands together once and
then hit right hands, clap, then left hands, then clap again
continuing that pattern throughout the entire song.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HEMLOCK

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Children
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Athletic sport and exercise Gymnastics
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Singing Dancing Marching
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse

Date learned: 00-00-1978

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Apple Stix Apple Stix
Make me sick
And a wibble and a wobble
And two forty six.
If you say the number six I will beat your behind
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18...

Submitter comment: There are two or more players in this clapping game. When
the song gets to the clapping part each player must take one turn
counting up the number scale without saying the number six. If
the player says six then that player is out. The last player
that did not say the number six is the winner. As you go around
the circle of players counting, each player must count as fast as
they can.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Subject headings: 686 Sixths / Six
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Athletic sport and exercise Gymnastics
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse

Date learned: 00-00-1976

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