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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

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VERSE WITHOUT MUSIC

IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, AND OF THE SON AND THE HOLY
GHOSTEST,
HE WHO EATS THE FASTEST GETS THE MOSTEST
RUB A DUB DUB
THANKS FOR THE GRUB
YEAH GOD!

Submitter comment: WE USED TO SAY THIS IN THE BOY SCOUTS WHEN WE WERE ABOUT
ELEVEN OR TWELVE YEARS OLD.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; EAST DETROIT

Keyword(s): GRACE BEFORE MEALS ; PRAYER PARODY

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,
SHE TIED HIM TO THE HEATER.
AND EVERY TIME HE TURNED AROUND,
HE BURNED HIS LITTLE SEATER.

Submitter comment: THIS VERSE WAS VERY POPULAR WHEN INFORMANT WAS IN GRADE
SCHOOL IN DETROIT (MICHIGAN) IN THE 30S.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): PARODY ; SEATER=BUTTOCKS

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

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MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB,
THE DOCTOR WAS SURPRISED.
BUT WHEN OLD MAC DONALD HAD A FARM,
HE COULDN'T BELIEVE HIS EYES.

Submitter comment: UNDETERMINED ORIGIN.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROYAL OAK

Keyword(s): BIRTH ; NURSERY RHYME ; PARODY ; PUN QUATRAIN ; RHYME: ABAB

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

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MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMP
SHE FILLED IT WITH BENZINE.
SHE WENT TO LIGHT HER LITTLE LAMP,
AND HASN'T SINCE BENZINE (BEEN SEEN).

Where learned: RESIDENCE

Keyword(s): IAMBIC METER WORD PLAY ; PARODY NURSERY RHYME ; PUN ACCIDENTS GORE ; SURPRISE ENDING, NUTSHELL NARRATIVE QUATRAIN

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

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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MINE EYES HAVE SEEN THE GLORY
OF THE BURNING OF THE SCHOOL.
WE HAVE TORTURED ALL THE TEACHERS,
WE HAVE BROKEN ALL THE RULES.
BEATEN MOM AND DAD IN A DIRTY GAME OF POOL,
AND THE SAINTS GO MARCHING ON.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE WOODS

Keyword(s): BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC PARODY

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

Date learned: 11-00-1969

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NOW I'LL TELL YOU THE STORY OF JOHNNY MC GUIRE,
HE RAN DOWN THE STREET WITH HIS PANTS ON FIRE,
HE RAN TO THE DOCTOR'S AND FAINTED IN FRIGHT,
WHEN THE DOCTOR TOLD HIM HIS END WAS IN SIGHT.

Where learned: HOME

Keyword(s): PUN END=BUTTOCKS

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

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OLD KING COLE WAS A MERRY OLD SOUL,
A MERRY OLD SOUL WAS HE;
HE CALLED FOR HIS PIPE, AND HIS OPIUM BOWL,
AS WELL AS SOME L.S.D.

Where learned: COLORADO ; FORT LYON

Keyword(s): DRUGS ; PARODY, NURSERY RHYME QUATRAIN ; RHYME: ABAB CHIASMUS ; SURPRISE ENDING

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

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THE BOY STOOD ON THE BURNING DECK,
HIS TRUNK WAS PACKED FOR JERUSALEM.
THE WIND BLEW ALL AROUND HIS FACE,
HIS NAME WAS AL METHUSALEM.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; LEXINGTON

Keyword(s): PARODY ; PUN BIBLICAL CHARACTER

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

Date learned: 09-14-1969

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PAUL REVERE'S DASH

TWAS THE 18TH OF APRIL IN '75,
HARDLY A MAN IS YET ALIVE
WHO REMEMBERS THAT FAMOUS DAY AND YEAR,
OF THE MIDNIGHT RIDE OF PAUL REVERE.
UP THE ALLEY AND DOWN THE STREET,
A TWENTY-YARD DASH FOR THE TOILET SEAT.

Submitter comment: SHE FIRST HEARD IT IN A SEVENTH-GRADE CLASS FROM ANOTHER
PUPIL AT OUR LADY QUEEN OF HEAVEN SCHOOL IN 1961.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; OUR LADY QUEEN OF HEAVEN SCHOOL ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): ANTICLIMAX ; PARODY ; PARODY OF POEM: MIDNIGHT RIDE OF PAUL REVERE ; RHYME: AABB

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

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LYRICAL VERSE-CHILDREN'S RHYME

I WISH I WAS A LITTLE PIECE OF SOAP.
I WISH I WAS A LITTLE PIECE OF SOAP.
I'D SLIPPY AND I'D SLIDEY OVER EVERYBODY'S HIDEY,
I WISH I WAS A LITTLE PIECE OF SOAP.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): HIDEY=SKIN BODY

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

MOSES SUPPOSES HIS TOES-ES ARE ROSES,
BUT MOSES SUPPOSES ERRONEOUSLY,
FOR MOSES HE KNOWS-ES HIS TOES-ES AREN'T ROSES,
AS MOSES SUPPOSES HIS TOES-ES TO BE.

Submitter comment: I HEARD THIS IN FERNDALE, MICHIGAN, FROM A YOUNG FRIEND
OF FRENCH AND POLISH LINEAGE, FORMERLY A CANADIAN.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FERNDALE

Keyword(s): BIBLICAL NAME

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

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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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TOUGH, ROUGH AND HARD TI DIAPER.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): BABY ; CONTRADICTION ; TAUNT?

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse
SPEECH -- Formula
PROVERB -- Proverbial Phrase

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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GRACE BEFORE MEALS

GOOD FOOD, GOOD MEAT,
GOOD GOD, LET'S EAT.

Where learned: MINNESOTA ; MINNEAPOLIS

Keyword(s): BLESSING

Subject headings: 730 Lyrical Verse

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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WE MUST, WE MUST, WE MUST INCREASE OUR BUST.
FOR FEAR, FOR FEAR, FOR FEAR IT WILL GO TO THE REAR.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): ANATOMY ; BOSOM

Subject headings: 730 Lyrical Verse

Date learned: 00-00-1966

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TAUNT AT TEAM GAMES

OE-SA-SA-SA,
OE-SA-SA-SA,
HIT 'EM IN THE HEAD
WITH A BIG KIELBASA!

Data entry tech comment:

KIELBASA=POLISH SAUSAGE

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): CHANT ; CHEER ; Kielbasa ; SPORTS

James Callow Keyword(s): CHEER

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Verse in Other Group of Folklore C800.500

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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IF YOU'RE GOING TO PUSH ON THE THROTTLE,
DON'T PULL (DRINK) ON THE BOTTLE.

Submitter comment: A WARNING!

Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED

Keyword(s): AUTOMOBILE CAR ; DRINKING DRUNKENNESS

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Food Drink
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Proverb Proverb
ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Means of transportation Vehicle propelled by mechanical or other force on land
Food Drink -- N447

Date learned: 11-00-1971

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COUNTING OUT

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

Submitter comment: THIS IS A COUNTING SONG PERFORMED BY A GROUP OF PERSONS
WHO HAVE EXTENDED THEIR HANDS SHAPED INTO FISTS TO A PERSON
WHO COUNTS AS HE SAYS THE RHYME. THE PERSON WHOSE FIST IS
TOUCHED ON THE WORD EIGHT MUST PUT THAT FIST BEHIND HIS
BACK AS THE PROCESS OF COUNTING CONTINUES. THIS IS A
GAME USED AS A PROCESS OF ELIMINATION TO SEE WHO IS
"IT" FOR A GAME OF TAG.

Where learned: HOME

James Callow Keyword(s): ON THE COUNT OF EIGHT,--ON THE WORD "MORE"--PUT YOUR FIST BEHIND YOUR BACK.

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

Date learned: 01-22-1968

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FONTANELLA, FONTANELLA,
A QUA CI BEVE LA PECORELLA
LA PECORELLA DI SAN GIOCCHINO
VA CANTANTO LA LITANIA
DEL VIVO E DEL MORTO
PER NOI PATRE NOSTRO
PER LA MORTE E PER LA VITA
PER NOI SAN ANTONINO

LITTLE FOUNTAIN, LITTLE FOUNTAIN
HERE THE LITTLE SHEEPS COMES TO DRINK
THE LITTLE LAMB OF SAN JACOM
GOES SINGING THE LITANY
OF THE LIVING AND OF THE DEAD
FOR US AN HOUR FATHER (OUR FATHER?)
FOR THE DEAD AND FOR THE LIVING
FOR US SAN ANTONINO.

Submitter comment: A CIRCLING MOTION IS MADE WITH THE INDEX FINGER IN THE PALM
OF THE BABY'S HAND.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; EAST DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): SAN JACOB?

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

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