The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

"THE BUMBLE BEE SONG"

I'M BRINGING HOME MY BABY BUMBLE BEE,
WON'T MY MOMMY BE SO PROUD OF ME,
I'M BRINGING HOME MY BABY BUMBLE BEE,
OOOH! HE STUNG ME!
I'M SQUISHING UP MY BABY BUMBLE BEE,
WON'T MY MOMMY BE SO PROUD OF ME,
I'M SQUISHING UP MY BABY BUMBLE BEE,
OOOH! WHAT A MESS!
I'M LICKING UP MY BABY BUMBLE BEE,
WON'T MY MOMMY BE SO PROUD OF ME,
I'M LICKING UP MY BABY BUMBLE BEE,
OOOH! MY TUMMY HURTS!
I'M THROWING UP MY BABY BUMBLE BEE,
WON'T MY MOMMY BE SO PROUD OF ME,
I'M THROWING UP MY BABY BUMBLE BEE,
OOOH! WHAT A MESS!
I'M SWEEPING UP MY BABY BUMBLE BEE,
WON'T MY MOMMY BE SO PROUD OF ME,
I'M SWEEPING UP MY BABY BUMBLE BEE,
BYE, BYE, THERE HE GOES!
I THINK I SEE ANOTHER BUMBLE BEE,
WON'T MY MOMMY BE SO PROUD OF ME,
I THINK I SEE ANOTHER BUMBLE BEE,
OOOH! I CAUGHT HIM!
I'M BRINGING HOME MY BABY BUMBLE BEE............

Submitter comment: THIS IS ANOTHER INFINITE LOOP-TYPE SONG. IT CAN BE SUNG
UNTIL THE SINGERS ARE TIRED OF IT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FRASER

Keyword(s): INSECT

James Callow Keyword(s): VERSE ROUND

Date learned: 00001970S

View just this record

Language

Grace Parody:

Our Heavenly Fahter

Holy Ghost

Whoever eats the fastest

Gets the most!

Submitter comment:

Found in autograph book from the 1880's

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Keyword(s): Eat ; GRACE ; JOKE ; Language ; PARODY ; PLAY ON WORDS ; PRAYER ; PUN ; RHYME ; VERSE ; WORDPLAY

View just this record

Autograph Rhyme

Friend Pierce, may your cares all fly away like dew before the sun

And when you've nothing else to do just think of me for fun.

Submitter comment:

Located in autograph album from the 1880's

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Keyword(s): Album ; AUTOGRAPH ; Language ; RHYME ; Signature ; VERSE

View just this record

Autograph Verse

Round went the album, hither it came

for me to write in so here is my name.

Submitter comment:

Found in autograph book from the 1880's

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Keyword(s): Album ; AUTOGRAPH ; Language ; NAME ; RHYME ; Signature ; VERSE ; Write

View just this record

Autograph Rhyme

Each life's an album, every page

From fair haired youth to gray old age

Is writ in prose or story.

God grant your life and album be

Filled up with records good to see

The "finis" found in Glory.

Submitter comment:

Found in autograph book from the 1880's

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Keyword(s): AGE ; Album ; AUTOGRAPH ; Elderly ; Glory ; Gray ; Old ; Record ; RHYME ; Signature ; Story ; VERSE ; Young ; YOUTH

View just this record

PROVERB

FIND A PIN--PICK IT UP--ALL THAT DAY YOU'LL HAVE GOOD LUCK.

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; LAFAYETTE

Keyword(s): C880 PROVERBIAL METAPHOR IN VERSE

Date learned: 05-03-1969

View just this record

PETE AND REPEAT SITTING ON A FENCE,
PETE JUMPED OFF, WHO WAS LEFT?
REPEAT (THEN REPEAT THE VERSE).

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE

James Callow Keyword(s): CATCH ; VERSE ROUND

View just this record

Language

Tongue Twister Verse:

As I was passing through Arkansas, I saw a saw that could outsaw any saw I ever saw.

So, if you're ever passing through Arkansas and see a saw that can outsaw the saw I saw, I'd like to see the saw you saw as you were passing through Arkansas.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Alternative possible spelling of Collector's last name: Datson, Datser

James Callow comment:

Already typewritten as Prose.

Keyword(s): Arkansas ; Detroit ; GAME ; Language ; Prose ; PUZZLE ; Saw ; TONGUE TWISTER ; VERSE

James Callow Keyword(s): Prose ; TONGUE TWISTER ; VERSE

View just this record

Tongue Twister Verse

As I was passing through Arkansas, I saw a saw that could outsaw any saw I ever saw.

So, if you're ever passing through Arkansas and see a saw that can outsaw the saw I saw, I'd like to see the saw you saw as you were passing through Arkansas.

James Callow comment:

Already typewritten as Prose.

Keyword(s): Arkansas ; Detroit ; Prose ; PUZZLE ; Saw ; TONGUE TWISTER ; VERSE

James Callow Keyword(s): Prose ; TONGUE TWISTER ; VERSE

View just this record

Tongue Twister Verse

As I was passing through Arkansas, I saw a saw that could outsaw any saw I ever saw.

So, if you're ever passing through Arkansas and see a saw that can outsaw the saw I saw, I'd like to see the saw you saw as you were passing through Arkansas.

James Callow comment:

Already typewritten as Prose.

Keyword(s): Arkansas ; Detroit ; Prose ; PUZZLE ; Saw ; TONGUE TWISTER ; VERSE

James Callow Keyword(s): Prose ; TONGUE TWISTER ; VERSE

View just this record

Tongue Twister Verse

As I was passing through Arkansas, I saw a saw that could outsaw any saw I ever saw.

So, if you're ever passing through Arkansas and see a saw that can outsaw the saw I saw, I'd like to see the saw you saw as you were passing through Arkansas.

James Callow comment:

Already typewritten as Prose.

Keyword(s): Arkansas ; Detroit ; Prose ; PUZZLE ; Saw ; TONGUE TWISTER ; VERSE

James Callow Keyword(s): Prose ; TONGUE TWISTER ; VERSE

View just this record

Tongue Twister Verse

As I was passing through Arkansas, I saw a saw that could outsaw any saw I ever saw.

So, if you're ever passing through Arkansas and see a saw that can outsaw the saw I saw, I'd like to see the saw you saw as you were passing through Arkansas.

James Callow comment:

Already typewritten as Prose.

Keyword(s): Arkansas ; Detroit ; Prose ; PUZZLE ; Saw ; TONGUE TWISTER ; VERSE

James Callow Keyword(s): Prose ; TONGUE TWISTER ; VERSE

View just this record

Language

Tongue Twister:

Betty Botta bought some butter. "But," she said, "this butter's bitter. If I put it in my batter, it will make my batter bitter. But a bit o' better butter will but make my batter better." So she bought a bit o' butter, better than the bitter butter, made her bitter batter better. So 'twas better Betty Botta bought a bit o' better butter.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Something similar (but shorter) already typed as prose.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; REDFORD

Keyword(s): ALLITERATION ; Baking ; Batter ; Butter ; COOKING ; Dearborn Heights ; GAME ; Language ; MICHIGAN ; Prose ; PUZZLE ; Redford ; TONGUE TWISTER ; VERSE

James Callow Keyword(s): Prose ; TONGUE TWISTER ; VERSE

View just this record

Belief: Children's Song

Step on a Crack-break mother's back

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [P880] is crossed out. C860.740 replaces it.

The words Bad Luck are written across the top of the submission card, and subsequently crossed out.

Where learned: Myself

Keyword(s): Back ; BELIEF ; CHILDHOOD ; CHILDREN ; Crack ; GAME ; Line ; MOTHER ; RHYME ; SONG ; Spine ; SUPERSTITION ; VERSE

View just this record

Belief: Children's Song

(1) DON'T STEP ON A CRACK OR YOU'LL BREAK YOUR MOTHER'S BACK.
(2) IF YOU STEP ON A LINE YOUR MOTHER DRINKS WINE.

Submitter comment:

MY BLACK NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOORS TOLD ME THESE TALES WHEN I WAS A KID.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated on 12-01-2010 / Motifs and Keywords added by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FRANKLIN VILLAGE

Keyword(s): ALCOHOL ; Back ; BELIEF ; CHILDHOOD ; CHILDREN ; Crack ; GAME ; Line ; MOTHER ; RHYME ; SONG ; Spine ; SUPERSTITION ; VERSE ; Wine

James Callow Keyword(s): NEGRO

Date learned: 00001960S

View just this record

Belief: Children's Song

STEP ON A CRACK, BREAK YOUR MOTHER'S BACK. STEP ON A LINE
BREAK YOUR FATHER'S SPINE.

Submitter comment:

INFORMANT USED TO SING THIS WHEN SHE PLAYED HOPSCOTCH ON
THE SIDEWALK.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated on 12-01-2010 / Motifs and Keywords added by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): Back ; BELIEF ; CHILDHOOD ; CHILDREN ; Crack ; Father ; GAME ; Line ; MOTHER ; RHYME ; SONG ; Spine ; SUPERSTITION ; VERSE

James Callow Keyword(s): GAME SONG

View just this record

Belief: Children's Song

WHEN WALKING DOWN THE STREET SOME CHILDREN WILL CAREFULLY WATCH
WHERE THEY STEP AND SAY, "IF YOU STEP ON A CRACK YOUR MOTHER'S
GOT A BROKEN BACK, AND IF YOU STEP ON A LINE YOUR FATHER DRINKS
WINE.

Submitter comment:

I USED TO PLAY THIS GAME.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated on 12-01-2010 / Motifs and Keywords added by TRD

Keyword(s): ALCOHOL ; Back ; BELIEF ; CHILDHOOD ; CHILDREN ; Crack ; Father ; GAME ; Line ; MOTHER ; RHYME ; SONG ; Spine ; SUPERSTITION ; VERSE ; Wine

James Callow Keyword(s): COUNTING

Date learned: 00001958-00001966

View just this record

Belief: Children's Song

STEP ON A CRACK (AS IN A SIDEWALK) (SIC) BREAK YOUR MOTHER'S BACK.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs and Keywords added by TRD

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE ; ASSUMED

Keyword(s): Back ; BELIEF ; CHILDHOOD ; CHILDREN ; Crack ; GAME ; MOTHER ; RHYME ; SONG ; Spine ; SUPERSTITION ; VERSE

James Callow Keyword(s): ELLIPSIS

Date learned: 06-00-1972

View just this record

Belief: Children's Song

If you step on a crack you'll break your mother's back.

Submitter comment:

Stepping on Cracks Superstition

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [P880] crossed out and replaced with C860.740

Where learned: CHILDHOOD ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; Myself

Keyword(s): Back ; BELIEF ; CHILDHOOD ; CHILDREN ; Crack ; GAME ; Line ; MOTHER ; RHYME ; SONG ; Spine ; SUPERSTITION ; VERSE

View just this record

Autograph Rhyme

Autograph Book Rhyme:

Don't steal this book, my honest friend, for fear the gallows be your end. And when you die the Lord shall say, "Where is the book you wtole away?" But if you cannot tell, the Lord shall cast you into hell. Whoever steals this book of knowledge, will sweetly graduate from Sing-Sing College.

Submitter comment:

The autograph book this is taken from is collected from the years 1929-1933.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs and BN added by TRD

James Callow comment:

BN [C760] is crossed out and the word FlyLeaf is written next to it.

Submission card located in a pile marked [?]

Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; BOOK ; Glanshaw

Keyword(s): AFTERLIFE ; AUTOGRAPH ; FlyLeaf ; HELL ; Judgment ; PRISON ; RHYME ; VERSE

James Callow Keyword(s): FlyLeaf

View just this record