The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

SPARKLE, STARKLE, LITTLE TWINK,
WHO THE TELL YOU ARE I HINK.
I'M NOT IMBRICATED,
I'M NOT AS DRUNK AS SOME TINKLE PEEP I AM.
I'VE ONLY HAD TEA MARTOONIES,
ANYWAY I'VE ALL DAY SOBER TO SUNDAY UP IN.
I FOOL SO FEELISH, I DON'T KNOW WHO IS ME YET,
BUT THE DRUNKER I STAND HERE,
THE LONGER I GET.

Submitter comment: LEARNED IN GRADE SCHOOL.

Where learned: OHIO

Keyword(s): CONTRADICTIONS MONOLOGUE HUMOR ; EUPHEMISM PARODY DRINKING ; NONSENSE WORDS METER TROCHEE ; TANGLETALK

Date learned: 00-00-1948

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SCHOOL RHYME

DETENTION, DETENTION, DETENTION,
I'VE FORGOTTEN MY LATIN DECLENSION.
THE SECOND OR THE FIRST?
THE THIRD IS THE WORST.
DETENTION, DETENTION, DETENTION.

Where learned: CANADA ; ONTARIO ; OAKVILLE

Keyword(s): PUNISHMENT

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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EENY MEENY MAKARAKE
CHER A DOMINACKE
CHICK A CHOL A LOLLIPOPE
AM TAM TISH.

Where learned: VOLUNTEERED

Keyword(s): NONSENSE

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HI HO, HI HO,
I KICKED MY TEACHER'S TOE,
SHE KICKED ME BACK,
O, WHAT A CAT,
HI HO, HI HO.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT HEARD IN SCHOOL.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FARMINGTON

Keyword(s): PARODY ON SONG FROM "SNOW WHITE." ; TUNE OF "HI HO, HI HO, IT'S OFF TO WORK WE GO"

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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HI HO, HI, HO,
IT'S OFF TO SCHOOL WE GO,
TO STUDY JUNK,
THEN TO FLUNK,
HI HO, HI HO, HI HO.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT HEARD IN SCHOOL.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FARMINGTON

Keyword(s): PARODY ON SONG FROM "SNOW WHITE." ; TUNE OF "HI HO, HI HO, IT'S OFF TO WORK WE GO"

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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CHILD'S VERSE

IF ALL THE WORLD WAS APPLE PIE,
AND ALL THE SEA WAS INK,
AND ALL THE TREES WERE BREAD AND CHEESE,
WHAT WOULD WE HAVE TO DRINK?

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN

Keyword(s): FANTASY ; NURSERY RHYME

Date learned: 02-22-1970

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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

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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

Date learned: 11-06-1970

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JOHN JACOB JINGLE-HIMER SMITH (SCHMIDT)
THAT'S MY NAME, TOO,
WHENEVER I GO OUT, THE PEOPLE ALWAYS SHOUT,
"JOHN JACOB JINGLE-HIMER SMITH."
HURRAH HURRAH HURRAH FOR... (REPEAT)

Submitter comment: SHE NOTED IN THE WRITTEN COPY THAT SHE GAVE ME THAT THE
"I" IN "HIMER" WAS PRONOUNCED WITH A LONG SOUND AS IN
"HIGH."

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): HUMOROUS NAME

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CHILDREN'S RHYME

MOTHER, MOTHER, NELLY, NELLY,
MAKE A CAKE TO FILL MY BELLY.

Where learned: CANADA ; ONTARIO ; OAKVILLE

Keyword(s): FOOD ; STOMACH

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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CHILDREN'S VERSE

TWELVE AND TWELVE MAKES TWENTY FOUR,
SHUT YOUR MOUTH AND SAY NO MORE.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated 11.10.13 by TRD

Where learned: CANADA ; ONTARIO ; OAKVILLE

Keyword(s): Arithmetic, Math, Mathematics, Addition,

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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CHILDREN'S CHANT

POLICEMAN, POLICEMAN, DO YOUR DUTY,
HERE COMES (GIRL'S NAME) THE AMERICAN BEAUTY.
SHE CAN DO THE RHUMBA,
SHE CAN DO THE SPLITS,
SHE CAN WEAR DRESSES,
ABOVE HER HIPS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; REDFORD TOWNSHIP

Keyword(s): FASHION--DRESS LENGTH

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PROVERBIAL PHRASE

SHAVE AND A HAIRCUT
SIX BITS,
WHO IS THE BARBER?
TOM MIX.

Where learned: NOT GIVEN

Keyword(s): TOM MIX=OLD TIME MOVIE STAR

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LYRICAL VERSE, CHILDREN'S RHYME

STAR LIGHT, STAR BRIGHT,
FIRST STAR I SEE TONIGHT,
I WISH I MAY, I WISH I MIGHT,
"OH MY GOSH, IT'S A SATELLITE!"

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): PARODY ; SURPRISE ENDING

Date learned: 03-23-1968

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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

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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

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GRACE BEFORE MEALS

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

Where learned: MINNESOTA ; MINNEAPOLIS

Keyword(s): BLESSING

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

Date learned: 00-00-1966

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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

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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

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