The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

Hand clapping rhyme played by African-American children

Zing Zing Zing like a washing machine
We're gonna rock in the tree top all night long
Rocking and a bobbing and a singing this song
All the little birdies on Jaybird street
love to hear the robin say eat my feet.
Mama is in the kitchen stirring that rice
Daddy is so nice like sugar and spice
Brother is in college trying to be cool
Sister is in school because she's no fool
Rocking Robin tweet tweet tweet
Rocking Robin tweet tweet tweet

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; children in the community

Date learned: 00-00-1960

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Hand clapping game played by African-American Children

There was a farmer who had a dog and BINGO was his name-o
B-i-n-g-o, B-i-n-g-o, B-i-n-g-o, and Bingo was his
name-o. There was a farmer who had a dog and BINGO was his
name-o (clap) i-n-g-o (clap) i-n-g-o (clap) i-n-g-o and BINGO
was his name-o. There was a farmer who had a dog and BINGO
was his name-o. (clap, clap) n-g-o (clap, clap) n-g-o (clap
clap) n-g-o and BINGO was his name-o. There was a farmer who
had a dog and BINGO was his name-o (clap,clap,clap) g-o (clap
clap,clap) g-o (clap,clap,clap) g-o and BINGO was his name-o.
There was a farmer who had a dog and BINGO was his name-o
(clap,clap,clap,clap) o (clap,clap,clap,clap) o (clap,clap
clap,clap) o and BINGO was his name-o. There was a farmer
who had a dog and BINGO was his name-o (clap,clap,clap,clap
(clap) (clap,clap,clap,clap,clap) (clap,clap,clap,clap,clap)
and BINGO was his name-o.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; children in the community

Date learned: 00-00-1961

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A game played by African-American Children

Little Sally Walker sitting in a saucer
Cry Sally cry dry your weeping eyes and
put your hands on your hips and let your backbone slip.
Ah shake it to the east. Ah shake it to the west
Ah shake it to the very one you love the best.

Submitter comment: This game is played by sitting in a circle. One person
is "it" and stands in the middle. As the song is sung
the person in the middle acts out the words in the song
When the children say, shake it to the east, the person
in the middle shakes to the east. etc.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; children in the community

Date learned: 00-00-1961

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A hiding game

Last night, night before
Twenty-four robbers were at my door
I got up to let them in
Hit em on the head with a rolling pin
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10
Ready or not here I come
All around my glue is it

Submitter comment: The person who is "it" must go to
a large tree (glue) cover his/her eyes
while facing the "glue" and singing the
above rhyme. While the person who is
"it" is chanting, the other children run
to find a hiding place. When the person
who is "it" is done he/she must find the
others and tag them before they can get
on "glue". "Glue" is where all players
are safe ("on glue"). Whoever is tagged before
getting safe on "glue" is "it". If no one is
tagged, then the same person must be "it"
again.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; children in the community

Date learned: 00-00-1960

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African-American Children's Game (jump rope)

This is sung as children jump rope.
Teddy bear, teddy bear turn around
Teddy bear, teddy bear touch the ground
Teddy bear, teddy bear shine your shoes
Teddy bear, teddy bear read the news
Teddy bear, teddy bear go up stairs
Teddy bear, teddy bear say your prayers
Teddy bear, teddy bear turn out the light
Teddy bear, teddy bear say good night.

Submitter comment: The person jumping rope must do each thing mentioned
in the song as he/she jumps the rope. The jumper must jump
out of the rope after saying good night.

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

Date learned: 00-00-1989

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