Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for Child returned 136 results.
A counting-out rhyme
Eenie, meanie, minie, moe
Catch a tiger by his toe
If he hollers let him go
Eenie, meanie, minie, moe
Out goes the cat
Out goes the rat
Out goes the lady with the see-saw hat.
Submitter comment:
Children put their feet together touching
at the toe. As the above rhyme is said each
toe is touched. At the end of the rhyme someone
is eliminated. The last person left is "it".
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; children in the community
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Date learned: 00-00-1961
Hand clapping rhyme played by African-American children
Ms Suzie had a baby,
she named him Tiny Tim.
She put him in the bathtub
to see is he could swim.
He drank up all the water,
and ate up all the soap.
He tried to eat the bathtub,
but it wouldn't go down his throat.
Ms. Suzie called the doctor,
Ms. Suzie called the nurse.
Ms. Suzie called the lady with the alligator purse.
The doctor said the measles,
the nurse said the mumps.
The lady with the alligator purse said pizza.
Ms. Suzie slapped the doctor,
Ms. Suzie punched the nurse
Ms. Suzie thanked the lady with the alligator purse.
Submitter comment:
Hand claps accompany this rhyme. Rhythm is a very
important part of the game.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; children in the community
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Date learned: 00-00-1989
Hand clapping rhyme played by African-American children
Elise is having a baby tidsy tada-way
Well how do you know? tidsy tada-way
Your boyfriend told me tidsy tada-way
Well he's so nosey.
We can do the up-sies up-sies up-sies
We can do the down-sies down-sies down-sies
We can do the freak the freak the freak.
Submitter comment:
Hand motions and claps accompany this rhyme
There is also a special little movement that
is done for up-sies up-sies up-sies and down-sies.
Rhythm is very important in performing this rhyme.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; children in the community
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Date learned: 00-00-1989
Hand clapping rhyme played by African-American children
Little Sally Walker walking down the street
Hey Hey she didn't know what to do
So, she jumped in front of me.
I said gone girl shake that thang, shake that thang
Shake that thang.
Gone girl shake that thang, shake that thang stop.
Submitter comment:
Hand claps accompany this rhyme and rhythm is very
important. Each rhyme has its own tempo that must
be maintained when said and clapped.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; children in the community
James Callow Keyword(s): shake that thing
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Date learned: 00-00-1989
Hand clapping rhyme played by African-American children
Down down baby don't shake the roller coaster
Sweet sweet baby, I'll never let you go
Just because I kissed you, don't mean I love you
Shimmy shimmy co-co pop
Shimmy shimmy why
Shimmy shimmy co-co pop
Shimmy shimmy freeze. (freeze means to stop)
Submitter comment:
Hand claps accompany this rhyme and rhythm is very
important. You have to be well coordinated to play
these games.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; children in the community
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Date learned: 00-00-1989
Hand clapping rhyme played by African-American children
Zing Zing Zing like a washing machine.
Where gonna rock in the tree top all night long
Rocking and a bobbing and singing this song
All the little birdies on Jaybird street
Love to hear the robin go tweet tweet tweet
Rocking Robin, tweet tweet tweet
Rocking Robing tweet tweet tweet
Mama is in the kitchen stirring that rice,
Daddy is on the corner shooting that dice.
Brother is in jail, ringing that bell,
Sister is on the corner saying fruit cocktail.
Down by the river
Down by the sea
Johnny broke a bottle and blamed it on me
I told mama, mama told papa,
Johnny got a whipping so ha ha ha.
Rocking Robin tweet tweet tweet
Rocking Robin tweet tweet tweet.
Submitter comment:
This rhyme has elaborate hand claps that
accompany the rhyme.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; children in the community
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Date learned: 00-00-1989
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
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Date learned: 00-00-1960
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
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse C750.52 |
Date learned: 00-00-1961
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
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Date learned: 00-00-1961
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
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Hiding Searching Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Date learned: 00-00-1960
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
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Athletic sport and exercise Gymnastics Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Date learned: 00-00-1989
FAIRIES ARE REAL. MY MOTHER ALWAYS TOLD ME THAT WHEN MY TOOTH
FELL OUT, TO PUT IT UNDER MY PILLOW AND THE TOOTH FAIRY
WOULD COME AND LEAVE SOME MONEY. WELL, ID DID IT EVERY
TIME AND EVERY TIME IT WORKED, I WONDER WHO THE FAIRY WAS?
Where learned: CHILDHOOD
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Fairy Elf Goblin Gnome |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
ONE FEATURE OF THE TELEVISION SHOW, "MICKEY MOUSE CLUB,"
WAS A LOOK THROUGH AN ENCYCLOPEDIA. THE THEME FOR
THIS FEATURE USED A RHYTHMIC SPELLING OF "ENCYCLO-
PEDIA"--ENCYC/LO/PEDIA. TODAY, IF YOU ASK ALMOST
ANY YOUNG PERSON WHO GREW UP WITH THE MICKEY MOUSE
CLUB SHOW TO SPELL ENCYCLOPEDIA, HE WILL DO IT
IN THE RHYTHM TAUGHT BY JIMINY CRICKET! {CHARACTER
ON THAT SHOW, AND FROM PINOCCHIO}.
Where learned: CHILDHOOD
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Entertainment Diversion SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
JOKE-GESTURE ABOUT STRONG MEN, ON HOW THEY USE ANY
EXCUSE TO SHOW OFF. EXAMPLE IS POINTING GESTURE:
THEY FLEX THEIR ARM THEN TURN WRIST AND THEN POINT.
Where learned: CHILDHOOD
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Jest Anecdote SPEECH -- S236 SPEECH -- Games Riddles Jokes |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
Superstition
Superstition:
Anything tried on Friday the 13th will fail.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P880.6] crossed out and replaced with P574.5
Where learned: CHILDHOOD ; HOME
Keyword(s): BELIEF ; CURSE ; DATE ; Day ; Friday ; jinx ; SUPERSTITION ; TRISKAIDEKAPHOBIA ; Weekday
James Callow Keyword(s): TRISKAIDEKAPHOBIA
| Subject headings: | 686 Specific number by specific number being described BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour |
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
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief Belief |
Myth
Easter Bunny:
The Easter Bunny - A big rabbit with a white tail who hides eggs around your house.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P429] crossed out. Replaced with current classification
Where learned: CHILDHOOD ; HOME
Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; Bunny ; CUSTOM ; Easter ; Eggs ; Hare ; holiday ; MYTH ; Rabbit
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal |
Belief: Animal
Belief in Magic:
If you place a horsehair in vinegar it will turn into a worm.
Submitter comment:
This was told to the informant by her grandmother many years ago.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P600] crossed out. Replaced wtih current classifications.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; WORK ; CHILDRENS HOSPITAL
Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; BELIEF ; HAIR ; HORSE ; MAGIC ; SUPERSTITION ; TRANSFORMATION ; VINEGAR ; Worm
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Creation and Order of Animal Life BELIEF -- Animal BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Magic of Speech, Sign, Color |
Lady Bug
If a lady bug landed on you, you would say this little verse
and blow it off your hand. If it flew away out of sight, without
landing, her children were safe.
Lady Bug, Lady Bug
Fly fast away
Your house is on fire
And your children astray.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNKNOWN ; ROSEVILLE ; Child
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse BELIEF -- Insect |
Date learned: 00001950S
ONE'S CHARACTER SHOWS IN HIS FACE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; CHILDRENS HOSPITAL
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses Head, physiognomy, face |
Date learned: 04-01-1970