# Do your ears hang low? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 6, 2009, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-ears-hang-low/509014 "2009-09-06T01:05:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-ears-hang-low/509014/1 "2009-09-06T01:05:49Z")
Ears aren’t known for “hanging low” or “wobbling to and fro”. Was this song originally about some other body part? ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-ears-hang-low/509014/2 "2009-09-06T01:07:17Z")
I had heard it was originally “balls” not ears; but I haven’t looked for a citation ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-ears-hang-low/509014/3 "2009-09-06T01:14:07Z")
When I was a young’un, it was balls. No ears, no other body parts. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-ears-hang-low/509014/4 "2009-09-06T01:16:20Z")
Since it would be very hard to throw your ears “over your shoulder like a continental soldier,” you can reckon that the original version said “balls.” The [lyrics](http://www.folklore.ms/html/songs_sorted_by_name/with_music/d/do_your_balls_hang_low.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-ears-hang-low/509014/5 "2009-09-06T01:19:07Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > you can reckon that the original version said “balls.” I’d guess the original was ‘hair’. It can hang low, it can wobble (after a fashion), it can be tied in a knot or tied with a bow. People tended to have long hair in the late-18th Century (at least from illustrations I’ve seen), so it might be thrown over one’s shoulder like a Continental soldier. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-ears-hang-low/509014/6 "2009-09-06T01:22:38Z")
My kids sung this in pre-school, so I didn’t think much about it, thinking it was just a silly kids’ song. I didn’t think they’d changed the word “balls” to “ears.” :smack: I guess since they cleaned up Eeny Meenie Minie Mo, they cleaned up other songs too. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-ears-hang-low/509014/7 "2009-09-06T01:27:49Z")
What was dirty about Eeny Meeny Miny Mo? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-ears-hang-low/509014/8 "2009-09-06T01:32:03Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > What was dirty about Eeny Meeny Miny Mo? One version had the line “catch a nigger by the toe” ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-ears-hang-low/509014/9 "2009-09-06T01:32:18Z")
It originally said “nigger.” Now people say “tiger.” ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-ears-hang-low/509014/10 "2009-09-06T01:33:31Z")
Dirty, no. Racially insensitive, yes. It didn’t used to be a “tiger by the toe.” ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-ears-hang-low/509014/11 "2009-09-06T01:37:39Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > It originally said “nigger.” Now people say “tiger.” > [@DrFidelius](#): > > Dirty, no. > > Racially insensitive, yes. > > It didn’t used to be a “tiger by the toe.” And the following line is now " And if he claws you to death, let him go." 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-ears-hang-low/509014/12 "2009-09-06T01:46:10Z")
I’ve heard ‘do your tits hand low’, but only recently. And for the tiger, it’s: If he hollers, let him go. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-ears-hang-low/509014/13 "2009-09-06T01:49:01Z")
Back to the OP, the first non-sanitized version I heard was “boobs.” (I’m glad I haven’t heard Brazil nuts called by their vulgar name for a long, long time.) ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-ears-hang-low/509014/14 "2009-09-06T01:55:08Z")
I’ve always wondered about this. What would a continental soldier normally throw over his shoulder? ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-ears-hang-low/509014/15 "2009-09-06T02:19:46Z")
Do your tigers hang low? Nah, that would never catch on. ---
**Author:** ![Stainz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Stainz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stainz)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-ears-hang-low/509014/16 "2009-09-06T02:22:56Z")
I was just listening to this song this evening with my preschooler and thinking how sillly it was … “balls” makes slightly more sense. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-ears-hang-low/509014/17 "2009-09-06T02:23:29Z")
The more sanitized version is “do your _boys_ hang low”. ---
**Author:** ![starwarsfreek42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@starwarsfreek42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/starwarsfreek42)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-ears-hang-low/509014/18 "2009-09-06T02:58:56Z")
What? I always thought that song was about a [dog.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98QDqxo9K2s) ---
**Author:** ![QuercusMax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/8baadc/32.png) [@QuercusMax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuercusMax)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-ears-hang-low/509014/19 "2009-09-06T03:02:01Z")
> [@freckafree](#): > > I’ve always wondered about this. What would a continental soldier normally throw over his shoulder? A rifle, almost certainly. At least that’s how I learned it in first grade… the song had motions to go along with it, I believe. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-ears-hang-low/509014/20 "2009-09-06T05:09:24Z")
I think the “ears” version might have originated in a Bugs Bunny cartoon. Bugs, of course, has considerably less difficulty in tossing his ears over his shoulders, or tying them in a knot or bow, than most humans would. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-ears-hang-low/509014.md?page=2)