# Miss Suzy Had A Steamboat **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 17, 1999, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/miss-suzy-had-a-steamboat/4785 "1999-11-17T05:12:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DPWhite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d26b3c/32.png) [@DPWhite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPWhite)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/miss-suzy-had-a-steamboat/4785/21 "2001-10-20T06:42:37Z")
I remember this from the 60s. I was 5 or 6. We thought we were so naughty. Then when I went away to college, frat boys had a song (I wasn’t in a frat, being the Groucho Marx type) and I’ll give you the opening lines, see if you can finish it: Sheila! Sheila? She loves a … ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/miss-suzy-had-a-steamboat/4785/22 "2001-10-20T16:30:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Toaster \* > \*\*Guess I’m the only poster who always heard it as Miss Suzy going to hell and the steamboat going to heaven (which always made me happy, heh). \*\* Nope, I heard it that way too. ---
**Author:** ![arieanne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de0a6/32.png) [@arieanne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/arieanne)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/miss-suzy-had-a-steamboat/4785/23 "2001-10-20T21:52:54Z")
We always did it slightly different… Miss Suzy had a steamboat The steamboat had a bell Miss Suzy went to heaven The steam boat went to – Hello Operator Please give me number 9 And if you disconnect me I’ll kick you from – Behind the 'frigerator There was a piece of glass Miss Suzy sat upon it And broke her little – Ask me no more questions I’ll tell you know more lies The boy are in the bathroom Zipping up their – Flies are in the park Miss Suzy and her boyfriend Are kissing in the D a r k D a r k D a r k Dark, dark, dark. There’s a clapping game that goes with it. I also remember one that starts off… _(something) Betty Crocker, sitting in her rocker_ But I can’t remember the rest of it for my life. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/miss-suzy-had-a-steamboat/4785/24 "2001-10-20T22:42:46Z")
Off to Cafe Society. ---
**Author:** ![Mogwei22](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@Mogwei22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mogwei22)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/miss-suzy-had-a-steamboat/4785/25 "2001-10-20T22:43:31Z")
Here goes: Miss Susie had a steamboat The steamboat had a bell Miss Susie went to heaven The steamboat went to Hello operator Please give me #9 And if you disconnect me I’ll kick you right behind The frigerator There was a piece of glass Miss Susie sat upon it It went right up her Ask me no more questions Tell me no more lies The boys are in the girls room Pulling down their flies Are in the meadow The bees are in their hives Miss Susie and her boyfriend Are kissing in the D A R K D A R K Dark dark dark. dont’ remember the rest… has anyone heard this one(involves clapping): Oh jolly playmate Come out and play with me And bring your dolly three Climb up my apple tree Slide down my rainbow Into my cellar door And we’ll be jolly friends Forever more more more more more Oh jolly enemy Come out and fight with me And bring your soldier three Climb up my pricker tree Slide down my razor blade Into my dungeon door And we’ll be jolly enemies Forever more more more more more ---
**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/miss-suzy-had-a-steamboat/4785/26 "2001-10-20T23:46:47Z")
Who is this Miss Suzy upstart and how did she get possession of Mary’s steamboat? ---
**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:** [October 21, 2001, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/miss-suzy-had-a-steamboat/4785/27 "2001-10-21T00:49:50Z")
That should be “slide down my rain **barrell** ”, and “ **swing on** my cellar door”. I’ve never heard the enemy stanza, though. ---
**Author:** ![Mogwei22](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@Mogwei22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mogwei22)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2001, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/miss-suzy-had-a-steamboat/4785/28 "2001-10-21T01:50:31Z")
Hmm…I never heard it that way Chronos…but by the Suzy/Susie thread proves that the song seems different depending on where you grew up…thank you for letting me know that I didn’t make up the Jolly Friend/Enemy though…I’ve asked so many people and no one seemed to know. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2001, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/miss-suzy-had-a-steamboat/4785/29 "2001-10-21T18:17:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mogwei22 \* > \*\*Here goes: > > Miss Susie had a steamboat > The steamboat had a bell > Miss Susie went to heaven > The steamboat went to > > Hello operator > Please give me #9 > And if you disconnect me > I’ll kick you right behind > > The frigerator > There was a piece of glass > Miss Susie sat upon it > It went right up her > > Ask me no more questions > Tell me no more lies > The boys are in the girls room > Pulling down their flies > > Are in the meadow > The bees are in their hives > Miss Susie and her boyfriend > Are kissing in the > D A R K > D A R K > Dark dark dark. > \*\* This is the closest to the version I learned. Except our version said she cut her little ask. The “mean” versions of Jolly Playmate were different, though. Something about poisoned apples and barbed wire… ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2001, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/miss-suzy-had-a-steamboat/4785/30 "2001-10-21T20:27:12Z")
I’ve been thinking and thinking and thinking and I can’t remember the last verse of how I learned that song. What I do remember: Miss Suzie had a steamboat The steamboat had a bell The steamboat went to heaven Miss Suzie went to Hello operator Give me number nine And if you disconnect me I’ll kick in your Behind the ‘frigerator There was a piece of glass Miss Suzie sat upon it And broke her little Ask me no more questions I’ll tell you no more lies The girls are in the boys’ room Zipping up their Flies are in the meadow The bees are in the park Miss Suzie and her boyfriend Are kissing in the d-a-r-k, d-a-r-k, d-a-r-k Darker than [I forget] Darker than [I forget] Darker than the underwear My mama puts on me [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/miss-suzy-had-a-steamboat/4785.md?page=1)