# Rhyme about Beans **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 7, 2026, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhyme-about-beans/1026439 "2026-01-07T18:10:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhyme-about-beans/1026439/1 "2026-01-07T18:10:07Z")
In 2nd or 3rd grade we learned a rhyme extolling the sonic properties of baked beans. So I’m wondering how others learned it. So, were beans: 1. The musical fruit 2. The magical fruit 3. Good for your heart? ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhyme-about-beans/1026439/2 "2026-01-07T18:12:36Z")
2   ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhyme-about-beans/1026439/3 "2026-01-07T18:13:14Z")
Musical fruit. Never heard the variations that I noticed. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhyme-about-beans/1026439/4 "2026-01-07T18:17:33Z")
I first learned #1 and then heard #3 as an adult (in a movie or TV show). I don’t think I’ve ever heard “magical”, but it would definitely be in the tiny minority if I have. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhyme-about-beans/1026439/5 "2026-01-07T18:19:19Z")
Magical ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhyme-about-beans/1026439/6 "2026-01-07T18:22:32Z")
Clearly no 3 ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhyme-about-beans/1026439/7 "2026-01-07T18:27:35Z")
All three. Musical, magical, heart-healthy. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhyme-about-beans/1026439/8 "2026-01-07T18:46:13Z")
Beans, oh beans, the magical fruit. The more you eat, the more you toot. The more you toot, the better you feel And soon you’re ready for another meal Of beans, oh beans, the magical fruit . . . can be continued until somebody stops you. Presumably part of what’s magical about them is that they somehow become fruit. ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhyme-about-beans/1026439/9 "2026-01-07T18:52:08Z")
For me it was: _Beans, beans, the magical fruit; The more you eat, the more you toot; The more you toot, the better you feel; Let’s eat beans for every meal!_ ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhyme-about-beans/1026439/10 "2026-01-07T18:53:53Z")
Good for your heart. We weren’t tootin’. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhyme-about-beans/1026439/11 "2026-01-07T19:45:31Z")
I heard both 1 and 3 when I was a kid. “Good for your heart,” was probably used more often. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhyme-about-beans/1026439/12 "2026-01-07T19:47:15Z")
@Kron nailed the version I knew as a kid. But right now I sorta like @thorny_locust’s perpetual version better. Much better at driving the grown-ups nuts. 🤪 ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhyme-about-beans/1026439/13 "2026-01-07T19:51:01Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > Presumably part of what’s magical about them is that they somehow become fruit. We could recast it a bit to solve that problem … > _Beans, beans, the magical legumes; > The more you eat, da stronger da’fumes; > The stronger da fumes, da bettah you feel; > Let’s eat beans wit every meal!_ ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhyme-about-beans/1026439/14 "2026-01-07T19:51:08Z")
Bart Simpson preferred #1, twice. Once in a religious school (he didn’t get past the second line) and once when he was somehow in an academically advanced school, when I think he got through the whole four lines. > [@LSLGuy](#): > > Beans, beans, the magical legumes; It scans better if it’s “magic legumes” ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhyme-about-beans/1026439/15 "2026-01-07T19:54:40Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > It scans better if it’s “magic legumes” It sure does. I started with it that way but then the second line is too long vs. the first. Or at least so it seemed to me. IANA poet. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhyme-about-beans/1026439/16 "2026-01-07T19:55:41Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > I heard both 1 and 3 when I was a kid. Same, and often together. “Musical fruit” in the first verse, “good for your heart” in the second. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhyme-about-beans/1026439/17 "2026-01-07T19:55:43Z")
I think it works ok, for some reason it sounds better if the first line is more strict to meter, and later lines can be allowed to gallop a little. ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhyme-about-beans/1026439/18 "2026-01-07T19:58:08Z")
The variations I’ve heard on it have focused on the last line of the ditty. It’s always: Beans beans the musical fruit the more you eat the more you toot the more you toot the better you feel so let’s eat beans with every meal Now the last line I have also heard: “so spread those cheeks and let ‘em squeal!” ---
**Author:** ![dirtball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dirtball/32/18772_2.png) [@dirtball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dirtball)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhyme-about-beans/1026439/19 "2026-01-07T20:01:48Z")
I first learned it as… Beans, beans, a nickel a quart The more you eat, the more you fart. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhyme-about-beans/1026439/20 "2026-01-07T20:05:54Z")
> [@dirtball](#): > > Beans, beans, a nickel a quart > The more you eat, the more you fart. Is there a dialect somewhere where that actually rhymes? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhyme-about-beans/1026439.md?page=2)