# Silly rhymes your parents told you **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 11, 2013, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-rhymes-your-parents-told-you/660751 "2013-06-11T21:03:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-rhymes-your-parents-told-you/660751/81 "2013-06-21T11:52:22Z")
> [@araminty](#): > > I think this is from my maternal grandmother. > > Ay tiddly ay tie, eat brown bread > I saw a sausage fall down dead > Up jumped a saveloy and hit him on the head > Ay tiddly ay tie… brown bread! ooooo! interesting, my father in law says something similiar Ay tiddly ay tie…brown bread I saw a sausage…fall dead Up comes a butcher with a very sharp knife Up jumps the sausage and runs for his life. Never heard it from anyone else, whereabouts does you maternal grandmother hark from? ---
**Author:** ![bathsheba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@bathsheba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bathsheba)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-rhymes-your-parents-told-you/660751/82 "2013-06-23T09:39:47Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > Of course you’re right. Who would use the Star Spangled Banner tune for anything else–it’s too hard to sing… I just spent five minutes trying to make the words fit to the Star Spangled Banner. My mother was fond of this one: Poor little birdy Poor little thing No feather on its head No feather on its wing Canna fly, canna sing Chop its bloody head off ---
**Author:** ![Sleel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/73ab20/32.png) [@Sleel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleel)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-rhymes-your-parents-told-you/660751/83 "2013-06-23T11:49:26Z")
Silly Sally went to skate Upon the ice too frisk What a silly, silly girl For her \* ---
**Author:** ![pendgwen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3da27b/32.png) [@pendgwen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pendgwen)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-rhymes-your-parents-told-you/660751/84 "2013-06-23T12:14:38Z")
> [@Sam\_A.Robrin](#): > > This land’s not your land, > This land is my land. > If you don’t get off, > I’ll blow your head off. > I’ve got a shotgun > And it is loaded … > This land was made for me alone! This land is my land It isn’t your land I got a shotgun And you don’t got one If you don’t get off I’ll blow your head off This land was made for only me And from my grandmother whenever she saw me chewing gum: The gum chewing girl and the cud chewing cow Are alike and yet different somehow Ah yes, I have it now It’s the intelligent look on the face of the cow ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-rhymes-your-parents-told-you/660751/85 "2013-06-23T12:39:27Z")
Madame Pepperwinkle grew up with: What a queer little bird the frog are. When he sit he stand (almost) When he walk he fly (almost) When he talk he cry (almost) He ain’t got no sense, hardly He ain’t got no tail, neither, hardly He sit on what he ain’t got hardly. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-rhymes-your-parents-told-you/660751/86 "2013-06-23T18:09:56Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > Oh another one from my grandparents I just recalled: > > Bless the meat, damn the skin, open yer mouth and shove it in! (said before a meal as a blessing)… Our silly, we’rereallyhungryanddon’twanttoprayalongtime Grace at Boy Scout summer camp was: “Rub-a-dub-dub, thanks for the grub, yay God!” My family still uses it now and then. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-rhymes-your-parents-told-you/660751/87 "2013-06-23T21:12:30Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > ooooo! interesting, my father in law says something similiar > > Ay tiddly ay tie…brown bread > I saw a sausage…fall dead > Up comes a butcher with a very sharp knife > Up jumps the sausage and runs for his life. > > Never heard it from anyone else, whereabouts does you maternal grandmother hark from? Probably from the Harold Angel. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-rhymes-your-parents-told-you/660751/88 "2013-06-24T03:59:23Z")
Is he a friend of Olive the Other Reindeer? ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-rhymes-your-parents-told-you/660751/89 "2013-06-24T06:58:46Z")
I admit I don’t know. I’d sure like to see a sausage jump up and run. 😃 One thing I kept forgetting to add here was a verse my Dad recited, about “Tony Baroni, the Son of the Beach.” _I-a sell-a the fish and I-a sell-a the crab. “Tony Baroni, you should-a sell-a the beer.”_ That’s all I rermember from what he recited more than 50 years ago. I don’t know where he found it. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-rhymes-your-parents-told-you/660751/90 "2013-06-24T07:14:50Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > Probably from the Harold Angel. 😃 😕 I have literally no idea what that means. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-rhymes-your-parents-told-you/660751/91 "2013-06-24T08:14:47Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > 😕 I have literally no idea what that means. You know: “Hark, the Harold Angel sings.” ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-rhymes-your-parents-told-you/660751/92 "2013-06-24T12:23:01Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > You know: “Hark, the Harold Angel sings.” _Herald_ Angels surely? ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-rhymes-your-parents-told-you/660751/93 "2013-06-24T12:32:22Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > _Herald_ Angels surely? No,no, Harold Angel is a friend of Olive, the Other Reindeer. Welcome to Christmas Puns. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-rhymes-your-parents-told-you/660751/94 "2013-06-24T13:42:35Z")
Radie was a circus lion Radie was a woman hater Radie had a female trainer Radie ate her The thunder god went for a ride Upon his favourite filly I’m Thor, he cried The horse replied You thould have used a thaddle, thilly. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-rhymes-your-parents-told-you/660751/95 "2013-06-24T14:32:39Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > _Herald_ Angels surely? Whoosh! ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-rhymes-your-parents-told-you/660751/96 "2013-06-24T16:30:36Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Radie was a circus lion > Radie was a woman hater > Radie had a female trainer > Radie ate her > The thunder god went for a ride > Upon his favourite filly > I’m Thor, he cried > The horse replied > You thould have used a thaddle, thilly. In an old B. C. Sunday comic, Thor came on the scene in melodramatic style, like Tarzan, and announced to the young woman, “I am Thor!” She said, “I _thought_ tho, the way you were thcreaming!” In one of his routines, Victor Borge explained how he as a Dane had trouble with the English sound “th” as in “with,” and someone told him “thpeak like thith for two month and get uthed to it one’th and for all!” 😃 “Radie ate her”…hyuk hyuk!! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-rhymes-your-parents-told-you/660751/97 "2013-06-24T17:53:14Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > When I was a kid the ol’ smokey was: > > On top of old smokey > all covered in blood > I shot my poor teacher > with a .44 slug. Two goodies not from my childhood and not strictly rhymes: Now kids, make sure to eat every bean and pea on your plate. I see, said the blind man as he picked up his hammer and saw. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-rhymes-your-parents-told-you/660751/98 "2013-06-24T19:14:15Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Whoosh! I think the problem may be that “Harold” sounds nothing like “Herald” to me so the whole thing was a non-sequitur. ---
**Author:** ![TheseGoToEleven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/848f3c/32.png) [@TheseGoToEleven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheseGoToEleven)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2013, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-rhymes-your-parents-told-you/660751/99 "2013-06-28T17:33:10Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > My mother would sit me on her knees and bounce me up and down while saying > > Trot trot to Boston > Trot trot to Lynn > Be very careful that you don’t fall innnnnnnn… > > She’d open her legs at the very last word and dump me on the floor. > > I still do this with young child I know. They love it. > [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](#): > > My dad would dandle me on his knee and sing Pony Boy: > Pony Boy, Pony Boy, won’t you be my Pony Boy; > Don’t say know, here we go, ride across the plains. > Marry me, carry me, ride away with you, > Giddyup, giddyup, giddyup go! My Pony Boy. > > Of course, he bounced me much faster on the giddyups. > > I loved it, so did my sisters, and when I became a dad, I did it with my daughter, and since then with my grandson. > > You’re right, it’s just such fun. My bounce the kids on the knee song was: \* The mighty Duke of York He had ten thousand men He marched them up to the top of the hill Then he marched them down again And when you’re up, you’re up And when you’re down, you’re down And when you’re only halfway up You’re neither up nor down He marched them to the left He marched them to the right He marched them up and over the hill Oh, what a funny sight! \* …with ups and downs and lefts and rights at the appropriate times, and then up and over my head to be dumped on the bed or couch or whatever I was leaning my back against as I sat on the floor. They would always come running back for a repeat performance… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![bppubjr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/df788c/32.png) [@bppubjr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bppubjr)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2013, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-rhymes-your-parents-told-you/660751/100 "2013-06-28T17:50:41Z")
Ah, this thread is the perfect place to have a question answered that’s been bugging me for 30 years. My Dad used to say: _A funny creature is the flea; You cannot tell the he from she, But he can tell, and so can she._ It’s a direct response to the old, hippie-era trope of not being able to tell a long-haired boy (of which my father was one, at least at the time that such things were common) from a girl. In any event, he fancied himself a poet, so it was never clear to me whether this was original or merely cribbed. The other (apparently ancient) tune that I know, is from my wife’s grandmother: \*Come-a-hoop, come-a-heep, come a hi-ho Round the merry way. Come, round-round-round, Rip-tip-tam hoorah, boys! Rah-rah-rah and a doodle-doodle-doo And a fee-fi-fiddle and a banjo. Through the woods we run away, boys! Through the woods we run! First we met was a boatsman, Building up his boat. Said he saw Bo-Remus Down by the water float. (repeat chorus)\* This has been passed down orally for generations from grandmothers to grandchildren, so it’s been pretty bastardized, but from what I can tell it’s an English fox hunting song (originally Bow Reynard) from at least the mid-19th centnury. Anybody know anything similar to this? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-rhymes-your-parents-told-you/660751.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-rhymes-your-parents-told-you/660751.md?page=6)