# Suggest a "spooky" nursery rhyme or children's song **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [March 7, 2022, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-spooky-nursery-rhyme-or-childrens-song/960619 "2022-03-07T17:37:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2022, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-spooky-nursery-rhyme-or-childrens-song/960619/1 "2022-03-07T17:37:14Z")
Many horror movies (and not a few action or suspense ones no doubt) use a previously cheerful song and make it darker in order to up the creep factor. There is, of course, [a trope about it.](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/IronicNurseryTune). What’s a song or little rhyme that you find particularly chilling? A [similar thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-never-the-same-again-after-their-use-in-a-movie/422574) from a few years back, just for interest. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2022, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-spooky-nursery-rhyme-or-childrens-song/960619/2 "2022-03-07T18:24:19Z")
My father sang this one to me: _There was a boy named Fred_ _Who always stayed in bed_ _And by and by they wondered why_ _Til they found out he was dead._ He also loved to sing about grandma’s lye soap: _Do you remember Grandma’s Lye Soap?_ _Good for everything, everything in the home_ _And the secret was in the scrubbin’_ _It wouldn’t suds; It wouldn’t foam._ _Mrs. O’Mally, Down in the valley_ _Suffered from ulcers, I understand_ _She swallowed a cake, of Grandma’s Lye Soap_ _Now she’s got the cleanest ulcers in the land!_ _Little Herman and Brother Thurman_ _Had an aversion to washing their ears_ _Grandma scrubbed them with the Lye Soap_ _And they haven’t heard a word in years._ _So sing right out for grandma’s Lye Soap_ _Good for everything in the home_ _And the secret was in the scrubbin’_ _'Cause it didn’t suds or foam._ _So sing right out for Gramdma’s Lye Soap_ _(Sing it loud and clear)_ _Good for everything, everything in the place_ _The pots and kettles, the dirty dishes_ _And for the hands and for the face._ So I ended up fearing dying in bed, along with soap ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2022, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-spooky-nursery-rhyme-or-childrens-song/960619/3 "2022-03-07T18:38:14Z")
“There was an old woman all skin and bones.” [SKIN AND BONES.wmv - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOhYGxg460k) I learned this from my kindergarten teacher. Still the scariest song I know. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2022, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-spooky-nursery-rhyme-or-childrens-song/960619/4 "2022-03-07T19:12:05Z")
I don’t remember where I heard this chemistry-related rhyme from. It goes something like: _Little Johnny took a drink_ _And then he was no more;_ _For what he thought was H2O_ _Was H2SO4_. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2022, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-spooky-nursery-rhyme-or-childrens-song/960619/5 "2022-03-07T19:13:14Z")
The worms go in, the worms go out Through your stomach and out your mouth. . . As a child I saw a movie starring Lucy Van Pelt’s voice actress as a ghost who said this rhyme and it still haunts me to this day. Tubular Bells was a regular-ass modern classical piece until The Exorcist. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2022, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-spooky-nursery-rhyme-or-childrens-song/960619/6 "2022-03-07T19:24:01Z")
[Antigonish](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antigonish_(poem)): > [@](#): > > Yesterday, upon the stair, > I met a man who wasn’t there > He wasn’t there again today > I wish, I wish he’d go away… > > When I came home last night at three > The man was waiting there for me > But when I looked around the hall > I couldn’t see him there at all! > Go away, go away, don’t you come back any more! > Go away, go away, and please don’t slam the door… (slam!) > > Last night I saw upon the stair > A little man who wasn’t there > He wasn’t there again today > Oh, how I wish he’d go away… ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2022, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-spooky-nursery-rhyme-or-childrens-song/960619/7 "2022-03-07T19:25:34Z")
I’m surprised this one wasn’t used for the Invisible Man. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2022, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-spooky-nursery-rhyme-or-childrens-song/960619/8 "2022-03-07T19:29:57Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Tubular Bells was a regular-ass modern classical piece until The Exorcist. Which part is most classical? The caveman mumbling? The distorted guitars? 🙂 * * * > [@](#): > > Hush-a-by baby on the tree top, > When the wind blows the cradle will rock; > When the bough breaks the cradle will fall, > Down tumbles baby, cradle and all. ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2022, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-spooky-nursery-rhyme-or-childrens-song/960619/9 "2022-03-07T19:36:10Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > The worms go in, the worms go out > Through your stomach and out your mouth. . . [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/2I5yqqpHhCE/maxresdefault.jpg "The Hearse Song (The Worms Crawl In) - Harp Twins - Electric Harp") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2I5yqqpHhCE) ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2022, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-spooky-nursery-rhyme-or-childrens-song/960619/10 "2022-03-07T19:50:30Z")
That song is much worse than I remember! The nursery rhyme I remember went The worms crawl in, the worms crawl out Through your stomach and out your mouth If you should see a worm go by Be aware! It should die. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2022, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-spooky-nursery-rhyme-or-childrens-song/960619/11 "2022-03-07T20:18:53Z")
I always heard that the worms play pinochle on your snout. My favorite rhyme is The Gashlycrum Tinies by Edward Gorey [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/PIPvzfQbioc/maxresdefault.jpg "Narrating The Gashlycrumb Tinies by Edward Gorey") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIPvzfQbioc) ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2022, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-spooky-nursery-rhyme-or-childrens-song/960619/12 "2022-03-07T20:37:09Z")
In my limited experience children rather enjoy singing ‘horrid’ rhymes. > Nobody likes me > Everybody hates me > Guess I’ll go eat worms > Big fat juicy ones > Long thin slimy ones > Itsy bitsy, fuzzy wuzzy worms > Down goes the first one > Down goes the second one > Oh how they wiggle and squirm > Big fat juicy ones > Long thin slimy ones > Itsy bitsy, fuzzy wuzzy worms > Up comes the first one > Up comes the second one > Oh how they wiggle and squirm > Big fat juicy ones > Long thin slimy ones > Itsy bitsy, fuzzy wuzzy worms > Nobody likes me > Everybody hates me > Guess I’ll go eat worms ---
**Author:** ![Tarataratara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Tarataratara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tarataratara)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2022, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-spooky-nursery-rhyme-or-childrens-song/960619/13 "2022-03-07T22:31:29Z")
Today’s the day they give babies away with every pound of tea You open the lid and out pops a kid with a lifetime guarantee Today’s the day they give babies away with every pound of tea So if you know any ladies who want any babies, send them on to me ---
**Author:** ![anny\_m](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@anny\_m](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anny_m)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2022, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-spooky-nursery-rhyme-or-childrens-song/960619/14 "2022-03-07T23:29:47Z")
Ooey-Gooey was a worm, A little worm was he. He sat upon the railroad track The train he did not see. OOEY\_GOOEY! ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2022, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-spooky-nursery-rhyme-or-childrens-song/960619/15 "2022-03-07T23:51:27Z")
[![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8rqrZfFB8o) ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2022, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-spooky-nursery-rhyme-or-childrens-song/960619/16 "2022-03-08T00:00:20Z")
To the tune of Chopin’s Funeral March: > Pray for the dead, and the dead will pray for you > Simply because they have nothing else to do ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2022, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-spooky-nursery-rhyme-or-childrens-song/960619/17 "2022-03-08T15:59:10Z")
Our 6th-grade teacher had us memorize this poem. I still remember some of the lines. It’s kind of creepy and probably very inappropriate for these days. > **[Little Orphant Annie by James Whitcomb Riley](https://allpoetry.com/Little-Orphant-Annie)** > > Comments & analysis: .  Little Orphant Annie's come to our house to stay, \ >     An' wash the cups an' saucers up, an' brush the crumbs aw ---
**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:** [March 8, 2022, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-spooky-nursery-rhyme-or-childrens-song/960619/18 "2022-03-08T21:51:21Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > Hush-a-by baby on the tree top, > When the wind blows the cradle will rock; > When the bough breaks the cradle will fall, > Down tumbles baby, cradle and all. My mother sang that to me – along with a verse she made up, in which the mother caught the baby and the father then repaired the cradle attachments so it wouldn’t fall down again. I heard the worms song in summer camp, and hated it. ---
**Author:** ![ArtBeforeScience](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@ArtBeforeScience](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArtBeforeScience)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2022, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-spooky-nursery-rhyme-or-childrens-song/960619/19 "2022-03-08T23:33:33Z")
My mother tolde me about a German kids book called Struwwelpeter and the one rhyme we both remembered (English translate) was about a boy named Augustus who refused to eat soup, wasted away, and died. Both I and my mom found that hilarious. Wiki here: [Struwwelpeter - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Struwwelpeter) - lots of other scary little moralistic tales ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2022, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-spooky-nursery-rhyme-or-childrens-song/960619/20 "2022-03-08T23:38:05Z")
This is the one that creeped me out as a kid: Solomon Grundy, Born on a Monday, Christened on Tuesday, Married on Wednesday, Took ill on Thursday, Grew worse on Friday, Died on Saturday, Buried on Sunday, That was the end, Of Solomon Grundy. It made life seem precarious indeed. Although I suppose it was a good way to teach kids the days of the week. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-spooky-nursery-rhyme-or-childrens-song/960619.md?page=2)