# What hand-clapping and jumprope rhymes do you remember? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 25, 2005, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-hand-clapping-and-jumprope-rhymes-do-you-remember/337151 "2005-12-25T09:12:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2005, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-hand-clapping-and-jumprope-rhymes-do-you-remember/337151/1 "2005-12-25T09:12:30Z")
My daughter is in first grade, and is getting to the age where handclapping games and jumproping are prime recess entertainment. I used to know scads of these rhymes, having once been a first grade girl myself, but my mind being the sieve that it is, I’ve forgotten most of them. (for jumprope) Cinderella, dressed in yellow, Went upstairs to kiss her fellow, Made a mistake and kissed a snake, how many doctors did it take… 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (ad infinitum until the jumper stumbles) (for handclapping) Miss Molly had a steamboat, the steamboat had a bell, Miss Molly went to heaven, the steamboat went to… HELL-o operator, please give me number 9, And if you disconnect me I’ll kick you in behind The 'frigerator, there was a piece of glass, Miss Molly sat upon it, and hurt her little… ASk me no more questions, I’ll tell you no more lies, The cows are in the meadow, making chocolate pies. Yum yum! What do you recall? ---
**Author:** ![Corrvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bbce88/32.png) [@Corrvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corrvin)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2005, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-hand-clapping-and-jumprope-rhymes-do-you-remember/337151/2 "2005-12-25T09:57:46Z")
I recommend if you can find it: Josepha Sherman’s _Greasy Grimy Gopher Guts_ which covers a lot of songs and rhymes. Most of the rhymes I can think of were hand-clapping rhymes, not jumprope. But there’s always “Tiny Tim”; I’d quote it, but it’s the entire text of a book now ([The Lady with the Alligator Purse](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316930741/qid=1135504625/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-3589487-2458332?n=507846&s=books&v=glance)). ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2005, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-hand-clapping-and-jumprope-rhymes-do-you-remember/337151/3 "2005-12-25T15:59:56Z")
Postman postman don’t be slow be like Elvis Go man! Go! (and then you do hots 'til the jumper misses) ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2005, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-hand-clapping-and-jumprope-rhymes-do-you-remember/337151/4 "2005-12-25T16:28:32Z")
Bo-bo-skee-otten-totten Nay-nay, I am bo-bo-bo Itty bitty otten totten bo-bo-skee-otten-totten bo-bo-skee-otten-totten boom. Then counting up to a pre-determined number. On the last one, you had to try to move your hand out of the way before the other person hit it. I’m amazed that I still remember that. Also– Bubblegum, bubble gum in a dish– How many pieces do you wish? And– Gypsy, gypsy, please tell me what my future husband will be– Doctor, lawyer, Indian chief… (repeat until you hit the rope). ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2005, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-hand-clapping-and-jumprope-rhymes-do-you-remember/337151/5 "2005-12-25T17:00:36Z")
My boyfriend’s name is Jello He comes from Cincinello With a pimple on his nose And three fat toes And that’s the way my story goes (Not an authentic street-rhyme – it’s from a fantasy story by Avram Davidson.) ---
**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:** [December 25, 2005, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-hand-clapping-and-jumprope-rhymes-do-you-remember/337151/6 "2005-12-25T17:50:37Z")
Five Four Three Twenty-One Four Three Twenty-One Three Twenty-One Twenty-One One…one…one…one…one…one That was the funnest jump chant ever. And this hand-clapping chant: Eeny-meany ooh ahh tumbline Alichachi Liberace I love you Take a peach, take a plum Take a piece of bubble gum No peach, no plum Just a piece of bubble gum I like coffee, I like tea I like the boys and the boys like me. . . There’s more but it’s not coming to me right now. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2005, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-hand-clapping-and-jumprope-rhymes-do-you-remember/337151/7 "2005-12-25T19:09:42Z")
> [@Marlitharn](#): > > (for handclapping) Miss Molly had a steamboat, the steamboat had a bell, > Miss Molly went to heaven, the steamboat went to… > HELL-o operator, please give me number 9, > And if you disconnect me I’ll kick you in behind > The 'frigerator, there was a piece of glass, > Miss Molly sat upon it, and hurt her little… > ASk me no more questions, I’ll tell you no more lies, > The cows are in the meadow, making chocolate pies. > Yum yum! We sang this one as “Miss Lulu.” There was a jumping rope song that went: Bell bells, cockle shells Evie, Ivy, Over\* My dog’s name is Rover. He died last October… January, February, March, etc. \*You’d swing the rope back and forth like a pendulum for these first two lines, and then, on “over,” start flipping it all the way around in a circle overhead. I also remember doing a hand-clapping song to the old “Do you know exactly how to eat an Oreo?” jingle. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2005, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-hand-clapping-and-jumprope-rhymes-do-you-remember/337151/8 "2005-12-25T19:10:44Z")
> [@Marlitharn](#): > > (for handclapping) Miss Molly had a steamboat, the steamboat had a bell, > Miss Molly went to heaven, the steamboat went to… > HELL-o operator, please give me number 9, > And if you disconnect me I’ll kick you in behind > The 'frigerator, there was a piece of glass, > Miss Molly sat upon it, and hurt her little… > ASk me no more questions, I’ll tell you no more lies, > The cows are in the meadow, making chocolate pies. > Yum yum! We sang this one as “Miss Lulu.” There was a jumping rope song that went: Bluebells, cockle shells Evie, Ivy, Over\* My dog’s name is Rover. He died last October… January, February, March, etc. \*You’d swing the rope back and forth like a pendulum for these first two lines, and then, on “over,” start flipping it all the way around in a circle overhead. I also remember doing a hand-clapping song to the old “Do you know exactly how to eat an Oreo?” jingle. ---
**Author:** ![eveanyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@eveanyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eveanyn)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2005, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-hand-clapping-and-jumprope-rhymes-do-you-remember/337151/9 "2005-12-25T19:41:20Z")
While two people turned double-dutch, a line of girls would take turns jumping in at one side and jumping out on the other and then rejoining the end of the line again. “Keep the kettle boiling miss a beat you’re out” The rhyme (actually, that’s not really a rhyme is it?) was repeated until someone missed a beat and then they had to turn the rope until someone else missed. I sure wish I could remember some of the hand-clapping rhymes we had. If memory serves, we had to whisper some of them so our parents couldn’t hear us using that kind of language. There was also the “put in your dukes” method of choosing who got to go first in a game. Not sure of the spelling here. “Occa bocca dona crocka occa bocca deuce cinderella umberella out goes you” ---
**Author:** ![jasonh300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/46a35a/32.png) [@jasonh300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasonh300)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2005, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-hand-clapping-and-jumprope-rhymes-do-you-remember/337151/10 "2005-12-25T23:07:59Z")
I remember some “Eenie-meenie-miney-mo” type things that were used for choosing someone out of a group, or eliminating people out of a group… My mother and your mother were hanging up clothes My mother punched your mother right in the nose What color was the blood? And then whoever was landed on had to pick up a color. There was also something about a dirty dishrag turned double side triple side inside OUT. But I can’t remember how that went. It was mostly the girls in the neighborhood who lead such things and the boys only got to hear 'em if it was a big game of hide & seek or tag with all the boys and girls. ---
**Author:** ![kezami](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eb8c5e/32.png) [@kezami](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kezami)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2005, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-hand-clapping-and-jumprope-rhymes-do-you-remember/337151/11 "2005-12-25T23:26:03Z")
My wife played a game with a ball in a stocking, bounced against a wall and between the legs. The rhyme went something like this: Hello Hello Hello sir meet me at the grocer no sir why sir because I have a cold sir where’d you get the cold sir? from the North Pole sir what were you doing there sir catching polar bear sir how many did you catch sir 1 sir, 2 sir…until you messed up with the ball and it was the next person’s turn ---
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2005, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-hand-clapping-and-jumprope-rhymes-do-you-remember/337151/12 "2005-12-26T06:00:20Z")
These are great! I never learned how to do it, but there used to be a clapping game that went along with “Rock Around the Clock.” IIRC, several girls could do it at once, standing in a circle. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2005, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-hand-clapping-and-jumprope-rhymes-do-you-remember/337151/13 "2005-12-26T06:51:01Z")
I seem to recall that some of the rhymes we used in counting out or clapping were also used in Double Dutch. Engine, engine number nine Going down Chicago Line If the train falls off the track Do you want your money back? … Ooo, she thinks she’s fine Walking down that fine line My, she thinks she’s bad Strapping on her Maxi pad … Old Abe Lincoln was a good ol’ man Jumped out the window with his dick in his hand He said, “Excuse me, ladies, I’m doing my duty. Won’t you pull down your pants and give me some booty.” ---
**Author:** ![soulmurk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@soulmurk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soulmurk)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2005, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-hand-clapping-and-jumprope-rhymes-do-you-remember/337151/14 "2005-12-26T07:18:33Z")
My sister and her friends used to do this hand-clapping song so often that it still haunts me over 20 years later: Miss Mary Mack Mack Mack all dressed in black black black with silver buttons buttons buttons all down her back back back She asked her mother mother mother for fifty cents cents cents to see the elephants phants phants jump over the fence fence fence They jumped so high high high they reached the sky sky sky and didn’t come back back back 'til the fourth of july ly ly ly I remember the one **Marlitharn** posted as using Molly also, though I’ve heard it with Suzie as well. ---
**Author:** ![KRC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/45deac/32.png) [@KRC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KRC)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2005, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-hand-clapping-and-jumprope-rhymes-do-you-remember/337151/15 "2005-12-26T18:04:48Z")
I remember some sort of game where we all stood in a circle and sang: Dr. Knickerbocker, Knickerbocker Number 9 He sure got sick off a bottle of wine! Now let’s get the rhythm of the hands Now you got the rhythm of the hands Now let’s get the rhythm of the feet Now you got the rhythm of the feet Now let’s get the rhythm of the number 5! This was followed by counting by 5’s to 100 and the person who got 100 would be out. ---
**Author:** ![Caprese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9a28c/32.png) [@Caprese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caprese)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2005, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-hand-clapping-and-jumprope-rhymes-do-you-remember/337151/16 "2005-12-26T20:35:18Z")
Jump-roping song: Down by the ocean, down by the sea Johnny broke a bottle and blamed it on me I told Ma and Ma told Pa And Johnny got a lickin’ with a Ha Ha Ha How many lickin’s did he receive Close your eyes and you shall see 1, 2, 3 (and so on until the jumper misses.) Another jump rope song: Not last night but the night before 14 robbers Came knocking at my door Um, I can’t remember the rest right now ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2005, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-hand-clapping-and-jumprope-rhymes-do-you-remember/337151/17 "2005-12-27T00:49:22Z")
> [@soulmurk](#): > > My sister and her friends used to do this hand-clapping song so often that it still haunts me over 20 years later: > > Miss Mary Mack Mack Mack > all dressed in black black black > with silver buttons buttons buttons > all down her back back back \ I learned this with the second verse as: She could not read read read She could not write write write But she could smoke smoke smoke Her father’s pipe pipe pipe And then: > [@](#): > > She asked her mother mother mother > for fifty cents cents cents > to see the elephants phants phants > jump over the fence fence fence > > They jumped so high high high > they reached the sky sky sky > and didn’t come back back back > 'til the fourth of july ly ly ly ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2005, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-hand-clapping-and-jumprope-rhymes-do-you-remember/337151/18 "2005-12-27T03:32:53Z")
> [@Caprese](#): > > Jump-roping song: > Not last night but the night before > 14 robbers > Came knocking at my door > Um, I can’t remember the rest right now As I ran oouuuuuut (jumper runs out of the game) they ran in Hit me on the head with a rolling pin Aske 'em what they wanted, this is what they said Spanish dancers do the splits(jumper does the splits) Spanish dancers give a high kick (jumper gives a high kick) Spanish dancers touch the ground (yeah, you guessed it) Spanish dancers turn all around (right again!) Spanish dancers get out of this town ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2005, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-hand-clapping-and-jumprope-rhymes-do-you-remember/337151/19 "2005-12-27T03:35:22Z")
Oh, and when they say the part " they ran in" a new jumper runs into the game. Very important detail, dontcha know :smack: ---
**Author:** ![flamingbananas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f4b2a3/32.png) [@flamingbananas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flamingbananas)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2005, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-hand-clapping-and-jumprope-rhymes-do-you-remember/337151/20 "2005-12-27T03:47:40Z")
> [@Marlitharn](#): > > (for handclapping) Miss Molly had a steamboat, the steamboat had a bell, > Miss Molly went to heaven, the steamboat went to… > HELL-o operator, please give me number 9, > And if you disconnect me I’ll kick you in behind > The 'frigerator, there was a piece of glass, > Miss Molly sat upon it, and hurt her little… > ASk me no more questions, I’ll tell you no more lies, > The cows are in the meadow, making chocolate pies. > Yum yum! > > What do you recall? I did that one except I said it with Miss Susie and the very end in which we sang ASk me no more questions, I’ll tell you no more lies, The boys are in the bathroom, zipping up their FLYIES are in the meadow, bees are park Miss Susie and her boyfriend are kissing in the D-A-R-K D-A-R-K DARK DARK DARK! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-hand-clapping-and-jumprope-rhymes-do-you-remember/337151.md?page=2)