# WTF was Popeye always singing? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 23, 2017, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-was-popeye-always-singing/799606 "2017-10-23T04:46:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2017, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-was-popeye-always-singing/799606/1 "2017-10-23T04:46:07Z")
Saw [this](https://www.facebook.com/thesuperboo/videos/1674445175909209/) on one of my friends Facebook pages. Reminded me that in almost every Popeye cartoon he was reciting that gibberish. Was it anything more than that? Or did it come from some song way back when? Or was it a result of his [stroke](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NToDMpoViv0)? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2017, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-was-popeye-always-singing/799606/2 "2017-10-23T04:52:13Z")
In that, he was [skat singing.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scat_singing) ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2017, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-was-popeye-always-singing/799606/3 "2017-10-23T05:39:02Z")
Yeah, I always thought it sounded like scatting, too. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2017, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-was-popeye-always-singing/799606/4 "2017-10-26T17:49:42Z")
Brain trauma from constant brawling. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2017, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-was-popeye-always-singing/799606/5 "2017-10-26T17:58:58Z")
The spinach-induced hemochromatosis can’t help. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2017, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-was-popeye-always-singing/799606/6 "2017-10-26T18:43:10Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Brain trauma from constant brawling. One of my favorite _Far Side_ comics: [![](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/3e/1d/7e/3e1d7e7191a0f865232150c009bfe175.jpg) ](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/3e/1d/7e/3e1d7e7191a0f865232150c009bfe175.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2017, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-was-popeye-always-singing/799606/7 "2017-10-26T19:14:15Z")
A lot of old Irish songs used nonsense syllables and phrases, like “skithery-idle-diddle-dum.” And so did a lot of old sea chanties. Popeye couldn’t often be heard singing such phrases. ---
**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2017, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-was-popeye-always-singing/799606/8 "2017-10-27T17:50:09Z")
That Far Side is great. I can’t believe I’ve never seen it before. ---
**Author:** ![Skinnybones\_Lampshade](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skinnybones_lampshade/32/2872_2.png) [@Skinnybones\_Lampshade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skinnybones_Lampshade)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2017, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-was-popeye-always-singing/799606/9 "2017-10-28T03:54:39Z")
As kids, we used to sing: I’m Popeye the Sailor Man I live in a garbage can I eat up the worms and I spit out the germs I’m Popeye the Sailor Man ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2017, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-was-popeye-always-singing/799606/10 "2017-10-28T03:59:07Z")
_I’m Popeye the Sailor Man I live in the frying pan I turn up the gas And burn up my ass I’m Popeye the Sailor Man!_ ---
**Author:** ![Skinnybones\_Lampshade](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skinnybones_lampshade/32/2872_2.png) [@Skinnybones\_Lampshade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skinnybones_Lampshade)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2017, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-was-popeye-always-singing/799606/11 "2017-10-28T04:07:15Z")
**cochrane** , you were clearly more direct children than we were! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2017, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-was-popeye-always-singing/799606/12 "2017-10-28T06:35:58Z")
I’m Popeye the Sailor Man I live in a garbage can I eat up the lizards And spit out their gizzards I’m Popeye the Sailor Man ---
**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:** [October 28, 2017, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-was-popeye-always-singing/799606/13 "2017-10-28T10:55:43Z")
I’m Popeye the sailor man. I live in a caravan. There’s a hole in the middle Where Popeye can piddle. I’m Popeye the sailor man. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2017, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-was-popeye-always-singing/799606/14 "2017-10-28T13:33:36Z")
To give a less humorous answer, he sang (as my late great uncle taught me) I’m Popeye the Sailor Man! (Toot) I’m Popeye the Sailor Man! (Toot) I’m strong to da finish Cuz I eats me spinach I’m Popeye the Sailor Man! (Toot Toot) That’s the part he always sang. To avoid breaking the rules, I’ll just link the [full song](https://www.lyricsondemand.com/tvthemes/popeyelyrics.html) (with slightly different spellings) for the rest of the verses. And here’s the [sing-along version](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2KTGqVOE5U) on YouTube. I seem to remember that he would sometimes change the two lines in the middle to something that fit the particular short, but I can’t find any evidence of this in a quick search. And, yes, the example in the OP is just him skatting. I think it was my first exposure to the concept. Some of his syllables are even “skit scat” and such. ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2017, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-was-popeye-always-singing/799606/15 "2017-10-28T22:52:55Z")
The version from my childhood was . . . I’m Popeye the Sailor Man I live in a garbage can I loves to go swimmin’ With bow legged women I’m Popeye the Sailor Man ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2017, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-was-popeye-always-singing/799606/16 "2017-10-28T23:59:24Z")
According to an earlier poster, he’s singing [Skiddly eye do do re bim da bo Reet skat doodly do ree bim da bob Skiddly eye do do rum di bim da bee Reet skay diddly eye doo rim da bob Skeetin scattin skiddlyeye diddoo rop Skiddly eye doo rum dee bo]([Lyrics To The Popeye Song - Cafe Society - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=420486)) 😃 [Popeye scat singing.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoiQw-4C9QI) ---
**Author:** ![D18](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@D18](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D18)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2017, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-was-popeye-always-singing/799606/17 "2017-10-29T03:15:35Z")
> [@ioioio](#): > > The version from my childhood was . . . > > I’m Popeye the Sailor Man > I live in a garbage can > I loves to go swimmin’ > With bow legged women > I’m Popeye the Sailor Man Our version was: I like to go swimmin’ With bare-naked women ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2017, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-was-popeye-always-singing/799606/18 "2017-10-29T03:52:25Z")
What kids in the old country sang: Popeye was born in Paris Under an earth worm Eating spinach Under a cow And the cow did make poop poop… Yep, it does not rhyme because it did in the original Spanish: Popeye nació en París Debajo de una lombriz Comiendo espinaca Debajo de la vaca y la vaca se hizo … poo… poo… Works better with the kid making the “poo” bit imitating the “toot” sound of Popeye’s pipe. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2017, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-was-popeye-always-singing/799606/19 "2017-10-29T04:50:52Z")
Generations of kids, ironically missing the point: you don’t mess with Popeye. So keep good behavior / That’s your one life saver / With Popeye the Sailor Man. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2017, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-was-popeye-always-singing/799606/20 "2017-10-29T06:10:44Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I’m Popeye the Sailor Man! (Toot) > I’m Popeye the Sailor Man! (Toot) > I’m strong to da finish > Cuz I eats me spinach > I’m Popeye the Sailor Man! (Toot Toot) > > That’s the part he always sang. To avoid breaking the rules, I’ll just link the [full song](https://www.lyricsondemand.com/tvthemes/popeyelyrics.html) (with slightly different spellings) for the rest of the verses. And here’s the [sing-along version](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2KTGqVOE5U) on YouTube. Or there’s the [Face To Face version](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqf2mKl6SUk), a personal favourite. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-was-popeye-always-singing/799606.md?page=2)