Clapping game

A clapping game is type of usually cooperative (ie non-competitive) game which is generally played by two players and involves clapping.

The template of a standard clapping game is for the participants to strike each other's hand(s), as well as perform other actitivies such as thigh slapping, in a rhythmic fashion while reciting a rhyme. The clapping pattern is often improvised. The rhyme is very similar to a jump-rope rhyme.

The clapping games

There are a variety of distinct clapping games, each of which is performed or played in various versions found in different areas and times and often according to ethnicity. For example Hello, Operator may be called Missy Susie or Lucy and may contain, omit, or vary verses or specific lines

Hello, Operator/Miss Lucy

"Miss Lucy" is "a provocative game that includes all kinds of sexual innuendos about boys and having babies" and features "the linguistic play of double entendres and elisions created when certain syllables and words are just about to mean something sexual or scatological and then they suddenly shift into some benign reference," making "'Miss Lucy' (the game and idea of a woman) fun and sexy to play with" (Gaunt 2006, p.23):

Mi-ss...

Lu-cy had a ba-by (clap clap)

She named it Tiny Tim (clap clap)

She put him in the bath-tub (clap clap)

To see if he could swim (clap clap)...

(ibid, p.23)

And later:

Be-hind the elevator (clap clap)

There was a piece of glass (clap clap)

Miss Lu-cy fell upon it and it went straight up her

Ask me no more questions (clap clap)

I'll tell you no more lies (clap clap)

The boys are in the bathroom (clap clap) pulling up their

Fly me to the O-cean (clap clap)...

(ibid, p.23-24)

A more complete variation:

• Miss Lucy had a steamboat, the steamboat had a bell (Toot, Toot), Miss Lucy went to Heaven, the steamboat went to Hell-o operator please give me number nine, If you disconnect me, I'll kick you from Behind the 'fridgerator there was a piece of glass, Miss Lucy sat upon it went right up her ass-k me no more questions, I'll give you no more lies, the boys are in the bathroom pulling down their Flies are in the meadow, the bees are in the park, Miss Lucy and her boyfriend are kissing in the D-A-R-K D-A-R-K, DARK, DARK, DARK, Dark is like a movie, a movie's like a show, a show is like a TV show, and that is all I know. I really know my mother, I really know my father, I really know my sister - my mother is Godzilla, my father is King Kong, My sister is the stupid one who made up this whole song!

Another complete version:

Miss…Lu-cy had a baby, She named it Tiny Tim, She put him in the bath-tub, To see if he could swim, Miss Lucy had a steamboat the steamboat had a bell, Miss Lucy went to Heaven, the steamboat went to Hell- O operator please give me number nine, And if you disconnect me I’ll kick from, Be-hind the elevator, There was a piece of glass, Miss Lucy fell upon it and it went straight up her, Ask me no more questions, I'll tell you no more lies, The boys are in the bathroom, zipping up their, Flies are in the city, the bees are in the park, Miss Lucy and her boyfriend are kissing in the DARK, DARK, Dark is like a movie, a movie's like a show, a show is like a TV show, and that is all I know, I know my mother, I know I know my father, I know I know my sister with the 40 acre bra! my mommy is godzilla, my daddy is king kong, my brother is the stupid one who made up this dumb song! A song is like a rhythm, a rhythm's like a beat, a beet is like a vegetable that no one likes to eat!

Variants include:

• Miss Susy had a steamboat...D-A-R-K D-A-R-K DARK, DARK, DARK! Darker than the ocean, darker than the sea, darker than the underwear my mother puts on me!

• Miss Susie had a steamboat...D-A-R-K D-A-R-K, dark, dark, dark is like a movie, a movie's like a show, a show is like a TV show, and that is all I know I know my ma, I know I know my pa, I know I know my sister with the 40 acre bra! My mom (mother) is godzilla, my dad (father) is king kong, my brother is the stupid one who made up this dumb song! A song is like a rhythm, a rhythm's like a beat, a beet is like a vegetable that no one likes to eat!

• Miss Susie had a steamboat...D-A-R-K, D-A-R-K, dark, dark, dark is like a movie, a movie's like a show, a show is like a TV show and that is all I know, I know my ma, I know i know my pa, I know I know my sister with the eighty dollar bra! My ma gave me a nickel, my pa gave me a dime, my sister gave me a boyfriend, whose name was frankenstein! He made me do the dishes, he made me mop the floor, he made me do his underwear, so I kicked him out the door. I kicked him over London, I kicked him over France, I kicked him to Hawaii where he learned the hula dance!

• Miss Susie had a steamboat...My ma gave me a nickel, my pa gave me a dime, my sis gave me a boyfriend who kissed me all the time! He kissed me over London, he kissed me over France, he kissed me over Disney World without his underpants! I kicked him over London, I kicked him over France, I kicked him over Disney World without his underpants! My ma took back her nickel, my pa took back his dime, my sis took back the boyfriend who kissed me all the time!

• Miss Lucy had a steamboat,

the steamboat had a bell

once she pulled the wrong cord

and blew us all to . . .

Cici/See See, My Playmate/Hey Hey Little Playmate

Variants include:

• Cici/See see, my playmate come out and play with me, and bring your dollies please, into my apple tree. Slide down my rainbow, into my pot of gold, and we'll be jolly friends forever more, more, shut the door.

• Cici/See see, my playmate come out and play with me, and bring your dollies three, climb up my apple tree. Slide down my rain barrel into my cellar door. And we'll be jolly friends for ever more, more, more, more, more.

• Cici/See see, my playmate, Can't come and play with you, My dolly's got the flu, Boo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo, Can't slide down your rainbarrel, Into your cellar door, But we'll be jolly friends, Forever more, more, more, more.

• Cici/See see, my play mate come out and play with me and bring your dollies please slide down my rainbow into my cellar door and will be jolly friends forevermore 1,2,3,4

• Cici/See see, my playmate, I can not play with you, my sisters got the flu, and german measles too. Come down my rainbow, into my lollyshop, and we'll have jolly fun, forever more, more, more! Sitting in the sun, sun, sun chewing on gum, gum, gum, sucking your thumb!

The Sick Version: See See my en-emy, come out and fight with me, and bring your weapons three, climb up my hangmans tree, slide down my razor blade, in to my dungeon door, and we'll be happy enemy's, for evermore more, more, shut the door!

Alternate Sick Version: See See, oh enemy, come out and fight with me, and bring your pitchforks three, climb up my poison ivy, slide down my chainsaw, into my dungeon door, and we'll be enemies, forever more, more, shut the back door, turn out the lights and pee on the floor!

A variation for two people known as Hey Hey Little Playmate:

First person:

Hey hey little playmate, Come out and play with me, And bring your dollies three, Climb up my apple tree, Slide down my rainbow, Into my cellar door, And we'll be playmates, Forever more, 1, 2, 3, 4!

Alternate version: Hey hey my playmate, Come out and play with me, And bring your dollies three, Climb up my apple tree, Shout down my rain barrel, Slide down my cellar door, and we'll be jolly friends, Forever more!

Second person:

Hey hey little playmate, Can't come out and play with you, My dollies got the flu, Boo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo, Can't climb up your apple tree, Or slide down your rainbow, Into your cellar door, But we'll be playmates, Forever more, 1, 2, 3, 4!

'''THIS IS THE REAL VERSION GOOD AND BAD'''

See, see my playmate come out and play with me and bring your dollies 3, climb up my apple tree, slide down my rainbow, into my pot of gold and we'll be jolly friends for more, more, 1,2,3,4.

See, see my enemy come out and fight with me and bring your bulldogs 3, climb up my poison tree, slide down my prickle bush into my pot of snakes and we'll be enemies for ever more, more, 1,2,3,4.

The girls at my school in Newport News, Virginia, in about 1968, sang,

Say, say, old playmate, Come out and play with me And bring your dollies three Climb up my apple tree. Climb up my rain barrel, Slide down my cellar door, And we'll be jolly friends Forever more, more, more, more, more.

So sorry playmate, I cannot play with you My dollie has the flu Boo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo Ain't got no rain barrel Ain't got no cellar door But we'll be jolly friends Forever more, more, more, more, more.

I learned it in Englewood, CO circa 1978 or '79 Oh say, oh playate, Come out and play with me And bring your dollies three Climb up my apple tree Slide down my rain barrel Unto my cellar door And we'll be jolly friends For ever more, more, more, more, more

Oh say, oh playate, I cannot play with you My dollies have the flu Chicken pox and measles too I have no rain barrel I have no cellar door But we'll be jolly friends For ever more, more, more, more, more

My mother your mother...

My mother your mother live down the street 18, 19 marlball St., every time they have a fight this what they'd say all night: boys are rotten, made out of cotton; girls are handy, made out of candy; boys go to jupiter to get more stupider; girls go to college to get more knowledge; boys drink whiskey and get more frisky; girls drink sperm and get more bitchy...icky-bicky soda popper -- icky-bicky boo; icky-bicky soda popper -- i choose you!

or

my mother your mother lived across the street; 1819 Boulevard Street; and every night they have a fight and this is how it goes: Boys are rotton, made out of cotton; Girls are dandy, made out of candy; Boys go to Jupiter to get more stupider; Girls go to Mars, to get more candy bars...itsy bitsy soda pop, itsy bitsy boo; itsy bitsy soda pop---I love you!

Oh Mella...

Oh Mella, kiss a fella, lazy boys, ping pong. Oh mella kiss a fella lazy boys ping pong turn around touch the ground freeze

Boys are... (from The Hot Chick)

Boys are cheats and liars they're such a big disgrace they will tell you anything to get to second base--ball, baseball he thinks he's gonna score if you let him go all the way, then you are a hor--ticulturist studies flowers, archeologist studies tut all he really likes is your big butt--flies,beetles, and bugs nothing makes him happier than a giant pair of jug--glers and acrobats and a dancing bear named chuck all guys really want to do is--forget it, no such luck.

~~or~~

Boys are cheats and liars they're such a big disgrace they will tell you anything to get to second base--ball, baseball he thinks he's gonna score if you let him go all the way, then you are a hor--ticulturist studies flowers, geologist studies rocks the only thing he wants from you a place to put his cock-aroaches, beetles, butterflies, and bugs nothing makes him happier than a giant pair of jug--glers and acrobats and a dancing bear named chuck all guys really want to do is--forget it, no such luck.

Apple on a stick...

• Apple on a stick; makes me sick; makes my heart go 246; not because you're dirty; and not because you're clean; not because you kiss a boy behind a magazine; boys boys having fun; along came a teacher with a big fat bum; she can wiggle; she can wobble; and do the splits I bet ya; I bet ya she can't do this; close your eyes and count to ten; if you mess it up you're a big fat hen; 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10; you're a big fat hen!'

apples on a stick just make me sick

they make my heart beat 2,4,6

not because im dirty, not because im clean

just because i kissed a boy behind a magazine

hey girls lets have some fun

here comes johnny with his pants undone

he can wobble he can spit

he can even do a split

but i betcha ten dollars he can't do this

close your eyes and count to ten

and if you mess up start all over again!

1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10... (keep going until you mess up)

apple on a stick it gotta make me sick

it makes my heart go 246

not becoz im dirty not becoz im clean

not becoz i kiss my boyfren on a magazine

girls and bois,close ur eyes

close ur eyes and count to 10

if u cannot do it you are a big fat hen

1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10

big fat hen,ar big fat hen

big... fat... HEN !!! (sissors paper stone action)

THE REAL VERSION!!!!! Apple on a stick, makes me sick. Makes my heart beat 246. Not because your dirty, not because your clean Just because you kissed a boy behind a magazines Boys, Boys have a lot of fun Here comes a lady with a sausage up her bum She can wibble, she can wobble, she can even do the splits But I betcha ten bucks that she cant do this Close your eyes and count to ten If you muck it up your not my friend 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 You didnt/did muck it up so youre still/not my friend!!

Untitled (Chicken and Rice?)

Uno, dos, siete. I said a east, a west...

I met my boyfriend at the candy store

He bought me ice cream, he bought me cake

He brought me home with a bellyache

I said, "Momma, Momma, I feel sick,

Call the doctor quick, quick, quick!"

"Doctor, Doctor, will I die?"

"Close your eyes and count to five!"

(1, 2, 3, 4, 5...)

"I'm alive!"

See that house on toppa that hill?

That's where me and my boyfriend live.

Cookin' that chicken, burnin' that rice,

C'mon baby let's shoot some dice!

The first part (Uno, dos, e anna) is done by both people linking their pinkies, but crossed. So, one person's left pinkie is with the other person's right, and so on. Each word, you cross the pinkies over and under. The next part (I said a east, a west) is done "individually". When "east" and "west" and said, each person puts their right hand on their left shoulder and their left hand on their right shoulder, respectively. The rest of the handclap is done by a fast tempo. When time comes for "shoot some dice", the clapping is quick so each word gets a clap. The same goes for "quick, quick, quick".

Charlie Brown Went Downtown I went downtown to see Charlie Brown, he gave me a nickel, to buy a pickle, but the pickle was sour, so he gave me a flower, the flower was dead so this is what he said "Down down baby, down by the rollercoaster, sweet sweet baby, never going to let you go, just because I kissed you doesn't mean I love you. Shimmee shimmee cocoa pop, shimmee shimmee lollypop. I know karate, show off my body, (bump into friend) oops! I'm sorry!

Games with articles of their own

• Mary Mack
• Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker's man
• Stella Ella Ola

Source

• Gaunt, Kyra D. (2006). The Games Black Girls Play. ISBN 0-8147-3120-1.

External links

• Educational CyberPlayGround hosts the National Children's Folksong Repository. — Record Children's playground songs and chants. You can save your jumprope songs, using your phones or computers. Everyone can submit their songs and chants into the database so that they can collect and save our cultural history. Using the internet and technology allows you to record your personal knowledge. This is your contribution.
• StreetPlay.com > Clap and Rhyme