For literally every game we played, everyone throws their dukes in and we’d have a dozen rhymes or so to help decide who is “it.” Skunk in the barn yard, pee-you! Somebody blew it, it’s you! There’s a snake in the grass with a bullet in it’s ass, stick it in, stick it out, like a good boy scout. Bubblegum bubblegum in a shoe, how many bubblegum do you choose? Tic-tac-toe, 3 in a row, Barnry got shot by a G.I. joe. Mommy called the doctor and the doctor said, “whoop! Barney’s dead! Shot in the head!” (There were more but i’m short on time) Edited by Azizi Powell This pancocojams post presents a small sample of children's playground rhymes that mention someone shooting another person or being shot. There are LOTS of examples of such rhymes, and there are MANY other very old and contemporary rhymes that mention a person being hit, kicked, punched, slapped, and/or more. Playground rhymes are a reflection of the society that children grow up in. They include so much violence because violence permeates our society. I believe that one of the reason children chant these types of rhymes is to safely experience flaunting societal limits and taboos. However, I also believe that children need to be taught that guns are very dangerous and that shooting someone should never be a person's response when they don't like someone or are angry with someone. Thanks to all those who have collected these examples or have contributed examples that are included in this post. Note: Although this blog focuses on African American culture and other Black cultures throughout the world, many of the examples included in this post are from White contributors, and those examples are (or were) chanted by White children or by children of Color or both. **** A, B **** **** **** **** "I believe I can die, **** I believe I
can fly **** I hate you, you hate me, **** **** **** this is Michael Jackson, some people say your mama but they don’t because you’re not supposed to talk about somebody’s mother The earliest "Mama Mama Can't You See" rhymes that I've heard (in 1999) mentioned that Barney got shot by GI Joe
("Barney" being the purple dinasaur television character, and "GI Joe" being the small action soldier toy). I later observed some children -mostly girls- saying "Your mama got shot by GI Joe" (around 2002). This example substituted the name of Pop singer "Michael Jackson" **** **** Early '90's, Calgary, Canada **** My mummy is a baker, yummy
yummy big fat tummy, My doggy is a singer, singing aye aye ippy pipe aye, Apple pie, singing aye aye ippy ippy aye, Apple pie, singing aye aye pipe the Germans stole our chippy, singing aye aye pip yippee aye. The are actions as well: **** Back to
back Two deaf policemen If you don't believe -Source: Abrahams (1969), http://mudcat.org/jumprope/jumprope_display_all.cfm hereafter given as "Mudcat: Jump Rope Listing" **** On top of old smoky, all covered with sand, school yard staples. **** On top of Old Smoky, all covered in blood, I went to her funeral, I went to her grave, I looked in her coffin, she wasn't quite dead, On top of old smokey I shot her for pleasure I went to her funeral I looked in her coffin They took me to prison I probably first heard these in 4th grade or so, maybe 3rd. **** **** Mine eyes have seen the glory of the burning of the school, **** tic tac toe then who ever won rock paper sisors had to move there finger across the other persons back and say spider
crawling up your back then the other person had to guess which finger and if you won you said **** **** **** **** **** Visitor comments are welcome. What are the words to the Tic Tac Toe hand game?Give me a high, Give me a low, Give me a three in a row, Don't get hit by a UFO!
What is the Tic Tac Toe song?Rhyme: Tic tac toe, gimme a high, gimme a low. Gimme a three in a row. Johnny got hit by a UFO.
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