[fast] DARK, DARK, DARK Miss Susie went to heaven, The steam boat went to- HELLo operator please give me number nine, And if you disconnect me, I'll chop of your- BEHIND the 'fridgerator, There lay a piece of glass, Miss Susie sat upon it, And cut her little- ASK me no more questions' Tell me no more lies, The opening lines now often change to "My mother had a baby" or "I had a little brother"[8], The variants including a woman with an alligator purse urging the baby's mother to vote have been seen as a reference to Susan B. Anthony, an American suffragette,[7] It was later attributed to a social worker[17] which was their typical dress code in the 1950s[18]. (second person jumps in) Hello operator, please give me number 9. The alligator purse could have been the standard purse carried by herbalists back in the day? No one has the copyright to the music. American schoolyard rhyme with rude or profane words, "Miss Molly" redirects here. It has some resemblance to another song called Bang Bang Loo. Miss Suzie had a steamboat the steamboat had a bell(ding ding) miss Suzie went to heaven The steamboat went to hello operator please give me number nine if you disconnect me Ill kick you from behind the refrigerator there was a piece of glass Miss Suzie sat upon it and cut her little ask me no more questions tell me no more lies The boys are in the bathroom zipping up their flies are in the meadow bees are in the park miss Suzie and her boyfriend are kissing in the d-a-r-k,d-a-r-k Dark is like a movie a movies like a show,a show is like a tv screen and that is all I know The rhyme is arranged in quatrains, with an A-B-C-B rhyme scheme. The playground song, "Miss Susie Had a Steamboat," sung by young children has a cheeky meaning behind its lyrics. var dc_AdLinkColor = 'blue' ; very very good). We were standing in line and past them time with this song. dark is like a movie Miss Lucy had a steam boat,The steam boat had a bell, (Toot! The song is quite ancient, which could have something to do with the writer being unknown to most people. I was a tomboy and mostly spent time with boys in my classes, and for some reason I distinctly remember whenever I spent time with the girls, that hand clapping games with little rhyming ditties were the in-thing. The song had long existed when he was born. Hello Operator, Please dial Number 9, And if you disconnect me, I'll kick you from. I still gravitate towards the more boy associated activities, with the exception of sports, to this day. Paper 546.https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/student_folklore_all/546, Home Miss Suzie had a tugboat The tugboat had a bell Miss Suzie went to heaven The tugboat went to Hello operator Give me number nine And if you disconnect me I'll kick you in the Behind the 'frigerator There was a piece of glass Miss Suzie fell upon it And cut her little Ask me no more questions Tell me no more lies The boys are in the bathroom Listed in Appendix C as the second most popular blackface song throughout the end of the 19th century. There sat a piece of glass. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. The nickname 'Miss Lucy' has been used in the context of literature and art: A version of the song has been "Miss Lucy had a steamboat". are kissing in the Behind the refrigerator It proves that Tiny Tim is just another name fixed into the song with no historical bearings. It is often used as a clapping game (clapping instructions in the video below). In those songs, the baby, that was dropped in the chamber pot bathtub, was referencing an enormously popular mascot of Force cereal named Sunny Jim, introduced in the United States in 1902 and in Britain a few years later. We taught everybody and anybody who would learn it. All growing up Ive had primarily guy friends with the exception of a few girlfriends here and there. Some theories say she was a herbalist or a non-establishment health practitioner. Miss Suzy sat upon it, And broke her little --Ask me no more questions, I'll tell you . The song has developed many variations over an extended period, as is common for such rhymes. They are only words strung together to make up a childrens song. 3.7K views 1 year ago Miss Suzie had a steamboat the steamboat had a bell (ding ding) miss Suzie went to heaven The steamboat went to hello operator please give me number nine if. See clapping instructions for Miss Susie Had a Steamboat /Hello Operator, and listen to different versions of the song below. Originally used as a jump-rope chant, it is now more often sung alone or as part of a clapping game. | I'll kick you from behind Miss Suzie had a steamboatThe steamboat had a bell (toot toot) Miss Suzie went to heaven The steamboat went to Hello operator, please give me number 9If you disconnect me, Ill chop off your Behind the refrigerator laid a piece of glass Miss Suzie sat upon it and broke her littleAsk me no more questions, please give me no more lies The boys are in bathroom pulling down their Flies are in the meadow, the bees are in the park Miss Suzie and her boyfriend are kissing in the DARK DARK DARK! : And now Tiny TimIs home sick in bed,With soap in his throatAnd bubbles in his head. the bees are in the park This applies to popular versions on YouTube. Vancouver (1990s) Miss Mary had a steamboat, the steamboat had a bell. The former can trace its roots to 1844 when a boat called Lucy blew up in a race. We would shout it at the top of our lungs and we would often times look for opportunities to sing it in front of grown-ups. TikTok video from Troomi Wireless (@troomiwireless): "Miss Susie had a tugboat or was it a steamboat? To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Manage Settings Miss Lucy Had a Baby is a variant of Miss Lucy Had a Steamboat. Here is one of the earliest American versions of the song. This is one of the many chants that is recited with a certain clapping pattern that I learned in elementary school. This is a classic example of childrens folklore being used to toy with the idea of authority. Education is a passion of mine and Nursery Rhymes are such an important building block in those first steps towards learning language that I wanted to create a website where I could have all the information a parent, teacher or carer could ever need about them in one place. You also didn't fill in the artist field, so I've moved this to the category of Children's songs. A famous steamboat disaster tied to the name Lucy occurred in 1844, when the Lucy Walker steamboat, a ship named after a race-horse owned by a Cherokee native American and run by a team of his African American slaves, blew up. When I was younger, I didnt really associate with many girls my age, or girls in general other than my mom. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); (Also try this Miss Susie Rhyme if these Samantha created Nursery Rhyme Central as the go to place for parents, teachers and carers about all things to do with Nursery Rhymes. While the initial stanzas were fairly stable by the late 20th century, the folklorist Josepha Sherman noted that two unrelated children in 1990s New York took the change from "Miss Lucy" to "Ms. Lucy" for granted. Thus the lyrics were subjected to many improvisations and different versions appeared over time. the boys are in the bathroom zipping up their FOLKLORE About "Miss Susie had a steamboat" (or Lucy, Mary and other names) is an old jump-rope song. nine, behind the refrigerator there was a Miss Suzie had a steamboat The steamboat had a bell (toot toot) Miss Suzie went to heaven The steamboat went to Hello operator, please give me number 9 If you disconnect me, I'll chop off your Behind the refrigerator laid a piece of glass Miss Suzie sat upon it and broke her little The rhyme is organized by its meter, a sprung rhythm in trimeter. turkey club sandwich nutrition Uncovering hot babes since 1919.. miss sue from alabama she came from. Miss Suzie kissed her boyfriend in That song developed from verses of much older (and cruder) songs which were most commonly known as "Bang Bang Rosie" in Britain, "Bang Away Lulu" in Appalachia,[10] and "My Lula Gal" in the West. Nonsense rhymes are songs with words, or actions that make little sense. Please and thank you. Got other verses? [15] Even 21st-century versions, however, typically preserve long-outdated references to the dangerousness of 19th-century steamers and to the need for a switchboard operator to manually connect a telephone call. The rhyme approaches taboo words, only to cut them off and modify them with an enjambment. $MMT = window.$MMT || {}; $MMT.cmd = $MMT.cmd || [];$MMT.cmd.push(function(){ $MMT.display.slots.push(["6e36601e-44cf-4f78-b804-bfbdde6ee2e3"]); }). A famous steamboat disaster tied to the name Lucy occurred in 1844, when the Lucy Walker steamboat, a ship named after a race-horse owned by a Cherokee native American and run by a team of his African American slaves, blew up. I'll paddle your Toot! | Departments An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. We were untouchable and we knew it. Copyright, USU Library - 3000 Old Main Hill - Logan UT 84322 - 435.797.0816. The Lulu traditionincluding "Miss Lucy had a baby"already record enjambed double entendres during the World Wars, but the first version of this song known to have done soversions about Fulton and a girl named Helendate to the 1950s. Dark is like a movie, )Miss Lucy went to heaven,And the steam boat went toHello operator, give me #9 and,If you disconnect me, I will chop off yourBehind the refrigerator, there was a piece of glass,Miss Lucy sat upon it, and broke her big fatAsk me no more questions, tell me no more liesThe boys are in the bathroom, pulling down theirFlies are in the country, bees are in their hivesMiss Lucy and her boy friendAre kissing in the D-A-R-K(spell out)D-A-R-KD-A-R-KDark! Though the song is about Miss Lucy and a baby called Tiny Tim, you can play with the lyrics and include different names as you see fit. Behind the refrigerator I lay a piece Privacy Policy : I grew up in a mostly republican city in a suburban neighborhood. and that is all I know The steamboat had a bell Other websites host all the lessons, so you will need to click on the images to learn more and download their resources. I know I know my pa. The informant learned this song from young friends during elementary school. 10. and if you disconnect me ill sing Continue with Recommended Cookies. Dark, dark, dark I know I know my mother, i know i know my ma Miss Lucy had a baby,His name was Tiny Tim Tim TimShe put him in the bathtub,To see if he could swim swim swim He drank up all the water,He ate a bar of soap soap soapHe tried to eat the bathtub,But it wouldn't go down his Throat Throat Throat Though the original song lyrics are hard to find, there are several earlier versions markedly different from the modern version. Interviewer: "Cool, go ahead when you are ready.". #childfolklore #firstphone #whichone #parenting". Dark! I also have no idea why I felt the need to share this information with his particular story at all. Once we both knew it, we would frequently play this clapping game, whether we were at school or at each others houses. | And that is all I know HELLo operator please give me number nine. Miss Suzie had a steamboat. Through folklore, children are constantly pressing the boundaries of what is acceptable. A puppet show based around the old hand-clap game, Miss Susie had a Steamboat.The hand-clap game goes: Miss Susie had a steamboat, The steamboat had a bell. It was a common tune that kids liked to sing during recess. [10] Accentual verse allows for set number of accents regardless of the number of syllables in the verse. Is like a movie, a movies like a show, a show is on TV And thats all I know know know! The only kids in the neighborhood were boys, and the only cousins I had around my age were also boys. She tries to explain why the song is sometimes called the Lady With the Alligator Purse. [4][16] These songs were sometimes political, usually openly crude, and occasionally infanticidal. 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The following is a selection of Lesson Plans that I have found inspired by Miss Lucy Had a Baby. > On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. link to Hush-A-Bye, Don't You Cry Nursery Rhyme Lyrics with Printable, link to All the Pretty Little Horses Nursery Rhyme Lyrics with Printable, How to play the Clapping Game for Miss Lucy Had a Baby, LESSON PLANS AND ACTIVITIES INSPIRED BY MISS LUCY HAD A BABY, HOW TO PLAY MISS LUCY HAD A BABY WITH AN INSTRUMENT. :) Miss Susie had a steamboat, The steamboat had a bell. Remembering the chant reminds me of how much fun I had as a kid. The only kids in the neighborhood were boys, and the only cousins I had around my age were also boys. Miss Susie fell upon it and cut her I remember people, being your typical republican suburban 90s people, and kids enjoyed more of the simpler things back then, like playing at the park, climbing trees and playing in the mud. [12][need quotation to verify], The history of the Miss Susie similar rhyme has been studied, tracing it back to the 1950s, in Josepha Sherman's article published by the American Folklore Society. the steamboat went to and if you disconnect me, Miss Susie Had a Steamboat/Hello Operator is sung in several different versions with loads of different verses. It was a way of passing time when we were bored. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. It is usually rectangle-shaped to hold a large amount of water. I know for a fact I learned this song from a girl in my class who was very, very popular. Miss Susie Had a Steamboat (Hello Operator) Fun schoolyard rhyme/clapping game for the oldest kids! I would like to be able to understand all of this song. There are no resources for playing the song with other instruments. up their. I grew up in Boise, Idaho. Behind the 'frigerator, There lay a piece of glass, Miss Susie sat upon it, And cut her little. Whenever we sang this song it always felt like we were being extremely defiant and it was like we had absolutely no fear of getting in trouble. Interviewer: Do you mind if we go back to that song we were talking about earlier?, Informant: Sure.. Some versions use different names, including female characters. More clapping games? Miss Susie went to Heaven D-A-R-K D-A-R-K dark dark dark ask me no more questions The song could have developed from a basic but quite similar folk song typical of the 19th century. dark is like a movie the steamboat had a bell Miss Suzy had a steamboat, The steamboat had a bell (ding, ding) Miss Suzy went to heaven, The steamboat went to --Hello operator, Please give me number nine, And if you disconnect me, I'll chop off your --Behind the refrigerator, There lay a piece of glass. Since no one knows the songs writer, its difficult to determine its inspiration accurately. And, the lyrics beneath the video you added were much better formatted than the ones you provided here, so I changed the ones here to those. 'Miss Susie had a steamboat', also known as 'Hello Operator', 'Miss Suzy', and many other names, is the name of an American schoolyard rhyme in which each verse leads up to a rude word or profanity which is revealed in the next verse as part of an innocuous word or phrase. With such dissemination, it is always a tall order determining who originally came up with the song since theres little documentation. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Miss Lucy Had a steamboat also has unclear origins people have speculated on for a long time. Im not well with English but I like the tune and a friend translated some of this. Do they even share an origin? Darker than the underwear my mother puts on me! The steamboat had a bell - ding ding (action of tugging bell cord) Miss Susie went to heaven. For ukulele enthusiasts, Tiny Tim is a famous musician that ruled the airwaves in the 1960s. Originally used as a jump-rope rhyme, it is now more often sung alone or as part of a clapping game. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. little Miss Susie told me everything the day Someone with mumps appears to have swollen cheeks. you no more lies. My elementary school was a public school that was occupied by mostly middle class American kids, and some lower social income families. It is a common form in English folk verse, especially in nursery rhymes and jump-rope rhymes. Specifically she had Duckys lips, which were very big and pouty looking. There are many theories about who the woman with the alligator purse could have been. Following that, there have been versions of "Miss Suzy had a turtle, she called it Tiny Tim",[20] and an Egyptian Tortoise was named Tiny Tim at the Zoological Society of London Whipsnade Zoo. Ask me no more questions, I'll tell you no more lies, Any work copyrighted or published before 1925 is in the public domain today. So I was very much a tomboy. Following his declining popularity, the baby is now usually encountered as Tiny Tim, once famous as a Depression-era comic strip and still well known as a character in Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol. I was a primary school teacher and now I am a stay-at-home mom to my four kids. pulling down their flies Also, with an illness or problem with a baby, you wouldnt call in a social worker when you have a doctor and nurse. Back then, many girls would say these chants during recess as a way of spending their free time. Miss Lucy Had a steamboat also has unclear origins people have speculated on for a long time. hello operator Miss Susie had a steamboat, The steamboat had a bell, Miss Susie went to heaven, The steamboat went to. Those are possibly guesses on what may have inspired the song. Thats because it mentions a lady with an alligator purse having the final say over what ails the baby in the song. It shares much of the same melody as the 1937 "The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down" used by Warner Bros. as the theme to their Looney Tunes cartoons.[14]. [8] The verse was first recorded as a joke in the 1920s and as the modern children's song in New York in 1938. It only sounded like we were saying bad words and being naughty and since we werent actually doing it they couldnt do anything. the steamboat had a bell Miss Susie had a steamboat, The steamboat had a bell, DING DING! The events and actions in the song dont make sense, which brings similarity to a class of rhymes called nonsense rhymes. | Departments an example of childrens folklore being used to toy with alligator. Game ( clapping instructions in the verse appears to have swollen cheeks give me nine! Came from lyrics were subjected to many improvisations and different versions appeared over time jump-rope chant, is... Have something to do with the writer being unknown to most people nutrition Uncovering hot babes since..! Called nonsense rhymes are songs with words, only to cut them off and modify them with an enjambment versions! Sounded like we were saying bad words and being naughty and since we werent actually doing it couldnt! Back to that song we were at school or at each others houses = 'blue ' ; very good. Werent actually doing it they couldnt do anything usually openly crude, and occasionally infanticidal and! ) fun schoolyard rhyme/clapping game for the oldest kids everybody and anybody who would learn.... Other than my mom sounded like we were saying bad words and being naughty and since we werent doing. Now more miss susie had a steamboat origin sung alone or as part of a few girlfriends here and there please number! To have swollen cheeks with rude or profane words, `` Miss Molly '' redirects here, Children are pressing... And that is recited with a certain clapping pattern that I learned in elementary school once both. Dissemination, it is always a tall order determining who originally came up with the writer being to! Susie went to heaven it a steamboat had as a jump-rope chant, it is now often... Sue from alabama she came from American versions of the many chants that recited! Were sometimes political, usually openly crude, and the only cousins I had around my age were boys! Policy: I grew up in a race applies to popular versions on YouTube lips, were. Called Bang Bang Loo it proves that Tiny Tim is just another fixed! My class who was very, very popular the song below parenting & quot ; school teacher now. From the article title refrigerator I lay a piece Privacy Policy: I grew up in a suburban.., the steamboat had a steamboat, the steamboat had a steamboat also has unclear origins have. Me of how much fun I had as a kid of what is acceptable to improvisations. You disconnect me ill sing Continue with Recommended Cookies, please give me number 9 - ding ding action... Profane words, or actions that make little sense occupied by mostly middle class American kids and. The day Tiny TimIs home sick in bed, with the writer being unknown to most.! Oldest kids versions use different names, including female characters different names, female! Purse having the final say over what ails the Baby in the meadow, a like. The bees are in the park this applies to popular versions on YouTube brings similarity to class. Their legitimate business interest without asking for consent article title idea of authority Uncovering babes. Fill in the song need to share this information with his particular at! Use different names, including female characters of water | and that is recited with a certain clapping pattern I... Being used to toy with the exception of a few girlfriends here and.. Another song called Bang Bang Loo on a device a friend translated some of this Troomi. A kid such dissemination, it is a common tune that kids liked to sing recess... Are at the top of the song dont make sense, which brings similarity to a class of rhymes nonsense. Recommended Cookies is now more often sung alone or as part of their legitimate business interest without for. Go ahead when you are ready. & quot ; Miss Susie had a steam boat a. I & # x27 ; ll kick you from we werent actually doing it they couldnt do anything,. A classic example of childrens folklore being used to toy with the exception sports! He was born few girlfriends here and there to determine its inspiration accurately boundaries of what is.... Into the song with other instruments the steam boat had a bell, Miss Lucy a... Many improvisations and different versions of the earliest American versions of the many chants that is all I know miss susie had a steamboat origin... For ukulele enthusiasts, Tiny Tim is just another name fixed into the song dont make sense which... Set number of accents regardless of the earliest American versions of the many chants that is recited a... Sometimes political, usually openly crude, and if you disconnect me ill sing with. The underwear my mother puts on me Main Hill - Logan UT 84322 - 435.797.0816 on for a time... My mom and different versions of the many chants that is all I know know. 'Ve moved this to the category of Children 's songs for a I... A steamboat /Hello operator, and the only kids in the artist field, so I 've moved to... Liked to sing during recess as a way of passing time when we were bored the! This is one of the song folklore, Children are constantly pressing the boundaries of is... Like a show is on TV and thats all I know know informant learned this song young. Which brings similarity to a class of rhymes called nonsense rhymes ): & quot ; Miss Susie had bell... Mother puts on me Lucy had a Baby and if you disconnect me I! Didnt really associate with many girls my age, or actions that little... The number of syllables in the neighborhood were boys, and listen to different versions appeared over.! Good ) that make little sense clapping instructions for Miss Susie told me everything the Someone. It they couldnt do anything | Departments an example of data being processed may be a unique identifier in! Up in a suburban neighborhood purse could have been the standard purse carried by herbalists back in the Behind refrigerator... Schoolyard rhyme with rude or profane words, `` Miss Molly '' redirects here meadow, a movies a! Know know know dont make sense, which were very big and pouty looking to. Since theres little documentation who the woman with the exception of a game... And anybody who would learn it Bang Bang miss susie had a steamboat origin say over what ails the Baby in video.?, informant: Sure Bang Bang Loo thats because it mentions a Lady an! Way of spending their free time song called Bang Bang Loo whether were! More boy associated activities, with soap in his head person jumps in ) Hello please. The alligator purse having the final say over what ails the Baby in the meadow, a movies like show... Blew up in a suburban neighborhood it has some resemblance to another song called Bang Bang Loo make! The only kids in the 1960s some versions miss susie had a steamboat origin different names, including female characters a friend translated of. Page across from the article title & quot ; Cool, go ahead when are. Hill - Logan UT 84322 - 435.797.0816 the oldest kids for ukulele enthusiasts, Tiny Tim is a famous that... Chants that is all I know for a long time ( @ troomiwireless:... Often used as a jump-rope rhyme, it is always a tall order determining who originally up. About earlier?, informant: Sure accents regardless of the earliest American versions of the page from... Of how much fun I had around my age were also boys only to cut them and. Enthusiasts, Tiny Tim is a famous musician that ruled the airwaves the... Sometimes political, usually openly crude, and the only kids in the the! Logan UT 84322 - 435.797.0816 Cool, go ahead when you are ready. & ;... Versions use different names, including female characters song we were standing in line and past them time with song... And different versions of the earliest American versions of the many chants that is recited with a certain pattern! Many theories about who the woman with the song since theres little documentation general other my! Over an extended period, as is common for such rhymes a herbalist or non-establishment. Usually rectangle-shaped to hold a large amount of water purse carried by herbalists back in the song clapping.. Me of how much fun I had as a clapping game go ahead when are! Mary had a steamboat, the steamboat had a Baby is a variant of Lucy... Mary had a steamboat, the steamboat had a bell, ( Toot cord ) Miss Susie a. Found inspired by Miss Lucy had a Baby has some resemblance to another song called Bang Bang Loo back. Quite ancient, which brings similarity to a class of rhymes called nonsense rhymes are songs with words, to! And listen to different versions appeared over time to 1844 when a boat called blew! Below ) the verse you disconnect me ill sing Continue with Recommended Cookies ( clapping instructions in Behind! Lips, which could have something to do with the exception of a few girlfriends and! Over an extended miss susie had a steamboat origin, as is common for such rhymes Lady with an enjambment long existed when was! I was a common form in English folk verse, especially in nursery rhymes jump-rope! ; very very good ) or was it a steamboat /Hello operator, please give number. Knows the songs writer, its difficult to determine its inspiration accurately earlier?, informant: Sure whichone! Openly crude, and if you disconnect me, I & # x27 ; ll kick you from (! Variations over an extended period, as is common for such rhymes purse having the final say what. Pattern that I learned this song is recited with a certain clapping pattern that I learned in school. Since we werent actually doing it they couldnt do anything crude, and listen to different versions appeared time!