Selection Rhymes
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
These rhymes are an all important part of childhood. If around your way a game was being set up, and there was no one charismatic enough, or no one wanting a particular part of a game (say like the seeker/catcher in the game Ali Ali In) then a selection rhyme was a spell to choose the unfortunate individual. All the rhymes had the players in a circle. Then the singer would start going left or right and moving around on each beat of the rhyme. Some involved counting just the person, some involved both hands being counted, with you only being safe once both hands were removed from the count. Only the one under the last beat of the rhyme is taken out. The last man standing is then selected.
A new rhyme was a powerful weapon, increasing your social standing, and stopping players from counting a rhyme out (knowing or working out the number to either make them safe, or place them in power, depending on the game.). If you had no new rhyme, then the ending may be changed, adding extra lines to the end, however, the same ending must be used throughout the whole rhyme1.
Eenie Meenie
The first one that I knew of, probably first used in the 18th Century. This version is the late 20th Century version.
Eenie meenie miney moe,
Catch a tiger by the toe,
If he squeals, let him go,
Eenie meenie miney moe.
Apparently the eenie meenie part of the rhyme, as seen above and similar starts as seen in other rhymes, come from an ancient counting system, of unknown origin, which is still used by fishermen and shepherds in England.
One Potato, Two Potato
Both of the players hands are normally counted in this rhyme.
One potato, two potato
Three potato, four.
Five potato, six potato
Seven potato, more.
Eena Meena
When much younger I was an avid reader of Anne MacCaffery. In The Crystal Singer the main character uses a rhyme to choose a particular canyon to search. I unashamedly thieved it.
Eena meena pitsa teena
Avoo bumbareena
Ova goasha bumbarosha
Nineteen hundred and one
Ingle Angle
My girlfriend told me this one. Apparently a popular Northern Irish rhyme.
Ingle angle, silver bangle
Ingle angle, oooooooh
Ingle angle, silver bangle,
Out goes you.
Ip Dip
Probably the most well known ditty, well at least down our way. A timeless classic.
Ip dip dog s**t,
You are not it.
Ip Idip Idation
This is one my sister brought back from British Forces schools. This is a more complicated rhyme with a break in the middle. The person chosen by the first half of the song then picks a number, quickly. This is then counted round to finish the tune off.
Ip idip idation,
My operation.
How many people at the station?
My Mother, Your Mother
Jimi Xused this rhyme to pick who was 'it'. Each player puts a hand in and Thomas 2 would count it out, each word a slap on the next hand. The question at the end is answered by the player who's hand was slapped on 'blood'. The chosen colour is then spelled out. The ending on this one is left the way Jimi X suggested it.
My mother and your mother went down to the store,
When my mother punched your mother right in the nose.
What colour was the blood?
answer - GREEN 3
Gee, arr, ee, ee, en, spells green
So you are 'it'.
One, two
This was the way that
Sporkulious Eglon
chose the unfortunates in their childhood games. A nicely converted
nursery rhyme.
One, two, buckle my shoe.
Three, four, knock on the door.
Five, six, pick up sticks.
Seven, eight, lay them straight.
Nine, ten, do it again!
Though if in a hurry, they would only use upto picking up the sticks.
Eenie Meenie Cilicinee
Sporkulous Eglon also used the following, in some cases.
Eenie, Meenie, Cicilinee,
Oh- Oh- Ah- Baleenie,
Ochy, Crochy, Liberace,
I love you
Rich Man, Poor Man
I remember the girls at my school using this as a skipping chant4, however
Adela Josefina
used this rhyme for selecting the starter in their games.
Rich man, poor man
Beggar man, thief
Doctor, lawyer
Indian Chief
Bubblegum, Bubblegum
This rhyme was also supplied by Adela, and, is again, a split rhyme. The person chosen by the rhyme would quickly pick a number and that would be counted off. The player at the end of the count is then dismissed from selection. As they got older, however, it was discarded as it was too easy to count out.
Bubblegum, bubblegum,
Tastes so sweet.
How many pieces
Can you eat?
Bottle of Ink
This rhyme comes out of the childhood of
Demon Drawer.
As in Jimi X's rhyme the player chosen by the first half chooses a colour, which is then spelled out.
A bottle of Ink
Fell down the sink.
What colour was it?
Answer - RED
arr, ee, dee.
And you are not it
Continued until only one player left.
Racing Car, Number Nine
A visit from a possible moo-ver5 and a shaker,
The Cow,
left these rhymes for your perusal. As before, another two part rhyme. The player chosen by the first half picks a number, which is then counted off.
Racing car, number nine,
Losing petrol all the time.
How many gallons did he lose?
Ibble Obble
The Cow also used this rhyme to select the victim in his games. I remember my sister using the first two lines as a rhyme in our games, but never the whole tune6
Ibble obble black bobble
Ibble obble out
Turn a dirty dishcloth inside out
Once if it's dirty
Twice if it's clean
Ibble obble black bobble
You are out
Ip Dip Dip
Joanna used to put feet in for the rhyme, instead of their hands, to choose the first player in Tikky It. This particular rhyme seems to be the original, which Ip Dip degenerated from. Roy Harper starts using this particular rhyme to choose between songs being shouted out, on his Flashes From The Archives of Oblivion album.Ip dip dip
My blue ship
Sailing on the water
Like a cup and saucer
My Mum says count up to ten
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten
G used the above rhyme but had some subtle variations.
Ip dip dip
My blue ship
Sailing on the gravy
Like the Royal Navy
Oh, you, tee spells out
Eenie Meenie
Joanna also used this rhyme to choose , which may possibly be the inspiration for the Anne MacCaffery rhyme that I thieved earlier.
Eenie meenie macaraca
Rare raa dominaca
Knikerbocka lollypoppa
Om pom push.
There's a Party on the Hill
G used this rhyme to select the poor victims. The person picked by the first line then gives the response, moving the count on.
There's a party on the hill, can you come?
- Yes.
Bring your own bread and butter and a bun.
- Can't afford it.
Who is your best friend?
- Thomas7
Thomas will be there, with his knickers in the air.
Oh, you, tea spells OUT.
1Unspoken rule of childhood number 1532The Rhymer3or red, or blue, or vermillion, but in this case green4Seeing who they would marry, if I remember correctly.......5Sorry, I couldn't resist6But as my brain is like a sieve, I forgot all about it..........7Or the name of another player
