Childhood – Song

Down down baby

Down down the rollercoaster

Sweet sweet baby

Sweet sweet don’t let me go

Shimmy shimmy cocoa puff

Shimmy shimmy rah

Shimmy shimmy cocoa puff

Shimmy shimmy rah

I had a boyfriend

A biscuit

He’s so sweet

A biscuit

Apples on the table

Peaches on the floor

Step back baby

I don’t want you anymore

To the front (jump forward)

To the back (jump backward)

To the side side side (jump side to side)

The informant learned this song/chant in elementary school from her fellow classmates. She then also taught it to other friends. The song is performed with a partner while several variations of clapping motions are made and some small jumping at then end.

For the most part the song does not have a direct meaning but is more of a innocent nonsensical rhyme. Some of the keywords within the rhyme represent things that are on the consciousness of elementary school age girls, words like rollercoaster and boyfriend.

My informant said that they performed the chant during recess and lunchtime for entertainment. These types of songs and games are definitely most prevalent among elementary school age children especially girls. Young children in English-speaking countries learn and sing variations of the rhyme. A Sesame Street episode from 1980 featured some children performing the rhyme although most children who sing the song did not learn it from Sesame Street.