Category Archives: Game

Manchester United chant

“Hello! Hello! / We are the Busby boys! / Hello! Hello! / We are the Busby boys! / And if you are a City fan / Surrender or you’ll die / We all follow United!”

A chant referencing coach Matt Busby and his 1950s Manchester United squads, characterized by the youth of their players (hence, the “Busby boys” or “Busby babes”). Most of United’s 1957-58 team would die in the Munich air disaster, leading to their immortalization in United supporter lore. The “City fan” line is always said, regardless of whether or not United is actually playing Manchester City.

First encountered by informant outside of the Trafford – a common pre-game congregation point for Man United supporters – while preparing to attend a game.

This chant demonstrates the value of Manchester United’s status as a storied franchise to their supporters, as well as the obvious memorialization of a tragic loss of life.

Is it “Quack Dilly Iso” or “Dilly Dally Duck”?

Nationality: American
Age: 19
Occupation: College Student
Language: English

Text:

Quack diddly oso

Quack diddly oso

Quack Quack Quack

Singin’ Samorico,

Rico Rico Rico

Flora Flora,

Flora Flora Flora,

1, 2, 3, 4

Dilly Dally Duck

The dilly dally duck goes

Quack Quack Quack, 

from Sanarena, 

rena rena rena

four-up four-up, 

one two three four quack!

Screenshot 2025-02-27 at 1.39.25 PM

Analysis:
This is a children’s game that is played into high school years. It is used sometimes to determine who has to do something no one wants to do or just to pass the time. The game includes everyone sitting in a circle, singing a song, and hitting each other’s hands. When the song ends, the person who is about to be hit tries to move their hand out of the way. If they are fast enough, the person hitting is out, and the circle gets smaller; if they are too slow and get hit, then they are out. So when determining who has to do the unwanted task, the person who is out goes. If you need a winner, you keep playing and making it smaller till you have a winner. 

The game is good because it is easy and accessible to play. It helps diffuse conflict by creating a simple way to determine the outcome of an argument. Besides that, it creates a sense of unity since many people in the northern parts of America and Canada have played different versions of the game. In Washington, Quack Dilly Oso is played, while in Northern New Jersey, Dilly Dally Duck is played. The same game with the same tune but different lyrics. The difference shows one’s roots and connect them to where they are from, but the similarities allow people to find simple connections and familiarities in new places with new people. 

Japanese ghost tradition

Age: 20
Language: english

My roommate told me of the legend of a ghost named Hanako San. There are a lot of different versions of her, but the one he remembers is of a girl who killed herself in a school bathroom because of bullying, who haunts every school bathroom in Tokyo. Many elementary school children will go into a school bathroom on the third floor, turn off the lights, and knock on the third stall door three times. This is supposed to summon Hanako San. If you hear her respond to the knock, it’s in your best interest to leave. He likened this to the tradition of Bloody Mary in the states. He learned this from other classmates. This ghost could’ve been based on a real girl, or it could have been used to try to prevent kids from bullying others. It’s also a bit of a game, similar to bloody mary. This practice adds some entertainment to a normally dull day in grade school.

Metaphor

A subject told me about “Nose Goes”. Essentially, it is a game used to determine who gets stuck with a task that no one wants to do. My subject learned of the game from her younger siblings, when their mother asked someone to take out the trash. Her youngest sister put the index finger on her nose and yelled out “Nose goes!” The other siblings placed their fingers as fast as possible on their noses, except for my subject. She was not aware of the game and therefore lost it. The game is all about speed, at the person who doesn’t get it fast or is the last to place the finger on their nose – loses. According to my subject, the game is primarily used by children, to determine who will perform the dreaded task.

It is interesting how “nose goes” is like a game that starts spontaneously by one person, and everyone has to follow the suit. Now a person who is not aware of the rules is at the disadvantage. This however demonstrates the unwritten customs can shape group interactions. The game is funny because it feels fair but it really isn’t. There is no talking or deciding, just a quick reaction that determines who loses. The silly game shows how people naturally create little rules to assign tasks, giving an advantage to those who already know how it works.

Jeep Ducking/ Duck Duck Jeep

Object:

Rubber Ducks

Context:

The informant and the interviewer were walking around the USC campus and spotted a Jeep with a great amount of rubber ducks in it, thus sparking this conversation.
People who own Jeeps like to give rubber ducks to other Jeep owners. You can spot a lot of Jeeps with many different types of rubber ducks on their dashboard. The informant theorized that it is a millennial trend. They recall that it started during quarantine as a way to bond the Jeep community together.

Analysis:
A heartwarming game within the Jeep community, it is well needed during quarantine. People still keep it up nowadays, but more as a collector to show off the different rubber ducks they own.