Main Piece: Down down baby

The following was an interview of a Participant/interviewee about a folk game that is passed around mainly in elementary. She is marked as HT. I am marked as DM.

HT: Down down baby/ Down down the roller coaster/ Sweet sweet baby/ Sweet sweet don’t let me go (cross arms and hit chest 4 times)/ Chimi chimi coco puff chimi chimi riiiide (tucks hair behind ear)/ Chimi chimi coco puff chimi chimi riiiide (tucks hair behind ear)/ I had a baby a biscuit/ He’s so sweet a biscuit/ Apples on the table/ Peaches on the top/ Step out baby I don’t want you anymore/ To the front (jump forwards)/ To the back (jump backwards)/ To the side side side (jump to both sides)/ To the front (jump forwards)/ To the back (jump backwards)/ To the side side side (jump to both sides)

Background/Context:

The participant is fifteen years old in the tenth grade. She grew up in Los Angeles, California, but she has Mexican parents and family. Hailey, who is marked as HT, is my sister. I was at home for my mother’s birthday party on Friday, April 13, 2018, when I overheard my youngest sister playing a hand game with my cousin. I noticed it was the same games I played in elementary, but the lyrics of the game were slightly different. I began to ask her questions about the game. My middle sister, Hailey, got into the conversation. We began to compare our elementary games. In this particular game, the objective was to be able to sing all the words and do the movements with them. This game was mainly to just pass time in recess.

DM: How do you know this?

HT: Um, I uh, I played it in elementary.

DM: Who did you learn the game from?

HT: Uh

DM: Do you remember?

HT: Not the person but I know I learned it from my friends.

DM: Uh, why did you like this game in elementary?

HT: It was catchy it was uh yeah just catchy.

DM: And at that time what did it mean to you? What did the game signify to you?

HT: It was entertaining it distracted me and yeah.

Analysis/ My Thoughts:

While I was in elementary, this “Down down baby” game was very popular during recess when we had enough time to rest but not to play full games like kickball or handball. My sister told me this game was also very popular in her recess. Although they were both similar, the lyrics are different. Today’s version is shown above while the one I did in elementary nine years ago goes as stated: Down down baby/ Down down the roller coaster/ Sweet sweet baby/ Sweet sweet don’t let me go (cross arms and hit chest 4 times)/ Chimi chimi coco puff chimi chimi riiiide (tucks hair behind ear)/ Chimi chimi coco puff chimi chimi riiiide (tucks hair behind ear)/ I have a boyfriend a biscuit/ He’s so sweet a biscuit/ Apples on the table/ Peaches on the floor/ Step out baby I don’t want you anymore/ To the front (jump forwards)/ To the back (jump backwards)/ To the side side side (jump to both sides)/ To the front (jump forwards)/ To the back (jump backwards)/ To the side side side (jump to both sides).