Action Songs
spoken- Button factory (Gagne 1997, vol. 2: 14)
American Folk Songs for Teaching.
Mike Johnson is cited as the contributor.
mi so la
- Pizza pizza (Gagne 1997, vol. 2: 24)
learned from Jennifer Baker, Vickie Jenkins, Lisa Weston, and Gail Lawson at Kyles Ford School near Sneedville, TN on March 2, 1984, who in turn learned the song from Dezirae Anerson, who had since moved to Rockwood, TN, who in turn learned learned the song from a girl in Nashville, TN
| Miss | slap both partner's hands with left hand up, right hand down |
| Sue | slap both partner's hands vertically |
| [rest] | clap own hands |
| [rest] | clap own hands |
| Miss | slap both partner's hands with left hand up, right hand down |
| Sue | slap both partner's hands vertically |
| [rest] | clap own hands |
| [rest] | clap own hands |
| Miss | slap both partner's hands with left hand up, right hand down |
| Sue | slap both partner's hands vertically |
| from | clap own hands |
| Al- | slap both partner's hands with left hand up, right hand down |
| a- | slap both partner's hands vertically |
| bam- | clap own hands |
| slap both partner's hands with left hand up, right hand down | |
| a, | slap both partner's hands vertically |
| clap own hands | |
| Sitting in a rocker, | move arms at side |
| Eating Betty Crocker, | point to mouth with index fingers of both hands |
| Listen to the clock go | point to both ears |
| tick | press palms together, tilt head and rest cheek on left side |
| tock | press palms together, tilt head and rest cheek on right side |
| tick | press palms together, tilt head and rest cheek on left side |
| tock | press palms together, tilt head and rest cheek on right side |
| fin alley, alley, | rotate index fingers by ears |
| tick | press palms together, tilt head and rest cheek on left side |
| tock | press palms together, tilt head and rest cheek on right side |
| tick | press palms together, tilt head and rest cheek on left side |
| tock | press palms together, tilt head and rest cheek on right side |
| fin alley, alley, | rotate index fingers by ears |
| A B C D E F G, Wipe these crumbs right off of me, |
simulate wiping crumbs from chest with alternate hands, one motion per beat |
| Coal miner, | point downward left with right forefinger |
| coal miner, | point downward right with left forefinger |
| freeze! | cross arms on chest with fingers still pointed |
traditional English, primary source: Gillian White, as remembered from her school experience in England, Wyzga, vol. 1; American Folk Songs for Teaching
Oliver Twist, twist, youcan't do this, this, touch his knee, knee, touch his toe, toe, clap his hand, hand and over we go, go.
Oliver Twist, Twist, Twist, you can't to this, this, this, touch his, etc.
Botkin collection: 62
do mi so
- Johnny one hammer (Gagne 1997, vol. 1: 21)
Wyzga c 1976, vol. 1.
do re mi
- Peep squirrel (variant of Hop, old squirrel) (McIntosh 1974: 91-92)
- Hands that clap (to the tune of Mary had a little lamb)
(Warren 1984: 52) - I can bend and touch the floor (to the tune of Mary had a little lamb)
(Warren 1984: 51) - I went to school one morning (Matterson: 145)
- Jim along Josie (good for lesson on verbs)
(Gagne 1997, vol. 2: 1)
- Look at the terrible crocodile (Matterson: 104)
- Rabbit ain't got (to the tune of Mary had a little lamb)
(Glazer 1980: 89) - Can you walk on two legs? (Matterson 1969: 143)
- Johnny taps with one hammer (Harrop 1976: #37)
- If I could have a windmill (Matterson 1969: 84)
- Two little dicky birds (Arlington)
- Pity my case (Newell 1963; Erdei & Komlos 1974: 20; Johnston 1984: 86)
- Swedish action song (Gagne 1997, vol. 2: 23)
- Little Tommy Tinker (Gagne 1997, vol. 2: 22)
- Hippetty hop to the candy shop (Matterson: 139)
- Hop up, jump up (Luboff & Stracke 1969: 335)
- Hop, chop, my little horse
(sung while bouncing a child on one's knee) (Bertail: 124)
- Little Rabbit Foo Foo (to the tune of Alouette)
(Glazer 1980: 69-70)
- Spider, The (In this version of "The eensy weensy spider,"
the second phrase, which is usually the only phrase with a pying,
is like the other three phrases.) (FD: 58)
- Institute Motion Song (can be sung to the tune of The muffin man in Cox 1942: 240)
(Harbin 1927: 17)
- Good grooming
(can be sung to the tune of The muffin man in Cox 1942: 240)
(Warren 1983: 57) - Moving song (can be sung to the tune of The muffin man in Cox 1942: 240)
(Warren 1984: 52) - This is the way we dress ourselves (can be sung to the tune of The muffin man in Cox 1942: 240)
(Warren 1985: 20) - My fingers (can be sung to the tune of The muffin man in Cox 1942: 240)
(Warren 1985: 26) - They're a part of me
(can be sung to the tune of The muffin man in Cox 1942: 240)
(Warren 1985: 36) - Dance, dance (can be sung to the tune of The muffin man in Cox 1942: 240)
(Warren 1985: 36) - We all clap hands together (Matterson 1969: 181)
- The shape-up song (to the tune of The farmer in the dell)
(Warren 1984: 53) - Dressing song (to the tune of The farmer in the dell) (Warren 1985: 21)
- Fly is on my nose, A (to the tune of The farmer in the dell) (Warren 1985: 21)
- Damper song, The (Cub Scout Songbook: 34)
- Ride, Charley, ride (Jones & Hawes: 11)
(sung while bouncing a child on one's knee) - Hickety (Arnold 1950: 87)
- Walk, Daniel (Bessie Jones as quoted in Saletan 1977: 37)
- Walk Daniel (Choksy 1981: 218)
- Walk and stop (Arlington, Choksy 1981: 218)
- Fingers like to wiggle (Matterson 1969: 120)
- Dinah (good for learning musical instrument names)
(Gomme [1894] 1964: 97, Ginglend: 42, Bradford 1978: 76)
- Kreely kranky (Rohrbough 1939: 11, Wyzga, vol. 3: 28)
- Peep squirrel (variant of version listed under do re mi)
(Jones & Hawes 1972: 233)
- Skip to the barbershop
(variant of Hippetty hop to the candy shop)
(Jones and Hawes: 50)
Wyzga c 1976, vol. 3: 12.
la do re mi so
- Jim along Josie (Erdie & Komlos 1974: 31)
- Trottin' song (Arnold: 35)
(sung while bouncing a child on one's knee) - Walk along, John (Botkin 1937: 342)
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