Did You Sing the Rhyme “Rubber Dolly”?
Ann Marie wrote me looking for information about the “Rubber Dolly” rhyme…
Hi Lisa:
Are you familiar with the rhyme entitled “Rubber Dolly?” It starts out:
My mother told me
If I were goodie
That she would buy me
A rubber dolly . . .These lyrics pop up in an essay I am working on. Specifically, I need to know if this is an American Clapping Song, a Rhyme, a Jump Rope Song, or . . . something else!
Thank for your time.
Best,
Ann Marie
Cleveland, Ohio
I found information that “Rubber Dolly” was a jump rope rhyme that was popular in the 1950’s.
Here’s a longer version:
My mother told me
If I were goodie
That she would buy me
A rubber dolly.My auntie* told her,
I kissed a soldier,
Now she won’t buy me
A rubber dolly.*Or sister
Some kids also did hand clapping games to “Rubber Dolly”. (I think jump rope rhymes and hand clapping rhymes are often interchangeable.) There’s also a fiddle tune based on the melody of the rhyme. Ella Fitzgerald sang a jazz song based on “My Mother Told Me” too.
If anyone grew up with the rhyme, please share your version if it’s different, also let us know if you played any specific game with it.
Thanks in advance!
Mama Lisa
August 22nd, 2009 at 4:35 pm
Oh, yes, I remember! This is really old. We did the handclapping game and used the “sister” version. I’m kinda wondering if this is a WWII era song.
August 22nd, 2009 at 8:32 pm
I found reference to recordings made by John A. Lomax in 1937 that includes “Rubber Dolly” – I left the Library of Congress codes below in case anyone wants to look it up:
AFS 884B4-886B3: Eight songs sung by older children. Brandon, Mississippi, March 9, 1937…
886A2: “Rubber dolly”
So we know it was around in 1937!
August 23rd, 2009 at 10:50 am
Dear Lisa!
I wanted to send you a Hungarian song, with MP3 and a traslation but this “Contribute” Click did not work. Is there any other way to send you songs? I really am sorry for being technically so invalid.
August 23rd, 2009 at 11:48 am
You should see me try to work the TV and VCR remotes in my house! I totally understand about being technically inept.
You can send me the song and mp3 by email to lisa@mamalisa.com
Looking forward to receiving it!
Mama Lisa
August 23rd, 2009 at 9:45 pm
The version I remember has a chorus and then the rest of the song, although I don’t know which is which. It goes:
3, 6, 9 the goose drank wine,
the monkey chewed tobacco on the street car line,
the line broke, the monkey got choked,
and they all went together in a little row boat,
Quack, quack,
quack, quack,
quack, quack, quack, quack
(then)
My mommy told me
if I was goody,
that she would buy me a little dolly,
I kissed a soldier,
my brother told her,
now she won’t buy me
that little dolly.
(and the song just keeps repeating)
October 3rd, 2009 at 10:50 pm
The version I grew up with went like this:
My mama told me,
if I was goodie,
that she would buy me
a Rubber Dolly.
My Auntie told her,
I kissed a soldier,
now she won’t buy me
a rubber dolly.
3, 6, 9 the goose drank wine,
the monkey chewed tobacco on the street car line,
the line broke, the monkey got choked,
and they all went to heaven in a little row boat,
Clap, Clap.
My aunt used to sing that to my sister and I all the time when I was little. Such a great memory.
October 5th, 2009 at 8:40 pm
That’s neat!