My daughter just taught me the version below of the hand clapping rhyme Eenie Meenie Sicileeny…
Eenie Meenie Sicileeny
Eenie meenie sicileeny,
Ooh ah zambalini,
Achi cachi Liberace,
I love you,
Take a peach,
Take a plum,
Take a stick of bubble gum,
Not a peach,
Not a plumb,
Not a stick of bubble gum.Saw you with your boyfriend last night
How do you know?
Peaked through the window
Nosy
Didn’t do the dishes
Lazy
Ate all the cookies
Greedy!
Jumped out the window
Must be crazy!
That’s why I call you this!
(Repeat song)
My daughter is trying to learn how to play the hand clapping game so she can play it with the other kids in school. If anyone can help out with the actions, please let us know in the comments below. Thanks! Mama Lisa
Check out Mama Lisa’s World for more versions of Eenie Meenie Sicileeny.
This article was posted on Monday, April 27th, 2009 at 10:07 pm and is filed under American Kids Songs, Children's Songs, Countries & Cultures, Eenie Meenie Sicileeny, England, English, Hand Clapping Rhymes, Languages, Mama Lisa, Nursery Rhymes, Questions, USA. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
31 Responses to “Eenie Meenie Sicileeny – Hand Clapping Rhyme”
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May 22nd, 2009 at 2:59 am
I know a few different versions of this.
The first goes something like this-
Leader: Vee
Group: Vee
Leader: Vee-vye
Group: Vee-vye
Leader: Vee-vye voh
Group: Vee-vye voh
Leader: Vista
Group: (gasps loudly as if shocked)
Group: Oh, no, no, no, not the vista! (x2)
Group:
Eany-meany saula-meany
Oh, walla-walla meany,
Eany-meany saula-meany
Oh, walla wah.
Group:
Ish-bidley otten-dotten
Bo-bop ah deeten-dotten,
Ish-bidley otten-dotten
Bo-bop ah DEE!
The second one was a bit different and worked fantastic for camp with all the bugs everywhere!
Leader: Flea
Group: Flea
Leader: Flea fly
Group: Flea fly
Leader: Flea, fly, m’squito
Group: (starts pretending to scratch all over)
Leader: Cal-a-mine, cal-a-mine, cal-a-mine lo-tion
Group: Cal-a-mine, cal-a-mine, cal-a-mine lo-tion
Leader: Oh! No! Not the cal-a-mine lotion!
Group: Oh! No! Not the cal-a-mine lotion!
Leader: Itchy-itchy scratchy-scratchy got one on my backy-backy
Group: Itchy-itchy scratchy-scratchy got one on my backy-backy
Leader: Quick! Grab the bug-spray! I think he went that-a-way! (points, usually upwards to the right)
Group: Quick! Grab the bug-spray! I think he went that-a-way!
All: (makes long “sh” sound, pretending to spray the bug-spray left-to-right)
Leader: (tempo slows)Calamine, calamine, calamine lo-tion
The Calamine Lotion song as it was called, I learned at Arthritis Camp by the Arthritis Foundation at camp Wamatachik (I’ll be darned if I spelled that correctly). It was such a great time to be able to get away from the daily life of an ill child and be able to go to camp! Of course, the two gallon-size zip-lock bags of medications plus the methotrexate injections followed me there, along with the cane and walker, but a week without doctor appointments? Whoohoo! I’m sure the song’s been around a long time and around many campfires, but I just wanted to give them some credit anyways.
You have quite a lovely site, by the way. I am 13 and hoping to learn some basic Spanish over the summer holiday, and have found that I have an easier time learning if I incorporate what I’m trying to learn into songs or rhymes. I came across your site and am very excited to start learning some of the nursery rhymes on your sites.
God bless you, Mama Lisa,
Alexandra
May 22nd, 2009 at 10:05 am
Thanks for posting those rhymes Alex! That’s a great idea for learning Spanish! If there are any songs on my site that don’t have mp3’s, you can check YouTube for videos and use the lyrics from Mama Lisa’s World. Let me know if you happen to find any good ones!
Best wishes,
Mama Lisa
June 2nd, 2010 at 7:58 pm
The hand movements are: get a partner, Put your hands together, hit them back and forth twice, then stop, clap your hands, hit your partners hand above your left hand, using your right hand, clap again, hit your partners hand under your left hand, hold hands, then take your left hand, hit your partners hand under your right hand, hold hands, hit your right leg 2 times, then using your right hand, snap two times next to your head in the air, using your right hand, then slap your partners hand while your partners hand is slapping yours twice, then point at each other with right hand. Then continue on with the song repeating these movements.
June 3rd, 2010 at 11:29 am
Thanks Toniann! I also found this video below explaining how to do the hand motions. Is that how you do it?
April 5th, 2012 at 7:18 pm
I know another one I’m in middle school so it’s a bit more mean lol. Ennie meenie sicaleeny oh ah zambilini achi bachi liburache I hate u! take a peach take a plumb take a stick of bubble gum not a peach not a plumb but a stick of bubble gum saw u with ur bf last night staring at the ppl nosy didn’t flush the toilet nasty (repeat to I hate u) then whoever says I hate u and points first wins
May 12th, 2012 at 8:34 am
I sing
Ernie meanie sicaleni
Achi achi liberachi
I love u
Take a peach
take a plum
Take a stick of bubble gum
No peach
No plum
No stick of bubble gum
Saw u with ur bf last night
How do u know?
Peekin through ur window
nosy
Didn’t do the dishes
lazy
Didn’t wash it hands
Nasty
Jumped out the windowing be crazy!!
That’s y I cal u…..!
(then repeat)
November 19th, 2012 at 2:13 am
i really like to thank you because you helped me and my friends. we usually just played the first verse over and over but thanks to you we dont have to so thank you so so much have a wonderful thanksgiving!!!!!! bye bye
April 10th, 2013 at 6:08 pm
this is how I learned it at school:
Eenie meenie sicileeny
boo bop bop berenie
education liberation
we are cool
take a peach
take a plum
take a strip of bubble gum
not a peach
not a plum
not a strip of bubble gum
Saw you last night with your boyfriend
how do you know?
peeked through the window
nosy
didn’t do the dishes
lazy
and that’s why the call me
Eenie meenie sicileeny
boo bop bop berenie
education liberation
we are cool
(for the top part we try to go as fast as we can)
the hand motions:
put hands together
go left, right, left and stop straight ahead of you
do not move your left hand but take your right hand so you “clap” it
go up (hitting the other person’s hand)
go down (hitting your hand)
and go down again (hitting the other person’s hand again)
grab the person’s hand with your right hand
grab the person’s hand with your left hand (not moving your right hand)
take your right hand and hit your waist (twice and not letting go of your left hand)
snap with your right hand (twice and still not letting go of your left hand)
hit the other person’s hand ( ” )
clap and repeat
June 17th, 2013 at 8:25 pm
I’ve always known: Eeny meenie sicilini
Ooh ah zombilini
Atchi gatchi liberace I love you
Take a peach take a poch take a stick
of bubble gum
No peach no poch no stick of bubble gum
Saw you with your boyfriend last night
How do I know? Looked out the window
NOSY!Didn’t flush the toilet NASTY! Didn’t do your homework LAZY!
Jumped out the window MUST BE CRAZY!
That’s why they call me *repeat*
June 20th, 2013 at 11:00 pm
I’m in middle school, and I know: Eenie meenie sicileeny oo ah no combileeny hatchy gratchy liberachie I love you. Take a peach, take a plum, take a stick of bubblegum. No peach, no plum, no stick of bubblegum. I saw you with your boyfriend lastnight. How do you know? I peeked through your window. NOSY. I ate all the doughnuts. GREEDY. I didn’t flush the toilet. NASTY. I jumped out the window. CRAZY. And that’s why they call me: Eenie meenie sicileeny oo ah no combileeny hatchy gratchy liberatchie I love you.
September 13th, 2013 at 1:11 pm
Eeny meeny gypsoleeny
Ooh bop bopoleeny
Achi cachi Liberace
I love you, tutti fruity
Down down baby
Down by the roller coaster
Sweet sweet baby
Never gonna let you go
Shimmy shimmy co co pop, tutti fruity
Caught ya with your boyfriend, naughty naughty
Won’t give some candy, greedy greedy
Won’t do the dishes, lazy lazy
Jump out the window, crazy crazy
Eeny meeny gypsoleeny
Ooh bop bopoleeny
Achi cachi Liberace
I love you, tutti fruity
May 13th, 2014 at 7:43 pm
This is how I learned it even though I don’t remember some:
Eenie meenie sicileeny
ooh op bopalini
icy icy lemon icy
I love you
pick a peach
pick a plum
pick a stack of bubble gum
no peach
no plum
no stack of bubble gum
hanging on a roller coaster
crazy
don’t do the dishes
lazy
hanging with your boyfriend all night
…… day and night
The “……” part is where I don’t remember.
October 15th, 2014 at 11:27 pm
eenie meenie sicileeni ooh ah zombilini achi gachi liberachi i💛u
Eat a peach eat a plumb chew a stick of bubble gum no more peach no more plum no more sticks of bubble gum saw u with your boy friend how did u see?watched u through your window nosy didn’t do the dishes lazy didn’t take a shower smelly jumped out the window crazy that’s why they call me eenie meeni sicileeni ooh ah zombilini achi Bach liberachi i💛u!!!
January 27th, 2015 at 4:02 pm
This is how i learned it
eni mini secolini oops i tamalini achi achi laborati i love you. take a peach take a plumb take a stick of bubble gum no peach no plumb no stick of bubble gum saw you with my friend last night how would i know peeking through the peek hole nooosy didn’t do the dishes laaazy ate a box of candy greeedy jumped out the window gong gong crazy that’s why they call me eni mini secolini oops i tamalini achi achi laborati i love you.
January 24th, 2017 at 9:02 pm
I know one!
eenie meenie sisaleenie
ooo ah liverachi
achi achi bumbolini
take a peach
take a plum
take a stick of bubblegum
no peach
no plum
no stick of bubblegum
slept with my best friend laast night
how did you know
peeked through the peep hole
didn’t flush the toilet,
nasty!
didn’t do the dishes
lazy!
jumped out a window
must be crazy!
thats why they call me…
*start from begining*
February 20th, 2018 at 8:06 pm
Eenie meanie, gyspya leanie, ooh ah cumbaleanie, atchee, cachie, Liberace I Love You
Take a peach, take a plum, take a piece of bubble gum
No peach, no plum, just a piece of bubble gum
My momma told me to pick this one right over here.
May 23rd, 2019 at 11:33 pm
I remember it as
eenie meanie sisaleenie oo ah oo walla beanie achie gotchie liberachie ily I wish I had a nickel I wish I had a dime I wish I had a bf who would love me all the time I’d make him do the dishes then sweep the floor and whenever he was done I would knock him out the door bang bang
August 18th, 2020 at 2:24 am
Eenie meenie Pepsi-Cola
Ooh Bop bop shamini
Education celebration
I love you, tutti fruity
Down down baby
Down by the roller coaster
Sweet sweet Suzie
No place to go
Shamrock shamrock shake sham shamrock
Caught ya with your boyfriend, naughty naughty
Wouldn’t give me candy, greedy greedy
Didn’t do the dishes, lazy lazy
Jumped out the window, crazy crazy
Eenie meenie Pepsi-Cola
Ooh Bop bop shamini
Education celebration
I love you, tutti fruity
December 12th, 2020 at 8:30 am
I learned it this way!
Eenie meenie sicilini
ooh bop bop alinie
Hachi Pachi limerachi
i like you
pick a peach
pick a plum
not a stick of bubble gum
not a peach
not a plum
just a stick of bubble gum
i saw your boyfriend
how’d you know?
peaking through a keyhole
nosy!
didn’t do the dishes
lazy!
sitting on a baby
now you think i’m crazy
eenie meenie sicilini
ooh bop bop alini
Hachi Pachi limerachi
i like you!
February 26th, 2021 at 3:13 am
I learned this version in around 1963. We had 9 girls on my block in NE Ohio.
No summer camp needed.
Here goes.
Clapping Game
Eenie beanie pepsodini
Ah Bah boob a lini
Hachi pachi Liberace
And his brother George
Have a peach
Have a plum
Have a half a stick of chewing gum
And if you want a little less
This is what you say
Amen amen
A man diego San Diego
Hocus pocus dominocus
Rah rah siss boom bah
Yayyyyyyyy team!
May 20th, 2021 at 10:49 am
I learned it as a way to choose people for truth or dare in the 60s in California
Eeriie meany chili beanie
Ooh ga gobilini
Otchy potchy boomilachy
Out goes y-o-u
June 11th, 2021 at 7:01 pm
This is probably the longest I’ve ever seen a blog entry be open! (And the little girl you asked for this for is all grown up!)
Girl Scout camp Southern CA, circa 1962 and 1963. I found this site because the lyrics– what I remember– are stuck in my head! The speller in me cringes, but here it is, more or less phonetically:
Leader: Fee
Group: Fee
Leader: Fee Fi
Group: Fee Fi
Leader: Fee Fi Fo
Group: Fee Fi Fo
Leader: Fee Fi Fo…VISTA!
Group: Vista
Leader: Vista
Group: Vista
Group: Vista
Leader; Oh no no no not the Vista
Group: Oh no no no not the Vista
Leader: Eenie meenie decimeeni ooh ock a walla meenie
Otchie kotchie Liberace ooh ock a wah
Group: Eenie meenie decimeeni ooh ock a walla meenie
Otchie kotchie Liberace ooh ock a wah
Leader: Ish kiddely otten botten bo bo ski watter dotten why not
SHHHHHH!
Group: Ish kiddely otten botten bo bo ski watter dotten why not
SHHHHHH!
July 5th, 2021 at 6:46 am
I learned it like:
Eenie meanie pepsidini
Ooh bop bop a lini
Education, liberation , I love you
Tutti Fruity down down
Down by the rollercoaster
Sweet, sweet baby never gonna let you go
Shimmy bop, shimmy bop, shimmy shimmy shimmy bop
Catch ya with your boyfriend-naughty naughty
Eat a piece of candy- greedy greedy
Don’t do the dishes -lazy lazy
Jump out the window- crazy crazy
Eenie meanie pepsidini
Ooh bop bopolini
Education liberation I love you
January 27th, 2022 at 6:12 am
Hi there, the version I heard, when I was growing up, went like this:
eeney-meeny disellini ooh-ah-ah bellini cata-catcha ooh-ah ooh-ah ooh
March 15th, 2022 at 1:25 am
I learned this version:
Eenie meanie bobsilini ooh bop bop silini
Education, liberation, I love you
Down down baby, don’t shake the rollercoaster
Sweet sweet baby, no place to go
Caught ya with your boyfriend – naughty naughty
Eat a piece of candy – greedy greedy
Jumped out the window – crazy crazy
Won’t do the dishes – lazy lazy
Peaking through the window – sneaky sneaky
Missed the toilet – leaky leaky
Eenie meanie bobsilini ooh bop bop silini
Education, liberation I love you.
August 8th, 2022 at 3:21 am
Circle mid 80’s in Wabash, Indiana
Zig zig zig
Eenie meanie dosaleani
Oom bop bopalini
Hatchi katchi Liberace
I love you
Take a peach
Take a plum
Take a stick of chewing gum
No more school
No more books
No more teachers dirty looks
Yeah
November 6th, 2022 at 9:23 pm
In 1982 on my first grade playground in Richmond, VA, I learned this and it became my favorite hand-jive:
Eenie meenie bops a-deenie
Oop bop bops a-beenie
Education, liberation, I love you
Tutti frutti!
Down down baby
Down by the roller coaster
Sweet sweet baby
I’ll never let ya go
Sham-a-rock, sham-a-rock
Shammy shammy sham-a-rock
Caught you with your boyfriend
Naughty, naughty!
Gimme piece a candy
Greedy, greedy!
Don’t do the dishes
Lazy, lazy!
Jump out the window
Ya gotta be crazy!
Eenie meenie bops a-deenie
Oop bop bops a-beenie
Education, liberation, I love you
Tutti frutti!
xxxooo
December 15th, 2023 at 4:31 pm
I learned this from friends in 3rd or 4th grade in central Indiana, between 2005 and 2007.
Eenie beenie bops a-leenie
Oop bop bops a-leenie
Education, liberation, I love you
Down, down baby
Down by the rollercoaster
Sweet, sweet baby
I will never let you go
Saw you with your boyfriend,
Naughty, naughty
Stole a piece of candy,
Greedy, greedy
Didn’t do the dishes,
Lazy, lazy,
Jump out the window
(loudly) CRAZY, CRAZY,
before repeating.
I have had an interest in the past in regional variations of card games, seeing a blog post about variations in kid’s hand games is so cool! I love that the post has been active for so long. What a wonderful archive. Thank you!
January 9th, 2024 at 9:27 pm
Here is my version circa 1980s in Louisville, KY:
Eeny meeny pepso-cheeny,
Mmm bop bop shameeny,
Education, operation,
I love you, tutti fruity.
Down down baby, down by the roller coaster,
Sweet sweet baby, I’ll never let you go.
Shamrock, shamrock, shimmy shimmy shamrock.
Caught you with your boyfriend–naughty, naughty!
Didn’t do the dishes–lazy, lazy!
Jumped out the window–crazy, crazy!
Stole a piece of candy–greedy, greedy!
Eeny meeny pepso-cheeny,
Mmm bop bop shameeny,
Education, operation,
I love you, TUTTI FRUITY!
Such good memories. I can close my eyes and feel what it felt like to be alive at that time singing this rhyme. Oh to turn back time and relive it again!
March 3rd, 2024 at 10:17 pm
i learned it as-eeny meeny gypsolini you are thumbilini achi pachi liberace and i mean you.
also i seem to remember that it started as- abalaba goobalaba goobalaba-etc
i also seem to remember another verse that started with czechoslovakia boom then
yugoslavia boom and so it went on.
April 8th, 2024 at 12:29 am
In the late 60s early 70s, I lived in Petersburg, Virginia, and the version I learned was:
Eanie, meanie, hippoteeni
Oh la thumbalina
Hatchi, katchi Liberace
I love you
And I really do!
We only say that part, and when you say “really, do” you kind of yell out and punctuate the word “do” and poke the other person. It’s crazy how many different versions there are!