Let’s see if any of you know this rhyme called “1st is The Worst”

Which one do you say? First is the worst, Second is the best, Third is the one with the… a) wedding dress, b) hairy chest or, c) treasure chest ?

My kids and their friends were debating this one. They disagreed over which answer is the most popular… a, b, or c. Google seems to know b the most. Anyone out there know this rhyme? If so, which ending do you say?

Inquiring minds want to know!

Mama Lisa

PS I asked my friends this question on Facebook and no one answered! Which makes me think it’s a new rhyme that this current generation says. I had never heard it before my kids taught it to me either.

This article was posted on Thursday, September 10th, 2009 at 1:38 pm and is filed under Countries & Cultures, English, English Nursery Rhymes, First Is the Worst, Second is the Best, Languages, Mama Lisa, Questions, Schoolyard Chants, 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.

222 Responses to “Let’s see if any of you know this rhyme called “1st is The Worst””

  1. David Hodgkinson Says:

    We used to say this after eating dinner to beat the other siblings. First the worst, second the best, third the Dirty Donkey, 4th the golden eagle

  2. HyperMangi Says:

    I remember this since primary school, I was watching How to STUDY When You DON’T FEEL LIKE IT! By “Med School Insiders” And I saw “Hero to Zero” And that’s when I heard and remember it, so it goes like this:

    First the worst.

    Second the best.

    One with the hairy chest.

    The one with the golden eagle.

    The rest, I can’t remember sadly. I don’t know how it originated, but we used it after PE and you have to get change. And we have to sit on the floor in lines. But there was one line (On the left) For girls and boys sit the one to the right. And I always rush when I get change, but I see a lot of people. And there was some days which I was the fastest. And I let some people go infront of me to get the rank “Second the best” Or “The one with the golden eagle” Something along those lines.

  3. Sergei Says:

    1st is the worst, 2nd is the best, 3rd is a nerd with a pokka dot dress

  4. df Says:

    1st the worst
    2nd the best
    3rd the one with the hairy chest
    4th is the one with the ugly face

    5-10 forgot not done

  5. Caitlin Says:

    I knew
    First the worst,
    Second the best,
    Third the one with a hairy chest,
    Fourth the one in a golden dress,
    Fifth the one we love the best…

  6. Todd Says:

    When I was a kid, I always said “1st is the worst! 2nd is the best! 3rd is the toilet!

  7. hanson12 Says:

    3rd the one with the nostril nosh

  8. Natalie Says:

    We used to say
    First is the worst
    Second is the best
    Third is the one in a polka dot dress

  9. Unknown Says:

    It was first is the worst second the best and third with polka dot dress

  10. brittany Says:

    1st is the worst, 2nd is the best, 3rd is the one with the hairy chest, 4th is the one with the TREASURE CHEST!!!

  11. potato Says:

    1st is the worst, second is the best, third is the one with the treasure chest.

  12. Taylor Says:

    i used to say “1st the worst 2nd the best 3rd the nerd 4th the dwarf :)

  13. TrubieDu Says:

    On the playground there was always 1st is the worst, 2nd is the best, 3rd is the one with the polka dot dress, 4th is the king, 5th is the queen, 6 is mean, 7 goes to heaven, 8 goes straight, 9 collects dimes, 10 keeps hens.

  14. SimonSays0123 Says:

    I am 33 and it was said when I was a kid, it was…

    1st is the worst, 2nd is the best, 3rd is the nerd or turd in the wedding dress, or with the hairy chest or treasure chest depending on what place you were in, if you were 1st you would say I am 0 the hero, then 4th is a dwarf, 5th is a myth, 6 get kicks, 7 goes to heaven, 8 is great, 9 is fine, 10 gets to do it again.

    But it usually stopped at 3 the rest were a stretch and that is the PG version 6 and 10 could get a pretty bad lol

  15. Tate Says:

    I grew up with the third is the one with the gumball chest. After reading everyone else’s comments, I feel like this one might just have been my group of friends.

  16. November Says:

    First is the worst Second is the best third is the one with the hairy chest fourth is the one with the polka dot dress fifth is the one with the donkey chest sixth is the one with the wealthy nest and seventh is the one with fortnite best..

  17. No Body Says:

    treasure chest

  18. Rhiana Says:

    Minus the kindest
    Zero the lightest
    First the dumb
    Second the bum
    Third the one who always chews a gum
    Fourth with the donkey’s shoes
    Fifth with the cow’s moooooooo’s!

  19. kiara Says:

    0 the hero
    1st the worst
    2nd the best
    3rd the golden princess
    4th the dwarf
    5th the myth

  20. Jasmine Says:

    O the hero
    1st the worst
    2nd the best
    3rd the one with the hairy chest
    4th the golden eagle
    5th the witch that fell in the ditch

    There was more but it’s been a few years so I’ve forgotten.

  21. Penny! Says:

    I know it as…
    1st is the worst
    2nd is the best
    3rd is the one with the treasure chest
    4th is the one with the candy chest
    5th is the one who goes west…

  22. yousuckballs2020 Says:

    fast da wast
    second ze best
    tre da van vit da heri chest
    fort is ze wan wit de balerina dreth
    fit is ze wan whit de trzure chez
    sis is ze van wit the golden stik

  23. Nicole Says:

    It is…

    First is the worst,
    Second is the best
    Third is the dummy with a cherry on the head
    Fourth is good
    Fifth is better
    Sixth is perfection
    And it’s the end of chapter 10!

  24. Samantha Says:

    From what I learned…
    First is the worst
    Second is the best
    Third is the one with the hairy chest
    Fourth is the one with the treasure chest
    Fifth is the one with the wedding dress

  25. ethan Says:

    third the nerd

  26. ls Says:

    I invented eighth: eighth in a bathing suit never had a date

  27. Mo Says:

    First is the worst
    Second is the best
    third is the one with the treasure chest
    Fourth is the one with the polka dot dress
    Fifth is the one with the hairy chest
    Sixth is the one with the wedding dress
    Seventh is the one with a pretty face
    Eighth is the one with the untied shoelace
    All I remember.. hehe

  28. Callum Says:

    I’m 21. Nottingham, UK.
    I believe my siblings and I would say: First the Worst, Second the Best, Third the dirty Rascal, However, reading some comments I may have been told Donkey and changed it to rascal, I will have to ask my Brother and Sister.

  29. Hellooo Says:

    0 Hero
    1 Worst
    2 Best
    3 Golden Princess
    4 Dwarf / Dirty dish cloth
    5 Myth / Golden Eagle

  30. Northern dad.. Says:

    1st the worst, 2nd the best, 3rd the Royal Princess…
    4th’s the Ghost eating toast, half way up the lamp post!…… And so it went on..
    Wish I could remember.
    ;-)

  31. Ella Says:

    First is the worst
    Second is the best
    Third is the one with the treasure chest
    Fourth is the one with the hairy chest
    Fifth is the one with the wedding dress
    Sixth is the one with the baby bottle breath
    Seventh is the one that everyone dreads
    Eighth is the one that makes everyone feel great
    Ninth is the one who lost the dime
    Tenth is the one who gave out cents

  32. Josh Says:

    Billingham, North East England.

    Same as what Laura said earlier in the thread:

    Minus the hinus
    Zero the hero
    First the worst
    Second the best
    Third the hairy princess
    Fourth the ghost eating toast halfway up the lamppost
    Fifth the witch eating chips halfway up the football pitch

    Then I can’t remember the rest either sadly…

  33. connor Says:

    Ours was…
    0 the hero
    1st the worst
    2nd the best
    3rd the nerd with the hairy chest ( if it’s a girl) 3rd the nerd with the barbie dress ( if it’s a boy)
    4th the golden birth
    5th the myth
    6th is a mix
    7 is in heaven
    8 likes to hate
    9 is totally fine
    10 has to do it again
    11 is in heaven
    12 is has wealth
    13 is a teen
    14 is a teen
    15 is a teen
    16 is a teen
    17 is a teen
    18 is a teen
    19 is a teen
    At 20, you’ve hit puberty!

  34. Falak Says:

    I always say First is the worst, Second is the best, and third is the one with the treasure chest.

  35. Khushi Says:

    Zero the Hero
    First the Worst
    Second the Best
    Third the Nerd
    Fourth with the Golden Chest
    Fifth with the Ballerina Dress
    And idk the rest :p

  36. evan Says:

    me going as: first is the worst, second is the best, third is the one with the hairy golden chest, fourth is north, fifth is south, sixth is east and seventh is west. THEN IT KEEPS ON GOING.

  37. Stranger Says:

    this is what we would say
    1st is the worst
    2nd is best
    3rd is the one with the hairy chest
    4th is pretty
    5th is great
    6th is the one with the wedding date
    7 loves
    8 regrets
    9 is the one who eat raw eggs

  38. Ajwad Says:

    Mine and in my school its… 1st is the Worst, Second is the best, third is the one with the hairy chest, fourth is the one with the Golden/diamond chest was in my school (golden/diamond was half of the school)

  39. Aaroo Says:

    We said…
    Zero is the Hero
    First is the worst
    second is the best
    third is the nerd in the polkadot dress
    forth goes north
    fifth gets sick
    six is the one with the treasure chest
    seven goes to heaven
    eight closes the gate
    nine can’t rhyme
    ten has a hen
    eleven goes to heaven just like seven

    that’s all I remember

  40. Hornoor Says:

    First is the worst
    Second is the best
    Third is the one with the treasure chest
    Fourth is the one with the hairy chest
    Fifth is the one with the wedding dress
    Sixth is the one with the baby bottle breath
    Seventh is the one that everyone dreads
    Eighth is the one that makes everyone feel great
    Ninth is the one who lost the dime
    Tenth is the one who gave out cents

  41. Ava Says:

    I say 1st the worst
    2nd the best
    3rd the golden princess
    4th the dwarf
    That’s all I know

  42. Me ^~^ Says:

    0 the hero
    1rst is the worst
    2nd is the best
    3rd is the hairy princess
    4rth is the golden eagle
    5th is the nerdy monster
    .
    .
    .

    I think there was until 30…

    I used to always talk about this when staying in line in school with friends.

  43. Will Says:

    It is like this for me:
    First is the worst, Second is the best, Third is the one with the treasure chest, Fourth is the one with the polka dot dress, Fifth is the one with the hairy dress, Sixth is the one with the wedding dress.

  44. vb Says:

    for me it was like…

    first is the worst, second is the best, third is the one with a golden chest

  45. harrie Says:

    the first is the last
    the second is best
    the third is the rotten banana in the bush

  46. Samara Says:

    I always knew it as…“First is the worst, Second is the best, Third is the one with the golden dress, Forth is the one with the mushin gun.” 5-10 I don’t know.

  47. jolene Says:

    First is the worst
    Second is the best
    Third is the one with the treasure chest
    Fourth is the one with the hairy chest
    Fifth is the one with the polka dot dress
    Sixth is the one that forgot to get dressed
    Seven is in heaven
    Eight is late
    Nine is the one with a fat behind
    Tenth goes to jail, and thats the end of this tale!

  48. Gavin Says:

    I came across this blog when searching “third the golden princess”.

    Like Ava said recently our kids always said: “1st the worst, 2nd the best, 3rd the golden princess”.

    We have no idea what it means. :)

    But we took it to mean do the worst stuff first. And we try to do that. :)

  49. Vicky Nguyen Says:

    First the worst, second the best with a hairy chest in a barbie dress, third the need, fourth the dork

  50. i_like_to_fartbruh123 Says:

    My grandma was a red head who grew up in the 1840’s in Ireland. She passed this down during the whole potato famine was happening. She would sing this around her family’s dead bodies. This was show as a sign of respect to those who lived before us.
    1st is the dead
    2nd is the red head
    3rd the one in the banana bush
    4th the dirty donkey
    5th the cheetah’s bum
    6th the sick
    7th the (We skip 7 since 7 is the age she was left alone to live.)
    8th the one at the gate’s of HELL!!!!
    9th the one who eats raw eggs
    10th the one with a big hen
    I don’t remember the rest! Sry! XD!

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