Down Down Baby
Encyclopedia
Down Down Baby is a clapping game
played by child
ren in English-speaking countries
. In the game, two or more children stand in a circle, and clap hands
in tune to a rhyming song
. As with most hand-clapping games, there are many variations. Modified versions of the song have appeared in Little Anthony and the Imperials's Shimmy Shimmy Ko-Ko Bop, Nelly's Country Grammar
, Simian Mobile Disco
's 'Hotdog', The Drums
' 'Let's Go Surfing', and the film Big
.
.
Down, down, baby
Down, down the roller coaster (accompanied by the hand making a horizontal wave motion)
Sweet, sweet, baby (accompanied by both arms crossing the chest)
I'll never let you go
Chimmy, chimmy cocoa pop
Chimmy, chimmy pow
Chimmy, chimmy cocoa pop
Chimmy, chimmy pow
Grandma, grandma sick in bed
She called the doctor and the doctor and the doctor said
Let's get the rhythm of the head, ding dong (rock the head to each side once in time with "ding-dong")
Let's get the rhythm of the head, ding dong (rock the head to each side once in time with "ding-dong")
Let's get the rhythm of the hands (followed by two hand claps)
Let's get the rhythm of the hands (followed by two hand claps)
Let's get the rhythm of the feet (stomp the right foot, then the left)
Let's get the rhythm of the feet (stomp the right foot, then the left)
Let's get the rhythm of the hot dog (place hands on hips and twirl)
Let's get the rhythm of the hot dog (place hands on hips and twirl)
Put it all together and what do you get?
Ding dong (accompanied by head rock), (followed by two claps), (followed by two stomps), hotdog (accompanied by hip twirl)
Put it all backwards and what do you get?
Hotdog (accompanied by hip twirl), (followed by two stomps), (followed by two claps), ding dong (accompanied by head rock)
Down by the riverside //
Sweet, sweet tulip //
No place to go.
(Heard in Nottinghamshire, England)
Clapping game
A clapping game is a type of usually cooperative game which is generally played by two players and involves clapping as accompaniment to a singing game or reciting of a rhyme...
played by child
Child
Biologically, a child is generally a human between the stages of birth and puberty. Some vernacular definitions of a child include the fetus, as being an unborn child. The legal definition of "child" generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger than the age of majority...
ren in English-speaking countries
English-speaking world
The English-speaking world consists of those countries or regions that use the English language to one degree or another. For more information, please see:Lists:* List of countries by English-speaking population...
. In the game, two or more children stand in a circle, and clap hands
Clapping game
A clapping game is a type of usually cooperative game which is generally played by two players and involves clapping as accompaniment to a singing game or reciting of a rhyme...
in tune to a rhyming song
Nursery rhyme
The term nursery rhyme is used for "traditional" poems for young children in Britain and many other countries, but usage only dates from the 19th century and in North America the older ‘Mother Goose Rhymes’ is still often used.-Lullabies:...
. As with most hand-clapping games, there are many variations. Modified versions of the song have appeared in Little Anthony and the Imperials's Shimmy Shimmy Ko-Ko Bop, Nelly's Country Grammar
Country Grammar
Country Grammar is the debut studio album by American rapper Nelly, released on June 27, 2000.- Reception :- Commercial performance :...
, Simian Mobile Disco
Simian Mobile Disco
Simian Mobile Disco are a United Kingdom-based production and remix team formed in 2005 by James Ford and Jas Shaw of the band Simian. Musically, they are known for their analogue production...
's 'Hotdog', The Drums
The Drums
The Drums are an American indie pop band from Brooklyn, NY with members stemming from the shortlived band Elkland . The band is currently on the Moshi Moshi/Island , Universal and Frenchkiss labels.-Formation:...
' 'Let's Go Surfing', and the film Big
Big
Big is a 1988 romantic comedy film directed by Penny Marshall and stars Tom Hanks as Josh Baskin, a young boy who makes a wish "to be big" to a magical fortune-telling machine and is then aged to adulthood overnight...
.
Lyrics
There are many variations of this clapping game from around the world. The actual lyrics that any given group of chilren use may vary based on region, era, and ethnicity.Basic
The lyrics cited here are the essential lyrics of the rhyme, and are the lyrics that were featured in a 1980s segment of the US version of Sesame StreetSesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
.
Down, down, baby
Down, down the roller coaster (accompanied by the hand making a horizontal wave motion)
Sweet, sweet, baby (accompanied by both arms crossing the chest)
I'll never let you go
Chimmy, chimmy cocoa pop
Chimmy, chimmy pow
Chimmy, chimmy cocoa pop
Chimmy, chimmy pow
Grandma, grandma sick in bed
She called the doctor and the doctor and the doctor said
Let's get the rhythm of the head, ding dong (rock the head to each side once in time with "ding-dong")
Let's get the rhythm of the head, ding dong (rock the head to each side once in time with "ding-dong")
Let's get the rhythm of the hands (followed by two hand claps)
Let's get the rhythm of the hands (followed by two hand claps)
Let's get the rhythm of the feet (stomp the right foot, then the left)
Let's get the rhythm of the feet (stomp the right foot, then the left)
Let's get the rhythm of the hot dog (place hands on hips and twirl)
Let's get the rhythm of the hot dog (place hands on hips and twirl)
Put it all together and what do you get?
Ding dong (accompanied by head rock), (followed by two claps), (followed by two stomps), hotdog (accompanied by hip twirl)
Put it all backwards and what do you get?
Hotdog (accompanied by hip twirl), (followed by two stomps), (followed by two claps), ding dong (accompanied by head rock)
Variations
Down, down, baby //Down by the riverside //
Sweet, sweet tulip //
No place to go.
(Heard in Nottinghamshire, England)