Memory jogging: In search of jingles
When I saw Monday’s Page 3 picture and story on double dutch jump rope jumping -- it’s been designated a varsity sport in New York City high schools -- my first thought was, hey, we used to do that.
But to be accurate, I should have thought “they” used to do that. Oh, I jumped rope a time or two. Played a few games of jacks, as well. Tried my hand at a bouncing ball game, too -- can’t remember the name of it, but you bounced a small rubber ball, sang some kind of a jingle and periodically swung your leg over the ball during one of the bounces.
These were all, in effect, girls’ games. But there were times in my childhood when I was the only boy out to play on our block of Falmouth Street. At such times, the choices were: (a) play girls’ games, or (b) don’t play at all.
I think the girls liked it when I played. It justified their feelings of superiority over the male of the species. For the fact is, I never mastered the art of “jumping in.” With a single rope, I could just stand next to the rope, wait for a signal and jump just in time for the swung rope to go under me. With the two ropes involved in Double Dutch, this did not work. So I watched.
And I think I sang along. This was part of the jump rope fun -- chanting out a rhythmic ditty. There were dozens of them, I’m sure. Fifty-five years later, I can only remember one:
Mabel, Mabel, set the table.
Don’t forget the salt and PEPPER.
At the shout of PEPPER! the rope would be swung at higher and higher speeds until the jumper could no longer keep up.
Singsongs and counting rhymes were the music of the street, on days when school was out, anyway. There were jingles for jumping rope, for bouncing ball games and, if memory serves, even some for jacks. There were jingles whose purpose was teasing -- “Bobby and Susie up in a tree, K_I_S_S_I_N_G,” for one, and “Richie, Richie, two by four, couldn’t fit through the bathroom door,” for another -- and counting rhymes to decide who would be “it” in tag or other games.
“One potato, two potatoes, three potatoes, four....”
Or “Eeny, meanie, minie moe, catch a tiger by the toe,” only we didn’t say tiger in those days.
These are more sophisticated times. As much as we’d like to see Double Dutch make its way into the Attleboro area as a competitive sport, we are skeptical. The equipment costs -- all you need is a couple of lengths of clothes line -- are far too low to appeal to the lacrosse and hockey generation.
But I’m hoping someone out there remembers those simple old games and can provide a choose-up rhyme or a jumprope song for an old man who appears to have lost his jingles. If that means you, please drop a note in a comment box below.
But to be accurate, I should have thought “they” used to do that. Oh, I jumped rope a time or two. Played a few games of jacks, as well. Tried my hand at a bouncing ball game, too -- can’t remember the name of it, but you bounced a small rubber ball, sang some kind of a jingle and periodically swung your leg over the ball during one of the bounces.
These were all, in effect, girls’ games. But there were times in my childhood when I was the only boy out to play on our block of Falmouth Street. At such times, the choices were: (a) play girls’ games, or (b) don’t play at all.
I think the girls liked it when I played. It justified their feelings of superiority over the male of the species. For the fact is, I never mastered the art of “jumping in.” With a single rope, I could just stand next to the rope, wait for a signal and jump just in time for the swung rope to go under me. With the two ropes involved in Double Dutch, this did not work. So I watched.
And I think I sang along. This was part of the jump rope fun -- chanting out a rhythmic ditty. There were dozens of them, I’m sure. Fifty-five years later, I can only remember one:
Mabel, Mabel, set the table.
Don’t forget the salt and PEPPER.
At the shout of PEPPER! the rope would be swung at higher and higher speeds until the jumper could no longer keep up.
Singsongs and counting rhymes were the music of the street, on days when school was out, anyway. There were jingles for jumping rope, for bouncing ball games and, if memory serves, even some for jacks. There were jingles whose purpose was teasing -- “Bobby and Susie up in a tree, K_I_S_S_I_N_G,” for one, and “Richie, Richie, two by four, couldn’t fit through the bathroom door,” for another -- and counting rhymes to decide who would be “it” in tag or other games.
“One potato, two potatoes, three potatoes, four....”
Or “Eeny, meanie, minie moe, catch a tiger by the toe,” only we didn’t say tiger in those days.
These are more sophisticated times. As much as we’d like to see Double Dutch make its way into the Attleboro area as a competitive sport, we are skeptical. The equipment costs -- all you need is a couple of lengths of clothes line -- are far too low to appeal to the lacrosse and hockey generation.
But I’m hoping someone out there remembers those simple old games and can provide a choose-up rhyme or a jumprope song for an old man who appears to have lost his jingles. If that means you, please drop a note in a comment box below.
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