Comments on: Oh little playmate, come out and play with me . . . http://www.historiann.com/2010/04/30/oh-little-playmate-come-out-and-play-with-me/ History and sexual politics, 1492 to the present Thu, 20 Jun 2013 04:21:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4 By: Joanne Wheatley http://www.historiann.com/2010/04/30/oh-little-playmate-come-out-and-play-with-me/comment-page-1/#comment-1482417 Joanne Wheatley Sat, 01 Jun 2013 01:49:31 +0000 http://www.historiann.com/?p=10804#comment-1482417 Thank you so much to all of you for this! I have been looking for the words for this for years. I learned this in about 1956 from my mother. My friends and I sang it together with a hand clapping game. Last year I tried to teach it to some children at the school where I was teaching in Kiev, but could not remember it all. I am still teaching and trying to keep these hand clapping and jump rope rhymes from being totally forgotten. It was a joy to read all your versions and discussion. I did find mine in there. Thank you so much to all of you for this! I have been looking for the words for this for years. I learned this in about 1956 from my mother. My friends and I sang it together with a hand clapping game. Last year I tried to teach it to some children at the school where I was teaching in Kiev, but could not remember it all. I am still teaching and trying to keep these hand clapping and jump rope rhymes from being totally forgotten.
It was a joy to read all your versions and discussion. I did find mine in there.

]]> By: Virginia http://www.historiann.com/2010/04/30/oh-little-playmate-come-out-and-play-with-me/comment-page-1/#comment-1302208 Virginia Sat, 26 Jan 2013 00:48:11 +0000 http://www.historiann.com/?p=10804#comment-1302208 Here's OUR version... Hey say hey playmate come out and play with me and bring your dollies three climb up my apple tree climb up my rainspout slide down my cellar door and we'll be jolly friends forever more. So sorry playmate, I can't come play with you my dolly has the flu, boo hoo hooo hoo hooo hoo but someday playmate I will come play again and we'll be jolly friends until the end. THIS FROM MY GREAT-GRANDMOTHER VIRGINIA WHEN I WAS ABOUT 3 (1995). I understand there's a 3rd version out there too! Here’s OUR version…

Hey say hey playmate
come out and play with me
and bring your dollies three
climb up my apple tree
climb up my rainspout
slide down my cellar door
and we’ll be jolly friends forever more.

So sorry playmate,
I can’t come play with you
my dolly has the flu,
boo hoo hooo hoo hooo hoo
but someday playmate
I will come play again
and we’ll be jolly friends
until the end.

THIS FROM MY GREAT-GRANDMOTHER VIRGINIA WHEN I WAS ABOUT 3 (1995).
I understand there’s a 3rd version out there too!

]]> By: Tom Bauer http://www.historiann.com/2010/04/30/oh-little-playmate-come-out-and-play-with-me/comment-page-1/#comment-1109214 Tom Bauer Tue, 09 Oct 2012 13:43:59 +0000 http://www.historiann.com/?p=10804#comment-1109214 My mother's version used "holler down my rain barrel" and there was a bridge that went something like: I don't want to play in your yard I don't like you any more I won't holler down your rain barrel or slide down your cellar door I won't share with you my dollies or climb up your apple tree I don't want to play in your yard If you won't be good to me I'm amazed so many people remember their mother's song! I am 76 and heard it around 1937-40. Tom Bauer My mother’s version used “holler down my rain barrel” and there was a bridge that went something like:

I don’t want to play in your yard
I don’t like you any more
I won’t holler down your rain barrel
or slide down your cellar door
I won’t share with you my dollies
or climb up your apple tree
I don’t want to play in your yard
If you won’t be good to me

I’m amazed so many people remember their mother’s song! I am 76 and heard it around 1937-40. Tom Bauer

]]> By: Susanne Barnett http://www.historiann.com/2010/04/30/oh-little-playmate-come-out-and-play-with-me/comment-page-1/#comment-1093100 Susanne Barnett Wed, 19 Sep 2012 18:20:36 +0000 http://www.historiann.com/?p=10804#comment-1093100 We used to play a "clap" game while singing this song. It seems there are numerous versions. I'm sure the words just changed as time went on. Here's what we used to sing (1972-1973 era): Playmate Come out and play with me And bring your dollies three Climb up my apple tree Slide down the rain barrel And through the cellar door And we'll be jolly friends Forever, more, more, more, more, more Sorry I cannot play with you My dolly has the flu Boo hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo Aint got no rain barrel Aint got no cellar door But we'll be jolly friends Forever, more, more, more, more, more We used to play a “clap” game while singing this song. It seems there are numerous versions. I’m sure the words just changed as time went on. Here’s what we used to sing (1972-1973 era):

Playmate
Come out and play with me
And bring your dollies three
Climb up my apple tree
Slide down the rain barrel
And through the cellar door
And we’ll be jolly friends
Forever, more, more, more, more, more

Sorry
I cannot play with you
My dolly has the flu
Boo hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo
Aint got no rain barrel
Aint got no cellar door
But we’ll be jolly friends
Forever, more, more, more, more, more

]]> By: Katie http://www.historiann.com/2010/04/30/oh-little-playmate-come-out-and-play-with-me/comment-page-1/#comment-970771 Katie Tue, 28 Feb 2012 03:42:52 +0000 http://www.historiann.com/?p=10804#comment-970771 My mom always sang it to me like this: Playmate, come out and play with me, And bring your dollies three, Climb up my apple tree, Look down my rain barrel, Slide down my cellar door, And we'll be jolly friends forevermore It was a rainy day She couldn't come out to play With tears in her eyes, She breathed with a sigh And I could hear her say I'm sorry playmate, I can't come play with you, My dolly has the flu Boo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo Can't look down rain barrels, Can't slide down cellar doors, But we'll be jolly friends forevermore I don't know where the "look down rain barrels" vs. "shout" came from...? Interesting to see all the different versions on here :) My mom always sang it to me like this:

Playmate, come out and play with me,
And bring your dollies three,
Climb up my apple tree,
Look down my rain barrel,
Slide down my cellar door,
And we’ll be jolly friends forevermore

It was a rainy day
She couldn’t come out to play
With tears in her eyes,
She breathed with a sigh
And I could hear her say

I’m sorry playmate, I can’t come play with you,
My dolly has the flu
Boo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo
Can’t look down rain barrels,
Can’t slide down cellar doors,
But we’ll be jolly friends forevermore

I don’t know where the “look down rain barrels” vs. “shout” came from…? Interesting to see all the different versions on here :)

]]> By: Margaret http://www.historiann.com/2010/04/30/oh-little-playmate-come-out-and-play-with-me/comment-page-1/#comment-963465 Margaret Tue, 14 Feb 2012 04:57:50 +0000 http://www.historiann.com/?p=10804#comment-963465 Years ago my mother used to tell us a story of a little girl that found a mountain lion and brought it home. Her mother explained why this was not a good idea. As the story progresses the mountain lion daily ate one of her siblings. Come the last day, the little girl didn't go to school -- it was Saturday. Does anyone know how this story went. I am SOO much older now and of course, my mom is no longer here. Would love to hear all of it again. Thank you and would love to hear any of the older ones you might know. Years ago my mother used to tell us a story of a little girl that found a mountain lion and brought it home. Her mother explained why this was not a good idea. As the story progresses the mountain lion daily ate one of her siblings. Come the last day, the little girl didn’t go to school — it was Saturday.

Does anyone know how this story went. I am SOO much older now and of course, my mom is no longer here. Would love to hear all of it again.

Thank you and would love to hear any of the older ones you might know.

]]> By: PonyFla http://www.historiann.com/2010/04/30/oh-little-playmate-come-out-and-play-with-me/comment-page-1/#comment-957714 PonyFla Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:54:52 +0000 http://www.historiann.com/?p=10804#comment-957714 This is a song my mother sang to us when we were kids fifty or so years ago. Between verse 1 and verse 2 is a bridge: "Hey little playmate, Come out and play with me And bring your dollies three, climb up my apple tree. Shout down my rain barrel, Slide down my cellar door And we'll be jolly friends Forever more!" "She couldn't come out and play. It was a sunny day. With tearful eyes, she breathed a sigh and I could hear her say," "I'm sorry, Playmate. I cannot play with you. My dollies have the flu. Boo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo! Ain't got no rain barrel, ain't got no cellar door. But we'll be jolly friends forever more!" This is a song my mother sang to us when we were kids fifty or so years ago. Between verse 1 and verse 2 is a bridge:

“Hey little playmate,
Come out and play with me
And bring your dollies three,
climb up my apple tree.
Shout down my rain barrel,
Slide down my cellar door
And we’ll be jolly friends
Forever more!”

“She couldn’t come out and play.
It was a sunny day.
With tearful eyes, she breathed a sigh
and I could hear her say,”

“I’m sorry, Playmate.
I cannot play with you.
My dollies have the flu.
Boo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo!
Ain’t got no rain barrel,
ain’t got no cellar door.
But we’ll be jolly friends
forever more!”

]]> By: Nate http://www.historiann.com/2010/04/30/oh-little-playmate-come-out-and-play-with-me/comment-page-1/#comment-946033 Nate Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:16:40 +0000 http://www.historiann.com/?p=10804#comment-946033 The song has a huge sexual overtone just read the lyrics and it's all about having sex. I pointed this out to several people including my wife and we all cracked up about it. The song has a huge sexual overtone just read the lyrics and it’s all about having sex. I pointed this out to several people including my wife and we all cracked up about it.

]]> By: Kaitlyn http://www.historiann.com/2010/04/30/oh-little-playmate-come-out-and-play-with-me/comment-page-1/#comment-837084 Kaitlyn Mon, 13 Jun 2011 17:47:09 +0000 http://www.historiann.com/?p=10804#comment-837084 I always heard the response is- Dear little playmate, I can't come out and play, my dolly has the flu, oh boohoohoo oh boohoohoo. I always heard the response is-

Dear little playmate,
I can’t come out and play,
my dolly has the flu,
oh boohoohoo
oh boohoohoo.

]]> By: Maggie Mae http://www.historiann.com/2010/04/30/oh-little-playmate-come-out-and-play-with-me/comment-page-1/#comment-827580 Maggie Mae Fri, 20 May 2011 14:29:33 +0000 http://www.historiann.com/?p=10804#comment-827580 oh little playmate, come out and play with me and bring your dollies three climb up my apple tree slide down your rainbow into my pot of gold and we'll be merry friends forever more that's how my mom sang it. oh little playmate, come out and play with me
and bring your dollies three
climb up my apple tree
slide down your rainbow
into my pot of gold
and we’ll be merry friends
forever more

that’s how my mom sang it.

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