Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post is part of an ongoing pancocojams series on the African American originated cheers entitled "Bang Bang Choo Choo Train".
This post from that series presents a compilation of examples of children's "Bang Bang Choo Choo Train" rhymes and cheers. These examples are given in chronological order by year, if that information was given. Some of the contributors included geographical locations with their example.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, folkloric, and recreational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
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Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/08/bang-bang-choo-choo-train-rhyme-cheer.html for the related pancocojams post entitled "Bang Bang Choo Choo Train rhymes and cheers (early sources & examples from around 1902 to 2003)."
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2022/01/bang-bang-choo-choo-train-tik-tok.html for the pancocojams post entitled "Bang Bang Choo Choo Train Tik Tok Challenge Dance Compilation (Dancing To A Clip Of The 1995 Song "Giddy Up Let's Ride")".
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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
"Bang Bang Choo Choo Train" is a children's recreational composition that is of African American origin. "Bang Bang Choo Choo Train has been performed as a partner hand clap rhyme or a children's foot stomping cheer, or a children's cheerleader cheer, or a camp movement song.
All of these children's forms have their early sources in the bawdy (dirty) adult song "Bang Bang Lulu" as well as certain bawdy military cadences. Rhyme examples of Bang Bang Choo Choo Train" are the earliest children's examples that are documented (Read one example below from the early 1970s). That example doesn't appear to have had any performance activity such as hand clapping or foot stomping.
I'm not sure which examples of "Bang Bang Choo Choo Train" came next -foot stomping cheer examples of 'Bang Bang Choo Choo Train" or other forms of children's cheerleader cheer, but I some children's camp songs are clearly based on foot stomping cheer examples. .
Comments that are included in the pancocojams psot about early sources for and examples of "Bang Bang Choo Choo Train" document that some Bang Bang Choo Choo Train cheers were performed in the early 1970s. These comments refer to cheerleading cheers and not their sub-set foot stomping cheers. http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/08/bang-bang-choo-choo-train-rhyme-cheer.htm, the pain the
It's difficult to determine which recreational genre any example of "Bang Bang Choo Choo Train belongs to, particularly because the words "rhymes", "cheers", and "camp songs" are used as catch all terms with little regard for those terms actual meanings. That said, I believe that rhyme examples of "Bang Bang Choo Choo Train" follow the pattern of most African American children's rhymes in that they include two or more rhymes that are combined together, often without any connecting words such as "Hit it!". Furthermore, many "Bang Bang Choo Choo Train" are often found as part of the "Brickwall Waterfall" rhyme and I've never come across "Brickwall Waterfall" as a cheer (foot stomping cheer or otherwise).
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/01/brickwall-waterfall-examples-analysis.html for the related pancocojams post "Brickwall Waterfall" (Examples & Analysis)
Foot stomping cheer examples of "Bang Bang Choo Choo Train" have a signature group voice/consecutive soloist structural pattern and performance style. Foot stomping cheer examples of "Bang Bang Choo Choo Train" often have a command/compliance structural pattern in which the group commands a soloist to do something and the soloist first refuses. The group commands again, and the soloist complies.
Camp movement songs are based on the earlier rhyme and foot stomping cheer forms and often are introduced by the commenter describing the example as a camp song.
DISCLAIMER:
This compilation isn't meant to include every example of this children's recreational composition.
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SELECTED EXAMPLES OF BANG BANG CHOO CHOO TRAIN
Most of these examples are presented in relative chronological order. The examples that have no publishing dates are usually given by the date that I retrieved them from their online sources.
Warning- This example includes profanity and other graphic language.
"i remember a song girls would sing more than the guys..in the polo grounds projects 155th 8th ave.. a group of girls singing it loud walking from school everyday from ps 156 i think it was..it went
youre left
youre left
your left right left
my ass is shakin
my belts too tight
my balls are shakin from left to right
umm funky nassau
umm funky nassau
your momma
your poppa
youre greasy nanny
youre awful nanny
you toot and toot ?
dont prostitute
dont try to switch
you dirty bi-ch*
no hesitation
no revelation
just go to hell
and ring my bell
it was 1970 I remember…
-snip-
*The complete word is spelled out in this example"
-
-snip-
The street names included in this example indicate that it is from New York City.
"Funky Nassau" was a hit 1971 R&B song that was recorded by the funk group Beginnings of the End. The group was from Nassau, Bahamas.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beginning_of_the_End_(band)
The recording date for that record suggests that the 1970 date that frank in ny gave may have been off by a year.
frank from ny wrote a question mark after the phrase "you toot and toot". "Toot" may be a slang term for cocaine.
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"I was born in 1960, am 50 years old, and was raised in the African-American community of New Orleans, La. When this story came to my attention in email, I responded that the infamous "booty cheer" is a marching chant or cadence, and I remember hearing variations of it as a child and teen. One of those is this one:
"To the right, to the left, to the right, left, right.
My back is aching,
My drawers too tight,
My booty's shaking from left to right.
To the left, to the right, to the left right left"
-Nordette Adams, September 21, 2010, http://www.blogher.com/how-booty-cheer-migrated-six-year-olds"Child Kicked Off Squad When Mother Protests Cheer"
-snip-
Based on Nordette Adam's comments, this example is from the early 1970s.
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BANG BANG CHOO CHOO TRAIN
Bang, Bang Choo Choo Train.
Watch [girl's name] do her thang.
[Girl] I can't.
Group: Why not?
[Girl] I can't
Group: Why not?
[Girl] Because my back is achin.
[And] My bra's too tight.
My hips keep movin' from the left to the right
Group: Her back is achin.
Her bra's too tight.
Her hips keep movin from the left to the right."
-Repeat this from the beginning, with each girl in the group having one turn as the soloist. (The turns were determined by how fast the girls shouted first, second, third etc.)
-African American girls ages 7-12 years; (Alafia Children's Ensemble, Braddock, Pennsylvania), 10/1997; collected by Azizi Powell. 10/97; also collected by Azizi Powell from African American girls 7-12 years; Pittsburgh, PA (11/2001 & additional dates through 2005 as hand clap rhyme)
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the version that i know is a little longer:
loser loser double loser
as if whatever
get the picture break a wall
waterfall
girl/boy you think you got it all?
you don't, i do
so boom with that attitude
peace punch
captain cruch
i got something you can't touch
bing bang choo choo train let me see you do you thing
i can't, why not?
because i can't, why not?
because my back is aching my shoes are too tight
and my hips are shaking from the left to the right
the left to the right
loser loser with a twist
elbow elbow wrist wrist
wipe a tear blow a kiss
kiss this
honey, you ain't got none of this
-posted by yooimhere at June 24, 2006; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php [This website is no longer active.]
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BANG BANG CHO CHO TRAIN
Hey I am a 13 year old african american girl. I go to school in japan. there are lots of these kinds of songs.
bang bang chocho train
round me up and Ill do my thang
no recise pices no butter cup
you mess with me Ill mess you up
I know karate I know kong fu
I aint scared of no girl like you.
It goes on and on all races here say them. young and small
-Davonna {Japan}, cocojams.com, 7/16/2006
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BANG BANG CHU CHU TRAIN
bang bang chu chu train it really goes like this in new York
(1 person) bang bang chuchu train
let me see u do ur thing
(2 person) i cant
(1 person) why not
(2 person) my back aches my belts to tight
and my booty is shakin from left to right left right left, left right left
-m&m; 10/7/2006, cocojams.com [This website is no longer active.]
-snip-
I'm not sure if this is performed as a cheer or as a hand clap rhyme.
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BING BAN CHOO CHOO TRAN
bing ban choo choo tran,
girl you think you got it all
but you dont, I do
so whoosh with the attitude.
rock and roll baby,
in control baby,
up and down baby
move it all around.
elbow elbow wrist wrist
shut up girl you just got dissed...
-Paige, March 6, 2007 https://cocojams2.blogspot.com/2014/11/taunting-rhymes-k.html
-snip-
"Whoosh with that attitude" means to quickly get rid of your attitude (or else). This line is often given as "Poof with that attitude".
The verse beginning with "rock and roll baby" to "move it all around" is probably a folk processed version of the Caribbean Soca record "Roll It Gal".
"Elbow elbow wrist wrist" originated as the movements that fashion models had to do to wave to people. However, in these taunting rhymes that phrase probably means "preparing to hit someone (wave your fist at someone).
"Dissed" means "insulted". That word is a clip of the word "disrespected".
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actually...iv heard a lot of versions of the one i'm about to say but i can't seem to remember all of it...
aywyz, i just know part of it goes like
"Brick wall, Waterfall.
Girl/Boy you think you know it all, you don't, I do.
So BOOM with that attitude!
hey hey
choo choo train
come and watch me do my thing,
boy/girl,
u watch out,
cuz if u mess me up I'll mess u up
P.U!
back it up back it up,
girl/boy u obviously need a tic tac,
not 1 not 2 but you definitely need the whole dang pack!
bye bye got 2 go, cant waste time with you dumb folk"
& that probably sounds weird...
i have a feeling that i either 4got words orthe rhyme just changed as it was passed formperson to person.
well, byebye!
-GUEST Random Person2007 (eRiCa 3/26/07); https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=100061
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BANG BANG CHOO CHOO TRAIN
Bang Bang Choo Choo Train
Wind me up, and I'll do my thing.
Get it. Get it. Get it. Get it.
Go it. Got it. Got it. Got it.
And "Oomph! [clap] and let it roll.
Oomph! [clap] and let it roll.
-wkumusicgirl Uploaded on Nov 6, 2007; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cx1zZ3zKiyA&ab_channel=wkumusicgirl
-snip-
This is a video of a young girl demonstrating a cheerleader cheer routine.
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BANG BANG CHOO CHOO TRAIN
Here's one cheer from Saltillo Mississippi
Bang,Bang choo choo train
come on girls let's do our thing
''No''
Why not
cause my back is aching and my bras to tight
my booty's shaking to the left to the right
see my pinkie see my thumb
see my fist so you better run
this is skinny this is fat
this is me i'm all that
i like coffee
i like tea
i like boys and boys like me
so O-U-T spells out.
-Alibeth H., cocojams.com, 10/29/2007
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BRICKWALL WATERFALL
Brick wall waterfall
girl you think you know it all
You dont I do
So boom with that attitude
resses pieces coco puff
you mess with me
Ill mess you up
bang bang cho cho trian
Come on girl and shake that thang
because we cant and we’re not
because we cant and we’re not
my back is aching and my skirts to tight
my bootys shaking from the left to the right
my eyes are rolling from front…back…
side…side…front back side side side
Let me see your body fly
5678 let me see your booty shake
All lyrics by me hotlady1177 and my friend fatima
-tishae chappelle, Feb. 15, 2009; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSbCOuhek4E&ab_channel=tishaechappelle [video]
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Bang bang choo choo
train come on girl shake that thang,
i cant why not i cant why not
cuz my back is aching
and my bras too tight
and my booty's shaking
from the left to the right.
My daddy says my shorts are too tight
but my boyfriend says they fit just right.
brick wall waterfall girl you think you know it all
you dont i do so BOOM with your attitude.
girl be gone
your breath is mighty strong
wait come back you need a tic tac
not one not two but the whole dang pack.
dang girl you mean
and you need some listerine, not a sip, not a cup,
but the whole dang bottle.
peanut butter reese cup,
bet this punch will shut u up.
-
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TUITY FRUITY
Group except soloist: Tuity Fruity shake your booty
(Yeah) Watch Nasya do her duty
Nasya: I won’t
Group: Why not?
Nasya: My back is achin and my belt’s too tight.
My butt is shakin from left to right.
Hey jump in, pull it, and jump out.
Jump in, pull it and jump out
[Continue with the next girl].
-Nasya; African American female, 8 years; Faison Primary School (Homewood area of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania); October 30, 2009, collected by Azizi Powell
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I used to do it this way
i got the looks and the brains
so peace punch in your face
brickwall, waterfall,
girl you think you got it all
but you dont, i do
so boom witht that attitude
so peace, punch captain crunch
i got something you cant touch
bang bang choo choo train
wind me up i do my thing
reeces pieces, 7 up, mess with me
i mess you up
-
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BANG BANG CHOO CHOO TRAIN
ur all wrong! its
my name is nicky
i'm feeling groovy
u mess with me
i kick ur
hey watch ur mouth
i said bang bang choo choo train
wind me up and i'll do my thing
i kno karate
i kno kung foo
u mess with me i mess with u
-nickytwilight4eva, http://www.youtube.com/comment_servlet?all_comments=1&v=cx1zZ3zKiyA, 2010
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it goes brick wall waterfall you think that u got it all but u dont i do so boom with the attitude peace punch captian crunch i got something u cant touch bang bang choo choo train come on girls lets do our thang daddy daddy shake that body fruity tuti shake that booty uh im commin down uh 2 touch da ground uh im commin up to kick some buts!
-famousstar236, 2009,
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AZ, USA
Brickwall waterfall, girl you think you know it all, you don't, I do, so leave, begone, you're breath is too strong, wait, come back, i think i got a tictac, not a tic, not a tac, but the whole darn pack!
PA, USA
Brickwall waterfall, girl you think you know it all, you don't, i do, so BOOM w/ that attitude, Peace, punch, Captain Crunch
I've got something you can't touch
Bang bang choo choo train
Wind me up, I do my thing. Reese's pieces buttercup, mess with me, i'll mess you up!
-
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the way i learned it was " Brick wall waterfall girl you think you got it all but you dont, i do so boom wit that attitude, reeses pieces butter cup mess with me i mess you up, bang bang choo choo train wound me up and do my thing why not bc my back is aching my bras to tight my booty's shaking from the left to the right, this is skinny this is fat, boys whtacha looking at, all the boys on the floor saying check me out, check me out, mama mia, Then i learned another one was Cap.. Cap... Captain Crunch I got somethin you cant touch
-Angelina Cisneros, 2011, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSbCOuhek4E&ab_channel=tishaechappelle [comment]
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my version :brick wall waterfall.girl u think u got it all but u don I do so boom with that attitude come back u need a tic tak not one not two but whole 6 packs my back is aching and my shoes are to tight my hips are shaking from the left to the right chimy chimy coco puff chimmy chimy pow chimy chimy get out right now
-Tiana Archie, 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSbCOuhek4E&ab_channel=tishaechappelle [comment]
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This is how me and my friends say it, brick wall waterfall boys think they know it all but they dont girls do so boom with that attitude reises pieces buttercup mess with me i mess u up, bang bang choo choo train comeone girl lets do our thing, why not i cant why not i cant cuz my back is achin and my skirts to tight and my bootys shakin from the left to the right
-
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ROCK THE BOAT
Oh! I remember how we did it at camp, now. The counselors would choose a camper and we'd sing the song.
Something like this:
Her name is Liesl! Rock the boat
She's doin' fine! Rock the boat
She'll do her thing! Rock the boat
She'll blow your mind! Rock the boat
Hit it!
Bang bang, choo choo train,
Wind her up, she'll do her thing,
No Reese's Pieces, no buttercup,
She'll show you how to pump it up!
She knows karate
She knows Kung Fu!
*__ __ __ __ __ __ ooo!
Rock clap the boat clap
Rock clap rock the oohah! oohah!
Rock clap the boat clap
Rock clap rock the oohah! ooh!
-Liesl Lockheart, 2015, [example from a commenter in the discussion thread for "Do You Remember 90s Handgames?".] That YouTube vlog no longer available.
BANG BANG CHOO CHOO TRAIN
This was a song that we did at camp a lot, and the first part was sang by everyone in the group but the counselor usually picked the first Person B. Then as the verses continued whoever was Person B last would yell the name of the new Person B.
Person A: Peanut butter Reese's cup sing a song to cheer you up
Bang bang choo-chop train come on (person B) do your thang!
Person B: I can't!
Person A: Why not?
Person B: I just can't!
Person A: Why not?
Person B: My back's aching, my belt's too tight, my booty shaking from the left to the right
Everyone: to the left! to the right! to the left to the right to the left to the right! to the sky, to the ground, my booty's shaking all around that's right we're tight so rick-tick-tick-tick! hold on wait a minute put a booty in it! Jump! Shake your booty! Jump jump! Shake your booty!
(Repeat the song)
-
Claire Jelagin, 2016; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55TnrD5re5g Do You Remember 90s Rhymes
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--Informant Info--
Nationality: American
Age: 10
Occupation: Student
Residence: Beverly Hills, CA
Date of Performance/Collection: 4/24/16
Stop don’t talk to me loser lame-o wannabe
Like oh totally t-totally
Rainfall waterfall girl you think you got it all
But you don’t I do so boom with that attitude
Bang bang choo choo train wind me up
I’ll do that thing bang bang choo choo train
Wind me up I’ll do that thing.
Reeses Pieces butter cups you mess with me I’ll mess you up
Loser whatever get that picture. Word. (that’s what people say)
THE INFORMANT: Ruby is ten and says she learned this chant in 3rd grade. Everyone in her grade knows it but only the girls act it out because she says the boys are too embarrassed.
ANALYSIS: Some research on this chant, because I remember the “bang bang choo choo train” part but not the rest, has shown that this rhyme / cheer has been around in some form or another since as far back as 1902, with many variations along the timeline. It is often used as a cheer for young girls to perform as cheerleaders or dancers, and has historically been controversial because some versions of it use more sexualized language than parents think is appropriate for their children to perform to. However, the language used in Ruby’s version shows the large differences between the different versions of this cheer from school to school and over time, where only the “bang bang choo choo train” part is still intact
This entry was posted in Folk speech, Game, Gestures, Humor, Kinesthetic, Musical on May 3, 2016 by tokemper., http://folklore.usc.edu/bang-bang-choo-choo-train-cheer/
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I learned brick wall water fall boys think they know it all they don't we do that do we do so hoom with yo attitude Reese's pieces butter cup you mess with me I'll mess you up bang bang chu chu train wind me up I'll do my thang why not I can why not I can cuz my back is aching and my bra too tight but my boy friend days that it fits just right my booty shaking from the left to the right my hands up high and my feet down low come on girls let show they how it goes............ me and my cousins were some crazy children........
-
AngelIque B, 2018,
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Brick wall waterfall
Girl you think you got it all
But you don’t
I do
So Boom with that attitude
Peace punch captain crunch
I got something that you can’t touch
Bang bang choo choo train
Wind me up I’ll do my thang
Reece’s pieces 7up
Mess with me I’ll mess you up.
🌻Cheyenne 🌻
@cheyennee2016; 12:42 AM · Dec 4, 2018·Twitter for iPhone; https://twitter.com/cheyennee2016/status/1069829283277721600
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REESE'S PIECES
Reese's Pieces, Butter Cup
Sing with us, we'll cheer you up!
Bang, Bang- Choo Choo Train
Come on _____ do your thing!
- I can't
- Why not?
-Cause I cant!
- Why not?
My back aches, My skirts too tight, my booty shake from the left to the right!
To the left, To the right. To the left, to the right, ot the left, to the right!
- https://tafths.enschool.org/students/student_web/EAST/Academic%20Center%20Poms%20Website%20March2014/Cheer%20Website.html
; retrieved Jan 6, 2022,
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It's:
Bang bang choo choo train, wind me up I do my thang.
I know karate, I know kung fu, you mess with me I mess with you.
Brick wall, waterfall, girl you think you know it all.
You don't, I do. So poof with the attitude.
But wait, come back. Cause girl you need a tic-tac.
Not one, not two, but the whole six pack.
-Kelly Jones answered,
A-B-C Hit It! That's the way Uh-Uhh I like it Uh-Uhh.
That's the way Uh-Uhh I like it Uh-Uhh. Brickwall Waterfall
Girl you think you know it all. You don't. I do. So Poof with the Attitude. Bang bang choo choo train watch me while I do my thang. Reese's pieces 7-up u mess with me I'll mess u up!
-
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Bang bang cho cho train wind me up and I'll do my thang no Reese peice no butter cup mess with me I'll mess you up I know karate I know Kung fu mess with me and I'll do it on my you
-
The long way goes like this:
Bang Bang Choo Choo Train
Let me see you do your thang
I can't
Why not
Because I can't
Why not
Because my back is aching and
My bra's too tight
My hips are shakin' from the left to the right
My mom's on fire; she's got a butt like mine
When she crosses the street, the cars go beep beep beep
When she gets down low she does the rodeo
When she gets up high she does the butterfly
Oh now I see why you can't
Bang Bang Choo Choo Train
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Anonymous answered
Bang Bang choo choo train wind me up and I do my thang. Resess piecess peanutbutter cup shoot me down and I'll show you whats up
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