When it comes to the racier rhymes, I remember 2: Cinderella, dressed in yella Went downtown to see her fella On the way her girdle busted How many people were disgusted? 1,2,3, etc (sung while a kid jumped rope) __________ Lulu had a steamboat The steamboat had a bell Lulu went to heaven, The steamboat went to Hello operator Give me number 9 If you disconnect me I’ll beat your black behind the ‘frigerator (we were a group of African American kids) I had a piece of glass. Lulu sat upon it And cut her little Ask me no more questions I’ll tell you no more lies That’s the life of Lulu And that was how she died. Heh… I just had a flashback of Wanda P. the second grade schoolyard bully threatening to beat me up – that very day! – if I didn’t sing this “nasty” song with her. I sold out. Wanda hit hard!

We played Flea, Fly, Flo – what you did was had some new, unsuspecting kid in your neighborhood that you dared to repeat every line, and it got progressively more difficult. That only worked once per kid, of course, but it was fun just to chant the thing with another kid, even if s/he knew all the words. Flea Flea Fly Flea fly flo-oh Vista Coomala, coomala, coomala vista No, no, no, not the vista Eeny-meeny desalini Oo walla walla meeny Dessameeny Zallameeny Ooo walla-wah. Bo-bo squattin’-dottin’ bo-bottin’ chow, Beet-belly oh-tin doh-tin Bo-bo bah deetin’-dottin’ Shhhhh