Opie collection of children's games & songs
Recording of children demonstrating songs and discussing playground games with Iona Opie (part 1 of 2)
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Type
sound
Duration
00:21:46
Shelf mark
C898/49
Subjects
Children's games; Children's songs
Recording date
1975-11
Is part of (Collection)
Opie collection of children's games and songs
Recording locations
Birmingham, England
Interviewers
Opie, Iona (speaker, female)
Speakers
unidentified (children)
Abstract
Part 1 of 2. [00:00:00 - 00:21:46]. This recording, made at King's Heath Primary School, Birmingham, in 1975, contains a large number of clapping and skipping songs, singing games and counting-out rhymes. The recording contains little discussion as the songs are sung consecutively. The recording begins with a small group of schoolchildren performing clapping songs. They sing: 'A Sailor Went to Sea, Sea, Sea' [00:00:00 - 00:02:01]; 'When Susie Was a Baby' [00:02:02 - 00:03:15]; 'Under the Bram Bush' [00:03:16 - 00:03:33]; 'My Boyfriend Sent me an Apple' [00:03:34 - 00:03:55]; 'Miss Mary Mack' [00:03:57 - 00:04:49]; 'My Mother Told Me' [00:04:50 - 00:05:25]; 'Two, Four, Nine' [00:05:26 - 00:05:58]; 'My Name Is' [00:05:59 - 00:06:10]; 'Eeny Meeny Macareeny' (a version of Eeny Meeny Gypsalleny) [00:06:11 - 00:06:20]; 'I Had the German Measles' [00:06:21 - 00:07:22]; 'Who Stole the Apple from the Old Man's Tree?' [00:07:25 - 00:08:46] (A version of Who Stole the Cookie from the Cookie Jar?) [00:07:25 - 00:08:46]; 'There's a Party on the Hill' [00:17:39 - 00:18:10] and 'Georgie Best, Superstar' [00:18:23 - 00:18:35]. Throughout the recording, a variety of singing games are sung by the children. They sing: 'We're Going to the Countryside, We're Going to the Fair' (this is a variation of 'We're Going to Kentucky') [00:08:47 - 00:09:21]; 'In and Out the Scottish Bluebells' [00:09:22 - 00:10:09]; 'I'm Shirley Temple' [00:10:10 - 00:10:47]; 'I Sent a Letter to my Love' [00:10:48 - 00:11:24]; 'Orange Balls' [00:11:25 - 00:12:34]; 'These Two Sailors' [00:13:54 - 00:14:30] and 'The Big Ship Sails' [00:14:31 - 00:15:39]. The skipping song 'Bluebells, Cockleshells' is also recited [00:20:51 - 00:21:46]. Short counting out rhymes are demonstrated by the children throughout the recording. They recite the rhymes: 'Eggs, Bacon, Fish and Chips' [00:16:03 - 00:17:02]; 'Your Shoes Need Cleaning, Please Change Your Foot' [00:18:11 - 00:18:22]; 'Ibble, Obble, Black, Bobble' [00:18:36 - 00:18:48];' A Hobnob it Fell Down the Sink' [00:18:49 - 00:19:04]; 'Ip-a-dip-a-dation' [00:19:07 - 00:19:25]; 'One Potato, Two Potato' [00:19:26 - 00:19:42]; 'Mickey Mouse Had a House' [00:20:04 - 00:20:21]; 'Racing Car, Number Nine' [00:20:23 - 00:20:50]; 'The Cat's Got the Measles' [00:17:03 - 00:17:28] and 'Eeny, Meeny, Macaracca' [00:17:29 - 00:17:38]. At one point in the recording, the children can also be heard playing the game 'Colours' [00:15:40 - 00:16:02].
Description
Item notes: Recording of children demonstrating songs and discussing playground games with Iona Opie. Speakers' notes: Schoolchildren from Birmingham. Recording notes: Slight L/R imbalance. Intermittent clicks throughout (present in original recording). Otherwise good.
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