Down Down Baby
"Down Down Baby" is a clapping game played by children in English-speaking countries. In the game, two or more children stand in a circle, and clap hands in tune to a rhyming song. As with most hand-clapping games, there are many variations. Modified versions of the song have appeared in Little Anthony and the Imperials's "Shimmy Shimmy Ko-Ko Bop",[1][2] Nelly's "Country Grammar",[3][4] Simian Mobile Disco's "Hotdog", The Damned's "New Rose", The Drums' "Let's Go Surfing", Cayucas' "Jessica WJ", Usher's "OMG", Carter USM's "Watching the Big Apple Turnover", Bella Thorne and Zendaya's "Contagious Love", the film Big and EXO's "Ko Ko Bop"[5].
Lyrics
There are many variations of this clapping game from around the world.[6] The actual lyrics that any given group of children use may vary.
Basic
The lyrics cited here are the essential lyrics of the rhyme, and are the lyrics that were featured in a 1980s segment of the US version of Sesame Street.[7]
- Down, down, baby
- Down by the roller coaster (accompanied by the hand making a horizontal wave motion)
- Sweet, sweet, baby (accompanied by both arms crossing the chest)
- I’ll never let you go
- Shimmy, Shimmy Ko Ko Bop
- Shimmy Shimmy Pow
- Shimmy, Shimmy Ko Ko Bop
- Shimmy Shimmy Pow
Variations
- Down, down, baby
- Down by the roller coaster (accompanied by the hand making a horizontal wave motion)
- Sweet, sweet, baby (accompanied by both arms crossing the chest)
- I’ll never let you go
- Shimmy, Shimmy Ko Ko Bop
- Shimmy Shimmy Pow
- Shimmy, Shimmy Ko Ko Bop
- Shimmy Shimmy Pow
- Grandma, Grandma,
- Sick in bed
- Mama called the doctor
- And the doctor said
- Let's get the rhythm of the head
- Ding-Dong (accompanied by head shaking)
- Let's get the rhythm of the head
- Ding-Dong (accompanied by head shaking)
- Let's get the rhythm of the hands
- (clap, clap)
- Let's get the rhythm of the hands
- (clap, clap)
- Let's get the rhythm of the feet
- (stomp, stomp)
- Let's get the rhythm of the feet
- (stomp, stomp)
- Let's get the rhythm of the hot dog (accompanied by gyration)
- Let's get the rhythm of the hot dog (accompanied by gyration)
- Put it all together and what do you got?
- Ding-dong (accompanied by head shaking)(clap, clap)(stomp, stomp) hot dog (accompanied by gyration)
- Put it all backwards and what do you got?
- hot dog (accompanied by gyration) (stomp, stomp) (clap, clap) Ding-dong (accompanied by head shaking)
References
- Little Anthony And The Imperials "Shimmy Shimmy Ko-Ko-Bop". "Shimmy Shimmy Ko-Ko Bop lyrics". Oldie Lyrics. Retrieved October 17, 2011.
- Shimmy Shimmy Ko-Ko Bop video. Archived from the original on September 19, 2017. Retrieved November 15, 2019 – via youtube.
- "Country Grammar lyrics". Lyrics007.com. June 3, 2010. Retrieved October 17, 2011.
- Country Grammar video – via youtube.
- EXO Ko Ko Bop video – via youtube.
- Down Down Baby. Playtimes. The British Library. Retrieved August 12, 2017 – via youtube.
- Sesame Street clip.