Handclapping Games

Remember those games you played in first grade? You sat with your best friend across from you and sang or chanted silly rhymes all of recess. The boys never understood why it was so fun, but sometimes a cool teacher or two did.

Did you forget how to do it? An easy version is to sit across from someone. Both of you clap your hands at the same time, then reach out with your right hand to clap your partner's right hand, like you're giving a high five--but not so high. Then clap your hands again. Now reach out with your left hand and clap your partner's left hand. Repeat. Clap on the beat. Did you forget some of the words? Here some of them are! (For an explanation of the symbols and how they relate to the tune, see Camp Songs)

Miss Mary Mack	(in 4/4)
Miss Mary Mack, Mack, Mack	G A B \| C-- C-- \| C
All dressed in black, black, black	G A B \| C-- C-- \| C (repeat notes.)
With silver buttons, buttons, buttons
All down her back, back, back

She asked her mother, mother, mother
For fifty cents, cents, cents
To see the elephants, elephants, elephants
That jumped so high, high, high
They touched the sky, sky, sky
And they never came back, back, back
'Til the Fourth of July, ly, ly

She went upstairs, stairs, stairs
To say her prayers, prayers, prayers
She bumped her head, head, head
And now she's dead.	(talk)


Three Sailors	(in 4/4, all C's are high C's)
Three Sailors went to eye, eye, eye	G \| C G A G \| E G G (each time you say eye, point to your eye)
To see what they could eye, eye, eye	G \| C G A Bb \| B B B
But all that they could eye, eye, eye	G \| B G A G \| E G G
Was the bottom of the deep blue eye, eye, eye	G^G \| A^A A^A B B \| C C C

Three Sailors went to love, love, love	(each time you say love, put your hands on your chest, forming a heart)
To see what they could love, love, love
But all that they could love, love, love
Was the bottom of the deep blue love, love, love

Three Sailors went to dizz, dizz, dizz	(each time you say dizz, point your finger at your head and rotate it--the crazy sign)
To see what they could dizz, dizz, dizz
But all that they could dizz, dizz, dizz
Was the bottom of the deep blue dizz, dizz, dizz

Three Sailors went to knee, knee, knee	(each time you say knee--point to your knee)
To see what they could knee, knee, knee
But all that they could knee, knee, knee
Was the bottom of the deep blue knee, knee, knee

Three Sailors went to land, land, land	(each time you say land--move your flat, palm-down hands out in front of you back and forth to show the land is flat)
To see what they could land, land, land
But all that they could land, land, land
Was the bottom of the deep blue land, land, land

Three Sailors went to I love Disneyland	(perform all of the appropriate movements for the sounds in order)
To see what they could I love Disneyland
But all that they could I love Disneyland
Was the bottom of the deep blue I love Disneyland!


Say, Say, Oh Playmate
Say, say, oh playmate,	(h)C (h)C (h)C \| (h)C-- A--_\|_A
Come out and play with me.	(h)C B A \| G (h)C E--_\|_E
Bring out your dollies three.	G G G \| G (h)C A--_\|_A
Climb up my apple tree.	G G G \| G (h)E (h)C--_\|_(h)C
Slide down my rainbow	(h)C (h)C (h)C \| (h)C-- A--_\|_A
Into my cellar door.	(h)C B A \| G (h)C E--_\|_E
And we'll be jolly friends	G G G \| G (h)C A--_\|_A
Forevermore, one two three four!	G A B \| (h)C G A B \| (h)C (clap both hands straight across with partner when counting)

Say, say, oh playmate	(same tune)
I cannot play today
My dollies have the flu
Boo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo	(cry, rub eyes)
My apple tree is dead
My rainbow's gone away
My cellar door is locked
Forevermore, one two three four	(clap both hands straight across with partner when counting)

Say, say, oh enemy
Come out and fight with me
Bring out your bulldogs three
Climb up my crab apple tree
Slide down my razor blade
Into my dungeon door
And we'll be jolly enemies
Forevermore, one two three four	(clap both hands straight across with partner when counting)

Say, say, oh enemy
I cannot fight today
My bulldogs have the flu
Boo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo	(cry, rub eyes)
My crab apple tree is dead
My razor blade is dull
My dungeon door is locked
Forevermore, one two three four!	(clap both hands straight across with partner when counting)

Ma ko wey (This is how it sounds. It is originally a Hawaiian stick clapping game, with Hawaiian words which I can't spell)	In 3/4
Ma ko wey, ko tey oh	G G E \| G G E
Ee ko wey ka na	G G A^G \| F-- D
Ma ko wey, ko tey oh	F F D \| F F D
Ee ko wey ka na	G G F \| E-- F
Ma ko wey, ko tey oh	G G E \| G G E
Ee ko wey ka na	G G A^G \| F-- D
Ma ko wey, ko tey oh	F F D \| F F D
Ee ko wey ka na	G G F \| E-- C