248:
160:. The verse was first recorded as a joke in the 1920s and as the modern children's song in New York in 1938. Although the song derives from lyrics about an unwed whore, few children consider that Miss Lucy might be unmarried; instead, the concern of the song has shifted to the appearance of new siblings. The opening lines now often change to "
1162:
Mahar, William J. (1999). Behind the Burnt Cork Mask: Early
Blackface Minstrelsy and Antebellum American Popular Culture. Chicago: University of Illinois Press. Listed in Appendix C as the second most popular blackface song throughout the end of the 19th
217:
In the 1990s the singer Lucy Peach popularized a version of the song with the words "I had a little turtle, its name was Tiny Tim". Following that, there have been versions of "Miss Suzy had a turtle, she called it Tiny Tim", and an
141:
named Sunny Jim, introduced in the United States in 1902 and in
Britain a few years later. Following his declining popularity, the baby is now usually encountered as Tiny Tim, once famous as a Depression-era
1073:
1030:. Cray explicitly postulates his hypothesis of the sources for this theme, and states that in the case of many other crude songs, they were a parody on even earlier 'clean' songs.
1567:
1185:
73:
allows for set number of accents regardless of the number of syllables in the verse. It is a common form in
English folk verse, especially in
114:"Miss Lucy" probably developed from verses of much older (and cruder) songs, although the opposite may also be true, most commonly known as "
845:
832:
304:
A version of the song has been "Miss Lucy had a steamboat". A famous steamboat disaster tied to the name Lucy occurred in 1844, when the
988:
1186:"Shakespeare's 'Dark Lady' revealed to be prostitute called Lucy Negro - Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis"
1482:
1587:
1138:
1572:
1411:
17:
1198:
959:
942:
111:. However, several other books and articles show similar versions used as far back as the end of the 19th century.
1060:
305:
196:, about a woman overcoming a childhood trauma. Although the ending seems closed, some argue the song serves to
1592:
1557:
82:
107:
similar rhyme has been studied, tracing it back to the 1950s, in
Josepha Sherman's article published by the
1577:
1048:
1010:
332:
223:
147:
1055:), 1989. Accessed 13 January 2014. (NB: Logsdon's versions are set to the separate tune of the
1513:
1118:
718:
50:
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777:
739:
210:
108:
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for several real and fictional people, institutions and projects called Tiny Tim after this song.
320:
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183:, It was later attributed to a social worker which was their typical dress code in the 1950s
130:. These songs were sometimes political, usually openly crude, and occasionally infanticidal.
8:
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1397:
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1014:
897:
342:
319:
In
Western Africa, the name "Miss Lucy" is the nickname of an endangered species of fish
1172:
1487:
759:
929:", and variations where the mother is named "Susie", "Suzie", "Lulu", and "Virginia".
156:
1109:. Wayne State University Press (Detroit), 2002. Accessed 14 January 2014.
313:
200:
establish that nothing ever was wrong with the title character. It also appears in
187:
176:
46:. It has many variations, possibly originating from it, or from its predecessors.
35:
1368:- first part shows the clean Miss Lucy, and then moves to the profanity versions.
1153:
introduction and song at the
Midwest Banjo Camp's Faculty Concert (2011, YouTube)
1056:
816:
336:
151:
115:
86:
78:
70:
62:
39:
868:. Chicago Review Press (Chicago), 2012. Accessed 13 January 2014.
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732:
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296:'Miss Luce Negro' - was the nickname of a brothel owner hypothesized to be the
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The nickname 'Miss Lucy' has been used in the context of literature and art:
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The nickname 'Tiny Tim' has been used in the context of art and literature;
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purse urging the baby's mother to vote have been seen as a reference to
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960:
Miss Susie Had a
Steamboat: V. Versions of the Rhyme Used in This Essay
293:'Miss Lucy Neal' was a popular African-American song published in 1854.
119:
104:
989:
On
Children's rhymes and changing sexuality perception throughout time
490:
To see if he could swim, swim, swim
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1444:
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49:
The song is often combined or confused with the similar but cruder "
309:
219:
66:
53:", which uses the same tune and was also used as a jump-rope game.
966:. 29 November 2008. Accessed 12 January 2014.
949:. 29 November 2008. Accessed 16 January 2014.
504:"Send for the doctor down the hill"
409:
But it wouldn't go down his throat.
346:
280:
484:
They called him Tiny Tim, Tim, Tim
276:
1389:
1041:
The
Whorehouse Bells Are Ringing and Other Songs Cowboys Sing
1103:
Framing
Hitchcock: Selected Essays from the Hitchcock Annual
848:. British Library, 1975. Accessed 14 January 2014.
835:. British Library, 1974. Accessed 14 January 2014.
362:
Several versions exist, varying across time and regionally:
61:
As in "Miss Susie", the rhyme is organized by its meter, an
242:
1122:
137:
bathtub, was referencing an enormously popular mascot of
81:. The song shares much of the same melody as the 1937 "
1175:
at the Johns Hopkins University online music collection
890:
Explaining Traditions: Folk Behavior in Modern Culture
34:", also known by various other names, is an American
977:
Comedy on Record: the Complete Critical Discography
283:, and a very similar tune. The song was popular at
208:'s song "Alligator Purse" from her 1996 album
331:Tiny Tim is the nickname of a fictional character
133:In those songs, the baby, that was dropped in the
42:, it is now more often sung alone or as part of a
1092:, Miriam Packer, Guernica Editions, 1993, Page 35
1549:
1101:Street, Sarah. "Hitchcockian Haberdashery" in
1072:About the Miss Lucy rhyme on a lecture at the
1405:
308:, a ship named after a race-horse owned by a
300:in several of William Shakespeare's writings.
267:Miss Lucy is the main character in the song "
1386:- readout version (no tune), with movements.
1201:, Guy Rogers, 28 August 2017, Herald Tribune
1139:Tiny Tim the tortoise has grape expectations
1017:), 1999. Accessed 13 January 2014.
900:), 2011. Accessed 14 January 2014.
780:". 2013. Accessed 14 January 2014.
762:". 2009. Accessed 14 January 2014.
998:
996:
797:. 2000. Accessed 14 January 2014.
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1398:
1199:New anglining contest raises species fears
271:", introduced in 1843, which has the same
1296:
1294:
1292:
1290:
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1286:
979:, p. 634. Garland Publishing, 1988.
937:
935:
776:Huhn, Betsy. "Miss Susie Had a Baby" at "
312:native American and run by a team of his
1033:
993:
943:Miss Susie Had a Steamboat: I. Structure
778:Jack Horntip Collection Field Recordings
246:
243:The nicknames 'Miss Lucy' and 'Tiny Tim'
229:. The Australian children's music group
1568:Songs about fictional female characters
862:Rightfully Ours: How Women Won the Vote
772:
770:
768:
171:The variants including a woman with an
14:
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1374:(first "nice" then "naughty" versions)
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1078:"How not to appear as a social worker"
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1372:teaching guitar chords with Miss Lucy
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1004:The Erotic Muse: American Bawdy Songs
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827:
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1483:Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker's man
1356:a mother singing and showing a book
1256:
871:
596:but it wouldn't go down his throat.
459:(Also: "With a baby in her purse.")
24:
1127:Early Childhood Development Center
349:player began using the stage name
186:A version of the song appeared in
118:" in Britain, "Bang Away Lulu" in
27:Children's rhyme and clapping game
25:
1604:
1349:
1074:Australian College of Social Work
923:The Lady with the Alligator Purse
851:
822:
800:
791:The Lady with the Alligator Purse
685:that wouldn't go down his throat.
896:. University Press of Kentucky (
498:He ate a bar of soap, soap, soap
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1240:and then when he was finished
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526:"Yes, my son, but do not cry.
523:"Doctor, doctor, will I die?"
414:Miss Susie called the doctor.
83:The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down
1061:Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms
601:Miss Lucy called the doctor,
417:The doctor called the nurse.
224:Zoological Society of London
56:
7:
711:
665:Miss Lucy slapped the nurse
604:Miss Lucy called the nurse.
593:He tried to eat the bathtub
406:He tried to eat the bathtub
10:
1609:
1173:Miss Lucy Neal sheet music
927:The Johnsons had a baby...
719:Miss Susie had a steamboat
632:'Measles'- said the nurse.
629:'Mumps' - said the doctor.
587:He drank up all the water,
579:She put him in the bathtub
437:With the alligator purse.*
400:He drank up all the water.
392:She put him in the bathtub
345:, the American singer and
335:in 'A Christmas Carol' by
222:was named Tiny Tim at the
98:
51:Miss Susie had a steamboat
1588:American children's songs
1522:
1496:
1453:
1427:
1141:(at zooborns.com website)
958:Henninger, Jessie. "
740:Tiny Tim (disambiguation)
699:with the alligator purse.
657:with the alligator purse.
648:'Cough'- said the doctor.
638:with the alligator purse.
635:'Nothing' - said the lady
624:with the alligator purse.
610:with the alligator purse.
607:Miss Lucy called the lady
501:"Mummy, mummy, I feel ill
495:He drank up all the water
487:They put him in a bathtub
423:With the alligator purse.
420:The nurse called the lady
357:
211:Right in the Middle of It
166:I had a little brother...
109:American Folklore Society
1573:English children's songs
1378:a band playing Miss Lucy
1090:Take me to Connie Island
671:with the alligator purse
662:Miss Lucy hit the doctor
651:'Cold' - said the nurse.
582:to see if he could swim.
576:she called him Tiny Tim!
554:With the alligator purse
518:With the alligator purse
451:And bubbles in his head.
395:To see if he could swim.
146:and still well known as
38:. Originally used as a
1360:her daughter attempting
860:Hollihan, Kerrie.
668:Miss Lucy paid the lady
654:'Pizza' - said the lady
590:he ate up all the soap.
481:The Johnsons had a baby
448:With soap in his throat
403:He ate up all the soap.
321:Chrysoblephus gibbiceps
253:Chrysoblephus gibbiceps
235:made a version called "
162:My mother had a baby...
32:Miss Lucy had a baby...
1045:pp. 154 ff.
815:. Oxford Univ. Press (
260:
89:as the theme to their
1384:I had a little turtle
1008:p. 173 ff.
811:Opie, Iona & al.
682:Out went the bathtub,
573:Miss Lucy had a baby,
389:His name was Tiny Tim
386:Miss Susie had a baby
306:Lucy Walker steamboat
250:
1593:Skipping-rope rhymes
1558:Songs about children
1473:Miss Lucy had a baby
941:Henninger, Jessie. "
894:pp. 217 ff
690:Out went the doctor,
529:"Close your eyes and
445:Is home sick in bed,
18:Miss Lucy Had a Baby
1578:American folk songs
1535:Rock paper scissors
1328:if the doctor said
1228:to teach him how to
919:Ask Me No Questions
693:Out went the nurse.
676:Out went the water.
615:In came the doctor,
545:Out went the doctor
428:Out ran the doctor.
103:The history of the
1488:Pease Porridge Hot
1366:clapping game seen
964:The Raveled Sleeve
947:The Raveled Sleeve
795:Enchanted Learning
679:Out went the soap,
618:in came the nurse.
548:Out went the nurse
540:6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10
509:In came the doctor
431:Out ran the nurse.
277:rhythmic structure
261:
1543:
1542:
1380:for deaf children
1252:he had bubbles in
1188:. 28 August 2012.
1026:The Erotic Muse,
846:Recording C898/02
833:Recording C898/22
708:
707:
696:Out went the lady
551:Out went the lady
537:1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5
512:In came the nurse
473:
378:
316:slaves, blew up.
259:in Western Africa
220:Egyptian Tortoise
157:A Christmas Carol
16:(Redirected from
1600:
1563:Playground songs
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813:The Singing Game
809:
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789:Col, Jeananda. "
787:
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758:Hall, Kristin. "
756:
621:In came the lady
515:In came the lady
471:
442:And now Tiny Tim
434:Out ran the lady
376:
366:
333:Timothy Cratchit
314:African American
188:Alfred Hitchcock
177:Susan B. Anthony
79:jump-rope rhymes
36:schoolyard rhyme
21:
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532:"Count to ten."
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377:(early version)
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337:Charles Dickens
326:
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239:had a Turtle".
152:Charles Dickens
116:Bang Bang Rosie
101:
71:Accentual verse
63:accentual verse
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40:jump-rope chant
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1028:p. 174
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844:Opie, Iona.
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831:Opie, Iona.
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206:Chely Wright
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139:Force cereal
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92:Looney Tunes
90:
87:Warner Bros.
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1107:p. 153
909:Including "
866:p. 78
232:The Wiggles
181:suffragette
148:a character
144:comic strip
135:chamber pot
124:My Lula Gal
1552:Categories
1504:Chopsticks
1478:Miss Susie
1421:Hand games
1267:the doctor
747:References
339:from 1843.
255:nicknamed
198:ironically
120:Appalachia
105:Miss Susie
95:cartoons.
85:" used by
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1445:Thumb war
1435:Red hands
1428:Endurance
1279:The nurse
1057:bluegrass
1053:Champaign
1015:Champaign
911:Miss Lucy
898:Lexington
760:Miss Lucy
298:Dark Lady
285:blackface
257:Miss Lucy
251:The fish
173:alligator
126:" in the
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1163:century.
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915:Ms. Lucy
819:), 1985.
712:See also
353:in 1962.
351:Tiny Tim
310:Cherokee
67:trimeter
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472:(1970s)
467:Britain
372:America
347:ukulele
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