Lost Lyrics

My mother, your mother
Live across the Bay
Sixteen, Seventeen
East Bay Way. . .

I swear this was the start to a jump rope song when I was growing up, but no one I've asked seems to know it, or even know of it. I don't remember the rest and I really want to know how it goes. I've always assumed it's a San Francisco song, though I suppose they might have sung it in Wisconsin, too.


I remember the middle of this one, which I know was much more common:

. . . Twenty-four robbers knockin' at the door
Asked 'em what they wanted, this is what they said:
Spanish dancers do the splits, turnaround, touch the ground, out the back door.

Back back sit on a tack
Read a book but do not look. . .

Despite the popularity of Double Dutch, I didn't do much rope-jumping when I was growing up. At Dudley Stone, I was busy playing on the big climbing structure the PTA had purchased for the school. It had a wobbly bridge, a climbing net, tires attached together to crawl across, and spinning logs to stand on. It was perfect for playing Adventuring In The Jungle, and the jump rope songs were usually drowned out by the playground noise of balls being bounced and the screams of kids playing Tag. This is why I can't remember the songs very well now. Do you know them?