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Quiz about Schoolyard Taunts Rhymes and Songs 1

Schoolyard Taunts, Rhymes, and Songs 1 Quiz

Children have always had their own little poems, songs, and insults. See if you remember your elementary school vernacular. All references are American.

A multiple-choice quiz by Czolgolz. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
Czolgolz

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
192,758

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
4797

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. When accusing another of telling an untruth, what article of clothing is said to be in flames? Hint

One's pants

One's shirt

One's hat

One's underpants

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Question 2 of 10

2. When one is accusing of harboring a romantic interest in a classmate, where are you said to be sitting? Hint

In the swing set

In the closet

In church

In a tree

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Question 3 of 10

3. Here's a more obscure reference. 'Johnny's IT, counterfeit, he's a _____ idiot!' What nationality completes this tag taunt? Hint

Spanish

British

German

Chinese

4. While 'Happy Birthday to You' is the traditional song of birthday wishes, children have been known to change the lyrics. 'You look like a ___________, you smell like one too.' What animal fills in the blank? Hint

Penguin

Walrus

Dodo

Monkey

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Question 5 of 10

5. Playground taunts often take their tunes from other songs. When children sing of their teacher being eaten by a polar bear, what tune are they singing? Hint

Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Battle Hymn of the Republic

99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall

When the Saints Go Marching In

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Question 6 of 10

6. When children sing of a Batmobile accident, what tune are they singing? Hint

Deck the Halls

My Country Tis of Thee

Joy to the World

Jingle Bells

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Question 7 of 10

7. When children sing of shooting their teacher with a .44 slug, what tune are they singing? Hint

America the Beautiful

Clementine

On Top of Old Smokey

O Canada

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Question 8 of 10

8. When students sing of torching the school, what tune are they singing? Hint

Deck the Halls

O Susanna

The Marine Corps Anthem

My Old Kentucky Home

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Question 9 of 10

9. Children often sing while jumping rope. When singing of Cinderella, what animal does she accidentally kiss? Hint

A pig

A snake

A cow

A 'gorella'

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Question 10 of 10

10. Lastly, the taunt of taunts: Nanny-Nanny-_____, stick your face in doo doo. What goes in the blank? Hint

foo foo

boo boo

Lulu

Cthulhu

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Nov 12 2024 : timmacg: 1/10
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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. When accusing another of telling an untruth, what article of clothing is said to be in flames?

Answer: One's pants

'Liar, liar, pants on fire, hangin' from a telephone wire.' (My wife insists the verse reads 'tongue as long as a telephone wire,' but we'll chalk that up to regional degeneracy). This taunt dates back to the Spanish Inquisition, when those who lied were made to suffer the 'auto de fe,' ie, burned alive.

The telephone reference dates back to 1890, when telephones were on a party system, and the veracity of your statements could be confirmed by eavesdropping neighbors.

2. When one is accusing of harboring a romantic interest in a classmate, where are you said to be sitting?

Answer: In a tree

For instance: Czolgolz and Brittany, sittin' in a tree/ K-I-S-S-I-N-G/ first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Brittany with a baby carriage.

The tree in the song is clearly a reference to the Biblical tree of the Knowlege of Good and Evil, ie, lost innocence. See the book of Genesis for the complete story.

3. Here's a more obscure reference. 'Johnny's IT, counterfeit, he's a _____ idiot!' What nationality completes this tag taunt?

Answer: German

This is from the first World War, when all things German were suspect in America. German goods were considered sub-par, or counterfeit.

Answer: Monkey

'Happy birthday to you, you belong in a zoo, you look like a monkey, you smell like one too.' The song originated with the 18th century British navy. Sailors as young as eight years old would work as 'powder monkeys,' doing menial jobs on board. When they reached the age of twelve they would be eligible for more interesting work.

The older sailors would celebrate their promotion with this song.

5. Playground taunts often take their tunes from other songs. When children sing of their teacher being eaten by a polar bear, what tune are they singing?

Answer: Row, Row, Row Your Boat

'Row, row, your boat, gently down the stream/throw your teacher overboard and listen to her scream/ two days later floatin' down the Delaware/ chewin' on her underwear/ wish she had another pair/ five days later eaten by a polar bear/ that's how the polar bear died.'

The song dates from 1952. The bear is a clear reference to Communist Russia, and their military action against Finland.

6. When children sing of a Batmobile accident, what tune are they singing?

Answer: Jingle Bells

'Jingle bells/ Batman smells/ Robin laid an egg/ Batmobile lost a wheel/ and Joker got away.' Alternate ending: Blow your nose in Cheerios and eat them right away.

This song dates from 1970. The Joker is Bob Dylan. See Don McClean's 'American Pie' for details.

7. When children sing of shooting their teacher with a .44 slug, what tune are they singing?

Answer: On Top of Old Smokey

'On top of Old Smokey, all covered with blood/ I shot my poor teacher with a .44 slug.' Dated from 1963, it commemorates the murder of Lee Harvey Oswald by Jack Ruby ('Old Smokey' was the nickname of the Texas electric chair).

8. When students sing of torching the school, what tune are they singing?

Answer: Deck the Halls

'Deck the halls with gasoline/ strike a match and watch it gleam/ watch the school burn down to ashes/ aren't you glad you played with matches?'

Reference: The 1949 Coconut Grove nightclub fire, where over 800 died.

9. Children often sing while jumping rope. When singing of Cinderella, what animal does she accidentally kiss?

Answer: A snake

'Cinderella, dressed in yella', went upstairs to kiss a fella'/ made a mistake and kissed a snake/ how many doctors did it take?'

1938. A reference to Chamberlain's appeasement of Hitler.

10. Lastly, the taunt of taunts: Nanny-Nanny-_____, stick your face in doo doo. What goes in the blank?

Answer: boo boo

This rhyme is meaningless. By the way, I completely made up all the stories behind the other questions as well. They're just silly little poems someone came up with.

Source: Author Czolgolz

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ArleneRimmer before going online.
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