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Original poster

calling all singers of "nick nack paddy whack"

26 replies

deaconblue · 14/12/2006 09:00

Dh loves to sing this to ds BUT we don't know all the rhymes. Can anyone help?
In our house one = thumb
two = shoe
three = knee
four = door
and now we go a bit dodgy
five=hive
six = sticks
seven = heaven
eight = gate
nine = no bloomin idea
ten = start again
HELP!

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MrsMillsletoe · 14/12/2006 09:12

We sing 'on my line' for number 9, no idea whether it is right.
And for number 10 we use hen. Though if I ever caught a man playing nick nack on my hen I would have to call the police

LRWG · 14/12/2006 09:13

Know what you mean:
In our house one = drum
two = shoe
three = knee
four = door
five=hive
six = sticks
seven = up in heaven
eight = gate
nine = no idea either, but usually say "line"
ten = start again - ooo, good one - never know what to say here.

LOL

Original poster
deaconblue · 14/12/2006 09:14

so do you think hive and heaven are right then? Sound a bit weird to me, why would I have a hive and can I say someone played nick nack on MY heaven - isn't it everybody's??

OP posts:
MrsMillsletoe · 14/12/2006 09:15

Hive and heaven sound a bit weird to you?

Like the rest of it is perfectly normal?

Original poster
deaconblue · 14/12/2006 09:15

drum definitely better than thumb, playing nick nack on a thumb would surely be painful!

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Original poster
deaconblue · 14/12/2006 09:16

What exactly is nick nack, that's what I'd like to know?

OP posts:
Original poster
deaconblue · 14/12/2006 09:16

And isn't paddy whacking a bit un-pc???

OP posts:
LRWG · 14/12/2006 09:19

PMSL - I love threads like this, make such a nice change from some of the arguements .

dingdonglapinroseonhigh · 14/12/2006 09:23

we love singing it too and here are the lyrics but I have no idea about the origin of it!

whenevilgotstuckupthechimney · 14/12/2006 09:46

i am a frequent nick nack paddy wacker - for nine we sing spine!!??!!
all the others are the same though. couldn't say for certain but am pretty sure if you did some digging this is a really un pc, terribly offensive type rhyme as, alas, all the oldies and goodies seem to be these days...,sigh.

whenevilgotstuckupthechimney · 14/12/2006 09:47

oh, for 10 we sing "he played nick nack all over again!" and we start again! woohoo!!

hoochiemummy · 14/12/2006 12:48

I'm a regular nick-nacker but make up all the words. I usually use different parts of the body if I'm feeling naughty, or furniture if my mother-in-law is around. My theory is that my DS loves my singing even if it's a bit loud, a bit off key and the words are all wrong. Why stress by trying to get it right! Oh, and the added bonus is that it really winds my mother-in-law up. I know, I just have too much fun sometimes!

USAUKMum · 14/12/2006 13:37

we've always done nine = spine , but maybe that is an American variant

Original poster
deaconblue · 14/12/2006 16:39

Spine = ouch! So glad you like my stupid thread LRWG, I am a fan of all things inane

OP posts:
USAUKMum · 14/12/2006 19:48

I like to think of it as a massage......

PartridgeinaRustyBearTree · 14/12/2006 20:35

WARNING!!!! Please stop your DH before it is too late - I used to sing this to DS & DD while changing their nappies, then I found I was hummng it while I did the housework - it is now about 14 years since I changed a nappy and I still hum it when I'm busy doing something.... DH said the other day "You know, if I ever divorced you it would be because of THAT SODDING SONG...." Don't let it get hold of your DH.

CarolTheAncientYuletideTroll · 14/12/2006 20:40

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UniSarah · 15/12/2006 17:31

1- on a drum
2 -on my shoe
3- on a tree
4- on a door
5- in a dive
6- with some sticks
7 down in devon
8 - till too late
9- in a mine
10- once again

bit of regional variation and spot the family with a drummer!

theartistformallyknownasJAM77 · 15/12/2006 17:50

Just had to say...read this thread earlier and have been singing this all day....and wondering for the first time that, considering my irish roots, should I be singing it with such gusto???????

ayla99 · 15/12/2006 20:07

If you look on wikipedia it takes you up to

This old man, he played thirty,
He played knick-knack on my qwerty. (!)

It also explains that paddywhack is not about violence but a tendon from inside an animal like a sheep to take weight of its head.

So now we know.

Original poster
deaconblue · 15/12/2006 20:52

My dh MUST NEVER FIND OUT that it goes up to 30!!! Am even more confused about the paddy whack now. Does the old man hit the drum and the hive with the tendon that holds a sheep's head on??? This is getting more disturbing by the minute!

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theartistformallyknownasJAM77 · 15/12/2006 22:05

lol! I have decided that much of our childhood stories/songs are completely un PC and really quite disturbing...I found my old hans christian anderson book that I loved as a girl and most of the stories involved pain, suffering and death....mmmmmm DH is now concerned about me passing said book onto DD

lostinfrance · 15/12/2006 22:16

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3Ddonut · 15/12/2006 22:41

LOL lostinfrance!!! We don't sing this, but I'm wondering if I should......

3Ddonut · 15/12/2006 22:49

just checked that wikipedia link, can't believe i hadn't cottoned on that the Barney theme tune was nick-nack slowed down!!!!!! Also do you think qwerty could be as in the keyboard, it's the only time I've ever heard the term. Although I do like ' this old man he plays fifteen, he collects bronze coins called 'ich dien'' well, that is clever!!!!!!!