Children's Songs about the Bogeyman? Or some creature like that?

Max Vaehling · Mar 22, 2011

Hi,

Apologies if this has been explored before - search didn't help much. It's a big foum. you know.

Anyhow, I'm looking for a song children would sing about the bogeyman or any other mystical or spooky creature that may creep up to get them. In German, we have at least two that come to mind, plus variations:

"Es geht/tanzt ein Bi-Ba-Butzemann
In unserm Haus herum..."

(There's a bi-ba-bogeyman walking/dancing through our house)

There's also a game - the German version of "Duck, Duck, Goose" - with this chant:

"Dreht Euch nicht um, der Plumpsack geht um. Wer sich umdreht oder lacht, der kriegt den Buckel voll gemacht."

No idea how to translate "Plumpsack", but the rest roughly translates to: "Don't turn around, the Plumsack's around. If you turn around or laugh, you'll get beat up". Well, very roughly.

I'm looking for a song that's as close to this as possible. Anything about strange beings cruising for tasty children will do. Something children would sing, not something that is sung at them. Preferrably something traditional that's in the Public Domain.

I've never been an English-speaking kid, that's why I'm hoping for your help.

Any ideas?

Puma · Mar 22, 2011

This is an old song (and more teenage girl variety) - I'd imagine it's public domain.

Better run away, better run away,
Pretty little maiden better run away.
When the woods are black as night
That's the boogeyman's delight.
Better run away, better run away
Pretty little maiden run away.

Another one (and I can't remember all of it) "the gobblins will getcha if you don't watch out." (James Whitcomb Riley poem)

Next ... Puma

JustLooking · Mar 22, 2011

Ooh, that's quite an unnerving question!

Can't think of a direct equivalent of the Bi-Ba-Butzemann but there are plenty of nasty nursery rhymes which might suit your purpose.

"Oranges and lemons" ends up with a chopper coming to chop off your head.

"Three blind mice" ends up with the farmer's wife coming after you with a carving knife.

The playground game "What's the time Mr Wolf?" (more chant than song) has the kids being pursued by a wolf.

And there's a skipping rhyme which goes something like "Maid's in the kitchen doing a bit of stitching/Along comes the bogeyman and throws her out"

Maybe you can make something of one of those

frimble3 · Mar 22, 2011

Another traditional rhyme:
Fee, Fi, Fo, Fum
I smell the blood of an Engishman (mun)
Be he alive, or be he dead,
I'll grind his bones to make my bread.
(From 'Jack and the Beanstalk', chanted by the giant)

Kitty Pryde · Mar 22, 2011

The Internets tell me this song is either called "The Hearse Song" or "Spooks On Parade". I first saw it in a really popular kids book, Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark:

Do you ever think as a hearse goes by, that you may be the next to die?
They wrap you up in a big white sheet
From your head down to your feet.
They put you in a big black box,
And cover you up with dirt and rocks.
All goes well for about a week,
Then your coffin begins to leak.
The worms crawl in, the worms crawl out,
The worms play pinochle on your snout.
They eat your eyes, they eat your nose,
They eat the jelly between your toes.
A big green worm with rolling eyes,
Crawls in your stomach and out your eyes.
Your stomach turns a slimy green,
And pus pours out like whipping cream.
You spread it on a slice of bread,
And that's what you eat when you are dead.

I was always really creeped out as a little kid by this Christmas song:

You better watch out
You better not cry
You better not pout
I'm tellin you why
Santa Claus is coming to town [that's scary as hell! it gets worse!]

He sees you when you're sleeping [Aieee!]
He knows when you're awake
He knows if you've been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake [Or meet a terrible demise, I presume]

Kitty Pryde · Mar 22, 2011

Oh, thought of another. This is a jump rope rhyme, so there are probably many similar forms of it. Of course it's based on an actual person:

lizzie borden had an ax
gave her mother 40 whacks
when she'd seen what she'd done
she gave her father 41
1,2,3,4,...40

And another one, this is a hop scotch (?) rhyme from the Nightmare On Elm Street movies, a gang of children are ENDLESSLY chanting in creepy voices:

1,2: Freddy's coming for you
3, 4: better lock the doors
5, 6: grab your crucifix
7,8: gonna stay up late
9, 10: never sleep again

One more, creepy poem that turns up often, uncredited: Antigonish.

Yesterday, upon the stair,
I met a man who wasn’t there
He wasn’t there again today
I wish, I wish he’d go away...

PS I visited Germany last year, and I am led to believe he's not supposed to be scary, but I found Unser Sandmannchen unspeakably creepy. He shows up at your house in his hot air balloon/train/bicycle, flings a handful of glittering sand into your face, putting you in a delirious state against your will. And this is supposed to be a soothing program to lull tiny children to sleep? The kids didn't seem distressed but I was

BigWords · Mar 23, 2011

Heinrich Hoffman's work comes to mind - and it is all out of copyright now. There are some Icelandic fairy songs which have elements which might be of use to you, but I don't have the book to hand at the moment. I'll have a look for the relevant passages later.

Max Vaehling · Mar 23, 2011

Thanks, everybody! You've been a great help! I think I'm going to go with the "Oranges and Lemons" line.

(Unless, of course, somebody comes up with something even cooler yet.)

@Kitty Pryde: I think the original Sandmann actually was a far more sinister character than the one you see on German TV, back when parents weren't so overprotective. The Butzemann rhyme was toned down a lot, too. He still comes to your house with a large bag, but he doesn't stuff children into it anymore but takes apples out of it to give to the children. For all I know, they aren't even poisoned!

Lil · Mar 23, 2011

For walking along on a sidewalk:
Step on a crack,
break your mother's back.
Step on a line,
break your father's spine.

Kitty Pryde · Mar 23, 2011

Max Vaehling said:
@Kitty Pryde: I think the original Sandmann actually was a far more sinister character than the one you see on German TV, back when parents weren't so overprotective. The Butzemann rhyme was toned down a lot, too. He still comes to your house with a large bag, but he doesn't stuff children into it anymore but takes apples out of it to give to the children. For all I know, they aren't even poisoned!

I believe I did see the original, stop motion animation Sandmannchen, and the terrible East German puppet show with the fox and the chicken and the kobold and whatnot. Like this fella here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZtfzuJD2K4

johnnysannie · Mar 24, 2011

BigWords said:
Heinrich Hoffman's work comes to mind - and it is all out of copyright now.

The Struwwelpeter Book by Hoffman (orig. pub 1845) is still available although it may be hard to find. I bought it in the original German to torture my kids (of course I did buy it in Germany) with English translations in the back.

It includes, all in rhyme, some of the most horrific fates for unruly children ever!

Max Vaehling · Mar 28, 2011

Again. thanks, everybody!

Yeah, Struwwelpeter used to be a standard in every household. If the parents refused to expose their children to it, some grandparent would. (Not sure if that's till the fact.) Horrific stuff.

Torgo · Mar 28, 2011

Long Lankin. Not really a children's rhyme, I suppose, more of a scary old ballad.

Children's Songs about the Bogeyman? Or some creature like that?

Max Vaehling

Puma

Retired and loving it!

JustLooking

from a distance

frimble3

Heckuva good sport

Kitty Pryde

i luv you giant bear statue

Kitty Pryde

i luv you giant bear statue

BigWords

Geekzilla

Max Vaehling

Lil

Kitty Pryde

i luv you giant bear statue

johnnysannie

Max Vaehling

Torgo

Formerly Phantom of Krankor.