Twenty Four Robbers Book

I recently posted about the book, " Twenty Four Robbers" and had a question about the song and chant from a follower of the blog. It got me to thinking about the rhyme I learned as a child and about the book and so I started researching and lo and behold (!) there were multiple versions of the song!  I LOVE when this happens- and wonder who changed the words and why and when. 
Twenty Four Robbers is available from Amazon.

The book is delightful, and I love Audrey Wood, author the delightful "Napping House" and "Silly Sally"!  The picture book has such delightful images, and a maiden who calls out,  "H-O-T ... Hot Peppers!!!".   This is a great Halloween alternative for those teachers who can't talk about Halloween, as this is dark and deliciously fun!  

Here are some of the variations I found for the chants and songs:







1.  From my book, "Hands to Hands, Clapping Songs and Games from Around the World" available here from Beatin' Path Publications

2.  "Twenty Four Robbers is also called, "Step Back, Baby", here is a wonderful teaching video with explanations of process. AND- I love the accent!!!

3.  This is such a cute arrangement and would be very easy to program for a concert!

 

4.  Paired with "Captain, Go Sidetrack Your Train":

5.  From Beth's Music Notes,  an AMAZING resource, here is this version, also a canon!:

6.  From Mama Lisa which has the initial jump rope rhyme I learned as a kid, but the ending is new to me.   Not Last Night Jump Rope Rhyme

This is the version I remember: (from here.)
NOT LAST NIGHT, BUT THE NIGHT BEFORE
TWENTY-FOUR ROBBERS CAME A-KNOCKING AT MY DOOR.
I WENT DOWNSTAIRS TO LET THEM IN.
THEY HIT ME OVER THE HEAD WITH A ROLLING PIN.
I WENT UPSTAIRS TO GET MY GUN.
YOU SHOILD HAVE SEEN THESE ROBBERS RUN.
SOME WENT EAST, SOME WENT WEST,
SOME WENT IN THE CUCKOO'S NEST.
HOW MANY WENT IN THE CUCKOO'S NEST?
ONE, TWO, THREE... (continue counting until someone made a mistake with jump rope)

This version is from Michigan:
NOT LAST NIGHT BUT THE NIGHT BEFORE, 24 ROBBERS CAME KNOCKING
AT MY DOOR. AS I RAN OUT, THEY RAN IN; THIS IS WHAT THEY BEGAN TO
SING: SPANISH DANCERS DO THE SPLITS, SPANISH DANCERS GIVE A HIGH
KICK, SPANISH DANCERS DO THE KANGAROO, SPANISH DANCERS,
THAT'S ENOUGH FOR YOU.

7.  Twenty Four Robbers by Fats Waller (includes lyrics with "bottle of gin" and "shotgun")