Like most hand clap rhymes, it is recited in unison. "I Don’t Want To Go To Mexico” appears to be a widely known hand clap rhyme in the United States. Judging from the number of online examples of this rhyme, including the number of YouTube videos, Multiple sources posted by Azizi Powell, 2004 That quote is given below.Ī 2004 COMMENT I WROTE ABOUT "I DON'T WANT TO GO TO MEXICO" RHYMES I was surprised to find that something I wrote on this subject in 2004 for my no longer active cultural blog was quoted early on in that discussion.
However, the first published example of this rhyme wasn't until 1938 (as cited by barry popik in Excerpt #1 below).Ĭlick "Should I forbid this?"- a discussion thread about whether parents should allow their children to chant "I Don't Want To Go To Mexico" rhymes because the parents are concerned that the rhymes either demean Mexicans, and/or the parents are concerned that these rhymes have something to do with the deportation of Mexicans- which they don't support. Notice that this article indicated that "I Won't Go To Macy's" was popular by the turn of the 20th century. The rhyme, whatever its origins, survived well into the 1950's." Though picket lines and boycotts were planned, they never materialized. Phelps's case out of court, and Macy's was left to struggle with the perception that, whether due to class animosity or confusion over department store etiquette, innocent shoppers were routinely harassed. Phelps's arrest was exhaustively covered by the popular press, and it turned out that several other well-to-do women had been detained at Macy's the same day, for other and seemingly innocent lapses in protocol. Phelps was trying to steal it, while she insisted that it had fallen as she was trying to extract payment from her coin purse while juggling her packages. Margaret Grotty, a salesgirl, asserted that Mrs. Phelps, a suffragist and woman of no small renown, was accused of petty thievery while shopping at Macy's, then at 14th Street and Sixth Avenue. The authorship is obscure, but the rhyme was popular by the turn of the 20th century, and might have been associated with an incident that occurred when the modern department store was still in its infancy. Oh, I won't go to Macy's any more, more, more. There's a big fat policeman at the door, door, door Oh, I won't go to Macy's any more, more, more Children in New York used to chant a clapping song, almost like a nursery rhyme, about not wanting to go to Macy's. THE BACKGROUND STORY FOR "I DON'T WANT TO GO TO MEXICO NO MORE"įrom "F.Y.I" by DANIEL B. Given the political realities of immigration and deportation, and given prejudice against Latinos/Latinas, it probably isn't a great idea for children to recite versions of that rhyme that mention "Mexico"- note the other versions of that rhyme that are featured in this pancocojams post. In spite of the fact that early versions of the rhyme that became "I Don't Want To Go To Mexico" had nothing to do with Mexico and in spite of the fact that later versions of that rhyme probably don't have anything to do with Mexico and/or Mexicans, context is important. However, I think those associations with this rhyme come from adults, and aren't what most children think of when they chant and play "I Don't Want To Go To Mexico" rhymes. *I recognize that some adults believe that "I Don't Want To Go To Mexico" rhymes demean Mexicans, and/or refer to illegal immigration/deportation. This pancocojams post debunks the belief that the original rhyme (and the contemporary versions of this rhyme that I have found to date)* have anything whatsoever to do with insulting Mexicans, and/or anything to do with illegal immigration from Mexico to the United States and/or deportation of Mexicans from the USA.*
THERE GO THE POLICEMAN KNOCKING AT MY DOOR SERIES
Note that "I Don't Want To Go To Mexico" is often called "Shame" or "Shame Shame Shame".Īlso, click "I Don't Want To Go To Mexico" Children's Rhymes (Sources & Text Examples Part II of 4 Part Series )"įor an earlier pancocojams post about "I Don't Want To Go To Mexico" rhymes. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the contributors of these examples.ĭISCLAIMER: This post isn't meant to be a comprehensive collection of "I Don't Want To Go To Mexico" rhymes.Ĭlick the tag "I Don't Want To Go To Mexico" for other pancocojams posts on this rhyme. The content of the this post is presented for folkloric, historical, cultural, and recreational purposes. That rhyme is often called "Shame" or "Shame, Shame, Shame". This pancocojams post provides information about and examples of the "I Don't Want To Go To Mexico" rhymes.
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