Nanny nanny boo boo

Posted by Shae on October 12, 2004

In Reply to: Nanny nanny boo boo posted by David FG on October 12, 2004

: : : : Anyone know this generation-crossing sing-song phrase of children and have any idea of where it comes from? I don't even know the spelling for sure...
: : : : thoughts? It came up at a dinner party and got me wondering...

: : : When my kids started saying it, it sounded like "na-na na-na poo-poo". That was in the late 1990's in Northeastern Pennsylvania. When I said it as a kid, it was always "na-na na-na naa-naa" with the same singsong rhythm. That was in the mid 60's in Northeastern New Jersey. So at some point the final "naa-naa" was changed to "poo-poo". Don't know why. Don't know how it started, either.

: : In California in the 1950s, all syllables were "naa." Nary a "poo."

: I think this must be a US thing. I have never heard it - I am interested to see how widespread it is in fact. Has anyone not in the US come across it?

I haven't heard it here in Ireland.