ID: 68
Date: 1930s - 2000
Title: Dan the dirty man
Gender: Male 
Classification: Tease 
Rhyme: 

Dan, Dan the dirty old man, 
Washed his face in a frying pan, 
Combed his hair with the leg of a chair, 
And cleaned his teeth with his big toe nail,
Dan, Dan the dirty old man.

(Auckland, 1930s)

--

Dan Dan the dunny man.
Washed his face in a frying pan,
Combed his hair with a leg of a chair,
And told his mother he didn't care.

(Christchurch, 1950s)

--

Dan, Dan the Chinaman,
Washed his face in the frying pan.
After that he skinned his cat,
And made it into a hairy hat.

(Christchurch, 2000)

--

Sam, Sam the dirty man,
Washed his face in the frying pan.
After that he skinned his cat,
And made it into a hairy hat.

(Rotorua, 2000)

--
 
Dan, Dan the dirty old man, 
Washed his face in a frying pan.
Combed his hair with the leg of a chair,
Dan, Dan the dirty old man.

(NZ, 1900s (Sutton-Smith, 1959:99))

--
 
Background Info: Opie, 1967:159. Traditional Nicknames.

==

Turner,1978: 84.mentions alternative versions including  "Sam, Sam, the dirty old man," "Slam Bang, the dirty man," Tam, Tam, the gundy (candy) man," and "Dan, Dan, the ice-cream man." Dated from 1930s-1970s. Originally a minstrel song beginning:

Old Dan Tucker was a fine old man,
Washed his face in a frying pan.
Combed his hair with a wagon wheel,
Died with a toothache in his heel.

(Turner, 1969:70-71)

==

Onwuchekwa, 2003:105 records the version from urban black America:

Old Man Tucker was a mighty man,
He washed his face in a frying pan.
Combed his hair with a wagon wheel,
And died with a stick of toothpaste in his heel.

==

Opie, 2000:144 recorded the following (from Scotland):

Dicky Dan was a funny wee man,
He washed his head in a tarry pan,
He combed his hair with the leg of a chair,
Dicky Dan was a funny wee man.

==

From USA:

Your mother, my mother,
Lives across the way.
Every night they have a fight
And this is what they say:
Your old man is a dirty old man,
'Cos he washes his face in a frying pan,
He combs his hair with the leg of a chair.
Your old man is a dirty old man. 

(Personal informant)

==

Botkin, 1944:783 records:

Sam, Sam, the dirty man,
Washed his face in a frying pan.
Combed his hair with the back of a chair,
And danced with the toothache in the air.

My son John is a nice old man,
Washed his face in a frying pan,
Combed his hair with a wagon wheel,
And died with the toothache in his heel.

==
 
Keywords: taunt, racist, stereotype 
Location: Various NZ 
Group size: 2 
Incidence: 5