ID: 984
Date: 1940s -  2000
Title: Shirley Temple
Gender: Female 
Classification: Skipping 
Rhyme: 

Shirley Temple is a star,
S, T, A and R,
She can do the wiggle, waggles,
She can do the splits,
She can pull her pants,
Right up to her hips.

(NZ, 1980s)

--

Shirley Temple is a star,
S-T-A-R, (Lawrence, 1980s)
She can do the wibble, wobble,
She can do the splits,
She can lift her skirt, 
Right up to her hips.

(Whangarei, 1970s; Rotorua, 1970s; Gisborne, 1972; Methven 1980s; Auckland, 1980s x 2; Christchurch, 1980s x 2; Gisborne, 1980s; Lower Hutt, 1990s;  Springston, 1996;  Blenheim, 2000; Rotorua, 2000)

--

Shirley Temple is a star,
S-T-A-R,
She can do the wibble, wobble,
She can do the splits,
She can exit, just like this.

(Rotorua, 2000)

--

Shirley Temple is a star,
S-T-A-R,
She can do the wiggle wobbles,
She can do the kicks,
She can do the cross legs,
She can do the splits.

(Christchurch, 1970s)

--

Shirley Temple is a star,
S-T-A-R,
She can do the jelly wobbles,
She can do the splits,
She can lift her dress up,
Higher than her hips.

(Christchurch, 1980s)

--

Shirley Temple is a star,
S-T-A-R,
She's got the lips, kiss, kiss,
She's got hips, boom, boom,
And a bra.

(Christchurch, 1990)

--

Shirley Temple is a star,
S-T-A-R,
What shall we send her to curl her hair?
Salt, mustard, vinegar, pepper.

(NZ ex UK, 1970s)

--

Shirley Temple is a star,
S-T-A-R,
She can do the rumble,
She can do the splits,
She can do anything,
Just like this.
Firecracker, firecracker,
Boom, boom, boom.
Firecracker, firecracker,
Boom, boom, boom.
Girls do a curtsey,
Boys do a bow.
Girls go whoo hoo,
Boys go wow!

(Taupo, 1980s)

--
 
Background Info: Refer also, Opie, 1967:112. Variations include:

Shirley Temple walks like this,
Shirley Temple throws a kiss,
Shirley Temple says her prayers,
Shirley Temple falls down the stairs.

(UK, 1952 - skipping rhyme)

==

Turner, 1978:  25 includes variations:

Shirley Temple is a star,
S.T.A.R,
She can do the rumba,
She can do the kicks,
She can do the twirly-wirly,
She can do the splits.

(Victoria 1960s-1970s)

==

The sequence of actions is similar to a game recorded by Gomme, 1898:329-42, called "Wallflowers", with the lines:

She can hop and she can skip,
And she can turn a candle-stick.

==
 
Keywords: topical rhyme, media culture, 
Location: Various NZ 
Group size: 6 
Incidence: 20