19 Oct 2011

M-i-s-s-i-s-s-i-p-p-i

Okay, so now I need to post the lyrics to this one. Despite Jemimah's spelling problems, she has no worries with Mississippi. Only problem is that she - and I - need to sing the song first!!
M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I

When I was seven years of age I used to go to school,
And when it came to spelling I was awful as a rule;

I couldn't spell a single word when "S"s were concerned,
I've tried to overcome my lisp and success came in return.

Now that word "Mississippi" was awful hard to spell
But now I will convince you that I can spell it well:

M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I
That used to be so hard to spell;
It used to make me cry,
But since I've studied spelling, It's just like pumpkin pie:
M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I.

A lot of words would puzzle me - "bananas" was no cinch,
"Sas-a-pa-ril-a," that was hard, 'though I'd spell it in a pinch;

But words like "Cincinnati", "psychological" and such,
Gee, when it came to spelling those, I surely was in Dutch.

I can't spell "Cinderella," and "sausages," that's tough,
But I can spell "Mississippi", and believe me, that's enough.

Bert Hanlon and Benny Ryan 1916
Do you use this song to spell Mississippi too?

7 comments:

  1. I hadn't hear of the song. It sounds cleverer than my way. We used to simply chant:
    Mrs M, Mrs I, Mrs Double S, I
    Mrs Double S, I
    Mrs Double P, I

    I have no idea why it helped me remember! But it did. And you have to admit it's quicker than a song. I had a mental picture of you and Jemimah on a TV quiz show, asked to spell that word, and you both burst into song. Brought the house down and won the quiz!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I have heard of that song, but never memorized it. We just chanted the spelling and memorized it pretty easily - and, of course, the I pee-pee part always made us snicker. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm a Mrs M, Mrs I girl too.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I've never heard of either versions of this song! :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. I've never heard the song.

    But in Ontario, in addition to having to spell Mississippi, we have to learn to spell Mississauga, which I think is even harder.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Jeanne, here's what my dad taught us when we were young(er): M-I-Crooked letter-Crooked letter-I-Crooked letter-Crooked letter-I-Humpback-Humpback-I.

    At least it made things fun!

    In Maine, there's a river named Passagassawaukeag. They call it the Passy. Wonder why??

    ReplyDelete
  7. Never heard it. Just M-i-SS-i-SS-iPP-i (or insert "crocked letter" for the s's)

    ReplyDelete

I'd love you to leave me a message. Tell me what you like - and what you don't. Just remember that this is what we do in our family - it doesn't have to be what you do in yours...