Talk:Mary Mack

Is there any evidence for the Mary Mack = Merrimack theory? Do the dates work? When is the song first attested? Or is this just another just-so story without any good evidence, like Ring Around the Rosie = Black Death? cf. http://www.snopes.com/language/literary/rosie.htm --Macrakis 05:19, 16 Feb 2005 (UTC)

Well, the elephant wasn't a symbol of the Republican Party until 1874, so the reference to "elephants" being Republican makes it post-Civil war...if that's the story of the origin. It could be nonsense... Orville Eastland (talk) 21:38, 27 January 2009 (UTC)

It wouldn't be surprising if children in the late 1800s came up with the name "Mary Mack" after learning in school about the Merrimack, but speculation should end there. Suggesting the silver buttons were rivets or it's a reference to a specific battle is just nonsense. --Tysto (talk) 13:56, 7 August 2017 (UTC)

why did mis marry Mac is so mad 2600:6C60:F0:4A50:2500:650E:A31:4EFE (talk) 21:12, 20 April 2024 (UTC)

Agree, rivets would have been carbon black, not silver in appearance. 2601:84:8280:17F0:3545:2698:C90D:B5BA (talk) 16:43, 23 March 2025 (UTC)

How widespread is this ryhme in the english speaking world? I've never heard of it in the UK, so perhaps it's just a North American one. Any one else from outside North America come across it? The article should possibly be edited to say it's a US rhyme rather than english speaking. Pbagnall 13:58, 18 March 2006 (UTC)

Yes, I know it from school in England. Warofdreams talk 02:51, 19 March 2006 (UTC)

It was very popular in the 80's and 90's in Australia and New Zealand. I can still remember every lyric and clap I used.Spookywanluke (talk) 13:24, 4 January 2016 (UTC)

Jesus?

The section about this rhyme having to do with Jesus is not only unsourced, but also highly unlikely. It's awkwardly phrased and presents Christian doctrine as if it is fact: "He, Jesus Christ, ascended to heaven." This article could do away with that segment altogether and be better for it.

This article is poor altogether. By the by, you don't have to have evidence of what the song states, you have to have evidence of song dates. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.227.19.241 (talk) 10:57, 9 July 2008 (UTC)

Other versions

Growing up in the Merrimack Valley region of Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire in the 1970s, children sang the following version:

Miss Mary Mack Mack Mack/ All Dressed in Black Black Black/ She can not read read read/ She can not write write write/ All she can do do do/ Is smoke a pipe pipe pipe

Cbmccarthy (talk) —Preceding undated comment added 02:09, 25 June 2011 (UTC).

it is a bpting song make mor to it 98.21.93.105 (talk) 21:30, 13 December 2022 (UTC)

boring son btw 98.21.93.105 (talk) 21:30, 13 December 2022 (UTC)

Can someone explain what &, 4, &, 1, &, 2 mean in the Clap section?

I see this in the Clap section and have no idea what the &, 4, 1, and 2 mean. Can someone clarify this in the article? DBlomgren (talk) 20:06, 2 July 2014 (UTC)

   &: Arms across chest
   4: Pat thighs
   &: Clap hands
   1: Clap right palms with partner
   &: Clap left palms with partner
   2: Clap both palms with partner