So… Guess what? Chicken butt! It’s a classic playground comeback, isn’t it? Here at why.edu.vn, we believe in keeping that childlike spirit alive, and this rhyme is a perfect example of silly fun.
You’re probably wondering, “Chicken butt? What comes next?” and how this goofy rhyme even started. There are several ideas about its origins and why it became so popular. Let’s explore some of them and have a laugh reading the whole rhyme out loud.
Keep reading for the lyrics (kids will absolutely love this!) and the history behind “Guess what? Chicken butt!” (pun intended, of course!).
“Guess What? Chicken Butt” Rhyme Lyrics
Here are the written lyrics to share and enjoy:
Guess what?
What?
Chicken butt!
Guess why?
Why?
Chicken thigh!
Guess where?
Where?
Chicken hair!
Guess when?
When?
Chicken hen!
Guess who?
Who?
Chicken poo!
Printable “Guess What? Chicken Butt” Lyrics
Want to have the lyrics handy? You can get a printable PDF version of the famous “Guess What? Chicken Butt!” rhyme by clicking here.
“Guess What? Chicken Butt” Lyrics Image
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Watch and Sing Along: “Guess What? Chicken Butt” Video
Check out this fun little video with all the lyrics to sing along to:
The Funny History of “Guess What? Chicken Butt”
The real start of this playground rhyme and game is a bit unclear, with different stories floating around. But, there’s one historical explanation that actually makes a lot of sense when you think about “Guess What? Chicken Butt!”.
It seems the rhyme might have begun as marketplace talk, a kind of conversation between sellers in local markets. The original words were supposedly from a market shout: “Chicken butt! Five cents a cut!”.
Now, before you get the wrong idea, “chicken butt” wasn’t about a chicken’s behind! It was actually referring to the meat from a chicken shoulder. Butchers would separate less desirable pieces like the chicken shoulder from the better cuts like the breast and legs. These less popular cuts were put together at the end of the day and stored in barrels. These barrels were then sold cheaply in bulk. A barrel like this was called a “butt.”
So, “chicken butt” actually meant a barrel full of cheaper chicken parts! We don’t know for sure if a barrel cost exactly five cents, but back then, that amount of money was worth more than it is today.
There are some other mentions of the word “butt” in older works. For example, George Gershwin, a famous American pianist and composer, used the word “butt” in his opera “Porgy and Bess.” However, neither the opera nor its lyrics have anything to do with our silly rhyme.
A book called “Black Language,” published in 1973, mentions a connection to the phrase. According to the book, people would say “chicken butt” when someone said “what?” because they didn’t hear them properly the first time. Saying “chicken butt” was like saying “nevermind,” meaning the speaker wasn’t going to repeat what they said.
Frequently Asked Questions about “Guess What? Chicken Butt”
Was “Guess What? Chicken Butt” a phrase used by Southern Black communities?
While it’s hard to find solid proof, it is believed that Southern Black people used this phrase sometime around the mid-20th century or even earlier.
Does the “Guess What? Chicken Butt” rhyme have a secret meaning?
No, not really. It’s just a silly, nonsensical phrase used for fun and playful banter. It’s all about the silly sounds and the surprise of the unexpected answer!
