# Stella Ella Ola

"Stella Ella Ola" (Stella Stella Ola), also known as "Quack Dilly Oso", is a clapping game where players stand or sit in a circle placing one hand over their neighbour's closer hand and sing the song. On every beat, a person claps their higher hand onto the touching person's palm. The cycle continues until the song ends at which point if the person's hand is slapped, they are considered "out" and must stand or sit in the center of the circle, or leave the circle and watch this from the edges.

## Lyrics

   Stella Ella Ola, Clap, clap, clap Singing es, chico, chico Chico, chico, clap, clap Es chico, chico
   Bologna, bologna Cheese and macaroni
   So 1, 2, 3, 4, 5!
Another common version is:
   Stella Ella Ola, Clap, clap, clap Singing es, chico, chico Chico, chico, clap, clap Say es chico, chico Aloha, Aloha The toilet's overflowing Say a 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10!
Yet another common version is:
   Stella Ella Ola, Clap, clap, clap Taiga yes, taiga no, taiga taiga taiga! Baloney, baloney Cheesy macaroni Fire 1, 2, 3, 4, 5!
A common variant of Stella Ella Ola, Quack Dilly Oso, follows the same game rules:
   Quack dilly oso, Quack quack quack, Señorita, rita rita rita, flora, flora, flora flora flora, 1, 2, 3, 4!
Stella Ella ola Clap clap clap Singing es tiga tiga Tiga tiga tap tap Es tiga tiga Baloney baloney Cheese and macaroni Singing 1,2,3,4,5!
A similar variant played in Brooklyn, New York about 2010 is:
   Quack a dilly oso Quack quack qua-ack Señorita Your mama smells like pizza Fellow, fellow I’ll kick you out the door, fellow 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9...10!
With potentially some variations. The most common of these include substituting “Rita Rita Rita” for “Your mama smells like pizza”, replacing “fellow” with “galore” or “flora” or nonsense words such as “galora” and “delora”, and rendering the name and first line as any of a number of similar variations (“Quack Diddly Oso”, “Quack A Dilly Oh My”, “Quack A Dilly Omer”, etc.). The facts of the song’s obscure lyrics in any form and of its being mainly spread by children makes it highly susceptible to variance, so finding versions that are in any sense “definitive” is impossible—the versions listed on this page are merely intended to be representative.

## Canadian regional versions

Calgary, Alberta, Canada:
   Stella Ella Ola, Clap, clap, clap Singing es, tigo, tigo Tigo, Tigo, tap, tap Fallo, fallo Fallo, fallo, fallo Fa! 1, 2, 3, 4, 5!
Newfoundland, Canada (versions differ):
   Stella Ella Ola Clap, clap, clap Singin' S tiga, tiga Tiga, tiga, chat, chat (shat, shat) S tiga, tiga Belowa, belowa The toilet's overflowing 1, 2, 3, 4, 5!
Oakville, Canada:
   Stella Ella Ola, Clap, clap, clap Say yes, chico, chico Chico, chico, chap Say yes, chico, chico Below, below
   The toilet overflows! Say 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10!
Burlington, Canada (versions differ):
   Stella Ella Ola, Clap, clap, clap Say yes, chico, chico Chico, chico, monkey-clap Say yes, chico, chico Blow, blow,
   Blow your dirty nose! Say 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10!
Northern Ontario, Canada:
   Stella, Ella, Ola Clap, clap, clap Singing es Tigo, Tigo Tigo, tigo, tap, tap Es tigo, tigo Blow, blow Blow your dirty nose, Singing 1, 2, 3, 4, 5!
Saskatchewan, Canada:
   Stella Ella Ola, Clap, clap, clap Singing es, chico, chico Chico, chico, clap I said hello, hello
   I want to blow your nose Fire 1, 2, 3, 4!
Hamilton, Ontario (versions differ):
   Stella Ella Ola, Clap, clap, clap Singing es, Chico, Chico Chico, Chico, chum Say yes, Chico, Chico Blow, blow,
   Blow your dirty nose Say 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10!
Alberta, Canada (versions differ):
   Stella Ella Ola, Clap, clap, clap Singing es, chico, chico Chico, chico, cracker jacker Es chico, chico Baloney, baloney With cheese and macaroni Singin' 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10!
Calgary|Alberta, Canada (versions differ):
   Stella Ella Ola, tap, tap, tap Singing es, tigo, tigo Tigo, Tigo, tap, tap Es Tigo, Tigo Baloney, baloney cheese and macaroni 1, 2, 3, 4, 5!
Toronto, Ontario (versions differ):
   Stella Ella Ola, Quack, quack, quack Say yes, chico, chico Chico, chico, quack Say yes, chico, chico, Below, below, The toilet overflows
   Say 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10!
Elmira, Ontario (versions do not differ):
   Stella Ella Ola, Chop, chop, chop Singin’ es, teego, teego Teego, teego, chop, chop Es teego, teego Blow, blow The toilet overflowed
   Singin’ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5!
London, Ontario (versions differ):
   Stella Ella Ola, Clap, clap, clap Say' es, Chico, Chico Chico, Chico, chap, chap Es, Chico, Chico Blow, blow Blow your nose with cheerios! 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10!
Vancouver, British Columbia (versions differ):
   Stella, Stella, Ola Clap, clap, clap Singing yes, chica, chica Chica Chica, cha Singing yes, chica, chica bologna, bologna,
   with cheesey macaroni
   Fire 1, 2, 3, 4, 5!
Winnipeg, Manitoba:
   Stella Ella Ola Clap, clap, clap Singing es, chico, chico Chiko, chico, clap, clap Es chico, chico Flow, flow Flow, flow, flow So, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5!
Winnipeg, Manitoba:
   Stella Ella Ola Clap, clap, clap Singing es, chico, chico Chico, chico, cracker jack Es chico, chico Blow, blow I got to blow my nose, So, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5!
Winnipeg Beach, Manitoba:
   Stella Ella Ola Crah, crah, crah, crah Singing es, chico, chico Chiko, chico, chack chack Es chico, chico Valoh, Valoh, Valohvahlohvalohvah 1, 2, 3, 4, 5!
Prince Edward Island, Canada:
   Stella Ella Ola Clap, clap, clap Sayin' yes, chiga chiga Chiga chiga, chap Sayin' yes, chiga chiga Flow, flow Flow, flow, flow Sayin' 1, 2, 3, 4, 5!
New Brunswick, Canada:
   Stella Ella Ola Clap, clap, clap Sayin' yes, chico chico Chico chico, chap Say yes, chico chico Aloa, aloa The toilet overflows! Sayin' 1, 2, 3, 4, 5!
Northwest Territories, Canada:
   Stella Ella Ola Clap, clap, clap Sayin' S, tiga tiga Tiga tiga, clap, clap Baloney, baloney Cheese and macaroni Sayin' 1, 2, 3, 4, 5!
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan:
   Stella Ella Ola, Clap, clap, clap Say yes, chico, chico Chico, chico, chap Say yes, chico chico, Aloa, aloa, aloa-loa-loa! Say 1, 2, 3, 4, 5!
Ottawa, Ontario:
   Stella Ella Ola, Clap, clap, clap Say yes, chico, chico Chico, chico, chaw Say yes, chico chico, My love, my love, my love my love my love!
   Say 1, 2, 3, 4, 5!
Oshawa, Canada:
   Stella Ella Ola, Clap, clap, clap Sayin' es, chico, chico Chico, chico, chap chap Es, chico, chico Blow, blow
   Blow your nose! So 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10!
Orleans, Ontario (versions differ):
   Stella Ella Ola Clap, clap, clap Say yes Chico Chico Chico, Chico, Chop, Say yes Chico Chico Malo-o, Malo-o,
   malo, malo malo Say 1, 2, 3, 4, 5!
Victoria, British Columbia (versions differ):
   Stella Ella Ola Clap, clap, clap Singin' S tiga, tiga Tiga, tiga, snap Singin' S tiga, tiga Baloney, baloney Cheese and Macaroni Fire 1, 2, 3, 4, 5!

## American regional versions

   Stella Ella ola Flapjack flapjack Es chiga chiga Chiga chiga flapjack Go slow go slow go slow 1, 2, 3, 4…
   Stella Ella ola Clap clap clap Saying death to the old ones Tiga tiga shack shack Death to the old ones Valo valo valo valo valo va 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
   Stella Ella ola
   Clap clap clap Saying es tiga tiga
   Tiga tiga shack shack Es tiga tiga Valo valo valo valo valo va 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
   Slap dilly oh so, Slap slap slap San sandorica Rica rica rica, Delores, delor's delor lor lor lor 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ....
   Croc a dilly oh my, Croc Croc Croc Say cinco cinco Cinco Cinco Sacka Lacka Fall-ow Fall-ow Stick your head in jello Your face is turning yellow 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, …
   Pass it to my old man
   Pass pass pass I said it to my chica Chica chica cha Melon melon melon melon melon 5,4,3,2,1
   Quack diddly ack dack Quack Quack Quack Singin'santa Rica Rica Rica Rica
   Flores Flores Flores Flores Flores
   1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
   Quack a dilly oma
   Quack Quack Quack
   Hey Chico Chico,
   Chico Chico chat Say hello hello
   Stick your butt in yellow jello 1, 2, 3, 4...
Washington State/West Coast
   Quack diddly oso Quack Quack Quack Singin' Samorico, Rico Rico Rico Flora Flora, Flora Flora Flora, 1, 2, 3, 4
   Quack a dilla oma,
   Quack Quack Quack,
   Sing and Say
   Chico Chico,
   Chico Chico Cha,
   Follow Follow,
   Follow Follow Follow Follah,
   1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Western New York State
   Quack a dilly oh my,
   Quack Quack Quack,
   Dancing Katrina,
   Trickle trickle track,
   Fellow fellow,
   Stick your head in jello,
   J-E-L-L-O
   Stella Ella Ola, Clap, clap, clap Es, chica, chica Chica, chica, flapjack Go! Slow!
   Go slow, go slow 1, 2, 3, 4!
   Quack a dilly oh-my Quack, quack, quack, Say cinco, cinco Cinco, Cinco soc-a loc-a Fello, fello Stick your head in jello Your face is turning yellow Eat a marshmallow 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10!
   Quack a dilly oh-my Quack, quack, quack, From San Diego -ego, -ego, -ego Dalora, Dalora, Potatoes on the floor-a Dalora! 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10!
North-Central New Jersey
   The dilly dally duck goes Quack Quack Quack,
   from Sanarena,
   rena rena rena four-up four-up,
   one two three four quack!

## Variations
### Two players

* Players slap both hands up and down. In some variations, they continue to alternate until the final count, where the person whose hands are on the bottom is out.
* Players grab each other's right hand just by the fingers and then hold their left hands out to the side. They move their linked right hands from side to side, hitting a left hand on each count. If that child swings her or his hand away on the last count, the other loses.
* Players hold hands and on the last count, they try to pull the other person over a line.
* Players hold hands, with one players arms crossed, and swing their hands side to side so that the player with crossed arms changes. Whoever ends with their arms crossed (or doesn't, depending on where you are) wins. Sometimes you are allowed to pull each other's arms crossed at the end to see who wins.

### Three players

* In one three-player version, one player will turn around and the other two players will hold hands and alternate positions. At the end, the person who is turned around will say either top or bottom. The hand who is in that position is champ.
* In another, which can be played with as many people as players wish, but has a minimum of three players, all participants sit in a circle. Their right hand rests on top of the left hand of the player on their right. One person starts, by lifting their right hand, and slapping the right hand of the player on their left. At the end, the person who has the last slap will either slap the hand of the person beside them, or that person will yank their hand away, causing the slapper to hit their own hand. The player that is hit is then out. If no one is hit, the player who was slapping is out.

## Appearances in other media

* The lyrics sung in the game make an appearance in track 10 of Børns' album Blue Madonna "Supernatural".
* The game also makes an appearance in season 6 episode 3 of the CBC show Mr. D.
* A variant was sung on Sesame Street to demonstrate the letter Q.
* The game was played on an episode of Zoom (1999 TV series).