See you later alligator belongs to a traditional American farewell rhyme, usually answered with after while crocodile, that has been passed around playgrounds for generations. It was further popularized in the 1950s by the rock and roll song of the same name, helping the phrase stick in everyday speech as a cheerful way to say goodbye. Online, the short spoken version survives as a reaction clip because it is instantly understood, works for children and adults alike, and needs no setup to get the joke across in edits, chats and streams.