Old Girl Scout Songs

Subject: RE: Old Girl Scout Songs
From: GUEST,Sierra
Date: 19 Aug 13 - 12:55 AM

I just found this site while looking up the words to the CAMP SUGAR PINE SONG for a friend.

The 3rd line is:

"The squirrels keep their rest in sleep" (Each bird is in his nest)

If you are all still interested, I have volumes of Girl Scout camp songs.   I went to camp every year, then was a counselor, studied music and became a music teacher.   I actually used many old Girl Scout songs for my school choirs!

This site brought back many great memories!

Subject: RE: Old Girl Scout Songs
From: Haruo
Date: 22 Aug 13 - 01:02 AM

If you feel like typing them in, type away! Someone is almost always interested in such stuff hereabouts.

Subject: RE: Old Girl Scout Songs
From: GUEST,katie
Date: 28 Oct 13 - 01:13 PM

I am looking for an old Girl Scout song we sang in the mid 50s. It was from the 23rd Psalm and song in harmony. I can't find it anywhere. Any suggestions?

Subject: RE: Old Girl Scout Songs
From: Bettynh
Date: 28 Oct 13 - 02:31 PM

Welcome to Mudcat, Katie. Here's hoping you join us.

Joe Offer listed this in his index of Sing Together, A Girl Scout Songbook. (Click on the blue underlined words to see it). I found that by searching Mudcat (in the search box at the top of the messages list for the lyrics "lord's my shepherd").

You can buy a used copy of that book for less than $20 at Amazon. Just be sure you order the 1973 version.

Youtube has many versions of this song. The tune I remember best is here. but the words are a bit fuzzy. Is this the tune you're looking for?

Subject: RE: Old Girl Scout Songs
From: GUEST,Cricket
Date: 04 Dec 13 - 11:45 PM

Joe, how wonderful that someone else remembers the Brownie Smile Song! I was a Brownie in the early sixties and stayed in Girl Scouts through Senior Girl Scouts. The Brownies in Michigan certainly knew that song and sang it a lot. It's so wonderful to connect with other people who love these songs.

Subject: RE: Old Girl Scout Songs
From: Haruo
Date: 05 Dec 13 - 02:14 PM

I read Cricket's post to Mrs. Haruo and she burst into song, then repeated it with hand motions, meanwhile rolling her eyes...

Subject: RE: Old Girl Scout Songs
From: GUEST,Lightn'n of Camp Whispering Pines near Naco
Date: 14 Apr 14 - 11:58 AM

One of your guests mentions a beautiful piece sung in the moonlight. I once had an old GS pocket songbook unearthed in a church closet in about 1967 that had the words and music, but I lost it. I think it might have been originally in Italian, but don't remember for sure. It starts out
"The silver moon is shining .......outside my ...window
..something about "when you're not with me"
it had a haunting melody, the English words didn't rhyme that well, so I think it was a translation after all. I have been wishing to find that song again. There are so many that filled my life as I wore my mom's GS pin and was involved from Brownies in the 50's to post HS as a camp counselor in '67 and '68. 'Married in 1970 and finally had a daughter in 1978 to pass her grandmother's pin to (after a couple of boys). During the last couple of years of my mom's 89 years, she would ask me to "google" songs for her. Her favorite seemed to be Walk, Shepherdess Walk, which makes sense. I think it was written in the 30's. I called one morning to tell her I'd be visiting her within the hour (I work nights) and she said "Please don't plan on 'cleaning' my apartment. She was so afraid I'd throw away her stuff. I told her no, I'm bringing my guitar and we're singing GS songs. She was the happiest I had seen her in a long time. We are going to take her ashes to Hawaii this month since the happiest years of her life were her early childhood in Honolulu from about 1926-1933

Subject: RE: Old Girl Scout Songs
From: GUEST,GUEST. Great Blue Heron Council
Date: 16 Apr 14 - 02:15 PM

I was in Girl Scouts in the mid 60's early 70's. Does anyone remember a dance where two girls knelt each holding the end of a long stick (approximately 6 feet long) that held horizontally, close to the floor, about 18" apart? The sticks were rapped twice on the floor and then brought together about 3" off of the floor. The "dancer" would dance between the sticks when they were rapped on the floor, and then out when the sticks were brought together.
We also sat on the floor, and using shorter sticks, singing the same rhythmical songs, played a kind of "patty-cake".
Does anyone remember this, and can you tell me where to get more info?
Thanks

Subject: RE: Old Girl Scout Songs
From: GUEST,Theresa - Nassau Council of Girl Scouts
Date: 24 Sep 14 - 12:06 PM

The little sticks are Lemmi Sticks (or Lummi sticks, depending on which camp you went to). The bigger sticks are a Filipino folk dance done to anything with a good 3/4 beat.

Most of the songs everyone is talking about are still being sung, because we pass down what we know to younger Girl Scouts. Yes, Old Girl Scouts (those 18 and up) do sit and sing around fires, even into our 90's.

The thing to do is go to GirlScouts.org and use the Council Finder, or call 411, and tell your local council you want to volunteer, especially in outdoor programming. While teaching girls and adults to enjoy outdoor activities, you can be teaching and sharing songs, and be sure to build a campfire at night.

If camp isn't your thing, volunteer anyway and tell the member services director you want to sing--there are probably in-town workshops. We've even sung around a single log wrapped in Christmas lights.

Subject: RE: Old Girl Scout Songs
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Mar 15 - 02:51 PM

Girl Scout Camp Marapai, Prescott AZ. in the 50s Trying to find the song where we went on a pretend hike walking through the meadow, I think there was a tree, a lake and a bear and you would start out slow slapping your thighs with your hands, almost like marching through the woods, then it got a little faster but then you would have to run back real fast repeating everything you did like climbing the tree etc, til you got home. Anyone have a clue what I mean Coral Bells and Make New Friends were also my favorites. Gosh I miss those days.

Subject: RE: Old Girl Scout Songs
From: GUEST,#
Date: 18 Mar 15 - 02:54 PM

http://www.scoutsongs.com/lyrics/imetabear.html

Is that it, Guest?

Subject: ADD: Going on a Bear Hunt
From: Joe Offer
Date: 19 Mar 15 - 03:02 AM

I think the bear song requested is Goin' on a Bear Hunt. I've never heard two people sing this the same. Heck, I don't think I've ever sung it the same way twice myself. Once you have the general idea, make it up as you go along.
-Joe-

GOING ON A BEAR HUNT

(Leader)
We're going on a bear hunt!
(Group)
We're going on a bear hunt!
We're gonna catch a big one!
We're gonna catch a big one!
I'm not afraid!
I'm not afraid!
Are you?
Are you?
Not me!
Not me!
Here comes the gate
" " (Group Echos)
Now we're on a bear hunt " "
We're gonna catch a big one " "
I'm not afraid " "
Are you? " " Not me! " "
We're coming to a tall mountain " "
It sure is high " "
It sure is wide " "
Let's climb up it " "
Well, there's nothing over there " "
Nothing over there " "
Nothing back there " "
Hey! Wait! I think I see something
Quick! Everybody run down!

We're going on a bear hunt!
We're going on a bear hunt!
We're gonna catch a big one!
We're gonna catch a big one!
I'm not afraid!
I'm not afraid!
Are you?
Are you?
Not me!
Not me!
We're going thru the tall grass " "
We're going thru the short grass " "
Hey! Look! There's a little tree " "
Well, let's shinny on up it
Whoa! It gets a little skinny up here at the top
See anything over that way? " "
Anything over that way?, Uh, oh!,
Oh, no! Whoa! Agh! let's get down!

We're going on a bear hunt!
We're going on a bear hunt!
We're gonna catch a big one!
We're gonna catch a big one!
I'm not afraid!
I'm not afraid!
Are you?
Are you?
Not me!
Not me!
Oh, no! " "
It's a big puddle of mud " "
Can't go around it " "
Gotta go right thru it " "
Yeuk! " "
Well, let's go.
Squish, Sqwish, Blaaahh.

We're going on a bear hunt!
We're going on a bear hunt!
We're gonna catch a big one!
We're gonna catch a big one!
I'm not afraid!
I'm not afraid!
Are you?
Are you?
Not me!
Not me!
We're coming to a wide river " "
And there's no bridge going over it " "
No tunnel going under it " "
It's just plain old water " "
And we're gonna have to swim " "
All right, dive in!
Start swimming
Do the back stroke
Do the side stroke
Do the doggie paddle
Try the little cat paddle
OK Jump out, shake yourself off

We're going on a bear hunt!
We're going on a bear hunt!
We're gonna catch a big one!
We're gonna catch a big one!
I'm not afraid!
I'm not afraid!
Are you?
Are you?
Not me!
Not me!
Shhh, it's a cave " "
Looks like the kind of cave that B-bears live in " "
I don't know if I want to go in there
You think we oughta go in?
Are you nuts?
There's probably a bear in there
All right I'll go in, You stay here,
And if I find a bear, I'll come out and get you
And we'll all go in and grab him together
Now, quiet, don't make a sound while I'm in that cave,
Cuz if you wake him up, I'll be in trouble
Bears are awful ornery when they first wake up, you know
OK, I'm going on in
Oooo, It's dark in here
It's really dark in here
I can't see a thing
Agh, there's spiders webs
Ooo, what was that???
What's this??.... it's soft, uh oh,it's kind of fuzzy
Ahg!!!!!!!!! Run! Everybody run!!
I saw a bear!!!!
Jump in the water! Swim fast!!
Do the backstroke!
The sidestroke, the doggie paddle
Jump out of the water
Run through the mud!
Forget the tree!!
Go through the tall grass
The short grass
Quick! Go up the mountain
Down the other side
Go thru the gate
Into the house, under the bed
Under the pillow
Hide!!!!!
Uh, it's awful quiet around here
I'm not afraid
I'm not afraid
Are you?
Are you?

3/18/2015 The Bear Hunt Words & Lyrics
http://www.timmyabell.com/music/lyrics/ol/bearhunt.htm 2/4

...and another...

Goin' On a Lion Hunt
Audience echoes each line and sets up clap/lap-slapping rhythm.
Goin' on a lion hunt.
Goin to catch a big one.
I'm not afraid.
Look, what's up ahead?
Mud!
Can't go over it.
Can't go under it.
Can't go around it.
Gotta go through it. [Make sloshing sounds and move hands as if slogging.]

Following verses:
Sticks. [Snap fingers.]
Tree. [Make gestures climbing up and down.]
Gate. [Make gate-opening gestures.]
River. [Make swimming gestures.]
Cave. [Go in it and find lion. Reverse all motions quickly to get home.

http://www.scoutsongs.com/lyrics/going-on-a-lion-hunt.html

Subject: RE: Old Girl Scout Songs
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Nov 15 - 02:01 PM

I came across this YouTube channel in my search for recordings of "The Wonderful Crocodile." They don't have the wonderful one, but they do have a good crocodile song. Lots of good performances of Girl Scout songs here:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm3rne7YR7nZ3f0L_O-bDSA

Subject: RE: Old Girl Scout Songs
From: GUEST
Date: 13 May 17 - 04:35 PM

White wings, they never grow weary, they carry me (word I can't remember here) over the sea.
Night comes I long for my deary I spread out my white wings and sail home to thee.

Subject: RE: Old Girl Scout Songs
From: GUEST,judith Malone
Date: 14 Jul 17 - 11:55 AM

Does anyone have music and lyrics to a song we learned for the 1966 ( i think that the date) Roundup in Coeur D'Alene.

Look wider still

When you think you are looking wide,
Look wider still.
Behold the world that lies outside
Your windowsill.

email to: [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Old Girl Scout Songs
From: GUEST,Mary Ann
Date: 08 Aug 18 - 02:51 PM

Hope someone can recite more of this old Girl Scout song: O' re the open road we plod along, scouts are we, scouts are we. May Saqualajia hear our song, scouts are we.
... and I wonder who Saqualajia was??

Subject: RE: Old Girl Scout Songs
From: Haruo
Date: 09 Aug 18 - 12:33 AM

Sounds like a misspelling/mispronunciation of the name of the Shoshone woman, usually spelled more like Sacajawea or Sakakawea and pronounced like "sack o' juh-we’-uh", who helped guide the Lewis and Clark Expedition across the Rocky Mountains can. 1804.

Subject: RE: Old Girl Scout Songs
From: GUEST,keberoxu
Date: 11 Aug 18 - 05:02 PM

Just want to point out, from my childhood at Girl Scout Camp,
that we sang the 'Donkey Riding' song
which has its own Mudcat thread.

Subject: RE: Old Girl Scout Songs
From: GUEST,Ebor Fiddler
Date: 11 Aug 18 - 06:28 PM

In reverse- I've just posted in that very thread how I learned the song before I was five, at Girl Guide camps in England. I was not an official member of course as I don't have the requisite number of ovaries (ie, none). I still sing it some years later, with additional verses.
I was later a Boy Scout, before shorts were abolished and the organisation became a middle class baby-sitting service, and they never sang the good stuff that the girls sang. The love of singing which I got from camping with my mum's Guides never left me, which accounts for my dive into Folk Clubs when I left school and most of my life until now. Go Girls and sing!

Subject: RE: Old Girl Scout Songs
From: GUEST,Mara Alverson
Date: 10 Aug 22 - 10:34 PM

Does anyone remember the Southern Region Song from the 50's or 60's ? Here's what I remember. Would love to have the rest of the words:

Where the old Mississippi winds its lazy way
White, hot cotton balls a poppin’ on a hot bright day

Land of rich tradition, echoes of the past
Brightening the modern age


No matter where you go, no matter what you do
You can’t escape that spirit cause it catches you
And you’re caught, and you’re held
By the song that is the South