There is another thread on a bawdy version of this song, Lyr Add: We Are Warriors - Rugby Chant - Song(?), but I'd get in real trouble if I sent Cub Scouts to that thread...
I posted the lyrics back in 2015 on a generic Girl Scout songs thread, but I couldn't find it when I was looking for it a few days ago. I think this song deserves its own thread.
Thread #11100 Message #3695200
Posted By: Joe Offer
19-Mar-15 - 03:02 AM
Thread Name: Old Girl Scout Songs
Subject: ADD: Going on a Bear Hunt
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
And there is a Traditional Ballad Index entry on this song:
Bear Hunt DESCRIPTION: "Going on a bear hunt Wanna come along?" "Coming to the short grass, Can’t go around it, Can’t go under it, Gotta go through it." "Coming to the tall grass, Can't go around..." Eventually they find a bear in a cave -- and run
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 2014 (Averill-CampSongsFolkSongs)
KEYWORDS: animal humorous campsong
FOUND IN:
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Averill-CampSongsFolkSongs, pp. 240, 324, "Bear Hunt" (notes only)
Delamar-ChildrensCountingOutRhymes, pp. 38-39, "The Bear Hunt" (1 text)
NOTES [41 words]: In the mudcat.org thread "Old Girl Scout Songs," Joe Offer comments, "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." - RBW
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File: ACSF240B
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