Songs for Scouts

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: GUEST,Frank Savino Jr
Date: 28 Nov 10 - 08:16 PM

I spent Friday at Sequassen and enjoyed the day with my siblings and family. Does anyone have the Camp Sequassen song that was sung at camp fires there?

Frank

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Joe DeAngelo
Date: 15 Oct 98 - 12:18 PM

I've had moderate success with "There was an old woman who swallowed a fly" , "What do you do with a drunken sailer", and "The sloop John B."

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Bo
Date: 15 Oct 98 - 12:58 AM

THE SONG at Everton Camp this year: Simple tune with silly actions.

There was a great big moose! He liked to drink a lot of Juice. This Great big moose, He liked to drink a lot of juice.

The moose's name was fred! He liked to drink his juice in bed The moose's name was fred. He liked to drink his juice in bed.

(Action chorus of silly words)

He drank his juice with care! But he spilled it on his hair He drank his juice with Care! But he spilled it on his hair.

Action chorus as silly as you can lead them

Then late by the fire! You know the moose became a squire Then, late by the fire You know the moose became a squire

Hello Sir Moose! How'd you like a little Juice Hello Sir Moose! How'd you like a little Juice!

Does anyone know where the heart of this song comes from? Or who might have originally written it?

Bo

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Joe Offer
Date: 15 Oct 98 - 12:47 AM

Allan, you've got me beat by a long shot. At most, I did 30 years in Scouting, and now I'm retired - my Cub Scout pack folded. I sure like your song. Brings back memories, I'll tell ya.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Joe DeAngelo
Date: 15 Oct 98 - 12:27 AM

I've had moderate success with "There was an old woman who swallowed a fly" , "What do you do with a drunken sailer", and "The sloop John B."

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Allan S.
Date: 14 Oct 98 - 07:39 PM

Joe offer you only have how many years in Scouting I have 47 Help Years ago At camp Sequassen Chief Bogan would sing the following song at the final banquet

A scoutmasters life is a blessing a Blessing I never could see
For the only thing that the campers do is just to pester me.

Have you got change for a quarter will you show me a hickory tree
My hat fell down in the La La La wilyou fish it out for me

What time does the trading post open do they give away meal tickets free?
Trail camp is having a free for all down by the lavatory

When I get back to New Haven away from the campers and free
I will lock my self in a padded cell so they can not pester me

How about On top of old smokey and all its variations,

Allan

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Joe Offer
Date: 19 Sep 98 - 02:56 PM

Say, kids, if you're in the mood for obnoxious songs and such, Click here. I think this is the most extensive collection of camp songs I've encountered. There are some mistakes in spelling and content, I suppose, but I guess we can chalk that up to the "folk process" or the "oral tradition." Whatever the case, it sure is a great collection.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Joe Offer
Date: 09 Jul 98 - 07:03 PM

Congratulations, Bo!!! Pretty soon, you'll start feeling the effects of the biggest lie ever told in Scouting, "It's only an hour a week!" I finally escaped, after about 25 years, but I enjoyed every hour of it.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Bo
Date: 09 Jul 98 - 02:23 PM

When this thread came around the first time, there was no way that I was going to be singing for cubs\scouts. Things have changed! It was great to remember this thread as a resource, thank you folks.

Bo

A special thanks to Joe.

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Ralph Butts
Date: 11 Apr 98 - 12:12 PM

Also try:

Campfire Sing-Along Index
http://www.achilles.net/~cco/dir-cam.htm

Campfire Song Book - indexed by title
http://www.web.co.za/scouts/songs/title.html

ScoutBase UK - Campfire Songs
http://www.scoutbase.org.uk/camping/campfire/songs.htm

....Tiger

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 Apr 98 - 11:31 AM

Here's a link to A Prairie Home Companion Camp-Song Songbook. I proudly point out that there were songs submitted by Offers on both sides of the continent. My sister and I are both former camp counselors - or maybe it's more correct to say we've been camp counselors all our lives....
-Joe Offer, back from a week at camp-

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Joe Offer
Date: 30 Aug 97 - 01:40 AM

I almost forgot - there's a wonderful book called "Creative Campfires," by Douglas R. Bowen. I think it's still available from Thorne Printing Company, Inc., 623 - 12th Avenue Road, Nampa, Idaho 83651.
This book saved me any number of times when I was in the creativity doldrums. It has skits, jokes, stories, stunts, and SONGS. Good stuff.
Oh, and then there's a little lifesaver book published by the Boy Scouts called "Group Meeting Sparklers," which I think is the absolute best book the Scouts ever published (the Cub Scout Activity Book runs a close second). I hope it's still in print.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Jerry Friedman
Date: 29 Aug 97 - 06:47 PM

To get back to something mentioned earlier, the "theme from The Bridge on the River Kwai" is indeed called "Colonel Bogie" (Bogey?). It was used by Comet in commercials before my time--"Comet, it makes your sink turn green." The other parodies are presumably the work of some inspired madman.

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: yoicks
Date: 29 Aug 97 - 11:49 AM

Oh, joy! I love the internet when I find people who are interested in the same stuff I am. I did a lot of singing as a girl scout in the mid-sixties to early seventies, and am currently trying to make myself a sort of a list of the songs I remember. It just keeps getting longer! But in the search for lyrics I stumbled across a book called SONG FEST, edited by Dick and Beth Best with versions from 1948 and 1955 which is worth trying to find through interlibrary loan. Lots of rude, funny songs with appeal to teens (although some of them are really offensive, so pick with care and change words!) as well as some lovely songs that I remember quite fondly. The books were done for the Intercollegiate Outing Club Association. Included are tunes like "Pink Pajamas" "The Hearse Song" and a number of parodies. "Throw it Out the Window" is there too.

Short funny and repeating songs seem to work best with kids who are not used to singing, but once they can carry a tune reliably, rounds and canons are popular.

Yoicks! and away!

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Bill in Alabama
Date: 29 Aug 97 - 09:25 AM

There is an Official Scout Songbook at the following: www.usscouts.scouter.com/songs/songbook.html

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Aug 97 - 04:07 AM

Lora in PA, I think "Threw it Out the Window" is much, much older than Trout Fishing in America. I think it was in the Boy Scout or Cub Scout songbook years ago. I learned it in Scouts in the 1950's. I can't remember much of it, but here's a verse for example's sake:
Old Mother Hubbard
Went to the cupboard
To get her poor dog a bone
But when she got there
The cupboard was
So she threw it out the window, the window, the second-story window.
And so forth.

I wish I could find some of those old Scout songbooks I used to have,
Since they're worth a lot of money now
But I never really liked them
So I threw them out the window.....

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Alice
Date: 21 Aug 97 - 08:22 PM

Did you ever see a rubber stamp? a tooth pick? a foot powder? Now you tell us one.

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Wolfgang
Date: 21 Aug 97 - 04:25 AM

Laoise, Rechal,

I'm slow, sometimes. I pondered about the last line in your Post, Laoise, without success. Rechal's post made me understand it.

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Lora in Pa
Date: 21 Aug 97 - 01:00 AM

Hey - we THINK we came up with a good idea. What dya'all think of it? We decided this summer to try to make a tape Of general sing alongs/ patriotic songs/ standard folk & classic songs and finally of "each den make up their own verse " songs. Then at the beginning of the year we're planning to give a copy of the tape & lyrics to each den leader. They'll learn a song or two in dens before each pack meeting. We kinda thought one of the biggest problems was with getting everyone to know the words. If it "dies" while you're trying to get a group thing going because no one remembers the words, it's hard to resurrect it - or even to attempt another. When they know them it - it's much better Here's a few we found to be great - On top of spaghetti - One Bottle of Pop (round) Salvation Army ( change change it a little if you find it objectionable ) This Land is your Land Throw it out the window (Trout fishings version of nursery rhymes) PS We've got a scouting web site started(barely) - so all you scouters visit us & send us some songs - we'll make a site of them at www.directquest.com/Scouting.htm

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: rechal
Date: 20 Aug 97 - 03:40 PM

Did you ever see a fish fry? cat box? dog bowl? Now you tell us one.

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Laoise, Belfast
Date: 20 Aug 97 - 12:07 PM

Sorry, I couldn't resist posting another one before I leave the office.

Did you ever see a P C...geddit?

Laoise (should have typed anon!)

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Laoise, Belfast
Date: 20 Aug 97 - 12:03 PM

Wolfgang,

I would have much more trouble understanding German songs since the only German I know comes from Yiddish. Geshundheit!

I found the repertoire of the boy scouts very amusing and I doubt many English speakers on listening to those songs would have a clue to what they were referring to.

I was once lucky enough to be friends with a German girl who was living in London, who belonged to a very exclusive folk club in Germany. She gave me a wee book that the group had produced with some lovely folk tunes, lyrics and music from England, Scotland, Ireland and America. The artistry in the book was brilliant. From my experience, German people are much more interested in British Folk music than English people.

Cheers for the site, it was fun to go through.

Did you ever see an arm chair, a book mark, a hat stand, a paper clip...Now you tell us one. - I LIKE this game!

Laoise.

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Whip
Date: 20 Aug 97 - 10:25 AM

Square dance, bed spring, shaving mug....

Now you tell us one.

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Sharon
Date: 20 Aug 97 - 07:56 AM

One of my favorites, we sang from tent to tent?

Did you ever see a deer fly, a deer fly, a deer fly? Did you ever see a deer fly, now you tell us one.

Cake walk, Cookie stand, etc... What other lines could we use?

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Wolfgang
Date: 20 Aug 97 - 04:56 AM

Laoise,
I do not know whether they are actually singing all of these songs, but this mixture of English, German, Pop, and Folk, old and young gives you in general a good idea of their singing. We are exposed (radio) to about 50% English music, 40 % German, and 10% French, Italian, and Spanish. So English is eagerly accepted as a language for singing, whether you understand the words or not.
When I was a boy scout, we nearly exclusively sang songs in German language though several of them were translated from other languages. Little we cared about folk or pop origin. But when we first went abroad (Scotland) our scoutmaster insisted we learned songs in English as well (in case we were asked to sing; we were, of course, but people prefered us singing in German). So I learned "Should old acquaintance..." and "Loch Lomond" without understanding the words then.
Later on we enjoyed singing everything which could be considered raunchy, or in any respect objectionable. So we thought it fun to sing "God shave the queen" or "We make Ian Paisley join the IRA" in the streets of Belfast.
In my experience, the love of singing just anything comes first, and the real understanding of the lyrics and the developing of a taste for the music comes later. But of course a parent or educator can influence that taste. And I'm doing the best I can with my baby daughter.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Joe Offer
Date: 19 Aug 97 - 04:13 PM

Good memory, Laoise! "Aba Daba Honeymoon" was sung by a very young Debbie Reynolds in the 1950 MGM musical called "Two Weeks With Love." Ricardo Montalban and Jane Powell were also in the movie, which was set in a camp in the Catskill Mountains of New York. Corny movie, but cute.

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From:
Date: 19 Aug 97 - 12:23 PM

"I Had A Dog And His Name Was Blue" is a personal favorite of mine. Kids (all right, my friends and I) seem to enjoy really stretching out the "Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere, Ole Blue" part.

Have you tried a simple blues riff that kids can make up lyrics to? That can keep both grownups and kids happily occupied for hours. Last summer, I spent an evening with about eight adults and four kids making up lyrics about the evening, each other, and the kids' large dog, who was named Buck. My contribution was: (to the tune of (I had me a cat...the cat says fiddle-i-fee.)

I had me a dog, and his name was Buck

Wish I could think of something

That rhymed with Buck....

Years ago, one of my girlfriends had a boyfriend named Bud, whom we called Buddha. Buddha owned a small landscaping company, and we spent many happy hours extolling his praises to the tune that drill sergeants sing when marching their recruits around the base. (I'm sure the tune has a name, but I can't think of it.)

Buddha's gang works real hard

They put the voodoo on your yard.

Buddha's got a pickup truck

Your friends will say your yard don't suck.

Buddha there and Buddha here

Buddha wanna have a beer

(Nobody ever said these verses had to make sense.)

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Laoise, Belfast
Date: 19 Aug 97 - 10:57 AM

Wolfgang, Is this what young German kids are singing these days? Mother Mary, there's songs about transvestites (Walk on the Wild Side & Lola) drug related songs (Cocaine & Needle and the damage done) and songs with explicit sexual lyrics (Honkytonk Woman).

I wonder if they understand English?

I'm always a sucker for a camp fire and always have my guitar ready just in case. My favourites when I was younger were the Monkeys- here we come, that song from the Jungle book, you know the one sung by the Orangatan - I'm the king of the Jungle... My Dad taught me a song once but I've long since forgotten it - it went something like "Aba daba daba daba daba daba dab, said the Monkey to the Chimp" Anyone know it? It was sung in a film by Debbie Reynolds (I think).

When we were very young (6 - 12) my sisters, my cousins and I used to put on shows for my parents, Grandparents and relatives. We used to do themes like orphan Annie, making up our own songs or singing any song we knew vaguely. One time my Dad overheard us rehersing and came into the room in fits of hysterics. He told us, between giggles, that the song we were doing wouldn't be suitable for our Grandparents. It was a song we had learnt off the TV comedy programme "Not the Nine O'Clock News" and the chorus went "I like trucking, I like trucking, I like trucking and I like to truck". We were totally innocent of the implications of the lyrics.

So I guess German kids aren't the only ones being subjected to raunchy lyrics.

Putting on our own shows when we were kids was excellent fun. We would all get our own bit to do as well as singing in harmony. We acted a bit, we even did our own made-up adverts in the interval! We would dress up and set up a stage with spotlights on us so that it really was like producing our own show. As far as our parents were concerned, it kept us quiet and occupied, although there were always arguments as to who got the lead role etc.

ah - those were the days!

Laoise.

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Alice
Date: 18 Aug 97 - 08:11 PM

The book "Wee Sing Silly Songs" is a treasure of camp and kids songs. Included is this one... I can't at the moment remember the original title of the tune.

Go Get The Ax

Peepin' through the knothole of Grandpa's wooden leg
Who'll wind the clock when I am gone?
Go get the ax. There's a flea in Lizzie's ear,
And a boy's best friend is his mother.

I fell from the window, a second story window,
Why do they build the shore so near the ocean?
Who cut the sleeves out of dear old Daddy's vest?
And dug up Fido's bones to build the sewer?

A horsey stood around with his feet upon the ground,
Oh, who will wind the clock when I am gone?
Go get the ax, there's a fly on Lizzie's ear,
And a boy's best friend is his mother.

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Jon W
Date: 18 Aug 97 - 07:12 PM

Rechal, I was taught the pink pajamas song as a scout in California. We had another verse that went like this (referring to the BSA region we were in):

That's the way they do in Utah, Arizona and Nevada
California and Hawaii, out west in Region Twelve

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From:
Date: 18 Aug 97 - 06:33 PM

I remember singing "Dunderbeck" at summer camp--suitably gruesome. Also, try searching for @teaser in the DT. Until the kids get used to singing, you might want to avoid the serious songs or stick with irresistible ones like "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot".

Let's not forget "When it's Hog-Calling Time in Nebraska".

I was just now astonished to find that "birds in the wilderness" doesn't hit anything in the DT. In Dorothy Sayers's classic mystery novel and play _Busman's Honeymoon_ (c. 1938), there's to be a choral recital in the village, and the folk part of the program includes "Shenandoah" (a worthwhile suggestion for older campers, by the way--start soft and get loud) and "Down in Demerara". The characters see the latter song listed on an advance program and all start singing it, even Lord and Lady Peter Wimsey:

Here we sit like birds in the wilderness, [etc.]
Down in Demerara.

Now this old man he took and died-a-lum, [etc.]
Down in Demerara.

Is this the original of which the kybo seats and their like are parodies? Does anyone know any more about it?

Boys old enough for changed voices might enjoy "Deep River" and "The Mariners' Hymn" ("Eternal Father, strong to save...").

On a car trip a few months ago, I sang "Four Wet Pigs" to a ten-year-old girl and was "rewarded" by incessant requests during the next few days.

And now as a contribution to the DT, here's one my brother and sister learned at Red Raider Camp in Russell Twp., Ohio, in the late '60s.

Corn

What did we do when we needed corn?
Plowed and we sowed in the early morn. (repeat verse)

Chorus: Our hands are strong, our hearts are young,
Our dreams are the dreaming of all ages long.

What did we do when we needed a town?
Hammered and we nailed till the sun went down. (repeat verse)

Chorus

What do we do when there's peace to be won?
More than one man has to do all alone.
We gather friends from the ends of the earth
To lend us a hand in the hour of birth.

We'll plow, we'll sow, we'll hammer and we'll nail,
We'll work all day till peace is will.*

Chorus

*"till peace prevail", maybe?

Does anyone know where this song is from?

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: rechal
Date: 18 Aug 97 - 03:45 PM

Anybody ever sing this one (to the tune of Battle Hymn of the Republic):

I wear my pink pajamas in the summer when it's hot

And I wear my flannel nightie in the winter when it's not

And sometimes in the blooming spring

And sometimes in the fall

I jump right in between the sheets with nothing on at all!

Glory, glory, what's it to ya? (3x)

If I jump right in between the sheets with nothing on at all!

This was considered quite racy among the nine-year old set.

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Jon W.
Date: 18 Aug 97 - 12:57 PM

Variations of "Greasy Grimy Gopher Guts" I've heard from scouts in my troop, and camp staff:

Here we sit like birds in the wilderness...waiting to be fed.

Here we sit like flies on a garbage pail...waiting for the rest to come.

Here we sit like flies on a kybo seat...waiting...

Kybo (pronouced with a long I in first syllable) is what the camp staffs around here call a latrine or porta-potti. It stands for Keep Your Bowels Open.

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Barry Finn
Date: 17 Aug 97 - 10:58 AM

Joe, sorry to here that, I'm sure you could pass on stuff that would be well remembered & enjoyed. My 6th grade teacher (a nun), taught us Dylan's A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall, right after he recorded it, when the folk boom of the 60's hit I was ready for it. Barry

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Aug 97 - 12:55 AM

Barry, the old Boy Scout Songbooks have become collectables. People get big bucks for those things now. They were pretty good songbooks Way Back When, but they've edited most of the fun songs out of the newer editions, for fear of being politically incorrect. We renegade scout leaders have preserved the canon of disgusting and obnoxious songs, passing them on by photocopy or word of mouth. As you say, the old songbooks had chanteys and all sorts of good stuff. I'm afraid nobody has tried to continue their use in Scouts. I tried to teach some of the old songs at a leader training session once, and was told to stick to the official songbook after that.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Barry Finn
Date: 16 Aug 97 - 09:38 PM

15 yrs ago a fellow living a few boats over showed me his scout songbook (1935 or 36), he had been a former sea scout & sailed on a tall ship, way back, with them. The book had alot of very interesting material in it, including something Stan Hugill had been looking to authenticate ( Way Hey For Boston Town O). As a scoutmaster it may still be available to you. Barry

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: PattyG
Date: 16 Aug 97 - 04:09 PM

What?! You never sang "99 Bottles of Beer On The Wall"?!

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Joe Offer
Date: 16 Aug 97 - 04:08 AM

Well, I'll tell ya, the longest song I ever sang was "The Ants Go Marching." Somebody asked me to lead 1500 Scouts in that song, but some sort of distraction came up just as I was starting the song. Nobody sang along, but there was no gracious way for me to stop singing. So, I sang all the way up to ten. I had sung that song with Scouts many times before and since without any problem; but that one time, the song seemed to last forever.
I do think the song is now a little too "young" for kids over 12 or so.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Bill
Date: 15 Aug 97 - 11:49 PM

Howdy Jon W and All,

I've been away from it for several years, but I worked at Scout summer camps for many summers and was a Scoutmaster for about 15 years. I only remember one instance of a scout wanting to listen to recorded music on the trail. I was able to work through that one, and Ididn't mind some of the other music in camp as long as it didn't invade somebody else's (most often mine) space. I was not so kind, and would subject everyone to my singing constantly. And people joined in very often including lots of teenagers.

I guess a certain firmness of attitude (we're going to do this whether you like it or not (and eventually you probably will end up liking it)), a really noticeable love of the songs and sharing them, and developing in as many scouts as possible the ability to lead at least one song themselves (always giving support to what was right, not criticism of what was wrong) led them to have enough confidence that I never had problems getting troops or camps full of scouts (and parents) to sing or to lead songs.

Most of it at summer camp was done at the dining hall (after the meal or waiting in line for the meal (not sharing the music always seemed like a real drawback to jamboree-style cooking instead of having a central dining hall)) with different staff members recruited to lead the songs (and eventually after enough years at a given camp, would get volunteers from campers and leaders); at ceremonies such as flag raising or lowering; and for the culmination, at campfire programs with (depending on the size of the camp) every patrol being responsible for doing a skit and/or leading a song (both at small camps and just the one they signed up for (as long as it was a balanced program) if it was a large camp. The idea that they were not the only ones having to get up and make fools of themselves made a real difference. Those campfire programs almost always followed the course of the campfire with building songs and activities at the beginning, bright and blazing things in the middle, and a couple of quiet songs and a story or two at the end with the Scoutmaster's (Campmaster's) Minute. The use of carefully chosen cheer master(s) to help recognize all but the final performance(s) (and here, a touch of criticism might find it's way in with dud cheers for dud performances) kept things going and added to the enthusiasm.

At the troop level, the same kinds of things would happen at campfires and ceremonies. Since I was able to help the scouts have fun with those, I was able to go the next step to get the PLC or TLC (or whatever initials are presently used for the scouts who lead the troop) to include a song in the opening and closing at each troop meeting so that they would have more material to draw upon for those campfire times. This also allowed the teaching of more songs.

The material came from the scout materials (Songbook, Boys' Life or Scouting, Roundtable helps, Cub Scout materials) or from my own folk-style background. I was usually about the only one who played an instrument, and I would introduce and use whatever I could lay my hands on from recorders to dulcimers to autoharp to guitars and more. There were even times when scouts brought their band or orchestra instruments along for special occasions and we would rehearse together.

But the overall key was that most of the songs were done a cappella, with plenty of repetition, started with easy or well-known things and worked into ones that took more ability or concentration, that scouts were given the chance (forced) to lead songs as soon as they seemed ready, encouraged to make a song their own so that they would have something to lead every time they needed to (until they decided to build a greater repertoire), and (I've left this out before) songs with motions were really encouraged so that even those who didn't sing (no confidence, voice changing, or that teacher who had told them that they couldn't sing) could still begin to participate and gradually gain confidence while keeping the new leader from feeling like the total center of attention since everyone else was also doing crazy things (and if the adult leaders refuse to do those crazy things, the scouts will also refuse and most of this will not work).

I led and introduced many songs (changing constantly) and used instrumental accompaniment when it seemed appropriate (but didn't rely on it all the time since I knew the scouts wouldn't learn to lead the songs if that was all they heard me do) and every once in a while accompanied somebody else if asked.

I knew I'd go on a long time here, but it's certainly too long now. There were some incredibly inspirational moments and great memories from all of that time singing in scouting, but that's another thread if anyone is interested.

Allinkausay,
Bill

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Peter T.
Date: 15 Aug 97 - 02:15 PM

Yes, they are brief works of a kind of awesome genius. Arrid-marrid. Who could think up such things? Such is the wisdom of the unsung folk heroes who create these deathless parodies. May their memory be praised. Yours, Peter

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Jon W.
Date: 15 Aug 97 - 12:19 PM

The whistle tune is called (Colonel?) (General?) Bogie's March, I believe. I remember the Comet verse from those days, thanks for the other verses!

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: PattyG
Date: 14 Aug 97 - 10:39 PM

Yes! That's it, I'm sure!

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Alice
Date: 14 Aug 97 - 08:47 PM

Was the whistle tune in "Breakfast Club" the "Bridge Over the River Kwai"? I think it fits the comet lyrics above... Alice

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: PattyG
Date: 14 Aug 97 - 07:39 PM

Wow! What fun this has been:) How could I have forgotten about "Do Lord!"???? Your lists brought to mind even more tunes. How about, "Stuck My Head In A Little Skunk's HOle", "John Brown's Body" (cold upon his chest), "Them Bones Gonna Rise Again", "Climbing Jacob's Ladder", "He's Got The Whole World In HIs Hands" and yes, I can hear that tune they whistled in "Breakfast Club", but no, I can't think of the title! The lyrics shared work perfectly though! (And do I really remember "Michael Rode The Boat Ashore" or would that just be a pretty one to sing? Oh! And "Where Have All The Flowers Gone"......gee.....can we all get together somewhere and sit around a campfire so we can sing these lovely tunes??!

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Bob Landry
Date: 14 Aug 97 - 01:01 PM

Everything worked in my days as a Beaver leader. Those 5 to 7 year olds were willing to sing anything. I found Cub-aged kids to be tougher to please but you could still pick tunes out ot the standard boy scout song books - Start with "Mctavish is Dead" and get progressively gruesome from there. My last three years as a Scout leader wer frustrating from a musical perspective. I, a child of the 50's and 60's, found it difficult to compete with commercial radio. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. I started to do rock & roll music. "Paint It Black" caught their attention. So did the Beatles' version of "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean" played it with a fast Chuck Berry rhythm.

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From:
Date: 14 Aug 97 - 12:57 PM

I haven't sung with kids in years, but in my experience, anything gross seems to go over well. In particular, I still hold close to my heart a series of songs set to a common military-type melody. I have no idea what this tune is called, but it's the one that the kids whistle in "The Breakfast Club." Some lyrics are:

Comet

Will make your teeth turn green

Comet

It tastes like gasoline

Comet

Will make you vomit

So get some Comet, and vomit, today!

Ajax

Will make your teeth turn blue

Ajax

It smells like Elmer's Glue

Ajax

Will make you relax

So get some Ajax, and relax, today!

Arrid

It keeps your armpits dry

Arrid

It makes you smell, "Oh, my!"

Arrid

Helps you get marrid

So get Arrid, and marrid, today!

Obviously, the possibilities are endless.

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Jon W.
Date: 14 Aug 97 - 12:42 PM

Thanks for the suggestions, and thanks to Joe for starting this thread separate. I believe I'll do what Peter T. suggests and get guitars in their hands.

I'll just add my 2 cents - some of the things I've tried that have worked. 1 - I used a sea shanty called "Strike the Bell" to give a lesson on teamwork. I played a recording of it done by a talented local group for the lesson. The scouts showed so much interest I taught it to them and we sang it at a court of honor, and got started on the Music merit badge that way. Conclusion: Let them hear a rollicking good recording of it so they'll know it's not just something "dumb old Jon" made up, and they'll be more inclined to learn it.

2 - I got them to build flutes (recorders or whistles, really) out of plastic pipe (another Music MB requirement fulfilled). Side note: there is a good recipe for these in the book _Making Wood Folk Instruments_ by Dennis Waring.

Please keep the suggestions coming & thanks again.

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Alice
Date: 14 Aug 97 - 12:20 PM

Yellowstone National Park is celebrating it's 125th year, and this summer the NPR "Prairie Home Companion" visited complete with Garrison and others singing camp songs. Kids like the most irreverent and bizarre lyrics that they can get away with. You can probably get a copy of the program from NPR. There were some witty and heartwarming songs I had never heard, as well as the classics..."Great Big Gobs of Greasy, Grimy, Gopher Guts", et.al. For the teens, taking pop or rock songs and letting them ad lib, make up their own lyrics might work. Alice

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: Whippoorwill
Date: 14 Aug 97 - 11:17 AM

Some of our camp favorites were:

I've Got Sixpence
Sippin' Cider
John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt
T'was On the Broad Atlantic
Young Folks, Old folks, and surprisingly,
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
Do Lord, and
This World Is Not My Home.

Subject: RE: Songs for Scouts
From: PattyG
Date: 14 Aug 97 - 10:59 AM

Gosh, what delightful memories come flooding back as I have read your recollections of scout and camping! I guess I would put "camp" songs into two groups - those sung on the bus on the way there and those sung at dusk around the campfire. (bus songs) Let's All Go Down To Washington D.C. They Built The Ship Titanic The Hot dog Man It's A Ford (got a little old pile of tin) Rise And Shine And Give God Your Glory Down By The Riverside Old Millstream (Down By The Old Latrine:) (mellow fireside songs) Tell Me Why White Choral Bells (upon a tender stalk) You Are My Sunshine Come By Here (Kumbiya sp?)

Many, many more, but I'm drawing a blank. Such good times and such good songs! Anyone else?