At my camp, whenever a meal was especially delicious, we would sing this song and the cook would come to the door from the kitchen to the mess hall and take a bow.
Showing posts with label summer camp. Show all posts
Showing posts with label summer camp. Show all posts
Camp Song Karaoke #3: Titanic
No song has been more popular across the years for every kind of kid at summer camp than "Titanic." It's a a fun, lively song about a tragedy, so maybe that combination is a winner. In any event, I arranged this for a virtual marching band to emphasize the fun and lively aspect.
Camp Song Karaoke
I've put together instrument versions of a few camp songs, using them as the basis for videos with onscreen lyrics. You can sing along karaoke style - feel free to record yourself and upload the results on your favorite social media sites. Or maybe you just want to learn a new song or refresh your memories of a melody or lyric. Of course, my version may not be the same as yours, so please share any differences in the comments. I'm always interested in variations of these great singalong songs.
Here's the first one, a sweet song about romance on the water:
"The Ash Grove" and its Welsh origins
Many camps and youth groups sing "The Ash Grove," a lovely song about the memories evoked by a walk in the woods. The melody is the same one used in the original version of the song, which appeared in Wales in the early 19th Century. The title, "Llwyn Onn," is Welsh for "ash grove."
In the grand Ash-grove Palace, there lived a bold chieftain
And he was a squire and ruler of the land.
He had a fair daughter with many to court her
But none would she take for to give up her hand
Save her sweetheart, so handsome, so poor but of pure heart.
Her father unwilling and threatening the worst
Did shoot at the lad, but the bowstring was twisted
So crooked the arrow struck deep in her breast.
Too late to recall the dart back to the bowstring,
The poor girl lay dying, so mournful and sad.
In anger, the squire, his sword at the ready,
Did thrust at the heart of the unflinching lad.
Oh wealth is a master, so old and so peevish,
And from its cruel clutches she desperately strove.
"'Tis better to die by my own lover's side
Than to live in sorrow in the Palace Ash-grove."
Let's listen to both versions, each sung by a popular baritone in decades past. First, the modern version:
And here is the Welsh version:
Whatever the lyrics or language, the song retains its haunting beauty.
Tattoo Song (Daisy on My Toe
Many summer camps and Girl Scout troops sing this song:
What they often don't know is who wrote what is generally known as "There's a Daisy on My Toe." In fact, most seem to assume it's a folk song, handed down over so many years that no one remembers where it originated. It's time to correct that misconception.
What they often don't know is who wrote what is generally known as "There's a Daisy on My Toe." In fact, most seem to assume it's a folk song, handed down over so many years that no one remembers where it originated. It's time to correct that misconception.
In fact, "Tattoo Song" (the actual title) debuted in 1965 on a best-selling album by the Smothers Brothers, "Mom Always Liked You Best." Like most of the duo's cuts, it combines humor and music.
So who wrote it? A man who has been awarded an Emmy and two Grammys. A man who is an accomplished guitarist, comedian, artist, poet and author. His name is Mason Williams, and he is best known for ""Classical Gas," a huge hit in 1968 whose popularity has never waned in the decades since its release.
Williams received his two Grammy Awards for composing and performing "Classical Gas." At the time, he was head writer for the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, a groundbreaking, controversial and popular television variety show. For this work, he landed his Emmy.
So who wrote it? A man who has been awarded an Emmy and two Grammys. A man who is an accomplished guitarist, comedian, artist, poet and author. His name is Mason Williams, and he is best known for ""Classical Gas," a huge hit in 1968 whose popularity has never waned in the decades since its release.
Williams received his two Grammy Awards for composing and performing "Classical Gas." At the time, he was head writer for the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, a groundbreaking, controversial and popular television variety show. For this work, he landed his Emmy.
Somehow, this song migrated from an album cut on a comedy album to the repertoire of summer camps far and wide. One side effect, which I am sure is not limited to my camp, is a fair number of counselors have actually gotten tattoos on their toes.
Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
Perhaps the most reviled camp song, at least in some circles, "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" is a lively tune that is easy to learn. So why the animosity? Because it involves standing up and, essentially, doing calisthenics for five minutes as you touch each body part every time you sing its name (or hum it).
So any campers or staff who are sitting at the dining table, groggily finishing breakfast, let out a moan when they hear the song leader chirp, "Everybody stand!" They know what's coming. HSKandT.
After singing though the song once, it is repeated at a slightly faster tempo, this time humming the word "head" instead of singing it. Third time through, even faster and also humming the next body part (shoulders). Repeat (one body part at a time) until the entire song is hummed at a frantic pace. Finish by reprising the original tempo and singing all the words.
Head, shoulders knees and toes, knees and toes
Head, shoulders knees and toes, knees and toes
And eyes and ear and mouth and nose
Head, shoulders knees and toes, knees and toes
The song is sung to the tune of "There's a Tavern in the Town," which can be traced back at least as far as the 1883 edition of William H. Hill's Student Songs, a popular songbook at Ivy league colleges. I assume some student revised the words one summer while working at a camp and HSKandT spread from there.
The song was popularized by Rudy Vallee, one of the most popular entertainers in the early days of mass media. He released two versions in 1934 (under the title "The Drunkard Song"), the second of which featured Vallee losing control and laughing away in the middle of the song:
So any campers or staff who are sitting at the dining table, groggily finishing breakfast, let out a moan when they hear the song leader chirp, "Everybody stand!" They know what's coming. HSKandT.
After singing though the song once, it is repeated at a slightly faster tempo, this time humming the word "head" instead of singing it. Third time through, even faster and also humming the next body part (shoulders). Repeat (one body part at a time) until the entire song is hummed at a frantic pace. Finish by reprising the original tempo and singing all the words.
Head, shoulders knees and toes, knees and toes
Head, shoulders knees and toes, knees and toes
And eyes and ear and mouth and nose
Head, shoulders knees and toes, knees and toes
The song is sung to the tune of "There's a Tavern in the Town," which can be traced back at least as far as the 1883 edition of William H. Hill's Student Songs, a popular songbook at Ivy league colleges. I assume some student revised the words one summer while working at a camp and HSKandT spread from there.
The song was popularized by Rudy Vallee, one of the most popular entertainers in the early days of mass media. He released two versions in 1934 (under the title "The Drunkard Song"), the second of which featured Vallee losing control and laughing away in the middle of the song:
This recording reached #6 on the pop charts.
Returning to HSKandT, there are many versions of this on YouTube, but almost all of them are aimed an nursery school kids, with versions from all of the usual suspects: The Wiggles, Sesame Street, Teletubbies, etc. But the song works just as well with a bunch of teenagers who could use a little waking up.
That said, I'll end with a cute version I found, performed by young children learning English in Thailand:
A book about camp songs
Just a quick note to share something I recently came across, a book that was published last year titled "Camp Songs, Folk Songs" by Patricia Averill. She has a website with an exhaustive list of songs as well as information about her book and herself.
This is not a songbook, FYI, but an academic book about the history and usage of these types of songs. If that's of interest, check it out. I'll be doing the same.
This is not a songbook, FYI, but an academic book about the history and usage of these types of songs. If that's of interest, check it out. I'll be doing the same.
The Ultimate Camp Song Playlist
It's still a work in progress, but here is a new playlist I've put up on Spotify:
Ultimate Summer Camp Songs
I'm about halfway through the @200 songs listed on the right side of this page. The low hanging fruit is gone but I'll do my best to add the missing songs. Some simply aren't anywhere to be found, some are under different names, etc.
If you know of any that I've missed - or have versions that you think are better than the ones I've selected - please let me know in the comments.
In the meantime, you can spend the next five and a half hours listening to camp songs, if you are so inclined...
Ultimate Summer Camp Songs
I'm about halfway through the @200 songs listed on the right side of this page. The low hanging fruit is gone but I'll do my best to add the missing songs. Some simply aren't anywhere to be found, some are under different names, etc.
If you know of any that I've missed - or have versions that you think are better than the ones I've selected - please let me know in the comments.
In the meantime, you can spend the next five and a half hours listening to camp songs, if you are so inclined...
"One Tin Soldier" - Song #38
This past summer, one of the more popular songs among both girls and boys at Camp Ajawah was "One Tin Soldier," a pop song from the early 1970s. Unlike many camp songs, its origins are clear and the writers are still alive. OTS was written by Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter, who wrote many Top 40 hits, from "Don't Pull Your Love Out On Me Baby" to "Ain't No Woman Like The One I've Got."
Dennis Lambert was nice enough to do a Q+A with me. You can read at my other music blog, which consists of interviews with pop musicians. The name of the blog says it all: One Song, Seven Questions.
Please check it out. In the meantime, here's the original version of the song from 1969:
Dennis Lambert was nice enough to do a Q+A with me. You can read at my other music blog, which consists of interviews with pop musicians. The name of the blog says it all: One Song, Seven Questions.
Please check it out. In the meantime, here's the original version of the song from 1969:
Wha Saw the 42nd sheet music
As mentioned in my last post, "Wha Saw the 42nd" has attracted more interest than any other song on this blog to date. The variation we sing at Camp Ajawah has slightly different words and melody than what I find elsewhere online. Most of what's available is a version for bagpipes, and the other traditional versions I have found mention nothing about singing it as a round.
So I created sheet music for Ajawah's version. We sing the song three times through, with each group starting the song two beats after the prior group. You can sing it with any number of groups. While the audio on my last post may not be clear enough, perhaps you can hear how it starts with "wha saw... wha saw... wha saw" as each group joins in. And as each group finishes, the song ends with "bramble briar... bramble briar... bramble briar."
If you end up singing our version, please let me know in the comments.
So I created sheet music for Ajawah's version. We sing the song three times through, with each group starting the song two beats after the prior group. You can sing it with any number of groups. While the audio on my last post may not be clear enough, perhaps you can hear how it starts with "wha saw... wha saw... wha saw" as each group joins in. And as each group finishes, the song ends with "bramble briar... bramble briar... bramble briar."
If you end up singing our version, please let me know in the comments.
Wha Saw the 42nd revisited - with video
Of all the songs I've written about on this blog, the one that received far and away the most comments was "Wha Saw the 42nd," Song #20 (to read them, click on the song's title in the list at the right side of this page). And the comments have come regularly every few months for 5-6 years.
Last week I recorded the girls at Camp Ajawah in Minnesota singing "Wha Saw." They use it as a round in the Mess Hall following meals. I missed the first second or two, and once you have nine tables of eight singing along, it's hard to make out the words and melody. The occassional loud bang you hear is girls keeping beat by banging their fists on the table at the start of a measure.
Last week I recorded the girls at Camp Ajawah in Minnesota singing "Wha Saw." They use it as a round in the Mess Hall following meals. I missed the first second or two, and once you have nine tables of eight singing along, it's hard to make out the words and melody. The occassional loud bang you hear is girls keeping beat by banging their fists on the table at the start of a measure.
A Playlist of Summer Camp Songs
This is by no means complete or comprehensive, but it's a decent sampling of many of the songs listed on this site. Please take a listen and let me know what you think.
UPDATE: September 22, 2013 - I just checked the link and now I only see two songs. I no longer have an active account at Google Music, so your mileage may vary - or may be just as paltry. Sorry.
Google Playlist
UPDATE: September 22, 2013 - I just checked the link and now I only see two songs. I no longer have an active account at Google Music, so your mileage may vary - or may be just as paltry. Sorry.
Google Playlist
The Song Detective: The Case of "I Want to Camp Until I'm 73"
As I post about the scores of songs I learned at Camp Ajawah in Minnesota, I dig around to see what I can find about the origins of each tune. For most, there is ample information online. Some are old folk songs; others are copyrighted and the composer is readily found; and others fall in between.
Once in a while I will find next to nothing about a particular song. The most recent example is a very short tune whose lyrics in their entirety consist of:
I want to camp until I'm 73
For camping life is really great
I must avoid the marriage state
So Cupid keep your darts away from me
Until I'm 30, 40, 50, 60, 73.
Other than links to Camp Ajawah and this blog, all I've found are a few other random camps where a variation of "I Want to Camp" is sung.
A Girl Scout camp in Massachusetts (though to a different tune: Battle Hymn of the Republic)
Another Girl Scout camp (in Wisconsin)
Lincoln, NE YMCA songbook
And that's it. No videos, no sheet music, no clue as to when or where it originated, or who wrote it. Is it only known in a handful of camps, and, if so, who was the thread who connected MN, WI, NE and MA?
I tried searching fragments of the lyrics to see if it's related to some other, better known song, but I came up empty handed. On my summer camp songs facebook page, I asked if anyone had any knowledge about the song. Nada.
Sherlock is stumped. I turn to you, my friends, to ask for any clues. Let's solve this riddle!
Once in a while I will find next to nothing about a particular song. The most recent example is a very short tune whose lyrics in their entirety consist of:
I want to camp until I'm 73
For camping life is really great
I must avoid the marriage state
So Cupid keep your darts away from me
Until I'm 30, 40, 50, 60, 73.
Other than links to Camp Ajawah and this blog, all I've found are a few other random camps where a variation of "I Want to Camp" is sung.
A Girl Scout camp in Massachusetts (though to a different tune: Battle Hymn of the Republic)
Another Girl Scout camp (in Wisconsin)
Lincoln, NE YMCA songbook
And that's it. No videos, no sheet music, no clue as to when or where it originated, or who wrote it. Is it only known in a handful of camps, and, if so, who was the thread who connected MN, WI, NE and MA?
I tried searching fragments of the lyrics to see if it's related to some other, better known song, but I came up empty handed. On my summer camp songs facebook page, I asked if anyone had any knowledge about the song. Nada.
Sherlock is stumped. I turn to you, my friends, to ask for any clues. Let's solve this riddle!
It's Summer Camp Season!
And for those of you looking for a great camp, here is the link to the one where I learned all the songs I write about on this blog and on Facebook:
http://www.ajawah.org/dates%20rates.html
It's near the Twin Cities, sessions are 12 days long - two are girls only and two are boys only. The first session (girls) starts tomorrow. The campfire's ready for singing...
http://www.ajawah.org/dates%20rates.html
It's near the Twin Cities, sessions are 12 days long - two are girls only and two are boys only. The first session (girls) starts tomorrow. The campfire's ready for singing...
Down Under
I was in Adelaide, Australia for a conference a few days ago. Melbourne now and then Sydney before returning to the USA. This made me thing of three songs to post on my Facebook page:
Waltzing Matilda
Kookaburra Sits on an Old Gum Tree
Tie Me Kangaroo Down
And someone reminding me in a comment of one we sang during girls' sessions at Camp Ajawah:
My Father Slew a Kangaroo
And googling that reminded me of another song I'd left of my long list of summer camp songs:
My Dog Lima.
The last song is not Australian, but like "My Father" is a short, funny song about an animal.
Any other Aussie songs I have missed that you know from summer camp days?
Camp Ajawah Reunion - August 14-16
It's hard to believe anyone reading this blog who is an alumnus of Camp Ajawah doesn't also have a connection to the Ajawah Conservancy or the Ajawah Facebook group... but just in case, please see these links?
http://ajawahconservancyupdates.blogspot.com/2009/05/reunion-registration-is-now-open.html
http://ajawahconservancyupdates.blogspot.com/2009/02/80th-reunion-info.html
A month or two ago there were two recording sessions, one for girls' songs and one for boys' songs - I look forward to hearing the results this summer.
http://ajawahconservancyupdates.blogspot.com/2009/05/reunion-registration-is-now-open.html
http://ajawahconservancyupdates.blogspot.com/2009/02/80th-reunion-info.html
A month or two ago there were two recording sessions, one for girls' songs and one for boys' songs - I look forward to hearing the results this summer.
Mail call
Yes, it has been ages since I posted. May be ages before I post again. Still busy with my work blog among other things. But in the meantime two friends have emailed me or commented on a post.
1 - John T commented on post Song 24 - Granny's in the Cellar:
***Last year I heard the missing first verse to this song, sung by DLM (our camp director)
"I grieve my Lord,
From day to day,
I've left the straight
And narrow way..."
and, he added this thigh-slapper:
"Oh you can't get to heaven,
With our SPL,
'Cause our SPL,
Is going to ....well?"***
SPL is "senior patrol leader," a Boy Scout position, as Camp Ajawah was founded by Minneapolis Troop 33.
2 - Mack asked ***Hey Joe,
what was the biggest song 'flop' that anywone can remember? What was the earliest flop that Moore can remember?
I recall the 'biplane' flop but I'm sure there were others***
I don't have answers, really, and if anyone has some, please share. Moore (the camp director) started at Ajawah as a small boy in the 1940s, so has certainly seen many songs introduced at camp only to die a dismal death, whether due to an unsingable melody, an uninteresting lyric, the incompetence of the person teaching the song, or some combination of the above.
-- The biplane flop he refers to dates to the late 1970s when Jim P tried to teach a song that, as I recall, had a chorus of "Bye bye biplane, once upon a sky plane." It as somewhat catchy and boys like planes, but it didn't last the summer. Interestingly, Jim has gone on to a long, fruitful career with the YMCA camps.
-- I tried to teach The Hobo's Lullaby, but couldn't carry the tune very well. I believe Bob F later was able to get it going a bit - he is the guy who to my amazement got Rule Brittania to become a popular song, despite it's extremely long syllables.
-- A few guys from Golden Valley tried to get "Son of a Son of a Sailor," a Jimmy Buffet tune, going, but it seemed not very melodic.
-- My brother and my roommate Tom once got up to lead "Black Water," the Doobie Brothers song - the idea that half of the mess hall could sing the "I'd like to hear some dixie music, pretty mama, come and take me by the hand" and the other half could sing the response: "by the hand, take me by the hand pretty mama, come and dance with your daddy all night long." Fun try...
1 - John T commented on post Song 24 - Granny's in the Cellar:
***Last year I heard the missing first verse to this song, sung by DLM (our camp director)
"I grieve my Lord,
From day to day,
I've left the straight
And narrow way..."
and, he added this thigh-slapper:
"Oh you can't get to heaven,
With our SPL,
'Cause our SPL,
Is going to ....well?"***
SPL is "senior patrol leader," a Boy Scout position, as Camp Ajawah was founded by Minneapolis Troop 33.
2 - Mack asked ***Hey Joe,
what was the biggest song 'flop' that anywone can remember? What was the earliest flop that Moore can remember?
I recall the 'biplane' flop but I'm sure there were others***
I don't have answers, really, and if anyone has some, please share. Moore (the camp director) started at Ajawah as a small boy in the 1940s, so has certainly seen many songs introduced at camp only to die a dismal death, whether due to an unsingable melody, an uninteresting lyric, the incompetence of the person teaching the song, or some combination of the above.
-- The biplane flop he refers to dates to the late 1970s when Jim P tried to teach a song that, as I recall, had a chorus of "Bye bye biplane, once upon a sky plane." It as somewhat catchy and boys like planes, but it didn't last the summer. Interestingly, Jim has gone on to a long, fruitful career with the YMCA camps.
-- I tried to teach The Hobo's Lullaby, but couldn't carry the tune very well. I believe Bob F later was able to get it going a bit - he is the guy who to my amazement got Rule Brittania to become a popular song, despite it's extremely long syllables.
-- A few guys from Golden Valley tried to get "Son of a Son of a Sailor," a Jimmy Buffet tune, going, but it seemed not very melodic.
-- My brother and my roommate Tom once got up to lead "Black Water," the Doobie Brothers song - the idea that half of the mess hall could sing the "I'd like to hear some dixie music, pretty mama, come and take me by the hand" and the other half could sing the response: "by the hand, take me by the hand pretty mama, come and dance with your daddy all night long." Fun try...
Take Me Out to the Ballgame - song #21
In honor of yesterday's All Star Game, I turn my attention now to the unofficial baseball anthem, Take Me Out to the Ballgame. At camp we would sing it occasionally. For many years there was a traditional game of softball one of the last days of each session, pitting the staff versus the "all stars" campers from the softball league that played games during morning swims.
I believe that all may have transitioned to soccer - don't get me started on that - but back in the day we sang TMOTTB, which perhaps many already knew from the 7th inning stretch at Twins' games.
So, here are three sites about the song:
1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Take_Me_Out_to_the_Ball_Game
Now we know that this is the 100th anniversary of the song's debut as a pop music hit. And that it is the third most commonly sung song in America.
2 http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?id=1556376&vid=141873
A Minnesota indie band (now based in Brooklyn) covers the song for the Twins (do they now play this at the Metrodome??)
3 http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/notebook?page=bbtn/takemeout
Nine popular acts record versions for an ESPN battle of the bands.
I believe that all may have transitioned to soccer - don't get me started on that - but back in the day we sang TMOTTB, which perhaps many already knew from the 7th inning stretch at Twins' games.
So, here are three sites about the song:
1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Take_Me_Out_to_the_Ball_Game
Now we know that this is the 100th anniversary of the song's debut as a pop music hit. And that it is the third most commonly sung song in America.
2 http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?id=1556376&vid=141873
A Minnesota indie band (now based in Brooklyn) covers the song for the Twins (do they now play this at the Metrodome??)
3 http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/notebook?page=bbtn/takemeout
Nine popular acts record versions for an ESPN battle of the bands.
More "Wha Saw"
Here is a link with a few of the traditional versions of the lyrics as well as the sheet music. As you can see, it's from a bagpipe site. Whenever I think of what a bagpiper usually plays, it's something along the lines of "Wha Saw."
http://usahpd.com/tunes/whasaw42.htm
When sung as a round, starting a new group every two beats, it makes for a fun ending as the droning, steady rhythm gives way to an increasingly clear "bramble briar... bramble briar... bramble briar."
Here is a link to a midi file of the bagpipe version - chose the third medley down:
http://www.electricscotland.com/music/medleys.htm
Not really finding any sung version on iTunes, etc. Anyone?
http://usahpd.com/tunes/whasaw42.htm
When sung as a round, starting a new group every two beats, it makes for a fun ending as the droning, steady rhythm gives way to an increasingly clear "bramble briar... bramble briar... bramble briar."
Here is a link to a midi file of the bagpipe version - chose the third medley down:
http://www.electricscotland.com/music/medleys.htm
Not really finding any sung version on iTunes, etc. Anyone?
Warsaw/Wausau/Wha Saw? - Song #20
Mack reminded me of another song I can't believe I forgot, as most of the ones falling into that category are ones I never particularly liked. But "Wausau the 42nd" (as I recall it) was an old workhorse of a round, a dependable, lively and easily sung tune.
As I sang it, the words were:
Wausau the 42nd
Wausau gone to war
Wausau the 42nd
Marching through the bramble briar
Zoom diddy boom diddy
boots and stockings
Zoom diddy boom diddy
Lay et twa
Zoom diddy boom diddy
boots and stockings
matching through the bramble briar
I was never sure if it was supposed to be "Warsaw" or "Wausau" or some other place; what war; and the second verse doesn't make any sense - is "lay et twa" French? Or did I have the words wrong? Etc.
So my first look into this turns up not a lot, but it did turn up these Scottish lyrics:
Wha saw the forty-second,/ Wha saw them gang awa',/ Wha saw the forty-second,/ Mairchin' doon the Broomielaw. / Some o' them had buits an' stockins,/ some o' them had nane at a',/ Some o' them had umberellas [4 syllables!]/ Mairchin' doon the Broomielaw
I like that; makes a litle more sense and evokes a vivid picture. And who doesn't like a Scottish brogue?
(PS - I have added a post with a recording of "Wha Saw" that I made at a summer camp; you can see it here)
As I sang it, the words were:
Wausau the 42nd
Wausau gone to war
Wausau the 42nd
Marching through the bramble briar
Zoom diddy boom diddy
boots and stockings
Zoom diddy boom diddy
Lay et twa
Zoom diddy boom diddy
boots and stockings
matching through the bramble briar
I was never sure if it was supposed to be "Warsaw" or "Wausau" or some other place; what war; and the second verse doesn't make any sense - is "lay et twa" French? Or did I have the words wrong? Etc.
So my first look into this turns up not a lot, but it did turn up these Scottish lyrics:
Wha saw the forty-second,/ Wha saw them gang awa',/ Wha saw the forty-second,/ Mairchin' doon the Broomielaw. / Some o' them had buits an' stockins,/ some o' them had nane at a',/ Some o' them had umberellas [4 syllables!]/ Mairchin' doon the Broomielaw
I like that; makes a litle more sense and evokes a vivid picture. And who doesn't like a Scottish brogue?
(PS - I have added a post with a recording of "Wha Saw" that I made at a summer camp; you can see it here)
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