From junior high school through college, I spent my summers working, playing, and singing with the Boy Scouts at Slippery Falls Scout Ranch outside of Tishomingo, Oklahoma. I started out as a camper and ended 15 years later as the Camp Program Director. Of all my adventures at Slippery Falls, the parts I remember most fondly are the campfires and camp songs.
If you've never been, it's hard to describe the importance of singing at camp. You sing in the morning, at meals in the dining hall, walking down the trails in the heat of the day and, of course, around the campfire. By the third day or so, even the most jaded 13 year old will be walking down the trail humming the tunes they heard the night before. Camp just wouldn't be camp without the music.
There are many kinds of camp songs. Action songs build camaraderie by making everyone look foolish together. Epic songs seem to grow new verses each year like moss on a tree. Classic folk songs are woven into our shared memories and stick around because they always have. Melancholy songs stay with you at the end of the day, mingle with the sounds of the woods at night, and carry into your sleeping bag as you drift off to sleep.
Here, I've gathered together ten of my own personal favorites. Many are old friends, bringing to mind a specific day and time from my camping memories. Many are still reliable work horses. I'll trot them out when I'm asked for a song at a family barbeque or sing-along. Still others have found a new home as bedtime lullabies for my two young boys.
Of course, everyone's list will be different and there's no shortage of songs to choose from. If you'd like to explore more, a couple of good places to start are ultimatecampresource.com or scoutsongs.com. Both have been invaluable in helping me track down many of the just-out-of-reach lyrics from my own fading memories.
Happy Singing!
GRAND OL' DUKE OF YORK
GEE MOM, I WANNA GO HOME
DO YOUR EARS HANG LOW?
THE CAT CAME BACK
VIVE L'AMOUR
RED RIVER VALLEY
MAGIC
YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE
THE PADDLE SONG/LAND OF THE SILVER BIRCH
PUFF THE MAGIC DRAGON
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GRAND OL' DUKE OF YORK
If you've never been, it's hard to describe the importance of singing at camp. You sing in the morning, at meals in the dining hall, walking down the trails in the heat of the day and, of course, around the campfire. By the third day or so, even the most jaded 13 year old will be walking down the trail humming the tunes they heard the night before. Camp just wouldn't be camp without the music.
There are many kinds of camp songs. Action songs build camaraderie by making everyone look foolish together. Epic songs seem to grow new verses each year like moss on a tree. Classic folk songs are woven into our shared memories and stick around because they always have. Melancholy songs stay with you at the end of the day, mingle with the sounds of the woods at night, and carry into your sleeping bag as you drift off to sleep.
Here, I've gathered together ten of my own personal favorites. Many are old friends, bringing to mind a specific day and time from my camping memories. Many are still reliable work horses. I'll trot them out when I'm asked for a song at a family barbeque or sing-along. Still others have found a new home as bedtime lullabies for my two young boys.
Of course, everyone's list will be different and there's no shortage of songs to choose from. If you'd like to explore more, a couple of good places to start are ultimatecampresource.com or scoutsongs.com. Both have been invaluable in helping me track down many of the just-out-of-reach lyrics from my own fading memories.
Happy Singing!
GRAND OL' DUKE OF YORK
GEE MOM, I WANNA GO HOME
DO YOUR EARS HANG LOW?
THE CAT CAME BACK
VIVE L'AMOUR
RED RIVER VALLEY
MAGIC
YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE
THE PADDLE SONG/LAND OF THE SILVER BIRCH
PUFF THE MAGIC DRAGON
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====================
GRAND OL' DUKE OF YORK
- Relive your summer camp memories.
- Teach your kids songs you remember.
- Try something new at your next family gathering.
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