Saturday, April 27, 2013

Camp Fires


Camp fires are the other time camps sing. Some have evenings set aside for songs, recitations and skits around a fire. They may be sentimental or humorous in mood, or some combination.

Kitanniwa had two fire programs built into its schedule. One was the weekly cookout on the cook’s day off. It was seen as a pragmatic activity, with an expectation groups returned their dirty pots to the kitchen before dark. There was no relaxed period for singing.

Every Friday, the Camp Fire Girls camp held a council fire. These were formal programs, with planned songs taken from a conventional list. Many were organization. Some were sentimental or embodied the camp spirit.

Some times, when the schedule or mood allowed, the after supper sing would be extended and took on the contours of a camp fire. The songs then were slow or pretty, but could expand to include songs like "Home on the Range."

The only time I remember informally singing around a fire was on an overnight. I had been on several overnights before, which like the weekly cookouts, were too practical to allow for singing. But, one, when we were adolescents did conclude the evening with singing slow songs.

Pictures of cook outs appear elsewhere on this page. The 1958 council fire is the city-wide one held in Albion, Michigan, in front of the band shell in Victory Park. The photographs of Friendly Acres posted 4/11/13 look like a ceremonial camp fire.

Friday, April 26, 2013

Graces A-G

Alleluia, Alleluia
      446
Back of the Bread
      388
Be Present at Our Table Lord
      261
Bless Our Friends
      555
Bless This Food
      555
Dona Nobis Pacem
      446
Doxology
      261
Ego Sum Pauper
      446
Father We Thank Thee for the Morning
      446, 447
Father We Thank Thee for the Night
      447
For Health and Strength
      14, 442
For Sun and Rain
      539
Gelobet Sei
      141, 446
Glory to Thee, My God
      446
God Has Created a New Day
      335, 438
God Is Great
      130
God of our Fathers
      436
Gracias SeƱor
      545

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Graces H-Z

Hark to the Chimes
      437
Hine Ma Tov
      446
Hoonani i ka Makua mau
      See: Doxology
If We Have Earned The Right
      14, 464
Johnny Appleseed Grace
      52, 105, 106, 539
Jubilate Deo
      443, 446
Morning/Noontime/Evening Has Come
      14
Neath These Tall Trees
      539
Now the Day Commences
      335
O Give Thanks
      434, 445, 446
Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow
      See: Doxology
Rub a Dub
      259
Scottish Grace
      See: Wayfarer's Grace
Some Hae Meat
      See: Wayfarer's Grace
Thank You for Giving Me This Morning
      539
Thank You Lord on This Day
      555
Thanks Be to God
      261
Wayfarer's Grace
      167, 438
Wesley Grace
      See: Be Present at Our Table Lord

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Dining Halls


The most common time to sing fun songs is after meals in dining halls. Kitanniwa also had daily morning sing periods of about 45 minutes for girls 10-13 years old where songs were taught and sung by request.

What did your camp do?

Picture is from Kitanniwa, probably in the 1930s when it still was located at Clear Lake. Copy made from one owned by Battle Creek, Michigan’s Willard Library.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Dining Hall Songs

Announcements
      423, 535
Come and Get It (to bugle call)
      294
Come Out, Cookie
      251
Cookie, Cookie
      98, 251, 263, 265, 318, 535
Dry Bones (in the canyon)
      111
KP, KP, Come to the Kithen Door
      294
Mabel, Mabel Get Your Elbows Off the Table
      378, 379
Name] Ain't Wearing No Socks
      102
Sing a Song, [Name], Sing a Song
      378
Tell a Joke, [Name], Tell a Joke
      See: Sing a Song, [Name], Sing a Song
We Want a Cook's Parade
      98, 535
What a Terrible Death To Die
      423, 535
When the Hand Goes Up
      289

TABLE GAMES
Ala Baba
      395
Bizz, Buzz
      395
Eenie Meenie Money Mo
      380
Electricity
      395. 521
Ghost
      395
Gossip
      395
Horse 'n' Goggle
      380
I Went on my Vacation
      391, 395
I Went to the City and Bought
      391
One Frog
      396
Rhythm
      395
Rock, Paper, Scissors
      380
Simon Says
      395
Who Stole the Cookies
      395, 396, 503

Monday, April 22, 2013

Religious Themes A-I

All My Trials
      64
All Night, All Day
      125, 194, 196, 259, 288, 313, 495, 514, 515
Come and Go with Me to that Land
      196
Dem Bones (Laws I18)
      230, 239, 288, 289, 307, 308, 318, 319, 325, 398, 399, 402, 498
Deacon Went Down
      See: You Can't Get to Heaven
Deep and Wide
      393, 516
Do Lord
      311, 494
Down by the Riverside
      383
Ezekiel Saw a Wheel
      415, 444
Follow the Drinking Gourd
      3100
Give Me Oil for My Lamp
      104, 310
Go Down Moses
      51
Go Tell It On the Mountain
      545
Go Where I Send Thee
      24
Good News, Chariot's Coming
      550
Green Grow the Rushes
      282, 391
Heaven, Heaven
      See: I Got a Robe
He's Got the Whole World
      62, 494, 514, 545
I Ain't Gonna Grieve My Lord
      See: You Can't Get to Heaven
I Am a Poor Wayfaring Stranger
      51
I Got a Robe
      51
I Was Born about Ten Thousand Years Ago
      301, 302, 397, 398
If I Had a Hammer
      550
I'm Gonna Sing When the Spirit
      383, 391
I'm on my Way to Freedom Land
      309, 391
I've Got That Joy, Joy, Joy
      249

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Religious Themes J-Z

Jacob's Ladder
      51, 175, 400, 402, 403, 411, 515
Kumbaya
      90, 144, 238, 313, 431, 515, 520, 551, CS
Let Us Break Bread Together
      383
Let Us Sing 'til the Power of the Lord
      309, 494
Lonesome Valley
      62
Love, Love
      449, 450, 454, 715, 716
Michael Row the Boat Ashore
      458, 551
Oh, Sinner Man
      383
One More River
      397-402 407 408-410 705-709
Preacher and the Bear, The
      319, 320, 321, 325, 329
Rise and Shine
      105, 126, 286, 496, 517, CS
Rock My Soul
      314
Rocka My Soul
      104, 288, 313, 314, 444, 494, 515
Standing in the Need of Prayer
      289, 388
Steal Away
      51
Sunday School
      108, 232, 397, 398
Swing Low Chariot
      196
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
      48, 51, 196, 30,7 313, 314, 520
This Little Light of Mine
      180, 514
This Train
      550
We're on the Homeward Trail
      437
When the Saints Go Marching In
      313, 314
Who Was in the Belly
      309, 494
You Can Dig My Grave
      383
You Can't Get to Heaven
      276, 277, 285, 289, 290, 292, 309

Saturday, April 20, 2013

Color War

In camps where people spend an entire summer, color wars are important sources for new songs. Camps divide into groups, usually tribes, and compete for various awards. In many, each group is expected to write pep songs, alma maters, and other camp-specific songs.

In many camps, the idea of dividing into groups has been adopted, with as many of the activities as will fit into a single week or day. I remember one camp where the tribes competed for the cleanest cabin trophy.



Kitanniwa only divided for specific events. Counselor hunts, which were essentially treasure hunts, were called color wars by some campers who brought the term from home. On July Fourth the camp held water games which ended with a tug-of-war for those who hadn’t yet learned to swim. We were not expected to write any songs, only invent team cheers borrowed from high school or college football traditions.

Skits were a more important tradition. Not only were there skit nights some weeks that required each cabin to mount a short production, but counselors staged short skits to announce evening activities.


Only one person showed any interest in writing parodies and that was the camp nurse. During the winters, she was involved with a community theater group. Everything I remember she did was incorporated into a skit or pantomime.

What did your camp do?

The top picture is from the waterfront games of 1958. The middle picture is a typical short skit, this one part of a 1959 Spanish night. The camp nurse is at the right telling fortunes during the same Spanish night.

Friday, April 19, 2013

Religious Songs A-F

Abide with Me
      339
Allelu, Allelu, Everybody Sing Allelu
      545
Allelujah, Amen
      446
Amazing Grace
      546
Amen, See the Little Jesus
      422, 545
Avinu Malkeinu
      287
Blest Be the Tie that Binds
      259, 260
Church in the Wildwood
      188
Clap Your Hands, All You People
      545
Come and Dine
      163
Come Thou Almighty King
      260
Crusader's Hymn
      See: Fairest Lord Jesus
Day Is Dying in the West
      466
Dear Lord and Father of Mankind
      163
Fairest Lord Jesus
      330, 331
Faith of Our Fathers
      130
For the Beauty of the Earth
      331

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Religious Songs G-N

God of the Mountains
      109
God Who Touches Earth with Beauty
      332
Here We Are
      545
Holy, Holy, Holy
      26
I Believe
      139
I Love the Father
      261
I Want To Be Strong
      546
I Would Be True
      162, 163
It's a Long Road to Freedom
      548, 550
Jesus (to Rose)
      450
Jesus Is a Soul Man
      286
Jesus Loves Me
      250
Joy Is Like the Rain
      547, 548
Let the Lower Lights Keep Burning
      262 338
Let There Be Peace of Earth
      547
Lord Is My Shepard
      446
Man's Life a Vapor
      437
May the Great Spirit Overhead
      515
Men-A
      421
Nearer My God to Thee
      162
Now the Day Is Over
      455

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Religious Songs O-Z

Oh Master Let Me Walk with Thee
      546
Old Man Gray Chief
      383
Old Rugged Cross
      259
Omaha Tribal Prayer
      144, 145
One Little Candle
      547
Onward Christian Soldiers
      262
Pass It On
      546
Praise Ye the Lord (alleluia)
      314, 518
Put Your Hand in the Hand of the Man
      546
Rock of Ages
      162
Row Your Boat to Jesus Side
      450, 452, 716
Shabbat Shalom
      287
Seek and Ye Shall Find
      546
Sons of God
      442, 545
Spirit of the Living God
      163
Sweet and Low
      346
They'll Know We Are Christians by Our Love
      546
Thing Called Love
      286
This Is My Father's World
      331, 332
Turn Back O Man
      548 549
Up with People
      546
What Color Is God's Skin
      546

Flag Ceremonies


The Camp Fire Girls camps I attended in the 1950s had formal flag ceremonies, that involved five girls. They were accompanied by someone reading a verse or the group singing a patriotic song.

I’m not sure we were much interested in the patriotic theme, but many of us wanted a chance to be part of the five. The arcane knowledge passed on was the way the fold the flag in thirds, and then fold it in a triangle. There were also tricks in the way the flag was anchored to the rope, and the way the rope was twisted into a figure eight around the ends of a bracket. These mattered very much when one was ten years old.

The two pictures were taken at Tanawida, the Albion, Michigan day camp. The top one is from 1959. The bottom from 1956.

Monday, April 15, 2013

Patriotic Songs

America
      256, 261
America the Beautiful
      332
America, America
      449, 450, 453, 716
Battle Hymn of the Republic
      167
God Bless America
      332
Liberty
      548
Star-Spangled Banner
      10
This Is My Country
      549
You're a Grand Old Flag
      263, 264, 269

Sunday, April 14, 2013

From A to Ak

A Jogging Along
      95, 146, 151, 152, 234, 239, 495, 496, 528
A Ram Sam Sam
      144, 443, 498
Abdul, the Bulbul Ameer
      152, 234, 286, 288
Abenlied
      144
Ach du Lieber Augustin
      163
Across the Stillness of the Lake
      49, 339, 470
Advertise
      166
Ah Wooney Cooney
      148, 152, 495
Ah, Poor Bird
      442, 450, 451, 452
Ai Ai Aikus Nobody Like Us
      132
Ain't Gonna Study War No More
      See: Down by the Riverside
Ain't She Neat Ha Ha
      125

Saturday, April 13, 2013

From Al to Ar

Alexander's Ragtime Band
      315, 316
Alice
      110, 277, 289
All through the Night
      47, 342
All You Etta
      309, 393
Ally Ally Oxen Free
      541
Aloha Means
      341
Aloha Oe
      341
Alouette
      125, 309, 392
Andy Brown
      110, 152
Animal Fair
      444
Anne Boyleyn
      110
Annie Laurie
      189
Ants Go Marching
      167, 385
Any Trains from the East
      389
Apple Cheeked Rider
      438
April Showers
      106
Are You a Camel
      142, 169, 379, 380
Are You Sleeping
      435, 436, 437, 441, 442, 447
Around the Corner
      390, 393, 415

Friday, April 12, 2013

From As to Az

As Tears Go By
      541
As the Bright Flames Ascends to Heaven
      416
As We Trek along Together
      499
Ash Grove
      263, 435, 467, 474, 502, 534, CS
At the Boardinghouse
      98, 99, 168, 236, 237, 285
At the Gates of Heaven
      57, 342
Auld Lang Syne
      165, 166, 298
Aunt Rhody
      261, 289
Australia Girls
      See: Cape Cod Girls
Austrian/Ostrich Went Yodeling
     29, 122, 294, 391, 510, CS
Autumn to May
      94, 541
Away Down South where Bananas Grow
      284
Away out West where Cactus Grow
      284
Away up North a Penguin Named Joe
      284
Away with Rum
      107
Az der Rebbe Elimelech
      286

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Friendly Acres


The Girls’ Friendly Society was found in England in 1875, and sponsored in this country by individual Episcopal churches. The one in Battle Creek, Michigan, had a camp, Friendly Acres, in the 1920s. Judging by the photograph it was located on an interurban line and functioned as a day camp.

The photograph is one of those long ones that were made then.


The groups in the center and the left look to be more interested in the camp fire



than those on the right.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

From Ba to Bh

Baby's Boat
      191, 333, 343, 466
Bamboo
      550
Bang Bang Lulu
      104
Bang, Bang, You're Dead
      180
Banua Jail
      233
Barbara Allen (Child 84)
      202, 281
Barges
      256, 520, 542, 550, 552
Barges (parodies)
      256, 542
Barnacle Bill the Sailor
      104, 237
Barter
      462
Be Kind to Your Web-Footed Friends
      166
Bear (The other day I met a bear)
      265, 318, CS
Bear Hunt
      240, 324
Bear Went over the Mountain
      164, 391
Beauty Stands at the Crossroads
      465
Bed Is Too Small
      187, 343, 490, 491, 520
Bee-i-e-i-e
     122 235
Been Riding
      196, 233, 540
Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms
      189, 298
Belinda
      110, 288
Bells Are Ringing for Me and My Gal
      See: For Me and My Gal
Bells of Saint Mary's
      23

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

From Bi to Bn

Bicycle Built for Two (Daisy)
      199, 315
Big Blue Frog
      234
Bill Grogan's Goat
      233, 235, 308
Billboard Song
      94, 142, 257, 285
Billy Boy
      95, 237, 286
Bingo
      125, 174, 258, 394, 422, 498, 526, 527
Black Socks
      101, 251
Blood on the Saddle
      110, 233
Blow the Man Down
      55
Blowin' in the Wind
      254, 550, 551
Blue Bells of Scotland
      189
Blue Moon
      343, 344
Blue Sky (when camp fires are burning low)
      334
Blue Sky above Me
      344
Blue Tailed Fly (Laws I19)
      230
Blue Walking
      30, 31, 32, 552

Monday, April 8, 2013

From Bo to Bz

Boa Constrictor
      110, 516
Boat upon the Water
      345
Boatmen Dance
      CS
Bohunkus
      166, 282, 288
Boom Boom, Ain't It Great To Be Crazy
      103, 118, 131, 259, 284, 285, 288, 291, 292, 297, 345, 388, 416, 497
Boomdeada
      30, 261, 315, 317, 441
Border Trail
      223, 282, 333, 500
Boris
      129, 414
Born Free
      391, 555
Born Free, a Heart Must Wander
      25
Both Sides Now
      187, 550
Bottle of Wine
      550
Bow Bow Belinda
      130, 259
Boy and a Girl in a Little Canoe
      234, 514
Boy Stood on the Burning Deck
      99
Boy's Best Friend Is His Mother
      See: Horses Run Around
Bravo, Bravissimo
      126, 144, 193, 379
Bridge over Troubled Water
      550
Brighten the Corner
      262
Bring Me a Rose
      195, 543
Bubble Gum (Harrigan)
      267, 273, 691, 692
Bubble Gum (My Mother Gave Me)
      See: Chewing Gum
Bucolic Lyric
      262
Buddies and Pals
      437
Buggy Regions Are Absurd
      See: Polar Regions
Bugs They Go Wild over Me, The
      96
By the Light of the Moon
      383, 384
By the Light of the Silvery Moon
      343, 344
Bye Bye Blackbird
      126, 170, 187

Sunday, April 7, 2013

From Ca to Cg

Caissons, The
      497
California Could Not Hold Me
      550
Call of the Fire
      286, 337, 473
Calling Table Number xxx
      285, 292
Calliope
      163, 315, 318
Came a Riding
      145, 146
Camp Days
      97, 253
Camp Fire Brush
      See: Sound Off
Camp Fire's Burning
      See: Fire's Burning
Camp Is Nearly Over
      455
Camp of My Dreams
      344
Campers, Whistle While You Work
      250
Camptown Races
      167
Canada (My country is my cathedral)
      23
Canadian Wilderness
      259
Cannibal King
      124, 150, 153, 193, 234, 235, 285, 385, 390
Canoe May Be Drifting at Sunset
      339, 470, 558, 559, CS
Cape Cod Girls
      55
Capital Ship
      100, 288
Captain Jinks
      523
Caravan
      24
Carry Me Back to Old Virginny
      456
Carry Mi Ackee
      143, 489, 496
Castle on the River Nile
      29, 124, 236
Castles in Toviska
      146, 498
Castor Oil
      266, 271, 273, 274, 691
Cat Came Back
      233, 325, 417
Catalina Matalina
      152, 289, 293, 318, 517

Saturday, April 6, 2013

From Ch to Cn

Chairs To Mend
      438, 447
Charlie and the M. T. A.
      55
Charlotte the Harlot
      104
Chester
      137, 393, 517
Chew Your Food
      436
Chewing Gum
      142, 143, 387
C-h-i-c-k-e-n
      125, 314
Chim, Chim Chimere
      261
Chinaman
      See: Ching-a-Ling, Tenement House (laundry)
Ching-a-Ling
      286, 420
Chonny Shmoker
      See: Musikanter See: Musikanter
Cielito Lindo
      54
Cindy
      276
Circle Game
      550
Clementine
      110, 164, 165, 233, 235
Climates
      147, 265, 494
Climb Ev'ry Mountain
      555
Cloud Ships
      47, 196
Clouds
      See: Both Sides Now

Friday, April 5, 2013

From Co to Cz

Cocaine Bill
      123
Combination Underwear
      284, 285
Come Follow
      433, 434
Come Let's Play We're Indians
      109, 110, 167
Come to the Fair
      238
Come to the Top of the Hill
      434
Coming down from Bangor
      104, 238
Coming through the Rye
      165, 166, 170, 189, 491
Copenhagen Will Be Taken
      111
Corn
      233, 548
Country Roads
      550
Cowboy Night Song (There’s a blue sky)
      334
Cowboy's Sweet Bye and Bye (My Bonnie)
      54 251
Crawdad Song
      276
Crazy Song
      See: Lunatic's Lullaby
Cruel War (Laws O33)
      234, 550
Cuckoo, The
      145, 152, 239, 419, 497 CS

Thursday, April 4, 2013

From Da to Dh

Daisy, Daisy
      See: Bicycle Built for Two
Damper Song
      289, 393, 516
Danny Boy
      188
Dark Brown Is the River
      194, 195, 339, 463, 472
Darling, I Am Growing Whiskers
      168
Davenport
      267, 273, 691
Day by Day
      423
Day Is Done (Peter, Paul, and Mary)
      541
Day Is Done
      See: Rad Hayom, Taps
Days of Vacation
      24, 385
Deaf Woman's Courtship
      237, 417
Dee-ah-de-dum-dum
      444
Department Store
      See: In Chicago
Desperado
      111, 235, 390
Dewey
      95, 444, 514

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

From Di to Dz

Diamond Lil
      104
Dickie Bird
      150
Did You Ever See a [pun]
      163, 277, 292
Did You Ever See a Fishie
      22, 142, 490, 496
Dinah, Blow Your Horn
      193, 235, 277
Ding Ding Ding Here Comes My Wagon
      123
Ding Dong Wedding Bells
      450, 452, 716
Dirty Bill Who Lived on a Garbage Hill
      283, 284
Dixie
      491
Do Re Mi
      417, 555
Do Your Ears Hang Low
      104, 280, 285, 417, 424, 491, 514
Doctor Beck Hanging in the Well
      284
Dominique
      313, 314
Donkey Riding
      280, 281, 498, 510, 512
Donna, Donna
      551, 554
Doodle Doo
      See: Wadaleache
Doughnut
      96, 489, 491
Down at the Bingo Farm
      277
Down in the Valley
      27, 54, 58, 114, 230, 311
Down the River
      502
Drunken Sailor
      107, 249
Dum Dum Dad Da
      417
Dundai
      286

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

E

Each Camp Fire Lights Anew
      337, 416
Eidelweiss
      555
El Condor Pasa
      550
Embers of Camp Fire
      338
End of a Camping Day
      270
Eppo ee tye tey-ay
      144, 444
Erev Shel Shoshanim
      287
Erie Canal
      230
Eskimo Hunt
      153, 239, 318, 510, CS
Evening Star
      384
Every [Kitanniwa] Girl Is Quite Complete
      171
Everybody Loves Saturday Night
      489
Everything Is Beautiful
      547, 548
Everything's Going My Way
      94, 237

Monday, April 1, 2013

From Fa to Fn

Fair Rosie
      234, 518
Fairies Have Never a Penny To Spend
      342
Fan Song
      See: My Ship from China
Farmer Jones Who Went Bare
      284
Father Abraham Had Seven Sons
      517
Featherbed Song
      192
Feeling Groovy
      See: Fifty Ninth Street Bridge Song
Fifty Ninth Street Bridge Song
      550
Fillimeeooreay
      See: Patsy Orry Aye
Fireflies Aglow
      342
Fire's Burning
      433
First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
      543
Fish and Chips and Vinegar
      111, 123, 124, 135, 163, 256, 286, 442
Five Foot Two
      173
Five Hundred Miles
      538, 540, 551
Flea
      151, 153, 308, 309, 441, 495
Flea and a June bug
      282
Flicker
      543, CS