Camp Zoe Memories
Camp Fire Song Lyrics
Most of these songs have been sung at summer camps for many years. If you went to a camp besides Camp Zoe, chances are the versions varied. I have attributed authorship wherever possible. If you have additional information regarding the song writing credits, let (me) know.
Mountain Dew by Scotty WisemanChorus:
Oh, they call it
that good ole mountain dew, mountain dew
and folks that refuse it are few.
I'll hush up my mug, if you fill up my jug,
with that good ole
good ole mountain dew.
My cousin phil
has still on the hill
where he runs off a gallon or two.
The birds in the sky
get so drunk they cannot fly
from that good ole
good ole mountain dew.
My sister Sal
she's a big city gal
she bought her some dime store perfume (PU).
Much to her surprise
when she had it analyzed
it was good ole
good ole mountain dew.
Down the road here from me
there's a big hollow tree
Where you lay down a dollar or two.
Then you go 'round the bend
and when you come back again
there's a jug of that good old mountain dew.
My cousin Mort
he is sawed off and short.
He measures a four foot two.
But he feels like a giant
When you give him a pint
of that good ole
good ole mountain dew.
Titanic
Oh they built the ship Titanic
and when they were through
They thought they had a ship
that the water couldn't go through
But the good lord raised his hand
said that ship would never stand
It was sad when the great ship went down.
Chorus:
It was sad
It was sad (too bad)
It was sad when the great ship went down
to the bottom of the sea
(husbands and wives, little children lost their lives) OR (uncles and aunts, little children lost their pants)
It was sad when the great ship went down.
Oh they sailed away from England
and were almost to the shore
when the rich refused
to associate with the poor.
So they put them down below
where they'd be the first to go.
It was sad when the great ship went down.
The boat was full of sin
and the sides about to burst
when the captain shouted
"Women and children first".
Then the captain tried to wire
but the wireless was on fire.
It was sad when the great ship went down.
So they swung the lifeboats out
o'er the deep and raging sea
and he band struck up the song
"Nearer my god to thee".
Little children wept and cried
as the waves swept o'er the sides.
It was sad when the great ship went down.
Junior Birdman
Chorus:
Up in the air junior birdman
Up in the air upside down
Up in the air junior birdman
Keep your noses off the ground
When you hear the grand announcement
that your wings are made of tin.
Then you know that Junior Birdman,
has turned his box tops in.*
For it takes: 5 box tops,
4 bottle bottoms,
3 coupons,
2 wrappers,
and one thin dime!
B-i-r-d, B-i-r-d, B-i-r-d-m-a-n
Birdman, Birdman, Birdman
Buzzzzzzzz!
* Alternate Verse
When you hear the doorbell ring (buzz, buzz)
When you see the badge of tin (tin, tin)
Then you know that junior birdman
Has turned his box tops in.
Men from Nairobi
Thanks to Kevin Dodge and Jennifer Litman Goldman for this one
We're the men from Nairobi
And our team's a good one
We play the Watusi they're seven feet tall.
The cannibals may eat us
But they'll never beat us
'Cause we're from Nairobi
The best of them all.
(Chorus)
Singing
Umgawa, umgawa, umgawa, umgawa, umgawa, umgawa, umgawawa.
They sent fifty men
Down from Kilamanjaro
But they didn't have what it takes.
We took all the losers
Out into the jungle
And left them tied up for the snakes
What a bite!
(Chorus)
The men from 'round Kenya
Know our team's a good one
We played them 'bout this time last year.
Their number one hero
Was disqualified when he
Fell on a Nairobi spear
What a shaft!
(Chorus)
These two verses weren't part of the Zoe version but were submitted by Laurie McElderry.
When we played the Pygmies
from East Southern Congo
In spite of the odds they won.
They shot ninety baskets
right over our defense
By using a ten-foot blowgun
(Chorus)
When we played Zimbabwe
in the second quarter
Tarzan swung in looking grim.
He misjudged his distance
and bounced off the backboard
And landed hung up on the rim.
Beautiful Old Sinking Creek
(sung to the tune of the "Missouri Waltz")
Beautiful Old Sinking Creek
Whose waters lap our shores
Moonlight streaming down
Upon the leafy shadowed floor.
The stars shining o'er us
Forever to guide us
Back to Camp Zoe
The place we adore.
When the firelight's gleaming
Changes to an ember's glow.
Memories fond will linger on
For us to ever know.
When twilight is falling
Camp Zoe is calling
Calling us back...once more.
Thanks to Lei Moncrieff for that second verse.
I'm Being Swallowed by a Boa constrictor by Shel Silverstein
I'm Being Swallowed by a Boa constrictor
I'm Being Swallowed by a Boa constrictor
I'm Being Swallowed by a Boa constrictor
And I don't like it one little bit!
Oh no, he swallowed my toe.
Oh gee, he swallowed my knee.
Oh my, he's up to my thigh.
Oh fiddle, he's up to my middle.
Oh heck, he's up to my neck.
Oh dread, he's swallowed my...ssssssssss!
John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt
John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt.
His name is my name too.
Now whenever we go out,
all the people shout
there goes John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt!
Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah.
Repeat in a slightly softer tone. The last line should be shouted every time. Keep repeating the verse until you're whispering it.
Green and Yeller (aka Henry My Son)
Where have you been all the day, Henry my son?
Where have you been all the day, my little one?
In the woods, dear mother.
In the woods, dear mother.
Mother be quick I got to be sick and lay me down to die.
What did you do in the woods all day, Henry my son?
What did you do in the woods all day, my little one?
Ate, dear mother.
Ate, dear mother.
Mother be quick I got to be sick and lay me down to die.
What did you eat in the woods all day, Henry my son?
What did you eat in the woods all day my pretty one?
Eels, dear mother.
Eels, dear mother.
Mother be quick I got to be sick and lay me down to die.
What color were those eels, Henry my boy?
What color were those eels, my pride and joy?
Green and yeller.
Green and yeller.
Mother be quick I got to be sick and lay me down to die.
Those eels were snakes, Henry my son.
Those eels were snakes, my pretty one.
Urgh, dear mother.
Urgh, dear mother.
Mother be quick I got to be sick and lay me down to die.
What color flowers do you want, Henry my boy?
What color do you want, my pride and joy?
Green and yeller.
Green and yeller.
Mother be quick I got to be sick and lay me down to die.
Note: Reader Richard Chisholm writes: "Green and Yeller is a version of the English ballad "Lord Randall," which appears in virtually any collection of 15th century English popular ballads. "Black eels and eel broth" caused his demise in that version."
Suppin' Cider
This song is done as a vocal shout with each line recited first by a single vocalist, then repeated by the group.
The prettiest girl
I ever saw
Was suppin' cider
Through a straw.
I asked her if
She'd teach me how
To sip some cider
Through a straw.
First cheek to cheek
Then jaw to jaw
We supped that cider
Through that straw
And now and then
That straw did slip
And we'd sup cider
Lip to lip
Now 49 kids
All call me "pa"
From suppin' cider
Through a straw
The moral of
This little joke
Is don't sup cider
Sip a coke!!
Hey, Look Around You by Larry Eberle and Scott Patterson
Hey, look around you,
see what you've found.
Think of the good times,
and your friends all around.
Look what has happened,
remember all the fun.
Hope it never leaves you,
Now that everything is done.
Nothing lasts forever,
even though you want it to.
Life is for living, and I'm glad
I lived this part of it with you.
Note: "Hey, Look Around You" was written in June 1976 at Camp Zoe. It was sung at the final campfire of every session each summer until the camp closed in 1986.
Rise and Shine
The Lord said to Noah
There's gonna be a floody, floody
Lord said to Noah
There's gonna be a floody, floody
Get those animals (clap) out of the muddy, muddy
Children of the Lord.
Chorus
So rise and shine
And give God the glory, glory
Rise and shine
And give out the glory, glory
Rise and shine and (clap) give out the glory, glory
Children of the Lord
So Noah, he built him
He built him an arky, arky
Noah, he built him
He built him an arky, arky
Made it out of (clap) hickory barky, barky
Children of the Lord.
Repeat Chorus
The animals, they came on
They came on by twosies, twosies
Animals, they came on
They came on by twosies, twosies
Elephants and (clap) kangaroosies, 'roosies
Children of the Lord.
Repeat Chorus
It rained and poured
For forty daysies, daysies
Rained and poured
For forty daysies, daysies
Nearly drove those (clap) animals crazy, crazy
Children of the Lord.
Repeat Chorus
The sun came out
And dried up the landy, landy
Sun came out
And dried up the landy, landy
Everything was (clap) peachy dandy, dandy
Children of the Lord.
Repeat Chorus
The Red Rose and the Briar
Sung in an exaggerated country hick accent with one person leading the song, and the group responding to each line in kind (thanks Lucy Hirsch)
Ma (my) rose she died
She died fer Luv.
Her Luver he died.
Fer Saur (sorrow)
Up frum her grave,
Thar growed a rose.
'Ain(and) up frum hizen,
A brawr(briar)
Thay clumbed and clumbed,
hup tha church taar.
Till they could clumb,
no haar.
Thay twined 'ain ferned,
a luv knot thar.
The red rose 'ain,
(everybody together in a big finish now). the braa-er!!
Visit the Printer Friendly version of this page.