Traditional Songs

Grandma’s Feather Bed

Sung Thursday after dinner When I was a little bitty boy Just up off the floor We used to go down to Grandma’s house Every month end or so We’d have chicken pie and country ham Homemade butter on the bread But the best darn thing about Grandma’s house Is the great big feather bed

Chorus: It was nine feet high and six feet wide Soft as a downy chick (clap clap) It was made from the feathers of forty‘leven geese Took a whole bolt of cloth for the tick (clap clap) It’ll hold eight kids and four hound dogs And the piggy we stole from the shed (clap clap) We didn’t get much sleep but we had a lot of fun On Grandma’s feather bed After supper we’d sit around the fire The old folks’d spit and chew Pa would talk about the farm and the war And Granny’d sing a ballad or two I’d sit and listen watch the fire Till the cobwebs filled my head Next thing I’d know I’d wake up in the morning In the middle of the old feather bed (Chorus)

Well, I love my Ma and I love my Pa, Love Granny and Grandpa too Went fishin’ with my Uncle Wrestled with my cousin And I even kissed Aunt Lou- o o But if I ever had to make a choice I guess it ought to be said I’d trade them all plus the guy down the road For Grandma’s feather bed (Chorus)

Well I’d trade them all, plus the guy down the road … (one person picked to say..) (Well I guess I’d best reconsider ‘bout that guy down the road) For Grandma’s feather bed (Chorus)

Linger

Only sing after serenade Mm hmm I want to linger Mm hmm a little longer Mm hmm a little longer here with you Mm hmm it’s such a perfect night Mm hmm it doesn’t seen quite right Mm hmm that this should be my last night with you

Mm hmm and come September Mm hmm I will remember Mm hmm my camping days and friendships true

Mm hmm and as the years go by Mm hmm I’ll think of you and sigh Mm hmm this is good night and not good-bye

Mm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm Mm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm Mm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm

Little Jack Horner

Only Red Suspenders Earners sing Little Jack Horner sat in his corner Eating his Christmas pie He stuck in his thumb and pulled out a plumb And said yum, yum, yum, yum (pat head, rub stomach) Yum, what a good boy, what a good boy What a good boy am I

May the Long Time Sun

sung as trips leave camp May the long time sun shine upon you All love surround you And the pure light within you Guide you all the way on

May your days be filled with sunshine Your heart serenity And the moonlight above you Guide you all the way on

Moon on the Meadow

Sung Thursday at Campfire just after bracelet story

Moon on the meadow, bugs in our ears Smoke in our eyes, wet wood and tears Out on the meadow, water somewhere We were the only ones there

Wild horse and slushy, dry lakes the peaks Finding the love that everyone seeks Hiking to rainbows, sunsets and stars Just finding out who we are We shall return here, one lucky day Our hearts will guide us; they’ve learned the way People in cities don’t understand Falling in love with the land

Moon on the meadow, bugs in our ears Smoke in our eyes, wet wood and tears Out on the meadow, water somewhere With you my friend, I am there

Oil In My Lamp

Sung Friday at Lunch Give me oil in my lamp Keep it burning, burning, burning Give me oil in my lamp I pray, halleluiah Give me oil in my lamp Keep it burning, burning, burning Burning all the live long day

Chorus: Sing hosanna, sing hosanna Sing hosanna to the king of kings oh, lordy Sing hosanna, sing hosanna Sing hosanna to the king

Give me a friend to be with Keep me happy, happy, happy…

Give me a paddle and a canoe Let me paddle, paddle, paddle … Give me a pack for my back Let me hike, hike, hike …

Give me a kayak and a paddle Let me paddle, paddle, paddle … Give me umption for my gumption Let me function, function, function

Final Chorus: Singing Counselors, functioning counselors, sing and function all the live long day!

Nawakwa Song

Way up in the north woods there is a camp by the name of Nawakwa Where we spend our days in the summer sun, living the life so free We swim, canoe, we hike and row, we cook and trip out too And the only, only thing that makes it so great is sharing it all with you

At night the trees so straight and tall whisper soft and low The heart of nature’s lullaby that we’ve all learned to know The loon, the waves across the lake, the deer and the rustling grass All add their note in quiet song until the night has past

Then comes a bleak December morn and we are far away Then we’ll recall our Girl Scout Camp and pledge our return someday To swim, canoe, to hike and row, to cook and trip out too, And the only, only thing we wish we could do is stay our whole lives through

Nawakwa Song (Old)

We call it fun, but some may call it madness So come along with us and wipe away your sadness Happy campers are we having fun Neath the trees And when we are gone we’ll remember our song Cause we’re from Camp, Nawakwa Camp, Nawakwa Camp, Nawakwa CAMP!

Shooting Star

Sung as campers are walking away from campfire on Thursday Please won’t you catch a shooting star for me And take it with you on your way Though it seems that we’ve just met You’re the one I won’t forget Hope some kind wind blows you back my way

Chorus: And I was thinkin’ maybe somewhere later down the road After all our stories have been told I’ll sit and think of you, my dear friend I once knew Shot through my life like shooting (clap) star

Sometimes I know that a part of you will show Deep in my eyes or in my smile There will always be a part of you Deep inside my heart And I’ll know just when to let it show (Chorus)

You are so dear, you’re my light and shining star You brighten up each and every day You are so near But soon you’ll be so far So why not hold my hand today 1-2-3-4! (Chorus)

You are My Sunshine

Sung Thursday after dinner Chorus: You are my sunshine, my only sunshine You make me happy when skies are grey You’ll never know dear, how much I love you Please don’t take my sunshine away

The other night dear as I lay sleeping I dreamed I held you in my arms When I woke dear I was mistaken So I hung my head and I cried What did I cry?(Chorus)

You told me once dear You’d never leave me That no one else could come between But now you’ve left me for another You have shattered all of my dreams What did you shatter? (Chorus (2x)

Notes

Wisdom

Chorus: There is wisdom in this river Laughter on this land There’s music round the campfire Oh love it while you can (repeat) Oh love it, oh love it while you can The people here have changed me. They’ve touched my very soul and When we are together I feel much more than whole (Chorus)

Can you watch a heron? And not be pulled to flight. Can you not find answers In the dancing northern lights (Chorus)

When winter snows surround me And I feel all alone I think back to this time and place and I bring myself back home (Chorus)

We’ve had the chance to prove ourselves, We’ve done it with such pride, We come back looking quite the same Yet different deep inside

There is freedom on these waters Friendship on this land There’s music in each heart and soul Oh love it while you can (repeat) Oh love it, oh love it while you can