Campfires were a serious event when I was a child. As a Girl Scout, I had to earn the privilege of that once a year camp outing where we sat around consuming too many marshmallows and singing songs until our lungs burst. We worked all year to earn a myriad of badges. We sold cookies based on a quota. We deserved that outing and our songs sung around the campfire were silly little gems that made us laugh or cry from laughing too hard. Here are the ten I remember vividly.
The Wheels On The Bus
Yes, the wheels on the bus go round and round. Once we ran out of bus parts to sing about, we made up our own lyrics. Including verses such as the “girls on the bus scream loud and long, loud and long!” Then we screamed real loud in order to let out that primal urge that all of us posses.
100 Bottles Of Beer On The Wall.
At eight years old, not one of us Girl Scouts had any idea what beer tasted like. I remember smelling it on the breath of my relatives at family barbecues and outings and had no idea why we sang about beer bottles on the wall. Of course, we never made it to one hundred.
Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
Nothing was sillier or more fun then trying to keep up with the lyrics and watching those around you trying to keep up, too!
On Top Of Spaghetti
I loved the meatball rolling off into the garden verse. My daughter and nieces and nephews loved to have me start this one on a long car ride. Grated cheese anyone?
Yellow Submarine
Thank the Beatles for contributing to the top ten list.
Home On The Range
When outside around a fire, how can one not drum up and old cowboy song?
There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly
Another favorite. I always felt bad for the fly.
God Bless America
True Girl and Boy Scouts are also true patriots.
Swing Low Sweet Chariot and Kumbaya
By the time we got to these, if we made it this far, it was time for bed.
