Six fine bone china tea-cups

Another fun one. Choose the victims carefully; there's no fun in putting somebody's nose out of joint for the rest of the fire.

You: I am the owner of a marvellous shop, and I can sell you anything you desire. Yes, I have everything in stock in my marvellous shop. Come, let us put that to the test - I think I hear someone at the door. Yes, madam, what can I do for you?

Your partner: I would like a set of six, fine bone china tea-cups, please.

You: Ah. Now, I just sold the last set, but I can have them delivered in no time.

Partner: I will be back in just a minute.

You: Now, while we wait, I must show you some of the other things I have in stock. Toasters. I have toasters, let me show you...

(pick two members of the campfire; get them to kneel on the ground and go 'ker-chunk' and throw their hands in the air to be the toaster toasting toast. Leave them there as you carry on...)

Your partner, reappearing: Hello again, sir. Do you have my set of six, fine bone china tea-cups, please?

You: Ah. I'm sorry, they still haven't arrived, please will you wait just a little longer?

Partner: I will be back in just a minute.

(This time, get two members of the campfire to be a washing machine. Get them to show you the spin cycle... check that the toasters are still working...)

Your partner, reappearing: Hello again, sir. Do you have my set of six, fine bone china tea-cups, please?

You: Ah. I'm so, so, sorry, they still haven't arrived, but they really won't be very long now.

Partner: I will be back in just a minute.

(This time, the two you pick could be microwave ovens (arms going round as a turntable, then ping). Keep the toasters and washing machines going...)

Your partner, reappearing: Hello again, sir. Do you have my set of six, fine bone china tea-cups, please?

You: Ah. I'm so, so, sorry, they still haven't arrived. But ...

(with a sweeping gesture towards the six people knelt on the floor pretending to be toasters, washers and microwaves...)

... maybe I can suggest a substitution? I do have this lovely set of six mugs...

Don't forget to thank your 'mugs' as you let them go back to their places round the fire.

Everywhere we go...

Not quite as nice as 'Boomalacka', because it isn't as good at a mixed campfire, but this is another good loud one. Obviously, replace the Forestdale Cub Scouts reference with your own group name. Its weakness is that it forces you to simply build the volume.

Everywhere we go,    (echo)
People always ask us,    (echo)
Who we are,    (echo)
Where we come from,    (echo)
So we tell them,    (echo)
We're the Forestdale Cub Scouts,    (echo)
The mighty, mighty, Forestdale,    (echo)
And if they don't hear us,    (echo)
We shout a little louder...    (echo)

Once you've got the loudest you can, the last verse ends with

And if they don't hear us,    (echo)
They must be deaf.    (echo)

Boomalacka!

In the middle of any campfire, there is a time when you want to let everyone know who you are. This is a nice yell with a space in the last line for you to identify yourselves; I've put in one of my old (and sadly, expired) groups. When there are a couple of groups round the fire, this can be led with yells alternately by leaders from each group. If you do that, however, it's good to have a 'joint' verse at the end to bring everyone together again.

Boomalacka, Boomalacka,
Bow wow wow,
Chingalacka, Chingalacka,
Chow chow chow,
Boomalacka, Chingalacka,
Who are we?
Forestdale Cub Scouts, can't you see?

In the 'joint' chant, something like 'We're all Cub Scouts, can't you see?' or 'Beckenham District, can't you see?' does the job very nicely.

You'll never go to heaven

'Oh you'll never go to heaven' is a real campfire classic. Personally, not my favourite, but everyone else seems to enjoy it. Try to make sure a couple of your audience are up for adding verses, it is more fun when the words are coming from round the circle.

There is a 'proper' start to it, though I usually just go into the verses. The four lines are sung as a call and response, then the whole verse is sung through followed by the chorus. 

The Preacher when down.....  (echo)
To the church one day.....  (echo)
And he got on his knees....  (echo)
And he started to pray....  (echo)

Repeat the verse as a single singthrough...

The Preacher when down to the church one day, and he got on his knees and he started to pray.

And then we get the chorus...

I ain't gonna grieve My Lord, 
I ain't gonna grieve My Lord, 
I ain't gonna grieve My Lord, 
I ain't gonna grieve, My Lord no more.


He asked the Angels...   (echo)
For some advice....   (echo)
How do I get to Heaven...   (echo)
This was their reply...   (echo)

Repeat the verse, sing the chorus.

Oh you'll never go to Heaven / In a baked bean tin / 'Cos a baked bean tin's / Got baked beans it.

I'm sure you get it by now...

Oh you'll never go to Heaven / In Akela's car / 'Cos Akela's car / Won't go that far.

Oh you'll never go to Heaven / With a fat Girl Guide / 'Cos the pearly gates / Aren't built that wide.

Oh you'll never go to Heaven / In a bottle of gin / 'Cos the Lord won't let / No spirits in.

Oh you'll never go to Heaven / On a piece of glass / 'Cos a piece of glass / Might cut your elbow.

Oh you'll never go to Heaven / In a Jumbo Jet / 'Cos the Lord ain't got / No runways yet.

And so on, seemingly for ever. Make up your own verses, they will either work and come back in future camps or be lost in the fire... either way, good luck!

Blue Jay

This song is a useful one to have tucked away in your head - easy words, and call and response songs are always a fallback if the fire don't know many words themselves.

Down in the meadow not so very far off,    (echo)
Blue Jay died of the whooping cough,    (echo)
He whooped so hard with the whooping cough,    (echo)
He whooped his head and his tail right off.    (echo)

Remember that you don't need to just use volume - changes to the timing and higher and lower pitched verses make it more interesting for everyone, and that saves your voice a bit as well.

Oggy oggy oggy!

A good way to warm up the campfire's voices is with a yell or two... in this one, the campfire leader does the 'oggy' bits and the campfire do the 'oy' bits.

Oggy Oggy Oggy!
                                    Oy Oy Oy!
Oggy Oggy Oggy!
                                    Oy Oy Oy!
Oggy!
                                    Oy!
Oggy!
                                    Oy!
Oggy Oggy Oggy!
                                    Oy Oy Oy!

We also use the 'AA Milne' versions of this...

Winnie Winnie Winnie!
                                    Pooh Pooh Pooh!
Winnie Winnie Winnie!
                                    Pooh Pooh Pooh!
Winnie!
                                    Pooh!
Winnie!
                                    Pooh!
Winnie Winnie Winnie!
                                    Pooh Pooh Pooh!

Tigger Tigger Tigger!
                                    Bounce Bounce Bounce!
Tigger Tigger Tigger!
                                    Bounce Bounce Bounce!
Tigger!
                                    Bounce!
Tigger!
                                    Bounce!
Tigger Tigger Tigger!
                                    Bounce Bounce Bounce!

I tend to use these near the beginning of the campfire if I don't seem to be getting much noise out of the circle; they are easy, and nobody has a problem remembering the words!

Bobby Bingo

This is another really old song - there are versions dating back to the 1780s - but it is a good one for younger groups. Each time through, drop a letter from the spelling of B-I-N-G-O. Most times, the group's done with it when you get to five claps, but if they're not, go back through replacing the claps with letters again.

There was a farmer, had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-o,
There was a farmer, had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-o,

B - I - N - G - O,

B - I - N - G - O,

B - I - N - G - O,

And Bingo was his name-o.

There was a farmer, had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-o,
There was a farmer, had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-o,

[clap] - I - N - G - O,

[clap] - I - N - G - O,

[clap] - I - N - G - O,

And Bingo was his name-o.

There was a farmer, had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-o,
There was a farmer, had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-o,

[clap] - [clap] - N - G - O,

[clap] - [clap] - N - G - O,

[clap] - [clap] - N - G - O,

And Bingo was his name-o.

There was a farmer, had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-o,
There was a farmer, had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-o,

[clap] - [clap] - [clap] - G - O,

[clap] - [clap] - [clap] - G - O,

[clap] - [clap] - [clap] - G - O,

And Bingo was his name-o.

There was a farmer, had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-o,
There was a farmer, had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-o,

[clap] - [clap] - [clap] - [clap] - O,

[clap] - [clap] - [clap] - [clap] - O,

[clap] - [clap] - [clap] - [clap] - O,

And Bingo was his name-o.

There was a farmer, had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-o,
There was a farmer, had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-o,

[clap] - [clap] - [clap] - [clap] - [clap],

[clap] - [clap] - [clap] - [clap] - [clap],

[clap] - [clap] - [clap] - [clap] - [clap],

And Bingo was his name-o.

The invisible bench

It's Sunday (or it will be when this appears on the blog) so I thought it was time for something different. Sundays will be sketches rather than songs.

This works well if your group has a gang show, but cubs or younger scouts can do this with you as the 'straight man', older scouts and explorers can do it all for themselves.

You have just finished a song, and are starting to introduce the next one when there is a voice from the side.

Cub 1: Sorry I'm late, Akela,, where can I sit?

                                   Straight man: Oh, just sit on the invisible bench. 

[Cub goes and perches as though sat on a bench]

                                   Straight man: Where was I? Oh yes,...

Cub 2: Sorry I'm late, Akela,, where can I sit?

                                   Straight man: Sit with her on the invisible bench.

[Cub goes and perches alongside]

                                   Straight man: As I was saying...

Cub 3: Sorry I'm late, Akela,, where can I sit?

                                   Straight man: You can sit there on the invisible bench.

[Cub goes and perches alongside]

                                   Straight man: Now if we can just get on...

Cub 4: Sorry I'm late, Akela,, where can I sit?

                                   Straight man: On the invisible bench.

[Cub goes and perches alongside]

                                   Straight man: And finally...

Cub 5: Sorry I'm late, Akela,, where can I sit?

                                   Straight man: On the invisible bench. (looking cross now)

[Cub looks at the four who are perched on the invisible bench]

Cub 5: But I moved the invisible bench to the other side of the campfire...

[Cubs 1-4 look at him, look at each other, and fall backwards in a pile]

Of course, they will need to practice it with you to get the timing right, and you need to make sure they fall safely AWAY from the campfire, but this is easy for younger kids to learn and nobody has to remember great wadges of lines.

Boogaloo

You can make up loads of verses for this one. I think it's probably a good idea to have three or four that you always use and drop a new one on the end when you run it, just to keep people on their toes.

The first part needs the campfire to call back to you, shown in (brackets). After that, everyone sings and does the actions in [square brackets] together. You need them all on their feet and warmed up before you go for this one...

Let me see your Boogaloo
                       (What's that you say?)
Let me see your Boogaloo
                       (What's that you say?)

Boo-ga-loo, Boo-boo-ga-loo, Wooh! 
Boo-ga-loo, Boo-boo-ga-loo, Wooh! 
                       [Thumbs up actions, silly dance]


Let me see your Frankenstein
                       (What's that you say?)
Let me see your Frankenstein
                       (What's that you say?)

Frank-en-stein, Frank-frank-en-stein, Raargh! 
Frank-en-stein, Frank-frank-en-stein, Raargh! 
                       [Arms out in front like a comedy zombie,stretch out for the roar ]
Boo-ga-loo, Boo-boo-ga-loo, Wooh! 
Boo-ga-loo, Boo-boo-ga-loo, Wooh!
                       [Thumbs up actions, silly dance]

Let me see your Dracula
                       (What's that you say?)
Let me see your Dracula
                       (What's that you say?)

Dracula, Drac-drac-u-la, Hisss! 
Dracula, Drac-drac-u-la, Hisss! 
                       [Fingers as teeth]
Frank-en-stein, Frank-frank-en-stein, Raargh! 
Frank-en-stein, Frank-frank-en-stein, Raargh! 
                       [Arms out in front like a comedy zombie,stretch out for the roar ]
Boo-ga-loo, Boo-boo-ga-loo, Wooh! 
Boo-ga-loo, Boo-boo-ga-loo, Wooh!
                       [Thumbs up actions, silly dance]

And so on. Other verses I have done have been 'Funky Chicken' and 'Ballerina'; I've seen 'Kung Fu Man', 'Elephant' and 'Crocodile', but let your imagination run wild.

What's that I hear?

I have called this a 'replacement' song; I don't know what the proper term would be, but in this case an extra line is replaced by the action each time you sing it through. It can be quite hilarious, especially if you can perfect a manic grin for the fourth line. We had to ban it from our camp fires for a while because one of our leaders collapsed into paroxysms of laughter as soon as it was mentioned.

As you go through the first time, do the action at the same time as the line. Second time through, the first line isn't sung, but the action is still done. Exentually, there are no words, just a campfire full of people acting it out...

What's that I hear  [Cup a hand to your ear]
Up in the Attic?  [Point into the sky]
It's an elephant  [One arm in front of your face as a trunk]
Riding a bike!  [Hands on the handlebars and pedal furiously]
It's an elephant  [One arm in front of your face as a trunk]
So suave and elegant  [Sweep a cape across your shoulders]
With one tail here  [One arm in front of your face as a trunk]
And one tail here.  [And the other arm behind you as a tail]

..... .... . ....  [Cup a hand to your ear]
Up in the Attic?  [Point into the sky]
It's an elephant  [One arm in front of your face as a trunk]
Riding a bike!  [Hands on the handlebars and pedal furiously]
It's an elephant  [One arm in front of your face as a trunk]
So suave and elegant  [Sweep a cape across your shoulders]
With one tail here  [One arm in front of your face as a trunk]
And one tail here.  [And the other arm behind you as a tail]

..... .... . ....  [Cup a hand to your ear]
.. .. ... .....?  [Point into the sky]
It's an elephant  [One arm in front of your face as a trunk]
Riding a bike!  [Hands on the handlebars and pedal furiously]
It's an elephant  [One arm in front of your face as a trunk]
So suave and elegant  [Sweep a cape across your shoulders]
With one tail here  [One arm in front of your face as a trunk]
And one tail here.  [And the other arm behind you as a tail]

And so on until there are no words, just actions.

The Patagonian Goatherd

When I was younger, I went on a holiday to Patagonia, in South America. Well, I'd spent nearly three weeks there, and just as I was about to leave, a guy that I'd met on a bus came up to me and asked when I was flying out.

"This evening" I said.

"What a pity", he replied, "just one more night and you could have joined the secret society of Patagonian goatherds."

Well, I just had to stay another night, didn't I.

One of the great things about being a member of the secret society of Patagonian goatherds is that, once a year, you can induct someone else into the society. And it just so happens that tonight is that night.

[At this point, pick someone from the audience]

So... would you like to be inducted into the secret society of Patagonian goatherds?

Okay, follow what I do, exactly.

[Get the person in front of you. Raise your right arm in the air. Get them to mirror you. Now the left arm. Thumbs to ears, fingers spread as horns. Bend the knees while going 'Ooooooohhhhhhhhh'. And leap in the air in a star jump, shouting 'Squeeeeeeeee'. Make sure they follow you, and dance / prance / skip round the camp fire, singing...]

At [campsite name] we had beans for tea, 
Beans for tea, beans for tea,
At [campsite name] we had beans for tea, 
Beans, beans, beans.

And now, you are a member of the secret society of Patagonian goatherds. Which means that you can bring someone else into the society.

[Let them pick someone - you may like to say it has to be from a different group, or a different six, or someone they don't know. Do it as a chain, so you induct them, then they induce the second person before dancing round the fire again. Build it up to a chain of four or five people before you get the audience to give them some applause and let them go back to their seats again.]

My Bonnie lies over the ocean

This is a traditional Scottish folk song – there are several verses, but the first verse works well around a camp-fire to get people moving. It also has the advantage of being a well known tune.

This song is brought to you, in ‘Sesame Street’ fashion, by the letter B. Whenever you get to a word that starts with the letter B, if you’re standing up, you sit down, and if you’re already sitting down, you stand up again.

Once you’ve run through it once, you can split the circle into two or four parts and start alternate sections off seated and standing. I did manage eight parts at a large fire once, though it does make you feel quite seasick to watch!



My Bonnie lies over the ocean,
My Bonnie lies over the sea,
My Bonnie lies over the ocean,
Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me.

Bring back, bring back,
Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me, to me,
Bring back, bring back,
Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me.

Oh Aleya

I was told that this is one of the oldest campfire songs in scouting, and another leader in my group has confirmed that she has a version of it on a tape of traditional African childrens's songs. This song responds well to a big voice and a happy heart...

There are many slight variants of the words to this song, all of which sound pretty much the same, so if you have another version, feel free!

Oh Aleya (echo)
Itsi itsi ommba (echo)
Massa massa massa (echo)
Oh balawey, balawey, balawah (echo)

How to... run a 'call and response' song

Call and response songs are songs where the campfire leader sings a line and the campfire echo it back. For that reason, I think they are the easiest to run because you aren't relying on the campfire to know the words or the tune - you give it to them on a plate every time.

What you do have to do is to watch the audience carefully - go on for too long and you've lost them. Have in mind a variety of ways to do the song, as well, because you won't be able to make it up on the fly.

Things I have done that have worked:

• Loud and louder
• Whispered
• Staccato
• High-pitched voice
• Very deep voice
• Sustain the first note of each line as long as possible
• Loudest possible verse to finish

As far as I'm concerned, the biggest pitfall to avoid is someone else's accent. Unless you are VERY good at accents, don't try it. It's all too easy to end up in some horrible racial mess that starts out Wales and ends up in Pakistan via Liverpool in four lines of a song.

And above all, enjoy yourself!

Old Macdonald

Based on a traditional nursery rhyme with actions, you need to practice this one if you’re going to complete it without running out of breath. Get everyone on their feet to start this off, first verse slowly, and speed it up as you go along. By the end they will be laughing.

When you are going through the ‘tall cow, short cow’ bit, you show the shape of the cow with your hands – so for ‘tall’ you have your arms out, one high and one low; ‘short’ you bring them close together above each other, for ‘fat’ you stretch them wide, ‘thin’ brings them back close together in front of you... it’s far easier to do than to describe, just try it and see. The whole of the ‘Tall cow, short cow’ bit needs to be done straight through in a single breath...


Old Macdonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O
And on that farm he had a cow, E-I-E-I-O.

With a tall cow, short cow, 
Short cow, tall cow,
Fat cow, thin cow,
Thin cow, fat cow,
Old Macdonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O

Old Macdonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O
And on that farm he had a sheep, E-I-E-I-O.

With a tall sheep, short sheep, 
Short sheep, tall sheep,
Fat sheep, thin sheep,
Thin sheep, fat sheep,
Tall cow, short cow, 
Short cow, tall cow,
Fat cow, thin cow,
Thin cow, fat cow,
Old Macdonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O

Old Macdonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O
And on that farm he had a pig, E-I-E-I-O.

With a tall pig, short pig, 
Short pig, tall pig,
Fat pig, thin pig,
Thin pig, fat pig,
Tall sheep, short sheep, 
Short sheep, tall sheep,
Fat sheep, thin sheep,
Thin sheep, fat sheep,
Tall cow, short cow, 
Short cow, tall cow,
Fat cow, thin cow,
Thin cow, fat cow,
Old Macdonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O

Welcome to the 'Campfire Circle'

I am a cub scout leader, and have been for over 15 years now. Somehow, despite not having the best voice, I have ended up being the one who runs our camp fires. I have collected quite a few songs over the years, and this blog is intended to share some of them. I will also look for some good sketches, skits and similar - some are best run by the campfire leader, others by the scouts, explorers or another leader.

When I am putting together a program for a camp fire, I try to include a mix of action songs, response songs, yells, sing-alongs and the old traditional scouting songs. For cubs, I will aim to run the camp fire for about 30-40 minutes; around eight songs, a sketch and a couple of yells. I personally always end the camp fire with Kum By Ah, with a prayer spoken over a hummed verse, but that’s just my own preference.

 If you are interested in helping to build this resource, get in touch with me and we can chat about it.

Where I can find copyright, I will get permission, but I believe most of these are either out of copyright or never had it asserted in the first place.