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.

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.