More Songs for Scouts to Sing

November 19, 1998

This the second volume of words to songs that reflect time-honored singing traditions of various Scout organizations in English-speaking nations. As with the first volume, it is short on songs with lyrics that are specific to a particular Scout organization, focusing instead on those would appeal to any sort of Scout or Guide, boy or girl.

No affiliation with any one such organization is implied.

Compiled by

Neil B. and Lucia H. Savage

Exeter, New Hampshire

Acknowledgment

This project could never have continued beyond the first volume without the enthusiastic cooperation of many fellow fanciers of Scouting and camping songs. Among those who contributed to this volume, I'm especially pleased to recognize the following:

Beth and Jeff Brown Cynthia Corwin Marie Evans
Heidi Foisy Virginia Frechette Evie Gibson
Cheryl Hamm Holly Hendricks Nicole Hendrigan
Carole Kelley Kara Krelove Cynthia Krohn
J. Mclaughlin Tiffany Negus Ronald Oakes
Judy Oljey Kendree Parker Michelle Picariello
Edward Robinson

Dedication

This collection is dedicated to the members of Cadette Troop 667, whose interest spurred me to continue collecting song lyrics.

Contents Index

1 ACTION SONGS

Baby Beluga

Baby beluga in the deep blue sea,
Swim so wild and you swim so free.
Heaven about you, sea below,
Just a little white whale on the go.

Baby beluga, baby beluga, is the water warm?
Is your mother home with you, so happy.

Way down yonder where the dolphins play,
Where they dive and splash all day,
The waves roll in and the waves roll out,
See the water squirting out of your spout.

Baby beluga, baby beluga, sing your little song,
Sing for all your friends, we like to hear you.

When it's late and you're home and fed,
Curling up snug in your waterbed.
Stars are shining and the moon is bright,
Good night, little whale, goodnight.

Baby beluga, baby beluga, with tomorrow's sun,
Another day has come, you'll soon be waking.

Baby beluga, baby beluga, is the water warm?
Is your mother home with you, so happy.

Actions: Hands together, make the shape of a small whale jumping over the waves.

Candyland

Oh take me back to the Candyland,
Where the cotton candy grows (poof, poof),
Where the little marshmallows hang from the trees
And the lollypops grow from the ground
What? The lollypops grow from the ground.
Yes, the lollypops grow from the ground.

Chester

Oh, Chester have you heard about Harry?
Just got back from the Army.
I hear he knows how to wear a rose.
Hip, hip, hooray for the army.

Actions: "Chester" [chest], "heard" [ear], "Harry" [hair], "back" [back], "Army" [arm---point to self], "knows" [nose], "wear" [motion to pull on shirt], "rose" [motion to put in lapel], "hip" [hip], "hooray" [raise hands above head]

Dum, Dum, Da, Da

Dum, dum, da, da,
Da-dum, dum, da, da,
Da-dum, dum, da, da, da, dum, da-dum, dum, dum
Dum, dum, da, da,
Da-dum, dum, da, da,
Da-dum, dum, da, da, da, dum.

First time through: pat both knees twice, then right hand to left shoulder twice; pat knees twice, then left hand to right shoulder twice.

Second time through: pat both knees once, then right hand to left shoulder once; pat knees once, then left hand to right shoulder once; pat knees, then cross arms, uncross arms and then snap fingers.

Third time through: left hand on right elbow, flutter right hand; right hand on left elbow, flutter left hand.

Fourth time through: brush hands, then right hand on left elbow; left hand on right elbow.

Fifth time through: cross arms, lean alternately forward and back.

Five Chocolate Eclairs

Five chocolate eclairs (repeat 3x)
sitting on a plate
Gobble, gobble, gobble (hands up to mouth, like eating eclairs)
Four chocolate eclairs etc.
Three chocolate eclairs etc.
Two chocolate eclairs etc.
One chocolate eclair etc.
No chocolate eclairs etc.
Pretend to vomit
One chocolate eclair (repeat 3x)
Sitting on a plate (Pretend to vomit)
Two chocolate eclairs etc.
Three chocolate eclairs etc.
Four chocolate eclairs etc.
Five chocolate eclairs etc.

Give Me a Home

Give me a home amongst the gum trees,
With lots of palm trees,
A sheep or two, a kangaroo,
A clothes line out the back,
A veranda out the front,
And an old rocking chair.

Ole Ola

Chorus:

Ole ola oh olay-a-lak-e-ah [Repeat three more times.]

There are suitors at my door, oh olay a-lak-e-ah
Six or eight or maybe more, oh olay a-lak-e-ah
But my father has me wed, oh olay a-lak-e-ah
Or at least that's what he said, oh olay a-lak-e-ah.

And I told him that I will, oh olay a-lak-e-ah
When the rivers run up hill, oh olay a-lak-e-ah
Or when fish begin to fly, oh olay a-lak-e-ah
Or the day before I die, oh olay a-lak-e-ah.

Actions: 1) with left hand, touch left thigh, right thigh, right elbow and right hand; 2) with right hand, touch right thigh, left thigh, left elbow and left hand. Repeat thoughout the song.

Little Birds

Way up in the sky, [Hold arms up]
The big birdies fly, [Flying motion]
While down in the nest, [Make a nest with hands]
The little birds rest. ['Pillow' hands]
With a wing on the left, [Left arm out]
And a wind on the right, [Right arm out]
The little birdies sleep all through the night. ['Pillow' hands]

SHHHH!! [finger to lips] The birdies are sleeping!

The bright sun comes out, [Hold arms up]
The dew falls away, [Hold fingers as if banging keyboard to the ground]
"Good morning! good morning!" [Jump up]
The little birds say. [Wave 'hello']

Variant: shout "The birdies are sleeping!" very loud.

The River Nile

I'm gonna build my castle on the Nile,
So I can live in elegant style.
Inlaid diamonds on the floor,
A genuine butler at my door.
I'm gonna marry my prince Alaboo,
My blood will change from red to blue,
Entertaining royalty all the while,
In my castle, castle, castle on the river Nile.
...the river Nile.

Actions:

Slap knees twice
Clap twice
Snap right fingers, clap
Snap left fingers, clap
Pass right hand over left twice, and then left over right twice
Left hand under right elbow, wriggle right fingers
Right hand under left elbow, wriggle left fingers
On last line, put hands to together in 'prayer' position, 'swim' them forward, like a fish.

Swimming, Swimming

Tune: Sailing, Sailing,

Swimming, swimming, [Forward strokes]
In the swimming hole. [Make circle with arms]
Sometimes it's hot, [Wipe brow]
Sometimes it's cold, [Wrap arms around yourself]
In the swimming hole. [Make circle with arms]
Breast stroke, side stroke, [Do strokes]
Fancy diving too. [Position as if about to dive]
Oh, don't you wish you never had anything else to do [Shrug and throw arms up]
But ...[Do song again, faster]

Wee Baby Moon

There's a wee baby moon laying flat upon its back
With its little silvery toes in the air
And she's all by herself in the big blue sky
But the wee baby moon doesn't care.

There's a wee baby bear lying flat on it's back
With it's little furry paws in the air
And she's all by herself on the forest floor
But the wee baby bear doesn't care.

There's a wee baby loon lying flat on it's back
With it's little webbed feet in the air
And she's all by herself in the cold lake water
But the wee baby loon doesn't care.

2 FRIENDSHIP, LOVE, AND PEACE

Be Kind To Your ... Scouting Friends

[Tune: Stars and Stripes Forever]

Be kind to your ... Scouting friends,
That's a pledge from one Scout to another.
Be kind to your leaders today,
'Cause for helping they don't get any pay.
Be kind to your neighbors and friends,
'Cause by caring you follow Scouting's letter.
... Scouting and friendship are grand,
And as we grow, the world will know,
We've made things better.

Bridges

-- Bill Stains

There are bridges, bridges in the sky.
They are shining in the sun.
They are stone, and steel, and wood, and wire.
They can change two things to one.

They are languages and letters.
They are poetry and all.
They are love and understanding.
And they're better than a wall.

There are canyons, there are canyons.
They are yawning in the night.
They are rank and bitter anger.
They are all devoid of light.

They are fear and blind suspicion.
They are apathy and pride.
They are dark and so forboding.
And they are oh so very wide.

Let us build a bridge of music.
Let us cross it with a song.
Let us span another canyon.
Let us right another wrong.

Oh and if someone should ask
Where we're off and bound today.
We will tell them "building bridges".
And be off and on our way.

Crossing the Water

-- Bill Stains

Chorus:

We are crossing the water our whole lives through,
We are making a passage that is straight and true,
Every heart is a vessel, every dream is a light,
Shining through the darkness of the blackest night.

Well, there is no shallow water, and not but love to keep
Us safely from the dangers and the devils of the deep.
But with every breath within us, we search forever more,
To find some peaceful harbor on that far distant shore.

For some it is a glory, for some it is a game,
For some it is a story filled with emptiness and pain.
But as rising winds in chorus, we search for steady ground.
There is only that before us, there can be no turning 'round.

Oh, there's no other journey that will ever be the same,
No second chance horizon that will call you by your name.
So when the welling waves wash o'er you and the stormy winds they drive,
Give your heart a song ... sing it loud and long ... keep your dreams alive.

Dreams

Chorus:

May all your dreams bloom like daisies in the sun,
May you always have stars in your eyes,
May you not stop running until you race is run,
May you always have blue skies.

A dream is something you can make,
To keep within your heart,
To build on when you're glad or when you world's been torn apart.
A dream is something all your own
That no ones heart can steal.
A dream is something you can make come real.

You can share a smile with any stranger that you meet,
You can share your money with a beggar on the street,
But you can only share a dream when love has set it free,
Please, won't you share yours with me.

Flicker

The flicker of the campfire,
The wind in the pine,
The moon in the heavens,
The stars that shine,
A place where people gather to make friends of all kinds,
A place where mens troubles are always left behind.

So, give me the light of the campfire so warm and bright,
And give me some friends to sing with,
I'll be here all night.
Love is for those who find it,
I've found mine right here,
Just you and me and the campfire,
And the songs we love to hear.

So, let the campfire flicker into the night,
And let the dreams we cherish remain in its light.
Love is for those who find it,
I've found mine right here,
Just you and the light of the campfire,
And the songs we love so dear.

Friends

Friends are nothing 'til they play.
Together, they must play the whole day.
They must play the night away.
They must play, together they must play.

Friends are nothing 'til they cry ...
Friends are nothing 'til they camp ...
Friends are nothing 'til they pray ...
Friends are nothing 'til they sing ...

Friends are nothing 'til they part.
Together, with a teardrop in their eyes.
They must go their separate ways.
They must part, together they must part.

For the Beauty of the Earth

For the beauty of the earth,
For the glory of the skies,
For the love from which our birth,
Over and around us lies;
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.

For the wonder of each hour
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flow'r,
Sun and moon, and stars of light;
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.

For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth and friends above,
For all gentle thoughts and mild;
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.

From A Distance

-- Julie Gold

From a distance, the world looks blue and green,
And the snow-capped mountains white.
From a distance, the ocean meets the stream,
And the eagle takes to flight.
From a distance, there is harmony,
And it echos through the land.
It's the voice of hope, it's the voice of peace,
It's the voice of every man.

From a distance, we all have enough,
And no one is in need.
There are no guns, no bombs, no disease,
No hungry mouths to feed.
From a distance, we are instruments,
Marching in a common band;
Playing songs of hope, playing songs of peace,
They're the songs of every man.

God is watching us, God is watching us,
God is watching us from a distance.

From a distance, you look like my friend,
Even though we are at war.
From a distance I just can't comprehend,
What all this fighting is for.
From a distance, there is harmony,
And it echos through the land.
It's the hope of hope, it's the love of love,
It's the song of every man.

Hello

Hello ... hello ... hello ... hello
We are glad to meet you,
We are glad to greet you,
Hello ... hello ... hello ... hello

House On Pooh Corner

Christopher Robin and I walked along under the branches lit up by the moon,
Posing questions to Owl and Eeyore as our days passed away all too soon.
But I wandered much further today than I should,
And I can't find my way back to the wood.

Chorus:

So, help me if you can,
I've got to get back to the house at Pooh Corner by one.
You'd be surprised, there's so much to be done:
Count all the bees in the hive, buzz, buzz
Chase all the clouds from the sky, oh my!
Back to the days of Christopher Robin and Pooh.

Winnie the Pooh doesn't know what to do
He has a honey jar stuck on his nose,
He came to me asking for help and advice
And from there no one knows where he goes.
So I sent him to ask of Owl if he's there
How to loosen a jar from the nose of a bear.

Ending:

Back to the days of Christopher Robin,
Back to the ways of Christopher Robin,
Back to the days of Pooh.

The Human Touch

Chorus:

Words by Spence Michael Free

'Tis the human touch in this world that counts,
The touch of your hand and mine,
That means far more to the fainting heart,
Than shelter and bread and wine.
For shelter is gone when the night is over,
And the bread lasts only a day.
But the touch of the hand and the sound of the voice,
Sing on in the soul always.

May the road rise up to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rain fall softly upon your fields,
And until we meet again someday,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
May the memories that we have shared linger on and on.
For it's ...[chorus]

I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing

I'd like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony.
I'd like to hold it in my arms and keep it company.
I'd like to build the world a home and furnish it with love,
Grow apple trees and honey bees and snow white turtle doves.
I'd like to see the world for once all standing hand in hand,
And hear them echo through the hills for peace throughout the land.

That's the song that I hear, let the world sing today.
A song of peace that echos on and never goes away.

It's A Good Time to Get Acquainted

[Tune : It's A Long Way to Tipperary]

It's a good time to get acquainted
It's a good time to know
Who is sitting close beside you
And to smile and say hello: "Hello"
Goodbye lonesome feeling,
Farewell glassy stare,
Here's my hand, my name is [say your name]
So put yours right there.

Let There Be Peace On Earth

Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me:
Let there be peace on earth the peace that was meant to be.
With God as Creator, we're a family,
Let me walk with my family in perfect harmony.
Let peace begin with me; let this be my moment now.
With every step I take, let this be my solemn vow;
To take each moment and live each moment in peace eternally.
Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.

Magic

Chorus:

Magic is the sun that makes a rainbow out of rain
Magic keeps the dream alive to try and try again
Magic is the love that stays when good friends have to leave
I do believe in magic, I believe.

When I was young I thought the stars were made for wishing on
And every hole deep in a tree must hide a leprechaun
Old houses all had secret rooms if you could find the key
All these things were magical to me.

When I grew up, the grownups said, I'd wake one day and find
That magic was a childish game I'd have to leave behind
Like clothing that no longer fit and toys that I'd ignore
I'd not believe in magic any more

But now that I have grown I've found, much to my surprise
That magic did not fade away, it took a new disguise
A child, a friend, a smile, a song, the courage to stand tall
And love's the greatest magic of them all.

On the last chorus only:

I do believe in magic, for love's the greatest magic
I do believe in magic, I believe.

M-m, I Want to Linger

M-m, I want to linger,
M-m, a little longer,
M-m, a little longer here with you.

M-m, it's such a perfect night,
M-m, it doesn't seem quite right,
M-m, that it should be my last with you.

M-m, and come September,
M-m, I will remember,
M-m, my camping days and friendships true.

M-m, And as the years go by,
M-m, I'll think of you and sigh.
M-m, this is goodnight and not goodbye.

Moon on the Meadow

Moon on the meadow, bugs in our ears,
Smoke in our eyes, wet wood and tears.
Up on the meadow, water somewhere.
We will find our way there.

Wild horses rushing, dry lakes and peaks,
Finding the love that everyone seeks.
Hiking to rainbows, sunsets, and stars.
Just finding out who we are.

We shall return there some lucky day.
Our hearts will guide us, they know 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.
Up on the meadow, laughter somewhere.
With you my friend, I am there.

Mother Earth

Chorus:

Mother Earth lives on the ocean,
Mother Earth sails on the sea.
I am blessed with her devotion,
Mother Earth provides for me.

When the grasslands crave for water,
And the harvest needs sunlight.
These are times when I am helpless,
Mother Earth makes all things right.

Green trees grow on the mountain top,
Birds still sing when the morning comes,
Though I treat her carelessly,
Mother Earth still cares for me.

I am going on a journey, and I pray all things end well.
When Mother Earth looks after me,
I will follow faithfully.

Contents

Index