Boom-chicka-boom

A simple song that I have heard sung at camps up and down the east coast. Interestingly, all camps I have attended (including Girl Scout camps) sing this song in the same rolicking, half-shouted rhythm, but the official Boy Scout Songbook companion CD uses an entirely different (and not very appealing) tune and rhythm.

As this is a call and response, each line is called out to the audience, who are then expected to respond. For this reason I have doubled the lines in the following main verse:

“I said a BOOM chicka boom!
I said a boom chicka boom.
I said a BOOM chicka BOOM!
I said a boom chicka boom.
I said a BOom CHiCKA ROCKa, CHiCKA ROCKa, chicka BOOM!
I said a boom chicka rocka, chicka rocka, chicka boom.
Alright!
Alright.
Okay.
Okay.
Now let’s do it!
Now let’s do it.
(some other) way!
(some other) way.”

The (some other) at the end is a way of passing the song on to another leader and extending it. Common versions at my camp include Kitchen Way, Tower Way, Aquatics Way, Admin Way, and Shooting Sports Way. Each of these are sung by members of the respective department, with slight variations. For example, one (of many) Kitchen Ways starts:

“I said a SPOON chicka spoon!”

And concludes with:

“I said spoon DOin’ DISHes, DOin’ DISHes, DOin’ dishes chiCKA SPOON!”

And of course the Admin Way goes something like this:

“I said a SNOOZE chicka snooze!…
I said a snooze take a NAPa, that a NAPa, TAKE A SNOOZE!”

Write What You Love

A comment was made during a conversation this evening that struck me.

“If you want to write, don’t study writing. Study Philosophy. Or History. Or take off and see the world for a couple years. Then write about your passion.”

The quote, taken from a man I respect very much, came about due to conversation about history, which had reminded me of Orson Scott Card’s suggestion to an aspiring writer that they study History, rather than English.

I don’t know if I will ever be a writer. I am simply too lazy. That said, I have been doing something about my lazyness in the last couple years, slowly jotting down notes on my favorite stories from Camp and School.

And, of course, all of this only came about because a couple of months ago I agreed to edit a volume (at that time a pamphlet) on the history of the camp which I love so much. Thats right, we are now looking at releasing a small (16-36 page) pamphlet in the fall as a teaser… with a more tome-esq edition to follow. Some of my more Scout-obsessed friends (who have significant;y more free time) are doing much of the research, with me directing things and putting them together into a cohesive unit.

More on that later. Right now I need to go to sleep.

-Otto

A Big Fat Hen!

Each verse consists of saying something new and then reciting the entire list backwards to the start. You should introduce this as “a repeat after me song” and encourage the audience to shout back each verse before moving on to the next. Not only is this fun and interactive, but it gets to be simply hilarious as they attempt to repeat verses 8-10.

1. A big fat hen!
2. A couple of ducks and a big fat hen.
3. Three running hares, a couple of ducks, and a big fat hen.
4. Four brown bears, three running hares, a couple of ducks, and a big fat hen.
5. Five flat flap-jacks, four brown bears, three running hares, a couple of ducks, and a big fat hen.
6. Six simple simons, five flat flap-jacks, four brown bears, three running hares, a couple of ducks, and a big fat hen.
7. Seven silly sailors sailing the seven seas, six simple simons, five flat flap-jacks, four brown bears, three running hares, a couple of ducks, and a big fat hen.
8. Now here’s where it gets a little difficult: Eight egotistical elephants eagerly awaiting entrance into Ethiopia, seven silly sailors sailing the seven seas, six simple simons, five flat flap-jacks, four brown bears, three running hares, a couple of ducks, and a big fat hen.
9. Nine nimble ninnies nibbling ninny gnats, eight egotistical elephants eagerly awaiting entrance into Ethiopia, seven silly sailors sailing the seven seas, six simple simons, five flat flap-jacks, four brown bears, three running hares, a couple of ducks, and a big fat hen.
10. And last but not least: Ten tiny tom-toms tinkling tiny tunes, nine nimble ninnies nibbling ninny gnats, eight egotistical elephants eagerly awaiting entrance into Ethiopia, seven silly sailors sailing the seven seas, six simple simons, five flat flap-jacks, four brown bears, three running hares, a couple of ducks, and a big fat hen.

Notes:
There are several versions of verse 9. If you know a better one (one that makes more sense), let me know.
Be enthusiastic! Enunciate! And speak quickly, especially on verse 8.