Campfire Songs

SINGING SONGS TOGETHER is a fun way to pass the time around a campfire, on the school bus, or in the car (“John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt” is especially fantastic for annoying your parents on long trips). Here are some of our favorites from summer camp and family sing-alongs.

In addition to these, other great campfire songs include “Puff the Magic Dragon,” “Do A Deer,” “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad,” “Take Me Out To The Ballgame,” “Goodnight Irene,” “Michael Row Your Boat Ashore,” “There Is a Hole in the Bucket,” “On Top of Spaghetti,” “Red River Valley,” and “This Land is Your Land.”

JOHN JACOB JINGLEHEIMER SCHMIDT

John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt,

His name is my name, too.

Whenever we go out,

The people always shout,

There goes John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt.

Dah dah dah dah, dah dah dah!

John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt,

His name is my name, too.

Whenever we go out,

The people always shout,

There goes John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt.

Dah dah dah dah, dah dah dah! (repeat endlessly)

(variations: sing the verse as soft as possible and the “dah dah dah” part as loud as possible; sing the song in an “opera voice”; sing the song in an impossibly slow tempo, then sing it again incredibly fast; after singing the song over and over, stop as if you’re done, then bust out another round when your friends/parents/camp counselors least expect it.)

KUMBAYA

Kumbayah my Lord, kumbayah

(repeat three times)

Oh Lord, kumbayah

Someone’s singing Lord, kumbaya

(repeat three times)

Oh Lord, kumbayah

Someone’s laughing, Lord, kumbaya

(repeat three times)

Oh Lord, kumbaya

Someone’s crying, Lord, kumbaya

(repeat three times)

Oh Lord, kumbaya

Someone’s praying, Lord, kumbaya

(repeat three times)

Oh Lord, kumbaya

Someone’s sleeping, Lord, kumbaya

(repeat three times)

Oh Lord, kumbaya

Oh Lord, kumbaya

GREEN GRASS GREW ALL AROUND

There was a hole (There was a hole) in the middle of the ground (in the middle of the ground)

The prettiest hole (the prettiest hole) that you ever did see (that you ever did see)

Well the hole in the ground

And the green grass grew all around and around

And the green grass grew all around.

And in this hole (repeat)

there was a root (repeat)

The prettiest root (repeat)

that you ever did see (repeat)

Well the root in the hole

And the hole in the ground

And the green grass grew all around and around

And the green grass grew all around.

And on this root (repeat)

there was a tree (repeat)

The prettiest tree (repeat)

that you ever did see (repeat)

Well the tree on the root

And the root in the hole

And the hole in the ground

And the green grass grew all around and around

And the green grass grew all around.

And on this tree (repeat)

there was a branch (repeat)

The prettiest branch (repeat)

that you ever did see (repeat)

Well the branch on the tree

And the tree on the root

And the root in the hole

And the hole in the ground

And the green grass grew all around and around

And the green grass grew all around.

And on this branch (repeat)

there was twig (repeat)

The prettiest twig (repeat)

that you ever did see (repeat)

Well the twig on the branch

And the branch on the tree

And the tree on the root

And the root in the hole

And the hole in the ground

And the green grass grew all around and around

And the green grass grew all around.

And on this twig (repeat)

there was a nest (repeat)

The prettiest nest (repeat)

that you ever did see (repeat)

Well the nest on the twig

And the twig on the branch

And the branch on the tree

And the tree on the root

And the root in the hole

And the hole in the ground

And the green grass grew all around and around

And the green grass grew all around.

And in this nest (repeat)

there was an egg (repeat)

The prettiest egg (repeat)

that you ever did see (repeat)

Well the egg in the nest

And the nest on the twig

And the twig on the branch

And the branch on the tree

And the tree on the root

And the root in the hole

And the hole in the ground

And the green grass grew all around and around

And the green grass grew all around.

And in this egg (repeat)

there was a bird (repeat)

The prettiest bird (repeat)

that you ever did see (repeat)

Well the bird on the egg

And the egg in the nest

And the nest on the twig

And the twig on the branch

And the branch on the tree

And the tree on the root

And the root in the hole

And the hole in the ground

And the green grass grew all around and around

And the green grass grew all around.

And on this bird (repeat)

there was a wing (repeat)

The prettiest wing (repeat)

that you ever did see (repeat)

Well the wing on the bird

And the bird on the egg

And the egg in the nest

And the nest on the twig

And the twig on the branch

And the branch on the tree

And the tree on the root

And the root in the hole

And the hole in the ground

And the green grass grew all around and around

And the green grass grew all around.

And on this wing (repeat)

there was a feather (repeat)

The prettiest feather (repeat)

that you ever did see (repeat)

Well the feather on the wing

And the wing on the bird

And the bird on the egg

And the egg in the nest

And the nest on the twig

And the twig on the branch

And the branch on the tree

And the tree on the root

And the root in the hole

And the hole in the ground

And the green grass grew all around and around

And the green grass grew all around.

DARLING CLEMENTINE

In a cavern, in a canyon,

Excavating for a mine,

Dwelt a miner, forty-niner,

And his daughter Clementine.

Refrain:

Oh my darling, oh my darling,

Oh my darling Clementine

You are lost and gone forever,

Dreadful sorry, Clementine.

Light she was, and like a fairy,

And her shoes were number nine,

Herring boxes without topses,

Sandals were for Clementine.

Refrain

Walking lightly as a fairy,

Though her shoes were number nine,

Sometimes tripping, lightly skipping,

Lovely girl, my Clementine.

Refrain

Drove she ducklings to the water

Ev’ry morning just at nine,

Hit her foot against a splinter,

Fell into the foaming brine.

Refrain

Ruby lips above the water,

Blowing bubbles soft and fine,

But alas, I was no swimmer,

Neither was my Clementine.

Refrain

In a churchyard near the canyon,

Where the myrtle doth entwine,

There grow rosies and some posies,

Fertilized by Clementine.

Refrain

Then, the miner, forty-niner,

Soon began to fret and pine,

Thought he oughter join his daughter,

So he’s now with Clementine.

Refrain

I’m so lonely, lost without her,

Wish I’d had a fishing line,

Which I might have cast about her,

Might have saved my Clementine.

Refrain

In my dreams she still doth haunt me,

Robed in garments soaked with brine,

Then she rises from the waters,

And I kiss my Clementine.

Refrain

DOWN BY THE BAY

(call and response)

Down by the bay (Down by the bay)

Where the watermelons grow

(Where the watermelons grow)

Back to my home (Back to my home)

I dare not go (I dare not go)

For if I do (For if I do)

My mother will say (My mother will say)

“Did you ever see a whale

With a polka dot tail?”

Down by the bay.

Down by the bay (Down by the bay)

Where the watermelons grow
(Where the watermelons grow)

Back to my home (Back to my home)

I dare not go (I dare not go)

For if I do (For if I do)

My mother will say (My mother will say)

“Did you ever see a bear

Combing his hair?”

Down by the bay.

Down by the bay (Down by the bay)

Where the watermelons grow

(Where the watermelons grow)

Back to my home (Back to my home)

I dare not go (I dare not go)

For if I do (For if I do)

My mother will say (My mother will say)

“Did you ever see a moose

Kissing a goose?”

Down by the bay.

Down by the bay (Down by the bay)

Where the watermelons grow
(Where the watermelons grow)

Back to my home (Back to my home)

I dare not go (I dare not go)

For if I do (For if I do)

My mother will say (My mother will say)

“Did you ever see a fly

Wearing a tie?”

Down by the bay.

Down by the bay (Down by the bay)

Where the watermelons grow
(Where the watermelons grow)

Back to my home (Back to my home)

I dare not go (I dare not go)

For if I do (For if I do)

My mother will say (My mother will say)

“Did you ever see some llamas

Wearing pajamas?”

Down by the bay.

Down by the bay (Down by the bay)

Where the watermelons grow
(Where the watermelons grow)

Back to my home (Back to my home)

I dare not go (I dare not go)

For if I do (For if I do)

My mother will say (My mother will say)

“Did you ever have a time

When you couldn’t make a rhyme?”

Down by the bay.

ERIE CANAL

I’ve got a mule,

Her name is Sal,

Fifteen years on the Erie Canal.

She’s a good old worker

And a good old pal,

Fifteen years on the Erie Canal.

We’ve hauled some barges in our day

Filled with lumber, coal and bay

And ev’ry inch of the way I know

From Albany to Buffalo.

Low Bridge, ev’rybody down,

For it’s Low Bridge,

We’re coming to a town!

You can always tell your neighbor,

You can always tell your pal,

If you’ve ever navigated

On the Erie Canal.

Low Bridge, ev’rybody down,

For it’s Low Bridge,

We’re coming to a town!

You can always tell your neighbor,

You can always tell your pal,

If you’ve ever navigated

On the Erie Canal.

We better get along

On our way, old gal,

Fifteen miles on the Erie Canal.

Cause you bet your life

I’d never part with Sal,

Fifteen miles on the Erie Canal.

Git up there, mule, here comes a lock,

We’ll make Rome ’bout six o’clock.

One more trip and back we’ll go

Right back home to Buffalo.

Low Bridge, ev’rybody down,

For it’s Low Bridge,

We’re coming to a town!

You can always tell your neighbor,

You can always tell your pal,

If you’ve ever navigated

On the Erie Canal.

Low Bridge, ev’rybody down,

For it’s Low Bridge,

We’re coming to a town!

You can always tell your neighbor,

You can always tell your pal,

If you’ve ever navigated

On the Erie Canal.