Campfire songs

Mathmaniac · Post by **Mathmaniac** » 15 years ago

I NEED SONG SUGGESTIONS!

During the summer, I work at a resident summer camp for Cub Scouts (6-10 year old boys) and their parents. I have been a long-time fan of singing songs around a campfire, but I HATE singing songs like "Kumbaya," "Michael Row the boat ashore," or most other songs I learned when I was 3. Instead, I rely more heavily on Peter, Paul and Mary, the Beatles, John Denver, Pete Seeger, some classic rock, and the like.

We're finally getting a few of the better voices together and hopefully putting some songs together with guitar, maybe violin, maybe tin whistle, maybe djembe, and 4-6 voices (1 alto/tenor, 1 tenor, 2-4 baritone/basses), all male. I can only assume right now of 2 or 3 voices being independent enough to take a part by themselves. Any suggestions on songs to sing?

Possibilities already on the list:
Country Roads (John Denver)
Hallelujah (Cohen)
One Tin Soldier (verses follow Pacabel's canon's chord progression)
Dust in the Wind

I need more input!

lacrymosa2 · Post by **lacrymosa2** » 15 years ago

Mr. Tambourine Man -Bob Dylan, famously covered by The Byrds)
Piano Man -Billy Joel
Leaving on a Jet Plane -John Denver
Blackbird -The Beatles
If You Leave Me Now -Chicago
No Sugar Tonight (New Mother Nature) -Guess Who
Behind Blue Eyes -The Who
Turn, Turn, Turn -The Byrds
Carrie Anne -The Hollies (don't know about this one, since you are involving Cub Scouts)
Proud Mary -Creedence Clearwater Revival
Closer to The Heart -Rush
Fields of Gold -Sting

This is what I have so far...

tcliffy · Post by **tcliffy** » 15 years ago

[youtube][/youtube] here's what I would do

whitetail1985 · Post by **whitetail1985** » 15 years ago

This list is from a campfire cd

1.A Horse with No Name
2.Cat's in the Cradle :: Harry Chapin
3.Bad, Bad Leroy Brown :: Jim Croce
4.If I Had a Hammer
5.The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy) :: Harpers Bizarre
6.American Pie :: Don McLean
7.Groovin'
8.(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay :: Otis Redding
9.Under the Boardwalk
10.Stand by Me :: Ben E. King
11.Proud Mary :: Ike & Tina Turner
12.Shout, Pt. 1 & 2 :: The Isley Brothers
13.Respect
14.Day O :: Harry Belafonte
15.Guantanamera :: Celia Cruz
16.Kumbaya
17.The Lion Sleeps Tonight :: The Tokens
18.Melloow Yellow
19.500 Miles
20.Take Me Home, Country Roads :: John Denver
21.Sundown :: Jesse Winchester

Hope some of these work for ya

Yorkie · Post by **Yorkie** » 15 years ago

I could post some suggestions but all my songs are British rugby songs to be sung when drunk. The lyrical contents of which are all xxx rated.

I'm guessing (and it's just a hunch) that the parents may not appreciate them (but the kids would love 'em).

libera36 · Post by **libera36** » 15 years ago

tcliffy wrote:[youtube][/youtube] here's what I would do

Gahh, I am addicted to that song. Its definitely his best!

heeh91 · Post by **heeh91** » 15 years ago

just sing some libera haha

irishoreo · Post by **irishoreo** » 15 years ago

heeh91 wrote:just sing some libera haha

Hahaha i agree with you 100%!

TEB · Post by **TEB** » 15 years ago

Just about anything by John Denver would work.

Just a word of warning about No Sugar Tonight(New Mother Nature) by The Guess Who. This song has more than a few references about drug use in it. I'd have to think twice before using it.

lacrymosa2 · Post by **lacrymosa2** » 15 years ago

TEB wrote:Just about anything by John Denver would work.

Just a word of warning about No Sugar Tonight(New Mother Nature) by The Guess Who. This song has more than a few references about drug use in it. I'd have to think twice before using it.

Oh dear, me! I did not know about that until you mentioned it just now, Tom. Plus, anything John Denver would definitely work.

Mathmaniac · Post by **Mathmaniac** » 15 years ago

Thanks for all the input so far! I'll be looking into many of those songs. I wouldn't be worrying too much about some content of the songs, especially since we used Don't Stop Believein' and Come Sail Away for the camp promo video.

Yorkie, I have no problem with drinking songs (I grew up listening to sea shanties and folk songs, thanks to my father) or teaching them to cub scouts, but xxx is probably a bit much. For the staff however...I at least want to learn a limerick song.

whitetail, thanks for the list. Alot of good songs on it. We are dipping into Simon and Garfunkel this year (at least singing Sound of Silence). I REFUSE to sing Kumbaya, after hearing 48 verses of it one time. I hate that song with a passion!

lacrymosa, also great choices. I do hope to learn at least Turn, Turn, Turn and Leaving on a Jet Plane, and maybe Blackbird (the picking is going to be difficult).

Other than that, I just bought the new Celtic Thunder DVD and CD (It's Entertainment!), and there's a close-harmony version of Hallelujah on it that I would love to transcribe and sing.

By the way, the count is 5 voices: one alto/tenor, one tenor (me), and 3 baritone/basses (one of which should be relatively versatile).

irishoreo · Post by **irishoreo** » 15 years ago

Mathmaniac wrote: Other than that, I just bought the new Celtic Thunder DVD and CD (It's Entertainment!), and there's a close-harmony version of Hallelujah on it that I would love to transcribe and sing.

By the way, the count is 5 voices: one alto/tenor, one tenor (me), and 3 baritone/basses (one of which should be relatively versatile).

I WANT THOSE LIKE NOW!!! my friend supposedly bought them for me and i just have to locate him so he can give me them and i can pay him

Mathmaniac · Post by **Mathmaniac** » 15 years ago

The new Celtic Thunder stuff is pretty cool. It's alot different from their first stuff. They focus more on showbiz types of songs, though not very stereotypical songs (a good eclectic mix). I've got the CD in my car.

TEB · Post by **TEB** » 15 years ago

Come Sail Away is one of the best songs Dennis DeYoung ever wrote for Styx. Even though he is no longer with the group, he still performs that song as his signature song. And it is a great audience participation number. If any of you have ever heard him do it live, and I have two different cd's of him live doing it, he really pushes for the audience to sing along.

Mathmaniac · Post by **Mathmaniac** » 15 years ago

Believe it or not, Come Sail Away is on our promotional DVD! It was added for two reasons: 1) the parents of cub scouts probably grew up in the 80's, and therefore would remember the song, and 2) it was one of the songs we put on in the bar every night we went there.