Camp Fire’s Burning

Camp fire’s burning, camp fires burning
Draw nearer, draw nearer
In the gloamin, in the gloamin
Come sing and be merry (or Mary if you like)

Everyone sings it through once very loudly, and then it works well if you split the audience into groups and sing it as a round.

Fast Food

This is an action song the actions will be given at the end. The tune to this is a ram sam sam
Pizza Hut a Pizza Hut
Kentucky Fried Chicken and a Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut a Pizza Hut
Kentucky Fried Chicken and a Pizza Hut
McDonald McDonalds
Kentucky Fried Chicken and a Pizza Hut
A Burger King a Burger King

Long John Silvers and a Burger King
A Burger King a Burger King
Long John Silvers and a Burger King
Red Lobster Red Lobster
Long John Silvers and a Burger King
Dairy Queen A Dairy Queen
Chucky Cheese and a Dairy Queen
Dairy Queen A Dairy Queen
Chucky Cheese and a Dairy Queen
Roy Rogers Roy Rogers
Chucky Cheese and a Dairy Queen

Actions
Pizza Hut - Make shape of a hut in the air.
Kentucky Fried- Flap elbows up and down in the manner of a demented chicken.
McDonalds - Put hands on top of head and bring out and down to produce the “Golden Arches”.
Burger King - Put hands on head with fingers up to make a crown
Long John Silver - mimic sword play
Red Lobster - hold up arms and bring fingers down on thumbs like lobster claws snapping
Dairy Queen - mimic milking a cow
Chuckey Cheese - mimic throwing up a pizza
Roy Rogers - mimic riding a horse

Pizza Hut

A pizza hut, A pizza hut (make shape of a house with index fingers twice)
Kentucky fried chicken (flap arms like a chicken) and a pizza hut
Macdonald’s, Macdonald’s (point out arches in opposite directions)
Kentucky fried chicken and a pizza hut
Macdonald’s, Macdonald’s, Kentucky fried chicken and a pizza hut

If you can’t follow my directions for the actions then go and find someone to sing it to you. Please feel free to make up your own actions for the following verses, or again ask someone who knows to show you the usual ones. I’ve abbreviated the verses down just to show what is included in each one.

• A ford escort, a tiny little mini, ferrari
• A burger king, a little chef, a wimpy
• A dinosaur, tyrannosaurus rex, pterodactyl
• A TV screen, a tiny little arial, teletubby
• A fat girl guide, a tiny little brownie, a ranger
• A snot nosed cub, a know it all scout, a venture (or leader)

Farmyard Carols

Split your audience into 3 groups (1, 2 and C) Each group gets a sound. MOO ,QUACK or BAA. You point at a group when you want them to ‘sing’ and get them to do a farm yard version of Good King Wenceslas, or any other tune you want to destroy.

Old Macdonald

Everyone probably knows old Macdonald had a farm (but he got off with a caution). There is a slightly different version which changes the chorus. On the cow verse it would be:-
There were big cows little cows, little cows big cows
Fat cows thin cows, thin cows fat cows
Old Macdonald had a farm E I E I O!

Appropriate hand actions can be added for extra complications.

There is also another chorus for Explorer Scouts which goes like:-

Rams       Rammin it here, rammin it there (guess what the actions are)
Cows       Cowin it here, Cowin it there  (imagine John Inman in Are You Being Served)
Turkeys   Gobblin it here, gobblin it there (don’t even ask)
Bulls        Bullin it here, Bullin it there (needs two for this one)
Cockrels  . . . . . .  (work it out yourself)

Gloop Gloop

Gloop gloop went the little green frog one day (slap thighs on each gloop)
Gloop gloop said the little green frog (repeat actions)
Gloop gloop went the little green frog one day (repeat actions)
And they all went gloop gloop glob (repeat actions, extra slap on glob)
BUT!
We know frogs go la di da di da (clap after word go, then arms out stand on      )
La di da di da                         (one leg and wave hands. Switch legs/sides on   )
La di da di da                        (every la di da di da.                                       )
We know frogs go la di da di da
Don’t go gloop gloop glob ( usual slapping of thighs here)

      Alternative chorus

We know frogs go “pop” in the microwave
“Splat” when you step on them
“Squelch” on the motorway
We know frogs go (fart noise) when you tickle them, don’t go gloop gloop glob (slapping)

There are also other verses involving growly bears, buzzy bees, pink phones and choo choo trains but you can make up your own actions.

f You’re Happy and you Know It…

Probably you already know ‘If You’re Happy and You Know it Clap Your Hands’ so I’m not going to include the words here. However, using the same tune:-

If you’re happy and you know it pick your nose

If you’re happy and you know it roll it round
If you’re happy and you know it flick it off
If you’re happy and you know it pick it up
If you’re happy and you know it take a bite
If you’re happy and you know it do all 5

You can also do ‘If you’re Daffy and You Know it’ which is the same as the  normal version but with the actions and descriptions mixed up. That is you would clap when singing about clicking your fingers.

The Motorcycle Policeman’s Got a Puncture in his Tyre

The motor cycle policeman’s got a puncture in his tyre
The motorcycle policeman’s got a puncture in his tyre
The motorcycle policeman’s got a puncture in his tyre
So he mended it with chewing gu-u-um

Chewy chewy chewy cheww eey
Chewy chewy chewy cheww eey
Chewy chewy chewy cheww eey
And he mended it with chewing gu-u-um

The tune to this is John Brown’s body. Each time it is sung through, a word is dropped out and replaced with a sound and an action as follows :-

The motor cycle -  vroom vroom (like revving the throttle on a motorbike)
Policeman – nick nick   ( make hand like a duck’s beak, open & close it, on head)
Puncture – hissssss    (pointy/stabby motion with index finger)
Tyre – high pitched wooooooo (each hand points out half a circle in front of you)
Chewing – (like you’re stretching the gum from your mouth)

Rule Britannia

Rule Britannia with marmalade and jam, 5 Chinese crackers in your earhole
Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang! (accompanied by 5 claps)

Sing it through 5 times dropping one cracker, and so one clap, every time. I will guarantee that someone will get it wrong.

He Jumped Without A Parachute

This is a British version of a song known in the US as Never tie a love knot in a parachuters chute. Tune Battle Hymn of the Republic - John Browns Body

First Version

He jumped without a parachute from twenty thousand feet
He jumped without a parachute from twenty thousand feet
He jumped without a parachute from twenty thousand feet
And he aint gorna jump no more

Chorus

Glory glory what a heck of a way to die
Glory glory what a heck of a way to die
Glory glory what a heck of a way to die
And he aint gorna jump no more
They scraped him off the tarmac like a lump of strawberry jam (3x)
And He aint .............
Chorus
They put him in a sardine tin and sent him home to mum (3x)
And he aint...........
Chorus
They put him on the mantle piece for everyone to see (3x)
and he aint........
Chorus
They spread him on a slice of bread when the vicar came to tea (3x)
and he aint.....
Last Chorus

Second Version

He jumped from forty thousand feet without a parachute
He jumped from forty thousand feet without a parachute
He jumped from forty thousand feet without a parachute
And he aint gonna jump no more

Chorus

Glory glory what a hell of a way to die
suspended by your braces when you dont know how to fly
Glory glory what a hell of a way to die
And he aint gonna jump no more
He landed on the pavement like a lump of strawberry jam
He landed on the pavement like a lump of strawberry jam
He landed on the pavement like a lump of strawberry jam
And he aint gonna jump no more
Chorus
They put him in a match box and they sent him home to mum
They put him in a match box and they sent him home to mum
They put him in a match box and they sent him home to mum
And he aint gonna jump no more
Chorus
She put on the mantel piece for everyone to see
She put on the mantel piece for everyone to see
She put on the mantel piece for everyone to see
And he aint gonna jump no more
Chorus
She put him on the table when the Vicar came to tea
She put him on the table when the Vicar came to tea
She put him on the table when the Vicar came to tea
And he aint gonna jump no more
Chorus
The Vicar spread him on some toast and said what lovely jam
The Vicar spread him on some toast and said what lovely jam
The Vicar spread him on some toast and said what lovely jam
And he aint gonna jump no more
Last Chorus
Notes: Verse #4 is sometimes omitted, and the chorus is sometimes repeated a second time at the end, which gets louder through the first two lines and then quieter during the last two lines, with the last few words being slowed down and strung out, to emphasise the point that he aint gonna jump no more.

Gory, Gory
[Tune: Battle Hymn of the Republic]
He jumped out of the aeroplane without a parachute
[Repeat twice more.]
But he ain’t going to jump no more.
Chorus
Gory, gory, what a heck of a way to die. [Repeat twice more.] Well, he ain’t going to jump no more.
He landed on the tarmack like a dab of strawberry jam.
[Repeat twice more.]
And he ain’t going to jump no more.
We scraped him up and mailed him back inside an envelope.
[Repeat twice more.]
And he ain’t going to jump no more.

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.

Sing song through six times, the first time just spelling out
the name BINGO; second time, clap the ‘B’ and spell out the last four letters; third time, clap the ‘B’ and the ‘I’ and spell out the last three letters; etc., until all five letters are clapped
out.

Bringing Home A Baby Bumblebee

This song cycles so that certain verses can be repeated until the singers tire of it.
I’m bringing home a baby bumblebee,
Won’t my Mommy be so proud of me,
I’m bringing home a baby bumblebee,
Ooh, he stung me!
I’m squashing up my baby bumblebee,
.
.
.
Ooh, now its all over my hands!
I’m licking off my baby bumblebee
.
.
.
Ooh, that made me sick!
I’m throwing up my baby bumblebee
.
.
.
Ooh, now the floor is all messy!
I’m scraping up my baby bumblebee
.
.
.
Ooh, he stung me a again!

Variations :

I’m bringing home a baby rattlesnake,
Won’t my darling Mommy really shake.
.
.
.
Ooh, he bit me!
I’m stomping on my baby rattlesnake, etc.
I’m bringing home a baby grizzly bear,
Won’t my Mommy beat it out of there.
.
.
.
One suggested scenario involves shooing off the bear; having to clean up after the mess (scat) left behind, and finally bring the bear back to clean up after itself.

Father Abraham

Father Abraham had seven sons sir.
Seven sons sir had Father Abraham.
And they never laughed, and they never cried,
All the did was go like this: with a left (arm moving) . . . .
. . . With a left (arm) and a right (arm).
Finally: . . . with a left and a right, and a left (leg) and a
right (leg), and a nod, and a wiggle.

Goin’ On a Lion Hunt

Audience echoes each line and sets up clap/lap-slapping rhythm.
Goin’ on a lion hunt.
Goin to catch a big one.
I’m not afraid.
Look, what’s up ahead?
Mud!
Can’t go over it.
Can’t go under it.
Can’t go around it.
Gotta go through it. Make sloshing sounds and move hands as if slogging.
Sticks. Snap fingers.
Tree. Make gestures climbing up and down.
Gate. Make gate-opening gestures.
River. Make swimming gestures.
Cave. Go in it and find lion. Reverse all motions quicky to get home.

Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes

Head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.
Head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.
Eye and ears, and a mouth and a nose.
Head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.
Touch the appropriate body part each time it’s mentioned. Second time: don’t say the word ‘head’ aloud, but still touch it. Each verse thereafter, add another body part that you touch but don’t mention aloud.

Singing in the Rain

We’re singing in the rain, just singing in the rain.
What a glorious feeling, we’re happy again.
Thumbs up! [Group echoes.]
Toot-ta-ta-da, toot-ta-ta-da, toot-DA-DA. [Group echoes.]
Add each of the following, in turn:
Elbows in
Knees bent
Toes together
Buns back
Chest out
Chin down
Tongue out

Quartermaster’s Store

There are rats, rats, as big as alley cats,
At the store, at the store.
There are rats, rats, as big as alley cats,
At the Quartermaster’s store.

Chorus

My eyes are dim, I can not see.
I have not brought my specks with me. Repeat.
Mice . . . running through the rice.
Snakes . . . as big as garden rakes.
Beans . . . as big as submarines.
Gravy . . . enough to float the navy.
Cakes . . . that give us tummy aches.
Eggs . . . with scaly chicken legs.
Butter . . . running in the gutter.
Lard . . . they sell it by the yard.
Bread . . . with great big lumps like lead.
Cheese . . . that makes you want to sneeze.
Soot . . . they grow it by the foot.
Goats . . . eating all the oats
Bees . . . with little knobby knees.
Owls . . . shredding paper towels.
Apes . . . eating all the grapes.
Turtles . . . wearing rubber girdles.
Bear . . . with curlers in its hair.
Buffalos . . . with hair between their toes.
Foxes . . . stuffed in little boxes.
Coke . . . enough to make you choke.
Pepsi . . . that gives you apoplexy.
Roaches . . . sleeping in the coaches.
Flies . . . swarming ‘round the pies.
Fishes . . . washing all the dishes.
Moths . . . eating through the cloths
Scouts . . . eating brussel sprouts.
Leaders . . . slapping at the skeeters.

The Animal Fair

We went to the animal fair, the birds and the beasts were there,
The big baboon by the light of the moon was combing his auburn hair.
The monkey, he got drunk, and fell on the elephants trunk,
The elephant sneezed and fell on his knees,
And that was the end of the monkey! (The monkey, the monkey, the . . . etc.)

Worms

Nobody likes me, everybody hates me,
I’ll go out and dig some worms;
Long thin skinny ones;
Big fat juicy ones,
See how they wriggle and squirm.
Bite their heads off,
Suck their juice out,
Throw their skins away,
Nobody knows how much I thrive
On worms three times a day.
Long thin skinny ones slip down easily,
Big fat juicy ones stick;
Hold your head back,
Squeeze their tail,
And their juice just goes drip, drip.

Oh You Can’t Get to Heaven

Oh the Deacon went down, to the cellar to pray.
But he fell asleep, and stayed all day.
[Repeat.]
I Ain’t gonna grieve my Lord no more.

Chorus

I Ain’t gonna grieve my Lord no more.
I Ain’t gonna grieve my Lord no more.
I Ain’t gonna grieve my Lord no more.
Oh you can’t get to heaven, in a rocking chair.
‘Cause the Lord don’t allow, no lazybones there. etc.
Oh you can’t get to heaven, in a [name of person]’s car.
‘Cause the gosh darn thing, won’t go that far. etc.
Oh you can’t get to heaven, in a [name of person]’s boat.
‘Cause the gosh darn thing, won’t even float. etc.
Oh you can’t get to heaven, on water skis.
‘Cause the Lord don’t allow, no hairy knees. etc.
Oh you can’t get to heaven, on roller skates.
‘Cause you’ll roll right by those pearly gates. etc.
Oh you can’t get to heaven in a limousine,
‘Cause the Lord don’t sell no gasoline. etc.
Oh you can’t get to heaven on a motor bike,
‘Cause you’ll get halfway, then you’ll have to hike. etc.
Oh you can’t get to heaven in a supersonic jet,
‘Cause the Lord ain’t got no runways yet. etc.
Oh you can’t get to heaven with powder and paint,
‘Cause it makes you look like what you ain’t. etc.
Oh you can’t get to heaven in a strapless gown,
‘Cause the gosh darn thing might fall right down. etc.
Oh you can’t get to heaven in [name of person]’s pants,
‘Cause [name of person]’s pants are full of ants. etc.
Oh you can’t chew terbaccy on the golden shore,
‘Cause the Lord don’t have no cuspidor. etc.
Oh I want to go to heaven, and I want to do it right,
So I’ll go up to heaven all dressed in white. etc.
Oh one fine day, and it won’t be long,
You’ll look for me, and I’ll be gone. etc.
Oh if you get to heaven, before I do.
Just bore a hole, and pull me through. etc.
Well if I get to heaven, before you do.
I’ll plug that hole, with shavings and glue. etc.
That’s all there is, there ain’t no more.
Saint Peter said, as he closed the door. etc.
Oh there’s one more thing I forgot to tell,
If you don’t go to heaven, you’ll go to hell. etc.

Boom Chicka Boom

I says a-boom-chick-a-boom! [Group echoes.]
I says a-boom-chick-a-boom! [Group echoes.]
I says a-boom-chick-a-rock-a-chick-a-rock-a-chick-a-boom!
[Group echoes.]
Uh-huh! [Group echoes.]
On Yeah! [Group echoes.]
This time! [Group echoes.]
We sing! [Group echoes.]
HIGHER!
Each time a leader adds a different variation such as: LOWER,
WHISPER, LOUDER, TONGUE-IN-CHEEK, SEXY, GROOVY (COOL).

Do Your Ears Hang Low?

[Tune: Turkey in the Straw, refrain]
Do your ears hang low, do they waggle to and fro?
Can you tie them in a knot, can you tie them is a bow?
Can you throw them o’re your shoulder like a continental soldier?
Do your ears hang low?
Do your ears stick out, can you waggle them about?
Can you flap them up and down as you fly around the town?
Can you shut them up for sure when you hear an awful bore?
Do your ears stick out?
Do your ears stand high, do they reach up to the sky?
Do they hang down when they’re wet, do they stand up when they’re dry?
Can you semaphore your neighbor with the minimum of labor?
Do your ears stand high?

Three Blind Jellyfish

Three blind jellyfish
Three blind jellyfish
Three blind jellyfish sitting on a log

Actions:-    Three        - 3 fingers up
                 Blind         - cover eyes
                 Jellyfish   - wobble hand

A very easy song. Go through it losing one jellyfish at a time. Volunteers make good jellyfish and they must ham up their disappearance as much as possible by rolling and diving off the log. You can also bring them back one at a time to much applause.

Green Grow the Rushes Oh

A good song for a larger audience when accompanied by the following actions. Appoint a group of singers to do the actions for each verse. So, for example, you would have 5 people doing the actions for the ‘5 for the symbols at your door’ verse.  It is likely that some people will have to do more than 1 action during the song.

I’ll sing you one oh, green grow the rushes oh
What is your one oh?
One is one and all alone and never more shall be oh. (This is the camp fire leader)

Two two the lilly white boys, cloth ed all in green hoho (2 volunteers to dance around)
Three three the ri i i i vals (a gentle punching action)
Four for the gospel makers (hands like a book opening)
Five for the symbols at your door (clap in time with words of the verse)
Six for the six proud walkers (walk on the spot)
Seven for the seven stars in the sky (point up)
Eight for the April Rainers (shimmery hand type effect)
Nine for the nine bright shiners (index fingers into cheeks)
Ten for the ten commandments (like Moses writing on a tablet)
Eleven for the eleven who went to Heaven (flap arms like an angel’s wings)
Twelve for the twelve apostles (hold hands as though praying)

Alternatively, make up your own actions.

Ham and eggs  :- split the audience into 2 groups. The leader says the lines to each group in turn and they reply very loudly. Everyone shouts the first and last lines as loudly as possible.

All                   -     Haaaam and eggs, Haaaam and eggs
First group       –     I like mine done golden brown
Second group  -      I like mine done upside down
First group      -      Flip ‘em
Second group  -      Flop ‘em
First group      -      Flip ‘em
Second group   -     Flop ‘em
All                    -     Haaaam and eggs

The Court of King Caractacus

This is one guaranteed to impress your audience if you can keep breathing right the way through. It has just one line, which is introduced bit by bit through the song and repeated 4 times per verse. The first verse is :-

‘The ladies of the harem of the court of King Caractacus were just passing by’ repeated 4 times.

This bit is then added to every time around as follows, and the whole thing repeated 4 times per verse. That is why you need lots of breath especially for the last verse.

The noses on the faces of …..
The boys who put the powder on ……
The fascinating witches who put the scintillating stitches in the britches of…..

The last verse, which is not repeated ,is:-

Now if you want to take some pictures of the fascinating witches who put the scintillating stitches in the britches of the boys who put the powder on the noses of the faces of the ladies of the harem of the court of King Caractacus…then you’re too late, cos they just…passed…bye!

Although this songs was made most famous by the greatest entertainer in the world Rolf Harris (see his website at The Rolf Harris Fan Club Website) he actually got it from a old scout campfire song book.

Thanks

Rather than just giving someone a clap for their performance in the campfire circle you could try :-

Round of applause – clapping while moving your hands in a circle
Seal of approval – clapping and making a noise like a seal
Big hand – holding right hand up in the air
A Mexican wave – as normal, or ‘Hey Pedro, how’s your donkey?’
A Bravo – here the leader speaks the letters of the word Bravo and each letter is
               repeated by the audience with a big cheer after the last ‘O’.