Propel, Propel, Propel Your Craft...
A while ago, my eldest brother shared a link to the Way Out Junk Blog, a site that features out of print records from long ago. His collection spans across decades of out of print LP's, ranging from classic Children's albums to political comedy records and beyond.
I had downloaded a copy of Mister Rogers' album, King Friday XIII Celebrates in Misterogers' Neighborhood of Make Believe fairly recently and found myself listening to it earlier today.
Two songs in particular struck me as particularly hilarious, Propel, Propel, Propel You Craft and Three Rodents With Defective Vision, so I went tooling around the 'net to find the lyrics.
During my search, I stumbled upon this gem. For those of you who have ever been in the Scouting program, you'll definitely recognize at least one or two of these songs.
The thing that strikes me the most is that while most of the principal elements of each song is constant, there are several regional differences between the version on their website and the versions I recall from my own days in Scouting. Was talking with Robert about something of this nature before regarding the variations in oral tradition and this illustrates this concept very clearly.
For example, let's take Announcements. A classic example because while the first part is the same, there are several other verses that we used to sing along with it.
Their version goes like this:
Announcements, announcements, announcements ,
A terrible death to die, terrible death to die,
A terrible death to be talked to death,
A terrible death to die
Announcements, announcements, announcements,
Ohhh...
Our version went something like this...
*Ahem* (Practices scales and clears throat)
Announcements, announcements, announcements!
What a horrible way to die.
A horrible way to die.
A horrible way, a horrible way, a horrible way to die.
Announcements, announcements, announcements!
We sold our cow! We sold our cow!
We have no need, for your bull now.
Did you ever see a windbag, a windbag a windbag?
Did you ever see a windbag, well there's one right now!
Blows this way and that way
And this way and that way
Did you ever see a windbag?
Well there's one right now!
Did you ever hear about Patrol Leader Jeff?
His kindly Scout Leader talked him to death.
Now he's up with the angels, seeking all kinds of angles
To keep his fellow scouts from the same tangles
But all of them Angels and even the Devil fall by being talked to death.
Announcements, announcements, Annnnooouuuunnncccceeeeemeenttts!
(Finish with gurgling and impersonations of over-dramatic dying gasps and groans.)
I was actually pleasantly surprised to find that Johnny Verbeck still floating around. Back in my era and in my region of the country, the name was actually "Johnny Rebeck," but otherwise the song pretty much matches up to my memory of it.
The memory is a little hazy on the song we used to sing as cadence whenever we would go hiking. I can recall most of it, but forgive me if the lapses have crept in.
Everywhere we go
People want to know
Who we are?
Where we come from?
So, we tell 'em
We ain't the Marine Corps!
The Jarhead Marine Corps!
We ain't the Air Force!
The Flybaby Air Force!
We ain't the Navy!
The deck swabbin' Navy!
We ain't the Army!
(I forget this part except it ends with "Army" Backpackin' Army kinda sounds right.)
We are the Boy Scouts
Of the mighty Troop Twennnnty
(Forget this line too. Something about... Meh, can't remember)
From the big-assed state of Texas. (This line I didn't forget. Buddy of mine came up with it, we found it hilarious much to our Leaders' chagrin, but it stuck anyway)
Sound off!
1. 2.
Sound off!
3. 4.
SOUND OFF!
1, 2, 3, 4 Can we hike a little more? ONE TWO THREEFOUR!
See? Now I'm transplanted to a time where we'd pay someone a dollar to fart on the campfire to prove the Theory of Fireass Stupidity!
Good times and good memories!
Labels: Blabber, Happy Post
posted by Robert @ 22:03
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