This is a great song to sing at any camp out as the fire is being lit.  It’s a great song to be sung in the round, and we usually just cut it off once the fire was nice and roaring.  There was a superstition I was told about as a young scout that if you didn’t sing the song, you’d have problems lighting the fire.

Rise up, O Flame by thy light glowing,
Show to us beauty, vision and joy.

Buy Rise Up O Flame on iTunes!

Interestingly, in doing my research I found another verse to this song that I’d never been taught!  We always just sang the first verse in our meetings, and even in going away to Girl Scout camp, I never learned another version.  I wonder if this is a regional thing?  If you know, please share!

Make new friends, but keep the old,
One is silver and the other’s gold.
A circle’s round, it has no end,
That’s how long I want to be your friend.

Friendships come and friendships go,
But we’ll be together, this I know.
You’ll need me and I’ll need you,
And together we will make it through.

Buy Make New Friends on iTunes!

This is a fun countdown song, starting at ants marching one by one and going all the way up to ten by ten.  It’s a great song for younger girls who are learning to count as it gives them a chance to get some practice in!  Not that in the seventh verse, the action is “pray to heaven” but you can easily change that if you don’t want to use the religious reference.  Just make sure the last word rhymes with seven, though I’m having a tough time thinking of alternatives, to be honest!  Try www.RhymeZone.com for suggestions!

The ants go marching one by one
Hurah, hurrah
The ants go marching one by one
Hurrah, Hurrah!
The ants go marching one by one
The little one stopped to suck his thumb
And they all go marching
Down
To the ground
To get out of the rain
Bum, bum, bum

The ants go marching two by two
Hurah, hurrah
The ants go marching two by two
Hurrah, Hurrah!
The ants go marching two by two
The little one stopped to tie his shoe
And they all go marching
Down
To the ground
To get out of the rain
Bum, bum, bum

The ants go marching three by three
Hurah, hurrah
The ants go marching three by three
Hurrah, Hurrah!
The ants go marching three by three
The little one stopped to climb a tre
And they all go marching
Down
To the ground
To get out of the rain
Bum, bum, bum

The ants go marching four by four
Hurah, hurrah
The ants go marching four by four
Hurrah, Hurrah!
The ants go marching four by four
The little one stopped to slam the door
And they all go marching
Down
To the ground
To get out of the rain
Bum, bum, bum

The ants go marching five by five
Hurah, hurrah
The ants go marching five by five
Hurrah, Hurrah!
The ants go marching five by five
The little one stopped to talk some Jive
And they all go marching
Down
To the ground
To get out of the rain
Bum, bum, bum

The ants go marching six by six
Hurah, hurrah
The ants go marching six by six
Hurrah, Hurrah!
The ants go marching six by six
The little one stopped to pick up sticks
And they all go marching
Down
To the ground
To get out of the rain
Bum, bum, bum

The ants go marching seven by seven
Hurah, hurrah
The ants go marching seven by seven
Hurrah, Hurrah!
The ants go marching seven by seven
The little one stopped to pray to heaven
And they all go marching
Down
To the ground
To get out of the rain
Bum, bum, bum

The ants go marching eight by eight
Hurah, hurrah
The ants go marching eight by eight
Hurrah, Hurrah!
The ants go marching eight by eight
The little one stopped to close the gate
And they all go marching
Down
To the ground
To get out of the rain
Bum, bum, bum

The ants go marching nine by nine
Hurah, hurrah
The ants go marching nine by nine
Hurrah, Hurrah!
The ants go marching nine by nine
The little one stopped to pick up a dime
And they all go marching
Down
To the ground
To get out of the rain
Bum, bum, bum

The ants go marching ten by ten
Hurah, hurrah
The ants go marching ten by ten
Hurrah, Hurrah!
The ants go marching ten by ten
The little one stopped to pluck a hen
And they all go marching
Down
To the ground
To get out of the rain
Bum, bum, bum

Buy Ants Go Marching on iTunes!

I will preface this by saying that I have NO idea if Girl Scouts still sing grace before meals at camp.  I’m guessing it depends on the area and the audience, so to speak.  Growing up and going to Girl Scout camp in California, we were always told that we could substitute “Earth” for “God” where appropriate.  This grace was always one of my favorites because it referenced the trees and didn’t say the word God, however it does make a reference to “thee above”.  Consider your girls before using this grace, if you still use grace, and whether or not this might offend anyone (the girls or parents).

‘Neath these tall green trees we stand
Asking blessings from thy hand
Thanks we give to thee above
For thy health and strength and love.

Buy ‘Neath These Tall Green Trees’ on iTunes

Most the songs I’ve posted came from my days at Girl Scout camp, but there were songs we sang in our troop meetings as well.  This is one of those songs that are great to sing while waiting for people or things (like a bus, or for the last of the girls to show up for a meeting).

She wears a G for generosity,
She wears a I for interest too,
She wears a R for responsibility,
She wears a L for loyalty, for loyalty
She wears a S for her sincerity,
She wears a C for courtesy,
She wears a O-U-T for outdoor life, outdoor life,
and that Girl Scout is me! (Believe it or not!)

Buy ”’G” for Generosity’ on iTunes

This is a fun song.  The way we sang it, there was a pause just before the number of humps, and we’d always shake our hips for each “bump”.  It’s a simple counting song, as well as involves some movement.  I’ve also seen it sung very similarly to My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean where the girls are standing for most of the song, but bend down at the knees during the number.  There’s also a variation where the girls hold up one hand with the corresponding fingers showing for the number of humps.

Alice’s camel has five humps
Alice’s camel has five humps
Alice’s camel has five humps
So go, Alice, go!
Bump bump bump bump.

(Repeat the chorus with 1 fewer humps each time until…)

Alice’s camel has no humps
Alice’s camel has no humps
Alice’s camel has no humps
So Alice’s camel is a horse (of course!)

Buy ‘Alice the Camel’ on iTunes!