Everyone here at BYT is busy getting ready for the End-of-Summer Camp Party TOMORROW, but, looking back at some old camp songs, we found some… weird stuff. We thought it was our duty to share them with all of you! So get ready for a trip down memory lane, and make sure to grab your tickets for the End-of-Summer Camp Party while you can, they’re going fast!
The Littlest Worm
Like most of these songs, “The Littlest Worm” hides its disturbing content behind a cheery tune. But the song tells the tale of a camper who finds a worm in her soda straw, and, despite the worm’s desperate pleading for its life, the camper sips and swallows it, killing the worm. What event inspired this song?!
The most concerning lyric: “I coughed him up and he was dead, I buried him in my counselors bed.”
Side note – what did that counselor do to piss that camper off?
There Was A Great Big Moose
“There Was A Great Big Moose” starts out as a tale of a friendly moose named Fred, who just wants to drink his juice in peace. Fred accidentally spills his juice, and gets bullied by his friends for it. He then takes a shame bath to clean himself up, and, honestly, been there. But Fred drowns, so I bet his friends feel guilty now.
The most concerning lyric: “His friends began to laugh. So he had to take a bath. As the water went down, Fred the moose began to drown.”
Fred comes back to life at the end, but not because of medical care, but because of the magic of the campers counting backwards. Feels like a cop out to me.
Baby Bumble Bee
This song stars a future serial killer, checking off one third of the MacDonald Triangle by straight up murdering a baby bumblebee. The kid continues to eat it, twist it, pull it, bop it. Messed up.
The most concerning lyric: “I’m squishin’ up my baby bumble bee, won’t my Mommy be so proud of me”
Flea
I’m just going to put the lyrics, because what is happening.
The most concerning lyric: “Flea, Flea fly, Flea fly flo, Come-a lata come-a lata come-a lata vista, Oh no no no not the vista, Vista, Vista, Eenie meenie decimeenie oowala wala meenie, Exameenie sala meenie ooh wala wala meenie, Beep beadalily oaten boaten boo boe bedoaten dottin”
What?
Keep On The Sunny Side
A cheerful song about remaining positive and continuing to look at the bright side of life, that quickly takes a macabre turn. That sunny side of life seems to be a side of a road that you’re driving on, and, whoops, you hit-and-run the Easter Bunny.
The most concerning lyric: “Keep on the sunny side, Always on the sunny side, Keep on the sunny side of life, You’ll suffer no pain, As we drive you all insane, So keep on the sunny side of life”
Boa Constrictor
The narrator of this one essentially live-tweets their own demise, through song. The song ends abruptly, being cut off due to death by boa constrictor.
The most concerning lyric: “I’m being swallowed by a boa constrictor, and I don’t like it very much. (x3) Oh no, he swallowed my toe. Oh gee, he’s up to my knee. Oh fiddle, he’s up to my middle, Oh heck, he’s up to my neck. Oh dread, he swallowed my (slurp-swallow)”
The Moose Song (yes, another one)
The first two verses of this moose song feature a moose relaxing, eating some dinner, having a swim. Unfortunately, the moose dies due to mysterious circumstances, and the song ends on a rather somber note.
The most concerning lyric:“The moose, The moose, Not eating any supper, Where did he go?! He decomposed!”
I’m not particularly sure why campers love to sing about dying mooses. Meese? Moosen? Moose?
That make you nostalgic? Need to commiserate on the absurdity of your youth? Great – tickets are still available, but going fast to End-Of-Summer Camp! Get your OPEN BAR tickets now! Repeat after me: I’ll see you at Camp BYT!
End-Of-Summer Camp
Friday September 20, 2019
8:30 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.
Smithsonian American Art Museum
800 G St NW Washington DC 20004
