no singing, bummer

[RainShine]

We've never had singing in our troop. We go off to summer camp or Camporee, other troops are heartily singing. Our guys, nothin'. So when I became Scoutmaster, I vowed to bring singing to the troop. I got the keys in January 2020, then covid hit, uhg.  Then we got busy, everything takes longer than I think! Okay... whatever... here we are, still no singing. I've learned chords on guitar and heck I don't sing either but I'm going to do it. I got some good tunes that I think they will like, and I play them in the car on the way to campouts. But I'm plenty scared. I could seriously fall flat on my face.

Any suggestions before embarking on this adventure?

[InquisitiveScouter]

Don't overdo it at first...  Just a tune or two during a lull around the campfire.  Don't make it your show 😜

Make them short...  Don't do 100 bottles of root beer on the wall. 

Don't demand that everyone sing... Youth often don't know the words, so are reluctant to sing.  They have to hear the song many times before they feel comfortable with the words.  Wanna help them?  Print out a few copies and hand them out.  Don't get upset if they wind up in the fire.  In fact, make a game of that.  Print on the bottom of it "Burn Only After Singing!!!" 

Learn Scout Vespers... that's a good one to start with.

Learn America (My Country 'Tis of Thee) or America the Beautiful... 

 

[qwazse]

I can’t even believe I’m about to say this …

… make peace with the electronics. The boys in my troop become singing fools when they start streaming old-school pop tunes. I constantly remind them that I loath whatever the tech name is for their pathetic excuse for a boom box, but I’ll abide it as long as I hear their voices rise above in passable melody.

[MikeS72]

48 minutes ago, qwazse said:

I’ll abide it as long as I hear their voices rise above in passable melody.

That puts me and most of my Scouts out of the picture!😄

[KublaiKen]

3 hours ago, MikeS72 said:

That puts me and most of my Scouts out of the picture!😄

Right? Same here. What happened to achievable goals?

[qwazse]

11 hours ago, MikeS72 said:

That puts me and most of my Scouts out of the picture!😄

 

8 hours ago, KublaiKen said:

Right? Same here. What happened to achievable goals?

All minus most equals some of our scouts carrying for the rest of us.

For a few years, Buttercup was the troop song. And no, it was not great. Then one choir boy decided to take the lead by opening with that guttural “Why do you …” just like on the record. All of summer would be up and dancing at evening campfire.

The Good Book says “Make a joyful noise …” no mention of tonality.

[SSScout]

(With apologies to Paul Simon . . . )

 

  ”I went out camping with my Scout Troop just last week.

 The fun and woods there were everything I seek .

                          But I when I got home and counted noses  I realized…

                        There must be… fifty ways to lose a camper.  Fifty ways to lose a camper….  “”

 

       Just call the roll late, Nate,  Get off to the john, Ron,   Be in a rush,  Gus,   just listen to me….

            A  PL that’s loose, Moose,  string out the hike,  Mike,  Just laugh at that boy, Roy , , , 

And let those Scouts be  !

           

I called my DE up and told him of my woe,  he said he’d meet with me ,

and so to Four Bucks  then we’d go.

            He smiled and shook his head “You’re not the first,” he said,

            “There must be… fifty ways to lose a camper….    Fifty ways to lose a camper….”

 

        Check your Tour Plan, Stan,   run over those names,  Ames,  call the Micky Dee , Lee,  

and calm try to be….

        Reassure mom, Dom,  be cool with the dad,  Vlad ,  get out the cell, Mel,   and call the SE.”

 

And so we called the Council SE on the cell. 

She told us  to not fret,  she’d see what she could tell.

And sure enough, the family called back,  .... it seemed that…the kid had stayed home with a cold all along..........

So wipe off the brow, Dow,     Have another cup,  Krup,   

smile and cheerful be,  Dee,  

and set your self…. Freee…..

 

 

               

 

 

[SSScout]

Teach 'em the CORRECT lyrics....

"" "scuse me, while I kiss this guy....""     = Jimi Hendrix, please call your office......

[InquisitiveScouter]

38 minutes ago, SSScout said:

Teach 'em the CORRECT lyrics....

"" "scuse me, while I kiss this guy....""     = Jimi Hendrix, please call your office......

LOL,

Don't know how they got this, but I remember Scouts singing "Come on Eileen! Oh, I slid on my winks..."

[BetterWithCheddar]

I never liked singing as a youth. I enjoy it less as an adult. The council camp I attended and staffed as a youth usually sang in the dining hall after lunch and dinner and that always seemed like a chore to me ... even when I was 11. The exception has always been a well-timed campfire song ~ Vespers, America the Beautiful, etc. I never minded singing those types of songs (still don't) and agree with other posters on those songs being a great place to start.

One low key upside to singing (and why I think it still has a place in Scouting, despite my personal aversion) is that it builds confidence for youth. If you can stand up and sing a ridiculous song in front of your peers and their parents at age 12, you're probably going to be more comfortable making professional presentations as an adult than someone who didn't have that type of experience as a youth.

Keep it short. Keep it simple. Make it fun or patriotic. It doesn't have to be a big part of your program, but there's certainly value in promoting it in small doses.

[Sentinel947]

8 hours ago, BetterWithCheddar said:

One low key upside to singing (and why I think it still has a place in Scouting, despite my personal aversion) is that it builds confidence for youth. If you can stand up and sing a ridiculous song in front of your peers and their parents at age 12, you're probably going to be more comfortable making professional presentations as an adult than someone who didn't have that type of experience as a youth. 

That's a good reason. My top reason is that it builds team spirit. I can't explain why it does, and it's ridiculous, but it does. 

Now I argue it's a chicken or the egg type thing... (Do Scouts sing because they are energized and have enthusiasm, or does them singing goofy songs make them more energized and enthusiastic?)

[5thGenTexan]

Singing, skits, jokes, etc make me want to pack my stuff up and go home.  So... doesnt always build team spirit.  Personally, I simply won't take part in it.  

[DuctTape]

Some scout activities are not for every scout. We should not force a scout to participate in activities which they do not enjoy. If the patrol want to sing, and one scout does not want to sing, the patrol could find another role, such as "hold the flashlight as a spot light on the patrol". 

As an aside, I have been playing with the openAI bot. Here is my latest prompt and the AI response. (This thread was the catalyst for the prompt).

write a campfire song for boy scouts and include the guitar chords and music

 

 

Here is a campfire song for Boy Scouts:

Title: "The Scouts of Clearwater"

Verse 1: G D We are the scouts of Clearwater G D Adventure is what we seek C G From hiking to campfires to swimming D We're always on the go

Chorus: G D Scouts of Clearwater G D Honor and duty our call C G We'll face any challenge D And stand tall

Verse 2: G D We learn skills and teamwork G D And make friends along the way C G We'll brave the wilderness D And face any foe

Chorus: G D Scouts of Clearwater G D Honor and duty our call C G We'll face any challenge D And stand tall

Bridge: C G We'll never give up or back down C G We'll always stand strong and true C G We're the Scouts of Clearwater D And we'll always see it through

Chorus: G D Scouts of Clearwater G D Honor and duty our call C G We'll face any challenge D And stand tall.

[Eagledad]

1 hour ago, 5thGenTexan said:

Singing, skits, jokes, etc make me want to pack my stuff up and go home.  So... doesnt always build team spirit.  Personally, I simply won't take part in it.  

Hmm, how should a troop deal with the scout who doesn’t take a turn cooking? Or cleaning?  Or tearing down camp? Or……..? Or…….? 
There is a method behind the madness. But, some youth just aren’t ready to be part team program. They eventually will figure it out, or leave. But the program shouldn’t change for the rest of the scouts.

Barry

[5thGenTexan]

46 minutes ago, Eagledad said:

Hmm, how should a troop deal with the scout who doesn’t take a turn cooking? Or cleaning?  Or tearing down camp? Or……..? Or…….? 
There is a method behind the madness. But, some youth just aren’t ready to be part team program. They eventually will figure it out, or leave. But the program shouldn’t change for the rest of the scouts.

Barry

I am not even going to try to explain the Psychology of introverts.....  Would be futile.