"Camptown Races"

Answers to 99 Bottles of Beer.

First of all, Disco Mom's Mom is correct; most of these are folk songs, and not strictly camp songs. But camp songs are mainly just repetitive rounds and involve very little trivia opportunities, so I went with songs I thought people would know. Plus, I sang a lot of these at various camps.

So let's start at the very beginning ( a very good place to start)

1.
Oh I come from Alabama with a banjo on my knee,
I'm going to Louisiana, my true love for to see...
Oh! Susanna don't you cry for me.

2.
In the Big Rock Candy Mountain
the cops have wooden legs
the bulldogs all have rubber teeth
and the hens lay soft boiled eggs.
[so many different versions of this song exist. I heard it first in a children's version. No cigarette trees or lakes of alcohol. BTW the version on the O! Brother soundtrack is by Harry McClintock; the man credited with writing the piece.]

3.
... for to carry my Mother away.
[ I learned Will the Circle Be Unbroken from my father. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band version played in my house regularly. Great parts for those of us who sing in the lower Baritone and Bass parts of the vocal spectrum.]

4.
The stars at night are big and bright {clap clap clap clap}
Deep in the Heart of Texas
[You didn't know this? But it's one of my favorite scenes from this movie!]

5.
With a knife dear Henry...
[There's a Hole in the Bucket is my favorite of the so called infinite loop songs including John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt; Found a Peanut; The Song that Never Ends etc.]

6.
He's gone to be a Soldier in the Army of the Lord...
[First one that nobody knew. Sung to the tune of The Battle Hymn of the Republic. I think I learned this one due to being a Boy Scout that lived near enough to Harper's Ferry to warrant a camp out. ]

7.
Oh you can't get to Heaven
On Roller Skates
'Cause you'd roll right by
Those Pearly Gates.
[I like ain't got no brakes, but that's not how mom taught me. My favorite lyrics from later in the song are: You can't get to Heaven in a Limousine:'cause the Lord don't sell no gasoline; and You can't get to Heaven with a bottle of Gin: 'cause the Lord don't let those spirits in.]

8.
Daisy, Daisy give me your answer true...
A Bicycle built for Two [ You might know Daisy Bell, as Melissa pointed out, from 2001 as the song HAL 9000 sings at it "dies". You might also know it as the song playing over the drunken tricycle races from Revenge of the Nerds. I know it because my Papa sings it.]

9.
On top of Spaghetti! All covered in cheese! I lost my poor Meatball! When Somebody Sneezed! [Great song. Must be sung at full volume and with as little musicality as possible. Truly a great story as well. After rolling out the door and into the garden, it is planted and grows into a spaghetti tree.]

10.
...Poor boy you're gonna' die.
[Kari's answer is best, he is indeed going to be hung, for his involvement in the death of a woman. Most interesting Trivia I found, was that the real Tom was named Tom Dula. The pronunciation of his name was akin to Dooley and so recordings of the song used that spelling.]

11.
Oh we'll all have chicken and dumplings when she comes...
[made from the old red rooster presumably. ]

12.
The Grand Old Duke of York, he had ten thousand men...
[It was the son of King George actually Maren. He invaded Flanders in April of 1794 (he marched them up the hill) and was recalled to England the next month (and marched them down again).]

13.
...At the Quartermaster's Store.
[I'm totally going to accept at the store for this one. I learned Quartermaster's store because I learned it at scout camp.]

14.
Green Grow the Rushes O!
[The Wikipedia entry has some interesting interpretations on the full verses of this song.]

15.
And he sang as he watched and waited 'til his billy boiled Who'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me?
[What is a billy you might ask? A kettle. I remember the closing ceremony to the 2000 summer Olympics included a large group of Aussie Celebs singing this song. The Camera caught many people forgetting the words. My favorite version is by Tom Waits. Of course my favorite version of many songs are by Mr. Waits. The man could sing the ABC song and I'd listen enraptured.]

16.
...down streets broad and narrow, crying cockles and mussels alive alive-0.
[Somehow I don't think that was all sweet Molly was selling]

17.
Whack for the daddy 'ol
There's Whiskey in the Jar
[Nobody huh? Either I made it a little to obscure, or I need to learn to write for my audience a bit better. It's actually a really well known Irish folk standard. It's about a criminal who is betrayed by his woman. Thin Lizzy and Metallica have both done rock versions, but my favorite remains an odd duet by the traditional folk group the Dubliners and the Punk/Folk group The Pogues.]

18.
The Cat came back the very next day.
[I thought he was a goner too Rob. I totally remember this one at summer camp. Easy to get the chorus, everyone has a good time, plus, as an added bonus, it is a song about killing a cat. I hate cats. Thus, as G-d is a humorous creator, I am living with one now, and my girlfriend has one. Oh yeah, and my best friend has three, and, and, and...]

19.
...Earl-eye in the Mornin'
[here is a link to a long list of possibilities. My favorites have always been toss him in a sinking ship and make him bail it; shave his belly (sure, we'll say belly) with a rusty razor, and throw him in with the Captain's daughter. It wasn't until long after first hearing this song that I learned the sailors term "Captain's Daughter" meant the lash.]

20.
A beautiful bunch of ripe bananas
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Hide the Deadly Black Tarantula
[Shame for not knowing this one.]

Alright, thank you all for playing, hope you enjoyed it. By the way. Anybody with a little movie trivia knowledge want to explain to the class why the picture of Mr. Chopin graces this post?