There are 3 songs we sing each night at Camp Cheley. Every unit sings different songs and you just kind of hear everyone else and pick it up. And then…you want me to just tell you the three songs my unit sang everyday at camp?
SONG 1:
“Peace I ask of thee o River
Peace, Peace, Peace
When I learn to live serenely
Cares will cease
from the hills I gather courage
visions of the days to be
Strength to lead and faith to follow
all are given unto thee
peace I ask of you oh river
Peace, peace, peace”
SONG 2: We call this one the Chipeta Call.
If you listen one and all
you can hear the chipeta call
you can feel the spirit rise
wheree’er you go may you never forget
that glad day
when we met
and those dear old chipeta girls
we love
so well.
Song 3: The last one we sing every night is Taps…You probably know it?
Day is done, gone the sun
From the lakes, from the hills, from the sky
All is well, safely rest
God is nigh
Context of the performance:
The informant shared these camp songs with a table of friends, among them the collector, during a Monday night dinner.
Thoughts on the performance:
It is interesting how the song “Taps” has become such a part of their camp folklore that the informant was almost a little surprised when others at the table indicated recognition.
Also it is interesting that she spoke these traditions in present tense, i.e. “the last one we sing every night”, because she is too old to return as a camper, demonstrates the cyclical nature of these camp songs and rituals.