I am switching gears. For those of you who have been following my blog since 2011, you know that during the summer my blog is heavily influenced by camp. In Arizona, camp starts earlier than the other states around the country, and OMG….it’s only a month away! How can that possibly be? Yep…I am a camp girl…always have been, always will be. It’s in my soul, and it’s during the summer, despite the desert heat, that I thrive.
So, I will be pouring over music over the next few weeks. What should be the next awesome camp song? What modern songs would sound cool sung in large groups. What songs relate to our themes? What songs will make the campers fall in love with camp in the way that music made me fall in love with camp all of those years ago?
It is my focus right now. Camp is such a whirlwind that I do most of my planning prior to it even starting. Who has time to think about lesson plans with a camp director husband and two campers in my house. Every evening includes getting back packs ready with towels, bathing suits, sun screen, lunches, laundry….oh!….my head is just spinning thinking of it!
So, as I embark on the camp path for yet another summer, all I have to say is, Wha-Daten-Chu.” Yes, that’s right….it’s one of those crazy camp songs/chants that has no purpose but to be silly and bond camp staff and campers together. What does “Wha-Daten-Chu” mean? I have no idea! I’ve been singing it my whole life, too! Here are the lyrics:
Wha-Daten-Chu
(repeat)
Bo-Doe-Ska-Deeten-Daten – Wha-Daten-Chu
(repeat)
It-skiddly-Oaten-Doten – Bo-Doe-Ska-Deeten-Daten – Wha-Daten-Chu
(repeat)
Oaten-Doten-Little-Boaten – It-skiddly-Oaten-Doten – Bo-Doe-Ska-Deeten-Daten – Wha-Daten-Chu
(repeat)
Itten-Mitten-Little-Kitten – Oaten-Doten-Little-Boaten – It-skiddly-Oaten-Doten – Bo-Doe-Ska-Deeten-Daten – Wha-Daten-Chu
(repeat)
CAMP NAME — What-daten-Chu HUH!
(repeat)
Click HERE to go to Youtube to watch some camp staff at a YMCA camp lead this song with their campers. You might watch it and think, “What in the world is this?” To me, however, “Wha-Daten-Chu” is what camp is all about. Let the summer begin!
