PHANTOM LAKE CAMP
(Sung to the tune of "American Pie")

    Here's a song I never totally finished while at camp because it was too painful to write the verses for 1981 and 1982 (my last two years).  I actually wrote the final verse back in 1972 when I wrote the first two verses.  Maybe I'll finish it soon...


(This is the 1971 verse.  Sing it slowly.)
A few short years ago,
     I can still remember the first chance I had to visit camp
And I said if I had my choice
     that I would counsel for the boys
     and surely I'd be happy at the camp
But soon my interest began to wane
My counseling job became a pain
All kids soon became pests
I couldn't stand one more mess
I thought that I would never return
     when I left the camp, but soon I learned
     that something had touched me deep inside
So now I sing with pride::

(This is the chorus for 1971 through 1976)
Phantom Lake Camp is where I want to be
First there's boys camp, then there's girls camp which appeals to me
And our whole darn staff is one big family,
     sayin', "This'll be the last year for me.
     This'll be the last year for me!"

(1972 verse - speed it up!)
Did you write that Crier note and do you remember Prof White Coat
     down in the old craft shop?
Well, who took the little bell I rang?
     And do you recall the songs they sang
     I kept hoping they'd never stop.
Well, Apache was my tent that year
And "Brandy" was the song we'd hear
My kids were all so small but I had myself a ball
My first girls camp was like a dream
     A better life could not be found, it seemed
     But soon the summer was all through
     Way back in seventy-two
I started singin':

Phantom Lake Camp is where I want to be
First there's boys camp, then there's girls camp which appeals to me
And our whole darn staff is one big family,
     sayin', "This'll be the last year for me.
     This'll be the last year for me!"

(1973 verse)
Now the next year I was on my own and the Steward's job was mine alone
     Oh, I swept the floor
When Diana sang about "Touching Me in the Morning",
     My eyes were so blurry
     Can't stay up so late anymore
Oh and as the summer winded down
My friends would always come around
I'd sweep up all the dirt and then wipe away their hurt!
Mary Roepke was PD then
     And my face would always get red when
     She sang songs to embarrass me
     Way back in seventy-three
We all were singin':

Phantom Lake Camp is where I want to be
First there's boys camp, then there's girls camp which appeals to me
And our whole darn staff is one big family,
     sayin', "This'll be the last year for me.
     This'll be the last year for me!"

(1974 verse)
Working, sweating in our summer setting, the times I'll not soon be forgetting
     Fourth year there and still not done
Playing records at sock hops, the slowest dances were the tops
     I couldn't dance but who cares
     It still was fun
When the SDP's went to State Fair
Well, I went along with them there
You should have seen the things they did
I though my face was permanently red!
Well, seven people left their jobs that year
     But it never stopped the spirit here
     It was another very special year
     The summer of seventy-four
My friends were singin':

Phantom Lake Camp is where I want to be
First there's boys camp, then there's girls camp which appeals to me
And our whole darn staff is one big family,
     sayin', "This'll be the last year for me.
     This'll be the last year for me!"

(1975 verse)
Now the next year I became PD while Keith-Boy ran the SDP's
     That year was a special one
When Sir Gerald hired me he said that he might have to leave the camp
     But we knew he wasn't really done
Oh, and when the crowd began to yell
I always tried to do it well
A song I did enjoy,
"Thank God I'm a Country Boy"!
In girls camp I was assistant cook
     Loving all the late night walks I took
     The camp had really come alive
     In nineteen seventy-five
I kept on singin':

Phantom Lake Camp is where I want to be
First there's boys camp, then there's girls camp which appeals to me
And our whole darn staff is one big family,
     sayin', "This'll be the last year for me.
     This'll be the last year for me!"

(1976 verse)
Oh, and then we were all back for more, the next year became Phantom lore
     With only three people who were new
So come on Gary Fishleigh, give me cash
     Go see Bonnie for your rash
     And tell me Griffins leaving isn't true
And as the summer heat wore on
Our friendships strengthened in tight bonds
And won't you tell me how
I could ever leave you now
And as I listened to the Phantom Square
     I found out how right it is to care
     And that was how I got my kicks
     Back in seventy-six
Let's all be singin':

Phantom Lake Camp is where I want to be
First there's boys camp, then there's girls camp which appeals to me
And our whole darn staff is one big family,
     sayin', "This'll be the last year for me.
     This'll be the last year for me!"

(1977 verse)
Well, the next year might've been my best even though I never got my rest
     Somehow, it was all worthwhile
I remember Walter's sailboats and Willie's obscene Crier notes
     "High Hopes" used to make us smile
Oh, and when the staff performed their show
Crazy Dan and I would do "Sweet Roll"
And how about "First Date"
I thought Ellen's boogers were great!
But when the final day of camp was through
     We left in tears while singin' "Friends With You"
     I thought my Phantom days were through
     In nineteen seventy-seven
I kept on singin':

(This is the chorus for 1977 through 1982)
Phantom Lake Camp is where I want to be
First there's boys camp, then there's girls camp which appeals to me
And our co-ed camp is one big family,
     sayin', "Life out here is perfect for me.
     Life out here is perfect for me!"

(1978 verse)
Did you think that I'd be back even with an empty rifle shack
     I can't seem to cut the ties
Now the movie that we made for Cow and Sully made us wonder how
     They could ever say goodbye
Well, we had some meetings on the pier
We'd all leave laughing or we'd leave in tears
And when a week of camp would end
We'd all "Thank You For Being a Friend"!
I can rmember Olsen in the store
     And Kline and Rule in the Civil War
     Neeno made that unit great
     In boys camp seventy-eight
I'm still singin':

Phantom Lake Camp is where I want to be
First there's boys camp, then there's girls camp which appeals to me
And our co-ed camp is one big family,
     sayin', "Life out here is perfect for me.
     Life out here is perfect for me!"

(1979 verse)
Well, the ninth year was a real test with the rain and the cold and the lack of rest
     Somehow we all made it through
I can remember Karen's thea-tree and was Brownie really down at archery
     And Jane really cooked for you
Oh, and when the campers yelled for more
I'd play a song and hear them roar
What a way to start the day
Let's all sing at the "YMCA"!
Those third session Vikings tents were cool
     While Jill made Buccos sorta rule
     Our co-ed camp was mighty fine
     In nineteen seventy-nine
Let's keep on singin':

Phantom Lake Camp is where I want to be
First there's boys camp, then there's girls camp which appeals to me
And our co-ed camp is one big family,
     sayin', "Life out here is perfect for me.
     Life out here is perfect for me!"

(1980 verse)
Did you think the new decade would see my spirit fade
     At first, it seemed that way
But the guys got better in July and the girls put sunshine in my eyes
     It seemed like a "shower" every day
Well, Jane Ralph put Boot Hill on its feet
With the song, "Boot Hill is Really Neat!"
Denise was on the sea
And Mike Rule burned a PFD
With storms, mosquitoes, and tent ransacks
     We often wondered if we should come back
     But we knew another year was due
     When nineteen eighty was through
It's groovy singin':

Phantom Lake Camp is where I want to be
First there's boys camp, then there's girls camp which appeals to me
And our co-ed camp is one big family,
     sayin', "Life out here is perfect for me.
     Life out here is perfect for me!"

(1981 verse)
To be announced

Phantom Lake Camp is where I want to be
First there's boys camp, then there's girls camp which appeals to me
And our co-ed camp is one big family,
     sayin', "Life out here is perfect for me.
     Life out here is perfect for me!"

(1982 verse)
To be announced

Phantom Lake Camp is where I want to be
First there's boys camp, then there's girls camp which appeals to me
And our co-ed camp is one big family,
     sayin', "Life out here is perfect for me.
     Life out here is perfect for me!"

(Final verse - written when the first two verses were written)
There'll come a day for me I know when I will finally have to go
     That's a choice I'll have to make
I'll take one last look around, I hope the memories won't get me down
     'Cause the memories will be all I'll have to take
And in this camp where I matured
The friends I made, the songs I heard
The echoes of their laughter
Will last forever after
And on that day when I leave camp
     My eyes, I know, will be so damp
     But I will have no regrets
     'Cause Lord I did my best
I'll go out singin':

Phantom Lake Camp is where I want to be
First there's boys camp, then there's girls camp which appeals to me
And our co-ed camp is one big family,
     sayin', "Life out here is perfect for me.
     Life out here is perfect for me!"

I'll be singin':
Phantom Lake Camp is where I want to be
First there's boys camp, then there's girls camp which appeals to me
And our whole darn staff is one big family,
     sayin', "This'll be the last year for me.
     This'll be the last year for me!"




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