Sometimes I miss, even long for, the naïveté of youth. Then is the time for free and innocent expression… before you realize sometimes words have dual meaning.
For me, summers at the all-girls Jennie Arnold Edwards Y Camp in the 70s encapsulate this season better than any other memory. Scorch of days couldn't touch us because we were too busy living. Nights only fueled our energy and momentarily rested counselors for what would unravel as sun shooed away moon.
Mary V, Dewdrop, Sunshine, Hillside, The Crow's Nest, Upper Lodge, Edweda, The Doghouse–odd names for home away from home, wooden cabins with one long, continuous wrap-around screen window, perfect for filling in the tiny metal squares with nail polish. We'd paint our name and year in shades of Sally Hansen–except for Upper Lodge where you could write your name on the walls, and if you were lucky enough, the ceiling. Paradise was the name of our bathhouse.
When I heard they were auctioning off those cabins to make way for a country club, my heart ached all the way to its center and I silently protested at the top of my lungs "HOW CAN THEY DO THAT?" but I knew how and why and hated both.
At mealtimes and before night activities, we'd frenzy-sing forever–
"Just plant a little watermelon on my grave
and let the juice (slurp, slurp) drip through…"
or "Under the bamboo, under the bamboo tree,
room enough for you my darling,
Room enough for 1-2-3-4…"
or "When you're down and out
Lift up your head and shout
It's gonna be a great day…!"
or "Catalina Mattalina Hoopstiner Walkendiner
Hogen-bogen-logen was her name."
We sang slow and more sensical songs, too, but those were usually reserved for Chapel and Sundays. It was there I learned the words to all the stanzas of Pass it On and motions to Swing Lo, Sweet Chariot. I remember both decades later.
But my favorite camp song to sing was Violent Love. No, make that everybody's favorite song was Violent Love. The words ~
I wanna make violent love (clap clap)
To you with the moon above (clap clap)
I wanna make violent love to you. Don't you?
Now I don't wanna get romantic. (clap)
And I don't wanna cramp your style. (clap clap)
But baby you're making me frantic
Bum (clap), bum (clap), bum (clap),
You're driving me wild!
I wanna make violent love (clap clap)
To you with the moon above (clap clap)
I wanna make violent love to you
Don't you? (clap clap) Sure do! (clap clap)
(shouted) LET'S DO!
I'm sure reading the lyrics makes some uncomfortable, but a sinister attachment never crossed our minds. Never ever ever ever EVER. Ever.
Of course, maybe that's because for years I thought the title was "Violet Love" which sounded awfully pretty–like a Valentine–but I didn't question it. I imagined violet love involved lots of hand-holding, hugging and even kissing on the lips under a full moon. Remember, this was the 70s and PG movies meant something might scare you, not that you'd be seeing naked bodies, implied sex or hearing f-bombs dropped like a Southerner's g's.
Eventually parents complained and Becky-the-Camp-Director told us we couldn't sing it anymore. I didn't understand and thought the ruling unjust, overreacting moms and dads raining on a parade in which they had never marched. They were the ones who didn't understand!
They were the ones paying the camp's bills, however, so their understanding was the only thing that mattered.
* * * * * * * * * *
A generation later, I see through the lens of a mother; I can't imagine my daughter coming home from camp belting out her frenzied want to make love, violet or otherwise.
And yet something deep down inside wishes she could sing it with the freedom I had as a 14-year-old, not thinking twice about what it c o u l d mean (but didn't).
* * * * *
For the absolute win!!! I found a version of this song (our lyrics were slightly altered) when I searched on Amazon! Click and scroll down and you can hear a bluesy rendition of Violent Love from Willie Dixon, Disc 1, Track 2.
this is hilarious!
This is a wonderful memoir. I wasn’t the summer camp type…too homesick, but that’s another story. You’ve inspired me to write it sometime!
Spot on! What a great memory you have – both intellectually and emotionally! Fun times for sure!!
Kendal, How weird is this: I replied to you early this morning and it’s GONE! Yuck…hate that. Anyway I thanked you for commenting…I thought this post was HILARIOUS, too, but the crickets were making me nervous!
Amy, Oh goodie! I love it when one post inspires another! Let me know when you write it and I’ll pop over to read!
Lora, :). I was wondering how much of this you might remember, too…or what your take would be.
Thanks for this post. It reminded me of my days at Camp Timber Ridge (Girl Scout camp). I used to love those songs, though I never knew that exact one. Such care free days when the worst that could happen was food poisoning from drinking bad creek water (our group learned that lesson the hard way).
Sounds like great camp memories.. =) I didn’t go to camp until the summer after 8th grade. (And then it was band camp, and I had to beg my parents to let me go.) Band camp was always at college universities.. loads of fun, but not at all like the image you’ve painted here. Sounds fun. =)
Speaking of songs that mean things kids don’t know they mean as they sing them at the top of their lungs and moms say “what are you singing??” — THANK YOU ALVIN & THE CHIPMUNKS.. my children now run around singing all kinds of songs from the movies and I cringe when I hear them singing “Hot N Cold” or “Single Ladies.” Oh help me.
I actually read it as “violet” at first! I don’t think my brain wanted to let me read it as “violent”. I remember watching MTV as a kid and The Outfield song, “I Don’t Want to Lose Your Love” was playing. Lyrics say something like, “I just want to use your love tonight, I don’t want to lose your love tonight.” It was a catchy tune and I was singing along. My mother was mortified, “I don’t think that’s something you should be listening to!” I, was clueless of course. And also of course, many years later, I do kind of cringe at that song when I think of my young self listening to it.(but I may possibly still sing along with it when I hear on the radio….)
Why is that the older we get we long for those days. I long for the days of freedom, riding my bike to the pool, swimming all day, going to friends homes to play and hang out. Hanging out at the neighborhood park. Riding my Moped up to the 7-11 store and getting candy. Oh the carefee days of youth.
What a great POst! It took me on a google search of my favorite summer memories – and the overwhelming feeling was the innocence…and LACK of a to-do list.
I’m gonna try it again this summer! as much as I can being on the payin’ side of summer camp!
Blessings!
I stumbled upon your blog when I googled “Jenny Arnold Edwards.” I was there in the 70’s (Dew Drop and Edweda), and remember “Violet Love” (thought that was what it was too). Do you also remember the Prune song? Or, another song that wouldn’t fly today – “The poor old slave has gone to rest, we know that he is free. His bones they lie, forget them not, way down in Tennessee” then “The pe-or old sle-ave has ge-on to re-est, we kne-o that he-o is free-oh-free free” etc. And finally, the Bee song (“there was a bee-i-e-i-e sat on a wall-i-all-i-all and he said buzz-i-uzz-i-uzz and that was all-i-all-i-all…). I just had twins, so was trying to remember all the great camp songs. Thanks for the post!
wow, love the blog, when were you at camp ???? Those songs make me so nostalgic ! I was in Mary V, Sunshine, Dewdrop and Upper Lodge ! Great memories and great girls !
Y Camp Reunion in Athens on October 20th. 2012. if
you want details email me at mdg722@aol.com
I remember the, “Little Trinket,” your mom packed in the bottom of your trunk. (Your first year at camp.) Do you remember what it was?
I love you.
Thanks for a wonderful memory!