Ceremonial Songs
These songs form part of our Guiding ceremonies, and every member is encouraged to learn the songs applicable to their branch.
The World Song
Our way is clear as we march on,
And see! Our flag on high,
Is never furled throughout the world,
For hope shall never die!
We must unite for what is right,
In friendship true and strong,
Until the earth,
In its rebirth,
Shall sing our song!
Shall sing our song!
All those who loved the true and good,
Whose promises were kept,
With humble mind, whose acts were kind,
whose honour never slept;
These were the free!
And we must be,
Prepared like them to live,
To give to all,
Both great and small,
All we can give
Taps is typically sung by girls in the Guide and Ranger branches
Day Time Taps
Thanks and praise
For our days
Neath the sun
Neath the stars
Neath the sky
As we go
This we know
God is nigh
Night Time Taps
Day is done
Gone the sun
From the sea
From the hills
From the sky
All is well
Safely rest
God is nigh
Evening Taps
Fading light
Dims the sight,
And a star
Gems the sky,
Gleaming bright.
From afar
Drawing nigh
Falls the night
Brownie Ceremonial Songs
Brownie Bells
Oh Lord our God
Thy children call
Teach us to love
The best of all
Good-bye
Brownie Song
We're the Brownies
Here's our aim
Lend a hand
and play the game
Campfire Songs
These campfire songs come from the "Flames of Friendship" album published by the then "Girl Guides Association - Transvaal" now known as GIRL GUIDES South Africa - Gauteng. All songs were sung by Guide members. These songs were transferred from a very old and well loved vinyl record, so apologies for the sound quality! Click the "+" to view the lyrics for each song.
Recording: Ivan Sackheim
Production: Universal Recordings
Cover photo: Paul Vink
Album - Side 1
Come sing with us in friendship’s name;
Come fan with us the golden flame –
The flame of friendship which lights the world
Where’er our flag is unfurled.
Chorus:
Sing high, sing low, for Guides are we,
And we love to sing in your company,
Of the flameof friendship that lights the world
Where’er our flag is unfurled
Wir singen ein so schones Lied
About our camp on the Windsor mead
Wir grussen unsore Schwestern hier,
Who come from far and near.
Et quand nous sommes encore chez nous,
We think you’ll guess what we shall do,
Nous pesserons a nos cheres amies
In lands across the sea.
Tholwana, Thola Tholwana (repeat)
Tholwana tsa mabele tholwana (repeat)
A ram sam sam, a ram sam sam,
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam,
A rafi, a rafi,
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam,
High up, high on the mountain,
We’ve founded our Chalet. (repeat)
Its sloping roof and wide shall shelter us without a care.
And each Girl Scout and Guide shall find a welcome there.
High up, high on the mountain,
We’ll go to our Chalet. (repeat)
Our simple life is free,
Our hearts are light, our songs are gay,
We ever shall remember the joy of our Chalet.
High up, high on the mountain, We’ve founded our Chalet. (repeat)
And this its dedication shall never fail nor be undone:
Each race, each creed, each nation, beneath its roof are one.
The herdsman is merry, he sings all day long;
His flock he is tending while he sings his gay song.
Chorus: :
Ho-le-a, Ho-le-e-e-e-a, Ho-le-a, Ho-le-e-e-e-a
Ho-le-a, Ho-le-e-e-e-a, Ho-le-a, Ho-le-e-e -a!
With his cows Hans is busy on the hillside all day;
But at evening Bethli calls him, with her voice echoes play.
In Tyrol lies my treasure, and my heart’s desire,
Our house and our spinning, ourselves by the fire.
‘Neath the grand Sierra Madre, on a plain in Mexico,
lies our beautiful Cabãna, where Girl Scouts and Guides go.
Oh, come then to see the mountains, the cactus and sunny skies,
Hear the cricket in the evening, see the white moon arise.
Land of the silver birch, home of the beaver,
Where still the mighty moose wanders at will.
Chorus: :
Blue lake and rocky shore, I will return once more,
Boom-di-di eye di, Boom-di-di eye di, Boom-di-di eye di boom.
My heart grows sick for thee, here in the lowlands.
I will return to thee, hills of the north.
High on a rocky ledge, I’ll build my wigwam,
Close to the water’s edge, silent and still.
Additional verse (not recorded)
Swift as a silver fish, canoe of birch bark,
Thy mighty waterways carry me forth.
Daar buite die bome,
Die berge die strome,
Die kab’lende waterspruite;
Hul lokstem die roep na buite,
Tra, la la la la la la la,
Tra, la la la la la la la.
Swinging along the open road
Under a sky that’s clear
Swinging along the open road,
In the fall of the year.
Swinging along, swinging along, swinging along the open road,
All in the fall of the year.
Swinging along the open road,
Swinging along under a sky that’s clear.
Swinging along the open road
All in the fall, in the fall of the year.
Swinging along, swinging along, swinging along the open road,
All in the fall of the year
I think of my darling as the sun goes down,
The sun goes down, the sun goes down,
I think of my darling as the sun goes down,
Down, down below the mountain.
I’ll ride, I’ll ride, I’ll ride, I’ll ride, I’ll ride all night,
When the moon is bright, when the moon is bright,
I’ll ride, I’ll ride, I’ll ride, I’ll ride, I’ll ride all night,
I’ll get there in the morning.
I see my dear darling as the sun comes up,
the sun comes up, the sun comes up,
I see my dear darling as the sun comes up,
Up, up above the mountain.
Tina singumlil’ ovatayo basopa.
Washa, washa, washa.
Tina, tina singumlil’ ovutayo basopa
Washa, washa, washa.
So do re me re do, so do ti la so fa, la re do ti la so
Re so fa mi re do, so do re mi re do, so do ti la so fa,
La re do ti la so, re so fa mi re do.
Thanks and praise
For our days
‘Neath the sun, ‘neath the stars, ‘neath the sky;
As we go
This we know – God is nigh.
I like the flowers, I love the daffodils,
I like the mountains, I love the rolling hills,
I like the fireside when all the lamps are low,
Boom-de-a-di, boom-de-a-di, boom-de-a-di,
Boom, tra-la-la-la.