# Camptown Races **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 13, 2013, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camptown-races/655568 "2013-04-13T03:52:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hottius\_Maximus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ab097/32.png) [@Hottius\_Maximus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hottius_Maximus)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camptown-races/655568/1 "2013-04-13T03:52:04Z")
According to Stephen Foster, the ladies at the Camptown Races sing this song: “Doo-dah, Doo-dah” okay where exactly is the Camptown race track and did attendees there at some point suddenly get the urge to get up and sing “Doo-dah Doo-dah” for no apparent reason? Anyone out there know the origins of this? ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camptown-races/655568/2 "2013-04-13T04:12:16Z")
> [@](#): > > There really is a Camptown; it’s in Bradford county, Pennsylvania, and isn’t too far from the Pittsburgh area where Foster grew up. The song, however, refers to “Camp Towns,” which were hobo communities. In the song, the people in these transient communities bet on horse races to try and make some money. Although Al Jolson continued to sing (dubbed) in movies until 1949, one of his last appearances as a dancer was [a rendition of Camptown Races](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tuu5YtkPIo) in the 1940 film _Swanee River_. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camptown-races/655568/3 "2013-04-13T14:40:32Z")
Not sure, but I think it’s five miles long. Oh Dee Doo Dah Day. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camptown-races/655568/4 "2013-04-13T14:55:53Z")
I’m guessing the “doo dahs” were put in the song because they fit the music. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camptown-races/655568/5 "2013-04-13T16:08:12Z")
> [@EmilyG](#): > > I’m guessing the “doo dahs” were put in the song because they fit the music. Foster’s version of “hey-nonny-nonny” or “rickety-tickety-tin.” ---
**Author:** ![jeremyskillings](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9a28c/32.png) [@jeremyskillings](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeremyskillings)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2013, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camptown-races/655568/6 "2013-07-08T22:15:27Z")
Actually, Camptown is a town in Bradford County, as the original person said, but it isn’t very close to Pittsburgh\> Probably about a 4 to 5 hour drive in the other corner of the state. However, Stephen Foster did spend a great deal of time in this area and there is a museum for him in Towanda, PA which is about twenty minutes from Camptown. The Camptown Races was a horse race between the town of Wyalusing, which was 5 miles up the road and Camptown. They still have a race every year, but now it is a trail race and is a 10K foot race. It is a fun little small town. I try to go to the race when I can as my grandfather spent years trying to put it together. It is a challenging race too if you are a runner. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2013, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camptown-races/655568/7 "2013-07-08T23:06:16Z")
Isn’t 5 miles a long horse race? I mean, for full speed, I’m sure there are \> 100 mile races. Brian ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2013, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camptown-races/655568/8 "2013-07-09T00:45:41Z")
There’s a San Francisco shanty called “Hoodah Day”, but since it’s earliest publication is after Foster’s piece, it’s likely not the source of Doo-Dah, but borrowed from it. (Source: the Mudcat Cafe) ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2013, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camptown-races/655568/9 "2013-07-09T06:12:49Z")
> [@N9IWP](#): > > Isn’t 5 miles a long horse race? I mean, for full speed, I’m sure there are \> 100 mile races. > > Brian Yes. Thoroughbred races are typically 3/4th to 1-1/2 mile long. Quarter horses are even shorter (quarter-mile). longer races are called ‘endurance’ races, and are 50-100 miles long. They are often run over several days, with a specified distance to be done each day, timed. ---
**Author:** ![LeeshaJoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@LeeshaJoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LeeshaJoy)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2013, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camptown-races/655568/10 "2013-07-09T15:09:33Z")
So is betting one’s money on the bobtail nag a good thing or a bad thing? I’ve never been clear on that. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2013, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camptown-races/655568/11 "2013-07-09T15:17:59Z")
Me, I prefer nocturnes. You know, Frederic fucking Chopin? ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2013, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camptown-races/655568/12 "2013-07-09T16:23:04Z")
> [@LeeshaJoy](#): > > So is betting one’s money on the bobtail nag a good thing or a bad thing? I’ve never been clear on that. Depends. Did anyone bet on the bay? ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2013, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camptown-races/655568/13 "2013-07-09T17:17:47Z")
What in the wide wide world of sports was going on there? If you bet on the bobtail nag, why do you care if someone bets on the bay? In fact, if you want to make money you’ve got to have people bet on the other horses. All you care about is if your horse wins, not if someone bets on the others. Now I’ve got the song stuck in my head, I’ve got to resist the urge to jump up and sing and dance to it and look like a Kansas City faggot! ---
**Author:** ![somepumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@somepumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/somepumpkin)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2013, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camptown-races/655568/14 "2013-07-09T17:34:19Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Now I’ve got the song stuck in my head, I’ve got to resist the urge to jump up and sing and dance to it and look like a Kansas City faggot! Still need to get that track laid, don’t ya? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2013, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camptown-races/655568/15 "2013-07-09T18:06:07Z")
> [@LeeshaJoy](#): > > So is betting one’s money on the bobtail nag a good thing or a bad thing? I’ve never been clear on that. In this case it’s a good thing: “See dem flyin’ on a ten mile heat– CHORUS: Doo-dah! doo-dah! Round de race track, den repeat– CHORUS: Oh! doo-dah day! **I win my money on de bob-tail nag–** CHORUS: Doo-dah! doo-dah! I keep my money in old old tow-bag– CHORUS: Oh! doo-dah day!” Cite: [Camptown Races](http://utc.iath.virginia.edu/songs/camptownf.html) ---
**Author:** ![Imasquare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Imasquare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imasquare)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2013, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camptown-races/655568/16 "2013-07-10T06:50:16Z")
> [@LeeshaJoy](#): > > So is betting one’s money on the bobtail nag a good thing or a bad thing? I’ve never been clear on that. He went home with a hat full of tin. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2013, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camptown-races/655568/17 "2013-07-10T08:20:24Z")
If I’d bet on old Stewball, I’d be a free man to-day. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2013, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camptown-races/655568/18 "2013-07-10T09:58:01Z")
> [@74westy](#): > > Depends. Did anyone bet on the bay? Meh. Neither of them is a good ol’ worker and a good ol’ pal. ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2013, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camptown-races/655568/19 "2013-07-10T12:01:41Z")
_quicksand!!!_ ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2013, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camptown-races/655568/20 "2013-07-10T12:08:45Z")
In the Stephanie Plum novels by Janet Evanovich, Stephanie privately refers to her clitoris as her “doo-da”, which I’ve always thought would make singing Camptown Races pretty silly. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camptown-races/655568.md?page=2)