# "Oleana" - Camp song? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 20, 2000, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oleana-camp-song/23009 "2000-06-20T18:05:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2000, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oleana-camp-song/23009/1 "2000-06-20T18:05:06Z")
When I was about 8 years old, I knew a song. I think it went something like this: Where hens lay eggs as big as rocks And roosters crow like 8-day clocks And roasted pigs run all about With knives and forks stuck up their snouts Ole-ole-ana, Ole-ole-ana, Ole-ole-ole-ole-ole-ole-ana Does anyone know all of the lyrics? I didn’t turn up anything on infoseek or hotbot. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2000, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oleana-camp-song/23009/2 "2000-06-21T00:27:53Z")
Oh, come now! _Someone_ must know the words! ---
**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2000, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oleana-camp-song/23009/3 "2000-06-21T00:40:50Z")
I’m sorry I can’t answer your question. I just wanted to add that the Drill Sergeants at my Basic Training at times used “Oleana” as a cadence. My guess is there are as many different versions as there are people that know this little ditty. Given my experience, the verses I heard I’m sure ranged from suggestive to profane. ---
**Author:** ![domina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/96bed5/32.png) [@domina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/domina)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2000, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oleana-camp-song/23009/4 "2000-06-22T03:55:53Z")
I don’t know either, but you did jog my memory that the title of David Mamet’s play, “Oleanna,” was apparently taken from a song, “Oh, to be in Oleanna/ That’s where I’d like to be/Than to be in Norway/ And wear the chains of slavery.” Does that ring any bells? Maybe you should try searching for the name with two n’s. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2000, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oleana-camp-song/23009/5 "2000-06-22T07:04:32Z")
Contact Josepha Sherman at [jsherman@attglobal.net](mailto:jsherman@attglobal.net). She’s the co-author of _Greasy Grimy Gopher Guts: The Subversive Folklore of Childhood_, a volume of children’s verses very much like the one you quoted. She may have collected that song. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2000, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oleana-camp-song/23009/6 "2000-06-22T12:01:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > I’m sorry I can’t answer your question. I just wanted to add that the Drill Sergeants at my Basic Training at times used “Oleana” as a cadence. > \*\* Seeing that name gave me a Fort Leonard Wood flashback, too. We marched along, merrily doing the call-and-response cadence like this: “Two old maids were laying in bed. Ole-ole-ana. One rolled over to the other and said… Ole-ole-ana. I wanna be an airborne ranger…” and so on. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2000, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oleana-camp-song/23009/7 "2000-06-22T12:22:11Z")
> [@](#): > > “Oh, to be in Oleanna/ That’s where I’d like to be/Than to be in Norway/ And wear the chains of slavery.” Those lyrics seems to be related to _Big Rock Candy Mountain_, which seems to be related somehow to _Oleana_. But the melodies are different. I e-mailed Ms. Sherman, so maybe she’ll have the lyrics. I was up in Washington last week, when a new friend started singing it. I mentioned the lyrics (the ones I posted) and she had a laugh, saying that few people knew the song. Now I’m back down in Los Hideous, and she’s 1,200 miles away and I don’t know how to contact her to get the rest of the lyrics. ---
**Author:** ![soulsling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@soulsling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soulsling)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2000, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oleana-camp-song/23009/8 "2000-06-22T13:11:54Z")
sorry, all i know is what i learned in Ft.Benning same cadences as already mentioned most likely. ahhh such fond memories. ---
**Author:** ![Srrita](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Srrita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Srrita)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2023, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oleana-camp-song/23009/9 "2023-09-19T18:22:35Z")
Oh! Great question! Yes the Oleana song is campfire song (and I can see where the marching cadence works too). I am part of a specialized Girl Scout program called Mariners, and Oleana is one of our Sailing and Canoeing songs. We often song it while doing a long canoe trip (to keep time) or while doing Kapers (glorified chores). It can also be a campfire song. As mentioned by someone earlier the song is very similar to another. The lyrics provided by them are also part of Oleana. I don’t know all the lyrics off the top my head but here are a few: Oleana, that is where I’d like to be, than to be here in Norway, wearing chains of slavery Chorus: Ole Oleana, ole Oleana, ole ole ole ole Oleana . (Adj) little piggies running through the marketplace, asking so politely, if a slice of ham you’d like to taste. Chorus Etc. I hope this answers your question! ---
**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:** [September 19, 2023, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oleana-camp-song/23009/10 "2023-09-19T18:27:04Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I e-mailed Ms. Sherman, so maybe she’ll have the lyrics. Did you ever get an answer? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2023, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oleana-camp-song/23009/11 "2023-09-19T18:57:27Z")
> [@SCAdian](#): > > Did you ever get an answer? I never did! ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2023, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oleana-camp-song/23009/12 "2023-09-19T19:08:41Z")
The only “help” I can provide is that it reminds me of a ditty of sorts from my early days. Based on the sound of what I heard as a title or even the lyrics I thought it was “Ollie Ollie Able sings” or that sound anyway. Later in life (a few years anyway) I saw something in print that had my “Able sings” as “Oxen free” and had no idea what that meant. Later still I saw > **[Olly olly oxen free](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olly_olly_oxen_free)** > > "Olly olly oxen free" is a catchphrase or truce term used in children's games such as hide and seek, capture the flag, and kick the can to indicate that players who are hiding can come out into the open without losing the game; that the position of the sides in a game has changed (as in which side is on the field or which side is at bat or "up" in baseball or kickball); or, alternatively, that the game is entirely over. > The origin of the phrase is unknown. The Dictionary of American Regional En... and figured that must have been what I heard. Still not very sure of much else. Hope this helps others get you a better answer. ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Finn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@Mark\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2023, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oleana-camp-song/23009/13 "2023-09-19T23:08:59Z")
Old campfire song. Oh, to be in Oleanna! That’s where I’d like to be, Than be bound in Norway, And drag the chains of slavery. [Chorus:] Ole, Oleanna, Ole, Oleanna, Ole, Ole, Ole, Ole, Ole, Oleanna. In Oleanna land is free, The wheat and corn just plant themselves, Then grow a good four feet a day, While on your bed you rest yourself. Beer as sweet as Muchener Springs from the ground and flows away, The cows all like to milk themsleves And hens lay eggs ten times a day. Little roasted piggies Just rush about the city streets, Inquiring so politely if A slice of ham you’d like to eat. Aye, if you’d begin to live, To Oleanna you must go, The poorest wretch in Norway Becomes a Duke in a year or so. source: [Oleanna Lyrics by Pete Seeger - Lyrics On Demand](https://www.lyricsondemand.com/p/peteseegerlyrics/oleannalyrics.html) ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2023, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oleana-camp-song/23009/14 "2023-09-21T21:30:59Z")
I learned this one in elementary school (1974 or so) and a few years ago, I traced it back to Seeger and beyond > **[Oleanna (song)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oleanna_(song))** > > "Oleanna" (or "Oleana") is a Norwegian folk song that was translated into English and popularized by former Weavers member Pete Seeger. The song is a critique of Ole Bull's vision of a perfect society in America. Oleanna was actually the name of one of Ole Bull's settlements in the New Norway colony of Pennsylvania. His society failed, and all of the immigrants moved away, since the dense forest made it hard to settle there. The lyrics concern the singer's desire to leave Norway and escape to Ole... > The lyrics for Oleanna were written by [Ditmar Meidell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ditmar_Meidell), a Norwegian magazine editor who set his words to the melody “Rio Janeiro”.[[2]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oleanna_(song)#cite_note-2) The song was first published on March 5, 1853, in _[Krydseren](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krydseren)_ (The Cruiser), a satirical magazine which Meidell had founded.[[3]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oleanna_(song)#cite_note-Emigrant_1936-3) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2023, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oleana-camp-song/23009/15 "2023-09-21T22:55:00Z")
It looks like _a_ version – there are pigs running around – but not the way we sang it in San Diego. Aside re: the eggs. I liked _Jonny Quest_, and I think there was an episode where they found [rocs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roc_(mythology)). So I imagined the eggs were huge, having come from a huge bird. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oleana-camp-song/23009/16 "2023-09-22T02:05:33Z")
I’m impressed that he had a 23 year old thread revived with a legitimate answer! Kudos to all, and a warm welcome to @Srrita! (I’ve never heard of Oleana, but i didn’t do much scouting. I do know the marching one about cold Eskimo love, however; but that’s thanks to Full Metal Jacket). ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oleana-camp-song/23009/17 "2023-09-22T02:37:15Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > I’m impressed that he had a 23 year old thread I was still living in L.A.! And the World Trade Centers still existed! ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oleana-camp-song/23009/18 "2023-09-22T14:14:27Z")
Here’s a link to the [lyrics](https://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/kingston-trio/oleanna.htm) from the Kingston Trio songbook ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2024, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oleana-camp-song/23009/19 "2024-03-03T11:09:48Z")
I have backtracked this far back in the log looking for my most recent post that showed up with the “Z” and my name. Today is Sunday March 3 2024 and this is the first occurrence of that event that I have found! Nothing all that exciting for anybody else but at least I have something to show for the past couple of hours! Zeldar ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2024, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oleana-camp-song/23009/20 "2024-03-03T12:39:13Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Now I’m back down in Los Hideous, and she’s 1,200 miles away and I don’t know how to contact her to get the rest of the lyrics. I thought, “just text to her smartphone!” Then I saw the date. Oh. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oleana-camp-song/23009.md?page=2)