Campfire Song Book
Indexed by Title | Indexed by Style

Classic pop  


LA BAMBA
Para bailar La Bamba, para bailar La Bamba 
se necesita una poca de gracia, una poca de gracia 
para mi para ti y'ariba y'ariba 
Y'ariba y'ariba, por ti sere, por ti ere.

Yo no soy marinero, yo no soy marinero 
Soy capitan, soy capitan 
Bamba bamba... 

THE HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN
There is a house in New Orleans 
they call the Rising Sun 
It's been the ruin of many a poor girl, 
oh God I know I'm one

Go tell your baby sister 
not to do what I have done 
Shun that house in New Orleans 
they call the Rising Sun

If I had listened to what my mama said, 
I had been at home today 
Being so young and foolish, poor boy, 
let a rambler lead me astray

My mother she's a tailor 
She sewed those new blue jeans 
My sweetheart he's a gambler 
Oh Lord, down in New Orleans

Well the only thing a gambler needs 
Is a suitcase and a trunk 
And the only time he's satisfied 
Is when he's on a run

Fills his glasses to the brim 
and passes them around 
The only pleasure he gets out of life 
is rambling from town to town. 

HOTEL CALIFORNIA
On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair 
Warm smell of colitas rising up through the air 
Up ahead in the distance, I saw a shimmering light 
My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim 
Had to stop for the night

There she stood in the doorway, 
I heard the mission bell, 
And I was thinking to myself, 
This could be heaven or this could be hell 
Then she lit up a candle and she showed me the way, 
There were voices down the corridor, 
thought I heard them say:

Welcome to the Hotel California, 
Such a lovely place, such a lovely face 
Plenty of room at the Hotel California 
Any time of year, you can find her here

Her mind is Tiffany-twisted, 
She got the Mercedez Benz 
She got a lot of pretty pretty boys 
That she calls friends 
How they dance in the courtyard, 
sweet summer sweat, 
Some dance to remember, some dance to forget

So I called up the Captain: Please bring me some wine 
He said we haven't had that spirit here since 1969 
And still those voices were calling from far away 
Wake you up in the middle of the night 
Just to hear them say:

Welcome to the Hotel California, 
such a lovely place, such a lovely face 
They're living up in the Hotel California 
What a nice surprise, bring your alibis,

Mirrors on the ceiling, pink champagne on ice, 
She said `We are just prisoners here 
of our own device'. 
And in the master's chambers 
they gathered for the beast 
They stab it with their steely knives 
but they just can't kill the beast

Last thing I remember I was running for the door 
Had to find the passage back to the place I was before 
`Relax' said the doorman, 
`We are programmed to receive, 
You can check out any time you like 
but you can never leave...' 

OB-LA-DI OB-LA-DA
Desmond takes a trolley to the jewellery store 
Buys a twenty carat golden ring 
Takes it back to Molly, waiting at the door, 
and as he gives it to her she begins to sing

Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da, life goes on bra 
La la how the life goes on (x2)

In a couple of years they have built 
a home sweet home 
With a couple of kids running in the yard 
of Desmond and Molly Jones

Happy ever after in the market place 
Desmond lets the children lend a hand 
Molly stays at home and does her pretty face 
and in the evening she's a singer with the band 

GIMME HOPE JOANNA
Well Joanna she runs a country 
She runs in Durban and Transvaal 
She makes a few of her people happy 
She don't care about the rest at all.

She got a system they call apartheid 
it keeps a brother in subjection 
But maybe pressure will make Joanna see 
how everybody can live as one

Gimme hope, Joanna, hope Joanna 
Gimme hope, Joanna, for the morning comes 
Gimme hope, Joanna, hope Joanna 
hope before the mourning comes

I hear she makes all the golden money 
to buy new weapons in the shape of guns 
while every mother in black Soweto 
fears the killing of another son

Sneaking across all the neighbours borders 
Now and then having a little fun 
She doesn't care if the fun games she play 
is dangerous for everyone

Gimme hope Joanna...

She's got supporters in high places 
who turn their heads to the city sun 
Joanna give them the fancy money 
to tempt anyone who'd come 
She even knows how to swing opinion 
in every magazine and the journals 
For every bad move that this Joanna makes 
they got a good explanation

Gimme hope Joanna...

Even the preacher who works for Jesus 
The archbishop who's a peaceful man 
together say that the freedom fighters 
will overcome the very strong.

I wanna know if you're blind Joanna 
if you want to hear the sound of drums 
Can't you see that the tide is turning 
Don't make we wait till the mourning comes

Gimme hope Joanna...