About Camptown Races#
Doo dah, doo dah. What does it mean? Nothing much, as far as anyone can tell. It is a nonsense refrain that Stephen Foster built into Camptown Races, published in 1850, a song about a long day of horse racing and a bet on a bobtail nag. The refrain stuck, and the tune has been a children’s favorite ever since.
The tab uses only six notes: C, D, E, G, A and high C. There is no F and no B anywhere in it, which gives it that open, cheerful sound. All of them are natural notes, and none needs a sub-hole or a thumb hole on the 12-hole ocarina. The leap up to high C is the one jump to practice.
Camptown Races Lyrics#
camptown Ladies sing the song Doo Dah Doo Dah
Camptown race track 5 miles long Oh De Doo Dah Day
Bound to run all night, bound to run all day
Bet my money on a bobtail nag
Somebody bet on the bay
Camptown Races Ocarina Tab#
| G | G | E | G | A | G | E | E | D | E | D | |
| G | G | E | G | A | G | E | D | D | E | D | C |
| C | C | E | G | C | A | A | C | A | G | ||
| G | G | E | E | G | G | A | G | E | |||
| D | D | D | E | D | D | C |