Replacing "Camptown Races"

[blimix]

We often sing/append little songs if we happen to say something that scans to "Mah Na Mah Na," "If I Were A Rich Man," or "Camptown Races". (e.g., "I have evil oversocks, doo dah, doo dah.") Yesterday, Karen challenged me to find a replacement for "Camptown Races," due to its racism. (While I don't think that original lyrics plus "Doo dah, doo dah" retain any of the racism, it's still a callback to a racist song.)

During our walk today, I realized that "In The Hall Of The Mountain King" works. However, it takes much more focus to sing that melody. I think that I have fulfilled the challenge terms, but Karen wants something that is as easy to sing as "Camptown Races".* So the challenge continues. I am allowed to put out a call for assistance. What other song can we use for seven syllable observations with accents on the odd syllables? (Can it be called "trochaic" if there's an odd syllable count? I don't know what else to call it.)

* Also, the appended "Doo dah, doo dah" may get harder to replace in my version. Obviously, a Mountain King fan could sing, "I have evil oversocks, oversocks, oversocks." But what do you do with, "When thy heart began to beat"?**

** "When thy heart began to beat. What dread hand? What dread feet?"

Help me out here?

Comments

[chamaenerion]

It's not a perfect match, but the rhythm is close enough to make me go to the "Did you write the Book of Love?" line from American Pie. Try it with "I've got evil oversocks, but my shoes are full of rocks!"

[blimix]

Hmm! I'll give it a try.

[chamaenerion]

After turning this over some, I think one of the properties that makes "Camptown Races" work is precisely that the lines are in isolation, allowing you to add the doo-dah. Otherwise you just get distracted wanting to know what the next line is in the song about your oversocks.