If there was a list of the 10 most adorable campfire songs of all-time, The Hamburger Song would easily hold the top spot. With colorful words such as eenee meenee, oo-pum-pum, and bubble gum, this tune has catchy lyrics that any young mind would love.
Originally released by Bobby Moore & the Rhythm Aces in 1966, "The Hamburger Song" has become a staple around campfires over the past 50 years, especially when sung in unison with a group. It's cult-like status wasn't limited to America, it also became famous around the world, especially in Europe.
Absolutely Adorable
One example of this can be seen in an Italian TV Show from 1995, where two young girls and an entire audience sang it together, which went along with a cute dance routine. It's so adorable seeing a room full of young women singing this in unison, as you can see in the video below.
Hamburger Song - NON E' LA RAI (1995)
Hamburger Song - Milena e Daria (94/95)
Here they are singing the same song on a different day.
Here is another video of a teacher playing it on his guitar, while instructing his class to pretend and skip rope, as they sing the song together.
The Hamburger Song (and students skipping in class)
Original Song
Originally sung by Bobby Moore & the Rhythm Aces, "The Hamburger Song" was not a major hit, at least not on the record charts. The song came from their 1966 album, Searching For My Love, which also contained the title track, "Searching For My Love", with that tune reaching #7 on the R&B Chart and #27 on the Hot 100 Chart.
However, these days, few people remember "Searching For Love", a song slowly forgotten as the years go by. It was a throwaway number "The Hamburger Song" that continually grew in stature, and has now become a staple on camp grounds everywhere, generation after generation. It just shows that great music will always stand the test of time.
The Hamburger Song - Bobby Moore and The Rhythm Aces (1966)
Song Lyrics
The Hamburger Song
One, two one, two three, four
Eenee meenee, jump's-a-leenee, oo-pum-pum ba-leenee, hatchee-tatchee leverace, I love you take a peach, take a plum, take a piece of bubble gum no peach, no plum, just a piece of bubble gum
Hey boy, whatcha name, no eat, whatcha eatin’? hamburger, gimme some, greedy jump out the window sayin’ eenee meenee, jump's-a-leenee, oo-pum-pum uba-leenee, hatchee-tatchee, leverace, I love you
I bet that you can't say eenee meenee, jump's-a-leenee, oo-pum-pum ba-leenee, hatchee-tatchee leverace, I love you take a peach, take a plum, take a piece of bubble gum no peach, no plum, just a piece of bubble gum
Hey boy, whatcha name, no eat, whatcha eatin’? hamburger, gimme some, greedy jump out the window sayin’ eenee meenee, jump's-a-leenee, oo-pum-pum uba-leenee, hatchee-tatchee, leverace, I love you
I bet that you can't say eenee meenee, jump's-a-leenee, oo-pum-pum ba-leenee, hatchee-tatchee leverace, I love you take a peach, take a plum, take a piece of bubble gum no peach, no plum, just a piece of bubble gum
Hey boy, whatcha name, no eat, whatcha eatin’? hamburger, gimme some, greedy jump out the window sayin’ eenee meenee, jump's-a-leenee, oo-pum-pum uba-leenee, hatchee-tatchee, leverace, I love you
Eenee meenee, jump's-a-leenee, oo-pum-pum ba-leenee, hatchee-tatchee leverace, I love you take a peach, take a plum, take a piece of bubble gum no peach, no plum, just a piece of bubble gum
Hey boy, whatcha name, no eat, whatcha eatin’? hamburger, gimme some, greedy jump out the window sayin’ eenee meenee, jump's-a-leenee, oo-pum-pum uba-leenee, hatchee-tatchee, leverace, I love you
I bet that you can't say eenee meenee, jump's-a-leenee, oo-pum-pum ba-leenee, hatchee-tatchee leverace, I love you take a peach, take a plum, take a piece of bubble gum no peach, no plum, just a piece of bubble gum
Hey boy, whatcha name, no eat, whatcha eatin’? hamburger, gimme some, greedy jump out the window sayin’ eenee meenee, jump's-a-leenee, oo-pum-pum uba-leenee, hatchee-tatchee, leverace, I love you
As a special bonus, here is the 2nd Best Campfire song of all-time, written by Shirley Elliston and Lincoln Chase, and sung beautifully and with perfection by Shirley Elliston, and it's called "The Name Game".