Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh (A Letter from Camp) Lyrics
Here I am at Camp Granada
Camp is very entertaining
And they say we'll have some fun if it stops raining
I went hiking with Joe Spivy
He developed poison ivy
You remember Leonard Skinner
He got ptomaine poisoning last night after dinner
All the counselors hate the waiters
And the lake has alligators
And the head coach wants no sissies
So he reads to us from something called Ulysses
Now I don't want this should scare ya
But my bunkmate has malaria
You'll remember Jeffrey Hardy
They're about to organize a searching party
Take me home, oh muddah, faddah
Take me home, I hate Granada
Don't leave me out in the forest where
I might get eaten by a bear
Take me home, I promise I will not make noise
Or mess the house with other boys
Oh please don't make me stay
I've been here one whole day
How's my precious little bruddah
Let me come home if you miss me
I would even let Aunt Bertha hug and kiss me
Wait a minute, it's stopped hailing
Guys are swimming, guys are sailing
Playing baseball, gee that's better
Muddah, Faddah kindly disregard this letter
About
Set to Ponchielli’s “Dance of the Hours”, “Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh (A Letter from Camp)” is a novelty hit loosely based on Allan Sherman’s son Robert’s short stay at Camp Champlain one summer.
According to the owner of the summer camp’s nephew, Robert wanted to leave Camp Champlain as soon as he arrived, writing letters to his parents about how miserable he was. Eventually Robert threw a butter knife at a fellow camper and was expelled. However, the family later sent a letter to the camp asking if Robert could return (the camp denied their request).
“Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh (A Letter from Camp)” is comprised of a similar (though exaggerated) story line to Robert’s camp experience, detailing a boy’s dislike of a summer camp until the end, where the boy decides he wants to be there.
The song became a #2 hit in the US in the summer of 1963, holding the position for three weeks. It was held from the top spot by Stevie Wonder “Fingertips Part 2” and Angels “My Boyfriend’s Back”. In the UK, it reached #14.
The following year, a new version of the song with different lyrics about being back at Camp Granada titled “Return To Camp” (aka “Hello Mudduh, Hello Fadduh! (A Letter From Camp) (New 1964 Version)”) reached #59 in the US.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
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- 3.I See Bones
- 5.Headaches
- 7.Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh (A Letter from Camp)
- 9.Rat Fink