ACA Home Forums Does Princess Pat have a treehouse or an army?

I went to two camps last summer. One said "lived in a tree" and the other said "light infantry". I know that "light infantry" is the original wording. If your camp sings this song, which line is used?

it's definitely the "tree" one.

she lived in a tree... and she sailed across the seven seas

At my camp she lives in a tree

The Princess pat
lived in a tree
she sailed across
the 7 seas

She lives in a tree at my camp.

At my old camp, Pat had a SMALL INFANTRY. But every camps version is different somehow. No ones is right or wrong

LOL I love that this is my first post, it's so fitting because this song is my favorite! I always convince my campers that this song is about me and they all end up calling me "princess pat"!
The way we sing it is "the princess pat and her infantry, they sailed across the 7 seas"
A few summers ago, all of the counselors got into a big debate about what a 'rickabamboo' is, one person decided that a 'rick' must be a measurment of bamboo. It's actually an ongoing debate

we've had that same discussion... but not quite as extensive... ours was more... is it "a rick of bamboo" or "arickabamboo"


I actually taught that song to my camp... although by the end of the summer, none of the staff are too happy about that.

and welcome, princess pat!

we do it small infantry and there are so many variations in other parts of the song as well. oh, and we say a rickadandoo instead of a rickabamboo.

At my camp, we sing "lived in a tree"
But we have one longtimer counselor who at least once a summer, gets up to teach everyone the REAL lyrics, complete with history lesson. Yes. Because eight year olds REALLY CARE about Princess Pat's light infantry, and what the song is historically about.
I love the counselor in question, it's just one of her irritating little quirks... she also tries to get people to harmonize on all the graces, when we just want to get inside and EAT.
Oh, and apparantly the "rigabamboo" was the flag... on the ship? Something like that. I never pay attention...

The princess pat lived in a tree
...And Captain Jack
Had a mighty fine crew
he sailed across
the channel too
but his ship sank
and yours will too
if you don't take
a rickabamboo...

"Light infantry"... and she sails across the Bering Sea.

Wow, my camps version must be really screwed up.

We sing it:

The Princess Pat
Had a might fine ship
she sailed across the 7 seas.

Or something. I can't quite remember. We never sing it, lived in a tree or had a light infantry.

Funny Story, Last year there was a counselor named Patrick who everyone called Pat, which eventually got lengthened to Princess Pat.

At my camp she lives in a tree. She also takes with her arickadandoo, not arickabamboo. I always just thought it was a nonsense word.

We sing "lived in a tree." But the Canadian Girl Guides I know completely chastise me for ever singing such a thing, claiming the army version.

We also have two extra verses, one about Superman, the other about Princess Pat and her son named Lou.

since first grade i have known it as
THE PRINCESS PAT
THE PRINCESS PAT
LIVED IN A TREE

at our camp, the princess pat LED infantry

At my camp, Princess Pat definitely

RODE INFANTRY

and took with heeeeeeeeeeeeeeer...

A RICKA DANDOO


But Captain Jack

HAD A MIGHTY FINE CREW

What the $%@* is arickabamboo?!

I don't know, but whatever it is, when you sing the line, you have to make a motion like hitting a vertical xylophone. Strange...

now superman...
had a mighty fine tan
and supergirl...
her hair just wouldn't curl
but they still flew...
and so will you
if you just TAKE
your rickabamboo

wow. memories

when we said arickabamboo, we'd do "the twist" type thing

Then there's the whole Mr. Spock verse.

If you go here there is a little explanation at the bottom... Princess Pat is Canadian??