The Yogi Bear Song

"The Yogi Bear Song" is a traditional Rugby Song that is sung at drink ups after rugby games, or just at gatherings of different rugby teams or players. The song is about the cartoon character Yogi Bear and other various characters from the television show. The song is sung to the tune "Camptown Races". In traditional rugby songs, one line of the song is sung by an individual person, and then the rest of the people involved in the song repeat that line. The individual person usually changes throughout the group of people singing along with each verse. Some rugby clubs and teams have verses that are exclusive to their gatherings, so some verses are not well known.

The song starts when someone yells, "I know a bear that you don't know, Yogi, Yogi." After Yogi, Boo Boo, Susie, and Ranger Ricks' introductions are sung, the verse order is not important.

The verses are typically of a profane or offensive nature, and are often made up on the spot. Some popular verses include: Yogi's knob is long and green, cucum, cucum / Yogi's knob is long and green, cu-cu-cu-cum-bear! Cindy likes it on the fridge, polar, polar / Cindy likes it on the fridge, polar polar bear! Cindy doesn't shave down there, grizzly, grizzly / Cindy doesn't shave down there, grizzly grizzly bear! Yogi drives a Cadillac, black bear, black bear / Yogi drives a Cadillac, bla-bla-bla-black bear!

The actual song starts off with:I know a bear that you don't knowYogi, YogiI know a bear that you don't knowYogi, Yogi Bearrrr (Repeat three times)

While you're repeating the line, a person puts their drinking glass towards their forehead, indicating that they will sing the next verse.

The verses are of the same rhythm and only change in 2 lines that are repeated.Examples of these are as follows:

Yogi has a little friend/ Boo Boo, Boo BooYogi has a girlfriend/ Susie SusieCindy likes it 8 feet long/ black bear, black bearCindy got a girlfriend/ Klondike, Klondike

If someone repeats or messes up the song, the crowd follows with the following:

Who- ha, shoot that bootWho-ha, shoot that boot

Someone then proceeds to take off their shoe, fills it with the drink of choice, then the person who messed up chugs the boot.The crowd follows the chug with: Reem thyself (or "Redeem thyself")Reem thyself (or "Redeem thyself")

The song continues until the end or until someone else messes up.

References

[http://www.drinkingsongs.net/html/categorized-by-song/the-yogi-bear-song.htm Drinking Songs and Barroom-lore]
[http://www.arurugby.co.uk/yogisong.htm ARU Rugby Club - Songs]