Introducing Our New Dining Hall Songs for 2021
Since the first year of camp, singing in the Dining Hall has been one of our favorite traditions. All it takes is that first recorded piano note, and you can’t help but smile and join in. It’s one of the things we missed the most this summer!
When we thought up The Camp Connection, we knew we had to come up with a memorable contest, one where campers could create something to commemorate this strange year. It has been decades since we last added a new Dining Hall song, and we figured it was about time - new century, new songs?! Enter our Dining Hall Song Contest, where campers wrote new songs for us to incorporate into the cannon. And it’s finally time to announce the winning songs! Drumroll, anyone?
June Camp Winner: Mary Laine D.
Song Name: I’m Going to Camp Greystone
Sung to the Tune Of: Popular
How did you come up with the song? I thought of how I felt about Greystone. I remembered the excitement I had every year the day before camp. I couldn’t fall asleep at night! The rest of the song is about some fun experiences I had while at camp.
Where did the idea come from, and what was the writing process like? I had recently gone to see Wicked on Broadway in NYC. A fun, catchy song in the play was Popular. While I was thinking about different songs to base mine off of, Popular came to mind. After I got the rhythm and the first few lines, the writing process came naturally. I love to write, so it felt like just another story.
How did you feel hearing that everyone will be singing your song next year? I thought my song was good, but there were probably so many other good songs out there. My hopes were not high. When I discovered I won, I was more surprised than anything. It will be amazing to have everyone singing my song. I’ve toyed around with writing songs, but to have people actually singing one of my creations will be amazing!
Main Camp Winner: Anna V.
Song Name: Dressed in Smiles
Sung to the Tune Of: You’re Never Fully Dressed without a Smile
About my song: First of all, I just wanted to express how honored I am to have my song chosen! Right now, I would like to tell you about my writing process. I have always loved writing and music, so when the competition was announced on the first day of Camp Connection, I jumped at the chance to enter a song.
When I was beginning my writing process I first thought of all of the things that make camp special as well as the things that all Greystone Girls love. Not surprisingly, I came up with a VERY long list. I thought of the Blob, Candy Shop, Closing Vespers, my counselors, Evening Devotions, skipping down the lower road while laughing my head off with my friends.
After I had compiled my list, it was time for the hardest and most important part, what tune I was going to write my song to. I thought about how it had to be a catchy, well-known classic. This past year, I was in my school’s production of “Annie.” Due to that experience, I am now extremely familiar with all of the songs. And it occurred to me that the song ‘You’re Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile’ fit all of the criteria that I was looking for.
That afternoon I sat in Central Park as my brother played football with his friend and the first draft of the song was born! After singing it over and over again to the brutally honest audience of my family, I finally had a song that felt right. I waited a few days to submit it so that I could fully know that I was happy with it and then I pressed the send button on the form.
My mom and I were at the store when I got the email saying that I had won. My mother, (who was also a Greystone Girl) and I literally screamed, in the store. I am so grateful that I can be contributing to a part of Greystone history, and hopefully campers now, and far into the future can enjoy the song, and hum it mixed with other dining hall songs before Taps. I hope that this song makes you feel a little closer to camp now and in the middle of the winter when all you could use was a little taste of The Bubble.
August Camp Winner: Betsy K.
Song Name: It’s a Greystone Summer
Sung to the Tune Of: It’s the Hard Knock Life
Betsy attended Junior Camp for the first time in 2019, and was enrolled for August Camp this summer. She used her time at Greystone to inspire her song!
She covers SO many fun aspects of camp life in her song, from favorite classes like Cooking and Dog Camp, to Breakfast Club and Apple Cart… all the aspects of a Greystone summer! Our favorite lines? It’s a tie between “Gervais we never see but I know he’s cooking for me.” And “Dining Hall life, be careful with the knife.” So clever!
Congratulations to our winners and a huge thank you to everyone who participated. There were so many great songs submitted and we had the hardest time picking just one for each session!
The countdown is now on for summer 2021, so why not go ahead and learn these songs? Before too long we’ll be singing them in the Dining Hall together!