How to Sing Scout Vespers With Lyrics and Music
When the sun goes down and the campfire burns low, Scouts often sing a song called Scout Vespers.
The word vespers means an evening prayer or a quiet time of rest. So Scout Vespers is simply a gentle evening song. Scouts sing it to look back on the day and think about what they did well.
What Are the Words to Scout Vespers?
The song asks each Scout to stop and think for a moment. It asks simple questions like: Did I do my best today? Was I honest and kind? Am I ready for tomorrow?
Here are the lyrics for the first verse:
Softly falls the light of day,
While our campfire fades away.
Silently each Scout should ask:
“Have I done my daily task?
Have I kept my honor bright?
Can I guiltless sleep tonight?
Have I done and have I dared
Everything to be prepared?”
Some troops and packs sing just one verse. Others add additional verses about family and giving thanks. Many groups even have their own unique versions.
Music: How the Tune Goes for Scout Vespers
This version of Scout Vespers was sung by Hunter McDaniel for the Cub Scout Songbook.
Here is a fun fact: you may already know the tune! Scout Vespers is sung to the melody of “O Christmas Tree” (also called “O Tannenbaum”). That melody is an old German folk song, and anyone is free to use it.
So if you can hum “O Christmas Tree,” you can sing Scout Vespers. Just slow it down and sing it soft and low.
How to Sing It Well
Here are some tips:
- Sing slowly. Vespers is not a fast or loud song. Take your time.
- Sing softly. A gentle voice fits the calm mood.
- Hum along. If you don’t know the words yet, you can just hum the tune.
- Listen to others. Try to blend your voice in with the group.
- Be still. Stand quietly in a circle and enjoy the moment.
When Do Scouts Sing Vespers?
Scouts sing vespers at quiet, special times, such as:
- The end of a campfire
- The close of a Court of Honor
- The last night of a camp
- Any calm moment when the day is winding down
Some troops end the song with a short blessing or a wish to meet again. It is a nice way to say goodnight.
Where Did Scout Vespers Come From?
Scout Vespers was included in the 1963 edition of the Boy Scout Songbook
No one knows for sure who wrote Scout Vespers. Its beginnings are a bit of a mystery. The song has been passed down for many years, from camp to camp and troop to troop. You can find it printed in Scout songbooks going back decades. It was mentioned in the pages of Boys’ Life magazine as early as 1950 and in a “Smile and Sing” songbook published by the Chicago Council in the 1920s.
Because it is so old and so widely shared, it feels like it belongs to every Scout.
Make It Your Own
Many troops like to write their own extra verses. You could write one about your patrol, your camp or a great trip you took. Keep the same tune and the same calm feeling, and it will fit right in.
If your troop has special lyrics or traditions for singing Scout Vespers, tell us about it in the comments!
I had a similar question to the previous poster about the orogin for the name of the song. As a clergy person and lifelong scout, I’ve never heard the song, but I’ve been at plenty of camps and conferences for various traditions and attended and led vespers services.
When my friend, fellow scouter, and Scoutmaster to my sons was in the final stages of a terminal illness last year, it caused me to hear Scout Vespers in an entirely new way. It was no longer the closing of a day and reflecting on a daily good turn. Now for me, it’s about a life well lived, and looking back to wonder, “Was I good enough, did I do all the right things, what could I have done better? Did I live a life of honor, and did I live in a way that would make my parents proud? And, did I live a life that would make me proud?” It now means so much more to me
Id be curious if it came from Scouts whom were Catholic or Orthodox Christians. Vespers is the evening service for most Eastern Christians.