In Japanese, Ohio means good morning

American children used to sing songs when sitting around campfires on evenings when they were camping in the woods with their parents or Boy Scout troops or Campfire Girls organizations. Sometimes they would sing “We Are Climbing Jacob’s Ladder” or “Do, Lord, Oh Do, Lord, Oh Do Remember Me” or even “Kum-bay-yah” but those are not relevant to this post. Perhaps children still sing songs around campfires when they aren't gorging on S’mores or being forced by their parents to play Mexican train dominoes or sulking because they can’t recharge their electronic devices, but I wouldn’t bet on it.

Here is a song I remember that used to make us chuckle:

What did Delaware, boys,
What did Delaware?
What did Delaware, boys,
What did Delaware?
What did Delaware, boys,
What did Delaware?
I ask you now as a personal friend,
What did Delaware?

She wore her New Jersey, boys,
She wore her New Jersey
She wore her New Jersey, boys,
She wore her New Jersey
She wore her New Jersey, boys,
She wore her New Jersey
I tell you now as a personal friend,
She wore her New Jersey

What did Idaho, boys,
What did Idaho?
What did Idaho, boys,
What did Idaho?
What did Idaho, boys,
What did Idaho?
I ask you now as a personal friend,
What did Idaho?

She hoed her Maryland, boys,
She hoed her Maryland
She hoed her Maryland, boys,
She hoed her Maryland
She hoed her Maryland, boys,
She hoed her Maryland
I tell you now as a personal friend,
She hoed her Maryland

What did Ioweigh, boys,
What did Ioweigh?
What did Ioweigh, boys,
What did Ioweigh?
What did Ioweigh, boys,
What did Ioweigh?
I ask you now as a personal friend,
What did Ioweigh?

She weighed a Washington, boys,
She weighed a Washington
She weighed a Washington, boys,
She weighed a Washington
She weighed a Washington, boys,
She weighed a Washington
I tell you now as a personal friend,
She weighed a Washington

How did Wiscon-sin, boys,
How did Wiscon-sin?
How did Wiscon-sin, boys,
How did Wiscon-sin?
How did Wiscon-sin, boys,
How did Wiscon-sin?
I ask you now as a personal friend,
How did Wiscon-sin?

She stole a New-brass-key, boys,
She stole a New-brass-key
She stole a New-brass-key, boys,
She stole a New-brass-key
She stole a New-brass-key, boys,
She stole a New-brass-key
I tell you now as a personal friend,
She stole a New-brass-key

What did Tennessee, boys,
What did Tennessee?
What did Tennessee, boys,
What did Tennessee?
What did Tennessee, boys,
What did Tennessee?
I ask you now as a personal friend,
What did Tennessee?

She saw what Arkansaw, boys,
She saw what Arkansaw
She saw what Arkansaw, boys,
She saw what Arkansaw
She saw what Arkansaw, boys,
She saw what Arkansaw
I tell you now as a personal friend,
She saw what Arkansaw

How did Flora-die, boys,
How did Flora-die
How did Flora-die, boys,
How did Flora-die
How did Flora-die, boys,
How did Flora-die
I ask you now as a personal friend,
How did Flora-die?

She died in Missouri, boys,
She died in Missouri
She died in Missouri, boys,
She died in Missouri
She died in Missouri, boys,
She died in Missouri
I tell you now as a personal friend,
She died in Missouri

Where has Oregon, boys,
Where has Oregon?
Where has Oregon, boys,
Where has Oregon?
Where has Oregon, boys,
Where has Oregon?
I ask you now as a personal friend,
Where has Oregon?

She took Oklahom, boys,
She took Oklahom
She took Oklahom, boys,
She took Oklahom
She took Oklahom, boys,
She took Oklahom
I tell you now as a personal friend,
She took Oklahom

Why did Califon-ya, boys,
Why did Califon?
Why did Califon-ya, boys,
Why did Califon?
Why did Califon-ya, boys,
Why did Califon?
I ask you now as a personal friend,
Why did Califon?

She phoned to say Hawai-ya, boys,
She phoned to say Hawai-ya
She phoned to say Hawai-ya, boys,
She phoned to say Hawai-ya
She phoned to say Hawai-ya, boys,
She phoned to say Hawai-ya
I tell you now as a personal friend,
That’s why Califoned.

What did Mississip, boys,
What did Mississip?
What did Mississip, boys,
What did Mississip?
What did Mississip, boys,
What did Mississip?
I ask you now as a personal friend,
What did Mississip?

She sipped a Minnisota, boys,
She sipped a Minnisota
She sipped a Minnisota, boys,
She sipped a Minnisota
She sipped a Minnisota, boys,
She sipped a Minnisota
I tell you now as a personal friend,
That’s what Mississipped.

(end of song)

If there are other verses, I don’t know them. But I do wonder whether any of you outside the U.S. can recall similar songs from your childhood that featured your own locales, you know, like “There’ll Be Bluebirds Over The White Cliffs Of Dover” (England) and “I Always Blubber When I Think Of New South Wales” (Australia).

If that last one is not an actual song, it ought to be.