Baby Bumblebee

"I'm bringing home a baby bumblebee, won't my mommy be so proud of me..." This is a simple narrative song, often accompanied by hand actions showing catching the bee, getting stung, and squishing it (though kinder versions sometimes change the ending!). The popular American camp song is a traditional nursery rhyme and gesture-play song in the public domain, with its tune believed to have originated from "The Arkansas Traveler," a song with roots tracing back to Arkansas in 1840, created by Colonel Sanford Faulkner, and first published in Cincinnati in 1847. It likely originated in America, probably in the early-to-mid 20th century, as a children's camp song or action rhyme, and the song even appeared in the Looney Tunes cartoon as early as 1945, sung by the character Beaky Buzzard. "I'm Bringing Home a Baby Bumblebee" is often performed with accompanying actions simulating holding a bee, getting stung, squishing it, and wiping it away, making it a popular choice for children's activities and camps, with variations sometimes used in Girl Scout camps. While the specific artist for the children's song is unknown, its widespread use in American camps and nurseries solidifies its place in American folk culture.