The Other Day I Met a Bear

Also known as 'The Bear Song' or 'Sippin' Cider Through a Straw', this is a classic echo song for camps. The melody of "The Other Day I Met a Bear" is the same as the 1919 novelty song "Sipping Cider Thru' a Straw" composed by Carey Morgan and Lee David, which itself may have been influenced by an 1894 minstrel song. The bear-themed lyrics likely emerged as a folk adaptation in American oral tradition during the mid-20th century, and it has long been a staple at American summer camps, enjoyed in numerous variations as an echo song at campfires and scout gatherings.