Be Prepared - PSA-type ad for Scouts, 1970's

[Yapostadodat]

I remember seeing all this stuff in the commercial thinking we already do all that stuff in our neighborhood; boxing, lighting big bonfires, running through the woods, constantly on bikes and swimming (living on the South Shore) so why not get out of school early and wear cool uniforms!

[1969dane]

This song will forever haunt my soul. But it was good to see the commercial again.

[qaj321]

I remember the pool thing. I think they played it foward then reverse. That's how you make 2 sec. into 4 sec. Me and my brothers would watch for it whenever they played it. Feeling kinda old now. LOL!

[Synthetrix]

Cool. I remember this one!

[999manman]

Learn how to make your own C-4 using common household items!

[999manman]

OH MY GOSH!!! I have been trying to find this for YEARS!!!! I remember it so well from when I was about 7 or 8!!! I am FULFILLED! THANK YOU MSTS1!!!

[boofdfast]

I always hated that commercial... it looked and sounded so GHETTO. Like the Scout meetings were being held in the projects. LOL

Also, the part when they're in the pool at 0:20 is so annoying... why do they fast forward, rewind that part? It looks stupid. :)

[999manman]

@boofdfast Scouts can manipulate time at whim apparently!

[boofdfast]

@999manman lol

[Stevedup]

@boofdfast...It looks like they only had one second of footage (of the boys in the pool)...so they put the footage on a loop.

[boofdfast]

@Stevedup Yeah, you know a commercial is shitty when even an 8 year old(me at the time) can point out a cheesy effect like that. lol

[Stevedup]

@boofdfast...Yes I agree, the "loop" was cheesy. As a kid you were very observant ! I was an eagle- eyed "couch potato" back then, but even I didn't catch that (when I used to view the commercial "back in the day") ! This jingle has been haunting me for years ! Any idea what year this ad was first telecast? 1975 perhaps ? I could be off by a year, or two !

Cheers!

Sincerely, Steve B.

[boofdfast]

@Stevedup Not sure, but I think it was around 1976 or 1978. Although, it does look as primitive as 1975. I live in the New England area... so this came on along with the Snipets commercials. Hahaa ;)

Take Care

[Stevedup]

@boofdfast...I think this commercial was made as early as '75, but aired for several years (up until '78 or '79). I was raised in Michigan, and it was shown on a local UHF station in between cartoons and old sitcom reruns. Loops in movies and TV shows were considered state of the art in the '60's but were almost commonplace by the mid '70's.  I have a few commercial memories I would like to share with you. Would it be possible for you to send me your e-mail address in a PM?

Thanks!

[kguit34]

i always like the boxing part...man we to poor in malden for the scouts that was for rich kids...we broke car windows instead

[deussolinvictus]

I remember this one. I wanted to join the Scouts sooo bad, but with a single mom, it never happened.

[TheMylesfalworth]

I remember this one too. There's an even older one that I can't get out of my mind though. It showed a group of scouts hiking towards the camera and all whistling together. It might have been Col. Bogey's march.  Dunno. It's been a looong time!

[lloydbentman]

Love it!! I was specifically looking for this. Thanks for posting it!!

[meyerj75]

I still remember That "Be Prepared" commercial used to show up during breaks while Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids and The New Treasure Hunt was on Saturday mornings before WLVI picked it up. Man, I still dig that funk sound!

[TheGavin8tor]

Thanks for posting this video - really brought back memories. I always sang the song as a kid, but never joined the scouts. Now my kids are scouts, and i've been singing the song for thirty years... Whoa, just showed my kids the video - they laughed. Look at the hair!

[renproductions]

Oh my gosh! My friend just sent me an email that read, "Be prepared" and the song from this ad immediately went off in my head.

Never thought I'd find it, (somehow in my head I was convinced it was for the Army, not Scouts.) But here it is!

Thanks for posting. I miss UHF! Viva 56! : )

[999manman]

@renproductions Same here! I figured it was locked away in some vault somewhere.

[subrok100]

it's so awesome to see that other people were 'haunted" by this song, as I was. I just remembered it a month before my 40th birthday, while getting ready to go camping. And just like Winesburger this totally motivated me to join the Scouts. Though I'm still disappointed that I never got to be involved with a 6 way tug of war, with a big coffee can in the middle, like in the commercial. What the hell was that?

[mthai66]

I started boxing because of this ad.

[ForceFiveFan]

WLVI 56 at it's greatest. I just saw the old spots for the New England Aquarium and the Museum of Science too. I miss being a kid. I think this psa is what got me into scouting.

[Winesburger]

This is great! I, too, have been haunted by the theme song whenever someone says "be prepared." I used to think the song was sung by Fat Albert and the Cosby kids because it came on during Sat. morning cartoons. Ironically, I am a scout leader now! It must have worked. Scouting should update the song and the video and air it again on Sat. mornings. Kids need to get out of the house and BE something!

[freebrook]

I always loved that commercial with its groovy jingle! Thanks for posting!

[boylan999]

Now all we need is the Alien with the earth fruit. "By only eating candy bars, we don't know what we miss!"

[ForceFiveFan]

Agreed. We need that alien with the earth fruit back on tv to help fight childhood obesity in a new generation. They need to make PSA's now like they did back then.

[Mysterycat74]

I remember that NOBODY could understand what the guy was saying when he sang "Be Prepared." I seriously thought for YEARS he was saying "Beaver Bear" (which makes no sense in context with The Scouts, but hey, I was like, 6 years old at the time!" But my neighbor actually thought he said "Pee your pants" LOL!

[MarsHottentot]

Oh man! I'm right there with you! I thought he sang... no joke... "BEEF A PEAR". lolwut?

[renproductions]

Beaver bear! Too funny! : )

[homerekker]

oh shit. This is what I saw in between swimming in the pool and eating lunch in the seventies.

[giantsean]

Man Channel 56... Uncle Dale and great cartoons. I lived in CT and got the best of both NY and NE!

[dewaltik92]

Yes, around the days of Willie Whistle, I must have been only 3 when I 1st saw this commercial in Lunenburg, MA

[mclifep]

YES!!!

Thank you for posting this and it's from channel 56 in Boston the same place I saw it

20 years ago!

[Pdasilva0324]

I loved this PSA as a kid, but interestingly, it never made me want to be a Boy Scout.

[poomba13]

"Are you ready to take the lead?" When I was a kid I thought it was, "Are you ready to make believe?" I always remembered it like that until now.

[rchatell]

Thank you for finding this and posting it! I have wanted to see this commercial again for many years. This commercial that played incesantly on kids' cartoons after school is the reason I wanted to join Scouts. Over a quarter of a century of great memories since. I am very thankful someone decades ago made this, and it has paid dividends! Check out my World Jamboree videos!

[homerekker]

I remember that I never wanted to join because I didn't want to box black kids.

[999manman]

@homerekker LOL! I thought the same thing!

[rosario508]

wow! I forgot about the funky editing with the kids in the pool!

[TEDDYTWOTOES]

Wow, I feel like a kid again! Just like everyone else I sing this all the time.

[harmanl]

Me too! I still get this song in my head if anyone says "be prepared."

[coolasschick]

omg, i still sing it when someone says "BE PREPARED"

[ryguy270]

I certainly sing this as well, no one ever gets it,

[Eddie62070]

same here....having lived in Eastern MA. from '70-'84......:)

[dangerbird71]

Whoa blast from the past! Do you remember those little programs called "snippets" that were shown on wlvi?

[MSTS1]

'Snipets' are up now on 'WLVI-56 Boston - Kids Parade -1986'.

[renproductions]

"SNIPPETS!!!!" : )

[palwine]

Oh man....I love the Boston channel 56 intro with the brady bunch clip. This commercial's weird soundtrack has haunted me for the last 30 years. Crazy how it all comes back.