Camels in Kansas: From Song Lyrics to Herds on the Prairie

Published March 3, 2026

A special song is more than its rhythm, lyrics and bridge. It can be a memory, a map and a treasured bond. When Valeri Crenshaw was a little girl, she remembered a song her dad, Roy, loved – The Duprees’ You Belong to Me from 1952. Over time, the song became a timeless memory, a sentimental map to places they would explore together and a father-daughter bond to last more than a lifetime.

The song’s lyrics describe faraway lands and how no matter the distance, the two belong together. “See the pyramids along the Nile” opens the song, followed by “See the marketplace in old Algiers.” Even as a kid, Roy made it his mission to explore these areas of the world away from Shamrock Farms in Wabaunsee County where he resides. Not only did he travel to these areas, but he also brought his daughter along with him.