19 Oct

Digital Music Resources

Here are links to my CALLERLAB presentations on digital music:

Bill Harrison’s handouts from the CALLERLAB 2007 Digital Music sessions:

If you’d like to help me compile more information on digital music, please check out the wiki. It’s currently pretty empty, but, working together, we can change that.

Here’s a list of links for on-line articles discussing the use of MiniDiscs, CDs, and MP3s for square dance calling.

Other info:

14 Jun

Hanhurst Tape June 2000

  1. A Little Bit More A 1014 Kevin Kelly
  2. Double Trouble (flip Called MS) MAC 2428 Brian Hotchkies
  3. You Never Know Just How Good You’ve Got It Q 929 John Kwaiser: Two choices here: Tracy Byrd (No Ordinary Man) and George Jones (Cold Hard Truth)
  4. Oh Lonesome Me AR 110 Al Frazier
  5. Bruno Jams/Weeping Woody PIO 1005
  6. Unicorn Song AR 111 Dale Smith: Words as used by the Irish Rovers; original words as written by Shel Silverstein. Interested in Shel? Check out Shel Silverstein’s Adult Works. Tired of the Unicorn Song? Try The Anti-Unicorn Song.

    As you might imagine, unicorns have many fans. Here’s a collection of unicorn-related links.

  7. Bile Them Cabbage Down/Uncle D’s Rag BMV 25
  8. You’ll Be In My Heart GMP 1103 Doug Bennett & Lone Blume: From the Disney Tarzan movie, written by Phil Collins and performed by Phil and Glenn Close. This is the 1999 Academy Award-winning song (I personally liked “Blame Canada” better, and the production number was much more fun).
  9. Juanita Jones SSR 214 Larry Shipman: There are a surprising number of people named Juanita Jones who are referenced on the web.
  10. Independence Day S2K 2004 Bruce Williamson: Martina McBride song on the Way That I Am album. The video for this song is pretty intense.

    From iMusic Country Showcase – Martina McBride

    But it was that second album’s “Independence Day” that made the world really sit up and take notice of Martina McBride. This stunning lyric of domestic violence resulted in an emotionally devastating video that earned her a shelf full of awards. More importantly, it put her in front of thousands of teen girls in schools throughout the U.S. with a message of self-worth and caution about abusive relationships.

    I couldn’t believe it when I finally heard the Hanhurst tape, where Bill introduced “Independence Day” as a patriotic song. He’s since learned his mistake, but in actual fact, as the song is presented in its square dance version, it could be used patriotically. Of course, that only works if no one in the audience knows the original song and context.

  11. Born To Be Blue GMP 1005 Lone Blume: The Judds from their Love Can Build A Bridge album. Here are the lyrics. I already own an earlier release of this song, but of course, Global Music always does a great job.
  12. What You Do To Me PLM 107 Jerry Biggerstaff
  13. Mr Piano Man SSR 217 Ed Kremers
  14. Raindrops Fallin On My Head JPESP 7010 Bill Harrison: Burt Bacharach song (Best Of Burt Bacharach) from the Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid soundtrack.
  15. Shindig In The Barn CRC 145 Steve Jacques: This is funny: the first line of What is Square Dancing says “It is not a shindig in the barn.” But that doesn’t mean we can’t sing about shindigs, in the barn or otherwise.

    Ever wondered about the term “shindig”? Me either, but someone did…and hoedown too. I’m not sure I believe this explanation from Take Our Word For It; seems just a tad pat:

    These two American words are really quite graphic. A hoe-down, for instance, is what happens after one “downs tools” (puts ones hoe down). There is an analogous concept in the English custom of “harvest home” which was a grand dinner and barn dance which the farmer held for the benefit of his workers after the year’s work was done.

    Shindig is another splendidly descriptive word. This time it is an allusion to the typical wounds sustained at the hands (or should I say feet?) of dancing partners whose enthusiasm exceeds their skill. (For some reason, the gruesome image of an up-tempo eightsome reel danced in steel-reinforced farm boots springs to mind.)

  16. What Becomes Of The Brokehearted PLM 106 Jimmy Roberson: Originally by Jimmy Ruffin (here’s an interview with Jimmy), but apparently (I never watch the show), it’s been used for the Ally McBeal Show. Here are some lyrics.
  17. When There’s A Fire In Your Heart CRC 147 Steve Jacques: This song was written by Merle Kilgore and performed by Teresa Brewer (1967), Tammy Wynette, Laura Lee, Eddy Arnold, and Karen Black (in movie “Five Easy Pieces”)
  18. All The Way RB 3083 Don Williamson
  19. Your Time Hasn’t Come Yet Baby CRC 146 Steve Jacques: An Elvis song from 1968 (not one of his biggies, it went as far as #72 on the top 100 list and #50 on the country charts). Here are the lyrics.
  20. Tush Hoedown/Tush Hoedown(rhythm) SG 104
  21. Easier Hoedown/Grossvatter DR 9013
  22. No One Like You CSTL 001 Ed Pabst
  23. Last Laugh DR 90 Brian Shannon
  24. Me Neither CRC 141 Matt Worley
  25. Chinese Breakdown/Fancy Sticks (repress) C 112
  26. Today I Started Loving You Again (repress) RR 128 Wade Driver: Merle Haggard’s song was originally the B side of “The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde,” released in 1968. Since then, it’s been recorded by more than 400 other artists. I guess Wade Driver’s one of them. Here are the original lyrics…there isn’t much to the song.
  27. Red River Valley (repress) C 415 Beryl Main: Here are some lyrics, including a take off. Now, where is the Red River Valley? Well, according to redrivervalley.com, it’s in Manitoba, Canada. However, there’s also a Red River Valley in western Minnesota and North Dakota (Red River Valley Genealogical Society, among others), and Texas and Oklahoma (RRVARC – Red River Valley Amateur Radio Club,) among others. It looks like there’s even a Chinese movie named Red River Valley, but it’s a little hard to tell since I don’t read German.
  28. The Party’s Over (repress) C 606 Round Dance
  29. Gospel Medley SIR 203 Ingvar Pettersson & Bjork
  30. Country’s Alive RYL 128 Jerry Story
  31. Happy Birthday Square Dance BM 183 Mac McCullar
  32. Rainy Days And Stormy Nights RBS 1252 Elmer Sheffield Jr.: The only reference I found to this as a song title on on this site: Bob King – the gentle giant of British Country Music.
  33. I Just Wasted The Rest C-C 532 Jim Congleton: A Bobby Goldsboro song, with lyrics that mention Baltimore.
  34. Party’s Over, The [Turn Out The Lights] ESP 129 Elmer Sheffield Jr.
  35. The Good Ole Days Are Right Now TB 239 Chuck Mashburn/Gabby Baker: From a Gene Watson album, Good Ole Days
  36. Rock N’ Roll Music SIR 309 Al Stevens
  37. God Bless The U.S.A. RB 3031 Don Williamson
  38. We Should Be Together HH 5202 Tom Perry
  39. Real Good Time JPESP 236 Joe Porritt
  40. Old Lamplighter EAG 1209 Jim Logan: Here are lyrics.
  41. I’ve Been To Georgia On A Fast Train CD 213 Tony Sikes
  42. Hold On To The Love I’ve Got BR 282 Bill Stone
16 May

Hanhurst Tape May 2000

  • Coming Round The Mountain (A 1013) Bill McHardy: You know, I sort of expect a banjo/fiddle feel to this song…and this record doesn’t deliver.
  • Cajun Swomp (Flip Called P) (RMR 2004): With a name like this, the music should be cajun-flavored…and it is.
  • Just To Walk Away (AR 109) Andy Finch: This is an Aaron Tippin song off his What This Country Needs album.
  • Before The Next Teardrop Falls (TAR 107) Herb Franklin: I associate this with Freddy Fender, but the song appears on a bunch of albums. There’s another square dance version of it.
  • Love Is Our Business (CRC 140) Steve Jacques: A John Michael Montgomery song off his Home To You album.
  • Old Time Preacher Man (RYL 814) Randy Dougherty: “Daddy was an Old Time Preacher Man,” an Essential Dolly Parton/Porter Wagoner song, co-written by Dolly.
  • Carolina Girl (TAR 108) Tom Wallace: I couldn’t find anything on a song named “Carolina Girl” (but there sure are a lot of Carolina Girl Scout Councils). This sounds like it’s based on beach/shag music…it’s got that kind of feel.
  • Always (SSR 211) Larry Shipman: You can add this to your collection of waltzes turned into square dance music. It’s an old classic, done up here in Hammond organ/roller rink style.
  • My Maria (RYL 237) Tony Oxendine/P Carnathan. Originally a hit by B.W. Stevenson in 1973, it was also a hit for Brooks and Dunn more recently. This version sounds more like Shakedown (Pat Carnathan) than Royal (Tony Oxendine)…both in the instrumentation and in the fact that the melody line isn’t emphasized…so you’d better be able to sing without it (which, of course, both Tony and Pat can do).
  • I’d Really Love To See Ya Tonight (GMP 804) Bronc Wise: An England Dan/John Ford Coley song from 1976. Interesting coincidence department: I did a Google search on England Dan and John Ford Coley and Bob Lafleur’s Music – Artist Index was the first site to pop up. As many of you may know, Bob Lafleur had one of the first caller listings on the internet. He’s taken down all his square dance stuff and now refers people to Western Square Dancing, but he apparently has his extensive music collection (non-square-dancing, if you can imagine) on line.

    Here are the lyrics: I’d Really Love To See You Tonight (Parker McGee)

    Looks like John Ford Coley is still performing; I don’t know whether to be embarassed or pleased that I recognize none of his “hits”. I think it mainly shows that I didn’t pay attention to pop music in the seventies (or, for that matter, the eighties and nineties).

  • Celebration (S2K 2005) Jack O’leary: One of Kool and the Gang’s All-Time Greatest Hits. I was looking forward to hearing this, and while I’m a little disappointed in the instrumentation, I’ll probably get it anyway.
  • Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days Of Summer (SSR 212) Ed Kremers: This one surprised me; I didn’t know that the original version was done by Nat “King” Cole. The song is on several albums, but I have to say that this one looks like a real winner: Patio Pool Party, put out by Nick At Night. It includes such fabulous songs as Afternoon Delight and Sunshine Superman.

    Here’s a website that talks about Nat and the song: Those Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer, and here are lyrics.

    This version has a sort of honky-tonk piano style. I could get into it.

  • I Would Love You More Than I Do (GMP 931) Ken Bower
  • Don’t Think Of Me (CC 61) Jack Burg & Curt Braffet
  • Goodbye My Lady Love (GR 12179) Brian Hotchkies: This is an early 1900’s vaudeville song. Here’s a cylinder recording of it: www.tinfoil.com – 08/97 Cylinder of the Month. I have to say that this is the first song on the tape that’s made me smile.
  • Tomorrow Night In Baltimore (Maryland) (PIO 133): A Roger Miller song from the 70’s
  • Picking Strings/Front Porch Fiddle (BMV 29)

    Repressings

  • Popps Hoedown/Popps Hoedown(Rhythm)(Repress) (YR 102) One of my all time favorite patter records. There are lots of different tunes; it’s fun to work with the music.
  • Pirates And Poets (CD 223) Wayne Baldwin: Rich Reel considers this “a very nice little song” (My Square Dance Record Collection) I think Rich goes by the “if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all” theory; his ratings range from 7 (good) to 9 (the very best). He gives Pirates and Poets an 8 (excellent).

    Rounds

  • Slow Boat To China (GR 17252)
  • Dear World (Rerelease) (ST 177)

    Rereleases

  • Amarillo By Morning (Texas) (RR 147) Wade Driver: A George Strait song. Here are the lyrics.
  • Georgia On My Mind (RB 3002) Mike Hoose: Looks like just about every singer has made an attempt at this song, co-written by Hoagy Carmichael. Some big names: Louis Armstrong, Hoagy Carmichael, Ray Charles, James Brown, Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Tom Jones, Jerry Lee Lewis, Willie Nelson, Righteous Brothers, Dinah Shore, Lawrence Welk. So any vocal style you want to use would probably be appropriate. For lyrics, check here: Georgia On My Mind

    The Georgia Online! website’s url is “gomm.com”.

  • Justin (Flip Called P – Ping Pong Circulate (ST 187) Jack Lasry: Typical Square Tunes patter record; the melody sounded familiar.
  • If You’re Gonna Play In Texas (SD 205) Tim Pepper: An Alabama song, with lyrics here: If You’re Gonna Play in Texas. I thought it was a little weird that the only fiddle was in the intro phrase, although maybe they use a fiddle in the middle break or closer.
  • Love Bug (FR 0003) Ken Perez: A George Jones song. This song took on a whole new meaning this month, with the “I Love You” virus, also called the Love Bug, which shut down computer systems all over the world.
  • Oh Why Must We Ever Say Goodbye (RYL 304) Story & Letson: Pretty typical Royal record.
  • Oh Lonesome You (JPESP 331) Mark Turner: A 1992 Trisha Yearwood song, off her Hearts In Armor album.
  • Take Me Out To The Ballgame (BM 193) Mac McCullar: This is a classic song, so maybe you’d like some alternative lyrics to pep things up. Here’s “Take Me Out To The Restaurant”. Here is the original chorus and a couple of variations:Take Me Out To The Ballgame
  • Top Of The World (RBS 1341) Don Coy: Carpenters alert!
  • Hot Chile/Hot Chile Con Carne (Flip Cld P) (RIV 508) Gary Carnes: Cute…caller’s name is Carnes; called patter side is “con Carne”.
  • My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean (SDT 003) Jack Murtha
  • Hold Me (TB 181) Bob Bennettappend
  • Swinging Little Guitar Man (C-C 564) Jim Congleton: This song was written and performed by Isaac Guillory
  • Better Class Of Loser (RMR 107) Wayne Morvent: 1991 Randy Travis song.
  • San Luis Ramble/Handy (SC 312)
  • Gospel Medley (SIR 203) Ingvar Pettersson & Bjork: Bill forgot to put the vocal side on the tape, but it sounded like “This Little Light of Mine”, and “Will the Circle be Unbroken” among others.
  • Good Mornin’ Lovin’ (ST 158) Bob Poyner
  • School Days (HH 5191) Wayne Mc Donald: A Chuck Berry song.
  • W. Lee O’daniel (4-B 6089) Bill Volner: Found it on a Johnny Cash album. W. Lee O’Daniel was a governor of Texas and a U.S. Senator, as well as a band leader (The Light Crust Doughboys, which featured Bob Wills, and the Hillbilly Boys). See Music Hall – Early History for some additional info on W. Lee.
  • 04 Apr

    Hanhurst April 2000

    1. Light The Candles Around The World A 1012 : I don’t know this song, but it’s a universal peace and love kind of thing. I found the regular thump of a bass drum kind of annoying.
    2. I’ll Take Texas Card 45 Mary Castleberry: Clint Black song on his No Time To Kill album.
    3. Rebel Blues/Hold On Q 928: Rebel Blues is a familiar tune from some 60’s instrumental…too bad I can’t remember its name. Anyway, it suffers from not doing the key modulations that were in the original, but it’s still fun.
    4. Did I Tell You AMR 101 Bengt Ericsson : I’m familiar with this song from a Texas Tornados album, Zone Of Our Own , but this version isn’t TexMex style at all. In fact, it was really only because of the words that I recognized the song at all.
    5. The Longest Time CK 138 Daryl Clendenin/Bill Helms : This is the Billy Joel song, of the Innocent Man album.
    6. Dreamworks/Swingtime GMP 505: Well, many callers use singing call records for patter, but somehow Global makes me want to use patter records as singers. Both of these are highly melodic, and I keep thinking I should know the name of the tune (like with last month’s GMP patters, one of which was “The Band Played On”). Fortunately, I like melodic patters, and of course, GMP always has good instrumentals.
    7. Satin Sheets HH 5241 Deborah Parnell: Jeanne Pruett country heartbreaker: Satin Sheets-Greatest Hits. Does it work for a guy to sing about a rich woman giving him everything that money can buy? The instrumentation on this is about what you’d expect for this kind of song.
    8. Blue Boy AMR 201 Leif Ekblad : Definitely not the Jim Reeves or the Joni Mitchell song. Pretty heavy rock; if you don’t like electric, don’t go here. Also, I have no idea what the tag line is.
    9. Muskrat Love GMP 112 Doug Bennett: We all know that the Captain and Tenille did this one (Greatest Hits), but did you know that America recorded it? And that it’s on three albums, including History-Greatest Hits? Muskrat Love make this list of Bad Songs of the Seventies, and it’s even bolded to show it’s “a higher grade of crap”. Did you know that Toni Tenille did a nationwide tour in Victor/Victoria in 1998-99? BTW, does Captain and Tenille = Captain Anthill? (Love Will Keep Us Together) Want to know about muskrats? Or how about Muskrat Love lyrics as translated by Mr. Spock: Muskrat Love and other illogical acts Real lyrics: Muskrat Love And this site was updated on 3/25 of this year: Everything Muskrat. Dave Barry recently discussed muskrats in The grim tale of ‘Muskrat Love’

      I love the web!

    10. Banjo Creek/Down The Creek BMV 30: I usually like Black Mountain Valley records, but I’m going to give this one a miss. The tune on both sides is “Cripple Creek”. Banjo Creek is nothing but banjo, with a little bit of percussion. I kept expecting a bass and some other stuff to join in to give it a richer sound, but it never happened…at least in the section on the tape. Down the Creek starts out exactly the same, and then starts to alternate between a fiddle and banjo lead. Still no bass.
    11. Waltzing Matilda 7C 113 Dave Tucker : This version is okay; I don’t have another version to compare it to. This looks like a definitive site on Waltzing Matilda: Roger Clarke’s Waltzing Matilda.
    12. I’m Into Something Good Eag 3411 Susanelaine Packer : The Herman’s Hermit song. I personally like the Solid Gold 503 version better; maybe that’s just because I already have it.
    13. New World In The Morning GMP 930 Bill Harrison & Tom Miller: A Roger Whittaker song: Greatest Hits.
    14. Devil’s Dream/Truckin Home P 1004 : The Devil’s Dream melody sounds very familiar–yup, it’s on a bunch of bluegrass albums (here’s one: Dan Crary : Bluegrass Guitar).
    15. Easy Loving CRC 133 Matt Worley : The tune’s familiar and it’s country; that’s about it.
    16. The Mail Must Go Through Tar 106 Monk Moore : A song about the Pony Express. Too bad we didn’t have this for April 3rd; on that day in 1860, the Pony Express started its first fun between St. Louis, Missouri and Sacramento, CA.
    17. Get Down SSK 108 Milt Floyd: Listened to about a dozen different songs named Get Down. Everything from rap to drum ‘n’ bass to Gilbert O’Sullivan. Couldn’t find one that was like this particular version, which is pretty rap oriented (it’s got a rap middle break), but with some melody line.
    18. Day Like Today (Love Letters In The Sand) Mac 2429 Brian Hotchkies: If you like that MacGregor sound (heavy on the accordians) then you might like this version.
    19. Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You ESP 1046 Elmer Sheffield: A classic, originally by Frankie Valli, found on albums ranging from Vikki Carr Greatest Hits to Glad To Be Gay
    20. Four Leaf Clover Mac 2431 Bill Peterson : Yawn.

      Repressings: Hanhurst is defining a repressing as a record that’s been out of print (read unavailable) for over a year, and is being repressed. It might be remixed and it might have a new vocal cut.

    21. Sister Kate (Was BM 088) BM 204 Mac McCullar: One of my all time favorite songs; a jug band (and dixieland) classic. Be careful with this one, it’s got an extra phrase at the end of some of the phrases. I sure wish I could shimmy. Here are some lyrics: I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate
    22. Take Me Out To The Ballgame (was TNT 155) TNT 284 Don Coy : Gee, if only we’d had this one on April 3rd, major league baseball’s opening day, if you don’t count the “official” opening in Japan. Probably most of us already have a version. This is almost a parody of TNT’s inimitable style.

      Rounds

    23. Wedding Bells Gr 17251 Rd
    24. Gypsy Waltz 2000 Sc 57 Rd

      Rereleases and Golden Oldies: I guess rereleases are records the producers want to get on the tape again, and golden oldies are records picked by Bill Heyman to be on the tape.

    25. Abilene GE 0001 Gary Shoemake : Prettiest town I ever seen. Good song for those Texas-theme nights.
    26. Cindy Clark/Soldier’s Joy SC 322: Two tradition folk tunes.
    27. Baby You’ve Got What It Takes RMR 118 Wayne Morvent: A Brook Benton/Dinah Washington song: Washington/Benton : Two Of Us. This version takes a pretty soulful song and turns it into boomchuck country-western.
    28. I Can See The Lovin In Your Eyes ST 189 Jack Lasry : Yawn.
    29. You Belong To Me RB 3036 Mike Hoose: The version I’m most familiar with is by the Duprees: Best Of, but there are versions by lots of performers, including Dean Martin.
    30. Hold On Partner ESP 173 Elmer Sheffield: Roy Rogers / Clint Black duet on Roy Rogers Tribute
    31. David ST 167 Jack Lasry
    32. Dominique PIO 113 Mike Trombly: The Singing Nun was definitely one of the One Hit Wonders, but here’s a web page about her: The Singing Nun and a Straight Dope story about her: The Straight Dope: Did the “singing nun” commit suicide with her lesbian lover?
    33. You’re Still The One Ryl 103 Jerry Story: This song is completely overshadowed by a new dance song with the same title.
    34. Muddy Boggy Banjo Man TB 204 Tommy Russell: I found a song with this name on a 10-CD set: Kerrville Folk Festival-1972-8.
    35. You Go You’re Gone CD 236 Dean Crowell : You might be able to rewrite the lyrics to do a Yugo parody (maybe to go with the Diesel on my Tail song from last month).
    36. Buck Snort/Tulsa On Saturday Night TB 520
    37. Gordo’s Quadrille SDT 002 Easy Jack Murtha
    38. Old Joe Clark (Flip Called A1) Riv 510 Bob Elling
    39. T.R.O.U.B.L.E. HH 5167 Wayne Mc Donald: Elvis Presley and Travis Tritt. Original lyrics are here: TC’s Song Lyrics Archive: T-R-O-U-B-L-E (Jerry Chesnut); misheard lyrics: “I spill tea all over you and me.” (T.R.O.U.B.L.E.)
    40. Let’s Go Spend Your Money, Honey RWH 211 Grace Wheatley: Original artist: Evangeline in 1993. Trivia: Jimmy Buffett was in the video (Church of Buffett, Orthodox: Frequently Asked Questions: Videos)
    30 Mar

    Hanhurst Tape March 2000

    These are my comments on the records on the March 2000 Hanhurst tape.

    1. Ribbon of Highway (Card 46) : Scooter Lee song, there’s a line dance.
    2. Tonight The Heartache’s on Me (AR 108): Dixie Chicks song off their Wide Open Spaces CD.
    3. Don’t Sweetheart Me (HH 5240): Apparently an old blue grass song; I found it on three blue grass oriented albums.
    4. Til the Answer Comes (CRC 129): Gospel
    5. North Carolina Cabbage / Little Liza’s Hoedown (BMV 27): Typical Black Mountain Valley recordings.
    6. Kentucky Waltz (ESP 1042): Bluegrass classic (in its original waltz time). I found a sample of Bill Monroe’s version: 16 Gems. I like it, but I’ll probably use it for patter.
    7. Highland Hoedown / Saw Dust (PIO 1003)
    8. Then What (RMR 2002): Clay Walker song off his Rumor Has It CD. This is a nice cover which keeps some of the steel drums sound of the original.
    9. Run for the Roses (GMP 111): Looks like this is a Dan Fogelberg tune (it shows up on five of his albums), but I finally found a sample of it on a Jerry Garcia album, titled, surprisingly, Run For The Roses. It’s also been covered by Michael Martin Murphey and Jane Olivor. (Actually, the Jerry Garcia and Jane Olivor renditions are so different, I’m not sure it’s the same song…Jane’s is a waltz).
    10. Small World (SSK 105): I ask why…why do we need another version of “It’s a Small World”? Why do we get two versions on the same tape? Why has “It’s a Small World” turned into a yodeling song? I don’t remember the dolls yodeling on that nightmarish Disney ride. Why do record producers call it “Small World” when “Small World” is a perfectly reasonable song from the musical “Gypsy”?
    11. Young Man’s Job (RYL 522): From a 1998 album Old Dogs by the Old Dogs (Waylon Jennings, Mel Tillis, Bobby Bare and Jerry Reed (not the caller…)). A funny, appropriate song for all us aging callers still trying to rock and roll. The original lyrics are by the late Shel Silverstein.
    12. Boogie Beat Ho-Down (ESP 421): Rock-flavored patter.
    13. Some Broken Hearts (GMP 405): An old Don Williams song (found a sample here: Vol. 2-Best Of Don Williams).
    14. Changes in Latitude (SG 1003): A Jimmy Buffett tune. It’s on several albums, but there’s an MP3 sample here: Boats Beaches Bars & Ballads; and a MIDI version and the lyrics here: Changes in Latitude.
    15. Diesel on my Tail (RYL 136): A classic bluegrass song about a little bitty compact (Japanese, of course) and a great big diesel truck (Amercan, no doubt). It’s on several albums; here’s one: The Jim & Jesse Story.
    16. Long Tall Texan (ESP 1045): Hey, you know it had to have been a hit if it’s on a K-Tel collection:Silly Songs (K-Tel). This song, originally by Murry Kellum, shows up on collections like the aforementioned Silly Songs, Kooky Kountry, and Box of Funny Wacky Favorites. So break out your giant kowboy hat and have fun.
    17. Happy Times (MAC 2430): There are a few different songs with this title, and I didn’t find any that sounded like this one.
    18. Old Fashion Love in my Heart (BM 205): Couldn’t find this one.
    19. Rolly Polly (LH 1048): Interestingly enough, there are at least two songs with this (well, really spelled “Roly Poly”) title. One’s a rhythm and blues one, done by Chuck Berry, Joey Dee, and some others; the other is this one, a Texas swing song, originally made popular by Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys. Frankly, I think this version doesn’t capture the flavor of the original at all; it’s clearly done with MIDI. Also, in this day of sensitivity to people’s concerns (some might call that PC-ness as an insult; I think it’s common courtesy), I wonder about lyrics like “Roly poly, daddy’s little fatty”.
    20. Westward Ho / Lovin’ Little (DR 9012)
    21. Small World (C 1005): Same music as the previous Chaparral release, new vocal with Dee Dee Dougherty-Lottie showing how much yodeling one can cram into one singing call. I was impressed. I still can’t stand the song. I was once trapped on the Pirate’s of the Caribbean Disney ride for about 20 minutes or so…stuck in the same place, so we heard the same sound effects over and over. Now imagine being trapped in the Small World ride…
    22. Linger Awhile (GR 17250): A round.

      The rest of these are all rereleases.

    23. The Pride is Back (RYL 201): I couldn’t find a version on CDNow, so I don’t know who did this originally. A web search for “pride is back” turns up mostly sports and gay sites, with a reference to Dave Cross’ HBO Special, The Pride is Back. I could see doing some lyric modification and using this song around Gay Pride days.
    24. Happy Days Are Here Again (TNT 131): Be careful, this song has a 48-count figure, and the arrangement is break/figure/break/figure/break/figure/break/figure. I found it a little boring to hear the same tune over and over, so I think I prefer this song as part of a medley.
    25. String Fever / Tennessee Pickin’ (RB 319)
    26. Hallelujah Medley (ST 205): Starts off with Old-Time Religion, which is the only part heard on the tape, so I don’t know how the rest of the tunes sound.
    27. Jessie James / Foggy Mountain Breakdown (ST 155)
    28. Happy Song (SDT 001): The called side features a very simple figure that would be useful for a basic class. There are about a jillion Happy Songs, but I think they’re all different…somehow I don’t think Boney M and Jack Murtha are doing the same tune.
    29. Louisiana Saturday Night (C 311): This is on both Mel McDaniel’s and Don Williams’ greatest hits albums.
    30. Get Me Back to Dixie (SG 301): Have you ever noticed that you never hear songs like “Get Me Back to the Midwest, I love my Iowa”. What is it about the South that inspires such devotion. One could (but one wouldn’t, of course) do a whole dance themed around “goin’ back to Dixie”. Of course, one could always include the Tom Lehrer song, “I Wanna Go Back To Dixie,” with lyrics like “I wanna talk with Southern genn’lmen/Put my white sheet on again/I ain’t seen a good lynching in years.” For the complete lyrics, check here: I Wanna Go Back To Dixie.
    31. T-Bird Jamboree / Confederate Country (TB 511)
    32. Am I Blue (Yes I’m Blue) (ESP 149): This isn’t “Am I Blue”; this is a more Texas swing type song.
    33. Smoky Mountain Memories (PIO 131): A bluegrass song; I found it on Larry Sparks : Classic Bluegrass.
    34. Close Enough To Perfect (CD 222): Alabama tune. The original is at a substantially slower tempo than the square dance version.
    35. Marty Robins Medley (SR 401)
    36. First Enounter of a Close Kind (TB 197)
    37. It’s All Right With Me (RR 142): I think this one might win as having the most versions listed on CDNow. This is a Cole Porter classic that’s been done by lots of artists. It was Frank Sinatra’s most popular song; and is originally from the musical Can-Can.
    08 Mar

    Academy Award Winning Songs

    I did some searching on the net, and couldn’t find a nice convenient listing of all the songs that won an Oscar, so I made one. The asterisks mean I know there’s a square dance version; in some cases I’ve listed the record number.

    • 1935 The Gay Divorcee: The Continental
    • 1936 The Goldiggers Of 1935: Lullaby Of Braodway
    • 1937 Swing Time: The Way You Look Tonight
    • 1938 Waikiki Wedding: Sweet Leilani
    • 1939 The Big Broadcast Of 1938: Thanks For The Memory
    • *1940 The Wizard Of Oz: Over The Rainbow (Quadrille 920: Guy Adams, Chaparral 207: Jerry Haag)
    • 1941 Pinocchio: When You Wish Upon A Star (part of the Disney Medley, Global 701: Phil Farmer, Nate Bliss)
    • 1942 Lady Be Good: The Last Time I Saw Paris
    • *1943 Holiday Inn: White Christmas
    • 1944 Hello Frisco, Hello: You’ll Never Know
    • 1945 Going My Way: Swingin’ On A Star
    • 1946 State Fair: It Might As Well Be Spring
    • 1947 The Harvey Girls: On The Atchison, Topeka & The Santa Fe
    • *1948 Song Of The South: Zip-A-Dee Doo Dah
    • 1949 Paleface: Buttons And Bows
    • 1950 Neptune’s Daughter: Baby, It’s Cold Outside
    • *1951 Captain Carey, U.S.A.: Mona Lisa (TB 103: Glenn Walters; OR 22: Dennis Levitt)
    • 1952 Here Comes The Groom: In The Cool, Cool, Cool Of The Evening
    • 1953 High Noon: High Noon
    • *1954 Calamity Jane: Secret Love
    • 1955 Three Coins In A Fountain: Three Coins In A Fountain
    • 1956 Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing: Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing
    • *1957 The Man Who Knew Too Much: (Que Sera, Sera) Whatever Will Be Will Be
    • 1958 The Joker Is Wild: All The Way
    • 1959 Gigi: Gigi
    • 1960 A Hole In The Head: High Hopes
    • 1961 Never On Sunday: Never On Sunday
    • 1962 Breakfast At Tiffany’s: Moon River
    • 1963 Days Of Wine And Roses: Days Of Wine And Roses
    • 1964 Papa’s Delicate Condition: Call Me Irresponsible
    • 1965 Mary Poppins: Chim Chim Cheree
    • 1966 The Sandpiper: The Shadow Of Your Smile
    • 1967 Born Free: Born Free
    • 1968 Doctor Dolittle: Talk To the Animals
    • 1969 The Thomas Crown Affair: The Windmills Of Your Mind
    • 1970 Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid: Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head
    • 1971 Lovers And Other Strangers: For All We Know
    • 1972 Shaft: Shaft
    • 1973 The Poseidon Adventure: The Morning After
    • 1974 The Way We Were: The Way We Were
    • 1975 The Towering Inferno: We May Never Love Like This Again
    • 1976 Nashville: I’m Easy
    • 1977 A Star Is Born: Evergreen
    • 1978 You Light Up My Life: You Light Up My Life
    • 1979 Thank God It’s Friday: Last Dance
    • 1980 Norma Rae: It Goes Like It Goes
    • 1981 Fame: Fame
    • 1982 Arthur: Arthur’s Theme
    • 1983 An Officer And A Gentleman: Up Where We Belong
    • 1984 Flashdance: Flashdance… What A Feeling
    • *1985 The Woman in Red: I Just Called To Say I Love You
    • 1986 White Nights: Say You, Say Me
    • 1987 Top Gun: Take My Breath Away
    • 1988 Dirty Dancing: (I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life
    • 1989 Working Girl: Let The River Run
    • 1990 The Little Mermaid: Under The Sea
    • 1991 Dick Tracy: Sooner Or Later
    • 1992 Beauty and the Beast: Beauty And The Beast
    • 1993 Aladdin: A Whole New World
    • 1994 Philadelphia: Streets Of Philadelphia
    • *1995 The Lion King: Can You Feel the Love Tonight
    • *1996 Pocahontas: Colors of the Wind
    • 1997 Evita: You Must Love Me
    • *1998 Titanic: My Heart Will Go On
    • 1999 The Prince of Egypt: When You Believe
    • *2000 Tarzan: You’ll Be In My Heart
    • 2001 The Wonder Boys: Things Have Changed
    • 2002 Monsters, Inc.: If I Didn’t Have You
    • 2003 8 Mile: Lose Yourself
    • 2004 The Lord of the Rings:The Return of the King: Into the West
    08 Mar

    Academy Award Songs

    Bill Heyman has got the caller listing at Dosado.com going. Looks like he got the initial data from the Dave Gipson listing, but the databases will be maintained separately (at least the forms for entering data are different).

    Whoa! Yet another database for callers/cuers. This one, sponsored by the USDA, just started (I’m the fourth caller listed). There are a couple of oddities. For one thing, when you ask for a listing of the whole database, you get a pretty lengthy form for each caller. Once there are a few hundred callers in the db, it’ll take forever to download and scroll. (Much better, I think, to have a list, and then a way of getting from the listed caller to a complete record, as in Vic Ceder’s db.) The USDA database also has a checkbox field labeled “Popular”. Now, am I supposed to self-label myself as popular? I have a hard time with that.


    More on holidays…of course, March is dominated by St. Patrick’s day, and of course, there are lots of Irish-themed records (although I’m not sure why “I’m Looking Over a Four-Leafed Clover” is considered so Irish…a shamrock really isn’t the same as a cloverleaf, is it?).

    But March 19 is Wyatt Earp’s birthday (yee-ha, break out the cowboy records…there’s a new one, “Long Tall Texan” (ESP 1045)). And March 24 is Harry Houdini’s birthday; you can use those magic records that you normally use at Halloween. And Elton John’s birthday is March 25, but I couldn’t find any Elton John records in my collection. March 31 is the Eiffel Tower’s birthday…got any French-themed records?

    Supreme Audio keeps lists of theme records; they’ve got John Denver songs, polkas, Hawaiian, Texas swing, football…all kinds of stuff that might trigger your creativity for a special dance.

    The Academy Awards show is coming up; go to Best Music/Song for a list of winning and nominated songs from 1935 (The Gay Divorcee) to 1999 (Prince of Egypt). Unfortunately, the page just shows the movies; to find the actual song title, you need to go to the movie’s page and then to the Awards and Nominations page. Or, to make it easier, I gathered the info and put it at Academy Award Winning Songs.

    12 Feb

    Music

    Does anyone wonder why we need yet another version of Mr. Sandman? I just finished ordering from my February Hanhurst tape, and it seems like more and more, I already have the songs on the tape. Maybe there’s a 10 year cycle, and all the (good) songs get redone once a decade.

    Here are the records I ordered:

    • LBJ/Aries 19 (GMP 504): I like the honky-tonk feel of these old tunes.
    • Do Wacka Do (Royal 1005): I’ll probably use this for patter. It’s got that Royal sound, that always seems to be a hit with the dancers.
    • Rasputin (ABC 12): I bought a Boney M CD this year because a European caller mentioned calling to their music (I still am having a hard time imagining being able to be heard over the vocals…) and because a square dancer told me how much she liked listening to Mary’s Boy Child on the radio. I loved the song Rasputin…and then I found out that ABC was releasing a singing call version. So I’ve been waiting ever since. The segment on the tape didn’t disappoint, and I’m looking forward to using the record.
    • Blue Bayou (GMP 929): I’ve always liked this song, ever since I first heard Linda Ronstadt do it, and then heard Roy Orbison’s original. But it has a helluva range and I don’t know whether I’ll be able to carry it off or not. Global Music usually does a good job with the music.
    • Mr McGoo/So Glad (MR 5019): A two-sided patter. I tend to like highly melodic interesting patter records. These are not. But I think they’ll work for my daytime dancers, who tend to prefer heavy rhythm without a lot of melody, at least on the patter.
    • Hotel California (S2K 2002): I think I’ll end up buying all Jack O’Leary’s S2K releases, if only to encourage record producers to give us more modern sounding music. Yes, I got the Backstreet Boys one (I had to look up the song on the web to even know who the original artists were…that’s how out of it I am). At least with Hotel California, I remember the original song by the Eagles. And I like the line, “some dance to remember, some dance to forget”.
    • Palisades Park (SSR 118): My one golden oldie, in both senses of the term…it’s an old square dance release, and it’s a tune from the fabulous early ’60’s.

    That’s it. I considered a few of the other patters (there were a lot on this tape). I considered the Jack Lasry rerelease, if only because when I first started learning to call, I spent a lot of time listening to his review records for Mainstream and Plus. I considered the Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy rerelease, but I already have a version, and both versions have the problem of figuring out how to slow down a 170 bpm original to 128 bpm square dance speed.