I’ve been listening to the Hanhurst November tape.

I gotta say that I can’t listen to the song “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing” without thinking about Coca Cola. Maybe there’s a new generation of square dancers in Europe, but my guess is that almost every square dancer in the US will think of Coke when s/he hears that song. And, based on the history of the song, there’s good reason: it was a Coke commercial before it was a top ten hit for the New Seekers. The New Seekers even released a version with the Coke lyrics (“I’d like to buy the world a Coke”). Here’s a history of the original ad, considered one of the most popular ads of all time. And here’s a page of Coke commercial songs that contains several versions of the Coke ad.

I like the song. I’ll probably buy a copy of the singing call record to support the kids in Afghanistan. But I don’t think I can do it; I’ll be craving a Diet Coke the whole time I’m trying to sing the song, and I don’t particularly care for advertising a product (no matter how subliminally) while calling.

Another song I can’t do: “Who’s Your Daddy”. It’s a Royal recording by Jerry Story of a Toby Keith song. Of course the song is totally inappropriate for a woman to do; somehow “who’s your mommy” just doesn’t have the same connotations. But then it also contains the line “I got the money if you got the honey”…which sounds to me like he’s offering to buy sex. It’s the usual high-quality Royal arrangement, and Jerry presents it well, getting a lot of swagger on the line “who’s your man”. As a lesbian, I can often do songs that are written for men without changing the lyrics. This one, however, would require a complete rewrite. I think I’ll pass.

Rhythm Records released a song that seems a little…odd…for a square dance song: “Sin Wagon” with Dee Dee Dougherty-Lottie covering a Dixie Chicks song. I guess the song actually ends up on a salvation note, but somehow I don’t think the singing call lyrics are going to include the lines about “mattress dancing”.