The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-23
SOUTHERN "SONG PLAYS"
Substitutes for Dances I'm Some OF the
Country Districts.

Country Districts.
In some Of the rural districts OF the South
the Christmas season undoes much Of the
work accomplished by the circuit riders
during the fall season.
These people, and especially those liv-
ing in the mountainous regions, are very
emotional, and after crops are laid by there
In always a great increase Of the church
membership. For a few weeks the spirit
cIings close to them, but they fall back into
their old way when the Christmas fiddle Is
heard and the frolics begin.
Barring the setback given the church
membership on account Of new converts
backsliding, the Christmas frolics in the
backwoods are productive OF no damaging
effects on a community. Where the young
people are powerless to overcome the strong
objections by pious parents to having a
dance, IL Is agreed that there shall be no
fiddler and that only song plays shall be
INDUCED in. By the really devout church
member hereabouts the fiddle is regarded
as a real inst of the devil. However,
the song games are really nothing but
dances after all, fiddle or no fiddle. The
young fellows choose their partners and
stand in two lines, partners facing zach
other in the same manner as Is dom in the
rood old Virginia reel" When the lines
are made up the end couple join hands and
10 skipping up the middle Of the line. all
hands singing:
Your weavil eaten wheat amt ntten for 20 eat,
Nor neither Is your barley.
Now, give us some more OF that GOOD old whest,
To bake q cake for Charley.
Charley he's Q nice young man,
Charley he's q dandy;
Charley loves the pretty little girls
Because they're as sweet 40 candy.
The couple reach their places in the line
Just as the verse closes and then they march
In the rear of the lines, joining hands at the
other end, followed by the other partners
and all singing the chorus:
Then come all and trip together
In the morning early.
When the sun is up we must 90.
But, oh. ! love you dearly.
There are about a dozen verses TO this
song play and the girls m boys seem
TO enjoy -Weevil Wheat" about as much
"A the dance when the fiddler gets in his
best work.
In another song play the couples form
q circle and the fun begins by each player
sticking his or her head over and singing:
Stick your ugly mug in.
Stick your ugly mug out:
Give your ugly mug a shaky shake.
And turn your partner about.
Az the song is sung the heads 20 in and
ont. up and down, and when this is done
each fellow grabs his partner and spins
around the room, coming back to the cir
Gle and going through the same perform
ance with the feet and arms.
There are a number OF other song plays
which take the place OF dancing with these
.~z,lo A,,k altar all the hQ2f finn ia at the
old fashioned country dance, where the
orchestra consists OF a negro fiddler and
another TO beat straws. where the rag
carpet Is taken of the floor OF the com
pany room and the old folks say to the
young that they can have just as much
fun as they wish.
The ouadriIle is soon formed and the
caller, who feels the importance OF his
position, clears his throat, tells old Tom
to turn loose on the fiddle and sings out:
s1ute yer p~ardnerS. gem'men ALL keep your back
70 de wall:
Balance de lady By yer side. don't mako dc steps
TOO awful wide:
swing dc lady wild much grace. den get back TO de
Az you listen to dc nddls. DO ladies walk out 70 dc
Gem'men form circle nrss tonight. jine hands an
20 70 right;
Now swing yer partners. every one. an back to
place where you begun:
Gcm'men 70 right an valance all. let dem brogans
lightly fall:
Time to de fiddle wild yer feet. an please yerself-
swing or cheat:
On to de right let gem'men 20. swing all dc ladies
on de 10:
Greet yer psrdner wild err smile swing her roun'
In de best o. style;
Form dc basket an break erway. hsen what de
I caller say:
Balance partners and do-se-dO. dance I'LL day
,.u.. A. A. 80 -. .h... roun' ds roorn ttlI