Lyr Req: Teaching / Learning McFadden to Waltz

Subject: LYR REQ: Teaching McFadden To Waltz
From: Tony Burns
Date: 29 Jun 99 - 08:57 AM

If someone has the lyrics to this song as heard on the Nenagh Singers Circle CD I'd like to get them. If no one has them I'll try to transcribe them myself in a few days.

Subject: RE: LYR REQ: Teaching McFadden To Waltz
From: Tony Burns
Date: 29 Jun 99 - 04:32 PM

I took some time today and transcribed from the CD. I've sent the words to George Henderson for clarification and corrections. I'll post them here when I hear back from him.

Subject: RE: LYR REQ: Teaching McFadden To Waltz
From: NSC
Date: 30 Jun 99 - 05:02 AM

Tony I have responded by e- mail. Essentially your words are correct.

Post away.

George

Subject: Lyr Add: TEACHING MCFADDEN TO WALTZ
From: Tony Burns
Date: 30 Jun 99 - 07:08 AM

Teaching McFadden to Waltz

Now Terrence McFadden he wanted to waltz
But his feet were not gauged that way
So he saw a professor and stated his case
Said he "Sure I'm willing to pay"
The professor looked down in alarm at his feet
And he viewed their enormous expanse
Then he tacked on a five to his regular price
For teaching McFadden to dance

Chorus:
Oh, one, two, three, balance like me
You're quite a dancer but you have your faults
Your left foot is lazy, your right foot is crazy
But don't be uneasy I'll teach you to waltz

He took out McFadden before the whole class
And he showed him the steps once or twice
But McFadden's big feet got tied up in a knot
Sure, he thought he was standing on ice
At last he broke loose and struck out with a will
Never looking behind or before
But his head got so dizzy he fell on his face
And chewed half the wax off the floor

Chorus

When Terrence had practiced the steps once or twice
Sure he thought he had put them down fine
He went to a girl and he asked her to dance
And wheeled her out into the line
He walked on her feet and he fractured her toes
And said that her movements were false
Sure the poor girl went 'round for two weeks on a crutch
For teaching McFadden to waltz

Chorus x2

Subject: Lyr Add: CLARENCE McFADEN (trad. Michigan)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 20 Jan 08 - 01:53 PM

There is a UK sheet-music dealer offering TEACHING MCFADDEN TO WALTZ, with words and music by M F Carey, circa 1880.

According to IMDB.com, there was a silent film called "Teaching McFadden to Waltz" released in 1911 in the US.

The book "Walton's treasury of Irish songs and ballads," Dublin, 1947, includes TEACHING MCFADDEN TO WALTZ.

I found this folk version in Ballads and Songs of Southern Michigan Collected and Edited By Emelyn Elizabeth Gardner and Geraldine Jencks Chickering, 1939.


CLARENCE McFADEN

SUNG in 1931 by Mrs. John Lambertson, Fielding, who learned the song from
her uncle when she was a child.

1. Clarence McFaden he wanted to waltz,
But his feet was not gaited that way;
So he saw a professor and stated his case
And said he was willing to pay;
Professor looked down in alarm at his feet,
And he viewed their enormous expanse;
So he tucked on a five to his regular price
For learning McFaden to dance.

CHORUS: One, two, three, just balance like me.
Though you're a fairy, you still have your faults.
Your right foot is lazy, your left foot is crazy;
Now don't be unaizy, and I'll teach you to waltz.

2. He took out McFaden before the whole class
And showed him the step once or twice.
McFaden's two feet they got tied in a knot;
Sure he thought he was standing on ice.
At last he got loose and struck out with a will,
Never looking behind or before;
His head it got dizzy, he fell on his face,
And chewed all the wax off the floor.

3. When Clarence had practiced the step for awhile,
Sure, he thought he had got it down fine;
He went to a girl and asked her to dance
And then wheeled her out into line;
He walked on her feet and he fractured her toes
And vowed that her movements were false;
Poor girl went around for two weeks on a crutch
For learning McFaden to waltz.

4. McFaden soon got the step into his head,
But it would not go into his feet;
So he hummed "Dan McGinty"
And counted the steps on the street;
One night he went home to his room to retire
After painting the town a bright red;
He dreamed he was dancing and let out his feet
And kicked the footboards off the bed.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Teaching McFadden to Waltz
From: Camper-Ted
Date: 28 Feb 08 - 09:23 AM

Does anyone have the sheet music to "Teaching Mcfadden to Dance?" How about the chords?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Teaching McFadden to Waltz
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 28 Feb 08 - 03:53 PM

or abc?

Subject: Lyr Add: LEARNING MCFADDEN TO WALTZ
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 28 Feb 08 - 08:38 PM

Don't know why I didn't find this the first time around.

The sheet music can be viewed at The Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music:

LEARNING MCFADDEN TO WALTZ
M. F. Carey
Albany: Cluett & Sons, 1890.

1. Clarence McFadden he wanted to waltz but his feet wasn't gaited that way,
So he saw a professor and stated his case and said he was willing to pay.
The professor looked down in alarm at his feet as he viewed their enormous expanse,
And he tacked on a five to his regular price for learning McFadden to dance.

CHORUS: One, two, three, balance like me. You're quite a fairy, but you have your faults.
While your left foot is lazy, your right foot is crazy, but don't be unaisy. I'll learn you to waltz.

2. He took out McFadden before the whole class and he showed him the step once or twice,
But McFadden's two feet got tied into a knot. Sure he thought he was standing on ice.
At last he broke loose and struck out with a will, never looking behind or before,
But his head got so dizzy, he fell on his face and chewed all the wax off the floor.

3. McFadden soon got the step into his head, but it wouldn't go into his feet.
He hummed "La Gitana" from morning till night, and he counted his steps on the street.
One night he went home to his room to retire after painting the town a bright red.
Sure he dreamt he was waltzing and let out his feet, and he kicked the dash-board off the bed.

4. When Clarence had practised [sic*] the step for a while, sure he thought that he had it down fine,
He went to a girl and he asked her to dance and wheeled her out into the line
He walked on her feet and he fractured her toes and he said that her movement was false,
Sure the poor girl went round for two weeks on a crutch for learning McFadden to waltz.

[*The spelling "practised" makes me think that, although this sheet music was published in the US, it was copied from a British—or maybe Irish?—original.]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Teaching McFadden to Waltz
From: Camper-Ted
Date: 28 Feb 08 - 11:14 PM

Thanks!!!!!!!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Teaching McFadden to Waltz
From: Camper-Ted
Date: 29 Feb 08 - 02:32 PM

Unfortunately, this song was copyrighted over a hundred years ago and lacks guitar chords. Maybe someone can attached chords to the lyrics. It is written in the key of Eb. Mick Foster and Tony Allen have a great recording of the song. It can be purchased on I-Tunes. Can anyone help? Maybe someone who plays by ear!