Coffee Grows on White Oak Trees
John & Alan Lomax, Best Loved American Folk Songs, 1947


Notes from the book:

You'll enjoy this Southwestern play-party game as a song, but, in case you want to try the play-party which it describes, we give the directions herewith.

This one is for any number of couples. They join hands, with the ladies on the left, form a ring, and march around and around a lone man, who stands inside the circle. As they march, they sing the introduction in slow tempo. The man inside the circle chooses a partner from the ring. Then, while the dancers in the ring skip around him, singing –

Two in the middle and I can't dance Josie –

he swings his partner, first by the right hand and then by the left. Then the introductory stanza is sung again, while the dancers in the ring circle round and round and the two dancers in the middle each choose themselves a partner. All sing –

Four in the middle and I can't dance Josie –

while the two couples in the middle of the ring swing by the right and the left. The introduction is repeated, while all four dancers in the center of the ring choose partners. Then on –

Wheel around and twirl around, I can't dance Josie –

the eight dancers now inside the ring break into groups of four and swing by the right and left. Then, as all dancers sing at a slow tempo –

Railroad, steamboat, river an' canal –

six of the dancers inside rejoin the ring and all march around the couple that remains inside. They sing at a livelier tempo –

O she's gone, gone, gone –

to allow the couple remaining in the middle to swing right and left. Then game then begins again with the introduction, skipping the first stanza this time, since a couple now stands in the center of the ring. Use any of the remaining haywire stanzas that you care to in repeating the dance pattern until everyone has had enough.

The Song:
Intro:

Cofee grows on white oak trees
The river flows with brandy-o
Go choose some one to roam with you
As sweet as 'lasses candy

Two in the middle and I can't dance Josie
Two in the middle and I can't get around
Two in the middle and I can't dance Josie
Hello, Susan Brown

Intro

Four in the middle and I can't dance Josie

Intro

Wheel around and twirl around, I can't dance Josie

Intro

Rats in the boots and the boots turn over

Intro

Cow in the well and can't jump Josie

Intro

Briar in my heel and I can't dance Josie

Intro

Fiddler's drunk and I can't dance Josie

Finale:

Railroad, steamboat, river an' canal
I lost my true love on that ragin' canal
O she's gone, gone, gone
O she's gone, gone, gone
O she's gone on that ragin' canal