ADD: The High-Toned Dance

Subject: Hightone Dance, a cowboy song
From:
Date: 19 Dec 98 - 12:20 PM

I am looking for the lyrics to a cowboy song that I know only as "Hightone Dance." It's about a cowboy that attends a fancy ball in Denver. I remember some of the lyrics, but not all of them. Sample: "When I got among the ladies in their frocks of snowy white/And the dudes dressed out in wrappings that were simply out-of-sight/Tell you what I was embarrssed...' Thank you.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE HIGH-TONED DANCE
From:
Date: 19 Dec 98 - 09:27 PM

Here it is from Cowboy and Western Songs by Austin E. and Alta S. Fife.

Nathan Sarvis
Denton, Texas


THE HIGH-TONED DANCE

Now you can't expect a cowboy to agitate his shanks
In the etiquettish fashion of aristocratic ranks,
When he's always been accustomed to shake the heel and toe,
In the rattling ranchers' dances where much etiquette don't go.
You can bet I set there laughing in quite an excited way,
A giving of the squinters an astonished sort of play,
When I happened into Denver and was asked to take a prance
In the smooth and easy measures of a high-toned dance.

When I got among the ladies in their frocks of fleecy white,
And the dudes togged out in wrappings that was simply out of sight,
Tell you what, I was embarrassed and somehow I couldn't keep
From feeling like a burro in a purty flock of sheep.
Every step I took was awkward and I blushed a flaming red.
Like the upper decoration of a turkey gobbler's head.
And the ladies said 'twas seldom they had ever had a chance
To see an old-time puncher at a high-toned dance.

I cut me out a heifer from the bunch of purty girls
And I yanked her to the center to dance those dreamy whirls
She laid her head upon my breast in a loving sort of way,
And we drifted into heaven while the band began to play.
I could feel my neck a burning form her nose's breathing heat
As she docey-doed around me, half the time upon my feet.
She looked up into my blinkers with a soul-dissolving glance
Quite conducive to the pleasures of a high-toned dance

Every nerve just got to dancing to the music of delight
And I hugged that little sage-hen uncomfortably tight;
But she never made a beller and the glances of her eyes
Seemed to thank me for the pleasures of a genuine surprise.
She cuddled up against me in a loving sort of way
And I hugged her all the tighter for her trustifying play,
Tell you what; the joys of heaven ain't a cussed circumstance
To the huggamania pleasures of a high-toned dance.

When they struck the old cotillion on that music bill of fare,
Every bit of devil in me seemed to bust out on a tear;
I fetched a cowboy war whoop and I started in to rag
Till the rafters started sinking and the floor began to sag.
My partner she got sea sick, and then she staggered for a seat,
And I balanced to the next one but she dodged me slick and neat.
Tell you what; I took the creases from my go-to-meeting pants
When I put the cowboy trimmings on that high-toned dance.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE HIGH-TONE DANCE
From:
Date: 19 Dec 98 - 09:39 PM

Not in the DT, it seems!
Here's the lyrics, as sung by Ron Kane (I think) of the Bunkhouse Orchestra:


THE HIGH-TONE DANCE

Well you can't expect a cowboy to agitate his shanks
In etiquettish manner in aristocratic ranks
When he's always been accustomed to shake a heel and toe
At them rattlin' rancher's dances where much etiquette don't go

You can bet I set 'em a-laughin' in an astonished sort of way
And giving all their blinkers an excited sort of play.
When I happened into Denver and was asked to take a prance
In the smooth and easy measures of a high-tone dance.

When I got amongst the ladies in their frocks of fleecy white
The dudes togged out in wrappings that were simply out of sight
Well you bet I was embarrassed and I simply couldn't keep
From feelin' like a burro in a flock of pretty sheep.

Every step I took was awkward and I blushed a flaming red
Like the principal decoration on a turkey gobbler's head.
And the ladies said so seldom that they ever got the chance
To see an old-time puncher at a high-tone dance.

So I cut me out a heifer from that flock of pretty girls
I yanked her to the center to dance them dreamy whirls
She laid her head upon my bosom in a loving sort of way
And we drifted into heaven as the band begins to play.

I could feel my neck a-burnin' from her nose's breathin' heat
As she do-si-doed around me, half the time upon my feet
And she gazed into my blinker with a soul-dissolving glance
Quite conducive to the pleasures of a high-tone dance.

Every nerve just got to tingling to that music of delight
I hugged that little sage hen uncomfortably tight
But she never made a beller and the glances of her eyes
Seemed to thank me for the pleasure of a genuine surprise.

Oh she cuddled up against me in a lovin' sort of way
I hugged her all the tighter for her trustifyin' play
I tell you what the joys of heaven ain't a cussed circumstance
To the hugamania pleasures of a high-tone dance.

When they struck the old cotillion on the music bill of fare
Every bit of devil in me seemed to fetch out on a tear
I let out a cowboy war-whoop and I started in to rag
Till the rafters started shaking and the floor begin to sag.

Then my partner she got seasick and she headed for her seat
I balanced to the next one but she dodged me slick and neat
I tell you what I took the creases from their go-to-meetin' pants
When I put the cowboy trimmin's on that high-tone dance.


That was fun...got my typing practice in. Those lyrics are printed in "Roll On, Little Dogies--Songs & Activities for Young Cowpokes" a book and cassette package by my old pal Meghan Merker, which makes a swell gift for any young person. The tape has a bunch of real genuine, non-Roy Rogers cowboy songs like this one performed by the Bunkhouse Orchestra, a Utah band of which Meghan is the newest member. It's published by Gibbs Smith, Layton Utah--but I think you can order it from Sandy Paton who's here on the Mudcat.

Bill

Subject: RE: Hightone Dance, a cowboy song
From: Bill Cameron
Date: 19 Dec 98 - 09:46 PM

Whoops, forgot the HTML <pre> tags, and the from line, but I lost the race anyway!

It just makes me chuckle to think that me and Nathan were just sitting down a-keyboardin, fingers flyin, two thousand miles apart, just to get those lyrics on their way!

Enh, I saved a copy for myself, if anyone asks again I'll be ready.

Bill "2nd fastest word processor east of the Pecos" Cameron

Subject: RE: Hightone Dance, a cowboy song
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 19 Dec 98 - 11:00 PM

Sorry to disappoint, but I don't have the book. Sounds like one I would like to have, though. I did produce a recording of Ron Kane and Skip Gorman doing western songs and tunes: titled Powder River and available as a cassette for those who are not totally immersed in pure digitalia. Darned good record, if I do say so myself! I've been a Ron Kane fan from the git-go. Dandy singer!

Sandy at Folk-Legacy

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The High-Toned Dance
From: GUEST,Cate
Date: 27 Sep 25 - 02:42 AM

I have Meghan’s book but haven’t been able to track down the cassette. I’m really eager to hear it! Does anyone know where I might be able to purchase or borrow a copy? I’ve already tried Meghan, Hal, and Leo (who I believe did the vocals on High-Toned Dance), but no luck so far.

If anyone happens to have a copy, I’d be so grateful if you could email me at [e-mail].

Thank you!

Subject: RE: ADD: The High-Toned Dance
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Sep 25 - 12:04 PM

Not the cassette but several vinyl versions on ebay
Like this: Powder River lp