Cowboy tunes

Subject: Cowboy tunes
From: GUEST,Noel Jackson
Date: 20 Mar 19 - 07:20 PM

Hi All.
Any one got any good suggestions for good cowboy tunes for a dance.
Genuine western two-steps, polkas etc would be brilliant.
Failing that, any corny cowboy songs that make a good dance tune would be useful too.
Noel

Subject: RE: Cowboy tunes
From: Stewie
Date: 20 Mar 19 - 08:17 PM

Here's a good'un:

High Tone Dance

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Cowboy tunes
From: Stewie
Date: 20 Mar 19 - 09:06 PM

Glenn Ohrlin recorded a fine rendition of 'Varsouviana: Put Your Little Foot'. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be on Youtube. This one gives the tune:

Click

Here's how Glenn sang it:

VARSOUVIANA (PUT YOUR LITTLE FOOT)

Instrumental

Put your little foot, put your little foot, put your little foot right there
Put your little foot, put your little foot, put your little foot right there
Take a step to the right, take a step to the left
Take a step to the rear but forever stay near

Instrumental

Put your arm around, put your arm around, your arm around my waist
Hold your arm around, hold your arm around, your arm around my waist
While the moon's shining bright and the music's just right
And you're holding me tight, we will dance through the night

Instrumental

Put your little foot, put your little foot, put your little foot with mine
With you little foot, with your little foot, with your little foot keep time
Charming tender melody, in my heart a memory
There you'll always be, varsouviana's part of me

Instrumental

Source: Glenn Ohlin 'Cowboy Songs' Philo 1017.

Ohrlin wrote:

"Another of my favourite pieces in the whole world is this old dance. At the ranch dances and public dances I went to in Arizona in '43 and '44, they always played varsouviana, also known as Put Your Little Foot, at least once. The first time I heard it was at a one room schoolhouse between Superstition Mountain, Miami and Florence Junction in '43. This was way off the main highway. I was on a Clemens Company ranch nearby and had gone to the dance with the ranch manager, his son and daughter-in-law and a kid cowboy from Texas I was running with at the time. I thought it was really nice music and the dance was fine watching. Also there was a hell of a fight after the dance, as some miners from Miami or Globe showed up and didn't make too big a hit with the cowboys. If anyone thinks cowboyin' died out with the end of the long trail drives, they should have seen the cowboys in that country busting through the brush and cactus after wild cattle. Me and the kid from Texas could keep up with camp and lead in a few the natives had caught but that was about it. In fact, they sent us to their feedlot and farm near Chandler where we got to dances in town. More 'Put Your Little Foot' and more fist fights after. People were tough then, but not so dirty and I got treated fine wherever I went."

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Cowboy tunes
From: leeneia
Date: 21 Mar 19 - 01:05 PM

I became intrigued by the varsovinne.

"Originated from Warsaw, Poland, around 1850. The word Varsouviana or the Varsovienne, are Spanish and French feminine adjectives meaning “from Warsaw”. Type of polka that is in ¾ time and has an accented downbeat in alternate measures. Incorporated elements from waltz, mazurka, and polka, giving it a unique quality."

I have downloaded one from abcnotation.com to play on accordion. It had the title "Put Your Little Foot."

It's easy to play. The unusual thing is that the high note often appears in the middle or end of a measure. We can handle that.

Subject: RE: Cowboy tunes
From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch
Date: 22 Mar 19 - 02:38 PM

Cotton-eyed Joe will usually get them out on the dance floor.

Subject: RE: Cowboy tunes
From: Bruce from Bathurst
Date: 23 Mar 19 - 02:20 AM

There are some fine tunes here. Scroll down the page a little to "Songs in the 1st Set" and "Songs in the 2nd Set".

Good fun.

Subject: RE: Cowboy tunes
From: leeneia
Date: 23 Mar 19 - 10:42 AM

Where art thou, Noel?

Subject: RE: Cowboy tunes
From: leeneia
Date: 23 Mar 19 - 10:44 AM

"Home on the Range" makes a nice waltz.