Callers have been adapting material since the 1940s – and probably since the advent of calling in the early 1800s. It’s been done for many reasons, not all having to do with sensitivity. Sometimes a word or a phrase gets changed simply because it “doesn’t fit the caller’s mouth.”

I have at least one recording of Take a Peek (circa 1950) on which the caller says “back to the center and shake your feet.” Of course this doesn’t allow for a swing, unless the active couple sneaks one.

Tony Parkes

Billerica, Mass.

www.hands4.com

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From: Rich Sbardella via Contra Callers <contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>
Sent: Friday, February 10, 2023 3:03 PM
To: Don Veino <sharedweight_net@veino.com>
Cc: Jill Allen <allenjill330@gmail.com>; Shared Weight Contra Callers <contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>
Subject: [Callers] Re: Gentlespoons/Ladles (from Rompin' Stompin')

In reference to Jill's question, what shall we do with squares like Push Pa, Shove Ma, I would continue to call them with slight variations.  

For example, I would say, Push old Pa, Push Old Ma, Swing the ONE from Arkansas.  I would also explain that some of the language of traditional square is from a different era with different sensibilities than today. 

An old call says, "Go round that couple, take a little peek, back to the center and swing your sweet".   It could easily be changed to, "...back to the center and swing so sweet."   The change is acceptable, but it may take away some of the dance's personality.

I think callers need to know their audience, and make adjustments on the fly.  This is extremely difficult when we use memorized rhymes and phrases.  

Rich

Stafford Springs, CT

On Fri, Feb 10, 2023 at 12:55 PM Don Veino via Contra Callers <contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:

(distribution trimmed back to those who voluntarily joined this conversation 😉)

That's what I've done with the singing squares I've chosen to learn/program. In most cases it's trivial to make the change and fit the meter of the dance/tune, and the quality/helpfulness of the resultant calls usually improves.

In just one example from "Trail of the Lonesome Pine":

"Do si do, and then your corner you swing,
you swing her, you promenade her and sing."

easily becomes:

"Do si do, and then your corner you swing,
yeah, you swing, you promenade (th)'em and sing."

Larks and Robins generally fit where specifying a particular role is necessary. I never understood why a number of the singers had lines like "swing that corner lady, put her on the right and..." when the "lady" had agency of her own and "corner" was enough to distinguish the target.

Some singers will require quite a bit of rejiggering and may end up losing essence without a lot of clever lyrics revision. Others might not easily survive scrutiny with today's improved cultural sensitivity - where dated attitudes and cultural assumptions/biases are firmly embedded.

-Don

On Fri, Feb 10, 2023 at 11:22 AM Jill Allen via Contra Callers <contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:

Great discussion!

So, now what do we do with squares? One of my favorites, “Push pa, shove ma” (swing the girl from Arkansas) Darn… but I get it. 

Should we rewrite the singing squares that don’t comply? It might not be too difficult. I would just like to know what some of you have experienced with your squares. Are these dances and their poetry part of our tradition, or are they dinosaurs? Could they be called with a disclaimer?

Jill Allen

Lawrence, KS

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