Hi Rich - I'd like to offer a few opinions about the lack of interest in singing squares from a musician's point of view. Most of the tunes are simple, often only 8 bars, repeated 4 times, for one round of the dance. There is no room for substitution or picking alternate tunes. Nowadays, unless the musician has a copy of Ralph Sweet and Nils Fredland's singing calls book, they may not know where to find the appropriate tune. Once found, there is the question of what key to play. I have played the same dance in 4 different keys for 4 different callers: F, G, Bb and D. If one plays the same program for a weekly or monthly dance, boredom will set in. For example, Golden Slippers put to the dance 'Down the Middle with a Butterfly Twirl'. It is played AAB. One must pay attention to that pattern. By the time you finish the dance, you will have played it 24 times. I don't want to see singing squares die out and willingly play them if asked but a whole evening, repeated every week loses its magic. Cheers, Sylvia Miskoe, Concord NH On Mon, Jun 12, 2017 at 10:47 AM, Rich Sbardella richsbardella(a)gmail.com [trad-dance-callers] <trad-dance-callers(a)yahoogroups.com> wrote:

Hello Sylvia, These are all good points. Many of the tunes are use are 16 bar tunes, and require musicians to play 14 times thru to complete a singing square. Some tunes are 32 bars, and perhaps those are better choices. My vision, and it is not firm, is to host a local dance a few times a year that is square centric, Patter squares can be included as well, with waltzes, polkas, contras, and longways interspersed for variety. As far as the boredom issue, I am not sure if dancers dance the same square once a month, six times a year, they will get bored. My experience with square dancers is that they like to dance the "classics" or "chestnuts". I danced "Just Because" at a local this weekend, and I have not grown tired of it, although I have danced it many, many times. A caller has the responsibility of insuring variety within the evening, and also from month to month. When I ran a MWSD club, I was careful not to repeat many dances in successive months, but I often had requests to call those same songs. I carry sheet music with me to contra dances and feel fortunate when a band is willing to play a singer or two. Without exception, dancers come up to me after the dance and thank me for including singing squares. (The older the dancers, the more they appreciate singing squares.) There are many venues where I know squares, are not appreciated, and so I avoid them. I have the good fortune of living near Ralph Sweet's barn where singers are part of the evening, and that is encouraging. I really appreciate the perspective of a musician, and will include it I'm my choice of tunes. For the moment, I am trying to assemble a list of dance tunes that are most popular and accessible. Thanks, Rich Sbardella Stafford, CT On Mon, Jun 12, 2017 at 11:56 AM, Sylvia Miskoe sylviasmiskoe(a)gmail.com [trad-dance-callers] <trad-dance-callers(a)yahoogroups.com> wrote:

I can't speak to the question of which singing squares are popular in any particular community (and I rarely attempt them myself, since I'm not much of a singer), but for what it's worth here are a few resources for callers looking for singing squares in the traditional (as distinguished from MWSD) style. Rich has already said "I am familiar with the ones on Ralph Sweet's CD and Bob Dalsemer's two collections," meaning Ralph's _Shindig in the Barn_ CD and Bob's _When the Work's All Done_ and _Smoke on the Water_ albums. Ralph's book _On the Beat with Ralph Sweet_ https://store.cdss.org/books/product/1052-on-the-beat-with-ralph-sweet?sear… includes over thirty singing squares with printed music, calls, and, in some cases, teaching tips and/or notes about the music. The book also includes a nice collection of patter squares. Nils Fredland, who assisted Ralph Sweet with his "On the Beat ..." book, has also edited a book titled _New River Train_ https://store.cdss.org/product/1046-new-river-train with music, calls, and notes for forty singing squares from the repertoire of the late Keith Blackmon of western New York. The CDSS websites Square Dance Resources page https://www.cdss.org/resources/how-to/square-adance-resources includes a "SQUARE DANCE VIDEO AND AUDIO" category with, among other things, 25 videos of singing squares and some links to other resources. This page on the Square Dance History site https://squaredancehistory.org/items/show/881 will lead you to seven videos of singing squares called by Debbie Gray and the Deb-U-Tones (back-up vocalists Alice La Pierre and Julia Huestis) at a dance in Cambridge, MA, in 1989. The videos (at least the sampling I've just looked at) include walk-throughs. [Two points to note: (1) Debbie's walk-throughs seem quite well suited for the dancers she was calling to. Beware that contra dancers in many communities in 2017 are less familiar with squares than Boston dancer were in 1989. (2) The vocalists in the video are sticking together with accurate timing. Group vocals by people who are less well rehearsed can easily become unintelligible. Also, I think Debbie's mike is s little hotter than the others.] The Square Dance History site has lots of other pages with the tag "singing square" https://squaredancehistory.org/items/browse?tag=singing+square Some of these have clips of modern western squares, but there are also quite a few with material suitable for traditional-style dancers. If you can find a copy of the album _Square Dance Party with Ed Gilmore_, it includes several singing calls suitable for traditional-style dancers. I have this as a 33 1/3 r.p.m. 12" LP album packaged with printed calls and explanations. I believe it was previously issued as a set of 7" 45 r.p.m. discs. I don't know whether the material has ever been reissued in a (non-bootleg) CD or mp3 version. Walter Lenk has a collection of singing squares here: http://www.configular.com/SingingSquares/ ( also linked from https://squaredancehistory.org/items/show/812 ) In includes about forty dances, grouped into four categories ranging from Walter's favorites to ones he pretty much never calls, plus a link to even more in a collection that Walter transcribed from the call book of the late Chip Hendrickson: http://www.configular.com/SingingSquares/Chip_Hendricksons_CallBook.pdf Finally, a note of caution sbout learning singing square from printed sources: I don't know about the rest of you folks, but when I read the calls for a singing square without having heard them either live of on a recording), I often find myself slightly puzzled about how some of the syllables are supposed to be matched up in time with the notes of the tune. In some cases, I think it would be quite easy for a reader to come up with an interpretation that doesn't quite match what the author intended, even if it's not as consistently off as the mismatch of lyrics and melody demonstrated here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYjIj23-7D4 --Jim

Sylvia, Some years ago Ralph Sweet would hold a afternoon dance in his barn on Christmas day.  One year he invited me up to do a singing call.  Bob McQuillen was on piano.  Forgot what I called but later I read where Bob had refused to playSpanish Cavaliero on many occasions.   Dang, I wished I had asked for it. Bob Livingston From: "Sylvia Miskoe sylviasmiskoe(a)gmail.com [trad-dance-callers]" &lt;trad-dance-callers(a)yahoogroups.com&gt; To: trad-dance-callers(a)yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, June 12, 2017 11:57 AM Subject: Re: [trad-dance-callers] Singing Squares   Hi Rich -I'd like to offer a few opinions about the lack of interest in singing squares from a musician's point of view. Most of the tunes are simple, often only 8 bars, repeated 4 times, for one round of the dance.  There is no room for substitution or picking alternate tunes.  Nowadays, unless the musician has a copy of Ralph Sweet and NilsFredland's singing calls book, they may not know where to find the appropriate tune.  Once found, there is the question of what key to play.  I have played the same dance in 4 different keys for 4 different callers: F, G, Bb and D.   If one plays the same program for a weekly or monthly dance, boredom will set in.  For example, Golden Slippers put to the dance 'Down the Middle with a Butterfly Twirl'.  It is played AAB.  One must pay attention to that pattern.  By the time you finish the dance, you will have played it 24 times. I don't want to see singing squares die out and willingly play them if asked but a whole evening, repeated every week loses its magic. Cheers,Sylvia Miskoe, Concord NH On Mon, Jun 12, 2017 at 10:47 AM, Rich Sbardella richsbardella(a)gmail.com [trad-dance-callers] &lt;trad-dance-callers(a)yahoogroups.com&gt; wrote:   Bob, I found this clip online but I could not make out your calls.  Would you transcribe them?https://squaredancehistory. org/items/show/1200 Thanks,Rich On Sun, Jun 11, 2017 at 11:41 PM, Robert Livingston rlivngstn(a)yahoo.com [trad-dance-callers] <trad-dance-callers@ yahoogroups.com> wrote:   Absolutely, among those dancing on a regular basis (and those who drop in)4Poster-Soldiers Joy is #1.  Can't go home without calling it   (just fancy goal posting) Next is Engine #9..."1st couple round the hollow, 2 & 3 will follow, 4 make an arch and come on thru." Down in the Caribbean  Great beat, Hank Snow song.  These tunes are not that difficult and if I start callinga cappella someone picks up the rhythm.  From the Falltown String Band and we'll do it Saturday at Chesterfield. (MA) These are the favorites not found in your usual searches.  So many American tunes were used for squares and are old enough(1800s early 1900s) to be out of copyright. Find Tod Whittemore's "San Antonio Rose" figure on line - it's a different figure and should be brought back..    Bob LivingstonMiddletown, CT      From: "Rich Sbardella richsbardella(a)gmail.com [trad-dance-callers]" <trad-dance-callers@yahoogroup s.com> To: trad-dance-callers@yahoogroups .com Sent: Sunday, June 11, 2017 10:12 PM Subject: [trad-dance-callers] Singing Squares   Hello folks, I am curious what singing calls, if any, are being called nowadays.  I am hoping to build a traditional"singing square dance locally, and hope to use tunes that bands might have heard or been exposed to. I am familiar with the ones on Ralph Sweet's CD and Bob Dalsemer's two collections. Thanks,Rich SbardellaStafford, CT | | Virus-free. www.avg.com | #yiv8265804258 #yiv8265804258 -- #yiv8265804258ygrp-mkp {border:1px solid #d8d8d8;font-family:Arial;margin:10px 0;padding:0 10px;}#yiv8265804258 #yiv8265804258ygrp-mkp hr {border:1px solid #d8d8d8;}#yiv8265804258 #yiv8265804258ygrp-mkp #yiv8265804258hd {color:#628c2a;font-size:85%;font-weight:700;line-height:122%;margin:10px 0;}#yiv8265804258 #yiv8265804258ygrp-mkp #yiv8265804258ads {margin-bottom:10px;}#yiv8265804258 #yiv8265804258ygrp-mkp .yiv8265804258ad {padding:0 0;}#yiv8265804258 #yiv8265804258ygrp-mkp .yiv8265804258ad p {margin:0;}#yiv8265804258 #yiv8265804258ygrp-mkp .yiv8265804258ad a {color:#0000ff;text-decoration:none;}#yiv8265804258 #yiv8265804258ygrp-sponsor #yiv8265804258ygrp-lc {font-family:Arial;}#yiv8265804258 #yiv8265804258ygrp-sponsor #yiv8265804258ygrp-lc #yiv8265804258hd {margin:10px 0px;font-weight:700;font-size:78%;line-height:122%;}#yiv8265804258 #yiv8265804258ygrp-sponsor #yiv8265804258ygrp-lc 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Sylvia, I've danced to Duke Miller at Fitzwilliam with Bob McQuillen on piano. It could also have been Life On the Ocean Wave.  Tom Hall, fiddler and melody guitar player at the Killingly CT dances for most of my 25 years, had tunes he balked at.  Sometimes if you cajoled himinto one he'd play it a couple of times through and go on to something else.  Never ask for Pistol Packin' Mama, Bob   From: "Sylvia Miskoe sylviasmiskoe(a)gmail.com [trad-dance-callers]" &lt;trad-dance-callers(a)yahoogroups.com&gt; To: trad-dance-callers(a)yahoogroups.com; Rich Sbardella &lt;richsbardella(a)gmail.com&gt; Sent: Monday, June 12, 2017 1:38 PM Subject: Re: [trad-dance-callers] Singing Squares   I thought it was Life on the ocean Wave.Duke Miller was a supberb caller and called in Peterborough and Fitzwilliam NH in the summers.  His program  was the same week after week.  Lots of good budding musicians learned the craft there and after several years moved on.  Only in the last few years of Duke's life did the musicians stay.  They knew he was aging and might not be around the next year.  Also people were beginning to recognize what a treasure he wasSylvia On Mon, Jun 12, 2017 at 1:26 PM, Robert Livingston rlivngstn(a)yahoo.com [trad-dance-callers] &lt;trad-dance-callers(a)yahoogroups.com&gt; wrote:   Sylvia, Some years ago Ralph Sweet would hold a afternoon dance in his barn on Christmas day.  One year he invited me up to do a singing call.  Bob McQuillen was on piano.  Forgot what I called but later I read where Bob had refused to playSpanish Cavaliero on many occasions.   Dang, I wished I had asked for it. Bob Livingston From: "Sylvia Miskoe sylviasmiskoe(a)gmail.com [trad-dance-callers]" <trad-dance-callers@ yahoogroups.com> To: trad-dance-callers@ yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, June 12, 2017 11:57 AM Subject: Re: [trad-dance-callers] Singing Squares   Hi Rich -I'd like to offer a few opinions about the lack of interest in singing squares from a musician's point of view. Most of the tunes are simple, often only 8 bars, repeated 4 times, for one round of the dance.  There is no room for substitution or picking alternate tunes.  Nowadays, unless the musician has a copy of Ralph Sweet and NilsFredland's singing calls book, they may not know where to find the appropriate tune.  Once found, there is the question of what key to play.  I have played the same dance in 4 different keys for 4 different callers: F, G, Bb and D.   If one plays the same program for a weekly or monthly dance, boredom will set in.  For example, Golden Slippers put to the dance 'Down the Middle with a Butterfly Twirl'.  It is played AAB.  One must pay attention to that pattern.  By the time you finish the dance, you will have played it 24 times. I don't want to see singing squares die out and willingly play them if asked but a whole evening, repeated every week loses its magic. Cheers,Sylvia Miskoe, Concord NH