Dance composed by Ruth Stillion, published 1958.
Sequence: break, figure, figure, figure, figure, break. (no middle break)
Break:
Honor to your partner, swing your honey high and low,
Allemande left with the corner, your own a dosido.
Ladies make a left-hand star, go full around the set,
When you get back home, you box the gnat, with a grand old right and left.
They call her Pussy Cat, oh Pussy Cat, when you meet her promenade,
Take her home and balance out, and dosido that maid.
Swing with the corner lady, boy, a little bit more than that,
Allemande left, I'll tell you why,
pass that lady right on by,
and swing at home with Pussy Cat.
(Meow.)
Figure:
Walk around your corner, partner Do Paso:
[this Do Paso starts with left arm turn 180°]
Partner by the ole left hand, the corner right you know.
Partner left, gents star right, straight across the set,
To a left-hand whirl, find the corner girl, now box the gnat you bet.
[left arm turn 360° with opposite, corner is then original R.H. lady]
Now pull her by, swing the right hand lady, swing her high and low,
[quick swing with original opposite]
Corners with the left hand, now do a Do Paso: new corner right, new partner left,
[left arm turn 360° with original R.H. lady, starting a Do Paso; they become your temporary partner; “new corner right” is with original partner]
Roll promenade you know.
Pretty little girl with a turned up nose,
Freckle face, and I suppose,
That's why they call her Pussy Cat.
(Meow.)
Notes:
All directions are based on immediate position; e.g., corner girl is the girl currently to reverse promenade of the boy, not his original corner.
Teaching: Suggest people leave out the swings if they are falling behind. All swings are quick, once around, no twirl.
Right hand progression.
Figure interpretation verified from the paper insert in Windsor Records #4173.
Source: Transcribed from a 1976 recording of Red Bates.
Also available: a
1973 recording of Red Bates.
More classic singing calls.
Transcribed by Stephen Gildea.