Such pains, such pleasures now alike are o'er,
And beaus and etiquette shall soon exist no more
At their speed behold advancing
Modern men and women dancing;
Step and dress alike express
Above, below from heel to toe,
Male and female awkwardness.
Without a hoop, without a ruffle,
One eternal jig and shuffle,
Where's the air and where's the gait?
Where's the feather in the hat?
Where the frizzed toupee? and where
Oh! where's the powder for the hair?
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Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who could not hear the music.
Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who could not hear the music.
Alike all ages: dames of ancient days
Have led their children through the mirthful maze,
And the read more
Alike all ages: dames of ancient days
Have led their children through the mirthful maze,
And the gay grandsire, skill'd in gestic lore,
Has frisk'd beneath the burden of threescore.
And the dancing has begun now,
And the dancers whirl round gaily
In the waltz's giddy mazes,
read more
And the dancing has begun now,
And the dancers whirl round gaily
In the waltz's giddy mazes,
And the ground beneath them trembles.
Those who hear not the music think the dancers mad
Those who hear not the music think the dancers mad
He who esteems the Virginia reel
A bait to draw saints from their spiritual weal,
And regards read more
He who esteems the Virginia reel
A bait to draw saints from their spiritual weal,
And regards the quadrille as a far greater knavery
Than crushing His African children with slavery,
Since all who take part in a waltz or cotillon
Are mounted for hell on the devil's own pillion,
Who, as every true orthodox Christian well knows,
Approaches the heart through the door of the toes.
My dancing days are done.
My dancing days are done.
No Sane man will dance.
No Sane man will dance.
Others import yet nobler arts from France,
Teach kings to fiddle, and make senates dance.
Others import yet nobler arts from France,
Teach kings to fiddle, and make senates dance.
Come and trip it as ye go,
On the light fantastic toe.
Come and trip it as ye go,
On the light fantastic toe.
