{"id":25686,"date":"2024-12-11T11:13:11","date_gmt":"2024-12-11T11:13:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/?page_id=25686"},"modified":"2024-12-13T10:19:09","modified_gmt":"2024-12-13T10:19:09","slug":"see-me-dance-the-polka","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/index.php\/see-me-dance-the-polka\/","title":{"rendered":"See me dance the polka"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
AKA<\/strong><\/td>The Polka<\/td><\/tr>
First Published<\/td>1886<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writer\/composer<\/td>George Grossmith Snr<\/td>Roud<\/strong><\/td>RN26986<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Music Hall Performers<\/strong><\/td>Billie Barlow, George Grossmith Snr, Jolly John Nash<\/td><\/tr>
Folk performances<\/strong><\/td>Collected from the singing of:<\/strong>
Kane, Alice ; N. Ireland : Belfast ; nd
Patten, Mary Ann ; Canada : Newfoundland ; 1974
Modern performances<\/strong>:
Kirkpatrick<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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A fig for the set of Lancers,
A fig for the old Quadrille,
They may suit some kind of dancers,
But their dullness makes me ill;
A fig for the stately waltzing,
Which really is absurd;
On the small Cotillion, unsuited to the million,
I will not waste a word.

You should see me dance the Polka,
You should see me cover the ground,
You should see my coat-tails flying,
As I jump my partner round;
When the band commences playing,
My feet begin to go,
For a rollicking romping Polka
Is the jolliest fun I know.
<\/em>
I\u2019ve danced it in the Ball room,
And then would dance it still;
I\u2019ve danced it in a small room,
I\u2019ve danced it on the hill.
With every kind of partner,
In every kind of hall,
I\u2019ve even had to suffer, by dancing with a duffer
Who couldn\u2019t do the step at all.

I know I\u2019m rather active,
And not devoid of grace,
But still I\u2019m unattractive,
In feature, form and face;
I have a simple fortune,
And lead a simple life,
You know what an old maid is? Well fourteen of those ladies
Offered to be my wife.
    
One of my rich relations
Was very fond of me,
From him I\u2019d expectations,
In form of a legacy.
I calculated surely,
On a house and an acre or two,
So I went and got married, but my hopes miscarried,
And what was I to do?

He left me a copy of a polka,
And on the cover I found
A sketch of my coat-tails flying,
As I jumped my partners round;
When the band commences playing,
My feet begin to go,
For a rollicking romping Polka
Is the jolliest fun I know.<\/em>

[To be sung a little slower, in rather a quavery voice]
But now I\u2019m old and shaky,
My back is bent, you see,
My limbs are rather quaky,
And scarcely bear with me.
I\u2019m never asked to dances,
I\u2019m placed upon the shelf,
But altho\u2019 I\u2019m rheumatic, still as long as I\u2019ve an attic,
I\u2019ll dance it by myself.

You shall see me dance the Polka,
You shall see my coat-tails flying,
As I hobble myself around;
If I hear an organ playing,
So long as my strength don\u2019t give,
I\u2019ll dance that rollicking Polka,
The longest day I live.<\/em>

<\/pre>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
A song written and performed by George Grossmith<\/a> in the late 1880s – the tune is well remembered today – often just referred to as The Polka<\/em>. It was also performed in the Halls by Billie Barlow and “Jolly” John Nash<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
John Kirkpatrick sings it on his album Coat Tails Flying<\/em>: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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