by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
Can't you dance the polka?
Language: English
As I walked down the Broadway, One evening in July, I met a maid who asked my trade, "A sailor John" says I. Refrain: And away you Santee, My dear Annie. O, you New York girls, Can't you dance the polka! To Tiffany's I took her, I did not mind expense; I bought her two gold earrings, They cost me fifty cents. (Refrain) Says she, "You lime-juice sailor Now see me home my way"; But when we reached her cottage door, She unto me did say: (Refrain) "My flash man he's a Yankee With his hair cut short behind; He wears a tarry jumper And he sails in the Blackball Line." (Refrain)
Authorship:
- by Anonymous / Unidentified Author, a sea shanty [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Ernest John Moeran (1894 - 1950), "Can't you dance the polka?", R. 29 no. 1 (1924), published 1924 [voice and piano], from Two Songs from the Repertoire of John Goss, no. 1, Curwen [text verified 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2011-03-31
Line count: 24
Word count: 112