Patter Sayings

Patter Sayings are rhymes or jingles said by square dance callers

Usually said while dancers are executing a long call such as Promenade Home.
Most patter sayings are old-style, old-time sayings, rarely used today.
Some may not be suitable for a modern western square dance, and some may even be politically incorrect.
Some callers refers to them as Lagniappe en.wikipedia.org.

Short Sayings

139 found

A right and left around the ring
While the roosters crow and the birdies sing.
ID: 57
Ace of Diamonds, Jack of Spades,
Meet your partner & promenade.
ID: 8
All join hands and circle to the south,
Get a little moonshine in your mouth.
ID: 3
All join hands and circle wide,
spread right out like an old cow hide.
ID: 40
All join hands in a great big ring
Circle round and round with the dear little thing.
ID: 110
All jump up and never come down,
Swing your pretty girl round and round.
ID: 28
All the way over, back with pride
When you're through we'll take a ride
ID: 143
Allemande left with the corner maid,
Meet your own and promenade.
ID: 31
Allemande left with your left hand,
Bow to the partner, and there you stand.
ID: 45
Ambulances and big black hearses,
Swing those doctors, swing those nurses.
ID: 35
Betty can swing, the best ya ever saw,
I'll take the girl from Arkansas.
ID: 132
Big foot up and little foot down
Make the big foot jar the ground.
ID: 55
Big foot up, little foot down,
Grab your own and swing 'em round.
ID: 37
Bow to your partner and the corner miss,
To the opposite lady just blow a kiss.
ID: 108
Bow to your partner, corner salute
Circle left, go lickety-scoot.
ID: 104
Call your dogs and grab your gun,
Let's start dancin' and have some fun.
ID: 90
Cat in the barn, rat in her mouth
Grab your honey and head her south
ID: 86
Catherine likes Bobby, but Bobby likes Sue.
I like Stacey, but she likes you.
ID: 148
Chase the rabbit, chase the squirrel,
Chase the pretty girl around the world
ID: 122
Chase the rabbit, chase the 'coon,
Chase that big boy around the room
ID: 123
Chew tobacco and spit on the wall
Take your gal and promenade the hall
ID: 139
Chicken in the bread pan pickin' out dough
Big pig rootin' up the little tater row.
ID: 80
Chicken in the bread pan scratching out gravel,
get your maid & away you travel.
ID: 11
Chicken on a fence and possum on a rail
Take your honey and away you sail.
ID: 67
Comb your hair & button your shoe,
promenade home like you always do.
ID: 20
Corn in the crib, wheat in the sack,
meet your partner & promenade back.
ID: 9
Crack that whip, jerk the line,
Lets start dancing and have a good time.
ID: 89
Do si do don't you know,
You can't catch a rabbit till it comes a snow.
ID: 16
Dog in the corner gnawin' on a bone,
Meet your girl, promenade 'er home.
ID: 21
Down in the barnyard swinging on a gate,
Swing your honey and don't be late
ID: 140
Ducks in the mill pond, geese in the clover,
Hide that pretty girl 'cause I'm comin' over.
ID: 6
Ducks in the river going to ford,
Coffee in the little rag, sugar in the gourd.
ID: 23
Everybody swing and whirl
Swing 'round and 'round with your pretty little girl.
ID: 71
First you whistle, then you sing
All join hands and make a ring.
ID: 34
Four ladies chain and don't be slow,
Turn that girl with the cute elbow.
ID: 126
Four little ladies promenade around,
Get back home, swing him upside down.
ID: 127
Gertrude is clever and Kathy is witty,
I want the girl from Kansas City.
ID: 138
Grab that filly and give her a spin
Twice around with your haunches in.
ID: 112
Hand over hand and heel over heel
The faster you go, the better you feel.
ID: 56
Hay! Straw is cheaper, grass is free,
Horses eat it, why don't we?
ID: 105
Here we go on the heel and toe
Hurry up, cowboys, don't be slow.
ID: 51
Here we go with the ol' red wagon
Hind wheel broke and the axle draggin'.
ID: 58
Honor your partner, and your corner too,
Now wave at the gal across from you.
ID: 47
Honor your partner, corners all
Honor your opposite across the hall
And that's it - that's all.
ID: 49
Hull those peas and hull them right
Swing your honey if it takes all night.
ID: 81
Hurry up boys and don't be laggin',
Paw's coming home with a little red wagon.
ID: 7
Hurry up cowboy, don't be slow,
You won't go to heaven if you don't do so.
ID: 62
Hurry up girls, don't be slow,
kiss the caller before you go
ID: 120
Hurry up, Grandpa, can't you see
You're not as young as you used to be.
ID: 54
I don't know but I believe,
I'll be home by Christmas eve.
ID: 103
I got a gal in Tijuana,
She knows how but she don't wanna.
ID: 102
I got a wife and she's a daisy
She won't work and I'm too lazy.
ID: 94
I got a wife who's lean and tall,
sleeps in the kitchen with her feet in the hall.
ID: 92
I know a gal, lives on a hill,
She won't dance but her sister will.
ID: 101
I sold my cow & I sold my calf,
I sold 'em both for a dollar and a half.
ID: 10
Into the center with a whinny and a neigh
Feed 'em on oats and a bale of hay.
ID: 114
It ain't a goin' to rain,
It ain't a goin' to snow,
All join hands and away we go
ID: 117
It's been a while, since way back when,
I'd swing a girl with a dimple in her chin.
ID: 130
Jenny is sweet, and Sally is a good'n,
I want the girl with tapioca puddin'.
ID: 131
Ladies to their seats and gents all foller
Thank the fiddler and kiss the caller
ID: 125
Left allemande and right-hand grand,
And you promenade to beat the band.
ID: 38
Lift your feet and set them down,
Swing your honey go round and round.
ID: 44
Mary can stand up, Molly can fiddle,
I want Judy, cuz she's in the middle.
ID: 133
Meet and swing and don't get cross
Promenade with the guy who's boss.
ID: 68
Meet that gal and promenade
Promenade that lady fair
Promenade go 'round the square.
ID: 60
Meet that gal with her petticoat a floppin'
Shoe fell off and a hole's in her stockin' - (Promenade)
ID: 99
Meet your gal and promenade - promenade
Go 'round the ring, 'til the roosters crow
And the birdies sing.
ID: 65
Meet your honey and promenade eight
Promenade eight 'til you get straight.
ID: 59
Meet your maid and promenade 'round
Like a jay bird walking on frozen ground.
ID: 64
Meet your own with a great big smile
Promenade, go about a mile.
ID: 29
Meet your partner with a great big smile
Promenade boys, go 'bout a mile.
ID: 66
Meet your Sally, meet your Sue
Meet the little gal with the run-down shoe.
ID: 53
Mingo, bingo, six-penny high.
Big piggy, little piggy, root hog or die.
ID: 61
Now hunt that rabbit with a stick and string, stick and string,
Now promenade around that ring
ID: 149
Oak post crook, elbow hook,
the more you swing, the better you look.
ID: 33
Old Ida Red she ain't no fool,
She can put a saddle on a hump back mule
ID: 111
Promenade - you know where
And I don't care
Take her out and give her some air.
ID: 50
Promenade and don't be slow,
Where we're going nobody knows
ID: 119
Promenade and don't relax
You just got the well-known ax
ID: 142
Promenade eight and promenade all,
Promenade eight to the hole in the wall.
ID: 85
Promenade go 'round and 'round
Like a jay bird hoppin' on frozen ground.
ID: 69
Promenade go six by nine,
get on home, you're doing fine.
ID: 109
Promenade it's off you go,
seat your pards and let 'em blow.
ID: 30
Promenade on a heel an' toe
like a bare-footed boy in a frozen snow.
ID: 4
Promenade round that ring so fine
Till the cows come home
And the Oxen-dine.
Hi Tony!
ID: 93
Promenade take that gal
Take a little walk to the old corral
ID: 144
Promenade this cute little chick,
Make those heels go clickity click.
ID: 107
Promenade this dear
Whisper sweet things in her ear
ID: 145
Promenade two and promenade four,
Keep that calico off the floor.
ID: 73
Promenade, go two by two
Now you walk 'em home like you used to do.
ID: 63
Promenade, go 'round the hall
Tote that bucket and muck that stall.
ID: 113
Promenade, you go side by side
Like a knock-kneed groom and a bow-legged bride.
ID: 91
Promenade, you know where and I don't care
Take your honey to an easy chair.
ID: 48
Pull off your shoes, roll up your socks
Swing those girls till you rattle their hocks.
ID: 83
Randy and Andy and Billy and Bob,
All want Lucy and corn on the cob.
ID: 134
Ridin' through Georgia in a beat up jalopy,
I met me a gal all slippery and sloppy.
ID: 136
Right and left on the heel and toe
Hi there Mary, Hello Joe.
ID: 52
Roll the barrel, tap the keg,
Save the oyster, break the egg
ID: 121
Rope the cow, brand the calf,
Swing your honey once and a half
ID: 124
Saddle your bronc, cinch 'em tight,
Promenade boys & do it right.
ID: 15
Same old boy, same old route,
Good old shoes that won't wear out.
ID: 24
Same old road, same old trail,
Watch that monkey walk that rail.
ID: 19
She likes whiskey and I like rum
Now that's where all the trouble begun.
ID: 95
She was sixteen, I told her I'd wait,
Down by the mill or the garden gate?
ID: 137
She's that gal from _____ _____ City
Golly gee now ain't she pretty.
ID: 70
Some girls are pretty, and some are not,
But boy, you're stuck with the one you've got
ID: 118
Sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose,
I want the girl in the high heel shoes.
ID: 129
Stop where you are, and don't be blue,
The music quit, so I will too.
ID: 46
Swing 'em early, then swing 'em late,
Swing 'em 'round Mr. Meadow's gate.
ID: 18
Swing 'em high and whirl 'em low
Keep on swinging your calico.
ID: 72
Swing 'em high, then swing 'em low,
Turn 'em loose, and watch 'em go.
ID: 17
Swing her Mack, don't break her back.
ID: 97
Swing that lady with a hole in her stockin',
Knees keep a knockin, petticoat a floppin'
ID: 115
Swing the colonels, then the captains,
Swing their girls, but don't you drop 'em.
ID: 36
Swing with Mary, swing with Grace,
Allemande left with old Prune Face
ID: 116
Swing your gals with all your might
Swing 'em all day and swing 'em all night.
ID: 75
Swing your honey round and round,
any old way but upside down.
ID: 39
Swing your honey, go 'round and 'round
Lift her feet right off the ground.
ID: 74
Swing your little sage-hen 'round and 'round,
'Till the heel of your boot makes a hole in the ground.
ID: 12
Swing your partner round & round,
put her in the toilet and flush her down.
This one is obviously politically incorrect.
ID: 14
Swing your partner round and round,
'til the hole in yer head makes a whistling sound.
ID: 106
Swing your partner 'round and 'round
With a pocket full of rocks to hold you down.
ID: 82
Swing your partner, don't be late,
Swing on the corner like swinging on a gate.
ID: 41
The good girls walk, the bad girls ride,
Come on bad girl, my car's outside.
ID: 1
The little banty rooster told the little banty hen,
I'll meet you around the corner at about a half past ten.
ID: 98
The whip held high, the reins a bit slack,
Promenade home on the same old track.
ID: 13
This one's pretty, so is Frank,
But I'll take my gal to the water tank.
ID: 27
Tie up the dogs and kill the cats
Now double the dose, that's tough on rats.
ID: 84
Tighten up the belly band, loosen up the traces,
All join hands we're off to the races.
ID: 42
Tighten up the bellybands and looses up the traces,
All join hands and get to your places.
ID: 88
Two old maids lying in the sand,
Each one wishin' the other was a man.
ID: 2
Up the river and around the bend,
All join hands, we're gone again.
ID: 43
We don't care just how we look,
'cause we're gonna have our picture took.
ID: 22
Well I took a stick to my old mule,
He kicked me flat, he ain't no fool.
ID: 96
Wipe off your chin, pull down your vest
And swing that girl that you love the best.
ID: 5
You take Angela and her sister, Kate,
I'll be with Babs and we'll be out late.
ID: 135
You take Sally, and I'll take Sue,
We'll take 'em back like we always do.
ID: 128
You talk to me, and I'll talk to you,
You swing me and I'll swing you.
ID: 32
Your right foot up and left foot down
Hurry up there, or you'll never get around.
ID: 25

Long Sayings

7 found

(after Right & Left Grand)
Meet your girl on the other side, she's 6 foot tall, 5 foot wide,
Promenade go round the land, big fat girl and little tiny man
ID: 146
Butterflies have wings of gold;
Moths have wings of flame;
Bed bugs don't have wings at all
But they get there just the same.
ID: 77
I went to go pick up my girl,
She met me at the door,
Her shoes and stockings in her hand,
Her face all over the floor.
ID: 78
Mary had a little lamb,
You've heard this one before...
And so she passed her dinner plate,
And had a little more.
ID: 79
Raccoon's tail got a ring around;
Possum's tail is bare;
Rabbit ain't got no tail at all,
Just a little old hunk of hair.

ID: 100
Take a shot of whiskey and flush it with a cold beer.
Now let's go huntin' we have got to shoot a deer.
Huntin' from the tree with my mathews bow...
I'm lookin' for a buck but'll settle for a doe...
now promenade
ID: 147
Who's that girl with the red dress on
Some folks call her Dinah
She just stole my heart away
Down in Carolina
ID: 141

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