LADIES ROCKING
Sung by: W.P. Detherow
Recorded in Batesville, AR, 6/25/52

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(Mr. Detherow: "In this they circle. Two is in the middle and the rest all circles around, and they sing, and the two in the middle chooses two, and they swing do-si in the center, and they all dance around, and they reverse; they revolve backward and forwards.)

All around this ring, my sweet sugar lump,
All around this ring we go.
All around this ring, my sweet sugar lump,
All around this ring we go.

Ladies rocking, my sugar lump,
Oh, ladies rocking, my sugar lump.
Ladies rocking, my sugar lump,
Oh, turn back, sinners, turn.

Rock a little faster, my sugar lump,
Oh, rock a little faster, my sugar lump,
Rock a little faster, my sugar lump,
Oh, turn back, sinners, turn.

Keep on rocking, my sugar lump,
Keep on rocking, my sugar lump,
Keep on rocking, my sugar lump,
Oh, turn back, sinners, turn.

Rock and a-rocking, my sugar lump,
Oh, rock and a-rocking, my sugar lump.
Rock and a-rocking, my sugar lump,
Oh, turn back, sinners, turn.

Quit that rocking, my sugar lump,
Oh, quit that rocking, my sugar lump,
Quit that rocking, my sugar lump,
Oh, turn back, sinners, turn.

(Mr. Detherow: "And the first two that's in the ring, they step out and leave the other two in. And then they'll start it over again, and they choose two in. And when they're a-rocking, those around reverse, and when you say 'turn back sinners,' they turn and reverse the other way, and everybody dances at the same time.")

All Songs Recorded by John Quincy Wolf, Jr., unless otherwise noted

The John Quincy Wolf Folklore Collection
Lyon College, Batesville, Arkansas
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