Date: Sat, 13 Jun 1998 21:28:44 EDT
From: "Barry A. Popik"
Subject: Trucking

Here are two "trucking" songs that may be of interest. I discussed the
origin of "trucking" back on September 22, 1996 (check out those ADS-L
archives!), but never posted songs.

TRUCKIN' (TRUCK-TRUCK-TRUCKIN' ALONG)(1935)
by Charles Van, Kenneth Carey, and Jary Armstrong

There's a brand new dance sensation
And it's sweeping thru the nation
It's so easy let's go to it
Come on, here's the way to do it
Get yourself a sweetie
Keepin' time with that song
Just learn that step, get full of "pep"
Keep truck, truck, truckin' along!
Learn that red hot rhythm
Old style dances are gone
Fellows hold your baby
And truck, truck, truck a-long
Ev'ry body's doin' it
Doin' it now
It's the latest craze today
It's hot, and how!
Listen to that music
Put your arms where they belong
You're bound to win
Come on, begin
To truck, truck, truckin' a-long.

TRUCKIN' ON DOWN
(HARLEM'S LATEST DANCE CRAZE)(1935)
by Arthur Porter and Eubie Blake

Harlem's got another dance craze now
Just a lazy shuffle not high brow
If you watch it, soon you'll know just why
All the high browns shout when the M.C. hollers out
Truck on Down, Truck on Down (see RHHDAS "down"--ed.).
Get the motion first when you run amuck
You haven't done a thing until you learn to truck
It's easy stick a-round, stick a-round
Get the habit now so you won't be late
You've got to know how to truck
I just can't explain the motions that you go thru in it
Still I know that you're alone if you don't begin it
You got to truck on down
Truck on Down.
O-Fays love it no denyin'
Don't start laughin' I ain't lyin'
Eskimos are also (?-ed.) tryin'
Truckin', Truckin' on Down.
Like a waiter walks with a heavy tray
You do a shufflin' step and in a lazy way
Now with your elbows out, prance a-bout
Rock from side to side like a clumsy duck
And then you're doin' the "truck"
Lag just like you're gonna skate
Now watch me and you'll hetch it
Drag with rhythm in your gait
Move a-la Step-In Fetch-it
This is your chance to clown
Truck on Down.
Rock once more--that's if you care to
Do your shuffle then prepare to
Teach the crowd from ev'ry where to
Join in Truckin' on Down.