New Hampshire Old-Time Country Dance Web Site

Brief Comments

Frank Fortune appears to have largely followed the format that was fairly common at dances of his time period. Generally there were three squares followed by three round dances. Some callers included an occasional contra, but many didn’t. The variety of round dances is similar to that which I remember from contradances in the late 1970s and 1980s, although they would never occur in sets as in the Bradford dances. Some of the tunes labeled as polkas feel to me almost like schottisches. I would guess that the recording doesn’t go to the end of the dance. The dance generally ended with Till We Meet Again, Now is the Hour and May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You.

This pattern was largely preserved in the Emerson Hill square dance which was started after the Bradford dances ended.

Some Additional Dances

Woody Roberts started playing with Myron (Mike) Colby’s Orchestra in 1956, first as an accordion player, and a few years later as piano player. When the Bradford dance ended he got the Emerson Hill dance started. When Woody started playing piano, Mike Colby made up a list of tunes and keys so they could start playing as soon as Frank Fortune said what he wanted for the next dance, as Frank generally didn't give much advance notice. Walter Lenk's website displays that list. The list of squares isn't complete; Frank Fortune called some dances on the 1955 recording that aren't listed. But it contains a few dances not on the above list, and it gives the keys used for the dances which may be of interest to some people. I have reproduced it below, indicating which dances aren't on the above list.

Over time Woody put together a very extensive book of waltzes, foxtrots and other round dances, and his Big Book also included a section of square dances. Many or most of the squares appear to be from Frank Fortune’s repertoire. I can remember Bobby Boynton calling many of them, and his repertoire was very close to Frank Fortune’s. Therefore I've also listed squares from Woody's Big Book that I suspect were part of Frank Fortune’s calling repertoire and that aren't on the other lists.

Squares from Mike Colby's List

• Coming Round the Mountain (G)
• Dip & Dive (G; possibly Redwing)
• Golden Slippers (G) — additional dance
• Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight (G)
• I Only Want a Buddy (G) — additional dance
• I Want a Girl (Bb)
• Just Because (Bb)
• Life on the Ocean Wave
• Little Brown Jug (C; used for Dip and Dive)
• Little Old Log Cabin in the Lane (F)
• Marching Through Georgia (G) — additional dance
• McNamara's Band (F)
• My Little Girl (Bb)
• Oh Johnny (C) — additional dance
• Open Up Your Heart (F)
• Pistol Packin' Mama (G) — additional dance
• Rose of San Antone (San Antonio Rose, G) — additional dance
• Sioux City Sue (F)
• This Old House (Eb) — additional dance
• Wabash Cannonball (G)
• When the Work's all Done This Fall (C)
• Yellow Rose of Texas (G) — additional dance

Additional Squares from Woody's Big Book

• Bell Bottom Trousers
• Crooked Stovepipe
• Darling Nelly Gray
• Four Leaf Clover
• Hinky Dinky Parlez Vous
• Listen to the Mockingbird
• Solomon Levi
• Spanish Cavaliero
• Waltz Promenade
• You Call Everybody Darling

Brief note: As this may be where I make the most use of Walter Lenk's website I would like to point out that I sent an email to the address recommended by someone who has worked with them some to get permission, but received no response. I believe this represents fair use, but if you read this and think not, please get in touch with me and let me know.