Down in Kentucky,
back in the old days
when my mother and
father were growing up,
they used to square dance
on Saturday nights.
They used to dance on the old punching floors,
you know, they were real rough.
And they would want to make them slicker,
so they would throw something
on the floor
to make them slicker.
Sometimes it would be sugar,
sometimes cornmeal,
and sometimes salt,
you know, something just to shuffle your feet
around on to make the floors more slippery
and easier for dancing.
And the expression was,
when they started dancing,
and they'd been dancing for a little while,
somebody holler out sugar on the floor
throw a little sugar on the floor
and that would be sort of a sign
for everybody to start this little this kind of clog that
they did when they threw the sugar on the floor
they clog around it and
slick in the floor up
Sugar on the floor, sugar on the floor,
eat that up and all the more.
Nine to push shoes right off of my feet with
you when I'm sugar on the floor.
Now shake that little foot
sweet Sally Anna
with a hey ho, sugar on the floor.
If she can't shake it, nobody can,
now watch that sugar on the floor.
Sugar on the floor, sugar on the floor,
eat that up and all the more.
And my shoes right off of my feet
Oh, Jeremiah Johnson,
let me have your daughter,
hey, oh, sugar on the floor.
Bake my bread, carry my water,
and throw a little sugar on the floor.
Sugar on the floor, sugar on the floor,
eat that up and all the more.
And if I should run off and meet with you,
put a little sugar on the floor.
Oh, swing her and hug her
and stand her in the corner,
hey, oh, sugar on the floor.
Ain't she a pretty thing?
Come on, her sweetest little
Sugar on the floor,
Sugar on the floor,
Sugar on the floor, eat that up and Palmore,
there's a Mushy rot off a muffy with a Yule moose
Sugar on the floor,
Oh, faster girls,
you 're not a -going fast enough,
hey -oh,
Sugar on the floor,
Slow down boys you're
getting too rough,
now watch the Sugar on the floor,
Sugar on the floor,
Sugar on the eat that up
and Palmore, there's a Mushy rot
off a I can't that you're my boy!