Hop High Ladies

Recordings

Hop High Ladies and similar titles
Old Timey Songs for Children, New Lost City Ramblers, 1959
The Folk Music of the Newport Folk Festival 195-60, Vol. 2, Various Artists (New Lost City Ramblers), 1961
Sing Songs Of The New Lost City Ramblers, Tom Paley, John Cohen, Mike Seeger, 1961
Holy Modal Rounders, Holy Modal Rounders, 1964
Wait 'Til The Clouds Roll By, Uncle Dave Macon, 196?
Original Bogtrotters, The Bogtrotters, 196?
Ernest Stoneman and His Dixie Mountaineers, Stoneman's Dixie Mountaineers, 196?
Rufus Crisp, Rufus Crisp, 1972
Dulcimer, More Old-Time and Traditional Music, Ralph Lee Smith, 1975
Old Time Fiddle, Patrick County, VA, Old Virginia Fiddlers, 1977
It'll Tickle Your Innards, Dr. Corn's Bluegrass Remedy, 1977
Old Originals, Vol. 1, Frank Dalton, 1978
Homecoming and Family Reunion, The Dillards, 1979
America's Greatest Breakdown Fiddle Player, Paul Warren, 1979
Traditional Dance Tunes, Hollow Rock String Band, 197?
It Just Suits Me, David Holt, 1981
Cherokee Rose, Rafe Brady, 1981
Down Yonder: Old Time String Band Music from Georgia, Gordon Tanner/John Patterson/Smokey Joe Miller, 1982
Going Across The River To Hear My Banjo Ring, Carlie Marion, 1988
Mountain Dulcimer, Galax Style, Phyllis Gaskin, 1991
Animal Folk Songs for Children, Mike, Peggy, Barbara, Penny Seeger, 1992
Holy Modal Rounders 1 and 2, Holy Modal Rounders, 1998
Good Friends, Good Music, Boys Of The Lough, 19??
The Folk Music Of The Newport Folk Festival 1959-60, Various Artists (New Lost City Ramblers), 19??
The Gayest Old Dude In Town, Uncle Dave Macon, 19??
Bluegrass Bonanza, Various Artists (Ernest V. Stoneman & His Dixie Mountaineers), 2001
Mountain Treasures, George Shuffler & Laura Boosinger, 2003
Keep My Skillet Good & Greasy, Uncle Dave Macon, 2004
Classic Sides 1924-1938, Uncle Dave Macon, 2004
Larry Richardson & the Blue Ridge Boys, Larry Richardson & the Blue Ridge Boys, 2007
The Essential Guide To Bluegrass, Various Artists (Ernest Stoneman), 2007
The Unsung Father of Country Music 1925-1934, Ernest V. Stoneman, 2008

McLeod's Reel or similar title
Saturday Night and Sunday Too, Jean Ritchie, 1956
Irish Folk Dances, James O'Flynn Orchestra, 1956
Caledonia!, The Macpherson Singers and Dancers Of Scotland, 1960
Breeze From Erin, Festy Conlan, 1969
Irish Songs and Dances, Tom Fitzgerald, 196?
Union Grove, The Hub Of The Universe, John Hilt, 1970
Masters Of The Irish Flute, Seamus Tansey and Eddie Corcoran, 1970
Memphis Jellyroll, Stefan Grossman, 1974
Wheels Of The World, Classics Of Irish Traditional Music, Patrick Touhey, 1976
Swarbrick 2, Dave Swarbrick, 1977
New England Traditional Fiddling, Uncle Joe Shippee, 1978
Joe and The Gabe, Songs and Music Of Galway, Gabe O'Sullivan, 1979
Toss The Feather, Tom Furey, 197?
Fiddlin' Fever, Alice Clemens, 197?
Noonday Feast, Joe Shannon and Johnny McGreevy, 1980
Body, Boots and Britches: Folk Songs of New York State, The Golden Eagle String Band, 1982
Irish Traditional Instrumental Music, Vol. 1, East Coast Of America, Gene Kelly, 1987
Cedar Point String Band, Cedar Point String Band, 1993
Swarbrick/Swarbrick 2, Dave Swarbrick, 1997
Deep In Tradition, Tommy Hunter, 19??
Folk Music In America, Vol. 4, Dance Music, Reels and Polkas, Gid Tanner and His Skillet Lickers, 19??
Gid Tanner and His Skillet Lickers, Gid Tanner and His Skillet Lickers, 19??
Flatpicking 1999, Various Artists (Robin Kessinger), 2005
Banjo Gathering, Various Artists (Phil Jamison), 2007

Uncle Joe
Porches Of The Poor, Jean and Lee Schilling, 1971
Tenino Old Time Music Festival 1970-72, Al Sanderson, 197?
Vintage Wine, Melvin Wine, 1993
Tie Hacker Hoe-Down, Nile Wilson, 1995
Missouri Old Time Fiddling, Lee Stoneking, 19??

Did You Ever See The Devil Uncle Joe
String Band Project, Various Artists, 1965
Red Fox Chasers, Red Fox Chasers, 1967
Classic Fiddle Tunes: Recorded During The Golden Age, Fiddlin' Doc Roberts, 1974
20th Anniversary Concert, The New Lost City Ramblers, 1978
Old Originals, Vol. Two, Various Artists (John Patterson), 1978
Albert Hash and The Whitetop Mountain Band, Albert Hash and The Whitetop Mountain Band, 1979
Clark Kessinger Memorial Album, Clark Kessinger, 197?
The Mysterious Redbirds, 1992-1998, The Mysterious Redbirds, 2000
Blackest Crow, James Reams, 2000
True Vine, Mike Seeger, 2003
Gennett Old Time Music: Classic Country Recordings 1927-1934, Various Artists (Red Fox Chasers), 2010

Notes

Performed by the Sleepy Hollow Hog Stompers, Jewish Community Center, San Carlos, 06/11/62

This song started life as a Scottish fiddle tune Miss McLeod's Reel and this name, and related names, are sometimes still used. As with many songs that crossed the Atlantic new titles and new variations appeared. The New Lost City Ramblers Songbook has it as Hop High Ladies, The Cake's All Dough, and on LP/CDs it occurs most commonly as Hop High Ladies or variations on this title eg. Hop Light Ladies.

On circulating copies of the Sleepy Hollow Hog Stompers tape it is usually listed as Uncle Joe but this title occurs less frequently on other sources. A similar title, Did You Ever See The Devil Uncle Joe, also occurs infrequently.

In most versions the basic tune of the reel is retained but the lyrics vary and are sometimes absent. It is essentially a dance tune and the lyrics are secondary to the music.

The lyrics of the version performed by the Sleepy Hollow Hog Stompers are as follows;

Did you ever go to meeting, Uncle Joe, Uncle Joe,
Did you ever go to meeting, Uncle Joe, Uncle Joe,
Did you ever go to meeting, Uncle Joe, Uncle Joe,
Don't mind the weather so the wind don't blow.

(Chorus)
Hop high ladies the cakes all dough,
Hop high ladies the cakes all dough,
Hop high ladies the cakes all dough,
Don't mind the weather so the wind don't blow.

Will you horse carry double, Uncle Joe, Uncle Joe,
Will you horse carry double, Uncle Joe, Uncle Joe,
Will you horse carry double, Uncle Joe, Uncle Joe,
Don't mind the weather so the wind don't blow.

Chorus...

Prettiest girl that ever I knew,
Was cross-eyed Jane from Kalamazoo,
She was (long and leggy?) and skinny in the legs,
(Walk she was walking?) on all four legs

Chorus...

Cornstalk fiddle,
An' shoestring bow,
An' never mind the weather,
So the wind don't blow.

Hop high ladies,
The cake's all dough,
Never mind the weather,
So the wind don't blow.

First on the heel,
An' then on the toe,
Ever' time you turn around,
You Jump Jim Crow.