... Throughout the 1950s, Laine enjoyed a second career singing the title songs of Hollywood films and television shows, including: Gunfight At OK Corral, 3:10 To Yuma, Bullwhip, and Rawhide. His rendition of the title song for Mel Brooks' 1974 movie Blazing Saddles won an Oscar nomination for Best Song, and his recording of "Rawhide" for the television series of the same name has become a classic of the genre.
The Gandy Dancers' Ball
Frankie Laine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And they danced on the wall
At the Gandy Dancer's ball
Hey! Swing around, swing around,
Swing around the Jimmy John
Swing around, swing around
The Jimmy, Jimmy John
Swing around, swing around
Swing the pretty girl round
The Jimmy, Jimmy John
The Gandy Dancer is a railroad man
And his work is never done
With his pick and his shovel and his willing hands
He makes the railroad run
There's Macanaw Mack and Toledo Jack
And the boys from Idaho
And the Frisco kid and Saginaw Sid
And good old Cotton-eyed Joe
Oh they danced on the ceiling
And they danced on the wall
At the Gandy Dancer's ball
Hey! swing around, swing around,
Swing around the Jimmy John
Swing around, swing around
The Jimmy, Jimmy John
Swing around, swing around
Swing around the Jimmy John
Swing the pretty girl round
The Jimmy, Jimmy John
The boys will gather at the great affair
The Gandy Dancer's ball
A-kissin' their ladies with perfumed hair
And prancin' round the hall
They got the biggest band in all the land
And the rhythm rocks the room
And they holler out with a mighty shout
When the big bass drum goes boom
Oh they danced on the ceiling
And they danced on the wall
At the Gandy Dancer's ball
Hey! swing around, swing around,
Swing around the Jimmy John
Swing around, swing around
The Jimmy, Jimmy John
Swing around, swing around
Swing around the Jimmy John
Swing the pretty girl round
The Jimmy, Jimmy John
The railroads bring 'em to the great affair
The Gandy Dancer's ball
An' every line is represented there
The big ones and the small
There's the M-K-T and the old SP
And the Lehigh Valley too
The C-N-J and the Santa Fe
The Southern and the Soo.
Oh they danced on the ceiling
And they danced on the wall
At the Gandy Dancer's ball
Hey! swing around, swing around,
Swing around the Jimmy John
Swing around, swing around
The Jimmy, Jimmy John
Swing around, swing around
Swing around the Jimmy John
Swing the pretty girl round
The Jimmy, Jimmy John
They danced all day
And they danced all night
They all danced till the broad daylight
At the Gandy Dancer's ball
(swing around, swing around
Swing around, swing around
The Jimmy John)
Frankie Laine's "The Gandy Dancer's Ball" is a fun and upbeat song about a dance party held by the gandy dancers, who are railroad workers. The song depicts a joyful scene, with people dancing on the ceiling and the wall, and swing around the Jimmy John. The song talks about the different groups of gandy dancers, with names like Macanaw Mack and Toledo Jack, and even mentions the presence of Cotton-eyed Joe. The song also mentions the different railroads that bring people to the ball, including M-K-T, Santa Fe, and the Southern and the Soo.
The song has a lively beat that evokes the feeling of being at a dance party. The lyrics reflect a sense of camaraderie among the gandy dancers, who work hard on the railroad and come together to celebrate. The song paints a picture of a carefree and celebratory atmosphere, where everyone is having a good time, and the music and dancing take center stage.
Overall, "The Gandy Dancer's Ball" is a thoroughly enjoyable song that captures the energy and spirit of a dance party. Its lyrics and upbeat tempo make it a perfect song to dance along to, and it remains a great example of Frankie Laine's musical stylings.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh they danced on the ceiling
The dancers were so lively and energetic that they danced with all their might even on the ceiling.
And they danced on the wall
The dancers didn't confine themselves to the floor, but they took the liberty to dance on the wall as well.
At the Gandy Dancer's ball
This is a description of a lively event that takes place at the Gandy Dancer's ball.
Hey! Swing around, swing around,
This is a call to action for the dancers to move their body energetically in the song style.
Swing around the Jimmy John
This is a reference to the dance move where dancers swing around a partner called Jimmy John.
The Gandy Dancer is a railroad man
The Gandy Dancer is a metaphorical reference to the railroad worker who works tirelessly to keep the railroads functioning smoothly.
And his work is never done
Like the never-ending tracks that need maintenance, the work of the Gandy Dancer remains incomplete throughout his career.
With his pick and his shovel and his willing hands
The Gandy Dancer uses essential tools such as a pick and a shovel, combined with his dedicated nature, to keep the railroads running.
He makes the railroad run
The Gandy Dancer plays a significant role in keeping the railroads functioning and maintaining them so that trains can run on them.
There's Macanaw Mack and Toledo Jack
These are some of the workers on the railroads, each with their unique qualities and skills.
And the boys from Idaho
People from different parts of the country, including Idaho, come to work on the railroads and enjoy the Gandy Dancer's ball
And the Frisco kid and Saginaw Sid
More workers on the railroads, each with his unique nickname based on their personality, place of origin or the work they do.
And good old Cotton-eyed Joe
This is a reference to a significant rail worker named Cotton-eyed Joe.
The boys will gather at the great affair
Railroad workers and everybody else will come together to celebrate the Gandy Dancer's ball.
A-kissin' their ladies with perfumed hair
The workers will be with their loved ones, and they will proudly dance and involve them in the festivities.
And prancin' round the hall
The people involved in the Gandy Dancer's ball will engage in joyous and lively movement around the ballroom throughout the night.
They got the biggest band in all the land
The Gandy Dancer's ball has the best and most celebrated musical bands playing at it.
And the rhythm rocks the room
The music played at the Gandy Dancer's ball is so good that the crowd is eager to dance and enjoy it wholeheartedly.
And they holler out with a mighty shout
The people at the Gandy Dancer's ball express their joy through loud cheering and shouting.
When the big bass drum goes boom
The bass drum is one of the most significant musical instruments in the band, and when played, it evokes a sense of happiness and excitement among the crowd.
The railroads bring 'em to the great affair
Railroad systems provide a means for people to travel to the Gandy Dancer's ball and be an active part of its festivities.
An' every line is represented there
People from different areas are present, each uniquely representing their locations.
The big ones and the small
Both the large and small rail lines participate in the Gandy Dancer's ball, bringing together different peoples and their unique cultural contributions.
There's the M-K-T and the old SP
Different railroads such as the M-K-T and the old SP are part of the Gandy Dancer's ball.
And the Lehigh Valley too
The Lehigh Valley is another railroad that has a presence at the Gandy Dancer's ball.
The C-N-J and the Santa Fe
Other railroads such as the C-N-J and the Santa Fe participate in the Gandy Dancer's ball.
The Southern and the Soo.
Yet other railroads, such as the Southern and the Soo, take active part in the festivities.
They danced all day
The dancing continued throughout the day, as was the enthusiasm of the people involved.
And they danced all night
The dancing continued throughout the night, reflecting the liveliness of the people involved with the festivities.
They all danced till the broad daylight
People were so energized and eager to participate in the festivities that they danced until the daylight hours.
At the Gandy Dancer's ball
All of the descriptions in the song lead to the singular description of the celebration taking place at the Gandy Dancer's ball.
Lyrics © HANOVER MUSIC CORPORATION
Written by: PAUL WESTON, PAUL M. HOWARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Katiee Brown
Oh they danced on the ceiling
And they danced on the wall
At the Gandy Dancer's ball
Hey! Swing around, swing around,
Swing around the Jimmy John
Swing around, swing around
The Jimmy, Jimmy John
Swing around, swing around
Swing around the Jimmy John
Swing the pretty girl round
The Jimmy, Jimmy JohnThe Gandy Dancer is a railroad man
And his work is never done
With his pick and his shovel and his willing hands
He makes the railroad run
There's Macanaw Mack and Toledo Jack
And the boys from Idaho
And the Frisco kid and Saginaw Sid
And good old Cotton-eyed JoeOh they danced on the ceiling
And they danced on the wall
At the Gandy Dancer's ball
Hey! swing around, swing around,
Swing around the Jimmy John
Swing around, swing around
The Jimmy, Jimmy John
Swing around, swing around
Swing around the Jimmy John
Swing the pretty girl round
The Jimmy, Jimmy JohnThe boys will gather at the great affair
The Gandy Dancer's ball
A-kissin' their ladies with perfumed hair
And prancin' round the hall
They got the biggest band in all the land
And the rhythm rocks the room
And they holler out with a mighty shout
When the big bass drum goes boomOh they danced on the ceiling
And they danced on the wall
At the Gandy Dancer's ball
Hey! swing around, swing around,
Swing around the Jimmy John
Swing around, swing around
The Jimmy, Jimmy John
Swing around, swing around
Swing around the Jimmy John
Swing the pretty girl round
The Jimmy, Jimmy JohnThe railroads bring 'em to the great affair
The Gandy Dancer's ball
An' every line is represented there
The big ones and the small
There's the M-K-T and the old SP
And the Lehigh Valley too
The C-N-J and the Santa Fe
The Southern and the Soiux.Oh they danced on the ceiling
And they danced on the wall
At the Gandy Dancer's ball
Hey! swing around, swing around,
Swing around the Jimmy John
Swing around, swing around
The Jimmy, Jimmy John
Swing around, swing around
Swing around the Jimmy John
Swing the pretty girl round
The Jimmy, Jimmy JohnThey danced all day
And they danced all night
They all danced till the broad daylight
At the Gandy Dancer's ball(swing around, swing around
Swing around, swing around
The Jimmy John)
Ernie B
He cannot be beaten on songs similar to this or C/W . A great singer, missed very much.
clarence fender
If I've never heard their version , it must not have been too good. I remember "Good Night Irene". It was just so so Mr. Genius.
Appreciating Chinese Culture
He was such a great singer. He made his mark on music.
Todd Larson
WOW! It's been 36 years since I heard this! I sang this number with a men and boys chorus at our summer pops concerts at the great hotels and resorts (some long gone) in New Hampshire's White Mountains/Franconia Notch area back in the summer of '73! (The chorus, the Bretton Woods Boy Singers, are long forgotten, but they did have the honor of performing at President Eisenhower's dedication of the Old Man of the Mountains [he's gone, too] as a national historic site.)
David George
Wow! One of my favourites! So hard to find on CD. I have it now but took ages to find it. Thanks for a great clip.
van Polen
Great, I'm a fan for 30 years and never see Frankie on stage. Thanks for posting it!. Doortje
John Champion
I don't know why this came to me tonight at 5 am in Anchorage but hey at almost 73 it's rather exciting to recall anything more than ten minutes ago. like an earlier commenter I sang this somewhere before I was out of high school. All I remembered at first were the lyrics about the railroad lines. We sang it much slower. I know this because I was astonished to hear this tempo.
Julie Blackwelder
I remember hearing this on the radio when I was a kid. His voice was deeper and the tempo slower.
Denis Murrell
On their version, The Weavers were backed by the fullest big-band sound of any of their records. But it swings and the arrangement is excellent. Unfortunately, 'Gandy' rarely, if ever, appears on any of their compilation discs. Thanks for letting me know that this was not the original Frankie Laine recording. I grew up in Melbourne, Australia, and I don't think any radio stations played Frank's original version. What we got was The Weavers.
Larry Orr
I last heard that song 54 years ago.