Transcribed from vocals by Ruth Etting, recorded
March 4, 1930,
From Ruth
Etting, Living Era, Academy Sound and Vision, Ltd., CD AJA 5008.
I work at the Palace Ballroom,
But gee, that palace is cheap,
When I get back to my chilly hallroom,
I'm much too tired to sleep.
I'm one of those lady teachers,
A beautiful hostess, you know,
The kind the Palace features
At exactly a dime a throw.
Ten cents a dance, that's what they
pay me,
Gosh, how they weigh me down;
Ten cents a dance, pansies and
rough guys,
Tough guys who tear my gown.
Seven to midnight I hear drums,
Loudly the saxophone blows,
Trumpets are breaking my eardrums,
Customers crush my toes.
Sometimes I think I've found my
hero,
But it's a queer romance;
All that you need is a ticket;
Come on, big boy, ten cents a dance.
Fighters and sailors and bowlegged
tailors
Can pay for a ticket and rent me;
Butchers and barbers and rats from
the harbor
Are sweethearts my good luck has
sent me.
Though I've a chorus of elderly
beaus,
Stockings are porous with holes
in the toes,
I'm there till closing time,
Dance and be merry; it's only a
dime.
Ten cents a dance, that's what they
pay me,
Gosh, how they weigh me down;
Ten cents a dance, pansies and
rough guys,
Tough guys who tear my gown.
Seven to midnight I hear drums,
Loudly the saxophone blows,
Trumpets are breaking my eardrums,
Customers crush my toes.
Sometimes I think I've found my
hero,
But it's a queer romance;
All that you need is a ticket;
Come on, big boy, ten cents a dance.
Transcribed from The High Hatters, from vocals
by Welcome Lewis, recorded 3/10/1930.
From Songs of the Depression, Mojo CD-MOJO-311.
Ten cents a dance, that's what they
pay me,
Gosh, how they weigh me down!
Ten cents a dance, pansies and
rough guys,
Tough guys who tear my gown.
Seven to midnight I hear drums,
Loudly the saxaphone blows,
Trumpets are tearing my eardrums,
Customers crush my toes!
Sometimes I think I've found my
hero,
But it's a queer romance,
All that you need is a ticket,
Come on, big boy, ten cents a dance!
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Published 3/31/00.
Updated 1/1/01.
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