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The Pagemeister

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Since I've Been Loving You

Auckland, NZ 2-25-72

So very clear and a fantastic performance. I've often found SIBLY to be recorded so well on many audience tapes. I guess because of the lowered volume coming from the stage. I easily enjoy these downunder concerts as much as ANY Millard recording (at least the Adelaide and Auckland shows), and even moreso of the performances themselves.

Edited by Devil's Haircut
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Mess Around - Ray Charles B)B)B)

Mess Around by Ray Charles

The Mess Around

Virgin Islands pre 1912 Swing / Folk

An African-American Vernacular Dance. The first written mention of 'the Mess Around' in song came from Perry Bradford in 1912, however Bradford is qouted as saying that it was around for a few years before he wrote the song. The song became a small hit when Ethel Waters sang it on the T.O.B.A. Circuit. The song suggests the dance came from a gal named the Mojo Queen, the shimmyist Gal ever seen... Went down to the Virgin Islands and learned the native style.

This dance consists of a rather complex step rather than a dance routine. The key movement is the 'Twist': Your hands go on your hips, the pelvis or backside, then move your hips in a wide horizontal circular motion, all the while doing a rhythmic bounce on the ball of the feet .... trying to keep the rest of the body quiet (still) that's the Mess Around.

The dance was used alot by many dancers and singers of the day in their performances as well as the general African-American dance population. The Black Bottom song written in 1926 by Desylva, Brown and Henderson mentions the Louisiana Mess Around which is the same as above only done on the Heels rather than the balls of the feet.

The dance became extremely popular over the years and was revitalized in the 1950s by Ray Charles in his version of the song. The Swing dance version it is basically a lean forward towards your partner, then lean away, for 8 counts, then repeat in the other direction, both leans using a slight bounce with a slow contra body hip roll, can be done in double time rhythm as well, arms can be up, middle or down or mixture, plus other variations can be done.

Virgin Islands pre 1912 Swing / Folk

http://www.streetswing.com/histmain/z3mess_around1.htm

Edited by eternal light
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