"Jingle Bells" - Part 69 - Keeping Up with Jonesy!

We swing back to the country music field for another look at "Jingle Bells" as a square dance!

We had heard a couple of square dance versions of the tune before, but now we hear it as called by the outstanding Fenton "Jonesy" Jones, as recorded in the early 1950s for MacGregor label:

That's pretty fun!

What I think is also fun is that MacGregor also released a version with just the music by Stan James and the Valley Boys so you could channel your inner Jonesy:

That is so catchy!

I'm guessing that the backing track was recorded first, then Jonesy did his thing via multi-tracking, but who knows?

Jonesy was apparently a big deal in the square dance world and it appears he was a charter member of the Square Dance Hall of Fame in 1961!

Jonesy recorded a number of records for MacGregor, including this non-traditional 1952 number:

I'd say he sings more than calls, but whatever the case, he has a nice voice. Reminds me of Tex Williams, I think.

I really do appreciate that MacGregor also released the Stan James instrumental backing of this song on its own:

I kind of have a thing for songs that include clothing in the title such as, say, "Black Slacks" by Joe Bennett and the Sparkletones, as well as songs that have brand names in the title, such as "A Rose and a Baby Ruth" by George Hamilton IV, so "Levi's, Plaid Shirt and Spurs" can't be beat!

Being that I'm now mildly obsessed with Jonesy, as I dig through more of his records, the Tex Williams thing really comes into play with Jonesy's reworking of Tex's smash hit "Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)" backed this time by Rusty's Riders from 1953:

That's fascinating to me!

Of course we need to hear the 1947 original by Tex Williams and his Western Caravan on Capitol Records:

I can't hear that enough!

Being that I grew up in a non-rural area, most of what I know about the whole square dance concept comes from movies and TV, where it was often looked upon somewhat condescendingly, as if it's entertainment for people who are too unsophisticated to appreciate other forms of entertainment.

But hearing these records representing the real deal, I think it seems like fun. 

And is it really that different from Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig dancing to Sir Roger de Coverly?