Introduced in the 1923 show “Runnin’ Wild”
words by Cecil Mack
music by Jimmy Johnson
The original of all Charlestons. It started a dance craze.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment:
Lyrics
“Carolina, Carolina, at last
They’ve got you on the map
With a new tune, funny blue tune
With a peculiar snap”
You may not be able to buck or wing
Foxtrot, two-step, or even sing
If you ain’t got religion in your feet
You can do this prance and do it neat
Refrain
Charleston! Charleston! made in Carolina
Some dance, some prance, I’ll say
There’s nothing finer than the
Charleston, Charleston, Lord how you can shuffle
Every step you do, leads to something new
Man, I’m telling you, it’s a lapazoo
Buck dance, wing dance, will be a back number
But the Charleston, the new Charleston
That dance is surely a comer
Some time you’ll dance it one time
The dance called the Charleston
Made in South Caroline”
Sung here by Fred Feild: