From the musical “The Yankee Girl”, 1909.
Words and music by C. F. Zittel.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
1. You’ve seen them dance all kinds of dances
The Hootchie, Kootchie and the Lancers
The Virginia Reel and Highland Fling
The ever lovin’ Two step and the Buck and Wing
The Minuet and Palmer House Glide
Say “Goodbye” to all, and let them slide
Have the Music play a Lonesome Drag
And I’ll try to tell you how to do
“That Hypnotizing Rag”
CHORUS
First you take the lady by the hand
Then you lead her right up to the band
You look at her and giggle
As you give her waist a wiggle
What you do our say she’ll never understand
You must place her little head upon your chest
So she can’t count the buttons on your vest
When her movement starts to lag
And her eyes begin to fag
Then you’ve got her where you want her
And she’ll never want to saunter
From that Hip, Hip, Hypnotizing Rag
2. The Hypnotic Rag will be all the craze
It’s the only dance that really pays
For you hold her face close to your nose
You’ll never step upon her feet and hurt her toes
Talk about your connubial bliss
Vampire Waltz, and the dreamy Soul kiss
They’re not in it, and I do not brag
But it’s just like goin’ to Heaven
In “that Hypnotizing Rag”