Down the Hall on a Saturday Night - By Peter Cape

New Zealand songwriter Peter Cape’s 1958 song ‘Down the hall on a Saturday night’ perfectly captured the atmosphere of a dance at a local country hall. The song mentions how the blokes rushed outside between dances to swig beer from a keg. The last two verses are:

I had a schottische with the tart from the butchers

Got stuck for a waltz with the constable’s wife

Had a beer from the keg on the cream-truck

And the cop had one too, you can bet your life.

Yeah, it’s great being out with the jokers
When the jokers are sparking and bright,
And it’s great giving cheek to the sheilas
Down the hall on a Saturday night.

Here's the full version:

Down the Hall on a Saturday Night - Peter Cape 1958

I got a new pair of grey strides,

I got a real Kiwi haircut,

A bit off the top, an' short back and sides.
Soon as I've tied up me guri,
Soon as I've swept out the yard,
Soon as I've hosed down me gumboots,
I'll be living it high and hitting it hard.
I'm gonna climb onto me tractor,
Gonna belt 'er out of the gate,

'Cause there's a hop on down at the hall,and

She starts sharp somewhere 'bout 1/2 past 8.

Look at the shielas cutting the supper

Look at the kids sliding over the floor

An' look at the great big bunch of jokers

Hanging 'round the door.

We've got the teacher to bash the pianna,

And Joe from the store on the drums.

We're as slick as the Orange* in Auckland

For whooping things up and making them hum.

I had a schottische with the tart from the butchers

Got stuck for a waltz with the constable's wife

Had a beer from the keg on the cream-truck

And the cop had one too, you can bet your life

Yeah, it's great being out with the jokers

When the jokers are sparking and bright,

And it's great giving cheek to the shielas

Down the hall on Saturday night