[Dixielandjazz] Ballin' the Jack (was Hanky Panky)

[David Dustin]

Nancie nominates this song for the time-honored theme of Doin¹ It. Despite
the suggestive name, Ballin¹ the Jack was an old American railroad term
which had nothing to do with Œit¹ and everything to do with running fast
through certain stops and junctions following the Œballs¹ which were signal
lights on semaphore arms, which I think became known as Œjacks¹. From
vaudeville sprang a tap-dance step (became a Lindy Hop step as well) and the
jazz song that memorializes this terminology. I am sure there are railroad
buffs out there in OKOM land who can definitively explain the origin of this
American slang phrase.

Lovin¹ it,
David Dustin