Sides face, grand square
This old riverboat, racin' up the river
Keep her steady as we go
Think I hear the captain say
Full ahead we're on our way
Left allemande and weave the ring
Keep on a-movin', gotta beat old Dixie
Swing your girl, promenade her home
Way down the river, can't you hear old Dixie blow?

Heads promenade halfway, dancing on the levee
Hold her steady as we go
Square thru you know, four fathoms below
Pass thru, trade by
Star thru, load the boat
Go up the river, swing that corner, then
Promenade, you promenade her
It's up the river we go

Sides promenade, halfway around
Easy now, don't go aground
Square thru and go, one fathom below
Pass thru, trade by
Star thru, load the boat
Go up the river, swing that corner, then
Promenade, you promenade her
It's up the river we go

Sides face, grand square
This old riverboat, churning muddy water
Ease her down and take it slow
Can't you hear that rumbling sound?
Lord, I think we've run aground
Left allemande and weave the ring
Keep on a-movin', gotta beat old Dixie
Swing your girl, promenade her home
Way down the river can you hear old Dixie blow?

Heads promenade halfway, dancing on the levee
Hold her steady as we go
Square thru you know, three fathoms below
Pass thru, trade by
Star thru, load the boat
Go up the river, swing that corner, then
Promenade, you promenade her
It's up the river we go

Sides promenade halfway around
Can't you hear that rumblin' sound?
Square thru and go, no fathoms below
Pass thru, trade by
Star thru, load the boat
Lord, I think we've run aground
You'd better pray that it ain't so
Box the gnat and swing, promenade that ring
Ah, but when she's passin', we're risen' high on her swell

Sides face, grand square
These two riverboats, racin' up the river
Then old Dixie runs aground
There she stands high and dry
And we're walkin' right on by
Left allemande and weave the ring
Keep on a-movin', gotta beat old Dixie
Swing your girl, promenade her home
You promenade her
It's up the river we go