Mexican Hat Dance

Allan Sherman

Oh Americans dance on a dance floor
And the Spaniards, they dance on a table
And the Russians, they dance on a saber
But the Mexicans dance on their hats

Oh they dance on hot coals in Calcutta
In Wisconsin they dance on fresh butta,
Which they squeeze from one cow or anutta
Yes, the Mexicans dance on their hats

(Ole!)

There are Mexicans dancing on derbies
There are Mexicans dancing on caps
They just throw their fedoras
Wherever the floor is,
And start doing horas and taps

They won't quit! They go on!
It's a Mexican custom,
To take hats and bust 'em,
By doing a dance thereupon

Oh the reason they shot Pancho Villa
Was he danced on his mother's mantilla
And the message did not reach Garcia
He was out somewhere dancing on hats

(Ole!)

There's a fellow in West Acapulco,
The most elegant man you could meet
He does sambas on hombergs
To tunes of Sig Romberg's,
And sometimes the Nutcracker Suite

So take care! So beware!
Or they'll put castanets on
And ruin your Stetson,
'Cause they all think they're Fred Astaire!

If you're ever in Mexico proper,
And you're wearing a straw hat or topper,
When the band starts to play, call a copper,
'Cause by now you should know
That they'll grab your chapeau, and they'll stomp till it's flat,
And that's that!

That's what Mexicans do on your hat

(Ole!)