Over 40 years ago, I saw a reference in a pop music book to "The Cinnamon Cinder (It's A Very Nice Dance)" by The Pastel Six. I thought, "That's the most polite parenthetical song title I think I've ever seen. I wonder what the song sounds like."
Yesterday, I finally found out, and the song has been on my mental loop since then. KISN, an oldies station in Portland, Oregon, played it as its lost oldie of the day. The title's courteous vibe extends to the song, as well. In the lyrics, dancers are invited to use whatever steps they want for the Cinnamon Cinder; the lyrics, "It's a very nice dance," are spoken during each chorus to underscore how welcoming the dance is.
That soft sell of an invitation charted in 1963. Although it isn't a song I'd seek out regularly, The Pastel Six deserve credit for the appealing civility of the tune's title and lyrics.
