Lindy Hop, Lindy Lou

[Stephen Goranson]

OED has 1931 for the Lindy Hop. According to the following, a dancer, Shorty
George Snowden, made up the name in 1928 in Harlem:

http://www.savoystyle.com/shorty_george.html

I don't know if that's true, but that Lindy was a nickname for Lindberg seems
uncontroversial, which may be worth considering in evaluating Spencer
Williams'
song "Oh! Mister Mitchell" (sung in NYC by Clara Smith) which may refer to
former-General and pilot Billy Mitchell, since 1926 "Mister" Mitchell. The
character in the song (that has possibly the oldest cite of
"poon-tang"), Lindy
Lou, may (for whatever reason, if anything besides novelty) refer to a second
flyer, Lou perhaps a reference to the Spirit of St. Louis.

Stephen Goranson

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