18 ME Duet (Wilkins and Simkins) 1902 'Merrie England'

Dr. Pitt-Payne in London UK - 18 Apr 2003

[Wilkins:] I may be wrong,
but I long for a song
with a tune that a man can march to,
that will make you shout,
when you feel washed out,
and your courage
will lend some starch to.
Of course I know such a taste is low,
yet there's many a mind may plumb it;
for what on earth can be the worth
of a tune, if a man can't hum it,
[Both:] Of a tune
if a man can't hum it? Ah!
[Wilkins:] Then come, come, follow the drum,
tho' it's music mayn't be grand!
Tho' the words be Dutch,
let the tune be such
as a Briton can understand;
And whether it be
a song of the sea,
or a lay of the good dry land,
Let Art go hang if the tune go bang,
when it's played on
a Big Brass Band,
when it's played on a Big Brass Band!
Boom, Zing, Boom, Zing,
Boom, Zing, Boom.

[Simkins:] In nowadays,
our musical plays,
should be very peculiar salads,
of simple sounds,
from merrygorounds,
with occasional third rate ballads.
If these you mix with big drum sticks,
and serve with a big brass ladle,
little critical boys
will applaud your noise
as soon as they leave the cradle,
[Both:] As soon as they
leave the cradle. Ah!
[Simkins:] Singing, come, come,
follow the drum,
tho' it's music mayn't be grand!
Tho' the words be Dutch,
let the tune be such
as a Briton can understand;
And whether it be
a song of the sea,
or a lay of the good dry land,
Let Art go hang if the tune go bang,
when it's played on
a Big Brass Band,
when it's played on a Big Brass Band!

[Both:] When it's played
on a Big Brass Band,
When it's played on a Big Brass Band.
Let Art go hang
if the tune go bang,
when it's played on a Big Brass Band,
When it's played
on a Big Brass Band.

[Both:] Ta, ra, ra, ra, ra,
Ta, ra, ra, ra, ra, ra,
Ta, ra, ra, ra, ra, ra, ra,
Ta, ra, ra, ra, ra, ra, ra,
Let the tune be such
that a Briton can understand.
And whether it be
a song of the sea,
or a lay of the good dry land,
Let Art go hang,
if the tune go bang,
when it's played on a Big Brass Band,
when it's played on a Big Brass Band.
On a Big Brass Band.

Soft karaoke
Words
str 25
str 50
str 110
fr hrn 60
brass 75
flute
tymp
bassoon
clarinet
piano t clef
oboe
pizz str
*
18 ME Duet 1902
Music by Sir Edward German
Lyrics by Capt. Basil Hood
copyright MCMII by Chappell and Co.
sequence and karaoke by Dr. Pitt-Payne in London UK
on Saturday 19 April 2003 at 10.19
in association with Doug Grierson
*