A Chequer'd Career - 19th Century

Dr. Pitt-Payne in London UK - 05 Sept 2001

When I first was a civis
I studied humanity,
Cos and Sine show'd me
Life's utter inanity
Hegel and Kant prov'd that
all things were vanity,
all save a chequer'd career!

If the map of your life
in the deuce of a tatter be,
ev'ryone asking,
'Pray, who may your hatter be?'
Fortune refusing to smile
and to flatter,
be pleas'd with a chequer'd career.

So I next had a shy
at what men call Divinity;
That sort of thing for me
had no affinity,
B. D. I left for
who chose to go win it,
I kept on my chequer'd career.

If the map of your life
in the deuce of a tatter be,
ev'ryone asking,
'Pray, who may your hatter be?'
Fortune refusing to smile
and to flatter,
be pleas'd with a chequer'd career!

Behold me now
one of the Faculty legal
and learning
the Science of trick and inveigle,
but in it there's more
of the vulture than eagle;
much better a chequer'd career!

If the map of your life
in the deuce of a tatter be,
ev'ryone asking,
'Pray, who may your hatter be?'
Fortune refusing to smile
and to flatter,
be pleas'd with a chequer'd career.

At notebook and pencil
by no means a rawbones,
I landed at last
in the midst of the Sawbones;
Through hosts of smashed legs
and excised upper jawbones
I kept on my chequer'd career!

If the map of your life
in the deuce of a tatter be,
ev'ryone asking,
'Pray, who may your hatter be?'
Fortune refusing to smile
and to flatter,
be pleas'd with a chequer'd career.

In dreams I oft wonder
what next I may chance to be
Fiji Prime Minister?
Marshal of France to be?
Bashi Bazouk
with a tenfooteight lance to be?
Still on my chequer'd career!

If the map of your life
in the deuce of a tatter be,
ev'ryone asking,
'Pray, who may your hatter be?'
Fortune refusing to smile
and to flatter,
be pleas'd with a chequer'd career.

Soft karaoke
Words
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treble clef 2
lyric line
bass
Lyric Line
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A Cheqeur'd Career - 19th Century

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A Cheqeur'd Career - 19th Century
Words by Dr. Dr. David Rorie
Air - 'Oh Dear! What Can The Matter Be?' 18th Century
Sequenced for Piano by Dr. Pitt-Payne
in London UK on Wednesday 05 Sept 2001
in association with Doug Grierson
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© James Pitt-Payne, London UK, 2001
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