Ho! Ye Townsmen 1898 'The Enchantress'

by James Pitt-Payne, London UK - 14 Mar 2006
2006

Ho! Ye townsmen, ye clerks and ye gownsmen,
creatures of looks and of yardstick and trade,
bending you double with care and with trouble,
toiling with brain, or with pen, or with spade.
Ye play a game when the winners are losers.
He in the van is the soonest to die;
think ye that I would change places with you, sirs?
Thank ye, good slaves of the city;
Not I! Not I! Ha, ha, ha!
Not I! Ha, ha, ha! No!

What up with the sun and to work! No no!
You may do that; 'tis not my way.
What! keep within doorways and rot? O no!
That is for you! But I cry you nay.
If the slaves toil on, shall I?
In the dusk, in the dawn, shall I?
Let theirs be the strife but a lazy life
is a happier life I know. Ho, ho!
What! Work like the fools, oh no! Oh no!

Ye that labor at "beggar my neighbor"
all ye that chase for the willowisp fame,
while ye are hasting, your youth are wasting
idlers like me have the best of the game.
Mine are the joys that the best of you misses,
pleasure and leisure that aye pass you by;
mine is the true love, and mine are the kisses,
buy them as you do poor fools?
No, Not I! Not I! Ha, ha, ha!
Not I! Ha, ha, ha! No!

What! Waste all my life as you do? No no!
Toil is for slaves, 'tis not my way.
What! Buy all my joys for cash? O no!
Do it ye may; but I cry you nay.
Turn my blood to gold, shall I?
Let my young heart grow old, shall I?
To lie in the shade of a mossy glade
is a happier dream, I know. Ho, ho!
What! Work like the fools, oh no! Oh no!

Soft karaoke
Words
piano 1
piano 2
piano 3
piano 4
lyric
pizz str bass
*
Ho! Ye Townsmen 1898
from "The Enchantress"
Music by Victor Herbert
Lyrics by Harry B. Smith
© MDCCCXCVIII by M. Witmark & Sons.
*
sequence and karaoke by James Pitt-Payne, London UK
on Tuesday 14 March 2006 at 12.11
in association with Doug Grierson
*