I'll Bribe The Stars 1903 'Babette'

by James Pitt-Payne, London UK - 20 Mar 2006
2006

[Marcel:] My subject is so fair a creature,
no artist could her charm portray,
nor realize her grace of feature
on canvas or in moulded clay.
Her brow is purest alabaster,
her lips a poet's vain delight,
her smile defies the greatest master,
her eyes put talent all to flight,
still I will try
for love may guide my hand and eye,

I'll bribe the stars of heaven
for your bright eyes to pose
and take for your complexion
the lily and the rose,
then for your lips' perfection,
I'll borrow Cupid's bow,
if nature will assist me,
I'll paint your portrait so.

[Babette:] I love to hear your artless chatter
it seems to me so very quaint.
I do not pay you though to flatter,
I only pay you sir, to paint.
your compliments don't make me dizzy,
in vain your poetry you show'r.
I pray Sir painter do get busy,
for you're not working by the hour.
Proceed indeed
and to your work now please give heed.

Don't bribe the stars of heaven
for my eyes they won't pose,
don't take for my complexion
the lily or the rose;
my lips are not perfection
nor much like Cupid's bow,
a simple village maiden I am,
please paint me so!
A simple village maiden, I am
please paint me so!

Soft karaoke
Words
piano 1
piano 2
piano 3
piano 4
lyric
pizz str bass
*
I'll Bribe The Stars 1903
from "Babette"
Music by Victor Herbert
Lyrics by Harry B. Smith
© MCMIII by M. Witmark & Sons
*
sequence and karaoke by James Pitt-Payne, London UK
on Monday 20 March 2006 at 00.59
in association with Doug Grierson
*