Letters I Write All Day 1903 Babette

by James Pitt-Payne, London UK - 31 Mar 2007
2007

In pursuit of my profession
many letters strange I write
sometime 'tis a love confession
sometimes challenges to fight,
Comes a fair young Village beauty
fears her lover told her lies,
bids me write for her a letter
scarce can speak for sobs and sighs:
"Ah! Dear sweetheart (thus she dictates)
why O why have you grown cold?
I've no letter for a week now please,
please do not think me bold,
you well know how I adore you!
Don't you love me any more?
Oh, come back dear I implore you
but I fear I am a bore,
I am a bore, I am a bore.

Letters, letters, letters, letters,
letters I write all the day.
letters, letters, pen and ink fetters
some of them sad some gay
letters, letters, letters, letters,
some ask for love, some for cash,
letters, letters, letters, letters,
joyous, sad or gay.

There's the landlord who's a miser,
and is weazen weak and old,
and he does not know what love is
save the sordid love of gold,
hand shakes so he can't write letters
so to me he always comes,
and he threatens prison fetters,
for the debt of trifling sums.

Pay old man, or go to prison,
come now quickly make your choice,
where's that money that you owe me
he dictates in squeaky voice;
What! you wife is old and sickly?
You'll pay in a week or so?
I've heard that before too often,
come! pay up or out you go!

Letters, letters, letters, letters,
letters I write all the day.
letters, letters, pen and ink fetters
some of them sad some gay
letters, letters, letters, letters,
some ask for love, some for cash,
letters, letters, letters, letters,
joyous, sad or gay.

There's a soldier bold and handsome
full of swagger and moustache.
He can write but too much trouble!
Pens? Oh, bah! the sword he'll clash.
He's insulted someone stopped him
when a girl he tried to kiss,
was her brother? Bah no matter!
he shall die, the rogue, for this.

Write my girl
Monsieur I'll meet you
In the forest nook hard by,
bring your second no! no doctor,
one or both of us must die,
Write my girl and send it post haste,
to that slave without delay,
I have never brooked an insult
at a word I thrust and slay!
Ha! Write my girl
Monsieur I'll meet you
In the forest nook hard by,
bring your second no! no doctor,
one or both of us must die,
Write my girl and send it post haste
to that slave without delay,
I have never brooked an insult
at a word I thrust and slay!

Soft karaoke
Words
piano 1
piano 2
piano 3
piano 4
lyric
pizz str bass
*
Letters I Write All The Day 1903
Music by Victor Herbert
Lyrics by Harry B. Smith
from "Babette"
© 1903 by M.Witmark & Sons
*
sequence & karaoke by James Pitt-Payne, London UK
on Saturday 31 March 2007 at 12.21am
in association with Doug Grierson
*