Polly Want a Cracker 1900 'Foxy Quiller'

James Pitt-Payne, London UK - 19 Nov 2004

There once was an ancient parrot
with a very ready tongue,
who sympathized with every joyous thing;
this aged pet did not forget
that he had once been young,
and he often said
that youth must have its fling.
With in this parrot's family,
there lived a pretty Miss
who had a suitor rich,
but old and fat.
When this amatory baldhead
knelt and begged a tiny kiss,
cried the parrot: "Break away!
I'm on to that!"

Ha, ha, ha, ha! Absurd!
But a most convenient bird.

Polly want a cracker?
Pretty Polly, Witty Polly,
Instinct with the critter was sublime,
he was full of rhyme and reason,
always had a word in season,
coming in just at the proper time.

Polly, pretty Polly!
Fond of youth and fond of folly,
full of conversation all the day,
he was up to snuff, that parrot,
and his brain was eighteen carat,
for he knew the thing to say,
knew the proper thing to say.

A nice young man adored that girl,
a very pretty youth.
The parrot seeing him said:
"He's all right!"
That youth adored but spoke not,
said the parrot: "Tell the truth!"
He was bashful,
said the parrot: "Hold her tight!"
When he sat too far away
the parrot said: "O, you're too slow,"
and with the gas high yelled:
"Turn out the light!"
When this eager youth
embraced her hard
and gave her several smacks,
then the parrot chuckled loud:
"You're out of sight!"

Ha, ha, ha, ha! Absurd!
But a most convenient bird.

Polly want a cracker?
Pretty Polly, Witty Polly,
Instinct with the critter was sublime,
he was full of rhyme and reason,
always had a word in season,
coming in just at the proper time.

Polly, pretty Polly!
Fond of youth and fond of folly,
full of conversation all the day,
he was up to snuff, that parrot,
and his brain was eighteen carat,
for he knew the thing to say,
knew the proper thing to say.

Soft karaoke
Words
piano 1
piano 2
piano 3
piano 4
lyric
pizz str bass
*
Polly Want a Cracker 1900
Music by Reginald de Koven
Libretto by Harry B. Smith
As Performed by The Klaw & Erlanger Opera Co.
"Foxy Quiller" - A Comic Opera in Three Acts.
© 1900 by Edward Schuberth & Co., 23 Union Square, N.Y.
*
sequence and karaoke by James Pitt-Payne, London UK
on Friday 19 November 2004 at 21.27
in association with Doug Grierson
*