The English Swell 1885

by James Pitt-Payne, London UK - 17 Nov 2008
2008

Perhaps you may wonder
why I dress so fine,
It's English, you know,
It's English.
With my longtailed coat
and my shoes number nine,
It's English, you know,
It's English.
My necktie and collar
so awfully nobby,
my cane batter'd silver Ah!
that is my hobby.
When I want a policeman
I call for a bobby,
It's English, you know,
It's English.

For It's English, It's English,
now don't you know,
and if you're not English
you're counted quite slow,
A single glass stuck in your eye,
just so,
The proper caper
it's English, you know.

When you see a man's hair
on his forehead in bangs,
It's English, you know,
It's English.
His brain is balanced
by the way his hair hangs,
It's English, you know,
It's English.
He announces himself
as "Lord Enry R. Noody"
He lisps and he drawls,
his actions are dudey,
Americans ape him
this sick looking booby,
It's English, you know,
It's English.

For It's English, It's English,
now don't you know,
and if you're not English
you're counted quite slow,
A single glass stuck in your eye,
just so,
The proper caper
it's English, you know.

The ladies all wear
their hair cut very short,
It's English, you know,
It's English.
And Derbies and Ulsters
of the masculine sort,
It's English, you know,
It's English.
They paint up their cheeks
to resemble the roses,
Wear Wankenfast shoes
to cover their toeses
and kiss their pug dogs
on the end of their noses,
It's English, you know,
It's English.

For It's English, It's English,
now don't you know,
and if you're not English
you're counted quite slow,
A single glass stuck in your eye,
just so,
The proper caper
it's English, you know.

Soft karaoke
Words
piano 1
piano 2
piano 3
piano 4
lyric
pizz str bass
*
The English Swell 1885
Lyrics by Lewis Dockstader
Music by John A.Armstrong
© 1885 by W.F.Shaw
*
sequence & karaoke by James Pitt-Payne, London UK
on Monday 17 November 2008 at 13.44
in association with Veda Meyer-Castens
*