The Tears Shed In London Tonight 1926

Dr. Pitt-Payne in London UK - 18 Dec 2003

Wicked London, dreadful London,
dark and dismal, damp and drear;
While I grope 'mid vice and squalor,
what is that loud noise I hear?
Seven million sad hearts breaking,
hear them breaking with a thud;
Seven million sad eyes weeping
Turn your London dust to mud.

Tears, tears, sorrowful tears
are falling in London Town.
Tears of anguish and misery
fall while you're filling up Schedule D.
In tears we could float Britain's Navy.
And Patriots say with delight:
"We could drown all
our members of Parliament, too
in the tears shed in London tonight.

Tears, tears, sorrowful tears
are falling in London Town.
Tears of misery down your chin,
fall like the horses you've backed to win.
The Channel is chock full of swimmers
but little Miss Ederle's all right
She will dive from St. Paul's
and swim down Ludgate Hill
in the tears shed in London tonight.

See the painted, powdered women
in the underworld below;
Tears that trickle down their faces
turn their powder into dough.
Morris Oxfords groan with anguish,
Ford Twoseaters writhe in pain.
While the chauffeurs' tears are washing
Baby Austins down the drain.

Tears, tears, sorrowful tears
are falling in London Town.
Tears no hankies on earth could wipe,
fall and put out Mr. Baldwin's pipe.
The traveller orders a whisky
and says: "This is not Black and White!"
says the Barmaid: "What is it?"
says he: "Well it tastes
like the tears shed in London tonight.

Tears, tears, sorrowful tears
are falling in London Town.
Tears of misery, salt and wet,
Fall when we think of our Yankee debt.
There's Selfridge's Basement all flooded,
But Mackintosh toffee's all right,
"Thank Heaven," says Edgar,
"My partner's a Swan
in the tears shed in London tonight.

What's the cause of all this trouble?
Let us thrash the matter out.
Look at it and let us face it,
there it is, without a doubt.
Analyze it and you've got it,
you can see the reason why,
London weeps because she's wet
and New York snivels 'cause she's dry.

Tears, tears, sorrowful tears
are falling in London Town.
Tears of misery, and dismay
fall like the houses they build today.
There's no bright signs in Piccadilly,
Says the Scotsman: "There isn't a light.
if we can't see the Pictures
we'll have a salt bath
in the tears shed in London tonight.

Tears, tears, sorrowful tears
are falling in London Town.
Tears of misery, tears of pain,
fall though the Ashes are back again.
When Suzanne comes back to play tennis,
and not feeling any too bright
and she snivels as well,
we shall build a Noah's Ark
in the tears shed in London tonight.

Soft karaoke
Words
str 25
str 50
str 110
fr hrn 60
brass 75
flute
timp
bassoon
clarinet
piano t clef
oboe
pizz str
glock
tenor sax
harp
drum
*
The Tears Shed In London Tonight 1926
by R.P.Weston and Bert Lee
copyright 1926 by Francis, Day and Hunter
sequence and karaoke by James Pitt-Payne, London UK
on Thursday 18 December 2003 at 13.40
in association with Doug Grierson
*
A song composed at the Time of the General Strike of 1926
which brought our country to a grinding halt.....
*