Things We Are Not Supposed To Know 1907 'The Tattooed Man'

James Pitt-Payne, London UK - 23 Jan 2004

As we through life are going
we must not be too knowing,
to lots of things we have to close our eyes.
Don't take to seeing double,
and never look for trouble,
'tis very often folly to be wise.
Just cultivate repression,
and exercise discretion,
it's just as well to go a trifle slow.
Avoid all curious prying,
you'll learn without half trying
a lot of things you're not supposed to know.

You know and I know,
he knows and she knows
ev'ryone is wise enough
to know that it is so.
All the same you'd better keep mum,
just as if you're deaf and dumb,
whatever you think you slyly wink,
for you're not supposed to know.

If any politician
of moderate position,
receives a salary
that's far from great,
he's never known to stagnate.
Is in with ev'ry magnate,
we find him buying city real estate.
He gets two thousand yearly,
and he must starve or nearly
to save a hundred thou or so a year.
It quite excites our laughter,
we know he is a grafter,
but that's a thing
we're not supposed to know

You know and I know,
he knows and she knows
ev'ryone is wise enough
to know that it is so.
All the same you'd better keep mum,
just as if you're deaf and dumb,
whatever you think you slyly wink,
for you're not supposed to know.

When you are out adining
at smart cafés and winings,
you realize the funny things in life.
You see a girl quite clubby
with someone else's hubby,
and someone else is there with hubby's wife.
All smile and bow so sweetly.
They pass it over neatly,
suspicion it is wretched form to show.
But when at home we gather,
Is there a storm? well rather,
but that's a thing
we're not supposed to know..

You know and I know,
he knows and she knows
ev'ryone is wise enough
to know that it is so.
All the same you'd better keep mum,
just as if you're deaf and dumb,
whatever you think you slyly wink,
for you're not supposed to know.

Soft karaoke
Words
piano 1
piano 2
piano 3
piano 4
lyric
pizz str bass
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Things We Are Not Supposed To Know 1907
Lyrics by Harry B. Smith
Music by Victor Herbert
copyright MCMVII by M. Witmark & Sons
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sequence and karaoke by James Pitt-Payne, London UK
on Friday 23 January 2004 at 13.18
in association with Doug Grierson
*
Frank Daniels in Chas. Dillingham's Production
"The Tattooed Man." -  A Comic Opera.
Music by Victor Herbert. Lyrics by Harry B. Smith.
Book By Harry B. Smith and A.N.C. Fowler.
New York: M. Witmark & Sons, 1907.
*