Taking My Ease 1879

by James Pitt-Payne, London UK - 10Mar2025
2025

I have made it my rule
since the day I was born
to treat ev'ry trouble
and bother with scorn,
and I pass thro' this world
in an indolent way,
mixing with either the quiet or gay.
All society's rules I strictly defy
to save myself worry
I always will try.
Studiously meaning
myself first to please,
taking things easy boys,
taking my ease.

Taking my ease,
taking my ease,
doing whatever
I happen to please,
taking my ease, taking my ease,
taking things easy, boys,
taking my ease.

I have found out 'tis well
that I riches possess,
they win for me many a smile and caress
and ev'ry sweet damsel
that I chance to see,
conjures a smile
as a welcome to me.
Of course the dear creatures
I greatly admire,
tho' I scarcely can do
the one thing they require,
for marriage is ev'ry detail disagree,
with taking things easy, boys,
taking my ease.

Taking my ease,
taking my ease,
doing whatever
I happen to please,
taking my ease, taking my ease,
taking things easy, boys,
taking my ease.

To balls or to routs,
why I never can go,
for I look on such things
as remarkably slow,,
and all of these seem
with each other in league,
trying how they can a fellow fatigue.
Billiards and Pool
I just tolerate,
and sometimes in Winter
I fancy a skate,
the girls often chaff me
and say I shall freeze,
taking things easy, boys,
taking my ease.

Taking my ease,
taking my ease,
doing whatever
I happen to please,
taking my ease, taking my ease,
taking things easy, boys,
taking my ease.

I over endeavour to
"act on the square"
doing the thing that is manly and fair,
turning my back on all prejudice pride,
caring for nought
what e'er may betide.
giving to others
what I can afford,
instead of preferring
my spare gold to hoard,
passing through life
so ev'ryone sees
taking things easy, boys,
taking my ease.

Taking my ease,
taking my ease,
doing whatever
I happen to please,
taking my ease, taking my ease,
taking things easy, boys,
taking my ease.

Soft karaoke
Words
piano 1
piano 2
piano 3
piano 4
lyric
pizz str bass
*
Taking My Ease 1879
by Alfred Leighton Esq. aka The Great Vance
© 1897 by Hopwood & Crew
*
sequence & karaoke by James Pitt-Payne, London UK
on Monday 10 March 2025 at 15.40
in association with Torquil Syme
*
James Pitt-Payne