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No. 4 - Entrance and Song - Duke Rodolph

MIDI File

Chorus: Strew your posies odoriferous,
Through your noses sing!
With a welcome most vociferous
let the welkin ring;
If your joy is not uproarious
'Twill deserve rebuke,
For 'tis meet a greeting glorious
should await the Duke.
Hail! Rodolph, hail!
To thee our praises lyric,
Hail! Rodolph, hail!
We shout a panegyric.
Hail! Rodolph, hail!
Hail! Rodolph, hail!
All hail! all hail! all hail!
   
Rodolph: By my mien which is Byronic,
And my speech which is sardonic,
You may think I need a tonic,
But your theory is wrong.
I am merely misanthropic,
With a temper warm and tropic;
But all this is not the topic
Of this introduct'ry song.
You recall I was the lover
Of a girl who threw me over;
I'm beginning to recover
From the sting of Cupid's dart.
But in stern commemoration,
I have made some legislation
Which will keep in regulation
All affections of the heart.
Chorus: And this is the law, young people think is hideous,
Made by our Duke 'cause one girl was prefidious.
Rodolph: Love! Bah! Merest bosh and folly;
Moonshine and balderdash! Tommiest of rot!
Love! Bah! Love is never jolly.
Woman! I wouldn't give a copper for the lot.
All: Love! Bah! Merest bosh and folly;
Moonshine and balderdash! Tommiest of rot!
Love! Bah! Love is never jolly.
Woman! I wouldn't give a copper for the lot.
   
Rodolph: Till my laws had been enacted,
There was ne'er a tax exacted
From the silly fools attracted;
They could kiss and marry free;
But just now they're not so cheerful.
For they pay a tax that's fearful;
And their pray'rs for mercy tearful
Only cause me ghoulish glee.
If your silly heart is aching,
And you wish to be love-making,
It's the worst kind of law-breaking,
If no license you have got;
And a pair detected spooning,
Love-talk crooning or communing,
If they haven't got a license
Must be married on the spot.
Chorus: And this is the law, of tyranny the pinnacle,
Made by our Duke who's nothing if not cynical.
Rodolph: Love! Bah! Merest bosh and folly;
Moonshine and balderdash! Tommiest of rot!
Love! Bah! Love is never jolly.
Woman! I wouldn't give a copper for the lot.
All: Love! Bah! Merest bosh and folly;
Moonshine and balderdash! Tommiest of rot!
Love! Bah! Love is never jolly.
Woman! I wouldn't give a copper for the lot.

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Page modified 14 March 2017