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The Gondoliers

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No. 9: CHORUS & SONG (Tessa)

"Bridegroom and Bride...
When a merry maiden marries"

Midi Symbol


1967 D'Oyly Carte Production

Enter Gondoliers and Contadine, followed by Marco, Gianetta, Giuseppe, and Tessa.

Gondoliers & Contadine.
Bridegroom and bride!
Knot that's insoluble,
Voices all voluble
Hail it with pride.
Bridegroom and bride!
We in sincerity
Wish you prosperity,
Bridegroom and bride!
We in sincerity
Wish you prosperity,
Bridegroom and bride!
Bridegroom and bride!
Tessa.
When a merry maiden marries,
Sorrow goes and pleasure tarries;
Every sound becomes a song,
All is right, and nothing's wrong!
From to-day and ever after
Let our tears be tears of laughter.
Every sigh that finds a vent
Be a sigh of sweet content!
When you marry, merry maiden,
Then the air with love is laden;
Every flower is a rose,
Every goose becomes a swan,
Every kind of trouble goes
Where the last year's snows have gone!
Jessie Bond, the original Tessa, 1889

Tessa. Chorus.
Sunlight takes the place of shade Sunlight takes the place of shade
When you marry, merry maid! When you marry, merry maid!
  When a merry maiden marries,
Sorrow goes and pleasure tarries;
Every sound becomes a song,
All is right, and nothing's wrong!
Every sound becomes a song,
All is right, and nothing's wrong!

Tessa.
When a merry maiden marries,
Sorrow goes and pleasure tarries;
Every sound becomes a song,
All is right, and nothing's wrong.
Gnawing Care and aching Sorrow,
Get ye gone until to-morrow;
Jealousies in grim array,
Ye are things of yesterday!
When you marry, merry maiden,
Then the air with joy is laden;
All the corners of the earth
Ring with music sweetly played,
Worry is melodious mirth,
Grief is joy in masquerade;
Catherine Ferguson as Tessa, c. 1920
Tessa. Chorus.
Sullen night is laughing day — Sullen night is laughing day —
Ah! All the year is merry May!
All the year is merry May! All is merry May!
All the year is merry May!  
Merry, merry May, merry, merry May, Merry, merry May,
All the year is merry,  
merry May! is May!

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