This
song comes from the Gilbert & Sullivan opera The Gondoliers.
The
opera is about two prospective kings with republican tendencies who are given a
little 'Gilbertian' advice from the Grand Inquisitor, Don Alhambra Del Bolero
(The Don!). Oh! that it were possible that any G&S opera could be so simple!
But more of that anon.
Our
two likely lads, erstwhile Venetian gondoliers, are getting
settled into their new Baratarian kingdom in a truly republican fashion when they get this
little pep talk from the horrified Don. It's all a bit of a mix-up really but that's
a detail for the full web-site to pick up - it all ends happily.
For the time being enjoy the romp with The Don, Marco and Giuseppe, and take in a little
of Don Alhambra's (or is it Gilbert's) philosophy . . .
There
Lived A King
Solo-'The Don': There
lived a king, as I've been told,
In the wonder working days of old,
When hearts were twice as good as gold,
And twenty times as mellow.
Good temper triumphed in his face,
And in his heart he found a place
For all the erring human race
And ev'ry wretched fellow.
When he had rhenish wine to drink
It made him very sad to think
That some, at junket or at jink,
Must be content with toddy
Duet chorus: With to----ddy,
Must be content with toddy.
Solo- He wish'd all men as rich as
he
(And he was as rich as rich could be),
So to the top of ev'ry tree
Promoted ev'ry body
Chorus: Now that's the kind of King
for me
He wished all men as rich as he,
So to the top of ev'ry tree
Promoted ev'ry body!
Solo- Lord
Chancellors were cheap as sprats,
And Bishops in their shovel hats,
Were plentiful as tabby cats,
In point of fact, too many.
Ambassadors cropped up like hay,
Prime Ministers and such as they
Grew like asparagus in May,
And Dukes were three a penny.
On ev'ry side Field Marshals gleam'd,
Small beer were Lords Lieutenant deem'd,
With Admirals the ocean teem'd,
All round his wide dominions.
Chorus: With A---dmirals
around his wide dominions.
Solo- And Party Leaders you
might meet
In twos and threes in ev'ry street
Maintaining with no little heat,
Their various opinions.
Chorus: Now that's a sight you
couldn't beat
Two party leaders in each street,
Maintaining with no little heat,
Their various opinions!
That
King, although no one denies
His heart was of abnormal size,
Yet he'd have acted otherwise
If he had been acuter.
The end is easily foretold,
When ev'ry blessed thing you hold
Is made of silver, or of gold,
You long for simple pewter.
When you have nothing else to wear
But cloth of gold and satins rare,
For cloth of gold you cease to care
Up goes the price of shoddy.
Chorus: Of Sho---ddy
Up goes the price of shoddy.
Solo- In short, whoever you may be,
To this conclusion you'll agree,
When everyone is somebodee,
Then no-one's anybody!
Chorus: Now that's as plain, as
plain can be,
To this conclusion we agree,
All together now: When
everyone is somebodee,
Then no-one's anybody!
I dedicate
this arrangement of There Lived a King to Sidney Hill, who was
one of the finest basses I have had the pleasure of working with. JEA.
Let's
now look into why I
Was Glad . . .
