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The Worlds of Gilbert and Sullivan

The Ever-green star of stage and screen Joyce Grenfell created a reply to Come Into the Garden Maud, it is well worth obtaining a copy of one of her discs to hear it. It is almost certainly available.  Enjoy the fun - why not ask your local library, and listen to her wonderful rendition. 

This song was written for the review Penny Plain in 1951, by Joyce and her cousin Nicholas Phipps. It was intended as a parody on the popular Victorian song: Come Into the Garden Maud by Tennyson and Balfe. Was it a success? Well, what do you think? Would Balfe have liked it? You bet! Would Tennyson have been impressed? We'll leave that to your imagination. 

We are told that Joyce wore white net gloves and a demure dress copied from a portrait of her grandmother painted by John Singer Sargent. In the meantime here is a MusicSmiles version of the lyrics as a to tribute the great Miss Grenfell, and so that we can savour her masterpiece.

A Moment with Tennyson

Maud won't come into the garden.
Maud is compelled to state
Though you stand for hours
In among the flowers
Down by the garden gate.
Maud won't come into the garden.
Sing to her as you may - 
Maud says she begs your pardon
But she wasn't born yesterday.

Maud's not coming into the garden
Thanking you just the same.
Though she looks so pure
You can be quite sure
She's onto your little game.
Maud knows she's being damping - 
(And how damp you already must be)
But Maudie is now decamping
To her lovely hot-water B.

You couldn't really seriously think that
Maud is going to be such a sucker as to come into the garden.
Flowers set her teeth on edge.
And she's much too old for a strangle-hold
In a prickly privet hedge.
Pray stand while your arteries harden
It won't do the slightest good.
Maud is NOT coming into the garden,
And you're mad to have thought she would!

And now for the Spring Flowers . . .!

OR another sing through The Eternal Pop Song ?

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