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The Worlds of Gilbert and Sullivan

The song from The Rose of Persia we have chosen for this edition of MusicSmiles is sung by Yussuf, a professional story teller. His philosophy of life is explained in the song - I Care Not If The Cup I Hold. 

Feel free to sing along to Arthur and Basil's happy drinking song -  Cheers! Down the hatch!  Bottoms up! à votre santé! Zum wohl!  Prost! and above all: Your good health! . . .

In the show the song commences with the recitative 'Peace be upon this house' . . .

Drinking Song
(I Care Not If The Cup I Hold)

Intro  . . .

I care not if the cup I hold
Be one of fair design,
Of crystal, silver, or of gold-
If it containeth wine,
And humble horn will I not scorn
If it do carry wine.
Fill high! Drink dry!
The cup doth matter nought I trow,
If only it be deep e-now!
Ah! . . . . . . . .

For, though the cup be earthen bowl,
'Twill hold the juice of grape!
Then up, up, up-
And judge the soul,
And not the outward shape!
....................
For, though the cup be earthen bowl,
'Twill hold the juice of grape!
Then up, up, up-
And judge the soul,
And not the outward shape!

I care not how a man be clad,
Or who a man may be,
If he be one to make me glad
To share his company.
Oh! nought I care what he may wear
While he's good company!
Fill high! Drink dry!
For royal wine may sparkle in
Your clumsy clay or crystal thin!
Ah! . . . . . . . .

For, though the cup be earthen bowl,
'Twill hold the juice of grape!
Then up, up, up-
And judge the soul,
And not the outward shape!
....................

For, though the cup be earthen bowl,
'Twill hold the juice of grape!
Then up, up, up-
And judge the soul,
And not the outward shape!

Now for another great composer and his beautiful music, including arguably the greatest drinking song . . .

( Click number to view statistics > > >). Scribe thanks all our  223,547 MusicSmiles visitors up to beginning of September, 2010. 

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