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The Worlds of Gilbert and Sullivan

Soon after the first performance  of Iolanthe, two numbers were cut from the show. One of these, had no music and was spoken by Lord Mountarat. This was the other ¹. It was a song for Strephon, and the cut was a complete surprise to the cast and audiences².

One can see from the opening recitative that Strephon is bent on mischief³. The sort of mischief that delighted Gilbert's new-found intellectual audiences⁴. The music, set in the lovely key of A minor, is also well worth a second hearing.

The Song's title could well be: My Bill Has Now Been Read . . . or Fold Your Flapping Wings. We have called it:

Fold Your Wings

Recit: My Bill has now been read a second time:
His ready vote no member now refuses;
In verity I wield a power sublime,
And one that I can turn to mighty uses!
What joy, to carry in the very teeth
Of ministry, cross-bench and opposition,
Some rather urgent measures
Quite beneath the ken of patriot and politician!

Fold your flapping wings,
Soaring legislature!
Stoop to little things,
Stoop to human nature!
Never need to roam,
Members patriotic,
Let's begin at home
Crime is no exotic!
Bitter is your bane
Terrible your trials,
Dingy Drury Lane!
Soap-less seven dials!
. . . . . . .
Take a tipsy lout, gather'd from the gutter,
Hustle him about, strap him to a shutter:
What am I but he, wash'd at hours stated,
Fed on filagree, cloth'd and educated?
He's a mark of scorn, I might be another,
If I had been born of a tipsy mother!
. . . . . . .
Take a wretched thief, through the city sneaking,
Pocket handkerchief ever, ever seeking:
What is he but I robb'd of all my chances,
Picking pockets by force of circumstances?
I might be as bad, as unlucky, rather,
If I'd only ha . .d Fagin for a father!

It leaves one with interesting thoughts, don't you think . . .?

What about shaking (smiling?) with   The Nightmare Song next . . .?

1.    Footnote: For further information about this song see Rees & Spencer in the MusicSmiles bibliography. Return to story.

2.    Footnote: Unfortunately this number was deleted before it was published in this Country's vocal score. However, it survived long enough to appear in the American edition. Return to story.

3.    Footnote: The song was originally positioned in Act Two, after the trio If You Go In.

4.    Footnote:

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