[Part I, Sighing Softly to the River]
[MAJOR-GENERAL]
Sighing softly to the river
Comes the loving breeze,
Setting nature all a'quiver,
Rustling through the trees
[CHORUS OF PIRATES]
Through the trees.
[MAJOR-GENERAL]
And the brook, in rippling measure,
Laughs for very love,
While the poplars, in their pleasure,
Wave their arms above.
[CHORUS OF PIRATES]
Yes, the trees, for very love,
Wave their leafy arms above.
[MAJOR-GENERAL & CHORUS OF PIRATES]
River, river, little river,
May thy loving prosper ever!
Heaven speed thee, poplar tree,
May thy wooing happy be;
Heaven speed thee, poplar tree,
May thy wooing happy be!
[MAJOR-GENERAL]
Yet, the breeze is but a rover,
When he wings away,
Brook and poplar mourn a lover
Sighing, "Well-a-day!"
[CHORUS OF PIRATES]
Well-a-day!
[MAJOR-GENERAL]
Ah! the doing and undoing,
That the rogue could tell!
When the breeze is out a-wooing,
Who can woo so well?
[CHORUS OF PIRATES]
Shocking tales the rogue could tell,
Nobody can woo so well.
[MAJOR-GENERAL & CHORUS OF PIRATES]
Pretty brook, thy dream is over,
For thy love is but a rover;
Sad the lot of poplar trees,
Courted by a fickle breeze,
Sad the lot of poplar trees,
Courted by a fickle breeze!
[Part II, Now What Is This, And What Is That?]
[CHORUS OF GIRLS]
Now what is this and what is that?
And why does father leave his bed
At such a time of night as this,
So very incompletely dress'd?
Dear father is, and always was,
The most methodical of men;
it's his invariable rule
To go to bed at half-past ten
What strange occurrence can it be
That calls dear father from his rest
At such a time of night as this
So very incompletely dressed,
So very incompletely dressed,
At such a time of night?
[PIRATE KING]
Forward, my men, and seize that general there. His life is over!
[CHORUS OF GIRLS]
The pirates! The pirates!
Oh despair!
[CHORUS OF PIRATES]
Yes, we're the pirates;
So despair!
[MAJOR-GENERAL]
Frederic, here!
Oh joy! Oh rapture!
Summon your men and effect their capture!
[MABEL]
Frederic, save us!
[FREDERIC]
Beautiful Mabel, I would if I could,
But I am not able!
[CHORUS OF PIRATES]
He's telling the truth, he is not able
[PIRATE KING]
With base deceit you work up on our feelings;
Revenge is sweet, and flavors all our dealings;
With outrage rare, and resolution manly,
For death prepare, unhappy Gen'ral Stanley
[MABEL]
Is he to die, unshriven, unanneald?
[CHORUS OF GIRLS]
Oh, spare him!
[MABEL]
Will no one in his cause a weapon wield?
[CHORUS OF GIRLS]
Oh, spare him!
[CHORUS OF POLICE]
Yes, we are here, though hitherto conceal'd
[CHORUS OF GIRLS]
Oh, rapture!
[CHORUS OF POLICE]
Lo, to our powers pirate quickly yield!
[CHORUS OF GIRLS]
Oh rapture!
[Part III, You/We Triumph now][CHORUS OF PIRATES]
We triumph now, for well,
Your mortal career's cut short;
No pirate band
Will take its stand at the
Central Criminal Court![CHORUS OF POLICE]
You triumph now, for well,
Our mortal career's cut short;
No pirate band
Will take its stand at the
Central Criminal Court![SERGEANT]
To gain a brief advantage you've contrived;
But your proud triumph will not be long lived!
[PIRATE KING]
Don't say you're orphans, for we know that game!
[SERGEANT]
On your allegiance we've a stronger claim;
We bid you yield,
We bid you yield,
In Queen Victoria's Name!
[PIRATE KING]
You do?
[CHORUS OF POLICE]
We do! We charge you yield,
In Queen Victoria's name!
[PIRATE KING]
We yield at once with hubled mien,
Because, with all our faults,
We love our Queen!
[CHORUS OF POLICE]
Yes, yes, with all their falults,
they love their Queen!
[CHORUS OF POLICE, CHORUS OF PIRATES, CHORUS OF GIRLS, PIRATE KING, SERGEANT, FREDERIC & MABEL]
Yes, yes, with all their falults,
they love their Queen!
[Part IV, Away With Them, and Place Them at the Bar]
[FREDERIC]
Away with them, and place them at the bar!
[RUTH]
One moment, let me tell you who they are;
They are no mombers of the common throng,
They are all noblemen who have gone wrong!
[CHORUS OF GIRLS]
Oh spare them!
They are all noblemen who have gone wrong!
[MAJOR-GENERAL]
No Englishman unmove'd the statement hears!
Because, with all our faults,
We love our Home of Peers;
I prey you, pardon me, ex-Pirate King,
Peers will be peers, and youth will have its fling!
Resume your ranks and legislative duties,
And take my daughters, all of whom are beauties!
[Part V, Poor Wand'ring Ones!]
[MABEL]
Poor wande'ring ones!
Though ye have surely strayed,
Take heart of grace,
Your steps retrace,
Poor wand'ring ones!
Poor wande'ring ones!
If such poor love as ours,
Can help you find
True peace of mind
Why, take it, it is yours![MABEL]
Ah ah ah ah ah!
Ah ah ah ah ah![EDITH, KATE, RUTH, FREDERIC, MAJOR-GENERAL, PIRATE KING & SAMUEL]
Poor wandr'ring one!
Poor wandr'ring one![CHORUS OF PIRATES, CHORUS OF GIRLS & CHORUS OF POLICE]
Poor wand'ring one!
Poor wand'ring one!
Poor Wand'ring one![MABEL]
Fair days will shine![EDITH, KATE, RUTH, FREDERIC, MAJOR-GENERAL, PIRATE KING, SAMUEL, CHORUS OF PIRATES, CHORUS OF GIRLS & CHORUS OF POLICE]
Take heart![MABEL, EDITH, KATE, RUTH, FREDERIC, MAJOR-GENERAL, PIRATE KING, SAMUEL, CHORUS OF PIRATES, CHORUS OF GIRLS & CHORUS OF POLICE]
Take heart![MABEL & EDITH]
Take Mine!
Take heart!
Take mine! Ah![KATE, RUTH, FREDERIC, MAJOR-GENERAL, PIRATE KING, SAMUEL, CHORUS OF PIRATES, CHORUS OF GIRLS & CHORUS OF POLICE]
Take any heart!
Take ours!
Take heart!
Take ours!
Take heart![MABEL, EDITH, KATE, RUTH, FREDERIC, MAJOR-GENERAL, PIRATE KING, SAMUEL, CHORUS OF PIRATES, CHORUS OF GIRLS & CHORUS OF POLICE]
Fair days will shine,
Take heart,
Fair days will shine,
Take heart!
[CHORUS OF GIRLS, CHORUS OF POLICE & CHORUS OF PIRATES]
Take Heart!
[MABEL, EDITH, KATE, RUTH, FREDERIC, MAJOR-GENERAL, PIRATE KING, SAMUEL, CHORUS OF PIRATES, CHORUS OF GIRLS & CHORUS OF POLICE]
Take heart!
Take ours!
[End Play]
Other Gilbert and Sullivan songs:
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