Gilbert and Sullivan Archive



You are here: Archive Home > HMS Pinafore > Act 2

RECITATIVE (Sir Joseph, Buttercup & Chorus)
No. 20: LEGEND (Buttercup & Chorus)

"My pain and my distress..
A many years ago"

Midi Symbol MIDI File [12KB, 2' 29"] Karoke Symbol KARAOKE File [16KB, 2' 29"]

Sir Joseph.

My pain and my distress
Again it is not easy to express.
My amazement, my surprise,
Again you may discover from my eyes.

All.
How terrible the aspect of his eyes!
Buttercup.
Hold! Ere upon your loss
You lay much stress,
A long-concealed crime
I would confess!

LEGEND

Buttercup.
A many years ago,
When I was young and charming,
As some of you may know,
I practised baby-farming.
Chorus.
Now this is most alarming!
When she was young and charming,
She practised baby-farming,
A many years ago.
Buttercup.
Two tender babes I nursed:
One was of low condition,
The other, upper crust,
A regular patrician.
Chorus. (explaining to eachother)
Now, this is the position:
One was of low condition,
The other a patrician,
A many years ago.

Buttercup.
Oh, bitter is my cup!
However could I do it?
I mixed those children up,
And not a creature knew it!
Chorus.
However could you do it?
Some day, no doubt, you'll rue it,
Although no creature knew it,
So many years ago.
Buttercup.
In time each little waif
Forsook his foster-mother,
The well born babe was Ralph —
Your captain was the other!
Chorus.
They left their foster-mother,
The one was Ralph, our brother,
Our captain was the other,
A many years ago.
Click on picture to enlarge
The Captain (Clive Harré), Sir Joseph (Alistair Donkin), Buttercup (Patricia Leonard) & Ralph (Meston Reid), 1980

Next Page Next Song Top of Page Opera Home Previous Song Previous Page

Archive Home  | HMS Pinafore

Page Created 23 November, 2007