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No. 27: Song (Hassan) with Chorus

Midi Symbol MIDI File [20KB, 2' 04"]


Hassan.
  There was once a small Street Arab,
    And perhaps his little name was Tom;
  And he lived in Gutter-Persia
    Where street arabs rightly all come from;
      And like little Gutter-Persians
        (Every one and one and all)
      His young spirits were elastic
        As an India-rubber ball!
Chorus.
      His young spirits were elastic as a ball!
Hassan.
        And all day long
He sang a song,
    A merry little ditty as he danced a cellar-flap:
      "The life I lead is all I need,
    I know no better" — the lucky little chap!
Chorus.
      "The life I lead is all I need,
    I know no better," said the lucky little chap!

Hassan.
  Now among the bricks and mortar
    Did his wretched little lifetime pass;
  He had never seen a flower
    Or a single, simple blade of grass;
      But one day he found a daisy,
        And he thought that simple thing
      Was a wondrous flower from heaven,
        And he took it to the King.
Chorus.
      And he took that simple daisy to the King!
Hassan.
        He meant no wrong,
And through the throng
    He struggled to the Sultan and then laid it on his lap;
      (That simple weed — he did indeed),
    He knew no better — the stupid little chap!
Chorus.
      (That simple weed, he did indeed,)
    He knew no better, did the stupid little chap!

Hassan.
  But the Sultan gravely thanked him, saying
    "Would that would that I were wise
  Enough to take a daisy
    For a lovely flower from Paradise!
      But I will not now reward thee,
        Or exchange thy simple lot
      For great riches would but rob thee
        Of a wealth that I have not!"
Chorus.
      Would but rob thee of a wealth that I have not!
Hassan.
        So all day long
He sang his song
    A merry little ditty as he danced a cellar-flap:
      "The life I lead is all I need!"
    He knew no better — the lucky little chap!
Chorus.
      "The life I lead is all I need,"
    He knew no better did the lucky little chap!

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Page modified 8 July 2008