The Mikado

# If you want to know who we are #

# We are gentlemen of Japan #

# On many a vase and jar#

# On many a screen and fan #

# We figure in lively paint #

# Our attitude's queer and quaint #

# You're wrong if you think it ain't #

# Oh #

# If you think we are

worked by strings #

# Like a Japanese marionette #

# You don't understand these things #

# It is simply court etiquette #

# Perhaps you suppose this throng

can't keep it up all day long #

# If that's your idea, you're wrong #

# Oh #

# Oh #

# If that's your idea, you're wrong #

# If you want to know who we are #

# We are gentlemen of Japan #

# On vase and jar

On screens and fans #

# On many, many, many, many

many, many, many, many a jar #

# Oh #

# Oh #

# Oh #

# Oh #

# On vase and jar

On screen and fan ##

My son, you've had the misfortune

to captivate Katisha.

She's misconstrued my customary affability

into expressions of affection.

She claims you in marriage.

And I order you to marry her

within a week, or - or -

I forget the punishment.

Oh.

Perish ignominiously

on the scaffold.

But -

##

##

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# The sun, whose rays are all ablaze #

# With ever-living glory #

# Does not deny his majesty #

# He scorns to tell a story #

# He don't exclaim

I blush for shame #

# So kindly be indulgent #

# But fierce and bold, in fiery gold #

# He glories all effulgent #

# I mean to rule the earth #

# As he the sky #

# We really know our worth #

# The sun and I #

# I mean to rule the earth

as he the sky #

# We really know our worth #

# The sun and I ##

# A wand'ring minstrel I #

# A thing of shreds and patches #

# Of ballads, songs and snatches #

# And dreamy lullaby #

# My catalog is long #

# Through every passion ranging #

# And to your humors changing #

# I tune my supple song #

# I tune my supple #

# Song #

# Are you in sentimental mood #

# I'll sigh with you #

# Oh #

# Sorrow #

# On maiden's coldness

do you brood #

# I'll do so too #

# Oh #

# Sorrow #

# Sorrow #

# I'll charm your willing ears #

# With songs of lovers' fears #

# While sympathetic tears #

# My cheeks bedew #

# Oh #

# Sorrow #

# Sorrow #

##

# But if patriotic sentiment is wanted #

# I've patriotic ballads cut and dried #

# For where'er our country's banner

may be planted #

# All other local banners are defied #

# Our warriors

in serried ranks assembled #

# Never quail or they conceal it

if they do #

# And I shouldn't be surprised

if nations trembled #

# Before the mighty troops

the troops of Titipu #

# We shouldn't be surprised if nations

trembled trembled with alarm #

# Before the mighty troops

the troops of Titipu #

##

# And if you call for

a song of the sea #

# We'll heave the capstan round #

# With a yeo heave ho

for the wind is free #

# Her anchor's atrip

and her helm's alee #

# Hurrah for the homeward bound #

# Yeo ho, heave ho #

# Hurrah for the homeward bound #

# To lay aloft in a howling breeze #

# May tickle a landsman's taste #

# But the happiest hour a sailor sees #

# Is when he's down

at an inland town #

# With his Nancy on his knees #

# Yeo ho #

# And his arm around her waist #

# Then man the capstan, off we go #

# As the fiddler swings us round #

# With a yeo heave ho

and a rum below #

# Hurrah for the homeward bound #

# With a yeo heave ho

and a rum below #

- # Yeo ho, heave ho #

- # Yeo ho, heave ho #

# Yeo ho, heave ho,

heave ho, heave ho #

# Yeo ho #

# A wand'ring minstrel I #

# A thing of shreds and patches #

# Of ballads, songs and snatches #

# And dreamy lullaby #

# And dreamy lullaby #

# Lullaby ##

Gentlemen.

I pray you tell me where a gentle maiden

dwelleth named Yum-Yum - the ward of Ko-Ko.

And what may be your business

with Yum-Yum?

A year ago, I saw Yum-Yum.

We loved each other at once...

but she was betrothed to her

guardian Ko-Ko, a cheap tailor...

and I saw that my suit was hopeless.

Judge of my delight when I heard

a month ago...

that Ko-Ko had been condemned

to death for flirting.

I hurried back at once, hoping

I should find Yum-Yum at liberty.

It is true that Ko-Ko was

condemned to death for flirting.

But he was reprieved

at the last moment...

and raised to the exalted rank

of Lord High Executioner...

under the following remarkable

circumstances:

# Our great Mikado, virtuous man

when he to rule our land began #

# Resolved to try

a plan whereby #

# Young men might best be steadied #

# So he decreed in words succinct #

# That all who flirted,

leered or winked #

# Unless connubially linked #

# Should forthwith be beheaded

Beheaded #

# Beheaded #

# Should forthwith be beheaded #

# And I expect you'll all agree

that he was right to so decree #

# And I am right

And you are right #

# And all is right as right can be #

# And you are right

And we are right #

# And all is right, is

right as right can be #

# And all is right as right can be #

# Right as right can be #

# And so we straight let out on bail

a convict from the county jail #

# Whose head was next

on some pretext #

# Condemned to be mown off #

# And made him headsman,

for we said #

# Who's next to be decapited #

# Cannot cut off another's head

until he's cut his own off #

# His own off

His own off #

# Until he's cut his own off #

# And we are right, I think you'll

say to argue in this kind of way #

# And I am right

And you are right #

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