《The Stately Homes Of England (From Operette)》歌词

[00:00:01] The Stately Homes Of England - Noel Coward

[00:00:05] Lord Elderly Lord Borrowmere

[00:00:07] Lord Sickert and Lord Camp

[00:00:10] With every virtue every grace

[00:00:12] Ah what avails the sceptred race

[00:00:16] Here you see the four of us

[00:00:19] And there are so many more of us

[00:00:21] Eldest sons

[00:00:22] That must succeed

[00:00:24] We know how Caesar conquered Gaul

[00:00:26] And how to whack a cricket ball

[00:00:28] Apart from this our education

[00:00:31] Lacks co-ordination

[00:00:33] Though we're young

[00:00:34] And tentative

[00:00:35] And rather rip-representative

[00:00:37] Scions of a noble breed

[00:00:40] We are the products of those homes

[00:00:42] Serene and stately

[00:00:44] That only lately

[00:00:47] Seem to have run to seed

[00:00:49] The stately homes of England

[00:00:51] How beautifully they stand

[00:00:53] To prove the upper classes

[00:00:55] Have still the upper hand

[00:00:57] Though the fact that they have to be rebuilt

[00:00:59] And frequently mortgaged to the hilt

[00:01:01] Is inclined to take the gilt

[00:01:04] Off the gingerbread

[00:01:05] And certainly damps the fun

[00:01:07] Of the eldest son

[00:01:09] But still we won't be beaten

[00:01:11] We'll scrimp and scrape and save

[00:01:13] The playing fields of Eton

[00:01:15] Have made us frightfully brave

[00:01:17] And though if the Van Dycks have to go

[00:01:19] And we pawn the Bechstein Grand

[00:01:20] We'll stand by the stately homes of England

[00:01:29] Here you see

[00:01:30] The pick of us

[00:01:31] You may be heartily sick of us

[00:01:33] Still with sense

[00:01:35] We're all imbued

[00:01:36] Our homes command extensive views

[00:01:38] And with assistance from the Jews

[00:01:40] We have been able to dispose of

[00:01:43] Rows and rows and rows of

[00:01:45] Gainsboroughs and Lawrences

[00:01:48] Some sporting prints of Aunt Florence's

[00:01:49] Some of which were rather rude

[00:01:52] Although we sometimes flaunt our family conventions

[00:01:56] Our good intentions

[00:01:59] Mustn't be misconstrued

[00:02:01] The stately homes of England

[00:02:03] We proudly represent

[00:02:05] We only keep them up

[00:02:06] For Americans to rent

[00:02:09] Though the pipes that supply the bathroom burst

[00:02:11] And the lavatory makes you fear the worst

[00:02:13] It was used by Charles first

[00:02:16] Quite informally

[00:02:17] And later by George IV

[00:02:19] On a journey north

[00:02:21] The state departments keep their

[00:02:23] Historical renown

[00:02:25] It's wiser not to sleep there

[00:02:27] In case they tumble down

[00:02:29] But still if they ever catch on fire

[00:02:31] Which with any luck they might

[00:02:33] We'll fight for the stately homes of England

[00:02:37] The stately homes of England

[00:02:39] Though rather in the lurch

[00:02:41] Provide a lot of chances

[00:02:43] For psychical research

[00:02:45] There's the ghost of a crazy younger son

[00:02:47] Who murdered in 1351

[00:02:49] An extremely rowdy nun

[00:02:52] Who resented it

[00:02:53] And people who come to call

[00:02:55] Meet her in the hall

[00:02:57] The baby in the guest wing

[00:02:59] Who crouches by the grate

[00:03:01] Was walled up in the west wing in 1428

[00:03:05] If anyone spots

[00:03:06] The Queen of Scots

[00:03:07] In a hand-embroidered shroud

[00:03:08] We're proud of the stately homes of England