Gilbert & Sullivan - Can I Survive The Overbearing lyrics
rate meRalph. (recit.)
Can I survive this overbearing
Or live a life of mad despairing,
My proffered love despised, rejected?
No, no, it's not to be expected!
(Calling off.) Messmates, ahoy!
Come here! Come here!
(Enter Sailors, Hebe, and Relatives.)
All.
Aye, aye, my boy,
What cheer, what cheer?
Now tell us, pray,
Without delay,
What does she say —
What cheer, what cheer?
Ralph. (to Hebe)
The maiden treats my suit with scorn,
Rejects my humble gift, my lady;
She says I am ignobly born,
And cuts my hopes adrift, my lady.
All.
Oh, cruel one!
Oh, cruel one!
Dick.
She spurns your suit? O-ho! O-ho!
I told you so, I told you so.
Chorus.
Shall we/they submit? Are we/they but slaves?
Love comes alike to high and low —
Britannia's sailors rule the waves,
And shall they stoop to insult? No! no!
Dick.
You must submit, you are but slaves;
A lady she! O-ho! O-ho!
You lowly toilers of the waves,
She spurns you all — I told you so!
Chorus.
Shall they submit?
Are they but slaves?
MEDLEY
Dick.
You must submit,
You are but slaves;
A lady she!
O-ho! O-ho! O-ho!
She spurns you all,
She spurns you all — I told you so!
Hebe & Ladies' Chorus.
Shall they submit?
Are they but slaves?
Love comes alike to high and low
Britannia's sailors rule the waves,
And shall they stoop to insult?
No! No!
Boatswain & Sailors.
Shall we submit?
Are we but slaves?
Love comes alike to high and low
Britannia's sailors rule the waves,
And shall they stoop to insult?
No! No!
UNISON
Ralph.
My friends, my leave of life I'm taking,
For oh, my heart, my heart is breaking;
When I am gone, oh, prithee tell
The maid that, as I died, I loved her well!
All. (turning away, weeping)
Of life, alas! his leave he's taking,
For ah! his faithful heart is breaking;
When he is gone we'll surely tell
The maid that, as he died, he loved her well.
(Boatswain hands a loaded gun to Ralph)
Ralph.
Be warned, my messmates all
Who love in rank above you —
For Josephine I fall!
(Puts gun to his head. All the sailors stop their ears.)
(Enter Josephine on deck.)
Josephine.
Ah! stay your hand — I love you!
All.
Ah! stay your hand — she loves you!
Ralph. (incredulously)
Loves me?
Josephine.
Loves you!
All.
Yes! Yes! Ah, yes! she loves you!
Josephine, Hebe & Ralph.
Oh joy, oh rapture unforeseen,
For now the sky is all serene;
The god of day — the orb of love —
Has hung his ensign high above,
The sky is all ablaze.
Ralph.
With wooing words and loving song,
Josephine, Hebe & Ralph.
We'll chase the lagging hours along,
And if we/I find the maiden coy,
We'll/I'll murmur forth decorous joy
In dreamy roundelays!
Dick.
He thinks he's won his Josephine,
But though the sky is now serene,
A frowning thunderbolt above
May end their ill-assorted love
Which now is all ablaze.
Our captain, ere the day is gone,
Will be extremely down upon
The wicked men who art employ
To make his Josephine less coy
In many various ways.
MEDLEY
Josephine, Hebe & Ralph.
Oh, joy, oh rapture, unforseen,
For now the sky is all serene,
The god of day, the orb of love,
Has hung his ensign high above.
The sky
is all
ablaze,
is all ablaze,
is all ablaze, The sky is
all, is all ablaze.
Dick.
Our captain soon, unless I'm wrong,
Will be extremely down upon
The wicked men who art employ,
Will be extremely down upon
The wicked men, will be extremely down upon
the men In many various ways,
In many various ways,
Our captain soon will be extremely down upon
The wicked men in many various ways.
(Exit Dick.)
UNISON
Josephine.
This very night,
Hebe.
With bated breath
Ralph.
And muffled oar —
Josephine.
Without a light,
Hebe.
As still as death,
Ralph.
We'll steal ashore.
Josephine.
A clergyman
Ralph.
Shall make us one
Boatswain.
At half-past ten,
Josephine.
And then we can
Ralph.
Return, for none
Boatswain.
Can part them then!
Josephine.
This very night,
Hebe.
With bated breath
Ralph.
And muffled oar —
Josephine.
Without a light,
Hebe.
As still as death,
Ralph.
We'll steal ashore.
Josephine.
A clergyman
Ralph.
Shall make us one
Hebe & Boatswain.
At half-past ten,
Josephine.
And then we can
Ralph.
Return, for none
Buttercup & Boatswain.
Can part them then!
Josephine & Sopranos.
This very night, With bated breath
And muffled oar, Without a light,
As still as death, We'll steal ashore
A clergyman Shall make us/them one
At half-past ten And then we can
Return, for none Can part us/them then!
A clergyman Shall make us/them one
At half-past ten And then we can
Return, for none Can part us/them then!
All.
This very night,
With bated breath
And muffled oar
Without a light,
As still as death,
We'll steal ashore.
A clergyman
Shall make us/them one
At half-past ten,
And then we can
Return, for none, none,
None can part us/them then!
(Dick appears at hatchway.)
Dick.
Forbear, nor carry out the scheme you've planned;
She is a lady — you a foremast hand!
Remember, she's your gallant captain's daughter,
And you the meanest slave that crawls the water!
Chorus.
Back, vermin, back,
Nor mock us!
Back, vermin, back,
You shock us!
(Exit Dick.)
All.
Let's give three cheers for the sailor's bride
Who casts all thought of rank aside —
Who gives up home and fortune too
For the honest love of a sailor true!
Tra, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, etc.
Let's give three cheers for the sailor's bride
Who casts all thought of rank aside —
Who gives up home and fortune too
For the honest love of a sailor true!
Ladies.
For a British tar is a soaring soul
As free as a mountain bird!
His energetic fist should be ready to resist
A dictatorial word!
His eyes should flash with an in-born fire,
His brow with scorn be wrung,
He never should bow down to a domineering frown,
Or the tang of a tyrant tongue
Sailors.
His nose should pant, and his lip should curl,
His cheeks should flame; and his brow should furl,
His bosom should heave, and his heart should glow,
And his fist be ever ready for a knock-down blow.
All.
His foot should stamp, and his throat should growl,
His hair should twirl, and his face should scowl,
His eyes should flash, and his breast protrude,
And this should be his customary attitude,
MEDLEY
Principals.
His eyes should flash,
His breast protrude,
His eyes should flash,
His eyes should flash,
His breast protrude,
His eyes should flash, yes,
His eyes should flash,
His foot should stamp and his throat,
his throat should growl,,
his throat should growl,
His hair should twirl and his face,
his face should scowl,
his face should scowl,
His eyes should flash,
His breast protrude,
And this his attitude
Chorus.
His attitude,
His attitude,
His customary attitude,
His attitude,
His attitude,
His eyes, his eyes, yes,
His eyes should flash,
His foot should stamp and his throat,
His foot should stamp and his throat,
his throat should growl,
His hair should twirl and his face,
His hair should twirl and
His eyes should flash,
His breast protrude,
And this should be his customary
attitude.
(Pose.)
GENERAL DANCE
