No. 25 - Soli and Chorus - "Oh, please you not to go away."

from "The Mountebanks"
Words by W. S. Gilbert
Music by Alfred Cellier
Sequenced by Colin Johnson

By Alfred Cellier
Generated by NoteWorthy Composer

[Ladies:] Oh, please you not to go away
Until you've seen the clockwork play.
Two figures carry on the plot,
And one's a man- the other's not.
They're full of complicated springs,
And weights, and wheels, and cat-gut strings-
You wind 'em up, just in the back,
With cracky, cracky, cracky, crack-
Then all the wheels, revolving quick,
Go ticky, ticky, ticky, tick-
And then the figures eat and drink,
And walk and talk, and wink and think,
And quarrel, just like lovers twain,
And kiss and make it up again.
[Men:] It's very true, and very quaint-
[Tenors:] The one's a man,
[Basses:] the other ain't.
You wind 'em up, just in the back,
With cracky, cracky, cracky, crack-
[All:] And all the wheels, revolving quick,
Go ticky, ticky, ticky, tick.
[Ladies:] It's very true-
[Men:] It's very quaint-
[Ladies:] The one's a man-
[Men:] The other ain't!
[Sopranos:] It's very true- it's very quaint-
[All:] The one's a man- the other ain't!

[Pietro:] May it please your Graces-
These are figures two,
Who, in port and paces,
Show you something new.
Note their human faces,
And the things they do;
We've reserved front places-
Hallo! Why, it's you!
Alfredo and Ultrice! Peasants two!
[Elvino:] Why let me look!
Upon my word, it's true!
No Duke and Duchess they, but peasants two!
[Chorus:] Oh!
What do you mean by this sheer audacity?
What do you mean by this ill-timed joke?
How do you dare defy veracity?
[Alfredo:] Spare your unrestrained loquacity,
Listen while we the truth uncloak.
At 'Vino's base design-
[Ultrice:] The Duke and Duchess aping-
[Alfredo:] We drank the cursed wine,
[Ultrice:] For which we all were gaping.
[Alfredo:] Then all at once we fell
[Ultrice:] Into the wizard's clutches,
[Alfredo:] Who changed us, strange to tell,
[Both:] To genuine Duke and Duchess.
[Chorus:] But-
[Alfredo:] Don't ask for further details-
cease your chatter;
[Ultrice:] We've told you all we know about the matter.
[Chorus:] We may as well restrain our useless chatter;
They've told us all they know about the matter!
[Pietro:] There's only one thing to be done,
Destroy the antidote by fierce ignition,
And thereby bring back ev'ryone
To his (or her) original condition!
[Chorus:] Hurrah! Hurrah!
[Men:] Sandal and robe we gladly lose,
Here is an end to our calling clerical.
[Ladies:] Now they may marry whenever they choose,
All of us are with joy hysterical.
[Nita & Bartolo:] We shall be human, body and limb,
Happy to think our state is curable.
[Pietro:] I shall be free from these tortures grim;
They're getting exceedingly unendurable!
[Chorus:] Sandal and robe we/they gladly lose,
Here is an end to our/their calling clerical.
Now they/we may marry whenever they/we choose,
All of us are with joy hysterical.
All of us are with joy hysterical.
Hurrah!
Quick, quick- the antidote!
How horrified you look!
[Pietro:] I had it in this coat-
Safe in my pocket-book.
The truth I must admit,
Some thief has stolen it!
[Chorus:] Oh, horror!
Accursed sorcerer!
Thou demon-leagued traitor!
Ill-omened harbinger!
Low-born equivocator!
This is a hideous plot
To rob us of our senses-
Restore us on the spot,
Or dread the consequences!
[Pietro:] Have pity!
It's bad enough for you, no doubt you'll say,
But it's much worse for me- the truth I'm stating-
Have pity!
If I can't find the antidote today
I die in agonies excruciating!
Commencing with a gentle pain
Scarce worth a question,
It grows apace, till you complain
Of indigestion.
Then follows an internal fire
That scorns emulsions,
Until, ere nightfall, you expire
In fierce convulsions!
[Chorus:] Accursed sorcerer!
Thou demon-leagued traitor!
Ill-omened harbinger!
Low-born equivocator!
This is a hideous plot
To rob us of our senses-
Restore us on the spot,
Or dread the consequences!
Restore us on the spot,
Or dread the consequences!

Karaoke version compiled by Colin Johnson

No. 25 - Soli and Chorus - "Oh, please you not to go away"
Soft karaoke
Words
Nita
Ultrice
Alfredo
Pietro
Bartolo
Elvino
Sopranos
Contraltos
Tenors
Basses
Right Hand
Left Hand
Karaoke Track