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GENERAL: Then, Frederic, let your escort lion hearted
Be summon'd to receive a gen'rals blessing,
Ere they depart upon their dread adventure.

FRED: Dear Sir, they come.

SERGEANT: When the foeman bears his steel,
POLICE: Tarantara, Tarantara!
SGT: We uncomfortable feel!
POLICE: Tarantara,
SGT: And we find the wisest thing,
POLICE: Tarantara, Tarantara!
SGT: Is to slap our chests and sing
SGT & POLICE: Tarantara!
SGT: For when threatened with emeutes,
POLICE: Tarantara, Tarantara!
SGT: And your heart is in your boots,
POLICE: Tarantara!
SGT: There is nothing brings it round,
Like the trumpets martial sound,
Like the trumpets martial sound,
SGT & POLICE: Tarantara, tarantara!
Tarantara, tarantara!
Tarantara, tarantara!
Tarantara, tarantara!
Tarantara, tarantara!
Tarantara, tarantara!
Tarantara, tarantara!
Ra, ra, tarantara!

MABEL: Go ye heroes go to glory
Though ye die in combat gory
Ye shall live in song and story
Go to immortality
Go to death and go to slaughter
Die, and every Cornish daughter
With her tears your grave shall water.
Go, ye heroes, go and die!

GIRLS: Go, ye heroes, go and die!
Go, ye heroes, go and die!

SGT: Though to us its evident,
POLICE: Tarantara, tarantara!
SGT: These attentions are well meant,
POLICE: Tarantara,
SGT: Such expressions don't appear,
POLICE: Tarantara, tarantara!
SGT: Calculated men to cheer,
POLICE: Tarantara!
SGT: Who are going to meet their fate
In a highly nervous state,
POLICE: Tarantara, tarantara, tarantara!
SGT: Still to us its evident
These attentions are well meant.
POLICE: Tarantara, tarantara, tarantara!

EDITH: Go and do your best endeavour,
And before all links we sever,
We will say farewell for ever.
Go to glory and the grave!

GIRLS: Go to glory and the grave!
For your foes are fierce and ruthless,
False, unmerciful, and truthless;
Young and tender, old and toothless,
All in vain their mercy crave!

SGT: We observe too great a stress
On the risks that on us press,
And of reference a lack
To our chance of coming back;
Still perhaps it would be wise
Not to carp or criticise,
For it's very evident,
These attentions are well meant.
POLICE: Yes it's very evident
These attentions are well meant,
Evident,
Yes, well meant;
Evident,
SGT & POLICE: Ah, yes, well meant!
When the...(etc.)
GIRLS: Go ye heroes, go to glory!
Though ye die in combat gory,
Ye shall live in song and story,
Go to immortality!
Go to death, and go to slaughter;
Die, and every Cornish daughter
With her tears your grave shall water.
Go, ye heroes, go and die!
Go, ye heroes, go to immortality!
Go, ye heroes, go to immortality!
Though ye die in combat gory,
Ye shall live in song and story;
Go to immortality!

GENERAL: Away, away!
POLICE: Yes, yes, we go!
GENERAL: These pirates slay!
POLICE: Tarantara!
GENERAL: Then do not stay!
POLICE: Tarantara!
GENERAL: Then why this delay!
POLICE: All right, we go!

ALL: Yes, forward on the foe,
Yes, forward on the foe.

GENERAL: Yes, but you don't go!

ALL: We/They go, we/they go!
Yes, forward on the foe,
Yes, forward on the foe.

GENERAL: Yes, but you don't go!

GIRLS: At last they go,
At last they go!
At last they go!
At last they really go!

By Arthur Sullivan
Generated by NoteWorthy Composer

Pirates Nos 16 & 17
Lyrics
Mabel
Edith
Fred
Major General
Sergeant
Chorus Soprano
Chorus Alto
Police Baritone
Police Bass
Piano Right
Piano Left
Tempo Track