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FRED: Hush, hush! not a word;
I see a light inside!
The MajorGen'ral comes,
So, quickly hide!
PIRATES: Yes, yes, the MajorGen'ral comes!
POLICE: Yes, yes, the MajorGen'ral comes!
GENERAL: Yes, yes, the MajorGen'ral comes!
Tormented with the anguish dread
Of falsehood unaton'd,
I lay upon my sleepless bed,
And toss'd, and turn'd, and groan'd;
The man who finds his conscience ache
No peace at all enjoys:
And as I lay in bed awake,
I thought I heard a noise.
CHORUS: He thought he heard a noise; Ha, ha!
GEN.: No, all is still,
In dale, on hill,
My mind is set at ease;
So still the scene,
It must have been
The sighing of the breeze.

Sighing softly to the river,
Comes the loving breeze;
Setting nature all aquiver,
Rustling thro' the trees.
CH.: Thro' the trees.

GEN.: And the brook, in rippling measure,
Laughs for very love,
While the poplars in their pleasure,
Wave their arms above.
CH.: Yes, the trees for very love,
Wave their leafy arms above.

GEN. & CH.: River, river, little river,
May thy loving prosper e'er;
Heaven speed thee poplar tree,
May thy wooing happy be,
Heaven speed thee poplar tree,
May thy wooing happy be!

GEN.: Yet, the breeze is but a rover;
When he wings away!
Brook and poplar mourn a lover!
Sighing "Welladay!"
CH.: "Welladay!"

GEN.: Ah, the doing and undoing
That the rogue could tell;
When the breeze is out awooing,
Who can woo so well?
CH.: Shocking tales the rogue could tell,
Nobody can woo so well.

GEN. & CH.: Pretty brook, thy dream is over,
For thy love is but a rover;
Sad the lot of poplar trees,
Courted by a fickle breeze,
Sad the lot of poplar tress,
Courted by a fickle breeze!

GIRLS: Now what is this, and what is that,
And why does father leave his rest
At such a time of night as this,
So very incompletely dress'd?
Dear father is, and always was,
The most methodical of men;
It's his invariable rule
To go to bed at halfpast ten.
What strange occurrence can it be
That calls dear father from his rest
At such a time of night as this,
So very incompletely dress'd!
So very incompletely dress'd,
At such a time of night.

The pirates! the pirates! oh, despair!

PIRATES: Yes, we're the pirates; so despair!
GEN.: Frederic here!
Oh joy! Oh rapture!
Summon your men,
And effect their capture!

MABEL: Frederic, save us!
FRED.: Beautiful Mabel,
I would if I could,
But I am not able.
PIRATES: He's telling the truth,
He is not able.
KING: With base deceit
You worked upon our feelings;
Revenge is sweet,
And flavours all our dealings!
With courage rare
And resolution manly,
For death prepare,
Unhappy Gen'ral Stanley!
MABEL: Is he to die,
Unshriven, unanneal'd?
GIRLS: Oh, spare him!
MABEL: Will no one in his cause a weapon wield?
GIRLS: Oh, spare him!

POLICE: Yes, we are here, though hitherto conceal'd!
GIRLS: Oh, rapture!
POLICE: So to Constabulary, pirates yield!
GIRLS: Oh, rapture!

PIRATES & POLICE: We/You triumph now,
For well we trow
Your/Our mortal careers cut short;
No pirate band
Will take its stand
At the Central Criminal Court!
SERGEANT: To gain a brief advantage you've contrived;
But your proud triumph will not be long lived.
KING: Don't say you're orphans for we know that game!
SGT.: On your allegiance we've a stronger claim;
We charge you yield,
We charge you yield
In Queen Victoria's name!
KING: You do?
POLICE: We do!
We charge you yield,
In Queen Victoria's name!

KING: We yield at once, with humbled mien,
Because, with all our faults, we love our Queen!
POLICE: Yes, yes, with all their faults, they love their Queen,
ALL: Yes, yes, with all their faults, they love their Queen!
GEN.: Away with them, and place them at the bar!
RUTH: One moment, let me tell you who they are:
They are no members of the common throng,
They are all noblemen who have gone wrong.
GIRLS: They are all noblemen who have gone wrong.
GEN.: No Englishman unmov'd that statement hears!
Because, with all our faults, we love our House of Peers.
I pray you pardon me, exPirate King!
Peers will be Peers, and youth will have its fling!
Resume your ranks, and legislative duties,
And take my daughters, all of whom are beauties.

MABEL: Poor wand'ring ones,
Though ye have surely strayed,
Take heart of grace,
Your steps retrace,
Poor wand'ring ones!
Poor wand'ring ones,
If such poor love as ours
Can help you find
True peace of mind,
Why, take it, it is yours.
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah,
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah!
Fair days will shine.
Take heart....
Take mine!
Take heart....
Take mine!
ALL: Take heart,
Fair days will shine,
Take heart,
Fair days will shine,
Take heart,
Take heart,
Take heart,
Take ours!

By Arthur Sullivan
Generated by NoteWorthy Composer

Pirates Nos 27 & 28
Lyrics
Mabel
Edith & Kate
Ruth
Frederic
Major-General
King
Samuel
Sopranos
Altos
Tenors
Staff-10
Right Hand
Left Hand
Tempo