The Stately Homes Of England (1999 Digital Remaster)-Hugh French

[ti:Stately Homes Of England] [ar:Noel Coward----(replace by 84005)] [al:English Gentleman] [offset:0] [00:00.00]Stately Homes Of England - Noel Coward and Orchestra [00:05.03]Lord Elderly, Lord Borrowmere [00:06.93]Lord Sickert and Lord Camp [00:08.56] [00:09.37]With every virtue, every grace [00:11.08] [00:11.81]Ah, what avails the sceptred race [00:14.34] [00:15.80]Here you see the four of us [00:18.61]And there are so many more of us [00:20.48]Eldest sons [00:21.88]That must succeed [00:22.80] [00:23.72]We know how Caesar conquered Gaul [00:26.01]And how to whack a cricket ball [00:27.80]Apart from this, our education [00:29.54] [00:30.38]Lacks co-ordination [00:31.54] [00:32.39]Though we're young [00:33.88]And tentative [00:34.95]And rather rip-representative [00:36.73]Scions of a noble breed [00:39.92]We are the products of those homes [00:42.10]Serene and stately [00:42.90] [00:43.92]That only lately [00:45.04] [00:46.48]Seem to have run to seed [00:48.14]The stately homes of England [00:50.46]How beautiful they stand [00:51.81] [00:52.37]To prove the upper classes [00:54.36]Have still the upper hand [00:55.99]Though the fact [00:56.82]That they have to be rebuilt [00:58.21]And frequently mortgaged to the hilt [01:00.22]Is inclined to take the gilt [01:01.80] [01:03.05]Off the gingerbread [01:04.44]And certainly damps the fun [01:06.29]Of the eldest son [01:07.62] [01:08.16]But still, we won't be beaten [01:10.20]We'll scrimp and scrape and save [01:12.19]The playing fields of Eton [01:14.08]Have made us frightfully brave [01:15.40] [01:16.04]And though if the Van Dycks have to go [01:18.09]And we pawn the Bechstein Grand [01:19.86]We'll stand [01:20.80]By the stately homes of England [01:23.40] [01:28.46]Here you see the pick of us [01:30.91]You may be heartily sick of us [01:32.73]Still, with sense we're all imbued [01:35.16] [01:35.81]Our homes command extensive views [01:37.75]And with assistance from the Jews [01:39.88]We have been able to dispose of [01:42.08]Rows and rows and rows of [01:44.48]Gainsboroughs and Lawrences [01:46.92]Some sporting prints of Aunt Florence's [01:49.04]Some of which were rather rude [01:51.20] [01:51.93]Although we sometimes [01:53.00]Flaunt our family conventions [01:54.76] [01:55.84]Our good intentions [01:57.11] [01:58.56]Mustn't be misconstrued [02:00.31]The stately homes of England [02:02.40]We proudly represent [02:03.52] [02:04.28]We only keep them up [02:06.00]For Americans to rent [02:08.01]Though the pipes [02:08.84]That supply the bathroom burst [02:10.29]And the lavatory [02:11.01]Makes you fear the worst [02:12.16]It was used by Charles I [02:13.66] [02:15.14](Quite informally) [02:16.01]And later by George IV [02:17.65] [02:18.30]On a journey north [02:19.75] [02:20.26]The state departments keep their [02:22.21]Historical renown [02:23.73] [02:24.29]It's wiser not to sleep there [02:26.05]In case they tumble down [02:27.53] [02:28.15]But still, if they ever catch on fire [02:30.10]Which, with any luck, they might [02:31.72]We'll fight [02:32.70]For the stately homes of England [02:35.52] [02:36.22]The stately homes of England [02:38.18]Though rather in the lurch [02:39.59] [02:40.19]Provide a lot of chances [02:42.21]For psychical research [02:43.74]There's the ghost [02:44.71]Of a crazy younger son [02:46.30]Who murdered in 1351 [02:48.04]An extremely rowdy nun [02:49.58] [02:51.10]Who resented it [02:52.20]And people who come to call [02:53.58] [02:54.15]Meet her in the hall [02:55.96]The baby in the guest wing [02:58.18]Who crouches by the grate [02:59.50] [03:00.05]Was walled up in the west wing [03:02.11]In 1428 [03:03.21] [03:04.11]If anyone spots [03:05.09]The Queen of Scots [03:06.09]In a hand-embroidered shroud [03:07.92]We're proud [03:08.80]Of the stately homes of England [03:11.13]