The Stately Homes Of England-Noel Coward and Orchestra/Gertrude Lawrence

[ti:The Stately Homes Of England] [ar:Noel Coward and Orchestra/Gertrude Lawrence] [al:I Went to a Marvellous Party] [by:] [offset:0] [00:00.00]The Stately Homes Of England - Noel Coward and Orchestra/Gertrude Lawrence [00:05.42]Lord elderly lord borrowmere [00:07.49]Lord sickert and lord camp [00:09.49] [00:10.08]With every virtue every grace [00:12.42]Ah what avails the sceptred race [00:15.42] [00:16.78]Here you see the four of us [00:19.74]And there are so many more of us [00:21.37]Eldest sons [00:22.95]That must succeed [00:24.46] [00:25.01]We know how caesar conquered gaul [00:27.07]And how to whack a cricket ball [00:29.38]Apart from this our education [00:31.96]Lacks co-ordination [00:34.13]Though we're young [00:35.52]And tentative [00:36.70]And rather rip-representative [00:38.60]Scions of a noble breed [00:41.78]We are the products of those homes [00:44.13]Serene and stately [00:46.11]That only lately [00:47.55] [00:48.76]Seem to have run to seed [00:50.74]The stately homes of England [00:52.84]How beautiful they stand [00:54.83]To prove the upper classes [00:56.91]Have still the upper hand [00:58.73]Though the fact that they have to be rebuilt [01:01.12]And frequently mortgaged to the hilt [01:03.07]Is inclined to take the gilt [01:04.65] [01:05.97]Off the gingerbread [01:07.36]And certainly damps the fun [01:09.37]Of the eldest son [01:11.35]But still we won't be beaten [01:13.59]We'll scrimp and scrape and save [01:15.56]The playing fields of eton [01:17.37]Have made us frightfully brave [01:19.72]And though if the van dycks have to go [01:21.74]And we pawn the bechstein grand [01:23.40]We'll stand [01:24.47]By the stately homes of England [01:27.47] [01:32.73]Here you see the pick of us [01:34.95]You may be heartily sick of us [01:36.72]Still with sense we're all imbued [01:40.21]Our homes command extensive views [01:42.18]And with assistance from the jews [01:44.41]We have been able to dispose of [01:46.94]Rows and rows and rows of [01:49.28]Gainsboroughs and lawrences [01:51.87]Some sporting prints of aunt florence's [01:53.94]Some of which were rather rude [01:56.81]Although we sometimes [01:58.26]Flaunt our family conventions [02:00.96]Our good intentions [02:03.44] [02:03.95]Mustn't be misconstrued [02:05.85]The stately homes of England [02:07.91]We proudly represent [02:09.81]We only keep them up [02:11.67]For americans to rent [02:13.78]Though the pipes that supply the bathroom burst [02:16.11]And the lavatory makes you fear the worst [02:18.17]It was used by charles I [02:21.18]Quite informally [02:22.36]And later by george IV [02:23.82] [02:24.62]On a journey north [02:26.57]The state departments keep their [02:28.82]Historical renown [02:30.72]It's wiser not to sleep there [02:32.69]In case they tumble down [02:34.76]But still if they ever catch on fire [02:36.76]Which with any luck they might [02:38.57]We'll fight [02:39.75]For the stately homes of England [02:42.55] [02:43.28]The stately homes of England [02:45.31]Though rather in the lurch [02:47.41]Provide a lot of chances [02:49.46]For psychical research [02:51.22]There's the ghost [02:52.10]Of a crazy younger son [02:53.46]Who murdered in 1351 [02:55.66]An extremely rowdy nun [02:57.99] [02:58.65]Who resented it [02:59.95]And people who come to call [03:01.99]Meet her in the hall [03:03.81]The baby in the guest wing [03:06.09]Who crouches by the grate [03:08.00]Was walled up in the west wing [03:10.11]In 1428 [03:12.33]If anyone spots [03:13.38]The queen of scots [03:14.46]In a hand-embroidered shroud [03:16.42]We're proud [03:17.13]Of the stately homes of England