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You are here: > > > Act I
No. 3: Chorus and Song (Colonel)
"The soldiers of our Queen...
If you want a receipt for that popular mystery"
March. Enter Officers of Dragoon Guards, led by Major.
The Soldiers of the Queen (1960)
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| Dragoons. |
The soldiers of our Queen
Are linked in friendly tether;
Upon the battle scene
They fight the foe together.
There ev'ry mother's son
Prepared to fight and fall is;
The enemy of one
The enemy of all is!
The enemy of one
The enemy of all is! |
Enter Colonel.
| Colonel. |
Colonel Calverley (Darrell Fancourt) (c.1950)
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If you want a receipt for that popular mystery,
Known to the world as a Heavy Dragoon, |
| Dragoons. |
| Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! |
| Colonel. |
Take all the remarkable people in history,
Rattle them off to a popular tune. |
| Dragoons. |
| Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! |
| Colonel. |
The pluck of Lord Nelson on board of the Victory -
Genius of Bismarck devising a plan -
The humour of Fielding (which sounds contradictory) -
Coolness of Paget about to trepan -
The science of Jullien, the eminent musico -
Wit of Macaulay, who wrote of Queen Anne -
The pathos of Paddy, as rendered by Boucicault -
Style of the Bishop of Sodor and Man -
The dash of a D'Orsay, divested of quackery -
Narrative powers of Dickens and Thackeray -
Victor Emmanuel - peak-haunting Peveril -
Thomas Aquinas, and Doctor Sacheverell -
Tupper and Tennyson - Daniel Defoe -
Anthony Trollope and Mister Guizot! |
| Colonel. |
Dragoons. |
Ah!
Take of these elements all that is fusible,
Melt them all down in a pipkin or crucible -
Set them to simmer, and take off the scum,
And a Heavy Dragoon is the residuum! |
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!
A Heavy Dragoon, a Heavy Dragoon,
A Heavy Dragoon, a Heavy Dragoon,
A Heavy Dragoon, a Heavy Dragoon,
is the residuum! |
| Colonel. |
If you want a receipt for this soldier-like paragon,
Get at the wealth of the Czar (if you can) -
The family pride of a Spaniard from Aragon -
Force of Mephisto pronouncing a ban -
A smack of Lord Waterford, reckless and rollicky -
Swagger of Roderick, heading his clan -
The keen penetration of Paddington Pollaky -
Grace of an Odalisque on a divan -
The genius strategic of Caesar or Hannibal -
Skill of Sir Garnet in thrashing a cannibal -
Flavour of Hamlet - the Stranger, a touch of him -
Little of Manfred (but not very much of him) -
Beadle of Burlington - Richardson's show -
Mister Micawber and Madame Tussaud! |
| Colonel. |
Dragoons. |
Ah!
Take of these elements all that is fusible,
Melt them all down in a pipkin or crucible -
Set them to simmer, and take off the scum,
And a Heavy Dragoon is the residuum! |
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!
A Heavy Dragoon, a Heavy Dragoon,
A Heavy Dragoon, a Heavy Dragoon,
A Heavy Dragoon, a Heavy Dragoon,
is the residuum! |
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Page Created
10 May, 2005
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