Comments on: Vocalise: “Here’s a to do to die today”

By: Scotttt

Scotttt — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 21:02:49 +0000

There is a second verse to the song:

Why hullabaloo? You die to-day
At a minute or two to two,
A thing distinctly hard to say
But an easy thing to do!
For they’ll beat a tattoo at two to two,
A rat-a-tat tattoo – for you!
And the Dragon will come
When he hears the drum
There’s nothing for you to do but stay,
And the Dragon will do for you!

By: Ian Sidden

Ian Sidden — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 00:58:27 +0000

@Mary Hi, and thanks for the comment! Yes, I'm quite sure it's from Merrie England. If you go to its Wikipedia entry http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merrie_England_(opera), you'll see it listed as number 27 in Act II. It does sound like Gilbert and Sullivan. Being from 1902, there must be some stylistic overlap or outright mimicry on the part of Edward German and his librettist.

By: Mary McG

Mary McG — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 18:37:34 +0000

Oh, wait a second. I’m thinking of

To sit in sullen silence on a dull dark dock
In a pestilential prison with a life long lock
Awaiting the sensation of a short sharp shock
From a cheap and chippy chopper on a big black block.

Sorry. But, that recording really does sound very G&S, doesn’t it?

By: Mary McG

Mary McG — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 18:33:41 +0000

How strange. I was taught that this is from Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Mikado, sung by the Lord High Executioner. I got that from several sources. That certainly is what your recording sounds like. Unfortunately my complete works of G&S have been MIA for some time now, so I can’t double check it. Are you sure that is not what your recording is?

By: Ian

Ian — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 21:25:05 +0000

You're welcome.

By: Rebekah

Rebekah — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 23:52:17 +0000

Nifty! I've wanted to chant this, but never managed to learn it by rote. Thanks for the notation, mister.