There Lived A King
Composer(s): Arthur Sullivan - William Schwenck Gilbert
Performer(s): Owen Brannigan



Don Alhambra:
There lived a King, as I've been told
In the wonder-working days of old
When hearts were twice as good as gold
And twenty times as mellow
Good-temper triumphed in his face
And in his heart he found a place
For all the erring human race
And every wretched fellow
When he had Rhenish wine to drink
It made him very sad to think
That some, at junket or at jink
Must be content with toddy

Marcos And Giuseppe:
With toddy, must be content with toddy

Don Alhambra:
He wished all men as rich as he
(And he was rich as rich could be)
So to the top of every tree
Promoted everybody

Marcos And Giuseppe:
Now, that's the kind of King for me
He wished all men as rich as he
So to the top of every tree
Promoted everybody!

Don Alhambra:
Lord Chancellors were cheap as sprats
And Bishops in their shovel hats
Were plentiful as tabby cats
In point of fact, too many
Ambassadors cropped up like hay
Prime Ministers and such as they
Grew like asparagus in May
And Dukes were three a penny
On every side Field-Marshals gleamed
Small beer were Lords-Lieutenant deemed
With Admirals the ocean teemed
All round his wide dominions

Marcos And Giuseppe:
All round his wide dominions

Don Alhambra:
And Party Leaders you might meet
In twos and threes in every street
Maintaining, with no little heat
Their various opinions

Marcos And Giuseppe:
Now that's a sight you couldn't beat
Two Party Leaders in each street
Maintaining, with no little heat
Their various opinions

Don Alhambra:
That King, although no one denies
His heart was of abnormal size
Yet he'd have acted otherwise
If he had been acuter
The end is easily foretold
When every blessed thing you hold
Is made of silver, or of gold
You long for simple pewter
When you have nothing else to wear
But cloth of gold and satins rare
For cloth of gold you cease to care
Up goes the price of shoddy

Marcos And Giuseppe:
Up goes the price of shoddy

Don Alhambra:
In short, whoever you may be
To this conclusion you'll agree
When every one is somebodee
Then no one's anybody!

Marcos And Giuseppe:
Now that's as plain as plain can be
To this conclusion we agree

All:
When every one is somebodee
Then no one's anybody!