The letter (John Liptrot Hatton)
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- (Posted 2019-10-09) CPDL #55559:
- Editor: James Gibb (submitted 2019-10-09). Score information: A4, 9 pages, 121 kB Copyright: CPDL
- Edition notes: MusicXML source file(s) in compressed .mxl format.
General Information
Title: The letter
Composer: John Liptrot Hatton
Lyricist: Anonymous
Number of voices: 4vv Voicing: ATTB
Genre: Secular, Partsong
Language: English
Instruments: Keyboard
First published: 1875 in Novello's Part-Song Book (2nd series), Vol. 7, no. 234
Description:
External websites:
Original text and translations
English text
Three weary days have passed away,
And still I sing a mournful lay,
Because my love is far away,
And I have had no letter.
I study hard at ancient lore,
And when a knock comes at the door,
I close my book and hope once more,
That I may get a letter.
Ratatat, ratatat.
Someone is coming to the door.
'Tis the butcher or baker, that's flat.
I know by their ugly rat-tat,
With all his good beef, the butcher's a thief,
And the baker's both saucy and fat.
Ratatat, ratatat.
Three weary days, my heart is sore.
A livelong week has fled away,
And yet I sing a mournful lay,
Because my love is far away,
And I have had no letter.
I study hard at ancient lore,
And really think it is a bore,
But hark! there's footsteps at the door,
By jingo! here's a letter.
Rattat, rattat.
Someone is coming to the door.
'Tis the postman: I know his rat-tat,
And the gilt band he wears round his hat;
He's brought me a letter from her I love better
Than Hebrew or Greek and all that.
Fa la la, fa la la.
Now welcome joy, I'll sigh no more.