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:

General Information

Title: The letter
Composer: John Liptrot Hatton
Lyricist: Anonymous

Number of voices: 4vv   Voicing: ATTB
Genre: SecularPartsong

Language: English
Instruments: Keyboard

First published: 1874 in Novello's Part-Song Book (2nd series), Vol. 7, no. 234
Description: 

External websites:

Original text and translations

English.png 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.