(Spoken)
Interviewer:
I'd just like to say, uh, good afternoon, Mister Banerjee
And take this opportunity of welcoming you and your musicians
To the studio
Banerjee:
I thank you very much. I'm very glad to have the opportunity
Of coming here
Interviewer:
Tell me, um, have you found that, uh, there has been great enthusiasm
For George Bernard Shaw in India?
Banerjee:
Oh, my goodness, yes. We, we, we have got a lot of people
In India, and indeed in Pakistan, who are loving to hearing the words
Of George Bernard Shaw. We are saing to ourselves over there: "This
Man has got a great, white beard. So, therefore, he must have great
Knowledge!" And so we are saying to ourselves: "That is what we are
Wanting, that is what we are wanting, we are wanting to hear words of
This man so that, so that we can learn them and sing them and play
Them!"
Interviewer:
Uh, have you visited the shrine of GBS in Ayot St Lawrence at all?
Banerjee:
Well, indeed yes. We have all been there. We went on a bus
Coach tour to Ayr-Ayrton St Lawrence and we are saying to
Ourselves: "My goodness, here we are where the great man was living!"
And we went in the first place to look around and we are saying: "That
Is where he was sleeping, and this is where he was eating, and this
Is another room, and . . .". Uh, all kinds of rooms in this house are very
Good for us to know of
Interviewer:
Have you, uh, taken the story of "My Fair Lady" and, uh,uh, as it stands
Or have you changed it at all? What have you done with it?
Banerjee:
Well, what, what we have done with it, you see, uh, I, I am
Playing, uh, what is called over here Professor Higgins. I am playing
Professor Umbelahi. I'm walking through the market place one
Day, uh, at, near Maharatchme, which is near Bombay, you
Understand. And I'm walking by there, and I am saying to my friend
Who is with me, I say: "Look, there, over there is a beautiful
Untouchable girl, beautiful." And he says: "Oh, yes, but we, she is
Untouchable. We don't want to know her." Ah, chut and cha, I am
Making her touchable, that is what I am doing. You see, and I am
Saying to her: "Come with me, my dear, and I will make you a
Touchable!". And she is saying to me: "No, I am untouchable, that's
Good enough for me!"
Interviewer:
Do you have a good cast?
Banerjee:
Oh, yes indeed, I come from a very high caste. Oh yes, yes, oh yes
I can safely say that
Interviewer:
Uh, no, no, I wasn't referring to, what I mean is, is there a good cast
In the, the show?
Banerjee:
Well, yes, we have a very excellent cast. I'm sorry, I misunderstood you
You see. We have all kinds of stars from India. We have two people from
Assam. We have another woman. Her has come all the way from Ceylon
Interviewer:
What, ah, what, ah, what have you called the songs? I mean have you changed
The titles of the songs at all?
Banerjee:
Oh yes, well naturally we, we, we have had to, um, um, ah, change one or two
Of the main songs, um, a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-ah, we have featured
We have now called "Get Me to the Taj Mahal on Time" and, um, ah
"I've Grown Accustomed to Your Dhoti". And I would like to sing for you
Now this beautiful song, uh, what we are doing on the tour, and I think
When you have heard it, you will say: "My goodness me, what a lovely song!"
Or words to that effect
(Sung:)
All I want is a room somewhere
Far a-way from the cold night air
With one enormous chair
Oh! Would it not be lovely
Lots of chocolate for me to eat
Lots of coal making lots of heat
Warm feet, warm hands, warm foot
Oh! Wouldn't it be lovely
Oh! So lovely sitting abso-bloomin-lutely still
Watcher co*kie!
I would never budge till
Spring crept on the windowsill
Someone's head is resting on my knee
Warm and tender as she can be
Who'll taking good care of me
Oh! Would it not be lovely
Lovely, lovely, lovely
(Indian Music)
Aahhhh!
Ooooooooooohhhhh!
So loverly sittin' abso-bloomin-lutely still
I would never budge till
Spring crept on the windowsill
Someone's head resting on my knee
Warm and tender as she can be
Who'll taking good care of me
Oh! would it not be lovely (Lovely)
Lovely (Lovely), lovely
Would it not be lovely
Would it not be lovely