Captain
Never mind the why and wherefore
Love can level ranks, and therefore
Though his lordship's station's mighty
Though stupendous be his brain
Though her tastes are mean and flighty
And her fortune poor and plain
Captain & Sir Joseph
Ring the merry bells on board-ship
Rend the air with warbling wild
For the union of his/my lordship
With a humble captain's child!
Captain
For a humble captain's daughter —
Josephine
For a gallant captain's daughter —
Sir Joseph
And a lord who rules the water —
Josephine. (aside)
And a tar who ploughs the water!
All
Let the air with joy be laden
Rend with songs the air above
For the union of a maiden
With the man who owns her love!
Sir. Joseph
Never mind the why and wherefore
Love can level ranks, and therefore
Though your nautical relation (alluding to Capt.)
In my set could scarcely pa**
Though you occupy a station
In the lower middle cla** —
Captain & Sir Joseph
Ring the merry bells on board-ship
Rend the air with warbling wild
For the union of his/my lordship
With a humble captain's child!
Sir Joseph (Henry Lytton) Josephine (Elsie Griffin) and the Captain (Leo Sheffield), 1926 Click on picture to enlarge
Captain
For a humble captain's daughter —
Josephine
For a gallant captain's daughter —
Sir Joseph
And a lord who rules the water —
Josephine. (aside)
And a tar who ploughs the water!
All
Let the air with joy be laden
Rend with songs the air above
For the union of a maiden
With the man who owns her love!
Josephine (Muriel Harding), Sir Joseph (Peter
Pratt), and the Captain (Jeffrey Skitch), 1955
Josephine
Never mind the why and wherefore
Love can level ranks, and therefore
I admit the jurisdiction;
Ably have you played your part;
You have carried firm conviction
To my hesitating heart
Captain & Sir Joseph
Ring the merry bells on board-ship
Rend the air with warbling wild
For the union of his/my lordship
With a humble captain's child!
Captain
For a humble captain's daughter —
Josephine
For a gallant captain's daughter —
Sir Joseph
And a lord who rules the water —
Josephine. (aside)
And a tar who ploughs the water!
Josephine. (aloud)
Let the air with joy be laden
Captain & Sir Joseph
Ring the merry bells on board-ship
Josephine
For the union of a maiden —
Captain & Sir Joseph
For her union with his lordship
All
Rend with songs the air above
For the man who owns her love!
Rend with songs the air above
For the man who owns her love!