Arias:
Our great Mikado, Pish-Tush's aria from The Mikado
Our great Mikado, virtuous man,
when he to rule our land began,
resolved to try a plan whereby young men might best be steadied.
So he decreed, in words succinct,
that all who flirted, leered, or winked
(unless connubially linked), should forthwith be beheaded.
And I expect you'll all agree that he was right to so decree.
And I am right, and you are right, and all is right as right can be!
This stern decree, you'll understand,
caused great dismay throughout the land;
For young and old and shy and bold were equally affected.
The youth who winked a roving eye,
or breathed a nonconnubial sigh,
was thereupon condemned to die--he usually objected.
And you'll allow, as I expect, that he was right to so object.
And I am right, and you are right, and everything is quite correct.
And so we straight let out on bail
a convict from the county jail,
whose head was next, on some pretext, comdemned to be mown off,
And made him headsman, for we said,
"Whose next to be decapited
cannot cut off another's head until he's cut his own off."
And we are right, I think you'll say, to argue in this kind of way.
And I am right, and you are right, and all is right, too-loo-ral-lay!
