Lyrics and questions for My Fair Lady based on Pygmalion
Why Can't the English Learn to Speak":
Look at her, a prisoner of the gutters
Condemned by every syllable she utters
By right she should be taken out and hung,
For the cold-blooded murder of the English tongue...
This is what the British population
Calls an elementary education...
It's 'ow' and 'garn' that keep her in her place,
Not her wretched clothes and dirty face.
1. Write down all the words that rhyme.
2. What is “elementary education”?
Why can't the English teach their children how to speak?
This verbal class distinction, by now, should be antique.
[To Pickering] If you spoke as she does, sir, instead of the way you do,
Why you might be selling flowers too...
3. What verbal class destinction is Higgins talking about?
4. What is the meaning of “antique”?
5. Write down all the words that rhyme
Why can't the English teach their children how to speak?
Norwegians learn Norwegian, the Greeks are taught their Greek
In France every Frenchman knows his language from 'A' to 'Zed' -
The French don't care what they do, actually, as long as they pronounce it properly.
Arabians learn Arabian with the speed of summer lightning.
The Hebrews learn it backwards which is absolutely frightening.
Use proper English, you're regarded as a freak.
Oh, why can't the English -
Why can't the Engl ish learn to speak?
"Wouldn't It Be Loverly?"
music by Frederick Loewe; lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner
COCKNEYS:
It's rather dull in town.
I think I'll take me to Paris.
Mmmmmm.
The missus wants to open up
The castle in Capri.
Mmmmmm.
Me doctor recommends a quiet summer by the sea.
Mmmm. Mmmm.
Wouldn't it be loverly?
ELIZA:
All I want is a room somewhere,
Far away from the cold night air,
With one enormous chair.
Oh, wouldn't it be loverly?
Lots of chocolate for me to eat.
Lots of coal makin' lots of 'eat.
Warm face, warm 'ands, warm feet.
Oh, wouldn't it be loverly?
Oh, so loverly sittin' absobloominlutely still.
I would never budge 'till spring
Crept over the windowsill.
Someone's 'ead restin' on my knee,
Warm an' tender as 'e can be,
Who takes good care of me.
Oh, wouldn't it be loverly?
Loverly, loverly, loverly, loverly.
QUESTIONS
1. Write down all the words that rhyme.
2. Where is Capri?
3. “Me doctor” must be “____ doctor”?
4. How must “loverly” really be spelled?
5. Why is it spelled in this way?
6. “Makin’” and “’eat” refers to the words?
7. What does the word “coal” really refer to?
8. What should the word “ands” be?
9. What must the word absobloominlutely be?
10.What must the word “’till” be?
11. “Someone's 'ead restin'” must be?
12. “Warm an' tender as 'e can be” must be?
"I'm an Ordinary Man"
music by Frederick Loewe; lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner
PROFESSOR HIGGINS:
I'm an ordinary man
Who desires nothing more
Than just an ordinary chance
To live exactly as he likes
And do precisely what he wants.
1. Which words in this stanza rhyme?
An average man am I,
Of no eccentric whim,
Who likes to live his life, free of strife,
Doing whatever he thinks is best for him.
Oh, Just an ordinary man.
1. Write down all the words that rhyme
2. What is the meaning of “eccentric whim”?
3. What is “strife”?
But! Let a woman in your life,
And your serenity is through.
She'll redecorate your home
from the cellar to the dome,
Then go to the enthralling fun
Of overhauling you.
4. What is the meaning of “serenity”?
5. Write down words that rhyme?
6. Where is the cellar and where is the dome in your house?
7. What is the meaning of the word “enthralling”?
8. What is the meaning of the phrase “overhauling your”?
Let a woman in your life,
And you're up against a wall.
Make a plan and you will find
She has something else in mind,
And so rather than do either
You do something else that neither likes at all.
9. What does the expression “you’re up against a wall” mean?
10. How will a woman change your mind?
11. Write down the words that rhyme.
You want to talk of Keats or Milton;
She only wants to talk of love.
You go to see a play or ballet
And spend it searching for her glove.
12. Who is Keats and Milton?
13. Write down the words that rhyme.
Let a woman in your life,
And you invite eternal strife.
Let them buy their wedding bands
For those anxious little hands.
I'd be equally as willing
For a dentist to be drilling
Than to ever let a woman in my life!
14. What would Higgins rather do than get married?
15. Write down the words that rhyme.
I'm a very gentle man,
Even-tempered and good-natured
Whom you never hear complain;
Who has the milk of human kindness
By the quart in every vein.
16. What does “the milk of human kindness” refer to?
17. What is a “qaurt” and a “ vein”?
18. Is Henry Higgins even-tempered, good-natured, and does he never complain? Give a reason for your answer.
19. Write down the words that rhyme.
A patient man am I,
Down to my fingertips;
The sort who never could, ever would,
Let an insulting remark escape his lips.
A very gentle man.
20. Write down the words that rhyme.
But! Let a woman in your life,
And patience hasn't got a chance.
She will beg you for advice.
Your reply will be concise,
And she'll listen very nicely,
Then go out and do precisely what she wants!
21. Write down all the words that rhyme.
22. What is concise advice?
23. Will women listen to the advice of a man?
You were a man of grace and polish
Who never spoke above a hush.
Now all at once you're using language
That would make a sailor blush.
24. What is a man of “grace and polish”?
25. Write down all the words that rhyme
26. What kind of language do sailors usually use?
27. Why would language the man now use make a sailor blush?
Let a woman in your life,
And you're plunging in a knife!
Let the others of my sex
Tie the knot around their necks.
I'd prefer a new edition
Of the Spanish Inquisition
Than to ever let a woman in my life.
28. Write down all the words that rhyme.
29. What do you do when you tie the knot around your neck?
30. What is the Spanish Inquisition?
I'm a quiet living man,
Who prefers to spend the evenings
In the silence of his room;
Who likes an atmosphere as restful
As an undiscovered tomb.
A pensive man am I,
Of philosophic joys;
Who likes to meditate, contemplate,
Free from humanity's mad inhuman noise.
A quiet living man.
31. What is a pensive man?
32. Write down all the words that rhyme.
But! Let a woman in your life,
And your sabbatical is through.
In a line that never ends
Come an army of her friends;
Come to jabber and to chatter,
And to tell her what the matter is with you!
33. What is a “sabbatical”?
34. Why would her friends bother you?
35. Write down all the words that rhyme.
She'll have a booming, boisterous family,
Who will descend on you en masse.
She'll have a large Wagnerian mother
With a voice that shatters glass.
36. Write down an example of alliteration.
37. What is the meaning of “en masse”?
38. What is a “Wagnerian” mother?
39. Write down all the words that rhyme.
Let a woman in your life!
Let a woman in your life!
I shall never let a woman in my life.
"With a Little Bit O' Luck"
music by Frederick Loewe; lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner
ALFIE:
The Lord above gave man an arm of iron
So he could do his job and never shirk.
The Lord gave man an arm of iron, but
With a little bit o' luck,
With a little bit o' luck,
Someone else'll do the blinkin' work!
1. Write down a metaphor from this verse.
2. What is the meaning of "arm of iron"?
3. What is the meaning of the word "shirk"?
4. What does Alfie hope will luck bring to him in this verse?
ALFIE, JAMIE AND HARRY:
With a little bit... with a little bit...
With a little bit o' luck you'll never work!
ALFIE:
The Lord above made liquor for temptation,
To see if man could turn away from sin.
The Lord above made liquor for temptation, but
With a little bit o' luck,
With a little bit o' luck,
When temptation comes you'll give right in!
5. What is Alfie's original view of liquor in this verse?
6. What does Alfie hope would happen when temptation comes?
ALFIE, JAMIE AND HARRY:
With a little bit... with a little bit...
With a little bit o' luck you'll give right in.
ALFIE:
Oh, you can walk the straight and narrow;
But with a little bit o' luck,
You'll run amuck!
7. What is the straight and narrow?
8. What will you do if you run "amuck"?
The gentle sex was made for man to marry,
To share his nest and see 'is food is cooked.
The gentle sex was made for man to marry, but
With a little bit o' luck,
With a little bit o' luck,
You can have it all and not get hooked.
9. Who is the gentle sex?
10. What is the appropriate thing to do?
11. What does Alfie want?
ALFIE, JAMIE AND HARRY:
With a little bit... with a little bit...
With a little bit o' luck you won't get hooked.
With a little bit... with a little bit...
With a little bit o' bloomin' luck!
ALFIE:
They're always throwin' goodness at you;
But with a little bit o' luck,
A man can duck!
12. What does Alfie want to "duck" in this verse?
ALFIE:
The Lord above made man to 'elp is neighbor,
No matter where, on land, or sea, or foam.
The Lord above made man to 'elp his neighbor, but
With a little bit o' luck,
With a little bit o' luck,
When he comes around you won't be 'ome!
13. What does Alfie hope would happen when he has to help his neighbour?
JAMIE AND HARRY:
With a little bit... with a little bit...
With a little bit o' luck,
You won't be 'ome.
With a little bit... with a little bit...
With a little bit o' bloomin' luck!
[dialog]
ALFIE:
A man was made to 'elp support his children,
Which is the right and proper thing to do.
A man was made to 'elp support his children, but
With a little bit o' luck,
With a little bit o' luck,
They'll go out and start supportin' you!
14. What does Alfie expect children to do?
ALFIE, JAMIE AND HARRY:
With a little bit... with a little bit...
With a little bit o' luck they'll work for you!
With a little bit... with a little bit...
With a little bit o' bloomin' luck!
ALFIE:
Oh, it's a crime for man to go philanderin'
And fill his wife's poor 'eart with grief and doubt.
Oh, it's a crime for man to go philanderin', but
With a little bit o' luck,
With a little bit o' luck,
You can see the bloodhound don't find out!
15. What is the meaning of "philandering"?
16. Who is the "bloodhound"?
ALFIE, JAMIE AND HARRY:
With a little bit... with a little bit...
With a little bit o' luck she won't find out!
With a little bit... with a little bit...
ALFIE:
With a little bit o' bloomin' luck!
Just you wait My fair lady
Just you wait, ‘enry ‘iggins, just you wait!
You’ll be sorry, but your tears’ll be to late!
You’ll be broke, and I’ll have money;
Will I help you? Don’t be funny!
Just you wait, ‘enry ‘iggins, just you wait!
Just you wait, ‘enry ‘iggins, till you’re sick,
And you scream to fetch a doctor double-quick.
I’ll be off a second later
And go straight to the the-ater!
Oh ho ho, ‘enry ‘iggins, just you wait!
Ooooooh ‘enry ‘iggins!
Just you wait until we’re swimmin’ in the sea!
Ooooooh ‘enry ‘iggins!
And you get a cramp a little ways from me!
When you yell you’re going to drown
I’ll get dressed and go to town!
Oh ho ho, ‘enry ‘iggins!
Oh ho ho, ‘enry ‘iggins!
Just you wait!
One day I’ll be famous! I’ll be proper and prim;
Go to St. James so often I will call it St. Jim!
One evening the king will say:
“Oh, Liza, old thing,
I want all of England your praises to sing.
Next week on the twentieth of May
I proclaim Liza Doolittle Day!
All the people will celebrate the glory of you
And whatever you wish and want I gladly will do.”
“Thanks a lot, King” says I, in a manner well-bred;
But all I want is ‘enry ‘iggins ‘ead!”
“Done,” says the King with a stroke.
“Guard, run and bring in the bloke!”
Then they’ll march you, ‘enry ‘iggins to the wall;
And the King will tell me: “Liza, sound the call.”
As they lift their rifles higher,
I’ll shout: “Ready! Aim! Fire!”
Oh ho ho, ‘enry ‘iggins,
Down you’ll go, ‘enry ‘iggins!
Just you wait!
1. Name all the instances when Eliza will not help Henry Higgins.
2. Which words, according to this song, does Eliza mispronounce?
The rain in Spain My fair lady
Servants
Poor Professor Higgins!
Poor Professor Higgins!
Night and day
He slaves away!
Oh, poor Professor Higgins!
All day long
On his feet;
Up and down until he’s numb;
Doesn’t rest;
Doesn’t eat;
Doesn’t touch a crumb!
Poor Professor Higgins!
Poor Professor Higgins!
On he plods
Against all odds;
Oh, poor Professor Higgins!
Nine p.m.
Ten p.m.
On through midnight ev’ry night.
One a.m.
Two a.m.
Three...!
Quit, Professor Higgins!
Quit, Professor Higgins!
Hear our plea
Or payday we
Will quit, Professor Higgins!
Ay not I,
O not Ow,
Pounding pounding in our brain.
Ay not I,
O not Ow,
Don’t say “Rine,” say “Rain”...
Eliza
The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain!
Henry
By George, she’s got it!
By George, she’s got it!
Now, once again where does it rain?
Eliza
On the plain! On the plain!
Henry
And where’s that soggy plain?
Eliza
In Spain! In Spain!
The three
The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain!
The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain!
Henry
In Hartford, Hereford, and Hampshire...?
Eliza
Hurricanes hardly happen.
How kind of you to let me come!
Henry
Now once again, where does it rain?
Eliza
On the plain! On the plain!
Henry
And where’s that blasted plain?
Eliza
In Spain! In Spain!
The three
The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain!
The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain!