MAD DOGS AND ENGLISHMEN

The inimitable Noel Coward. And a song about the inimitable country.

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In tropical climes

There are certain times

Of day

When all the citizens retire

To take their clothes off and perspire.

It's one of those rules

That the greatest fools

Obey,

Because the sun is far too sultry

And one must avoid its ultra

Violet ray.



The natives grieve

When the white men leave

Their huts.

Because they're obviously,

Definitely

Nuts.



Mad Dogs & Englishmen

Go out in the midday sun.

The Japanese don't care to,

The Chinese wouldn't dare to,

Hindus and Argentines

Sleep firmly from twelve to one,

But Englishmen

Detest a

Siesta.

In the Philippines

They have lovely screens

To protect you from the glare.

In the Malay states

There are hats like plates

Which the Britishers won't wear.

At twelve noon

The natives swoon,

And no further work is done,

But mad dogs and Englishmen

Go out in the midday sun!



Such a surprise

For the eastern eyes

To see,

That though the English are effete,

They're quite impervious to heat.

When the white man rides

Every native hides

In glee.

Because the simple creatures hope he

Will impale his solar topee

On a tree.



It seems such a shame

When the English claim

The Earth,

That they give rise

To such hilarity

And mirth.

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha,

Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo,

He, he, he, he, he, he, he, he,

Hm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hm.



Mad dogs and Englishmen

Go out in the midday sun.

The toughest Burmese bandit

Can never understand it.

In Rangoon

The heat of noon

Is just what the natives shun,

They put their Scotch

Or Rye down

And lie down.

In a jungle town

Where the sun beats down

To the rage of man and beast,

The English garb

Of the English sahib

Merely gets a bit more creased.

In Bangkok

At twleve'o'clock

They foam at the mouth and run,

But mad dogs and Englishmen

Go out in the midday sun.



Mad dogs and Englishmen

Go out in the midday sun.

The smallest Malay rabbit

Deplores this foolish habit.

In Hong Kong

They strike a gong

And fire off a noonday gun

To reprimand

Each inmate

Who's in late.

In the Mangrove swamps

Where the python romps

There is peace from twelve to two,

Even caribous

Lie around and snooze,

For there's nothing else to do.

In Bengal,

To move at all

Is seldom if ever done.

But mad dogs and Englishmen

Go out in the midday

Out in the midday

Out in the midday

Out in the midday

Out in the midday

Out in the midday

Out in the midday sun!


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