A Midsummer Night's Dream (adaptation): Excerpt (p.57-p.60)
BOTTOM
I see their knavery: this is to make an ass of me; to fright me, if they could. But I will
not stir from this place, do what they can: I will walk up and down here, and I will sing,
that they shall hear I am not afraid. 85
#9 SWINGING ON A STAR [Van Husen/Burke] (1944) BOTTOM and FAIRIES
BOTTOM
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SWING ON A STAR
CARRY MOONBEAMS HOME IN A JAR
AND BE BETTER OFF THAN YOU ARE (OOOO)
OR WOULD YOU RATHER BE A MULE (OOOO)
A MULE IS AN ANIMAL WITH LONG FUNNY EARS
KICKS UP AT ANYTHING HE HEARS
CHORUS
HIS BACK IS BRAWNY BUT HIS BRAIN IS WEAK
HE'S JUST PLAIN STUPID WITH A STUBBORN STREAK
BOTTOM
AND BY THE WAY, IF YOU HATE TO GO TO SCHOOL
YOU MAY GROW UP TO BE A MULE
CHORUS
OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO SWING ON A STAR
CARRY MOONBEAMS HOME IN A JAR
AND BE BETTER OFF THAN YOU ARE
BOTTOM
OR WOULD YOU RATHER BE A PIG
CHORUS
A PIG IS AN ANIMAL WITH DIRT ON HIS FACE
HIS SHOES ARE A TERRIBLE DISGRACE
HE HAS NO MANNERS WHEN HE EATS HIS FOOD
HE'S FAT AND LAZY AND EXTREMELY RUDE
BOTTOM
BUT IF YOU DON'T CARE A FEATHER OR A FIG
YOU MAY GROW UP TO BE A PIG
CHORUS
OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO SWING ON A STAR
CARRY MOONBEAMS HOME IN A JAR
AND BE BETTER OFF THAN YOU ARE
BOTTOM
OR WOULD YOU RATHER BE A FISH
CHORUS
A FISH WON'T DO ANYTHING, BUT SWIM IN A BROOK
HE CAN'T WRITE HIS NAME OR READ A BOOK
TO FOOL THE PEOPLE IS HIS ONLY THOUGHT
AND THOUGH HE'S SLIPPERY, HE STILL GETS CAUGHT
BOTTOM
BUT THEN IF THAT SORT OF LIFE IS WHAT YOU WISH
YOU MAY GROW UP TO BE A FISH
TITANIA
[Awaking] What angel wakes me from my flowery bed?
BOTTOM
A NEW KIND OF JUMPED UP SLIPPERY FISH
AND ALL THE MONKEYS AREN'T IN THE ZOO
CHORUS
EVERY DAY YOU MEET QUITE A FEW
BOTTOM
SO YOU SEE IT'S ALL UP TO YOU (OOOO)
YOU CAN BE BETTER THAN YOU ARE (OOOO)
YOU COULD BE SWINGIN' ON A STAR (OOOO)
TITANIA
I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again:
Mine ear is much enamour'd of thy note;
So is mine eye enthralled to thy shape;
And thy fair virtue's force perforce doth move me 90
On the first view to say, to swear, I love thee.
BOTTOM
Methinks, mistress, you should have little reason for that—
# 10 EMBRACEABLE YOU [Gershwin] (1928) TITANIA
TITANIA
DOZENS OF MEN WOULD STORM UP;
I HAD TO LOCK MY DOOR.
SOMEHOW I COULDN'T WARM UP
TO ONE BEFORE.
WHAT WAS IT THAT CONTROLLED ME?
WHAT KEPT MY LOVELIFE LEAN?
MY INTUITION TOLD ME
YOU'D COME ON THE SCENE.
BOTTOM
And yet, to say the truth—
TITANIA
HONEY, LISTEN TO THE RHYTHM OF MY HEART BEAT,
AND YOU'LL GET JUST WHAT I MEAN.
BOTTOM
—reason and love keep little company together nowadays; the more the pity that some
honest neighbours will not make them friends. Nay, I can gleek upon occasion. 95
TITANIA
EMBRACE ME,
MY SWEET EMBRACEABLE YOU.
EMBRACE ME,
YOU IRREPLACEABLE YOU.
JUST ONE LOOK AT YOU—MY HEART GREW TIPSY IN ME;
YOU AND YOU ALONE BRING OUT THE GYPSY IN ME.
I LOVE ALL THE MANY CHARMS ABOUT YOU;
ABOVE ALL I WANT MY ARMS ABOUT YOU.
DON'T BE A NAUGHTY BABY,
COME TO MAMA—COME TO MAMA—DO!
MY SWEET EMBRACEABLE YOU.
TITANIA
Thou art as wise as thou art beautiful.
I see their knavery: this is to make an ass of me; to fright me, if they could. But I will
not stir from this place, do what they can: I will walk up and down here, and I will sing,
that they shall hear I am not afraid. 85
#9 SWINGING ON A STAR [Van Husen/Burke] (1944) BOTTOM and FAIRIES
BOTTOM
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SWING ON A STAR
CARRY MOONBEAMS HOME IN A JAR
AND BE BETTER OFF THAN YOU ARE (OOOO)
OR WOULD YOU RATHER BE A MULE (OOOO)
A MULE IS AN ANIMAL WITH LONG FUNNY EARS
KICKS UP AT ANYTHING HE HEARS
CHORUS
HIS BACK IS BRAWNY BUT HIS BRAIN IS WEAK
HE'S JUST PLAIN STUPID WITH A STUBBORN STREAK
BOTTOM
AND BY THE WAY, IF YOU HATE TO GO TO SCHOOL
YOU MAY GROW UP TO BE A MULE
CHORUS
OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO SWING ON A STAR
CARRY MOONBEAMS HOME IN A JAR
AND BE BETTER OFF THAN YOU ARE
BOTTOM
OR WOULD YOU RATHER BE A PIG
CHORUS
A PIG IS AN ANIMAL WITH DIRT ON HIS FACE
HIS SHOES ARE A TERRIBLE DISGRACE
HE HAS NO MANNERS WHEN HE EATS HIS FOOD
HE'S FAT AND LAZY AND EXTREMELY RUDE
BOTTOM
BUT IF YOU DON'T CARE A FEATHER OR A FIG
YOU MAY GROW UP TO BE A PIG
CHORUS
OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO SWING ON A STAR
CARRY MOONBEAMS HOME IN A JAR
AND BE BETTER OFF THAN YOU ARE
BOTTOM
OR WOULD YOU RATHER BE A FISH
CHORUS
A FISH WON'T DO ANYTHING, BUT SWIM IN A BROOK
HE CAN'T WRITE HIS NAME OR READ A BOOK
TO FOOL THE PEOPLE IS HIS ONLY THOUGHT
AND THOUGH HE'S SLIPPERY, HE STILL GETS CAUGHT
BOTTOM
BUT THEN IF THAT SORT OF LIFE IS WHAT YOU WISH
YOU MAY GROW UP TO BE A FISH
TITANIA
[Awaking] What angel wakes me from my flowery bed?
BOTTOM
A NEW KIND OF JUMPED UP SLIPPERY FISH
AND ALL THE MONKEYS AREN'T IN THE ZOO
CHORUS
EVERY DAY YOU MEET QUITE A FEW
BOTTOM
SO YOU SEE IT'S ALL UP TO YOU (OOOO)
YOU CAN BE BETTER THAN YOU ARE (OOOO)
YOU COULD BE SWINGIN' ON A STAR (OOOO)
TITANIA
I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again:
Mine ear is much enamour'd of thy note;
So is mine eye enthralled to thy shape;
And thy fair virtue's force perforce doth move me 90
On the first view to say, to swear, I love thee.
BOTTOM
Methinks, mistress, you should have little reason for that—
# 10 EMBRACEABLE YOU [Gershwin] (1928) TITANIA
TITANIA
DOZENS OF MEN WOULD STORM UP;
I HAD TO LOCK MY DOOR.
SOMEHOW I COULDN'T WARM UP
TO ONE BEFORE.
WHAT WAS IT THAT CONTROLLED ME?
WHAT KEPT MY LOVELIFE LEAN?
MY INTUITION TOLD ME
YOU'D COME ON THE SCENE.
BOTTOM
And yet, to say the truth—
TITANIA
HONEY, LISTEN TO THE RHYTHM OF MY HEART BEAT,
AND YOU'LL GET JUST WHAT I MEAN.
BOTTOM
—reason and love keep little company together nowadays; the more the pity that some
honest neighbours will not make them friends. Nay, I can gleek upon occasion. 95
TITANIA
EMBRACE ME,
MY SWEET EMBRACEABLE YOU.
EMBRACE ME,
YOU IRREPLACEABLE YOU.
JUST ONE LOOK AT YOU—MY HEART GREW TIPSY IN ME;
YOU AND YOU ALONE BRING OUT THE GYPSY IN ME.
I LOVE ALL THE MANY CHARMS ABOUT YOU;
ABOVE ALL I WANT MY ARMS ABOUT YOU.
DON'T BE A NAUGHTY BABY,
COME TO MAMA—COME TO MAMA—DO!
MY SWEET EMBRACEABLE YOU.
TITANIA
Thou art as wise as thou art beautiful.