Song Lyric of the Day (Gilbert and Sullivan, on ‘Little Errands for the Ministers of State’)

“Oh, philosophers may sing
Of the troubles of a King;
Yet the duties are delightful, and the privileges great;
But the privilege and pleasure
That we treasure beyond measure
Is to run on little errands for the Ministers of State.”— “Rising Early in the Morning," from The Gondoliers: or, The King of Barataria (1889), libretto by W.S. Gilbert (1836-1911), music by Arthur Sullivan (1842-1900)

The image accompanying this post shows Rutland Barrington and Courtice Pounds as Giuseppe and Marco, the title characters in the 1889 production of The Gondoliers. 

Times have changed greatly since then, but it seems like all over the world, there’s still no shortage of people ready to run “little errands for the Ministers of State.” Only they're called bureaucrats rather than gondoliers.

Song Lyric of the Day (W.S. Gilbert, on the Rise of an English ‘Learned Judge’)

“At Westminster Hall I danced a dance,

    Like a semi-despondent fury;

For I thought I never should hit on a chance

    Of addressing a British Jury—

But I soon got tired of third-class journeys,

    And dinners of bread and water;

So I fell in love with a rich attorney's

    Elderly, ugly daughter….

“The rich attorney, he jumped with joy,

    And replied to my fond professions:

‘You shall reap the rewards of your pluck, my boy,

    At the Bailey and Middlesex sessions.

You'll soon get used to her looks,’ said he,

    ‘And a very nice girl you will find her!

 She may very well pass for forty-three

    In the dusk, with a light behind her!’"—English lyricist W.S. Gilbert (1836-1911), “When I, Good Friends, Was Called to the Bar,” in the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta Trial by Jury (1875)

(The image accompanying this post shows Frederic Sullivan, brother of Gilbert’s songwriting partner Arthur Sullivan, in the role of the “Learned Judge” in the original production of Trial by Jury.)

Song Lyric of the Day (Gilbert and Sullivan, on Self-Promotion)

“If you wish in this world to advance,

Your merits you're bound to enhance;

You must stir it and stump it,

And blow your own trumpet,

Or trust me, you haven't a chance!” —English dramatist, poet, illustrator, and most of all, librettist W. S. Gilbert (1836-1911), “My Boy, You May Take It From Me," Ruddigore: or The Witch's Curse, music by Arthur Sullivan (1887)

As far as I’m concerned, these words have been taken way too much to heart—especially on the road from reality TV to Washington, DC, by a certain orange-haired vulgarian.

(Pictured: W.S. Gilbert)

Song Lyric of the Day (Gilbert and Sullivan, on Why ‘Things Are Seldom What They Seem’)

“Things are seldom what they seem;

 Skim milk masquerades as cream;

Highlows pass as patent leathers;

 Jackdaws strut in peacock's feathers.”— “Things Are Seldom What They Seem," in H.M.S. Pinafore (1878), libretto by W.S. Gilbert, music by Arthur Sullivan

In an environment that has recently been called “post-truth,” it’s nice to know that some things don’t change. One person who might have chuckled at that recognition was English librettist-director W.S. Gilbert (pictured), born in London on this date in 1836.

Together with his creative partner, Arthur Sullivan, he produced 14 comic operas that continue to be performed worldwide—and a raft of some of the most bitingly amusing verses in the English language, including these from  “The Judge’s Song” in their first success, Trial by Jury:

“You’ll soon get used to her looks, said he,

and a very nice girl you’ll find her;

She may very well pass for 43,

 in the dusk with the light behind her.”

Mike Leigh’s 1999 film, Topsy-Turvy, recounts how the creative partnership between Gilbert and Sullivan almost foundered before they scored with one of their career highlights, The Mikado.

Gilbert’s comic sensibility proved hugely influential to Oscar Wilde, George Bernard Shaw and Stephen Sondheim. But his imprint might have been most noticeable on Noel Coward. It’s difficult not to think of Gilbert when reading the lyrics to Coward’s “Why Do the Worst People Travel?”, for instance.

A blog associated with the radio station WQXR offers a nice summary of Gilbert and Sullivan's virtues: "What's So Special About Gilbert and Sullivan? We've Got a Little List."

Quote of the Day (W.S. Gilbert, on the Problem With an ‘Unjust World’)

“I'm really very sorry for you all, but it's an unjust world, and virtue is triumphant only in theatrical performances.” —W.S. Gilbert, The Mikado (1885)