See how the Fates their gifts allot

2 minute read time.

FormerMember

17 Aug 2013

Sometimes the words of a song sum up what I try to say in my clumsy over explained way so succinctly I wonder why I bother blogging. I’ll post what strikes me as pertinent and hopefully it might make sense. So, here goes.

From Act 2 of Gilbert and Sullivan’s “The MIkado” there is a quintet. The situation is Ko-ko has executed Nanki-Poo (which he hasn’t) who is the heir to the throne in disguise and killing the heir is punishable by death. The MIkado (and possibly Katisha, his daughter-in-law elect, except Nanki-Poo has gone missing and has married Yum-Yum - keep up at the back I’ll be asking questions later) is sympathetic toward the plight of the trio of Pitti-Sing (one of the 3 Little Maids), Ko-ko (the Lord High Executioner) and Pooh-Bah (The Lord High Everything Else - don’t ask, even Gilbert has a long time explaining it).

Essentially, in my opinion, the quintet sums up the question “Why me?” is equally the question “Why not me?”. Maybe my exposure to The Mikado as a child (I was Ko-ko’s sword bearer) at a tender age stuck in my mind. Perhaps it is why I accepted the unfairness why Laing had cancer, the unfairness he had it so young, and the unfairness that we were denied a longer time together.

No, I’ll rephrase that. I reluctantly accept the unfairness of it all. Who said life is supposed to be fair?

Now for the lyrics.

Mikado:
See how the Fates their gifts allot,
For A is happy — B is not.
Yet B is worthy, I dare say,
Of more prosperity than A!

Ko-Ko, Pooh-Bah & Pitti-Sing:
Is B more worthy?

Katisha:
I should say
He's worth a great deal more than A.

All:
Yet A is happy!
Oh, so happy!
Laughing, Ha! ha!
Chaffing, Ha! ha!
Nectar quaffing, Ha! ha! ha!
Ever joyous, ever gay,
Happy, undeserving A!
Ever joyous, ever gay,
Happy, undeserving A!

Ko-Ko, Pooh-Bah & Pitti-Sing:
If I were Fortune — which I'm not —
B should enjoy A's happy lot,
And A should die in miserie —
That is, assuming I am B.

Mikado & Katisha:
But should A perish?

Ko-Ko, Pooh-Bah & Pitti-Sing:
That should be
(Of course, assuming I am B).

All:
B should be happy!
Oh, so happy!
Laughing, Ha! ha!
Chaffing, Ha! ha!
Nectar quaffing, Ha! ha! ha!
But condemned to die is he,
Wretched meritorious B!
But condemned to die is he,
Wretched meritorious B!

A video link to an Am-Dram production to give you the music, which is, as usual with Sullivan, a delightful counterpoint to Gilbert’s words.

FormerMember over 11 years ago

Wonderful way of explaining what you mean, by using a bit of Gilbert & Sullivan. Makes good sense to me.

I went to a prep school where they put on a Gilbert & Sullivan play every autumn term. My brother was in The Pirates of Penzance and I landed a part in Iolanthe. I remember songs like "With cat-like tread our cautious way we feel," from the Pirates and "When that house MPs divide" from Iolanthe. I wonder how you come to know G & S so well? Great to meet a fellow musical comedy enthusiast.
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FormerMember over 11 years ago

A perfect example of the power of lyrics. I have seen a few Gilbert & Sullivan productions so I know the song a bit. But not well enough to remember the words until now. An excellent choice Tim.
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FormerMember over 11 years ago

David

I grew up with the post war mono G&S recordings of Pinafore and the Mikado as core listening on LP. When I was in Aden (my father was posted to RAF Khormaksar) I was in the local production. We also performed for one night only on the Ark Royal, that was a night to remember! I was made a fuss of by the sailors, bless their cotton socks!

G&S has been my core musical background, though my interests since childhood expanded historically from Tallis to Stockhausen and many points in between and a few outside that span as well.

I am also quite a fan of Rogers & Hammerstein musicals, even though the films never really did justice to them, South Pacific being a perfect example of how not to do it.

Margaret,

Thanks for your comments too, though I think your choice of lyrics in your had an impact of its own too.

To both of you, I shall start checking my memory for other bits of the G&S repertoire as examples. You have been warned!

Tim
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FormerMember over 11 years ago

Hello Tim. I am beginning to worry that something very spooky is going on here. I have a few topics in mind for forthcoming music blogs. One of which is Musicals during which I was going to point out that original stage productions and film soundtracks are not the same. I was going to give an example in which I said that I preferred the 1949 Broadway production with Ezio Pinza and Mary Martin to the 1958 film soundtrack with Rossano Brazzi and Mitzi Gaynor, and point out that Brazzi's voice had to be dubbed. I know I don't need to tell you the title of the musical. And I suspect you know the name of the man who did the dubbing off the top of your head, whereas I need to do research into this. I give up. Do you want to take on writing this one for me? I know you will make a better job of it!
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