Bernstein: Candide, Act Ii: No. 25, The Kings' Barcarolle

I do hereby make a motion
In hopes of your approval
That after our removal
From this most unpleasant ocean

We all say farewell
To vanity and strife
And in some dale, oh, in some dale
Pursue the simple life

What a royal, royal notion
I second Charles' motion
I thank you, noble Prussian
Let us open the discussion
Yo-ho

Charles Edward's plan appeals to me
What good are pomp and riches?
Let's wash our hands of luxury
In irrigation ditches

I'm sick of plot and counterplot
They never fail to thicken
Let's find a humble rustic spot
And cultivate the chicken

Ah, what pregnant observations
I thank you for your patience
Point of order, Mr. Chairman
The floor is yours, King Hermann
Yo-ho

Aye, aye, shh

We kings live so unpleasantly
Our lives are hard and lonely
Let's form a happy peasantry
For former monarchs only

I'll trade my kingdom for a hoe
My scepter for a shovel
And make the red, red roses grow
Around our happy hovel

What a very sweet suggestion
I hereby move the question
I second Charles' move, sirs
Say "Aye" if you approve, sirs

Yo-ho (aye)
Yo-ho (aye)
Yo-ho (aye, aye, aye, aye, aye, aye...)

We have passed Charles Edward's motion
And now if we can manage
Without excessive damage
The motion of this ocean

We'll all say farewell
To vanity and strife
And in some dale, oh, in some dale
Pursue the simple life (what a simple life)

Yo-ho for the simple life (for the simple life)
Yo-ho for the simple life (for the simple life)
Yo-ho for the simple life (for the simple life)
Yo-ho (aye, aye)
Yo-ho (aye, aye, aye, aye)
Yo-ho (aye, aye, aye, aye)
Yo-ho (aye, aye, aye, aye)
Yo-ho (aye, aye)