A London Romance
Relocating “Manhattan” Music by Richard Rodgers Lyrics by Lorenz Hart 1925
Searching on some beach for space
With roughly half the human race
And insects which bite –
Cancel the flight!
In a London maisonette
We two could find a raison d’etre,
So let’s join our names
By the banks of the Thames.
We’ll build in Mayfair
And just to play fair,
Park Lane too
A place where we can be
Chez nous.
We’ll buy up Harrods,
Aspreys and Garrads,
Just for show.
With precious bibelots
And jewels we’ll overflow –
Quite de trop!
Our other shopping
We’ll do in Wapping
In a boat
Then watch the seagulls swoop
And float.
This great big city’s a Hamley’s toy
Just made for a girl and boy
And we’ll turn London
Into abundant
Joy.
We’ll both go silly
In Piccadilly:
Undismayed,
We’ll stroll up Burlington
Arcade.
And if our luck fails
We’ll go for cocktails
At the Ritz,
Amid the glam and glitz
We’ll sip white wine and spritz
And test our wits.
We’ll look at Eros
And hope he’ll steer us
To romance
And then in Berkeley Square
We’ll dance.
The city’s magic can soon employ
The hearts of a girl and boy
And we’ll turn London
Into abundant
Joy.
We’ll overpower
The grim old Tower
In the spring.
In football stadiums
We’ll sing.
If we feel wealthy
We’ll vithit Chelthea
On a thpree:
We’ll thpend our L-S-D
On fashions wild and free
Thee and me.
Then down in Soho
We’’ll find a Boho
Arts café.
In Ronnie Scott’s we’ll hear
Jazz play.
The city’s simply a wondrous pearl
For one boy to give one girl,
So let’s give London
A mad abundant
Whirl.
We’ll check the night clubs,
Find all the right pubs,
Drink real ale:
Then sleep it off on Network Rail.
In Oxford Circus
We’ll watch the lurkers
Selling tat.
At Lord’s we’ll throw a bat.
At Lock’s we’ll buy a hat
Just like that.
We won’t look shabby
Inside the Abbey.
At St Paul’s
Upstairs we’ll whisper sweet
Love calls.
The city’s charms cannot ever cloy
For this footloose girl and boy
And we’ll make London
Into abundant
Joy.
