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In tropical climes |
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There are certain times |
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Of day |
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When all the citizens retire |
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To take their clothes off and perspire. |
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It's one of those rules |
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That the greatest fools |
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Obey, |
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Because the sun is far too sultry |
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And one must avoid its ultry |
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Violet ray. |
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The natives grieve |
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When the white men leave |
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Their huts. |
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Because they're obviously, |
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Definitely |
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Nuts. |
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Mad Dogs & Englishmen |
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Go out in the midday sun. |
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The Japanese don't care to, |
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The Chinese wouldn't dare to, |
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Hindus and Argentines |
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Sleep firmly from twelve to one, |
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But Englishmen |
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Detest a |
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Siesta. |
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In the Philippines |
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They have lovely screens |
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To protect you from the glare. |
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In the Malay states |
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There are hats like plates |
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Which the Britishers won't wear. |
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At twelve noon |
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The natives swoon, |
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And no further work is done, |
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But mad dogs and Englishmen |
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Go out in the midday sun! |
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Such a surprise |
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For the eastern eyes |
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To see, |
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That though the English are effete, |
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They're quite impervious to heat. |
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When the white man rides |
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Every native hides |
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In glee. |
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Because the simple creatures hope he |
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Will impale his solar topee |
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On a tree. |
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It seems such a shame |
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When the English claim |
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The Earth, |
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That they give rise |
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To such hilarity |
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And mirth. |
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Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, |
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Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, |
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He, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, |
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Hm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hm. |
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Mad dogs and Englishmen |
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Go out in the midday sun. |
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The toughest Burmese bandit |
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Can never understand it. |
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In Rangoon |
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The heat of noon |
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Is just what the natives shun, |
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They put their Scotch |
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Or Rye down |
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And lie down. |
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In a jungle town |
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Where the sun beats down |
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To the rage of man and beast, |
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The English garb |
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Of the English sahib |
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Merely gets a bit more creased. |
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In Bangkok |
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At twleve'o'clock |
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They foam at the mouth and run, |
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But mad dogs and Englishmen |
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Go out in the midday sun. |
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Mad dogs and Englishmen |
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Go out in the midday sun. |
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The smallest Malay rabbit |
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Deplores this foolish habit. |
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In Hong Kong |
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They strike a gong |
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And fire off a noonday gun |
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To reprimand |
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Each inmate |
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Who's in late. |
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In the Mangrove swamps |
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Where the python romps |
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There is peace from twelve to two, |
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Even caribous |
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Lie around and snooze, |
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For there's nothing else to do. |
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In Bengal, |
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To move at all |
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Is seldom if ever done. |
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But mad dogs and Englishmen |
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Go out in the midday |
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Out in the midday |
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Out in the midday |
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Out in the midday |
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Out in the midday |
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Out in the midday |
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Out in the midday sun! |