Lyr Req: On the Road to Mandalay (Kipling)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Road to Mandalay
From: GMT
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 03:30 AM

The 2 Ronnies Alison. There must be a dozen tunes where their words pop into my head rather than the proper ones.

Gary

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Road to Mandalay
From: alison
Date: 16 Aug 00 - 10:48 PM

I always thought it was the

"there's a litlle green eyed idol to the east of Katmandu....."

Morecambe and Wise (or possibly the 2 Ronnies) have a lot to answer for..... *grin*

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Road to Mandalay
From: Susan A-R
Date: 16 Aug 00 - 09:09 PM

John Roberts and Tony Barrand have done a great recording of Kipling Songs, including that one. I'm having a great time listening to it while I do kitchen drudgery.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Road to Mandalay
From: John J
Date: 16 Aug 00 - 12:04 PM

Thanks Walrus! That's the one. Now all I've got to do is learn it! Thanks again! John

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Road to Mandalay
From: GMT
Date: 16 Aug 00 - 11:59 AM

Great post Walrus. Has anyone heard Ken Dodds version ?
Gary

Subject: Lyr Add: MANDALAY (Rudyard Kipling)
From: The Walrus at work
Date: 16 Aug 00 - 09:04 AM

MANDALAY

By the old Moulmein Pagoda, lookin' eastward to the sea,
There's a Burma girl a-settin', and I know she thinks o' me;
For the wind is in the palm-trees, and the temple-bells they say:
"Come you back, you British soldier; come you back to Mandalay!"
Come you back to Mandalay,
Where the old Flotilla lay:
Can't you 'ear their paddles chunkin' from Rangoon to Mandalay?
On the road to Mandalay,
Where the flyin'-fishes play,
An' the dawn comes up like thunder outer China 'crost the Bay!

'Er petticoat was yaller an' 'er little cap was green,
An' 'er name was Supi-yaw-lat -- jes' the same as Theebaw's Queen,
An' I seed her first a-smokin' of a whackin' white cheroot,
An' a-wastin' Christian kisses on an 'eathen idol's foot:
Bloomin' idol made o'mud --
Wot they called the Great Gawd Budd --
Plucky lot she cared for idols when I kissed 'er where she stud!
On the road to Mandalay . . .

When the mist was on the rice-fields an' the sun was droppin' slow,
She'd git 'er little banjo an' she'd sing "Kulla-lo-lo!"
With 'er arm upon my shoulder an' 'er cheek agin' my cheek
We useter watch the steamers an' the hathis pilin' teak.
Elephints a-pilin' teak
In the sludgy, squdgy creek,
Where the silence 'ung that 'eavy you was 'arf afraid to speak!
On the road to Mandalay . . .

But that's all shove be'ind me -- long ago an' fur away,
An' there ain't no 'busses runnin' from the Bank to Mandalay;
An' I'm learnin' 'ere in London what the ten-year soldier tells:
"If you've 'eard the East a-callin', you won't never 'eed naught else."
No! you won't 'eed nothin' else
But them spicy garlic smells,
An' the sunshine an' the palm-trees an' the tinkly temple-bells;
On the road to Mandalay . . .

I am sick o' wastin' leather on these gritty pavin'-stones,
An' the blasted Henglish drizzle wakes the fever in my bones;
Tho' I walks with fifty 'ousemaids outer Chelsea to the Strand,
An' they talks a lot o' lovin', but wot do they understand?
Beefy face an' grubby 'and --
Law! wot do they understand?
I've a neater, sweeter maiden in a cleaner, greener land!
On the road to Mandalay . . .

Ship me somewheres east of Suez, where the best is like the worst,
Where there aren't no Ten Commandments an' a man can raise a thirst;
For the temple-bells are callin', an' it's there that I would be --
By the old Moulmein Pagoda, looking lazy at the sea;
On the road to Mandalay,
Where the old Flotilla lay,
With our sick beneath the awnings when we went to Mandalay!
On the road to Mandalay,
Where the flyin'-fishes play,
An' the dawn comes up like thunder outer China 'crost the Bay!

(Lifted from :-http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/kipling/kipling_ind.html )

Hopefully, this will come out properly (for once).

Good luck.

Walrus

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Road to Mandalay
From: GUEST,John in Brisbane
Date: 16 Aug 00 - 08:51 AM

The definitive words finally materialised at the very bottom of this thread http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=11643#87542

Regards John

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Road to Mandalay
From: bill\sables
Date: 16 Aug 00 - 08:40 AM

There was a parody when the M1 was opened.

On the M1 Motorway
Where the flying Ton-Up's play
And the Lorries roar like thunder
On the M1 Motorway

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Road to Mandalay
From: AndyG
Date: 16 Aug 00 - 08:40 AM

Kipling's Road to Mandalay.
I'm not sure what a "Folkie" version of Kipling might be (other that Bellamy's Barrack Room Ballads).

AndyG

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Road to Mandalay
From: P05139
Date: 16 Aug 00 - 08:21 AM

Is that the song about Nellie the Elephant?

Subject: Road to Mandalay
From: John J
Date: 16 Aug 00 - 08:16 AM

Anybody got the words to 'On the road to Mandalay'? There are two versions out there, one (I suspect the original) which most people know about, and the version I want, a sort of folkie version. Any help most welcome. Ta lots, John (in Manchester)