From “The Ladies’ Paradise”, 1901
Words by George Dance
Music by Ivan Caryll
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
‘Twill be quite a smart affair
A Bishop or two will be there
You must be toff when you’re turned off
At Georges in Hanover Square
A carriage with horses four
A carpet laid up to her door
But, please, no rice, for that’s not nice
Confetti’s much nicer, I’m sure
The breakfast, I hope, will be
A banquet you don’t often see
A cheap affair for a millionaire
Would simply be fiddle-de-dee
Refrain
So, Fiddle-de, diddle-de
Fiddle-de, diddle-de
Thoroughly we agree
A millionaire must have a care
For social duties, and beware
Of the fiddle-de, fiddle-de
Fiddle-de-dee, Fiddle-de-dee
Class that is middle-de
Middle-de, middle-de
Fiddle-de-diddle-de-de