From the 1959 musical “Oliver”.
Words and music by Lionel Bart.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
Small pleasures, small pleasures
Who would deny us these?
Gin toddies large measures
No skimping if you please!
I rough it, I love it
Life is a game of chance
I’ll never tire of it
Leading this merry dance
If ya don’t mind having to go without things
It’s a fine life!
Fine life!
Though it ain’t all jolly old pleasure outings
It’s a fine life!
Fine life!
When you’ve got someone to love
You forget your cares and strife
Let the prudes look down on us
Let the wide world frown on us
It’s a fine, fine life!
Who cares if straight laces
Sneer at us in the street
Fine airs and fine graces
Don’t have to sin to eat
We wonder through London
Who knows what we may find
There’s pockets left undone
On many a behind
If you don’t mind takin’ it like it turns out
It’s a fine life!
Fine life!
Keep the candle burn until it’s burned out
It’s a fine life!
Fine life!
Though you sometimes do come by
The occasional black eye
You can always cover one
‘Til he blacks the other one
But you don’t dare cry!
No flounces, no feathers
No frills and furbelows
All winds and all weathers
Ain’t good for fancy clothes
These trappings
These tatters
These we can just afford
What future?
What matters
We’ve got our bed and board
If you don’t mind having to deal with Fagin
It’s a fine life!
Fine life!
And though diseased rats threaten to bring the plague in
It’s a fine life!
Fine life!
But the grass is green and dense
On the right side of the fence
And we take good care of it
That we get our share of it
And we don’t mean pence!
If you don’t mind having to like or lump it
It’s a fine life!
Fine life!
Though there’s no tea-sippin’ and eatin’ crumpet
It’s a fine life!
Fine life!
Not for me, the happy home
Happy husband, happy wife
Though it sometimes touches me
For the likes of such as me
Mine’s a fine
Fine life!
Sung here as follows:
Fagin – Vancha March
Nancy – Marian March
Bet – the eldest Ms. Bear
Boys – Mrs. March, Lizzie Lewis, the middle Ms. Bear, the youngest Ms. Bear