From the operetta “The Kiss Waltz”, 1911
Words by Matthew Woodward
Music by Jerome Kern
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
- Now I will teach you the art of love
Take lots of latitude
You have my gratitude
First you must vow by the stars above
I am your one and only love
Then imitate the dove
I’ll be a dove but what is his attitude?
He snuggles and he cuddles
With his feathery affinity
Then then coo
Coo-coo roo
His bill is all the time in her immediate vicinity
Coo-coo-oo
Coo-roo
Male bird stretches out his wing
I see, in a way like this
Their bills they then together bring
Of course that is where they kiss - This little lesson is Number Two
Test my ability, I’m all docility
You think you know what a dove would do
Surely the doves do more than coo
The answer’s up to you
Here’s where I show my great versatility
Be careful not to exercise too much familiarity
When you woo
Coo-coo roo
You’re now a bear and not a dove
Please note the great disparity
Doves don’t hug, I do
Bruin’s hug is like a vice
No, not if it’s done like this
I must admit it’s rather nice
Then here is a grizzly kiss