From the Vaudeville comic opera “The Rounders”, 1893.
words by Harry B. Smith
music by Ludwig Engländer
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
1. It is not so very many, many years ago
To Paris came a little country maid
As innocent and bashful as a babe you know
Blushing, ever timid and afraid
Creeping like a mouse along the Boulevard
With rustic skirts a deal to high
When I think of it, it seems
The most wonderful of dreams
For that silly little girl was I
Chorus
When we think of it, it’s seems
The most wonderful of dreams
For that silly little girl was she
Allegro vivo
But now they call me queen of the Ballet (the Ballet)
With bank accounts I dearly love to dally (to dally)
With my dances picturesque, and my poses statuesque
And all the richest swells around me rally (we rally)
For me a thousand hearts today are breaking (heart breaking)
My little ways they all admire taking (so taking)
As I smile and pirouette
All swear they never met
A charmer like the queen of Ballet
Chorus
As she smiles and pirouettes
All swear they never met
A charmer like the queen of Ballet
2. Oh, the Managers all snubbed me for a greenhorn then
They wouldn’t have me, not at any price
So finally I met a nice old party who
Helped me with his cash and his advice
Soon I found employment as a Coryphee
You know girls how I dance Oh my!
If a step I would assay
‘T would be something in this way
Yes that silly little girl was I
Chorus
If a step she would assay
‘T would be something in this way
Yes a silly little girl was she
Sung here by Fred Feild: