The production number from an English show.
words by Owen Hall
music by Leslie Stuart
The 1899 show called Florodora was imported to New York in 1900. There it had an all-American cast and an American publisher. It was a huge hit and the Florodora girls all became famous.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment:
Lyrics
- (Men) Tell me, pretty maiden
Are there any more at home like you?
(Girls) There are a few, kind sir
But simple girls, and proper, too
(Men) Then tell me, pretty maiden
what these very simple girlies do
Them tell me, maiden, what the girlies do
(Girls) Kind sir, their manners are perfection
And the opposite of mine
(Men)Then take a little walk with me
And then I can see what a most particular girl should be
(Girls) I may love you too well to let you go
And flirt with those at home, you know
(Men) Well, don’t mind, little girl
You’ll see I’ll only want but you
(Girls) It’s not quite fair to them
If you told them that you were true
(Men) I won’t care a pin for your sisters if you love me
(Girls) What would you say if I said I liked you well?
(Men) I’d vow to you
(Girls) On bended knee!
(Men) On bended knee!
(Girls) If I loved you, would you tell me
What I ought to do to keep you all mine alone
To always be true to me?
If I loved you, would it be a silly thing to do?
For I must love someone
(Men) Then why not me?
(Girls) Yes, I must love someone, really
And it might as well be you! - (Girls) Tell me, gentle stranger
Are there any more at home like you?
(Men) There are a few, sweet maid
And better boys you never knew
(Girls) Then tell me, gentle sir,
The things these very rakish fellows do
Then tell me, tell me what these fellows do
(Men) Dear maid, they flirt with girls too freely
And it’s not the same girl twice
(Girls) Then take me ’round and let them show
For an hour or so how far such fellows can really go
(Men) I never introduce them to a girl
I intend to be my most particular friend
(Girls) I won’t mind, what they do
No man would ever flirt with me
(Men) It’s not worth risking it
I know with them you won’t agree
(Girls) I don’t want to know them if you will do the flirting
(Men) Of course I will try
For we’re doing very well?
(Girls) I’ll vow to you
(Men) On bended knee!
(Girls) On bended knee!
(Men) If I loved you, would you tell me
What I ought to do to keep you all mine alone
To always be true to me?
If I loved you, would it be a silly thing to do?
For I must love someone
(Girls) Then why not me?
(Men) Yes, I must love someone, really
And it might as well be you!
Sung here by Fred Feild: