From the musical “Hands Up”, 1915
Words and music by Cole Porter
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
- Now as long as we’re united in the bonds of matrimony
You surely must have something to confess
Well to make the maxim suit the rhyme
“Qui maly-pense soit houi”
There’s nothing else to do but answer yes
Now, before you popp’d the question
Weren’t you something of a gad-about
Why love affairs, well let me see
I think I must have had about eleven
Or a dozen
No, the twelfth one doesn’t count
She was a cousin
How I loath them, how I hate them
Please control yourself while I enumerate them
Chorus
Esmerelda, then Griselda
And the thrid was Rosalie
Lovely Lakme tried to track me
But I fled to fair Marie
Eleanora, followed Dora
Then came Eve with eyes of blue
But I swear I ne’er loved any girl as I love you
- Now though all these girls imagined
That I hoped to honeymoon them
I found you were the one to bear my name
Well now since you’ve really won my hand
“E plur-a-bus for unum”
I might as well admit you are the same
That you are one of many
Has it that the motto signified
At any rate you won me
So do not assume this dignified expression
Try confession
If I name them it’s a very great concession
I detest them, I abhor them
Please restrain yourself
Or else I may encore them