In Old Ben Franklin’s Days

From the 1899 comic opera “The Ameer.”
Words by Frederic Ranken.
Music by Victor Herbert.

The sheet music:

In-Old-Ben-Franklins-Days – Sheet MusicDownload

Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:

In_Old_Ben_Franklins_Days – MIDIDownload

Lyrics

  1. When great King George ruled o’er the land
    A land which now is free
    There lived a bright and shining light
    An electric light was he
    And many things now taking place
    Before our wond’ring gaze
    Would seem absurd had they occurred
    In old Ben Franklin’s days
  2. We’ve worn the spats, the coats and hats
    The Prince of Wales preferred
    The Lion is the king of beasts
    But the Eagle is a bird
    Tho’ now we turn our trousers up
    On London’s rainy days
    We rolled our coat sleeves up instead
    In old Ben Franklin’s days

Sung here by Vancha March: