A popular song from 1910
Words by A. Seymour Brown
Music by Nat. D. Ayer
The sheet music:
Lyrics
- When the Sun begins to rise
And you see the light in the Eastern skies
You hear a rooster crow
No doubt you’ve often wondered why
If you’ve wakened by his morning cry
The truth you ought to know
Down in the barn yard where all is still
Each day at dawn comes the call so shrill
It echoes back from the neighb’ring hill
“I am King Chanticleer!”
When his mighty voice is heard
Then ev’ry farmyard beast and bird
You’ll notice will appear
Then comes a sight that makes you stare
Answering calls come from ev’rywhere
See all the animals gather there
To pay homage to their King
Chorus:
Round the barnyard goes the mighty cavalcade
Gorgeously arrayed, see them on parade
All the animals assemble there
As the break of day draws near
All the crickets, bees and birds upon the wing
All commence to sing, hear the chorus ring
All their voices raise and they
Acclaim the praise of Chanticleer
- Sudden silence reigns without
King Rooster calmly struts about
The cat makes her report
She proudly carries from the house
Another fat and thieving mouse
To try before the court
Poor Mister Mouse heaves a pensive sigh
He can’t escape, there’s no use to try
He knows that he’ll be condemned to die
By King Chanticleer
The dog who sits at the King’s right hand
Now growls, so he can understand
For he’s the barnyard stage
Then the duck leads the mouse away
Death is the penalty he must pay
And now the guinea hen has much to say
But the world rolls on again