From the operetta “Bitter Sweet”, 1929
Words and music by Noel Coward
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
They’ve all gone now
Have no fear
Sarah’s mother may be near
If she should hear
She might be rather cross with us
Elderly people make too much fuss
Always insist on a chaperone
Never leave love alone
We feel frightened, if you please
Don’t flirt or tease
Gentle and sweet in your purity
We give our hearts as security
We shall be scolded a lot for this
You won’t miss just one kiss
Think of the consequences, please
You haven’t realized
What an appalling thing for us
To be so compromised
So dreadfully, dreadfully
Dreadfully compromised
Everything’s ending
The moon is descending
Behind the tall trees in the park
Silence falls, slumber calls
We men together were wondering whether
We might have a bit of a lark
No jokes in the dark, please
What sort of a lark, please?
Just a slight dance
One more dream of delight dance
Just a sort of Good-night dance
Would be glorious fun
Won’t you let us, please
Let us just stay for a while
Won’t you, please
Won’t you be gay for a while?
All we desire is to play for a while
Now the party’s done
Just a fast waltz
Till the world seems a vast waltz
Very often the last waltz
Is the birth of romance
It’s a June night
There’s a thrill in the moonlight
Let’s give way to the tender surrender
Of our last dance