A song of mystery from the musical hall, 1865.
Also know as “The Twins”.
Words and music by Henry S. Leigh.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by Ross Boyle:
Lyrics
In form and feature, face and limb
I grew so like my brother
That folks got taking me for him
And each for one another
It puzzled all our kith and kin
It reach’d a fearful pitch
For one of us was born a twin
And not a soul knew which
One day (to make the matter worse)
Before our names were fix’d
As we were being wach’d by nurse
We got completely mix’d
And thus you see, by Fate’s decree
(Or, rather, Nurse’s whim)
My brother John got christen’d me
And I got christen’d him
This fatal likeness even dogg’d
My footsteps when at school
And I was always getting flogg’d
For John turn’d out a fool
I put this question fruitlessly
To ev’ryone I knew
“What would you do, if you were me
To prove that you were you!”
Our close resemblance turn’d the tide
Of my domestic life
For, somehow, my intended bride
Became my brother’s wife
In fact, year after year the same
Absurd mistakes went on
And, when I died, the neighbours came
And buried Brother John
Sung here by Vancha March: