(Sirs, Your Toast)
From the opera “Carmen”
Words by Henry Hersee, 1912
Music by Georges Bizet
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
Sirs, your toast a courteous answer claiming
I lift my glass to soldiers gay and bold
Toreros like you with courage flaming
Thrill with joy, thrill with joy when they combats behold
See the circus throng’d with crowds of people
The seats are fill’d above below
Loud bells rings out from ev’ry steeple
All the world has come has come to the show
Hark what shouting, what frenzied voices
When the bull flies out with angry roar
Ah, ‘tis then the Torero rejoices
Sure of honor when the fight is o’er
Look out! Beware, Look out! Beware! Ah!
Toreador, now guard thee! Toreador! Toreador!
Bear thou in mind when combat thee elates
Bright eyes fondly regard thee
For thee a fond heart waits Toreador
For thee a fond heart waits
Suddenly there comes a silence, there comes a silence
Ah what has happen’d now
All hearts are beating high, all hearts are beating high
‘Tis a mighty bull comes rushing out of the Torie
See he flies, his foe he reaches
Down goes a gallant horse
With him goes a Picador
“Ah bravo Toro!” Shout out the people
On goes the bull, now here, now there raging he flies
And madden’d by the Banderilleros in frenzy wild he fights
The circus streams with gore
Many, see, for safety climb the fences
Now then, Toreador, ‘Tis time
Prepare! Prepare! Beware! Ah
Toreador, now guard thee! Toreador! Toreador!
Bear thou in mind when combat thee elates
Bright eyes fondly regard thee
For thee a fond heart waits, Toreador
For thee a fond heart waits, Toreador
For thee a fond heart waits