No. 22 - Duet - Babori and Girdle - "Under and Over Forty."

Lyrics by Adrian Ross

[Babori:] When a man is young, under thirty-five,
He is handsomer, stronger and sounder;
And he bounds with joy that he's all alive,
[Girdle:] And in fact he's a perfect bounder!
When a man is over his fortieth year,
By experience he can profit,
And he knows what's what, and his head is clear,
[Babori:] So it is, for the hair is off it!
Under forty orders dry champagne,
[Girdle:] Over forty takes a whisky plain,
[Babori:] Under forty with "no trumps" begins.
[Girdle:] Over forty doubles him and wins.
[Both:] Over, under, which is it I wonder,
Which would you rather be?
[Girdle's words:] A youth so slim
who is just like him,
Or a deep old dog like me,
A deep old dog like me?

[Babori:] When the young man goes to the play one night,
He thinks that the stage is Heaven,
And he loves the heroine dressed in white,
[Girdle:] She is not over fifty-seven.
But the elder sees a girl on the stage
Who has never a line to utter,
And she's only seventeen years of age,
[Babori:] And as dull as bread and butter!
Under forty is a young man's way,
[Girdle:] Goes to Music Halls to see ballet.
Jumps inside and then the door is slamm'd.
[Babori:] Under forty murmurs "well I'm ****!"
[Both:] Over, under, which is it I wonder,
Which has the finest spree?
[Babori's words:] A bald old chap
who should wear a cap,
Or a fine young man like me,
A fine young man like me?