[Wai Ho & Ah Wen:]
Of noble kin is the mandarin,
With manners smooth as a jasper pin,
So courtly.
[Chorus:]
So courtly.
[Yu Sam & Me Koui:]
A double chin has the mandarin
And his manly form is far from thin,
It's portly.
[Chorus:]
It's portly.
[Li:]
For he is the mandalin
[Chorus:]
...dalin
[Li:]
He lulee our happy valley,
And I Am Li, His sly
And wily Plivate Secletaly.
[Chorus:]
For he is the mandarin, darin,
A girl would like to marry,
That's why We try To buy Up Li,
His Private Secretary.
[Wai Ho & Ah Wen:]
He didn't begin as a mandarin,
Examinations he had to win
Competing.
[Chorus:]
Competing.
[Yu Sam & Me Koui:]
And he sav'd his skin did the mandarin
By having the answers sewn within
His pleating.
[Chorus:]
His pleating.
[Li:]
But though he's a mandalin
[Chorus:]
...dalin
[Li:]
His money accounts don't tally,
For I Am Li His sly
And wily Plivate Secletaly.
[Chorus:]
For he is the mandarin, darin,
That makes us fetch and carry,
That's why We try To buy Up Li,
His Private Secretary.