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THE ROAD TO MANDALAY
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As for the words, there are a few different versions, here are a couple:-
On the Road to Mandalay
Poem by the English Poet Rudyard Kipling
* By the old Moulmein Pagoda, Lookin' lazy at the sea,
There's a Burma girl a-settin, and I know she thinks o' me;
For the wind is in the palm-trees, and the temple-bel;ls they say; 'Come you back, you British soldier, come you back to Mandalay'
* Come you back to Mandalay,
Where the old flotilla lay;
Can't you 'ear their paddles thunkin's from Rangoon to Mandalay. On the road to Mandalay, Where the flyin' fishes play. An' the dawn comes up like thunder outer China 'crost the Bay.
* 'Er petticoat was yaller an' 'er little cap was green
An' 'her name was Supi-Yaw-Lat-Jes' the same as Theebaw's Queen An'l seed her first a smokin' of a whackin white cheroot, An' a wastin' Christian kisses on an 'earthern idol's foot;
* Bloomin' idol made o' mud-
Wot they called the great gawd budd
Plucky lot she eared for idols when I kissed 'er where she stud On the road to Mandalay...
* When the mist was in the rice-fields an' the sun was droppin, slow
She'd git 'er little banjo an' she'd sing 'kulla lo lo'
With 'er arm upon my shoulder an' 'er cheek agin my cheek
We useter watch the steamers an' the hathis pilin' teak.
* Elephants a-pilin teak,
In the sludgy, squdgy creek
Where the silence 'ung that 'eavy you was 'alf afraid to speak On the Road to Mandalay...
* But that's all shove behind me-long ago an' fur away
An' there ain't no 'buses runnin' from the Bank to Mandalay; An' I'm learnin' 'ere in London what the ten-year solder tells; 'If you've 'eard the East a callin' you won't never 'eed naught else'.
* No! you won't 'eed nothin' else
But them spicy garlic smells.
An' the sunshine an' the palm trees an' tinkly temple bells;
On the road to Mandalay...
* I'm sick o' wastin' leather on these gritty pavin-stones.
An' the blasted English drizzle wakes the fever in my bones; Tho'l walks with fifty 'ousemaids outer Chelsea to the Strand An' they talks a lot o' lovin', but wot do they understand?
* Beefy face an' grubby 'and
Law! wot do they understand
I've a neater, sweeter maiden in a clearer, greener land
On the road to Mandalay...
* Ship me somewheres east of Suez, where the best is like the worst,
Where there aren't no ten commandmenets an' a man can raise a thirst: For the temple bells are callin' 'an' it's there that I would be By the old Moulmein Pagoda, lookin lazy at the sea;
* On the road to Mandalay...
Where the old flotilla lay.
With our sick beneath the awnings when we went to Mandalay
O the road to Mandalay,
Where the flyin-fishes play,
An, the dawn comes up like thunder ouiter China 'crost the Bay..
Mandalay
Rudyard Kipling ( 1865-1936)
By the old Moulmein Pagoda, lookin' eastward to the sea,
There's a Burma girl a-settin', and I know she thinks o' me;
For the wind is in the palm-trees, and the temple-bells they say:
"Come you back, you British soldier; come you back to Mandalay!"
Come you back to Mandalay,
Where the old Flotilla lay:
Can't you 'ear their paddles chunkin' from Rangoon to Mandalay?
On the road to Mandalay,
Where the flyin'-fishes play,
An' the dawn comes up like thunder outer China 'crost the Bay!
'Er petticoat was yaller an' 'er little cap was green,
An' 'er name was Supi-yaw-lat -- jes' the same as Theebaw's Queen,
An' I seed her first a-smokin' of a whackin' white cheroot,
An' a-wastin' Christian kisses on an 'eathen idol's foot:
Bloomin' idol made o'mud --
Wot they called the Great Gawd Budd --
Plucky lot she cared for idols when I kissed 'er where she stud!
On the road to Mandalay . . .
When the mist was on the rice-fields an' the sun was droppin' slow,
She'd git 'er little banjo an' she'd sing "Kulla-lo-lo!"
With 'er arm upon my shoulder an' 'er cheek agin' my cheek
We useter watch the steamers an' the hathis pilin' teak.
Elephints a-pilin' teak
In the sludgy, squdgy creek,
Where the silence 'ung that 'eavy you was 'arf afraid to speak!
On the road to Mandalay . . .
But that's all shove be'ind me -- long ago an' fur away,
An' there ain't no 'busses runnin' from the Bank to Mandalay;
An' I'm learnin' 'ere in London what the ten-year soldier tells:
"If you've 'eard the East a-callin', you won't never 'eed naught else."
No! you won't 'eed nothin' else
But them spicy garlic smells,
An' the sunshine an' the palm-trees an' the tinkly temple-bells;
On the road to Mandalay . . .
I am sick o' wastin' leather on these gritty pavin'-stones,
An' the blasted Henglish drizzle wakes the fever in my bones;
Tho' I walks with fifty 'ousemaids outer Chelsea to the Strand,
An' they talks a lot o' lovin', but wot do they understand?
Beefy face an' grubby 'and --
Law! wot do they understand?
I've a neater, sweeter maiden in a cleaner, greener land!
On the road to Mandalay . . .
Ship me somewheres east of Suez, where the best is like the worst,
Where there aren't no Ten Commandments an' a man can raise a thirst;
For the temple-bells are callin', an' it's there that I would be --
By the old Moulmein Pagoda, looking lazy at the sea;
On the road to Mandalay,
Where the old Flotilla lay,
With our sick beneath the awnings when we went to Mandalay!
On the road to Mandalay,
Where the flyin'-fishes play,
An' the dawn comes up like thunder outer China 'crost the Bay!
On The Road To Mandalay
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Lyrics by: Rudyard Kipling
Written by: Oley Speaks
Arranged by: Billy May
From the Album: Come Fly With Me (1958)
Live In Australia with the Red Norvo Quintet
Label: Capitol Records
Recorded: October 1, 1957
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