The Gondolier (Song)
Words by Harry H. Williams, Music by William C. Polla (as W.C. Powell)
Words by Harry H. Williams, Music by William C. Polla (as W.C. Powell)
Note: The song version uses sections A, C, A, C from the intermezzo in that order for verse and chorus, and is in the key of G instead of Bb and Eb.
Verse 1: There was once a noble lover
Who would hover 'neath the cover of a bower,
As each night he went to call upon his love,
His sweet Italian Turtle Dove,
He'd sing a witty little ditty,
To his pretty little lady for an hour,
Then from her bower she would shower him a flower,
While he sang his serenade so quaint.
Who would hover 'neath the cover of a bower,
As each night he went to call upon his love,
His sweet Italian Turtle Dove,
He'd sing a witty little ditty,
To his pretty little lady for an hour,
Then from her bower she would shower him a flower,
While he sang his serenade so quaint.
Chorus: My sweet Venetian daughter, queen of the streets of water,
By stars that shine above you, I swear that I will love you,
If you will go a-boating, through life we'll go a-floating,
And I will be your Gondolier.
By stars that shine above you, I swear that I will love you,
If you will go a-boating, through life we'll go a-floating,
And I will be your Gondolier.
Verse 2: Now he said with much endeavor,
Maiden clever, will you ever be my wife,
I will love you as no other lover would,
For you I'd do all that I could,
At first she tarried but they married,
She'll be carried down the happy stream of life,
Now they go riding and a-gliding while he's guiding
You can hear him sing to her once more.
Maiden clever, will you ever be my wife,
I will love you as no other lover would,
For you I'd do all that I could,
At first she tarried but they married,
She'll be carried down the happy stream of life,
Now they go riding and a-gliding while he's guiding
You can hear him sing to her once more.
Chorus: My sweet Venetian daughter, queen of the streets of water,
By stars that shine above you, I swear that I will love you,
If you will go a-boating, through life we'll go a-floating,
And I will be your Gondolier.
By stars that shine above you, I swear that I will love you,
If you will go a-boating, through life we'll go a-floating,
And I will be your Gondolier.
