I had twins

Lyrics by Lorenz Hart, music by Richard Rodgers
Lyrics published on The Complete Lyrics of Lorenz Hart
BUY mp3 on Amazon.com
Tag: ?

[Throughout the song the Policeman interprets the soundsrepresenting the words of the Duke and the Merchant,Aegean, who are inside the courthouse. The Duke's mouthmoves and we hear a bass clarinet, followed by the translation by the Policeman. When Aegean speaks, we hear anE-flat clarinet, followed by the Policeman 's translation ]

CROWD: Hurrah! Hurroo!
There'll be an execution.
It serves him right.
The law makes retribution.
There's going to be a killing.
Hurrah! Hurroo! 

CITIZEN: It serves him right.
Hurrah! Hurroo!
What did he do?

POLICEMAN: He came from Syracuse. 

CROWD: No! No! No!

POLICEMAN: Yes! Yes! Yes!
So let him plead,
For what's the use?
The sap's from Syracuse! 

CROWD: The sap' s from Syracuse!

POLICEMAN: Sh! Listen!

[Aegean (E-flat clarinet) pleads ]

[Duke (bass clarinet) answers ] 
Yes-he dies! 

CROWD: Good! That's one down!
[Duke]
POLICEMAN: He dies tomorrow at sundown.
Our rigid laws of Ephesus
Most rightfully refuse
A visa to any citizen
Of uncivilized Syracuse.
If any one of us would dare to go
To that barbaric city.
He'd get the ax the same as he--
That's why he gets no pity.

CROWD: Give him the ax, the ax, the ax
Give him the ax, the ax- 

[Duke]

POLICEMAN: Unless he can pay a thousand marks,
Or borrow it from the local sharks.

[Duke] 

Why did you come here?

[Aegean]
I had twins.

CROWD: He had twins.
That's nothing much agin him.
He had twins.

POLICEMAN: I never thought he had it in him.

CROWD: Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.

[Duke]
POLICEMAN: Is that why you came here?

[The Policeman now translates Aegean's story for him, each line coming first from Aegean 's E-flat clarinet and then sang by the Policeman ]

I had twins who looked alike,
Couldn't tell one from the other.
They had two slaves who looked alike,
Couldn't tell one from his brother.
But on one unlucky day.
We went sailing on the sea.
This was an unlucky blunder,
For our ship was torn asunder
Just like that!
Just like that!
JustLikeThat!
See?
One young twin went down with me,
One went swimming with his mother.
We were parted by the sea,
Man and wife and slave and brother.
Now my one remaining brave boy
Went a-searching with his slave boy
Having lost my sonAnd wife, too-
I will gladly give my life, too-
Just like that!
Just like that!
JustLike
That!
See?

I have searched the isles of Greece
From my home to far-off Samos.
Didn't know your local laws.
I am just an ignoramus.
I am sinless!
I am twinless!
I am wifeless!
I am lifeless!
I
Am
Glad
To
Die!
He had twins,
For them he'd give his life.
He had twins,
To say nothing of his wife.

CROWD: Hurrah! Hurroo!
There'll be an execution.
It serves him right.
The law makes retribution.
There's going to be a killing.
Hurrah! 
Hurroo!
What did he do?
He came from Syracuse.
Yes! 
Yes! 
Yes!Yes! 
Yes! Yes!Yes! Yes! Yes!

Sheet music:
None

Cds:
The Boys From Syracuse (1997 Studio Cast)
The Boys From Syracuse (1953 Studio Cast)
The Boys from Syracuse (1963 London Cast)
The Boys From Syracuse (1963 Broadway Revival Cast)