Lyrics by Frank DiGiacomo and Julian R. Pace, drawn from Bunches of Grapes, a poem by Walter de la Mare,
republished in America by Dover Publications in a collection called Songs of Childhood.
Photography by Sherry Eckstein.
Beauty and her family have fallen on hard times. As her Father prepares to journey to the city in the hopes of reversing their fortunes, Beauty’s two Sisters burst in, besieging their Father with requests for presents from the city.
Beauty looks on, bemused.
LYRICS
First Sister:
Father, dear Father,
I thought of something more you must bring to me—
I know you will do it!
I need shoes for my feet, for I’ve none to wear
before my friends, before my friends!
Bring me shoes with jewels and spangles, buckles and bells,
shoes of white leather and slippers of silk,
gold-braided sandals and boots lined with fur!
Father dear, I need shoes for my feet,
for I’ve none to wear, dear Father, Father dear!
I need shoes for my feet for I’ve none to wear!
Father, dear Father!
Blouses of lace and a cape of red velvet,
a black leather belt set with mother-of-pearl,
and earrings of turquoise to match my fair eyes!
To match my fair eyes!
Gold bracelets and rings, and anklets of jade,
fine silken hose and a purse of white suede
and a full flowing gown of shimmering satin!
Gold bracelets, anklets of jade,
and a full-flowing gown! For me!
Second Sister:
And don’t forget me!
All the gowns that I need,
and the perfumes and creams to bring back my beauty,
to bring back my beauty,
precious powders, precious rouges, tints for my hair!
Now please don’t object!
Can I face my friends dressed like a peasant,
hands blistered by laundry and smelling of sheep?
A green velour ribbon to set off my hair,
an ivory brush like the one that you sold,
sachets of herbs for my potions and creams,
and a necklace of pearls brought from Cathay—
you promised me I should have them one day!
Sachets of herbs for my potions and creams,
and a necklace of pearls brought from Cathay! For me!
Beauty: (Watching her Sisters with growing amusement.)
“Bunches of grapes,” says Timothy;
“Pomegranates pink,” says Elaine;
“A junket of cream and a cranberry tart for me,” says Jane.
“Love-in-a-mist,” says Timothy;
“Primroses pale,” says Elaine;
“A nosegay of pinks and mignonette for me,” says Jane;
“For me,” says Jane.
Father:
I’ll have little time! I’ll have little time!
But I’ll have little time!
First Sister:
Fine dresses, rich jewelry, all these you must bring us,
all these you must bring us!
Ah! laces and silks, leathers and furs,
all these you must bring to us!
All! All!
Gold rings! Gold rings! Ah!
and everything else that we’ve asked for,
everything that we’ve asked for!
Ah! Gold rings!
and everything else that we’ve asked for!
All these you must bring to us!
Ah! laces and silks, leathers and furs, laces and silks, fine dresses, all!
Rich jewelry, all!
All, all! All, all!
All, all, all! All, all, all! All, all, all! All, all, all!
All, all, all, all, all, all,
everything that we’ve asked for!
Second Sister:
Fine dresses, rich jewelry, all these you must bring us,
all these you must bring us!
Ah! laces and silks, ah, leathers and furs,
ah! all these you must bring to us!
All! All!
Rings, gold rings, gold rings,
and everything, everything else that we’ve asked for,
everything that we’ve asked for.
Gold rings, gold rings
and everything else that we’ve asked for.
All these you must bring to us!
Ah! leathers and furs, laces and silks, fine dresses, all!
rich jewelry, all!
All, all! All, all!
All, all, all! All, all, all! All, all, all! All, all, all!
All, all, all, all, all, all,
everything that we’ ve asked for!
Beauty:
“Chariots of gold,” says Timothy; “Silvery wings,” says Elaine;
“A bumpity ride in a wagon of hay for me,” says Jane;
“For me, for me,” says Jane.
“Chariots of gold,” says Timothy; “Silvery wings,” says Elaine;
“A bumpity ride in a wagon of hay for me,” says Jane;
“And a bumpity ride in a wagon of hay for me,” says Jane,
“For me,” says Jane, “for me.”
Chariots of gold! Silvery wings! Bumpity ride! Chariots of gold!
Silvery wings! Ah!
Yes yes yes! Yes yes yes! Yes yes yes! Yes yes yes!
“Silvery wings,” says Elaine!
“A nosegay of pinks and mignonette, for me!”
Father:
“Chariots of gold,” says Timothy; “Silvery wings,” says Elaine;
“A bumpity ride in a wagon of hay for me,” says Jane.
Yes! Yes!
“Chariots of gold,” says Timothy; “Silvery wings,” says Elaine;
“A bumpity ride in a wagon of hay for me,” says Jane.
Yes! Yes! You’ll have everything!
Yes! Yes! You’ll have everything!
You’ll have everything!
You’ll have everything, everything!
Ah, yes! Ah, yes! Yes! Ah!
Yes yes yes! Yes yes yes! Yes yes yes! Yes yes yes!
Yes! Yes! You’ll have everything,
have everything, yes, yes!