- I. Chorus: "Tarragon of virtue is full"
- II. Recitative: "And there were in the same country"
- III. Duet: "Bide thy thyme"
- IV. Fugue: Orchestra
- V. Recitative: "Then asked he"
- VI. Chorale: "By the leeks of Babylon, There we sat down, yea, we wept"
- VII. Recitative: "Then she gave in"
- VIII.Aria: "Open sesame seeds"
- IX. Recitative: "So saying"
- X. Duet: "Summer is a cumin seed"
- XI. Chorus with soloists: "To curry favor, favor curry"
Lyrics: [Ed. note - This was a rough transcription based on what I could hear. For full, proper lyrics, check the newly uploaded original score here]
I. Chorus:
Tarragon, tarragon! Tarragon, tarragon!
Tarragon: of virtue, (it) is full.
Tarragon is full of virtue.
Tarragon is full of vir-tue.
Tarragon is full of vir-choo-choo-choo...
Very true! Virtue so virtuous!
That's what tarragon is full of,
Full of virtue!
Tarragon, tarragon, tarragon!
II. Recitative
And there were in the same country
Shepherd's pies
that lacked but one ingredient.
And so the shepherd's chef sought out
A soothsayer, saying:
"Soothsayer, say unto me the sooth."
So he said:
III. Duet
"Bide thy thyme, for thyme is running short.
Bide thy thyme so fair.
Bide thy thyme, the seasoning season's o'er,
Bide thy thyme, take care.
February's fine for taking thyme,
But in March of thyme beware.
Bide thy thyme, for thyme is money too,
Bide thy thyme so fair.
Bide thy thyme, now thy subscription's through,
Bide thy thyme, take care.
February's fine for taking thyme,
But in March of thyme beware.
So bide thy thyme!
Then she produced a silken purse full of many spices, whereupon she said to him...
"If you've got the money, honey, I've got the thyme, if you've got the money, honey, I've got the thyme; bide thy thyme somehow.
I've got the time if you've got the inclination, I've got the time if you've got the inclination; Bide thy thyme for now."
IV. Fugue
(Orchestra begins playing elaborate and very long fugue. After the first presentation of the theme, the producers send a man on to say...) "Ladies and Gentlemen, the producers have just calculated that this fugue is going to run, uh, an hour and twenty minutes over time, and I must insist you not play it." (Audience hisses.)
V. Recitative
Then asked he of her, "Have you any onions, and have you savoury?"
But she answered him, not saying, "Onions have I, but savoury have I none."
Whereupon he scolded her, "Then thou art an unsavoury rapscallion!"
But he took her wares, with these words:
"A hard man is he who an onion shreds, yet not a tear-drop sheds!"
VI. Chorale
By the leeks of Babylon, E I E I O,
There we sat down, yea, we wept, E I E I O.
With a (sob) here
And a (sob) there
And a here, (sob) there, (sob), everywhere, (sob)
By the leeks of Babylon, E I E I O
VII. Recitative
Then she gave him, in spite of all her teachings, some precious sesame seeds to him, and tried to warn him, but in vain: for he interrupted her, saying...
VIII. Aria
"Open sesame seeds and see what you see!
Open sesame seeds and see what you see, see, see, see!
See what you see, see what you see!
Open, open! Sesame, sesame!
Sesame mucho, sesame mucho!
Open!
(sneezes)
Open sesame seeds, and see what you see!
Open sesame seeds, and see what you see, see, see, see!
See, see, see, see, C.....C#!"
IX. Recitative
So saying, he opened the forbidden seed, and found therein another seed, to which he said,
"And who art thou?"
To which the seed replied,
"I'm cumin, I'm cumin, for my head is bending low."
X. Duet
"Summer is a cumin seed, loudly sings the stew.
Summer is a cumin seed, lewdly sing boo hoo.
Summer is a cumin seed, comin' through the rye,
Summer is a cumin seed, please don't ask me why!"
XI. Chorus with soloists
To curry favor, favor curry!
Favor curry, curry favor.
(cheerleading)
To curry favor, to curry favor, to curry favor.
Curry, curry, curry, curry...
To curry favor, favor curry!
To favor curry, curry favor
To favor currs (Halle - jah! Halle - jah!)
To furry caves (Halle - jah! Halle - jah!)
Favor currs (Halle - jah! Halle - jah!)
Furry caves (Halle - jah! Halle - jah!)
To curr, to curr, curr curr curr curr
To curry favor, favor curry - Q.E.D.!
- Model: Handel's oratorios, though the title refers to Haydn's The Seasons
- Pieces referenced:
- "And there were in the same country certain shepherds..." is an exact quotation of Luke 2:8 (KJV). Rather more accurate than Handel's version in The Messiah.
- Willie Nelson, "If You've got the Money"
- Referenced in the lyrics of "Bide thy Thyme"
- Old MacDonald Had a Farm and "By the Waters of Babylon" (Hayes)
- Both are referenced in the Chorale "By the leeks of Babylon (E-I-E-I-O), There we sat down, yea, we wept". The tune and structure is a somewhat disguised Old MacDonald, set as a part song.
- Besame Mucho
- Referenced in the lyrics of "Open sesame seeds"
- Stephen Foster, "Old Black Joe"
- Referenced in the Recitative "So Saying" in lyrics and music.
- Summer is a-Coming In
- Used as a basis for the Duet "Summer is a Cumin Seed"
- Handel, Hallelujah Chorus from Messiah
- In "To Curry Favor", specifically the "King of Kings (Hallelujah, Hallelujah)" section of the chorus.
