Ghost of Sunday Classics: I have a song to sing, O!

Luciano Pavarotti and Joan Sutherland sing the "Brindisi" from Act I of Verdi's La Traviata, with Richard Bonynge conducting, at the Met in October 1970.

ALFREDO: Let’s drink, let's drink
from the joyous chalice where beauty flowers.
Let the fleeting hour
to pleasure’s intoxication yield.
Let’s drink to love’s sweet tremors –
to those eyes that pierce the heart.
Let’s drink to love -- to wine,
that warms our kisses.
ALL
: Ah! Let’s drink, let's drink to love --
to wine, that warms our kisses.
VIOLETTA [rising]: With you, with you
I would share my days of happiness.
Everything is folly in this world
that does not give us pleasure.
Let us enjoy life,
for the pleasures of love are swift and fleeting,
as a flower that lives and dies
and can be enjoyed no more.
Let’s take our pleasure!
While its ardent, brilliant summons lures us on.
ALL: Let’s take our pleasure
of wine and singing and mirth,
till the new day dawns on us as in Paradise.
VIOLETTA [to ALFREDO]: Life is just pleasure.
ALFREDO [to VIOLETTA]: But if one still waits for love --
VIOLETTA [to ALFREDO]: I know nothing of that --
don’t tell me --
ALFREDO [to VIOLETTA]: But there lies my fate.
ALL: Let’s take our pleasure
of wine and singing and mirth,
till the new day dawns on this paradise of ours.

by Ken

Extra credit if you saw the title of this post and sang back, "Sing me your song, O!"

In a moment we'll come back to "I have a song to sing, O!," but first, by way of sort-of-explainaton of what we're up to today, it's not exactly a rarity in opera where one character or another is asked to sing for the entertainment of a gathering, often with drinking involved. Nor is it a rarity for one character or another to offer a song to a gathering for their entertainment. I have such a scene in mind, and to get there I thought we'd hit some of the more notable specimens, and we've started with perhaps the most famous of all, the "Brindisi" (drinking song) sung by Alfredo, and joined by Violetta, at the start of Act I of La Traviata.

In fact, we're going to hear the full setting of Alfredo's "Libiamo," but first --

"I HAVE A SONG TO SING, O!"

When I had done most of the mapping-out and a lot of the audio-clip-making for this post, I put my thinking cap on to come up with a better title than the working one I'd slapped on it. (No, I'm not going to tell you. Okay, okay, it was "How 'bout a song?") Then it hit me: "I have a song to sing, O!" And it occurred to me that this beautiful duet from The Yeomen of the Guard should itself be included in the post. Which is when things got a little crazy, but let's go ahead and listen to "I have a song to sing, O!"

We've dabbled in Yeomen of the Guard before, and for all the difficulties of its creation -- perhaps, in part, because of those difficulties -- and despite some remaining unevenness in the score, this is perhaps the mostly deeply touching of the G-and-S operas. Jack Point, the nominal "comedy baritone" character, is a figure of considerable sadness, and his partner Elsie Maynard comes close to a tragic heroine. Here, unlike our other song-offerers, these wandering minstrels don't have a ready-made audience -- they're trying to scrounge up an audience.

We start with two D'Oyly Carte performances, the 1950 actually cast from the company, the 1964 one with Sir Malcolm Sargent bringing in a ringer for Elsie, to join a comedy-baritone Jack who actually sings -- a really sweet performance. Then we hear some legit singers, first in Sir Malcolm's earlier and quite different, more probing EMI recording; then in the Philips Yeomen cast entirely with legit singers (not necessarily ideal singers, but at least legit ones).

I suppose that in theory it's possible to sing this "I have a song to sing, O!" too beautifully -- this is a comedy, after all -- but as soon as I hear it happen, we can worry about that.

GILBERT and SULLIVAN: The Yeomen of the Guard: Act I, Duet, Jack Point and Elsie Maynard, "I have a song to sing, O!"

JACK POINT: I have a song to sing, O!
ELSIE MAYNARD: Sing me your song, O!
JACK: It is sung to the moon
by a love-lorn loon,
who fled from the mocking throng, O!
It's a song of a merryman, moping mum,
whose soul was sad, and whose glance was glum,
who sipped no sup, and who craved no crumb,
as he sighed for the love of a ladye.
Heighdy! heighdy!
Misery me -- lack-a-day-dee!
He sipped no sup, and he craved no crumb,
as he sighed for the love of a ladye!

ELSIE: I have a song to sing, O!
JACK: What is your song, O?
ELSIE: It is sung with the ring
of the songs maids sing
who love with a love life-long, O!
It's the song of a merrymaid, peerly proud,
who loved a lord, and who laughed aloud
at the moan of the merryman, moping mum,
whose soul was sad, and whose glance was glum,
who sipped no sup, and who craved no crumb,
as he sighed for the love of a ladye!
Heighdy! heighdy!
Misery me -- lack-a-day-dee!
He sipped no sup, and he craved no crumb,
as he sighed for the love of a ladye!

JACK: I have a song to sing, O!
ELSIE: Sing me your song, O!
JACK: It is sung to the knell
of a churchyard bell,
and a doleful dirge, ding dong, O!
It's a song of a popinjay, bravely born,
who turned up his noble nose with scorn
at the humble merrymaid, peerly proud,
who loved a lord, and who laughed aloud
at the moan of the merryman, moping mum,
whose soul was sad, and whose glance was glum,
who sipped no sup, and who craved no crumb,
as he sighed for the love of a ladye!
Heighdy! heighdy!
Misery me -- lack-a-day-dee!
He sipped no sup, and he craved no crumb,
as he sighed for the love of a ladye!

ELSIE: I have a song to sing, O!
JACK: Sing me your song, O!
ELSIE: It is sung with a sigh
and a tear in the eye,
for it tells of a righted wrong, O!
It's a song of the merrymaid, once so gay,
who turned on her heel and tripped away
from the peacock popinjay, bravely born,
who turned up his noble nose with scorn
at the humble heart that he did not prize:
So she begged on her knees, with downcast eyes,
for the love of the merryman, moping mum,
whose soul was sad, and whose glance was glum,
who sipped no sup, and who craved no crumb,
as he sighed for the love of a ladye!
BOTH: Heighdy! heighdy!
Misery me -- lack-a-day-dee!
His pains were o'er, and he sighed no more,
for he lived in the love of a ladye!
Heighdy! heighdy!
Misery me -- lack-a-day-dee!
His pains were o'er, and he sighed no more,
for he lived in the love of a ladye!

Martyn Green (b), Jack Point; Muriel Harding (s), Elsie Maynard; New Promenade Orchestra of London, Isidore Godfrey, cond. Decca, recorded July 18, 1950

John Reed (b), Jack Point; Elizabeth Harwood (s), Elsie Maynard; Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Malcolm Sargent, cond. Decca, recorded Apr. 5-11, 1964

Geraint Evans (b), Jack Point; Elsie Morison (s), Elsie Maynard; Pro Arte Orchestra, Sir Malcolm Sargent, cond. EMI, recorded Dec. 10-14, 1957

Thomas Allen (b), Jack Point; Sylvia McNair (s), Elsie Maynard; Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Sir Neville Marriner, cond. Philips, recorded May 1992

PARTY AT VIOLETTA'S

Now, as promised, let's hear the set-up for the Traviata "Brindisi." We've actually heard this opening scene, and three of today's four recordings (I've added a "new" one -- and also added the texts, which we didn't have before). Note that the first two versions we hear come with the Traviata Act I Prelude attached, so we can really hear the context for our drinking song. B this point I think you've gotten the idea, and our remaining recordings are Prelude-less.

VERDI: La Traviata: Opening scene, through the "Brindisi"

A room in VIOLETTA’s house. VIOLETTA is seated on a sofa talking to DR. GRENVIL and some other friends, who come and go. Some of the guests turn to meet a group of new arrivals, amongst whom are BARON DOUPHOL and FLORA, on the arm of the MARQUIS D'OBIGNY.

GUESTS: It’s long past the time
you were invited -- you’re late.
We’ve been playing cards at Flora’s.
Time flies when one is playing.
VIOLETTA [going to meet them]:
Flora, my dear friends, the evening
will be gayer now you’re here.
Let’s raise our glasses and enjoy ourselves.
FLORA and the MARQUIS: Can you be so gay?
VIOLETTA: I must be;
I put my faith in pleasure
as a cure for all my ills.
ALL: Yes, pleasure adds zest to life.
[GASTONE, VISCOUNT OF LETORIÈRES, enters with ALFREDO. The servants prepare the table.]
GASTONE: Alfredo Germont, dear lady,
is a great admirer of yours
and one of my many valued friends.
VIOLETA [giving her hand to ALFREDO, who kisses it]: Thank you, Viscount, for sharing such a gift.
MARQUIS D'OBIGNY: My dear Alfredo!
ALFREDO: How are you, Marquis?
GASTONE [to ALFREDO]: Didn’t I tell you that friendship
in this house joins hands with pleasure?
[The servants meanwhile have laid the supper table.]
VIOLETTA [to the servants]: Is it ready now?
[The servant nods assent.]
Sit down, my dear friends,
and let’s open our hearts to each other.
ALL: You say well, for wine is a friend
that puts secret sorrow in flight!
[They sit down, wit VIOLETTA between ALFREDO and GASTONE.]
Let’s open our hearts to each other.
GASTONE [softly, to VIOLETTA]: Alfredo thinks of nobody but you.
VIOLETTA: You’re joking.
GASTONE: When you were ill,
he came every day,
inquiring anxiously about you.
VIOLETTA
Be quiet! I’m nothing to him.
GASTONE: I’m telling you the truth.
VIOLETTA [to ALFREDO]: Is it true?
But why should you? I don’t understand.
ALFREDO [with a sigh]: Yes, it is true.


VIOLETTA [to ALFREDO]: I'm very grateful to you.
You, Baron, never did as much for me!
BARON DOUPHOL: I've only known you a year.
VIOLETTA: He's only known me a few minutes.
FLORA [softly to the BARON]:
You'd have done better to keep quiet.
BARON [softly to FLORA]: This young man annoys me.
FLORA: Why? I find him charming.
GASTONE [to ALFREDO]: You haven't so much as opened your mouth yet.
MARQUIS [to VIOLETTA]: It's the lady's privilege to loosen his tongue.
VIOLETTA [pouring for ALFREDO]:
I'll be Hebe, who pours.
ALFREDO [gallantly]:
May you be as immortal as she.
ALL: Let’s drink!
GASTONE: Now, Baron,
can’t find you a verse, a toast
to mark this happy moment?
[The BARON shakes his head. Turning to ALFREDO]
What about you?

ALL: Yes, yes, a drinking song!
ALFREDO: The Muse doesn’t smile on me.
GASTONE: Aren't you her master?
ALFREDO [to VIOLETTA]: Would it please you?
VIOLETTA: Yes.
ALFREDO [rising]: Yes?
You put heart into me.
MARQUIS: Listen now --
ALL: Yes, let’s hear the singer.

"Brindisi," Alfredo and Violetta with chorus,
"Libiamo, libiamo" ("Let's drink let's drink")
ALFREDO: Let’s drink, let's drink
from the joyous chalice where beauty flowers.
Let the fleeting hour
to pleasure’s intoxication yield.
Let’s drink to love’s sweet tremors –
to those eyes That pierce the heart.
Let’s drink to love -- to wine,
that warms our kisses.
ALL
: Ah! Let’s drink, let's drink to love --
to wine, that warms our kisses.
VIOLETTA [rising]: With you
I would share my days of happiness.
Everything is folly in this world
that does not give us pleasure.
Let us enjoy life,
for the pleasures of love are swift and fleeting,
as a flower that lives and dies
and can be enjoyed no more.
Let’s take our pleasure!
While its ardent, brilliant summons lures us on.
ALL: Let’s take our pleasure
of wine and singing and mirth,
till the new day dawns on us as in Paradise.
VIOLETTA [to ALFREDO]: Life is just pleasure.
ALFREDO [to VIOLETTA]: But if one still waits for love --
VIOLETTA [to ALFREDO]: I know nothing of that --
don’t tell me --
ALFREDO [to VIOLETTA]: But there lies my fate.
ALL: Let’s take our pleasure
of wine and singing and mirth,
till the new day dawns on this paradise of ours.

Including the Prelude

[in English] Valerie Masterson (s), Violetta Valéry; Geoffrey Pogson (t), Gastone; Denis Dowling (bs), Marquis d'Obigny; John Brecknock (t), Alfredo Germont; Della Jones (ms), Flora Bervoix; John Gibbs (b), Baron Douphol; English National Opera Chorus and Orchestra, Sir Charles Mackerras, cond. EMI, recorded Aug.-Oct. 1980

Maria Callas (s), Violetta; Piero de Palma (t), Gastone; Vito Susca (bs), Marquis d'Obigny; Alfredo Kraus (t), Alfredo Germont; Laura Zannini (s), Flora Bervoix; Álvaro Malta (b), Baron Douphol; Chorus of the Teatro Sao Carlos, Orquestra Sinfónica Nacional, Franco Ghione, cond. Live performance, Mar. 27, 1958
Without the Prelude

Rosanna Carteri (s), Violetta Valéry; Glauco Scarlini (t), Gastone; Leonardo Monreale (bs), Marquis d'Obigny; Cesare Valletti (t), Alfredo Germont; Lydia Marimpietri (s), Flora Bervoix; Arturo La Porta (b), Baron Douphol; Rome Opera Chorus and Orchestra, Pierre Monteux, cond. RCA-Myto, recorded 1956

Virginia Zeani (s), Violetta Valéry; Vasile Moldoveanu (t), Gastone; Valentin Loghin (bs), Marquis d'Obigny; Ion Buzea (t), Alfredo Germont; Elisabeta Neculce-Cartis (ms), Flora Bervoix; Constantin Dumitru (b), Baron Douphol; Chorus and Orchestra of the Romanian Opera, Bucharest, Jean Bobescu, cond. Electrecord-Vox, recorded 1968

"I WILL DO MY BEST TO BORE NO ONE"

Nicola Rossi-Lemeni (bs), Méphistophélès; Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Pierre Monteux, cond. Live performance, Dec, 5, 1953

Jerome Hines (bs), Méphistophélès; Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Jean Morel, cond. Live performance, Jan. 4, 1958

James Morris (bs-b), Méphistophélès; Orchestra of the Opera Company of Philadelphia, Serge Baudo, cond. Live performance, 1985

Justino Díaz (bs-b), Méphistophélès; Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Alain Lombard, cond. Live performance, Dec. 24, 1966

Next we hear one well-meaning townsman appoint himself town troubadour, only to have his effort at a "Song of the Rat" rudely interrupted by a dapper gentleman who happens to be the Devil, who -- as we've just heard several times over -- promises to do his best not to bore anyone. (I thought it would be interesting to hear some of the range of possible vocal "line readings" for this line, so I plucked out a handful. I'm not sure I buy Méphistophélès going quite as moony as James Morris and especially Justino Díaz make him, but it's a lovely effect -- again, especially Díaz.

We;re still relatively early in Act II of Gounod's Faust, and young Wagner attempts to lighten the mood with a little drinking song, but as noted is quickly given the hook by Méphisto. "Le veau d'or" is of course one of the great bass showpieces, and you hope it goes well for the singer and he gets a nice ovation, because it only lasts about two minutes, and that's two minutes of very heavy lifting.

I suppose I should apologize in advance for some truly ear-popping French we're about to hear, but then, what else is new? I don't say that French is an easy language to sing, but it can be a beautiful language to hear sung, if only France hadn't stopped producing the quantity and quality of singers needed for the native repertory. Which is one reason I tacked on José van Dam's rendition, so we could hear a Francophone rendering (yes, I know he's Belgian, but he's still a native French-speaker), even though van Dam's bass-baritone is hardly the sort of voice one looks for in the role.

GOUNOD: Faust: Act II, Recitative, Wagner, "Allons, amis" ("Let's go, friends") . . . Song, Méphistophélès, "Le veau d'or est toujour debout!" ("The calf of gold is still standing!")

WAGNER: Let's go, friends! No more vain alarms!
With this good wine, let's not mix in tears!
Let's drink! Clink! And may a joyous refrain
put us on our way, put us on our way!
CHORUS: Let's drink! Clink! And may a joyous refrain
put us on our way, put us on our way!
WAGNER: A rat, more cowardly than brave
and more ugly than handsome,
lived at the back of a cellar,
under an old cask. A cat --
MÉPHISTOPHÉLÈS: Pardon!
WAGNER: Eh?
MÉPHISTOPHÉLÈS: Among you, with permission,
permit me to take a place!
May your friend first complete his song!
As for me, I promise you
several of them in my fashion.
WAGNER: One will suffice, assuming it is a good one!
MÉPHISTOPHÉLÈS: I will do my best to bore no one!

MÉPHISTOPHÉLÈS: The calf of gold is still standing!
One adulates his power,
one adulates his power,
from one end of the world to the other end!
To celebrate the infamous idol,
kings and the people mixed together.
To the somber sound of golden coins,
they dance a wild round
around his pedestal,
around his pedestal.
And Satan leads the dance, etc.
CHORUS: And Satan leads the dance, etc.

MÉPHISTOPHÉLÈS: The calf of gold is the victor over the gods!
In its derisory [absurde] glory,
in its derisory [absurde] glory,
the abject monster insults heaven!
It contemplates, oh weird frenzy!
At his feet the human race,
hurling itself about, iron in hand,
in blood and in the mire,
where gleams the burning metal,
where gleams the burning metal.
And Satan leads the dance, etc.
CHORUS: And Satan leads the dance, etc.

CHORUS: Thank you for your song!

[from "Un rat"] Michelle Cozette (b), Wagner; Feodor Chaliapin (bs), Méphistophélès; orchestra, Henri Büsser, cond. EMI, recorded 1930

Laurence Davidson (b), Wagner; Cesare Siepi (bs), Méphistophélès; Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra, Pierre Monteux, cond. Live performance, Feb. 19, 1955

Philippe Fourcade (b), Wagner; Samuel Ramey (bs), Méphistophélès; Welsh National Opera Chorus and Orchestra, Carlo Rizzi, cond. Teldec, recorded July 1993

Jean Brun (b), Wagner; Paul Plishka (bs), Méphistophélès; Chorus of the Opéra du Rhin, Orchestre philharmonique de Strasbourg, Alain Lombard, cond. Erato, recorded 1976

Marc Barrard (b), Wagner; José van Dam (bs-b), Méphistophélès; Chorus and Orchestra of the Capitole de Toulouse, Michel Plasson, cond. EMI, recorded Feb. 15-28, 1991

HERE'S WHERE THINGS GET SCREWY

The original plan was that we would jump from France to Russia for another showpiece-type drinking song, but one of a very different character, sung by quite a character, the fugitive monk Varlaam. The problem was that, especially with the addition of "I have a song to sing, O!" to the post, it was threatening to consumer too much space and time -- yours as well as mine.

I was already fretting that in the hacked-up version of the Inn Scene from Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov I had mapped out, we were already going to lose one of the three great small characters introduced here (and I always think the vivid drawing of the small characters is one of the best things about Boris), the Hostess of the Inn, and for that matter we weren't even going to get Varlaam's story properly told. So I decided to more or less yank Boris out of the post, perhaps leaving just a token performance of Varlaam's "In the town of Kazan" as a promise of fairer treatment at some point in the future.

And then I set about explaining what I had planned to do, and it wound up taking probably more space and unquestionably more time than the original plan would have. Well, this odd instead-of version is done, so we might just as well proceed with it.


First we would have heard the brief orchestral introduction to the Inn Scene, which mostly previews music associated with two of my favorite characters in opera (and in this case I do mean characters), the heavy-tippling ex-monks Missail and Varlaam. At the second strain of the introduction is music associated with the now-Pretender Grigori, another fugitive monk, whom we met in the first scene of Act I (actually the opera's third scene, since Act I is preceded by a two-scene Prologue), who will enter the inn along with the, er, holy fathers.

MUSSORGSKY: Boris Godunov: Act I, Scene 2 (Inn Scene), 
Orchestral introduction

Composer's own version

USSR TV and Radio Large Symphony Orchestra, Vladimir Fedoseyev, cond. Melodiya-Philips, recorded 1978-83
Version of Rimsky-Korsakov

Vienna Philharmonic, Herbert von Karajan, cond. Decca, recorded November 1970

Then at the cost of considerable pain and suffering we would have mostly skipped over the wonderfully characterful song of the Hostess of the Inn as she vigorously plucks a duck clean. We would have maybe picked up late in the Hostess's song, as Missail (tenor) and Varlaam (bass), in an already-established state of picklefaction, are heard first offstage and then entering the inn, with Mussorgsky showing us what a clever composer can do with a comic tenor-bass pairing.

(I would have liked a couple of really wonderful Hostesses, but in the Rostropovich recording we have to settle for a legend; that's Mrs. Rostropovich, the once-great soprano Galina Vishnevskaya, at the time pushing 60.)

Boris Godunov: Act I, Scene 2, Entrance of Missail and Varlaam

HOSTESS [continuing her song, while she continues cleaning her duck]:
Keep all on kissing me ever so warmly,
oh you, my drake!
My darling drake!
You comfort me . . .
MISSAIL and VARLAAM [offstage]: Christian people, honest gentlefolk! . . .
HOSTESS OF THE INN [finishing her song]: . . . You comfort me, a widow, a free widow!
[MISSAIL and VARLAAM enter the inn; behind them, GRIGORI, the Pretender.]
MISSAIL and VARLAAM: . . . For the building of the church
sacrifice just one kopek;
mite will be rewarded a hundredfold!
HOSTESS: Oh Lord! Venerable holy friars!
I'm just a stupid country woman, a complete silly, an old sinner!
That's it . . . they're holy friars!
VARLAAM: Woman, peace be on your house!
HOSTESS: Can I offer you something, holy fathers?
MISSAIL: Whatever God has sent, hostess.
VARLAAM: Would you happen to have some wine?
HOSTESS: Of course I have, fathers! I'll bring some at once!

Composer's version

Galina Vishnevskaya (s), Hostess of the Inn; Misha Raitzin (t), Missail; Romuald Tesarowicz (bs), Varlaam; National Symphony Orchestra (Washington, DC), Mstislav Rostropovich, cond. Erato, recorded 1987
Version of Rimsky-Korsakov

Margarita Lilowa (ms), Hostess of the Inn; Milen Paunov (t), Missail; Anton Diakov (bs), Varlaam; Vienna Philharmonic, Herbert von Karajan, cond. Decca, recorded November 1970

And we would have continued the scene through Varlaam's song, which is not so much a drinking song as a drunk song. Instead let's hear just Varlaam's song as sung by several notable several Russian basses (a late-career Feodor Chaliapin, 1873-1938, and Alexander Kipnis, 1891-1978; plus Mark Reizen, 1895-1992) and one Bulgarian (Nikola Ghiuselev, 1936-2014) who were all notable Boris Godunovs. Apparently if you stick a Russian or Bulgarian bass in a room with a microphone and invite him to sing excerpts from Boris, before he leaves the room he's going to sing Varlaam's song -- just try and stop him.

Boris Godunov: Act I, Scene 2, Song, Varlaam, "In the town of Kazan"

VARLAAM [standing with a bottle of vodka in his hand]:
Once in the town of Kazan
the Terrible Tsar [i.e., Ivan] was feasting and making merry.
He beat the Tartars mercilessly,
so that they'd give up the habit
of going on the spree in Russia.
He walked right up
under the walls of Kazan town.
He dug a tunnel right under the Kazan river.
As the Tartars strolled around the town,
they looked down on Tsar Ivan,
the wicked Tartars!
The Terrible Tsar looked grim.
He hung his head on his right shoulder.
And when he started to call his gunners together
his gunners were all fire raisers! Fire raisers!
The tapers of unbleached wax began to smoke.
Up ran a young runner to a barrel,
and the barrel full of powder began to roll.
Oh, how it rolled along the tunnel
and burst!
Th wicked Tartars began to bawl and kick up such a din,
they yelled with all their might!
Crowds and crowds of Tartars were laid low,
forty and three thousand of them were laid low.
That's how it was in the town of Kazan, hey!

Feodor Chaliapin (bs), Varlaam; orchestra, Rosario Bourdon, cond. EMI, recorded 1927

Alexander Kipnis (bs), Varlaam; Victor Symphony Orchestra, Nicolai Berezowsky, cond. RCA, recorded Feb. 1, 1945

Mark Reizen (bs), Varlaam; Bolshoi Theater Orchestra, Vassily Nebolsin, cond. Melodiya, recorded in the 1950s

Nikola Ghiuselev (bs); Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, Russlan Raychev, cond. Balkanton, recorded in the 1960s


AND AFTER ALL THAT . . .

. . . with, really, not all that much music, what can I say but "Drink up"?


FOR ONE MORE DRINKING SONG --

Check here.

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