ruddigore 37 When the Night Wind Howls

SONG ñ SIR RODERIC.

When the night wind howls in the chimney cowls, and the bat in the
moonlight flies,
And inky clouds, like funeral shrouds, sail over the midnight skies ñ
When the footpads quail at the night-bird's wail, and black dogs bay at the
moon,
Then is the spectres' holiday ñ then is the ghosts' high-noon!
CHORUS.Ha! ha!
Then is the ghosts' high-noon!

As the sob of the breeze sweeps over the trees, and the mists lie low on the
fen,
From grey tomb-stones are gathered the bones that once were women and
men,
And away they go, with a mop and a mow, to the revel that ends too soon,
For cockcrow limits our holiday ñ the dead of the night's high-noon!
CHORUS. Ha! ha!
The dead of the night's high-noon!

And then each ghost with his ladye-toast to their churchyard beds take
flight,
With a kiss, perhaps, on her lantern chaps, and a grisly grim "good-night";
Till the welcome knell of the midnight bell rings forth its jolliest tune,
And ushers in our next high holiday ñ the dead of the night's high-noon!
CHORUS. Ha! ha!
The dead of the night's high-noon!
Ha! ha! ha! ha!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• gilbert
• and
• sullivan
• musical

[Mesmerelda]

Thanks for putting these up here, pal. As a woman who grew up with G&S and a Vincent Price fan, this is a spectacular find for me!

(Sings) The dead of the night's high-noon! Ha Ha! Ha Ha!

[helilienthal]

Ha Ha! HIGH NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON

[TheShadowwolf88]

I usually don´t put much stock in english "opera" but this was a master piece!

[VRNProductions]

That guy in the bust costume must be having so much fun.

[grimalover]

I love this song.

[conswayer]

Funny how he says 'the midnight bell' but the bell only rings 10 times.

[mrgreynomore]

Don't they all look so marvelously ridiculous! :P It's so great to hear this again. I grew up on G&S.

[vegetubleman]

Lovely! I left a link on today's Guardian blog - Readers Recommend songs about resurrection, so I hope you get some new fans.

[RossiniSoprano]

@bobbiewick YES...finally someone on Youtube who can sing this.

[HookSilverSparrow]

I love the look on poor Ruthven's face when Roderic kisses the skull...

[bobbiewick]

It IS Donald Adams singing Sir Roderick. Love it!!