Venezuela

Text and Music: John Jacob Niles (1892-1980)

Here is Niles's full four verse text:

I met her in Venezuela
With a basket on her head.
If she loved others she did not say
But I knew she'd do to pass away
To pass away the time in Venezuela,
To pass away the time in Venezuela.

I bought her a beautiful sash, a sash of blue
A beautiful sash of blue.
Because I knew that she would do
With all the tricks I knew she knew
To pass away the time in Venezuela.
To pass away the time in Venezuela.

An when the ship, the ship put out to sea,
And the ship put out to sea.
And she was taking leave of me
I said, "Cheer up; there'll always be
Sailors ashore on leave in Venezuela.
Sailors ashore on leave in Venezuela."

Her lingo was strange, but the thought of her beautiful smile,
The thought of her beautiful smile.
Will haunt me and taunt me for many a mile
For she was my girl and she did for a while
To pass away the time in Venezuela,
To pass away the time in Venezuela.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Volk
• Bellini
• aria
• Paisilello
• musical enjambment
• declaimed melody