Mad Dogs and Englishmen

In tropical climes there are certain times of day When all the citizens retire To tear their clothes off and perspire It's one of those rules that the greatest fools obey Because the sun is much too sultry And one must avoid its ultra violet ray Papalaka papalaka papalaka boo Papalaka papalaka papalaka boo Digariga digariga digariga doo Digariga digariga digariga doo The native grieve when the white Men leave their huts, because They're obviously definitely nuts! Mad dogs and Englishmen Go out in the midday sun The Japanese don't care to The Chinese wouldn't dare to Hindoos and Argentines sleep Firmly from twelve to one But Englishmen detest a siesta In the Philippines There are lovely screens To protect you from the glare In the Malay States There are hats like plates Which the Britishers won't wear At twelve noon the natives swoon And no further work is done But mad dogs and Englishmen Go out in the midday sun It's such a surprise for the Eastern eyes to see That though the English are effete They're quite impervious to heat When the white man rides every native hides in glee Because the simple creatures hope he Will impale his solar topee on a tree Bolyboly bolyboly bolyboly baa Bolyboly bolyboly bolyboly baa Habaninny habaninny habaninny haa Habaninny habaninny habaninny haa It seems such a shame When the English claim The earth that they give rise to Such hilarity and mirth Mad dogs and Englishmen Go out in the midday sun. The toughest Burmese bandit Can never understand it In Rangoon the heat of noon Is just what the natives shun They put their Scotch or Rye down And lie down in a jungle town Where the sun beats down To the rage of man and beast The English garb Of the English sahib Merely gets a bit more creased In Bangkok At twelve o'clock They foam at the mouth and run Slut mad dogs and Englishmen Go out in the midday sun Mad dogs and Englishmen Go out in the midday sun. The smallest Malay rabbit Deplores this stupid habit in Hongkong They strike a gong and Fire off a noonday gun To reprimand each inmate Who's in late In the mangrove swamps Where the python romps There is peace from twelve till two Even caribous Lie around and snooze For there's nothing else To do in Bengal to move At all is seldom, if ever done But mad dogs and Englishmen Go out in the midday sun --- Mad Dogs and Englishmen - Noël Coward and The Orchestra