In this lecture I shall deal with the production of Lyrics, Blank
Verse and (if I am allowed) Hymns (Ancient and Modern).
First we will write a humorous lyric for the Stage, bearing in mind,
of course, the peculiar foibles, idiosyncrasies and whims of Mr. Alf
Bubble, who will sing it (we hope). Mr. Bubble's principal source of
fun is the personal appearance of his fellow-citizens. Whenever a
new character comes on the stage he makes some remark about the
character's "face." Whenever he does this the entire audience rolls
about on its seat, and cackles and gurgles and wipes its eyes,
and repeats in a hoarse whisper, with variations of its own, the
uproarious phrasing of Mr. Bubble's remark. If Mr. Bubble says, "But
look at his _face_!" the audience, fearful lest its neighbours may
have missed the cream of the thing, splutters hysterically in the
intervals of eye-wiping and coughing and choking and sneezing, "He
said, '_What_ a face!'" or "He said, '_Did_ you _see_ his face?'" or
"He said, 'Is it a _face_?'"
All this we have got to remember when we are writing a lyric for Mr.
Bubble. Why Mr. Bubble of all people should find so much mirth in
other men's faces I can't say, but there it is. If we write a song
embodying this great joke we may be certain that it will please Mr.
Bubble; so we will do it.
Somebody, I think, will have made some slighting remark about the
Government, and that will give the cue for the first verse, which will
be political.