"Ill Wind"

Sometimes there are just songs which make you laugh no matter how many times you hear them. This is one of those for me...the "Ill Wind" which is sung to the tune of the Rondo from Mozart's Horn Concerto No. 4 in Eb Major, K. 495.  Please enjoy an original performance of Michael Flanders and Donald Swann from their second album, "At the Drop of a Hat," recorded in 1964.




(lyrics)

I once had a whim and I had to obey it,
To buy a French horn in a second-hand shop.
I polished it up and I started to play it,
In spite of the neighbours who begged me to stop.

To sound my horn,
I had to develop my embouchure.
I found my horn,
Was a bit of a devil to play.

So artfully wound,
To give you a sound,
A beautiful sound,
So rich and round.

Oh, the hours I had to spend,
Before I mastered it in the end.

But that was yesterday.
And just today,
I looked in the usual place.
There was the case,
But the horn itself was missing!

Oh where can it have gone?
Haven't you? Hasn't anyone seen my horn?
Oh where can it have gone?
What a blow, now I know,
I'm unable to play my Allegro.

Who swiped that horn?
I bet you a quid somebody did.
Knowing I found a concerto,
And wanted to play it,
Afraid of my talent in playing the horn.
But only today to my utter dismay,
It had vanished away like the dew in the morn.

I've lost that horn!
I know I was using it yesterday.
I've lost that horn, lost that horn,
Found that horn...gorn.

There's not much hope of getting it back,
Though I'd willingly pay a reward.

I know some hearty folk,
Whose party joke's pretending to hunt with the Quorn*.
Gone away! gone away!
Was it one of them who took it away?

Will you kindly return that horn?
Oh where is the devil who pinched my horn?

I shall tell the police!
I want that French horn back.

I miss its music more and more and more.
Without that horn I'm feeling lost/sad and so forelorn.

I found a concerto and wanted to play it,
Displaying my talent at playing the horn.
But early today to my utter dismay,
It had totally vanished away.

I practiced the horn and wanted to play it,
But somebody took it away!
I practiced the horn and was longing to play it,
But somebody took it away!

My neighbour's asleep in his bed,
I'll soon make him wish he were dead,
I'll take up the tuba instead - WAA WAA !

Another version of the famous "Ill Wind" performing by Boris Brott.



*The Quorn is a famous an English fox hunt.