Back to Hilo (Smith, set by M. Head) (The Lied and Art Song Texts Page: Texts and Translations to Lieder, mélodies, canzoni, and other classical vocal music)


There's a dark an' dirty wine-shop on a waterfront I know,
An' a cross-eyed Dago keeps it or he kep' it years ago
Where the sailormen an' greasers sit them down to die and dine
An' I wish I was back again in Hilo... Hilo
Drinkin' old Jacinto's wine!

There's the blessed Andes standin' up behind it like a wall,
An' there's dust, an' stinks, an' insecks, an' there ain't much else at all,
An' them sulky Dago wenches, They was never much my line
But I wish I was back again in Hilo... Hilo
Drinkin' old Jacinto's wine.

For my mind it keeps on turn-in'  An' I ask you, ain't it queer,
When the stuff we used to get there warn't a blooming patch on beer?
To that dirty dago's wine-shop  An' them old-time pals o' mine,
But I wish I was back again in Hilo... Hilo
Drinkin' old Jacinto's wine.

Input by Thomas Dymit

Authorship

Cicely Fox Smith (1882-1954)

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

Michael Head (1900-1976)

Six Sea Songs

Date added to the website: 2008-11-20.

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