From the recording Better Late Than Never
In 2023 I was asked to play and sing in a production of ‘Alice’, written by Laura Wade, at the Millgate Theatre in Delph. One of the songs was Lewis Carroll’s ‘The Lobster Quadrille’. I set it to my tune ‘Travesura’, a jiggy sort of thing in 6/8. I thought the tune had a bit of an Iberian feel so called it Travesura which is Spanish for Mischief.
Lyrics
Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, will you join the dance
Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, won't you join the dance
Will you walk a little faster said a whiting to a snail
There's a porpoise close behind us, and he's treading on my tail
See how eagerly the lobsters and the turtles all advance
They are waiting on the shingle, will you come and join the dance
Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, will you join the dance
Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, won't you join the dance
You can really have no notion how delightful it will be
When they take us up and throw us, with the lobsters, out to sea
But the snail replied Too far, too far! and gave a look askance
Said he thanked the whiting kindly, but he would not join the dance
Would not, could not, would not, could not, would not join the dance
Would not, could not, would not, could not, could not join the dance
What matters it how far we go his scaly friend replied
There is another shore, you know, upon the other side
The further off from England the nearer is to France
Then turn not pale, beloved snail, but come and join the dance
Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, will you join the dance
Will you, won't you, will you, won't you
Won't you join the
Won't you join the
Won't you join the dance