Mad Dogs And Englishmen - Noel Coward and Orchestra/Gertrude Lawrence

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 biggest fools obey

Because the sun is much too sultry and one must avoid

Its ultry violet ray

The natives grieve when the white men leave their huts

Because they're obviously absolutely nuts

Mad dogs and englishmen go out in the midday sun

The japanese don't care to the chinese wouldn't dare to

Hindus 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

It seems such a shame the english claim the earth

That they give rise to such hilarity and mirth

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

Hu hu hu hu hu hu hu hu

Hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey

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 the jungle town where the sun beats down

To the rage of man or 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

But 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 foolish habit

In hong kong 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 down 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

Out in the midday

Out in the midday

Out in the midday

Out in the midday

Out in the midday

Out in the midday sun