The Feast Of Arms

R-r-r-at-tat-tat! R-r-r-at-tat-tat! The sound makes your heart go pit-a-pat. The drums are beating, the flag’s unfurled And shakes its folds at the great round world. A warrior brave goes marching by, With a sleek black head, held straight and high, With a smooth brown cheek and an almond eye And a gown that glows like a butterfly. Hurrah! Hurrah! Banzai!!

Dr-r-um-tum-tum! Dr-r-um-tum-tum! Like a hive of bees is the muttered hum, ’Tis the Feast of Arms in a Japanese Town, And the envious Sun sees, looking down, A warrior brave go marching by, With a sleek black head, held straight and high, With a smooth brown cheek and an almond eye And a gown that glows like a butterfly. Hurrah! Hurrah! Banzai!!

Tr-r-ap-tap-tap! Tr-r-ap-tap-tap! The drumsticks rattle, the fingers snap. For a thousand years has the Japanese lad On the Fifth of May been in armor clad; So a warrior brave goes marching by, With a sleek black head, held straight and high, With a smooth brown cheek and an almond eye And a gown that glows like a butterfly. Hurrah! Hurrah! Banzai!!

Tr-r-ump-tump-tump! Tr-r-ump-tump-tump! From field and lane sounds the distant thump-- A golden carp is his ensign bold And he wears his sword like a knight of old. Oh, warrior brave, go marching by, With your sleek black head, held straight and high, With your smooth brown cheek and your almond eye And your gown that glows like a butterfly. Hurrah! Hurrah! Banzai!!