We Are Flanders and Swann, We Are

Earlier today, someone sent me a sort of music-related quiz, with a different question for each day of the month -- not a "right or wrong" question, but more a "Name your favorite..." thing.  And for today, the question was "Name a song by your favorite songwriter who is no longer alive."  The person sent she thought of me because of Steve Goodman.  And I'd probably have selected him, though in fairness there are an awful lot of composers to choose from, needless to say.  But as a quip I mentioned that my second choice might be Henry VIII -- for the legend that he may have written "Greensleeves."

That got me to think of a couple other favorites, who I've mentioned here a few times, the British team of Michael Flanders and Donald Swann, who had a couple of very successful musical revues on London's West End and Broadway -- At the  Drop of a Hat and its  follow-up, At the Drop of Another Hat (which also got broadcast on CBS as a TV special).

I mention this because, of the many wonderful parts of the initial show, which played on Broadway in 1959, there is a seven-minute erudite and funny monologue by Michael Flanders on the history behind the song "Greensleeves."  (He's the bearded one below.) There are none of the pair's comic musical numbers here, just the background music of the song in question, played by Donald Swann.  But as great as their songs are, Flanders' monologues -- including one of being a bored tennis umpire -- are as much a joy.

​Here 'tis --