Richard Rodgers
Shall I Tell You What I Think of You?
[ANNA]
Your servant! Your servant!
Indeed I'm not you servant—
Although you give me less than servant's pay—
I'm a free and independent employée... Employee

Because I'm a woman
You think, like every woman
I have to be a slave or concubine
You conceited, self-indulgent libertine!

(spoken)
Libertine

(sung)
How I wish I'd called him that!
Right to his face! Libertine!
And while we're on the subject, sire
There arе certain goings on around this place
That I wish to tell you I do not admirе
I do not like polygamy
Or even moderate bigamy
I realize
That in your eyes
That clearly makes a prig o' me
But I am from a civilized land called Wales
Where men like you are kept in county jails
In your pursuit of pleasure, you
Have mistresses who treasure you
They have no ken
Of other men
Beside whom they can measure you
A flock of sheep and you're the only ram
No wonder you're the wonder of Siam

(spoken)
I'm rather glad I didn't say that
Not with the women right there and the children

(sung)
The children, the children
I'll not forget the children
No matter where I go, I'll always see
Those little faces looking up at me

At first, when I started to teach
They were shy and remained out of reach
But lately I've thought
One or two have been caught
By a word I have said
Or a sentence I've read

And I've heard an occasional question
That implied, at least, a suggestion
That the work I've been trying to do
Was beginning to show with a few
That Prince Chulalongkorn
Is very like his father
He's stubborn, but inquisitive and smart
I must leave this place before they break my heart
I must leave this place before they break my heart

Shall I tell you what I think of you?
You're spoiled!
You're a conscientious worker
But you're spoiled

Giving credit where it's due
There is much I like in you
But it's also very true
That you're spoiled

Everybody's always bowing to the King
Everybody has to grovel to the King
By your Buddha you are blessed
By your ladies you're caressed
But the one who loves you best is the King

All that bowing and kow-towing
To remind you of your royalty
I find a most disgusting exhibition
I wouldn't ask a Siamese cat
To demonstrate his loyalty
By taking that ridiculous position
How would you like it if you were a man
Playing the part of a toad
Crawling around on your elbows and knees
Eating the dust in the road

Toads! Toads! All of your people are toads!
Yes, Your Majesty; No, Your Majesty
Tell us how low to go, Your Majesty
Make some more decrees, Your Majesty
Don't let us up off out knees, Your Majesty
Give us a kick, if it please, Your Majesty
Give us a kick, if you would, Your Majesty
Oh, that was good, Your Majesty!