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'''"A British Tar"''' was a song in the operetta [[HMS Pinafore|HMS ''Pinafore'']], written by the [[human]] lyricist-composer duo [[Gilbert and Sullivan]]. In [[2375]], [[Captain]] [[Jean-Luc Picard]] and [[Commander]] [[Worf]] used the song to distract the malfunctioning [[android]] [[Data]] whilst engaged with him in the [[atmosphere]] of the [[Ba'ku (planet)|Ba'ku homeworld]]. The tactic proved partly successful, and Data was ultimately captured. (''[[Star Trek: Insurrection]]'')
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'''"A British Tar"''' was an aria in the operetta ''[[HMS Pinafore]]'' written by the [[Human]] lyricist-composer duo [[Gilbert and Sullivan]]. In [[2375]], [[Captain]] [[Jean-Luc Picard]] and [[Lieutenant Commander]] [[Worf]] used the song to distract the malfunctioning [[android]] [[Data]] while engaged with him in the [[atmosphere]] of the [[Ba'ku (planet)|Ba'ku homeworld]]. The tactic proved partly successful, and Data was ultimately captured. ({{film|9}})
   
==Lyrics==
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== Lyrics ==
''A British tar is a soaring soul,''<br>
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<poem><i>A British tar is a soaring soul,
''As free as a mountain bird,''<br>
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As free as a mountain bird,
''His energetic fist should be ready to resist ''<br>
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His energetic fist should be ready to resist
''A dictatorial word. ''<br>
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A dictatorial word.
''His nose should pant, ''<br>
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His nose should pant,
''and his lip should curl,''<br>
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and his lip should curl,
''His cheeks should flame''<br>
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His cheeks should flame
''and his brow should furl,''<br>
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and his brow should furl,
''His bosom should heave, ''<br>
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His bosom should heave,
''and his heart should glow,'' <br>
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and his heart should glow,
''And his fist be ever ready for a knock-down blow.''<br>
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And his fist be ever ready for a knock-down blow!
   
  +
(Refrain)
''His nose should pant and his lip should curl, ''<br>
 
''His cheeks should flame and his brow should furl,'' <br>
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His nose should pant and his lip should curl,
''His bosom should heave and his heart should glow, ''<br>
+
His cheeks should flame and his brow should furl,
 
His bosom should heave and his heart should glow,
''And his fist be ever ready for a knock-down blow.''<br>
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And his fist be ever ready for a knock-down blow.
   
''His eyes should flash with an inborn fire, ''<br>
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His eyes should flash with an inborn fire,
''His brow with scorn be wrung; ''<br>
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His brow with scorn be wrung;
''He never should bow down to a domineering frown, ''<br>
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He never should bow down to a domineering frown,
''Or the tang of a tyrant tongue. ''<br>
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Or the tang of a tyrant tongue!
   
''His foot should stamp,''<br>
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His foot should stamp,
''and his throat should growl, ''<br>
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and his throat should growl,
''His hair should twirl,''<br>
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His hair should twirl,
''and his face should scowl, ''<br>
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and his face should scowl,
''His eyes should flash,''<br>
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His eyes should flash,
''and his breast protrude,''<br>
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and his breast protrude,
''And this should be his customary attitude. ''<br>
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And this should be his customary attitude.
   
  +
(Refrain)
''His foot should stamp, and his throat should growl, ''<br>
 
''His hair should twirl, and his face should scowl; ''<br>
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His foot should stamp, and his throat should growl,
''His eyes should flash, and his breast protrude, ''<br>
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His hair should twirl, and his face should scowl;
  +
His eyes should flash, and his breast protrude,
''And this should be his customary attitude, his attitude, his attitude, his attitude.''
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And this should be his customary attitude, his attitude, his attitude, his attitude.</i></poem>
   
==Background==
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== Background ==
For the record, Data sang the part of the character Ralph, Captain Picard sang the part of the Boatswain, and Worf sang the part of the Carpenter.
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Data sang the part of the character Ralph Rackstraw, Captain Picard sang the part of the Boatswain, and Worf sang the part of the Carpenter. On the second verse, Picard mistakenly said "heart" instead of "foot."
   
"A British Tar" was sung by [[John Rhys-Davies]] in the [[movie]] ''[[Wikipedia:Raiders_of_the_Lost_Ark|Raiders of the Lost Ark]]''.
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"A British Tar" was also sung by [[John Rhys-Davies]] in the [[movie]] ''[[W:c:indiana jones:Raiders of the Lost Ark|Raiders of the Lost Ark]]''.
  +
  +
Early drafts of {{film|9}} had Picard distract Data by quoting from [[King Lear]]. It was [[Patrick Stewart]] who suggested using Gilbert and Sullivan instead. (''[[Undeveloped novels and reference books#Fade In: The Writing of Star Trek: Insurrection|Fade In: The Writing of Star Trek: Insurrection]]'')
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  +
==External link==
  +
* {{wikipedia|H.M.S. Pinafore}}
   
[[Category:Earth music|British Tar, A]]
 
 
[[de:A British Tar]]
 
[[de:A British Tar]]
 
[[Category:Earth music|British Tar, A]]

Revision as of 14:04, 14 April 2011

"A British Tar" was an aria in the operetta HMS Pinafore written by the Human lyricist-composer duo Gilbert and Sullivan. In 2375, Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Lieutenant Commander Worf used the song to distract the malfunctioning android Data while engaged with him in the atmosphere of the Ba'ku homeworld. The tactic proved partly successful, and Data was ultimately captured. (Star Trek: Insurrection)

Lyrics

A British tar is a soaring soul,
As free as a mountain bird,
His energetic fist should be ready to resist
A dictatorial word.
His nose should pant,
and his lip should curl,
His cheeks should flame
and his brow should furl,
His bosom should heave,
and his heart should glow,
And his fist be ever ready for a knock-down blow!

(Refrain)
His nose should pant and his lip should curl,
His cheeks should flame and his brow should furl,
His bosom should heave and his heart should glow,
And his fist be ever ready for a knock-down blow.

His eyes should flash with an inborn fire,
His brow with scorn be wrung;
He never should bow down to a domineering frown,
Or the tang of a tyrant tongue!

His foot should stamp,
and his throat should growl,
His hair should twirl,
and his face should scowl,
His eyes should flash,
and his breast protrude,
And this should be his customary attitude.

(Refrain)
His foot should stamp, and his throat should growl,
His hair should twirl, and his face should scowl;
His eyes should flash, and his breast protrude,
And this should be his customary attitude, his attitude, his attitude, his attitude.

Background

Data sang the part of the character Ralph Rackstraw, Captain Picard sang the part of the Boatswain, and Worf sang the part of the Carpenter. On the second verse, Picard mistakenly said "heart" instead of "foot."

"A British Tar" was also sung by John Rhys-Davies in the movie Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Early drafts of Star Trek: Insurrection had Picard distract Data by quoting from King Lear. It was Patrick Stewart who suggested using Gilbert and Sullivan instead. (Fade In: The Writing of Star Trek: Insurrection)

External link