Major-General's Song from The Pirates of Penzance - live and with lyrics!

The tongue-twisting I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General, performed live during Gilbert and Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance, directed by Mike Leigh at English National Opera.
Andrew Shore plays Major General-Stanley, with Joshua Bloom as Pirate King and Claudia Boyle as Mabel in this ENO production by film director Mike Leigh.
About The Pirates of Penzance:
With sentimental pirates, blundering policeman, absurd adventures and improbable paradoxes, The Pirates of Penzance is Gilbert and Sullivan's most popular comic opera.
A swashbuckling farce of brilliant humour and razor-sharp wit, it's chock-full of memorable melodies, including the famous tongue-twisting patter song from the Major-General.
This production was directed by directed by BAFTA-award winner Mike Leigh, who makes his operatic debut.
About English National Opera:
ENO is creating the future of opera: presenting award-winning work that is new, exciting and surprising.
Collaborating with creative talent from across the arts, ENO is based at the London Coliseum and has a world-class reputation for distinctive and highly theatrical productions. This reputation has resulted in many high profile artistic partnerships with opera houses and festivals around the world.
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[@07calabria]

“I’m very good at integral and differential calculus” God, I wish I was a modern major-general

[@adamkurowski1934]

Well he's a model modern major-general, you could be a shit modern major-general :d

[@bobjoe4888]

You'll never guess what I'm doing while listening to that part of the song

[@theultimatebro9278]

@@bobjoe4888 my mother

[@allanrichardson1468]

Give the job to a modern mainframe terminal!

[@foxcraft5215]

u mean, u wish u were the very model of a modern major general

[@fredo1070]

Major General is the Godfather of Rap.

[@neonyeko]

Sadly we lost the elegance in modern day.

[@trucetruce335]

Chairman Neoneko! “ ÒwÓ Today’s music SUCKS. I *hate* my generation. I only listen to monkey oots and insect buzzing from 1000000000000000 years ago. I’m _SO_ much smarter and elegant than everyone else because I have a different music taste 😤 uwu”

[@ritawing1064]

Oh well said! Good one!

[@godspeedhxh1206]

The major general walked so Eminem could run

[@arielbemeliahu8619]

@@trucetruce335 what an old man you are. I listen to neanderthals banging rocks

[@bastionboi6552]

That actor when he has to sing this song: *Had to be me. Someone else might have gotten it wrong.*

[@bru9383]

AGH! My heart!

[@88larei]

Bastion Boi I understood that reference :)

[@johncarriere2911]

I have an urge to test seashells right now after listening to this..😭

[@im13sandman]

666 likes ...yikea

[@divinity1984]

I’m in my school musical, and we’re doing this play! I’m the modern major-general. *...god help me.*

[@henryjiang9664]

ComedyBits Good luck with being good with Integral Calculus and Differential Equations.

[@chrisgbresciani]

Wow me right now

[@rubenderegge8198]

Major-general

[@elijahkelley7616]

How'd it go?

[@boobiye]

Don't worry! Do what Peter did! I am the djwjejrughxbjsiehrhf General sjrutufbdbsjsjrhfbx dndbdjdnsbdjd mineral dbxjebgjdjsbrbfh historical fjdjejrnfjdn with the eggs on top

[@Musicfan1020]

I have seen a bunch of versions of this on KZbin, and while this guy is good, I think the best version is from a Canadian Festival in 1985 where the general enters coming down a slide (hidden behind rocks).

[@Musicfan1020]

@riflemanusa YES! That's the one! Got to love it!

[@reichtangle7734]

@@Musicfan1020 What happened to his reply? For those who didn’t see it, he said: when he says when he can tell a Mauser rifle from a javelin, he throws the flag like a javelin!

[@Musicfan1020]

@@reichtangle7734 I don’t know. Maybe he deleted his profile?

[@reichtangle7734]

@@Musicfan1020 Yeah probably.

[@omnirhythm]

It's this one, for those wondering: kzbin.info/www/bejne/np23mqZ_lK2Gndk

[@Brok3nC4rrot]

Why does the set look like the inside of an airport terminal

[@darrenclements]

Wait ... Got it ! Ahough the Express rail fare is honestly quite criminal, Its marginally quicker and it gets you to the terminal, They say the tube is quicker but I haven't got an Oyster Card, I tried to find a ticket booth but actually it's rather hard; When you've gone through security and wound your way through duty free This is the modern paradigm of traveller anonymity.

[@rogerkearns8094]

Yes, it is indeed a model of a modern major terminal.

[@chocolatesouljah]

@@rogerkearns8094 Here I am a children's playwright avoiding play "wrighting" by YouTubing and lucky me I see intelligent and witty KZbin posts.

[@rogerkearns8094]

@@chocolatesouljah Too kind, thank you. Now, get you back to work. ;)

[@travistommy8864]

@@darrenclements fucking hilarious

[@amadeusamwater]

Heck, I can tell a Mauser from a javelin, but that calculus stuff is way outside my league.

[@deeznoots6241]

amadeusamwater that’s the point, he has barely a rudimentary knowledge of military matters despite being very knowledgable about everything else.

[@allanrichardson1468]

Eat lots of fig NEWTONS and you can understand calculus. Would I LEIBNITZ to you? Or move to Little Rock (that’s what “calculus” means).

[@adicawidasuparman9144]

@@deeznoots6241 so that's why he's only better in tactics than a novice in a nunnery

[@royaldakat5833]

you ever tried integrals? quite the pain

[@defox5019]

So basically he knows everything except what he needs to know to be the very model of a modern Major General... I reccomend a promotion.

[@chrisdaniels3929]

That'll shift him out of the way!

[@BlackMonk66]

No. Most of what he claims to know is nonsense. For instance, just how do you hum a fugue?

[@defox5019]

@@BlackMonk66 science

[@BlackMonk66]

@@defox5019 You mean by genetically modifying someone to have at least two mouths, so they'll be able to hum separate lines? Yeah, that could work.

[@reichtangle7734]

@@BlackMonk66 Maybe he does have 2 mouths

[@ilovemuslimfood666]

Operas used to diss each other back then??? That verse about that “nonsense from the Pinafore” made me do a double take.

[@cameronscott9399]

Actually both are written by the same people lol

[@wordforger]

Gilbert taking a dig at himself there since he wrote the thing. :P

[@chooseyourpoison5105]

Gilbert didn't take himself too seriously and made a joke about his own operetta. Bit like how Disney took the piss in The Lion King when Zazu starts singing "It's a Small World" and Scar yells "No! ANYTHING but that!"

[@cmlazar]

Both written by Gilbert and Sullivan

[@BookshelfQBattler]

Gilbert and Sullivan wrote Pinafore so they were doing self deprecating humor

[@Paco0parla]

I have seen some renditions of the part of mayor general by now in youtube, and I like very much how each one makes a different interpretation of the character. Some actors play it with seriousness and solemnity, other do it in a cocky way, and this one simply makes the character to play along the scene. It is so funny each new time.

[@SevCaswell]

It is interesting also to see how many lyrics get 'updated' to make current and more local references and jokes. As the song was originally full of digs and references to the current political and military leaders of the time.

[@redpug5042]

gotta love theater

[@cindydott452]

I love the version where the major general makes his entrance by swooping down a slide, while standing!

[@Devonimp]

The patter is fantastically intricate and well delivered, and I love the jovial buffonishness of the Major-General. But what sells this scene to me is the pirate captains look of absolute 'WTF is going on right now.' through the entire song XD

[@howardsmith9342]

"That infernal nonsense Pinafore," great stuff!

[@OmegaBlack2609]

Basically a Modern Major General is a living encyclopedia?

[@mr.silbergleit5724]

Dubem Ogwulumba actually not true if you'd listen to it all

[@ashleydaniel6467]

During the 19th century officers in the British army would often buy their commissions. So they were well educated but not always intelligent or good officers. The plucky and adventurous bit for example could refer to the poorly thought out cavalry charges that were common at the time. Men chasing glory would ride with sabers drawn straight into the bayonets of French farmers. You pretty much have hit the nail on the head though.

[@namingisdifficult408]

Han5 Wermhat he also says that his military knowledge “has only been brought down to the beginning of the century “

[@charleslawrenceperkins9808]

That's right! Our Man M-M-G was Wikipedia before there was Wikipedia.

[@monsieurboks]

Pretty much. He knows everything there is to know, except that which would be actually useful for his job.

[@DoomFinger511]

That was the weirdest version of The Pirates of the Caribbean I ever watched.

[@clivegoodman16]

It is "The Pirates of Penzance".

[@artemreinhart747]

Clive Goodman oh wow I didn’t know that... it isn’t like the *title* says it.

[@danielgelber4494]

So it would seem.

[@3dPrint_and_chill]

@@clivegoodman16 woooooosh

[@davidabowen]

Clive Goodman i think its a joke... jesus.

[@Dwamak]

Best song to sing as your cirriculum vitae when you make a job application.

[@shanaynayokeil6553]

LOOOOL

[@Insipidont]

Post video.

[@cdrocrossdiscovery]

I've lost count how many times I've attempted this song and ended up a babbling mess. Any performer that can get through this song without getting mush-mouthed is my hero!

[@samrizzardi2213]

The second daughter from the left is so hilariously enthusiastic

[@Dan-ob7it]

Kinda cute, too...

[@por22ito]

Who wouldn't be if you get to sing in this song :)

[@Milordvega]

Is she the one who draws the right triangle during the "square of the hypotenuse" line (0:42) ? So cute and plucky

[@SaxandRelax]

she’s really good lmao

[@Danirider12]

I am the very model of a scientist salarian, I've studied species turian, asari, and batarian. I'm quite good at genetics (as a subset of biology) because i am an expert (which i know is a tautology). My xenoscience studies range from urban to agrarian, I am the very model of a scientist salarian.

[@jorenvanderark3567]

WTF?

[@Brainwashed101]

@@jorenvanderark3567 Mass Effect 2 reference!

[@scotchrobbins]

IN SHORT IN STUDIES RANGING FROM THE URBAN TO AGRARIAN, HE IS THE VERY MODEL OF A SCIENTIST SALARIAN.

[@varric]

I knew that someone was going to quote Mordin Solus LMAO

[@varric]

@@jorenvanderark3567 kzbin.info/www/bejne/q56xaIyFqNJ6opY

[@HighCrystal]

He is the very model of a man who drives a Cavalier He’d like to have a Griffin but he found that it was much too dear He would have had a Jaguar, it really is a lovely car But in the end he settled for a light blue Vauxhall Cavalier Wrote that for a friend of mine who sadly is now dead. RIP Peter

[@jamessuselessfacts5736]

My FrIeNd iS dEaD gIvE Me LiKeS

[@xjayy1613]

@@jamessuselessfacts5736 What is wrong with you? You make me hate people like yourself basement bottom feeder.

[@reseballisho1587]

Hehehehehe hey lois I died before my friend could write this song too me

[@allanrichardson1468]

Tom Lehrer did a hilarious takeoff on the tune of this song around 1960, naming the chemical elements in no particular order, through nobelium (atomic number 102), closing with “There may be many others but they haven’t been discahvered,” pronounced to rhyme with “Hahvahd.”

[@zr3755]

These are the only ones of which the news has come to Harvard

[@GhostLink92]

Mass Effect also did a take on this with "Scientist Salarian".

[@geoffreywilson7008]

This man's preening prose and puffery is of enough significance to make pirates pause plundering and ponder puzzledly, and pushes me to produce a piece of whimsy guff packed full of the letter P... I ran out of wind and posted anyway for one more proficient to finish properly.

[@slots1407]

Excellent, sir! (raises hat)

[@marypagones6073]

The girls' reactions are pitch-perfect! They really make the song.

[@Ryan-wx8of]

Those backup singers were so badly out of sync and hard to understand, I wouldn't be surprised if they had never practiced once.

[@benoitdot3756]

1:25 Did a character from a Gilbert and Sullivan musical just insult Gilbert and Sullivan?

[@peter-william]

Yep

[@peter-william]

4th wall break

[@Finzun]

Sometimes people hate themselves

[@RealHogweed]

Also happens in tge finale of mozart don giovanni, when leporello recognizes an aria from "the marriage of Figaro" and utters "i know this one, unfortunately"

[@benoitpellet1657]

Yep - and it was in the original lyrics, too. Gilbert knew how to make fun of himself.

[@poly_hexamethyl]

Old guy must be pretty fit to have the breath to sing such long phrases right after jumping around like that.

[@user-sm7dr9bk5u]

He made it to the end, and never missed a syllable of Gilbert's insane lyrics. Fantastic!

[@jaxhoffalot2812]

This is at or near the pinnacle of our culture.

[@hi-im-lugh9570]

A girl in my drama class has been sentenced to preform this song in monologue form, I wish her the best of luck

[@GroundhogRoy]

Love the 19th century backdrop.

[@CookingWithJackDaniels]

Have I heard this song many times? Yes Will I click it every time it shows up in my recommended? Absolutely!

[@jaspergregorio9774]

"Had to be me. Anyone else might've gotten it wrong."

[@PURPLECATDUDE7734]

“Genophage cured. Krogan free. New beginning, for all of us”

[@varric]

@@PURPLECATDUDE7734 If you makes him sing in ME2, Mordin begun to sing instead of saying that.

[@pauls7056]

I love this song. This chap does it best of all - with his acting. Every time I watch it I giggle. Great job. G&S would think this is the best. I'm sure.

[@cthulhufhtagn2483]

"In conics I can floor peculiarities parabolous." Wow. Just...wow. Learning that line must take as much work as that feat.

[@allreligionismidcontroll]

He really is, in matters vegetable, animal and mineral, the very model of a modern major-general

[@metallicarchaea1820]

Eminem has been real quiet when this dropped

[@ronnig4009]

His voice is AWESOME!

[@nodisalsi]

The medals the Maj-General wears look real. They are (from top down and left to right): Sutlej Medal (1846) Punjab Medal (1849) Army of India Medal (1851) (possibly) South Africa Medal (1853) (possibly) Baltic Medal (1856) Empress of India Medal (1877) Indian Mutiny Medal (1858) India General Service Medal (1854) Crimean War Medal (1854)

[@kimber1066]

The chorus here is a lot of fun to watch, especially at the Pinafore and sat as he parts.

[@farche2]

Was it my imagination, or did the ladies chorus sound all out of sync with each other and the orchestra

[@mikehammer8334]

Frank Ch. Eigler Whenever I try singing this it comes out completely fucked

[@lindsayolh]

Agreed. Slightly better later.

[@PoseidonRM]

Yeah, not great.

[@anniespencer7879]

And they squeal and giggle too much.

[@dizzyology7514]

My thought exactly. I had thought that this would serve as a nice tribute to Sir Peter Jonas, who was General Director of the English National Opera from 1985-1993 and who died on April 22, 2020. But the scrappy chorus singing does the production little credit. (I then discovered that the show dates from June 2015 and was posted at that time, so we can absolve Jonas from any association with this one.) R.I.P anyway, Sir Peter.

[@lukacunningham342]

This guy may need some water afterwards

[@strugglingcollegestudent]

I’ve memorized about half of it. Just got the Babylonic cuneiform and Caracas’s uniform stanza down. I already feel so accomplished.

[@HDilk]

agreed

[@richardduployen6429]

The performer directed me decades ago in a London opera group called Opera Viva. He underplays it & doesn't gabble it. Personally I always do the military accent.

[@jamesevaggelou5889]

Absolutely marvelous!!! I want to go to the theatre only for the major general.

[@pheenix42]

♪I am the very model of a scientist Salarian!♪

[@briemac4780]

Someone else might have gotten it wrong. ;)

[@alexanderjones84]

When matters come back tactical, and physics theoretical, I am the very model of a modern major general!

[@varric]

I broke Omega's one rule... In more ways than one.

[@ironwolf56]

I like how the implication of this performance of this song is that their father does this so often that the daughters have an entire backup routine for it.

[@kimberlysmith579]

I remember listening to this song (entire album) back in 68/69. I played it on my mini HiFi over and over. I’m now 63 years old and I’m still listen to this day.❤️🎶

[@Harkness78]

OK, go and listen to it some more....

[@kimberlysmith579]

@@Harkness78 Why Not!!

[@Juliett-A]

Those ladies are just have having so much fun.

[@BingBingsHobbies]

Anyone here because of the amazing digital circus plush video?! 🎪

[@rosiemackenzie5976]

What a genius to remember all those words, and to be able to say them so fast. Wow we are so poor and bereft in our modern English vocabulary. So many words lost. We are all the poorer for that.

[@davidstedeford387]

This is a patter song the name patter derives from Pater Noster (Our Father) and refers to the speed at which the Lord's Prayer was sometimes recited. This mustbe the best-known of all G&S's patter songs (nothing to do with rap) and how anyone can get through it without losing the words is beyond me!

[@Mnnvint]

You kind of see where Monthy Python got a lot of their style from.

[@alanshadastrokeanddiedinho2897]

Gilbert and Sullivan making fun of their on operetta That infernal nonsense Pinafore.

[@raulparrado1547]

The song that makes Mass Effect players cry xd

[@carolvogelman5261]

Trying to learn Gilbert and Sullivan lyrics is so much more fun than word puzzles! I should think would keep one's mind pretty sharp!

[@timothymccormick5208]

This song changes EVERY time I hear it... how many variations are there? (and I would absoLUTELY love to have a copy of the movie with Angela Lansbury).

[@grahampearson5670]

I've read about WS Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan. This song is the most notable in the Gilbert & Sullivan opera The Pirates of Penzance.

[@saturnalia9220]

THE ORIGINAL RAP GOD.

[@SophStevenson]

Can’t stop singing the elements song instead of the real lyrics 😂

[@queercomputer]

I am the perfect medium for modern intellectuals. Comedians, celebrities, and the political.

[@jimmyyu2184]

That is freakin' great when all the ladies sang the line "Commisary-ate" (watch all their reaction, that is great, also!!) and surprised the heck out of him... If one does not know, that is his line, not the chorus' line. =)))

[@stopmessingwithyt]

"Then I can hum a fugue of which I've heard the music's din afore, And whistle all the airs from that infernal nonsense Pinafore." O Gilbert and Sullivan, you sly lads. :)

[@TotalDramaHarold]

I love how they call their own play infernal nonsense

[@princessraban2al]

My friend was the main character as the General and he did great on the fast songs! 😊

[@johnmarlin7269]

One of the most fun roles in the theatre.

[@Fummy007]

"Sat a gee" means "rode a horse"

[@Themaxxrad99]

This man fucking killed it, that salute at the end you can feel the "FUCK YEAH!" coming off it. Absolutely love it.

[@amhunter7556]

My very favourite of all G&S - and it's a hard choice! But let's face it, Pirates is absolute superior pantomime at it's very best!

[@PhilipJackson03]

If you fully remember this I must give you my 100% respect.

[@Lolawestie]

After nearly 10 minutes after hearing the McDonald's menu song from the 80's and recognizing the tune from my music history class, I have finally found the original song the McDonald's menu song was based off of lmao

[@tr9809]

I saw this at the National Theatre, it was superb!

[@rickoc6435]

About ten years ago I saw this performed in Tombstone AZ at the Bird Cage Theater. It was great, anyone in the neighborhood should stop by.

[@ogaoms8985]

This is what school thinks we're like, when we graduate 😂😂😂

[@oonaghreid9569]

That must be the most hardest songs to do.

[@sifridbassoon]

Didn't anyone tell these people that if they watched the conductor, she would keep them all together?

[@bassoprimo]

... and if the conductor followed the soloist in the first place then it might just about work!

[@km6qxe776]

I so want to hear Daveed Digs perform this.

[@TheGuy-kb5mh]

My dude can tell a Mauser rifle from a javelin. Truly a learned man.

[@Oscarin9910]

Everyone with me: *I AM THE VERY MODEL OF A SCIENTIST SALARIAN*

[@ZachGatesHere]

I like this one more than most because it has the "harrumph" the character needs. He has to be stuffy and full of himself, not flouncy.

[@hugh0221]

Wish I could hear David SUCHET singing this - although we won't be hearing "Poirot's the very model of a modern major detective~" anymore.

[@KimmyQueen]

He did this at one point as poirot for a lark?

[@dotandgrahamxxxx4487]

Love this. Opera.

[@iankinney439]

I just showed this video to a modern Major-General. Lol 😂

[@lauratang6550]

This makes me laugh every time. Great job!

[@jameslong672]

Laura Tang cos of family guy haha

[@monarchist1838]

With the eggs on top!

[@bpvadm]

excellent, and with this "tongue breaking" text

[@MarissaBrigitte]

I’m in this show rn! It’s sm fun 💖

[@mensamoo]

I see what they say about the Ikea set....

[@Char1iBr0wn]

Bravo! That could not be easy to remember!

[@DrAndyShick]

When I first heard that rap originated in the 70s, I didn't think they meant the 1870s

[@sgtgiggles]

This stage looks like an aquarium hahahaha

[@barryhossin2000]

Fantastic.!!

[@foxfoxfoxxxx]

man i love this song

[@jakeryker546]

I wish Eminem would try being a modern major general xD

[@stephenbarr905]

Wonderful!

[@Matthew-li7we]

I watched ONE video about this.. this THING, and now I get them all over my recommendations! I have no idea what the hell is going on in the UK, but I like this.

[@Trisbeee]

I love how he dances with the girlies. XD

[@robertshorthill6836]

I had a Patrick Sky record album from the '60s, with guest Mississippi John Hurt singing Gibert and Sullivan! The lyrics were, "Gilbert and Sullivan". Everybody laughed, a great song. Then I discovered this one. Just as good.

[@piehound]

BRAVO !!!!!!!!!!!!

[@shadowplayer5459]

ive been looking for this song for like 2 years no joke

[@Ninjakirbo]

Same

[@nigelmorgan3449]

Great on the stage

[@FilmPA1986]

The first Rap song ever

[@ElizabethAftons_Fan]

We’re learning this at a musical theatre club and I had to study it due to the test we have so this helped! :)

[@danklvac4746]

BEST. RESUME. EVER.