It's A Fine Life

NANCY spoken
Plummy and slam!

FAGIN spoken
Nancy! Wake up boys! The ladies is 'ere.

DODGER spoken
Ladies?! Cor! 'Ark at him!

NANCY spoken
'Ere, we'll have less of that if you don't mind!
'Ere, so where's the gin, then, Fagin?

FAGIN spoken
All in moderation, my dear, all in moderation.
Too much gin can be a dangerous thing for a pure, young girl.

NANCY spoken
Ooh, and what's wrong with a bit of danger then, eh, Mr. Fagin?
After all it's about the only excitement we get.
And who would deny us that small pleasure?

Small pleasures, small pleasures
Who would deny us these?
Gin toddies -- large measuress --
No skimpin' if you please!
I rough it, I love it
Life is a game of chance
I never tire of it --
Leading this merry dance
If you don't mind having to go without things
It's a fine life.

ALL
It's a fine life.

NANCY
Tho' it ain't all jolly old pleasure outings...
It's a fine life

ALL
It's a fine life.

NANCY
When you got someone to love
You forget your cares and strife
Let the prudes look down on us
Let the wide world frown on us
It's a fine.

ALL
Fine life!

NANCY spoken
Ain't that right, Bet? Go on, you tell 'em girl.

BET
Who cares if straightlaces
Sneer at us in the street?
Fine airs and fine graces

NANCY
Don't have to sin to eat.

BOTH
We wander through London

NANCY
Who knows what we many find?

BOTH
There's pockets left undone
On many a behind.

NANCY
If you don't mind taking it as it turns out,
It's a fine life!

ALL
It's a fine life!

NANCY
Keep the candle burning until it burns out
It's a fine life.

ALL
It's a fine life.

NANCY
Though you sometimes do come by
The occasional black eye
You can always cover one
'Til he blacks the other one
But you don't dare cry.

BET
No flounces, no feathers
No frills and furbelows
All winds and all weathers
Ain't good for fancy clo'es

NANCY spoken
That's true.

These trappings,

BET
These ta'ers

BOTH
These we can just afford.

NANCY
What future?

BET
What ma'ers?

BOTH
We've got our bed and board.

NANCY
If you don't mind having to deal with Fagin
It's a fine life!

ALL
It's a fine life!

NANCY
Though diseased rats threaten to bring the plague in
It's a fine life!

ALL
It's a fine life!

NANCY
But the grass is green and dense
On the right side of the 'fence'.

BOTH
And we take good care of it
That we get our share of it
And we don't mean pence.

No! If you don't mind having to like or lump it...
It's a fine life

ALL
It's a fine life!

NANCY
Tho' there's no tea-supping and eating crumpet
It's a fine life!

ALL
It's a fine life!

NANCY
Not for me, the happy home
Happy husband, happy wife
Tho' it sometimes touches me...
For the likes of such as me...
Mine's a fine...

ALL
Fine... life!