The Love Letter — Malvolio, Olivia, Toby Lyrics

The Love Letter Song Lyrics

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MALVOLIO
What have we here? "To the unknown beloved." To whom could this be? There's no seal, so I don't think I do wrong to open it.

TOBY
Oh, please, let him read it aloud!

MALVOLIO
It looks to be... a poem.
(sings)
"I LONG TO TELL THE WORLD HOW WELL I LOVE YOU,
AND OF MY LOVE THE WORLD MAY KNOW IN TIME.
IN FORTUNE, I AM SOMEONE HIGH ABOVE YOU,
AND SO 'TIL NOW I'VE TOLD NOT HOW I PINE."
HOW I PINE...
'PINE' AND 'TIME' DO NOT RHYME.
BUT I DO LIKE THE LINE.

OLIVIA
"BEFORE TODAY I'VE SEEN YOU PLAY THE SERVANT,"

MALVOLIO
THE WRITING RESEMBLES MY LADY'S HAND.

OLIVIA
"BUT SOME WERE MENT TO CIRCUMVENT THEIR FATE."

MALVOLIO
I HAVEN'T A DOUBT IT'S MY LADY'S HAND,
AND I AM A SERVANT IN HER COMMAND...

OLIVIA
"SO IF, FOR ME, YOUR LOVE WOULD BE AS FERVENT.
I'LL SEE THAT YOU RISE EQUAL TO MY STATE.
UNTIL YOU COME TO SAVE ME BY AND BY.
I PINE FOR YOU, MY DEAREST A-M-I."

MALVOLIO
A-M-I... A-M-I...
THAT COULD BE
THE FRENCH 'AMI,'
BUT IT WOULD SEEM BY THE PLAN
OF THE SCHEME OF THE SCAN
THERE'S A NEED TO READ
EACH SYLLABLE SEPARATELY.
A-M-I...
WITH THE FIRST TWO REVERSED...
M-A-I...
IF THE 'I' WERE AN 'L'
IT WOULD START TO SPELL
M-A-L...
SO THAT'S HER GAME!
NOT QUITE THE SAME...
BUT HOW CAN I DOUBT THAT IT'S ME IT'S ABOUT
WHEN A-M-I ARE ALL IN MY OWN NAME!

IT SEEMS THIS FOLIO
MALVOLIO HAS FOUND
IS MADAM'S POETRY
BELOW A TREE DISCARDED ON THE GROUND.
AND HER PENTAMETER,
THOUGH AMATEUR, IS EAGER TO RECORD
IN EV'RY IAMB
HOW I AM ADORED.

'NEATH MY SERVILITY
VIRILTY SHE SMELT.
SHE GAVE THAT BRAT A GEM,
A STRATAGEM, TO SHOW ME HOW SHE FELT.
AND NOW THE DUITIFUL,
AND BEAUTIFUL AND PROPER THING TO DO
IS TO TELL MY LOVE
THAT I LOVE HER TOO.

AND I WILL BE PROUD.
I WILL BE COUNT.
I WILL AMEND LIFE AROUND HERE
NO SMALL AMOUNT.
THAT UNCLE OF HERS,
NO MORE SHALL HE CAROUSE.
FOR I WILL SEE THE SOUSE
IS TOSSED FROM OUT MY -
(speaks)
Hold on - what's this? A section in prose! "Remember who praised your yellow stockings when you wore them cross-gartered.
Then cast off your menial trappings and let me see you as I would have you be." This is proof positive! She did praise my
yellow stockings; she did comment especially on my wearing them cross-gartered! Well, well, well...
(sings)
IF IN SUCH TRIVIA
OLIVIA DELIGHTS.
IF FROM MY LIVERY
SHE'S SHIVERY
AND TIPSY FROM MY TIGHTS,
WELL, THEN IN DEFERENCE
TO PREFERENCE
TOMORROW SHE WILL SEE
HOW VERY YELLOW
HER FELLOW CAN BE!
(speaks)
Good heavens, there is a postscript!
(sings)
"IF WE SHALL BE TOGETHER IN A WHILE,
THEN LET ME FIND MY ANSWER IN YOUR SMILE."
OH, I WILL DO ALL
JUST AS SHE ASKS
FOR MY LADY'S SAKE
I'D UNDERTAKE NO END OF TASKS.
I'LL SHRUG OFF ALL SIGNS
OF STATUS BASE AND VILE,
ADOPT A FINER STYLE
AND OH, HOW I WILL SMILE!
AND I WILL BE STOUT!
I WILL BE STRANGE!
YOU CAN BE SURE
EV'RYONE ELSE
WILL SEE THE CHANGE!
YES, I WILL DO ALL
I POSSIBLY CAN.
TO ENSURE THAT SOON,
VERY SOON,
I WILL BE THE MAN!

[Thanks to Sara for lyrics]