I wrote this song just before going to university to be a choral scholar, while I was still regularly singing alto in local choirs. It's a bit ironic these days, given that I end up singing tenor in church but am in fact a baritone with tight trousers.
G/B | C Am | G/B G | Am D | G
G/B | C Am | G/D D | G
G D Em G/B
When a tenor's not engaged in his employment (his employment)
C A D D7
Or pursuing his obnoxious little plans (little plans)
G D Em G/B
His capacity for innocent enjoyment (-cent enjoyment)
C Am G/D D G
Is just as great as any honest man's (honest man's)
D D/F# Em
Our feelings we with difficulty smother (-culty smother)
A D
When cantilatory duty's to be done (to be done)
D D/F# G E
Taking one consideration with another (with another)
D/A A D
An alto's lot is not a happy one.
D7 G D Em G/B
Oh, when a choral scholar's duty's to be done, to be done,
C Am G/D D G
An alto's lot is not a happy one, happy one.
G/B | C Am | G/B G | Am D | G
G/B | C Am | G/D D | G
G D Em G/B
When the enterprising bass is not a-singing (not a-singing)
C A D D7
When the baritone's not occupied on stage (-pied on stage)
G D Em G/B
You will find that it's for them the praise is ringing (praise is ringing)
C Am G/D D G
And they're the ones who get a decent wage (decent wage)
D D/F# Em
While each counter-tenor can out-do his brother (do his brother)
A D
He rarely gets to join in all the fun (all the fun)
D D/F# G E
Taking one consideration with another (with another)
D/A A D
An alto's lot is not a happy one.
D7 G D Em G/B
Oh, when a choral scholar's duty's to be done, to be done,
C Am G/D D G
An alto's lot is not a happy one, happy one.