I haven’t fought a windmill in a fortnight
One of my favourite songs in the musical movie, Man of La Mancha (Peter O’ Toole, Sophie Loren). In the deathbed scene, Sancho visits his old master Don Quixote. When he is cautioned by the relatives not to mention knights and windmills and dragons, he replies that all he wants is a little gossip, a little chat...
Click play button to listen to the song
A little gossip, a little chat...
A tittle idle talk of this and that...
I’ll tell him all the troubles I have had,
And since he doesn’t hear,
At least he won’t feel bad.
When I first got home my wife Teresa beat me,
But the blows fell very lightly on my back.
She kept missing ev’ry other stroke
And crying from the heart
That while I was gone
She’d gone and lost the knack!
Of course, I hit her back, Your Grace,
but she’s a lot harder than I am,
and you know what they say...
“Whether the stone hits the pitcher
or the pitcher hits the stone
it’s going to be bad for the pitcher.”
So I’ve got bruises from here to...
A little gossip, a little chat...
A little idle talk of this and that...
If no one listens,
Then it’s just as well,
At least I won’t get caught in any lies I tell!
Oh, I haven’t fought a windmill in a fortnight
And the humble joys get duller ev’ry day,
Why, when I’m asleep a dragon
With his fiery tongue a-waggin’
Whispers, “Sancho,
Won’t you please come out and play?”
