Well, you don't look for much of a voice in a comic song. You don't expect correct phrasing or vocalization. You don't mind if a man does find out, when in the middle of a note, that he is too high, and comes down with a jerk. You don't bother about time. You don't mind a man being two bars in front of the accompaniment, and easing up in the middle of a line to argue it out with the pianist, and then starting the verse afresh. But you do expect the words. You don't expect a man never to remember more than the first three lines of the first verse, and to keep on repeating these until it is time to begin the chorus. You don't expect a man to break off in the middle of a line, and snigger, and say, it's very funny, but he's blest if he can think of the rest of it, and then try and make it up for himself, and, afterward, suddenly recollect it, when he has got to an entirely different part of the song, and break off, without a word of warning, to go back and let you have it then and there. You don't--well, I will just give you an idea of Harris's comic singing, and then you can judge of it for yourself. HARRIS (_standing up in front of piano and addressing the expectant mob_): "I'm afraid it's a very old thing, you know. I expect you all know it, you know. But it's the only thing I know. It's the Judge's song out of _Pinafore_--no, I don't mean _Pinafore_--I mean--you know what I mean--the other thing, you know. You must all join in the chorus, you know." [_Murmurs of delight and anxiety to join in the chorus. Brilliant performance of prelude to the Judge's song in "Trial by Jury" by nervous pianist. Moment arrives for Harris to join in. Harris takes no notice of it. Nervous pianist commences prelude over again, and Harris, commencing singing at the same time, dashes off the first two lines of the First Lord's song out of "Pinafore." Nervous pianist tries to push on with prelude, gives it up, and tries to follow Harris with the accompaniment to the Judge's song out of "Trial by Jury," finds that doesn't answer, and tries to recollect what he is doing, and where he is, feels his mind giving way, and stops short_.] HARRIS (_with kindly encouragement_): "It's all right. You're doing very well, indeed--go on." NERVOUS PIANIST: "I'm afraid there's a mistake somewhere. What are you singing?" HARRIS _(promptly):_ "Why, the Judge's song out of _Trial by Jury_. Don't you know it?" SOME FRIEND OF HARRIS'S (_from the back of the room_): "No, you're not, you chucklehead, you're singing the Admiral's song from _Pinafore_."