Mad Dogs and Englishmen
Easy Virtue Lyrics

In Tropical climes there are certain times of day When all the citizens retire to take their clothes off and perspire It's one of those rules the greatest fools obey Because the Sun is far too sultry and one must avoid its ultra-violet rays
In hot places, there are times when people take off their clothes and sweat to avoid the strong sun. Even though it's a foolish custom, people follow it because it's necessary to avoid the harmful rays of the sun.

The natives grieve when the White Men leave their huts Because they're obviously....definitely....Nuts!
Local people feel sad when White foreigners leave their homes after seeing their strange behavior under the hot sun.

Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun The Japanese don't care to, the Chinese wouldn't dare to Hindus and Argentines sleep firmly from twelve till one But Englishmen detest-a siesta
Only the English and insane people roam outside in the sun, while Japanese and Chinese avoid it. Hindus and Argentines take a nap during the hottest hours, but Englishmen dislike resting.

In the Philippines they have lovely screens to protect you from the glare In the Malay States there are hats like plates which the Britishers won't wear At twelve noon the natives swoon and no further work is done But mad dogs and Englismen go out in the midday sun
In the Philippines, people use screens to protect themselves from the bright sun, while in the Malay States, wide-brimmed hats are available, but Englishmen don't wear them. Meanwhile, locals rest during sunny afternoons, but the English still go outside.

It's such a surprise for the Eastern eyes to see That though the English are effete, they're quite impervious to heat When the White Man rides, every native hides in glee Because the simple creatures hope he will impale his solar topi on a tree
Easterners are amazed to see that, despite the English being fragile, they can withstand hot weather. Indigenous people hide in joy when they see White men riding outside, hoping to see them accidentally damage their hats on a tree branch.

It seems such a shame when the English claim the Earth That they give rise to such hilarity and mirth Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha Ho=ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho He-he-he-he-he-he-he Hm-hm-hm-hm-hm
It's a shame that the English claim to own the world, because their behavior in the sun is so ridiculous that it brings laughter to others. This is expressed through a series of onomatopoeic laughs.

Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun The toughest Burmese bandit can never understand it In Rangoon the heat of noon is just what the natives shun They put their Scotch or Rye down and lie down
Only mad dogs and English people go outside during the hottest time of day. Even the toughest Burmese bandits can't fathom it. Bar locals in Rangoon cannot stand the midday heat and instead choose to drink and rest in the shade.

In a jungle town where the Sun beats down to the rage of man and beast The English garb of the English Sahib merely gets a bit more creased In Bangkok at twelve o'clock they foam at the mouth and run But mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun
In a town where the sun is extreme and animals get aggressive due to it, the clothes worn by Englishmen just get wrinkled. In Bangkok, even locals foam from the mouth due to the hot sun at noon, but Englishmen still go outside.

Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun The smallest Malay rabbit deplores this foolish habit In Hong Kong they strike a gong and fire off a noonday gun To reprimand each inmate, who's in late
Only mad dogs and Englishmen wander outside in the afternoon sun, even the smallest rabbit in Malay sees this as foolish. In Hong Kong, authorities use a gong and a firing gun during noon to discipline those who come late, but the English still go outside.

In the mangrove swamps where the python romps there is peace from twelve till two Even caribous lie around and snooze for there's nothing else to do In Bengal to move at all is seldom if ever done But mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday Out in the midday Out in the midday Out in the midday Out in the midday Out in the midday Out in the midday sun
Even in swamps and forests, where animals and people rest during the hottest part of the day, Englishmen are still out under the sun. In Bengal, it's barely common to move during this time, but the English can still be seen under the blazing heat of the sun.