Having spent the best part of a decade bringing some manners back to popular culture, this dopest of fellows endeavours to entertain and amuse, with his ingenious stylings.
Aiming to dazzle with dignity, Mr.B takes to the stage with his banjolele and stiff upper lip to perform ditties of pipe-smoking, high society, cricket and sexual misadventure, as well as some more well-known pieces from the world of hip-hop, re-worked in chap-hop fashion.
Sites: SoundCloud
The Neglect of My Duties
Mr.B The Gentleman Rhymer Lyrics
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That the hardest work is doing nothing
That's not the sort of thing you hear me say
I hear it said
That nothing is impossible
But nothing is what I do everyday
If you call me lazy
I'll just quote John Paul
Than to do nothing with it at all.
I'm a gentleman
With no wish to be snooty
I devote as much time as I can
To the neglect of my duties
I'm a gentleman
And when I'm feeling fruity
I devote as much time as I can
To the neglect of my duties
He who does nothing
Is seldom in need of helpers
He who does nothing
Requires but a dressing gown
My teacher said
That I wouldn't amount to squiddly diddly
And I hope I haven't let them down.
If you call me lazy
I'd be quite appalled
It's better to have loafed and lost
Than never to have loafed at all.
I'm a gentleman
With no wish to be snooty
I devote as much time as I can
To the neglect of my duties
I'm a gentleman
And when I'm feeling fruity
I devote as much time as I can
To the neglect of my duties
I'm a gentleman
With no wish to be snooty
I devote as much time as I can
To the neglect of my duties
I'm a gentleman
And when I'm feeling fruity
I devote as much time as I can
To the neglect of my duties
(I'm a gentleman)
(With no wish to be snooty)
(I devote as much time as I can)
(To the neglect of my duties)
(I'm a gentleman)
(And when I'm feeling fruity)
(I devote as much time as I can)
(To the neglect of my duties)
The lyrics of Mr.B The Gentleman Rhymer's song "The Neglect of My Duties" convey a playful yet thought-provoking message about the merits of doing nothing. The opening lines highlight the paradoxical nature of the phrase "hardest work is doing nothing," which challenges the traditional notion that a person must always be productive to be considered hardworking. The singer of the song admits to doing nothing every day, but at the same time, he considers himself a gentleman with no wish to be snooty. This suggests that the character is not lazing around out of apathy, but rather out of a desire for leisure and pleasure.
The singer's attitude towards work echoes the sentiment of a famous quote by John Paul, which he recites in the song: "It's better to waste your life than to do nothing with it at all." This may sound counterintuitive, but it implies that a life that is filled with mundane tasks and responsibilities but devoid of joy and satisfaction is a greater waste than a life spent enjoying simple pleasures.
In the second half of the song, the singer concludes that doing nothing has its advantages, such as not needing helpers and being content with just a dressing gown. He also jokes about defying his teacher's expectations and proving them wrong. Overall, the song conveys a lighthearted yet meaningful message about the value of leisure and the drawbacks of a life consumed by work.
Line by Line Meaning
I hear it said
I have heard people say
That the hardest work is doing nothing
Some people believe that doing nothing is the most difficult activity
That's not the sort of thing you hear me say
However, I do not share that belief
I hear it said
Again, I have heard people say
That nothing is impossible
Some people believe that anything can be achieved
But nothing is what I do everyday
Yet, I do nothing every day
If you call me lazy
If you accuse me of being idle
I'll just quote John Paul
I will reference a quote from John Paul
It's better to waste your life
The quote says that it is preferable to spend your life in idleness
Than to do nothing with it at all.
Rather than simply exist without purpose
I'm a gentleman
I consider myself a well-mannered man
With no wish to be snooty
I do not intend to be pretentious
I devote as much time as I can
I spend most of my time
To the neglect of my duties
Ignoring my responsibilities
And when I'm feeling fruity
When I am feeling playful
He who does nothing
Someone who is idle
Is seldom in need of helpers
Rarely requires assistance
Requires but a dressing gown
Only needs a piece of clothing to wear
My teacher said
My educator once told me
That I wouldn't amount to squiddly diddly
They believed I would not achieve anything
And I hope I haven't let them down.
I hope to have proved them wrong
If you call me lazy
If you describe me as indolent
I'd be quite appalled
I would be surprised and offended
It's better to have loafed and lost
The expression means it is better to have tried something and failed than to have never attempted at all
Than never to have loafed at all.
It is better to have experienced an idle period than never to have had a chance to do so
(I'm a gentleman)
(With no wish to be snooty)
(I devote as much time as I can)
(To the neglect of my duties)
(I'm a gentleman)
(And when I'm feeling fruity)
(I devote as much time as I can)
(To the neglect of my duties)
Contributed by Elijah B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.