Goodbye George

I went to the funeral today of George Butler, a well-known and highly-respected septuagenarian beekeeper who brought hundreds of people to beekeeping through his courses.

The funeral service was touching and, as we left, George had his last laugh for us with a departing music hall song, well-known to children and Arthur Askey fans: The Bee Song:

The Bee-song.

Oh, what a wonderful thing to be,
A healthy grown up busy busy bee;
Whiling away all the passing hours,
Pinching all the pollen from the cauliflow'rs.
I'd like to be a busy little bee,
Being as busy as a bee can be.
Flying around the garden brightest ever seen,
Taking back the honey to the dear old queen.

(Choras): Bz bz bz bz, honey bee, honey bee,
Bz if you like but don't sting me,
Bz bz nz bz, honey bee, honey bee,
Bz if you like, but don't sting me!

Oh, what a wonderful thing to be,
A healthy grown up busy busy bee.
Toying with the tulips, tasting ev'ry type,
Building up the honey-comb that looks like tripe.
I'd like to be a busy little bee,
Being just as busy as a bee can be,
Flying all around in the wild hedgerows,
Stinging all the cows upon the parson's nose!

Oh, what a wonderful thing to be,
A healthy grown up busy busy bee,
Visiting the picnics quite a little tease,
Raising little lumps on the maiden's knees.
I'd like to be a busy little bee
Being with the butterfly strong upon the wing.
Whooppee! O death, where is thy sting?

Oh, what a wonderful thing to be,
A nice obedient busy busy bee,
To be a good bee one must contrive,
For bees in a beehive must behive.
But maybe I wouldn't be a bee,
Bees are allright when alive you see,
But when bees die you really should see 'em
Pinned on a card in a dirty museum.

Bz bz bz bz, honey bee, honey bee,
Bz if you like but don't sting me,
Bz bz bz bz, honey bee, honey bee,
Bz if you like but if you sting me I'll wack ye
With this dirty great newspaper!