Lyrics of 'Its A Fine Life' by Oliver

[NANCY (spoken)]
Plummy and slam!

[FAGIN (spoken)]
Nancy! Wake up boys! The ladies is 'ere.

[DODGER (spoken)]
Ladies?! Cor! 'Ark at him!

[NANCY (spoken)]
'Ere, we'll have less of that if you don't mind!
'Ere, so where's the gin, then, Fagin?

[FAGIN (spoken)]
All in moderation, my dear, all in moderation.
Too much gin can be a dangerous thing for a pure, young girl.

[NANCY (spoken)]
Ooh, and what's wrong with a bit of danger then, eh, Mr. Fagin?
After all it's about the only excitement we get.
And who would deny us that small pleasure?

[sung] Small pleasures, small pleasures
Who would deny us these?
Gin toddies -- large measuress --
No skimpin' if you please!
I rough it, I love it
Life is a game of chance.
I never tire of it --
Leading this merry dance.
If you don't mind having to go without things
It's a fine life.

[ALL]
It's a fine life.

[NANCY]
Tho' it ain't all jolly old pleasure outings...
It's a fine life

[ALL]
It's a fine life.

[NANCY]
When you got someone to love
You forget your cares and strife
Let the prudes look down on us
Let the wide world frown on us
It's a fine,

[ALL]
Fine life!

[NANCY (spoken)]
Ain't that right, Bet? Go on, you tell 'em girl.

[BET]
Who cares if straightlaces
Sneer at us in the street?
Fine airs and fine graces

[NANCY]
Don't have to sin to eat.

[BOTH]
We wander through London

[NANCY]
Who knows what we many find?

[BOTH]
There's pockets left undone
On many a behind.

[NANCY]
If you don't mind taking it as it turns out,
It's a fine life!

[ALL]
It's a fine life!

[NANCY]
Keep the candle burning until it burns out
It's a fine life.

[ALL]
It's a fine life.

[NANCY]
Though you sometimes do come by
The occasional black eye
You can always cover one
'Til he blacks the other one
But you don't dare cry.

[BET]
No flounces, no feathers
No frills and furbelows
All winds and all weathers
Ain't good for fancy clo'es

[NANCY (spoken)]
That's true.

[sung] These trappings,

[BET]
These ta'ers

[BOTH]
These we can just afford.

[NANCY]
What future?

[BET]
What ma'ers?

[BOTH]
We've got our bed and board.

[NANCY]
If you don't mind having to deal with Fagin
It's a fine life!

[ALL]
It's a fine life!

[NANCY]
Though diseased rats threaten to bring the plague in
It's a fine life!

[ALL]
It's a fine life!

[NANCY]
But the grass is green and dense
On the right side of the 'fence'.

[BOTH]
And we take good care of it
That we get our share of it
And we don't mean pence.

No! If you don't mind having to like or lump it...
It's a fine life

[ALL]
It's a fine life!

[NANCY]
Tho' there's no tea-supping and eating crumpet
It's a fine life!

[ALL]
It's a fine life!

[NANCY]
Not for me, the happy home
Happy husband, happy wife
Tho' it sometimes touches me...
...For the likes of such as me...
Mine's a fine...

[ALL]
Fine... life!