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Broadcasting House - Live
Public Service Broadcasting; BBC Symphony Orchestra; Jules Buckley
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๐ฌ๐ง English ยท Original
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Lyrics
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Translation
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This is the entrance hall to Broadcasting House. In the
Latin inscription which you see up there above the central
Arch, we have tried to reflect the idea behind our work
What does it say?
A free translation would run like this: "This temple of the arts
And muses is dedicated to Almighty God by the first governors
Of broadcasting in the year 1931, Sir John Reith being the
Director General. It is their prayer that good seed sown may
Bring forth a good harvest, that all things hostile to peace or
Purity may be banished from this house, and that the people
Inclining their ear to whatsoever things are beautiful and honest
And of good report, may tread the path of wisdom and uprightness."
Yes, I think I rather like that
So do I
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Twelve floors, 350 offices, 700 people in this big
House of voice building. You who pay your ten
Shillings a year own the house. Six million of you
I receive that signal, it is okay
Two thousand of you write every day praising, blaming, inquiring
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Letters for music department, drama department, outside
Broadcast department, talks department, jazz band department
Engineers department, research department, finance department
More variety, more variety, and far less variety
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Through soundproof doors, then doors, then doors again, you come
To an inside core of the building, isolated from all the rest
Where the makers of the noises practice to make them good noises
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Now come and listen in on some of your big executives. The mighty
But mysterious men who plan, scheme and arrange days and weeks
Ahead what you will hear for your ten bob contribution fund
No branch or department works to itself, and no branch or
Department can do ill without that ill spreading throughout
The whole organism. And an organism is a collection of individuals
And the health of one can affect the health of the whole
Now stand by everybody, we'll give you a light
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Alrighty mates, start the drum
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The drum, the drum, that best of drums
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