I am The Monarch of The Sea & When I was a Lad

It's really cool how each performance for this character is completely different.

The beautiful thing about this performance is he plays Sir Joseph as a buffoon yet he still somehow manages to give him a sense of gravitas and power. Perfect.

The cameraman understood the assignment showing that footwork at the end.

I have watched four or five of these. This is simply the best rendition, each word crystal clear, gravitas - superb.

Regarding his entry on the huge hook -- there's a tradition in the Navy of having sideboys assigned when an officer comes aboard. The higher the rank, the more sideboys who attend to getting him aboard. The higher number was owed in part to the weight gained by senior officers as they advanced in rank.

W S Gilbert knew what was wrong with politics ... and still is today, worse than ever: "I always voted at my party's call, And I never thought of thinking for myself at all. I thought so little, they rewarded me, By making me the ruler of the Queen's Navy."

In regards to "clean collars" and a "brand new suit". To modern people a "clean collar" may sound odd. Of course he was referring to starched collars, which could be removed and laundered separately from the shirt. Wearing and laundering such collars would require staff at his home, or sending it off to a launderette, both of which were quite expensive. The winged type he wears here could be worn for weeks, as it could also be flipped outside in to present a clean surface, so wearing clean collars was quite the statement back then. And it goes without saying that a brand new suit would have been very expensive. Many poorer and middle class men got their suits handed down or second hand, and often wore the same suit for decades!

Best performance of this song, I've seen so far. He has both great singing and great comedy.

I love the little touch where he adds an extra 's' to 'desks'.

Fantastic version of this classic!

My favourite version here on YT. Just perfect.

Nice, crisp and clear lyrics......well sung Sir.

Little has changed in the last 150 years in the Navy

Gorgeous Diction. Just fabulous!

i am quite amussed at how he seems to be almost terrified of his sister and his cousins and his aunts (his sister and his cousins and his aunts!)

I wish i could have heard Sideshow Bob sing this.

When you prefer the life of a pawn and it actually works out.

definitely the best performance of this song and role!

Best into of Sir Joseph ever

Captain Corcoran appears to have something strange on his upper lip - clean shaven or "full set" ONLY in the Royal Navy!