Mad Dogs and Englishmen

The lyrics of a song written by Noel Coward

The author mocked the Englishmen who "leave their huts because they're obviously, definitely nuts! Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun." Noel Coward used different ethnic groups like Malay, Burmese, Thai and slightly touched upon their characteristics.

In his song, he wrote: "The smallest Malay rabbit deplore the stupid habit. In Hong Kong they strike a gong and fire off a noonday gun, to reprimand each inmate who's in late." This song helped the tradition of the Noon Day Gun become popular in Hong Kong. Jardin Matheson, a private Company, performs this tradition daily at the Causeway Bay Typhoon Shelter, though it may not be a victim of post-handover Hong Kong.

Lyrics