Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned - unless of course it's two women scorned, and both fighting over you. Lucy and Polly are berating MacHeath, and one another, from either side, and as a result he can do nothing but the equivalent of sticking his fingers in his ears and chanting "La la la I'm not listening to you". Though the song is short, the second half should be repeated by MacHeath ad lib every time one of other of the girls gets too heated!

The guitar is essential here, so if you don't use one, you will need some kind of keyboard instrument. The original was a tune to which many ballads of the day were song, called by various titles including "Have you heard of a frolicsome ditty" and "the rant"