10 AUGUST 1996, Page 23

First lines

Sir: Jaspistos is perfectly correct. 'I get no kick from champagne' is the first line of the chorus rather than of the verse (Competi- tion, 3 August).

By the same token, may I respectfully point out that the first line of Lorenz Hart's typically brilliant lyric is not 'I get too hun- gry for dinner at eight'? The verse is all too rarely performed, but it begins, 'I've wined and dined on mulligan stew and never asked for turkey.'

Long live the competition and its admirable entrants.

Jonathan Kreeger

39 Scutari Road, London SE22