by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
Wishful Thinking
Language: English
I wish I were a Elephantiaphus And could pick off the coconuts with my nose. But, oh! I am not, (Alas! I cannot be) An Elephaniti- Elephantiaphus. But I'm a cockroach And I'm a water-bug, I can crawl aournd and hide behind the sink. I wish I were a Rhinoscerèeacus And could wear an ivory toothpick in my nose. But, oh! I am not, (Alas! I cannot be) A Rhinocori- Rhinoscerèeacus. But I'm a beetle And I'm a punpkin-bug. I can buzz and bang my head against the wall. I wish I were a Hippopopotamus And could swim the Tigris and the broad Gangès. But, oh! I am not, (Alas! I cannot be) A Hippopopo- Hippopopotamus. But I'm a grasshopper And I'm a katydid, I can play the fiddle with my left hind-leg. I wish I were a Levileviathan And had seven hundred knuckles in my spine. But, oh! I am not, (Alas! I cannot be) A Levi-ikey- Levi-ikey-mo. But I'm a firefly And I'm a lightning bug, I can light cheroots and gaspers with my tail.
Text Authorship:
- by Anonymous / Unidentified Author [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by John Frandsen (b. 1956), "Wishful Thinking", 1987 [ voice and guitar ], from Seven Silly Songs, no. 4, confirmed with a CD booklet [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Malcolm Wren [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2024-12-24
Line count: 40
Word count: 177