Calico Pie, The little birds fly Down to the calico tree, Their wings were blue, And they sang "Tilly-loo!" Till away they flew,-- And they never came back to me! They never came back! They never came back! They never came back to me! Calico Jam, The little Fish swam Over the syllabub sea. He took off his hat, To the Sole and the Sprat, And the Willeby-wat,-- But he never came back to me! He never came back! He never came back! He never came back to me! Calico Ban, The little Mice ran, To be ready in time for tea, Flippity flup, They drank it all up, And danced in the cup,-- But they never came back to me! They never came back! They never came back! They never came back to me! Calico Drum, The grasshoppers come, The Butterfly, Beetle, and Bee, Over the ground, Around and round, With a hop and a bound,-- But they never came back! They never came back! They never came back! They never came back to me!
Nonsense Songs
Song Cycle by George Ingraham
?. Calico Pie  [sung text not yet checked]
Text Authorship:
- by Edward Lear (1812 - 1888), "Calico Pie", appears in Nonsense Songs, Stories, Botany, and Alphabets, first published 1871
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]?. The Jumblies  [sung text not yet checked]
They went to sea in a Sieve, they did, In a Sieve they went to sea: In spite of all their friends could say. On a winter's morn, on a stormy day, In a Sieve they went to sea! And when the Sieve turned round and round, And everyone cried, "You'll all be drowned!" They all called aloud, "Our Sieve ain't big, "But we don't care a button! We don't care a fig! "In a Sieve we'll go to sea!" Far and few, far and few, Are the lands where the Jumblies live; Their heads are green, and their hands are blue, And they went to sea in a Sieve. They sailed away in a Sieve, they did, In a Sieve they sailed so fast, With only a beautiful pea-green veil Tied with a riband by way of a sail, To a small tobacco-pipe mast; And every one said, who saw them go, "O won't they be soon upset, you know! "For the sky is dark, and the voyage is long, "And happen what may, it's extremely wrong "In a Sieve to sail so fast!" Far and few, far and few, Are the lands where the Jumblies live; Their heads are green, and their hands are blue, And they went to sea in a Sieve. The water it soon came in, it did, The water it soon came in; So to keep them dry, they wrapped their feet In a pinky paper all folded neat, And they fastened it down with a pin. And they passed the night in a crockery-jar, And each of them said, "How wise we are! "Though the sky be dark, and the voyage be long, "Yet we never can think we were rash on wrong, "While round in our Sieve we spin!" Far and few, far and few, Are the lands where the Jumblies live; Their heads are green, and their hands are blue, And they went to sea in a Sieve. And all night long they sailed away; And when the sun went down, They whistled and warbled a moony song To the echoing sound of a coppery gong, In the shade of the mountains brown. "O Timballo! How happy we are, "When we live in a sieve and a crockery-jar. "And all night long in the moonlight pale, "In the shade of the mountains brown!" Far and few, far and few, Are the lands where the Jumblies live; Their heads are green, and their hands are blue, And they went to sea in a Sieve. They sailed to the Western Sea, they did, To a land all covered with trees, And they bought an Owl, and a useful Cart, And a pound of Rice, and a Cranberry Tart, And a hive of silvery Bees. And they bought a Pig, and some green Jackdaws, And a lovely Monkey with lollipop paws, And forty bottles of Ring-Bo-Ree, And no end of Stilton Cheese. Far and few, far and few, Are the lands where the Jumblies live; Their heads are green, and their hands are blue, And they went to sea in a Sieve. And in twenty years they all came back, In twenty years or more, And every one said, "How tall they've grown! "For they've been to the Lakes, and the Terrible Zone, "And the hills of the Chankly Bore,: And they drank to their health, and gave them a feast Of dumplings made of beautiful yeast; And every one said, "If we only live, "We too will go to sea in a Sieve, -- "To the hills of the Chankly Bore!" Far and few, far and few, Are the lands where the Jumblies live; Their heads are green, and their hands are blue, And they went to sea in a Sieve.
Text Authorship:
- by Edward Lear (1812 - 1888), "The Jumblies", appears in Nonsense Songs, Stories, Botany, and Alphabets, first published 1871
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]?. The Duck and the Kangaroo  [sung text not yet checked]
i. Said the Duck to the Kangaroo, "Good gracious! how you hop! "Over the fields and the water, too, "As if you never would stop! "My life is a bore in this nasty pond, "And I long to go out in the world beyond! "I wish I could hop like you!" Said the Duck to the Kangaroo. ii. "Please give me a ride on your back!" Said the Duck to the Kangaroo. "I would sit quite still, and say nothing but 'Quack,' "The whole of the long day through! "And we'd go to the Dee, and the Jelly Bo Lee, "Over the land, and over the sea; -- "Please take me a ride! O do!" Said the Duck to the Kangaroo. iii. Said the Kangaroo to the Duck, "This requires some little reflection; "Perhaps on the whole it might bring me luck, "And there seems but one objection, "Which is, if you'll let speak so bold, "Your feet are unpleasantly wet and cold, "And would probably give me the roo- "Matiz!" said the Kangaroo. iv. Said the Duck, "As I sate on the rocks, "I have thought over that completely, "And I bought four pairs of worsted socks "Which fit my web-feet neatly. "And to keep out the cold I've bought a cloak, "And every day a cigar I'll smoke, "All to follow my own dear true "Love of a Kangaroo!" v. Said the Kangaroo, "I'm ready! "All on the moonlight pale; "But to balance me well, dear Duck, sit steady! "And quite at the end of my tail!" So away they went with a hop and a bound, And they hopped the whole world three times round; And who so happy, -- O who, As the Duck and the Kangaroo?
Text Authorship:
- by Edward Lear (1812 - 1888), "The Duck and the Kangaroo", appears in Nonsense Songs, Stories, Botany, and Alphabets, first published 1871
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]?. The Broom and the Shovel, the Poker and the Tongs  [sung text not yet checked]
I The Broom and the Shovel, the Poker and the Tongs, They all took a drive in the Park, And they each sang a song, Ding-a-dong, Ding-a-dong, Before they went back in the dark. Mr. Poker he sate quite upright in the coach, Mr. Tongs made a clatter and clash, Miss Shovel was all dressed in black (with a brooch), Mrs. Broom was in blue (with a sash). Ding-a-dong! Ding-a-dong! And they all sang a song! II 'O Shovel so lovely!' the Poker he sang, 'You have perfectly conquered my heart! 'Ding-a-dong! Ding-a-dong! If you're pleased with my song, 'I will feed you with cold apple tart! 'When you scrape up the coals with a delicate sound, 'You enrapture my life with delight! 'Your nose is so shiny! your head is so round! 'And your shape is so slender and bright! 'Ding-a-dong! Ding-a-dong! 'Ain't you pleased with my song?' III 'Alas! Mrs. Broom!' sighed the Tongs in his song, 'O is it because I'm so thin, 'And my legs are so long -- Ding-a-dong! Ding-a-dong! 'That you don't care about me a pin? 'Ah! fairest of creatures, when sweeping the room, 'Ah! why don't you heed my complaint! 'Must you needs be so cruel, you beautiful Broom, 'Because you are covered with paint? 'Ding-a-dong! Ding-a-dong! 'You are certainly wrong!' IV Mrs. Broom and Miss Shovel together they sang, 'What nonsense you're singing to-day!' Said the Shovel, 'I'll certainly hit you a bang!' Said the Broom, 'And I'll sweep you away!' So the Coachman drove homeward as fast as he could, Perceiving their anger with pain; But they put on the kettle and little by little, They all became happy again. Ding-a-dong! Ding-a-dong! There's an end of my song!
Text Authorship:
- by Edward Lear (1812 - 1888), "The Broom and the Shovel, the Poker and the Tongs", appears in Nonsense Songs, Stories, Botany, and Alphabets, first published 1871
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]?. The Daddy Long‑Legs and the Fly  [sung text not yet checked]
i. Once Mr. Daddy Long-Legs, Dressed in brown and gray, Walked about upon the sands Upon a summer's day; And there among the pebbles, When the wind was rather cold, He met with Mr. Floppy Fly, All dressed in blue and gold. And as it was too soon to dine, They drank some Periwinkle-wine, And played an hour or two, or more, At battlecock and shuttledore. ii. Said Mr. Daddy Long-Legs To Mr. Floppy Fly, "Why do you never come to court? "I wish you'd tell me why. "All gold and shine, in dress so fine, "You'd quite delight the court. "Why do you never go at all? "I really think you ought! "And if you went, you'd see such sights! "Such rugs! and jugs! and candle-lights!" "And more than all, the King and Queen, "One in red, and one in green!" iii. "O Mr. Daddy Long-Legs, Said Mr. Floppy Fly, "It's true I never go to court, "And I will tell you why. "If I had six long legs like yours, "At once I'd go to court! "But oh! I can't, because my legs "Are so extremely short. "And I'm afraid the King and Queen "(One in red, and one in green) "Would say aloud, 'You are not fit, "'You Fly, to come to court a bit!" iv. "O Mr. Daddy Long-Legs," Said Mr. Floppy Fly, "I wish you'd sing one little song! "One mumbian melody! "You used to sing so awful well "In former days gone by, "But now you never sing at all; "I wish you'd tell me why: "For if you would, the silvery sound "Would please the shrimps and cockles round, "And all the crabs would gladly come "To hear you sing, 'Ah, Hum di Hum!'" v. Said Mr. Daddy Long-Legs, "I can never sing again! "And if you wish, I'll tell you why, "Although it gives me great pain. "For years I could not hum a bit, "Or sing the smallest song; "And this the dreadful reason is, "My legs are grown too long! "My six long legs, all here and there, "Oppress my bosom with despair; "And if I stand, or lie, or sit, "I cannot sing one single bit!" vi. So Mr. Daddy Long-Legs And Mr. Floppy Fly Sat down in silence by the sea, And gazed upon the sky. They said, "This is a dreadful thing! "The world has all gone wrong, "Since one has legs too short by half, "The other much too long!" "One never more can go to court, "Because his legs have grown too short; "The other cannot sing a song, "Because his legs have grown too long!" vii. Then Mr. Daddy Long-Legs And Mr. Floppy Fly Rushed downward to the foaming sea With one sponge-taneous cry; And there they found a little boat Whose sails were pink and gray; And off they sailed among the waves Far, and far away. They sailed across the silent main And reached the great Gromboolian plain; And there they play for evermore As battlecock and shuttledore.
Text Authorship:
- by Edward Lear (1812 - 1888), "The Daddy Long-Legs and the Fly", appears in Nonsense Songs, Stories, Botany, and Alphabets, first published 1871
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]?. The Owl and the Pussycat  [sung text not yet checked]
I The Owl and the Pussycat went to sea In a beautiful pea-green boat, They took some honey, and plenty of money, Wrapped up in a five pound note. The Owl looked up to the stars above, And sang to a small guitar, "O lovely Pussy! O Pussy, my love, What a beautiful [Pussy]1 you are, you are, you are! What a beautiful Pussy you are." II Pussy said to the Owl "You elegant fowl, How charmingly sweet you sing. O let us be married, too long we have tarried; But what shall we do for a ring?" They sailed away, for a year and a day, To the land where the Bong-tree grows, And there in a wood a Piggy-wig stood With a ring [at]2 the end of his nose, his nose, his nose, With a ring [at]1 the end of his nose. III "Dear Pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling your ring?" Said the Piggy, "I will" So they took it away, and were married next day By the Turkey who lives on the hill. They dined on mince, and slices of quince, Which they ate with a runcible spoon. And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand. They danced by the light of the moon, the moon, the moon, They danced by the light of the moon.
Text Authorship:
- by Edward Lear (1812 - 1888), "The Owl and the Pussycat", written 1867, appears in Nonsense Songs, Stories, Botany, and Alphabets, first published 1871
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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- GER German (Deutsch) (Bertram Kottmann) , "Der Eul’ und die Miezekatz", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- RUS Russian (Русский) [singable] (Dmitri Nikolaevich Smirnov) , "Совёнок и Кошечка", copyright © 1982, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
1 Harmati: "puss"
2 Wilkinson: "in"
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Garrett Medlock [Guest Editor]