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A Book of Nonsense
Song Cycle by Gary Bachlund (b. 1947)
1. The Dwarf of Battersea
Authorship:
- by Mervyn Peake (1911 - 1968), "The Dwarf of Battersea", appears in A Book of Nonsense, first published 1972
2. Little Spider
— This text is not currently
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as soon as we obtain it. —
Authorship:
- by Mervyn Peake (1911 - 1968), "Little Spider", appears in A Book of Nonsense, first published 1972
3. O Little Fly
— This text is not currently
in the database but will be added
as soon as we obtain it. —
Authorship:
- by Mervyn Peake (1911 - 1968), "O Little Fly", appears in A Book of Nonsense, first published 1972
4. 'It Worries Me to Know'
It worries me to know . . . . . . . . . .— The rest of this text is not
currently in the database but will be
added as soon as we obtain it. —
Authorship:
- by Mervyn Peake (1911 - 1968), no title, appears in A Book of Nonsense, first published 1972
5. How Fly the Birds of Heaven
— This text is not currently
in the database but will be added
as soon as we obtain it. —
Authorship:
- by Mervyn Peake (1911 - 1968), "How Fly the Birds of Heaven", appears in A Book of Nonsense, first published 1972
6. Of Pygmies, Palms and Pirates  [sung text checked 1 time]
Of pygmies, palms and pirates, Of islands and lagoons, Of blood-bespotted frigates, Of crags and octoroons, Of whales and broken bottles, Of quicksands cold and grey, Of ullages and dottles, I have no more to say. Of barley, corn and furrows, Of farms and turf that heaves Above such ghostly burrows As twitch on summer eves Of fallow-land and pasture, Of skies both pink and grey, I made my statement last year And have no more to say.
Authorship:
- by Mervyn Peake (1911 - 1968), "Of Pygmies, Palms and Pirates", appears in A Book of Nonsense, first published 1972 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]7. An Old and Crumbling Parapet
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as soon as we obtain it. —
Authorship:
- by Mervyn Peake (1911 - 1968), "An Old and Crumbling Parapet", appears in A Book of Nonsense, first published 1972
8. It Is Most Best
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as soon as we obtain it. —
Authorship:
- by Mervyn Peake (1911 - 1968), "It Is Most Best", appears in A Book of Nonsense, first published 1972
9. O'er Seas That Have No Beaches
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as soon as we obtain it. —
Authorship:
- by Mervyn Peake (1911 - 1968), "O'er Seas That Have No Beaches", appears in A Book of Nonsense, first published 1972
10. 'Come, Break the News to Me, Sweet Horse'
Come, break the news to me, sweet horse . . . . . . . . . .— The rest of this text is not
currently in the database but will be
added as soon as we obtain it. —
Authorship:
- by Mervyn Peake (1911 - 1968), no title, appears in A Book of Nonsense, first published 1972
11. An Angry Cactus Does No Good
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as soon as we obtain it. —
Authorship:
- by Mervyn Peake (1911 - 1968), "An Angry Cactus Does No Good", appears in A Book of Nonsense, first published 1972
12. I Cannot Give You Reasons  [sung text checked 1 time]
I cannot give the reasons, I only sing the tunes: the sadness of the seasons the madness of the moons. I cannot be didactic or lucid, but I can be quite obscure and practic- ally marzipan In gorgery and gushness and all that's squishified. My voice has all the lushness of what I can't abide And yet it has a beauty most proud and terrible denied to those whose duty is to be cerebral. Among the antlered mountains I make my viscous way and watch the sepia mountains throw up their lime-green spray.
Authorship:
- by Mervyn Peake (1911 - 1968), "I Cannot Give the Reasons", appears in A Book of Nonsense, first published 1972 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]13. The Trouble With Geraniums  [sung text checked 1 time]
The trouble with geraniums is that they're much too red! The trouble with my toast is that it's far too full of bread. The trouble with a diamond is that it's much too bright. The same applies to fish and stars and the electric light. The troubles with the stars I see lies in the way they fly. The trouble with myself is all self-centred in the eye. The trouble with my looking-glass is that it shows me, me; there's trouble in all sorts of things where it should never be.
Authorship:
- by Mervyn Peake (1911 - 1968), "The trouble With geraniums", appears in A Book of Nonsense, first published 1972 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]14. Crocodiles  [sung text checked 1 time]
She stared at him as hard as she Could stare, but not a single blush Suffused his face like dawn at sea Or roses in a bush - For crocodiles are very slow At taking hints because their hide's So thick it never feels de trop, And tender like a bride's.
Authorship:
- by Mervyn Peake (1911 - 1968), "Crocodiles", appears in A Book of Nonsense, first published 1972 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]15. O Love! O Death! O Ecstasy!
O Love! O Death! O Ecstasy! . . . . . . . . . .— The rest of this text is not
currently in the database but will be
added as soon as we obtain it. —
Authorship:
- by Mervyn Peake (1911 - 1968), "O Love! O Death! O Ecstasy!", appears in A Book of Nonsense, first published 1972
16. O Here It Is! And There It Is!
— This text is not currently
in the database but will be added
as soon as we obtain it. —
Authorship:
- by Mervyn Peake (1911 - 1968), "O Here It Is! And There It Is!", appears in A Book of Nonsense, first published 1972
17. I Have My Price  [sung text checked 1 time]
I have my price - it's rather high (about the level of your eye) but if you're nice to me I'll try to lower it for you - To lower it! To lower it! Upon the rope they knit from yellow grass in Paraguay where knitting is taboo. Some knit them purl, some knit them plain some knit their brows of pearl in vain. Some are so plain, they try again to tease the wool of love! O felony in Paraguay there's not a soul in Paraguay who's worth the dreamingof. They say, who's worth the dreaming of.
Authorship:
- by Mervyn Peake (1911 - 1968), "I Have My Price", appears in A Book of Nonsense, first published 1972 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]18. Lean Sideways on the Wind
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Authorship:
- by Mervyn Peake (1911 - 1968), "Lean Sideways on the Wind", appears in A Book of Nonsense, first published 1972
19. Tintinnabulum
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Authorship:
- by Mervyn Peake (1911 - 1968), "Tintinnabulum", appears in A Book of Nonsense, first published 1972
20. The Hideous Root
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Authorship:
- by Mervyn Peake (1911 - 1968), "The Hideous Root", appears in A Book of Nonsense, first published 1972
21. The Men in Bowler Hats Are Sweet
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Authorship:
- by Mervyn Peake (1911 - 1968), "The Men in Bowler Hats Are Sweet", appears in A Book of Nonsense, first published 1972
22. Shrink, Shrink
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Authorship:
- by Mervyn Peake (1911 - 1968), "Shrink, Shrink", appears in A Book of Nonsense, first published 1972
23. Aunty Jane
— This text is not currently
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Authorship:
- by Mervyn Peake (1911 - 1968), "Aunty Jane", appears in A Book of Nonsense, in Aunts and Uncles, first published 1972
24. Aunty Grace
— This text is not currently
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as soon as we obtain it. —
Authorship:
- by Mervyn Peake (1911 - 1968), "Aunty Grace", appears in A Book of Nonsense, in Aunts and Uncles, first published 1972
25. Uncle Wog
— This text is not currently
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as soon as we obtain it. —
Authorship:
- by Mervyn Peake (1911 - 1968), "Uncle Wog", appears in A Book of Nonsense, in Aunts and Uncles, first published 1972
26. Aunty Flo  [sung text checked 1 time]
When Aunty Flo Became a Crow She had a bed put in a tree; And there she lay And read all day Of ornithology.
Authorship:
- by Mervyn Peake (1911 - 1968), "Aunty Flo", appears in A Book of Nonsense, in Aunts and Uncles, first published 1972 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]27. Aunty Vi
— This text is not currently
in the database but will be added
as soon as we obtain it. —
Authorship:
- by Mervyn Peake (1911 - 1968), "Aunty Vi", appears in A Book of Nonsense, in Aunts and Uncles, first published 1972
28. Uncle Sam
— This text is not currently
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as soon as we obtain it. —
Authorship:
- by Mervyn Peake (1911 - 1968), "Uncle Sam", appears in A Book of Nonsense, in Aunts and Uncles, first published 1972
29. Aunty Nag
— This text is not currently
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Authorship:
- by Mervyn Peake (1911 - 1968), "Aunty Nag", appears in A Book of Nonsense, in Aunts and Uncles, first published 1972
30. Aunty Mig
— This text is not currently
in the database but will be added
as soon as we obtain it. —
Authorship:
- by Mervyn Peake (1911 - 1968), "Aunty Mig", appears in A Book of Nonsense, in Aunts and Uncles, first published 1972
31. Aunty Jill
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as soon as we obtain it. —
Authorship:
- by Mervyn Peake (1911 - 1968), "Aunty Jill", appears in A Book of Nonsense, in Aunts and Uncles, first published 1972
32. Uncle Jake
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as soon as we obtain it. —
Authorship:
- by Mervyn Peake (1911 - 1968), "Uncle Jake", appears in A Book of Nonsense, in Aunts and Uncles, first published 1972
33. Crown Me With Hairpins
— This text is not currently
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Authorship:
- by Mervyn Peake (1911 - 1968), "Crown Me With Hairpins", appears in A Book of Nonsense, first published 1972
34. Squat Ursula
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Authorship:
- by Mervyn Peake (1911 - 1968), "Squat Ursula", appears in A Book of Nonsense, first published 1972
35. Leave the Stronger
— This text is not currently
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Authorship:
- by Mervyn Peake (1911 - 1968), "Leave the Stronger", appears in A Book of Nonsense, first published 1972
36. The Thread Remains
— This text is not currently
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Authorship:
- by Mervyn Peake (1911 - 1968), "The Thread Remains", appears in A Book of Nonsense, first published 1972
37. The Adventures of Footfruit
— This text is not currently
in the database but will be added
as soon as we obtain it. —
Authorship:
- by Mervyn Peake (1911 - 1968), "The Adventures of Footfruit", appears in A Book of Nonsense, first published 1972