Texts by O. Nash set in Art Songs and Choral Works

§ Author §

Ogden Nash (1902 - 1971)

Text Collections:

Texts set in art song or choral works (not necessarily comprehensive):

Legend:
The symbol [x] indicates a placeholder for a text that is not yet in the database.
The symbol ⊗ indicates a translation that is missing an original text.

A * indicates that a text cannot (yet?) be displayed on this site because of its copyright status.
Special notes: All titles and first lines are included in this index, including those used by composers.
Titles used by the text author appear in boldface. First lines appear in italics.
A language code in a blue rectangle like ENG indicates that a translation to that language is available.
A grey rectangle like FRE indicates a particular translation (usually one set to music) exists but isn't yet available.

A caution to everybody (Consider the auk) (from The Private Dining Room) - A. Epstein *
A caution to hillbilly singers, harpists, harpoonists, channel-swimmers, and people first in line for World Series tickets () (from The Private Dining Room) - J. Bilik [x] *
A drink with something in it () (from The Primrose Path) [x] *
Adventures of Isabel () (from The Bad Parents' Garden of Verse) - O. Mortensen [x] *
A flea and a fly in a flue - F. Price *
A Flea and a Fly (A flea and a fly in a flue) - F. Price *
A girl whose cheeks are covered with paint (from Hard Lines) - A. Frackenpohl (Biological reflection)
Allow me, Madam, but it won't help () (from Good Intentions) [x] *
A mighty creature is the germ (from The Primrose Path) - V. Duke, T. Hoekman (The germ) *
An elderly bride of Port Jervis (from The Private Dining Room) - A. Frackenpohl (Limerick One) *
A nice girl with a naughty word (The greatest error ever erred) (from Versus) - A. Frackenpohl *
As pants the heart () - M. Horder [x] *
Barnyard cogitations () (from The Bad Parents' Garden of Verse) - Q. Porter [x] *
Be careful not to cross the gander (from Good Intentions) - J. Berger (The gander) *
Behold the duck (from The Bad Parents' Garden of Verse) - V. Duke, P. Hagemann (The duck) *
Behold the hippopotamus! (from I'm a Stranger Here Myself) - J. Berger, T. Hoekman (The hippopotamus) *
Biological reflection (A girl whose cheeks are covered with paint) (from Hard Lines)
Celery, raw develops the jaw (from Good Intentions) (Celery) - E. Diemer, P. Hagemann *
Celery, raw (from Good Intentions) - E. Diemer, P. Hagemann (Celery) *
Celery (Celery, raw) (from Good Intentions) - E. Diemer, P. Hagemann *
Consider the auk (from The Private Dining Room) - A. Epstein (A caution to everybody) *
Correction: Eve delved and Adam span () (from The Private Dining Room) [x] *
Eels (I don't mind eels) (from Good Intentions) - E. Diemer *
For a good dog (My little dog, ten years ago) - S. Paulus *
Further reflections on parsley () (from Good Intentions) - P. Hagemann [x] *
Glossina mortisans or the Tsetse () (from Good Intentions) - P. Hagemann [x] *
God, in his wisdom invented the fly (from Good Intentions) (The fly) - E. Diemer, P. Hagemann, T. Hoekman *
God, in his wisdom (from Good Intentions) - E. Diemer, P. Hagemann, T. Hoekman (The fly) *
Ha! Original Sin () [x] *
Hark to the whimper of the sea-gull (from The Family Reunion) - V. Duke, N. Shapiro (The sea-gull) *
I don't mind eels except as meals (from Good Intentions) (The eel) - E. Diemer, P. Hagemann *
I don't mind eels (from Good Intentions) - E. Diemer, P. Hagemann (The eel) *
I find among the poems of Schiller (from The Private Dining Room) - T. Hoekman *
I give you now Professor Twist (from I'm a Stranger Here Myself) - S. Cumberworth, D. Healey (The purist) *
I'm an autocratic figure in these democratic states (from Happy Days) - R. Armbruster (Quartet for prosperous love-children) *
I must admit (from Ogden Nash's Musical Zoo) - V. Duke (The fly) [x] *
In far Tibet there live a lama (from Versus) (I will arise and go now) - S. Adler, J. Bilik, J. Cohn *
In far Tibet (from Versus) - S. Adler, J. Bilik, J. Cohn (I will arise and go now) *
I objurgate the centipede (from I'm a Stranger Here Myself) - E. Diemer, V. Duke (The centipede) *
I regret that before people can be reformed - R. Panufnik (Piano Tuner, Untune me that Tune) *
I will arise and go now (In far Tibet) (from Versus) - S. Adler *
Lady Limericks (An elderly bride of Port Jervis) (from The Private Dining Room) - A. Frackenpohl *
Lady Limericks (There was a young belle of old Natchez) (from I'm a Stranger Here Myself) - A. Frackenpohl *
Lady Limericks () (from The Private Dining Room) - A. Frackenpohl [x] *
Limerick One (An elderly bride of Port Jervis) (from The Private Dining Room) *
Limerick Three () (from The Private Dining Room) [x] *
Love under the Republicans (or Democrats) () (from Hard Lines) - P. Reif [x]
More than a catbird hates a cat (from Marriage Lines) - A. Frackenpohl (To my valentine) *
My dream (This is my dream) (from You Can't Get There From Here) - D. Bates *
My heart leaps up when I behold (from Happy Days) - S. Adler (Song to be sung by the father of infant female children) *
My little dog, ten years ago - S. Paulus (For a good dog) *
Oh shucks, Ma'am, I mean Excuse Me (The greatest error ever erred) (from Versus) *
Oh, weep for Mr. and Mrs. Bryan (from Versus) - P. Hagemann (The lion) *
Old men (People expect old men to die) - S. Paulus *
One cantaloupe is ripe and lush (from Good Intentions) - P. Hagemann (The cantaloupe) *
⁨One from one leaves two () - E. Gould [x]
Our dog () (from Good Intentions) - V. Duke [x] *
Pants and paint (A girl whose cheeks are covered with paint) (from Hard Lines) - A. Frackenpohl
Pants and paint (Sure, deck your limbs in pants) (from Free Wheeling) - A. Frackenpohl *
People expect old men to die - S. Paulus (Old men) *
Piano Tuner, Untune Me That Tune (I regret that before people can be reformed) - R. Panufnik *
Please pass the biscuit () (from Good Intentions) [x] *
Pray, butcher, spare yon tender calf! (from Ogden Nash's Musical Zoo) - V. Duke (The calf) *
Quartet for prosperous love-children (I'm an autocratic figure in these democratic states) (from Happy Days) - R. Armbruster *
Requiem (There was a young belle of old Natchez) (from I'm a Stranger Here Myself) *
Samson Agonistes () - E. Diemer [x] *
Seaside serenade () (from The Bad Parents' Garden of Verse) - J. Bilik [x] *
Some primal termite knocked on wood (from Good Intentions) - V. Duke, P. Hagemann, N. Shapiro (The termite) *
Song to be sung by the father of infant female children (My heart leaps up when I behold) (from Happy Days) - S. Adler *
Sure, deck your limbs in pants (from Free Wheeling) - A. Frackenpohl (What's the use?) *
Taboo to boot () (from Many Long Years Ago) - V. Duke [x] *
Tell me, O Octopus, I begs (from Good Intentions) - P. Hagemann (The octopus) *
The anniversary () (from Ave Ogden! Nash in Latin) - V. Duke [x] *
The ant has made himself illustrious (from I'm a Stranger Here Myself) - J. Berger, V. Duke (The ant) *
The ant (The ant has made himself illustrious) (from I'm a Stranger Here Myself) - J. Berger, V. Duke *
The calf (Pray, butcher, spare yon tender calf!) (from Ogden Nash's Musical Zoo) - V. Duke *
The camel has a single hump (from The Primrose Path) - J. Berger, C. Shearer (The camel) *
The camel (The camel has a single hump) (from The Primrose Path) - J. Berger, C. Shearer *
The cantaloupe (One cantaloupe is ripe and lush) (from Good Intentions) - P. Hagemann *
The Caterpillar (I find among the poems of Schiller) (from The Private Dining Room) - T. Hoekman *
The centipede (I objurgate the centipede) (from I'm a Stranger Here Myself) - E. Diemer, V. Duke *
The cow is of the bovine ilk (from Free Wheeling) - J. Berger, V. Duke (The cow)
The cow (The cow is of the bovine ilk) (from Free Wheeling) - J. Berger, V. Duke
The duck (Behold the duck) (from The Bad Parents' Garden of Verse) - V. Duke, P. Hagemann *
The eel (I don't mind eels) (from Good Intentions) - P. Hagemann *
The feminine approach to feminine fashions (There would be far less masculine gaming and boozing) (from Good Intentions) - A. Frackenpohl *
The firefly's flame Is something for which science has no name (from Good Intentions) (The firefly) - V. Duke, P. Hagemann *
The firefly's flame (from Good Intentions) - V. Duke, P. Hagemann (The firefly) *
The firefly (The firefly's flame) (from Good Intentions) - V. Duke, P. Hagemann *
The fish () (from Hard Lines) - N. Shapiro [x] *
The fly (God, in his wisdom) (from Good Intentions) - E. Diemer, P. Hagemann, T. Hoekman *
The fly (I must admit) (from Ogden Nash's Musical Zoo) - V. Duke [x] *
The frog () (from Ogden Nash's Musical Zoo) - V. Duke [x] *
The gander (Be careful not to cross the gander) (from Good Intentions) - J. Berger *
The germ (A mighty creature is the germ) (from The Primrose Path) - V. Duke, T. Hoekman *
The greatest error ever erred (from Versus) - A. Frackenpohl (Oh shucks, Ma'am, I mean Excuse Me) *
The hippopotamus (Behold the hippopotamus!) (from I'm a Stranger Here Myself) - J. Berger, T. Hoekman *
The jellyfish (Who wants my jellyfish?) (from Ogden Nash's Musical Zoo) - V. Duke
The kangaroo can jump incredible (from Good Intentions) - T. Hoekman *
The Kangaroo (The kangaroo can jump incredible) (from Good Intentions) - T. Hoekman *
The kitten's face is soft (from Ogden Nash's Musical Zoo) - V. Duke (The kitten) [x] *
The kitten (The kitten's face is soft) (from Ogden Nash's Musical Zoo) - V. Duke [x] *
The kitten (The trouble with a kitten is that) (from The Face is Familiar) - P. Hagemann *
The ladies of the garden clubbub () (from The Private Dining Room) - A. Frackenpohl [x] *
The lama (I will arise and go now) (In far Tibet) (from Versus) - J. Bilik *
The lama (In far Tibet) (from Versus) - J. Cohn *
The lion (Oh, weep for Mr. and Mrs. Bryan) (from Versus) - P. Hagemann *
The martini () (from The Primrose Path) - P. Hagemann [x] *
The mermaid () (from Good Intentions) - P. Hagemann [x] *
The middle (When I remember bygone days) - S. Paulus *
The mouse () (from Ogden Nash's Musical Zoo) - V. Duke [x] *
The octopus (Tell me, O Octopus, I begs) (from Good Intentions) - P. Hagemann *
The ostrich () (from You Can't Get There From Here) - P. Hagemann [x] *
The parsnip () (from Good Intentions) - P. Hagemann [x] *
The pidgeon () (from Ogden Nash's Musical Zoo) [x] *
The pigeon () (from Ogden Nash's Musical Zoo) - V. Duke [x] *
The Pig, if I am not mistaken (from Happy Days) - G. Bachlund, V. Duke, P. Hagemann (The pig) *
The pig (The Pig, if I am not mistaken) (from Happy Days) - G. Bachlund, V. Duke, P. Hagemann *
The pizza [Table Talk 3] () (from You Can't Get There From Here) [x] *
The pizza () (from You Can't Get There From Here) - D. Bates, P. Hagemann [x] *
The private dining room () (from The Private Dining Room) - V. Duke [x] *
The purist (I give you now Professor Twist) (from I'm a Stranger Here Myself) - S. Cumberworth, D. Healey *
The python () (from The Old Dog Barks Backwards) - A. Plog [x] *
There is nothing more perky (from The Bad Parents' Garden of Verse) - V. Duke, T. Hoekman (The turkey) *
There was a young belle of old Natchez (from I'm a Stranger Here Myself) - A. Frackenpohl (Requiem) *
There would be far less masculine gaming and boozing (from Good Intentions) - A. Frackenpohl (Thoughts thought on an avenue) *
The rhinoceros (The rhino is a homely beast) (from Happy Days) - P. Spino *
The rhino is a homely beast (from Happy Days) - P. Spino (The rhinoceros) *
The rooster () (from Ogden Nash's Musical Zoo) - V. Duke [x] *
The sea-gull (Hark to the whimper of the sea-gull) (from The Family Reunion) - V. Duke, N. Shapiro *
The sparrow () (from Ogden Nash's Musical Zoo) - V. Duke [x] *
The sweetbread [Table Talk 2] () (from You Can't Get There From Here) [x] *
The sweetbread () (from You Can't Get There From Here) - P. Hagemann [x] *
The termite (Some primal termite knocked on wood) (from Good Intentions) - V. Duke, P. Hagemann, N. Shapiro *
The terrible people () (from Happy Days) - J. Cohn [x] *
The trouble with a kitten is that (from The Face is Familiar) - P. Hagemann (The kitten) *
The turkey (There is nothing more perky) (from The Bad Parents' Garden of Verse) - V. Duke, T. Hoekman *
The turtles lives 'twixt plated decks (from Hard Lines) - J. Corigliano, A. Plog (The turtle) *
The turtle (The turtles lives 'twixt plated decks) (from Hard Lines) - J. Corigliano, A. Plog *
The wombat lives across the seas (from Many Long Years Ago) - T. Hoekman *
The Wombat (The wombat lives across the seas) (from Many Long Years Ago) - T. Hoekman *
This is my dream (from You Can't Get There From Here) - D. Bates (My dream) *
Thoughts thought after a bridge party () (from Versus) - J. Bilik [x] *
Thoughts thought on an avenue (There would be far less masculine gaming and boozing) (from Good Intentions) *
Time marches on (You ask me, brothers, why I flinch) - S. Paulus *
To my valentine (More than a catbird hates a cat) (from Marriage Lines) - A. Frackenpohl *
Tweedledee and Tweedledoom () (from The Private Dining Room) - J. Avshalomov [x] *
Vanity, vanity () - V. Duke [x] *
What's the use? (Sure, deck your limbs in pants) (from Free Wheeling) *
When I remember bygone days - S. Paulus (The middle) *
Who wants my jellyfish? (from Ogden Nash's Musical Zoo) - V. Duke (The jellyfish)
Women sitting firmly on their coats () (from Good Intentions) - A. Frackenpohl [x] *
Yorkshire pudding [Table Talk 1] () (from You Can't Get There From Here) [x] *
Yorkshire pudding () (from You Can't Get There From Here) - P. Hagemann [x] *
You ask me, brothers, why I flinch - S. Paulus (Time marches on) *

Last update: 2025-06-10 05:24:27