by James Russell Lowell (1819 - 1891)
When I was a beggarly boy
Language: English
When I was a beggarly boy And lived in a cellar damp, I had not a friend nor a toy, But I had Aladdin's lamp; When I could not sleep for the cold, I had fire enough in my brain, And builded, with roofs of gold, My beautiful castles in Spain! Since then I have toiled day and night, I have money and power good store, But I'd give all my lamps of silver bright For the one that is mine no more; Take, Fortune, whatever you choose, You gave, and may snatch again; I have nothing 'twould pain me to lose, For I own no more castles in Spain!
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Text Authorship:
- by James Russell Lowell (1819 - 1891), "Aladdin", appears in Under the Willows and Other Poems, first published 1868 [author's text checked 1 time 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 Vincenzo Bellini (1801 - 1835), "Aladdin" [sung text not yet checked]
- by Charles Whitney Coombs (1859 - 1940), "Aladdin's Lamp", published 1890 [ medium voice, piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Matilda Scott-Paine , "Aladdin", published 1881 [ tenor or baritone, piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2005-03-17
Line count: 16
Word count: 110