Piping down the valleys wild,
  Piping songs of pleasant glee,
On a cloud I saw a child,
  And he laughing said to me:

"Pipe a song about a lamb."
  So I piped with merry chear.
"Piper, pipe that song again."
  So I piped: he wept to hear.

"Drop thy pipe, thy happy pipe;
  Sing thy songs of happy chear."
So I sang the same again,
  While he wept with joy to hear.

"Piper, sit thee down and write
  In a book, that all may read."
So he vanished from my sight;
  And I pluck'd a hollow reed.

And I made a rural pen,
  And I stain'd the water clear,
And I wrote my happy songs
  Every child may joy to hear.

About the headline (FAQ)

Text Authorship:

• by William Blake (1757 - 1827), "Introduction", appears in Songs of Innocence and Experience, in Songs of Innocence, no. 1, first published 1789 [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 Jean Mary Anderson (b. 1939), "Reeds of Innocence", 1997, from Two Songs for Alto & Organ, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Florence Newell Barbour (1867 - 1946), "The piper", published c1919 [ voice and piano ], from Among the Little Folks, no. 3, Boston : Arthur P. Schmidt Co. [sung text not yet checked]
• by Elaine Louise Bearer (b. 1947), "Introd.", 1974 [ SAB chorus a cappella ], from Three Settings from William Blake's Songs of Innocence, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Florentia Bernani , "Piping down the valleys wild", published 1892 [ duet for 2 female voices ], from Six Duets for Ladies' Voices, no. 1, London : Ransford & Sons [sung text not yet checked]
• by Phillip Thomas Bezanson (1916 - 1975), "The piper", published 1959, from Songs of Innocence, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
• by William Bolcom (b. 1938), "Introduction", 1956-81 [ solo voices, chorus, orchestra ], from Songs of Innocence, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Rutland Boughton (1878 - 1960), "Piper's song", op. 34b (Two Duets) no. 1 (1912), published 1924 [ vocal duet with piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
• by Grace Bell Branning (b. 1912), "Piping down the Valleys Wild" [sung text not yet checked]
• by (William) Havergal Brian (1876 - 1972), "Piping down the valleys wild", 1914, published 1929 [ unison chorus and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
• by George Frederick Broadhead (1883 - ?), "The piper", published 1936 [ unison chorus ] [sung text not yet checked]
• by Christopher Roland Brown (b. 1943), "Piping down the valleys wild", 1962 [ soprano, clarinet and piano ], from Three Songs of Innocence, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Vincent Henry Palmer Caillard, Sir (1856 - 1930), "Introduction", published 1891 [ voice and piano ], from The Songs of Innocence of William Blake, no. 1, London : Novello, Ewer & Co. [sung text not yet checked]
• by Mary Grant Carmichael (1851 - 1935), "Introduction to the Songs of Innocence", published 1876 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Stephen Chatman (b. 1950), "Piping down the valleys wild", 1984 [ SATB chorus and oboe (or flute, or violin, or clarinet) ], from There is sweet music here, no. 4 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Grace (Cotton) Clough-Leighter (b. 1885), "The piper", published c1914 [ three-part women's chorus with piano ], partsong [sung text not yet checked]
• by Dulcie Cohen , "Piping down the valleys wild", published c1934 [ 2-part women's chorus and piano ], partsong [sung text not yet checked]
• by Arnold Atkinson Cooke (1906 - 2005), "Piping down the valleys wild", 1956, published 1960 [ soprano, clarinet in A, piano ], from Three Songs of Innocence, no. 1 [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Felix Corbett (1861 - 1940), "Piping down the valleys wild", published 1889 [ high voice, piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
• by Jean Coulthard (1908 - 2000), "Piping down the valleys wild", 1917 [ high voice, piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
• by John Charlton Crawford (b. 1931), "Introd. (Piping down the valleys wild)", published 1965 [ soprano, piano ], from Songs of Innocence, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Norman Curtis (b. 1933), "Introd.", c1959 [ voice and piano ], from William Blake's Songs of Innocence and of Experience, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
• by James D'Angelo (b. 1939), "The piper", 1971, first performed 1974 [ mezzo-soprano and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
• by John Michael Diack (1869 - 1946), "The piper", published c1909 [ medium voice and piano ], Glasgow : Paterson, Sons & Co. [sung text not yet checked]
• by John Henry Diercks (b. 1927), "Piping", published c1962 [ voice and piano ], from About a Lamb : Four Poems by Blake, no. 1, Bryn Mawr : Tritone Press (Presser) [sung text not yet checked]
• by Robert James Dvorak (b. 1919), "Piping down the valleys", published c1953, copyright © 1947 [ SATB chorus a cappella ], NY : C. Fischer [sung text not yet checked]
• by Osian Gwynn Ellis (b. 1928), "The piper", 1974 [ voice, children's chorus, and harp ], from Penillion Suite, no. 1, note: interwoven with the traditional Welsh melody "Cainc y Datgeiniaid" [sung text not yet checked]
• by Leonard Enns (b. 1948), "Introduction", 1974, published c1983, rev. 1978, first performed 1979 [ SATB chorus, piano, and optional flute ], from Songs of Innocence, no. 1, Waterloo, Ont. : Waterloo Music Co. [sung text not yet checked]
• by Jean Fordell , "Piping down the valleys", published c1936 [ voice and piano ], London : Boosey & Co. [sung text not yet checked]
• by Donato D. Fornuto (b. 1931), "Piping down the valleys wild", published c1973 [ voice and piano ], from Songs of Innocence and Experience, no. 1, NY : Harold Branch Music Publishing Co. [sung text not yet checked]
• by Derek Foster , "Introduction ", 1973-5, first performed 1975 [ contralto, clarinet, and piano ], from Songs of Innocence, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
• by John Frandsen (b. 1956), "Introd.", 1984 [ soprano and guitar ], from Songs of Innocence I, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Earl Robert George (b. 1924), "Introd.", published c1956 [ mixed chorus a cappella ], from Songs of Innocence, no. 1, Evanston, IL : Summy-Birchard Co. [sung text not yet checked]
• by William Wallace Gilchrist (1846 - 1916), "The piper", published c1901 [ voice and piano ], Boston : C. C. Birchard, in William L. Tomlins, ed. Laurel Song Book [sung text not yet checked]
• by Ole Carsten Green (b. 1922), "Introduction", op. 27b no. 1 (1973) [ voice and piano ], from Songs of Innocence, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Harold Walter Greenhill (1902 - ?), "The piper", published c1936 [ 2-part chorus for equal voices and piano ], London : Curwen [sung text not yet checked]
• by Geoffrey Gwyther , "Piping down the valleys wild ", published 1917 [ medium voice and piano ], from Seven Poems from Blake's "Songs of Innocence", no. 1, London, The Poetry Bookshop [sung text not yet checked]
• by Alfred Matthew Hale (1875 - 1960), "Piping down the valleys wild ", op. 29 no. 3, published 1913 [ voice, piano, and violin obbligato ], from Five Songs, no. 3, London : A. Lengnick [sung text not yet checked]
• by Fritz Bennicke Hart (1874 - 1949), "Piping down the valleys wild", op. 158 (A Set of Five Songs) no. 1 (1945?) [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
• by Frank Haworth (1905 - 1993), "Reeds of Innocence", 1956 [ high voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
• by Christian Victor Hely-Hutchinson (1901 - 1947), "Piping down the valleys wild", published c1928 [ SA chorus and piano? ], from Five Songs of Innocence, no. 1, London : Oxford University Press [sung text not yet checked]
• by Gary Michael Higginson (b. 1952), "Piping down the valleys wild ", op. 33 no. 1 (1977), first performed 1979 [ SATB chorus a cappella ], from Seven Songs of William Blake, Set I, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Alfred Francis Hill (1870 - 1960), "Piping down the valleys wild ", published c1936 [ SSA trio a cappella ], Melbourne : Allans & Co. [sung text not yet checked]
• by Arthur Hinton (1869 - 1941), "Piping down the valleys wild " [ voice and piano ], from Four Songs, 2nd Set, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Joseph Holbrooke (1878 - 1958), "Piping down the valleys wild ", op. 130 no. 1 (1934), published 1934, from Songs of Innocence, no. 1, London : Modern Music Library [sung text not yet checked]
• by Helen C. Howarth , "The piper", published c1909 [ medium voice and piano ], from 7 songs of William Blake, no. 1, London ; New York : Breitkopf & Härtel [sung text not yet checked]
• by Herbert Norman Howells (1892 - 1983), "Piping down the valleys wild", published c1939 [ SA chorus ], London : Boosey & Hawkes [sung text not yet checked]
• by Chester Edward Ide (1878 - 1944), "Song of Innocence : Blake's Introduction set to music", 1919 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
• by Chester Edward Ide (1878 - 1944), "Introd.", c1928 [ vocal duet for treble voices a cappella ], from Songs of Innocence -- Eight Poems by William Blake, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Gertrude E. (Hutchinson) Inness (1895 - ?), "Piper's song", published 1956 [ unison chorus and piano ], Oakville, Ont. : Frederick Harris Music Co. [sung text not yet checked]
• by Paul A. Irby , "The piper", published c1928 [ voice and piano ], from Three Songs of Innocence, no. 3, London, Wellington Music Publ. Co. [sung text not yet checked]
• by (John) Michael Jacques (b. 1944), "The piper", 1966 [ soprano voices and piano with optional accompaniment for strings, 2 clarinets, and piano ], from Six Songs of Innocence, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Bernard Johnson , "The piper", published c1907 [ 2-part chorus with piano ], from Two-Part Songs for Treble Voices, no. 5, London : Vincent Music Co. [sung text not yet checked]
• by Wilfred Josephs (b. 1927), "The piper", 1972 [ satb chorus and optional junior chorus and orchestra with optional vibraphone ], from Songs of Innocence, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Karl Richard Korte (b. 1928), "Piping down the valleys", published 1966 [ SSA chorus and piano? ], from Four Blake Songs, no. 1, Boston : E. C. Schirmer [sung text not yet checked]
• by Richard Bamford Lane (1933 - 2004), "Introd.", 1974, first performed 1974 [ SSA chorus and strings ], from Some Songs of Innocence, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
• by André Laporte (b. 1931), "Introduction ", 1979, published c1983 [ SSSS chorus a cappella ], from Songs of Innocence, no. 1, Kontich, Belgium : De notenboom [sung text not yet checked]
• by (Thomas) Timothy Lenk (b. 1952), "Introduction (Piping down the valleys wild)", c1977 [ tenor, bass-baritone, flute (piccolo), clarinet, bass clarinet, and violin ], from Songs of Innocence and Experience, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Franco Leoni (1864 - 1949), "The happy piper", published 1923 [ voice and piano ], from Songs of the Happy Piper: Five Little Songs, no. 1, London, J. H. Larway [sung text not yet checked]
• by Kerry Glenn Lewis (b. 1948), "Piping down the valleys wild", 1973 [ SSA chorus a cappella ], from Three William Blake Songs for Treble Voices, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Mary Alice Lippincott (b. 1919), "The piper", <<1947, published c1950 [ medium voice and piano ], Northbrook, IL, Opus Music [sung text not yet checked]
• by Joan Littlejohn (b. 1937), "Introd.", 1967-70, first performed 1971 [ voice and piano ], from Blakes Songs of Innocence and of Experience, Showing the Two Contrary States of the Human Soul, Part I : Songs of Innocence, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Bertram Luard-Selby (1853 - 1918), "Piping down the valleys wild ", published c1897 [ 2-part chorus for 2 treble voices ], London : Boosey & Co. [sung text not yet checked]
• by Ernest Viviani Lubin (1916 - 1977), "The piper", published c1945 [ high voice and piano ], from Songs of Innocence, no. 1, NY : G. Schirmer [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Charles T. Maclary , "Piping down the valleys", published 1941 [ unison or 2-part treble chorus a cappella ], from Nine Happy Songs, from Songs of Innocence of William Blake, no. 1, Philadelphia : Elkan-Vogel Co. [sung text not yet checked]
• by Basil Stephen Maine (1894 - 1972), "Piping down the valleys", published 1967 [ female voice and piano ], Peaslake : Polyphonic Reproductions [sung text not yet checked]
• by Robert Mann (b. 1920), "Introd.", c1951 [ mixed chorus a cappella ], from Three Songs from Blake's "Songs of Innocence", no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Oskar Morawetz (b. 1917), "Piping down the valleys wild", 1947, published 1953 [ high voice or medium voice and piano ], Toronto : G. V. Thompson [sung text not yet checked]
• by Charles Francis Oxtoby (1912 - 1978), "Piping down the valleys wild ", op. 37 no. 2 (1970) [ voice and flute ] [sung text not yet checked]
• by Donald Patriquin (b. 1938), "Introd.", 1984 [ SSAA chorus, harp, and flute ], from Songs of Innocence, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Helen Patterson , "Piping down the valleys wild ", published 1910 [ high voice and piano ], London : Weekes & Co. [sung text not yet checked]
• by Irena Regina Poldowski (1880 - 1932), "Reeds of innocence", published c1924 [ medium voice and piano ], from Two Songs on Words by William Blake, London : J. W. Chester [sung text not yet checked]
• by William Pulford , "Piping down the valleys", published c1932 [ children's unison chorus and piano ], London : Stainer & Bell [sung text not yet checked]
• by John N. Raines , "Piping down the valleys wild", c1943, unpublished [sung text not yet checked]
• by Thomas Rajna (b. 1928), "Piping down the valleys wild", 1948 [ voice, clarinet, and piano ], from Four Early Songs, no. 4 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Ellen Raskin (1928 - 1984), "Introduction", published 1966 [ voice and piano or guitar ], from Songs of Innocence, no. 1, Garden City, NY : Doubleday [sung text not yet checked]
• by Geraldine Dorothy Rasmussen (b. 1925?6), "Pipe a song", 1970, published c1972, 1973 [ voice and piano ], Fort Lauderdale, FL : privately published [sung text not yet checked]
• by Louisa Raymond , "Introduction : Piping down the valleys wild", published 1961 [ soprano or alto and orchestra ], from A Group of Songs for Seana, no. 10 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Gardner Read (1913 - 2005), "Song of Innocence", op. 76 no. 3 (1949), published 1950 [ medium voice or low voice and piano ], from Songs to Children, no. 3, NY : Galaxy Music Corp. [sung text not yet checked]
• by Marlyce Rae Polk Reed (b. 1955), "Piper's song", 1977 [ mezzo-soprano and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
• by Richard Roderick-Jones (b. 1947), "Piping down the valleys wild", 1967-8 [ soprano, SSA chorus, and orchestra ], from cantata Songs of Innocence, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Alec Rowley (1892 - 1958), "Piping down the valleys wild", published c1947 [ SSA chorus and accompaniment ], from Three Songs of Innocence, no. 1, London : Novello [sung text not yet checked]
• by Arthur Shepherd (1880 - 1958), "The piper", alternate title: "Reeds of Innocence", published c1916 [ voice and piano ], Boston, C. C. Birchard [sung text not yet checked]
• by Elie Siegmeister (1909 - 1991), "Piping down the valleys", 1972, rev. 1985 [ voice and piano ], from Songs of Innocence, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Alfred Jethro Silver (1870 - ?), "Piping down the valleys wild ", published c1913 [ SSA chorus and piano ], NY : J. Fischer & Bros. [sung text not yet checked]
• by Walter Skolnik (b. 1934), "Piping down the valleys wild ", published c1969 [ SATB chorus a cappella ], Philadelphia : Elkan-Vogel Co. [sung text not yet checked]
• by Dmitri Nikolaevich Smirnov (1948 - 2020), "Introduction", op. 132 no. 1 (2001) [ speaker and tape ], from The Innocence of Experience, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Russell Smith (b. 1927), "The piper", 1949 [ medium voice and piano ], from Six Songs of Innocence, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Masters van Someren-Godfery (d. 1947), "Piping down the valleys", published c1952 [ voice and piano ], from Six Blake Songs, no. 2, London : Augener [sung text not yet checked]
• by Arthur Somervell, Sir (1863 - 1937), "Piping down the valleys wild", published 1894 [ voice and piano ], from Five Songs of Innocence (formerly Four Songs of Innocence), no. 5, London, Stanley Lucas & Co. [sung text not yet checked]
• by Ronald Stevenson (b. 1928), "Introduction", 1948-50, rev. 1965 [ voice and piano ], from Songs of Innocence, no. 1, another version exists for voice, flute, and string quintet (composed 1966-71) [sung text not yet checked]
• by Dorothy Wauchope Stewart , "Introd.", published c1926 [ unison and 2-part treble chorus ], from Eight Songs of Innocence, no. 1, London : H. W. F. Deane & Sons, The Year Book Press [sung text not yet checked]
• by Anthony Strilko (b. 1931), "Introd.", 1960? [ high voice and piano ], from Songs of Innocence, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Margaret Ada Sutherland (1897 - 1984), "Piping down the valleys wild", c1950, published c1973 [ voice and piano ], from Four Blake Songs, no. 2, Sydney : J. Albert & Sons (Belwin-Mills) [sung text not yet checked]
• by John Austin Sykes (1909 - 1962), "Piping down the valleys wild", 1935-6, first performed 1975 [ voice and piano ], from Songs of Innocence, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Eric Harding Thiman (1900 - 1975), "Piping down the valleys wild ", published c1957 [ unison chorus and optional descant recorders ], London : Novello [sung text not yet checked]
• by Christopher Joseph Thomas (1894 - ?), "Piping down the valleys", published c1941 [ women's chorus ], NY : G. Schirmer [sung text not yet checked]
• by David Evan Thomas (b. 1958), "Piping down the valleys wild", 2004 [ medium voice, piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
• by Danny Tuck , "Piping down the valley", published c1979 [ SATB chorus a cappella ], Fort Lauderdale, FL : Music 70 Music Publishers [sung text not yet checked]
• by Percy Purvis Turnbull (b. 1902), "Piping down the valleys wild", published c1925 [ unison chorus and piano ], London : Oxford University Press [sung text not yet checked]
• by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872 - 1958), "The piper", 1957, published 1958 [ voice and oboe ], from Ten Blake Songs, no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Felix Werder (b. 1922), "Piping down", 1961-2 [ soprano and piano ], from From the Blake Collection, op. 42 and op. 50, no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Rudolph T. Werther (1896 - 1986), "Piper's song", 1960 [ voice and piano ], from Song Cycle : On Children, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Eugenia Winslow West , "The piper", published c1946 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Ian Dunn Whyte (1901 - 1960), "Piping down the valleys wild", published c1928 [ high voice and piano ], London : J. & W. Chester [sung text not yet checked]
• by Patrick Williams (1905 - 1985), "The piper", published c1938, 1966 [ unison chorus and piano ], London : Bosworth & Co. [sung text not yet checked]
• by Judith Lang Zaimont , "Piping down the valleys wild", 1974 [ soprano, tenor, flute, violoncello, and harp ], from Songs of Innocence, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]

The text above (or a part of it) is used in the following settings:

• by Lloyd Alvin Pfautsch (b. 1921), "Laughing song", published c1976 [ SSAA chorus and flute ], New York : Lawson-Gould (Cherry Lane Music)
  • View the full text. [sung text not yet checked]
    

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

• RUS Russian (Русский) [singable] (Dmitri Nikolaevich Smirnov) , "Вступление", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Ted Perry

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 121