• Ballad: At A Pantomime.  By A Bilious One Cover
      by LovelyMay In the dim confines of a damp dressing room within the grand Theatre Royal, World, an actor, his face shrouded by a flowing wig and his jaws adorned with a lengthy beard, prepares for his seasonal performance in the cherished pantomime, "HARLEQUIN LIFE AND DEATH." Draped in a gown designed to exaggerate his frail form, he stands ready, urging for the limelight to shine upon the stage, transforming him into the embodiment of jolly Old Christmas. As the curtain rises, the darkness of the stage symbolizes…
    • Ballad: King Borria Bungalee Boo Cover
      by LovelyMay In "King Borria Bungalee Boo" from *The Bab Ballads*, the story vividly narrates the peculiar and darkly humorous tale of a man-eating African king, Borria Bungalee Boo, and his four loyal subjects. The king, known for his fearsome appetite, faces a dire situation when the kingdom runs out of food, pushing him to the brink of desperation for a meal. His loyal subjects, once more numerous but reduced in number due to the king's dietary habits, are introduced with colorful names: haughty Pish-Tush-Pooh-Bah,…
    • Ballad: Babette’s Love Cover
      by LovelyMay Babette was a charming fisher girl from Boulogne, known for her beauty and innocence, spending her days in the Halle or catching shrimp. Her heart is set on marrying an able mariner named Bill, who works for the General Steam-Boat Navigation Company and spends his off-hours dreamily overlooking the port, thoughts possibly adrift to his distant home in Chelsea. Jacot, a customs officer smitten with Babette, confesses his love, only to be rejected as she finds him undesirably thin and declares her affection…
    • Ballad: The Periwinkle Girl Cover
      by LovelyMay In the whimsical "Ballad: The Periwinkle Girl" from *The Bab Ballads*, the narrator playfully critiques the rush to judgment and the follies of youth through a tale that intertwines love, status, and the humble winkle. The protagonist starts by reflecting on his youthful disdain for winkles, based on the notion that they offer none of the pleasures of flirting, dancing, or smoking. This perspective shifts dramatically upon the introduction of Mary, a charming seller of winkles whose beauty and allure make…
    • Ballad: The Folly Of Brown — By A General Agent Cover
      by LovelyMay In "The Folly of Brown - By A General Agent," the narrator recounts his experiences with a man named Brown, a simple farmer who unexpectedly came into a fortune of two hundred thousand. Despite this windfall, Brown's demeanor and lifestyle remain unchanged, embodying the essence of a clown – not in the theatrical sense but reflecting a lack of sophistication and education. The newfound wealth leaves Brown unfazed, his ignorance evident as he continues to live a simple life, uninterested in the luxuries…
    • Ballad: Thomson Green And Harriet Hale (To be sung to the Air of “An ‘Orrible Tale.”) Cover
      by LovelyMay In the whimsical ballad of Thomson Green and Harriet Hale, a tale unfolds that is as amusing as it is implausible, best captured by the recurring sentiment, "Twaddle twaddle twaddle twaddle twaddle twaddle twum!" Thomson Green, an auctioneer with an annual income of three hundred pounds, happens upon Harriet Hale, a pianoforte instructor of some repute, in the charming confines of Regent's Park. Their initial encounter, marked by Green's offhand admiration for the day's beauty, sparks a romance that…
    • Ballad: Sir Macklin Cover
      by LovelyMay Sir Macklin is a tale from "The Bab Ballads" focusing on the stern, moralizing efforts of Sir Macklin, a priest determined to correct the wayward paths of three young men: Tom, Bob, and Billy. These youths, known for their vain and carefree dispositions, habitually spent their Sundays strolling and chatting in various parks and gardens, blatantly ignoring the Sabbath law and the principles of decency and restraint that Sir Macklin vehemently espoused. Sir Macklin, described as a priest of severe demeanor…
    • Ballad: Bob Polter Cover
      by LovelyMay Bob Polter was a hardworking navvy of thirty-two, known for his coarse hands and sun-tanned, rough face. Without a wife, he lived simply among his working peers, embodying the characteristics of a decent, albeit imperfect, English working man. Despite his modest indulgence in smoking and a daily pot of beer—which occasionally increased in quantity or led to convivial nights and even fights on Saturdays—Bob was fundamentally a sober, responsible laborer. One day, while at the Nelson's Head, a…
    • Ballad: The Yarn Of The “Nancy Bell” Cover
      by LovelyMay In "The Yarn of the Nancy Bell," narrated by an ancient sailor found between Deal and Ramsgate, unfolds a gruesome tale of survival at sea. The elderly naval figure, with his unkempt hair and lengthy beard, chants a peculiar song of being the sole survivor of the Nancy Bell, claiming to embody every role aboard from captain to cook, and even the crew of the captain's gig. His wild gestures and frayed appearance suggest a man touched by hardship and madness, a notion that does little to quell the listener's…
    • Ballad: The Bishop Of Rum-Ti-Foo Cover
      by LovelyMay In "The Bishop of Rum-Ti-Foo," a whimsical narrative unfurls about a Bishop named Peter, who is appointed to the exotic isle of Rum-ti-Foo. This charming ballad, peppered with humor and a light-hearted tone, encapsulates the Bishop's adventures and his earnest attempts to assimilate with the natives of Rum-ti-Foo. These locals, numbered at twenty-three, express their culture through the vibrant beats of the tum-tum and a peculiar culinary preference for scalps marinated in rum. Bishop Peter, in his…
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