Title: Tell Me Where Is Fancy Bred
Music: Thomas Augustine Arne (1710-1778)
Text: William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
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Tell me where is fancy bred,
Or in the heart or in the head?
Where begot, where nourished?
Reply, reply, reply, reply.
It is engender’d in the eye,
By gazing fed; and fancy dies
In the cradle, where it lies.
Title: La Cloche
Music: Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921)
Text: Victor-Marie Hugo (1802-1885)
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Seule en ta sombre tour aux faîtes dentelés,
D’où ton souffle descend sur les toits ébranlés,
Ô cloche suspendue au milieu des nuées,
Par ton vaste roulis si souvent remuées,
Tu dors en ce moment dans l’ombre, et rien ne luit
Sous ta voûte profonde où sommeille le bruit!Oh! tandis qu’un esprit qui jusqu’à toi s’élance,
Silencieux aussi, contemple ton silence,
Sens-tu, par cet instinct vague et plein de douceur
Qui révèle toujours une soeur à la soeur
Qu’a cette heure où s’endort la soirée expirante,
Une âme est près de toi, non moins que toi vibrante,
Qui bien souvent aussi jette un bruit solennel,
Et se plaint dans l’amour comme toi dans le ciel!
IPA will be available soon.
Title: Douce dame jolie
Music: Guillaume de Machaut (c.1300-1377)
Text: Unknown (perhaps Machaut himself?)
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Title: Amar y Sufrir
Music: Luis Gonzaga Jordá (1869-1951)
Text: unknown
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A CD with this song and other works by Jordá is available from Mozaic Editions.
Lágrima silenciosa que en tu pestaña brilla y viene tu mejilla de rosa a humedecer
En su luz se refleja la pena del alma y el amor que nos dice ya no he de volver
Amar es el fin de la vida; llorar es el fin del amor. Ah!
Llóra el primer amor. Niña llena de encantos, que se aleja ya tu amor.
Llorar, sufrir, sufrir, llorar.
Huye el ensueno del alma pura sin ilusión;
Huye la ventura de tu corazón;
Ya no como antes su voz ideal,
En frases amantes volveras a oir que el amor dice, cuando se aleja:
Sufrid, llorad.
Title: She never told her love (Stets barg die Liebe sie)
Music: Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)
Text: William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
German Translator: Unknown (Note that Haydn set this song in English, not German)
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She never told her love,
But let concealment, like a worm in the bud,
Feed on her damask cheek…;
She sat, like Patience on a monument,
Smiling at grief.
German text:
Stets barg di Liebe sie,
doch dieses Bergen,
wie in Knospen ein Wurm,
zehrt’ ihre Wange ab.
Sie glich der Duldung auf dem Grabmal,
lächelnd traur’gen Blick’s.
Title: King Arthur (Lancashire County Song)
Music: Folk song
Arranger: Granville Bantock (1868-1946)
Text: traditional
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King Arthur had three sons – that he had;
King Arthur had three sons – that he had;
He had three sons of yore,
And he kick’d them out of door
Because they could not sing – that he did.The first he was a miller – that he was;
The second he was a weaver – that he was;
The third he was a little, little tailorboy,
And he was mighty clever – that he was.Now the miller stole some grist for his mill – that he did;
And the weaver stole some woll for his loom – that he did;
And the little tailorboy,
He stole some corduroy
For to keep these three rogues warm – that he did.Oh, the miller he was drown’d in his dam – that he was;
And the weaver he was kill’d at his loom – that he was;
And old Nick he cut his stick
With the little tailorboy
With the broadcloth under his arm – that he did.
Note: This song was added by request.
Title: Animal Crackers
Music: Richard Hageman (1882-1966)
Text: Christopher Morley (1890-1957)
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Animal crackers and cocoa to drink,
That is the finest of suppers I think;
When I’m grown up and can have what I please,
I think I shall always insist upon these.
What do YOU choose when you’re offered a treat?
When Mother says, “What would you like best to eat?”
Is it waffles and syrup, or cinnamon toast?
It’s cocoa and animals that I love most!The kitchen’s the cosiest place that I know;
The kettle is singing, the stove is aglow,
And there in the twilight, how jolly to see
The cocoa and animals waiting for me.Daddy and Mother dine later in state,
With Mary to cook for them, Susan to wait;
But they don’t have nearly as much fun as I
Who eat in the kitchen with Nurse standing by;
And Daddy once said, he would like to be me
Having cocoa and animals once more for tea!
Title: I know the stars
Music: Michael Ching (b.1958) blog / store
Text: Sarah Teasdale (1884-1933)
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I know the stars by their names,
Aldebaran, Altair,
And I know the path they take
Up heaven’s broad blue stair.I know the secrets of men
By the look of their eyes,
Their gray thoughts, their strange thoughts
Have made me sad and wise.But your eyes are dark to me
Though they seem to call and call —
I cannot tell if you love me
Or do not love me at all.I know many things,
But the years come and go,
I shall die not knowing
The thing I long to know.
Title: Estrellita
Music: Manuel Ponce (1882-1948)
Text: Anonymous
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Estrellita del lejano cielo,
que miras mi dolor,
que sabes mi sufrir.
Baja y dime
si me quiere un poco,
porque yo no puedo sin su amor vivir.¡Tu eres estrella mi faro de amor!
Tu sabes que pronto he de morir.
Baja y dime
si me quiere un poco,
porque yo no puedo sin su amor vivir.
Title: Sorrow, Stay
Music: John Dowland (1563-1626)
Text: possibly John Dowland (1563-1626)
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Sorrow, stay! lend true repentant tears
To a woeful wretched wight.
Hence, Despair! with thy tormenting fears
O do not my poor heart affright.
Pity, help! now or never;
Mark me not to endless pain.
Alas, I am condemned ever,
No hope, no help there doth remain.But down, down, down, down I fall,
And arise I never shall.
Title: Hey, ho, the wind and the rain
Music: Roger Quilter (1877-1953)
Text: William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
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When that I was and a little tiny boy,
[With]1 hey, ho, the wind and the rain,
A foolish thing was but a toy,
For the rain it raineth every day.But when I came to man’s estate,
With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,
‘Gainst knaves and thieves men shut their gate,
For the rain it raineth every day.But when I came, alas! to wive,
With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,
By swaggering could I never thrive,
For the rain it raineth every day.A great while ago the world begun,
With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,
But that’s all one, our play is done,
And we’ll strive to please you every day.
Title: Take, o take those lips away
Music: Roger Quilter (1877-1953)
Text: William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
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Take, O take those lips away,
That so sweetly were forsworn;
And those eyes, the break of day,
Lights that do mislead the morn:
But my kisses bring again,
Seals of love, but sealed,
But sealed in vain!
Title: It was a lover and his lass
Music: Roger Quilter (1877-1953)
Text: William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
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IT was a lover and his lass,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
That o’er the green corn-field did pass,
In the spring time, the only pretty ring time,
When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding;
Sweet lovers love the spring.Between the acres of the rye,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
These pretty country folks would lie,
In the spring time, the only pretty ring time,
When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding;
Sweet lovers love the spring.This carol they began that hour,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
How that life was but a flower
In the spring time, the only pretty ring time,
When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding;
Sweet lovers love the spring.And, therefore, take the present time
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
For love is crown`d with the prime
In the spring time, the only pretty ring time,
When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding;
Sweet lovers love the spring.
Title: Under the Greenwood Tree
Music: Roger Quilter (1877-1953)
Text: William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
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Under the greenwood tree
Who loves to lie with me,
And turn his merry note
Unto the sweet bird’s throat,
Come hither, come hither, come hither:
Here shall he see
No enemy
But winter and rough weather.Who doth ambition shun,
And loves to live i’ the sun,
Seeking the food he eats,
And pleas’d with what he gets,
Come hither, come hither, come hither:
Here shall he see
No enemy
But winter and rough weather.
Title: Fear no more the heat o’ the sun
Music: Roger Quilter (1877-1953)
Text: William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
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Fear no more the heat o’ the sun,
Nor the furious winter’s rages;
Thou thy worldly task hast done,
Home art gone, and ta’en thy wages;
Golden lads and girls all must,
As chimney-sweepers, come to dust.Fear no more the frown o’ the great;
Thou art past the tyrant’s stroke:
Care no more to clothe and eat;
To thee the reed is as the oak:
The sceptre, learning, physic, must
All follow this, and come to dust.Fear no more the lightning-flash,
Nor the all-dreaded thunder-stone;
Fear not slander, censure rash;
Thou hast finished joy and moan;
All lovers young, all lovers must
Consign to thee, and come to dust.No exorciser harm thee!
Nor no witchcraft charm thee!
Ghost unlaid forbear thee!
Nothing ill come near thee!
Quiet consummation have;
And renownéd be thy grave!
Title: Desperato’s Banquet (from The Floating Island)
Composer: Henry Lawes (1595-1662)
Author: William Strode (1600-1643)
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Come, heavy souls, oppressed with the weight
Of crimes, and pangs, or want of your delight;
Come, drown in Lethe’s sleeply Lake,
Whatever makes you ache;
Drink healths from poisoned bowls,
Breathe out your cares together with your souls;
Cool death’s a salve
That all may have,
There’s no distinction in the grave.
Lay down your loads before death’s iron door;
Sigh, and sigh out; groan once, and groan no more.
Title: On Liberty (How Happy Thou and I)
Composer: Henry Lawes (1595-1662)
Author: Unknown
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How happy thou and I that never knew how to love!
There’s no such blessing here beneath, whate’er there is above.
‘Tis Liberty, ’tis Liberty, that every wise man loves.Out, out upon those Eyes, that think to murder me!
And he’s an Ass believes her fair that will not leave him free:
There’s nothing sweet, there’s nothing sweet to man but Liberty.I’ll tie my heart to none nor yet confine mine eyes,
But I will rove at Liberty and be no woman’s prize:
‘Tis Liberty, ’tis Liberty, has made me now thus wise.
I have finished transcribing (with the help of IPANow software) every song from the song index into IPA (except for English and Spanish, which IPANow does not handle.) I have saved a separate PDF file for the text and transcription of each song.
It will take some time to add links to each individual song post, so here are all the files currently available (as of 8/29/09), zipped by language.
Please note that with a few exceptions, these are unedited from the direct output of IPANow. The generally high quality of the transcriptions is a testament to this program, but there are bound to be mistakes, especially in the difficult and controversial world of French liason, or in words that don’t follow the “rules” of a language…
Please remember as you use these files that IPA cannot completely express the nuances of language. Use them as a basic guide, and make your own modifications as you see fit for more controversial elements (such as how to transcribe the final e in Italian.)
If you notice actual mistakes in a transcription, please leave a comment here, so it can be fixed. Thanks!
Title: Pietà Signore
Music: attributed to Alessandro Stradella (1639-1682)
Text: Authorship Unknown
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Pietà, Signore,
di me dolente!
Signor, pietà,
se a te giunge
il mio pregar;
non mi punisca
il tuo rigor,
meno severi,
clementi ognora,
volgi i tuoi sguardi
sopra di me.Non fia mai
che nell’inferno
sia dannato
nel fuoco eterno
dal tuo rigor.Gran Dio, giammai
sia dannato
nel fuoco eterno
dal tuo rigor.
Pietà, Signore,
Signor, pietà
di me dolente,
se a te giunge
il mio pregare.
Meno severi,
clementi ognora,
volgi i tuoi sguardi,
deh! volgi sguardi
su me, Signor.
Pietà, Signore,
di me dolente.
Title: If Music be the Food of Love
Composer: Henry Purcell (1659-1695)
Author: Colonel Henry Heveningham (1651-1700)
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If music be the food of love,
Sing on till I am fill’d with joy;
For then my list’ning soul you move
To pleasures that can never cloy.
Your eyes, your mien, your tongue declare
That you are music ev’rywhere.Pleasures invade both eye and ear,
So fierce the transports are, they wound,
And all my senses feasted are,
Tho’ yet the treat is only sound,
Sure I must perish by your charms,
Unless you save me in your arms.
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