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Lyr Req: Oxymoronic songs
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Subject: Lyr Req: Oxymoronic songs From: Chris Cotton Date: 17 Jun 05 - 08:08 PM I'm looking for folk songs that contain oxymorons or paradoxes or juxtaposition of opposites. For example, I love "Lord Lovel" that combines a red rose and a briar. Also, there's another that goes, "Love it is a killing thing, beauty is a blossom." If anyone knows of any examples of such lyrics, I would be grateful. Thanks! |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oxymoronic songs From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 17 Jun 05 - 09:39 PM These are not oxymorons. A lot also depends upon which definitions you choose. "Brier (briar)- A prickly thorny bush or shrub in general; formerly including the bramble, but now usually confined to wild rose bushes." Oxford English Dictionary. Not sure when the bramble disappeared in usage from the general understanding of the concept 'brier.' I presume the original understanding of the line in that version of "Lord Lovel" was the rose twining with the bramble. Poets have referred to love being a killing thing for some time. And who doesn't know the Oscar Wilde poem with the line, "Yet each man kills the thing he loves, from all let this be heard." This may be considered a 'paradox,' but oxymoron? No. The term brier has also been applied to the white heath (pipes may be made from its roots), but that doesn't apply to the ballad. |
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Subject: Lyr Add: THE OCTOBER SONG From: Peace Date: 17 Jun 05 - 10:29 PM I think the song entitled "October Song" contained the phrase, 'brambly briar'. Yep, it does. THE OCTOBER SONG I'll sing you my October song There is no song before it The words and tune are not my own My joy and sorrow bore it Beside the sea the brambly brier In the still of evening Birds fly out from behind the sun And with them I'll be leaving The fallen leaves bejewel the ground They know the art of dying And leave with joy their glad gold hearts In scarlet shadows lying When hunger calls my weary footsteps home The morning follows after I swim the seas within my mind The pine trees laugh green laughter I met a man who's name was time He said "I must be going" But just how long ago that was I have no way of knowing Sometimes I could murder time When my heart is aching But mostly I just like to stroll along The path that he is taking Was the writer of that song--which I love BTW--Robin Williamson? |
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Subject: Lyr Add: PADDY BACKWARDS From: GEST Date: 17 Jun 05 - 10:33 PM Would you perchance mean a nonsense song such as this selection from GEST Songs Of Newfoundland And Labrador entitled: PADDY BACKWARDS As I was a-driving down Market town fair, A-riding on horseback a bonny grey mare, Short tail and a white mane and a hump on her back, And not a hair on her but that wasn't jet black. My horse standing still threw me off in the dirt, He dirtied my body and bruised all my shirt; And into my saddle my stirrups so gay, And on my ten toes I went jogging away. It rained and it blowed and I stood in the storm, My hat in my hand to keep my head warm; I took a glass of strong grape juice to drive gladness away, To stiffen the dirt for it rained the whole day. As I was a-driving up fair James' park, In the middle of noon one night it was dark; I met a man he was all dressed in green, Black pants and white waistcoat 'twas plain to be seen. Oh, it's home to old England I'll carry my bride, With a ship on dry land and a fair wind and a tide; And when I gets back in the place I was born, I'll buy a new silver cup made of cow-horn. As I was a driving down up market one day, I saw three pretty fair maids a-making of hay; I saw three pretty fair maids a-making of hay, In the middle of winter one fine summer's day. A one-legged drummer was beating his drum, With his heels in his pockets up to me he did run; He turned his back to me, stared me in the face, And asked me the way as if I did know the place. ####.... Author unknown. One of many variants of stage or music hall nonsense songs popular with minstrels ....#### Sung by Alexander March (1865-1953) of Port au Port, NL, and published in MacEdward Leach And The Songs Of Atlantic Canada, p.274, © 2004 Memorial University of Newfoundland Folklore and Language Archive (MUNFLA). |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oxymoronic songs From: sixtieschick Date: 17 Jun 05 - 11:12 PM It rained all day the night I left; The weather was bone dry. The sun was so hot I froze myself; Susanna don't you cry. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oxymoronic songs From: GUEST,.gargoyle Date: 17 Jun 05 - 11:25 PM Well done - Dixie Chick!!! Right on target!!! GREAT specimum of the beast.
Orglas - SAL-GRO?
Can you supply some more "examples"....???? Or explain your interpretation of ROSE/BRIER.
Perhaps, you are requesting juxstopositions?
Sincerely,
Surely, from your example - you do not mean "anachro's"? |
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Subject: Lyr Add: AIN'T THAT PECULIAR + YOU'VE REALLY GOT A From: sixtieschick Date: 18 Jun 05 - 03:41 PM You didn't say if you are looking for lyrics strictly in folk songs. If not, there are a couple of old Detroit soul songs that riff on the paradox of loving someone the more he/she mistreats you: AIN'T THAT PECULIAR (William "Smokey" Robinson/Marvin Tarplin/Robert Rogers/Warren Moore) full lyrics at: http://gaye-marvin-lyrics.wonderlyrics.com/Ain't-That-Peculiar.html Honey, you do me wrong but still, I'm crazy about you Stay away too long and I can't do without you Every chance you get, you seem to hurt me more and more But each hurt makes my love stronger than before . . . -------------------------------- YOU'VE REALLY GOT A HOLD ON ME (William "Smokey" Robinson) full lyrics: http://www.thebeatlesongs.com/you_really_got_a_hold_on_me.htm I don't like you But I love you See that I'm always thinking of you Oh, oh, oh, you treat me badly I love you madly You've really got a hold on me . . . -------------------------- Hope that helps. M. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oxymoronic songs From: GUEST Date: 18 Jun 05 - 07:09 PM October |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oxymoronic songs From: Bunnahabhain Date: 18 Jun 05 - 07:26 PM Or do you mean impossible jutapostions, such as those found in the 'Scarborough fair' song family? EG "Tell him to buy me an acre of land/between the salt water and the sea sand" "Tell her to dry it on yonder thorn/that never was rooted since Adam was born" |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oxymoronic songs From: JennyO Date: 18 Jun 05 - 11:27 PM What about "If you leave me, can I come too?" |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oxymoronic songs From: Malcolm Douglas Date: 18 Jun 05 - 11:31 PM The question doesn't make sense compared to the examples you mention. Be more specific and you might get a useful answer. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oxymoronic songs From: GUEST,.gargoyle Date: 19 Jun 05 - 12:34 AM Orglas - is school out? Summer vacation? Project a failure?
What rich fool pointed you towards our sorry lot?
Sincerely, |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oxymoronic songs From: The Walrus Date: 19 Jun 05 - 04:41 AM Oxymoronic songs? I seem to remember bits of nonsense verse (which may qualify) from my late mother many years back. I went round a a straight crooked corner To see a dead donkey die I took out my pistol to stab it And it kicked me right in the eye. The blind man saw it The deaf man heard it The --------- (cripple?) ran for the Fire Brigade I can't remember any more. W |
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Subject: Lyr Add: NOTTAMUN TOWN From: John P Date: 19 Jun 05 - 08:33 AM NOTTAMUN TOWN In fair Nottamun Town, not a soul would look up Not a soul would look up, not a soul would look down Not a soul would look up, not a soul would look down To show me the way to fair Nottamun town I rode a grey horse, a mule roany mare Grey mane and grey tail, a green stripe down her back Grey mane and grey tail, a green stripe down her back There wa'nt a hair on her be-what was coal black She stood so still, she threw me to the dirt She tore my hide and she bruised my shirt From saddle to stirrup I mounted again And on my ten toes I rode over the plain Met the King and the Queen and a company more A-riding behind and a-marching before Came a stark naked drummer a-beating a drum With his heels in his bosom come a marching along They laughed and they smiled, not a soul did look gay They talked for a while, not a word did they say I bought me a quart to drive gladness away And to stifle the dust, for it rained the whole day Sat down on a hard, hot cold frozen stone Ten thousand stood round me and yet I's alone Took my hat in my hand for to keep my head warm Ten thousand got drownded that never was born |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oxymoronic songs From: John P Date: 19 Jun 05 - 08:37 AM The phrase "true love" comes up so often in old ballads that it stopped being a noun and an adjective and just became a noun comprised of two words. There's one ballad, I can't remember which, that refers to someone as a "false true love". I always enjoyed that juxtaposition. John Peekstok |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oxymoronic songs From: Le Scaramouche Date: 19 Jun 05 - 11:42 AM IIRC, true love means someone you are serious with. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oxymoronic songs From: Chris Cotton Date: 19 Jun 05 - 07:29 PM A big thank you to the people who offered ideas about songs with contradictions! I especially love the "October Song." I'm very glad to know that one. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oxymoronic songs From: MoorleyMan Date: 20 Jun 05 - 02:34 PM Yes, to tie up your loose end, the author of the wonderful October Song was indeed Robin Williamson. One of my own favourites too! |
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Subject: Lyr Add: AIN'T IT GREAT TO BE CRAZY? From: Tracey Dragonsfriend Date: 21 Jun 05 - 09:14 AM This one, that Grandad used to sing, any good to you? AIN'T IT GREAT TO BE CRAZY? A horse and flea and three blind mice Sat on the corner shooting dice The horse, he slipped and fell on the flea Whoops said the flea, there's a horse on me Chorus: Boom, boom, ain't it great to be crazy Boom, boom, ain't it great to be crazy Giddy and foolish the whole day long Boom, boom, ain't it great to be crazy Early one morning in the middle of the night Two dead boys went out to fight Back to back, they faced each other Drew their swords and shot each other Bought a pair of combination underwear Guaranteed not to rip or tear Wore 'em six months without exaggeration I wore 'em so long, I forgot the combination Way down South where bananas grow A flea stepped on an elephant's toe The elephant cried with tears in his eyes Why don't you pick on a fellow your size? |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oxymoronic songs From: RobbieWilson Date: 22 Jun 05 - 06:48 AM There's a line in a Scottish song I heard once and really liked " I look up at that hill and see you no' there" |
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Subject: ADD Verses: Ain't It Great To Be Crazy? From: Joe Offer Date: 13 Nov 11 - 10:57 PM The Cub Scout Songbook has a couple more verses to "Ain't It Great To Be Crazy?" Eli, Eli, he sells socks, A dollar a pair, a nickel a box, The longer you wear them, the shorter they get, You put 'em in the water and they don't get wet. Johnny, Johnny went out west, Where he thought the food was best. Now they lay him down to rest, With a concrete meatball on his chest. -Joe |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oxymoronic songs From: dick greenhaus Date: 14 Nov 11 - 10:26 AM One bright morning in the middle of the night Two dead boys got up to fight A deaf policeman heard the noise And beat the life out of the two dead boys. |
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