Lyr Add: Misalliance (Flanders & Swann)

Subject: Lyr Add: MISALLIANCE (Flanders and Swann)
From: Kenny B (inactive)
Date: 08 Mar 02 - 04:24 PM

MISALLIANCE
Flanders and Swann

The fragrant honeysuckle spirals clockwise to the sun,
And many other creepers do the same,
But some climb anticlockwise; the bindweed does, for one,
Or Convulvulus, to give its proper name.

Rooted on either side of the door, one of each species grew,
And raced towards the window ledge above.
Each one corkscrewed to the lintel in the only way it knew,
Touched tendrils, smiled, and fell in love.

Said the right-hand-thread honeysuckle to the left-hand-thread bindweed,
“Oh! Let us get married if my parents don't mind. We’d
Be loving and inseparable, inexplicably entwined. We'd
Live happily ever after,” said the honeysuckle to the bindweed.

To the honeysuckle's parents it came as a shock.
The bindweed, they said, are inferior stock.
They're uncultivated, of breeding bereft.
We twine to the right while they twine to the left.

Said the anticlockwise bindweed, to the clockwise honeysuckle:
“We’d better start saving—many a mickle mak's a muckle—
Then run away for a honeymoon and hope that our luck'll
Take a turn for the better,” said the bindweed to the honeysuckle,

A bee who was passing remarked to them then:
“I've said it before and I'll say it again:
Consider your offshoot, if offshoots there be.
They'll never receive any blessings from me.

Poor little sucker! How will it learn
When it's climbing which way to turn?
Right? Left? What a disgrace!
Or it may go straight upwards and fall flat on its face."

Said the right-hand-thread honeysuckle to the left-hand-thread bind-
Weed: “It seems that against us all fate has combined,
Oh, my darling, Oh, my darling, Oh, my darling Columbine,
Thou art lost and gone forever. We shall never be entwined."

Together they found them the very next day.
They had pulled up their root and just shriveled away.
Deprived of the freedom for which we must fight,
To veer to the left, or to veer to the right.

Copyright
International Music Publications Limited
Griffin House
161 Hammersmith Rd
London W6 8BS

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: MISALLIANCE by Flanders ^ Swann
From: little john cameron
Date: 08 Mar 02 - 04:41 PM

My that's an awfy sad sang.ljc

Subject: Video link: Misalliance (Flanders & Swann)
From: Genie
Date: 17 Jun 08 - 06:28 PM

Yes, tragic but true. : (

You can hear it (a cover) here.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Misalliance (Flanders & Swann)
From: A Wandering Minstrel
Date: 18 Jun 08 - 08:00 AM

In the last line of v1 that should be Convulvulus (a member of the Stock family hence the word-play in v4)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Misalliance (Flanders & Swann)
From: Kenny B (inactive)
Date: 23 Jun 08 - 03:06 PM

Thanks AWM
Ill put a contibtion in the Mondegreen Box
Kenny B

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Misalliance (Flanders & Swann)
From: Mr Happy
Date: 24 Jun 08 - 06:51 AM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convolvulus

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Misalliance (Flanders & Swann)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 26 Sep 22 - 06:18 PM

Another transcription: https://www.smallpotatoesmusic.com/alives/misall.html

Misalliance (Flanders & Swann)

The fragrant honeysuckle spirals clockwise to the sun And many other creepers do the same But some climb anticlockwise; the bindweed does, for one Or Convulvulus, to give its proper name   Rooted on either side of the door, one of each species grew And raced towards the window ledge above Each corkscrewed to the lintel in the only way it knew Where they stopped, touched tendrils, smiled, and fell in love   Said the right-hand-thread honeysuckle to the left-hand-thread bindweed “Oh! Let us get married if my parents don't mind. We’d Be loving and inseparable, inexplicably entwined. We'd Live happily ever after,” said the honeysuckle to the bindweed.   To the honeysuckle's parents it came as a shock “The bindweed,” they said, “are inferior stock They're uncultivated, of breeding bereft We twine to the right and they twine to the left”   Said the anticlockwise bindweed to the clockwise honeysuckle “We’d better start saving—many a mickle mak's a muckle— Then run away for a honeymoon and hope that our luck'll Take a turn for the better,” said the bindweed to the honeysuckle   A bee who was passing remarked to them then “I've said it before and I'll say it again Consider your offshoot, if offshoots there be They'll never receive any blessings from me”   Poor little sucker! How will it learn When it's climbing which way to turn? Right? Left? What a disgrace! Or it may go straight upwards and fall flat on its face   Said the right-hand-thread honeysuckle to the left-hand-thread bindweed “It seems that against us all fate has combined Oh, my darling, Oh, my darling, Oh, my darling Columbine Thou art lost and gone forever. We shall never entwine."   Together they found them the very next day They had pulled up their roots and just shriveled away Deprived of the freedom for which we must fight To veer to the left, or to veer to the right