Hey Nonny Nonny
Beauty sat bathing by a spring where fairest shades did hide her
The winds blew calm the birds did sing the cool streams ran beside her
My wanton thoughts enticed mine eye to see what was forbidden
But better memory said fie so vain desire was chidden
Hey nonny nonny oh hey nonny nonny
Hey nonny nonny oh hey nonny nonnie
Into a slumber then I fell when fond imagination
Seemed to see but could not tell her feature or her fashion
But evn as babes in dreams do smile and sometimes fall a weeping
So I awaked as wise this while as when I fell a-sleeping
Hey nonny nonny oh hey nonny nonny
Hey nonny nonny oh hey nonny nonnie
Say man are you down for doing something positive in the community?
No I dont think Ill ever do that again
Well aint you worried about doing the right thing?
Well I dont care if I hey nonny nonny nonny ho nonny nonny nonny
Gordon gano: vocal acoustic & electric guitar
Brian ritchie: acoustic bass guitar, vocal
Victor delorenzo: brushed snare drum, tambourine, shakers, vocal
Mixed by david vartanian
gorno music reprinted with permission
song performed by by Violent Femmes
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Related quotes
Beauty Sat Bathing By A Spring
Beauty sat bathing by a spring,
Where fairest shades did hide her;
The winds blew calm, the birds did sing,
The cool streams ran beside her.
My wanton thoughts enticed mine eye
To see what was forbidden:
But better memory said, fie!
So, vain desire was chidden.
Hey nonny nonny O!
Hey nonny nonny!
Into a slumber then I fell,
When fond imagination
Seemed to see, but could not tell,
Her feature or her fashion.
But ev'n as babes in dreams do smile,
And sometimes fall a-weeping,
So I awaked, as wise this while
As when I fell a-sleeping:-
Hey nonny nonny O!
Hey nonny nonny!
poem by Anonymous Americas
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Hey nonny no!
HEY nonny no!
Men are fools that wish to die!
Is 't not fine to dance and sing
When the bells of death do ring?
Is 't not fine to swim in wine,
And turn upon the toe,
And sing hey nonny no!
When the winds blow and the seas flow?
Hey nonny no!
Hey nonny no!
Christ Church MS.
HEY nonny no!
Men are fools that wish to die!
Is 't not fine to dance and sing
When the bells of death do ring?
Is 't not fine to swim in wine,
And turn upon the toe,
And sing hey nonny no!
When the winds blow and the seas flow?
Hey nonny no!
poem by Anonymous Olde English
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Sigh no more
Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more.
Men were deceivers ever,
One foot in sea, and one on shore,
To one thing constant never.
Then sigh not so, but let them go,
And be you blithe and bonny,
Converting all your sounds of woe
Into hey nonny, nonny.
Sing no more ditties, sing no more
Of dumps so dull and heavy.
The fraud of men was ever so
Since summer first was leafy.
Then sigh not so, but let them go,
And be you blithe and bonny,
Converting all your sounds of woe
Into hey, nonny, nonny.
song, lyrics by William Shakespeare from Much Ado about Nothing, Act II, Scene 3 (1599)
Submitted by Dan Costinaş
Vote! | Copy! | In Romanian
Sigh No More
Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more,
Men were deceivers ever;
One foot in sea, and one on shore,
To one thing constant never.
Then sigh not so,
But let them go,
And be you blith and bonny,
Converting all your sounds of woe
Into Hey nonny, nonny.
Sing no more ditties, sing no mo
Of dumps so dull and heavy;
The fraud of men was ever so,
Since summer first was leavy.
Then sigh not so,
But let them go,
And be you blith and bonny,
Converting all your sounds of woe
Into Hey nonny, nonny.
poem by William Shakespeare
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Sweet Content
ART thou poor, yet hast thou golden slumbers?
O sweet content!
Art thou rich, yet is thy mind perplex'd?
O punishment!
Dost thou laugh to see how fools are vex'd
To add to golden numbers golden numbers?
O sweet content! O sweet, O sweet content!
Work apace, apace, apace, apace;
Honest labour bears a lovely face;
Then hey nonny nonny--hey nonny nonny!
Canst drink the waters of the crisped spring?
O sweet content!
Swim'st thou in wealth, yet sink'st in thine own tears?
O punishment!
Then he that patiently want's burden bears,
No burden bears, but is a king, a king!
O sweet content! O sweet, O sweet content!
Work apace, apace, apace, apace;
Honest labour bears a lovely face;
Then hey nonny nonny--hey nonny nonny!
poem by Thomas Dekker
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Art Thou Poor
Art thou poor, yet hast thou golden slumbers?
O sweet content!
Art thou rich, yet is thy mind perplexed?
O punishment!
Dost thou laugh to see how fools are vexed
To add to golden numbers, golden numbers?
O sweet content! O sweet, O sweet content!
Work apace, apace, apace, apace;
Honest labour bears a lovely face;
Then hey nonny nonny, hey nonny nonny!
Canst drink the waters of the crisped spring?
O sweet content!
Swimm'st thou in wealth, yet sink'st in thine own tears?
O punishment!
Then he that patiently want's burden bears
No burden bears, but is a king, a king:
O sweet content! O sweet, O sweet content!
Work apace, apace, apace, apace;
Honest labour bears a lovely face;
Then hey nonny nonny, hey nonny nonny!
Golden slumbers kiss your eyes,
Smiles awake you when you rise.
Sleep, pretty wantons, do not cry,
And I will sing a lullaby:
Rock them, rock them, lullaby.
Care is heavy, therefore sleep you;
You are care, and care must keep you.
Sleep, pretty wantons, do not cry,
And I will sing a lullaby:
Rock them, rock them, lullaby.
poem by Thomas Dekker
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Oh Mistress-Mine (Revised)
Oh Mistress-Mine, like the Old Testament's Prodigal Son you
return unto the fold so stealthily, coming to us like a Prodigal
Daughter; you've rested well, it's seen in your demeanour,
you are calm and resigned as sensed in your serenity
Will it be another foray into unchartered territory where
you'll do innovative work, showing how we, like you, can
stay home courageously, with long disappearances, sudden
returns as a new moon after an eclipse
To shyly smile, win new acolytes with strict orders, rejecting
irrational demands made eagerly by troops who stayed
guarding sacred portals from barbarian horde invasions -
uneducated clients who demand non-entitled services
We are a profession fighting for executive recognition of
our smooth relays of foreign texts into a civilised tongue,
one that is understood by the Anglo-Saxon hordes rampaging
south from the cold northern slopes
Be that as it may, welcome back, Oh Prodigal Daughter and
Supervisor of troops, with military alacrity we are ready to
follow orders, except where they clash with ethics forged
through millennia of fighting for right & free expression -
Rights you claim personally, Oh Mistress Mine, not share
with the rest who earn their living where you merely dally
occasionally, singing from time to time ‘hey nonny nonny',
with much ado about nothing
And in this institution lies only the way of the dreaded
watery death and creatures of the bottomless profundity
waiting to swallow all of the mighty and haughty who
do not care where they tread…
poem by Margaret Alice Second
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Shakespeare on the Turf
SCENE I
SCENE: The saddling paddock at a racecourse.
Citizens, Battlers, Toffs, Trainers, Flappers, Satyrs, Bookmakers and Turf Experts.
Enter Shortinbras, a Trainer, and two Punters.
FIRST PUNTER: Good Shortinbras, what thinkest thou of the Fav'rite?
SHORTINBRAS (aside): This poltroon would not venture a ducat
on David to beat a dead donkey; a dull and muddy-mettled rascal.
(To Punter): Aye marry Sir, I think well of the Favourite.
PUNTER: And yet I have a billiard marker's word
That in this race to-day they back Golumpus,
And when they bet, they tell me, they will knock
The Favourite for a string of German Sausage.
SHORTINBRAS: Aye, marry, they would tell thee, I've no doubt,
It is the way of owners that they tell
To billiard markers and the men on trams
Just when they mean to bet. Go back it, back it!
(Tries to shuffle off, but Punter detains him.)
PUNTER: Nay, good Shortinbras, what thinkest thou of Golumpus?
Was it not dead last week?
SHORTINBRAS: Marry, sir, I think well of Golumpus.
'Tis safer to speak well of the dead: betimes they rise again.
(Sings)
They pulled him barefaced in the mile,
Hey, Nonny, Nonny.
The Stipes were watching them all the while;
And the losers swear, but the winners smile,
Hey, Nonny, Nonny.
Exit Shortinbras.
SECOND RUNTER: A scurvy knave! What meant he by his prate
Of Fav'rite and outsider and the like?
Forsooth he told us nothing. Follow him close.
Give him good watch, I pray you, till we see
Just what he does his dough on. Follow fast.
Exeunt Punters
SCENE II
The same. Bookmakers call: 'Seven to Four on the Field!'
'Three to One, Bar One!' 'Ten to One, Golumpus.'
Enter Two Heads.
FIRST HEAD: How goes the battle? Did thou catch the last?
SECOND HEAD: Aye, marry did I, and the one before,
But this has got me beat. The Favourite drifts,
And not a single wager has been laid
About Golumpus. Thinkest thou that both are dead?
Re-enter Punters
PUNTER: Good morrow, Gentlemen. I have it cold
Straight from the owner, that Golumpus goes
Eyes out to win today.
FIRST HEAD: Prate not to me of owners. Hast thou seen
The good red gold Go in. The Jockey's Punter
Has he put up the stuff, or does he wait
To get a better price. Owner say'st thou?
The owner does the paying, and the talk;
Hears the tale afterwards when it gets beat
And sucks it in as hungry babes suck milk.
Look you how ride the books in motor cars
While owners go on foot, or ride in trams,
Crushed with the vulgar herd and doomed to hear
From mouths of striplings that their horse was stiff,
When they themselves are broke from backing it.
SCENE III
Enter an Owner and a Jockey
OWNER: 'Tis a good horse. A passing good horse.
JOCKEY: I rose him yesternoon: it seemed to me
That in good truth a fairly speedy cow
Might well outrun him.
OWNER: Thou froward varlet; must I say again,
That on the Woop Woop course he ran a mile
In less than forty with his irons on!
JOCKEY: Then thou should'st bring the Woop Woop course down here.
OWNER: Thou pestilential scurvy Knave. Go to!
Strikes him.
Alarms and excursions. The race is run and Shortinbras enters,
leading in the winner.
FIRST PUNTER: And thou hast trained the winner, thou thyself,
Thou complicated liar. Didst not say
To back Golumpus or the Favourite!
SHORTINBRAS: Get work! For all I ever had of thee
My children were unfed, my wife unclothed,
And I myself condemned to menial toil.
PUNTER: The man who keeps a winner to himself
Deserves but death. (Kills him)
Enter defeated Owner and Jockey.
OWNER: Thou whoreson Knave: thou went into a trance
Soon as the barrier lifted and knew naught
Of what occurred until they neared the post.
(Kills him)
Curtain falls on ensemble of punters, bookmakers,
heads and surviving jockeys and trainers.
poem by Andrew Barton Paterson
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Look Like That
I like his shoes I like his hat
Id like me better if I looked like that
Uh -huh uh-huh
I like her shoes I like her hat
Id like you better if you looked like that
Uh-huh uh-huh
But then my love starts burning
For what we are yearning to ignore
I like her clothes I love her dress
Id like her better if she loved me best
I like his shoes I love his pants
Id want him better if he wanted to dance
Uh-huh uh-huh
But then our love starts turning
For what we are learning to adore
Im meeting people nice people too
Im meeting people nice people like you
Were meeting people nice people too
Were meeting people nice people like you
Gordon gano: vocal, acoustic guitar
Brian ritchie: acoustic bass guitar, vocal glockenspiel, electric guitar
Victor delorenzo: brushed snare drum, tambourine, vocal
Mixed by david vartanian
gorno music reprinted with permission
song performed by by Violent Femmes
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Im Free
Im free and Im happy
I am free from your hatred
Ive parted from the part
That I participated in
So Im free it was easy
I know nothing of your hatred
Ive known and shone the light
And the darkness abated
So Im free
Run skip jump play
My little boy is happy
Look hes smiling because
He knows no fear... hear...
My mommys calling me
And Im running thru the fields
Because Im free...
Every day in every way
Im getting better and better and better
And better and better and better, etc
Because theres no fear... here why
I cant tell you now cause
Im runnin through the woods
And I just jumped a little bit higher...
Cause Im free
And thats the way he created me to be
I have turned from your hatred
I turned on the light
And there was nothing there that waited to get me
This aint a song about that this is a song about this
Gordon gano: vocal, acoustic guitar
Brian ritchie: acoustic bass guitar, banjo, electric guitar, jaw harp
Victor delorenzo: brushed snare drum, tranceaphone, vocal, drum set
Michael beinhorn: piano
Mixed by david vartanian
gorno music reprinted with permission
song performed by by Violent Femmes
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Girl Trouble
Have mercy on me
I got girl trouble up the ass
Have mercy on me people
I got girl trouble up the ass
And dont tell me no joke
Cause Im not gonna laugh
I need the cure
Only one cure in this world
I need the cure
Only one cure in this world
Hey james brown
I need a woman or a girl
Hit me in the morning
Hit me in the night
Hit me when Im wrong
Hit me when Im right
Hit me when Im up
Hit me when Im down
Hit me hit me hit me hit me
All over town
Girl trouble
I got girl trouble up the ass
And dont tell me
Cause Im not gonna laugh
Im not trying to fool you people
Im not giving you no jive
Make me feel Id rather be dead than alive
Take a look around
Whats shoving up my behind
Problems drive me out of my mind
Girl trouble
I got girl trouble up the ass
And dont tell me no joke
Cause Im not gonna laugh
Gordon gano: vocal, acoustic guitar
Brian ritchie: acoustic bass guitar, vocal
Victor delorenzo: brushed snare drum, tranceaphone, cymbal, vocal
Mixed by david vartanian
gorno music reprinted with permission
song performed by by Violent Femmes
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Used To Be
I used to be happy
I used to be
Such a loving man
I used to be
That was before
The end of my world
That was before
The end of my world
She used to be happy
She used to be
Such a loving woman
She used to be
That was before
The end of her world
That was before
The end of her world
We used to be happy
We used to be
Such a loving people
We used to be
That was before
The end of our world
That was before
The end of our world
Gordon gano: vocal, acoustic & electric guitar
Brian ritchie: acoustic bass guitar
Victor delorenzo: snare drum, tranceaphone, tambourine, cymbal
Michael beinhorn: harmonium, mellotron, string arrangement
Strings: suzie katayama, ilene novog, larry corbett, sid page
Mixed by eric e.t. thorngren
gorno music reprinted with permission
song performed by by Violent Femmes
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Life Is A Scream
She said to me oh I dont know what you mean
All Im trying to do is
Trying to make your scene
I said to her no way baby life aint what it seem
Well dont you know baby that life is a scream - aagh
She came up to me in her high fashion and sheen
Well dont you know that she was trying to come clean
I said to her no way baby life aint what it seem
Well dont you know baby that lifes a scream - aagh
She said to me oh I love it when youre mean
Dont you know its boring when its quiet and serene
I said to her no way baby life aint what it seem
Got to get it through your head that life is a scream - aaheeii!
Gordon gano: vocal, electric guitar
Brian ritchie: vocal 8- string slide wah wah bass
Victor delorenzo: drum set
Mixed by david vartanian
gorno music reprinted with permission
song performed by by Violent Femmes
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
American Music
Do you like amercan music
I like american music
Dont you like american music baby
I want you to hold me
I want your arms around me
I want you to hold me baby
Did you do too many drugs
I did too many drugs
Did you do too many drugs too baby
You were born too late
I was born too soon
But every time I look at that ugly moon
It reminds me of you
It reminds me of you ooh ooh ooh
I need a date to the prom
Would you like to come along
But nobody would go to the prom with me baby
They didnt like american music
They never heard american music
They didnt know the music was in my soul baby
You were born too soon
I was born too late
But every time I look at that ugly lake
It reminds me of me
It reminds me of me
Do you like american music
We like american music
I like american music baby
Do you like american music
We like all kinds of music
But I like american music best
Baby you were born too late
And I was born too late
But every time I look at that ugly lake
It reminds me of me
It reminds me of me
Do you like american music
It reminds me of me
Do you like american music...
Gordon gano: vocal, acoustic guitar electric guitar solo
Brian ritchie: acoustic bass guitar, didgeridoo, electric guitar, vocal
Victor delorenzo: brushed snare drum, sleigh bells, tympani, vocal, tambourine
Michael beinhorn: hammond organ
Tom mandell: keyboards
Chorus & claps: carmaig, michael, mike, alex & band
Mixed by eric e.t. thorngren
gorno music reprinted with permission
song performed by by Violent Femmes
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Out The Window
Life was fun
Life was great
Til I made my big mistake
Oh no itll never happen to me
Life was short
And life was sweet
I was thinking as I hit the street
I could hardly beleve
I could scarcely conceive
But I had gone out the window
I had gone out the window
I had gone out the window
She was fine
She looked great
And so we made our big mistake
I swear I swear I swear
Itd never happen to her
But the pavement knocked her head around
When she hit the solid concrete ground
From 30 flights above
And she was thirty something loving nothing
Gone out the window
She had gone out the window
She had gone out the window
Catch me if Im falling,
Catch me if Im calling
He was smart he was wise
Hed profoundly philosophize
Empathy for all humanity
til one day by an open window
Theres a note that read
Ive gone out the window - Im dead
He said yes to life for all of his life
But then one day he said no
I gotta go out the window
We all go out the window
Catch me I am falling
Catch me I am calling
Catch me we are falling
Catch me we are calling
Gordon gano: vocal, acoustic guitar
Brian ritchie: acoustic bass guitar vocal
Victor delorenzo:
Brushed snare drum, wood, cowbell, arabic tabla, vocal
Mixed by david vartanian
gorno music reprinted with permission
song performed by by Violent Femmes
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Blister In The Sun
When Im out walking I strut my stuff yeah Im so strung out
Im high as a kite I just might stop to check you out
Let me go on like I blister in the sun
Let me go on big hands I know your the one
Body and beats I stain my sheets I dont even know why
My girlfriend shes at the end she is starting to cry
Let me go on like I blister in the sun
Let me go on big hands I know your the one...
Gordon gano: guitar, lead vocal
Brian ritchie: acoustic bass guitar
Victor delorenzo: snare drum and trancephone,
Vocal
Engineers: glen l. lorbiecki and john tanner
Recorded at castle recording company, lake geneva, wi, july 1982
Produced by mark van hecke
gorno music reprinted with permission
song performed by by Violent Femmes
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Blister In The Sun
When Im out walking I strut my stuff yeah Im so strung out
Im high as a kite I just might stop to check you out
Let me go on like I blister in the sun
Let me go on big hands I know your the one
Body and beats I stain my sheets I dont even know why
My girlfriend shes at the end she is starting to cry
Let me go on like I blister in the sun
Let me go on big hands I know your the one...
Gordon gano: guitar, lead vocal
Brian ritchie: acoustic bass guitar
Victor delorenzo: snare drum and trancephone,
Vocal
Engineers: glen l. lorbiecki and john tanner
Recorded at castle recording company, lake geneva, wi, july 1982
Produced by mark van hecke
gorno music reprinted with permission
song performed by by Violent Femmes
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
4 Seasons
How will I stand the summer
When spring was such a bummer
How will I weather my winter
When my fall was such a ballbuster
Its spring and therell be no spring fling
When my winter was what a winner
And I am taking a fall
cause if I aint got you I got nothing at all
How will I stand the summer
When the spring just made me dumber
How will I fare my fall
Will I lose my mind in the wintertime
Its spring and Im a spring ding-a-ling
Its summer and Im just a little dumber
And I am taking a fall
cause if I aint got you I got nothing at all
Thru the 4 seasons
Im searching for reasons
Im not gonna take the spring
cause the spring dont mean a thing
Im not gonna take the winter
My winter is a splinter
Im not gonna take the summer
Summer is such a bummer
But I am taking the fall
cause if I aint got you I got nothing at all
Thru the 4 seasons
Im searching for reasons
Vivaldi, the 4 seasons
It seems to me to be a theme of love
With no variations of aggravations
Spring, summer, winter and fall
Spring, summer, winter and fall
Spring, summer, winter and fall
If I aint got you I got nothing at all
Gordon gano: vocal, guitar
Brian ritchie: acoustic bass guitar, vocal
Guy hoffman: snare, tranceaphone, vocal
Recorded and mixed by david vartanian at dvs perversion room, milwuakee, wi
gorno music reprinted with permission
song performed by by Violent Femmes
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Do You Really Want To Hurt Me
I needed time to realize my crime
It was let me love & steal
I did dances inside my mind
Now how can I be real
Do you really want to hurt me?
Do you really want to make me cry?
No I don t really want to hurt you then
Lovers always asked me:
Why why why why
In my mind my memorys burning
Whats your favorite color of your favorite car?
I took a step the step was learning
That thats a step beyond a step too far
Do you really want to hurt me?
Do you really want to make me cry?
No I dont really want to hurt you
I told the truth but it was still a lie
The words are few some are unspoken
I could sleep four thousand years
Man of sorrows
Word unbroken
His sweat like blood came down like tears
Ive been talking but believe me
I know that its true
Now that theres no more
I dont know
Im in love and loves the reason
Im not prepared to let you let me go so
If its love you want
Then take all of me
Its this love I want I can finally see
Do I really want to hurt you?
Do I really want to make you cry?
Yes I suppose I want to hurt you
You told the truth but it was still a lie
Gordon gano: vocal acoustic guitar
Brian ritchie: bouzouki, acoustic bass guitar, electric guitar
Victor delorenzo: drum set, tambourine, tranceaphone, vocal
Michael beinhorn: piano, mellotron
Mixed by eric e.t. thorngren
gorno music reprinted with permission
song performed by by Violent Femmes
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!