Give the piper a penny to play and two pence to leave off.
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Peter Gunn's Gun
by Michael Leonard, Bobby Weinstein & Jon Stroll
Throw a penny from the window, watch an old man play a song
On a twenty-dollar violin he bought before the war,
Though he screeches and he scratches and the notes are always wrong,
But he plays like he's in concert on the street outside my door.
Tunes to suit your fancy,
Are there any requests?
I'll play them for a penny,
(Play them penny music, play them for a penny)
And not a penny less.
He's the local virtuoso, it's his only way of life,
Plays ninety-seven overtures and goes home to his wife,
In the quiet of the evening while his frozen fingers bleed,
He counts pennies on a blanket to supply his meager need.
Tunes to suit your fancy,
Are there any requests?
I'll play them for a penny,
(Play them penny music, play them for a penny)
And not a penny less.
When there's frost upon the pumpkin in the weakness of the sun,
People stand there in the cold until his symphony is done,
In the early gray of morning, he's sure to come around,
You can hear him through the window when the pennies hit the ground.
Tunes to suit your fancy,
Are there any requests?
I'll play them for a penny,
(Play them penny music, play them for a penny)
And not a penny less.
They're playing penny music,
Playing penny music,
They're playing penny music,
Playing penny music,
Playing penny music.
fade out...
song performed by by Monkees
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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What Will You Give Me For My Pound?
What will you give me for my pound?
Full twenty shillings round.
What will you give me for my shilling?
Twelve pence to give I'm willing.
What will you give me for my penny?
Four farthings, just so many.
poem by Christina Georgina Rossetti
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Belated Conscience
To buy for school a copy-book
I asked my Dad for two-pence;
He gave it with a gentle look,
Although he had but few pence.
'Twas then I proved myself a crook
And came a moral cropper,
I bought a penny copy-book
And blued the other copper.
I spent it on a sausage roll
Gulped down with guilt suggestion,
To the damnation of my soul
And awful indigestion.
Poor Dad! His job was hard to hold;
His mouths to feed were many;
Were he alive a millionfold
I'd pay him for his penny.
Now nigh the grave I think with grief,
Though other sins are many,
I am a liar and a thief
'Cause once I stole a penny:
Yet be he pious as a friar
It is my firm believing,
That every man has been a liar
And most of us done thieving.
poem by Robert William Service
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Penny Music
Throw a penny from the window
Watch an old man play a song
On a twenty dollar violin he bought before the war
Though he screeches and he scratches
And the notes are always wrong
But he plays like hes in concert
On the street outside my door
Choose to suit your fancy
Are there any requests?
Ill play them for a pennyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
(play them for a penny)
And not a penny less
Hes the local vertuoso
Its his only way of life
Plays 97 overtures
And goes on home to his wife
In the quiet of the evening
While his frozen fingers bleed
He counts pennies
On the blanket to supply his meeger(sp? ) needs
Choose to suit your fancy
Are there any requests?
Ill play them for a pennyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
(play them for a penny)
And not a penny less
When theres frost upon the pumpkin
In the weakness of the sun
People stand there in the cold
Until his symphony is done
In the early gray of morning
Hes sure to come around
You can hear him thru the window
When the pennies hit the ground
Choose to suit your fancy
Are there any requests?
Ill play them for a pennyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
(play them for a penny)
And not a penny less
Theyre playing penny music
(aaahhhhaaahhhh)
Playing penny music
(aaahhhhaaahhhh)
(last two lines repeat a few more times)
song performed by by Monkees
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Penny Music (stereo)
Throw a penny from the window
Watch an old man play a song
On a twenty dollar violin he bought before the war
Though he screeches and he scratches
And the notes are always wrong
But he plays like hes in concert
On the street outside my door
Choose to suit your fancy
Are there any requests?
Ill play them for a pennyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
(play them for a penny)
And not a penny less
Hes the local vertuoso
Its his only way of life
Plays 97 overtures
And goes on home to his wife
In the quiet of the evening
While his frozen fingers bleed
He counts pennies
On the blanket to supply his meeger(sp? ) needs
Choose to suit your fancy
Are there any requests?
Ill play them for a pennyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
(play them for a penny)
And not a penny less
When theres frost upon the pumpkin
In the weakness of the sun
People stand there in the cold
Until his symphony is done
In the early gray of morning
Hes sure to come around
You can hear him thru the window
When the pennies hit the ground
Choose to suit your fancy
Are there any requests?
Ill play them for a pennyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
(play them for a penny)
And not a penny less
Theyre playing penny music
(aaahhhhaaahhhh)
Playing penny music
(aaahhhhaaahhhh)
(last two lines repeat a few more times)
song performed by by Monkees
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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For Shrill The Piper Plays His Tune
When thoughts are idle wanderings
Words tumbled round and round
When feelings they turn inwardly
Still I hear the piper's sound.
When happiness is broken
And the Kings and Queens are gone
The piper's tune keeps playing
And I hear his victory song.
For even when awoken
From the sleepiness of time
There's a distant music playing
Heard clear within my mind
For shrill the piper plays his tune
That beckons every day
And when his tune is full played out
He carries us away.
No-one has seen this piper man
And no-one has seen him play
But we all can hear his mournfulness
And fear for what he'll say
No folds of fathered cornfields
And no breaking of the bread
The piper's tune keeps playing
With his words as yet unsaid.
For shrill the piper plays his tune
That beckons every day
And when his tune is full played out
He carries us away.
We can all hear if we but try
The piper's song so sweet
The musings and meanderings
Of souls lost whole complete
No piper plays before we're born
Before we touch the earth
The piper's tunes they all begin
From the moment of our birth.
For shrill the piper plays his tune
Like happiness disease'd
And all the notes that he plays out
Are our moments ill at ease.
Not one of us pays him to play
Nor gives him any score
For every note that he blows out
Is fully paid before
We entertain our wanderings
And confusion in the mind
For the piper's very soul turns out
To be both yours and mine.
For shrill the piper plays his tune
That beckons every day
And when his tune is full played out
He carries us away.
poem by David Keig
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Ode To My Penny
Ode to my penny
That shiny little thing
Not much of value
Oh, but wait, stop and think
Put that old penny
In a little glass jar
Save it for a day
When happy thoughts are far
Shake the little jar
And hear the small jingle
But that little bell
Can't always be single
When penny has friends
This are better
What I mean to say;
Is Penny's quite clever
Do you see it now?
Penny is always 'round
When your feeling down
Penny's here, so be proud
He pulls you out of life's dark cloud
And puts you in light's bright crowd
Ode to my penny
Whose always there
Even when
No one else seems to care.
poem by Jordyn Averitte
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Pipe Piper
The Pipe Piper blows a lively tune,
Melody so rich, you will surely swoon,
Through the narrow street and alleyway,
The rat did not come out to play
The cat did come and it did sat
I bet curiosity kills the cat.
Listening, a pair of furry ears,
Piper boy takes away its fears.
An audience of one may not be dandy,
However, the cat will come in handy.
He sends the cat to hunt the pesky rats
They hide in the sewage and in the gaps.
The Pipe Piper work will soon be done,
He and the cat has become one.
Oh! I lost the bet, He didn't kill the cat!
Piper At The Gates Of Dawn
Piper at the gates of dawn
The coolness of the riverbank, and the whispering of the reeds
Daybreak is not so very far away
Enchanted and spellbound, in the silence they lingered
And rowed the boat as the light grew steadily strong
And the birds were silent, as they listened for the heavenly music
And the river played the song
The wind in the willows and the piper at the gates of dawn
The wind in the willows and the piper at the gates of dawn
The song dream happened and the cloven hoofed piper
Played in that holy ground where they felt the awe and wonder
And they all were unafraid of the great God pan
And the wind in the willows and the piper at the gates of dawn
The wind in the willows and the piper at the gates of dawn
When the vision vanished they heard a choir of birds singing
In the heavenly silence between the trance and the reeds
And they stood upon the lawn and listened to the silence
Of the wind in the willows and the piper at the gates of dawn
The wind in the willows and the piper at the gates of dawn
The wind in the willows and the piper at the gates of dawn
Its the wind in the willows and the piper at the gates of dawn
The wind in the willows and the piper at the gates of dawn
The wind in the willows and the piper at the gates of dawn
song performed by by Van Morrison
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Piper And The Prey
this is how friday ended
a little bit hard to believe
my perception slightly bending
as the piper came on the scene
it was something so hypnotic
the music even changed
the crowd got up and got chaotic
and they paid so they could play
the pied piper played
the pied piper pushed
songs to make them crave
songs that seemed so good
songs that made it easier
songs down in their blood
songs that take, steal the love
until the song has had enough
at first, the dance was hesitant
not long before everyone knew it
the music spun them 'round and 'round
then it pulled the dancers into it
i danced my dance at my own pace
he laughed, knowing i would change
it took all i had in so many ways
saw others dance until they fell on their face
and still the piper played...
the pied piper played
the pied piper pushed
songs to make them crave
songs that seemed so good
songs that made it easier
songs down in their blood
songs that take, steal the love
until the song has had enough
bodies on the floor
unconscious and awake
the piper gave them more;
they took all that he gave
he played a new illusion
while the world began to sway
the dance became delusion
our hearts became the prey
and i danced as he played
and i danced as he pushed
songs that made me crave
songs that seemed so good
songs that made it easier
songs went down in my blood
songs that took, stole all the love
until the song had used them up
until that song had had enough
saturday was forgotten
by closing out the early sun rays
many dancers have fallen
lost, forgotten, thrown away
the music was their everything
but again they stayed to late
the song kept them spinning
dancing into a darker place
giving in without hesitance
hypnotized by the pipe's melody
until all became the song and dance
the piper was the only one to play
the piper and the song had demands
but they'd nothing left to give away
all that was left was the pipe's trance
and the dancer became the slave
the pied piper played
the pied piper pushed
songs that betrayed
songs not to trust
songs that got heavier
songs itching in their blood
songs that demand the dance
until the song has had enough
that was how sunday ended
and it took several years
now the song gets in my head
and sometimes brings me to tears
now i chose to stand so still
not to give in to what i hear
the song can not destroy my will
the song has nothing left i fear
(2008 & 2010, new orleans, la, usa)
poem by Thomas Quentin Sims
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Why?
Why do you take hold of my
my voice and the pen?
Your force holds me back,
and fills me with pain.
Why don't you measure
the depth of a poet's mind?
Your power can't put me back,
I ain't ready to stay behind.
I'm a woman, so I can't have
any wit or intelligence!
Can I be bought by anyone
with penny or pence?
I have the wish, the
desire to flow as stream,
to touch the pinnacle
of the high altitude,
I have built a dream--
Do not shatter it,
do not make it fall.
Let me play the flute not
for you only but for all!
poem by Nilakshi Das
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Poor Peter
Blind Peter Piper used to play
All up and down the city;
I'd often meet him on my way,
And throw a coin for pity.
But all amid his sparkling tones
His ear was quick as any
To catch upon the cobble-stones
The jingle of my penny.
And as upon a day that shone
He piped a merry measure:
"How well you play!" I chanced to say;
Poor Peter glowed with pleasure.
You'd think the words of praise I spoke
Were all the pay he needed;
The artist in the player woke,
The penny lay unheeded.
Now Winter's here; the wind is shrill,
His coat is thin and tattered;
Yet hark! he's playing trill on trill
As if his music mattered.
And somehow though the city looks
Soaked through and through with shadows,
He makes you think of singing brooks
And larks and sunny meadows.
Poor chap! he often starves, they say;
Well, well, I can believe it;
For when you chuck a coin his way
He'll let some street-boy thieve it.
I fear he freezes in the night;
My praise I've long repented,
Yet look! his face is all alight . . .
Blind Peter seems contented.
poem by Robert William Service
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Three Ha'Pence a Foot
I'll tell you an old-fashioned story
That Grandfather used to relate,
Of a joiner and building contractor;
'Is name, it were Sam Oglethwaite.
In a shop on the banks of the Irwell,
Old Sam used to follow 'is trade,
In a place you'll have 'eard of, called Bury;
You know, where black puddings is made.
One day, Sam were filling a knot 'ole
Wi' putty, when in thro' the door
Came an old feller fair wreathed wi' whiskers;
T'ould chap said 'Good morning, I'm Noah.'
Sam asked Noah what was 'is business,
And t'ould chap went on to remark,
That not liking the look of the weather,
'E were thinking of building an Ark.
'E'd gotten the wood for the bulwarks,
And all t'other shipbuilding junk,
And wanted some nice Bird's Eye Maple
To panel the side of 'is bunk.
Now Maple were Sam's Monopoly;
That means it were all 'is to cut,
And nobody else 'adn't got none;
So 'e asked Noah three ha'pence a foot.
'A ha'penny too much,' replied Noah
'A Penny a foot's more the mark;
A penny a foot, and when t'rain comes,
I'll give you a ride in me Ark.'
But neither would budge in the bargain;
The whole daft thing were kind of a jam,
So Sam put 'is tongue out at Noah,
And Noah made 'Long Bacon ' at Sam
In wrath and ill-feeling they parted,
Not knowing when they'd meet again,
And Sam had forgot all about it,
'Til one day it started to rain.
It rained and it rained for a fortni't,
And flooded the 'ole countryside.
It rained and it kept' on raining,
'Til the Irwell were fifty mile wide.
The 'ouses were soon under water,
And folks to the roof 'ad to climb.
They said 'twas the rottenest summer
That Bury 'ad 'ad for some time.
The rain showed no sign of abating,
And water rose hour by hour,
'Til the only dry land were at Blackpool,
And that were on top of the Tower.
So Sam started swimming to Blackpool;
It took 'im best part of a week.
'Is clothes were wet through when 'e got there,
And 'is boots were beginning to leak.
'E stood to 'is watch-chain in water,
On Tower top, just before dark,
When who should come sailing towards 'im
But old Noah, steering 'is Ark.
They stared at each other in silence,
'Til Ark were alongside, all but,
Then Noah said: 'What price yer Maple?'
Sam answered 'Three ha'pence a foot.'
Noah said 'Nay; I'll make thee an offer,
The same as I did t'other day.
A penny a foot and a free ride.
Now, come on, lad, what does tha say?'
'Three ha'pence a foot,' came the answer.
So Noah 'is sail 'ad to hoist,
And sailed off again in a dudgeon,
While Sam stood determined, but moist.
Noah cruised around, flying 'is pigeons,
'Til fortieth day of the wet,
And on 'is way back, passing Blackpool,
'E saw old Sam standing there yet.
'Is chin just stuck out of the water;
A comical figure 'e cut,
Noah said: 'Now what's the price of yer Maple?'
Sam answered: 'Three ha'pence a foot.'
Said Noah: 'Ye'd best take my offer;
It's last time I'll be hereabout;
And if water comes half an inch higher,
I'll happen get Maple for nowt.'
'Three ha'pence a foot it'll cost yer,
And as fer me,' Sam said, 'don't fret.
The sky's took a turn since this morning;
I think it'll brighten up yet.'
poem by Marriott Edgar
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Penny Brings Melodie To Life
Penny with her sewing flair,
sews Melodie doll and yarns her hair.
Penny makes Melodie into a small doll,
once Melodie's alive the two have a ball.
Melodie writes Penny once in awhile,
she even visited her in the hospital.
Melodie had to make sure Penny was alright,
in fact Penny told the nurse, where is Suzy tonight?
Right then Melodie, Razel and me soon arrived,
to sit by friend Penny's dear old side.
Now Penny gets healthy and recovers real soon,
she enjoys her grandchildren and her new life too.
Thank you Penny for all your generosity,
if it wasn't for you, the world would not have Melodie.
Written by Suzae Chevalier on February 14,2012
poem by Christina Sunrise
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The Piper
THEY CAME FROM THE HILLS
AND THEY CAME FROM
THE VALLEYS AND THE PLAINS
THEY STRUGGLED IN THE COLD
IN THE HEAT AND THE SNOW
AND IN THE RAIN
CAME TO HEAR HIM PLAY
PLAY THEIR MINDS AWAY
WE┬┤RE ALL FOLLOWING
A STRANGE MELODY
WE┬┤RE ALL SUMMONED BY A TUNE
WE┬┤RE FOLLOWING THE PIPER
AND WE DANCE BENEATH THE MOON
WE┬┤RE FOLLOWING THE PIPER
AND WE DANCE BENEATH THE MOON FOR HIM
AND WE DANCE BENEATH THE MOON
THEY CAME FROM THE SOUTH
FROM THE WEST AND THE NORTH
AND FROM THE EAST
THEY WAITED FOR THE MAN
LIKE A PARISH IS WAITING FOR THE PRIEST
LONGED TO HEAR HIM PLAY
PLAY THEIR MINDS AWAY
WE┬┤RE ALL FOLLOWING...
HE GAVE THEM A DREAM
HE SEDUCED EVERYBODY IN THE LAND
THE FIRE IN HIS EYES
AND THE FEAR WAS A WEAPON IN HIS HAND
SO THEY LET HIM PLAY
PLAY THEIR MINDS AWAY
WE┬┤RE ALL FOLLOWING...
song performed by by Abba
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Rights userped
I cannot pluck fruits without penny;
I cannot get water without penny;
I cannot go to toilet without penny.
Nor do I get bed without penny;
nor do I get woman free.
I've been robbed of my right on the earth
Which is mine by virtue of my birth,
unlike my stoneage forefathers.
30.08.2008
poem by Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar
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The Penny
When just a boy, a penny from his dad to make a wish
Throw it away son like magic your wish will appear
The boy thought and thought somemore
But never a wish worth his penny
Many a battle he fought, the penny still here
Hunger, fear and all types of problems threw his years
The penny he still keeps to the day
Till somewhere in the autumn of his life
A wish like magic, worth his penny did finealy appear
Nothing like this could he ever imagine
A smile from her almost brought him to tears
After all these years,
Sweetheart hears my penny
poem by Sam Pendlebury
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Penny Brings Melodie To Life
Penny with her sewing flair,
sews Melodie doll and yarns her hair.
Penny makes Melodie into a small doll,
once Melodie's alive the two have a ball.
Melodie writes Penny once in awhile,
she even visited her in the hospital.
Melodie had to make sure Penny was alright,
in fact Penny told the nurse, where is Suzy tonight?
Right then Melodie, Razel and me soon arrived,
to sit by friend Penny's dear old side.
Now Penny gets healthy and recovers real soon,
she enjoys her grandchildren and her new life too.
Thank you Penny for all your generosity,
if it wasn't for you, the world would not have Melodie.
Written by Suzae Chevalier on February 14,2012
poem by Suzae Chevalier
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Don't Give'r It All
You can play it hard
You can play it fast
You can play it slow so that it'll last
You can play it cool
You can play it sweet
You can push the tempo
Push the beat
But as soon as you give the game away
Let me tell you my friend
You'll be the last on
Last on
Last on
Don't give'r it all
Don't give'r it all
Don't give'r it all
Don't give'r it all
Don't give'r it all
Don't give'r it all
Don't let her sense the need
You gotta take the lead
But you gotta go easy to succeed
If she don't pick up the phone
You gotta get her alone
So give a tug on the hook
The game is on
But if you lose control and you let her know
Then forget the romance
You'll be the last on
Last on
Last on
Don't give'r it all
Don't give'r it all
Don't give'r it all
Don't give'r it all
Don't give'r it all
Don't give'r it all
I'm getting off at number four
And you'll never see me turn around
Turn around
Don't give'r it all
Don't give'r it all
Don't give'r it all
Don't give'r it all
Don't give'r it all
Don't give'r it all
song performed by by Daniel Bedingfield
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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