Topic: Jabberwocky Anyone?
Hello Songwriting Forum folks - I was reminded of the Jabberwocky poem today. It's the glorious little nonsense ditty from the Alice in Wonderland stories.
It struck me that it would be fun to set the poem to music - I'm sure it's been done before - but I'm going to try it myself. Seems to me to be worthy exercise in inventing a melodic line and chord set to accompany the vividly strange words of Lewis Carroll.
First, I'll probably do a word-for-word setting of the original poem. I would also like to then play around with the words and come up with a freer adaptation of the poem - something decidedly Jabberwockyish.
Anyway - if you are so inclined, the poem is posted below (it is way way way out of copyright, so no problem posting it in it's entirety). Take a crack at it - have a go - give it a twirl . . .
JABBERWOCKY
by: Lewis Carroll
(from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, 1872)
`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"
He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought --
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.
And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!
One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.
"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.
`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_comma[/url]