Bab Ballads
Bab Ballads is a series of illustrated humorous poems by WS Gilbert .
The Bab Ballads' humor is based on a crazy starting point that leads to absurd conclusions. This style, known as “topsyturvydom” (“upside down”), is also found in the later operettas by Gilbert and Sullivan . The name Bab Ballads goes back to the nickname "Bab", which Gilbert wore as a child and with which he regularly signed his illustrations from 1866 onwards.
History of origin
The Bab Ballads began with an illustrated article Gilbert posted to the weekly magazine Fun . He then accepted Fun's offer to contribute a column of text and an illustration to each issue. In addition, Gilbert provided other articles, poems and theater reviews for the magazine. Gilbert's first known contribution to fun is a drawing entitled “Some mistake here” on page 56 of the October 26, 1861 issue. The first articles he added to the collection of poems appeared in 1865. He wrote because of his greater fame as a librettist Gilbert only a few Bab Ballad poems left from 1870 . A first edition of the collected Bab Ballads was published in 1868. The editions published in the following years contain further poems. There is no generally accepted list of works that are considered Bab Ballads .
List of Bab Ballads
The following table lists all of the Bab Ballads included in Ellis (1970). The second column lists the journal the poems were originally published in, and the third column lists the poetry collections in which they are contained. The following abbreviations are used:
- TBB: WS Gilbert: The “Bab” Ballads - Much Sound and Little Sense. John Camden Hotten, London 1868
- MBB: WS Gilbert: More “Bab” Ballads. Routledge, London 1872
- 50BB: WS Gilbert: Fifty “Bab” ballads. Routledge, London 1876
- D&G: Sidney Dark, Rowland Gray: WS Gilbert: His Life and Letters. Methuen, London 1923
- Goldberg: Isaac Goldberg: The Story of Gilbert and Sullivan or The 'Compleat' Savoyard. John Murray, London 1929
- Searle: Townley Searle: Lost Bab Ballads. GP Putnam's Sons, London 1932
- Ellis: James Ellis: The Bab Ballads. Belknap Press, Cambridge 1970, ISBN 0-674-05800-3
Starting with “Mister William,” Gilbert assigned a number to most of the poems that appeared in Fun . These numbers are listed in the second column after the source.
| title | source | Collections |
|---|---|---|
| The Advent of Spring | Fun , II (February 1, 1862), 200. | Ellis |
| The Cattle Show | Fun , V (December 12, 1863), 121. | Searle, Ellis |
| The Cattle Show | The Comic News , I (December 19, 1863), 180. | Ellis |
| Sixty-Three and Sixty-Four | Fun , V (January 2, 1864), 162. | Ellis |
| The dream | Fun , V (February 27, 1864), 242. | Goldberg, Ellis |
| The Baron Klopfzetterheim | Fun , VI (March 19, 26; April 2, 9, 16, 1864), 8-9, 18, 21, 38, 48. | Searle, Ellis |
| Down to the derby | Fun , VI (28 May 1864), 110, 111. | D&G, Searle, Ellis |
| Something Like Nonsense Verses | Fun , ns, I (10, 24 June 1865), 31, 51. | Ellis |
| Ode to my clothes | Fun , ns, I (10 June 1865), 33. | Ellis |
| The student | Fun , ns, I (July 1, 1865), 67. | Ellis |
| Tempora Mutantur | Fun , ns, I (15 July 1865), 82. | TBB, Ellis |
| The Bachelors' Strike | Fun , ns, I (22 July 1865), 99. | Ellis |
| A Bad Night Of It | Fun , ns, I (19 August 1865), 139. | Ellis |
| To Phœbe | Fun , ns, I (26 August 1865), 144. | TBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| Ozone | Fun , ns, II (September 16, 1865), 2. | Ellis |
| To the Terrestrial Globe | Fun , ns, II (September 30, 1865), 29. | TBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| The Monkey in Trouble | Fun , ns, II (7 October 1865), 31. | Ellis |
| Back again! | Fun , ns, II (7 October 1865), 39. | Ellis |
| To My Absent Husband | Punch , XLIX (October 14, 1865), 151. | Goldberg, Searle, Ellis |
| My return | Punch , XLIX (October 21, 1865), 153. | Ellis |
| Musings in a music hall | Fun , ns, II (28 October 1865), 69. | D&G, Ellis |
| Pantomimic Presentiments | Fun , ns, II (December 2, 1865), 111. | Ellis |
| The bar and its moaning | Fun , ns, II (9 December 1865), 122. | Ellis |
| To Euphrosyne | Fun , ns, II (23 December 1865), 150. | Ellis |
| The Phantom Curate | Fun , ns, II (6 January 1866), 162. | TBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| To a little maid | Fun , ns, II (6 January 1866), 167. | Ellis, TBB, 50BB |
| Ferdinando and Elvira | Fun , ns, II (February 17, 1866), 229. | TBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| The pantomime “Super” to His Mask | Fun , ns, II (24 February 1866), 238. | TBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| The Yarn of The "Nancy Bell" | Fun , ns, II (3 March 1866), 242-243. | TBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| Monsieur le Blond on London | Fun , ns, II (3 March 1866), 249. | Ellis |
| Haunted | Fun , ns, III (24 March 1866), 12. | TBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| The Reverend Rawston Wright | Fun , ns, III (April 28, 1866), 67. | Searle, Ellis |
| The Story of Gentle Archibald | Fun , ns, III (19 May 1866), 100-101. | D&G, Searle, Ellis |
| To my bride | Fun , ns, III (June 9, 1866), 125. | TBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| Only a dancing girl | Fun , ns, III (23 June 1866), 146. | TBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| To My Steed | Fun , ns, III (23 June 1866), 152. | Ellis |
| King Borria Bungalee Boo | Fun , ns, III (7 July 1866), 167. | TBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| Jack Casts His Shell | Fun , ns, IV (6 October 1866), 37. | Ellis |
| How to Write an Irish Drama | Fun , ns, IV (December 1, 1866), 127. | Ellis |
| General John | Fun , ns, V (June 1, 1867), 127. | TBB, Ellis |
| Sir Guy the Crusader | Fun , ns, V (June 8, 1867), 139. | TBB, Ellis |
| Sir Galahad the Golumptious | Fun , ns, V (15 June 1867), 149. | Ellis |
| Disillusioned | Fun , ns, V (6 July 1867), 173. | TBB, Ellis |
| John and Freddy | Fun , ns, V (3 August 1867), 222. | TBB, Ellis |
| Lorenzo de Lardy | Fun , ns, V (10 August 1867), 225. | TBB, Ellis |
| The Bishop and the Busman | Fun , ns, V (17 August 1867), 238. | TBB, Ellis |
| Babette's Love | Fun , ns, V (August 24, 1867), 247. | TBB, Ellis |
| Fanny and Jenny | Fun , ns, V (7 September 1867), 269. | D&G, Searle, Ellis |
| Sir Macklin | Fun , ns, VI (September 14, 1867), 6-7. | TBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| The troubadour | Fun , ns, VI (September 21, 1867), 15. | TBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| Ben Allah Achmet | Fun , ns, VI (September 28, 1867), 25. | TBB, Ellis |
| The Folly of Brown | Fun , ns, VI (October 5, 1867), 35. | TBB, Ellis |
| Joe Golightly | Fun , ns, VI (October 12, 1867), 54. | TBB, Ellis |
| The Rival Curates | Fun , ns, VI (October 19, 1867), 57. | TBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| Thomas Winterbottom Hance | Fun , ns, VI (October 26, 1867), 74-75. | TBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| A. and B .; OR, The Sensation Twins | Fun , ns, VI (November 2, 1867), 77. | Goldberg, Searle, Ellis |
| Sea-side snobs | Fun , ns, VI (November 9, 1867), 88. | Searle, Ellis |
| The Bishop of Rum-ti-Foo | Fun , ns, VI (November 16, 1867), 104. | TBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| The Precocious Baby | Fun , ns, VI (23 November 1867), 113. | TBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| Baines Carew, gentleman | Fun , ns, VI (November 30, 1867), 124. | TBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| A Discontented Sugar Broker | Fun , ns, VI (December 14, 1867), 137. | TBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| The Force of Argument | Fun , ns, VI (December 21, 1867), 149. | TBB, Ellis |
| At a pantomime | Fun , ns, VI (December 28, 1867), 165. | TBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| The Three Kings of Chickeraboo | Fun , ns, VI (January 18, 1868), 191. | TBB, Ellis |
| The Periwinkle Girl | Fun , ns, VI (February 1, 1868), 211. | TBB, Ellis |
| Captain Reece ( Memento June 8, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) | Fun , ns, VI (February 8, 1868), 221. | TBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| Thomson Green and Harriet Hale | Fun , ns, VI (February 15, 1868), 242. | TBB, Ellis |
| Bob Polter | Fun , ns, VI (February 29, 1868), 260-261. | TBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| The Ghost, the Gallant, the Gael, and the Goblin | Fun , ns, VII (14 March 1868), 6. | TBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| Ellen McJones Aberdeen | Fun , ns, VII (21 March 1868), 16. | TBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| The sensation captain | Fun , ns, VII (April 4, 1868), 43. | TBB, Ellis |
| Trial by jury | Fun , ns, VII (April 11, 1868), 54. | Ellis |
| The Reverend Micah Sowls | Fun , ns, VII (April 18, 1868), 65. | TBB, Ellis |
| Peter the Wag | Fun , ns, VII (April 25, 1868), 75. | TBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| The Story of Prince Agib | Fun , ns, VII (16 May 1868), 107. | TBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| Gentle Alice Brown | Fun , ns, VII (23 May 1868), 111. | TBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| Pasha Bailey Ben | Fun , ns, VII (6 June 1868), 133. | MBB |
| Blabworth-cum-Talkington | Fun , ns, VII (June 20, 1868), 153. | Goldberg, Searle, Ellis |
| The Sailor Boy To His Lass | Fun , ns, VII (27 June 1868), 163, | MBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| Sir Conrad and the Rusty One | Fun , ns, VII (4 July 1868), 174. | D&G, Searle, Ellis |
| The Cunning Woman | Fun , ns, VII (25 July 1868), 205. | MBB, Ellis |
| The Modest Couple | Fun , ns, VII (8 August 1868), 225. | MBB, Ellis |
| The “Bandoline” player | Fun , ns, VII (22 August 1868), 246. | D&G, Searle, Ellis |
| Sir Barnaby Bampton Boo | Fun , ns, VII (29 August 1868), 255. | MBB, Ellis |
| Boulogne | Fun , ns, VIII (September 12, 1868), 7. | Searle, Ellis |
| Brave Alum Bey | Fun , ns, VIII (19 September 1868), 16. | MBB, Ellis |
| Gregory Parable, LL.D. | Fun , ns, VIII (3 October 1868), 35. | MBB, Ellis |
| Lieutenant-Colonel Flare | Fun , ns, VIII (10 October 1868), 46. | MBB, Ellis |
| The Hermit | Fun , ns, VIII (17 October 1868), 62. | Goldberg, Searle, Ellis |
| Annie Protheroe | Fun , ns, VIII (24 October 1868), 65. | MBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| The Captain and the Mermaids | Fun , ns, VIII (7 November 1868), 85. | MBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| To Unfortunate Likeness | Fun , ns, VIII (November 14, 1868), 96. | MBB, 50BB |
| A Boulogne Table d'Hôte | Tom Hood's Comic Annual for 1868 (London: Fun office, 1868), 78. | Searle, Ellis |
| The Railway Guard's Song | Tom Hood's Comic Annual for 1868 (London: Fun office, 1868), 79. | Ellis |
| The Undecided Man | Tom Hood's Comic Annual for 1868 , (London: Fun office, 1868) 79. | Searle, Ellis |
| Premonitory Symptoms | Fun , ns, VIII (November 28, 1868), 117. | Ellis |
| Lost Mr. Blake | Fun , ns, VIII (November 28, 1868), 121. | MBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| Little Oliver | Fun , ns, VIII (5 December 1868), 132. | MBB, Ellis |
| What Is A Burlesque? | Belgravia Annual , ed. ME Braddon (London, 1868), 106-107. | Ellis |
| The Phantom Head | Fun , ns, VIII (19 December 1868), 151. | Goldberg, Searle, Ellis |
| The Politest of Nations! | Fun , ns, VIII (January 2, 1869), 173. | Ellis |
| Woman's gratitude | Fun , ns, VIII (9 January 1869), 176-177. | Goldberg, Searle, Ellis |
| The Baby's Vengeance | Fun , ns, VIII (16 January 1869), 188. | MBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| The Two Ogres | Fun , ns, VIII (23 January 1869), 204. | MBB, Ellis |
| Mister William | Fun , ns, VIII (6 February 1869), 218. No. 60. | MBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| The Martinet | Fun , ns, VIII (February 13, 1869), 228. No. 61. | MBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| The King of Canoodle Dum | Fun , ns, VIII (February 20, 1869), 238-239. No. 62. | MBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| First love | Fun , ns, VIII (27 February 1869), 248. No. 63. | MBB, Ellis |
| The Haughty Actor | Fun , ns, IX (March 27, 1869), 31. No. 64. | MBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| The Two Majors | Fun , ns, IX (April 3, 1869), 41. No. 65. | MBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| The Three Bohemian Ones | Fun , ns, IX (April 10, 1869), 51. No. 66. | D&G, Searle, Ellis |
| The Policeman's Beard | Fun , ns, IX (1 May 1869), 75. No. 67. | Goldberg, Searle, Ellis |
| The Bishop of Rum-ti-Foo Again | Fun , ns, IX (8 May 1869), 85. No. 68. | MBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| A worm will turn | Fun , ns, IX (15 May 1869), 104. No. 69. | MBB, Ellis |
| The Mystic Selvagee | Fun , ns, IX (22 May 1869), 112. No. 70. | MBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| Emily, John, James, and I | Fun , ns, IX (29 May 1869), 115. No. 71. | MBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| The Ghost to his Ladye Love | Fun , ns, IX (14 August 1869), 223. | Ellis |
| Prince Il Baleine | Fun , ns, IX (August 28, 1869), 253. No. 72. | D&G, Searle, Ellis |
| The Way of Wooing | Fun , ns, X (September 11, 1869), 13. No. 73. | MBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| The Scornful Colonel | Fun , ns, X (September 25, 1869), 31. No. 74. | Goldberg, Searle, Ellis |
| The Variable Baby | Fun , ns, X (October 9, 1869), 51. No. 75. | Goldberg, Searle, Ellis |
| The Ladies of the Lea | Fun , ns, X (October 30, 1869), 75. No. 76. | Goldberg, Searle, Ellis |
| Hongree and Mahry | Fun , ns, X (November 20, 1869), 105. No. 77. | MBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| Etiquette | The Graphic , I (December 25, 1869, Christmas edition), 6-7. | 50BB, Ellis |
| The Reverend Simon Magnus | Fun , ns, X (February 5, 1870), 215. No. 78. | MBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| My dream | Fun , ns, XI (March 19, 1870), 15. No. 79. | MBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| Damon v. Pythias | Fun , ns, XI (March 26, 1870), 31. No. 80. | MBB, Ellis |
| The Bumboat Woman's Story | Fun , ns, XI (April 9, 1870), 45. No. 81. | MBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| The Fairy Curate | Fun , ns, XII (23 July 1870), 32-33. No. 82. | MBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| Phrenology | Fun , ns, XII (6 August 1870), 45. No. 83. | MBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| The Perils of Invisibility | Fun , ns, XII (August 20, 1870), 65. No. 84. | MBB, 50BB, Ellis |
| The Wise Policeman | Fun , ns, XII (October 22, 1870), 156. No. 85. | Ellis |
| A Drop of Pantomime Water | The Graphic , II, 25 December 1870, Christmas edition, 20. | Ellis |
| Old Paul and Old Tim | Fun , ns, XIII (28 January 1871), 35. No. 86. | MBB, Ellis |
| “Eheu! Fugaces ” | The Dark Blue , III (April 1872), 142-143. | Searle, Ellis |
| Jester James | Time , I (April 1879), 54-57. | Ellis |
| The Policeman's Story | Time , I (May 1879), 166-168. | Ellis |
| The Thief's Apology | Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News , XXII (6 December 1884), “Holly Leaves” (Christmas number), 267. | Ellis |
| The King and the Stroller | The Queen's Christmas Carol: An Anthology of Poems, Stories, Essays, Drawings and Music by British Authors, Artists and Composers The Daily Mail, London 1905, 80-81. | Ellis |
literature
- Jane W. Stedman: WS Gilbert, A Classic Victorian & His Theater. Oxford University Press, Oxford 1996, ISBN 0-19-816174-3
Web links
Commons : Bab Ballads - collection of images, videos and audio files
- Description of the Bab Ballads ( Memento from June 7, 2011 in the Internet Archive )
- List sorted alphabetically by title ( Memento of June 7, 2011 in the Internet Archive )
- List sorted alphabetically by first line ( Memento from June 7, 2011 in the Internet Archive )