The Courtship of the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo [LEAR poem set to music]
Channel: tobydarling
Date: 24/09/2013

Here is another of my favourite Lear poems, taken from: 'Laughable Lyrics: A Fourth Book of Nonsense Poems, Songs, Botany, Music, etc' (1877).

The images are all by Lear himself, created for this and various other poems.

THE COURTSHIP OF THE YONGHY-BONGHY-BO

Am F C Am
On the Coast of Coromandel
C G F Am
Where the early pumpkins blow,
Am F C Am
In the middle of the woods
F G E7
Lived the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.
Am F C Am
Two old chairs, and half a candle,-
C G F G
One old jug without a handle,-
Am F C G
These were all his worldly goods:
Am D E7
In the middle of the woods,
F G Am F
These were all the worldly goods,
Am G E7
Of the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo,
F G Am
Of the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.

Once, among the Bong-trees walking
Where the early pumpkins blow,
To a little heap of stones
Came the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.
There he heard a Lady talking,
To some milk-white Hens of Dorking,-
''Tis the lady Jingly Jones!
'On that little heap of stones
'Sits the Lady Jingly Jones!'
Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo,
Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.

Dm Am
'Lady Jingly! Lady Jingly!
F G E7
'Sitting where the pumpkins blow,
Am G C Am
'Will you come and be my wife?'
F G E7
Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.
Dm Am
'I am tired of living singly,-
F G E7
'On this coast so wild and shingly,-
Am C Dm
'I'm a-weary of my life:
Am C G
'If you'll come and be my wife,
Dm F
'Quite serene would be my life!'-
Am G E7
Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo,
Am F Am
Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.

'On this Coast of Coromandel,
'Shrimps and watercresses grow,
'Prawns are plentiful and cheap,'
Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.
'You shall have my chairs and candle,
'And my jug without a handle!-
'Gaze upon the rolling deep
('Fish is plentiful and cheap)
'As the sea, my love is deep!'
Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo,
Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.

Lady Jingly answered sadly,
And her tears began to flow,-
'Your proposal comes too late,
'Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo!
'I would be your wife most gladly!'
(Here she twirled her fingers madly,)
'But in England I've a mate!
'Yes! you've asked me far too late,
'For in England I've a mate,
'Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo!
'Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo!'

'Mr. Jones - (his name is Handel,-
'Handel Jones, Esquire, & Co.)
'Dorking fowls delights to send,
'Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo!
'Keep, oh! keep your chairs and candle,
'And your jug without a handle,-
'I can merely be your friend!
'-Should my Jones more Dorkings send,
'I will give you three, my friend!
'Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo!
'Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo!'

'Though you've such a tiny body,
'And your head so large doth grow,-
'Though your hat may blow away,
'Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo!
'Though you're such a Hoddy Doddy-
'Yet I wish that I could modi-
'fy the words I needs must say!
'Will you please to go away?
'That is all I have to say-
'Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo!
'Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo!'.

Down the slippery slopes of Myrtle,
Where the early pumpkins blow,
To the calm and silent sea
Fled the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.
There, beyond the Bay of Gurtle,
Lay a large and lively Turtle,-
'You're the Cove,' he said, 'for me
'On your back beyond the sea,
'Turtle, you shall carry me!'
Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo,
Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.

Through the silent-roaring ocean
Did the Turtle swiftly go;
Holding fast upon his shell
Rode the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.
With a sad primๆval motion
Towards the sunset isles of Boshen
Still the Turtle bore him well.
Holding fast upon his shell,
'Lady Jingly Jones, farewell!'
Sang the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo,
Sang the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.

Am C
From the Coast of Coromandel,
Am C
Did that Lady never go;
Am C
On that heap of stones she mourns
Dm Em
For the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.
Am C
On that Coast of Coromandel,
Dm G
In his jug without a handle
Am C
Still she weeps, and daily moans;
Dm Em
On that little heap of stones
Am Dm
To her Dorking Hens she moans,
F E7
For the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo,
Am F Dm