Disobedience [AA Milne poem set to music]
Channel: tobydarling
Date: 31/10/2013

Here is another poem from 'When We Were Very Young' (1924) which I have set to music.

The illustrations are by E. H. Shepherd.

A. A. Milne - Disobedience

C
James James 
Am   
Morrison Morrison
F G   
Weatherby George Dupree 
C  
Took great 
Am   
Care of his Mother 
F G  
Though he was only three. 
C 
James James  
Am  
Said to his Mother, 
F G  
"Mother," he said, said he;  
F G
"You must never go down to the end of the town, if
F-G C
you don't go down with me."  

James James    
Morrison's Mother   
Put on a golden gown,   
James James    
Morrison's Mother   
Drove to the end of the town.  
James James    
Morrison's Mother   
Said to herself, said she:  
"I can get right down to the end of the town and be
back in time for tea."   

Am
King John
Em    
Put up a notice,  
F Am 
"LOST or STOLEN or STRAYED! 
Am 
JAMES JAMES  
G  
MORRISON'S MOTHER 
F  E7  
SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN MISLAID.  
F
LAST SEEN 
C   
WANDERING VAGUELY  
Am E7 
QUITE OF HER OWN ACCORD, 
Am D 
SHE TRIED TO GET DOWN TO THE END OF
Am-G Am 
THE TOWN - FORTY SHILLINGS REWARD! 


James James    
Morrison Morrison   
(Commonly known as Jim)   
Told his    
Other relations    
Not to go blaming him.   
James James    
Said to his Mother,   
"Mother," he said, said he,  
"You must never go down to the end of the town with-
out consulting me."   


James James    
Morrison's Mother   
Hasn't been heard of since.  
King John    
Said he was sorry,   
So did the Queen and Prince.  
King John    
(Somebody told me)   
Said to a man he knew:   
"If people go down to the end of the town, well, what
can anyone do?"    

(Now then, very softly)   
J. J.     
M. M.     
W. G. du P.    
Took great    
C/o his M*****    
Though he was only 3.   
J. J.     
Said to his M*****   
"M*****," he said, said he:  
"You-must-never-go-down-to-the-end-of-the-town-if-
you-don't-go-down-with ME!"