I picked up the Alice in Wonderland soundtrack today. There are some good songs on it. IMHO it's worth a listen.

FYI ~ There are 2 different "soundtracks" available ~


The first ~ "Almost Alice" contains songs from various artists ranging from the unknown to the known.  Since I love lyrics I personally fell heavy for this one (see left)



But I do like the other one too! Damn if money only grew on trees I would be one happy camper!







The second is from Danny Elfman who was originally the frontman of art punk band Oingo Bongo, who had a hit with the title song to the movie Weird Science (what a classic tune and an interesting movie - Thanks to John Hughes).  Later he became better known as the guy who wrote the theme to The Simpsons, as well as composing soundtracks for many other popular TV shows and films.

Elfman, who is Burton's long time collaborator, was nominated for 4 Academy Awards® and 10 GRAMMY® Awards.  He musically lends a magical, whimsical and imaginative twist on one of the most beloved stories of all time.  Elfman has written close to 50 film scores featuring his unique sound including The Nightmare Before Christmas, Beetlejuice, Batman, Spider-Man, Edward Scissorhands, Men in Black and more.



For your enjoyment I have included a couple of clips below from the first. One is from Franz Fernald while the other artist/group is Shinedown.  Please scroll on down and read along with the following verse from Lewis Carroll to find the songs.

The Lobster-Quadrille by Lewis Carroll

Chapter 10 from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

The Mock Turtle sighed deeply, and drew the back of one flapper across his eyes.  He looked at Alice and tried to speak, but, for a minute or two, sobs choked his voice.

"Same as if he had a bone in his throat," said the Gryphon; and it set to work shaking him and punching him in the back.  At last the Mock Turtle recovered his voice, and, with tears running down his cheeks, he went on again:

“You may not have lived much under the sea—”  ("I haven’t,” said Alice)—
"and perhaps you were never even introduced to a lobster— " (Alice began to say, “I once tasted—” but checked herself hastily, and said, “No, never”)

“—so you can have no idea what a delightful thing a Lobster-Quadrille is!”
“No, indeed,” said Alice. “What sort of a dance is it?”

“Why,” said the Gryphon, “you first form into a line along the sea-shore—”

“Two lines!” cried the Mock Turtle. “Seals, turtles, salmon, and so on: then, when you’ve cleared all the jelly-fish out of the way—”

“That generally takes some time,” interrupted the Gryphon.

“—you advance twice—”

“Each with a lobster as a partner!” cried the Gryphon.

“Of course,” the Mock Turtle said: “advance twice, set to partners—”

“—change lobsters, and retire in same order,” continued the Gryphon.

“Then, you know,” the Mock Turtle went on, “you throw the—”

“The lobsters!” shouted the Gryphon, with a bound into the air.

“—as far out to sea as you can—”

“Swim after them!” screamed the Gryphon.

“Turn a somersault in the sea!” cried the Mock Turtle, capering wildly about.

“Change lobsters again!” yelled the Gryphon at the top of its voice.

“Back to land again, and—that’s all the first figure,” said the Mock Turtle, suddenly dropping his voice; and the two creatures, who had been jumping about like mad things all this time, sat down again very sadly and quietly and looked at Alice.

“It must be a very pretty dance,” said Alice timidly.

“Would you like to see a little of it?” said the Mock Turtle.

“Very much indeed,” said Alice.

“Come, let’s try the first figure!” said the Mock Turtle to the Gryphon. “We can do it without lobsters, you know. Which shall sing?”

“Oh, you sing,” said the Gryphon. “I’ve forgotten the words.”

So they began solemnly dancing round and round Alice, every now and then treading on her toes when they passed too close, and waving their fore-paws to mark the time, while the Mock Turtle sang this, very slowly and sadly:

The First music clip is from Franz Fernald ~

Click on > to listen to Franz Fernald's song "The Lobster Quardille"
(then read along with the lyrics below)



“Will you walk a little faster?” said a whiting to a snail,
“There’s a porpoise close behind us, and he’s treading on my
tail.
See how eagerly the lobsters and the turtles all advance!
They are waiting on the shingle—will you come and join the
dance?
Will you, won’t you, will you, won’t you, will you join the
dance?
Will you, won’t you, will you, won’t you, won’t you join the
dance?

“You can really have no notion how delightful it will be
When they take us up and throw us, with the lobsters, out
to sea!"
But the snail replied, “Too far, too far!” and gave a look
askance—

Said he thanked the whiting kindly, but he would not join
the dance.
Would not, could not, would not, could not, would not join
the dance.
Would not, could not, would not, could not, could not join
the dance.

“What matters it how far we go?” his scaly friend replied.
“There is another shore, you know, upon the other side.
The further off from England the nearer is to France—
Then turn not pale, beloved snail, but come and join the
dance.
Will you, won’t you, will you, won’t you, will you join the
dance?
Will you, won’t you, will you, won’t you, won’t you join the
dance?”

To be continued....



Click on > to listen to Shinedown's song "Her Name Is Alice" And please continue scrolling down for a wee bit more of Alice amusements and other ideas and thoughts...

Check out the many Alice in Wonderland books available in the slide show to the left.

Run the mouse over the pictures to see the great prices available!

There is free shipping available on many of them (see terms)

To the left is a statue in Central Park, NY

(I will tell you more about the statue later ~ so please come back!)







If yoy enjoy these tidbits please leave a comment below.  That's the only way I know what the readers (whom ever they may be) like.

2 more Alice in Wonderland Videos

2 more videos to enjoy

Oysters on a half shell......

The Walrus and the Carpenter



a poem by Lewis Carroll
 
 
The sun was shining on the sea,
Shining with all his might;
He did his very best to make
The billows smooth and bright—
And this was odd, because it was
The middle of the night.

The moon was shining sulkily,
Because she thought the sun
Had got no business to be there
After the day was done—
"It's very rude of him," she said,
"To come and spoil the fun!"

The sea was wet as wet could be,
The sands were dry as dry.
You could not see a cloud, because
No cloud was in the sky;
No birds were flying overhead—
There were no birds to fly.

The Walrus and the Carpenter
Were walking close at hand;
They wept like anything to see
Such quantities of sand.
"If this were only cleared away,"
They said, "it would be grand!"

"If seven maids with seven mops
Swept it for half a year,
Do you suppose," the Walrus said,
"That they could get it clear?"
"I doubt it," said the Carpenter,
And shed a bitter tear.

"O Oysters, come and walk with us!"
The Walrus did beseech.
"A pleasant walk, a pleasant talk,
Along the briny beach;
We cannot do with more than four,
To give a hand to each."

The eldest Oyster looked at him,
But never a word he said;
The eldest Oyster winked his eye,
And shook his heavy head—
Meaning to say he did not choose
To leave the oyster-bed.

But four young Oysters hurried up,
All eager for the treat;
Their coats were brushed, their faces washed,
Their shoes were clean and neat—
And this was odd, because, you know,
They hadn't any feet.

Four other Oysters followed them,
And yet another four;
And thick and fast they came at last,
And more, and more, and more—
All hopping through the frothy waves,
And scrambling to the shore.

The Walrus and the Carpenter
Walked on a mile or so,
And then they rested on a rock
Conveniently low;
And all the little Oysters stood
And waited in a row.

"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes—and ships—and sealing-wax—
And cabbages—and kings—
And why the sea is boiling hot—
And whether pigs have wings."

"But wait a bit," the Oysters cried,
"Before we have our chat;
For some of us are out of breath,
And all of us are fat!"
"No hurry!" said the Carpenter.
They thanked him much for that.

"A loaf of bread," the Walrus said,
"Is what we chiefly need;
Pepper and vinegar besides
Are very good indeed—
Now if you're ready, Oysters dear,
We can begin to feed."

"But not on us!" the Oysters cried,
Turning a little blue.
"After such kindness, that would be
A dismal thing to do!"
"The night is fine," the Walrus said,
"Do you admire the view?"

"It was so kind of you to come!
And you are very nice!"
The Carpenter said nothing but
"Cut us another slice.
I wish you were not quite so deaf—
I've had to ask you twice!"

"It seems a shame," the Walrus said,
"To play them such a trick,
After we've brought them out so far,
And made them trot so quick!"
The Carpenter said nothing but
"The butter's spread too thick!"

"I weep for you," the Walrus said;
"I deeply sympathize."
With sobs and tears he sorted out
Those of the largest size,
Holding his pocket-handkerchief
Before his streaming eyes.

"O Oysters," said the Carpenter,
"You've had a pleasant run!
Shall we be trotting home again?"
But answer came there none—
And this was scarcely odd, because
They'd eaten every one.

The Walrus and the Carpenter
Lewis Carroll

 

The premise of the 1967 The Beatles song, “I am the Walrus,” is attributed to Lewis Carroll’s poem, “The Walrus and the Carpenter,” from the book Through the Looking Glass (1871). The Beatles nonsensical and psychedelic lyrics hold true to Carroll’s imagined world, although they did not fully understand that the Walrus was essentially the villain of Carroll’s story because they have identified us—us being all of humanity—with the Walrus. Indeed, the lyric “I am he/ as you are he/ as you are me/ and we are all together…” demonstrates the identification with the Walrus, who hardheartedly eats a family of oysters and leaves none for his human cohort the Carpenter. He is greedy, apathetic, and altogether unkind. Yet The Beatles decided to write a lyrical contribution to the character, albeit with the influence of acid. How you interpret the text reveals much more about yourself than the writing or the lyrics.

and don't forget I am the Walrus!

Click play to listen to the Beatles "I Am The Walrus"

and one last you tube for everyone...

Jabberwocky

JABBERWOCKY


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.

(No Jabberwockys were harmed in the posting of this poem)

The nonsense poem is one very symbolic of Lewis Carrol's, who together with a penchant for little girls, was also a lover of linguistics. It centers around the figure of the fearful monster Jabberwock, and its heroic slaying.The actual Jabberwock was immortalised through Tenniel's expert illustration as a dragon-like creature.

Perhaps the main interest in this poem is in Carroll's imaginative use of language to give a sense of semantics to otherwise nonsense words. He often uses what is known in linguistics as portmanteaus, that is, a blend of words. Humpty Dumpty later meets up with Alice and gives meanings to these invented words. In the first verse, for instance, the word 'slithy' is explained as a blend of the words 'lithe' and 'slimey'. 'Mimsy', a word used to described Carroll's borogroves, was explained by Humpty to be a mixture of 'flimsy' and 'miserable'.

The greatness of the poem lies indeed here - in the way that Carroll made use of normal english verse, with sound sentence structure and the quatrained, rhymed verse with iambic meter to make it sound like an ordinary children's poem. Flickerings of semi-familar words as sprinkled throughout the poem further emphasise this aura of normality. The poem enables easy reading, because the words in themselves, being blends, appear familiar - yet reading it will leave one only half comprehending of the content and oddly so. Alice explained it best herself after she finished reading the poem:

"... Somehow it seems to fill my head with ideas--only I don't exactly know what they are!"