“Druidical Songs, by James Wilson, A.D. (i.e., Ancient Druid), of Lodge 91. Adapted to popular and well-known tunes.” George Elliott, Blackfriars Road. London, 1839.—This pamphlet of 48 pages contains a number of songs in praise of the Ancient Order of Druids, to be sung to once popular airs, the majority of which are now quite forgotten. They are not actual Parodies.
“Corn Law Rhymes, and other Poems” by Ebenezer Elliott, London. B. Steill, 1844, contained parodies of “Robin Adair,” “Scots wha hae,” “Rule Britannia,” &c., all relating to the scarcity of food, and the protective duties.
“Songs of the Press, and other Poems,” original and selected, by C. H. Timperley. London. Fisher, Son and Co. 1845.—This amusing work contains a number of songs adapted to popular airs; they are very technical in their language, and only those already quoted can be styled Parodies.
“Motley,” by Cuthbert Bede, B.A., published in 1855 by James Blackwood, London, contained a number of imitations of the popular songs of the day. Most of them related to incidents in the Crimean War.
Professor Browne, of Fenchurch Street, London, hair-dresser and wig maker, has for more than twenty-five years issued small almanacs to his customers. These have contained a number of curious parodies relating to the Professor’s business, and praising his skill and enterprise. In some cases the humour of these productions was very quaint and grotesque.
Numerous short parodies of popular songs are to be found in the theatrical burlesques and extravaganzas produced during the last fifty years. As a rule they consist of a few couplets only, and possess no interest apart from their context. Hundreds of these ephemeral jeux d’esprit have been produced, and the following are the names of the most prolific authors of dramatic burlesques:—Vincent Amcotts; Captain Arbuthnot; William and R. B. Brough; Leicester Buckingham; F. C. Burnand; H. J. Byron; Gilbert A. A’Beckett; C. Dance; Maurice G. Dowling; W. S. Gilbert; H. Such Granville; A. Halliday; W. H. Oxberry; J. R. Planché; R. Reece; William Rogers; Francis Talfourd, and Charles Selby.
A more detailed account of dramatic burlesques will be given in a future volume.
Amongst collections of songs written for societies, such as the Freemasons, Druids, Anglers, Cricket and Football Clubs, Conservative, Liberal, and Radical Associations, many are to be found written to the airs of popular songs. As a rule these are not parodies.
There are numerous advertisement parodies of songs, some of considerable merit; the best of these have been quoted.