6 Comments
User's avatar
copans's avatar

Wonderful podcast. I was noticing that in popular song, sometimes a lyric will stick with me and I will realize at least partially scan like early English alliterative verse (2 stressed alliterations in the first part, one in the second, usually near the beginning). Examples escape me at the moment. "The fourth, the fifth/The minor fall, the major lift" Not quite, but close. I wonder if anyone has tried writing a whole song. "Catch a boat to England baby, maybe to Spain" the be in maybe is emphasized. (Jackson C Frank's great Blues Run the Game). I'll keep looking. Moy point is that I still think there is some magic in that old formula that pops up now and again.

Expand full comment
Kieran Garland's avatar

this was so good. thank you

Expand full comment
Henry Oliver's avatar

Glad you liked it! I thought she was splendid

Expand full comment
Kieran Garland's avatar

yes, and with many threads to follow up on. was fun to learn, too, that Chaucer had a sort of Bach-like gift for weaving mathematical tricks into his writing

Expand full comment
Kieran Garland's avatar

well, one at least

Expand full comment
Rose Marie Szulc's avatar

Fascinating, thankyou.

Expand full comment