Little Trotty Wagtail

Little Trotty Wagtail he went in the rain
And twittering, tottering sideways he ne'er got straight again,
He stooped to get a worm and looked up to get a fly,
And then he flew away ere his feathers they were dry.

Little Trotty Wagtail he waddled in the mud,
And left his little footmarks, trample where he would.
He waddled in the water pudge and waggle went his tail,
And chirrupt up his wings to dry upon the garden rail.

Little Trotty Wagtail, you nimble all about,
And in the dimpling waterpudge you waddle in and out;
Your home is nigh at hand and in the warm pig stye,
So, little Master Wagtail, I'll bid you a goodbye.

by John Clare (1793-1864) , "Little Trotty Wagtail", from Life and Remains of John Clare, published 1873

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

by Edgar Leslie Bainton (1880-1956) , "Little Trotty Wagtail", published 1929. [unison voices, piano]
by Ian Alfred Copley (1926-) , "Little Trotty Wagtail", published 1963. [unison voices, piano]
by Stephen Dodgson (1924-) , "Trotty Wagtail", first performed 1963 [high voice and guitar], from Four Poems of John Clare, no. ?
by Gordon Percival Septimus Jacob (1895-1984) , "Little Trotty Wagtail", published 1963 [SS chorus and piano], from The Cheerful Birds, no. ?
by Edmund Duncan Rubbra (1901-1986) , "Little Trotty Wagtail", published 1938 [unison children's voices and piano], from Three Bird Songs, no. ?
by Martin Edward Fallas Shaw (1875-1958) , "Little Trotty Wagtail", published 1927. [unison voices, piano]
by Peter Warlock (1894-1930) [pseudonym] , "Little Trotty Wagtail", 1922, published 1923. [voice, piano]
by James Wilson (1922-) , "Trotty Wagtail", 1966 [mezzo-soprano and piano], from Three Birds, no. ?

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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