Archive for the ‘Music Humor & Verse’ Category
Monday, February 25th, 2013
Many people were offended by Seth MacFarlane’s “Saw Your Boobs” at last night’s Oscars. But, at the risk of damaging my feminist cred, I’m not one of them.
Of course, I do understand the negative reaction. However, the song didn’t bother me because I viewed it as parody, rather than misogyny.
But what did bother me at the Oscars was everybody pretending that the Les Misérables cast can sing.
Limerick Ode To Miserable Singing
By Madeleine Begun Kane
There are folks who appear up in arms:
For the “boob song,” they sound the alarms.
But to me, here’s what riled:
Dreadful singing gone wild
In Les Miz — kindly call les gendarmes.
Tags: Award Shows, Bad Singing, Bare Breasts, Boobs, Breasts Humor, Cops & Police, Entertainment Limerick, Feminism, Film Limerick, Les Miserables, Movie & Play Humor, Oscars, Saw Your Boobs, Seth MacFarlane, Singing Humor, TV Humor
Posted in Actors & Actresses, Celebrity Humor, Entertainment Humor, Limericks, Media Humor, Movie & Play Humor, Music Humor & Verse, Music Reviews, Oscars Humor, Physical Appearance, Public Figures, Television (TV) Humor | 12 Comments »
Sunday, February 3rd, 2013
It’s Limerick-Off time, once again. And since it’s Super Bowl Sunday, I’m offering you an alternative: In addition to your regular challenge, you may write a limerick related to the Super Bowl, using any first line. Next week I’ll present an extra award — one for the best Super Bowl limerick.
And now, getting back to your regular Limerick-Off challenge: I write a limerick, and you write your own, using the same first line. Then you post your limerick here and, if you’re a Facebook user, on Facebook too.
The best submission will be crowned Limerick Of The Week. (Here’s last week’s Limerick Of The Week Winner.)
How will your poems be judged? By meter, rhyme, cleverness, and humor. (If you’re feeling a bit fuzzy about limerick writing rules, here’s my How To Write A Limerick article.)
I’ll announce the Limerick of the Week Winner next Sunday, right before I post next week’s Limerick-Off. So that gives you a full week to submit your clever, polished verse. Your submission deadline is Saturday at 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Time.)
I hope you’ll join me in writing a limerick with this first line:
A man who’d been recently canned…*
or
A gal who’d been recently canned…*
or
A man who’d been served something canned…*
or
A gal who’d been served something canned…*
*(Please note that minor variations to my first lines are acceptable. However, rhyme words may not be altered, except by using homonyms or homophones.)
Here’s my limerick:
Canned Limerick
By Madeleine Begun Kane
A pianist, quite recently canned,
Was promoting his newly-formed band.
But his bucks now are fewer:
He bribed a reviewer
Who wrote for one K, “This band’s grand!”
Please feel free to write your own limerick using the same first line and post it in my comments. And if you’re on Facebook, I hope you’ll join my friends in that same activity on my Facebook Limerick-Off post.
To receive an email alert whenever I post a new Limerick-Off, please email Madkane@MadKane.com Subject: MadKane’s Newsletter. Thanks!
Tags: Band Humor, Bribe, Competition Limerick, Football Humor, Limerick Challenge, Limerick Contest, Money Verse, Music Humor & Verse, Pianists, Poetry & Prompts, Promotion Verse, Reviewer Humor, Sports Humor, Super Bowl Sunday, Writing Prompts
Posted in Contests, Limerick & Haiku Prompts, Limerick Competition, Limerick Contest, Limerick Writing Contest, Limerick-Offs, Limericks, Money & Finance Humor, Music Humor & Verse, Poetry & Prompts, Poetry Contest, Sports Humor | 109 Comments »
Tuesday, December 18th, 2012
Curmudgeonly Limerick
By Madeleine Begun Kane
A curmudgeon was in a foul mood —
Even worse than his usual tude.
So his concert review
Read in bold letters, “BOO!”
He was paid by the word … so not shrewd.
UPDATE: January 29 is Curmudgeons Day.
Tags: Behavior Humor, Curmudgeons, Curmudgeons Day, January Holidays, Music Humor & Verse, Odd Holidays, Reviews, Writing & Publishing Humor
Posted in Behavior & Personality, Limericks, Music Humor & Verse, Music Reviews, Odd Holidays, Writing & Publishing Humor | 4 Comments »
Sunday, December 2nd, 2012
It’s Limerick-Off time, once again. And that means I write a limerick, and you write your own, using the same first line. Then you post your limerick here and, if you’re a Facebook user, on Facebook too.
The best submission will be crowned Limerick Of The Week. (Here’s last week’s Limerick Of The Week Winner.)
How will your poems be judged? By meter, rhyme, cleverness, and humor. (If you’re feeling a bit fuzzy about limerick writing rules, here’s my How To Write A Limerick article.)
I’ll announce the Limerick of the Week Winner next Sunday, right before I post next week’s Limerick-Off. So that gives you a full week to submit your clever, polished verse. Your submission deadline is Saturday at 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Time.)
I hope you’ll join me in writing a limerick with this first line:
A man who was rather urbane…*
or
A gal who was rather urbane…*
*(Minor variations to my first lines are acceptable, but rhyme words may not be altered.)
Here’s my limerick:
Urbane Limerick
By Madeleine Begun Kane
A man who was rather urbane
Mocked pop culture as trite and inane.
He did it in song —
Twas a hit before long.
His disdainful refrain now makes rain.
Please feel free to write your own limerick using the same first line and post it in my comments. And if you’re on Facebook, I hope you’ll join my friends in that same activity on my Facebook Limerick-Off post.
To receive an email alert whenever I post a new Limerick-Off, please email Madkane@MadKane.com Subject: MadKane’s Newsletter. Thanks!
Tags: Competition Limerick, Limerick Challenge, Limerick Contest, Music Limerick, Poetry & Prompts, Pop Culture, Rain Making Humor, Song Writing, Sophistication Humor, Urbanity, Writing Prompts
Posted in Behavior & Personality, Contests, Limerick & Haiku Prompts, Limerick Competition, Limerick Contest, Limerick Writing Contest, Limerick-Offs, Limericks, Music Humor & Verse, Poetry & Prompts, Poetry Contest | 72 Comments »
Saturday, November 3rd, 2012
A Sax Tale
By Madeleine Begun Kane
A blowhard musician named Rand
Played sax (not too well) in a band.
He’d blow solos, yet boast.
Now he’s finally toast—
The leader, at last, took a stand.
UPDATE: November 6 is Saxophone Day, in honor of inventor Adolphe Sax’s birthday in 1814.
Tags: Adolphe Sax, Bandleaders Humor, Blowhards Humor, Boasting, Conductor Limerick, Inventions Poem, Inventors, Music Humor & Verse, Music Limerick, November Holidays, Sax Humor, Saxophone Limerick
Posted in Behavior & Personality, Inventions Humor, Music Humor & Verse, Odd Holidays | 9 Comments »
Monday, October 15th, 2012
I swear that this limerick is based on an actual news item: Artist makes music with bird droppings in Liverpool.
Mucked Up Music (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Just what is a person to do
When creative ideas are few?
If your muse flew the coop,
Here’s an int’resting scoop:
Compose music by using bird poo.
Tags: Animals Poetry, Artists, Bird Droppings, Bird Humor, Bird Poo, Composers, Creativity, Inspiration, Music Humor & Verse
Posted in Animal & Pet Humor, Creativity Verse, Limericks, Music Humor & Verse, Music Poems | 11 Comments »
Sunday, September 16th, 2012
It’s Limerick-Off time, once again. And that means I write a limerick, and you write your own, using the same first line. Then you post your limerick here and, if you’re a Facebook user, on Facebook too.
The best submission will be crowned Limerick Of The Week. (Here’s last week’s Limerick Of The Week Winner.)
How will your poems be judged? By meter, rhyme, cleverness, and humor. (If you’re feeling a bit fuzzy about limerick writing rules, here’s my How To Write A Limerick article.)
I’ll announce the Limerick of the Week Winner next Sunday, right before I post next week’s Limerick-Off. So that gives you a full week to submit your clever, polished verse.
I hope you’ll join me in writing a limerick with this first line:
A fellow was trying his hand …*
or
A woman was trying her hand …*
*(Minor variations to my first lines are acceptable, but rhyme words may not be altered.)
Here’s my limerick:
Trying Your Hand At Limericks
By Madeleine Begun Kane
A baker was trying his hand
At launching a rock and roll band.
He played the guitar,
And he hoped to go far.
But alas all his gig dates were panned.
Please feel free to write your own limerick using the same first line and post it in my comments. And if you’re on Facebook, I hope you’ll join my friends in that same activity on my Facebook Limerick-Off post.
To receive an email alert whenever I post a new Limerick-Off, please email Madkane@MadKane.com Subject: MadKane’s Newsletter. Thanks!
Tags: Guitar, Limerick Contest, Music Limerick, Poetry & Prompts, Rock & Roll, Writing Prompts
Posted in Contests, Food & Drink Humor, Limerick & Haiku Prompts, Limerick Contest, Limerick Writing Contest, Limerick-Offs, Limericks, Music Humor & Verse, Music Poems, Poetry & Prompts, Poetry Contest | 84 Comments »
Wednesday, August 15th, 2012
Three Word Wednesday asks us to use Beat, Pressure, and Substance in a poem. In substance, I’ve beaten them into submission, pressuring those words to fit into this limerick:
Dear Conductor (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Dear conductor, you think you’re elite,
But in substance, you’re always off beat.
You pressure musicians
With harsh admonitions.
To follow your stick’s no mean feat.
Tags: Conductor Limerick, Conductors Humor, Music Humor & Verse, Poetry Prompt, Three Word Wednesday
Posted in Music Humor & Verse | 12 Comments »
Thursday, July 26th, 2012
This is my second attempt at macaronic verse — a poem that mixes two languages in a humorous manner. While Latin is often the second language, this macaronic limerick uses musical terms:
Macaronic Music
By Madeleine Begun Kane
If you fiddle around while I speak,
Then I’ll trumpet your lousy technique.
If you flaut me, beware!
Your bass secret will air —
Broken G string and all, horny freak!
(Poets United prompts us to writing something about sound.)
Tags: Macaronic Verse, Music Humor & Verse, Music Limerick, Poetry Forms
Posted in Light Verse, Limericks, Macaronic Verse, Music Humor & Verse, Music Poems, Poetry Forms | 14 Comments »
Thursday, May 17th, 2012
To this day, Last Dance is one of my favorite songs to dance to. RIP Donna Summer!
Limerick Ode To Donna Summer
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Alas we have lost Donna Summer
And her beautiful voice. What a bummer!
She was Hot Stuff, the Queen
Of a musical scene,
Who’s Last Danced to her own disco drummer.
Tags: Bad Girls, Celebrities, Disco, Disco Dance, Donna Summer, Hot Stuff, Last Dance, Limerick Obit, Music Limerick, Musical Verse, Obit, She Worked Hard For The Money
Posted in Limerick Obituary, Limericks, Music Humor & Verse | 9 Comments »
Saturday, May 5th, 2012
What’s even more fun than writing limericks? Writing acrostic limericks:
The Buglers (Acrostic Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Bells up in the air, buglers blare,
Raising rackets most ears can not bear,
And amazing, but true,
Stopping right on their cue.
So their vision, at least, is still there.
(Posted at the DVerse music prompt.)
Tags: Acrostic Poems, Brass Players, Bugles Humor, Music Humor & Verse, Music Limerick, Noise Humor, Noise Poem
Posted in Acrostic Limericks, Limericks, Music Humor & Verse, Noise Humor | 16 Comments »
Thursday, February 23rd, 2012
In its latest Thursday Think Tank, Poets United prompts our muses with the word “strings.” It struck a chord with me, inspiring this limerick tale of an unstrung cellist:
Last-String Limerick
By Madeleine Begun Kane
“That conductor has strung me along,”
Said a cellist. “He’s doing me wrong.
He promised first chair,
But instead I’m nowhere:
Stuck in back, the last stand, near the gong.”
(Related Limericks: Musical Chairs; Musical Faux Pas; and Musical Discord.)
Tags: Cellists Limerick, Cello Humor, Conductor Limerick, Dishonesty, Lies, Music Humor & Verse, Orchestra Musicians, Poets United, String Players, Symphony Verse, Thursday Think Tank
Posted in Honesty Humor, Limericks, Music Humor & Verse | 11 Comments »
Sunday, February 19th, 2012
It’s Limerick-Off time, once again. And that means I write a limerick, and you write your own, using the same first line. Then you post your limerick here and, if you’re a Facebook user, on Facebook too.
The best submission will be crowned Limerick Of The Week. (Here’s last week’s Limerick Of The Week Winner plus the Honorable Mentions.)
How will your poems be judged? By meter, rhyme, and cleverness. (If you’re feeling a bit fuzzy about limerick writing rules, you can find some helpful resources listed here.)
I’ll announce the Limerick of the Week Winner right before I post next week’s Limerick-Off. So that gives you a full week to submit your clever, polished verse.
I hope you’ll join me in writing a limerick with this first line:
A fellow who had a degree…*
or
A woman who had a degree…*
*(Minor variations to my first lines are acceptable, but rhyme words may not be altered.)
Here’s my limerick:
Limerick Degree
By Madeleine Begun Kane
A fellow who had a degree
In law, yes, the dreaded JD,
Found the market dried up,
So he sang for his sup
On a ship after going to sea.
Please feel free to write your own limerick using the same first line and post it in my comments. And if you’re on Facebook, I hope you’ll join my friends in that same activity on my Facebook Limerick-Off post.
To receive an email alert whenever I post a new Limerick-Off, please email Madkane@MadKane.com Subject: MadKane’s Newsletter. Thanks!
Tags: Education & School Humor, JD Humor, Job Market Humor, Lawyer Limerick, Limerick Contest, Music Limerick, Poetry & Prompts, Sea Limerick, Ships, Singing Humor, Travel Humor, Unemployment Humor, Writing Prompts
Posted in Contests, Education & School Humor, Legal & Lawyer Humor, Limerick & Haiku Prompts, Limerick Contest, Limerick Writing Contest, Limerick-Offs, Limericks, Money & Finance Humor, Music Humor & Verse, Poetry & Prompts, Poetry Contest, Travel Humor | 68 Comments »
Saturday, January 28th, 2012
If you enjoy funny song lyrics, you need to give Mark Westin’s latest album a listen. Dark Humour is packed with songs whose cleverness is the envy of humorists like me.
I, for one, can’t resist titles like Narcissistic As Me, Open Mike, When Beautiful People Break Up, and this soon to be classic Falling In Love On Facebook.
In fact, Falling In Love On Facebook was the song that made me fall in love with Mark Westin’s lyrics: A couple of years ago I heard Westin perform it live at one of his regular performance venues: Whistling Willie’s, an excellent restaurant in Cold Spring, New York.
So check it out — you’ll love the lyrics. Besides, Mark Westin plays a mean guitar.
Tags: Album Review, CD Reviews, Dark Humour, Guitar, Mark Westin, Music, Music Review, Recording Review, Restaurants, Song Lyrics, Whistling Willie's
Posted in Music Humor & Verse, Music Reviews, Public Figures | Comments Off on CD Review: Mark Westin’s Dark Humour
Saturday, October 22nd, 2011
Today, October 22, is the birthday of the Hungarian virtuoso pianist/composer/conductor Franz Liszt. Some people consider Liszt to be the world’s first rock star.
Birthday Limerick For Franz Liszt
By Madeleine Begun Kane
The pianist/composer named Liszt
Was as hot as the cancan and twist:
Caused a Beatle-like heat—
Gals would swoon from his beat
And the sounds he produced with each wrist.
Tags: Celebrities, Celebrity Birthdays, Composers, Conductors Humor, Franz Liszt, Music Humor & Verse, Pianists, Public Figures, Rock Stars
Posted in Birthday Verse, Celebrations Poetry, Celebrity Humor, Limericks, Music Humor & Verse, Public Figures | 2 Comments »
Sunday, September 18th, 2011
It’s Limerick-Off time, once again. And that means I write a limerick, and you write your own, using the same first line. Then you post your limerick here and, if you’re a Facebook user, on Facebook too.
As an experiment, I’m offering a freestyle limerick option this week, in addition to my preset pair of lines.
The best submission will be crowned Limerick Of The Week. (Here’s last week’s Limerick Of The Week Winner plus the Honorable Mentions.)
I’ll announce the Limerick of the Week Winner right before I post next week’s Limerick-Off. So that gives you a full week to submit your clever, polished verse.
I hope you’ll join me in writing a limerick with this first line:
A gal who was fast on her feet…
or
A guy who was fast on his feet…
or
Any First Line You Choose
Here’s mine:
Fast Limerick
By Madeleine Begun Kane
A gal who was fast on her feet
Knew a winner she yearned to unseat.
So she challenged the champ
At violin camp,
Where strong arms can outpace someone fleet.
Please feel free to write your own limerick using the same first line (and/or your freestyle limerick) and post it in my comments. And if you’re on Facebook, I hope you’ll join my friends in that same activity on my Facebook Limerick-Off post.
To receive an email alert whenever I post a new Limerick-Off, please send me an email requesting the alerts. You’ll find my email address on the upper right sidebar, in the “Author” section just below my Limerick-Offs button. Thanks!
Tags: Champions, Competition Limerick, Contest Humor, Music Humor & Verse, Poetry & Prompts, Violinist, Writing Prompts
Posted in Contests, Limerick & Haiku Prompts, Limerick Writing Contest, Limerick-Offs, Limericks, Music Humor & Verse, Poetry & Prompts | 43 Comments »
Wednesday, September 7th, 2011
Operatic Acrostic Limerick
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Oh that tenor who’s playing the king
Pierces eardrums while trying to sing.
Easy notes he should reach
Really readily screech,
As we grab some bananas to fling.
(Prompted by Acrostic Only)
If you’d like to read the opera-related humor column that won me the 2008 Robert Benchley Society Award For Humor, here’s my Guide For The Opera Impaired.
Tags: Acrostic Poems, Music Humor & Verse, Opera Humor, Singing Humor, Vocalists
Posted in Acrostic Limericks, Limericks, Music Humor & Verse | 18 Comments »
Wednesday, August 17th, 2011
Words meant to welcome—
“Please make yourself at home.”
remind me I’m not.
*****
Oboist mutes gasp,
playing unviable phrase,
conquering Bizet.
*****
A Nantucket man
knew his much lim’ricked neighbor—
envied him his fame.
*****
Plan for the future,
but never let your planning
erase the present.
*****
An alluring scent,
indecently delicious,
renders gents senseless.
*****
(The first haiku was inspired by Sensational Haiku Wednesday’s home prompt. The second haiku was inspired by 3 Word Wednesday’s prompt to use the words gasp, mute, and viable. That second haiku alludes to a notoriously long and difficult oboe passage in Bizet’s Symphony in C.)
Tags: Bizet, Haiku & Senryu, Home, Music Poetry, Oboe, Planning Humor, Scents
Posted in Advice Humor & Poems, Haiku & Senryu, House & Home Humor, Limericks, Music Humor & Verse | 22 Comments »
Sunday, May 8th, 2011
It’s Limerick-Off time, once again. And that means I write a limerick, and you write your own, using the same first line. Then you post your limerick here and, if you’re a Facebook user, on Facebook too.
The best submission will be crowned Limerick Of The Week. (Here’s last week’s Limerick Of The Week Winner plus the Honorable Mentions.)
How will your poems be judged? By meter, rhyme, and cleverness. (If you’re feeling a bit fuzzy about limerick writing rules, here are two excellent resources: OEDILF on Writing A Limerick and Speedy Snail’s Limerick Rhythm and Meter.)
I’ll announce the Limerick of the Week Winner right before I post next week’s Limerick-Off. So that gives you a full week to submit your clever, polished verse.
I hope you’ll join me in writing a limerick with this first line:
A man thought it time to take stock…
or
A gal thought it time to take stock…
Here’s mine:
Taking Stock Limerick
By Madeleine Begun Kane
A man thought it time to take stock
Of his life in the world of hard rock
Cuz he made little dough
And to add to his woe,
He preferred playing Handel and Bach.
Please feel free to write your own limerick using the same first line and post it in my comments. And if you’re on Facebook, I hope you’ll join my friends in that same activity in my Facebook Limerick-Off post.
To receive an email alert whenever I post a new Limerick-Off, please send me an email requesting the alerts. You’ll find my email address on the upper right sidebar, in the “Author” section just below my Limerick-Offs button. Thanks!
Tags: Bach, Career Poem, Composers, George Frideric Handel, Income Humor, Life Goals, Money Verse, Music Limerick, Poetry & Prompts, Rock & Roll, Taking Stock, Writing Prompts
Posted in Contests, Limerick & Haiku Prompts, Limerick Writing Contest, Limerick-Offs, Limericks, Money & Finance Humor, Music Humor & Verse, Poetry & Prompts, Workplace & Career Humor | 53 Comments »
