Antigonish (poem)
Encyclopedia
"Antigonish" is a poem by American
educator and poet
Hughes Mearns. It is also known as "The Little Man Who Wasn't There", and was a hit song under that title.
, Nova Scotia
, Canada
, the poem was originally part of a play called The Psyco-ed which Mearns had written for an English class at Harvard University
about 1899. In 1910, Mearns put on the play with the Plays and Players, an amateur theatrical group and, on 27 March 1922, newspaper columnist FPA
printed the poem in "The Conning Tower", his column in the New York World
.
Yesterday, upon the stair,
I met a man who wasn’t there
He wasn’t there again today
I wish, I wish he’d go away...
When I came home last night at three
The man was waiting there for me
But when I looked around the hall
I couldn’t see him there at all!
Go away, go away, don’t you come back any more!
Go away, go away, and please don’t slam the door... (slam!)
Last night I saw upon the stair
A little man who wasn’t there
He wasn’t there again today
Oh, how I wish he’d go away
with music by Bernie Hanighen
, both of whom received the songwriting credits. A 12 July 1939 recording of the song by the Glenn Miller Orchestra
with vocals by Tex Beneke
became an 11-week hit on Your Hit Parade
reaching #7. Other versions were recorded by Larry Clinton & His Orchestra
with vocals by Ford Leary, Bob Crosby & His Orchestra
with vocals by Teddy Grace
, Jack Teagarden & His Orch Orchestra
with vocals by Teagarden, and Mildred Bailey
.
In 2005, the U.S. American aggrotech band Psyclon Nine
featured a sample of the poem in the song "The Unfortunate" from their album INRI. In 2005, the U.S. Christian metal
band Nodes of Ranvier
includes lines from this poem in the song, "Novocain For No Reason". In 2007, the Swedish
black
/doom metal
band Shining featured a sample of the poem in the opening of their album, V - Halmstad
. The poem is also sampled in the EBM
song "Recognition" by The Parallel Project
.
Similar lyrics can be heard in the song "The Man Who Sold the World
" by David Bowie
, popularly covered by Nirvana
...
...furthermore, in an example of meme
, pop band Visage
(a legacy of David Bowie
) depict in their music video clip "Mind of a Toy
" - a nighttime meeting/passing upon a staircase with a little man who fades away.
The poem is referenced in OTEP
's song "Communion" from their 2007 album The Ascension, and Chino XL
's song "Skin" from the album Poison Pen
. The psy-trance band Xerox and Illumination used an excerpt from the poem in the song "Paranoia" from their album XI.
Imperial Vengeance's
2011 album Black Heart of Empire featured a song entitled "Upon the Stair", inspired by the poem.
around the time of the Church Committee
hearings read:
A version appeared in March 2008 that played on the contrast between UK Prime Ministers Tony Blair
(1997–2007) and Gordon Brown
(2007-2010). Allegedly it was composed by a minister in the Labour government.
A version appeared in issue 33 of the DC Comics
title 52
. It was spoken by The Question
In a dissent in the 2008 United States Supreme Court case Crawford v. Marion County Election Board
, Justice David Souter
referenced the poem when he noted that, "The State responds to the want of evidence with the assertion that in-person voter impersonation fraud is hard to detect. But this is like saying the 'man who wasn't there' is hard to spot".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
educator and poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
Hughes Mearns. It is also known as "The Little Man Who Wasn't There", and was a hit song under that title.
Poem
Inspired by reports of a ghost of a man roaming the stairs of a haunted house in AntigonishAntigonish, Nova Scotia
Antigonish is a Canadian town in Antigonish County, Nova Scotia. The town is home to St. Francis Xavier University and the oldest continuous highland games in North America.-History:...
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, the poem was originally part of a play called The Psyco-ed which Mearns had written for an English class at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
about 1899. In 1910, Mearns put on the play with the Plays and Players, an amateur theatrical group and, on 27 March 1922, newspaper columnist FPA
Franklin Pierce Adams
Franklin Pierce Adams was an American columnist, well known by his initials F.P.A., and wit, best known for his newspaper column, "The Conning Tower", and his appearances as a regular panelist on radio's Information Please...
printed the poem in "The Conning Tower", his column in the New York World
New York World
The New York World was a newspaper published in New York City from 1860 until 1931. The paper played a major role in the history of American newspapers...
.
Text
Yesterday, upon the stair,
I met a man who wasn’t there
He wasn’t there again today
I wish, I wish he’d go away...
When I came home last night at three
The man was waiting there for me
But when I looked around the hall
I couldn’t see him there at all!
Go away, go away, don’t you come back any more!
Go away, go away, and please don’t slam the door... (slam!)
Last night I saw upon the stair
A little man who wasn’t there
He wasn’t there again today
Oh, how I wish he’d go away
Song
In 1939, "Antigonish" was adapted as a popular song titled "The Little Man Who Wasn't There" by Harold AdamsonHarold Adamson
For the Toronto Police Chief see Harold Adamson Harold Adamson was an American lyricist during the 1930s and 1940s.- Biography :...
with music by Bernie Hanighen
Bernie Hanighen
Bernard D. Hanighen was an American songwriter best known for co-writing "'Round Midnight" and "When a Woman Loves a Man"...
, both of whom received the songwriting credits. A 12 July 1939 recording of the song by the Glenn Miller Orchestra
Glenn Miller Orchestra
The Glenn Miller Orchestra was originally formed in 1938 by Glenn Miller. It was arranged around a clarinet and tenor saxophone playing melody, while three other saxophones played the harmony...
with vocals by Tex Beneke
Tex Beneke
Gordon Lee Beneke , professionally known as Tex Beneke, was an American saxophonist, singer, and bandleader. His career is a history of associations with bandleader Glenn Miller and former musicians and singers who worked with Miller. His band is also associated with the careers of Eydie Gorme...
became an 11-week hit on Your Hit Parade
Your Hit Parade
Your Hit Parade, is an American radio and television music program that was broadcast from 1935 to 1955 on radio, and seen from 1950 to 1959 on television. It was sponsored by American Tobacco's Lucky Strike cigarettes. During this 24-year run, the show had 19 orchestra leaders and 52 singers or...
reaching #7. Other versions were recorded by Larry Clinton & His Orchestra
Larry Clinton
Larry Clinton was a trumpeter who became a prominent American bandleader.-Biography:Clinton was born in Brooklyn, New York. He became a versatile musician, capable of playing trumpet, trombone, and clarinet...
with vocals by Ford Leary, Bob Crosby & His Orchestra
Bob Crosby
George Robert "Bob" Crosby was an American dixieland bandleader and vocalist, best known for his group the Bob-Cats.-Family:...
with vocals by Teddy Grace
Teddy Grace
Teddy Grace was an American female jazz singer.-Biography:Grace first sang professionally in 1931. She sang on radio in the American South and worked with the bands of Al Katz , Tommy Christian , and Mal Hallett...
, Jack Teagarden & His Orch Orchestra
Jack Teagarden
Weldon Leo "Jack" Teagarden , known as "Big T" and "The Swingin' Gate", was an influential jazz trombonist, bandleader, composer, and vocalist, regarded as the "Father of Jazz Trombone".-Early life:...
with vocals by Teagarden, and Mildred Bailey
Mildred Bailey
Mildred Bailey was a popular and influential American jazz singer during the 1930s, known as "The Rockin' Chair Lady" and "Mrs. Swing"...
.
Appearances in popular culture
Mearns' "Antigonish" has been used numerous times in popular culture, often with slight variations in the lines. Versions are frequently featured in modern entertainment:Film
- IdentityIdentity (film)Identity is a 2003 American thriller-mystery film, directed by James Mangold and written by Michael Cooney. The film stars John Cusack, Ray Liotta, John C. McGinley and Amanda Peet. The plot was inspired by Agatha Christie's novel And Then There Were None.-Plot:Malcolm Rivers is awaiting...
- Velvet GoldmineVelvet GoldmineVelvet Goldmine is a 1998 British/American drama film directed and co-written by Todd Haynes. The film tells the story of a pop star based mainly on David Bowie's 'Ziggy Stardust' character and is set in Britain during the days of glam rock in the early 1970s.Sandy Powell received another Academy...
- Being CyrusBeing CyrusBeing Cyrus is an English language Indian film directed by Homi Adajania and released in 2006. It is a psychological drama revolving around a dysfunctional Parsi family...
- Logan's RunLogan's RunLogan's Run is a novel by William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson. Published in 1967, it depicts a dystopic ageist future society in which both population and the consumption of resources are maintained in equilibrium by requiring the death of everyone reaching a particular age...
- The Haunting in ConnecticutThe Haunting in ConnecticutThe Haunting in Connecticut is a 2009 American psychological horror film produced by Gold Circle Films and directed by Peter Cornwell. It is alleged to have occurred to Karen Parker and her family, though Ray Garton, author of In a Dark Place: The Story of a True Haunting , has publicly distanced...
- The Man Who Wasn't ThereThe Man Who Wasn't ThereThe Man Who Wasn't There is a 2001 neo-noir film written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. Billy Bob Thornton stars in the title role. Also featured are James Gandolfini, Tony Shalhoub, Scarlett Johansson, Adam Alexi-Malle and Coen regulars Frances McDormand, Michael Badalucco, and Jon...
; title was taken directly from this poem - KnowingKnowing (film)Knowing is a 2009 American-British science fiction film directed by Alex Proyas and starring Nicolas Cage. The project was originally attached to a number of directors under Columbia Pictures, but it was placed in turnaround and eventually picked up by Escape Artists. Production was financially...
Literature
- DreamcatcherDreamcatcher (novel)Dreamcatcher is a horror novel written by Stephen King. It was adapted into a 2003 movie of the same name. The book, written longhand, was the author's tool for recuperation from a 1999 car accident, and was completed in half a year...
- Halting StateHalting StateHalting State is a novel by Charles Stross, published in the United States on October 2, 2007 and in the UK in January, 2008. Stross has said that it is "a thriller set in the software houses that write multiplayer games". The plot centres around a bank robbery in a virtual world. It features...
- Dead Guilty
- The Ambler WarningThe Ambler WarningThe Ambler Warning is a Robert Ludlum spy thriller that takes us to a place on Parrish Island, a restricted island off the coast of Virginia....
- Major OperationMajor OperationMajor Operation is a 1971 science fiction book by author James White and is the third volume in the Sector General series. The book collects together a series of five short stories, all of which were originally published in New Worlds magazine....
- Q-SquaredQ-SquaredQ-Squared is a non-canon Star Trek novel by acclaimed author Peter David. It spent two weeks on the New York Times bestseller list in 1994....
- The Silent Tower
- Shades of Grey
- Being Human (Star Trek New Frontier, No 12)
- Night of the Jabberwock
- The Immortal Highlander
- Aristotle and an Aardvark Go to Washington
- Methuselah's ChildrenMethuselah's ChildrenMethuselah's Children is a science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein, originally serialized in Astounding Science Fiction in the July, August, and September 1941 issues. It was expanded into a full-length novel in 1958....
- Robert A. HeinleinRobert A. HeinleinRobert Anson Heinlein was an American science fiction writer. Often called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was one of the most influential and controversial authors of the genre. He set a standard for science and engineering plausibility and helped to raise the genre's standards of... - LostLost (novel)Lost is a novel by Gregory Maguire, based on A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens-Plot summary:Winifred Rudge, a writer, travels to London to visit a distant cousin, and to research a new novel about a woman haunted by the ghost of Jack the Ripper...
- Prometheus RisingPrometheus RisingPrometheus Rising is a book by Robert Anton Wilson first published in 1983. It is a guide book of "how to get from here to there", an amalgam of Timothy Leary's 8-circuit model of consciousness, Gurdjieff's self-observation exercises, Alfred Korzybski's general semantics, Aleister Crowley's magical...
Comics
- The QuestionQuestion (comics)The Question is a fictional character, a superhero in comic books published by DC Comics. The original was created by writer-artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Blue Beetle #1...
(DC ComicsDC ComicsDC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
), written by Dennis O'NeilDennis O'NeilDennis J. "Denny" O'Neil is an American comic book writer and editor, principally for Marvel Comics and DC Comics in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, and Group Editor for the Batman family of books until his retirement.... - 5252Year 52 was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Sulla and Otho...
(DC Comics), written by Greg RuckaGreg RuckaGregory "Greg" Rucka is an American comic book writer and novelist, known for his work on such comics as Action Comics, Batwoman: Detective Comics, and the miniseries Superman: World of New Krypton for DC Comics, and for novels such as his Queen & Country series.-Career:Rucka's writing career...
, Geoff JohnsGeoff JohnsGeoff Johns is an American comic book writer, best known for his work for DC Comics, where he has been Chief Creative Officer since February 2010, in particular for characters such as Green Lantern, The Flash and Superman...
, Grant MorrisonGrant MorrisonGrant Morrison is a Scottish comic book writer, playwright and occultist. He is known for his nonlinear narratives and counter-cultural leanings, as well as his successful runs on titles like Animal Man, Doom Patrol, JLA, The Invisibles, New X-Men, Fantastic Four, All-Star Superman, and...
and Mark WaidMark WaidMark Waid is an American comic book writer. He is well known for his eight-year run as writer of the DC Comics' title The Flash, as well as his scripting of the limited series Kingdom Come and Superman: Birthright, and his work on Marvel Comics' Captain America... - Sin Titulo (self-published), written and illustrated by Cameron StewartCameron StewartCameron Stewart is an Eisner Award and Shuster Award-winning and Eagle Award and Harvey Award-nominated Canadian comic book artist who has worked for DC, Marvel, and Dark Horse Comics.-Biography:...
Television
- Sapphire and Steel
- Midsomer MurdersMidsomer MurdersMidsomer Murders is a British television detective drama that has aired on ITV since 1997. The show is based on the books by Caroline Graham, as originally adapted by Anthony Horowitz. The lead character is DCI Tom Barnaby who works for Causton CID. When Nettles left the show in 2011 he was...
- La Femme Nikita
- A Touch Of FrostA Touch of Frost (TV series)A Touch of Frost is a television detective series produced by Yorkshire Television for ITV from 1992 until 2010, initially based on the Frost novels by R. D. Wingfield....
- LostLost (TV series)Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...
- P.D. James, Cover Her Face (BBC miniseries)
Music
In 1971, on their eponymous album, the Danish band "Midnight Sun" (A.K.A. "The Rainbow Band") released the song "Nobody" which has as its lyrics the first verse of the poem.In 2005, the U.S. American aggrotech band Psyclon Nine
Psyclon Nine
Psyclon Nine is a musical group formed in 2000 in the San Francisco Bay Area. While their early efforts are generally categorized as aggrotech, their more recent material has incorporated a disparate set of musical and aesthetic influences, notably industrial metal. The group took a hiatus at the...
featured a sample of the poem in the song "The Unfortunate" from their album INRI. In 2005, the U.S. Christian metal
Christian metal
Christian metal, also known as white metal, is a form of heavy metal music usually defined by its message in a song's lyrics as well as the band's dedication to Christianity...
band Nodes of Ranvier
Nodes of Ranvier (band)
Nodes of Ranvier was a Christian metal/metalcore band from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA, that was signed to Victory Records. The band is described as "one of Sioux Falls' most successful and popular acts ever." They have played with bands such as Bleeding Through, Every Time I Die, Bury Your...
includes lines from this poem in the song, "Novocain For No Reason". In 2007, the Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
black
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
/doom metal
Doom metal
Doom metal is an extreme form of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other metal genres...
band Shining featured a sample of the poem in the opening of their album, V - Halmstad
Halmstad (album)
Halmstad is the fifth album by Shining. It was released by Osmose Productions on April 16, 2007. A black LP edition was released and limited to 500 copies....
. The poem is also sampled in the EBM
Electronic body music
Electronic body music or industrial dance is a music genre that combines elements of industrial music and electronic dance music...
song "Recognition" by The Parallel Project
Negative Format
Negative Format is the one-man EBM/trance band of Alex Matheu, started in 1996. For live performances, the band includes Rashree and Brian Matson....
.
Similar lyrics can be heard in the song "The Man Who Sold the World
The Man Who Sold the World (song)
"The Man Who Sold the World" is a song by David Bowie. It is the title track of his third album, released in the U.S. in November 1970 and in the UK in April 1971. The song has been covered by a number of other artists, notably by Lulu in 1974, and Nirvana in 1993.-Inspiration and explanation:The...
" by David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
, popularly covered by Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
...
We passed upon the stair
We spoke of was and when
Although I wasn't there
He said I was his friend...
...furthermore, in an example of meme
Meme
A meme is "an idea, behaviour or style that spreads from person to person within a culture."A meme acts as a unit for carrying cultural ideas, symbols or practices, which can be transmitted from one mind to another through writing, speech, gestures, rituals or other imitable phenomena...
, pop band Visage
Visage
Visage are a British New Wave rock band. Formed in 1978, the band became closely linked to the burgeoning New Romantic fashion movement of the early 1980s, and are best known for their 1980 hit "Fade to Grey".-New Wave years :...
(a legacy of David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
) depict in their music video clip "Mind of a Toy
Mind Of A Toy
"Mind of a Toy" is the third single by the British pop group Visage, released on Polydor Records in March 1981, and also the third to be taken from Visage's eponymous debut album...
" - a nighttime meeting/passing upon a staircase with a little man who fades away.
The poem is referenced in OTEP
Otep
Otep is an American heavy metal band formed in 2000 in Los Angeles, California by Otep Shamaya.-History:Otep originally was a four-piece nu metal band that began in Los Angeles, California in early 2000...
's song "Communion" from their 2007 album The Ascension, and Chino XL
Chino XL
Derek Keith Barbosa , better known by his stage name Chino XL, is an American hip hop lyricist, battle rapper, and actor of Puerto Rican and African American descent...
's song "Skin" from the album Poison Pen
Poison Pen
Poison Pen is the third studio album by Chino XL, an American hip hop musician. Fans anticipated this release ever since Chino XL's Poison Pen: The Lost Tapes, which featured the tracks "Beastin'", "Our Time", and "Wordsmith". Poison Pen was released as a 2-disc special collector's edition. Every...
. The psy-trance band Xerox and Illumination used an excerpt from the poem in the song "Paranoia" from their album XI.
Imperial Vengeance's
Imperial Vengeance
Imperial Vengeance are an English heavy metal band, from Essex formed in 2007 by former Cradle of Filth guitarist C. Edward Alexander , and David Bryan...
2011 album Black Heart of Empire featured a song entitled "Upon the Stair", inspired by the poem.
Other media
A version printed in Mad magazineMad (magazine)
Mad is an American humor magazine founded by editor Harvey Kurtzman and publisher William Gaines in 1952. Launched as a comic book before it became a magazine, it was widely imitated and influential, impacting not only satirical media but the entire cultural landscape of the 20th century.The last...
around the time of the Church Committee
Church Committee
The Church Committee is the common term referring to the United States Senate Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities, a U.S. Senate committee chaired by Senator Frank Church in 1975. A precursor to the U.S...
hearings read:
There was a man upon the stair
When I looked back, he wasn't there
He wasn't there again today
I think he's from the CIA.
A version appeared in March 2008 that played on the contrast between UK Prime Ministers Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
(1997–2007) and Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
(2007-2010). Allegedly it was composed by a minister in the Labour government.
In Downing Street upon the stair
I met a man who wasn't Blair.
He wasn't Blair again today.
Oh how I wish he'd go away.
A version appeared in issue 33 of the DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
title 52
52 (comics)
52 was a weekly American comic book limited series published by DC Comics that debuted on May 10, 2006, one week after the conclusion of the seven-issue Infinite Crisis. The series was written by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, and Mark Waid with layouts by Keith Giffen...
. It was spoken by The Question
Question (comics)
The Question is a fictional character, a superhero in comic books published by DC Comics. The original was created by writer-artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Blue Beetle #1...
...Upon the stair,
I met a man who was not there...
He was not there again today,
I wish to gosh he'd go away.
In a dissent in the 2008 United States Supreme Court case Crawford v. Marion County Election Board
Crawford v. Marion County Election Board
Crawford v. Marion County Election Board, 553 U.S. 181 was a United States Supreme Court case holding that an Indiana law requiring voters to provide photo IDs did not violate the Constitution of the United States.-Background:...
, Justice David Souter
David Souter
David Hackett Souter is a former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. He served from 1990 until his retirement on June 29, 2009. Appointed by President George H. W. Bush to fill the seat vacated by William J...
referenced the poem when he noted that, "The State responds to the want of evidence with the assertion that in-person voter impersonation fraud is hard to detect. But this is like saying the 'man who wasn't there' is hard to spot".