Funeral Blues
Encyclopedia
"Funeral Blues" or "Stop all the clocks" is a poem by W. H. Auden
, first published in its final, familiar form in 1938, but based on an earlier version published in 1936.
, by Auden and Christopher Isherwood
. The 1938 four-stanza version was written to be sung by the soprano Hedli Anderson
, in a setting by Benjamin Britten
. This version was first published in an anthology The Year's Poetry, 1938, compiled by Denys Kilham Roberts and Geoffrey Grigson (London, 1938); Auden then included it in his book Another Time
(New York, 1940) as one of four poems headed "Four Cabaret Songs for Miss Hedli Anderson
"; the poem itself was titled "Funeral Blues" in this edition. (Auden never gave the poem any other title.) The text in the British edition of Another Time
has a misprint, showing "woods" for the correct reading "wood"; this error does not occur in any other edition.
In Auden's Collected Poetry (1945) the poem is poem XXX in the section "Songs and Other Musical Pieces". In his Collected Shorter Poems 1927-1957 (1966) the poem is poem IX in the section "Twelve Songs" in Part II, "1933-1938"; the same numbering appears in his posthumous Collected Poems (1976, 1991, 2007).
According to The W. H. Auden Society, only Random House, Faber & Faber, and Curtis Brown Ltd. can give permission to reprint the text.
W. H. Auden
Wystan Hugh Auden , who published as W. H. Auden, was an Anglo-American poet,The first definition of "Anglo-American" in the OED is: "Of, belonging to, or involving both England and America." See also the definition "English in origin or birth, American by settlement or citizenship" in See also...
, first published in its final, familiar form in 1938, but based on an earlier version published in 1936.
Titles and versions
The first, and less widely-known, version of the poem, written and published in 1936, has five stanzas; the 1938 final version has four stanzas. Only the first two stanzas are the same in both versions. The 1936 five-stanza version was a satiric poem of mourning for a political leader, written for the verse play The Ascent of F6The Ascent of F6
The Ascent of F6: A Tragedy in Two Acts, by W. H. Auden and Christopher Isherwood, was the second play in the Auden-Isherwood collaboration, first published in 1936...
, by Auden and Christopher Isherwood
Christopher Isherwood
Christopher William Bradshaw Isherwood was an English-American novelist.-Early life and work:Born at Wyberslegh Hall, High Lane, Cheshire in North West England, Isherwood spent his childhood in various towns where his father, a Lieutenant-Colonel in the British Army, was stationed...
. The 1938 four-stanza version was written to be sung by the soprano Hedli Anderson
Hedli Anderson
Antoinette Millicent Hedley Anderson was an English singer and actor.Known as Hedli Anderson, she studied singing in England and Germany before returning to London in 1934. Anderson joined the Group Theatre, and performed in cabaret and in the initial productions of plays by W. H. Auden,...
, in a setting by Benjamin Britten
Benjamin Britten
Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten, OM CH was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He showed talent from an early age, and first came to public attention with the a cappella choral work A Boy Was Born in 1934. With the premiere of his opera Peter Grimes in 1945, he leapt to...
. This version was first published in an anthology The Year's Poetry, 1938, compiled by Denys Kilham Roberts and Geoffrey Grigson (London, 1938); Auden then included it in his book Another Time
Another Time
Another Time is a book of poems by W. H. Auden, published in 1940.This book contains Auden's shorter poems written between 1936 and 1939, except for those already published in Letters from Iceland and Journey to a War...
(New York, 1940) as one of four poems headed "Four Cabaret Songs for Miss Hedli Anderson
Hedli Anderson
Antoinette Millicent Hedley Anderson was an English singer and actor.Known as Hedli Anderson, she studied singing in England and Germany before returning to London in 1934. Anderson joined the Group Theatre, and performed in cabaret and in the initial productions of plays by W. H. Auden,...
"; the poem itself was titled "Funeral Blues" in this edition. (Auden never gave the poem any other title.) The text in the British edition of Another Time
Another Time
Another Time is a book of poems by W. H. Auden, published in 1940.This book contains Auden's shorter poems written between 1936 and 1939, except for those already published in Letters from Iceland and Journey to a War...
has a misprint, showing "woods" for the correct reading "wood"; this error does not occur in any other edition.
In Auden's Collected Poetry (1945) the poem is poem XXX in the section "Songs and Other Musical Pieces". In his Collected Shorter Poems 1927-1957 (1966) the poem is poem IX in the section "Twelve Songs" in Part II, "1933-1938"; the same numbering appears in his posthumous Collected Poems (1976, 1991, 2007).
Appearances
- The poem was given a setting for chorus and instrumental group by Benjamin BrittenBenjamin BrittenEdward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten, OM CH was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He showed talent from an early age, and first came to public attention with the a cappella choral work A Boy Was Born in 1934. With the premiere of his opera Peter Grimes in 1945, he leapt to...
as part of his incidental music for the first production of The Ascent of F6 in 1937, and later arranged for solo voice and piano in a collection of settings of Auden poems under the title Cabaret Songs. - "Funeral Blues" was the poem read by Matthew (John HannahJohn Hannah (actor)John David Hannah is a Scottish actor of film and television. He has appeared in Stephen Sommers' Mummy Series, Richard Curtis' Four Weddings and a Funeral and Sliding Doors with Gwyneth Paltrow...
) at the funeral of his partner Gareth (Simon CallowSimon CallowSimon Phillip Hugh Callow, CBE is an English actor, writer and theatre director. He is also currently a judge on Popstar to Operastar.-Early years:...
) in the film Four Weddings and a FuneralFour Weddings and a FuneralFour Weddings and a Funeral is a 1994 British comedy film directed by Mike Newell. It was the first of several films by screenwriter Richard Curtis to feature Hugh Grant...
. - It is the English contribution to the statue commemorating the Heysel Stadium disasterHeysel Stadium disasterThe Heysel Stadium disaster occurred on 29 May 1985 when escaping fans were pressed against a wall in the Heysel Stadium in Brussels, Belgium, as a result of rioting before the start of the 1985 European Cup Final between Liverpool of England and Juventus of Italy...
(Belgium), where a retaining wall collapsed, and resulted in 39 deaths on May 29, 1985 when Liverpool FC (England) played Juventus FC (Italy) in the European Cup final (now Champions League). - "Funeral Blues" is the first song on the MunlyJay MunlyJay Munly is a banjo player, guitarist, singer, and songwriter based in Denver, Colorado. He has played a significant role in the development of the "Denver Sound", music that mixes elements of country, Gothic, folk, and gospel...
album Galvanized Yankee (1999). - Excerpts from "Funeral Blues" were used in the DJ Noize song "O.D.B. Tribute", from the CD "Think Differently Music: Wu-Tang Meets the Indie Culture".
- A modified line from this poem appeared in the 2007 video game Portal.
- Bassist for Camper Van BeethovenCamper Van BeethovenCamper Van Beethoven is an American alternative rock group formed in Redlands, California in 1983.An eclectic band, Camper Van Beethoven mixes elements of pop, ska, punk rock, folk and alternative country, as well as various types of world music. Their aggressive musical pluralism created a...
, Victor Krummenacher recorded a musical arrangement of the poem in a bluesBluesBlues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
style. "Funeral Blues" appears on his album "Patriarch's Blues" (Magnetic Records, October 2008). - Rock group U2U2U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
uses a computerized voice to recite a snippet of the poem, during the encore break on their ongoing 360 Tour. http://www.u2tours.com/detail.src?ID=20090724 - In the final episode of the British sitcom Gavin & StaceyGavin & StaceyGavin & Stacey is a British comedy television series. A romantic comedy-drama, the show follows the long-distance relationship of Gavin from Billericay in Essex, England, and Stacey from Barry in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. The writers of the show, actors James Corden and Ruth Jones, also...
the first stanza of the poem is read out at the wedding of Nessa Jenkins and Dave Coach. - The song "Dismantled" by stockfinster is based on a recitation of "Funeral Blues". http://www.stockfinster.nu/music_redwood.html
- The Norwegian author Johan Harstad cites the poem in his 2010 play "OSV."
- The Canadian Rapper Guapo of The Saints entitled his debut mixtape "Pack Up The Moon & Dismantle Sun" after the poem.
Copyright status
The text is copyrighted by the Estate of W.H. Auden.According to The W. H. Auden Society, only Random House, Faber & Faber, and Curtis Brown Ltd. can give permission to reprint the text.