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<rss xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:podcast="https://podcastindex.org/namespace/1.0" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" version="2.0"><channel><title>Bab Ballads</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bab-ballads--7081128</link><description><![CDATA[The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert developed his unique "topsy-turvy" style, where the humour was derived by setting up a ridiculous premise and working out its logical consequences, however absurd. The Ballads also reveal Gilbert's cynical and satirical approach to humour. They became famous on their own, as well as being a source for plot elements, characters and songs that Gilbert would recycle in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. The Bab Ballads take their name from Gilbert's childhood nickname, and he later began to sign his illustrations "Bab". (summary from Wikipedia)]]></description><atom:link href="https://www.spreaker.com/show/7081128/episodes/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><language>en</language><category>Books</category><copyright>Copyright Humorous Fiction Genre</copyright><image><url>https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/181b1c5163531788636881bcaaf7b302.jpg</url><title>Bab Ballads</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bab-ballads--7081128</link></image><lastBuildDate>Tue, 25 Aug 2026 09:40:03 +0000</lastBuildDate><itunes:author>W. S. Gilbert</itunes:author><itunes:owner><itunes:name>Humorous Fiction Genre</itunes:name><itunes:email>spreaker61@podcastlibrary.org</itunes:email></itunes:owner><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/181b1c5163531788636881bcaaf7b302.jpg"/><itunes:subtitle>The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert developed his unique "topsy-turvy" style, where the humour was derived by setting up a ridiculous premise and working out its logical consequences, however absurd. The Ballads also reveal Gilbert's cynical and satirical approach to humour. They became famous on their own, as well as being a source for plot elements, characters and songs that Gilbert would recycle in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. The Bab Ballads take their name from Gilbert's childhood nickname, and he later began to sign his illustrations "Bab". (summary from Wikipedia)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:category text="Arts"><itunes:category text="Books"/></itunes:category><itunes:category text="Arts"/><itunes:category text="Arts"><itunes:category text="Performing Arts"/></itunes:category><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><podcast:guid>6c5fcfc2-f59b-51f4-9088-6c2aca2724ef</podcast:guid><itunes:type>episodic</itunes:type><item><title>Brittain's Ida</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/brittain-s-ida--74093112</link><description><![CDATA[The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert developed his unique "topsy-turvy" style, where the humour was derived by setting up a ridiculous premise and working out its logical consequences, however absurd. The Ballads also reveal Gilbert's cynical and satirical approach to humour. They became famous on their own, as well as being a source for plot elements, characters and songs that Gilbert would recycle in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. The Bab Ballads take their name from Gilbert's childhood nickname, and he later began to sign his illustrations "Bab". (summary from Wikipedia)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74093112</guid><pubDate>Tue, 25 Aug 2026 09:01:25 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74093112/brittain_s_ida.mp3" length="15583417" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>W. S. Gilbert</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert developed his unique "topsy-turvy" style, where the humour was derived by setting up a ridiculous premise and working out its logical consequences, however absurd. The Ballads also reveal Gilbert's cynical and satirical approach to humour. They became famous on their own, as well as being a source for plot elements, characters and songs that Gilbert would recycle in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. The Bab Ballads take their name from Gilbert's childhood nickname, and he later began to sign his illustrations "Bab". (summary from Wikipedia)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>1946</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/181b1c5163531788636881bcaaf7b302.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>In a Steamer Chair and Other Stories-Robert Barr</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/in-a-steamer-chair-and-other-stories-robert-barr--74067069</link><description><![CDATA[The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert developed his unique "topsy-turvy" style, where the humour was derived by setting up a ridiculous premise and working out its logical consequences, however absurd. The Ballads also reveal Gilbert's cynical and satirical approach to humour. They became famous on their own, as well as being a source for plot elements, characters and songs that Gilbert would recycle in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. The Bab Ballads take their name from Gilbert's childhood nickname, and he later began to sign his illustrations "Bab". (summary from Wikipedia)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74067069</guid><pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2026 09:03:22 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74067069/7258_in_a_steamer_chair_and_other_stories_robert_barr.mp3" length="191041715" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>W. S. Gilbert</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert developed his unique "topsy-turvy" style, where the humour was derived by setting up a ridiculous premise and working out its logical consequences, however absurd. The Ballads also reveal Gilbert's cynical and satirical approach to humour. They became famous on their own, as well as being a source for plot elements, characters and songs that Gilbert would recycle in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. The Bab Ballads take their name from Gilbert's childhood nickname, and he later began to sign his illustrations "Bab". (summary from Wikipedia)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>23856</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/181b1c5163531788636881bcaaf7b302.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Captain Billy's Whiz Bang, Vol. 2, No. 22, July, 1921-W. H. Fawcett</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/captain-billy-s-whiz-bang-vol-2-no-22-july-1921-w-h-fawcett--74039382</link><description><![CDATA[The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert developed his unique "topsy-turvy" style, where the humour was derived by setting up a ridiculous premise and working out its logical consequences, however absurd. The Ballads also reveal Gilbert's cynical and satirical approach to humour. They became famous on their own, as well as being a source for plot elements, characters and songs that Gilbert would recycle in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. The Bab Ballads take their name from Gilbert's childhood nickname, and he later began to sign his illustrations "Bab". (summary from Wikipedia)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74039382</guid><pubDate>Sun, 23 Aug 2026 09:03:02 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74039382/captain_billy_s_whiz_bang_vol_2_no_22_july_1921_w_h_fawcett.mp3" length="48549347" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>W. S. Gilbert</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert developed his unique "topsy-turvy" style, where the humour was derived by setting up a ridiculous premise and working out its logical consequences, however absurd. The Ballads also reveal Gilbert's cynical and satirical approach to humour. They became famous on their own, as well as being a source for plot elements, characters and songs that Gilbert would recycle in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. The Bab Ballads take their name from Gilbert's childhood nickname, and he later began to sign his illustrations "Bab". (summary from Wikipedia)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>6063</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/181b1c5163531788636881bcaaf7b302.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Wet Sheet and a Flowing Sea-Allan Cunningham</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/wet-sheet-and-a-flowing-sea-allan-cunningham--74014546</link><description><![CDATA[The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert developed his unique "topsy-turvy" style, where the humour was derived by setting up a ridiculous premise and working out its logical consequences, however absurd. The Ballads also reveal Gilbert's cynical and satirical approach to humour. They became famous on their own, as well as being a source for plot elements, characters and songs that Gilbert would recycle in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. The Bab Ballads take their name from Gilbert's childhood nickname, and he later began to sign his illustrations "Bab". (summary from Wikipedia)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74014546</guid><pubDate>Sat, 22 Aug 2026 09:02:29 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74014546/wet_sheet_and_a_flowing_sea_allan_cunningham.mp3" length="16520933" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>W. S. Gilbert</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert developed his unique "topsy-turvy" style, where the humour was derived by setting up a ridiculous premise and working out its logical consequences, however absurd. The Ballads also reveal Gilbert's cynical and satirical approach to humour. They became famous on their own, as well as being a source for plot elements, characters and songs that Gilbert would recycle in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. The Bab Ballads take their name from Gilbert's childhood nickname, and he later began to sign his illustrations "Bab". (summary from Wikipedia)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>2063</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/181b1c5163531788636881bcaaf7b302.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Evening Solace-Charlotte Brontë</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/evening-solace-charlotte-bronte--73986147</link><description><![CDATA[The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert developed his unique "topsy-turvy" style, where the humour was derived by setting up a ridiculous premise and working out its logical consequences, however absurd. The Ballads also reveal Gilbert's cynical and satirical approach to humour. They became famous on their own, as well as being a source for plot elements, characters and songs that Gilbert would recycle in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. The Bab Ballads take their name from Gilbert's childhood nickname, and he later began to sign his illustrations "Bab". (summary from Wikipedia)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73986147</guid><pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 09:02:48 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73986147/evening_solace_charlotte_bronte.mp3" length="15640049" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>W. S. Gilbert</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert developed his unique "topsy-turvy" style, where the humour was derived by setting up a ridiculous premise and working out its logical consequences, however absurd. The Ballads also reveal Gilbert's cynical and satirical approach to humour. They became famous on their own, as well as being a source for plot elements, characters and songs that Gilbert would recycle in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. The Bab Ballads take their name from Gilbert's childhood nickname, and he later began to sign his illustrations "Bab". (summary from Wikipedia)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>1953</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/181b1c5163531788636881bcaaf7b302.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Holiday Songs-Ella Wheeler Wilcox</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/holiday-songs-ella-wheeler-wilcox--73961415</link><description><![CDATA[The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert developed his unique "topsy-turvy" style, where the humour was derived by setting up a ridiculous premise and working out its logical consequences, however absurd. The Ballads also reveal Gilbert's cynical and satirical approach to humour. They became famous on their own, as well as being a source for plot elements, characters and songs that Gilbert would recycle in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. The Bab Ballads take their name from Gilbert's childhood nickname, and he later began to sign his illustrations "Bab". (summary from Wikipedia)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73961415</guid><pubDate>Thu, 20 Aug 2026 09:02:52 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73961415/holiday_songs_ella_wheeler_wilcox.mp3" length="25142826" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>W. S. Gilbert</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert developed his unique "topsy-turvy" style, where the humour was derived by setting up a ridiculous premise and working out its logical consequences, however absurd. The Ballads also reveal Gilbert's cynical and satirical approach to humour. They became famous on their own, as well as being a source for plot elements, characters and songs that Gilbert would recycle in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. The Bab Ballads take their name from Gilbert's childhood nickname, and he later began to sign his illustrations "Bab". (summary from Wikipedia)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>3140</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/181b1c5163531788636881bcaaf7b302.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Sonnets from the Portuguese-Elizabeth Barrett Browning</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/sonnets-from-the-portuguese-elizabeth-barrett-browning--73937094</link><description><![CDATA[The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert developed his unique "topsy-turvy" style, where the humour was derived by setting up a ridiculous premise and working out its logical consequences, however absurd. The Ballads also reveal Gilbert's cynical and satirical approach to humour. They became famous on their own, as well as being a source for plot elements, characters and songs that Gilbert would recycle in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. The Bab Ballads take their name from Gilbert's childhood nickname, and he later began to sign his illustrations "Bab". (summary from Wikipedia)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73937094</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Aug 2026 09:02:38 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73937094/sonnets_from_the_portuguese_elizabeth_barrett_browning.mp3" length="23214933" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>W. S. Gilbert</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert developed his unique "topsy-turvy" style, where the humour was derived by setting up a ridiculous premise and working out its logical consequences, however absurd. The Ballads also reveal Gilbert's cynical and satirical approach to humour. They became famous on their own, as well as being a source for plot elements, characters and songs that Gilbert would recycle in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. The Bab Ballads take their name from Gilbert's childhood nickname, and he later began to sign his illustrations "Bab". (summary from Wikipedia)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>2899</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/181b1c5163531788636881bcaaf7b302.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Bab Ballads-W. S. Gilbert</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/bab-ballads-w-s-gilbert--73908094</link><description><![CDATA[The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert developed his unique "topsy-turvy" style, where the humour was derived by setting up a ridiculous premise and working out its logical consequences, however absurd. The Ballads also reveal Gilbert's cynical and satirical approach to humour. They became famous on their own, as well as being a source for plot elements, characters and songs that Gilbert would recycle in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. The Bab Ballads take their name from Gilbert's childhood nickname, and he later began to sign his illustrations "Bab". (summary from Wikipedia)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73908094</guid><pubDate>Tue, 18 Aug 2026 09:02:44 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73908094/1451_bab_ballads_w_s_gilbert.mp3" length="87311624" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>W. S. Gilbert</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert developed his unique "topsy-turvy" style, where the humour was derived by setting up a ridiculous premise and working out its logical consequences, however absurd. The Ballads also reveal Gilbert's cynical and satirical approach to humour. They became famous on their own, as well as being a source for plot elements, characters and songs that Gilbert would recycle in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. The Bab Ballads take their name from Gilbert's childhood nickname, and he later began to sign his illustrations "Bab". (summary from Wikipedia)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>10903</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/181b1c5163531788636881bcaaf7b302.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Climber's Dream-Edward Woodley Bowling</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/climber-s-dream-edward-woodley-bowling--73881847</link><description><![CDATA[The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert developed his unique "topsy-turvy" style, where the humour was derived by setting up a ridiculous premise and working out its logical consequences, however absurd. The Ballads also reveal Gilbert's cynical and satirical approach to humour. They became famous on their own, as well as being a source for plot elements, characters and songs that Gilbert would recycle in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. The Bab Ballads take their name from Gilbert's childhood nickname, and he later began to sign his illustrations "Bab". (summary from Wikipedia)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73881847</guid><pubDate>Mon, 17 Aug 2026 09:02:32 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73881847/climber_s_dream_edward_woodley_bowling.mp3" length="18494438" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>W. S. Gilbert</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert developed his unique "topsy-turvy" style, where the humour was derived by setting up a ridiculous premise and working out its logical consequences, however absurd. The Ballads also reveal Gilbert's cynical and satirical approach to humour. They became famous on their own, as well as being a source for plot elements, characters and songs that Gilbert would recycle in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. The Bab Ballads take their name from Gilbert's childhood nickname, and he later began to sign his illustrations "Bab". (summary from Wikipedia)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>2310</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/181b1c5163531788636881bcaaf7b302.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Wooing Of The Southland-Eugene Field</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/wooing-of-the-southland-eugene-field--73857300</link><description><![CDATA[The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert developed his unique "topsy-turvy" style, where the humour was derived by setting up a ridiculous premise and working out its logical consequences, however absurd. The Ballads also reveal Gilbert's cynical and satirical approach to humour. They became famous on their own, as well as being a source for plot elements, characters and songs that Gilbert would recycle in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. The Bab Ballads take their name from Gilbert's childhood nickname, and he later began to sign his illustrations "Bab". (summary from Wikipedia)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73857300</guid><pubDate>Sun, 16 Aug 2026 09:02:00 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73857300/wooing_of_the_southland_eugene_field.mp3" length="19197738" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>W. S. Gilbert</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert developed his unique "topsy-turvy" style, where the humour was derived by setting up a ridiculous premise and working out its logical consequences, however absurd. The Ballads also reveal Gilbert's cynical and satirical approach to humour. They became famous on their own, as well as being a source for plot elements, characters and songs that Gilbert would recycle in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. The Bab Ballads take their name from Gilbert's childhood nickname, and he later began to sign his illustrations "Bab". (summary from Wikipedia)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>2397</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/181b1c5163531788636881bcaaf7b302.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Andromeda, and Other Poems-Charles Kingsley</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/andromeda-and-other-poems-charles-kingsley--73837703</link><description><![CDATA[The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert developed his unique "topsy-turvy" style, where the humour was derived by setting up a ridiculous premise and working out its logical consequences, however absurd. The Ballads also reveal Gilbert's cynical and satirical approach to humour. They became famous on their own, as well as being a source for plot elements, characters and songs that Gilbert would recycle in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. The Bab Ballads take their name from Gilbert's childhood nickname, and he later began to sign his illustrations "Bab". (summary from Wikipedia)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73837703</guid><pubDate>Sat, 15 Aug 2026 09:02:42 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73837703/andromeda_and_other_poems_charles_kingsley.mp3" length="106001165" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>W. S. Gilbert</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert developed his unique "topsy-turvy" style, where the humour was derived by setting up a ridiculous premise and working out its logical consequences, however absurd. The Ballads also reveal Gilbert's cynical and satirical approach to humour. They became famous on their own, as well as being a source for plot elements, characters and songs that Gilbert would recycle in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. The Bab Ballads take their name from Gilbert's childhood nickname, and he later began to sign his illustrations "Bab". (summary from Wikipedia)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>13237</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/181b1c5163531788636881bcaaf7b302.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Disagreeable Man-W. S. Gilbert</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/disagreeable-man-w-s-gilbert--73816692</link><description><![CDATA[The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert developed his unique "topsy-turvy" style, where the humour was derived by setting up a ridiculous premise and working out its logical consequences, however absurd. The Ballads also reveal Gilbert's cynical and satirical approach to humour. They became famous on their own, as well as being a source for plot elements, characters and songs that Gilbert would recycle in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. The Bab Ballads take their name from Gilbert's childhood nickname, and he later began to sign his illustrations "Bab". (summary from Wikipedia)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73816692</guid><pubDate>Tue, 11 Aug 2026 11:23:10 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73816692/disagreeable_man_w_s_gilbert.mp3" length="26071472" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>W. S. Gilbert</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert developed his unique "topsy-turvy" style, where the humour was derived by setting up a ridiculous premise and working out its logical consequences, however absurd. The Ballads also reveal Gilbert's cynical and satirical approach to humour. They became famous on their own, as well as being a source for plot elements, characters and songs that Gilbert would recycle in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. The Bab Ballads take their name from Gilbert's childhood nickname, and he later began to sign his illustrations "Bab". (summary from Wikipedia)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>3256</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/181b1c5163531788636881bcaaf7b302.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Retired Cat-William Cowper</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/retired-cat-william-cowper--73787597</link><description><![CDATA[The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert developed his unique "topsy-turvy" style, where the humour was derived by setting up a ridiculous premise and working out its logical consequences, however absurd. The Ballads also reveal Gilbert's cynical and satirical approach to humour. They became famous on their own, as well as being a source for plot elements, characters and songs that Gilbert would recycle in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. The Bab Ballads take their name from Gilbert's childhood nickname, and he later began to sign his illustrations "Bab". (summary from Wikipedia)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73787597</guid><pubDate>Tue, 11 Aug 2026 00:43:08 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73787597/retired_cat_william_cowper.mp3" length="36754990" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>W. S. Gilbert</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert developed his unique "topsy-turvy" style, where the humour was derived by setting up a ridiculous premise and working out its logical consequences, however absurd. The Ballads also reveal Gilbert's cynical and satirical approach to humour. They became famous on their own, as well as being a source for plot elements, characters and songs that Gilbert would recycle in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. The Bab Ballads take their name from Gilbert's childhood nickname, and he later began to sign his illustrations "Bab". (summary from Wikipedia)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>4590</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/181b1c5163531788636881bcaaf7b302.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Bab Ballads (version 2) - W. S. Gilbert</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/bab-ballads-version-2-w-s-gilbert--73329494</link><description><![CDATA["Bab Ballads (version 2)" by W. S. Gilbert is a delightful collection of humorous poems and verses that satirize Victorian society and its eccentricities. With a keen wit and playful language, Gilbert captures the absurdities of human behavior and the complexities of social norms, making his work both entertaining and thought-provoking. The themes of irony and social commentary resonate today, reminding us of the timeless nature of folly and the quirks of human nature. As you listen, you'll find yourself immersed in a world where laughter and reflection go hand in hand, showcasing why Gilbert's work continues to charm audiences with its enduring relevance and clever observations.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73329494</guid><pubDate>Sat, 01 Aug 2026 23:07:08 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73329494/bab_ballads_version_2_w_s_gilbert.mp3" length="81837100" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/a408db68-c5dd-4a7a-8c64-6851d2d434b5/a408db68-c5dd-4a7a-8c64-6851d2d434b5.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/a408db68-c5dd-4a7a-8c64-6851d2d434b5/a408db68-c5dd-4a7a-8c64-6851d2d434b5.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/a408db68-c5dd-4a7a-8c64-6851d2d434b5/a408db68-c5dd-4a7a-8c64-6851d2d434b5.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>W. S. Gilbert</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>"Bab Ballads (version 2)" by W. S. Gilbert is a delightful collection of humorous poems and verses that satirize Victorian society and its eccentricities. With a keen wit and playful language, Gilbert captures the absurdities of human behavior and the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA["Bab Ballads (version 2)" by W. S. Gilbert is a delightful collection of humorous poems and verses that satirize Victorian society and its eccentricities. With a keen wit and playful language, Gilbert captures the absurdities of human behavior and the complexities of social norms, making his work both entertaining and thought-provoking. The themes of irony and social commentary resonate today, reminding us of the timeless nature of folly and the quirks of human nature. As you listen, you'll find yourself immersed in a world where laughter and reflection go hand in hand, showcasing why Gilbert's work continues to charm audiences with its enduring relevance and clever observations.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>10219</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/181b1c5163531788636881bcaaf7b302.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Bab Ballads - W S Gilbert</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/bab-ballads-w-s-gilbert--72328174</link><description><![CDATA[The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert developed his unique "topsy-turvy" style, where the humour was derived by setting up a ridiculous premise and working out its logical consequences, however absurd. The Ballads also reveal Gilbert's cynical and satirical approach to humour. They became famous on their own, as well as being a source for plot elements, characters and songs that Gilbert would recycle in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. The Bab Ballads take their name from Gilbert's childhood nickname, and he later began to sign his illustrations "Bab". (summary from Wikipedia)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72328174</guid><pubDate>Wed, 03 Jun 2026 17:57:59 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/72328174/bab_ballads_w_s_gilbert.mp3" length="87221627" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>W. S. Gilbert</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert developed his unique "topsy-turvy" style, where the humour was derived by setting up a ridiculous premise and working out its logical consequences, however absurd. The Ballads also reveal Gilbert's cynical and satirical approach to humour. They became famous on their own, as well as being a source for plot elements, characters and songs that Gilbert would recycle in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. The Bab Ballads take their name from Gilbert's childhood nickname, and he later began to sign his illustrations "Bab". (summary from Wikipedia)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>10903</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>bab,ballads,comic,gilbert,humorous,humour,librettos,recycle,sullivan,turvy</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/181b1c5163531788636881bcaaf7b302.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item></channel></rss>
