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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--7125648</link><description><![CDATA[Dive into the whimsical world of The Bab Ballads, where humor and satire dance hand in hand through a delightful collection of light verse. Each episode features a new complete audiobook that showcases the innovative topsy-turvy style of W. S. Gilbert, a master of absurdity and clever wit. These Ballads are not merely entertainment; they are a treasure trove of whimsical narratives that reveal the absurdities of life and society, inviting listeners to ponder the hilarity hidden within the mundane. With each new episode, you will encounter a fresh array of characters and scenarios, all illustrated with Gilbert's charming touch, reflecting his unique perspective on human nature. This podcast is not a single story but a series of unique explorations that celebrate the art of light verse, offering both laughter and insight. Join us as you discover a new book with every episode and immerse yourself in the delightful absurdities that only Gilbert can provide.]]></description><atom:link href="https://www.spreaker.com/show/7125648/episodes/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><language>en</language><category>Books</category><copyright>Copyright Politics Genre</copyright><image><url>https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/c81fe02fccf1036b2f37e66753a03013.jpg</url><title>Bab Ballads</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bab-ballads--7125648</link></image><lastBuildDate>Wed, 09 Sep 2026 09:10:14 +0000</lastBuildDate><itunes:author>W. S. Gilbert</itunes:author><itunes:owner><itunes:name>Politics Genre</itunes:name><itunes:email>spreaker75@podcastlibrary.org</itunes:email></itunes:owner><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/c81fe02fccf1036b2f37e66753a03013.jpg"/><itunes:subtitle>Dive into the whimsical world of The Bab Ballads, where humor and satire dance hand in hand through a delightful collection of light verse. Each episode features a new complete audiobook that showcases the innovative topsy-turvy style of W. S....</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Dive into the whimsical world of The Bab Ballads, where humor and satire dance hand in hand through a delightful collection of light verse. Each episode features a new complete audiobook that showcases the innovative topsy-turvy style of W. S. Gilbert, a master of absurdity and clever wit. These Ballads are not merely entertainment; they are a treasure trove of whimsical narratives that reveal the absurdities of life and society, inviting listeners to ponder the hilarity hidden within the mundane. With each new episode, you will encounter a fresh array of characters and scenarios, all illustrated with Gilbert's charming touch, reflecting his unique perspective on human nature. This podcast is not a single story but a series of unique explorations that celebrate the art of light verse, offering both laughter and insight. Join us as you discover a new book with every episode and immerse yourself in the delightful absurdities that only Gilbert can provide.]]></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>61d9817f-35e9-5670-8e6e-dfc6b9f7a979</podcast:guid><itunes:type>episodic</itunes:type><item><title>Verses Popular And Humorous (Version 2)-Henry Lawson</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/verses-popular-and-humorous-version-2-henry-lawson--74399419</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/74399419</guid><pubDate>Wed, 09 Sep 2026 09:00:58 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74399419/verses_popular_and_humorous_version_2_henry_lawson.mp3" length="115600625" 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>14436</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/c81fe02fccf1036b2f37e66753a03013.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Humour of the North-Lawrence J. Burpee, Various</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/humour-of-the-north-lawrence-j-burpee-various--74372793</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/74372793</guid><pubDate>Tue, 08 Sep 2026 09:01:02 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74372793/humour_of_the_north_lawrence_j_burpee_various.mp3" length="39561041" 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>4940</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/c81fe02fccf1036b2f37e66753a03013.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Parallel Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans Vol. 1-Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/parallel-lives-of-the-noble-greeks-and-romans-vol-1-lucius-mestrius-plutarchus--74351124</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/74351124</guid><pubDate>Mon, 07 Sep 2026 09:01:05 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74351124/parallel_lives_of_the_noble_greeks_and_romans_vol_1_lucius_mestrius_plutarchus.mp3" length="251431315" 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>31397</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/c81fe02fccf1036b2f37e66753a03013.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Coming of the Princess, and Other Poems-Kate Seymour MacLean</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/coming-of-the-princess-and-other-poems-kate-seymour-maclean--74329699</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. 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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>11699</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/c81fe02fccf1036b2f37e66753a03013.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--74307636</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/74307636</guid><pubDate>Sat, 05 Sep 2026 09:00:36 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74307636/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/c81fe02fccf1036b2f37e66753a03013.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Magnet and The Churn-W. S. Gilbert</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/magnet-and-the-churn-w-s-gilbert--74290423</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. 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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>1876</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/c81fe02fccf1036b2f37e66753a03013.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>John Donne's Satires-John Donne</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/john-donne-s-satires-john-donne--74270354</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/74270354</guid><pubDate>Thu, 03 Sep 2026 09:00:38 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74270354/john_donne_s_satires_john_donne.mp3" length="39822705" 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>4972</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/c81fe02fccf1036b2f37e66753a03013.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Money For Nothing-P. G. Wodehouse</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/money-for-nothing-p-g-wodehouse--74255366</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/74255366</guid><pubDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2026 09:00:44 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74255366/money_for_nothing_p_g_wodehouse.mp3" length="202210490" 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>25251</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/c81fe02fccf1036b2f37e66753a03013.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Captain Billy's Whiz Bang, Vol. 2, No. 18, March, 1921-W. H. Fawcett</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/captain-billy-s-whiz-bang-vol-2-no-18-march-1921-w-h-fawcett--74240130</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/74240130</guid><pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 09:00:40 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74240130/captain_billy_s_whiz_bang_vol_2_no_18_march_1921_w_h_fawcett.mp3" length="49689622" 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>6205</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/c81fe02fccf1036b2f37e66753a03013.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--74226425</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/74226425</guid><pubDate>Mon, 31 Aug 2026 09:00:48 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74226425/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/c81fe02fccf1036b2f37e66753a03013.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Captain Billy's Whiz Bang, Vol. 2, No. 21, June, 1921-W. H. Fawcett</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/captain-billy-s-whiz-bang-vol-2-no-21-june-1921-w-h-fawcett--74207159</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/74207159</guid><pubDate>Sun, 30 Aug 2026 09:00:36 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74207159/captain_billy_s_whiz_bang_vol_2_no_21_june_1921_w_h_fawcett.mp3" length="52223107" 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>6521</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/c81fe02fccf1036b2f37e66753a03013.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Songs of Kabir-Kabir</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/songs-of-kabir-kabir--74180739</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/74180739</guid><pubDate>Sat, 29 Aug 2026 09:00:49 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74180739/songs_of_kabir_kabir.mp3" length="53427969" 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>6672</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/c81fe02fccf1036b2f37e66753a03013.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>History and Records of the Elephant Club-Q. K. Philander Doesticks, Knight Russ Ockside</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/history-and-records-of-the-elephant-club-q-k-philander-doesticks-knight-russ-ockside--74155157</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. 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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>22534</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/c81fe02fccf1036b2f37e66753a03013.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Omar Resung-Charles G. Blanden</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/omar-resung-charles-g-blanden--74128351</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. 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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>9154</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/c81fe02fccf1036b2f37e66753a03013.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Perverted Proverbs A Manual of Immorals for the Many-Harry Graham</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/perverted-proverbs-a-manual-of-immorals-for-the-many-harry-graham--74080142</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/74080142</guid><pubDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2026 09:00:56 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74080142/perverted_proverbs_a_manual_of_immorals_for_the_many_harry_graham.mp3" length="17278531" 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>2158</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/c81fe02fccf1036b2f37e66753a03013.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Complete Works of Artemus Ward Part 2, War-Artemus Ward</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/complete-works-of-artemus-ward-part-2-war-artemus-ward--74057629</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. 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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>6791</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/c81fe02fccf1036b2f37e66753a03013.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>When We Were Very Young-A. A. Milne</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/when-we-were-very-young-a-a-milne--74035330</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. 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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>3878</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/c81fe02fccf1036b2f37e66753a03013.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Rubaiyat of Umar Khaiyam-Omar Khayyám</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/rubaiyat-of-umar-khaiyam-omar-khayyam--74016252</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/74016252</guid><pubDate>Sun, 23 Aug 2026 09:01:56 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74016252/rubaiyat_of_umar_khaiyam_omar_khayya_m.mp3" length="75626166" 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>9444</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/c81fe02fccf1036b2f37e66753a03013.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Pippa Passes-Robert Browning</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/pippa-passes-robert-browning--73994164</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/73994164</guid><pubDate>Sat, 22 Aug 2026 09:01:38 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73994164/pippa_passes_robert_browning.mp3" length="53193503" 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>6643</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/c81fe02fccf1036b2f37e66753a03013.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Curious Quest-E. Phillips Oppenheim</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/curious-quest-e-phillips-oppenheim--73973994</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. 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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>32897</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/c81fe02fccf1036b2f37e66753a03013.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Misrepresentative Women-Harry Graham</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/misrepresentative-women-harry-graham--73953073</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. 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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>3144</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/c81fe02fccf1036b2f37e66753a03013.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>School For Scandal-Richard Brinsley Sheridan</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/school-for-scandal-richard-brinsley-sheridan--73931776</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. 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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>10603</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/c81fe02fccf1036b2f37e66753a03013.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>At Loafing-Holt-Paul Laurence Dunbar</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/at-loafing-holt-paul-laurence-dunbar--73908300</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. 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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>2959</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/c81fe02fccf1036b2f37e66753a03013.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Diatessaron A Harmony of the Four Gospels-Tatian</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/diatessaron-a-harmony-of-the-four-gospels-tatian--73886973</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. 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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>23473</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/c81fe02fccf1036b2f37e66753a03013.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Astrophel and Stella-Sir Philip Sidney</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/astrophel-and-stella-sir-philip-sidney--73866132</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. 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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>6054</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/c81fe02fccf1036b2f37e66753a03013.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>London Plane-Tree and Other Verse-Amy Levy</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/london-plane-tree-and-other-verse-amy-levy--73846524</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. 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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. 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Its themes of conflict and the often comical nature of stubbornness remain relevant today, reminding us of the timeless struggle between individual perspectives and collective harmony. This enduring tale invites listeners to reflect on their own disagreements and the quirks that make us all uniquely human, making it a perfect addition to any audiobook collection.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73377832</guid><pubDate>Mon, 03 Aug 2026 09:35:07 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73377832/disagreeable_man_w_s_gilbert.mp3" length="26071472" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>W. S. Gilbert</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>"Disagreeable Man" by W. S. Gilbert presents a humorous exploration of human nature through the lens of an irritable protagonist. Gilbert's sharp wit and keen observations on societal norms make this work a delightful listen, as it captures the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA["Disagreeable Man" by W. S. Gilbert presents a humorous exploration of human nature through the lens of an irritable protagonist. Gilbert's sharp wit and keen observations on societal norms make this work a delightful listen, as it captures the essence of disagreement and the complexities of interpersonal relationships. Its themes of conflict and the often comical nature of stubbornness remain relevant today, reminding us of the timeless struggle between individual perspectives and collective harmony. This enduring tale invites listeners to reflect on their own disagreements and the quirks that make us all uniquely human, making it a perfect addition to any audiobook collection.]]></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/c81fe02fccf1036b2f37e66753a03013.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--72654906</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. 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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. 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