''Songs of Innocence and Experience'' is an

album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records c ...

by American

beat poet The Beat Generation was a literary subculture movement started by a group of authors whose work explored and influenced American culture and politics in the post-war era. The bulk of their work was published and popularized by Silent Generatione ...

and writer

Allen Ginsberg Irwin Allen Ginsberg (; June 3, 1926 – April 5, 1997) was an American poet and writer. As a student at Columbia University in the 1940s, he began friendships with William S. Burroughs and Jack Kerouac, forming the core of the Beat Gener ...

, recorded in 1969. For the recording, Ginsberg sang pieces from 18th-century English poet

William Blake William Blake (28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827) was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his life, Blake is now considered a seminal figure in the history of the Romantic poetry, poetry and visual art of t ...

's illustrated poetry collection of the same name and set them to a folk-based

instrumental idiom In music, an instrumental idiom refers to writing, parts, and performance, those being ''idiomatic'' or ''nonidiomatic'' depending on how well each is suited to the specific instrument intended, in terms of both ease of playing and quality o ...

, featuring simple melodies and accompaniment performed with a host of

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

musicians. Among the album's contributors were trumpeter

Don Cherry Donald Stewart Cherry (born February 5, 1934) is a Canadian former ice hockey player, coach, and television commentator. Cherry played one game in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Boston Bruins, and later coached the team for five se ...

, arranger/pianist

Bob Dorough Robert Lrod Dorough (December 12, 1923 – April 23, 2018) was an American bebop and cool jazz vocalist, pianist, composer, songwriter, arranger, and producer. Dorough became famous as the composer and performer of songs in the TV series ''School ...

, multi-instrumentalist Jon Sholle, drummer

Elvin Jones Elvin Ray Jones (September 9, 1927 – May 18, 2004) was an American jazz drummer of the post-bop era. Most famously a member of John Coltrane's quartet, with whom he recorded from late 1960 to late 1965, Jones appeared on such widely celebrate ...

, and

Peter Orlovsky Peter Anton Orlovsky (July 8, 1933 – May 30, 2010) was an American poet and actor. He was the long-time partner of Allen Ginsberg. Early life and career Orlovsky was born in the Lower East Side of New York City, the son of Katherine (née ...

– Ginsberg's life-partner and fellow poet – who contributed vocals and helped produce the recording with British underground writer

Barry Miles Barry Miles (born 21 February 1943) is an English author known for his participation in and writing on the subjects of the 1960s London underground and counterculture. He is the author of numerous books and his work has also regularly appeare ...

. The album is one of the most famous attempts at setting lyrics from Blake's ''Songs'' collection to music. Ginsberg, having studied the rhyme and meter of the poems, believed they were originally intended to be sung and that a Blakean musical performance could roughly be replicated. The themes explored in Blake's poems – childhood and

abuse Abuse is the improper usage or treatment of a thing, often to unfairly or improperly gain benefit. Abuse can come in many forms, such as: physical or verbal maltreatment, injury, assault, violation, rape, unjust practices, crimes, or other t ...

organized religion Organized religion, also known as institutional religion, is religion in which belief systems and rituals are systematically arranged and formally established. Organized religion is typically characterized by an official doctrine (or dogma), a ...

institutionalization In sociology, institutionalisation (or institutionalization) is the process of embedding some conception (for example a belief, norm, social role, particular value or mode of behavior) within an organization, social system, or society as a who ...

, and poverty – connected with Ginsberg spiritually. He was inspired to undertake the project by a

religious vision A vision is something seen in a dream, trance, or religious ecstasy, especially a supernatural appearance that usually conveys a revelation. Visions generally have more clarity than dreams, but traditionally fewer psychological connotations. Vi ...

of Blake from decades earlier and his witnessing the 1968 Democratic National Convention protest activity, as well as

rock music Rock music is a broad genre of popular music that originated as " rock and roll" in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s, developing into a range of different styles in the mid-1960s and later, particularly in the United States an ...

of the era's counterculture, citing its qualities of poetry and

consciousness Consciousness, at its simplest, is sentience and awareness of internal and external existence. However, the lack of definitions has led to millennia of analyses, explanations and debates by philosophers, theologians, linguisticians, and scien ...

. The album was first released in 1970 on LP by MGM Records and

Verve Forecast Records Verve Forecast is a record label formed as a division of Verve Records to concentrate on pop, rock, and folk music. Founding Jerry Schoenbaum of Verve and Moe Asch of Folkways created Verve Folkways in 1964 to take advantage of the popularity ...

, selling poorly but receiving critical acclaim. It soon went out of print, while a follow-up release of more Blake recordings, planned with

Fantasy Records Fantasy Records is an American independent record label company founded by brothers Max and Sol Stanley Weiss in 1949. The early years of the company were dedicated to issuing recordings by jazz pianist Dave Brubeck, who was also one of its invest ...

, never materialized. In 2017,

Omnivore Recordings Omnivore Recordings is an independent record label founded in 2010. It specializes in historical releases, reissues and previously unissued vintage recordings, as well as select releases of new music, on CD, vinyl and digital formats. Omnivore Re ...

released ''The Complete Songs of Innocence and Experience'', a double CD featuring the original album and previously unreleased Blakean recordings by Ginsberg from 1971.

Background

In 1948, Ginsberg experienced what he described as a

of 18th-century English poet

appearing in his

East Harlem East Harlem, also known as Spanish Harlem or and historically known as Italian Harlem, is a neighborhood of Upper Manhattan, New York City, roughly encompassing the area north of the Upper East Side and bounded by 96th Street to the south, F ...

apartment and reciting poetry to him. He was profoundly moved by this experience and inspired to set Blake's poetry to music. According to art historian Stephen F. Eisenman, "all at once, Ginsberg later said, he apprehended the unity of things material and spiritual, religious and carnal. Looking out the window, he saw 'into the depths of the universe' and understood that 'this was the moment that I was born for.'" Ginsberg's interest in Blake resurfaced in the late 1960s when he began to research Western

Gnosticism Gnosticism (from grc, γνωστικός, gnōstikós, , 'having knowledge') is a collection of religious ideas and systems which coalesced in the late 1st century AD among Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people ...

for philosophical reasons. Allen Ginsberg und Peter Orlowski ArM

Ginsberg came to believe that Blake's poems were originally composed for the purpose of being sung and that, by studying their

rhyme A rhyme is a repetition of similar sounds (usually, the exact same phonemes) in the final stressed syllables and any following syllables of two or more words. Most often, this kind of perfect rhyming is consciously used for a musical or aesthetic ...

and

meter The metre (British spelling) or meter (American spelling; see spelling differences) (from the French unit , from the Greek noun , "measure"), symbol m, is the primary unit of length in the International System of Units (SI), though its pref ...

, such a performance could be roughly reproduced. He planned to record musical adaptations of poems from Blake's illustrated ''

Songs of Innocence and of Experience ''Songs of Innocence and of Experience'' is a collection of illustrated poems by William Blake. It appeared in two phases: a few first copies were printed and illuminated by Blake himself in 1789; five years later, he bound these poems with a ...

'' collection, which thematized the importance and sanctity of childhood, featuring critiques of systemic

child abuse Child abuse (also called child endangerment or child maltreatment) is physical, sexual, and/or psychological maltreatment or neglect of a child or children, especially by a parent or a caregiver. Child abuse may include any act or failure to a ...

The Chimney Sweeper "The Chimney Sweeper" is the title of a poem by William Blake, published in two parts in '' Songs of Innocence'' in 1789 and ''Songs of Experience'' in 1794. The poem "The Chimney Sweeper" is set against the dark background of child labour that ...

"),

(" The Garden of Love"), and "the institutionalized culture of benevolence that perpetuated poverty" ("

Holy Thursday Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday (also known as Great and Holy Thursday, Holy and Great Thursday, Covenant Thursday, Sheer Thursday, and Thursday of Mysteries, among other names) is the day during Holy Week that commemorates the Washing of the ...

"). The poetry collection, Ginsberg said, "seemed the nearest thing to holy ''

mantra A mantra (Pali: ''manta'') or mantram (मन्त्रम्) is a sacred utterance, a numinous sound, a syllable, word or phonemes, or group of words in Sanskrit, Pali and other languages believed by practitioners to have religious, ma ...

'' or holy prayer poetry that I could find in my own consciousness". Ginsberg was also inspired by the

of 1960s counterculture, citing acts like

the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...

the Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...

the Byrds The Byrds () were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1964. The band underwent multiple lineup changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn (known as Jim McGuinn until mid-1967) remaining the sole cons ...

Grateful Dead The Grateful Dead was an American rock music, rock band formed in 1965 in Palo Alto, California. The band is known for its eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, Folk music, folk, country music, country, jazz, bluegrass music, bluegrass, ...

, Jefferson Airplane,

the Fugs The Fugs are an American rock band formed in New York City in late 1964, by the poets Ed Sanders and Tuli Kupferberg, with Ken Weaver on drums. Soon afterward, they were joined by Peter Stampfel and Steve Weber of The Holy Modal Rounders. Ku ...

, the Band, and

Donovan Donovan Phillips Leitch (born 10 May 1946), known mononymously as Donovan, is a Scottish musician, songwriter, and record producer. He developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelic rock and world mus ...

. As Ginsberg recalled, "all the lovely youthful bands that have been wakening the conscience of the world, really, were approaching high poetry and cosmic consciousness in their content, so I was interested in seeing if Blake's highest poetry could be vocalised, tuned, and sung in the context of the Beatles' '

I Am the Walrus "I Am the Walrus" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1967 television film ''Magical Mystery Tour''. Written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney, it was released as the B-side to the single "Hello, Goodbye" a ...

' or ' Day in the Life of' 'sic''.html"_;"title="sic.html"_;"title="'sic">'sic''">sic.html"_;"title="'sic">'sic''or_in_the_context_of_'Sad_Eyed_Lady_of_the_Lowlands.html" ;"title="sic">'sic''.html" ;"title="sic.html" ;"title="'sic">'sic''">sic.html" ;"title="'sic">'sic''or in the context of 'Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands">Sad-eyed Lady of the Lowland' [''sic''] or 'John Wesley Harding (song), John Wesley Harding' by Dylan." Ginsberg added that he wanted to present Blake in a way that would interest Dylan, who had disliked the poet. Ginsberg's witness of the 1968 Democratic National Convention protests and riot in Chicago provided an impetus to record the album.

Writing and recording

After leaving Chicago, Ginsberg went to upstate New York, where he had bought a farm as a retreat with money earned from his

poetry reading A poetry reading is a public oral recitation or performance of poetry. Reading poetry aloud allows the reader to express their own experience through poetry, changing the poem according to their sensibilities. The reader uses pitch and stress, and ...

s. There, he experimented setting Blake's poems to music on a

pump organ The pump organ is a type of free-reed organ that generates sound as air flows past a vibrating piece of thin metal in a frame. The piece of metal is called a reed. Specific types of pump organ include the reed organ, harmonium, and melodeon. T ...

. He told ''

Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of B ...

'' in June 1969 that he was learning to notate music while working on the Blake settings. That same month, he began recording the album at

Apostolic Recording Studio Apostolic Studios was an American independent recording studio located at 53 East 10th Street in New York City's Greenwich Village. Established in 1967 by John Townley, Apostolic was the first 12-track studio in New York. Artists recording at the ...

in New York City's

Lower Manhattan Lower Manhattan (also known as Downtown Manhattan or Downtown New York) is the southernmost part of Manhattan, the central borough for business, culture, and government in New York City, which is the most populated city in the United States with ...

. British underground writer and businessman

was enlisted to produce the recording, and Ginsberg helped set him up at the legendary

Hotel Chelsea The Hotel Chelsea (also the Chelsea Hotel or the Chelsea) is a hotel in Manhattan, New York City, built between 1883 and 1885. The 250-unit hotel is located at 222 West 23rd Street, between Seventh and Eighth Avenues, in the neighborhood of Ch ...

, paying for and negotiating a favorable rent from its manager Stanley Bard, who knew and respected the poet. By this time, Ginsberg had composed some of the music he would use as settings for Blake's poems. Pakistani Qawwali Harmonium

In studio, Ginsberg sang and played harmonium, piano, and finger cymbals for ''Songs of Innocence and Experience''. The harmonium, played before by Ginsberg at numerous poetry readings, was borrowed from his life-partner and fellow poet

, who had received the instrument as a souvenir from

Benares Varanasi (; ; also Banaras or Benares (; ), and Kashi.) is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world. * * * * The city has a syncretic tr ...

during the pair's visit to India in the early 1960s. Orlovsky also contributed vocals to the recording and assisted Miles with its production. Ginsberg was accompanied by a host of

musicians during the recording sessions, including trumpeter

, bassist

Herman Wright Herman Wright was a jazz bassist. He was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1932, and, in 1960, moved to New York City, where he resided until his death in 1997. He began on drums as a teen before ultimately settling on upright bass. He worked with Doro ...

, guitarist Jon Sholle,

French horn The French horn (since the 1930s known simply as the horn in professional music circles) is a brass instrument made of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. The double horn in F/B (technically a variety of German horn) is the horn most ...

player

Julius Watkins Julius Watkins (October 10, 1921 – April 4, 1977) was an American jazz musician who played French horn. Described by AllMusic as "virtually the father of the jazz French horn", Watkins won the ''Down Beat'' critics poll in 1960 and 1961 for Mi ...

, and arranger/vocalist/pianist

. Drummer

was enlisted to play on the album's final track, "The Grey Monk". Ginsberg also invited bassist

Charles Mingus Charles Mingus Jr. (April 22, 1922 – January 5, 1979) was an American jazz upright bassist, pianist, composer, bandleader, and author. A major proponent of collective improvisation, he is considered to be one of the greatest jazz musicians and ...

to perform on the album, but Mingus declined. According to Miles, the recording also featured saxophonist

Archie Shepp Archie Shepp (born May 24, 1937) is an American jazz saxophonist, educator and playwright who since the 1960s has played a central part in the development of avant-garde jazz. Biography Early life Shepp was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but ...

, although he is not named in the album credits. The album's recording produced 19 tracks, nine of which were recorded during the sessions held from June to July 1969. According to several scholarly sources, ''Songs of Innocence and Experience'' was completed later that year in December.

Musical style

According to English scholar Jonathan Roberts, the resulting music sets Blake's poems to a

folk music Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...

idiom. The songs on the album average under two minutes in length. Ginsberg's melodies and the accompanying instrumentation are noted for their simplicity, with Peter Frank from '' Fanfare'' describing the accompaniment as "mantra-like". Vocally, Ginsberg demonstrates a lithe, high-toned delivery and the dramatic character of what ''Ink 19'' magazine's James Mann calls "a poet's voice". His

New York accent The phonology, sound system of New York City English is popularly known as a New York accent. The New York metropolitan area, New York metropolitan accent is one of the most recognizable accent (sociolinguistics), accents of the United States, ...

is also said by Mann to make the stanzas "breathe".

Lester Bangs Leslie Conway "Lester" Bangs (December 14, 1948 – April 30, 1982) was an American music journalist, critic, author, and musician. He wrote for '' Creem'' and ''Rolling Stone'' magazines, and was known for his leading influence in rock music ...

compares the poet's vocal style on the album to that of a mu'azzin – a

mosque A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid, ; literally "place of ritual prostration"), also called masjid, is a place of prayer for Muslims. Mosques are usually covered buildings, but can be any place where prayers ( sujud) are performed, ...

appointee who recites the call to prayer – but one who is

Anglo-American Anglo-Americans are people who are English-speaking inhabitants of Anglo-America. It typically refers to the nations and ethnic groups in the Americas that speak English as a native language, making up the majority of people in the world who spe ...

. In the opinion of ''

Relix ''Relix'', originally and occasionally later ''Dead Relix'', is a magazine that focuses on live and improvisational music. The magazine was launched in 1974 as a handmade newsletter devoted to connecting people who recorded Grateful Dead concert ...

'' magazine's

Jeff Tamarkin Jeff Tamarkin is an American editor, author and historian specializing in music and popular culture. Career For 15 years Tamarkin was editor of '' Goldmine'', a magazine for record and CD collectors. Prior to that, he served as the first editor ...

, Ginsberg's "intonations and somewhat droning delivery" of Blake's words possess a grasp on their "inherent rhythms and melodies", pitted against contemporary "folk-rock/jazz-based forms".

Release and reception

''Songs of Innocence and Experience'' was released as an

LP record The LP (from "long playing" or "long play") is an analog sound storage medium, a phonograph record format characterized by: a speed of rpm; a 12- or 10-inch (30- or 25-cm) diameter; use of the "microgroove" groove specification; and a ...

in 1970 by MGM Records and

. The record was credited as being "by William Blake, tuned by Allen Ginsberg", while its production was credited to "Miles Associates". Despite selling poorly, it was one of the most famous musical adaptations of Blake's ''Songs'' collection. Reviewing in April 1970 for ''

The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, the ''Voice'' began as a platform for the crea ...

'', music critic

Robert Christgau Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most well-known and influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and ...

gave the record an "A" and hailed it as "a collaboration of genius". He credited Ginsberg for singing in the manner of Blake's writing – "crude, human, touching, and superb" – and enhancing the source material with his musicians, a feat Christgau found seemingly impossible. In ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...

'', Bangs applauded Ginsberg's vocals and found the record effortless and unpretentious, "like a labor of love, a salute from a young visionary to an ancient sage, executed with delicacy and charm". John G. Simon from ''

The Harvard Crimson ''The Harvard Crimson'' is the student newspaper of Harvard University and was founded in 1873. Run entirely by Harvard College undergraduates, it served for many years as the only daily newspaper in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Beginning in the f ...

'' said the music demonstrates a range of styles and is not the most accessible but still unforgettable, offering listeners a way to remember the words to Blake's poetry as they would know the lyrics to popular music songs. In ''

The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...

'',

Ellen Willis Ellen Jane Willis (December 14, 1941 – November 9, 2006) was an American left-wing political essayist, journalist, activist, feminist, and pop music critic. A 2014 collection of her essays, ''The Essential Ellen Willis,'' received the National ...

said of the album, "It's a beautiful record, which makes me happy every time I hear it – but then most of what Ginsberg does has that effect on me. He should be persuaded to record a collection of mantras next."

Legacy

Ginsberg later considered buying the rights to the album back from MGM – through a deal he and Miles had arranged with

– so that he could record the remainder of Blake's ''Songs'' collection and release the recordings as a

double album A double album (or double record) is an audio album that spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically either records or compact disc. A double album is usually, though not always, released as such because the recording i ...

. Fantasy offered them a five-album deal with an

advance Advance commonly refers to: *Advance, an offensive push in sports, games, thoughts, military combat, or sexual or romantic pursuits *Advance payment for goods or services *Advance against royalties, a payment to be offset against future royalty pa ...

and paid studio time to

master Master or masters may refer to: Ranks or titles * Ascended master, a term used in the Theosophical religious tradition to refer to spiritually enlightened beings who in past incarnations were ordinary humans *Grandmaster (chess), National Master ...

the recordings, more than hundred of which Miles had already edited for a series of spoken-word and mantra records. According to Miles, the mastering was to be finished by June 1971, when Ginsberg was planning to leave for Australia. However, Ginsberg complicated the matter by having more tapes mailed to him from the various colleges where his poetry recitals had been recorded. In August, Ginsberg sent the master tapes to Fantasy, along with a letter saying he wants to rerecord and remix some of the songs and that he has recorded 16 albums of poems. The letter also noted his desire to postpone contract negotiations until he finishes traveling with poet

Gary Snyder Gary Snyder (born May 8, 1930) is an American poet, essayist, lecturer, and environmental activist. His early poetry has been associated with the Beat Generation and the San Francisco Renaissance and he has been described as the "poet laureate of ...

to the Sierras and to India. The albums were never released. At the time, Ginsberg also considered making an album of Blake settings with David Axelrod, a Los Angeles-based producer and composer best known for his successful tenure at

Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007) is an American record label distributed by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-based record label of note ...

. Axelrod had released his own instrumental interpretations of Blake's ''Songs'' collection on two albums – ''

Song of Innocence ''Song of Innocence'' is the debut album by American composer and producer David Axelrod. It was released in October 1968 by Capitol Records. In an effort to capitalize on the experimental climate of popular music at the time, Axelrod composed ...

'' (1968) and ''

Songs of Experience ''Songs of Innocence and of Experience'' is a collection of illustrated poems by William Blake. It appeared in two phases: a few first copies were printed and illuminated by Blake himself in 1789; five years later, he bound these poems with a ...

'' (1969) – which fused sounds from pop, jazz, rock, and theater music. Ginsberg and Axelrod discussed ideas for a project on several occasions, including an album of both Blake and Ginsberg poems, but it never materialized either due to other pursuits and priorities. The original ''Songs of Innocence and Experience'' eventually went out of print and remained so until the release of ''The Complete Songs of Innocence and Experience'' by

on June 23, 2017. A double- CD reissue, the Omnivore set featured a second disc of previously unreleased recordings of Blake settings and other spiritually-themed performances, recorded by Ginsberg in San Francisco between July and August 1971. Reviewing the reissue for

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

, Thom Jurek said, "As much of a treasure as this document is, it's disc two that holds the greatest revelations. ... As a whole, they are an inspiring, provocative, and life-affirming chapter in his legacy." In 2019, Gavin Edwards included the original album in a piece for ''Rolling Stone'' covering 10 "weird" albums the magazine praised in the 1970s but "you've never heard", writing that Ginsberg's adaptation "was more literary than musical, but listening to him, one couldn't help but get caught up in the rush of words and images."

Track listing

All compositions are credited to

and

; production is credited to

and

Songs of Innocence and of Experience, copy AA, 1826 (The Fitzwilliam Museum) object 10 The Little Black Boy

LP: Side one # (a) "Introduction" / (b) "The Shepherd"2:11 # "The Echoing Green"1:27 # "The Lamb"1:15 # "The Little Black Boy"3:05 # "The Blossom"1:27 # "The Chimney Sweepers"2:24 # "The Little Boy Lost"1:09 # (a) "The Little Boy Found" / (b) "Laughing Song"1:31 # "Holy Thursday"1:18 # "Night"4:01 LP: Side two # "Introduction"2:09 # "Nurses Song"2:10 # "The Sick Rose"1:41 # "Ah! Sun-Flower"1:18 # "The Garden of Love"1:08 # "London"2:01 # "The Human Abstract"2:35 # "To Tirzah"1:47 # "The Grey Monk"4:13

''The Complete Songs of Innocence and Experience''

The 2017 two-CD reissue by

Omnivore An omnivore () is an animal that has the ability to eat and survive on both plant and animal matter. Obtaining energy and nutrients from plant and animal matter, omnivores digest carbohydrates, protein, fat, and fiber, and metabolize the nutr ...

combines the LP sides as tracks 1–19 on one CD and adds the following: CD one: Bonus tracks

"The Grey Monk" (alternate take)3:20
"Brothels of Paris"3:47

CD two: Blake Songs # "A Cradle Song"5:04 # "The Divine Image"2:49 # "Spring"4:21 # "Nurse's Song"6:02 # "Infant Joy"2:22 # "A Dream"3:11 # "On Another Sorrow"3:51 # "Holy Thursday"4:32 # "The Fly"0:52 # "The School Boy"3:55 # "The Voice of the Ancient Bard"1:16 CD two: Mantras

"Padmasambhava Mantra"12:03
"Om Namah Shivaye"4:55
"Roghupati Raghava"6:09

Personnel

Credits for the 2017 CD, taken from

: * Michael Aldrichchoir/chorus * Greg Allendesign, reissue art direction * Dave Bakerengineering * Gordon Ballphotography * Audrey Bilgerproject assistance * William Blakecomposition, illustrations * Cyril Casterarrangement, choir/chorus, French horn, guitar, trumpet * Don Cherrybass, choir/chorus, finger cymbals, gourd, harpsichord, sleigh bells, trumpet, wood flute * Lee Crabtreearrangement * Dutch Cramblittproject assistance * Elsa Dorfmanproject assistance * Bob Dorougharrangement, choir/chorus, harpsichord, organ, piano, project assistance * Allen Ginsbergarrangement, choir/chorus, composition, finger cymbals, harmonium, piano, Tibetan trumpet, tuning, vocals * Elaine Gongoraart direction * Michael Gravesmastering, restoration * Peter Haleassociate production * Matt Hoffmanchoir/chorus * Peter Hornbeckviola, violin * Elvin Jonesdrums * John Kilgoreproject assistance * Steve Knutsonproject assistance * Tim Lawrenceproject assistance * Tom Leeproject assistance * Sid Maurerart direction * Fred McDarrahphotography * Michael McInnerneycover photo * Jon Meyerflute, project assistance * Barry Milesphotography, production * Tim Noakesproject assistance * Bill O'Hanlonproject assistance * Peter Orlovskyproduction, vocals * Kari Pearsoneditorial supervision * Brad Rosenbergerproject assistance * Arthur Russellcello * Jerry Schmidtphotography * Alan Senaukemandolin, project assistance * Jon Shollearrangement, autoharp, bass, drums, electric bass, guitar * Dorothy Stefanskieditorial supervision * Pat Thomascompilation production, liner notes * John Townleyproject assistance * Julius WatkinsFrench horn * Herman Wrightbass * Peter Wrightproject assistance * Janet Zeitzchoir/chorus, flute

References

External links

*
''Songs of Innocence and Experience''
at

PennSound PennSound is a poetry website and online archive that hosts free and downloadable recordings of poets reading their own work. The website offers over 1500 full-length and single-poem recordings, the largest collection of poetry sound-files on the ...

(free and downloadable recording) {{Authority control 1970 albums Musical settings of poems by William Blake Works by Allen Ginsberg