Yes -- twice, and I was surprised and disappointed both times. The would be lyricist did not hear the same things, the same emotions, as I intend the melodies to convey. A lullaby became a love-song, and a nostalgic melody for my childhood home became an anthem about Wales. What's more, some of the words had to be held over too many notes. I rejected both lyrics. Cole Porter's tunes and his lyrics seem to match up perfectly -- perhaps because they come from the same source of inspiration and art.
A very fine tune, composed by Herbert Hughes for Padraic Colum's poem, "She Moved through the Fair", stretches some of the words so awkwardly over certain notes that it makes the poem hard to sing:
She Moved through the Fair:
Click here for the melody
My young love said to me, "My brothers won't mind,
And my parents won't slight you for your lack of kind."
Then she stepped away from me, and this she did say,
"It will not be long, love, till our wedding day."
She stepped away from me and she moved through the fair,
And fondly I watched her go here and go there,
Then she went her way homeward with one star awake,
As the swan in the evening moves over the lake.
The people were saying no two were e'er wed
But one had a sorrow that never was said,
And I smiled as she passed me with her goods and her gear,
And that was the last that I saw of my dear.
I dreamt it last night that my young love came in,
So softly she entered, her feet made no din;
She came close beside me, and this she did say,
"It will not be long, love, till our wedding day."
G.
[This message has been edited by Golias (edited August 21, 2001).]