The Bastard King of England
A bawdy folk song often misattributed to Rudyard Kipling.
The Bastard King of England is a bawdy English folk song, often falsely attributed to Rudyard Kipling. Its earliest known appearance dates to 1927. The song recounts the sexual adventures of an illegitimate English king, a Queen of Spain, a French king named Phillip, and the Duke of Zippity-Zap. It contains several historical inaccuracies, including anachronistic monarchs and the impossibility of dragging someone from France to England before the Channel Tunnel was dug.
Quick Facts
- Earliest known appearance
- 1927
- Commonly misattributed to
- Rudyard Kipling
- Other misattributions
- Lord Tennyson
- Charles Dickens
- Walt Whitman
- Charles Whistler
- Characters
- The Bastard King of England
- an unnamed Queen of Spain
- King Phillip of France
- the Duke of Zippity-Zap
- Notable adaptation
- The Phony King of England (Disney's 1973 Robin Hood, lyrics by Johnny Mercer)
Facts from the source article.
More in English Folk Songs
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