Silverstein's passion for music was clear early on as he studied for a while at the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. As a songwriter, Silverstein kept a low profile but cast a long shadow. He tended to shun publicity and even photographers. Nonetheless, his musical output included many songs which were hits for other artists. Most notably, he wrote the music and lyrics for "A Boy Named Sue" that was performed by Johnny Cash (for which he won a Grammy in 1970); "One's on the Way" (which was a hit for Loretta Lynn), and "The Unicorn Song" which, despite having nothing to do with Ireland nor Irish culture, became the signature piece for The Irish Rovers in 1968 and is popular in pubs all over the world to this day. He wrote the lyrics and music for most of the Dr. Hook songs, including "Cover of the Rolling Stone", "Freakin' at the Freakers' Ball", "Sylvia's Mother", and the cautionary song about VD, "Don't Give a Dose to the One You Love Most". He also wrote many of the songs performed by Bobby Bare, including "Marie Laveau", "Rosalie's Good Eats Cafe", "The Mermaid", "The Winner", and "Tequila Sheila". The song "The Ballad of Lucy Jordan",] recorded in 1979 by Marianne Faithfull and later featured in the films Montenegro and Thelma & Louise, was also by Silverstein.
Ickle Me Pickle Me Tickle Me Too
Shel Silverstein Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Went for a ride in a flying shoe.
"Hooray!"
"What fun!"
"It's time we flew!"
Said Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.
Ickle was captain, and Pickle was crew
As higher
And higher
And higher they flew,
Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.
Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too,
Over the sun and beyond the blue.
"Hold on!"
"Stay in!"
"I hope we do!"
Cried Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.
Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle too
Never returned to the world they knew,
And nobody
Knows what's
Happened to
Dear Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.
The song "Ickle Me Pickle Me Tickle Me Too" by Shel Silverstein is a whimsical tale about three friends who take an incredible journey in a flying shoe. The lyrics are straightforward in describing the adventure that the trio embarks upon, but the meaning behind the song is much deeper. The song is about exploring the unknown, taking risks, and the joy of pure, unadulterated fun. The emphasis on the excitement of the journey and not the destination is a common theme in Silverstein's work.
The song begins with the friends excitedly proclaiming that they are ready for an adventure. They take off in a flying shoe, with Ickle as the captain and Pickle as the crew. Tickle serves coffee and mulligan stew as they soar higher and higher into the sky. As they fly over the sun and beyond the blue, the friends urge each other to hold on and stay in for the ride. The song ends on a bittersweet note, with the friends not returning to the world they knew and nobody knowing what happened to them.
Line by Line Meaning
Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too
Three playful and imaginative characters
Went for a ride in a flying shoe
Embarked on a fanciful, exhilarating adventure
"Hooray!"
"What fun!"
"It's time we flew!"
Said Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.
Excitedly expressed enthusiasm for their journey
Ickle was captain, and Pickle was crew
And Tickle served coffee and mulligan stew
Each character had a role on the journey
As higher
And higher
And higher they flew,
Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.
The adventure took them to great heights
Over the sun and beyond the blue.
"Hold on!"
"Stay in!"
"I hope we do!"
Cried Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.
The journey continued past the limits of what they knew, with some uncertainty about the outcome
Never returned to the world they knew,
And nobody
Knows what's
Happened to
Dear Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.
The adventure was so extraordinary that they disappeared into the unknown, leaving behind mystery and wonder
Contributed by Grayson K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.