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.
Lookin
Shel Silverstein Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I ain't lookin' for you.
I'm still lookin' for myself
And I ain't got time to look for nobody else.
When I found who I am and where I am
And if you come round again,
Maybe then, baby.
Maybe then.
You wanna follow me
But, honey, can't you see
I don't know where the hell I'm goin'.
How can I know your mind
When I don't even know my own?
Now when the road gets tough
Or when I get enough
Or maybe when I reach the end,
Maybe then, baby.
Maybe then.
So stick around or go away.
Whichever one you choose.
You ain't got a single thing
That I think I can use,
And you and I ain't shared a thing
That I'm afraid to lose.
You say that you love me
But I don't love you.
I love someone I never seen
As she lives in a place that I never been.
When I realize it's all in my eyes,
Just one great big patent, maybe then.
Maybe then.
Maybe then.
Maybe then.
Maybe then but I won't say when.
Maybe then, baby.
Maybe then.
At first glance, Shel Silverstein's song "Lookin' for Pussy" may seem vulgar or crude, but upon closer analysis, the lyrics reveal a deeper message. The song is a metaphor for the search for oneself and the journey of self-discovery. The lyrics "You may be lookin' for me, But I ain't lookin' for you. I'm still lookin' for myself, And I ain't got time to look for nobody else" suggest that the singer is on a journey to find themselves and prioritize their own needs rather than searching for external validation or companionship.
The line "I don't know where the hell I'm goin'. How can I know your mind When I don't even know my own?" emphasizes that the singer is uncertain about their own path and therefore cannot understand or commit to another person's journey. The chorus lines "Maybe then, baby. Maybe then. Maybe then. Maybe then" are hopeful and suggest that once the singer finds themselves, they may be able to connect with others on a deeper level.
Overall, "Lookin' for Pussy" is a reflection on the importance of self-discovery and how it is a necessary component of forming meaningful relationships with other people. It encourages listeners to prioritize their own journey of self-exploration and highlights the idea that connecting with others can only happen after we understand ourselves.
Line by Line Meaning
You may be lookin' for me
You could be seeking me out, but I'm not interested in finding you.
But I ain't lookin' for you.
I have no desire to find you, even if you are trying to find me.
I'm still lookin' for myself
I am still trying to find out who I am before I worry about finding someone else.
And I ain't got time to look for nobody else.
I don't have the time or energy to look for someone else until I've discovered who I am.
When I found who I am and where I am
Once I have discovered who I am and where I am in life,
And if you come round again,
And if you happen to come back around,
Maybe then, baby.
Then, and only then, would I consider being with you.
You wanna follow me
You want to follow me along my journey in life,
But, honey, can't you see
But, my dear, don't you understand
I don't know where the hell I'm goin'.
I don't have a clue where my path in life is leading.
How can I know your mind
It's impossible for me to know what you're thinking and feeling
When I don't even know my own?
When I haven't yet figured out my own thoughts and emotions.
Now when the road gets tough
When my journey becomes challenging,
Or when I get enough
Or when I have had enough of this journey,
Or maybe when I reach the end,
Or perhaps when I reach the end of this road,
Maybe then, baby.
Then, and only then, will I consider sharing my journey with you.
So stick around or go away.
Either stay and see where life takes me, or leave if you can't handle the uncertainty.
Whichever one you choose.
The decision is up to you.
You ain't got a single thing
You don't have anything
That I think I can use,
That I believe would benefit me on this journey.
And you and I ain't shared a thing
We haven't shared anything together
That I'm afraid to lose.
That I fear losing if we were to part ways.
You say that you love me
You claim to love me,
But I don't love you.
But I cannot reciprocate that love.
I love someone I never seen
I love someone who I haven't met yet
As she lives in a place that I never been.
Because she resides in a location I have yet to travel to.
When I realize it's all in my eyes,
When I understand that the emotions I feel are all in my mind,
Just one great big patent, maybe then.
It will all become clear, and then maybe.
Maybe then.
Maybe then I will be able to find true love.
Maybe then.
Maybe then I will be able to find true love.
Maybe then.
Maybe then I will be able to find true love.
Maybe then but I won't say when.
Perhaps then, but I can't say when it will happen for sure.
Maybe then, baby.
Maybe then I will find that special someone.
Maybe then.
Maybe then, everything will fall into place.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: SHEL SILVERSTEIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind