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.
My Beard
Shel Silverstein Lyrics
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I never wears no clothes,
I wraps my hair
Around my bare,
And down the road I goes
Shel Silverstein's song "My Beard" is a playfully absurd ditty that showcases the silly, imaginative humor of the poet's writing. The lyrics tell the story of a man with an impossibly long beard that grows all the way down to his toes, and who likes to use his beard as a garment, never bothering to wear any clothes. He takes the hair from his beard and wraps it around his body, creating a makeshift robe, and wanders down the road in this bizarre outfit. The song is a testament to Silverstein's ability to create whimsical, fantastical characters and situations that invite listeners to suspend their disbelief and delight in the absurdity of his imagination.
The song is full of clever wordplay and tongue-in-cheek humor. Silverstein uses the image of a long, flowing beard to create a character who is both wild and free-spirited, but also slightly ridiculous. The idea of using one's beard as a garment is a comically impractical notion, and the song plays with the absurdity of this idea in an amusing way. The song is a lighthearted celebration of creativity, imagination, and individuality, and it encourages listeners to embrace their own quirks and idiosyncrasies.
Line by Line Meaning
My beard grows down to my toes,
My beard is so long that it extends all the way to my toes.
I never wears no clothes,
I prefer not to wear clothes, as my beard provides me with enough coverage and warmth.
I wraps my hair
I wrap my beard hair
Around my bare,
around my naked body, which doesn't have any clothes on
And down the road I goes
Then, I start walking on the road, unashamed of my unusual appearance.
Writer(s): S. Silverstein
Contributed by Christopher R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.