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.
Someone Ate The Baby
Shel Silverstein Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's rather sad to say
Someone ate the baby
So she won't be out to play
We'll never hear her whiny cry
Or have to feel if she is dry
We'll never hear her asking, "Why, why, why?"
Someone ate the baby
It is absolutely clear
Someone ate the baby
'Cause baby isn't here
We'll give away her toys and clothes
And we'll never have to wipe her nose
Dad says, "Aah, that's the way it goes,
Someone ate the baby."
Someone ate the baby
What an awful thing to eat
Someone ate the baby
Though, though she wasn't very sweet
It was a heartless thing to do
The policemen haven't got a clue
I simply can't imagine who would go and eat the baby
The lyrics to "Someone Ate The Baby" by Shel Silverstein are dark and disturbing on the surface, but they actually convey a deeper message about loss and grief. The first verse sets the tone for the song, as the singer mourns the loss of the baby who will never be able to play again. The repetition of the phrase "someone ate the baby" adds to the macabre nature of the lyrics, but it also highlights the sense of disbelief and shock that accompanies the loss of a loved one.
The second verse reinforces the fact that the baby is truly gone, with the line "baby isn't here." The parents are left to deal with the aftermath of the loss, including giving away the baby's possessions and accepting that they will never hear her cries again. The father's resigned acceptance of the situation, with his comment that "that's the way it goes," suggests that the family is dealing with the loss in their own way, but that it is a painful process.
The final verse of the song is perhaps the most disturbing, as the singer reflects on the fact that someone actually ate the baby. The sense of anger and frustration is palpable as the singer berates the unknown culprit for their heartless actions. The reference to the police being unable to solve the crime adds to the sense of chaos and helplessness that surrounds the loss.
Overall, the lyrics to "Someone Ate The Baby" are meant to shock and disturb, but they also contain a deeper meaning about the ways in which we cope with loss and grief. The repetition of the phrase "someone ate the baby" is a powerful device that underscores the sense of disbelief and denial that often accompanies the death of a loved one. The song is a poignant reminder that even in the face of tragedy, we are capable of finding ways to cope and move forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Someone ate the baby
A baby went missing and it appears someone ate her
It's rather sad to say
The situation is tragic and saddening
So she won't be out to play
The baby has been taken away from the family and can no longer play with them
We'll never hear her whiny cry
The family will no longer hear the baby's cries, even if she was being fussy
Or have to feel if she is dry
The family will no longer have to check whether the baby's diaper needs a change
We'll never hear her asking, "Why, why, why?"
The family will never hear the baby's innocent questioning
It is absolutely clear
The fact that the baby is missing is unquestionable
'Cause baby isn't here
The baby is missing and cannot be found
We'll give away her toys and clothes
The family will have to dispose of the baby's belongings since they no longer need them
And we'll never have to wipe her nose
The baby is missing, so no one will ever have to take care of her
Dad says, "Aah, that's the way it goes,
The father has accepted the heartbreaking loss
What an awful thing to eat
Eating a baby is a despicable act
Though, though she wasn't very sweet
The lyrics imply that the baby wasn't the easiest to take care of, but no one deserves to be eaten
It was a heartless thing to do
The act of eating another human being, especially a child, is unconscionable
The policemen haven't got a clue
The authorities are clueless about who could have done such a thing
I simply can't imagine who would go and eat the baby
The singer expresses shock and disbelief that someone could have committed such a heinous act
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: SHEL SILVERSTEIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Koren Oransky
We play this while eating King Cake.
kabauschen_irl
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
kellyanquoe
...and baby's on fire. This may be difficult for a younger person to comprehend back when we ate dirt, threw rocks at our sisters, fought in the hallways at school, stole lunch money, thumped knuckles, had sixth grade smoke holes, tried to fight our dads, and ran away for days without food sleeping in church steps and back yards and there were hardly and lamposts and cop cars were dirty...
Lang
Yeah, maybe in Nigeria.
Mario Guti
Dr Demento anyone?
kabauschen_irl
now introducing the biggest inside joke ever
MakiSmolRoll
I love this
Stephen Tidwell
Does this mean Shel Silverstein was an atheist?
Jenna Fox-Willey
❤️
Johnp
Maybe the dingo at the baby!