Alva Review-Courier -

Shel Silverstein, who died in 1999, was a creative genius who published numerous cartoons while writing plays, poetry, children’s books and songs.

As I noted last week, perhaps the greatest of Silverstein’s talents was as a songwriter. And while he wrote several serious ballads, the majority of his songs are humorous in nature.

The most famous song Silverstein composed is “A Boy Named Sue,” which became one of Johnny Cash’s biggest hits. Released in 1969, the tune zoomed to the top of the country music charts and crossed over to No. 2 on the rock charts.

It won Grammy Awards for Silverstein as the songwriter of the year’s “Best Country Song” and for Cash as the singer.

Another funny Silverstein tune is “The Unicorn,” which implores Noah to include that mythical animal on his ark. Recorded by The Irish Rovers in 1968, it rose to No. 7 on the rock charts.

Then, in 1972, Silverstein hooked up with a rock band known as Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show (later shortened to “Dr. Hook”).

Within two years the group released three albums comprised primarily of Silverstein songs, and two of them became Top 10 hits.

“Sylvia’s Mother” is about a boy who has learned that his girlfriend is getting married to another man. He calls to tell her goodbye but her mother answers the phone and won’t let him talk to her.

“The Cover of the Rolling Stone” is a witty number about the band’s desire to be on the cover of the leading rock music journal (which happened as a result of the song).

Meanwhile, the great singer Bobby Bare also recorded numerous Silverstein compositions, putting no fewer than 16 of them on the country charts! “Marie Leveau” – about a voodoo practitioner – went to No. 1.

Another country music legend, Loretta Lynn, scored a No. 1 country hit with “One’s On the Way” about a pregnant woman with lots of children.

Shel Silverstein was posthumously inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2002 – an honor well-earned and deserved.