Search - Shel Silverstein :: Best of Shel Silverstein

Poet, Musician, Composer/Songwriter, Screenwriter, Cartoonis

Winston Wolfe | 06/27/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Born on September 25, 1930, Sheldon Alan "Shel" Silverstein, aka "Uncle Shelby" when writing books for children, was all of those - and more. His children's books, most of which he also illustrated himself (he once worked as a cartoonist for the U.S. military's publication Stars And Stripes), remain among the most favoured of the genre, especially A Light In The Attic, Where The Sidewalk Ends, Falling Up, A Giraffe And A Half, The Missing Piece and The Missing Piece Meets The Big O.



Adults could appreciate his zany sense of humour too in books such as Different Dances, a collection of very adult-themed wordless cartoons, as well as the highly satirical Uncle Shelby's ABZ Book and his stab at rap, using Hamlet, which appeared in Playboy the year before he passed away on May 10, 1999. As a screenwriter, working with David Mamet they came up with 1988's Things Change, a tour-de-force for Don Ameche as an Italian shoemaker convinced to take the rap for a Chicago mob murder.



His material continues to surface, including the 2005 book of spoonerisms titled Runny Babbit: A Billy Sook. And here, in this wonderful 2005 CD with 2 pages of liner notes contributed by his nephew, Mitch Myers, and an eloquent tribute by his good friend Kris Kristofferson, you can hear for yourself his unique brand of humour on 15 of the 25 generous tracks, some of which are indeed suitable for children. Just review it yourself, first, before deciding which tracks they can hear.



He is, of course, also the writer/composer of some of the biggest hit singles ever, several of which are included here, starting with his first smash, The Unicorn, In early 1968 the Canadian-based group, The Irish Rovers, took it to # 2 Adult Contemporary (AC) and # 7 Billboard Pop Hot 100. Then, just over a year later, his friend the late, great Johnny Cash introduced A Boy Named Sue in a live performance at San Quentin Prison and, when released as a single, it shot to # 1 Country (where it stayed 6 weeks), # 1 AC (2 weeks), and # 2 Hot 100 in late summer 1969.



Another Country star, Bobby Bare, had back-to-back hits with Shel's material, first taking Daddy, What If to # 2 Country, # 14 AC and # 41 Hot 100 in late 1973/early 1974 in a delightful duet with 5-year-old son Bobby, Jr., and in the summer of 1974 had a # 1 Country with his "live" recording of the hilarious Marie Laveau, a take-off on the renowned 19th Century New Orleans VooDoo queen.



The New Jersey pop-rock group, Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show, also benefited from Shel's compositions as their first hit, Sylvia's Mother, rose to # 5 Hot 100 in spring 1972, and late that year the comical The Cover Of "Rolling Stone" began its climb to # 6 Hot 100 in January 1973 b/w the melancholy Queen Of The Silver Dollar, the Doyle Holly version of which made it to # 29 Country that year, and in 1976 Dave & Sugar would take it to # 25 Country.



And although the version of A Couple More Years heard here by Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson never became a hit, Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show had a # 51 Country with it in 1976, while King Edward IV & The Knights took it to # 89 Country in 1979.



A most talented man who is sorely missed."

Shel rings my Bell

H. L. Korman | Ann Arbor, MI | 03/18/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Shel Silverstein is one of the most underappreciated poets of the twentieth century. If you grew up reading his books of poetry, it is a whole other experience to her him read his poetry out loud (unlike anything else!!! give them a whole new dimension and breaths vitality into his words). His other songs and performances are also a real treat but the gems of this album are the recitations of his own poetry."

The many sides of Shel Silverstein...read on!

Winston Wolfe | Marietta, GA USA | 06/28/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It is so funny to read the reviews on this album. So many reviewers talk about how Shel is "best known for his children's books". When you see this, know two things, these folks are under 40 and/or grew up very sheltered! As someone who does not fit that profile, by barely a few years, let me give the another perspective.



Do you remember hearing "On the cover of the Rolling Stone" on the radio? Then you heard "Sylvia's Mother", "A boy named Sue", and/or "Marie Lavaux". Such bawdy fun songs, but different artists. Then the thread became clear, Shel Silverstein wrote all of these.



It is hard not to search for Shel Silverstein lyrics after visiting Amazon. While this collection has some of the better known, he has well over well over 70 songs to his credit in this genre. THEN there are the children's songs, poems, and books.



As a parent of young children who read "A light in the Attic" and other books by Shel, I enjoy them with my children. When I mention these books with another parent I'm looking them straight in the eye with a wry smile searching for that glimmer that they too understand so much more. I'm a good conservative parent, but don't forget my wild days. Look deep inside of you and appreciate some of these many facets of Shel Silverstein.



Next time you hear someone called a "Renaissance Man", compare that individual to Shel Silverstein. Shel is the measure of renaissance man all others can be judged against."