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(This one is going to meander a bit, so bear with me...)
Recently, my father was introduced to the wonders of YouTube. Unfortunately, computers intimidate him, so whenever he wants to cast his net on the interwebs for a piece of old, obscure music, I'm usually the one who has to do the navigating.
At least I've been fairly blessed in my life to have been born to parents with pretty good taste in music. Or, good taste being subjective, at least a taste in music I can also appreciate, so while the task is slightly annoying, since one, two, or ten songs never seem to be enough, it could really be a lot worse. On the other hand, my father has this trait that he unfortunately passed on to my sister where when they find music they like they will play it to death so that even enjoyable music eventually becomes tired and irritating...
Anyway, I tell you that story so I can tell you this:
A few years ago, my father found a copy of Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show's album Sloppy Seconds...which he promptly proceeded to wear the fuck out (literally...it's barely listenable now it skips so much).
Now, while they had quite a few hits, I don't know that Dr. Hook is very popular today, though fans of Hawaii Five-0 might recognize them as the artists responsible for the song "Sexy Eyes" that interrupts a capital-M Moment in "Palekaiko". It really does sound like having the '70s vomit in your ear.
However, Dr. Hook recorded music in a lot of different styles, and they have more than a few songs I actually really like.
Specifically, the Sloppy Seconds album is a very good one. Interestingly, however, at one point I was moved by something my dad was curious about to look the band up on wikipedia, and learned something that made me like them even more...
All of the songs on it were written by Shel Silverstein.
I don't know if he's as universal as my childhood memories suggest, but when I was a kid everyone was into Shel Silverstein. Where the Sidewalk Ends had probably the longest wait-list in the school library, and his other books weren't far behind. Now, having known of him as a kid as a writer of children's poems, I was very surprised to learn that prior to this he made a name for himself as a cartoonist for Playboy.
Talk about your crossover success.
In addition, he wrote several hit songs. I've shared three of my favorites that he wrote for Dr. Hook and the Medicine show. The fourth song is one he wrote for a different artist (included at the end of the page, so scroll down if you get bored), which I'm sure you'll agree is a timeless classic...
Carry Me, Carrie by Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show
Sylvia's Mother by Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show
Last Morning by Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show
And, finally, perhaps the one I was the most surprised to learn...
A Boy Named Sue by Johnny Cash
Isn't that something? I've probably heard the song a million times over the course of my life and it never clicked, but knowing what I know now... I can really hear it. It's totally in his style.
Recently, my father was introduced to the wonders of YouTube. Unfortunately, computers intimidate him, so whenever he wants to cast his net on the interwebs for a piece of old, obscure music, I'm usually the one who has to do the navigating.
At least I've been fairly blessed in my life to have been born to parents with pretty good taste in music. Or, good taste being subjective, at least a taste in music I can also appreciate, so while the task is slightly annoying, since one, two, or ten songs never seem to be enough, it could really be a lot worse. On the other hand, my father has this trait that he unfortunately passed on to my sister where when they find music they like they will play it to death so that even enjoyable music eventually becomes tired and irritating...
Anyway, I tell you that story so I can tell you this:
A few years ago, my father found a copy of Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show's album Sloppy Seconds...which he promptly proceeded to wear the fuck out (literally...it's barely listenable now it skips so much).
Now, while they had quite a few hits, I don't know that Dr. Hook is very popular today, though fans of Hawaii Five-0 might recognize them as the artists responsible for the song "Sexy Eyes" that interrupts a capital-M Moment in "Palekaiko". It really does sound like having the '70s vomit in your ear.
However, Dr. Hook recorded music in a lot of different styles, and they have more than a few songs I actually really like.
Specifically, the Sloppy Seconds album is a very good one. Interestingly, however, at one point I was moved by something my dad was curious about to look the band up on wikipedia, and learned something that made me like them even more...
All of the songs on it were written by Shel Silverstein.
I don't know if he's as universal as my childhood memories suggest, but when I was a kid everyone was into Shel Silverstein. Where the Sidewalk Ends had probably the longest wait-list in the school library, and his other books weren't far behind. Now, having known of him as a kid as a writer of children's poems, I was very surprised to learn that prior to this he made a name for himself as a cartoonist for Playboy.
Talk about your crossover success.
In addition, he wrote several hit songs. I've shared three of my favorites that he wrote for Dr. Hook and the Medicine show. The fourth song is one he wrote for a different artist (included at the end of the page, so scroll down if you get bored), which I'm sure you'll agree is a timeless classic...
Carry Me, Carrie by Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show
Sylvia's Mother by Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show
Last Morning by Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show
And, finally, perhaps the one I was the most surprised to learn...
A Boy Named Sue by Johnny Cash
Isn't that something? I've probably heard the song a million times over the course of my life and it never clicked, but knowing what I know now... I can really hear it. It's totally in his style.
