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Susan Niemann's avatar

OK, so first of all...I bought his books to read to my daughter growing up.

Our favorite was:

Someone ate the baby it's rather sad to say

Someone ate the baby so she won't be out to play

We'll never hear her whiney cry or have to feel if she is dry

We'll never hear her asking why why why someone ate the baby

Someone ate the baby it's absolutely clear

Someone ate the baby cause the baby isn't here

BUT... I had never heard his voice until your post! Not at all what I imagined. Never knew he sang, either. THANK YOU for this new knowledge.

And yes! Pot then and Pot today...ooh boy, BIG DIFFERENCE! I cant really do it today or I'll just curl up in a fetal position in the corner till you take me home. 😂😂

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Pamela's avatar

Thank you !!! THIS IS something I had not heard since my year in college!

He & early George Carlin had a huge influence on my roommate and me.

I played my acoustic - which I’m sorry I didn’t keep up with but - we wrote silly ditties after hearing this!

Wow this totally brought back memories!! We would have a bunch of friends in our dorm room - stuffed the wet towel under the door and would pass and roll until everyone had a joint in their hand. The stuff now is way way stronger - but gummies are it now as my cotton mouth gets too bad. It has been legal in Arizona for several years. I never thought I would see that happen back in those days!!

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Geoff Anderson's avatar

\m/

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Vickie Berry's avatar

My first read of yours and boy was I happy to wake up and read that title!

I got into Bobby Bare’s music about 6 years ago and learned that Shel Silverstein wrote the hilarious lyrics of Bare’s songs - Marie Laveau and The Winner. (And others that Bobby Bare sang. ) But those two set me off into a journey of learning about Shel Silverstein. I was hooked by both of these artists!

I have gifted many of Shel’s books to great neices and nephews. And, continue to listen to all of Bobby Bare’s music.

What gems they both are and were!

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Geoff Anderson's avatar

Indeed, no matter how you found/find Shel, I have never heard someone who wasn't positively influenced by him.

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Vickie Berry's avatar

https://www.nashvillescene.com/music/features/new-box-set-spotlights-bobby-bare-and-shel-silverstein-s-improbable-partnership/article_d825311d-17bc-549b-bb66-9ca7e5170e28.html

Wanted to add the link about those two artists and to say thank you for this post that has taken me away from usual political reading in the morning! 😊

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SallyJG's avatar

I did not know that Silverstein wrote and recorded music. If I heard him on Dr Demento, it didn’t register (I mostly listened for Tom Lehrer, a favorite of mine, and I can still sing from memory a few of his songs, but I digress). “Interesting” song that I did not hear in my misspent youth, though smoking something before listening might’ve helped! 😂

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Vickie Berry's avatar

😂

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Mommadillo's avatar

Can’t smoke anymore. 25+ years smoking cigarettes and 50+ years of cannabis took their toll, and I’m now limited to cannabis butter in my coffee if I want to breathe. But I’m raising my cup to Shel and my particular favorite of his, “Freaker’s Ball.”

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Geoff Anderson's avatar

I never smoked cigarettes, but I did inhale the smoke of wisdom in my misspent youth. I dabbled again after it was legalized in California, but realized that the potency of the good stuff was debilitating to me (like being velcro'd to the couch.

I do use edibles to offer relief for the arthritis that is crippling my left hand, and it's the reason I can play at all anymore.

But to get high? Nah, that is long in the past

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Mommadillo's avatar

I’ve had to switch to one of those little Hofner “Shorty” travel basses because a full-sized instrument is too hard to handle any more. Even so, after an hour or two, my right shoulder starts aching from the workout my arm and hand are getting.

Getting old sucks, but I suppose it beats the alternative.

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Geoff Anderson's avatar

Yeah, my latest acquisition is a Martin OOOJr, a 24" scale acoustic that just feels (and sounds) great to play.

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