As you, my fans, know I’m scheduled to play in Greensboro, North Carolina this Sunday. As we also know, North Carolina has just passed HB2, which the media are referring to as the “bathroom” law. HB2—known officially as the Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act—dictates which bathrooms transgender people are permitted to use. Just as important, the law also attacks the rights of LGBT citizens to sue when their human rights are violated in the workplace. No other group of North Carolinians faces such a burden. To my mind, it’s an attempt by people who cannot stand the progress our country has made in recognizing the human rights of all of our citizens to overturn that progress. Right now, there are many groups, businesses, and individuals in North Carolina working to oppose and overcome these negative developments. Taking all of this into account, I feel that this is a time for me and the band to show solidarity for those freedom fighters. As a result, and with deepest apologies to our dedicated fans in Greensboro, we have canceled our show scheduled for Sunday, April 10th. Some things are more important than a rock show and this fight against prejudice and bigotry—which is happening as I write—is one of them. It is the strongest means I have for raising my voice in opposition to those who continue to push us backwards instead of forwards.
(Reprinted from The College of Rock and Roll Knowledge)
By the late 80’s, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison and Bob Dylan had all played on each others albums. On April 3, 1988, they all got together along with Tom Petty at Dylan’s studio in Malibu, CA to record a single called “Handle With Care.” They had already worked on Harrison’s “This Is Love” and needed to record a ‘B’ side. The session went so well that the group, calling itself the Traveling Wilburys, goes on to record two whole albums together.
“Wilbury” was a sl…ang term first used by Harrison during the recording of “Cloud Nine” with Jeff Lynne. Referring to recording errors created by some faulty equipment, Harrison jokingly remarked to Lynne, “We’ll bury ’em in the mix”. Thereafter, they used the term for any small error in performance and the term was used again when the group were together. Harrison suggested “The Trembling Wilburys” as the group’s name; instead, Lynne suggested “Traveling”, with which the group agreed.
Tom Petty’s involvement came by chance. George Harrison had left one of his guitar’s at Petty’s house and before the session, went to get it. George decided to invite Petty to join the session.
When Columbia Records sent copies of Simon and Garfunkel’s “Fakin’ It” to radio stations across America in the summer of 1967, the 45s’ printed labels would have looked normal to DJs at first glance. It had the song’s title, its writing credit, and all the relevant copyright information. Had they looked closer, however, they would have noticed something funky with the runtime—it’s listed as “2:74,” not “3:14”…
Shel Silverstein may be best known, especially to parents, as the author of well-loved children’s books such as Where the Sidewalk Ends, The Giving Tree, and A Light in the Attic.
But though Uncle Shelby’s books have sold over 20 million copies, it’s often overlooked that he also enjoyed careers as a screenwriter, Playboy cartoonist, and singer-songwriter.
And while some of his songwriting output certainly deserves to be overlooked by anyone with even a hint of political correctness about them, a few of his songs are rightly embraced as classics.
Let’s take a rummage through the mixed bag:
“The Unicorn” by the Irish Rovers (#7 in 1968)
Many would be surprised to learn that their favorite St. Patty’s Day anthem didn’t originate from the Emerald Isle itself, but was in fact written by a Jewish guy from Chicago.
It was a career-making song for the Irish Rovers, and they parlayed its success into a TV show and long run as a recording and touring act. And it’s a tune that generations of kids have sung along to, right up to the present. “The Unicorn” may in fact be Shel Silverstein’s most enduring work.
“A Boy Named Sue” by Johnny Cash (#2 in 1969)
Country music icon Johnny Cash is regarded as one of the most successful and influential artists of the 20th century and has sold over 90 million records worldwide. But his highest-charting hit was this novelty record written by ole Uncle Shelby.
“Father of a Boy Named Sue”
Pop song sequels are almost always a bad idea but “Father of a Boy Named Sue” might have been the worst ever. Here’s Shel’s own take on his attempt to tell the same story from the other point of view. Yes, Uncle Shelby’s implication is that he sleeps with his son. But only “on the nights that he can’t score”.
I guess Cash wasn’t interested in recording this one for some crazy reason.
“Sylvia’s Mother” by Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show (#5 in 1972)
Quite a clever story song in that the story is pushed along solely by use of a telephone conversation, with the interruptions by the operator to ask for more coin only upping the dramatic ante.
While I can understand this song being categorized by some with 70’s melodrama such as “Daddy Don’t You Walk So Fast” and “Seasons in the Sun”, it’s actually an affecting song sensitively rendered and deserves recognition as a 70’s pop classic.
“The Cover of ‘Rolling Stone'” byDr. Hook and the Medicine Show (#6 in 1973)
A cheeky look at early 70’s rock and roll excess and another smash hit for Dr. Hook–their last prior to reinventing themselves as the sappy balladeers of “A Little Bit More” and “Sharing the Night Together”.
According to members of the group, they really did buy five copies for their mothers.
What is impressive is the breadth the band showed in mustering what was called for here–an arrangement that feels loose enough to be a session outtake or rehearsal–just as they’d found the sensitive soul of “Sylvia’s Mother”.
“Put Another Log on the Fire” by Tompall Glaser
Country singer Tompall Glaser’s highest-charting country hit (#21 in 1975) was another bit of snark which happened to fit the “outlaw country” niche inhabited by David Allan Coe and Johnny Paycheck. Incidentally, in 2016 “Johnny Paycheck” sounds more like a rapper than a country singer.
“I Got Stoned and I Missed It” by Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show
Ok so Uncle Shelby really liked weed too. And his more adult material showed sensitivities that might have shocked some whose exposure was limited to “The Unicorn” and The Giving Tree.
“Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take the Garbage Out”
Shel himself recorded some of the poems from his children’s books. And though he never cracked the top 100 as a performer of his own work, this one actually was released on a 45.
Every Moment Has A Song 