Songs A-Z - A is for A Boy Named Sue

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"A Boy Named Sue" was written by Shel Silverstein who also wrote several hits for Dr. Hook. Silverstein had a friend, Jean Shepherd, who was a guy that had to deal with a girl's name. This is where the idea for the song came from. The song was recorded live at the San Quentin Prison in 1969 by Johnny Cash. The song is about a boy who grows up angry because his father left the family and also because he named him Sue. After the boy grows up, he sees his father in a bar; and they get into a fight. His father explains that he named him Sue to make sure that he grew up tough. Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons (Johnny Cash and his son)