Top Ten Shel Silverstein Songs: Once More With Feeling (#8)

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Next month a US postage stamp will honor Shel Silverstein’s classic children’s book The Giving Tree. To celebrate that, I’m counting down ten favorite songs that Silverstein wrote. I mentioned this in a reply earlier, but it bears repeating: Silverstein actually hated the notion that he was pegged as a “children’s author.” Oh, he cashed the checks, but his humor was far too adult for such an audience. Today’s song isn’t exactly the typical Silverstein insanity (that’ll be along tomorrow), but it’s another example of how deep his roots ran in music. #8: Once More With Feeling - Jerry Lee Lewis Linda? This is the country Jerry Lee. You might do better with the “luck” song today. Yes, the “country” Jerry Lee. Lewis had two distinct careers: the hell-raising rocker who married his cousin, and the country crooner. Rock and roll, the “rebellious” music, threw him out; and “conservative” country welcomed him. (Yeah, make jokes about country fans marrying their cousins…..) With his country career in full swing he recorded this Silverstein song, which was co-written with Kris Kristofferson (a pair of heavy hitters there!), and enjoyed another in a pretty impressive list of country hits. It may shock you, but Lewis actually had more top ten country hits than rock hits! Lewis left enough of his rock roots in this song the make sure everyone knew it’s him. It works. Once More With Feeling Written by Shel Silverstein and Kris Kristofferson Recorded by Jerry Lee Lewis From She Even Woke Me Up to Say Goodbye, 1969 That’s an oldie, and it’s a goodie: