Top Ten Shel Silverstein Songs: A Boy Named Sue (#4)
By Four Walls
@FourWalls (77704)
United States
March 18, 2022 10:38am CST
MIND BLOWING time! That’s right, folks, we’re at the point of the countdown of my favorite songs written by Shel Silverstein where the song that “everybody” knows shows up. And, if the past comments have been any indication, it might shock the daylights out of 99.9% of folks to learn that fact. The Giving Tree, this ain’t!
Here’s today’s song.
#4: A Boy Named Sue - Johnny Cash
See ya tomorrow.
You may have recovered by then.
That’s right, one of Johnny Cash’s best-known and most iconic songs was written by Shel Silverstein.
Really, this song needs no introduction…except maybe to say that a comedian friend of mine called this the greatest rap song in history.
The tale of a man with a first name that he shouldn’t have had was a country AND pop hit, and it’s become ingrained in pop culture.
So enjoy this classic again.
A Boy Named Sue
Written by Shel Silverstein
Recorded by Johnny Cash
From Johnny Cash at San Quentin, 1969
It was Gatlinburg in mid-July:




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15 people like this
14 responses
@FourWalls (77704)
• United States
19 Mar 22
What can I say? This world is full of surprises and I like to point them out. 

1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (95562)
• Arvada, Colorado
18 Mar 22
Now I had no idea Four Walls but I surely loved this song.
3 people like this
@FourWalls (77704)
• United States
19 Mar 22
Not at the moment I can’t…but I just woke up. 

1 person likes this
@FourWalls (77704)
• United States
19 Mar 22
@DWDavis — I had that run through my mind like a streaking Ray Stevens song. Always liked the nod to the song “My Girl” in it.
1 person likes this
@xander6464 (45338)
• Wapello, Iowa
18 Mar 22
Thank you. I made a bundle on this one. To celebrate, I'm going to have my friend Katy embroider the Gatlinburg city motto on my jeans.
3 people like this
@FourWalls (77704)
• United States
18 Mar 22
Give your poor old gray-haired daddy a raise for driving your limousine while you’re at it.
3 people like this
@FourWalls (77704)
• United States
18 Mar 22
@xander6464 — methinks you need to let him freak at the freakers’ ball.
2 people like this
@xander6464 (45338)
• Wapello, Iowa
18 Mar 22
@FourWalls I would if he did a better job. And if he improved his attitude. The other day, I told him to drive me to Europe and instead of saying, "Yes, Sir!" He gave me a bunch of excuses why he couldn't.
3 people like this

@GreatMartin (23670)
• Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
19 Mar 22
Everyone is going 'country'!!

1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (87859)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
18 Mar 22
I love a lot of Johnny Cash but just never got into this song, Some country fan parents named their son Sue because of this song, Luckily the kid was only in the fourth grade when he demanded a change of name and he wound up being Suede,
2 people like this
@FourWalls (77704)
• United States
19 Mar 22
Good. Another country legend will show up.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (77704)
• United States
19 Mar 22
Thanks for….what?? Both of you know this one??! :::thud::: 







1 person likes this
@FourWalls (77704)
• United States
19 Mar 22
Thanks for….oh, wait!
that’s my match with you for the month. 






1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (36785)
•
25 Mar 22
I always enjoyed that "novelty" song. Performed by Johnny at San Quentin for the very first time and beautifully done, wow!
Take that "Cover of the Rolling Stone." 




1 person likes this
@porwest (105319)
• United States
22 Mar 22
I had absolutely no idea this was a Shel Silverstein song, and it's one of my faves from old Mr. Cash as well, and have played this on my guitar more times than I can count. I think I am learning too much here. My head is going to explode soon.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (77704)
• United States
22 Mar 22
I’m sorry, no head explosions on Tuesdays.
I never do these things (or the “songs you might not know were covers” countdowns) to harm anyone. Or maybe I learned too much and I have to let it out before my head explodes. 


1 person likes this
