BARE JR.: I opened up a show for him, and just before he went on, we were talking. Bobby Jr., knowing his music, I guess I wouldn't normally associate Frank Black with Shel Silverstein, but it -somehow, it works perfectly. RAZ: I love hearing Frank Black, or Black Francis, as he's described on this record, singing Shel Silverstein's music. We take all kind of pills to give us all kind of thrills, but the thrill that we never known is the thrill that'll get you when you get your picture on the cover of the Rolling Stone. We sing about beauty and we sing about truth, $10 million a show. SANTIAGO: Well, we are big rock singers, we've got golden fingers, and we're loved everywhere we go. And let's hear some of that for a second. This version is recorded by two members of the legendary alternative band The Pixies and more, I guess, Bobby Jr.'s generation, Black Francis, Joey Santiago. RAZ: You've got a version of 'The Cover of the Rolling Stone' on this album. JOEY SANTIAGO (Musicians): (Singing) Rolling Stone, Rolling Stone. (Soundbite of song, 'The Cover of the Rolling Stone') He's writing on his hand, he'll write on his clothes, and his writing - and what he writes was so descriptive, so visual that you couldn't help but respond to it. I've done at least 20 projects with Shel, and it was just so much fun because he's so creative. In all my years, I'm 75 years old I have met just about all of them. BARE SR.: Shel was the most brilliant creative person I've ever met. RAZ: Bobby Sr., you mentioned that there are all these different sides to Shel Silverstein. We have all the books, and they're all autographed by Shel from when we had them growing up. RAZ: Do you Bobby Bare Jr., do you read Shel Silverstein's poetry to your daughter, Isabella? We showed her the YouTube of it, and she just loved it. BARE JR: And you said: That's daddy playing with grandpa. Did you play her the version that you did with your dad in 1973? BARE SR.: Oh, that brings tears to my eyes right now. BARE JR.: (Singing) If the wind stops blowing, then the land would be dry. ISABELLA BARE: (Singing) Daddy, what if the wind stops blowing? What will happen then? RAZ: You brought in your daughter, Isabella, to sing your old part, and let's hear some of that. RAZ: But what's amazing is that on this new tribute album, Bobby Bare Jr., you have actually done a similar thing. You'd stare at the heavens with wide open eyes. BARE SR.: (Singing) If the sun stopped shining, you'd be so surprised. BARE JR.: (Singing) Daddy, what if the sun stops shining? What would happen then? The song is called 'Daddy What If,' and I just want to hear some of that for a moment. RAZ: And I guess we should put this into context because back in 1973, Bobby Sr., you recorded a song on one of your albums with your son, Bobby Jr., who was 5 years old at the time. BARE JR.: A lot of musicians know that Shel wrote songs but not a lot of the regular people out there. (Country Singer): There was at least three sides to Shel, and one of them, of course, a lot of people didn't know, was writing songs. RAZ: Now, hearing someone else beside Johnny Cash sing 'A Boy Named Sue' is weird enough, but even weirder and forgive me, gentlemen, for not knowing this, is that Shel Silverstein, the same guy who wrote 'Where The Sidewalk Ends,' wrote 'A Boy Named Sue.' I didn't know that. RAZ: The curators of this new Shel Silverstein tribute album join me from WPLN in Nashville, country singer Bobby Bare Sr. I tell ya, life ain't easy for a boy named Sue. And some guy'd laugh and I'd bust his head. TODD SNIDER (Singer): (Singing) Some gal would giggle and I'd get red. It's called 'Twistable, Turnable Man,' with tracks from artists like My Morning Jacket, Lucinda Williams, The Pixies, and this one by singer Todd Snider. And now, you can add to that list of artists 14 performers have contributed to a new album that pays tribute to the music of Shel Silverstein. Hook, all performing songs written by Shel Silverstein. RAZ: That, of course, is Johnny Cash, and earlier, Marianne Faithfull and Dr. JOHNNY CASH (Singer): (Singing) But the meanest thing that he ever did was before he left, he went and named me Sue. MARIANNE FAITHFULL (Singer): (Singing) The eyes of Lucy Jordan. (Soundbite of song, 'The Ballad of Lucy Jordan') HOOK (Singer): (Singing) Rolling Stone, want to see my picture on the cover. (Soundbite of song, 'The Cover of Rolling Stone')ĭr.

Most people know the late Shel Silverstein for his children's poetry, but maybe you're not as familiar with his music. Unidentified Man: Have you heard of tiny Melinda Mae, who ate a monstrous whale? She thought she could, she said she would, so she started in right at the tail.

A boy named sue song writer