Posts Tagged ‘Shel Silverstein’
*
Where the Sidewalk Ends
Poems by Shel Silverstein
Illustrated by Shel Silverstein
(“The Unicorn” is printed and illustrated on pages 76 & 77)
From the great creative mind of Shel Silverstein comes “The Unicorn,” first published as a poem in Silverstein’s 1974 collection of poetry for children, “Where the Sidewalk Ends.” I have a special place in my heart for Shel Silverstein’s books. My grandmother, who was a Second Grade teacher for over thirty years, read his books to my sister and I when we were young. I remember laughing hysterically at his funny references, creative use of language, and how he could see the world from a kid’s point of view.
“The Unicorn “was actually a song first, recorded by the Irish Rovers. I have an original copy of “The Unicorn” sheet music with a 1962 copyright.
“The Unicorn”
Words and Music by Shel Silverstein
Performed by The Irish Rovers
The Unicorn
Words and Music by Shel Silverstein
Recorded by The Irish Rovers, 1962
You can sing a slightly altered version of this Singable Poem on Ginger Sands’ CD “The Gift of Make Believe.” Sands’ wonderful collection of children’s poetry set to music includes vocal and instrumental tracks for each poem. The vocals for “The Unicorn” are on Track 5. The instrumental sing-along is found on Track 15.
Hear musical clips or buy the tracks at many online music sellers, including Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Gift-of-Make-Believe/dp/B0019VU8QU/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1267562676&sr=8-4
The Gift of Make Believe (Read and Sing Along Lyric Book)
Words by Various Artists
Tunes by Ginger Sands and Various Artists
Illustrations derived from published works of Various Artists
The booklet and lyric book contains an illustration for this poem and the slightly altered lyrics are printed in the back, along with illustrations for some fun motions for children to perform when singing the song.
More about Shel Silverstein, here: http://shelsilverstein.com/indexSite.html
A brief but informative obituary for Shel Silverstein (1932-1999), here: http://www.beachbrowser.com/Archives/eVoid/June-99/Shel-Silverstein-1932-1999.htm
“I would hope that people, no matter what age, would find something to identify with in my books, pick up one and experience a personal sense of discovery…That’s great. But for them, not for me. I think that if you’re a creative person, you should just go about your business, do your work and not care about how its received.”
Shel Silverstein, in an interview with Publisher’s Weekly in 1975
The Unicorn
A Poem by Shel Silverstein
Recorded by the Irish Rovers
A long time ago, when the Earth was green
There was more kinds of animals than you’ve ever seen
They’d run around free while the Earth was being born
And the loveliest of all was the unicorn
There was green alligators and long-necked geese
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
Some cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you’re born
The loveliest of all was the unicorn
The Lord seen some sinning and it gave Him pain
And He says, “Stand back, I’m going to make it rain”
He says, “Hey Noah, I’ll tell you what to do
Build me a floating zoo,
and take some of those
Green alligators and long-necked geese
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
Some cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you’re born
Don’t you forget My unicorns
Old Noah was there to answer the call
He finished up making the ark just as the rain started to fall
He marched the animals two by two
And he called out as they came through
Hey Lord,
I’ve got green alligators and long-necked geese
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
Some cats and rats and elephants, but Lord, I’m so forlorn
I just can’t find no unicorns”
And Noah looked out through the driving rain
Them unicorns were hiding, playing silly games
Kicking and splashing while the rain was falling
Oh, them silly unicorns
There was green alligators and long-necked geese
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
Noah cried, “Close the door because the rain is falling
And we just can’t wait for no unicorns”
The ark started moving, it drifted with the tide
The unicorns looked up from the rocks and they cried
And the waters came down and sort of floated them away
That’s why you never see unicorns to this very day
You’ll see green alligators and long-necked geese
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
Some cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you’re born
You’re never gonna see no unicorns.
**********************
Related Articles
NOAH’S ARK IN SINGABLE PICTURE BOOKS:
http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/2011/07/09/noahs-ark-in-singable-picture-books/
Gift of Make-Believe, A Singable Book and a CD with Sing Along Instrumentals
Posted on: March 4, 2010
The Gift of Make-Believe (Read and Sing Along Lyric Book)
Words by Various Artists
Tunes by Ginger Sands and Various Artists
Illustrations derived from published works of Various Artists
This is a fantastic set of poems, songs and illustrations put together by a wonderful performer Ginger Sands. Many of the poems are children’s classics and have no other musical settings. Sands’ original settings are all musical, fun to sing, and written in keys for comfortable singing. The CD comes with vocal and instrumental tracks. You can listen to Ginger sing the sings (her vocals are great) or you can sing the poems yourself.
In the “Read and Sing Along Lyric Book” the lyrics for the poems are printed along with terrific illustrations, some derived from vintage children’s publications like “Poems of Early Childhood, Volume 1″ of Childcraft and “The Tall Book of Make-Believe,” some more recent illustrations.
Many of the poems can be found in their own books or published in other poetry collections. I will list the songs on “The Gift of Make-Believe” below, and as I write posts about Singable Picture Book versions each of the poems, I will link the title below to that post. If a link has been made, the title will be blue. You can click on the blue title, which will link you to the post about that poem, the musical setting and Singable Picture Book.
Poems set to music in “The Gift of Make Believe,” with vocal and instrumental tracks are:
“Moon Song”
(Poem by Mildred Plew Meigs, Illustrated by Garth Williams from “The Tall Book of Make-Believe,“ Music by Ginger Sands)
“A Fairy Went A-Marketing”
(Poem by Rose Fyleman, Illustrated by Meg Wahlberg from “Poems of Early Childhood”, Vol 1 of Childcraft 1949, Music by Ginger Sands)
“The Duel”
(Poem by Eugene Field, Illustrated by Roger Dubbins from “Poems of Early Childhood, Vol 1″ of Childcraft 1949, Music by Ginger Sands)
“The Land of Counterpane“
(Poem by Robert Louis Stevenson, Illustrated by Garth Williams from “The Tall Book of Make-Believe,” Music by Ginger Sands)
“The Unicorn“
(Poem and music by Shel Silverstein, Arrangement based on 1968 recording by The Irish Rovers, Illustrated by Goeff Brittingham)
“The Lollipop Tree“ (Words and Music by Joseph Darion and George Kleinsinger, Illustrated by Milo Winter)
“The Little Elf“
(Poem by John Kendrick Bangs, Illustrated by Garth Williams from “The Tall Book of Make-Believe,” Music by Ginger Sands)
“The Fairies“
(Poem by Rose Fyleman, Illustrated by Goeff Brittingham, Music by Ginger Sands)
“Wynken, Blynken and Nod”
(Poem by Eugene Field, Illustrated by Garth Williams from “The Tall Book of Make-Believe,” Music by Lucy Simon)
“Over the Rainbow”
(Words and Music by E.Y. Harburg and Harold Arlen, Illustrated by Sue Piozet)
The vocal and instrumental tracks are available at: http://www.amazon.com/The-Gift-of-Make-Believe/dp/B0019VU8QU/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1267562676&sr=8-4)
Learn more about Ginger Sands at her website: http://www.gingersands.com/home.html
