Exploring Vinyl : Hairy Jazz with Shel Silverstein

April means that finally, after months of snow and cold feet and shoveling, I can once again return outside and pick through crates of dollar LPs and ten cent comic boxes in abandoned parking lots and cracked driveways. For the unabashedly acquisitive, especially those unlimited by such things as common sense and good taste, such an adventure is beyond compare.

This past weekend was a trek through Salvation Army locations, old book shops with half-blind dogs that sneezed in your face, and the Peekskill, NY Flea Market. While I found no less than four copies of Derek’s favorite ‘Whipped Cream and Other Delights‘ (and bought one), the prize LP find of the weekend was undoubtedly ‘Hairy Jazz‘, by Shel Silverstein and the Red Onion Band, dated 1959. The vendor had it priced at five dollars, but dropped it to three. I would have paid twenty, but I play my cards close. They’re usually worthless Ghostbusters trading cards anyhow. Mostly of Egon.

Yeah, THAT Shel Silverstein, noted childrens’ author and illustrator of great merit.

While I knew that he’d written some very well known songs for some very well known people, including ‘A Boy Named Sue‘ for Johnny Cash and ‘The Unicorn Song’ (which the Irish Rovers became noteworthy for playing), he was also responsible for a vast and prolific songwriting-and-performing career. ‘Hairy Jazz’ was Silverstein’s first album of eight original musical albums (followed by many re-releases, compilations and recordings of childrens’ poetry), only half of which made it to official CD release – this one not among them. Not only does this make the record collectible for its sheer Silverstein-ness and rarity, but it’s also the only opportunity for Shel Silverstein fans to even hear any of this music. Such is at the very crux of why I collect old vinyl – to recover lost gems stuck in old grooves. Luckily, the record was in pristine condition and made a great transfer to unscratchable, immortal digital files.

Silverstein, when not writing for children, often breached such exclusively adult topics as drug use and sex. This album, in fact, has a very fair selection of bawdily lyricized ragtime / dixieland era-type jazz, belted out in Silverstein’s signature raspy, caterwauling talk-singing voice. While ten of the tracks are jazz standards (made unique by Silverstein’s bombastic delivery), two are original Silverstein compositions. The editorial liner notes on the back of the LP are an excellent parody of the traditional copy of the era, rife with hyperbole about the artist contained therein being the most amazing thing to ever touch an instrument. “Once in a generation and artist of first magnitude appears full blown and instantly communicates with his public. Overnight, he took his place among the all time greats of the operatic world.” Indeed.

The spirit of fun found on this album is infectious, including an interpretation of the 1920s Williams / Piron composition ‘Sister Kate’, which was recently covered once again by the popular Ditty Bops. For anyone interested in Silverstein’s adult career, this album might be more easily found under its re-release title ‘Shel’s Stag Party’. You might check out any of 45 different Dr. Hook tunes, or ten different Bobby Bare albums, or a few different soundtracks. An extensive discography can be found at this link, clearly indicating that however iconic his career in writing for children was, his songwriting prowess completely dwarfed these accomplishments (and the Grammy that he won for his recording of How the Sidewalk Ends).