Lyr Add: Three-Legged Man (Shel Silverstein)

Subject: Lyr Add: THREE-LEGGED MAN (Shel Silverstein)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 17 Apr 08 - 08:53 AM

I ran across this song while looking for something else, and it seemed too good not to share.
^^^
Lyrics copied from http://www.twin-music.com/artist_B/Bobby_Bare_lyrics/Three_Legged_Man_lyrics.html

THREE-LEGGED MAN
By Shel Silverstein
As sung by Bobby Bare

Well, now, friends, you'd never guess it,
So I really must confess it:
I just met the sweetest woman of my long and dismal life;
But a friend of mine said, "Buddy,
Just in case your mind is muddy,
Don't you know that girl you're foolin' with is Peg-Leg Johnson's wife?
And that man is hard and cold and mean and grim,
And he'll catch you and he'll brain you with his artificial limb."

But next mornin' bright and early,
I ran off with Peg-Leg's girlie,
And I also took his wooden leg, just to play it safe,
But there weren't no time for laughter
'Cause he started hoppin' after
And I keep on runnin' faster but he won't give up the chase.
I'm runnin' round the mountain with his bride,
And I've got his wooden leg here by my side.

CHORUS: I'm a three-legged man with a two-legged woman
Bein' chased cross-country by a one-legged fool.
Well, he's hoppin' and he's floppin'
And he shows no sign of stoppin'.
I'll tell you boys, this life is hard and cruel.

Through the deserts and the valleys
And those dark Chicago alleys,
'Cross the muddy Mississippi to the hills of Caroline,
Through the mountains of Montana,
And the swamps of Lou'siana,
Each time that I look back, he's just about one foot behind;
And I know he must be cold and wet and sick,
But in spite of all his troubles, he can kick.

Oh, he's ragged and he's filthy
And I'm feelin' kind of guilty
'Specially in the evenings when I hear him plead and beg.
He says, "In spite of all your stealin',
Friend, I bear you no hard feelin's.
You can keep that damned old woman, but please give me back my leg,
'Cause, old friend, I know you think you took my wooden leg,
But in the dark, you made a mistake. You took my good leg." CHORUS.

[Recorded by Bobby Bare, Steve Goodman, John Wesley Harding, Chad Mitchell, The Shaw Brothers, Don Schlitz, and Ray Stevens. The words vary somewhat, some singers using different place-names. I don't know which version Silverstein actually wrote.]

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Three-Legged Man (Shel Silverstein)
From: Mrrzy
Date: 17 Apr 08 - 08:58 AM

Great! Love this author/songwriter... this is a very good one.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Three-Legged Man (Shel Silverstein)
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 17 Apr 08 - 09:20 AM

It's been in DigiTrad for some years, now.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Three-Legged Man (Shel Silverstein)
From: goatfell
Date: 17 Apr 08 - 10:16 AM

just grewat funny song and it was sung by Mike Harding and Eddie Walker over here in Britian

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Three-Legged Man (Shel Silverstein)
From: goatfell
Date: 17 Apr 08 - 10:18 AM

i meant to say a great funny song that was sung by Mike Harding and Eddie Walker over here in Britian

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Three-Legged Man (Shel Silverstein)
From: DonMeixner
Date: 17 Apr 08 - 10:28 AM

Kendall Morse, who lingers here abouts, did a fine recording of this song.

Don

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Three-Legged Man (Shel Silverstein)
From: open mike
Date: 17 Apr 08 - 10:35 AM

knowing the Shel Silverstein wrote some baudy rhymes,
I was thinking the song might be more "R" rated (or even "X")

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Three-Legged Man (Shel Silverstein)
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 17 Apr 08 - 03:44 PM

Iain MacKintosh also used to sing it, though I don't think he recorded it.

BTW, shouldn't the last line of verse 3 read "In spite of all his troubles, he can't kick"?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Three-Legged Man (Shel Silverstein)
From: SINSULL
Date: 17 Apr 08 - 04:22 PM

Nope - it's "can".

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Three-Legged Man (Shel Silverstein)
From: beardedbruce
Date: 17 Apr 08 - 04:34 PM

Shel wrote most of the Dr. hook and the Medicine Show songs.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Three-Legged Man (Shel Silverstein)
From: Gervase
Date: 17 Apr 08 - 05:26 PM

A truly terrific songwriter - catch Marianne Faithful's version of his "Ballad of Lucy Jordan" - it sends shivers down your back. He did some genuinely funny and filthy stuff, too. Oh, to have his way with words...

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Three-Legged Man (Shel Silverstein)
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 17 Apr 08 - 07:51 PM

In the DT, the last two lines are

'Cause although the one you meant to take was wooden
In the dark by mistake you took my good'un.

which I think reads much better than what's in this thread, and also from memory is what the Mitchell Trio sang.