The Ballad of Lucy Jordan
Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show, Dr. Hook
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The mornin' sun touched lightly on the eyes of Lucy Jordan In her white suburban bedroom, in a white suburban town As she lay there 'neath the covers, dreaming of a thousand lovers 'Til the world turned to orange and the room went spinnin' round At the age of 37, she realized she'd never ride through Paris In a sports car, with the warm wind in her hair And she let the phone keep ringin' as she sat there softly singin' Pretty nursery rhymes she'd memorized in her daddy's easy chair Her husband, he was off to work, and the kids were off to school And there were oh so many ways for her to spend her day She could clean the house for hours, or rearrange the flowers Or run naked down the shady street screaming all the way At the age of 37, she realized she'd never ride through Paris In a sports car, with the warm wind in her hair And she let that phone keep ringin' as she sat there softly singin' Pretty nursery rhymes she'd memorized in her daddy's easy chair The evening sun touched gently on the eyes of Lucy Jordan On the rooftop where she'd climbed when all the laughter grew too loud And she bowed and curtsy to the man, who reached and offered her his hand And led her down to the long white car that waited past the crowd At the age of 37, she knew she'd found forever as they rode along through Paris With the warm wind in her hair Ooooohhh yes with the wind in her hair oooooohhhh
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12 facts about this song
General Information"The Ballad of Lucy Jordan" is a song composed and written by American singer-songwriter Shel Silverstein.
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PerformersAlthough the song is well-known for Dr. Hook's performance, it has been covered by many artists including Marianne Faithfull, whose version appears in the soundtrack for Thelma & Louise.
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Release DetailsDr. Hook's version was released in 1974 as an album track on their record "Bankrupt".
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Song ContentThe song tells a story of a housewife named Lucy Jordan who reflects on her life and dreams she'll never fulfill, leading to a mental breakdown.
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InterpretationSome interpretations suggest that the song's ending alludes to Lucy's suicide, while others believe she has been taken to a mental institution.
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Pop Culture ReferencesThe song's most notable use in pop culture is in the film "Montenegro" and "Thelma & Louise", creating a resurgence of popularity for the song in the late 20th century.
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Song RankingsWhile Dr. Hook's version didn't reach the music charts, Marianne Faithful's 1979 cover achieved great success going all the way to number 1 in Norway, and reaching top 10 in several other countries including UK.
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Original WriterShel Silverstein, who wrote the song, was a famous poet, cartoonist, and writer for children's books, notably known for titles like "Where The Sidewalk Ends" and "The Giving Tree."
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Music Style"The Ballad of Lucy Jordan" is characterized by its melancholic tune and deep storytelling narrative, typical of country, folk and pop ballads of the 70s era.
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LegacyDespite its somber theme, "The Ballad of Lucy Jordan" has been hailed as a timeless classic and continues to be covered by emerging artists.
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Differences in VersionWhile Dr. Hook's version is more country or folk-oriented, Marianne Faithfull's version is more melodic with a notable orchestral backing.
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Song ConnectionBarry Reynolds, who later worked with Marianne Faithfull on her album "Broken English," was inspired by Dr. Hook's version of this song.
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Citation
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"The Ballad of Lucy Jordan Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 24 Sep. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/9651327/Dr.+Hook/The+Ballad+of+Lucy+Jordan>.
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