A Poem in Every Song

Sometimes when Three Rooms Press staff members attend the City's plethora of poetry readings, we're fully impressed by all the great work that's being created. Other times, we wonder how so many people came to write so much bad poetry. The answer is their source: pop culture. Every Thursday, the Three Rooms Press blog will bring you pop culture lyrics from one of our "favorite" songs of the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and Today!

This one's a dandy: Shannon. The theory remains that this is about either writer Henry Gross's or Brian Wilson's (Beach Boys) dog, Shannon, who ran into the ocean and never came back. So sad. Oddly, the 1976 song was a BIG hit, getting up to No. 6 on the charts, with 20 weeks (yes, 5 months!) in the top 100. Henry, a Brooklyn boy himself, was original lead singer and guitarist of Sha-Na-Na. He's still active and hopefully reading this Right Now!! He just finished up work on documentary, "One Hit Wanderer," and a CD of the same name featuring music from the film. If you see him, say hello. Otherwise visist him at the Henry Gross website.

The lyrics of Shannon:

Shannon
by Henry Gross

Another day is at end
Mama says she's tired again
No one can even begin to tell her
I hardly know what to say
But maybe it's better that way
If papa were here
I'm sure he'd tell her

Shannon is gone
I hope she's drifting out to sea
She always loved to swim away
Maybe she'll find an island
With a shady tree
Just like the one in our backyard

Mama tried hard to pretend
things would get better again
Somehow she's keeping
It all inside her
But finally the tears fill our eyes
And I know that somewhere tonight
She knows how much we really miss her