About The Song
In 1973 Bobby Bare released the ambitious double album *Bobby Bare Sings Lullabys, Legends and Lies*, a project built almost entirely around songs by Shel Silverstein. One of the standout narrative tracks was “The Mermaid,” a humorous tall tale that Bare recorded during sessions in Nashville. The song appeared as the B-side to the single “Marie Laveau,” which RCA released in April 1974. While “Marie Laveau” became Bare’s only number-one hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart, “The Mermaid” earned steady airplay as its flip side and quickly became a fan favorite among listeners who appreciated Bare’s storytelling side.
Shel Silverstein wrote the song, with some credits also listing co-writer Jim Friedman. Silverstein had first published it in Playboy magazine in December 1966 as part of his ongoing contributions to the publication. The piece fit perfectly into the spirit of Bare’s Silverstein album, which mixed lullabies, legends, and tall tales. Silverstein’s writing style—witty, irreverent, and full of clever wordplay—gave Bare material that balanced humor with just enough heart to avoid becoming pure novelty.
The lyrics tell the story of a young sailor in a fishing town who hears an old man’s warning about the dangers of mermaid love. Undeterred, the lad sets out to sea, meets a beautiful mermaid, and falls head over heels for her upper half. The romance sours when he discovers the lower half is pure fish, leading to a comically disappointed conclusion. The repeated chorus and vivid imagery turn what could have been a simple joke into an engaging sea shanty-style narrative that unfolds like a spoken story set to music.
Bare delivered the performance with his trademark relaxed, conversational baritone and dry sense of humor. The arrangement kept things light and rootsy, featuring acoustic guitar, subtle percussion, and a touch of sea-shanty flavor that matched the nautical theme. His warm, easygoing delivery let the humor land naturally without overplaying the punch lines, making the song feel like a friendly yarn told over a late-night drink rather than a polished radio single.
Although it was never issued as an A-side single and did not chart independently, “The Mermaid” received significant radio exposure thanks to the massive success of “Marie Laveau.” It helped broaden the appeal of the album, which became one of Bare’s most commercially successful projects and introduced his work to new audiences, including college students and pop listeners. The track demonstrated Bare’s willingness to embrace quirky, intelligent material that other artists might have overlooked.
Over the decades “The Mermaid” has remained a beloved deep cut in Bobby Bare’s catalog. It appears on numerous compilations and continues to be a highlight of his live shows and Silverstein tributes. Fans appreciate its clever storytelling and gentle irreverence, qualities that define much of Bare’s best work from the 1970s. The song has also been covered by other artists drawn to Silverstein’s whimsical catalog.
More than fifty years after its release, “The Mermaid” stands as a charming example of Bobby Bare’s gift for turning tall tales into memorable country music. What began as the B-side to a number-one hit became a lasting favorite that showcases his warm delivery, sharp sense of humor, and deep respect for strong songwriting. The track reminds listeners why Bare’s collaborations with Shel Silverstein produced some of the most entertaining and enduring recordings in classic country.
Video
Lyric
When I was a lad in a fishing town an old man said to me
You can spend your life, your jolly life just sailing on the sea
You can search the world for pretty girls till your eyes’re weak and dim
But don’t go swimming with a mermaid son, if you don’t know how to swim.
‘Cause her hair is green as seaweed and her skin is blue and pale
And I tell you now before you start you can love that girl with all your heart
But you’re just gonna love the upper part you’re not gonna like the tail.
So I signed onto a whaling ship and my very first day at sea
I seen a mermaid in the waves a reaching out to me
Come live with me in the sea said she and down on the ocean’s floor
I’ll show you a million wonderous things you never seen before.
So over I jumped and she pulled me down down to her seaweed bed
And the pillow made of tortoise shell she placed beneath my head
She fed me shrimps and caviar upon a silver dish
From her head to her waist she was just my taste but the rest of her was a fish.
Her hair was green as seaweed and her skin was blue and pale
And her face it was a work of art and I loved that girl with all my heart
But I only loved the upper part I did not like the tail.
Then one day she swam away and I sang to the clams and whales
I missed her fins and her seaweed hair and the silvery shine of her scales
Then her sister she swam by and set my heart awhirl
Cause her upper part was an ugly fish but the bottom part was a girl.
Yeah her toes are pink and rosy and her knees are smooth and pale
And her legs they are a work of art and I love that girl with all my heart
I don’t give a damn ’bout the upper part and that’s how I end my tale…