The Mermaid

Album: I'm So Good That I Don't Have to Brag (1965)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song is about a fisherman who falls in love with a mermaid. He likes everything about her, but there's one problem - her bottom half is a fish. By the end of the song, the problem is solved when he comes across another mermaid, but this one is a fish from the waist up and the bottom half is a girl.
  • This was written by Shel Silverstein, who is known for his children's books like A Light In The Attic and Where The Sidewalk Ends, but was also a writer for Playboy magazine. This song is very humorous, but also very adult in nature. The story was published in Playboy in 1966. (Myers is author of Silverstein Around the World. Read more about Shel Silverstein in our interview with Mitch Myers.)
  • This is a concert favorite for the Canadian band Great Big Sea. They recorded it for their 2005 album The Hard and the Easy.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Mike Campbell

Mike CampbellSongwriter Interviews

Mike is lead guitarist with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, and co-writer of classic songs like "Boys Of Summer," "Refugee" and "The Heart Of The Matter."

Donny Osmond

Donny OsmondSongwriter Interviews

Donny Osmond talks about his biggest hits, his Vegas show, and the fan who taught him to take "Puppy Love" seriously.

Carl Sturken

Carl SturkenSongwriter Interviews

Hitmaker Carl Sturken on writing and producing for Rihanna, 'N Sync, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Donny Osmond, Shakira and Karyn White.

American Hits With Foreign Titles

American Hits With Foreign TitlesSong Writing

What are the biggest US hits with French, Spanish (not "Rico Suave"), Italian, Scottish, Greek, and Japanese titles?

Mick Jones of Foreigner

Mick Jones of ForeignerSongwriter Interviews

Foreigner's songwriter/guitarist tells the stories behind the songs "Juke Box Hero," "I Want To Know What Love Is," and many more.

The Police

The PoliceFact or Fiction

Do their first three albums have French titles? Is "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" really meaningless? See if you can tell in this Fact or Fiction.