braintreebrat's blog

the magical memories of moms

THE WONDERFUL SOUP STONE

I SWEAR YOU COULD TASTE THE CHICKEN AND TOMATOES
AND THE NOODLES AND THE MARROW BONE
BUT IT REALLY WASN'T NOTHIN' BUT SOME WATER AND POTATOES
AND THE WONDERFUL , WONDERFUL SOUP STONE

HANGIN' FROM A STRING IN MY MOMMA'S KITCHEN
BACK IN THE HARD TIME DAYS
WAS A LITTLE OL' STONE 'BOUT THE SIZE OF AN APPLE
IT WAS SMOOTH AND WORN AND GREY .
THERE WASN'T MUCH FOOD IN MY MOMMA'S KITCNEN
SO WHENEVER THINGS GOT TIGHT
MOMMA'D BOIL UP SOME WATER, PUT IN THE STONE
AND SAY, "LET'S HAVE SOME SOUP TONIGHT"

AND I SWEAR YOU COULD TASTE THE CHICKEN AND TOMATOES
AND THE NOODLES AND THE MARROW BONE
BUT IT REALLY WASN'T NOTHIN' BUT SOME WATER AND POTATOES
AND THE WONDERFUL , WONDERFUL SOUP STONE

IT'D BEEN IN THE FAMILY FOR A WHOLE LOT 0' YEARS
SO WE KNEW IT WAS A NOURISHING THING
AND I REMEMBER MOMMA AS SHE STIRRED IT THE WATER
AND WE COULD ALL HEAR HER SING

"IT'S A MAGICAL STONE AND AS LONG AS WE GOT IT
WE'LL NEVER HAVE A HUNGRY NIGHT
JUST ADD A LITTLE LOVE TO THE WONDERFUL SOUP STONE
AND EVERYTHING'LL BE ALL RIGHT"

AND I SWEAR YOU COULD TASTE THE CHICKEN AND TOMATOES
AND THE NOODLES AND THE MARROW BONE
BUT IT REALLY WASN'T NOTHIN' BUT SOME WATER AND POTATOES
AND THE WONDERFUL , WONDERFUL SOUP STONE

SO IT CARRIED US ALL THROUGH THE DARKENIN DAYS . ~
TILL FINALLY THE SUNSHINE CAME
AND THE SOUP STONE STARTED IN A'GATHERIN DUST
BUT IT HUNG THERE JUST THE SAME
AND EVER SINCE THEN THE FOOD'S BEEN PLENTY
BUT EVERY NOW AND THEN I FIND
THAT MOMMA IN THE KITCHEN WITH THE WONDERFUL SOUP STONE
DRIFTS ACROSS MY MIND

I SWEAR YOU I CAN TASTE THE CHICKEN AND TOMATOES
AND THE NOODLES AND THE MARROW BONE
BUT IT REALLY WASN'T NOTHIN' BUT SOME WATER AND POTATOES
AND THE WONDERFUL , WONDERFUL SOUP STONE
WE WERE NOURISHED BY THE WONDERFUL SOUP STONE

Words & Music by Shel Silverstein

Copyright c 1973 EVIL EYE MUSIC, INC., New York, N.Y.