From the recording Summer In Rhode Island

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Mrs Shirley Green is a compilation of several dear women who had an impact on my life growing up, and right into adulthood. Several were school teachers, a couple of whom were nuns in Catholic schools. I owe a lot of who I am and what I believe to their wise counsel, their tenderness, and sometimes their discipline. This song is my fun little tribute to each of them.

Lyrics

Mrs. Shirley Green
(Words and Music by Charlie Nault)


Her Daddy called her pickles, but I knew her as Mrs. Shirley Green
She was to this 3rd grader, the prettiest teacher I had ever seen
I remember her first day like it was yesterday, but it was 1974
She didn’t just teach math and junk,
but faith and hope and love and so much more
She never did have children so our pictures covered her refrigerator door
And her husband died a hero was all she ever said about the war
She prayed out loud to Jesus each day before she led us out to play
She just added one for them, when Tommy’s parents came into complain

If you’ve ever known your own, Mrs. Shirley Green,
then you know precisely what I mean
Every child should gaze into such caring eyes as these
She helped me see the best there is in me
Don’t you wish the world was full of Mrs. Shirley Greens

She could hear the faintest whisper
And she knew everything that Mrs. Shirley Green
And go ahead and pick on someone else
if you wonder how she ever could turn mean
She kept me after school when I did lousy on a test, and made me write a hundred time, I must try my best.
She didn’t just demand it she earned our respect….

Like that time when Grandpa passed away
I fought back those tears all day
‘till she knelt down and looked me in the eyes
She said at times like these, even big boys cry

I went to the nursing home a while ago
And spent the day with Mrs. Shirley Green
Although I’d been there many times this time it seemed
She was more excited than I’d seen
She said the doctors told her that her time was short
But don’t be cryin’ too hard when I go
‘cause I’ll be running square into my Daddy’s arms
And he’ll say “Hello Pickles, welcome home”

If you’ve ever known your own, Mrs. Shirley Green,
then you know precisely what I mean
Ever child should gaze into such caring eyes as these
She helped me see the best there is in me
Don’t you wish the world was full of Mrs. Shirley Greens

Now her Daddy calls her pickles, but I knew her as Mrs. Shirley Green…