Christopher Cross - Poor Shirley Lyrics

What's this song about?

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I like this song most. I heard a lot when I was a student at Doshisha University.

This sounds to me like it was inspired by Carl Wilson. His voice even resembles Carl Wilson’s.

That seems fitting as Christoper and Carl knew each other and Chris once talked about how inspirational Carl was to him, among other things teaching him a lot about grace. This really feels like a lost Carl-led Beach Boys song.

Hit after hit. Just one of the best albums of all times

I bought this Album back when It was released in 1979 as a 17 year old. I would listen to it over and over because there's a Not a Bad Song in the whole Album.

As did I , however I was a touch older - love this song though perhaps my fav of the LP.

Great song.......masterpiece album.

I totally agree. There isn't a song on this LP I didn't like!

I just have to share this story. Pink Floyd "The Wall" has always been one of my top 3 or 4 albums of all time. Okay, so Grammy time comes and I thought it was a lock. But they called out "Christopher Cross" and I was SO ANGRY! SO angry, despite the fact I was a huge CC fan without realizing it. I would hear "Sailing", "Arthur's Theme", "Ride Like the Wind" and my fave "Never Be the Same" on the radio and LOVED these songs but would never admit it to my rock n roll friends. I'm not even sure I knew they were all CC songs. All I knew is that I LOVED these songs. Okay, to say I frequented record stores is an understatement. 35+ years of flipping through albums at record stores all over the Bay Area, CA. I would always see this green cover with the Flamingo on one leg and see "Christopher Cross" and think "I think he does 'Sailing' and maybe another song I like" but it was never enough to get me to spend the $5.99 or $6.99 on the album when there were all these hundreds of records I wanted more... or so I thought. I was a 16-year-old kid with no job when this album came out. I must have seen and passed by that album ten thousand times. Flash forward to Summer 2017 and I find the CD in an antique shop for a buck, along with 4 other CD's, the titles of which I couldn't tell you. I don't hesitate. I go home and play it and play it and play it and play it and so on. It was the ONLY CD I played for a year, no joke. I still play it several times a week. I knew every word and every last detail of every song within a month. It came at a great time. I had a fire and lost my entire CD collection (not to mention 2 classic cars and a hundred grand of other stuff) and had to move out of my house for 5 years while a rebuild was performed. This CD reminds me of the first days back in my house in the Summer of 2017 after a nightmare 7 years of life. God saved this album for when he knew I would need it the most. This I know. Another thing I know? The obvious reasons this album beat out Pink Floyd "The Wall". I am no longer angry about that Grammy night. "Poor Shirley" and "Minstrel Gigolo". Wow, ingenius tunes I had never heard before. Paid a dollar for a priceless album that will bring me joy for the rest of my life.

Thank you for your story. I have a similar one. I grew up as a "rock and roll" fan and still to this day a huge early music Doobie Brothers fan, they have alway's been my #1 group. When they come to Denver, I always go back stage to visit with them before they go on stage, they have become friends of mine.

I remember the summer of 1976 when they were in the midst of their early rock albums and lead singer-songwriter Tommy Johnston became very ill with ulcers from partying too hard in the fast lane, worn from the touring and performing over 300 shows per year . The doctors told him that he needed to leave the band and heal or that he was going to die. He then left the band for several years.

If the band was going to continue, then they would need another "front man" and that's when he other founder Patrick Simmons brought in Michael McDonald from Steely Dan and the music changed drastically from a rock and roll genre to the Blue Eyed Soul and jazz era of the band. I was crushed in the beginning, but I did like the music and the outstanding professionalism and unbelievable vocals of Michael. It was a pride thing, that I had to deal with in my hippy days, so to be able to accept that fact that IF...Michael wouldn't have been brought in, the band would in fact have faded and vapored away forever, and they wouldn't have won 4 Grammy Awards in 1979, the same year Christopher Cross also swept the awards.

Some people hated Michael McDonald taking the reins of the Doobie Brothers, but we should actually thank him for saving the band. The band then raced back to the top of the Billboard charts and then in the early 80's they broke up and "retired" in 1982. But another surprise, in 1987 former Doobie Brother drummer Keith Knutson, asked Tommy Johnston and Patrick to perform a gig at a USO show in Hawaii, also they brought back everyone except for McDonald who was off doing his own thing by then. The original founders Tommy and Patrick decided to get the band back together, and are back together and are performing all over the world, filling the venues, playing the old rock and roll hits just as it should be, right into the sunset.

@TheSaleen786 That's a beautiful thing. There's just so much spiritual harmony involved in all of this. It was all meant to be.

the power of music shows in your story my friend inspiational

That's a beautiful story. I bought the vinyl of this album in the summer of 2016 from a local record store. I always knew "Sailing" but didn't know the other songs too well. I fell in love with the album instantly, and it became one of my all-time favorites. I ordered the cd of it too, so I have both formats now. I still listen to the songs all the time on youtube too. Such a special album.

The most beautiful album ....

Bought it like 2 hours ago

@Lobster Telephone got this on both vinyl and cassette.

Still the same feeling, still love it, it's a real special song with a lot memories. First heard it 30 years ago. Thank you for great music and comfort ❤️🎵🎶🧚‍♀️