25 Minutes to Go

Summary

"25 Minutes to Go" is a song by Shel Silverstein, from his 1962 album Inside Folk Songs.[1]

"25 Minutes to Go"
Song by Shel Silverstein
from the album Inside Folk Songs
Released1962 (1962)
GenreCountry
LabelAtlantic
Songwriter(s)Shel Silverstein

Lyrics edit

The song is literally "gallows humor", as it is sung by a man awaiting his own execution by hanging. Each verse consists of two lines, of which the first line is anything from humorous to poignant, and the second line is a minute-by-minute countdown.

Well they're buildin' the gallows outside my cell.
I got 25 minutes to go.
And the whole town's waitin' just to hear me yell.
I got 24 minutes to go.

And so on. The song is similar in concept to Silverstein's children's song "Boa Constrictor": It presents the point of view of someone who is experiencing a calamity in real time, composing and singing as the events unfold, with a fatal conclusion. "Boa Constrictor", like "25 Minutes to Go", appeared on Silverstein's 1962 album Inside Folk Songs.[1] Johnny Cash was the second artist to do a cover of the song where it differs most notably by having omitted lines.

Later versions edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ a b "Inside Folk Songs - Shel Silverstein | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 30 November 2015. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  2. ^ Cover: Johnny Cash https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxvR7ZUjaJk
  3. ^ "Povl Dissing - 25 Minutter Endnu / Han Skød Pistolen Af". Discogs. Retrieved 2017-03-13.
  4. ^ On the House- Head of the Herd https://soundcloud.com/headoftheherd/sets/on-the-house
  5. ^ Cover: Head of the Herd https://soundcloud.com/headoftheherd/12-25-minutes-to-go
  6. ^ 25 Minutes to Go, retrieved 2017-03-13
  7. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "Lou Reed & Emily Haines "25 Minutes to Go"". YouTube.