Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show - Queen of the Silver Dollar (1972)

The beginnings of this band can be traced from Southerners George Cummings, Ray Sawyer, and Billy Francis, who had all previously played together in The Chocolate Papers. Formed in 1967, their name comes from the eye patch worn by Ray Sawyer (who had a near-fatal car accident in 1967), mocking Peter Pan’s Captain Hook, and referencing “medicine shows,” which sarcastically referenced a warning against drug use. Trying to make it big in New Jersey, they added Jersey-native Dennis Locorriere, who would eventually become the band’s lead vocalist. In 1970, the band’s demo was heard by Ron Haffkine, who was working on a movie that's soundtrack was being written by the legendary poet, cartoonist, and author, Shel Silverstein. Choosing their music for the movie, the band formed a relationship with Silverstein that would lead to them frequently singing songs that written by him. They had numerous hits throughout the ‘70s and even into the ‘80s, including, “Sylvia’s Mother,” “The Cover of the Rolling Stone,” “Only Sixteen” (originally by Sam Cooke), “A Little Bit More,” and many, many more.

As the B-Side to "Cover of the Rolling Stone," this song was added to the group’s second album, Sloppy Seconds, released in 1972. Written by Shel Silverstein, it was overshadowed by other songs (that were also all written by Silverstein) from the album that became very successful, such as “The Cover of the Rolling Stone” and “Freakin’ at the Freakers Ball.”



Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show - Queen of the Silver Dollar (1972)

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Lyrics:

She's the Queen of the Silver Dollar
And she rules this smoky kingdom
And her scepter is a wine glass
And a barstool is her throne
And the jesters, they flock around her
And they fight to win her favors
And see which one will take the Queen
Of the Silver Dollar home

Yeah!

She arrives in all her splendor
Every night at nine o'clock
And her chariot is a crosstown bus
That stops right down the block
The old piano minstrel
Plays her song as she walks in
And the Queen of the Silver Dollar
She’s home again

She's the Queen of the Silver Dollar
And she rules this smoky kingdom
And her scepter is a wine glass
And a barstool is her throne
And the jesters flock around her
And fight to win her favors
And see which one will take the Queen
Of the Silver Dollar home

Aw
Yeah, alright!

Her royal gown is a satin dress
That's stained and slightly torn
And her sparklin' jewels are rhinestones
And her shoes are scuffed and worn
From the many roads she's traveled
And the wondrous sites she's seen
And I watch her and I pray
God save the Queen

She's the Queen of the Silver Dollar
And she rules this smoky kingdom
And her scepter is a wine glass
And a barstool is her throne
And the jesters flock around her
And fight to win her favors
And see which one will take the Queen
Of the Silver Dollar home

The Queen of the Silver Dollar
Is not as haughty as she seems
She was once an ordinary girl
With ordinary dreams
But I found her and I won her
And I brought her to this world
Yes, I'm the man who made a Queen
Of a simple country girl

She's the Queen of the Silver Dollar
And she rules this smoky kingdom
And her scepter is a wine glass
And a barstool is her throne
And the jesters flock around her
And fight to win her favors
And see which one will take the Queen
Of the Silver Dollar home

She's the Queen of the Silver Dollar
And she rules this smoky kingdom
And her scepter is a wine glass
And a barstool is her throne...