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Thank you for your answer. I had been wanting to know that for quite awhile. I have a few more, but it'll have to wait. Too much to do today. Before I leave for today, I did want to elaborate on what you said.

I think I originally had something in this review about positive thinking. And that concept may be why we admire Roger Miller so much. During certain times in his life, he was the epitome of the "positive thinker."

I said in the review that Roger was "resilient." I'm fascinated by how you can dissect Roger's lyrics, the content of many of his songs, and you begin to see several different 'themes.' (each one of them a study all by themselves). One of those themes that jumped out at me was Roger's ability to "see the good" in things. I think he must have developed that approach to life quite early, out of necessity if nothing else. Why dwell on the negatives? What point does it serve? Look at the good and just go from there. Build on it.

Walking In The Sunshine (1967?):

Walking In the Sunshine, sing a little sunshine song
Put a smile upon your face as if there's nothing wrong
Think about a good time had a long time ago
Think about forgetting about your worries and your woes
Walking In The Sunshine, sing a little sunshine song

La la la la la dee oh,
Whether the weather be rain or snow
Pretending can make it real
A snowy pasture, a green and grassy field

So what exactly does that mean? What's he saying here? You don't know exactly, that's the thing. You think you know, but you can't be sure. When taken by itself, it says nothing. Even after you add his "Can't Go Skating in a Buffalo Herd" song with it's "you can be happy if you've a mind to", you're still not sure if you could go deeper. Heck, words can mean anything. Maybe it was just a sunny day and he couldn't think of anything else to write. Maybe he just likes to roller skate, like George Lindsay said in the book.

This is why your book is so important. Yes, it's funny and it's fun to read, and all these characters are interesting people, but it also gives a new dimension to Roger Miller's entire discography. All these interviews that make up your book, when taken as a cumulative whole, truly serve as a living document. It gives the historian and other researchers an entirely new way to examine both his work and the culture in which he lived.

In your book, Sheb Wooley told how Roger would be out in the fields working with him, and every time a plane would fly over, Roger would get distracted. He would stand there gazing into the sky, daydreaming, and Sheb would have to bring him back down to earth. Sheb also said that after Sheb got his break and became a singer, Roger wanted to be like him; he wanted to be a songwriter/singer. ("He never wanted anything else in life.")

So, yes, Roger was a positive thinker. Otherwise, he never would have become the success he was. And yes, that song up there does have a deeper meaning.

I wouldn't be surprised if he wrote it on the cloudiest day in Nashville's history. ;-)

Good points, never thought of that. Maybe those lyrics hit people subconsciously, possibly it was hidden messages in Roger lyrics that actually helped make this book a reality. Makes me wish I asked a few more questions to some of the guys I met up with. I think every week I kick myself because I think of something else I should have asked them when I had the chance.

Merle Kilgore said he liked hanging out with Roger because he was a positive kind of guy, he told me Roger would say to him "Fu&& being negative" and he'd keep the jokes coming. It's a little ironic because at the same time Roger suffered with depression.

As you know, Roger would at times walk off stage angry half way through a show. Just a thought, wonder if he ever sang "Walking In The Sunshine" during one of those shows?

Also I wanted to mention, you keep saying the words "in your book" - I really don't consider it "my" book. For the most part, it's the interviewee's book. I consider them the true authors because they really provided the content of it, I just put it all together. I was more of a facilitator and 'project manager', I think anyway.