Johnny Cash & Narrative Theories

Lucy really likes Johnny Cash.  Which is awesome, because so do we.  I got her The Johnny Cash Children's Album for Christmas, and it's been a big hit.  Here's a conversation we had about it yesterday:

Lucy: My favorite is "Old Shep"
Me: Why do you like that one?
Lucy: Because it's sad at the end.  The man has to shoot his own dog.

Note: I did NOT know this.  I hadn't really been paying too much attention to every song on the album.  Here are the sad lyrics in question, which involve a plot point that happens once Shep is an old dog, about whom the doctor has said "I can't do no more for him": 

        With a hand that was trembling, I picked up my gun 
        And I aimed it at Shep's faithful head 
        But I just couldn't do it I wanted to run 
        I wished they would shoot me instead

Now that I've read that, I'm pretty horrified.  But in the moment, I decided to pursue the question of why Lucy found this song to be so great.  To continue:

Me: Why do you like the sad song?
Lucy: It's happy at the beginning but sad at the end.  It's not like other stories.
Me: What do you mean?
Lucy: Most other stories are happy, then sad, then happy at the end.  They're usually always happy at the end.  But "Old Shep" is sad at the end.  I like that.

Ta da!

So clearly we're going to be listening to lots more Johnny Cash.  And possibly more country music more generally.

Oh, and one more quickie before I put this post to bed:  Yesterday afternoon I picked up a movie at the local rental place, and mentioned it to Jake.  Lucy perked up and the following ensued:

Lucy: Movie? [in upwardly-inflected, pleasantly curious tone, hoping it was one she could watch]
Me: Oh, no, it's a grown-up movie.
Lucy: Aw.  Is it scary or is it boring?

So those are pretty much the options for grown-up movies.  Exactly.

By the way, a special shout-out thanks to Eric for creating our new Conversations with Lucy (TM) graphic.  It's all about the branding.