<Table> <Tr> <Td> "Life Ain't Easy" (1973) </Td> <Td> "The Ballad of Lucy Jordon" (1974) </Td> <Td> "The Millionaire" (1975) </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Td> "Life Ain't Easy" (1973) </Td> <Td> "The Ballad of Lucy Jordon" (1974) </Td> <Td> "The Millionaire" (1975) </Td> </Tr> <P> "The Ballad of Lucy Jordan" is a song by American poet and songwriter Shel Silverstein . It was originally recorded by Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show, with the name spelled "Jordon". The song describes the disillusionment and mental deterioration of a suburban housewife, who climbs to a rooftop "when the laughter grew too loud ." </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> "The Ballad of Lucy Jordan" </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Single by Marianne Faithfull </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> from the album Broken English </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> B - side </Th> <Td> "Brain Drain" </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Released </Th> <Td> 26 October 1979 (1979 - 10 - 26) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Format </Th> <Td> <Ul> <Li> 7" </Li> <Li> 12" </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Recorded </Th> <Td> <Ul> <Li> May--July 1979 </Li> <Li> Matrix Studios, London </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Genre </Th> <Td> New wave </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Length </Th> <Td> 4: 09 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Label </Th> <Td> Island </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Songwriter (s) </Th> <Td> Shel Silverstein </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Producer (s) </Th> <Td> Mark Miller Mundy </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Marianne Faithfull singles chronology </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> <Table> <Tr> <Td> "The Way You Want Me To Be" (1978) </Td> <Td> "The Ballad of Lucy Jordan" (1979) </Td> <Td> "Broken English" (1980) </Td> </Tr> </Table> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> <Table> <Tr> <Td> "The Way You Want Me To Be" (1978) </Td> <Td> "The Ballad of Lucy Jordan" (1979) </Td> <Td> "Broken English" (1980) </Td> </Tr> </Table> </Td> </Tr> </Table>

Who wrote the song the ballad of lucy jordan