[1] The lyrics to the song also appear, printed as a poem, based on the biblical tale, Noah's Ark, in Shel Silverstein's book Where the Sidewalk Ends.
In the original version of the song, the Irish Rovers speak half of the lyrics, as well as the part of the fourth chorus.
It sold 8 million copies worldwide and in their native Ireland, the song peaked at #5 on the Irish Singles Chart.
[5] Elsewhere, "The Unicorn" peaked at #4 in Canada,[6] and in the US, reached #2 on the US Adult Contemporary Chart, and #7 on the Hot 100.
[7] Silverstein's songbook, "Dirty Feet" (TRO/Hollis Music, 1969), includes a discography saying that, along with the Irish Rovers and Silverstein's versions, "The Unicorn" had been recorded by According to the song, the unicorn was not a fantasy, but a creature that literally missed the boat by not boarding Noah's Ark in time to be saved from the Great Flood described in the Bible.