McKuen, << muh KYOON, >> Rod (1933-2015), was a popular American poet and composer. Most of his poems and songs describe loneliness or love. McKuen often performed his works in concerts and on recordings.
McKuen’s most popular books of poetry include Stanyan Street and Other Sorrows (1966), Lonesome Cities (1968), and In Someone’s Shadow (1969). He wrote more than 1,000 songs, and many of the lyrics were published in Listen to the Warm (1967). He also composed classical music and music for motion pictures. McKuen’s book Finding My Father (1976) tells about his search for his father, who deserted the family shortly before McKuen’s birth.
Rod Marvin McKuen was born on April 29, 1933, in Oakland, California. He ran away from home when he was 11. For several years, he did odd jobs. His first book of poems was And Autumn Came (1954). His best-known songs include “Love’s Been Good to Me,” “The World I Used to Know,” and “I’ve Been to Town” (all 1963); “Joanna” and “Jean” (both 1968); and “Mr. Kelly” (1970). McKuen died on Jan. 29, 2015.
