On This Day in 1969, Johnny Cash Was at No. 1 With a Song That Featured Lines Lifted From a Carter Family Classic

On this day (January 29) in 1969, Johnny Cash was at the top of the country chart with “Daddy Sang Bass.” The single stayed at No. 1 for six consecutive weeks, giving the Man in Black one of his biggest career hits. It also inspired multiple cover versions by the likes of Glen Campbell, Kitty Wells, Skeeter Davis, and the Oak Ridge Boys.

Videos by American Songwriter

“Daddy Sang Bass” may not be the song that comes to mind when most modern fans think of Cash. However, it was one of his most successful singles. Only “Ring of Fire” spent longer at the top of the chart. It sat at the top of the tally for seven weeks in summer 1963. Unlike many of his major hits, though, Cash didn’t write this song.

[RELATED: 3 Johnny Cash Songs That Few People Remember Today (but Should)]

Rockabilly legend Carl Perkins, a longtime friend and collaborator and member of Cash’s traveling show, wrote most of the song. He reached out to the Carter Family, who also regularly toured with Cash, to get permission to use lines from their song “Can the Circle Be Unbroken (By and By)” in the chorus.

The Cash hit includes the lines “No the circle won’t be broken / By and by, Lord, by and by.” and “In the sky, Lord, in the sky.” The chorus of the Carter Family classic is “Will the circle be unbroken / By and by, Lord, by and by / There’s a better home awaiting / In the sky, Lord, in the sky.”

Johnny Cash and Friends Brought an Old-Time Tradition to Life

“Daddy Sang Bass” is about a poor family that gathered in the evening to sing. It was more than entertainment for the family, though. It was part of how they bonded as a unit. When Johnny Cash recorded the Carl Perkins-penned hit, he tried to make it feel like a family sing-along.

Most of the guest vocalists were uncredited. However, those who were familiar with the acts in Cash’s orbit at the time could probably pick them out. For instance, Lew DeWitt and Don Reid of The Statler Brothers sang “me and little brother will join right in there.” The “Mama sang tenor” line was Jan Howard. When they performed the song live, June Carter took Howard’s place in the song.

Featured Image by Hulton Archive/Getty Images