3 Johnny Cash Collaborations That Should Have Been Bigger Hits

Johnny Cash had a career that spanned more than 50 years. Among his numerous singles are these three collaborations, which all should have been much bigger hits.

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“The Night Hank Williams Came To Town” With Waylon Jennings

Cash and Waylon Jennings released several songs together over the years, including “The Night Hank Williams Came To Town”. The song, out in 1987, is written by Bobby Braddock and Charlie Williams. It appears on his Johnny Cash Is Coming To Town album.

A nostalgic look back at one of Williams’ memorable concerts, “The Night Hank Williams Came To Town” says, “A thousand people sweltered in the gym / Then I heard someone whisper ‘Hey, that’s him’ / That’s when the crowd let out this deafening sound / It was the night Hank Williams came to town.”

Sadly, the song didn’t even make it into the Top 40.

“Praise The Lord And Pass The Soup” With The Carter Family and The Oak Ridge Boys

It is truly baffling that “Praise The Lord And Pass The Soup” wasn’t a bigger hit for Cash. The song features both The Carter Family, which included his wife, June Carter Cash at the time, and The Oak Ridge Boys. Albert Hammond and Michael Hazlewood are the writers of “Praise The Lord And Pass The Soup”.

The song wasn’t on a record, which may have been why it didn’t become more popular. “Praise The Lord And Pass The Soup” says, “Though you can’t pick and choose / You sure like their stew / And if you don’t get fried chicken / What you get you can use / Praise the Lord and pass the soup / Praise the Lord and pass the bread.”

“I Will Rock And Roll With You” With Rosanne Cash

In 1978, Cash released “I Will Rock And Roll With You” with his daughter, Rosanne Cash. At the time, she was just starting her solo career. The song is on his Gone Girl record. It is written by The Man in Black, one of two songs he wrote by himself for the project.

“I Will Rock And Roll With You” did hit the Top 25. But the combination of their two voices sounds so magical, it’s surprising it didn’t become a bigger hit. The song says, “I didn’t ever play much rock and roll / ‘Cause I got so much country in my soul / But I’m a different man for lovin’ you / And I take a shot at what you ask me to / And baby, I will rock and roll with you / If I have to.”

Johnny Cash says he wrote “I Will Rock And Roll With You” as a response to his children’s love of rock music.

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