On this day (April 2) in 1956, Johnny Cash recorded “I Walk the Line.” It was his first No. 1 single, sold millions of copies, and went on to be one of the Man in Black’s biggest hits. Now, nearly seventy years later, it remains one of the greatest country songs ever recorded.
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Cash released “I Walk the Line” backed with “Get Rhythm” as the third single from his debut album With His Hot and Blue Guitar on May 1, 1956. It went to No. 1 on the country chart and No. 17 on the pop chart, effectively giving him his first chart-topper and first crossover hit.
[RELATED: Story Behind the Song: “I Walk the Line” by Johnny Cash]
Before that, he released “Cry! Cry! Cry!”/”Hey Porter” and “So Doggone Lonesome”/”Folsom Prison Blues.” Both singles saw moderate success on the country chart, landing at No. 14 and No. 4, respectively.
“I Walk the Line” was so popular that Sun Records included it on several of Cash’s releases including Sings Songs That Made Him Famous and Sings Hank Williams as well as just about every greatest hits or compilation album with Cash’s name on the cover.
Johnny Cash’s Varying Stories About “I Walk the Line”
According to Songfacts, Cash told multiple stories about the origins of his first chart-topper. In his first autobiography, he claimed that he wrote it in 1955 while preparing for a show in Shreveport, Louisiana. Later, in another autobiography, he said he wrote it in 1956 while in Gladewater, Texas. In that story, he said Carl Perkins told him “I Walk the Line” would make a solid song title. He also said he wrote the song in 20 minutes.
Marshall Grant, Cash’s longtime bassist told a different story in Johnny Cash: The Life. In an interview for the biography, he told author Robert Hilburn that he was playing slow bass runs to warm up for a show in Longview, Texas when Cash started humming and came up with the line “I keep a close watch on this heart of mine.” Grant said he finished the song soon after.
[RELATED: Country Flashback: Johnny Cash Recorded His Iconic Hit “Ring of Fire” on This Day in 1963]
Some estimate that Cash penned and co-penned more than 1,000 songs in his lifetime. So, it’s easy to see how it would be hard to keep the minute details of the creation of one of those songs straight. After all, Cash was partying hard in the early days of his career. Pills, booze, and grass tend to make one’s memory a little hazy.
The Sentimental Meaning Behind “I Walk the Line”
Cash married Vivian Liberto in 1954 at the age of 22. A year later, he signed with Sun Records and embarked on a tour with their star, Elvis Presley who attracted throngs of female fans. To say that the temptation to be unfaithful to his new wife was high would be an understatement. “I Walk the Line” was both a pledge and a reminder to be true to his marriage vows.
Interestingly, the song that served as a pledge to remain faithful to his vows skyrocketed Cash to a new level of fame. This meant that he was on the road more often and that he had his own throngs of female fans to deal with.
Then, in July of 1956, mere months after releasing the song, Cash met June Carter at the Grand Ole Opry. They started working together in the early sixties which led to an affair. Liberto filed for divorce from Cash in 1965 and the divorce was finalized in 1966. Two years later, Johnny and June tied the knot.
Fast Facts About “I Walk the Line”
Johnny Cash got the idea for the song’s melody after hearing a recording of his early band played backward. He said it sounded like “spooky church music.”
When Cash hums during “I Walk the Line,” he’s trying to get his pitch because the song contains multiple key changes.
Cash originally recorded “I Walk the Line” at a slower tempo. However, Sun label boss Sam Phillips didn’t like it and asked Cash to speed it up leading to the timeless hit we have today.
Featured Image by Hulton Archive/Getty Images
