Johnny Cash Songs

"There Ain't No Good Chain Gang"

Johnny Cash Songs and song lyrics can be pretty humorous at times.

Remember "One Piece at a Time" and "A Boy Named Sue"?

This song, "There Ain't No Good Chain Gang" was actually one of the first songs Johnny recorded with Waylon Jennings back in 1978.

The song was released on a Johnny Cash Album titled I Would Like to See You Again and reached #2 on the country music charts.

Cash and Jennings would also work together as The Highwaymen with Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson.

The Highwaymen pages can been seen here.

Humor does well on Johnny Cash Songs.

The album only reached #23 but the album title song did chart at #12.

The other duet with Waylon on this album was titled "I Wish I Was Crazy Again" and only made it to #22.

Again, many of the Johnny Cash Songs that seem to do really well are his songs with a little humor in them.

The song was written by Hal Bynum and Dave Kirby. Bynum has written over 200 songs for country music artists but you might remember one in particular he co-wrote for Kenny Rogers in 1977 called "Lucille."

There Ain't No Good Chain Gang
Recorded by Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings
Written by Hal Bynum, Dave Kirby

Bet it ain't rainin' back home
Bet your sister's still on the phone
Bet Momma's in the kitchen...cooking fried chicken
Wishing that I hadn't done wrong

Yeah, Momma, don't you worry about it none though
Everything's gonna be all right, Momma
They're teaching us a lot of new things in here, Momma
Things Like...

There ain't no good in an evil-hearted woman
And I ain't cut out to be no Jesse James
And you don't go writin' hot cheques...down in Mississippi
And there ain't no good chain gang

Papa's readin' yesterday's mail
Wishin' that the hay was all baled
I bet he's a-wishin'...we could go fishin'
And here I am a-laying in jail

There ain't no good in an evil-hearted woman
And I ain't cut out to be no Jesse James
And you don't go writin' hot cheques...down in Mississippi
And there ain't no good chain gang.

There ain't no good in an evil-hearted woman
And I ain't cut out to be no Jesse James
And you don't go writin' hot cheques...down in Mississippi
And there ain't no good chain gang

And you don't go writin' hot cheques...down in Mississippi
And there ain't no good chain gang

Visit Johnny and his friends on the Highwaymen Page - Click here

Return to Johnny's Main page from this Johnny Cash Songs page

Return to Home Page

Recent Articles

• 
• 
• 

1. The Royal Teens vinyl record memories | "Short Shorts" & "Believe Me"

   

   It was late 1957 when The Royal Teens released their first big hit, Short Shorts, a novelty tune with very few words. The #3 song co-writer would later write songs for and become a member of "The Four…

   Read More

2. Ritchie Valens Oldies Music Lyrics | The Veracruz La Bamba Story

   

   This Ritchie Valens Oldies Music Lyrics page is about the song La Bamba, the true story of the song born in Veracruz, Mexico.

   Read More

The song "True Love Ways" was recorded in the presence of Buddy's wife, and should be appreciated for the impact of this great song, and the love that inspired it.  Read the story here.

Hottest rockabilly ever performed in one setting!  Watch as Carl Perkins sings rockabilly songs with George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr and others. Read more...