Johnny Cash, who died at the age of 71 in 2003, left a legendary legacy of remarkable songs that will last forever. Their appeal will not wane, no matter how much time goes by. But there was evidently one tune that he definitely did not like at all. To be honest, when I read the description of it on Whiskey Riff, I kind of understood where Cash was coming from.
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To put it in a nutshell, Cash gets a brain transplant from a bank robber. (I am probably losing you already!) The new brain in his noggin causes him to loot banks. Cash wants his original brain put back in his head. Lo and behold, it is now implanted in a chicken who becomes a country music singer. Are you still with me?
This satirical barnyard song - even though it is 41 years old - could surely dampen a singer's professional prospects. Despite its wacky premise, however, "The Chicken in Black" clucked its way to the 45th spot on the charts, per the outlet. Put the idea together with the fertile imaginations of present-day TikTokkers, and you have the making of a new-fangled musical trend. People are apparently creating their own versions of the comical Johnny Cash song featuring their own critters. Fido and Fluffy, beware!
How In The World Did Johnny Cash End Up Recording This Song?
Country Music Lore Got This One Wrong, It Seems
Per the outlet, the widespread assumption about "The Chicken in Black" was that Cash recorded it to end an unsatisfactory recording contract. Maybe he thought that it was a surefire dud that would make his label eager to dump him. But that tale is reportedly not accurate. Cash must have had a robust sense of humor. He recorded the tune. His recording company was so gleeful about the results that they decided to promote it
The singer got ribbed plenty for the funny song. He must have gotten somewhat fed up, because he asked that promotion of it cease. Per the outlet, "And in his autobiography back in 2003, Cash called the song 'intentionally atrocious' and said he wasn't surprised that his label decided not to renew his contract just a few years later:"
Cash wrote in his book via Whiskey Riff, "If I were running a record company and one of my artists did that, I know exactly how I'd respond, so I wasn't surprised when Rick Blackburn at CBS Nashville declined to renew my contract in 1986."
At least it made good fodder for current TikTok fans!
