Guess Things Happen That Way
| "Guess Things Happen That Way" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two | ||||
| from the album Sings the Songs That Made Him Famous | ||||
| B-side | "Come In, Stranger" | |||
| Released | May 19, 1957 | |||
| Genre | Rock and roll[1] | |||
| Length | 1:52 | |||
| Label | Sun | |||
| Songwriter | Jack Clement | |||
| Producers |
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| Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two singles chronology | ||||
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"Guess Things Happen That Way" is a 1958 cross over single by Johnny Cash, which was written by Jack Clement. The single[2] was Johnny Cash's fourth #1 on the country chart spending eight weeks at #1, and a total of 24 weeks on the chart.[3]
The B-side of "Guess Things Happen That Way", a song entitled, "Come In Stranger" made it to #6 on the country chart. The single also crossed over to the pop chart, peaking at #66.[4] The song was also featured in the 1993 film A Perfect World directed by Clint Eastwood and was put on the film's soundtrack.
Content
[edit | edit source]The song is about a man struggling after the love of his life has died.
Critical reception
[edit | edit source]As Allmusic describes it, the song "featured an arrangement dominated by piano and a vocal chorus adding distinctive 'ba-doo's throughout [that is] ...slicker than, say, "Cry! Cry! Cry!" or "I Walk the Line" [but with] an eccentric tone all its own — largely because the vocal chorus (who sound as if they're occupying a middle ground between doo wop and barbershop quartet) is in such stark contrast to Cash's lead vocal."[2]
The song was banned by the BBC upon its 1958 release when the head of religious broadcasting objected to the lines "God gave me that girl to lean on, / Then he put me on my own. / Heaven help me be a man / And have the strength to stand alone."[5][6]
Chart performance
[edit | edit source]| Chart (1958) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[7] | 1 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[8] | 11 |
In popular culture
[edit | edit source]- On February 25, 2010, the song, purchased by grandfather and Woodstock, Georgia native Louie Sulcer, became the 10 billionth download through the Apple iTunes Store.[9]
References
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- ^ "Johnny Cash Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "Johnny Cash Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
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