Papa Was a Good Man

"Papa Was a Good Man" is a song written by songwriter Hal Bynum.[2]

"Papa Was a Good Man"
Single by Johnny Cash
from the album A Thing Called Love
A-side"Papa Was a Good Man"
"I Promise You"
Released1971 (1971)
Genrecountry
LabelColumbia 4-45460
Songwriter(s)Hal Bynum[1]
Producer(s)Larry Butler[1]
Johnny Cash singles chronology
"Singing in Viet Nam Talking Blues"
(1971)
"Papa Was a Good Man"
(1971)
"A Thing Called Love"
(1971)
Audio
"Papa Was a Good Man" on YouTube

Released in September 1971[3][4] as a single (Columbia 4-45460, with "I Promise You" on the opposite side) by Johnny Cash,[2][5] the song reached number 16 on U.S. Billboard's country chart[6] and number 104 on Billboard's Bubbling Under the Hot 100.[6]

Both "I Promise You" (which is "a promise of devotion to June")[2] and "Papa Was a Good Man" are part of Johnny Cash's 1972 album A Thing Called Love.

Analysis

"Papa" is told from the perspective of a son whose father is struggling with alcoholism. It was the lowest charting of the three releases from the album, peaking at #16 Country and #104 Pop. It featured additional vocals from the choir of the Evangel Temple, the Nashville church Cash was now attending, pushing the song close to the point of overproduction.

C. Eric Banister. Johnny Cash FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the Man in Black[2]

Track listing

7" single (Columbia 4-45460,[1] 1971)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Papa Was a Good Man"H. Bynum2:35
2."I Promise You"J. Cash2:58

Charts

Chart (1971) Peak
position
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[7] 104[6]
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[8] 18

References

  1. "Johnny Cash - Papa Was A Good Man / I Promise You". Discogs. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
  2. C. Eric Banister (1 August 2014). Johnny Cash FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the Man in Black. Backbeat. pp. 206–207. ISBN 978-1-61713-609-2.
  3. Peter Lewry (2001). I've Been Everywhere: A Johnny Cash Chronicle. Helter Skelter. p. 91. ISBN 978-1-900924-22-1.
    September
    "Papa Was A Good Man"/"I Promise You" (Columbia 4-45460) released.
  4. The Johnny Cash Record Catalog. Greenwood Publishing Group. 1994. pp. 8–9. ISBN 978-0-313-29506-5.
  5. Standard Catalog of American Records, 1950-1975. Krause Publications. 2000. ISBN 978-0-87341-934-5.
    Tim Neely (1 August 2002). Goldmine Standard Catalog of American Records: 1950-1975. Krause Publications. ISBN 978-0-87349-471-7.
    Tim Neely (31 August 2006). Goldmine Standard Catalog of American Records: 1950-1975. Krause Publications. ISBN 9780896893078.
  6. Joel Whitburn (2002). Top Country Singles, 1944 to 2001: Chart Data Compiled from Billboard's Country Singles Charts, 1944-2001. Record Research. ISBN 978-0-89820-151-2.
    Joel Whitburn (2005). Joel Whitburn's Top Country Songs: 1944-2005, Billboard. Record Research. ISBN 978-0-89820-165-9.
    "Papa Was A Good Man Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 2020-05-23.
  7. "Johnny Cash Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 2020-05-20.
  8. "Johnny Cash Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 2020-05-23.
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