1960 single by Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two
"Mean-Eyed Cat" |
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Single by Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two |
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from the album Johnny Cash Sings Hank Williams |
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A-side | "Mean Eyed Cat" "Port of Lonely Hearts" |
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Released | October 1960 (1960-10) |
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Recorded | July 1955 (1955-07) |
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Genre | Rockabilly[1] |
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Label | Sun 347 |
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Songwriter(s) | Johnny Cash[2] |
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Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two singles chronology |
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"Going to Memphis" (1960) | "Mean-Eyed Cat" (1960) | "Girl in Saskatoon" (1960) | |
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Music video |
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"Mean-Eyed Cat" (audio only) on YouTube |
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"Mean-Eyed Cat" (or "Mean Eyed Cat") is a song written and originally recorded by Johnny Cash.[3][4]
The song was recorded by Cash at Sun Records on July 30, 1955.[3] Sun released it as a single (Sun 347, with "Port of Lonely Hearts" on the opposite side)[5][6][7][8][9] in October 1960,[10][11][12] which was the last Sun release by Cash as he left the label for Columbia a few years earlier.
Cash also made a completely revised cover of this song for his 1996 album Unchained. [13][14]
Content
"Mean Eyed Cat" is an all-out rockabilly rave-up about a fellow who gives his woman money to shop at the general store, just so she can go and spend it on "store-bought cat food for her mean eyed cat." The cat conceit is stretched a bit, since that's the only time it's used in the song. She ultimately leaves him with a "Dear John" note on her pillow as he heads to town to bring her back. Again, the train becomes a symbol of escape and freedom, as the hard-pressed woman catches an eastbound train.
—
John M. Alexander. The Man in Song: A Discographic Biography of Johnny Cash[1]
Charts
Chart (1960) | Peak position |
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[15] | 30 |
References
- ^ a b John M. Alexander (16 April 2018). The Man in Song: A Discographic Biography of Johnny Cash. University of Arkansas Press. pp. 41–. ISBN 978-1-61075-628-0.
- ^ "Mean Eyed Cat / Port Of Lonely Hearts". Discogs. 1960. Retrieved 2019-01-20.
- ^ a b John L. Smith (1 January 1999). Another Song to Sing: The Recorded Repertoire of Johnny Cash. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-3629-7.
- ^ "Cover versions of Mean Eyed Cat by Johnny Cash". SecondHandSongs. Retrieved 2019-01-25.
- ^ John Edwards Memorial Foundation (1974). JEMF Quarterly. John Edwards Memorial Foundation.
- ^ 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. - ^ Tim Neely (2004-05-01). Goldmine Records & Prices. Krause Publications. ISBN 978-0-87349-781-7.
Mean Eyed Cat Port of Lonely Hearts Sun 347.
- ^ Colin Escott; Martin Hawkins (1980). Sun Records: The Brief History of the Legendary Recording Label. Quick Fox. ISBN 978-0-8256-3161-0.
Mean Eyed Cat Port of Lonely Hearts.
- ^ George Albert (1984-01-01). The Cash Box Country Singles Charts, 1958-1982. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-1685-5.
- ^ Peter Lewry (2001). I've Been Everywhere: A Johnny Cash Chronicle. Helter Skelter. ISBN 978-1-900924-22-1.
October
"Mean Eyed Cat"/"Port Of Lonely Hearts" (Sun 347) released.
- ^ The Johnny Cash Record Catalog. Greenwood Publishing Group. 1994. pp. 21–. ISBN 978-0-313-29506-5.
- ^ Colin Escott; Martin Hawkins (2011-03-01). Good Rockin' Tonight: Sun Records and the Birth of Rock 'n' Roll. Open Road Media. pp. 415–. ISBN 978-1-4532-1314-8.
Colin Escott; Martin Hawkins (1 August 2017). Good Rockin' Tonight: Sun Records and the Birth of Rock 'N' Roll. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 978-1-250-18211-1. - ^ John M. Alexander (16 April 2018). The Man in Song: A Discographic Biography of Johnny Cash. University of Arkansas Press. pp. 41–. ISBN 978-1-61075-628-0.
- ^ Steve Turner (30 October 2005). The Man Called CASH: The Life, Love and Faith of an American Legend. Thomas Nelson. pp. 246–. ISBN 978-1-4185-7809-1.
- ^ "Johnny Cash Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-01-25.
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Studio albums | 2000–2020s | - American III: Solitary Man
- American IV: The Man Comes Around
- American V: A Hundred Highways
- American VI: Ain't No Grave
- Out Among the Stars
- Songwriter
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Live albums | |
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Soundtracks | - I Walk the Line
- Little Fauss and Big Halsy
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Compilations | |
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Songs | |
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Television | |
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Biographies | |
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Tribute albums | - The Sound Behind Johnny Cash
- Kindred Spirits: A Tribute to the Songs of Johnny Cash
- Dressed in Black: A Tribute to Johnny Cash
- Johnny's Blues: A Tribute to Johnny Cash
- Walk the Line: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
- Fade to Black: Memories of Johnny
- All Aboard: A Tribute to Johnny Cash
- Johnny Cash Remixed
- We Walk the Line: A Celebration of the Music of Johnny Cash
- Forever Words
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Associated acts | |
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Family | |
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Historical sites | |
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Category |