"Daddy Sang Bass" is a song written by

Carl Perkins Carl Lee Perkins (April 9, 1932 – January 19, 1998)#nytimesobit, Pareles. was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. A rockabilly great and pioneer of rock and roll, he began his recording career at the Sun Studio, in Memphis, Tennes ...

, with lines from the chorus of "

Will the Circle Be Unbroken? "Will the Circle Be Unbroken?" is a popular Christian hymn written in 1907 by Ada R. Habershon with music by Charles H. Gabriel. The song is often recorded unattributed and, because of its age, has lapsed into the public domain. Most of the ...

", and recorded by American

country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...

singer

Johnny Cash John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American country singer-songwriter. Much of Cash's music contained themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially in the later stages of his c ...

. It was released in November 1968 as the first single from the album '' The Holy Land''. The song was Cash's sixty-first release on the country chart, going on to No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' country chart for 6 weeks and spending a total of 19 weeks there. The single reached No. 56 on the ''Cashbox'' pop singles chart in 1969. "Daddy Sang Bass" was also released on the Columbia Records Hall of Fame Series as a 45, #13-33153, b/w "Folsom Prison Blues" (live version). The record was nominated in the CMA awards category of Single of the Year by the

Country Music Association The Country Music Association (CMA) was founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. It originally consisted of 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre. The objectives of the organization are to guide and enha ...

(CMA) in 1969. "Daddy Sang Bass" was Cash's thirty-sixth entry on the pop charts and the last before his " A Boy Named Sue" became his first and only top ten hit there. No other act has ever started off a pop career with a longer such drought on the charts that was finally broken. The song appeared originally on the 1969 album ''The Holy Land'', the 1971 ''Johnny Cash: Greatest Hits, Vol. 2'' collection, the 1999 Johnny Cash greatest hits compilation ''16 Biggest Hits'', and the 2002 ''The Essential Johnny Cash'' collection. According to Johnny Cash's book, '' The Man in Black'', the singer overcame his

amphetamine Amphetamine (contracted from alpha- methylphenethylamine) is a strong central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), narcolepsy, and obesity. It is also commonly used ...

addiction by finding God and then helped his friend and frequent tour-mate Carl Perkins to overcome his alcoholism. Feeling inspired, Perkins wrote the song "Daddy Sang Bass" in 1967. Cash says the line "Me and little brother will join right in there" was written about Cash's brother Jack, who died when they were both boys. In the song the line is sung by Don Reid and Lew DeWitt of

The Statler Brothers The Statler Brothers (sometimes simply referred to as The Statlers) were an American country music, gospel, and vocal group. The quartet was formed in 1955 performing locally, and from 1964 to 1972, they sang as opening act and backup singers ...

who are uncredited on the record, as is

Jan Howard Jan Howard (born Lula Grace Johnson; March 13, 1929 – March 28, 2020) was an American country music singer and songwriter. As a singer, she placed 30 singles on the ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' Hot Country Songs, country songs chart, w ...

, who sang the line "Mama sang tenor" also in the song's chorus. Howard's part is frequently incorrectly credited to

June Carter June is the sixth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars and is the second of four months to have a length of 30 days, and the third of five months to have a length of less than 31 days. June contains the summer solstice in t ...

, who would sing the line in concert with Cash. Carl Perkins also recorded the song for his 1969 ''Greatest Hits'' compilation album on

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese conglomerate Sony. It was founded on January 15, 1889, evolving from the A ...

, which became a Top 40 hit on the ''Billboard'' country album chart that year. The line "Daddy sang bass" is sampled in

They Might Be Giants They Might Be Giants (often abbreviated as TMBG) is an American alternative rock band formed in 1982 by John Flansburgh and John Linnell. During TMBG's early years, Flansburgh and Linnell frequently performed as a duo, often accompanied by a dr ...

' song "Boat of Car" from their self-titled debut album.

Chart performance

Cover versions

Rex Allen Rex Elvie Allen (December 31, 1920 – December 17, 1999), known as "the Arizona Cowboy", was an American film and television actor, singer and songwriter; he was also the narrator of many Disney nature and Western productions. For his contribut ...

Glen Campbell Glen Travis Campbell (April 22, 1936 – August 8, 2017) was an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, actor and television host. He was best known for a series of hit songs in the 1960s and 1970s, and for hosting '' The Glen Campbell Good ...

on the 1970 ''Capitol'' album ''

Oh Happy Day "Oh Happy Day" is a 1967 gospel music arrangement of the 1755 hymn by clergyman Philip Doddridge. Recorded by the Edwin Hawkins Singers, it became an international hit in 1969, reaching No. 4 on the US Singles Chart, No. 1 in France, Germany, an ...

''. *

Dolly Parton Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album ...

Mel Tillis Lonnie Melvin Tillis (August 8, 1932 – November 19, 2017) was an American country music singer and songwriter. Although he recorded songs since the late 1950s, his biggest success occurred in the 1970s as part of the outlaw country movement, ...

, and

Porter Wagoner Porter Wayne Wagoner (August 12, 1927 – October 28, 2007) was an American country music singer known for his flashy Nudie and Manuel suits and blond pompadour. In 1967, he introduced singer Dolly Parton on his television show, ''The ...

on a 1969 episode of ''The Porter Wagoner Show'' *

Kitty Wells Ellen Muriel Deason (August 30, 1919 – July 16, 2012), known professionally as Kitty Wells, was an American pioneering female country music singer. She broke down a barrier to women in country music with her 1952 hit recording " It Wasn't God ...

on the 1969 album ''Guilty Street''. *

Skeeter Davis Skeeter Davis (born Mary Frances Penick; December 30, 1931September 19, 2004) was an American country music singer and songwriter who sang crossover pop music songs including 1962's " The End of the World". She started out as part of the Davis S ...

on the 1969 album ''Mary Frances''.Second Hand Songs: Daddy Sang Bass by Skeeter Davis
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(who also performed the song on ''

The Johnny Cash Show ''The Johnny Cash Show'' is an American television music variety show hosted by Johnny Cash. The Screen Gems 58-episode series ran from June 7, 1969, to March 31, 1971, on ABC; it was taped at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. ...

'' with Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash) *

The Oak Ridge Boys The Oak Ridge Boys are an American country and gospel vocal quartet originating in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The group was founded in the 1940s as the Oak Ridge Quartet. They became popular in Southern gospel during the 1950s. Their name was chang ...

Maury Finney Maury Finney (born in Humboldt, Minnesota) is an American country music saxophonist. Between 1976 and 1980, he recorded for the Soundwaves record label. Finney charted twelve times on the ''Billboard'' country singles charts. His highest-peaking ...

as a 45 single on Boss Records, 225. *Gospel Echoes Quartet *

Linda Gail Lewis Linda Gail Lewis (born July 18, 1947) is an American singer, songwriter and pianist. She has recorded with Stephen Ackles, Van Morrison, and with her brother, Jerry Lee Lewis Jerry Lee Lewis (September 29, 1935October 28, 2022) was an ...

with Carl Perkins on The Jerry Lee Lewis Show TV special, 1971 *The Rhythm Masters *Dailey & Vincent on the 2012 album "The Gospel Site of Dailey and Vincent" *

Leon Russell Leon Russell (born Claude Russell Bridges; April 2, 1942 – November 13, 2016) was an American musician and songwriter who was involved with numerous bestselling records during his 60-year career that spanned multiple genres, including rock and ...

on the 1998 album ''Legend in My Time - Hank Wilson Vol. III'' * J. D. Sumner and the Stamps on the 1974 ''Vintage Gospel'' album (Skylite Records/SLP-6144) *Sego Brothers and Naomi as a 45 single on Songs of Faith Records, 2001. *

Jean Shepard Ollie Imogene "Jean" Shepard (November 21, 1933 – September 25, 2016) was an American honky-tonk singer-songwriter who pioneered for women in country music. Shepard released a total of 73 singles to the Hot Country Songs chart, one of which ...

Connie Smith Connie Smith (born Constance June Meador; August 14, 1941) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Her contralto vocals have been described by music writers as significant and influential to the women of country music. A similarity h ...

* Carl Story on his 1969 eponymous LP, Starday Records, SLP 438 *

Nat Stuckey Nathan Wright Stuckey (December 17, 1933 – August 24, 1988) was an American country singer. He recorded for various labels between 1966 and 1978, charting in the top 10 of Hot Country Songs with " Sweet Thang", "Plastic Saddle", "Sweet Than ...

*Jackie Thompson as a 45 single on Columbia Records, 4-44842. *

*Bryan Chalker's New Frontier as a 45 single on the UK Chapter 1 label, SCH170. *Voiceplay as a single in 2018.

References

{{authority control 1968 singles Johnny Cash songs Skeeter Davis songs Glen Campbell songs Leon Russell songs Songs written by Carl Perkins Song recordings produced by Bob Johnston Columbia Records singles 1968 songs Gospel songs Songs about music