"Get Rhythm" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter and musician

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

. It was originally released as the B-side to the single release "

I Walk the Line "I Walk the Line" is a song written and recorded in 1956 by Johnny Cash. After three attempts with moderate chart ratings, it became Cash's first #1 hit on the ''Billboard'' charts, eventually reaching #17 on the US pop charts. The song remai ...

" in 1956 on Sun 241. It was re-released with overdubbed "live" effects in September 1969 as an A-side single and reached number 60 on the Billboard Pop chart.

Critical reception

Alice Randall in the book ''My Country Roots: The Ultimate MP3 Guide to America's Original Outsider Music'' asks the question, "racist, racialist, or race appreciating? You decide. Maybe the grinning "boy" hides something worth knowing in his mask as well as behind his mask. Well maybe he was white trash. "

Chart performance

"Get Rhythm" was released in 1956 as the

B-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record company ...

to Cash's first #1 hit, "

." In 1969, the original recording of "Get Rhythm" was released as a single itself, with sound effects dubbed in to simulate the sound of a live recording. This rerelease went to #23 on the country charts.

Martin Delray version

In 1991,

Martin Delray Michael Ray Martin (born September 29, 1949, in Texarkana, Arkansas) is an American country music artist, known professionally as Martin Delray. He worked as a songwriter in the 1980s, with his writing credits including "Old Fashioned Love" by ...

recorded a cover of the song on his debut album, also entitled '' Get Rhythm''. Released as his debut single, Delray's version featured guest vocals from Cash, as well as a guest appearance by him in the

music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing devi ...

. It peaked at #27 on the country charts.

Chart performance

Other cover versions

NRBQ NRBQ is an American rock music, rock band founded by Terry Adams (musician), Terry Adams (piano), Steve Ferguson (guitar) and Joey Spampinato (bass). Originally the "New Rhythm and Blues Quintet", the group was formed around 1965. Adams disbande ...

first recorded a rock'n'roll arrangement of "Get Rhythm" on At Yankee Stadium, and again on 1982's ''Grooves in Orbit''. In 1986 British pub rock band Dr. Feelgood released a cover on their album ''Brilleaux''.

Ry Cooder Ryland Peter "Ry" Cooder (born March 15, 1947) is an American musician, songwriter, film score composer, record producer, and writer. He is a multi-instrumentalist but is best known for his slide guitar work, his interest in traditional music, ...

first recorded a cover version of ''Get Rhythm'' for his eleventh studio album entitled 'Get Rhythm', released in November 1987. It was also included on 'The Ry Cooder Anthology: The UFO Has Landed (October 2008)'

References

{{authority control 1969 singles 1991 singles Johnny Cash songs Martin Delray songs Rock-and-roll songs Rockabilly songs Songs written by Johnny Cash Song recordings produced by Sam Phillips Sun Records singles Atlantic Records singles 1969 songs