“Sunday Morning Coming Down”
Johnny Cash
Written by Kris Kristofferson
Billboard
#1 (2 weeks)
October 10 – October 17, 1970
From the holy trinity of “For the Good Times,” “Help Me Make it Through the Night,” and “Sunday Morning Coming Down,” I used to see today’s No. 1 hit as the odd one out because two of the songs are about couples at night and one is about a man who’s all alone in the morning.
Kris Kristofferson’s gift as a writer was deemed undeniable by these three songs releasing so close together, and now when I hear all three songs, I can identify the common thread between them.
Because Kristofferson’s capturing the most intimate, revealing inner thoughts of each protagonist, humanizing them by truly seeing them. You can feel the stark loneliness of that Sunday morning coming down as Cash goes down to meet his day. You can feel the weary resignation of Price as he asks for one more time, for the good times. You can feel the desperation of Smith when she asks for some help to make it through the night.
Kristofferson saw past the way such people are often dismissed, and by helping us get to know them, he helps us to understand that they’re not all that different from us. For my fellow Ted Lasso junkies, this kind of songwriting is the best example of that Walt Whitman quote, “Be curious, not judgmental.”
We need more curious songwriters who are looking to reveal the humanity of those who we don’t understand, and more A-list artists being willing to deliver those songs to an audience open to hearing it from their favorite singer.
Cash doesn’t get nearly enough credit for how many times he did that as a singer, but “Sunday Morning Coming Down” is such an undeniable masterpiece that it remains the ultimate expression of Cash’s empathy and solidarity with the underclass that is too often invisible to us.
“Sunday Morning Coming Down” gets an A.
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Obviously an A+ song but i’ve heard versions that I’ve preferred over Johnny’s like Sammi Smith’s and version’s and one’s that were unique like Lynn Anderson’s up-tempo take on it that sounds like she’s smiling.
Coincidentally, I just heard this one on my country oldies station yesterday morning. While I suspect I might agree with Tyler that there would be versions of the song that had a vocal interpretation that I’d better connect with, I also agree that Johnny Cash was uniquely suited for telling the story of this beleaguered narrator struggling with his life choices at the weekend’s pivot point. You can feel the internal struggle in Johnny as he captures the narrator’s plight. I think I’ll seek out some of the other versions just for a point of contrast though.
Grade: A
With respect to this song, I don’t think it’s too hard to see how Johnny and Kris saw themselves as kindred, both speaking to a discontent and a loneliness that far too many people feel. This is what great singers and songwriters have done throughout time, to talk about a common humanity; and it is a testament to both men that they captured it throughout their respective careers, and particularly here (IMHO).
…i am strongly rooting for kris kristofferson’s original here. just never managed to picture johnny cash picking “my cleanest dirty shirt” from the closet without some mental discomfort, whereas kristofferson always looked exactly the part (in my mind). having said that, johnny cash’s delivery sounds of course better, technically.
sunday morning, although often dealt with nicely in country songs, has has been hardly ever depicted more poignantly. a masterpiece even in the masterpiece class.
What more needs to be said? A masterpiece describes it perfectly. I will agree with Tom and say that I prefer Kristofferson’s own version the most. It’s the perfect song for his rugged, weary sounding singing voice.
And Travis Tritt borrowed one line from the chorus for a song on his second album and had a pretty decent hit in 1992 with “Nothing Short of Dying.”
I genuinely have no recollection of “Nothing Short of Dying”. Didn’t ring any bells when I looked it up. It went to #1 on R&R but was not on his Greatest Hits, so I wonder if Tritt doesn’t like it?
Not much else to say. It’s simply an A+ masterpiece.
Bonus Beats:
Here’s the version of “Sunday Morning Coming Down” that Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, a punk rock supergroup that only does covers of non-punk songs, recorded for their 2006 country covers album Love Their Country:
https://youtu.be/B3rZWcgZHU0
Reggae legend Ernie Smith also recorded a version of the song. A more recognizable reggae act, UB40, has also covered it, but as one might expect, it is not good. Here’s Ernie Smith’s version:
https://youtu.be/i7d9kMT1FS0
Kris Kristofferson performed the song at a 2005 Johnny Cash tribute show, with the Foo Fighters backing him up. Here’s that performance:
https://youtu.be/kRNYOgEbK80
Normally I wouldn’t bring up any bonus beats from an “easy listening” artist, but here, I’m gonna bring up the version of “Sunday Morning Coming Down” that Vikki Carr recorded for her 1970 country album Nashville by Carr. Vikki also performed it live on Cash’s show, but unfortunately that’s not on YouTube. Regardless, she sings the hell out of it. Here’s the studio version:
https://youtu.be/BnGVMLpHlzw
I always liked Shawn Mullins’ take on the song
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=shawn%20mullins%20sunday%20morning%20coming%20down%20videos&FORM=VIRE0&mid=E2447132A5678C1185C9E2447132A5678C1185C9&view=detail&ru=%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dshawn%20mullins%20sunday%20morning%20coming%20down
I agree it’s an American music masterpiece. What else is there to say?
1970 is certainly shaping up to be a VERY strong year for country music classics. Oh how I miss this musical era and these artists.
And it isn’t done yet. The year ends with back-to-back signature songs that are still beloved today. I think that they’ve endured because the records are so distinctive and the singers are such stylists.
What a great song! A masterpiece indeed!
Also, fellow Ted Lasso enthusiast here!
This song is brilliantly written and exquisitely performed.
Cash’s “Man in Black” persona was rooted in his empathy. In his song “Man in Black’s Cash says, “I the wear the black for the poor and beaten down/Living in the hopeless, hungry side of town.”
As much traction as Cash got in his later years for the marketing of his rebellious, pill-popping, bird-flippng, outlaw, anti-establishment persona, Cash always led with his Christian faith and the words that Jesus said. He tried to walk that road to happiness through love and charity.
I remember loving this song as a kid for its gritty cinematic scene setting. The dirty clothes, the ringing bells, the fried chicken, the family in the park. It all felt vaguely dangerous and real.
My mom always shared how much she loved and related to the lyrics of Cash’s original performance.
I remember my sister discovering the song through the Shawn Mullins’ cover.
Fred Eaglesmith had sharp retort to the emergent hipster fanbase of Johnny Cash on his 2012 album “Six Volt” with a song simple titled “Johnny Cash.”
Eaglesmith’s song is the antithesis of Jason Aldean’s opportunistic, thoughtless, and soul-less clunker of single of the same name from 2007.
It pains me to say Aldean scooped “Johnny Cash” from Tracy Byrd’ greatest hits collection. John Rich wrote it along with Vicky McGehee and Rodney Clawson.