Song Lyric Sunday – Daddy Sang Bass

This week we have a prompt suggested by msjadeli of Tao Talk that goes back to the more normal prompt of Brother/Sibling/Sister.

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I wasn’t sure I was going to write this post today. Yesterday was mentally stressful and I did not have the energy to do the research I like to provide, but here is my skeleton version.

I grew up in southwest Virginia. It was very common for people to gather to play music together. People would gather and singalong, or jump in with their own instruments. It is still very much ‘the way’ with country folk. Every instrument from a guitar to a mandolin to a banjo or even a ukulele and someone playing the spoons. All were welcome. If a song was suggested that not everyone knew, the question that was invariably asked was “can you hum a line of it?” And off they would go.

Thus tradition of singing was also present in our family car trips sans instruments. My dad had a deep bass voice which is what brought today’s song to mind.

”Daddy Sang Bass” was written by Carl Perkins and recorded by Johnny Cash in 1968. Both artists attributed their recovery from addiction to finding God.  According to Wikipedia, the line “Me and little brother would join right in there” was written about Johnny Cash’s younger brother Jack who passed away when they were both young boys.

In the original recording, the line of the brothers was sung but uncredited by Don Reid and Lew DeWitt of the Statler Brothers. The line “Mama sang tenor” was sung and uncredited by Jan Howard and not June Carter Cash as some people think. The song would reach #1 in Billboard’s Hot Country Songs.

Daddy Sang Bass
Lyrics from Songfacts.com

I remember when I was a lad
Times were hard and things were bad
But there’s a silver linin’ behind every cloud
Just four people that ‘s all we were
Tryin’ to make a livin’ out of black-land dirt
But we’d get together in a family circle singin’ loud

Daddy sang bass (mama sang tenor)
Me and little brother would join right in there
Singin’ seems to help a troubled soul
One of these days and it won’t be long
I’ll rejoin them in a song
I’m gonna join the family circle at the throne

Though the circle won’t be broken
By and by, Lord, by and by
Daddy sang bass (mama sang tenor)
Me and little brother would join right in there
In the sky, Lord, in the sky

Now I remember after work mama would call in all of us
You could hear us singin’ for a country mile
Now little brother has done gone on
But I’ll rejoin him in a song
We’ll be together again up yonder in a little while

Daddy sang bass (mama sang tenor)
Me and little brother would join right in there
‘Cause singin’ seems to help a troubled soul
One of these days and it won’t be long
I’ll rejoin them in a song
I’m gonna join the family circle at the throne

Oh no the circle won’t be broken
By and by, Lord, by and by
Daddy sang bass (mama sang tenor)
Me and little brother would join right in there
In the sky, Lord, in the sky

In the sky, Lord, in the sky

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Why not join in on this Sunday blogging ritual. Head over to  Jim Adams blog to check out the rules and read some of the great responses to the weekly prompt.