50 years since Johnny Cash was No. 1 on the Billboard country chart with ‘A Boy Named Sue’
Go Deeper.
Create an account or log in to save stories.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
Johnny Cash was No. 1 on the Billboard country chart 50 years ago on Wednesday with “A Boy Named Sue.”
The song was written by poet Shel Silverstein, whose friend, Jean Shepherd, was reportedly teased as a boy for having a girl’s name. Cash said it was a spontaneous decision to play the song during his show at San Quentin prison – the band didn’t know he was going to play it, and Cash read the lyrics off a sheet of paper. “A Boy Named Sue” went on to become Cash’s biggest hit.
Turn Up Your Support
MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all.
