Jake Harper
Johnny Cash's The Chicken in Black is a song about Cash's brain being transplanted into a chicken. It was released as a single in 1984 and reached number 45 on the U.S. Billboard's country chart. The song was written by Gary Gentry and Cash later disowned it, calling it 'intentionally atrocious in his second autobiography. The song was produced by Billy Sherrill and the sessions were shelved until 2014 when they were released by Columbia's sister label, Legacy Recordings, as Out Among the Stars.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Song Title | The Chicken in Black |
| Artist | Johnny Cash |
| Year of Release | 1984 |
| Song Writer | Gary Gentry |
| Record Label | Columbia |
| Peak Chart Position | #45 on U.S. Billboard's Country Chart |
| B-Side | Battle of Nashville |
| Song Inspiration | Cash's displeasure with his record label, Columbia |
| Song Theme | Humour |
| Song Narrative | Cash's brain is transplanted into a chicken, and he receives a bank robber's brain |
| Music Video | Cash dresses up in a superhero-like bank robber costume |
| Related Albums | Out Among the Stars, Songwriter |
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What You'll Learn
The song's humorous lyrics
Johnny Cash's 1984 song "Chicken in Black" is a humorous story about Cash's brain being transplanted into a chicken. The lyrics describe Cash suffering from persistent headaches for two long years, leading him to visit a doctor. The doctor informs him that his body has "outlived [his] brain" and refers him to a specialist in New York City. Unbeknownst to Cash, the specialist is a quack who replaces his brain with that of a deceased bank robber.
As a result of the brain swap, Cash finds himself compelled to rob banks when he visits one in New York City. He even goes so far as to rob the audience during a performance at the Grand Ole Opry. The lyrics comically portray Cash's dilemma as he struggles to reconcile his new criminal urges with his former honest self:
> Now friends, if you see me walking down the street
> Remember what you see ain't necessarily me
> And if I try to hold you up, don't pay me no mind
> But when you got ten bucks that you can blow
> You ought to catch that Johnny Chicken Show
> He's doin' fairs and concert dates all up and down the line...
Cash's persona in the song embraces his new identity as a bank robber, even adopting a supervillain costume and referring to himself as the Manhattan Flash. He also mentions that he doesn't have to pay income tax on the money he steals:
> Well, I don't pay any income tax
> You don't pay tax on money you steal
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Cash's intention to get out of his contract with Columbia
Johnny Cash's 1984 song "Chicken in Black" has been described as a purposefully terrible song that the singer recorded to get out of his contract with Columbia. The song, written by Gary Gentry, features Cash's character receiving a bank robber's brain in a transplant and subsequently robbing a bank. While the song reached number 45 on the U.S. Billboard's country chart, Cash later renounced it, calling it ""intentionally atrocious" in his second autobiography.
Cash's enthusiasm for the song waned after Waylon Jennings commented that he looked "like a buffoon" in the music video, which was showcased during his 1984 Christmas TV special. Cash then demanded that Columbia withdraw the music video and recall the single from stores, interrupting its chart success.
Biographer Robert Hilburn, in his 2013 book "Johnny Cash: The Life," disputes the claim that Cash chose to record an intentionally poor song in protest of Columbia's treatment of him. Hilburn writes that Columbia presented Cash with the song, which he accepted enthusiastically, performing it live and filming a comedic music video in which he dresses up in a superhero-like bank robber costume.
During this period, Cash also recorded several sessions with producer Billy Sherrill, which were shelved by Columbia and later released by its sister label, Legacy Recordings, in 2014 as "Out Among the Stars." Cash's contract with Columbia was not renewed, with sources citing his lack of solo Top 10 hits since 1981 as a factor. It was also rumoured that Cash had been offered $1 million to sign with Mercury, making it difficult for Columbia to compete.
Thus, while "Chicken in Black" may have contributed to Cash's dissatisfaction with Columbia, it was part of a larger context of changing tastes in country music and the artist's desire to explore other opportunities.
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The music video
"Chicken in Black" is a song by Johnny Cash, released as a single in 1984. The song was written by Gary Gentry and reached number 45 on the U.S. Billboard's country chart. The song is about Johnny Cash receiving a brain transplant after experiencing persistent headaches and being told that his body had "outlived [his] brain". The brain he receives belongs to a dead bank robber, and as a result, Cash finds himself compelled to rob banks.
The video also features footage of Cash performing on stage in his "Manhattan Flash" outfit. This footage was aired during his televised 1984 Christmas special. It is said that Cash's enthusiasm for the song waned after his friend, Waylon Jennings, told him he looked "like a buffoon" in the music video. Cash then demanded that Columbia withdraw the music video from broadcast and recall the single from stores, despite its chart success.
The "Chicken in Black" music video is a fun and light-hearted take on the song's lyrics, with Cash embracing the comedic and surreal nature of the song. While it may have been controversial at the time, it has since become a cult classic, with fans still enjoying its strange charm.
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The song's chart success
"Chicken in Black" is a song written by Gary Gentry and originally recorded by Johnny Cash. It was released as a single in 1984, with "Battle of Nashville" on the B-side. The song is a humorous story about Cash visiting his doctor due to persistent headaches and being told that his body has "outlived [his] brain". The doctor refers him to a specialist in New York City, who performs a brain transplant, replacing Cash's brain with that of a dead bank robber. As a result of the transplant, Cash finds himself compelled to rob banks.
The song "Chicken in Black" reached number 45 on the U.S. Billboard country chart. Cash was initially pleased with the recording and performed it live on stage, even dressing up in a superhero-like bank robber costume for a comedic music video. However, his enthusiasm waned after receiving negative feedback from friends and family, and fellow musician Waylon Jennings, who said he looked "like a buffoon" in the video. Cash demanded that Columbia withdraw the music video and recall the single from stores, interrupting its chart success.
In his second autobiography, Cash renounced the song, calling it "intentionally atrocious" and referring to it as the "nadir" of his 1980s career. Some sources claim that Cash recorded the song to get out of a bad record contract, intentionally making it as poor as possible. However, biographer Robert Hilburn disputes this claim, arguing that Columbia presented Cash with the song, which he accepted enthusiastically due to his previous success with comedic material.
Despite the controversy and mixed reactions surrounding "Chicken in Black," it remains a unique and memorable entry in Johnny Cash's extensive catalogue of music.
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Cash's later disavowal of the song
Johnny Cash initially liked "Chicken in Black," a song written by Gary Gentry and released as a single in 1984. Cash even performed the song live on stage and filmed a comedic music video. However, Cash later disavowed the song, calling it "intentionally atrocious" in his second autobiography. There are several reasons that have been posited for Cash's disavowal of the song.
One theory is that Cash wanted out of his record deal with Columbia and chose to record an intentionally poor song in protest of his treatment by the label. This claim is disputed by Cash's biographer Robert Hilburn, who argues that it was Columbia that presented Cash with the song, and the singer accepted it enthusiastically. Hilburn points out that Cash had previously scored major chart hits with comedic material such as "A Boy Named Sue" and "One Piece at a Time."
Another factor that contributed to Cash's disavowal of the song was the negative reaction it received from his close friends and family, including his wife, June Cash, who called it the "nadir" of his 1980s career. Country singer Waylon Jennings told Cash he looked "like a buffoon" in the music video, leading Cash to demand that Columbia withdraw the video from broadcast and recall the single from stores.
Cash's dissatisfaction with the song and its promotion may also have been a factor in his decision to part ways with Columbia. In his autobiography, Cash expressed understanding for the label's decision not to renew his contract, stating that he "wasn't surprised" by their choice.
Despite Cash's later disavowal of the song, it reached number 45 on the U.S. Billboard's country chart and gained a new audience on TikTok in 2024.
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Frequently asked questions
"Chicken in Black" was released as a single in 1984 and does not belong to any album.
Johnny Cash wrote "Chicken in Black" as a purposefully terrible song to get out of a bad record contract with Columbia.
"Chicken in Black" is a humorous song about Cash undergoing a brain transplant with a bank robber and becoming a criminal.
Johnny Cash believed that Columbia was neglecting him.
