Chicken in Black

Track 20 on The Complete Columbia Album Collection CD 63: Singles, Plus (Disc 2)

Producer

A self-parody, Cash tells the humorous tale of a personality change ensuing a brain transplant, similar to that of Frankenstein. The title Chicken In Black likely refers to… Read More

Jun. 19841 viewer30.8K views

Chicken in Black Lyrics

[Verse 1: Johnny Cash]
For two long years my head hurt bad
So the doctor checked me and he shook his head
He said, "I'm sorry to tell you but your body's outlived your brain"
He said, "I know this doctor in New York son
And he'll fix you up right with a brand new one"
So the head doctor met me when I stepped down off the train
He said, "We had this bank robber killed last night
His body's shot but his brain's alright
I'll give you a transplant boy, and it'll be okay"
I got my new brain in and I was feeling great
I went right back to Nashville with no headache
But something strange happened when I walked in the bank one day

[Chorus]
I said "Stick 'em up everybody, I'm robbing this place
Drop all of your money in my guitar case
Don't nobody move and don't nobody reach for that door
A lady said, "Why, you're Johnny Cash!"
I said, "No ma'am, I'm the Manhattan Flash
And I am the best bank robber in New York"

[Verse 2]
Now the other night, Roy Acuff called me
He said, "John, I'd like for you to do the Opry"
So I went out on the stage, but I couldn't sing
I got into half a verse of "I Walk The Line"
And something snapped in that head of mine
I yelled, "Stick 'em up! Gimme your money, your watches, and rings"
Well I called New York and talked to that brain quack
I said, "Doc, I've got to have my old brain back"
He said, "I'm sorry there Mr. Cash, but I can't do that"
He said, "I put your brain in a chicken last Monday
He singing your songs and making lots of money
And I got him signed to a ten year recording contract"
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

[Chorus]
I said "Stick 'em up everybody, I'm robbing this place
Drop all of your money in my guitar case
Don't nobody move and don't nobody reach for that door
A lady said, "Why, you're Johnny Cash!"
I said, "No ma'am, I'm the Manhattan Flash
And I am the best bank robber in New York"

[Outro]
Well, I don't pay any income tax
You don't pay tax on money you steal
But you ought to catch that Johnny Chicken Show
Chicken In Black
Mm...

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About

A self-parody, Cash tells the humorous tale of a personality change ensuing a brain transplant, similar to that of Frankenstein. The title Chicken In Black likely refers to his more controversial and signature hit song “Man In Black”. The song debuted on Cash’s Christmas TV special in 1984, accompanied with a comic music video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_uM87NTFW4

N.B. It’s worth noting that he uses a guitar in the video instead of a gun not for humour, but for viewer discretion.

Despite the light-heartedness of the song, the lyrics have been interpreted as a shot at Columbia Records, Cash’s label at the time. It was theorised Robert Hilburn’s 2013 biography of Cash, Johnny Cash: The Life, that the chicken was somewhat a analogical symbol for the image he had gained due to the lack of freedom he had as a solo artist. However, this was later proven false as the song was written for him by Gary Gentry.

Unfortunately, Cash later found distaste for the song when Waylon Jennings, fellow member of supergroup Highwaymen, told him he looked like a “buffoon” in the video. This unprecedented playful behaviour during the 1980s era of his music is often blamed on his drug addictions.