"Guess Things Happen That Way" | ||||
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Single by Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two | ||||
from the album Sings the Songs That Made Him Famous | ||||
B-side | " Come In, Stranger" | |||
Released | May 19, 1958 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 1:52 | |||
Label | Sun | |||
Songwriter(s) | Jack Clement | |||
Producer(s) |
Sam Phillips Jack Clement | |||
Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two singles chronology | ||||
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"Guess Things Happen That Way" is a 1958 cross over single by Johnny Cash, which was written by Jack Clement. The single [2] was Johnny Cash's fourth #1 on the country chart spending eight weeks at #1, and a total of 24 weeks on the chart. [3]
The B-side of "Guess Things Happen That Way", a song entitled, "Come In Stranger" made it to #6 on the country chart. The single also crossed over to the pop chart, peaking at #66. [4] The song was also featured in the 1993 film A Perfect World directed by Clint Eastwood and was put on the film's soundtrack.
The song is about a man struggling after the love of his life has died.
As Allmusic describes it, the song "featured an arrangement dominated by piano and a vocal chorus adding distinctive 'ba-doo's throughout [that is] ...slicker than, say, " Cry! Cry! Cry!" or " I Walk the Line" [but with] an eccentric tone all its own — largely because the vocal chorus (who sound as if they're occupying a middle ground between doo wop and barbershop quartet) is in such stark contrast to Cash's lead vocal." [2]
The song was banned by the BBC upon its 1958 release when the head of religious broadcasting objected to the lines "God gave me that girl to lean on, / Then he put me on my own. / Heaven help me be a man / And have the strength to stand alone." [5] [6]
Chart (1958) | Peak position |
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US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard) [7] | 1 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [8] | 11 |