Johnny Cash Is a Good Dog (phone demo)

by Charles de Lint

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about

Our little dog Johnny Cash is thirteen now. When we first brought him home from the Humane Society, all those years ago, we went through the naming process that everybody does, coming up and discarding any number of them until we were stumped. Because he was a small, somewhat dainty little fellow I wanted to give him a bit of tough name so that he'd have some street cred with the other dogs.
Finally I turned to MaryAnn and said, "Let's just call him Sue, like in the Johnny Cash song." But then we realized that Johnny Cash would be so much better.
We've always loved Johnny Cash the musician. If you do too you might get a kick out of the various references to his songs in this one about Johnny Cash the dog.

lyrics

My dog, he’s a good dog, he won’t go through the trash
my dog he’s not a tough dog, so I named him Johnny Cash
like a boy named Sue, he’s true blue
stands much taller than he seems to
My dog, he’s a good dog, so I named him Johnny Cash

My dog he can’t really sing, but he howls and barks just fine
My dog he doesn’t always wear black but he always walks the line
he’s never been to Jackson or to Folsom
he cry cry cries when he gets lonesome
My dog, he’s a good dog, and he always walks the line

My dog he’s got rhythm and he’s never been to jail
You can find him by Big River, just a-wagging his tail
He likes to ride on the Rock Island Line
And he never gets tired of hearing Suppertime
My dog’s he’s a good dog and he’s never been to jail

My dog he doesn’t have a gun and if he did he wouldn’t take it to town
My dog he’s never picked cotton but he knows about missing someone
he doesn’t know Frankie, but he’s heard her name
and he’s never gone to the Fool’s Hall of Fame
My dog he’s a good dog, he wouldn’t take a gun to town

My dog he doesn’t like those songs where the dog dies in the end
my dog he likes it better when everybody just stays friends
maybe he’s got a little Pollyanna
in the mix, with some Texarkana
My dog he’s not going to die when this song comes to an end

My dog, he’s a good dog, he won’t go through the trash
my dog he’s not a tough dog, so I named him Johnny Cash
like a boy named Sue, he’s true blue
stands much taller than he seems to
My dog, he’s a good dog, so I named him Johnny Cash

credits

released December 22, 2020
Charles de Lint - vocals, guitar

Tamson House Records

Recorded in Ottawa, ON, Canada
August 26, 2020

Cover art by Rachael Rodgers.

© 2020 Written by Charles de Lint (Socan)

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about

Charles de Lint Ottawa, Ontario

A full-time writer and musician, this author of more than eighty adult, young adult, and children’s books has won the World Fantasy, Aurora, Sunburst, and White Pine awards, among others. Modern Library's Top 100 Books of the 20th Century poll, voted on by readers, put eight of de Lint's books among the top 100. De Lint is also a poet, artist, songwriter, performer and folklorist. ... more

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