Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down (Song)

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"Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down" is a song written by Kris Kristofferson that was recorded in 1969 by Ray Stevens before becoming a No.1 hit on the Billboard US Country chart for Johnny Cash.

Chart performance

Ray Stevens

History

Stevens' version of the song reached No.55 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and No.81 on the Hot 100 pop chart in 1969. In 2021, it was listed at #476 on Rolling Stone's "Top 500 Best Songs of All Time". It also appeared on the author's own album Kristofferson.

In a 2013 interview, Kristofferson said the song "opened up a whole lot of doors for me. So many people that I admired, admired it. Actually, it was the song that allowed me to quit working for a living."

Critical reception

In 2024, Rolling Stone ranked the song at #96 on its 200 Greatest Country Songs of All Time ranking.

Have a Little Talk with Myself (album)

Have a Little Talk With Myself is the fifth studio album by Ray Stevens and his third and final for Monument Records, released in 1969. Stevens left Monument in early 1970 and signed with Andy Williams' Barnaby Records label. This album is quite different from Stevens's previous albums, for he concentrates on interpreting the works of other writers, and only contributes two of his own compositions. The cover versions include Bob Dylan's "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight", the First Edition's hit "But You Know I Love You", two songs from the musical Hair, three songs of the Beatles, Blood, Sweat & Tears' hit "Spinning Wheel", and Joe South's hit "Games People Play".

The back of the album cover contains an essay by John Grissim of Rolling Stone, which describes how Stevens handles his recording sessions, then praises his craft in music, and finally describes Stevens' interpretations of the cover songs on the album. On the back of the album, there is also a technical note from the album's co-producer, Jim Malloy: "In addition to doing all the arrangements on this album, Ray Stevens...sings ALL the voices...plays the piano, organ, bells and any other special effect instruments...and plays the trumpet solo on 'SPINNING WHEEL.'" Two pictures are featured on the album's back cover as well - one with Stevens and Malloy laughing in the studio and another of Stevens playing the piano and singing into a microphone on the floor of the studio.

Stevens's version of "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down" was the very first recording of the song. Although its composer Kris Kristofferson recorded it for his 1970 album Kristofferson, he never released his own version as a single. The song became a bigger hit for Johnny Cash one year after Stevens's release of the song.

Aside from "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down" (which came out a few months before the album), two singles were taken from the album: the title track and "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight".

Track listing

Side One

Side Two

Personnel

Musicians

• Ray Stevens – lead and backing vocals, piano, organ, bells, effects, arrangements, trumpet on “Spinning Wheel”
• Jerry Kennedy – guitar
• Norbert Putnam – bass
• Jerry Carrigan – drums
• Farrell Morris – percussion
• Violin: Brenton Banks
• Violin: Lillian Hunt
• Violin: Sheldon Kurland
• Violin: George Binkley
• Violin: Martin Katahn
• Violin: Solie Fott
• Viola: Marvin Chantry
• Viola: Gary Vanosdale
• Viola: Howard Carpenter
• Viola: Bobby Becker
• Cello: Byron Bach
• Trumpet: Don Sheffield
• Trumpet: George Tidwell
• Trumpet: Glenn Baxter
• Trombone: Dennis Good
• Trombone: Gene Mullins
• Sax: Norm Ray
• Sax: Johnny Duke
• Producers: Ray Stevens, Jim Malloy
• Engineers: Jim Malloy, Tommy Strong
• Recorded in the Monument Recording Studio
• Cover photo: Keats Tyler
• Art direction: Ken Kim

Charts

Singles

Johnny Cash version

The biggest success on disc for the song came from a Johnny Cash performance that had been recorded live at the Ryman Auditorium during a taping of The Johnny Cash Show as part of a "Ride This Train" segment, with filmed background visuals showing a down-and-out wanderer roaming around the Public Square area of Shelbyville, Tennessee. Cash introduced the song with the following monologue:

"You know, not everyone who has been on 'the bum' wanted it that way. The Great Depression of the 30s set the feet of thousands of people—farmers, city workers—it set 'em to ridin' the rails. My Daddy was one of those who hopped a freight train a couple of times to go and look for work. He wasn't a bum. He was a hobo but he wasn't a bum. I suppose we've all....all of us 'been at one time or another 'drifter at heart', and today like yesterday there's many that are on that road headin' out. Not searchin' maybe for work, as much as for self-fulfillment, or understanding of their life...trying to find a *meaning* for their life. And they're not hoppin' freights much anymore. Instead they're thumbin' cars and diesel trucks along the highways from Maine to Mexico. And many who have drifted...including myself...have found themselves no closer to peace of mind than a dingy backroom, on some lonely Sunday morning, with it comin' down all around you."

With the monologue edited off, the recording would appear on the soundtrack LP The Johnny Cash Show the following year, as well as being issued as a single (Columbia Records 4-45211). Cash's version won the Country Music Association Award for Song of the Year in 1970 and hit #1 on the country chart.

This version was used in the Columbo episode Swan Song in 1974, in which Cash performed it during a garden party.

According to Kristofferson, network executives ordered Cash to change the line "I'm wishing Lord that I was stoned" when he performed the song on his TV show, but he refused to comply.

Chart performance

Johnny Cash

The Johnny Cash Show (Album)

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic

The Johnny Cash Show is the 35th overall album and third live album by American country singer Johnny Cash, recorded at the Grand Ole Opry House and released on Columbia Records in 1970 as a tie-in with Cash's then-current TV series of the same title. Though one of Cash's lesser-known live records, it spawned the highly successful single "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", which helped kickstart the career of singer-songwriter Kris Kristofferson. The song and album reached #1 on the Country charts. It was also his final chart entry in Australia, going no higher than #35. The album was certified Gold on February 16, 1995, by the RIAA.

Track listing

1. "Sunday Morning Coming Down" (Kris Kristofferson) – 4:04

2. "Come Along and Ride This Train" (Cash) – 6:16 "Six Days on the Road" (Earl Green, Carl Montgomery) "There Ain't No Easy Run" (Tom T. Hall, Dave Dudley) "Sailor on a Concrete Sea" (Merle Travis)

3. "These Hands" (Eddie Noack) – 3:45

4. "I'm Gonna Try to Be That Way" (Cash) – 3:24

5. "Come Along and Ride This Train" (Cash) – 8:04 "Mississippi Delta Land" (Harlan Howard) "Detroit City" (Mel Tillis, Danny Dill) "Uncloudy Day" (Joshua K. Alwood) "No Setting Sun" (Ruth Davis) "Mississippi Delta Land"

6. "Here Was a Man" (Johnny Bond, Tex Ritter) – 2:56

Personnel

• Johnny Cash – vocals, acoustic guitar
• The Carter Family – background vocals
• The Statler Brothers – background vocals
• Marshall Grant – bass guitar
• W.S. Holland – drums
• Bob Wootton – electric guitar
• Carl Perkins – electric guitar
• Norman Blake – acoustic guitar
• Bill Walker – orchestra leader

Additional personnel

• Produced by Bob Johnston
• Arranged and conducted by Bill Walker
• "These Hands" Arranged by Barry McDonald
• Engineering: Neil Wilburn
• Cover Photo: John Burg

Charts

Album – Billboard (United States)

Singles – Billboard (United States)

Sunday Morning Coming Down (Album)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic

Sunday Morning Coming Down is a Johnny Cash album, released in 1972. It is a compilation of previously released tracks. It consists of songs previously recorded on albums made from prison concerts or live albums and has songs such as "Folsom Prison Blues", "Orange Blossom Special", "Understand Your Man", and "Sunday Morning Coming Down".

The album was re-issued in 1999 without adding any new songs.

Track listing

Charts

Album – Billboard (United States)

Other notable versions

• Waylon Jennings recorded the song on his 1971 album The Taker/Tulsa, which included two other songs penned by his friend Kristofferson.

The Taker/Tulsa (Album)

The Taker/Tulsa is a studio album by American country music artist Waylon Jennings, released in 1971 on RCA Nashville. The LP rose to #12 on the Billboard country albums chart while the single "The Taker" was a Top 5 hit single.

Background

The Taker/Tulsa is notable for featuring four compositions by Kris Kristofferson, who had emerged as a beacon for songwriters who wanted to bring a new poetic realism to country music. Jennings, who had bristled when RCA producers told him what songs to record, began demanding more control over his records on all fronts, and began recording songs by newer songwriters like Kristofferson, Shel Silverstein, and Mickey Newbury. Jennings was particularly taken with the Kristofferson ballad "Lovin' Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again)" but was stymied by RCA's recording policies, recalling in the audio version of his autobiography Waylon: "I went to Los Angeles and cut Kris Kristofferson's "Lovin' Her Was Easier" with Ricky Nelson's band. At the time he had a good bunch of guys with him, including Sonny Curtis. It was a great record, up-tempo with a good guitar riff. They [RCA] wouldn't release it because it was recorded in L.A. They didn't want to set a precedent...They didn't know who I was or what I was about, and I tried my best to keep 'em in the dark."

Although Jennings continued working with RCA producers like Danny Davis, his records began sounding less and less like his early work with the label. In his book Outlaws: Waylon, Willie, Kris, and the Renegades of Nashville, author Michael Striessguth writes, "Most important, Waylon appeared to have found his voice. Whether Davis had anything to do with that or not, the Davis-produced tracks showcase deeply riveting vocals amid bold instrumentation on starkly realistic songs, many of which appeared on The Taker/Tulsa..."

Track listing

Sunday Morning Coming Down Covers

• Gretchen Wilson recorded her take on the song for the Kris Kristofferson tribute The Pilgrim: A Celebration of Kris Kristofferson in 2006 to celebrate Kristofferson's 70th birthday.

• Louis Neefs also recorded a version in Dutch titled: Zondagmiddag Lillian

• Vikki Carr recorded a version on her 1970 album Nashville By Carr.

• Shawn Mullins

• Lynn Anderson

• Ray Dylan

• Trisha Yearwood and Kris Kristofferson

• Rick Watson Music and The Unsung Heroes Band

• The Hit Crew

• David Maguire

• David Allan Coe

• Willie Nelson

• Trace Adkins

• Tex Perkins

• Me First and the Gimme Gimmes

• Sammi Smith

• Jerry Lee Lewis

• The Highwaymen

• Ray Price

• Mark Lindsay

• Stephan Visagie

• UB40 Featuring Ali Campbell

• Hank Snow

• Janis Joplin

• Instrumental