10/14/08: Johnny Cash
              “The One on the Right Is on the Left” (1966)

At this point, the best reason to vote for John McCain is just to spare us the inaugural concerts we’ll get for Barack Obama. That’s going to be one insufferable gathering of airhead musicians. We were especially saddened to see DEVO doing an Akron, Ohio reunion benefit for Obama. It’s almost enough to keep us from seriously considering buying the new Japanese import box set that repackages all the original Warner Bros DEVO albums as mini-LP replicas with reproductions of all the original inserts.

Anyway, here’s some wisdom from Johnny Cash—back when he was knocking out some novelty tunes for 1966’s Everybody Loves A Nut. “The One on the Right Is on the Left” is already kind of a fantasy, since it’s the tale of “a pickin’ singin’ folk group” who allow a conservative to join the act. Cash explains that the group mostly concentrates on mountain ballads and folk songs of our land. Sadly, though:

         They were long on musical ability,
         Folks thought they would go far
         But political incompatibility
         Led to their downfall

This sets up the rousing chorus:

         Well, the one on the right was on the Left
         And the one in the middle was on the Right
         And the one on the left was in the middle
         And the guy in the rear—was a Methodist

The guy in the rear will serve as a recurring joke. (Full lyrics here.) More importantly, the song ends with the folk group getting into a big brawl on stage. We’re certainly fond of musicians who are politically outspoken. Many of our favorites have been featured on this site. We also don’t mind hearing moronic rock ’n rollers. Being moronic is a big part of the sound.

Still, as we get closer to Election Day, let’s give Johnny Cash—speaking for songwriter Jack Clement—a chance to say something that sounds reasonable to our exhausted ears:

         Now this should be a lesson,
         If you plan to start a folk group
         Don't go mixin’ politics
         With the folk songs of our land
         Just work on harmony and diction
         Play your banjo well
         And if you have political convictions
         Keep ’em to yourself

(Also, the one on the Left ends up working in a bank. No surprise there.)

Make it your own: We knew “The One on the Right Is on the Left” was enough of a hit to make it onto a few Johnny Cash compilations. We didn’t know it was so popular that the song would have its own (seemingly accurate) Wikipedia page, and that we’d find a YouTube clip of Cash lip-syncing the song. Everybody Loves A Nut, however, has never seen a proper CD reissue.  If you want your own copy of the song, we recommend the ’60s-oriented collection that makes up the 2-disc import I Walk The Line.

 

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