Mean-Eyed Cat

"Mean-Eyed Cat"
Single by Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two
from the album Johnny Cash Sings Hank Williams
A-side	"Mean Eyed Cat" "Port of Lonely Hearts"
Released	October 1960 (1960-10)
Recorded	July 1955 (1955-07)
Genre	Rockabilly [1]
Label	Sun 347
Songwriter(s)	Johnny Cash [2]
Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two singles chronology
"Going to Memphis" (1960) "Mean-Eyed Cat" (1960) "Girl in Saskatoon" (1960)
Music video
"Mean-Eyed Cat" (audio only) on YouTube

"Mean-Eyed Cat" (or "Mean Eyed Cat") is a song written and originally recorded by Johnny Cash. ^{[3] [4]}

The song was recorded by Cash at Sun Records on July 30, 1955. ^[3] Sun released it as a single (Sun 347, with "Port of Lonely Hearts" on the opposite side) ^{[5] [6] [7] [8] [9]} in October 1960, ^{[10] [11] [12]} which was the last Sun release by Cash as he left the label for Columbia a few years earlier.

Cash also made a completely revised cover of this song for his 1996 album Unchained (a Rick-Rubin produced follow-up to American Recordings . ^{[13] [14]}

Content

"Mean Eyed Cat" is an all-out rockabilly rave-up about a fellow who gives his woman money to shop at the general store, just so she can go and spend it on "store-bought cat food for her mean eyed cat." The cat conceit is stretched a bit, since that's the only time it's used in the song. She ultimately leaves him with a "Dear John" note on her pillow as he heads to town to bring her back. Again, the train becomes a symbol of escape and freedom, as the hard-pressed woman catches an eastbound train.

— John M. Alexander. The Man in Song: A Discographic Biography of Johnny Cash ^[1]

Charts

Chart (1960)	Peak position
US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) [15]	30

References

1. John M. Alexander (16 April 2018). The Man in Song: A Discographic Biography of Johnny Cash. University of Arkansas Press. pp. 41–. ISBN   978-1-61075-628-0.
2. "Mean Eyed Cat / Port Of Lonely Hearts". Discogs . Retrieved 2019-01-20.
3. John L. Smith (1 January 1999). Another Song to Sing: The Recorded Repertoire of Johnny Cash. Scarecrow Press. ISBN   978-0-8108-3629-7.
4. "Cover versions of Mean Eyed Cat by Johnny Cash". SecondHandSongs. Retrieved 2019-01-25.
5. John Edwards Memorial Foundation (1974). JEMF Quarterly. John Edwards Memorial Foundation.
6. Joel Whitburn (2002). Top Country Singles, 1944 to 2001: Chart Data Compiled from Billboard's Country Singles Charts, 1944-2001. Record Research. ISBN   978-0-89820-151-2.
   Joel Whitburn (2005). Joel Whitburn's Top Country Songs: 1944-2005, Billboard. Record Research. ISBN   978-0-89820-165-9.
7. Tim Neely (2004-05-01). Goldmine Records & Prices . Krause Publications. ISBN   978-0-87349-781-7. Mean Eyed Cat Port of Lonely Hearts Sun 347.
8. Colin Escott; Martin Hawkins (1980). Sun Records: The Brief History of the Legendary Recording Label . Quick Fox. ISBN   978-0-8256-3161-0. Mean Eyed Cat Port of Lonely Hearts.
9. George Albert (1984-01-01). The Cash Box Country Singles Charts, 1958-1982. Scarecrow Press. ISBN   978-0-8108-1685-5.
10. Peter Lewry (2001). I've Been Everywhere: A Johnny Cash Chronicle. Helter Skelter. ISBN   978-1-900924-22-1.
    October
    “Mean Eyed Cat"/"Port Of Lonely Hearts” (Sun 347) released.
11. The Johnny Cash Record Catalog. Greenwood Publishing Group. 1994. pp. 21–. ISBN   978-0-313-29506-5.
12. Colin Escott; Martin Hawkins (2011-03-01). Good Rockin' Tonight: Sun Records and the Birth of Rock 'n' Roll. Open Road Media. pp. 415–. ISBN   978-1-4532-1314-8.
    Colin Escott; Martin Hawkins (1 August 2017). Good Rockin' Tonight: Sun Records and the Birth of Rock 'N' Roll. St. Martin's Press. ISBN   978-1-250-18211-1.
13. John M. Alexander (16 April 2018). The Man in Song: A Discographic Biography of Johnny Cash. University of Arkansas Press. pp. 41–. ISBN   978-1-61075-628-0.
14. Steve Turner (30 October 2005). The Man Called CASH: The Life, Love and Faith of an American Legend. Thomas Nelson. pp. 246–. ISBN   978-1-4185-7809-1.
15. "Johnny Cash Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-01-25.