Tag Archives: Top 100 Western Songs of All Time

Johnny Cash: Bitter Tears: Ballad Of The American Indian

On October 26, 1964, “Columbia” label released “Bitter Tears: Ballads of the American Indian”, the 13th Johnny Cash album. It was recorded March – June 1964, and was produced by Frank Jones and Dom Law. In 2010, the “Western Writers of America” chose “The Ballad of Ira Hayes” as one of the “Top 100 Western songs of all time”.

Personnel:

  • Johnny Cash – vocals, guitar
  • Luther Perkins, Norman Blake, Bob Johnson – guitar
  • Marshall Grant – bass
  • W.S. Holland – drums
  • The Carter Family – vocal accompaniment
  • Bob Cato – cover photography
  • Hugh Cherry – liner notes

Track listing:

All tracks by Johnny Cash, except where noted.

  1. As Long as the Grass Shall Grow – Peter La Farge
  2. Apache Tears
  3. Custer – Peter La Farge
  4. The Talking Leaves
  5. The Ballad of Ira Hayes – Peter La Farge
  6. Drums – Peter La Farge
  7. White Girl – Peter La Farge
  8. The Vanishing Race – Johnny Cash, Johnny Horton

The Kingston Trio: Sunny Side!

In July 1963, “Capitol” label released “Sunny Side!”, the 16th Kingston Trio (The) album. It was recorded in 1963, and was produced by Voyle Gilmore. The album track “Desert Pete” was chosen by the members of the “Western Writers of America” as one of the “Top 100 Western Songs of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Bob Shane – vocals, guitar
  • Nick Reynolds – vocals, tenor guitar, bongos, conga
  • John Stewart – vocals, banjo
  • Glen Campbell – 6 string banjo, 12 string guitar
  • Dean Reilly – bass

Track listing:

  1. Desert Pete – Billy Edd Wheeler
  2. Marcelle Vahine – Augie Goupil
  3. Sing Out – Michael Stewart
  4. Ballad of the Thresher – Nat Allen, Keith Donald, Alice Nielsen
  5. Blowin’ in the Wind – Bob Dylan
  6. Goo Ga Gee – Mike Settle
  7. Jackson – Billy Edd Wheeler
  8. Two-Ten, Six-Eighteen (Doesn’t Anybody Know My Name) – Rod McKuen
  9. Those Brown Eyes – Woody Guthrie, Alan Arkin, Bill Carey, Erik Darling
  10. Those Who Are Wise – John Stewart
  11. Rider – Nick Reynolds, Bob Shane, Judy Henske