Studio Album · No. 31
The Baron Songwriting Credits by Johnny Cash
Holds writing credit on 5 of 10 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 5 / 10 documented
Scored across the 10 tracks with documented writers, by whether Johnny Cash carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 10 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
The Baron is an album of outside material, with no Johnny Cash original compositions in the track listing. Producer Billy Sherrill co-wrote the title track, and the rest draws on established country songwriters: Tom T. Hall penned 'Ceiling, Four Walls and a Floor,' Marty Stuart contributed 'Hey, Hey, Train,' and the album revives Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller's 'The Reverend Mr. Black.' The record is shaped by Sherrill's countrypolitan production rather than by Cash as a writer.
The Baron is a 1981 country album by Johnny Cash, released June 1 on Columbia Records and produced by Billy Sherrill. The title track, the album's most successful single, reached number 10 on the US country chart and number 6 in Canada. Other singles included "Mobile Bay," which peaked at number 60, and a medley of "The Reverend Mr. Black" and "Chattanooga City Limit Sign," which reached number 71. The album charted at number 201 on the Billboard 200 and number 24 on the Top Country Albums chart, reflecting the countrypolitan arrangements of Cash's later Columbia work. Recorded at CBS Studios in Nashville, sessions from this period were later reissued on the 2014 album Out Among the Stars.
Track Listing & Credits 10 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Baron
#10
|
Gary Gentry | Gary Gentry | Brian Ahern | Johnny Cash (Lead Vocals) |
| 2 |
Mobile Bay
#60
|
Johnny Cash | Johnny Cash | Brian Ahern | Johnny Cash (Lead Vocals) |
| 3 |
The Hard Way
|
Johnny Cash | Johnny Cash | Brian Ahern | Johnny Cash (Lead Vocals) |
| 4 |
A Ceiling, Four Walls, and a Floor
|
Don Wayne | Don Wayne | Brian Ahern | Johnny Cash (Lead Vocals) |
| 5 |
Hey Hey Train
|
Johnny Cash | Johnny Cash | Brian Ahern | Johnny Cash (Lead Vocals) |
| 6 |
The Reverend Mr. Black
#71
|
Billy WheelerJames HendricksJerry Capeheart | Billy WheelerJames HendricksJerry Capeheart | Brian Ahern | Johnny Cash (Lead Vocals) |
| 7 |
Chattanooga City Limit Sign
|
John Hartford | John Hartford | Brian Ahern | Johnny Cash (Lead Vocals) |
| 8 |
Thanks to You
|
Johnny Cash | Johnny Cash | Brian Ahern | Johnny Cash (Lead Vocals) |
| 9 |
Greatest Love Affair
|
Johnny Cash | Johnny Cash | Brian Ahern | Johnny Cash (Lead Vocals) |
| 10 |
Oh, What a Dream
|
Chuck Willis | Chuck Willis | Brian Ahern | Johnny Cash (Lead Vocals) |