Studio Album · No. 17
The Holy Land Songwriting Credits by Johnny Cash
Holds writing credit on 15 of 15 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 15 / 15 documented
Scored across the 15 tracks with documented writers, by whether Johnny Cash carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 15 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
The Holy Land is a gospel concept album interleaving studio songs with spoken-word segments Cash recorded on a portable tape recorder while touring sites in and around Jerusalem with June Carter Cash. Most of the sung material was written by Cash, including 'Land of Israel,' 'Nazarene,' 'He Turned the Water into Wine,' 'Come to the Wailing Wall,' and 'God is Not Dead.' Three songs came from outside writers: 'The Ten Commandments' by Lew DeWitt of the Statler Brothers, 'Daddy Sang Bass' by Carl Perkins, and 'The Fourth Man' by Arthur Smith. June Carter Cash narrates the spoken segment 'My Wife June at the Sea of Galilee.'
"The Holy Land" is a 1969 gospel and country gospel concept album by Johnny Cash, released on Columbia Records and produced by Bob Johnston. Recorded in part at biblical sites in Israel and at Columbia Studios in Nashville, the 21-track album includes "Land of Israel," "Nazarene," "He Turned the Water into Wine," and the Carl Perkins composition "Daddy Sang Bass." Cash was backed by Luther Perkins and Carl Perkins on electric guitar, Marshall Grant on bass, and W.S. Holland on drums, with vocals from the Carter Family, the Statler Brothers, and Jan Howard. The album reached number 6 on the Country Albums chart and number 54 on the Billboard 200, while "Daddy Sang Bass" spent six weeks at number 1 on the country singles chart. This was the final Cash recording made with original Tennessee Two guitarist Luther Perkins before his death.
Track Listing & Credits 15 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Prologue
|
Johnny Cash | Johnny Cash | Bob Johnston | Johnny Cash (Lead Vocals) |
| 2 |
Land of Israel
|
Johnny Cash | Johnny Cash | Bob Johnston | Johnny Cash (Lead Vocals) |
| 3 |
A Mother's Love
|
Johnny Cash | Johnny Cash | Bob Johnston | Johnny Cash (Lead Vocals) |
| 4 |
This Is Nazareth
|
Johnny Cash | Johnny Cash | Bob Johnston | Johnny Cash (Lead Vocals) |
| 5 |
Nazarene
|
Johnny Cash | Johnny Cash | Bob Johnston | Johnny Cash (Lead Vocals) |
| 6 |
He Turned the Water into Wine
|
Johnny Cash | Johnny Cash | Bob Johnston | Johnny Cash (Lead Vocals) |
| 7 |
My Guide
|
Johnny Cash | Johnny Cash | Bob Johnston | Johnny Cash (Lead Vocals) |
| 8 |
The Sea of Galilee
|
Johnny Cash | Johnny Cash | Bob Johnston | Johnny Cash (Lead Vocals) |
| 9 |
Beautiful Words
|
Johnny Cash | Johnny Cash | Bob Johnston | Johnny Cash (Lead Vocals) |
| 10 |
Our Guide (Interlude)
|
Johnny Cash | Johnny Cash | Bob Johnston | Johnny Cash (Lead Vocals) |
| 11 |
Jerusalem
|
Johnny Cash | Johnny Cash | Bob Johnston | Johnny Cash (Lead Vocals) |
| 12 |
Temple Soliloquy
|
Johnny Cash | Johnny Cash | Bob Johnston | Johnny Cash (Lead Vocals) |
| 13 |
At Golgotha
|
Johnny Cash | Johnny Cash | Bob Johnston | Johnny Cash (Lead Vocals) |
| 14 |
The Fourth Man
|
Johnny Cash | Johnny Cash | Bob Johnston | Johnny Cash (Lead Vocals) |
| 15 |
He Is Risen
|
Johnny Cash | Johnny Cash | Bob Johnston | Johnny Cash (Lead Vocals) |