Remember those old E.F. Hutton commercials? If you don’t youtube one but anyway…when Johnny Cash talked or sang…everyone listened. This song is a fantastic B side that was raised up from that years later.
In 1956, Johnny Cash released his No. 1 song “I Walk the Line.” The B-side of his song is his rockabilly song “Get Rhythm.” Not much attention was given to this song.
After fourteen years, Cash released his song “Get Rhythm” again in 1969. This time he released it as a single. It peaked at #23 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart…and #60 in the Billboard 100. Not bad for a forgotten B side.
Get Rhythm
Hey, get rhythm when you get the blues
Come on, get rhythm when you get the blues
Get a rock ‘n’ roll feelin’ in your bones
Put taps on your toes and get gone
Get rhythm when you get the blues
A Little shoeshine boy never gets low down
But he’s got the dirtiest job in town
Bendin’ low at the peoples’ feet
On the windy corner of the dirty street
Well, I asked him while he shined my shoes
How’d he keep from gettin’ the blues
He grinned as he raised his little head
Popped a shoeshine rag and then he said
Get rhythm when you get the blues
Come on, get rhythm when you get the blues
A jumpy rhythm makes you feel so fine
It’ll shake all the trouble from your worried mind
Get rhythm when you get the blues
Get rhythm when you get the blues
Come on , get rhythm when you get the blues
Get a rock ‘n’ roll feelin’ in your bones
Put taps on your toes and get gone
Get rhythm when you get the blues
Well, I sat down to listen to the shoeshine boy
And I thought I was gonna jump for joy
Slapped on the shoe polish left and right
He took a shoeshine rag and he held it tight
He stopped once to wipe the sweat away
I said you’re a mighty little boy to be-a workin’ that way
He said I like it with a big wide grin
Kept on a poppin’ and he said again
Get rhythm when you get the blues
Come on, get rhythm when you get the blues
It only costs a dime, just a nickel a shoe
Does a million dollars worth of good for you
Get rhythm when you get the blues
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another one of Johnny’s endless number of great songs…… off topic- the Dodgers seem to be going through what the 1971 Pirates were at this point in the year- a great hitting team which went into a team slump. They will snap out of it. They weren’t going to go 142-20….
Yea…it’s one of those whole lineups slumps also. Betts, Seager, Turner…no one can hit…yea they will snap out of it. They were lucky to split one with Seattle.
its funny how teams go – nl pitchers were outhitting the cubs the first couple weeks now they seem to have woke up.
The Cubs just baffled me. Even opposing pitchers said they didn’t understand it.
i thought pitching would be their biggest issue.
Hans I can’t believe they are basically rebuilding just 5 years after winning…I thought that core would last. I would bet everyone will be up for grabs in July except maybe Rizzo.
the one thing i thought was suspect when they won- was long term pitching- they had some aging pitchers- and I didn’t think that Arrietta was ‘for real’ long term. They didn’t really do much to fix the pitching staff since.
That is correct. Lester was one of the guys that year. Instead of paying for Heyward… they should have looked for pitching.
I remember thinking- no repeat next year if they don’t get pitching and I don’t think they added anyone of note.. the Astros a mystery I thought they were loaded for a while… again- pitching has been an issue. I will say this the Trolley Dodgers never seem to lack pitching…
The Astros were great in 2017-19… they were stacked.
You know it seems they always do well in the pitching department. I always thought some of it was pitching half their games in Chavez Ravine… but the ball carries better there now.
Even when I was first following the game- while I missed out a year on Koufax- they had Osteen- Sutton- Singer – and Drysdale was still around for a year or two more..
When I started they had Tommy John and Don Sutton… That sixties staff was something
He wasn’t the man in black on that video. Nice song Max. That bass player seems to be slapping his strings and not strumming them and it looked a bit odd to me.
On those stand up basses they did that a lot. It carried over to electric bass in the 80s
Great tune, Max. I love this bare bones rockabilly songs, especially when the bassist plays an upright. That grove is just awesome!
Yea this is a left over from that weekend I was doing these….it’s simple and to the point.
I like this JC song a lot. In the studio version, are we hearing the dollar bill he would put behind his guitar strings to make a paper flutter percussion sound?
You brought up something I totally forgot. You know I bet he did because this is a Sun Record and that is when he started it.
Very good song … especially in the new recording from the 80’s with the fast blues harmonica is a real treat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzsR5pK42qA
Thank you! I never heard that before.
I should include this in great b-sides – it’s one of his better known songs really.
This would be a good one. I never knew it was a B side.
“I Walk the Line” is an iconic tune. It’s no wonder this one was originally unnoticed. I never met a Johnny Cash song I didn’t like.
That is me Lisa…he makes them all sound good.
I am right there with you. 🙂
Cool track. Didn’t know it was a B-Side first. That is pretty interesting. glad he decided to release it as a single bringing it to shine on its own.
Great song and, in my opinion, one of Cash’s best. And what a great B-Side it had with Folsom Prison Blues, huh?
I had no clue it was a B side either.
There can only ever be ONE Johnny Cash! he was and still is amazing. He was so talented and gifted.
One of the best B side singles of all time? I understand why Dylan revered him.
Yes I would say that…Cash crossed all genres
Love this tune Max. Cooder does a decent cover. One of Cash’s best.
I need to check his out.
Yup Ry never makes a bad turn. Always tipping his hat to the originals.
Fits into that rockabilly you were doing.
Love this song!!! In the 90’s (I think) a new comer named Martin Delray did this as a duet with Johnny…. here is the link to the video:
That is cool! Thanks Keith…I never heard that.
I thought you might like it!
I could tell it was the 90s right away! I didn’t comment on your post today lol…I didn’t want to go there in public!
Lol….thanks, man. Been a weekend…..
oh yea…I have a story also…whew…the MIL….lets talk in the next few days.
Sounds like a plan