We Got Paid By Cash
Composer(s): Harold Reid; Don Reid
Performer(s): The Statler Brothers



It started March of sixty-four, many years ago
We were hired by Johnny Cash to open up his show
Four boys, a worn out Cadillac with a road map on the dash
For the next eight and one half years, we got paid by Cash
He took us down to Nashville to Columbia studio
Not knowing where we came from, they told us where to go
But Johnny said "I like 'em! Don't you give them no trash"
You see we were Johnny's little boys and we got paid by Cash
We were there when June became Johnny's lovin' bride
And we sang to him that mornin' our buddy Luther died
And we were there when the son was born that filled them both with pride
And we were there when John remembered God was on his side
We watched him on the concert stage, we watched him write his songs
And saw the things we had to do and the things that could go wrong
And if we had to start again we'd do it in a flash
'Cause we learned more than we earned when we got paid by Cash
Then came the time when our career demanded that we go
And through some tears we all shook hands that last and final show
All those years we never had a contract or a clash
Whatever we may be today we owe it all to Cash
We were there when June became Johnny's lovin' bride
And we sang to him that mornin' our buddy Luther died
And we were there when the son was born that filled them both with pride
And we were there when John remembered God was on his side
Now John will tell you there were years when times were good and bad
But we can tell you they were some of the best we ever had
Carl Perkins, and the Carters, and the Tennessee Three
We were one big happy family and would have done it all for free
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