Sunday Morning Coming Down - Johnny Cash/Kris Kristofferson (1970) 8/17/22

Kris Kristofferson is one interesting dude.

He has a Masters Degree from Oxford University, and was once a Captain in the US Army who was offered a teaching position at West Point. He turned it down, however, because he wanted to be a songwriter.

He moved to Nashville, where he joined the National Guard and took a full time job as a janitor at Columbia Records' Nashville Office. This is where he met Johnny Cash and pitched him every song he had ever written.

At this point, Kris was living the hard life: wine (and other substances), women...and of course, song. Johnny had lived a similar life and understood the music...but had yet to bite on any of Kris' songs.

And then, in 1969, an oddly unexpected angel appeared in the person of...Ray Stevens. Yes, THAT Ray Stevens.

Ray felt Kris had some "spark," so he recorded what he felt was Kris' best song, today's "Great Song of 1970:" Sunday Morning Coming Down."

It was an odd pairing of artist and song, but Kris was--and remains--grateful to Ray for taking the chance.

Ray's version only made it to #55 on Billboard's Country Chart, but Kris was so encouraged by Ray's attempt, he thought he'd pitch the song to Johnny.

Versions of the story differ, but one fact remains constant: Kris landed a National Guard helicopter at Johnny's mansion, and hand delivered a demo of the song!

Johnny loved Kris' sheer brazenness...and the song itself. Next thing you know, he recorded and released it...to incredible success!

Johnny's version of "Sunday Morning Coming Down" not only topped the Country Charts in both the US and Canada, it also reached #13 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Chart.

"Sunday "Morning Coming Down" has spent decades on Rolling Stone's list of the "Top 500 Songs of All Time," and after the 2021 update, it currently sits at #476.

After Johnny's version made such a splash, the song was covered by a "who's who" of artists, including Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Clark, Lynn Anderson, Frankie Laine...and even Telly Savalas, of all people.

For Kris, I guess you could say that thanks to Ray Stevens, Johnny Cash, and a helicopter, his career really "took off."

"Sunday Morning Coming Down:" A "Great Song of 1970!" Johnny Cash:

Ray Stevens:

Kris Kristoffersson: