You're the Nearest Thing to Heaven

"You're the Nearest Thing to Heaven" is a song co-written and originally recorded by Johnny Cash.[2][3]

"You're the Nearest Thing to Heaven"
Single by Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two
A-side"The Ways of a Woman in Love"
ReleasedAugust 1958 (1958-08)
GenreCountry
LabelSun 302
Songwriter(s)Hoyt Johnson, Jim Atkins, Johnny Cash[1]
Music video
"You're the Nearest Thing to Heaven" (audio only) on YouTube

The song was released as a single (Sun 302 with "The Ways of a Woman in Love" on the opposite side) in August 1958.[2][4][5][6][7][8][9]

Background

"You're the Nearest Thing to Heaven" has a hauntingly beautiful lyric with distinct poetic overtones and was written by Cash, Hoyt Johnson, and Jimmy Atkins. The singer relates all the wondrous things he's seen in God's creation, but his sweetheart is the “nearest thing to heaven on this earth.” While Cash had arranged and adapted songs at Sun, this was a rare cowrite, and only one of four he would cowrite while at Sun. Through the years Johnny would collaborate on songs with other writers, but this was, arguably, one of his finest. It was issued as the B-side of “The Ways of a Woman in Love” in 1958 and reached number 5 on the country chart.

— John M. Alexander. The Man in Song: A Discographic Biography of Johnny Cash[2]

Charts
Chart (1958) Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[10] 5

References
  1. "The Ways Of A Woman In Love / You're The Nearest Thing To Heaven". Discogs. Retrieved 2019-01-17.
  2. John M. Alexander (16 April 2018). The Man in Song: A Discographic Biography of Johnny Cash. University of Arkansas Press. pp. 41–. ISBN 978-1-61075-628-0.
  3. John L. Smith (1 January 1999). Another Song to Sing: The Recorded Repertoire of Johnny Cash. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-3629-7.
  4. John Edwards Memorial Foundation (1974). JEMF Quarterly. John Edwards Memorial Foundation.
  5. Steve Turner (2005-10-30). The Man Called CASH: The Life, Love and Faith of an American Legend. Thomas Nelson. pp. 245–. ISBN 978-1-4185-7809-1.
  6. Joel Whitburn (2002). Top Country Singles, 1944 to 2001: Chart Data Compiled from Billboard's Country Singles Charts, 1944-2001. Record Research. ISBN 978-0-89820-151-2.
    Joel Whitburn (2005). Joel Whitburn's Top Country Songs: 1944-2005, Billboard. Record Research. ISBN 978-0-89820-165-9.
  7. Tim Neely (2004-05-01). Goldmine Records & Prices. Krause Publications. ISBN 978-0-87349-781-7.
  8. Colin Escott; Martin Hawkins (1980). Sun Records: The Brief History of the Legendary Recording Label. Quick Fox. ISBN 978-0-8256-3161-0.
  9. Peter Lewry (2001). I've Been Everywhere: A Johnny Cash Chronicle. Helter Skelter. ISBN 978-1-900924-22-1.
  10. "Johnny Cash Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-01-17.
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