We Got Paid By Cash

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 Studios

Not knowing where we came from they told us where to go

But Johnny said I like them 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 loving bride

And we sang to him that morning 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 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

And then 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 plan

Whatever we may be today we owe it all to Cash

We were there when June became Johnny’s loving bride

And we sang to him that morning 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 Carter’s and The Tennessee Three

We were one big happy family and would have done it all for free