The One on the Right Is on the Left

"The One on the Right Is on the Left"
"The One on the Right Is on the Left"
Single by Johnny Cash
from the album Everybody Loves a Nut
B-side	"Cotton Pickin' Hands"
Released	February 12, 1966
Genre	Country, novelty
Length	2:46
Label	Columbia
Songwriter(s)	Jack Clement
Producer(s)	Don Law, Frank Jones
Johnny Cash singles chronology

"The One on the Right Is on the Left" is a country song written by Jack Clement. It was recorded by Johnny Cash on November 29, 1965, and included on his novelty album Everybody Loves a Nut (1966). It was the album's third and most successful single (see 1966 in music), reaching #2 on the U.S. Billboard Country Singles chart and #46 on Billboard's Pop Singles chart.

Content[]

The song is a humorous criticism of musicians that put their political views into their music. It tells the story of a folk song group that is "long on musical ability", but ultimately breaks up due to political differences. At the end of the song, a warning is given not to mix politics with one's music.

The punch line to the joke is that "the guy in the rear", is less easily labeled: he is a Methodist and he burned his driver's license (rather than his draft card), etc. Indeed, the song closes by stating that he got drafted.

Track listings[]

7" single (Columbia 4-43496,^[1] 1966)
No.	Title	Length
1.	"The One on the Right Is on the Left"	2:46
2.	"Cotton Pickin' Hands"	2:19

7" single (Columbia 4-33109,^[2] 1967)
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"The One on the Right Is on the Left"	J. H. Clement	2:46
2.	"Boa Constrictor"	Shel Silverstein	1:45

Cover versions[]

The song was covered, with a few lyrics slightly modified, by Canadian punk rock band on their 1982 demo as well as on their Repackaged LP released in 1989 on Fringe Records.

Noel Harrison sang the song on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour on June 11, 1967.^[3] They ended the song by pointing out they had no "guy in the rear" and walked off.^[4]