Johnny Cash – One Piece at a Time

About the song

“One Piece at a Time” is a country novelty song written by Wayne Kemp and recorded by Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Three in 1976. It was the last song performed by Cash to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and the last of Cash’s songs to reach the Billboard Hot 100, on which it peaked at No. 29. The song tells the humorous tale of an auto worker on the Detroit assembly line who builds a car by swiping parts from the plant.

The song begins with the narrator, a man named “Joe,” singing about how he left his home in Kentucky to work in an auto factory in Detroit. He describes the long hours and hard work of the assembly line, but he also sings about the pride he takes in his work.

The chorus of the song is where the narrator reveals his plan to build a car one piece at a time. He sings about how he will take a hubcap here and a fender there, and eventually he will have himself a brand new car.

The song’s second verse describes how Joe’s plan begins to take shape. He starts by taking small items, like hubcaps and door handles, but he eventually graduates to larger items, like engines and transmissions.

The chorus returns, and this time Joe is singing about how he is almost finished with his car. He just needs a few more pieces, and then he will be able to drive it home.

The song ends with Joe singing about how he is finally finished with his car. He is proud of what he has accomplished, and he is excited to drive his new car home to Kentucky.

“One Piece at a Time” is a humorous song, but it also has a serious message. It is a song about the American dream, and the power of hard work and determination. Joe may have started out with nothing, but he was able to achieve his dream of owning a car through hard work and ingenuity.

The song is also a celebration of the American auto industry. In the 1970s, the American auto industry was at its peak, and “One Piece at a Time” captures the pride and optimism of that era.

“One Piece at a Time” is a classic country song that has been enjoyed by generations of listeners. It is a song that is both funny and heartwarming, and it is a song that celebrates the American dream.

Here are some additional details about the song:

• The song was written by Wayne Kemp, who was a songwriter and record producer. Kemp also wrote the songs “I’m a Truck” and “The King of the Road.”
• The song was recorded by Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Three in 1976. Cash was one of the most popular country singers of all time, and he is known for his distinctive voice and his outlaw image.
• The song was released as a single in 1976, and it reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. It also reached No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100.
• The song has been covered by many artists, including Bobby Bare, Jerry Reed, and George Jones.

“One Piece at a Time” is a classic country song that is sure to be enjoyed by listeners of all ages. It is a song that is both funny and heartwarming, and it is a song that celebrates the American dream.

Video

Lyrics

“One Piece At A Time”

 

Well, I left Kentucky back in ’49
An’ went to Detroit workin’ on a ‘sembly line
The first year they had me puttin’ wheels on cadillacs

Every day I’d watch them beauties roll by
And sometimes I’d hang my head and cry
‘Cause I always wanted me one that was long and black.

One day I devised myself a plan
That should be the envy of most any man
I’d sneak it out of there in a lunchbox in my hand
Now gettin’ caught meant gettin’ fired
But I figured I’d have it all by the time I retired
I’d have me a car worth at least a hundred grand.

[CHORUS]
I’d get it one piece at a time
And it wouldn’t cost me a dime
You’ll know it’s me when I come through your town
I’m gonna ride around in style
I’m gonna drive everybody wild
‘Cause I’ll have the only one there is a round.

So the very next day when I punched in
With my big lunchbox and with help from my friends
I left that day with a lunch box full of gears
Now, I never considered myself a thief
GM wouldn’t miss just one little piece
Especially if I strung it out over several years.

The first day I got me a fuel pump
And the next day I got me an engine and a trunk
Then I got me a transmission and all of the chrome
The little things I could get in my big lunchbox
Like nuts, an’ bolts, and all four shocks
But the big stuff we snuck out in my buddy’s mobile home.

Now, up to now my plan went all right
‘Til we tried to put it all together one night
And that’s when we noticed that something was definitely wrong.

The transmission was a ’53
And the motor turned out to be a ’73
And when we tried to put in the bolts all the holes were gone.

So we drilled it out so that it would fit
And with a little bit of help with an A-daptor kit
We had that engine runnin’ just like a song
Now the headlight’ was another sight
We had two on the left and one on the right
But when we pulled out the switch all three of ’em come on.

The back end looked kinda funny too
But we put it together and when we got thru
Well, that’s when we noticed that we only had one tail-fin
About that time my wife walked out
And I could see in her eyes that she had her doubts
But she opened the door and said “Honey, take me for a spin.”

So we drove up town just to get the tags
And I headed her right on down main drag
I could hear everybody laughin’ for blocks around
But up there at the court house they didn’t laugh
‘Cause to type it up it took the whole staff
And when they got through the title weighed sixty pounds.

[CHORUS]
I got it one piece at a time
And it didn’t cost me a dime
You’ll know it’s me when I come through your town
I’m gonna ride around in style
I’m gonna drive everybody wild
‘Cause I’ll have the only one there is around.

[Spoken] Ugh! Yow, RED RYDER
This is the COTTON MOUTH
In the PSYCHO-BILLY CADILLAC Come on

Huh, This is the COTTON MOUTH
And negatory on the cost of this mow-chine there RED RYDER
You might say I went right up to the factory
And picked it up, it’s cheaper that way
Ugh!, what model is it?