During the height of the Dukes of Hazzard’s popularity in the early 1980s, a promotional album was released by the studio behind the show. Most of the songs on it were covers or stuff that even the dorkiest music dork wouldn’t know off the top of their head, but a couple things stand out about the record. The first is that Waylon Jenning’s does not appear on the album singing the theme song of the show and the second is that there is an original song by none other than Johnny Cash on it called, “The General Lee”.
The first time I heard this song, I couldn’t believe it was actually Cash. Despite my disbelief it is Johnny Cash and the song it actually pretty damned good, especially if you are a Cash fan. The song is sung in the voice of the car and talks about running from the police and aiding the Duke Boys in their various adventures and exploits. It isn’t a gimmicky, lousy, joke song. Instead, it has a pretty serious tone and certainly does not come across as a tune that Cash mailed in to make a few bucks on this record.
(Listen below and then tell us if this was one of Johnny Cash’s prouder moments….or not!)
Love that song,i have it on a memory card in my car stereo,play it lots even though i have a Trans Am and not a Charger.
Thanks for sharing this stuff, guys! Actually saw Big John once! Sure didn’t know this song existed!
awsome song from the man in black.
long time since i heard that song. I agree this was one of Johnny Cash’s moments.