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"Boa Constrictor" is a song written by Shel Silverstein and originally featured on his 1962 album Inside Folk Songs.

Johnny Cash version

The song was covered by Johnny Cash for his 1966 comedy album Everybody Loves a Nut.

Released as the third single from the album (Columbia 4-43763, with a non-album track "Bottom of a Mountain" on the opposite side), the song reached number 39 on the U.S. Billboard country chart. and number 33 on the Cash Box country chart.

In January 1967 the song was re-released as a single with "The One on the Right Is on the Left" on the other side.

Lyrical analysis and background

"Boa Constrictor" is another song written by Shel Silverstein. It has a similarly frantic feel to Cash's earlier recording of Silverstein's "25 Minutes to Go." In this song, the singer is being swallowed by a boa constrictor and counting down the body parts the snake is consuming along the way. It was also famously covered by the folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary. Cash's version was released as the third single from this album and made it to number 39 on the country chart. The snake's burp at the end is priceless.

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

The third single, “Boa Constrictor,” was the second Shel Silverstein song Cash recorded (the first being "25 Minutes to Go"). It fared even worse than "Everybody Loves a Nut," reaching only #43 on the Country chart and #107 on the Pop chart (Cash's last Pop chart entry for over a year). The song would live on, though, in Silverstein's 1974 bestselling collection of poems, Where the Sidewalk Ends. The B-side was a non-album track called "Bottom of Mountain," featuring the acoustic work of Norman Blake and Bob Johnson.

— C. Eric Banister. Johnny Cash FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the Man in Black

Track listings

Charts

References

1. ^ "Johnny Cash – Bottom Of A Mountain / Boa Constrictor". Discogs. 1966. Retrieved 2020-05-09.
2. ^ John M. Alexander (16 April 2018). The Man in Song: A Discographic Biography of Johnny Cash. University of Arkansas Press. pp. 168–. ISBN 978-1-61075-628-0.
3. "Boa Constrictor by Shel Silverstein – Samples, Covers and Remixes". WhoSampled. Retrieved 2020-05-09.
   "Boa Constrictor – Composition by Shel Silverstein – Discogs Tracks". Discogs. Retrieved 2019-01-20.
4. ^ C. Eric Banister (1 August 2014). Johnny Cash FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the Man in Black. Backbeat. pp. 136–. ISBN 978-1-61713-609-2.
5. John L. Smith (1 January 1999). Another Song to Sing: The Recorded Repertoire of Johnny Cash. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-3629-7.
6. 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.
7. Tim Neely (2004-05-01). Goldmine Records & Prices. Krause Publications. ISBN 978-0-87349-781-7.
8. 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.
9. ^ Peter Lewry (2001). I've Been Everywhere: A Johnny Cash Chronicle. Helter Skelter. p. 52. ISBN 978-1-900924-22-1.
   10 September
   "Boa Constrictor" was probably one comedy single too many and it only manages to spend five weeks in the charts with a high of #39.
   1967
   January
   "The One On The Right Is On The Left"/"Boa Constrictor" (Columbia 4-...
10. George Albert (1984-01-01). The Cash Box Country Singles Charts, 1958–1982. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-1685-5.
11. "The One On The Right Is On The Left/Boa Constrictor". Discogs. Retrieved 2020-05-09.
12. "Johnny Cash Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard.
13. "Johnny Cash Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-01-20.

External links

• "Boa Constrictor" on the Johnny Cash official website

v t e Johnny Cash
Albums Singles Sun Records Songs Awards
Studio albums	1950s Johnny Cash with His Hot and Blue Guitar! The Fabulous Johnny Cash Hymns by Johnny Cash Songs of Our Soil 1960s Ride This Train Now, There Was a Song! Hymns from the Heart The Sound of Johnny Cash Blood, Sweat and Tears The Christmas Spirit I Walk the Line Bitter Tears: Ballads of the American Indian Orange Blossom Special Johnny Cash Sings the Ballads of the True West Everybody Loves a Nut Happiness Is You Carryin' On with Johnny Cash & June Carter From Sea to Shining Sea The Holy Land 1970s Hello, I'm Johnny Cash Man in Black A Thing Called Love America: A 200-Year Salute in Story and Song The Johnny Cash Family Christmas Any Old Wind That Blows Johnny Cash and His Woman Ragged Old Flag The Junkie and the Juicehead Minus Me The Johnny Cash Children's Album Johnny Cash Sings Precious Memories John R. Cash Look at Them Beans One Piece at a Time The Last Gunfighter Ballad The Rambler I Would Like to See You Again Gone Girl Silver A Believer Sings the Truth Johnny Cash Sings with B.C. Goodpasture Christian School 1980s Rockabilly Blues Classic Christmas The Baron The Adventures of Johnny Cash Johnny 99 Highwayman Rainbow Class of '55: Memphis Rock & Roll Homecoming Heroes Believe in Him Johnny Cash Is Coming to Town Classic Cash Water from the Wells of Home 1990s Highwayman 2 Boom Chicka Boom The Mystery of Life Country Christmas American Recordings The Road Goes on Forever American II: Unchained 2000–2020s American III: Solitary Man American IV: The Man Comes Around My Mother's Hymn Book American V: A Hundred Highways American VI: Ain't No Grave Out Among the Stars Songwriter
Live albums	At Folsom Prison At San Quentin The Johnny Cash Show På Österåker Strawberry Cake The Survivors Koncert v Praze (In Prague – Live) VH1 Storytellers: Johnny Cash & Willie Nelson At Madison Square Garden A Concert Behind Prison Walls Live from Austin, TX
Soundtracks	I Walk the Line Little Fauss and Big Halsy The Gospel Road Return to the Promised Land
Compilations	Johnny Cash Sings the Songs That Made Him Famous Greatest! Johnny Cash Sings Hank Williams Now Here's Johnny Cash All Aboard the Blue Train with Johnny Cash Original Sun Sound of Johnny Cash Ring of Fire: The Best of Johnny Cash Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 Heart of Cash Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 Sunday Morning Coming Down International Superstar Five Feet High and Rising Destination Victoria Station Greatest Hits, Vol. 3 The Unissued Johnny Cash Johnny & June Tall Man Encore Biggest Hits The Man in Black 1954–1958 The Man in Black 1959–1962 Come Along and Ride This Train The Essential Johnny Cash (1992) Wanted Man The Man in Black 1963–1969 The Man in Black – His Greatest Hits 16 Biggest Hits Love, God, Murder The Essential Johnny Cash (2002) Unearthed The Legend The Legend of Johnny Cash Patriot 16 Biggest Hits: Johnny Cash & June Carter Cash The Legend of Johnny Cash Vol. II The Complete Columbia Album Collection Johnny Cash and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Songs	"25 Minutes to Go" "Any Old Wind That Blows" "A Wonderful Time Up There" "The Ballad of Boot Hill" "The Ballad of Ira Hayes" "Ballad of a Teenage Queen" "Big River" "Blistered" "A Boy Named Sue" "Busted" "Cat's in the Cradle" "Cocaine Blues" "Cry! Cry! Cry!" "Daddy Sang Bass" "Dark as a Dungeon" "Don't Take Your Guns to Town" "Engine 143" "Flesh and Blood" "The Folk Singer" "Folsom Prison Blues" "Forty Shades of Green" "Get Rhythm" "Give My Love to Rose" "Goodnight, Irene" "Green, Green Grass of Home" "Greystone Chapel" "Guess Things Happen That Way" "Hey, Porter" "Home of the Blues" "Hurt" "I Couldn't Keep from Crying" "I Love You Because" "I Still Miss Someone" "I Walk the Line" "If I Had a Hammer" "If I Were a Carpenter" "In My Life" "In the Jailhouse Now" "It Ain't Me Babe" "Jackson" "Kate" "Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream" "The Man Comes Around" "Man in Black" "The Matador" "Oh Lonesome Me" "One Piece at a Time" "Oney" "Orange Blossom Special" "The One on the Right Is on the Left" "Personal Jesus" "Remember the Alamo" "(Ghost) Riders in the Sky" "Ring of Fire" "Rock Island Line" "Seasons of My Heart" "So Doggone Lonesome" "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down" "Tennessee Flat Top Box" "There Ain't No Good Chain Gang" "A Thing Called Love" "Understand Your Man" "What Is Truth" "What'd I Say" "Without Love" "You Are My Sunshine"
Film	Gospel Road: A Story of Jesus
Television	The Johnny Cash Show
Biographies	Man in Black: His Own Story in His Own Words Cash: The Autobiography Johnny Cash! The Man, His World, His Music My Father and the Man in Black Walk the Line Ring of Fire (musical) Ring of Fire (2013 film) My Darling Vivian
Tribute albums	The Sound Behind Johnny Cash Kindred Spirits: A Tribute to the Songs of Johnny Cash Dressed in Black: A Tribute to Johnny Cash Johnny's Blues: A Tribute to Johnny Cash Walk the Line: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Fade to Black: Memories of Johnny All Aboard: A Tribute to Johnny Cash Johnny Cash Remixed We Walk the Line: A Celebration of the Music of Johnny Cash Forever Words
Associated acts	The Highwaymen The Tennessee Three Bob Wootton Carl Perkins W. S. Holland Marshall Grant Luther Perkins Million Dollar Quartet The Great Eighties Eight
Family	June Carter Cash John Carter Cash Rosanne Cash Cindy Cash Carlene Carter Tommy Cash Carter Family
Historical sites	Dyess, Arkansas Johnny Cash Boyhood Home Johnny Cash Museum House of Cash Carter Family Fold
Legacy	Statue of Johnny Cash
Category

• Snakes in popular culture
• Songs about reptiles
• Shel Silverstein songs
• Johnny Cash songs
• 1966 singles
• Columbia Records singles
• 1962 songs
• Songs written by Shel Silverstein
• Novelty songs
• American country music songs
• Peter, Paul and Mary songs
• Song recordings produced by Don Law