“Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down” – The Song Johnny Cash Sang Without Censorship
In 1970, on a broadcast of The Johnny Cash Show, a controversial moment aired across American households: Johnny Cash performed “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down” and refused to alter the lyrics—despite strong pressure from network executives at ABC. The song wasn’t his own, but rather written by a relatively unknown songwriter at the time: Kris Kristofferson.
The song portrays a lonely, drifting man on a Sunday morning, surrounded by a world of order and piety. Lyrics like “I’m wishing, Lord, that I was stoned” caused network censors to flinch, fearing backlash for airing such raw honesty during prime time. But Cash stood firm. “I’m gonna sing it just the way Kris wrote it,” he declared.
That act of defiance became a pivotal turning point in Kris Kristofferson’s career. Because of Johnny’s performance, the song exploded in popularity and eventually won Song of the Year at the CMA Awards—a rare feat for a new writer. Years later, Kris admitted he cried watching Johnny’s rendition. To him, it proved that an artist could stay true to their emotions and still reach the hearts of millions.