“Jackson” is one of Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash‘s signature duets. They have brought a whole new look into the song so many people often associate this with them, and it has stuck. However, they were not the first to record the song, they were only the ones who made it popular.

Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash. Photo via independent.co.uk

Let us take a step back into the past when “Jackson” came to life.

The Origin of the Hit “Jackson”

The song was penned in 1963 by Billy Edd Wheeler and Jerry Leiber. The idea came into Wheeler’s mind when he was busy reading a script for a show. He then proceeded to write the song, and after which he showed it to Leiber. Instead of praising him to make him feel good, Leiber told him that his song “sucks,” that he has to change it to make it work. If Wheeler was too sensitive and haven’t listened to Leiber then “Jackson” would not have been created.

After writing the song, Wheeler then recorded this for his album A New Bag of Songs. The song never came out as a single, hence, it was not able to make it to the chart, and so did his album. Even though Wheeler’s version was not a commercial success, we still salute his songwriting skills for this song, and we can’t also deny that his version is amazing too.

Here is the original version of the song. Wheeler is accompanied by Joan Sommer who sang the female part of the song.

When Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash Took it to the Spotlight

Cash and his wife recorded their version in 1967, four years after Wheeler made the song. The couple made it popular in the country music industry, but since Cash is popular not only in country music, his version with his wife became extremely popular even to pop fans. Their rendition secured the number two spot in the country chart and gave them a win in the 1968 Grammy Award.

Check out this popular version of “Jackson.”