Cash, Johnny - One Piece At A Time Lyrics






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?





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Cash, Johnny One Piece At A Time Comments
  1. R.... T....

    Not everything happens straight away!

  2. N.... W....

    https://youtu.be/ISETF8QK9iM

  3. C.... ....

    Anyone else here from 2019?

  4. R.... W....

    love to have a cadillac

  5. J.... M....

    One piece at a time but why 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 Cadillac!

  6. S.... ....

    *TRUMP2020!!*

  7. O.... P....

    Try singing this AND doing the flatpicking at the.same time.😎🎶

  8. Z.... H....

    Ya gotta admit..them there A-DAPTER Kits sho do come in handy sometimes...:>)

  9. c.... ....

    Never will there be anther man in black like johnny cash

  10. V.... ....

    I'm picking up a clapped out 1968 Cadillac sedan Deville next week and entering it in the 24 Hours D'Lemons next year. Needless to say, I'll be playing this song on an ENDLESS loop.

    V.... ....

    "....clapped out..."..?...what the hell does that mean?...:>)

    V.... ....

    That’s old people speak for broken down and crappy.

    V.... ....

    @VinnyMartello Im 61 and thats 'a first' for me!...now,maybe if we were referring to women....:>)

  11. T.... B....

    As Only,
    "The Man in Black"
    Can Play This Song!!!
    R. I. P. Johnny Cash!
    UNDISPUTED ALL AMERICAN LEGEND!!!

    WE MISS YOU MR. CASH!
    AN ENTIRE COUNTRY, OF NEAR 400 MILLION SOULS, HAVE NOTHING BUT GOOD WISHES OF GODSPEED, FOR YOU JOHNNY CASH! THANKS, FOR THE MEMORIES!

  12. r.... c....

    Is it too much of a stretch to get a 737...........✈😳

  13. A.... S....

    Awesome music!!!

  14. H.... R....

    An all american classic love this song. Too bad the maker of the car in the photo disregarded the lyrics "now the headlights they was another sight we had 2 on the left and 1 on the right but when we pulled out the switch all 3 of em come on" ....the car has 2 on the right and one on the left. I wonder how many people actually noticed this.

  15. V.... T....

    Reminds me of the guy stealing empty wheel barrows.

    V.... T....

    Yes, Finally someone else knows that story. The guards couldn't figure out what he was stealing but they knew he was stealing something.

  16. L.... ....

    Come on Johnny, this is almost the same tune as "A Boy named Sue"

  17. S.... F....

    This is tottaly my husband making his own car with pieces of all them cars. Trying to build it. Makes me laugh and he gets mad. Lmao this song fits him. Lmao

    S.... F....

    He told me that the song Troglodyte,byThe Jimmy Castor Bunch, is referring to YOU.... " BIG woman. Her name was Bertha. Bertha Butt. She was one
    of the Butt sisters.'.....BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!

  18. S.... M....

    Did anyone know this song was Elvis Presley favorite Johnny cash song. Elvis Presley a Johnny cash were good friends they admired each other talent. They were two great singers a missed very much a very religious men.

  19. A.... O....

    Sounds like chopshop b4 it goes to the scrap yard what a shame

  20. P.... ....

    unless you fill that old lunch box with metal.

  21. 2.... M....

    Pure Genius!

  22. M.... W....

    Had a 1973 Coupe deville in mint green. We dreamed big back in the day.

    M.... W....

    I had a 1976 Fleetwood drove that car for 26 years

  23. p.... ....

    This is the Cotton Mouth in the...Psycho Billy Cadillac come on..

  24. K.... W....

    I thought this was an odd song when I first heard it. But now its a good story

  25. J.... o....

    I just use Food Lion Bags

  26. J.... o....

    Musical genious

  27. S.... ....

    I bought a 1973 audi though I don't have much money but I love old cars and it's the third time 'Im painting some parts... Painting is expensive, one piece at a time!

  28. E.... A....

    I want to see the size of his lunch box.

  29. H.... J....

    No he got parts from Folsom Prison at lunch.lolllllll .RIP Johnny cas

  30. D.... S....

    Fuck gm

  31. S.... G....

    Actually saw this car at the House of Cash when I was a kid on vacation with mom and dad, wonder where it is today.

    S.... G....

    Might still be there

  32. W.... T....

    Unlike a 2017 Cadillac , this one is still running.

    W.... T....

    Haha nice.

  33. G.... F....

    Just in time stock delivery did for this....

  34. L.... H....

    Get yourself a Harley! Best happiness money can buy 😍

  35. T.... W....

    it's still a great song for everyone in 2019

  36. N.... J....

    Marvs song TSIA

  37. H.... J....

    Back in 1970 something, I saw him an June do this tune at Frontier Days in Cheyenne, WO at the rodeo.  I loved it.  It was one of the greatest shows I've ever seen.  He did all his hits and she sawed a fiddle nearly in half.  After the show, I dragged my father back to the bus parked just behind the stage.  There was a big ol' Cowboy with a big ol' pot belly standing at the door.  I could see Johnny's boots, just inside the door on the steps - I could have touched them, they were so close.  I asked the big cowboy if we could say "hi" to johnny and june.  He smiled kindly and said, "I'm right sorry boys, but ol' Johnny's plum tuckered after the show.  I'll be sure to tell'im some good folks stopped by to say how-doo.  Then he shook both mine and pops hands and thanked us for stopping by.  I can still see his smile and Johnny's boots.

  38. M.... O....

    That Cadillac is built by stolen parts😂

  39. J.... W....

    I NEED AN A-DAPTOR KIT!!!

  40. x.... ....

    This is based off an old Army bit. Soldiers would take a jeep, strip it & mail it back home so the can put it back together to play with back home.

    x.... ....

    In MASH, Klinger ATE the parts of the jeep.

    x.... ....

    OmikronWeapon And Radar sent home a Jeep a few pieces at a time.

  41. t.... g....

    i would want a '49 '50 '51 '52 '53 '54 '55 '56 '57 '58 '59 '60 '61 '62 '63 '64 '65 '66 '67 '68 '69 '70 Cadillac!

  42. J.... C....

    A lot of bando would have fixed it now a days 🤣😂👍

  43. c.... c....

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=060A15ELz00

  44. c.... c....

    Was this song true? Did somebody make a car like this ? You see it pictured above , but was that made after the song was famous? I will look this up at songfacts.com

  45. M.... G....

    Johnny cash he comical love the song!!!

  46. S.... S....

    Gussssssh. How I love to have a Caddy, "One piece at a Time"!!!

  47. p.... ....

    4 monrhs before the cramps called it psychobilly....O.T.M.A.P.P

  48. B.... J....

    'Psycobilly'

  49. C.... T....

    The car is real?

    C.... T....

    Car Tuber yes

    C.... T....

    @Hunter Julin OMG where can I find it?

    C.... T....

    @Car Tuber up ur ass and to the left, lol his house the musium

  50. J.... H....

    Certainly a classic!

  51. F.... a....

    Hey that thing still runs today! :D

  52. s.... ....

    COUNTRY was fun at one time.Today it's a cookie cutter.

    s.... ....

    slingbladejeff so true they play rap now

  53. u.... m....

    Who else hears this at cruise nights? It's awesome!

  54. P.... B....

    this rocks like hell

  55. M.... F....

    Haven't heard THAT in awhile! 😄

    M.... F....

    I get to play music for the farmers market that I man and I always make sure this makes it into the mix. =)

  56. R.... B....

    462k views .. I’m probably responsible for the 400k views ..

  57. B.... L....

    just great

  58. j.... ....

    CASH sings WHOOPEE SONG!
    BUT I LIKE THIS VERSION !
    SOUNDS LIKE RAWHIDE!
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlFMsl6chXk

  59. C.... [....

    That guy in overalls looks like Cooter Davenport from
    Dukes of Hazzard!
    I guess if anyone could get it running it would be Cooter

  60. N.... N....

    💖🍒💎🌈🍀🌈💎💖

  61. F.... S....

    Funny song. The guys at Pontiac Moters got pissed when their inspections into their lunchboxes increased. Those guys loved their lunch boxes You did not mess with a guys lunchbox.

  62. M.... J....

    I'm 17 and I love this song. Most of todays music sucks

  63. P.... R....

    One day when I was barely knee high, I seen this really cool car roll by, and my jaw just about fell out and hit the ground. I looked over my shoulder and looked at my dad, I said what was that car it looked pretty rad, ide like to get me one same day, how about it dad?.... My dad looked at me, put his hand on my back, said Son there ain't no chance in that, cause that there was the PSYCO BILLY CADILLAC !!!
    There is only one of them roaming the streets, they where never builtfor you you or me, ONLY one was ever built for a single man. He used to work up there for GM, then he made a plan that made him the envy of every man, he snuck it out if there in pieces over the years. It took him years to get all the parts, but when he was done, he and his friends built it in the garage and made it run. Thus was born the PSYCHOBILLY CADILLAC.....

  64. J.... S....

    Great time in America (deep state was hidden)

  65. D.... M....

    That picture was taken in Welch OKLA . Bill Patch is the guy in Overalls , he owned the local coal co. He and the other three guys built the car for Johnny . Johnny and June came to Welch and held a Private concert for the towns people. The y donated money the build a new civic center for the town. I went to high school there. I remember the night well .About 100 people were invited to attend .Bill Patch was the owner of Patch Coal Co. He was a big Cash fan , so he hired the other men in the car to build a 1 peace at a time Cadillac for Johnny Cash .

  66. B.... R....

    No this is not the car it's not a convertible it's already in the museum somewhere in the south this is a fake!

    B.... R....

    Maybe they made two of these I guess think about it so is Johnny sitting in it!

    B.... R....

    Everyone who heard the song had their version. No definitive.

  67. S.... S....

    Hello 32 yr old love Johnny,grew up listening to him 👍🏻✌️

    S.... S....

    LOL,Thursday morning

  68. n.... ....

    Someone's apparently being shipped a Tesla by this method https://www.reddit.com/r/teslamotors/comments/d926d9/ordered_my_model_3_on_921_today_a_front_fender/

  69. S.... D....

    Good old song. They dont sound like this anymore.

  70. J.... M....

    The good old lunch box 🗃 😂 Brilliant 👏 👏

  71. L.... ....

    This car was a gift to Johnny Cash from Bill Patch.

    L.... ....

    From Welch Oklahoma, Bills wife is married to Ronnie Dunn of Brooks and Dunn

  72. K.... A....

    when I was a kid i met him and said hi at th Myrtle beach Hilton.
    1970 something.

    K.... A....

    Ken Adams That’s badass man . 🤘🤘

    K.... A....

    I grew up in a small farming town in Kansas with a classmate with the last name, Cash. We never really connected her to Johnny until she showed us some pictures of a family reunion with him in the group photo and also going through the food line getting some potato salad.

  73. T.... T....

    Miss u John RIP

  74. J.... H....

    I still want to know if it was a real car that caused this song

    J.... H....

    It is. Just look at the picture with this song.

  75. L.... G....

    good songe love Mr Cash from somalia

  76. S.... S....

    Excellent story teller Johnny was.

  77. B.... ....

    My shit

  78. J.... B....

    A TRULY classic song from one of the greatest artists of all time

  79. b.... r....

    great song great star an we had a guy stealing a whole car to order from ford Halewood every month LOL

  80. W.... C....

    ONE BY ONE ✋😁

  81. B.... B....

    Remember when this song was on the radio EFD.

    B.... B....

    I don't

    B.... B....

    @igotthis whippersnapper. ✌

    B.... B....

    @Bob Bailey ok boomer

  82. M.... B....

    Whenever friends get replacement surgery - hips, knees, etc. - I recommend that THIS becomes their theme song.

    M.... B....

    🤣🤣🤣

    M.... B....

    *Funny story how I got here...*

  83. B.... M....

    yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeha

  84. J.... B....

    Love it good song

  85. m.... d....

    Johnny was a true gangster ... what can i say now

  86. T.... E....

    listen'd to this when I was a kid, fantastic

    T.... E....

    I listened to this about a minute ago.

  87. A.... C....

    Great song about a thief contributing to the decline of GM but with union protection but just enjoy it cause those days ain’t no mo

    A.... C....

    A thief u sob

  88. C.... C....

    Michael Lemiux

  89. B.... V....

    We drilled it out so the "it" would fit, and with a little help from an "A-daptor Kit" we had that eng'n run'n just like a song!

  90. K.... s....

    I love Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson ..❤️❤️❤️😉

  91. D.... D....

    Love Betty.

  92. J.... H....

    Back when they made great music and when you could understand what they were singing kids today would have no clue

  93. j.... ....

    In Britain, a guy at the Hillman Factory built a Complete Hillman Minx in his garage. He was the Garbage Man and got the big stuff out of the plant mixed with the Garbage.

    j.... ....

    On the downside, he ended up with a Hillman Minx.

    j.... ....

    At the old de Havilland factory in Hatfield it was a well known thing to take your car to the paint-shop for a respray. Apparently one employee managed to build a yacht.

    j.... ....

    My hero,way to go. One man's trash is another man's treasure.

  94. 4.... ....

    And they think RAP is original! Hell we were doing it 40 years ago and it is clean, time enduring and has a message!

    4.... ....

    youre wrong for trying to compare 2 completely different genres, would you complain that a romance movie doesn't have enough gore like an action movie lol. Rap has amazing messages but you're to stubborn to give it a try

  95. R.... Y....

    Who could dislike this song?

    R.... Y....

    GM probably

  96. C.... S....

    This song is always a pick-me-up for me. No pun intended, well, maybe just a little. He he!

  97. C.... V....

    Can't even build this as a model, they don't make all the caddies in 1/25, the ones there are, are very expensive.