Children (Joe South song)

"Children" is a song written by Joe South, originally from his 1969 album Don't It Make You Want to Go Home?. In 1970, he released it as a single.

"Children"
Single by Joe South
from the album Don't It Make You Want to Go Home?
B-side	"Clock Up on the Wall"
Released	March 1970 (1970-03)
Label	Capitol
Songwriter(s)	Joe South
Joe South singles chronology
"Walk a Mile in My Shoes" (1969) "Children" (1970) "Fool Me" (1971)

The song became a hit in the U.S. (#48) and Canadian (#33) pop charts.^[1][2] It was a bigger hit on the Adult Contemporary charts of both nations.

Chart history

Chart (1970)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)	41
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[3]	31
Canada RPM Top Singles[4]	33
US Billboard Hot 100[5]	51
US Billboard Easy Listening[6]	32
US Cash Box Top 100[7]	48

Johnny Cash version

"Children"
Single by Johnny Cash
from the album The Gospel Road
B-side	"Last Supper"
Released	January 26, 1973 (1973-01-26)[8]
Genre	Country
Label	Columbia 4-45786
Songwriter(s)	Joe South
Producer(s)	Larry Butler[9]
Johnny Cash singles chronology
"Any Old Wind That Blows" (1972) "Children" (1973) "Praise the Lord and Pass the Soup" (1973)
Audio
"Children" on YouTube

The song was recorded by Johnny Cash for the 20th Century Fox film The Gospel Road and its double soundtrack album of the same name. Released as a single in 1973 (Columbia 4-45786, with "Last Supper" from the same album on the opposite side),^[9][10] Cash's version of "Children" reached number 30 on U.S. Billboard's country chart.^[11]

Track listing

7" single (Columbia 4-45786, 1973)^[9]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Children"	J. South	2:48
2.	"Last Supper"	L. Gatlin	2:55

Charts

Chart (1973)	Peak position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[12]	30

References

1. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
2. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1970-04-25. Retrieved 2021-05-17.
3. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1970-04-04. Retrieved 2021-05-17.
4. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1970-04-25. Retrieved 2021-05-17.
5. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
6. Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 227.
7. Cash Box Top 100 Singles, April 18, 1970
8. "Children". Johnny Cash Official Site. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
9. "Johnny Cash - Children". Discogs. 1973. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
   S CBS 1490. Side A: Children (J. South) (From the LP No. 68243 & 20th Century Fox Film 'The Gospel Road')
   Side B: Last Supper (L. Gatlin) (From the LP No. 68243 & 20th Century Fox Film 'The Gospel Road')
   4-45786: Johnny Cash Children -J. South- From The Soundtrack Album Of The 20th Century Fox Release "The Gospel Road"
10. Peter Lewry (2001). I've Been Everywhere: A Johnny Cash Chronicle. Helter Skelter. ISBN 978-1-900924-22-1. April "Children"/"The Last Supper" (Columbia 4-45786) released. Both tracks are taken from the double album The Gospel Road and the single charts in late April, eventually reaching #30.
11. "Johnny Cash". Billboard.
12. "Johnny Cash Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 2021-02-04.

External links

• "Children" on the Johnny Cash official website
• Joe South - Children on YouTube
• Johnny Cash - Children on YouTube