That Lucky Old Sun

By Beasley Smith & Haven Gillespie
1949

In honor of Labor Day, I give you this soulful ballad of the working man. With words by James Lamont "Haven" Gillespie, lyricist for "You Go to My Head" and "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" of all things, it was introduced in the summer of '49 by Frankie Laine, who took it all the way to number one. That very same year, it was jumped on by the likes of Vaughan Monroe, Louis Armstrong and Frank Sinatra.

Lyrics:

Up in the mornin',
Out on the job,
Work like the devil for my pay.
But that lucky old sun,
Got nothin' to do,
But roll around heaven all day.

Fuss with my woman,
Toil for my kids,
Sweat till I'm wrinkled and gray.
While that lucky old sun,
Got nothin' to do,
But roll around heaven all day.

Dear Lord above, don't you know I'm pining,
Tears all in my eyes?
Send down that cloud with the silver lining,
Lift me to Paradise!

Show me that river,
Take me across,
Wash all my troubles away.
Like that lucky old sun, give me nothing to do,
But roll around heaven all day.

Recorded By:

Frankie Laine
Sarah Vaughan
Brian Wilson
Ray Charles
Johnny Cash