That Lucky Old Sun

"That Lucky Old Sun" is a 1949 popular song with music by Beasley Smith and words by Haven Gillespie. Like "Old Man River", its lyrics contrast the toil and intense hardship of the singer's life with the obliviousness of the natural world.

The biggest hit version of the song was by Frankie Laine. This recording was released by Mercury Records as catalog number 5316. It first reached the Billboard magazine Best Seller chart on August 19, 1949 and lasted 22 weeks on the chart, peaking at #1. cite book
last = Whitburn
first = Joel
authorlink = Joel Whitburn
title = Top Pop Records 1940-1955
publisher = Record Research
year = 1973 ]

The recording by Vaughn Monroe was released by RCA Victor Records as catalog number 20-3531 (78 rpm) and 47-3018 (45 rpm). It first reached the Billboard magazine Best Seller chart on September 16, 1949 and lasted 14 weeks on the chart, peaking at #9.

The recording by Louis Armstrong was released by Decca Records as catalog number 24752. It first reached the Billboard magazine Best Seller chart on October 14, 1949 and lasted 3 weeks on the chart, peaking at #24.

Frank Sinatra released his competing version of the song on the Columbia label catalog number HCO 3903. It reached the best sellers chart on October 29, 1949 and peaked at #16.

A version by Ray Charles appeared on his 1963 album "Ingredients in a Recipe for Soul". (This recording is also included as a bonus track on post-1988 CD reissues of Charles' landmark 1962 album "Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music".)

Jerry Lee Lewis recorded an unreleased solo version at Sun Studios in 1956 or 1957. (A recorded version by Lewis can be found on the Great Balls of Fire album, the soundtrack for the movie "Great Balls of Fire" with Dennis Quaid playing the part of Jerry Lee Lewis.)

The Jerry Garcia Band performed a version on the Jerry Garcia Band live album in 1991.

Johnny Cash covered it on the album in 2000.

Brian Wilson premiered a song cycle inspired by the song entitled "That Lucky Old Sun (A Narrative)" at the Royal Festival Hall, London, England on 10 September 2007.

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