[4] In 1961, it became a hit for Al Caiola and His Orchestra, whose instrumental recording (United Artists 302, backed with "Bounty Hunter") reached number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The B-side was another Leadbelly adaptation, "Pick a Bale o' Cotton," that also failed to attract much attention.
In 1963 Cash took another stab at a TV western theme song by cowriting and recording "Bonanza."
This time, he and friend Johnny Western wrote their own lyrics to the musical theme, composed by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans, for the television series Bonanza.
Cash's version was never used on the TV series about the Cartwright family, starring Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, Dan Blocker, and Michael Landon.