Skip to content
Track

Flesh and Blood

November 16, 1970
johnny-cash-flesh-and-blood
Peak Position on Billboard Hot 100:
54
Weeks on Billboard Hot 100 Chart:
5

Songwriter: John R. Cash

Lyrics

Beside a singing mountain stream
Where the willow grew

Where the silver leaf of maple
Sparkled in the morning dew
I braided twigs of willows
Made a string of buckeye beads
But flesh and blood needs flesh And blood
And you’re the one I need
Flesh and blood needs flesh and blood
And you’re the one I need

I leaned against a bark of birch
And I breathed the honey dew
I saw a North-bound flock of geese
Against a sky of baby blue
Beside the lily pads
I carved a whistle from a reed
Mother Nature’s quite a lady
But you’re the one I need
Flesh and blood needs flesh and blood
And you’re the one I need.

A cardinal sang just for me
And I thanked him for the song
Then the sun went slowly down the west
And I had to move along
These were some of the things

On which my mind and spirit feed
But flesh and blood need flesh and blood
And you’re the one I need
Flesh and blood needs flesh and blood
And you’re the one I need.

So when this day was ended
I was still not satisfied
For I knew everything I touched
Would wither and would die
And love is all that will remain
And grow from all these seeds

Mother Nature’s quite a lady
But you’re the one I need
Flesh and blood needs flesh and blood
And you’re the one I need

Toggle Share
Lyrics + Info Watch Video Save Track
X
Save On Apple Music Save On Deezer Save On Spotify
X
X

We're sorry, a Spotify Premium account is required to use this service. Start your free trial here.

We're sorry, this service doesn't work with Spotify on mobile devices yet. Please use the Spotify app instead.

X

You're signed in! About the streaming player:

Songs play if you keep the player window open. The music stops if you close the window. To keep the music playing while you visit other pages, two options:

  1. In top row of the player, click Pop-Up Player button to open player in a new window.
  2. Keep player open in a browser tab. Visit other pages in a separate tab.
X

We're sorry, this service doesn't work with Spotify on mobile devices yet. Please use the Spotify app instead.

You're signed in! About the streaming player:

Songs play if you keep the player window open. The music stops if you close the window. To keep the music playing while you visit other pages, two options:

  1. In top row of the player, click Pop-Up Player button to open player in a new window.
  2. Keep player open in a browser tab. Visit other pages in a separate tab.