Orange Blossom Special (album)

Orange Blossom Special
Orange Blossom Special
Studio album by Johnny Cash
Released	February 22, 1965
Recorded	August 27 – December 20, 1964
Genre	Folk; country;
Length	33:17
Language	English
Label	Columbia
Producer	Don Law; Frank Jones;
Johnny Cash chronology
Singles from Orange Blossom Special
	"It Ain't Me, Babe"; Released: October 6, 1964; "Orange Blossom Special"; Released: January 4, 1965;

Orange Blossom Special is the 21st album released by musician Johnny Cash on Columbia Records in 1965. The recordings include country and folk standards, such as "The Long Black Veil", "When It's Springtime in Alaska", "Danny Boy" and "Wildwood Flower".

The album's title song was "Orange Blossom Special", released previous to the album, it became a success. At the time it was recorded, the authorship of the song was not widely known, being commonly covered by diverse artists. Cash learned from Maybelle Carter that the song was written by Ervin T. Rouse, who Cash later met during a show in Miami, Florida. Cash's recording is unusual in his repertoire for featuring a tenor saxophone solo by Boots Randolph, an instrument (and musician) rarely spotlighted on Cash's recordings.

The album also contains three covers of Bob Dylan songs: "It Ain't Me Babe", "Don't Think Twice, it's Alright" and "Mama, You've Been on My Mind". The last one was only recorded by Dylan as a demo, but it was first released in an album by Cash. Cash had previously borrowed the melody of "Don't Think Twice" for his recording "Understand Your Man."

Released in February 1965, the album reached number three on the Billboard Country Albums chart as well as forty-nine on the Billboard 200. The single "Orange Blossom Special" peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot Country Singles and the duet with June Carter "It Ain't Me Babe" peaked at number four in Hot Country Singles.