What 1974 spoken-word patriotic single did Johnny Cash record?

The 1974 spoken-word patriotic single Johnny Cash recorded was “Ragged Old Flag.”

Cash wrote and recorded the piece during a period of political tension shaped by the Watergate scandal and the Vietnam War. It presents a conversation in which an old man explains an American flag’s history to a visitor who criticizes its worn appearance. The flag becomes a symbol of the country’s struggles, sacrifices, flaws, and resilience.

The recording appeared on Cash’s 1974 album Ragged Old Flag and was its only single. Although it is often described as a song, its defining feature is Cash’s storytelling-style recitation rather than a conventional verse-and-chorus performance. Earl Scruggs played banjo on the track, adding a country flavor beneath the spoken narrative.

The single reached No. 31 on Billboard’s country chart. “Ragged Old Flag” is sometimes mistaken for one of Cash’s political songs such as “What Is Truth,” but that earlier 1970 recording is a different release. Cash continued performing the patriotic piece live for decades.