The Ways of a Woman in Love

"The Ways of a Woman in Love" is a song originally recorded by Johnny Cash. It was written for him by Bill Justis and Charlie Rich.^[2][3]

"The Ways of a Woman in Love"
Single by Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two
A-side	"You're the Nearest Thing to Heaven"
Released	August 1958 (1958-08)
Genre	Country, rockabilly
Label	Sun 302
Songwriter(s)	Bill Justis, Charlie Rich^[1]
Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two singles chronology
"Guess Things Happen That Way" (1958) "The Ways of a Woman in Love" (1958) "All Over Again" (1958)
Music video
"The Ways of a Woman in Love" (audio only) on YouTube

The song was recorded by Cash in July 1958 during his final sessions for Sun Records.^[2] and released as a single (Sun 302, with "You're the Nearest Thing to Heaven" on the opposite side) in August.^{[4][5][6][7][8][9][10]}

The song was also recorded and released by Charlie Rich as a single in 1973 and in the following year enjoyed b-side success of backing Billy Swan's International Bestseller "I Can Help." In 2018 critically acclaimed songwriter John Prine pronounced that "The Ways of a Woman in Love" was his favorite Johnny Cash song and released a music video of it.

Composition

Cash scored his last big Sun hit with "The Ways of a Woman in Love," a Charlie Rich and Bill Justis cowrite about a man who senses his woman is falling in love with another man. She's changing her ways, and it's killing the singer. He can't stop thinking about her and wishing he was the other guy. This fine ballad made it to number 2 on the country chart and number 24 pop. Just over two months later Johnny would issue his first single for Columbia.

— John M. Alexander. The Man in Song: A Discographic Biography of Johnny Cash^[2]

Charts

Chart (1958)	Peak position
US Billboard Hot 100^[11]	24
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)^[12]	3

References

1. "The Ways Of A Woman In Love / You're The Nearest Thing To Heaven". Discogs. Retrieved 2019-01-17.
2. John M. Alexander (16 April 2018). The Man in Song: A Discographic Biography of Johnny Cash. University of Arkansas Press. pp. 41–. ISBN 978-1-61075-628-0.
3. John L. Smith (1 January 1999). Another Song to Sing: The Recorded Repertoire of Johnny Cash. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-3629-7.
4. John Edwards Memorial Foundation (1974). JEMF Quarterly. John Edwards Memorial Foundation.
5. Steve Turner (2005-10-30). The Man Called CASH: The Life, Love and Faith of an American Legend. Thomas Nelson. pp. 245–. ISBN 978-1-4185-7809-1.
6. Joel Whitburn (2002). Top Country Singles, 1944 to 2001: Chart Data Compiled from Billboard's Country Singles Charts, 1944-2001. Record Research. ISBN 978-0-89820-151-2.
   Joel Whitburn (2005). Joel Whitburn's Top Country Songs: 1944-2005, Billboard. Record Research. ISBN 978-0-89820-165-9.
7. Tim Neely (2004-05-01). Goldmine Records & Prices. Krause Publications. ISBN 978-0-87349-781-7. The Ways of a Woman in Love You're the Nearest Thing to Heaven Sun 302.
8. Colin Escott; Martin Hawkins (1980). Sun Records: The Brief History of the Legendary Recording Label. Quick Fox. ISBN 978-0-8256-3161-0. Ways of a Woman in Love You're the Nearest Thing to Heaven.
9. George Albert (1984-01-01). The Cash Box Country Singles Charts, 1958-1982. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-1685-5.
10. Peter Lewry (2001). I've Been Everywhere: A Johnny Cash Chronicle. Helter Skelter. ISBN 978-1-900924-22-1.
11. "Johnny Cash Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-01-17.
12. "Johnny Cash Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-01-17.