Cover art for Ballad of a Teenage Queen by Johnny Cash

Ballad of a Teenage Queen

Johnny Cash
Track 12 on The Essential Johnny Cash (1992) 

Producers

Sam Phillips (Producer) & Jack Clement
Ballad of a Teenage Queen, a song written by Jack Clement and recorded by Johnny Cash for his 1958 album Sings the Songs That Made Him Famous, hit number one on the US… Read More 
Dec. 19571 viewer11.3K views

Ballad of a Teenage Queen Lyrics

[Intro]
(Dream on, dream on teenage queen)
(Prettiest girl we've ever seen)

[Verse 1]
There's a story in our town
Of the prettiest girl around
Golden hair and eyes of blue
How those eyes could flash at you
(How those eyes could flash at you)
Boys hung around her by the score
But she loved the boy next door
Who worked at the candy store
(Dream on, dream on teenage queen)
(Prettiest girl we've ever seen)

[Verse 2]
She was tops in all they said
It never once went to her head
She had everything it seems
Not a care, this teenage queen
(Not a care, this teenage queen)
Other boys could offer more
But she loved the boy next door
Who worked at the candy store
(Dream on, dream on teenage queen)
(You should be a movie queen)
[Verse 3]
He would marry her next spring
Saved his money, bought a ring
Then one day a movie scout
Came to town to take her out
(Came to town to take her out)
Hollywood could offer more
So she left the boy next door
Working at the candy store
(Dream on, dream on teenage queen)
(See you on the movie screen)

[Verse 4]
Very soon she was a star
Pretty house and shiny car
Swimming pool and a fence around
But she missed her old home town
(But she missed her old home town)
All the world was at her door
All except the boy next door
Who worked at the candy store
(Dream on, dream on teenage queen)
(Saddest girl we've ever seen)

[Verse 5]
Then one day the teenage star
Sold her house and all her cars
Gave up all her wealth and fame
Left it all and caught a train
(Left it all and caught a train)
Do I have to tell you more
She came back to the boy next door
Who worked at the candy store
[Outro]
(Now this story has some more
You'll hear it all at the candy store)

How to Format Lyrics:

  • Type out all lyrics, even repeating song parts like the chorus
  • Lyrics should be broken down into individual lines
  • Use section headers above different song parts like [Verse], [Chorus], etc.
  • Use italics (<i>lyric</i>) and bold (<b>lyric</b>) to distinguish between different vocalists in the same song part
  • If you don’t understand a lyric, use [?]

To learn more, check out our transcription guide or visit our transcribers forum

About

Genius Annotation

Ballad of a Teenage Queen, a song written by Jack Clement and recorded by Johnny Cash for his 1958 album Sings the Songs That Made Him Famous, hit number one on the US Country charts and number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

Who produced “Ballad of a Teenage Queen” by Johnny Cash?
When did Johnny Cash release “Ballad of a Teenage Queen”?
Who wrote “Ballad of a Teenage Queen” by Johnny Cash?
The Essential Johnny Cash (1992) (1992)
  1. 1.
    Hey Porter
  2. 2.
    Cry! Cry! Cry!
  3. 3.
    Folsom Prison Blues
  4. 4.
    Luther Played the Boogie
  5. 5.
    Get Rhythm
  6. 6.
    I Walk The Line
  7. 7.
    Home of the Blues
  8. 8.
    Give My Love to Rose
  9. 9.
    Rock Island Line
  10. 10.
    Doin’ My Time
  11. 11.
    Big River
  12. 12.
    Ballad of a Teenage Queen
  13. 13.
    Guess Things Happen That Way
  14. 14.
    The Ways Of A Woman In Love
  15. 15.
    Thanks a Lot
  16. 16.
    Oh, What A Dream
  17. 17.
    What Do I Care
  18. 18.
    All Over Again
  19. 19.
    I Still Miss Someone
  20. 20.
    I’d Just Be Fool Enough (To Fall)
  21. 21.
    Walking The Blues
  22. 22.
    Frankie’s Man, Johnny
  23. 23.
    Tennessee Flat-Top Box
  24. 24.
    Sing It Pretty, Sue
  25. 25.
    Pickin’ Time
  26. 26.
    Five Feet High and Rising
  27. 27.
    The Old Account
  28. 28.
    (There’ll Be) Peace in the Valley
  29. 29.
    Were You There (When They Crucified My Lord)
  30. 30.
    Don’t Take Your Guns to Town
  31. 32.
    The Rebel-Johnny Yuma
  32. 33.
    The Big Battle
  33. 34.
    When the Roses Bloom Again
  34. 35.
    The Ballad of Ira Hayes
  35. 36.
    The Legend of John Henry’s Hammer
  36. 37.
    Dark as the Dungeon (At Folsom Prison)
  37. 38.
    The Long Black Veil
  38. 39.
    I Got Stripes
  39. 40.
    25 Minutes to Go
  40. 41.
    The Wall
  41. 42.
    Busted
  42. 43.
    Bad News
  43. 44.
    Dirty Old Egg-Suckin’ Dog
  44. 45.
    Orange Blossom Special
  45. 46.
    Ring of Fire
  46. 47.
    Understand Your Man
  47. 48.
    Jackson
  48. 49.
    Blistered
  49. 50.
    See Ruby Fall
  50. 51.
    Cisco Clifton’s Filling Station
  51. 52.
    Daddy Sang Bass
  52. 53.
    Folsom Prison Blues (Live at Folsom State Prison, Folsom, CA - January 1968)
  53. 54.
    Cocaine Blues (live)
  54. 55.
    San Quentin #2 (live)
  55. 56.
    A Boy Named Sue
  56. 57.
    Wanted Man
  57. 58.
    Singin’ in Vietnam Talkin’ Blues
  58. 59.
    Man in Black
  59. 60.
    What Is Truth
  60. 61.
    Flesh and Blood
  61. 62.
    Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down
  62. 63.
    Oney
  63. 64.
    One Piece at a Time
  64. 65.
    Hit The Road And Go
  65. 66.
    Rockabilly Blues (Texas 1955)
  66. 67.
    I Will Rock and Roll with You
  67. 68.
    No Expectations
  68. 69.
    Ghost Riders in the Sky
  69. 70.
    Bull Rider
  70. 71.
    Highway Patrolman
  71. 72.
    After The Ball
  72. 73.
    Without Love
  73. 74.
    The Last Time
  74. 75.
    I’m Gonna Sit On The Porch And Pick On My Old Guitar
Credits
Producers
Writer
Backing Band
Label
Recorded At
Memphis, Tennessee
Released in
December 1957
Ballad of a Teenage Queen Covers
Tags
CountryIn EnglishUSABallad
Comments
Sign Up And Drop Knowledge 🤓
Genius is the ultimate source of music knowledge, created by scholars like you who share facts and insight about the songs and artists they love.
  翻译：