Introduction
Four Legends, One Timeless Song: The Highwaymen – Sunday Morning Coming Down (American Outlaws: Live at Nassau Coliseum, 1990)
When four of country music’s most iconic voices come together on one stage, the result is nothing short of legendary. The Highwaymen – Sunday Morning Coming Down (American Outlaws: Live at Nassau Coliseum, 1990) captures this rare alchemy in a performance that is as raw and reflective as the song itself. This live rendition, recorded during their unforgettable 1990 performance, brings together Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson in a moment that feels both historic and deeply human.
Originally penned by Kris Kristofferson and famously performed by Johnny Cash, “Sunday Morning Coming Down” is a masterclass in storytelling. It’s a song of solitude, of quiet reckoning with the weight of choices made and paths taken. In the hands of The Highwaymen, that story gains even more depth, with each artist lending his unique timbre, experience, and spirit to the tale. It’s a reflection of the kind of road-weary honesty that only these men—who had lived the life and worn the miles—could deliver with such sincerity.
Live at the Nassau Coliseum, the setting itself adds to the magic. There’s an energy in the crowd, yes, but more so a reverence—an unspoken acknowledgment that what’s happening on stage is something to be remembered. Each verse is delivered with a thoughtful, measured cadence, allowing the words to settle and resonate. You can hear the camaraderie between the performers, the mutual respect, and the weight of the years they’ve shared both in and out of the spotlight.
The Highwaymen – Sunday Morning Coming Down (American Outlaws: Live at Nassau Coliseum, 1990) is not just a performance; it’s a moment suspended in time. It offers a glimpse into the soul of country music—honest, unvarnished, and profoundly moving. For those who cherish lyrical depth and the power of live collaboration, this rendition stands as a shining example of why The Highwaymen remain unmatched in their ability to turn personal reflection into collective resonance.
Video
Lyrics
Well, I woke up Sunday mornin’
With no way to hold my head that didn’t hurt
And the beer I had for breakfast wasn’t bad
So I had one more for dessert
Then I fumbled in my closet through my clothes
And found my cleanest dirty shirt
Then I washed my face and combed my hair
And stumbled down the stairs to meet the day
I’d smoked my mind the night before
With cigarettes and songs I’d been pickin’
But I lit my first and watched a small kid
Playin’ with a can that he was kickin’
Then I walked across the street
And caught the Sunday smell of someone’s fryin’ chicken
And Lord, it took me back to somethin’ that I’d lost
Somewhere, somehow along the way
On a Sunday mornin’ sidewalk
I’m wishin’, Lord, that I was stoned
‘Cause there’s somethin’ in a Sunday
That makes a body feel alone
And there’s nothin’ short a’ dyin’
That’s half as lonesome as the sound
Of the sleepin’ city sidewalk
And Sunday mornin’ comin’ down
In the park I saw a daddy
With a laughin’ little girl that he was swingin’
And I stopped beside a Sunday school
And listened to the songs they were singin’
Then I headed down the street
And somewhere far away a lonely bell was ringin’
And it echoed through the canyons
Like the disappearin’ dreams of yesterday
On a Sunday mornin’ sidewalk
I’m wishin’, Lord, that I was stoned
‘Cause there’s somethin’ in a Sunday
That makes a body feel alone
And there’s nothin’ short a’ dyin’
That’s half as lonesome as the sound
Of the sleepin’ city sidewalk
And Sunday mornin’ comin’ down