The Johnny Paycheck discography consists of 30 studio albums, four live albums, 27 compilation albums, 64 singles by American country music singer Johnny Paycheck. Of his albums, one is certified Platinum and one is certified Gold from the Recording Industry Association of America, with his highest peaking album being Take This Job and Shove It, which peaked at number two on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. That album's title track was also his highest single, topping the Billboard Hot Country Songs.
Of Paycheck's 30 studio albums, only half of them charted, with his last charting album coming in 1987, with Modern Times which peaked at 54.
Studio albums 1960s Title Album details Peak positionsNotes US Country At Carnegie Hall Release date: April 1, 1966 Label: Little Darlin' Records (SLD-8001) Format: LP 22Paycheck's debut album, but not a live recording as the title might suggest. The Lovin' Machine Release date: July 1966 Label: Little Darlin' Records (SLD-8003) Format: LP — Gospeltime in My Fashion Release date: May 1967 Label: Little Darlin' Records (SLD-8004) Format: LP — Jukebox Charlie Release date: July 1967 Label: Little Darlin' Records (SLD-8006) Format: LP 10 Country Soul Release date: May 1968 Label: Little Darlin' Records (SLD-8010) Format: LP 41 Wherever You Are Release date: November 1969 Label: Little Darlin' Records (SLD-8023) Format: LP — "—" denotes releases that did not chart
1970s Title Album details Peak chartpositionsNotes US Country CAN Country Again Release date: 1970 Label: Certron Corporation (CS-7002) Format: LP — — Paycheck's only release with Certron. Originally recorded for Little Darlin' but released through Certron after the former went out of business. She's All I Got Release date: December 1971 Label: Epic Records (E-31141) Format: LP, CD 5 — Paycheck's first release with Epic Records, as well as his first collaboration with famed producer Billy Sherrill. Reissued on CD by Koch Records in 2000. Someone to Give My Love To Release date: May 1972 Label: Epic Records (KE-31449) Format: LP, CD, Digital 9 —Reissued via digital services and a double feature compilation CD. Somebody Loves Me Release date: October 1972 Label: Epic Records (KE-31707) Format: LP, CD, Digital 16 —Reissued via digital services and a double feature compilation CD. Heartbreak, Tenn. Release date: 1972 Label: Hilltop (JS-6124) Format: LP — — Contains previously unreleased studio material that was recorded anywhere from 1964 to 1966. Mr. Lovemaker Release date: June 1973 Label: Epic Records (KE-32387) Format: LP 12 — Song and Dance Man Release date: December 1973 Label: Epic Records (KE-32570) Format: LP 16 — Loving You Beats All I've Ever Seen Release date: March 1975 Label: Epic Records (KE-33354) Format: LP — — 11 Months and 29 Days Release date: October 1976 Label: Epic Records (KE-33943) Format: LP, CD 40 —Paycheck's first "outlaw" album. Reissued via a double feature compilation CD. Slide Off of Your Satin Sheets Release date: May 1977 Label: Epic Records (KE-34693) Format: LP, CD 22 — Reissued via a double feature compilation CD. Take This Job and Shove It[A] Release date: November 1977 Label: Epic Records (KE-35045) Format: LP, CD, Digital 2 — Certified Platinum by the RIAA in the US for sales in excess of 1,000,000. Armed and Crazy Release date: November 1978 Label: Epic Records (KE-35444) Format: LP, CD, Digital 15 12 Reissued via digital services and a double feature compilation CD. Bars - Booze - Blondes Release date: June 1979 Label: Little Darlin' Records (SP-10979) Format: LP — —Composed of unreleased Little Darlin' material that was issued after Paycheck became successful with Epic, in addition to some previously released songs. Everybody's Got a Family... Meet Mine Release date: December 1979 Label: Epic Records (JE-36200) Format: LP 42 17 First album to have musician credits. "—" denotes releases that did not chart
1980s Title Album details Peak positionsNotes US Country Mr. Hag Told My Story Release date: March 1981 Label: Epic Records (JE-36761) Format: LP, CD 40 Reissued on CD by Koch in 1998. Lovers and Losers Release date: March 1982 Label: Epic Records (FE-37933) Format: LP — Paycheck's final studio album release on Epic Records. I Don't Need To Know That Right Now Release date: 1983 Label: Allegiance (AV-435) —Contains new tracks as well as re-recordings. Reissued as The Happy Hour on digital music services. Modern Times Release date: March 1987 Label: Mercury Records (#830404) Format: LP 54 Paycheck's only release for Mercury. One of Paycheck's rarest releases, having not been reissued in any modern format. Outlaw at the Cross Release date: November 1, 1988 Label: Damascus To the Cross Records (JP-1001) Format: LP, Digital — A new set of gospel tunes recorded by Paycheck. The royalties from the album were donated to a Los Angeles-based charity to help children with AIDS. Reissued as Gospel on Pretty World Records in 2010. "—" denotes releases that did not chart
1990s and 2000s Title Album detailsNotes The Last Outlaw Release date: 1991 Label: Air Records Format: Cassette, Digital The Difference in Me Release date: October 1, 1993 Label: Playback Records Format: CD, Digital Features re-recordings of Paycheck's hits "Old Violin" and "Take This Job and Shove It" as well as eight new recordings. Tribute to George Jones Release date: May 16, 1996 Label: K-tel Format: CD, Digital Reissued both as Sings George Jones and The Race is On with different track orders. I'm a Survivor Release date: 1996 Label: Sterling Entertainment Group Format: LP, CD, Digital Recorded in the mid-1980s but not released until almost ten years later. Reissued as Survivor on Hitman Records in 2001 with inferior audio quality. Studio 102 Essentials Release date: May 20, 2008 Label: Suite 102 Format: Digital Contains 30 previously unreleased studio recordings, mostly covers and a few re-recorded Paycheck songs. These sessions have been compiled into the compilations The Collection, I'll Take That Paycheck Now and Paycheck Time.
Collaborative albums Title Album details Peak positionsNotes US Country Double Trouble(with George Jones) Release date: June 1980 Label: Epic Records (JE-35783) Format: LP, CD, Digital 45 Reissued by Razor & Tie on CD in 1996, but the release has since gone out of print. Also available via digital services.
Live albums Title Album details Peak positionsNotes US Country New York Town Release date: 1980 Label: Epic Records (JE-36496) Format: LP 48 Recorded live at the Lone Star Cafe in New York City. Considered a landmark live album in the history of country music. Live in Branson, MO, U.S.A. Release date: 1993 Label: LaserLight Records (#12136) Format: CD —Recorded live on August 4, 1992 at the Roy Clark Celebrity Theatre in Branson, Missouri. Reissued in 2001 whilst omitting three tracks. Live at Gilley's Release date: May 18, 1999 Label: Atlantic Records (#92829-2) Format: CD —Recorded live on October 9, 1985 at Gilley's Club in Pasadena, Texas. Live at the Palomino Release date: November 1, 2011 Label: Vintage Masters Inc. Format: CD, Digital — Recorded live circa 1977 at the legendary Palomino Club in Los Angeles, California as a radio special. Features appearances by R.C. Bannon, Harry Newman and Gene Price. "—" denotes releases that did not chart
Compilation albums Title Album details Peak positions Notes US Country Johnny Paycheck's Greatest Hits Release date: December 1968 Label: Little Darlin' Records (SLD-8012) 42 Johnny Paycheck's Greatest Hits Release date: July 1974 Label: Epic Records (KE-33091) 21 At His Best Release date: 1975 Label: Power Pak/Gusto — Johnny Paycheck's Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 Release date: October 1978 Label: Epic Records (JE-35623) 23 Certified Gold by the RIAA for sales in excess of 500,000. The Outlaw Release date: January 1979 Label: Little Darlin' Records (LDA-0781) —Compilation of Paycheck's Little Darlin' material with an exclusive track, "I'm a Coward." Some songs have new strings and harmonica overdubs. Jesus and the Outlaw Release date: February 1979 Label: Little Darlin' Records (LDA-0792) —Compilation of Paycheck's Gospeltime material with one exclusive track, "Day is Almost Over." Features new arrangements with the Jordanaires overlaid over the original vocal tracks by Paycheck. Honky Tonk & Slow Music Release date: April 1979 Label: Little Darlin' Records (SP-10479) — Touch My Heart Release date: May 1979 Label: Little Darlin' Records (SP-10579) — Encore Release date: July 1981 Label: Epic Records (FE-37345) — Biggest Hits Release date: August 1982 Label: Epic Records (FE-38322) —Paycheck's final release as a member of Epic's roster. The Real Mr. Heartache: The Little Darlin' Years Release date: 1996 Label: Country Music Foundation — Reissued in 2000. 16 Biggest Hits Release date: 1999 Label: Sony Music Entertainment — "Loving You Beats All I've Ever Seen" on the CD does not have the fiddle in it like on the 1975 LP. Also on "A Heart Don't Need Eyes" it is missing the tic tac bass effect. Remembering Release date: 2002 Label: Orpheus Records — The Soul & the Edge: The Best of Johnny Paycheck Release date: April 30, 2002 Label: Epic/Legacy Recordings — The Collection Release date: 2003 Label: Madacy — The Little Darlin' Sound of Johnny Paycheck: The Beginning Release date: May 11, 2004 Label: Koch Records — The first release of what was intended to be a comprehensive reissue program of all of Paycheck's Little Darlin' Material on Koch Records. Contains previously unreleased material. The Little Darlin' Sound of Johnny Paycheck: On His Way Release date: January 25, 2005 Label: Koch Records — The second release of Paycheck's Little Darlin' material on Koch. It is composed of hit songs Paycheck had while on the label. The Little Darlin' Sound of Johnny Paycheck: The Gospel Truth - The Complete Gospel Sessions Release date: April 26, 2005 Label: Koch Records — The final release in this series of Paycheck's Little Darlin' material by Koch. It is composed of the material for Paycheck's album Gospeltime in My Fashion as well as the later compilation Jesus and the Outlaw. Not available digitally. 11 Months and 29 Days/Slide Off of Your Satin Sheets Release date: February 21, 2006 Label: Raven Records —Raven Records reissue of the two studio albums on one disc with five tracks from Mr. Hag Told My Story. Shakin' the Blues Release date: December 1, 2006 Label: Bear Family Records —Bear Family Records reissue of 29 tracks that Paycheck recorded under the name of Donny Young. Some tracks previously unreleased. Recorded 1958–1964 Take This Job and Shove It/Armed and Crazy Release date: August 27, 2007 Label: Raven Records —Raven Records reissue of the two studio albums on one disc with five tracks from Mr. Hag Told My Story. Nowhere to Run: The Little Darlin' Years 1966–1970 Release date: September 8, 2009 Label: Omni Recording Corporation — Someone to Give My Love To/Somebody Loves Me Release date: October 26, 2010 Label: Hux Records —Hux Records reissue of the two studio albums on one disc. Double Trouble/A Taste of Yesterday's Wine Release date: June 25, 2013 Label: Morello Records —Reissue of the collaborative album Double Trouble by George Jones and Johnny Paycheck as a double feature with the collaborative album A Taste of Yesterday's Wine by George Jones and Merle Haggard. The Essential Johnny Paycheck Release date: April 1, 2014 Label: Legacy Recordings — I'll Take That Paycheck Now Release date: August 3, 2015 Label: Countdown Media — Paycheck Time Release date: August 3, 2015 Label: Countdown Media — "—" denotes releases that did not chart
Singles Singles as Donny Young