Best CD I've owned in years
When I was a kid, back in the 70s, I used to really like Johnny Cash. His style, his voice; he was cool.
Not sure why, but I kind of got away from him as I entered my teens. The 80s Pop thing had me, and my old favorites kind of faded into the background. In their place came Men at Work, AC/DC, etc.
In my later years, however, I'm happy to say that my attitudes have aged somewhat; I've rediscovered my old favorite, and my appreciation has matured as well.
I got a little life experience under my expanding belt, see, and that has enabled me to appreciate the lyrics of many of his songs that I simply 'heard' as a kid. It's very often like hearing them for the first time. 'Oh, I get that now' is a common thought.
My wife got me "The Legend of Johnny Cash" for Christmas, and I've played it, oh, at least dozens of times since. I love it; it never gets old.
The CD starts with "Cry! Cry! Cry!" and "Hey Porter", both sides of his first hit record, recorded in 1954 by Sam Phillips at Sun Records, the discoverer of Elvis Presley.
"Folsom Prison Blues" comes next, released in 1956.
The CD consists of many of his standards; "I Walk the Line", "Ring of Fire", "A Boy Named Sue" and "Sunday Morning Comin' Down". Others included are the cool "Man in Black", and the comical "One Piece at a Time", a tune about a unique Cadillac.
"The Highwayman", a song released in the mid-80s by his group, The Highwaymen, is included as well. A longtime favorite of mine, the song is sung in four parts, with Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings and finally Cash, each in turn telling a tale of the ever-restless spirit of adventure.
Later songs included are "Delia's Gone", a traditional country 'murder song', about a man who shot his lover; it was not well-accepted by the modern-era country fans, conditioned as they are by the softer, more easygoing music of today. A spectacular cover of Soundgarden's "Rusty Cage" is included,as is a Cashified version of Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt", a song about addiction, the video of which got a nod from MTV as its Video of the Year.
"Give my Love to Rose" is a sad ballad about a dying man professing his love for his family, and "The Man Comes Around", a cautionary tune about the Second Coming of Christ. "Jackson" is an upbeat duet in which he goodnaturedly argues with his wife, June.
Others songs are included, of course, 21 in all, and every one is uniquely Cash.
He was truly an outstanding songwriter and performer, and was one of the main driving forces behind artists earning their creative freedom from the recording industry in Nashville, his battles with which are legendary in themselves.
If you like country music, this CD is a wonderful window into the evolution of modern-era country music and its styles, influenced by one of the greatest of its performers.
If you like Johnny Cash, run out and get this CD if you don't already have it. You won't regret it.