Rock With You
Cash Lyrics

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They used to call me Rockabilly
All of us ran through
When Elvis opened up the door
With a pup-and-pup-and-boo

I didn't ever play much rock and roll
'Cause I got so much country in my soul
But I'm a different man for lovin' you

And I take a shot at what you ask me to

And baby I will rock and roll with you
If I have to

Memphis 1955 on Newton Avenue
Carl and Jerry and Charlie and Roy
And Billy Riley too

A new sun risin' on the way we sing
And a world of weirdo's waitin' in the wings
But I love you and though I'm past 42
There are still a few things yet I didn't do

And baby I will rock and roll with you
If I have to

Overall Meaning

In "Rock With You," Johnny Cash sings about his experiences and identity as a rockabilly musician. The opening lines of the song reference this, as he explains how he was once called "Rockabilly" and how he and his fellow musicians all ran through the music scene. He also mentions Elvis Presley, who opened up doors for rock and roll music with his energetic performances and unique style.

However, despite this background in rock and roll, Cash notes that he has "so much country in [his] soul." This illustrates how his music has always been heavily influenced by traditional country styles, but his experiences with rock and roll have changed him in a way that allows him to approach this different genre. He sings that he's "a different man for lovin' you," implying that the person he loves has inspired him to try new things and explore different sounds.

The rest of the song features references to various musicians and places, such as Memphis in 1955 and several rockabilly artists like Carl Perkins and Billy Riley. Through these lyrics, Cash seems to be expressing a sense of nostalgia and longing for the past. He acknowledges that he's getting older ("and though I'm past 42"), but there are still things left for him to do - including, seemingly, rock and roll with the person he loves.

Line by Line Meaning

They used to call me Rockabilly
At one time, people referred to me as Rockabilly

All of us ran through
All of us were very active and energetic

When Elvis opened up the door
When Elvis Presley came into prominence

With a pup-and-pup-and-boo
With his unique and captivating style of music

I didn't ever play much rock and roll
I never really played much rock and roll music

'Cause I got so much country in my soul
Because my roots are in country music

But I'm a different man for lovin' you
Being in love with you has changed me

And I take a shot at what you ask me to
I'm willing to try new things for you

And baby I will rock and roll with you
I will embrace rock and roll for you

If I have to
If that's what it takes to please you

Memphis 1955 on Newton Avenue
A reference to a specific time and place