Cash was known for his deep, calm bass-baritone voice, the distinctive sound of his Tennessee Three backing band characterized by train-sound guitar rhythms, a rebelliousness coupled with an increasingly somber and humble demeanor, free prison concerts, and a trademark, all-black stage wardrobe, which earned him the nickname "The Man in Black." He traditionally began his concerts by simply introducing himself, "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash," followed by his signature song "Folsom Prison Blues".
Much of Cash's music contained themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially in the later stages of his career. His other signature songs include "I Walk the Line", "Ring of Fire", "Get Rhythm", and "Man in Black". He also recorded humorous numbers like "One Piece at a Time" and "A Boy Named Sue"; a duet with his future wife, June Carter, called "Jackson" (followed by many further duets after their wedding); and railroad songs including "Hey, Porter", "Orange Blossom Special", and "Rock Island Line". During the last stage of his career, Cash covered songs by several late 20th-century rock artists, notably "Hurt" by Nine Inch Nails and "Rusty Cage" by Soundgarden.
Johnny Cash was born on February 26, 1932, in Kingsland, Arkansas, to Ray Cash and Carrie Cloveree (née Rivers). He was the fourth of seven children, who were in birth order: Roy, Margaret Louise, Jack, J. R., Reba, Joanne, and Tommy (who also became a successful country artist). He was primarily of English and Scottish descent. As an adult he traced his surname to 11th-century Fife, after meeting with the then-laird of Falkland, Major Michael Crichton-Stuart. Cash Loch and other locations in Fife bear the name of his family.
At birth, Cash was named J. R. Cash. When Cash enlisted in the United States Air Force, he was not permitted to use initials as a first name, so he changed his name to John R. Cash. In 1955, when signing with Sun Records, he started going by Johnny Cash.
In March 1935, when Cash was three years old, the family settled in Dyess, Arkansas, a New Deal colony established to give poor families a chance to work land that they had a chance to own as a result. Cash started working in cotton fields at the age of five, singing along with his family while working. The Cash farm experienced a flood during the family's time in Dyess, which led Cash later to write the song "Five Feet High and Rising". His family's economic and personal struggles during the Great Depression inspired many of his songs, especially those about other people facing similar difficulties. Consequently, Cash had sympathy for the poor and working class throughout his life.
Cash was very close to his older brother, Jack. On Saturday May 12, 1944, Jack was pulled into an unguarded table saw at his high school while cutting oak into fence posts as his job and was almost cut in two. He lingered until the following Saturday, when he died. Cash often spoke of the horrible guilt he felt over this incident; according to Cash: The Autobiography, his father was away that morning, but Johnny, his mother, and even Jack himself, all had premonitions or a sense of foreboding about that day. His mother urged Jack to skip work and go fishing with his brother, but Jack insisted on working since the family needed the money at the time. On his deathbed, Jack said he had visions of Heaven and angels. Decades later, Cash spoke of looking forward to meeting his brother in Heaven.
Cash's early memories were dominated by gospel music and radio. Taught guitar by his mother and a childhood friend, Cash began playing and writing songs at the age of 12. When young, Cash had a high-tenor voice, before becoming a bass-baritone after his voice changed.
In high school, he sang on a local radio station. Decades later, he released an album of traditional gospel songs, called My Mother's Hymn Book. He was also significantly influenced by traditional Irish music, which he heard performed weekly by Dennis Day on the Jack Benny radio program.
In 1997, Cash was diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disease Shy–Drager syndrome, a form of multiple system atrophy. According to biographer Robert Hilburn, the disease was originally misdiagnosed as Parkinson's disease, and Cash even announced to his audience that he had Parkinson's after nearly collapsing on stage in Flint, Michigan, on October 25, 1997. Soon afterwards, his diagnosis was changed to Shy–Drager, and Cash was told he had about 18 months to live. The diagnosis was later again altered to autonomic neuropathy associated with diabetes. The illness forced Cash to curtail his touring. He was hospitalized in 1998 with severe pneumonia, which damaged his lungs.
During the last stage of his career, Cash released the albums American III: Solitary Man (2000) and American IV: The Man Comes Around (2002). American IV included cover songs by several late 20th-century rock artists, notably "Hurt" by Nine Inch Nails and "Personal Jesus" by Depeche Mode. Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails commented that he was initially skeptical about Cash's plan to cover "Hurt", but was later impressed and moved by the rendition. The video for "Hurt" received critical and popular acclaim, including a Grammy Award.
June Carter Cash died on May 15, 2003, at the age of 73. June had told Cash to keep working, so he continued to record, completing 60 more songs in the last four months of his life, and even performed a few surprise shows at the Carter Family Fold outside Bristol, Virginia. At the July 5, 2003, concert (his last public performance), before singing "Ring of Fire", Cash read a statement about his late wife that he had written shortly before taking the stage:
"The spirit of June Carter overshadows me tonight with the love she had for me and the love I have for her. We connect somewhere between here and Heaven. She came down for a short visit, I guess, from Heaven to visit with me tonight to give me courage and inspiration like she always has. She's never been one for me except courage and inspiration. I thank God for June Carter. I love her with all my heart. "
Cash continued to record until shortly before his death. His final recordings were made on August 21, 2003, and consisted of "Like the 309", which appeared on American V: A Hundred Highways in 2006, and the final song he completed, "Engine 143", which was recorded for his son John Carter Cash for a planned Carter Family tribute album.
03 the girl from north country
Johnny Cash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where the winds hit heavy on the borderline
Remember me to one who lives there
She once was a true love of mine
Well, if you go when the snowflakes storm
When the rivers freeze and summer ends
Please see if she's wearing a coat so warm
Please see for me if her hair hangs long
If it rolls and flows all down her breast
Please see for me if her hair hangs long
That's the way I remember her best
I'm a-wonderin' if she remembers me at all
Many times I've often prayed
In the darkness of my night
In the brightness of my day
So if you're travelin' in the north country fair
Where the winds hit heavy on the borderline
Remember me to one who lives there
She once was a true love of mine
The song "Girl from the north country" by Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan is a wistful poem to a lost love in the chilly and desolate North Country. The singer is reaching out to a mutual friend, asking them to deliver a message to a woman who used to be his true love. He paints a picture of a brutal winter landscape, emphasizing the howling winds and freezing rivers. The woman is the only light in an otherwise bleak and lonely world. The singer longs to know more about her present life and holds onto memories of her flowing hair and warm coat.
The lyrics are an ode to the power of memory and the enduring nature of love. The singer asks the unnamed friend to remember him to the woman, suggesting that even though time has passed and circumstances have changed, his feelings for her remain constant. He wonders if she remembers him at all, but it is evident he has never forgotten her. The song's setting, the North Country, provides a bleak and desolate backdrop to the story, emphasizing the emotional emptiness of the singer's life without the woman he once loved.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, if you're travelin' in the north country fair
If you happen to be journeying in the northern regions where fairgrounds exist
Where the winds hit heavy on the borderline
Where the wind currents blow fiercely near the dividing line
Remember me to one who lives there
Pass on my regards to someone residing in this location
She once was a true love of mine
This individual used to be my real romantic partner
Well, if you go when the snowflakes storm
If you attend when the snow is falling heavily
When the rivers freeze and summer ends
During the season when waterways solidify and summertime concludes
Please see if she's wearing a coat so warm
Kindly determine if she has on a very cozy overgarment
To keep her from the howlin' winds
For the purpose of protecting her from the whistling gusts of air
I'm a-wonderin' if she remembers me at all
I'm curious as to whether she still recollects me in any way
Many times I've often prayed
I've repeatedly prayed numerous times
In the darkness of my night
During the nighttime when it's dark
In the brightness of my day
During the daylight when it's bright
That's the way I remember her best
That's the manner in which my fondest memories of her exist
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, AUDIAM, INC
Written by: Bob Dylan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@juliecrane9647
I separated after 22 yrs. It was 2yrs til we divorced. We should have ripped our bandaids off sooner.
Looking back....
It took awhile to get away from romancing what we had...
And thinking it could work again.
It wasn't.
But I told him we didn't do the best job teaching our girls how to have a good marriage but we could teach them how to end it with dignity and grace.
We have...
It's been 12 yrs. I see him often at our 3 daughters homes. There are grands now.
I call him when my car battery is dead or the dryer blew a fuse.
He's a good guy and a damn good dad...
My girls call him for the same stuff.
He was there when I battled cancer and my mom passed.
No romance but still love.
Just remember our kids are always watching.
It does get better in time and it all comes into focus.
Acceptance.
Wish you peace as you go....
And to thine own self be true.
@mr.impatient4850
A star is born and he goes by the name Dibesh Pokhrel aka “Arthur Gunn”
Girl from the North Country road was written and recorded by Nobel Prize winning legend, who goes by the name BOB DYLAN. It was recorded in the year 1973 from his album “The Free Wheelin Bob Dylan”. The song unfolds about Bob’s first trip to England in December 1962, where he stumbles upon beautiful, gorgeous “Susan Elizabeth Rotolo”. After that blissful memory, Bob flew to Italy and finally completed this masterpiece, soul-soothing tune along with sweet and romantic cover picture of him and her in his back then album.(“The Free Wheelin Bob Dylan”)
Wooow, time does flies ain’t it?
47 years later, a 21 year young kid from Kansas, originally from Nepal, collected his guts to show some love and respect thereby giving a shot to this legendary tune in his own beautiful way.Good grace of god!!! Additionally, he is sooooo humble and down to earth. We are rooting you from all over the world, Arthur! Go on son, show them what you truly behold and keep smiling! God bless ya!
#TeamArthurSquad ✍️
@lucaamorosoofficial
If you're traveling till the north country fair
Where the winds hit heavy on the borderline
Remember me to one who lives there
For she once was the true love of mine
See for me if her hair's hanging down
It curls and flows all down her breast
See for me that her hair's hanging down
That's the way I remember her best
If you go when the snowflakes fall
When the rivers freeze and summer ends
Please see for me if she's wearing a coat so warm
To keep her from the howlin' winds
If you're traveling in the north country fair
Where the winds hit heavy on the borderline
Please say hello to the one who lives there
For she once was a true love of mine
And if you're traveling in the north country fair
Where the winds hit heavy on the borderline
Remember me to one who lives there
For she once was a true love of mine
True love of mine, a true love of mine
True love of mine, a true love of mine
A true love of mine, a true love of mine
She was once a true love of mine
@arneanderson187
I met my first and true love at a north country fair (Lake County, Minnesota) in 1975. But we ended up going our separate ways. But I never forgot her and this song always made me think of her. And after 45 years of being apart, we are now back together.
@ercanozgur7621
16 yıl bekledik biz. Mutluluklar sizlerin olsun. Büyük aşklara
@allbottledup9513
I wish I had the words. Thank god, you found each other again. That special love never goes away it seems. I hope y’all enjoy your time together as much as possible!
@a.nobodys.nobody
God bless you both. enjoy it. Hoping for the same
@PrincessWowNetwork
That’s so beautiful and inspiring. So happy for you both❤
@angelag1702
Congrats!
@jackwendigo6541
Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash. Does it get any better than that?
@SwinginPig
Possibly Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, but other than that, doubtful.
@rossmacneil3544
@Esther Ruby Not this one, it would've been amazing if she did though.
@SwinginPig
Esther Ruby 1976. But I consider their golden years the 60s. I have some great Dylan-Baez recordings on my channel if you like them together.