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.
2 Corinthians 1
Johnny Cash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
O Grave, where is they victory?
O Life, you are a shining path
And hope springs eternal, just over the rise
When I see my redeemer beckoning me
Oh row my ship over the waves of your sea
Let me find a safe port now and then
Until it's time to pack it in
O, row, row my ship
With the fire of your breath
And don't lay a broadside on your ship as yet
Blow ye warm winds
When it's chilly and wet
And don't come to soon yet
For collecting my debt
O Death, where is thy sting?
O Grave, where is they victory?
O Life, you are a shining path
And hope springs eternal, just over the rise
When I see my redeemer beckoning me
Oh let me sail on
With my ship to the East
And keep my eye on the North Star
When the journey is no good for man or for beast
I'll be safe wherever you are
Just let me sail into your harbor of lights
And there and forever to cast out my night
Give me my task
And let me do it right
And do it with all of my might
O Death, where is thy sting?
O Grave, where is they victory?
O Life, you are a shining path
And hope springs eternal, just over the rise
When I see my redeemer beckoning me
In "1 Corinthians 15," Johnny Cash reflects on the themes of death and resurrection from a Christian perspective. The opening lines quote directly from the biblical passage: “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” Cash then introduces the idea of life as a "shining path" and hope that "springs eternal" over the horizon, where the redeemer beckons him.
The song is written as a sailor's hymn, with references to sailing and finding safe ports. Cash asks to row his ship over the waves of life's sea and not to let the dark one (death and despair) into his sanctuary until it's time to "pack it in" and to collect his debt. He implores life to let him sail into its harbor of lights and cast out his night. Cash urges life to give him a task and let him do it right, with all of his might.
Overall, the song’s message is one of hope and resilience in the face of mortality. Despite the inevitability of death and the limitations of the journey, Cash finds that hope and redemption await on the horizon, and he looks forward to the day when he is called to join his redeemer.
Line by Line Meaning
O Death, where is thy sting?
Where is the power and dominance of death?
O Grave, where is thy victory?
Where is the triumph and success of the grave?
O Life, you are a shining path
Life is a brilliant journey, a path to follow
And hope springs eternal, just over the rise
There is always hope, just beyond our immediate view
When I see my redeemer beckoning me
When I witness the call of the one who saves me
Oh row my ship over the waves of your sea
Guide me through life's ups and downs
Let me find a safe port now and then
Allow me to find safety and respite amidst life's journey
Don't let the dark one in your sanctuary
Protect me from the evils and darkness of the world
Until it's time to pack it in
Until the end of my life
O, row, row my ship
Please guide and help me along my journey
With the fire of your breath
With passion and vigor
And don't lay a broadside on your ship as yet
Don't let unexpected challenges destroy me
Blow ye warm winds
Bring me comfort and ease
When it's chilly and wet
During hard and difficult moments
And don't come to soon yet
Don't let my journey end too early
For collecting my debt
For taking my life
Oh let me sail on
Allow me to continue my journey
With my ship to the East
Towards a new beginning
And keep my eye on the North Star
Stay focused on what truly matters
When the journey is no good for man or for beast
When the path is difficult for everyone
I'll be safe wherever you are
I trust and have faith in you
Just let me sail into your harbor of lights
Bring me into a place of peace and happiness
And there and forever to cast out my night
Free me from my darkness and pain
Give me my task
Assign me a purpose
And let me do it right
Allow me to fulfill it with success
And do it with all of my might
And give my all in doing so
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: JOHN R CASH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
C Jones
Thanks be to poster and The Lord.
Waiting for the Upper-taker
I like his voice, some of the other audio Bible recordings. Don’t rest well with me, I don’t think it’s wrong. We come from different places and are accustomed to different accents. Maybe Johnny Cash accent sounds annoying to other people that’s OK too I think.
Blaze
First comment