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.
A Boy Named Sue
Johnny Cash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And he didn't leave much to Mm and me
Just this old guitar and an empty bottle of booze
Now, I don't blame him 'cause he run and hid
But the meanest thing that he ever did
Was before he left, he went and named me Sue
Well, he must of thought that it was quite a joke
It seems I had to fight my whole life through
Some gal would giggle and I'd get red
And some guy'd laughed and I'd bust his head
I tell ya, life ain't easy for a boy named Sue
Well, I grew up quick and I grew up mean
My fist got hard and my wits got keen
Roam from town to town to hide my shame
But I made me a vow to the moon and stars
I'd search the honky-tonks and bars
And kill that man who gave me that awful name
Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-July
And I just hit town and my throat was dry
I thought I'd stop and have myself a brew
At an old saloon on a street of mud
There at a table, dealing stud
Sat the dirty, mangy dog that named me Sue
Well, I knew that snake was my own sweet dad
From a worn-out picture that my mother'd had
And I knew that scar on his cheek and his evil eye
He was big and bent and gray and old
And I looked at him and my blood ran cold
And I said, "My name is Sue, How do you do?
Now you gonna die"
Yeah, that's what I told 'em
Well, I hit him hard right between the eyes
And he went down, but to my surprise
Come up with a knife and cut off a piece of my ear
But I busted a chair right across his teeth
And we crashed through the wall and into the street
Kicking and a-gouging in the mud and the blood and the beer
I tell ya, I've fought tougher men
But I really can't remember when
He kicked like a mule and he bit like a crocodile
I heard him laugh and then I heard him cuss
He went for his gun and I pulled mine first
He stood there lookin' at me and I saw him smile
And he said, "Son, this world is rough
And if a man's gonna make it, he's gotta be tough
And I know I wouldn't be there to help you along
So I give you that name and I said goodbye
I knew you'd have to get tough or die
And it's that name that helped to make you strong"
Yeah, he said, "Now you just fought one hell of a fight
And I know you hate me, and you got the right
To kill me now, and I wouldn't blame you if you do
But you ought to thank me, before I die
For the gravel in your guts and the spit in your eye
'Cause I'm the son-of-a-bitch that named you Sue
Yeah, what could I do, what could I do?
I got all choked up and I threw down my gun
Called him my pa, and he called me his son
And I come away with a different point of view
And I think about him, now and then
Every time I try and every time I win
And if I ever have a son, I think I'm gonna name him
Bill or George, any damn thing but Sue, I still hate that name, yeah
"A Boy Named Sue" is a classic country song by Johnny Cash which tells the story of a man named Sue, who was named by his father before leaving him and his family behind when Sue was three years old. Sue grows up being teased and bullied due to his name and spends his life roaming around looking for his father to get revenge for his name. The song is about the struggle for independence and how life experiences can shape someone into the person they become.
The song is a metaphor for the struggles in life and how they can make or break a person. The name "Sue" is a symbol of adversity and the strength that comes from overcoming it. Sue's journey is a reminder that tough times can bring out the best in people.
The lyrics are a powerful narrative about the importance of resilience in the face of adversity. Despite his tough exterior, Sue is a man who has been damaged by his father's thoughtless prank. However, he learns to embrace his name and use it to his advantage, becoming a survivor in a rough world.
Line by Line Meaning
Well my daddy left home when I was three
My father ran away when I was just a toddler
Didn't leave much to my mom and me
He didn't leave us with anything other than an old guitar and an empty bottle of booze
Except this old guitar and an empty bottle of booze
The only things he left behind were an old guitar and an empty bottle of liquor
Now, I don't blame him 'cause he run and hid
I don't hold it against him for running away and hiding
But the meanest thing that my daddy ever did
The worst thing he ever did was to name me Sue
Was before he left, he went and named me Sue
Before he left, he gave me the name Sue, which made my life difficult
He must've thought that it was quite a joke
He probably found it amusing to name me Sue
And I got a lot of laughs from a' lots of folk
Everyone got a laugh at my expense when they heard my name
Seems I had to fight my whole life through
I had to struggle and fight my entire life as a result of my name
Some gal would giggle and I'd turn red
Women would laugh at me and I would feel embarrassed
And some guy'd laugh and I'd bust his head
Men who laughed at me often ended up getting punched in the face
I tell ya, life ain't easy for a boy named Sue
Being a boy named Sue is tough, and life is not easy as a result
Well, I grew up quick and I grew up mean
I learned how to grow up quickly and become tough to survive
My fist got hard and my wits got keener
I became physically and mentally stronger as I grew up
Roam from town to town to hide my shame
To avoid being laughed at and ridiculed, I moved from place to place
But I made me a vow to the moon and stars
I promised myself under the moon and stars that I would kill the man who named me Sue
I'd search the honky-tonks and bars
I traveled from place to place, looking for the man who named me Sue
And kill that man that gave me that awful name
I was determined to find and kill the man who gave me the name Sue
Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-July
I ended up in Gatlinburg in July
And I just hit town and my throat was dry
I got thirsty as soon as I arrived in town
Thought I'd stop and have myself a brew
I decided to stop at a saloon and have a drink
At an old saloon on a street of mud
I found an old saloon on a street that was muddy
There at a table, dealing stud
At a table, someone was playing poker
Sat the dirty, mangy dog that named me Sue
The man who named me Sue was sitting there, and he looked dirty and unkempt
Well, I knew that snake was my own sweet dad
I realized that the man who named me Sue was actually my own father
From a worn-out picture that my mother'd had
I recognized him from an old picture that my mother had
Knew that scar on his cheek and his evil eye
I recognized his scar and his wicked look in his eyes
He was big and bent and gray and old
He was a large and old man, who appeared worn-out and unwell
And I looked at him and my blood ran col
I became nervous and frightened when I saw him
And I said, "my name is Sue, how do you do?
I introduced myself and told him my name was Sue
Now you gonna die"
And then I told him that he was going to die
Well, I hit him hard right between the eyes
I punched him in the face with all my might
And he went down, but to my surprise
He fell down after the punch, but he quickly got up
He come up with a knife and cut off a piece of my ear
He pulled out a knife and sliced off a chunk of my ear
Then I busted a chair right across his teeth
I smashed a chair over his head
And we crashed through the walls and into the street
We fought furiously, destroying walls and eventually spilling out onto the street
Kicking and a' gouging in the mud and the blood and the beer
We kicked and punched and drew blood while rolling around in the mud and beer
Well I tell ya, I've fought tougher men
I assured him that I had fought many tougher men than him
But I really can't remember when
But I couldn't recall when it happened
He kicked like a mule and he bit like a crocodile
Despite his age, he fought like an animal, kicking like a mule and biting like a crocodile
I heard him laugh and then I heard him cuss
He laughed and then started cursing at me
And he reached for his gun but I pulled mine first
He tried to pull out his gun, but I was faster and pulled out mine first
He stood there lookin' at me and I saw him smile
He stood there looking at me with a smile on his face
And he said, "son, this world is rough
He then told me that life was tough
And if a man's gonna make it, he's gotta be tough
And that in order to survive, a man must be strong and tough
And I knew I wouldn't be there to help you along
He knew that he wouldn't be able to be there for me
So I give ya that name and I said goodbye
That's why he gave me the name Sue and then left
And I knew you'd have to get tough or die
He knew that I had to either become strong or die trying
It's that name that helped to make you strong"
He believed that my name had helped me become tough
He said, "now you just fought one heck of a fight
He then complimented me on the fight I just gave him
And I know you hate me, and you got the right
He acknowledged that I had a reason to hate him
To kill me now, and I wouldn't blame you if you do
He even told me that he wouldn't blame me if I killed him right then and there
But you ought to thank me, before I die
But he also told me that I should be grateful to him
For the gravel in ya gut and the spit in ya eye
For helping me become strong and tough by giving me the name Sue
'Cause I'm the, that named you Sue"
And then he explained again that he was the one who named me Sue
What could I do?
At this point, I was at a loss and didn't know what to do
I got all choked up and I threw down my gun
Overwhelmed by emotions, I dropped my gun and became teary-eyed
I called him my pa, and he called me his son
I then referred to him as my father, and he called me his son
Come away with a different point of view
After our fight and conversation, I had a completely different feeling about my name and my father
And I think about him, now and then
To this day, I still think about my father from time to time
Every time I try and every time I win
Especially when I have a challenge to overcome and succeed
And if I ever have a boy, I'll name him
And if I ever have a son, I won't name him Sue, but something like Bill or George or Frank
Bill or George or Frank, anything but Sue, Petor, I hate that name, thank you
I have a strong dislike for the name Sue and would never name my son that
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Shel Silverstein
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Anonymous
on Wayfaring Stranger
Wayfaring Stranger - The New Appalachians - Lyrics
I am a poor wayfaring stranger
Traveling through this world alone
There will be no sickness, toil or danger
In that grand land to which I roam
Well I'm going home to see my mother
I'm going home to a morning rose
I'm only goin' over Jordan
I'm only goin' over home
Musical Interlude
I know dark clouds will gather 'round me
I know my way is rough and steep
And beautiful fields lie just before me
Where God's redeemed there vigils keep
Well I'm going home to see my brothers
I'm going home no more to roam
I'm only goin' over Jordan
I'm only goin' over home
Musical Interlude
I'm going home to see my Father
I'm going home no more to roam
I'm only goin' over Jordan
I’m only goin’ where no one roams
I want to wear that crown of glory
When I get to that good land
I want to shout out salvation story
In concert with that blood washed band.
I'm going there to see my saviour
I’ll see his face no more to roam
I'm only going over Jordan
I'm only going over home
I'm only goin' over home