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 Singer Of Songs
Johnny Cash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The man with the answers I certainly ain?t
I wouldn?t tell you, what?s right or what?s wrong
I?m just a singer of songs
But I can take you for a walk
Along a little country stream
I can make you see through lovers? eyes
I can help you hear a baby?s laugh
And feel the joy it brings
Yes, I do it with the songs
That I sing
I?m not a prophet and I?m not a priest
I?m not a wise man, who?s come from the East
I wouldn?t tell you what?s right or what?s wrong
I?m just a singer of songs
But I can take you to a city
Where a Man was crucified
I can tell you how He lived
And I can tell you why He died
I can help proclaim the glory
Of this mighty King of Kings
Yes, I can do it with the songs
That I sing
I?m not a great man
I don?t claim to be
But when I meet my Maker
And He questions me
I won?t hang my head
I will stand proud and strong
And say, ?I was a singer
Lord, I was a singer
Yes, I was a singer of songs?
The lyrics to Johnny Cash's song "A Singer of Songs" convey that the singer does not hold himself above others, nor does he claim to have all the answers. He is merely a singer of songs, and through his music, he can transport listeners to different places, evoke emotions, and provide insight into the experiences of others. The singer acknowledges that he is not a prophet, saint, or wise man but he can take the listeners to the city where Jesus was crucified, and he can proclaim the glory of the King of Kings.
The message of the song is that even those who are not famous, wealthy, or powerful can contribute something to the world through their talents. The song illustrates the power of music to connect and move people, and to provide hope and comfort in difficult times. The singer may not have all the answers, but he uses his gift to create something beautiful and meaningful that can touch the lives of others.
Overall, the lyrics to "A Singer of Songs" celebrate the beauty and importance of music while reminding listeners to appreciate the simple joys of life and to cherish the moments that bring us together.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm not a savior and I'm not a saint
I do not believe that I am a highly esteemed religious figure.
The man with the answers I certainly ain't
I am not a person who has extraordinary knowledge and wisdom to answer all of life's questions.
I wouldn't tell you, what's right or what's wrong
I do not intend to impose my own beliefs and values upon others.
I'm just a singer of songs
My identity and purpose is solely as a musician who conveys stories and emotions through song.
But I can take you for a walk
However, I have the ability to transport your imagination to another place.
Along a little country stream
I can provide a mental image of a serene natural setting.
I can make you see through lovers' eyes
I have the ability to evoke empathy and understanding for the experiences of others.
And understand their dreams
I can help you interpret the desires and aspirations of other people.
I can help you hear a baby's laugh
I am capable of making you relive a joyful moment in life.
And feel the joy it brings
I have the ability to stimulate emotions of happiness and positivity.
Yes, I do it with the songs
All this emotional impact is conveyed through my music.
That I sing
My songs are my medium of expression.
I'm not a prophet and I'm not a priest
I do not see myself as a messenger of God or an influential religious figure.
I'm not a wise man, who's come from the East
I do not have any special knowledge or insights based on my location or culture.
But I can take you to a city
However, I am capable of illustrating a different setting and themes through my music.
Where a Man was crucified
I can narrate the story of a historical and religious event that represents love, sacrifice, and redemption.
I can tell you how He lived
I can inspire reflection and appreciation for a moral example and values.
And I can tell you why He died
I can foster understanding and empathy for a tragic and meaningful event.
I can help proclaim the glory
I have the capacity to express reverence and awe for a divine figure and his teachings.
Of this mighty King of Kings
I can convey the magnificence and authority that are associated with a supreme being.
Yes, I can do it with the songs
All these concepts and emotions are conveyed through my music.
That I sing
My songs are the medium that I use to transmit my message and artistry.
I'm not a great man
I am not prone to arrogance or self-aggrandizement.
I don't claim to be
I understand my limitations and do not seek to overstate my accomplishments.
But when I meet my Maker
In the afterlife, should there be one, and I am judged by my Creator.
And He questions me
If I am held to account for my deeds and words.
I won't hang my head
I won't feel ashamed or embarrassed.
I will stand proud and strong
I will be confident in the knowledge that I have used my talents and abilities to their fullest extent.
And say, 'I was a singer
I will humbly assert that, above all else, I was a musician.
Lord, I was a singer
I will address the higher power that I believe controls the afterlife.
Yes, I was a singer of songs'
I will reiterate that my life's mission centered on the art of music and its emotional resonance with others.
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
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