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.
Allegheny
Johnny Cash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It never ran but once and set to winters in the snow
Well imagine runnin' out on me when I lay sound asleep Allegheny
Well my big mistake was thinkin' she was something I could keep
She stole my winter's food supply and something else I fear
My savin's in the mattress have strangely disappeared
Now those who know me best knows he who robs me best beware Allegheny
I'm gonna call up the dogs and hunt you down drag you back here by the hair
Oh Allegheny something tells me you're dis-satisfied
Well could it be because I've been your mail-order bride
There's a half of you that's French yeah and I need to crave a better style
And a half of you is Cherokee yeah and I've gone wild Allegheny
She's got a head start on me as a crow flies half a day
And unless I miss my guess she'll stop to rest in Monterey
But if I take the Knoxville Highway thirteen hours it will be Allegheny
Well she forgot I knew the shortcut I'll be there in less than three
Oh Allegheny something tells me...
I signaled for my dogs to wait outside the hotel door
I described her to the desk clerk he said try the second floor
And then he mentioned she's got company
And that marks the stranget's doom Allegheny
I wish I was her so I could see my face when I bust into the room
Oh Allegheny something tells me...
Allegheny Allegheny come back here Allegheny Allegheny
The song "Allegheny" by Johnny Cash tells a story of a man who has been robbed by his partner, Allegheny. He is puzzled by how Allegheny managed to get his old car running and steal all his winter supplies, as well as his savings in the mattress. He feels that it was his mistake to think he could keep Allegheny. He decides to hunt her down and bring her back by force, with the help of his dogs.
The song also reveals that Allegheny is his mail-order bride, and she is dissatisfied with their life together. She is half-French and half-Cherokee, and she wants to explore her Native American roots. She has already fled from her partner, and he is in pursuit. He has a head start, but he knows a shortcut and will catch up with her soon.
The song portrays the theme of love, trust, and betrayal. The singer thought that Allegheny was someone he could keep, but she betrayed him. He trusted her but realized that he was wrong. The song also portrays a message of going the extra mile to catch what's yours. The singer takes the Knoxville Highway to catch up with Allegheny and even plans to barge in on her with his dogs.
Line by Line Meaning
How she got that junk car runnin' guess I'll never know
I am amazed at how she managed to repair that old car and make it run.
It never ran but once and set to winters in the snow
The car had been unused and buried in snow for a long time before she made it run once.
Well imagine runnin' out on me when I lay sound asleep Allegheny
I can't believe she left me in my sleep, Allegheny.
Well my big mistake was thinkin' she was something I could keep
I made a mistake by thinking that she would stay with me forever.
She stole my winter's food supply and something else I fear
She took my winter supplies and something else I am worried about.
My savin's in the mattress have strangely disappeared
The money I had saved in my mattress has disappeared in a mysterious manner.
Now those who know me best knows he who robs me best beware Allegheny
People who know me well know that those who try to rob me will face dire consequences, Allegheny.
I'm gonna call up the dogs and hunt you down drag you back here by the hair
I am going to send my dogs to find you, grab you by your hair, and bring you back here.
Oh Allegheny something tells me you're dis-satisfied
I suspect that you are not happy, Allegheny.
Well could it be because I've been your mail-order bride
I wonder if you are unhappy because I am your mail-ordered spouse.
There's a half of you that's French yeah and I need to crave a better style
You have a French ancestry, and I think you need to improve your sense of style.
And a half of you is Cherokee yeah and I've gone wild Allegheny
You also have Cherokee ancestry, and I think you have become wild and carefree, Allegheny.
She's got a head start on me as a crow flies half a day
She has a significant head start on me, about half a day's travel by crow's flight.
And unless I miss my guess she'll stop to rest in Monterey
If I am not wrong, she will take a rest in Monterey.
But if I take the Knoxville Highway thirteen hours it will be Allegheny
If I take the Knoxville Highway, it will take me thirteen hours to reach her, Allegheny.
Well she forgot I knew the shortcut I'll be there in less than three
But she forgot that I know a shortcut, and I will reach there in less than three hours.
I signaled for my dogs to wait outside the hotel door
I asked my dogs to wait outside the hotel room.
I described her to the desk clerk he said try the second floor
I gave the clerk her description, and he told me to check on the second floor.
And then he mentioned she's got company
The clerk also informed me that she has a companion with her.
And that marks the stranget's doom Allegheny
That companion's fate is sealed, Allegheny.
I wish I was her so I could see my face when I bust into the room
I wish I could see her face when I burst into the room.
Allegheny Allegheny come back here Allegheny Allegheny
Come back here, Allegheny.
Contributed by Zachary S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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