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.
Angel Band
Johnny Cash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My race is nearly run;
My strongest trials now are past,
My triumph is begun.
Oh, come, angel band,
Come and around me stand;
Oh, bear me away on your snowy wings
To my eternal home;
Oh, bear me away on your snowy wings
To my eternal home.
I know I?m near the holy ranks
Of friends and kindred dear?
I hear the waves on Jordan?s banks,
The crossing must be near.
I?ve almost reached my heav?nly home,
My spirit loudly sings;
Thy holy ones, behold, they come!
I hear the noise of wings.
Oh, bear my longing heart to Him,
Who bled and died for me;
Whose blood now cleanses from all sin,
And gives me victory.
In Johnny Cash's song Angel Band, the singer appears to be close to death, with his "latest sun...sinking fast." He reflects on his life, acknowledging that his "race is nearly run" and stating that his "strongest trials now are past" and his "triumph is begun." He expresses his desire for the angel band to come and "bear me away on your snowy wings" to his eternal home. The singer is comforted by the thought that he is "near the holy ranks of friends and kindred dear" and that he can hear the waves on Jordan's banks, indicating that his crossing into the afterlife is imminent. He sings with joy about almost reaching his heavenly home and being able to see the holy ones coming.
The final stanza of the song is dedicated to the singer's desire for redemption, as he calls out to bear his "longing heart to Him, who bled and died" for him. He acknowledges that "Whose blood now cleanses from all sin, and gives me victory," representing the idea of salvation through Jesus and giving a message of hope and peace to the listener. The song is a beautiful hymn that speaks to the inevitable crossing into the afterlife and the comforting presence of loved ones who have gone before.
Line by Line Meaning
My latest sun is sinking fast,
I am approaching the end of my life, and my time is running out.
My race is nearly run;
I have almost completed my journey through life.
My strongest trials now are past,
I have faced many difficult challenges in my life, but they are no longer a burden to me.
My triumph is begun.
I have achieved a great victory or accomplishment, and I am now able to rest in peace.
Oh, come, angel band,
I am calling out to the angels, who I believe are coming to take me to heaven.
Come and around me stand;
I want the angels to surround me and comfort me in my final moments on Earth.
Oh, bear me away on your snowy wings
I want the angels to carry me away to my eternal home in heaven.
To my eternal home;
I am eager to leave this world and be reunited with loved ones who have passed on before me.
I know I?m near the holy ranks
I believe that I am close to joining the community of holy beings in heaven.
Of friends and kindred dear?
I will be reunited with those who were closest to me in life, and who have gone ahead to heaven.
I hear the waves on Jordan?s banks,
I am aware that I am approaching the final journey across the difficult and treacherous river of death, which separates life from the afterlife.
The crossing must be near.
I recognize that my death is imminent, and the transition to the afterlife is about to occur.
I?ve almost reached my heav?nly home,
I am almost at my final destination in heaven and am excited to be there.
My spirit loudly sings;
I am filled with joy and happiness at the prospect of finally reaching the afterlife.
Thy holy ones, behold, they come!
I can see the holy beings coming to greet me and take me to heaven.
I hear the noise of wings.
I can hear the sound of the angels' wings as they approach me to take me to heaven.
Oh, bear my longing heart to Him,
I am asking the angels to take me to God, who I believe will welcome me into heaven.
Who bled and died for me;
I acknowledge Jesus Christ as my savior, who I believe died on the cross for my sins.
Whose blood now cleanses from all sin,
I believe that Jesus Christ's blood has the power to wash away all of my sins and make me pure in the eyes of God.
And gives me victory.
Through Jesus Christ's death and resurrection, I believe that I have achieved a great victory over sin and death.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JOHNNY R. CASH
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