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.
Ballad of a Teen Age Queen
Johnny Cash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's a story in our town
Of the prettiest girl around
Golden hair and eyes of blue
How those eyes could flash at you (how those eyes could flash at you)
Boys hung 'round her by the score
But she loved the boy next door who worked at the candy store
(Dream on, dream on teenage queen prettiest girl we've ever seen)
She was tops in all they said
It never once went to her head
She had everything it seems
Not a care, this teenage queen (not a care, this teenage queen)
Other boys could offer more
But she loved the boy next door who worked at the candy store
(Dream on, dream on teenage queen you should be a movie queen)
He would marry her next spring
Saved his money, bought a ring
Then one day a movie scout
Came to town to take her out (came to town to take her out)
Hollywood could offer more
So she left the boy next door working at the candy store
(Dream on, dream on teenage queen see you on the movie screen)
Very soon she was a star
Pretty house and shiny car
Swimming pool and a fence around
But she missed her old home town (but she missed her old home town)
All the world was at her door
All except the boy next door who worked at the candy store
(Dream on, dream on teenage queen saddest girl we've ever seen)
Then one day the teenage star
Sold her house and all her cars
Gave up all her wealth and fame
Left it all and caught a train (left it all and caught a train)
Do I have to tell you more
She came back to the boy next door who worked at the candy store
(Now this story has some more, you'll hear it all at the candy store)
The Ballad of a Teenage Queen is a narrative of a small-town girl, who with her beauty and charm, captures the attention of everyone in her town. The song talks about how the girl is not just beautiful but grounded as well, with the love of her life working at the candy store. As much as boys fancy her, she remains true to her love for the boy next door. However, soon, a film scout comes to town to take her to Hollywood, and she leaves her hometown, leaving her love behind. She becomes a star but realizes all that glitters is not gold and she misses her old life. She then gives up her wealth and fame to return back to the boy next door at the candy store, who she eventually marries.
Line by Line Meaning
(Dream on, dream on teenage queen prettiest girl we've ever seen)
There's a charming young girl that all the boys adore in our town.
There's a story in our town
There's a tale that's famous in our town.
Of the prettiest girl around
She's the most beautiful girl that anyone in the town knows.
Golden hair and eyes of blue
She has bright blonde locks and piercing blue eyes.
How those eyes could flash at you (how those eyes could flash at you)
Her blue eyes could easily grab any boy's attention.
Boys hung 'round her by the score
Many boys were mesmerized by her and they would all hang around her.
But she loved the boy next door who worked at the candy store
However, she loved the boy who lived next door and worked in the candy store.
(Dream on, dream on teenage queen prettiest girl we've ever seen)
Everyone in town would admire her beauty and dream of being with her.
She was tops in all they said
Everyone said she was the best at everything.
It never once went to her head
She didn't let her fame get to her head.
She had everything it seems
She seemed to have it all in life.
Not a care, this teenage queen (not a care, this teenage queen)
She didn't have any worries, as she was the queen of her world.
Other boys could offer more
Despite other boys who offered more, she was still in love with the boy who worked in the candy store.
But she loved the boy next door who worked at the candy store
She truly loved the boy who worked in the candy store.
(Dream on, dream on teenage queen you should be a movie queen)
Everyone thought she should be a star in Hollywood movies.
He would marry her next spring
He planned to marry her in the coming spring.
Saved his money, bought a ring
He saved up enough money to buy her an engagement ring.
Then one day a movie scout
One day, a talent scout from Hollywood came to her town.
Came to town to take her out (came to town to take her out)
He came to her town to offer her a chance to become a movie star.
Hollywood could offer more
Hollywood could provide more opportunities and wealth than her town.
So she left the boy next door working at the candy store
So, she left the boy she loved behind and moved to Hollywood.
(Dream on, dream on teenage queen see you on the movie screen)
People admired her and hoped to see her on the silver screen.
Very soon she was a star
Soon, she became a famous movie star.
Pretty house and shiny car
She had a lovely house and car in Hollywood.
Swimming pool and a fence around
She also enjoyed a luxurious swimming pool with a fence surrounding it.
But she missed her old home town (but she missed her old home town)
She felt homesick and missed her old town.
All the world was at her door
She was famous and successful, and people from all over the world wanted to see her.
All except the boy next door who worked at the candy store
The only person who wasn't there was the boy she left behind who worked at the candy store.
(Dream on, dream on teenage queen saddest girl we've ever seen)
Despite being famous and having it all, she appeared sad and people noticed it.
Then one day the teenage star
One day, the teenage star decided to make a change in her life.
Sold her house and all her cars
She sold her house and all her cars and decided to leave her glamourous lifestyle behind.
Gave up all her wealth and fame
She gave up all her money and fame as she realized it didn't bring her happiness.
Left it all and caught a train (left it all and caught a train)
She gave up everything and left town by train.
Do I have to tell you more
Her story doesn't need more elaboration as it's quite surprising.
She came back to the boy next door who worked at the candy store
She decided to return to her hometown to be with the boy she loved who worked at the candy store.
(Now this story has some more, you'll hear it all at the candy store)
There's more to this story, but you'll have to hear it from the boy at the candy store.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JACK CLEMENT
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