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.
Bonanza
Johnny Cash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hand in hand we built this land, the Ponderosa Ranch
Our birthright is this Cartwright bonanza
We here belong, and standing strong, wrong ain't got a chance
Day by day, work or play, ready side by side
Hello friend, come on in, the gate is open wide
Bound to be a fightin' free bonanza,
Every tree and flower is part of our bonanza
The stars at night, the morning light, water in the branch
We ride along four men strong together
Every plain and ridge is our heritage: Ponderosa Ranch
Day by day, work or play, ready side by side.
Hello friend, come on in, the gate is open wide.
Bound to be a fightin' free bonanza,
Singing pines of boundary lines for the Ponderosa Ranch.
In Johnny Cash's song "Bonanza," the lyrics narrate the story of the Ponderosa Ranch, a fictional ranch located on the eastern shore of Lake Tahoe, Nevada. The song celebrates the hardworking and perseverant Cartwright family who built the land from scratch, passing down the ranch from generation to generation. The lyrics mention the natural beauty that surrounds the Ponderosa Ranch, every tree and flower is an integral part of their legacy, and its imagery encapsulates the American West's ruggedness and wildness. The song's tone is one of camaraderie, an invitation to all friends and allies to come and experience the magic of the ranch, built by the Cartwrights and shared with all those who belong.
The lyrics of "Bonanza" became the theme song to the television show "Bonanza." The show was one of the longest-running Western series in TV history, airing between 1959-1973, starring Lorne Greene as Ben Cartwright, Pernell Roberts as Adam Cartwright, Dan Blocker as Hoss Cartwright, and Michael Landon as Little Joe Cartwright. Johnny Cash performed the song for the show, and it became one of the most famous TV show theme songs of all time. The song's lyrics convey the show's message that family and community are essential to one's success, and working in concert for a common goal can help overcome adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
The claim we hold is as good as gold, bonanza
We firmly hold onto our claim to this land and treasure it like gold - it's our bonanza.
Hand in hand we built this land, the Ponderosa Ranch
We worked together to build and shape this land into what is now called the Ponderosa Ranch.
Our birthright is this Cartwright bonanza
As Cartwrights, this ranch is our rightful inheritance - it's our bonanza.
We here belong, and standing strong, wrong ain't got a chance
We belong to this land and have a strong presence here - nothing can bring us down or make us leave.
Every tree and flower is part of our bonanza
We appreciate and value every part of this land, from the smallest flowers to the tallest trees - it's all part of our bonanza.
The stars at night, the morning light, water in the branch
We cherish the natural beauty of this land and all that it offers - the stars, the sunshine, and clean water in the streams.
We ride along four men strong together
As a group of four men, we ride together and face anything that comes our way.
Every plain and ridge is our heritage: Ponderosa Ranch
We consider every part of this land to be our heritage, from the plains to the ridges - it's all Ponderosa Ranch.
Day by day, work or play, ready side by side.
From sunup to sundown, whether working or playing, we always stand together, side by side.
Hello friend, come on in, the gate is open wide.
We welcome any friend who wants to join us on the Ponderosa Ranch and experience its beauty.
Bound to be a fightin' free bonanza,
We are determined to protect and preserve our free and prosperous ranch, no matter what challenges come our way.
Singing pines of boundary lines for the Ponderosa Ranch.
The boundary lines of the Ponderosa Ranch are marked by the beautiful, singing pines that grow along them.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: Jay Livingston, Ray Evans
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bosco Paulo
O cara era bom! Viveu de 1932 a 2003 quando foi cantar nas pradarias celestes. Salve, Johnny Cash!!
None of Your Business
I'm 23 and I have loved Johnny's music since 16!! :) I'm glad I discovered his music. :)
Larry Rump
well how old are you now
Ryan Kuehnl
33 now… dam
Daniel Ratner
@Ryan Kuehnl Time flies by
Antiquated Ape
Your age doesn't matter,people of all ages loved and still love his music.
fireball1322
...and always will......
StormLaker1975
I had NO idea Johnny Cash had anything to do with the iconic theme music. Bonanza was one of my favorite TV shows as a kid growing up watching the re-runs in the 70's and 80's:-)
Kasi Mckimm
this was remake. he didnt do the original
laserraptor
@Kasi Mckimm ^he did so many remakes and they are all so much better than the original songs.